(2103)Spring Coronation

[Liam Gelt]

The Tavern is strangely calming to Liam, despite the brief brushes with ceiling lights.
I had no idea there were so many of us here.
It was while scanning the myriad groups from his height that he took notice of the woman with the line of people in front of her. Liam's heart briefly stops.
That must be the queen!
For all his size Liam feels dwarfed by her sheer presence; but her kind smile and shimmering eyes radiate a sense of calm tempered with experience that sets him more at ease.
When it comes for his turn to present his gift, Liam offers a deferential nod and pulls a flowery wreath from his jacket. He hands it, perhaps a bit too gingerly, to her.
Glad to make your acquaintance, your highness. My name's Liam. Oh! And if you or anyone else need some extra tidbits on Goblin Fruits or Hedgebeasts, I've got a pretty decent Archive you can make use of.

[Seraphina]

There was a hint of a smile as she watches Vivian move on to the other Summers, enjoying seeing the friendship between them.

Sapphires then focus on the new face, who looks unsure. A warm, friendly smile appears on her lips as she nods to him, “Good evening, welcome to the Spring Coronation. I’m Seraphina, Vernal Sovereign.” Her angelic voice friendly and welcoming.

Her attention pulled away by the loud entrance. Looking at the Lost in question, a mismatch of various animals, which was actually quite striking. Almost grand in appearance. An eyebrow raises as the drugs were thrown about, but not stopping her. This was Spring, the Season of Desires, and she would not hinder one from seeking their Desires. Even if she wasn’t a drug user anymore, she wouldn’t judge. Live and let live.

Back to Circe, “Well it looks amazing! You could be on to something there, we might need to talk about a commission.” A wink added.

With the deadpan from the dwarf, she had to chuckle to herself. He wasn’t wrong. And so long as no one was getting hurt, it was what it was.

Well, the other new face was hard to miss. All seven feet of him standing out, a smile offered as she beckons him over.

The wink was returned to Rhodes, though she hated to see him depart her side. But, she had new faces to greet, “Thank you Dread Lord.” A nod of her head.

Seemed one of the new guys wasn’t bashful enough to introduce himself, accepting the wreath, “Oh, this is so beautiful! Thank you!” comes the angelic voice. “Pleased to meet you as well Liam.” Looking to the other guy and back to Liam, “If you would both join me by the Wyrdstone, we can get better acquainted, and then you can enjoy the evening!”

Turning to the rest of the Tavern, “Spring wants to welcome you all and thank you for sharing this evening with us. As we welcome the changing of the Season, we encourage you to embrace your Desires, do not deny them. To deny them, even the simplest of them, is to let Them win. To let Them take that joy from our lives, that we as Spring, refuse to give up. Refuse to allow Them to take anything more from us. We embrace hope. The hope of new beginnings, with new friends, new growth, and a joy They cannot take. So we gather to express that joy, happiness and desire, to show them that They have not won. Enjoy the evening and the food and drinks Spring has provided. Step outside to enjoy the night air, dance if your heart desires, and have fun.”
Walking to the Wyrdstone, she touches it, a translucent hand resting on it, pouring her own Glamour into the stone.

Then looking to the two new faces, she beckons them over with the same translucent hand.

Saber Sloth , Sera has spent the Glamour for the Wyrdstone! Making a side thread for the new Lings, as well as anyone else who wishes to join And Sera still has Striking Looks 8 activated

[Saber Sloth]

The Wyrdstone is always rushing, moving, twisting, but still. Moving like blood and stone, the red of the moving mass, mesmerizing in contrast to the black-green of the solid rock grit binding it. As the Vernal Queen spends the Glamour into the Wyrdstone the rhythm of pulsating changes, coming out from the thrum of the Winter's Sorrow, to that of the Spring Queen's delighted Desire.

Everyone connected to the Wyrstone, feels it, as of last time and the time before that. The priceless sense of belonging. Of home. The soul deep knowledge that everyone else connected to you is safe, that thye can be trusted to not be agents of the Others...

As sated in my previous post, and again in the side thread about those who need to give a Glamour to the Wyrstone, please join the side with Sera and the Wyrdstone if you are New or a Courtless Changeling. After paying you can return to the main thread, then head off to a different side thread (if you want)


If you are moving to a side thread please make a note with the CTL tags, or the Continue bbcode.


Also, Liam Gelt BoxingUnicorn please check out the Posting Key you need to use quotation marks to indicate that your character is speaking out loud.

[Sonnie Wu]

Sonnie, now that the Spring Queen had been properly introduced and all that formal rigamarole, hovered near Sera. She particularly kept an eye on the new faces. The new, unsworn faces.

Any who approached the Queen wouldn't get too close. The Claviger made sure of that, interposing herself.

Once they used the Wyrdstone, of course, she relaxed her watchfulness. Somewhat.

Meanwhile, she munched on some goblin fruit, which the Beast had snatched from the buffet tables with her usual deftness.

"Party's goin' well," she commented to Sera, one cheek full of fruit. "Only thing missing is our annual limbo contest."

Wait, was that annual now?

[Ram]

Barely seemed to notice the newcomers, even the giant ogre, arriving. Instead spending most of his energy keeping his eyes averted from the white flag in their midst.

Only the shouts seemed to finally reach Ram. The loud boisterousness of Summer. The yells, and shouts. Or maybe it was the way his mantle reflected the screams into his mind that let him turn it to something other than dazzling beauty of the fairest Vernal Sovereign. Remind him of other things.

He managed a small returned smile to those that greeted him.

“Hey, Circe,” he said, and realizing he’d gripped a fork hard enough to make it snap, he put the broken silverware on his plate and used his fingers “Uh, thanks. It’s just the one Titania picked out for me last Winter.” He said looking down at his suit and trying not to compare it to Circe’s garb of sunlight “Sera just altered it a bit for fit.

“You look great, though,” he added quickly, not wanting her to think he didn’t appreciate the effort it had taken her to make.

The smile grew with the comfort of being surrounded by a Summer storm as Vivian made a run for the meat. At this time though he was okay letting her have it, since he’d already filled up his plate.

“I’m pretty sure we could get more if someone wrote it on one of those papers. I think Spring is like honor bound to try and fullfill them.” He shrugged “Or it’s a party game, could go either way,” he admitted looking again at the fire.

Circe and Vivian side thread between the buffet and the wish fire?

[Cassandra Reeding]

She watches John, stumble a little and he doesn't even really look up at Sera, his eyes meeting her own for a moment before he addresses the Queen. That wasn't what she'd expected. But then, considering him, would anything less composed really be expected? She wondered then if it bothered him too.

Using Arcadian gifts to make herself inhumanly beautiful as a way to make sure she is one hundred percent the absolute center of attention at a gathering. Well, she did it. As if she doesn't already do that every time she walks in a room. Fake. Those thoughts make her eyes widen. Oh my god. Cassandra. Who are you today? How ugly her thoughts quickly became actually frightened her. Where did that come from? She's not been that nasty in thought for years.

Sera calls attention to her and Cassandra's eyes widen, feeling like a big spotlight was just put on her. And after those kinds of thoughts, it makes her purse her lips in a slight embarrassment. But then she puts on a smile and nods, "I'm fine." her voice is quiet, calm. She was about to give her gift to Sera when the sovereign walks off with the newcomers. Given the bright entrance from one in particular, she shouldn't be surprised. Were those... were those joints on the floor? Oh. Okay. Awkward. So, she opts to set her gift off in the gift area for her.

Sera's Gift

It is a folder holding a piece of music and engraved in script lettering on the inside of the folder reads: A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song. ~Maya Angelou

The folder holds a vocal piece in German called Widmung, composed by Robert Schumann. Visible from one of the pockets is a note which reads:

Seraphina,

I don't normally gift music, mainly because no one tends to want anything from my stash, but when I consider you, your connection to Spring, and the beautiful love you share with your partner, there is nothing I can think of that is more fitting. Music speaks our emotions far better than words ever could, but this quote I heard the other day gave me pause and I thought of you. "Some days there won't be a song in your heart. Sing anyway."

Now, Winter cannot last forever, so it is time for the flowers to blossom and usher in a new season of renewed hope and continued balance. I'm looking forward to seeing Sacramento bloom under your guidance.

~ Cassandra

Feeling in a very strange way, and not wanting to force her way into Ram's conversation with Vivian, Circe, and John, the Fairest makes her way over to the bonfire, taking a bit to enjoy the outside and the flames. Perhaps considering the papers to be lit aflame with a desire written. The fresh air and distance from the sovereign would do her some good. Get her good thoughts back together.

Cassandra walks over to the Wishing Fire, side thread here.

[Titania]

Social butterfly that she is, she can't exactly leave the bar and the two dapper gentlemen unattended.
So, she moves to intercept their demands.

Titania joins (2103) Propping Up The Bar

[Gerrit]

As if Seraphina's radiant beauty wasn't enough: several new faces entered the Hollow, and one colorful Wizened even sprinkled her grand entrance by throwing around something. It didn't take long for Gerrit to realize what the sticks were. He felt his throat tighten and his heart beat faster. This was a Spring event, all right. He faded even more into the background, shoulders slightly hunched - as if waiting for the excess to start and all the friends he'd come to know showing their true depraved nature. Seeing this he didn't even trust the buffet. Not that Seraphina would like to harm or deceive anyone, but maybe their definition of 'tasty' or 'acceptable' differed just enough from Gerrit's.

The Queen of Desire's angelic voice pierced through his anxiety, but it sounded horrible and overpowering in her beauty. 'Express that joy, happiness and desire.' Why didn't those words fill him with the hope they're meant to provide? Why did his mouth taste like copper, why did he lose all interest to mingle and celebrate the turn of the Seasons?

I wonder how long I have to stay for politeness' sake. The thought of politeness held up so far - but the Stonebones scanned the room for anyone to light up the Chimera's gift or indulge in any other form of excess. He also reminded himself to not show how he felt - the last thing he wanted was someone to strike up a caring conversation now.

In short: fun times were had.

[James Turner]

John was glad to see Sera had enjoyed the simple gift, he knew it meant a lot to himself as well. He'd never been a member of the program, addiction not being a problem he had fortunately. But the motto and the reminder that you were not alone, that everyone struggled, that sometimes just making it to the next day was accomplishment enough. He had moved to Ram to try and offer the man some comfort and companionship but it seemed his Court had swept in and taken him away without even a word.


He stood there flabbergasted, looking down at his hands as something bounced off it and rolled to the floor. Breaking the cycle that had just been about to start as he bent down to grab the container and examine it. He gave a soft shrug and pocketed it, why not right? It was Spring. Though this new arrival was definitely...unique in possibly every way of the word. When asked if someone had a light, John reached into his pocket to pull out his Zippo and flick it open, holding it up. Maybe you are invisible, maybe you'll be overlooked again. Maybe it had only delayed the cycle.


He offered Liam a smile and a nod and his black orbs followed Silkana offering the same gesture but curious as to another like him being in the freehold. The feel, the scent, the push of their mantle felt wrong for Winter and Roshon didn't have one that he could feel, which was yet another oddity to look into later. Normally he would join Anatole at the bar but he seemed to be holding a Court of his own.

failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-03-30 17:35:55	James Turner rolls 7 to Read Emotion (Wits + Empathy) (10 Again)	7, 6, 1, 2, 1, 1, 5	failure

He saw Gerrit but couldn't get a good read on the Ogre, there was just to much stimulus around. Too many people moving, too many conversations to keep track of and then as he opened himself up to read deeper he was deafened by the cacophony of sound around him. Then Sera's speech began and he was immediately pulled to it.


Sera's speech succeeded in at least one person that night. It spoke to something inside the Darkling's changing heart, changing life. She was right, why shouldn't he enjoy himself? why should he not embrace his desires...in a winter way. So he smiled, heading to join Cassandra at the fire.

Continued in (2103) The Wishing Fire...

[Circe]

"I figure, if I know how ta make it like a mundy, it is easier ta Hedgespin," she scowls as her Mantle oozes out. She growls, "It damn well better be, I bleed ta make this damn dress."


As for Ram's suggestion, that made Circe nibble some mystery meat as she looked between the booze and the fire. Swallowing she twirls the flesh in her fingers. Then points the meat stick towards the bar, "We got food. Why not get something ta wash it down?"

Circe votes for the logic of Changeling alcoholism