sabra_la_antiqua | (no subject)

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(no subject)

Who: Anyone in town
Where: Voraedus, north of Cepheus
When: Year 200, summer (Age of Man)
What: The Running of the Bulls

[ Being a crossroads for four countries, and with the opening of the great channels of the Aquilon bringing far more in the way of trade and commerce, it was only natural that the city of Voraedus would develop what many would call an eclectic culture of its own, quite distinct from many of its Cephean counterparts. Certainly, at its core lay a measure of the mechanistic practicality that defined the rest of the land, but Delphinian and Pavo hands added variety of shape and form to its architecture, and a number of local traditions and practices... well, you could definitely trace them back to a Pyxis's idea, somewhere along the line.

Such as the one commencing today, this bright summer morning, the first of a whole week of similar festivities, bigger than ever before in commemoration of the new century....

Should anyone wake up in or wander into the city today, they find that sturdy double fences of wood line the streets and alleys, with walls of buildings higher up brightly festooned with colorful banners and flags. Dense crowds have gathered all along the exterior of the fencing, with watchful guardsmen stationed at intervals, and teams of medics keeping a nervous eye on the proceedings.

Within the enclosed path, gathered at the starting point atop Synon Hill, are a motley group from various lands; it's easy enough to find many a Pyxis and Vulpeculan among them, though there's decent representation from Cepheus itself, and the odd stern-faced Delphinian. Red sashes mark each person in the group, either bound over an arm or around the waist, and cheerful banter and bluster fills the air.

Behind them, visible through cracks in the high wooden gate, a number of very, very large bull fatty lizards shift and stamp their feet, snorting impatiently. ]

(( OOC: OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED RULES OF THE VORAEDAN RUNNING OF THE BULLS:

1) Jumping out of the fence line anytime is fine.
2) There are various prizes available ranging from 'longest distance runner' to 'most stubborn' to 'most hilarious'.
3) Everyone who participates gets a little ribbon token of participation. Those who make it to the end get to join the special table at the city-sponsored feast at the end of the week, assuming they're relatively uncrippled.
4) No shanking the bulls.

TAG INTO THIS POST ANYTIME, AT ANY IC POINT, IN ANY FASHION YOU LIKE, whether as an official participant or spectator or just happening to be there in the wrong place at the wrong time. Also feel free to play out NPC happenings on your own too, I WILL TRY TO NPC AROUND but feel free to go wild too!! o/ ))

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[well, I know what I'M doing.

And that's finding a good spot to jerky.gif. Perched on the edge of one of those wooden fences]

[I can't reach you to punch you hello yet, so I'm waving!]

[waves back!]

I hope for your sake you bet on me!

Considerin' it! Might just bet on myself if I feel like joinin' in.

Oh, please! You don't even know if you're going to enter? As though I could ever be trumped by such hollow determination!

Oi oi oi, I'm here to see someone, not to compete. It's just a thought. I'll bet on your dumb ass.

Why aren't you competing, anyway? Where's your pride as a Pyxis and as a man and as an eater of meat?

[gestures to what he's wearing which is . . . pretty simple, but definitely not the usual Pyxis wear he normally has]

Official business. You forget I got a real job or what?

Bah, you and your job. I don't believe in a job that can't be ditched, as a matter of basic philosophy!

Yeah, well, some of us take some shit seriously.

I take all kinds of shit seriously...

Like jobs?

Like people! And fine traditions such as this one!

I can respect a fine tradition! 'Swhy I'm here in the first place.

Whatever! I already forgave you when you said you'd bet on me.

Thought so.

Good luck. Don't die.

And good luck to you, not swooning at the sight of my coolness!

Haven't swooned yet!

I noticed! Your constitution is most admirable, sir.

It's all from bein' Pyxis.

[ a horn sounds twice in short bursts over the crowd, and the hubbub dies down rapidly around. ]

[EXCITE]

[ a grumpy, grizzled middle-aged man in Cephean farm clothes is up on the small stage at the side, waving for attention. Once everyone is quiet: ]

Alright, listen up, we're only gonna cover the rules one more time! Finish line's down at the canal district, you'll know it when you see it! Getting out anytime's fine, if you need help just put your right hand up and yell! Medics'll get ya!

And for the last time, no stabbing, punching, shooting, kicking, clubbing, lassoing, tripping, tackling, headbutting or any other form of physical attack-ing on the lizards whatsoever! We need those boys to finish the run, too! Got it?!

Why's everybody looking at me...

[ maybe because there's a reason some of those verbs were put in place :x

most of the runners yell back with various forms of hell yes to the farmer, who turns to look over at the corral gates.... and nods.

a moment later, there's the piercing sound of a rocket whistling into the air.......

POP.

CLUNK. CLUNK.

....and the farmhands manning the gates dive the hell out of the way as the lizards storm through with ground-pounding RUMBLE RUMBLERUMBLERUMBLE HONK HONK >8U ]

[Oh, this is almost as much fun as fighting]

[setting a pace that should keep her (barely) in front of the lizards]

[ a young, nervous-looking guardsman on the inner side of the fence glances your way and blinks. ]

Ah, sir, you may not want to be there...

Why not? Got the best view from here.

[ he squares his shoulders a little and turns fully to you. ]

W-well, when the running starts, it won't be safe to be inside the line of the fence. Especially at the starting line.

Then y'might wanna stay back, huh?

[ firm nod! ]

Yes, exactly.

[makes a handwave-y dismissive gesture]

Then stand back, I'll be just fine.

[ blinks. ]

[ fluster fluster D8;; ]

Wait-- no, no, I meant that you should, sir--

[. . . drops the "fake" accent, full out Pyxis all up ins]

This is the best seat in the house, an' I ain't movin', so y'might as well move on down the way to the kids tryin' to climb up here.

[is that a Corvus stretching and warming up and waving to the crowd? It sure is.]

[ a few of them wave cheerfully back, and you get the feeling a couple of more appreciative gazes are being thrown in somewhere in there as you go through your stretches. ]

[Well. It is good to be appreciated]

[ after a few moments more (http://asylums.insanejournal.com/slt_antiqua/2877.html?thread=599613#t599613).... ]

[Visiting princess is here to cheer awww yeah.]

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