EVENT LOG: KITE FESTIVAL

[asgardmods]

KITE FESTIVAL( MAY 4TH - 6TH ) Intro Log New Wanderers who find themselves in Asgard will awaken in a brightly lit room. Though they are overcome with disorientation at first, it will soon subside. Frigg and Sigyn enter the room to greet the new face with a warm welcome. They both welcome the newest wanderer and let them leave the room at their own pace. Wanderers are allowed to leave their bed, meet the rest of the pantheon, and wander to the castle grounds as they see fit. However, they are warned that they must choose one of the deities to bind themselves to before the dawn of the following day. If no choice is made, one will be made for them. It is emphasized that this choice is of the utmost importance and must be made before stepping off the castle grounds. The sun greets the new wanderer as they step outside. A trail of, what looks to be, stringless balloons hover at eye level outside the palace door. The balloons guide each Wanderer to a wooden board that lists pertinent information. There are hand-written pieces of parchment that show how to access a city map on their bracelet, and where to find housing. There is also a notice welcoming new Wanderers to an upcoming event: The local Kite Festival! It beckons newcomers to join in Kite flying, celebrating the warm season and feasting. Kite festival may 4th-6th ↴ the kite festival Welcome to the Kite Festival! In celebration of warmer weather, the locals are throwing a festival in the open fields surrounding Asgard. Wanderers who attend will be greeted by colorful paper lanterns, streamers, and decorative kites that fly in the warm breeze. During the day, a constant stream of rainbow-colored confetti flutters down from some unseen source. The confetti disappears just as mysteriously as soon as it touches the ground. KITE-MAKING → Tucked under the shade of a lush tree sits a wooden crafting table. String, paint, brushes, paper, fabric, and other art materials are provided so that you can create the kite you've always wanted! Decorate your kite however you see fit, although the local children will implore you to include mysterious runes in your decor. They have found these runes from... somewhere and seem particularly fond of them. You'll find examples of the runes scribbled on parchment paper all over the long wooden crafting tables for reference. The children tell you that the runes are called Rendu (), Sil (), and Fyeer (). Their meanings are unknown, but they're interesting to look at, and seem to call to you when you look at them. KITE-BATTLING → If your more of the competitive type, why not try and use your kite to try and win a prize? Pit one kite against another in a contest of skill. You can win the battle by cutting the string of the other kite or by knocking the opposing kite out of the air. All contestants need to do in order to participate in kite battling is to challenge another willing participant who has a kite to a battle. Any location around the Kite festival can serve as their battleground! Winners of these battles will be treated to an enchanted flower crown which can be worn for the remainder of the festival. The crowns are said to provide the wearers with feelings of happiness until the flowers wither. FEASTING → The paper lanterns - which provide decoration during the day - are lit with candles of varying color at night. The exuberant celebrations of the day quiet as the locals provide soothing music with their ceremonial bells. Long wooden tables are piled with all sorts of delicious-looking fruits and vegetables. Each piece of food looks impossibly picturesque in both color and plating, inviting observers to take what they can. Fresh fish are also provided, sourced from the local rivers that very morning. Each table is bordered by several wooden barrels. These contain an assortment of easy-to-pour alcohol for those who are old enough to dabble. Wanderers are invited to eat all they can. And, if they feel so inclined, they can even partake in dancing under the stars.

Comments

[prodigalmess]

"After a crime, yes, though not always before we have a suspect. Sometimes it helps me to determine suspects." He turned towards the other man. "Myself, as well as other people who have done this job long before me, have compiled data about the type of offenders who commit certain crimes, as well as weapon choice, motive, et cetera."

Malcolm tended to talk with his hands, and they were currently moving around in front of him. "We use that data when a certain crime is committed in order to try to determine what type of person might be behind it. It's useful. And fascinating."

Studying why people commit violent crime had always been personal for him. He was glad that he got to use that knowledge every day back home in order to help people.

[brother_cadfael]

"Either way," He spoke carefully, considering the man's words. "It's taking past actions and looking into reason for why these people did what they've done, and perhaps might do it again. Not simply assuming it MUST have been one of them just because of a past offense, or simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Optimistic though he was, he also knew that desperate men (and women) might do anything to achieve their ends. Suppose they were not caught, that sort of allure would catch anyone off guard and entangle them in the same pattern.

"Our sheriff back home is a good friend of mine," He finally explained. "And..unfortunately we're in the middle of what's been called the Anarchy. The dead turning up has become more common than either of us would like, and he's often called on my assistance to help bring whoever did so to justice."

[prodigalmess]

"Really?" Malcolm asked. "I'm curious why he asked for your help. Granted, if you're a monk, that probably means you're one of the few people in your town who can read."

He knows that much at least. Very few people back then knew how to read other than members of the clergy and upper class. It meant that Cadfael was educated, and thus maybe more able to help in something like a criminal investigation.

[brother_cadfael]

"The ability to draw and read maps is a more useful skill to him." Given the territory and indeed few people could read and write, the point seemed moot. "I won't go into details, because the story is fairly long, but suffice to say it was a matter of..I believe the term is 'one-up manship' which turned to a level of mutual respect."

And so the friendship went. "Both of us are men of the world and have a desire to see justice done. Berringer might only have a basic level of education, but he's clever and understands the need for reason and thought during an investigation."

[prodigalmess]

"Ah," Malcolm replied with a nod. He'd had some rivalries like that when he worked at the FBI, but fortunately his current supervisor was a man who had known him since he was a child, a man he looked at like a father figure. Nepotism? Maybe. It made for a generally good working environment though.

"I'm glad to hear it. Where I'm from, the law says that a person is innocent until proven guilty. The accused goes to trial and they are judged by a jury of their peers."

That might be kind of shocking to Cadfael. Malcolm wasn't a hundred percent sure how trials were done back then, but he imagined that people didn't have a lot of personal liberties.

[brother_cadfael]

"That's how it should be," He agreed. "And there are parts of Wales that hold to that same practice, but it's not widely known and the Welsh would be too proud to share it with the English."

He'd know, being one of them. "Usually the person's held to evidence. I'd like to say that the evidence proves either way, but times are chaotic right now. War going on, and small petty crimes are too easy to slip by without anyone to notice."

Yet another reason why Berringer came to him. As a monk, people would often come to him if something worried them, and the two of them just worked well off together.

[prodigalmess]

He smiles. "The English probably wouldn't adopt it anyway." Malcolm's got English heritage way back, but he's definitely not ignorant to the fact that they were rather destructive for several centuries in a row.

"Sometimes there isn't enough evidence," Malcolm says with a shrug. "In cases like that, the person is usually set free. It's maddening when you know the person is guilty and can't prove it, but that system is in place so that hopefully we don't send innocent people to prison."