-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow Date: September 28, 2002 Place: Telgar Weyr Living Cavern Game: PernMUSH Copyright Info: The World of Pern is copyright(c) to Anne McCaffrey l967. The Dragonriders of Pern(r) is a registered copyright. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kassi's Note: Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but the TPs are delightful... this was some fun spontaneous roleplay, mostly courtesy of Maylia whose idea the off-camera avalanche was. I know I for one got some RP out of it for several days, with Kassi going off to shovel snow with her Wingmates and punishing L'cher for complaining about numbness in certain parts of his anatomy. And May's tongue fetish makes another appearance, too! -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Log: You walk through the large entrance to the Living Cavern. Pierron humphs thoughtfully as the Wingleader of Thunderbolt arrives. Lysseth> Tierth of course, then, settled some distance away from Lysseth. Not that she'd admit that the older green influenced her choice of location - where she wound up just happened to be not next to her. Wouldn't want anyone to think they liked each other, or anything. Nononono. Cheni nods agreeably as she rolls up the hide she was writing upon and sticks it into a small bag beside her mug. Maylia's wet jacket distracts her and the southern girl shivers and says the dreaded word, hoping against all hopes that it's not what she thinks it is. "Snow?" She murmurs a polite. "Good evening, ma'am." "...The love that I have chosen, I'll therewith be content; and the salt sea shall be frozen a'fore that I repent. Repent it shall I *never*, until the day I die--but the lowlands of Greystones have twined my love and me. One of these days I'm going t'kick you right in the tubers." No, that's not part of the song. It's what Kassi breaks off singing to inform Pierron, with no wavering of the cheer she brought into the room with her despite the nature of the words; unsurprisingly, Pierron doesn't look too terribly afraid. "And then 'twill *mash* them." Well, okay, maybe that part worries him a bit. "G'deve, g'deve, g'deve all and sundry; someone tell me there's cheese bread? And stuffed mushrooms? Or ribs, I'd settle for that. With rivergrains mayhaps. I'm ruddy starved." [Editor's Note: Kassi's song this time was taken from 'Lowlands of Holland' as sung by Steeleye Span.] Riane returns a half wave to Maylia, resting her elbow on the table lazily. "Of course. Always snows." And to Maylia, "Evening, or morning. Either way, doesn't really matter. And hi, Kassi.. they have meatrolls." Lysseth> Nor would Lysseth be one to let on that she might just have edged away from her comfortable reclining place had Tierth decided to land closer--after all, it wouldn't do to give anyone Ideas. They're both greens. No cuddling here. And the larger dragon is quite content to relax all on her lonesome, thank you. Telgar Weyr> Riane has just rediscovered the joys of play-doh. This stuff's awesome. Telgar Weyr> Yashira says, "Make a monster!" Telgar Weyr> Riane tried to make a dragon but gave up after she attempted the legs. Cheni peers over to the meal table, too lazy to get up to actually look to see what is up there. She half rises from her chair to survey the pickings. "There could be, ribs maybe, I caught a whiff of them earlier tonight." As an aside, she smiles at Kassima, after making sure Pierron is alright. "Lovely song by the way" "Snow." Maylia confirms, not sounding overly keen herself. Spying Kassi - or rather hearing Kassi first, then spying her - Maylia calls to her mentor, "Just the woman I'd hoped to see. Saw Lysseth out there, figured you'd be in the caverns somewhere. Brensh's Valley - oh, what? Food, well, they're out of crabapple catsup, you'll be pleased to know, but I don't know about the rest." Clearly, she got distracted by the question. "The rest? Who knows. They've got good stew, I'm hoping." This is offered as she tries to convince Snarl back to her shoulder. "Meatrolls, huh?" Telgar Weyr> Riane makes a blob-monster just for Yashira. Telgar Weyr> Yashira says, "Yaaay!" Telgar Weyr> Maylia thinks you should make an itty-bitty firelizard in one colour, then surround it in a 'shell' of another? :) Telgar Weyr> Riane says, "I only got a big wad of green though :/" Telgar Weyr> Maylia personally likes making voodoo dolls of people who've pissed me off, then SMASHING them under something heavy. (Me? Repressing anger? Naaahahhhhh) Telgar Weyr> Riane laughs! That sounds theraputic. Cheni shivers again and heads to the serving tables once again, this time for a mug of cider. She mutters. "Snow." In a tone of one who can hear the gallows being built outside her prison window, she says softly. "And so it begins." She drops back into her chair with a plunk. Kassima repeats with a marked lack of enthusiasm, "Meatrolls. I'd sooner save those for lunch, methinks. After an evening with m'wonderful, bouncing hellion of a daughter and her better-behaved sibs, meatrolls just aren't sufficient restorative--but it smells like soup. That might be good." The greenrider hums a few bars of her song en route to the table, though she pauses to ask over her shoulder, "Anyone else want aught? Oh, Cheni, thankee, though it doesn't end well. Evening t'you, May. Aye, 'twas with the kidlets, and don't try t'distract me with talk of *that* horror! What's news in Brensh's Valley?" Telgar Weyr> Cheni notes that as a Canadian, every character I've ever had hates snow. Go figure. Maylia acheives some amount of success with Snarl, in that the firelizard does relinquish his deathgrip on her wrist and slink off into the shadows under a table. "Evening with the kidlets, hmmm?" She asks of Kassi, finally heading towards the serving table herself. "Oh. Right. Brensh's Valley was nothing but a snowslide when I flew over there today - avalanch. Covered'em right up, wouldn't have known there was a hold there. Didn't take much to get them out, though, and luckily it happened overnight, nobody got themselves hurt, all accounted for." The arrival of another late-nighter draws her attention, and the woman offers a nod of greeting. Telgar Weyr> Maylia grins. I can't say that mine feel one way or the other about the stuff - but then, I live in Canada's Lotus Land. Telgar Weyr> Cheni grins. Telgar Weyr> Yashira says, "I like it fine. Unless it's slushy brown stuff on the sidewalks." Cheni watches the progress of Snarl and chuckles sympathetically as he hops down, shaking her head. "Some firelizards really do have a mind of their own." Her eyes widen at the mention of avalanche and as Maylia continues with her report, she has to will herself not to clasp a hand over her mouth in horror. She takes a shaky and nervous sip of the hot cider and murmurs Kassima's way. "I think sad songs are the ones that stay within my head the most." Telgar Weyr> Maylia eeewsss, and nods to Yash. End-of-Winter snow. Telgar Weyr> Cheni says, "Mixed in with car exhaust by products. So .. festive and pristine. NOT" "Three of 'em, at least. Kay and the twins nay included--I'll stop off t'see Kim and Ky on the way home, mayhaps, if'n Lysseth tells me that Mart and Kena are awake." Kassi ladles a measure of lentil soup into a bowl. "Best get used t'snow if'n you're chancing Impressing in the Icy Wastes, Cheni--*avalanche*?" Yes, that got her attention. Dropping the ladle into the pot with a bit of a splash, she turns quickly to look at her mentee. "Faranth, we'll have t'be reporting that. Well that nay anyone was hurt, but they may be wanting our help in digging out their homes. Nay frostbite or illness among 'em?" Though her mind's clearly still mostly on May's news, she dips her chin to Cheni. "The minor-key melodies are more haunting, I'd agree. Which in a way is a shame." Riane hrms, not showing much reaction to the news of avalanche. May and Kassi both get a slightly suspicious glance now, but she sets aside suspisions for a second to continue eating more of her plate of meatrolls. Telgar Weyr> Kassima says, "Darn it, May, she's on to us. ;)" Cheni pouts as she plays with the end of her braid, picking at split ends. "I'll get used to it, if I have to get used to it, but for now? I need to ..acclimatize!" She beams as she remembers the fancy word for "suck it up and get used to it". Her attention is centered more on Maylia as well and her picking at the braid intensifies as she chews her lower lip. "Wonder if they ever wrote a Saga about an avalanche at Telgar." Riane's suspicious glance meets with a puzzled one of her own. "Not related to L'han, huh?" "Thought you might like to know," Maylia concludes her Brensh's Valley news for her wingleader. "Nah, no, no signs of illness nor frostbite. Sounds like nearly everyone was asleep in their cots when it happened, and was only just last night, sounds like. But they certainly would appreciate the help - Tierth and I only got the entrance to the main cave dug out, but I'm sure they'll need to be checking on livestock and such." While saying this, she manages to get herself her 'standard' dinner: Stew, bread, cheese, wine. She does, however, note the expressions on Cheni and Riane's faces - the first earns a "Looked just like a river of snow," and the second, well, just a clueless glance. Telgar Weyr> Maylia considers bbposting about the avalance, so's people can RP around it if they choose. You know. off-camera stuff and all. Telgar Weyr> Cheni says, "Sounds like a fun little RP fodder" That suspicion causes Kassi's brow to rise, and she considers the younger woman for a beat as she lays a slice of cheese bread beside her soup. Still, May's report has most of her focus: "Livestock, shells, that'll be a mess. I'll be volunteering Thunderbolt t'assist in the clean up, then--you did well, and likely anyone else in our ranks would have done the same, but it couldn't be hurting us t'get more practice in dealing with these situations. I'd been considering another winter rescue drill for us, but this should serve nigh as well." Helping herself to a generous amount of the finally-located ribs, she gathers her plate and a mug of cider and heads for her Wing's table. "At least you shouldn't have t'be facing avalanches here," she quips Cheni-wards. "But just wait until your first white-out. If'n that isn't an acclimatizing experience, naught is--say, Riane? How fares?" Maylia advises Cheni, "Just stay a ways away from the cliffs around the bowl. Sometimes a clump of wet snow'll drop, *whump*." The sound effect is aided by the clatter of her bowl and plate being set down on the table. "I'm sure they'll appreciate the help, and winter rescue drills are always helpful. Good thing we keep doing sweeps in winter, I'm telling you. There're a couple of smaller cotholds off a ways, were clear but one unstability is often followed by others, we should keep an eye on'em." Riane bobs her head and nods out into the bowl, "The beast's whining and complaining again. I don't know what's -wrong- with her." As before, there's more frustration than confusion - she doesn't seem to have considered -why- Yrinth might be complaining yet. Cheni sighs with relief as Kassima's words draw her into a little world of comfort until Maylia's sound effects startle her back to reality. "But I feel bad for them, the poor people, and so much snow so early. Can we do anything, I mean, the residents and candidates, that wouldn't put us at risk of a white-out?" As an afterthought, she quips. "Whatever a whiteout might be." Kassima nods a sharp agreement. "I still recall well what happened at Bitra with that unanticipated blizzard. Nay anyone was killed, but 'twas a flaming miracle we found some of 'em, and 'tisn't a thing I'd want t'be repeating. Likely the Weyrleader will send riders t'warn the heads of the cotholds--though only Faranth knows if'n they'll *listen*." She emphasizes her point with a wave of a sauce-laden rib. "Naught we can be doing about white-outs, Cheni; that's when the snow falls so fast and thick and the wind's so wild that you can't see your hand in front of your face. Everyone stays inside for a white-out. But as far as helping goes... mmm. Doesn't sound as if'n this Holding needs it, but I could be wrong. 'Twill be for the Weyrleader t'say what the Weyr will do. Ah, Riane... methinks I begin t'get an inkling. How's her color?" Telgar Weyr> Maylia ohdears - my client's messing up... last I clearly saw was my pose :P Telgar Weyr> Kassima will page you the poses you've missed. :) Telgar Weyr> Maylia says, "Thanks muchly!" Telgar Weyr> Cheni says, "OK, I won't do the same save ya double spam :)" Telgar Weyr> Maylia also bbposts about the avalance :) --- 18 Maylia Sun Sep 29 01:25 2002 Off-camera Avalanche! On routine Sweeps, Tierth and Maylia spotted a river of snow where there is usually quaint little Brensh's Valley Hold. Seems an avalanche descended over them in the middle of the night, when all were safe asleep in their cots. Tierth dug through to the main entrance to the hold, but there's still a number of other areas - beasthold, that sort of thing - which are still covered. Kassima has volunteered Thunderbolt to assist in digging them out fully, but other assistance is welcomed! It should also be noted that there are smaller cotholds not far away, which are at some risk of the same thing, and snow deposits high in the mountains above them should be watched carefully. This is just a little bit of off-camera fun, which came up in RP tonight. Feel free to RP that you've been assisting in some way if you're able to leave the weyr, or listening to people chatting about it, what have you, over the next couple of days. Enjoy! ......................................TGW..................................... --- Riane looks at Kassi, and blinks. "Green, as usual." She eats more meatroll, then ahhs softly as she realizes what Kassi's asking. "Could be that she's glowing.." This causes another growl of annoyance. "I ought to go check though. And get to bed before she starts whining again. Good night, Kassi, Cheni, May." Maylia tucks into her dinner - though the Hold likely tried to express their thanks to her with food, it looks like she's hungry. She looks between Cheni and Kassi as the Wingleader explains, then nods agreement. "Check her colour. Been a while, hasn't it? At least you'll know what's up with her, then." Back to the avalanche, she agrees. "Should warn the other cotholds, but there's not much they can do. Once one starts, there's not much time to get indoors." A flicker of relief crosses Kassi's expression. Oh, good, the proddy greenrider didn't go after her with a fork for so much as suggesting her lifemate might be glowing. That's always a good sign. "M'greetings t'her whether she glows or nay," the rider offers before nibbling at a rib. "And m'best of luck t'you in enduring it if'n she is. G'night right back t'you, Riane." Telgar Weyr> Maylia wonders if Pernese would know how to trigger an avalanche before it happens naturally ... Telgar Weyr> Kassima isn't sure. They might've figured out that yelling around snow could bring one on. I seem to remember that being RPed about some time ago, that you don't do that. Telgar Weyr> Maylia goes into giggles, imagining a wing of dragons in formation, bellowing at a mountainside! Riane heads out towards the bowl, taking her plate of meatrolls with. "All right, thanks. G'night." Riane walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl. Cheni finishes off her cider and takes the mug over to the cleaning bin. "Whiteouts, well, I suppose you don't get many hurricanes, monsoons or other storms from the sea around here, I'll just have to learn." Tsking, she shakes her head at own folly as she passes Riane. "I should have figured it out by now." Yawning, she stretches and heads to the inner caverns. "Good night." Cheni walks towards the inner cavern. Kassima then takes a few moments to work on her meal before answering Maylia. May isn't the only famished one: that generous amount of food is being decimated at a steady rate. "A mark says Yrinth rises a'fore the sevenday's out?" she tries hopefully before wiggling fingers after Cheni. "Hope for her sake this isn't a bad winter. Methinks 'tis always startling for the ones from warm places, that first blast of snow--I know it startled me at Benden, and Greystones isn't as far south as some. Anyway. We'll just have t'keep an eye on the snows, and hope those Holders do the same. I imagine they'll know the need of it. Most of those areas have been settled long and long, haven't they?" Maylia has a mouthful of stew, and so only waves at the backs of the two who're leaving. "Mmmpfh," is what her goodnight sounds like. "I'll giver her just over a sevenday," May states, before shrugging. "Always one or two who don't know what to do with snow. They learn. Eventually. So, drills tomorrow morning, then those of us not on afternoon sweeps off to dig?" She asks, preparing another forkfull of stew. "Might want to dig 'upstream' of them, so the runoff in the spring doesn't soak them out." After devouring that next mouthful, she nods. "MMm. Yeah. Couple of passes ago, I'd say. Though who'd settle that far north, I'm not sure. Amazing they ever thaw out before winter starts again.: Alonna walks here from the Inner Cavern. Walking into the living cavern Alonna yawns and heads over to where the Cider is kept. Alonna rumages around untill she finds a cup and fills it with the steeming beverage. "I guess it could be," Kassi concedes. "She didn't seem too affected yet, did she? But mayhaps that's Riane's way. I can't recall how Yrinth made her act the last time; 'twasn't aught like Teryla's see-through pants, though, thank Faranth. I couldn't forget *that*. Nay matter how I'd try." Toying with a half-cleaned rib bone, she slowly shakes her head. "Nay, I'm thinking it might be better t'do the digging in the morning if'n the Weyrleader accepts the volunteering. If'n there's livestock under the mess then I'd rather see the beasts dug out sooner than later, and aye, a'course we'll be careful of where we put the stuff. Aren't we always, when we have t'be?" It's a wry question. "Only those with dawn sweeps will be excused from digging. Those with off-days will have 'em moved the next day over, methinks. Like I said about practice... and then we'll see about drills. I'm willing t'cancel 'em for the morrow if'n the digging's very taxing. But I'd nay be surprised if'n they've half dug *themselves* out by the time we get there, hey? They're tough people. Whether that's *why* they went so far north or 'tis the climate that's made 'em so, I couldn't be saying." She nods amiably to the arriving Candidate in greeting. Alonna gulps a swallow of the cider letting the warm bevrage slide down. Noticing the nod, Alonna offers a sleepy grin and oozes into a chair. "Try harder." Is Maylia's drawled recommendation, before she notes, "I'd almost blocked it out of my memory. And Yrinth's not gone up often, has she? Takes time for young greens to settle into a pattern. She could go up tomorrow, for all that I know." The nod her Wingleader gives Alonna draws Mays attention to the candidate, to whom she nods as well. "Morning sounds good, and you might just be right. They seem to breed tough, up there. But I'm sure that there'll be a few who'll eagerly try to get you to cancel drills, or even get an extra rest day out of it. Evening, Candidate," finally, more than just a nod. "Snoring too much in the barracks? Or did you manage to earn yourself an early-morning duty in the living caverns?" Kassima drawls right back, "Easy words from a woman who wants t'put her tongue down everyone's ear." Welcome, once again, to Non-Sequitur Theater. "I don't think she has. And the first queen knows some greens never settle; Lysseth's nay had a pattern I could predict any of her days. Ah, but May, after this long with m'Wingriders, I can usually tell when they're trying t'fake. The ones who do will find themselves volunteered t'patrol those cotholds you mentioned straight off." She doesn't add any more questions to those May's already asked Alonna, instead listening for the answers with a grin of her own. Maylia's retort is a sickly-sweet smile, and a reassurance to Kassi, "Not everyone's ear, mentor-mine, darling, just yours/ Telgar Weyr> Maylia gahs. the return key just jumped up and pressed itself against my little figner. Telgar Weyr> Yashira says, "Uhoh. You got keyboard gremlins, missus." Telgar Weyr> Kassima says, "May, I do believe that's the only time anyone's *ever* publically called Kassi 'darling.' ;)" Alonna yawns and glances up from her cup when the sounds of someone talking to her pierces her daze. "Hum? Oh, yes...the snoring. It's a wonder I sleep at all!" Grinning at the second part of the question she shakes her head "No, I'm a good canidate, honest!" After a short pause she looks at the other two people "Um, I'm Alonna..it's nice to meet you?" Maylia's retort is a sickly-sweet smile, and a reassurance to Kassi as she leans across the table, closer. "Not everyone's ear, mentor-mine, darling, just yours." A thought occurs to the greenrider, who suggests, "Could always assign'em to bellowing at mountainsides at night, trying to trigger avalanches before they happen, while everyone's safe in their cots?" Alonna's assurances draw another drawling tone from the former Weyrlingmaster. "Good to know that you're well behaved, then." May's tone lightens a little, and she introduces herself as, "Maylia, green Tierth's rider, Thunderbolt wing." Telgar Weyr> Maylia figured :) "What happened t'Aurian's, m'dearest sweetie-pumpkin?" Kassi oozes back to May, fluttering her lashes for all she's worth. "She'll be *heartbroken* if'n m'ear has replaced hers in your affections." She abandons the saccharine tone when addressing Alonna, using instead one that's friendly and amiable: "Kassima, green Lysseth's," she says, indicating herself. "Also Thunderbolt Wing. Well met and all that sort of thing. That mightn't be a bad notion, May... we could even assist with it, have the dragons give a good roar. Only I'd nay want t'do that without checking with a Starsmith. They know weather best; they might know whether there's more danger in setting the thing off a-purpose." Alonna puts down her cup and offers a cute little wave to the greenriders. "It's nice to meet you Greenrider Maylia,Greenrider Kassima, you both are up very late as well?" Maylia replies quite casually, "Oh, hers. I could have her ear any time I wanted to. Yours just offers a bit of a challenge." That's one way of describing the multitude of knives May might find herself pricked with, should she try. "Late?" she asks of Alonna, then nods. "A bit of a mess with an avalanche kept me and Tierth out on sweeps late. Wanted dinner before bed. Really, Kassi? Starsmith, huh. Wouldn't have thought of that myself. Don't see the harm in trying, s'long as everyone's safely tucked away below." Kassima eyes her erstwhile mentee rather warily. "One could say that," she agrees. "Aye. Since short of Tierth deciding t'fly Lysseth...." She has to pause, and then shake her head, at that particular mental image. "Which I somehow doubt will ever happen. I don't know whether the Starsmiths could tell us aught; it only seems something t'be careful with. We'd nay want t'risk making the snow-sliding worse than 'twould be naturally. If'n enough snow came tumbling I'd worry about digging everyone out a'fore they ran out of air--might even worry for their roofs. But that'd take quite a lot. I doubt we *could* set off that sort of thing. I'd just rather know for certain we couldn't." Letting her spoon clatter against the bottom of her empty soup bowl, she adds to Alonna, "And 'twas spending some time with m'children, m'self, then discussing the ramifications of May's report. But long nights are naught new, alas." Alonna nods listening to the explination. After a moment she blinks and looks as if she is going to say something, then shakes her head slightly and go's back to siping her drink. Maylia grins quite wickedly. "Could always get Shasta to visit more often. Then should her brown ever catch Lysseth, at least I'd be able to hear what it was like." Though she's sounding quite earnest about the whole thing, there's a crinkle to the corners of her eyes, and a laugh hiding in her voice, that indicates she's joking. At least mostly. "Could get the cotholders to move their folks to the main holds while we try. But then, avalanches have always happened. They always will. The holders up there know their stuff, and don't take chances, I'd imagine." She shakes her head, agreeing. "Nothing new, late nights. But at least there're fewer of them for me, now. But, I'd best be off to find my bed. One benefit to a weyrmate, for sure - he'll have the bed warmed up." The crinkle and laugh aren't quite enough to keep Kassi's eyes from widening, at least momentarily, in something like horror. "Does your sister *oft* tell you about the flights she wins in, ah, detail?" She manages not to squawk this question, so let's hear it for self-control! "Well, they're all ideas. 'Twill mention them to the Weyrleader in the morning, when I volunteer us. Your work, your report, and your suggestions are all appreciated, Wingrider." That's formal, but not cold; her gratitude, professional and personal, warms it. "Nay a bad idea. I may just follow you soon, though t'my bed rather than yours, much as I imagine that qualifier breaks Tas's heart. Give him m'regards, will you?" She slews a quick glance towards Alonna. "Were you going t'say something?" Maylia rises from her place, clearing away her dishes as she does so. "Not often," is acknowledged, but qualified by, "I'm sure I could coax it out of her with sufficient threats of bringing Ma down to visit her at Southern. Thankyou, Wingleader - I do my best. And you're sure? You'd be welcome, you know." This last is obviously just teasing, as May doesn't really wait long enough for a response. "Night then, both of you. HOpe the snorers quieten down - you could always bring a blanket to the galleries, quiet in there." With that, May shrugs into her riding jacket, and heads out into the night. Telgar Weyr> Maylia heads bedwards. Night! Telgar Weyr> Kassima snugs Mayday g'night. :) Maylia walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl. Alonna says "I think I'll take her advice and sleep in the galleries. Goodnight, it was nice talking to you!" Yawning again she heads out the door." Alonna walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl. Kassima stands from her seat, gathering her emptied plates together. "'Nay often' isn't 'never'!" she yells after her departing mentee. "There are times when you frighten me, May! Shells, but she has the right idea about sleep." She drops her plates off in the place where dirty plates go. "Methinks I'll follow her example. G'luck in avoiding the snoring, Alonna--here's hoping Indrath and Mirrath don't snore too!" You walk down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.