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This is where daily updates on the storm will be posted - any important IC occurrences will go here!
In the final hours leading up to the storm, all activity in the ports have ceased - the beasts of the sea risen from the churning depths, dancing furiously in the frothy waves as the clouds to the southern sea gathered. They are acting hungry and severely aggressive - only the bravest and most daring (or completely out of their mind) of sailor and hunter go out to try and meet these beasts head on for their incredibly valuable reagents. It will be a much wiser and still profitable time for regular fishers once the storm has passed, but some individuals thrive on the extreme.
It is only the most magic sensitive of beasts becoming so aggressively agitated, however - others are are more skittish and nervous, seeking shelter or leaving the area entirely. A few other races and species have conversely collected in higher numbers, notably excitable shifters and packs of waiting vaasa. It has been a time of busy preparation where builders fortify buildings and farm owners hire mercenaries to protect their livestock. It is notable that dogs in particular are fiercely protective of their families, sensing the collective of predators and rising energy.
Now that the storm can be felt in the air, any establishments open to the public have become packed - inns and bars are filled to capacity, as are the temples and kind business owners offering refuge. The temples are among the safest places to be, as they are very well fortified buildings that will be protected by powerful barriers - the great palace will be the single safest location of all to be, as much of the guard will be here if not among the patrols watching the upper district. Unfortunately, such safety is only open to nobles of the court and relatives.
In the more well off districts the guards have been been putting up warding charms and advising households to burn certain herbs that will keep vampires, werewolves, and other such beings away. While it is a dangerous time it is also a time of celebrating the forces of chaos and the balance of change; so most methods are forms of warding and distraction, with killing avoided as much as possible. There are of course exceptions to this rule - there is no tolerance for the undead and outside of the city, taking advantage of the weather situation are the rare few slayers of such beasts, looking to use this as an opportunity to thin their numbers rather than letting them grow.
In order to protect themselves from themselves and such hunters, many shifters have friends, family, or temples lock them up for their own safety the entirety of the storm - the Temple of Trivia will be full of contained beasts and a rather frightening scene requiring the most diligent of experts continually tranquilizing, feeding, or otherwise containing shifters as necessary. It’s a difficult job every year and there are usually plenty left injured, but shifter tribes are so grateful for this service that they are unspoken guardians of the establishment and bring in healthy tribute.
Ironically the underground is also one of the most secure and safe places to be; the undercity blocks off the sewers with stone magic to prevent certain areas from experiencing flooding, but some levels cannot escape the rising of the river.
An electric tingle of deep magic can be felt swelling dramatically, bizarre displays of color washing through the looming storm in the distance like a celestial display of the far north. As the first rumble of thunder sounds and lightning can be seen out to sea, great drums begin to beat off the hillsides as the temples play and fires have been lit in the highest braziers in the cliffs, for all the good they might do for those still traveling by land.
It will soon be too dark for any foolhardy ships to make safe passage, with no lights visible enough on the cliff sides to guide their way and the deep, harrowing waters tasting the sides of boats with growing agitation like hungry maws.
With winds rising, temperatures dropping, and the rumbling increasing as the clouds roll in, groups of worshipers and revelers begin to gather - those intending to stay inside bar the windows and doors. It is very soon the temples will seal - the palace has already been closed off. Excitable mages and alchemists and other inventive minds prepare their equipment and spells for experimentation. Shifters “pregame” with drinking and sport, preparing the uninitiated of their kind, offering last minute advice.
Soon, the small drizzle of raindrops kissing the shore will turn to a cascading downpour as the strange dark clouds swallow up the sky above...
...and with a burst of energy and a strange, ever so briefly blinding flash of muted technicolor ripples, send the first bolts of unnatural lighting down into to the earth, the first surges of power through those receptive.
It is only the most magic sensitive of beasts becoming so aggressively agitated, however - others are are more skittish and nervous, seeking shelter or leaving the area entirely. A few other races and species have conversely collected in higher numbers, notably excitable shifters and packs of waiting vaasa. It has been a time of busy preparation where builders fortify buildings and farm owners hire mercenaries to protect their livestock. It is notable that dogs in particular are fiercely protective of their families, sensing the collective of predators and rising energy.
Now that the storm can be felt in the air, any establishments open to the public have become packed - inns and bars are filled to capacity, as are the temples and kind business owners offering refuge. The temples are among the safest places to be, as they are very well fortified buildings that will be protected by powerful barriers - the great palace will be the single safest location of all to be, as much of the guard will be here if not among the patrols watching the upper district. Unfortunately, such safety is only open to nobles of the court and relatives.
In the more well off districts the guards have been been putting up warding charms and advising households to burn certain herbs that will keep vampires, werewolves, and other such beings away. While it is a dangerous time it is also a time of celebrating the forces of chaos and the balance of change; so most methods are forms of warding and distraction, with killing avoided as much as possible. There are of course exceptions to this rule - there is no tolerance for the undead and outside of the city, taking advantage of the weather situation are the rare few slayers of such beasts, looking to use this as an opportunity to thin their numbers rather than letting them grow.
In order to protect themselves from themselves and such hunters, many shifters have friends, family, or temples lock them up for their own safety the entirety of the storm - the Temple of Trivia will be full of contained beasts and a rather frightening scene requiring the most diligent of experts continually tranquilizing, feeding, or otherwise containing shifters as necessary. It’s a difficult job every year and there are usually plenty left injured, but shifter tribes are so grateful for this service that they are unspoken guardians of the establishment and bring in healthy tribute.
Ironically the underground is also one of the most secure and safe places to be; the undercity blocks off the sewers with stone magic to prevent certain areas from experiencing flooding, but some levels cannot escape the rising of the river.
An electric tingle of deep magic can be felt swelling dramatically, bizarre displays of color washing through the looming storm in the distance like a celestial display of the far north. As the first rumble of thunder sounds and lightning can be seen out to sea, great drums begin to beat off the hillsides as the temples play and fires have been lit in the highest braziers in the cliffs, for all the good they might do for those still traveling by land.
It will soon be too dark for any foolhardy ships to make safe passage, with no lights visible enough on the cliff sides to guide their way and the deep, harrowing waters tasting the sides of boats with growing agitation like hungry maws.
With winds rising, temperatures dropping, and the rumbling increasing as the clouds roll in, groups of worshipers and revelers begin to gather - those intending to stay inside bar the windows and doors. It is very soon the temples will seal - the palace has already been closed off. Excitable mages and alchemists and other inventive minds prepare their equipment and spells for experimentation. Shifters “pregame” with drinking and sport, preparing the uninitiated of their kind, offering last minute advice.
Soon, the small drizzle of raindrops kissing the shore will turn to a cascading downpour as the strange dark clouds swallow up the sky above...
...and with a burst of energy and a strange, ever so briefly blinding flash of muted technicolor ripples, send the first bolts of unnatural lighting down into to the earth, the first surges of power through those receptive.
[ Event Emits - To Be Continually Updated ]
- The Storm of Dunamai has arrived and the beating of drums from the temples and sacred places have begun to echo throughout the city stone - if one has not already found shelter, they may find themselves hard pressed to find somewhere not already packed or locked up tight! While the rain is light now, it is rapidly picking up pace, along with already harsh winds...
- A heavy rumble passes through the storm, sending another wave of energy rippling through the sky - it only gets darker and the rain has turned into a true downpour just getting started.
- A full moon hangs heavy and oddly tinged in the sky, but spotting it through the cloud cover is a fleeting privilege. As shifters and others begin to fall under the influence of the raw magical currents, beastly howls and screams echo through the night unnaturally, their direction and distance impossible to judge over the pounding of the rain into the thickening mud.
- A particularly bright bolt of lightning splits the night. A deep rumbling boom follows the blinding flash, enough to lightly rattle panes of glass.
It hasn't stopped raining since the day before and continues to pour - while things have already been exciting, with energetic shifters running wild through the streets, now things are beginning to get a little more complicated.
While flooding is not severe, water well diverted by river and sewer system, not everywhere is prepared for the rising of water and not all roofs hold back the torrent from getting indoors. In general ports are inaccessible, boats have been flung ashore or smashed against rocks, and there are reports of mudslides and minor lightning strike fires.
It continues to remain dark as night, no sunlight even so much as suggesting itself through the unnatural cloud cover - light comes only from the flashes of lightning and the ripples of eerie light that pass through, signifying the strange fluctuations shifters are feeling. It seems after long hours of rushing freedom the energy has pulled back a bit, lightning less severe, and shifters being offered some brief respite to recover before the next burst.
While flooding is not severe, water well diverted by river and sewer system, not everywhere is prepared for the rising of water and not all roofs hold back the torrent from getting indoors. In general ports are inaccessible, boats have been flung ashore or smashed against rocks, and there are reports of mudslides and minor lightning strike fires.
It continues to remain dark as night, no sunlight even so much as suggesting itself through the unnatural cloud cover - light comes only from the flashes of lightning and the ripples of eerie light that pass through, signifying the strange fluctuations shifters are feeling. It seems after long hours of rushing freedom the energy has pulled back a bit, lightning less severe, and shifters being offered some brief respite to recover before the next burst.
It has been a really bad time for the quarry - roof planks and sheets were put up to divert flow of water away from the pit and dwellings, but mudslides and damage to equipment and buildings was still a persistent problem in the nonstop rain. It'll be even harder labor than normal for the prisoners there in the coming weeks.
There have been some dock collapses and livestock drownings by animals that got loose and were in the wrong place at the wrong time, trying to avoid the predators in a foolish panic. Ah, and of course they are only the few among the many bodies in the streets - wolf chewed carcasses of farm animals and pets, the occasional individual, some of them having been one of those shifters themselves, laid low by unknown hunters. A body count has yet to be taken and it will be some time before any kind of missing person census can be completed, but things look maybe a little nastier this year.
It seems the property damage is a little more widespread this year too - not due to a particularly strong storm, but a bit more of a lively and diverse crowd than the usual four-legged predator types that roamed. It seems more elemental magic damage and mangled rooftops are going to be claimed this year in one of the lower districts then is typical - with scattered accounts from those who glimpsed bits of a bizarre fight from their windows or heard it crossing over their roof. However, aside from that nothing of extreme note has happened this year - and rumors whisper that at least one lucky soul has been blessed by the gods.
As the third night of madness wore on, the power gradually receded and the rains finally lessened...
...and the weather began to clear on the morning of the next day. Now is the time to begin calculating the damage and when crowds begin to gradually come out, groups partied out and shifters truly weary. It's generally the pickers out first, looking for potential looting opportunities before the guards flow back out into the city.
There is the strong smell of ozone, and the nitrogen in the air has supercharged plant life - including the growth of a rare and mysterious flower, known as the ‘herb of enlightenment':
It's now time for clean-up and recovery, the Peace Of Dunamai. You might find the more entrepreneurial types of merchants, healers, and similar looking to take advantage of their botanical and tea making skills.
There have been some dock collapses and livestock drownings by animals that got loose and were in the wrong place at the wrong time, trying to avoid the predators in a foolish panic. Ah, and of course they are only the few among the many bodies in the streets - wolf chewed carcasses of farm animals and pets, the occasional individual, some of them having been one of those shifters themselves, laid low by unknown hunters. A body count has yet to be taken and it will be some time before any kind of missing person census can be completed, but things look maybe a little nastier this year.
It seems the property damage is a little more widespread this year too - not due to a particularly strong storm, but a bit more of a lively and diverse crowd than the usual four-legged predator types that roamed. It seems more elemental magic damage and mangled rooftops are going to be claimed this year in one of the lower districts then is typical - with scattered accounts from those who glimpsed bits of a bizarre fight from their windows or heard it crossing over their roof. However, aside from that nothing of extreme note has happened this year - and rumors whisper that at least one lucky soul has been blessed by the gods.
As the third night of madness wore on, the power gradually receded and the rains finally lessened...
...and the weather began to clear on the morning of the next day. Now is the time to begin calculating the damage and when crowds begin to gradually come out, groups partied out and shifters truly weary. It's generally the pickers out first, looking for potential looting opportunities before the guards flow back out into the city.
There is the strong smell of ozone, and the nitrogen in the air has supercharged plant life - including the growth of a rare and mysterious flower, known as the ‘herb of enlightenment':
Storm of Dunamai wrote:
A gift to their shifter children after the storm ceases each year, the gods send a boon in the form of a rare and powerful plant, a special flowering grass known for remarkable healing properties. It is a prized system cleanser and helps shifters rest and recover after their ordeals - many can be found grazing on the pale green sprouts after the storm and the smell is notably inviting. It can also be made into a powerful tea to cure many ailments, but the buds and leaves lose potency after a matter of days and the plants only last about a week before withering away until next year.
It's now time for clean-up and recovery, the Peace Of Dunamai. You might find the more entrepreneurial types of merchants, healers, and similar looking to take advantage of their botanical and tea making skills.
