sixthiteration: (Default)
The Sixth Iteration ([personal profile] sixthiteration) wrote in [community profile] sixthiterationlogs2018-10-30 12:39 pm

[MINGLE] Saints & Sinners Masquerade

WHERE: Corn field next to the inn
WHEN: 31 October, all day and night
OPEN TO: ALL - MINGLE
WARNINGS: Please warn as appropriate in your subject lines
NOTES: Please make sure you have read and understand the event details! If you have questions, drop them here. RECOMMENDED BUT NOT REQUIRED: Put your SCRUBS COLOR in your OTA subject line for folks doing bingo. Time your OTA for the harvest feast, the masquerade, or both. Costume matches and details for folks who did not get matched are here.

This morning, our intrepid villagers awoke to a surprise of the nicer kind: A bundle of clothing left at the foot of their bed, tied with a bow. There is also a note: Put on your new outfit and join the festivities in the corn field next to the inn.

You may be thinking, what corn field next to the inn? The one that sprung up fully-mature overnight, of course.

In the middle of the field, villagers will find an autumn feast: Tables piled with harvest time food and drink, warm and rustic decorations, the day's sunshine fending off any chill in the air.

Tuck in and enjoy, villagers, but take note: Things often look different in the dark, and you might be one of them.
minus1twin: (Okay Scott)

[personal profile] minus1twin 2018-11-11 03:57 am (UTC)(link)
Wanda didn't even try and hide her smile. "No. It's not." Most of the people who wore strange costumes did so for a specific reason though robes were common in the middle east.

She reached forward and gently tugged at one of the many adornments. "This would make a lot of noise if you're trying to be silent." It was plastic though Wanda assumed that since this was a costume that it was supposed to be metal.

Her hand fell bad down to her side as she let her eyes run over his costume. "It doesn't look bad." Which was a good thing considering some of the costumes here.
eaglesonofnone: (to contemplate)

[personal profile] eaglesonofnone 2018-11-12 11:44 pm (UTC)(link)
"That," he agreed, "the cape, the collar; I'm used to wearing a hood, but not the rest of this. It all seems too cumbersome or too decorative. I cannot judge the look..."

That was, perhaps, an understatement. When he'd been presented with the robes denoting his station as mentor, they had seemed too much until he'd realised how warm they kept him. Then he'd accepted from utility alone. "But perhaps for someone, they would be serviceable."
minus1twin: (Still young)

[personal profile] minus1twin 2018-11-14 02:39 am (UTC)(link)
Wanda really wanted to keep tugging at the pieces of his costume but she kept her hands to herself. "Hopefully after midnight the spell ends and our clothes return to normal." It was a little joke, something to hopefully lighten the mood.

"It looks nice on you."

If that's an consolation.
eaglesonofnone: (in plain sight)

[personal profile] eaglesonofnone 2018-11-17 06:47 am (UTC)(link)
A faint sound that might have been a laugh and Altaïr glanced down at himself - and then bowed to her, the pose making the cape drape around his left arm. "I will take the compliment, Okhti. Thank you."
minus1twin: (Ummm...)

[personal profile] minus1twin 2018-11-20 06:32 pm (UTC)(link)
"You're welcome." The cap slipped to his side and Wanda watched as the fabric unfolded. "Have you been to a gathering like this?"

He didn't really seem like the party type.
eaglesonofnone: (apart)

[personal profile] eaglesonofnone 2018-11-23 10:17 am (UTC)(link)
Altaïr shook his head. "No. --Well." The memory swam from his thoughts. A day in Dimashq. A palace, dancing girls, fountains that ran with bitter wine and then blood. "Once," he corrected himself. "For less than an hour. I had come for a different reason."

Abu'l Nuqoud. Perhaps in some ways they weren't so different - except for at their very core. And there, they couldn't be any different at all.
minus1twin: (Huh?)

[personal profile] minus1twin 2018-11-24 03:42 am (UTC)(link)
"Not pleasant ones?" She asked, her light green eyes watching Altair curiously. She'd seen the subtle shift of his features and while Wanda had no idea what memory he was recalling, it didn't appear to be a particularly pleasant one.

Perhaps it was best to change subjects.

"What do you think of the food and drinks? Is it like what you're used too?" It felt very American to her.
eaglesonofnone: (of the truth)

[personal profile] eaglesonofnone 2018-11-25 06:16 am (UTC)(link)
"The party I attended..." A breath and he decided not to lie. "It was in the city of Dimashq - Damascus, the English called it. The merchant king, Abu'l Nuqoud, held a celebration during which he made the fountains run with wine - wine that he had poisoned. Those who did not drink, he then had shot by archers on his highest walls. It was not an enjoyable celebration."

That, he said with nigh undetectable amusement. It was an understatement and he knew it, and it was a hint as to his usual state of humour.

"And the food and drink was nothing like this. I am used to drinking either water or some sort of juice from fruits. I have never been one for becoming intoxicated. And I see no warab eniq or majboos. I can't identify many of these things."
minus1twin: (Huh?)

[personal profile] minus1twin 2018-11-27 02:48 am (UTC)(link)
Wanda's mouth tilted into a frown. "That doesn't sound like a party." At least not in the traditional sense of the world. "Why would they do that?"

She probably shouldn't ask because it was none of her business but Wanda found Altaïr's honesty surprising and she wanted to know more about his world and the situation he was in at home. It didn't sound like a pleasant place but then, her world wasn't that pleasant through her eyes either.

"I've never heard of warab eniq or majboos."
eaglesonofnone: (to know)

[personal profile] eaglesonofnone 2018-11-28 02:26 am (UTC)(link)
A hint of a smile, maybe more of a smirk, and Altaïr said, "I will tell you of the food first and the story second.

"Warab eniq is meat and rice, perhaps vegetables, wrapped and steamed in a large grape leaf. Majboos is a dish that takes patience. You cook and spice your meat, cook the rice, and then fry vegetables. Then, when most things are nearly done, you put it all in a great pot and cook it together for hours, until everything has the flavours throughout. And then you place a large platter over the mouth of the pot and turn it upside-down, dumping it all to be eaten together. You could use bits of food left over from other meals, or make it fresh - either way, the smell always made my stomach growl."

But then... Then, he had promised a story. And to tell it, he motioned for her to walk with him. "There was some such food at the party I mentioned. As I said, it was held in Dimashq, in one of the most grand buildings in the city. Even my home citadel of Masyaf was not so fine, as we survived on what we needed rather than by gilding and polishing.

"Abu'l Nuqoud was a merchant. He had grown rich off his trading. Rich enough to make himself fat. He wore clothes of fine silks, rings on every finger. And he used his connections throughout the tradesmen to build up fortunes. Most of his guests that day were like him: fortunate merchants with heavy pockets who spent their money on weapons of war. This was the Third Crusade, King Richard fighting for the Holy Land against Salah Ad-Din. Their armies clashed throughout the countryside, trampling farmland, running people out of their villages. The English occupied Akka, and the Saracens threatened any of us who lived native if we did not join with him against them.

"But through it all, Abu'l Nuqoud and his merchants grew fat, selling weapons, selling medicines, selling armour. Selling comfort when the soldiers could afford to return for a day, a week, a month. I was there because I had found that there was more to Abu'l than any had thought. He was not only a merchant king but a Templar, working within the Saracens just as men like William of Montferrat worked within the Englishmen. The Templars had their own goal, and the Crusades were a convenient cause for them to hide amongst."
minus1twin: (Drinking)

[personal profile] minus1twin 2018-11-30 01:06 am (UTC)(link)
Wanda liked hearing about the food. She wasn't sure if they had rice at the inn but that sounded like it was something that they could recreate here; perhaps with different spices. It was food for thought and something that Wanda kept tucked away for later.

She turned and followed at Altair's side with her drink held carefully between her fingers. She took a sip of her cider and listened to his story. Wanda had already guessed that it wasn't a happy story but she was attentive and focused as she stepped at his side, careful not to trip over the long skirts of her costume.

"Templar is a word used throughout history. They're usually mass organizations, my understanding is that history rarely paints them as heroes." Wanda wondered why the merchant would then poison the people who he made his fortune from but maybe there was a detail she was missing? Something that she didn't understand… Her brow furrowed as she took the different details and tried to link them together.

"These Templar's-" She continued in a light tone. "-were they anything like that?"
eaglesonofnone: (to contemplate)

[personal profile] eaglesonofnone 2018-12-01 03:32 am (UTC)(link)
"They were much like that - hoarding power, hoarding funds, and seeking more power and control with every move," he said with the quiet conviction of one who knew he spoke the truth, even if the truth was inconvenient to hear.

"As a Templar, Abu'l saw that the war, while more than adequate cover and while lucrative, worked against what he saw as the Templar cause of a new, equitable world. And yet, he himself was the antithesis of such things. He spent the city's money on his celebrations. He detested the poor, seeing them as a blight on society. He took pleasure in tormenting those he saw as lesser. Under his rule, equality was lessened instead of grown.

"By the end of his celebration, even he numbered among the dead, and Dimashq had the chance to gain in fairness. Few mourned his passing - which is an unfortunate thing to say of anyone."
minus1twin: (Ummm...)

[personal profile] minus1twin 2018-12-05 05:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Wanda had strange views on death. It was sad when it was someone you knew but she'd grow up with death being a constant presence around her. It was hard for her to feel empathy for those who bring it onto themselves like the Templar that Altair spoke of.

"What was your role in all of this?"

It sounded like he was there but he's been focusing on telling Abu'ls story instead of his own. Wanda wondered what his role was, other than 'being there'.
eaglesonofnone: (of the truth)

[personal profile] eaglesonofnone 2018-12-06 09:04 pm (UTC)(link)
And that was the moment he chose honesty: "Mine was the hand that ended his life. Some of his goals, I applauded - then, and now. War is horrible. Efforts to end it should be lauded. But society should be equitable. There is no person who is a blight upon it other than he who would take advantage of those who cannot defend against him."
minus1twin: (Drinking)

[personal profile] minus1twin 2018-12-09 08:18 pm (UTC)(link)
"I agree with you. In that position, I'd probably do the same thing." Wanda spent her life fighting for various causes and while death was never pleasant, it was something that she could understand. Even if she couldn't forgive herself for the innocent lives that had been taken by her mistake.

"My job... before I was brought here-" It felt like such a long time ago. "We fighting terrorist like him."
eaglesonofnone: (in shadows)

[personal profile] eaglesonofnone 2018-12-11 06:37 am (UTC)(link)
His brows raised. Of everything he would've expected of her, the life of a warrior was not among them. And yet, from what she'd said - and the way her eyes stayed steady, the way there was no twitch of her lips - he believed her. "A laudable choice," he said with a slow, respectful nod. "So long as there are those who act as he, there will always be a need for people to fight them and show people a better way."
minus1twin: (Turning)

[personal profile] minus1twin 2018-12-11 11:34 pm (UTC)(link)
"I believe that there will always be people to stand for what's right." Wanda hadn't always believed that but Steve had changed her mind. She wanted to fight for the innocence of the world and protect it.

"Thank you for telling me." She wasn't sure why Altair had trusted her but it felt nice to be able to talk to someone who understood the life she had before this village.
eaglesonofnone: (to contemplate)

[personal profile] eaglesonofnone 2018-12-12 12:24 am (UTC)(link)
"I will admit," he began, "that I did not see a fighter when I first saw you. My own biases that I must leave behind, especially as my wife was as much a fighter as I. Thank you for opening my eyes to that." A shortcoming he would work to eliminate in himself. Maria had done much to help young women in Masyaf learn to fight, but so many of them were entrenched in the ways of the Saracens, certain that their place was in the home rather than in the shadows. Fighting that had been an uphill battle, and one that Altaïr had let go with Maria's death. But then, he had let a very great deal go when she was killed.
minus1twin: (Confused)

[personal profile] minus1twin 2018-12-13 05:22 pm (UTC)(link)
Wanda looked over at him, her eyebrows raised in a curious arc. It was true that she didn't have her magical powers anymore but she's been living in the village for over a year and has used that time to train and learn new ways of fighting.

"Being underestimated has its advantages." Though no one from her world would underestimate her. "But I continue to train, even here."
eaglesonofnone: (in plain sight)

[personal profile] eaglesonofnone 2018-12-14 06:10 am (UTC)(link)
"In that, you do remind me of my wife," he said, a flicker in his eyes making it plain that the memory was good. "Many times, she used the belief that women were not as capable as men to her advantage. When my presence would have silenced someone, around her, they loosed their lips. She was a remarkable woman."
minus1twin: (Sweet Smile)

[personal profile] minus1twin 2018-12-14 06:07 pm (UTC)(link)
Wanda felt herself smile. "You remind me a bit of my brother." Her nose wrinkled as her face briefly scrunched. "But less cocky. He was in a similar situation though he never slowed down."

Her twin had made it easy to be strong though he also made it very easy to worry. He was constantly doing dangerous things but she imagined that Altaïr was likely similar in his youth.

"But thank you." It was a hefty compliment. "While we're here, you can rely on me. If you need too."
eaglesonofnone: (to know)

[personal profile] eaglesonofnone 2018-12-17 08:05 pm (UTC)(link)
"I thank you, Shabbah. I do not doubt that I'll have many questions, but I will try to learn on my own before bothering you with them. The young have lives of their own, after all." But there was a bit of a smile to his words, yellow eyes gleaming with humour even if the expression didn't entirely show.
minus1twin: (Excuse me?)

[personal profile] minus1twin 2018-12-19 02:37 am (UTC)(link)
Wanda pointedly looked him up and down and then raised her eyebrow. "You're looking very good for your age." Her accent thickened slightly as if to put emphases on the compliment. She understood his situation but that didn't mean that she wasn't going to tease him about any 'old' remarks.

"I should go, I didn't bring Arado and I need to make sure he gets fed, but I hope to run into you again soon." He was a good person and knew how to tease. Both were good in her book.
eaglesonofnone: (to know)

[personal profile] eaglesonofnone 2018-12-20 06:53 am (UTC)(link)
The hood was similar enough to his own that he was able to tilt his head in such a way as to use the shadow to hide some embarrassment. Thankfully, his voice was steady as he said, "I do not doubt we will see one another again soon. The village is small, and I do not forget kindness."

And then, he half bowed with his hand over his heart. "Safety and peace."