(Official RP) Celebration - In the Park

[jeanstarwind]

~~***~~

The past two years had been difficult for the Sphinxes of Khemet. The death of beloved Pharaoh Nebtawy had left the kingdom without a named heir, creating a power vacuum and leaving an empty throne which was almost instantly contested by his royal wives and their children. For two years the strife had weakened the country, distracting nobles from their duties to the land and people, and shifting military focus from the border to internal affairs that with each passing day had crept ever closer to open civil war.

There was much relief and joy for the inhabitants of the capital city and beyond when a new Pharaoh was finally placed on the throne. Thanks to the bravery and perseverance of the Heroes of Khemet the divine instruments of Osiris, the Crook and Flail, had been found and brought back to the city so that a new Pharaoh could be chosen. Pharaoh Adjo was an unknown to most, but his placement by the great god Osiris had been absolute, and now instead of fighting each other and threatening the stability of city and nation, the former royal family were busy trying to curry favor with a new king who wasn’t much pleased with any of them.

But while affairs of state were certainly of the utmost importance, the ascendance of the new Pharaoh and the approach of the annual Heb~Bastet festival combined to inspire a celebration such as had never before been seen in Ahket. For feasting and fun; to praise and thank the gods for their intervention - the Sphinxes of Ahket came together and to revitalize themselves and their city.

The largest crowds bustled around the entrance to the great Temple of Bastet. The spacious temple courtyard was packed with Sphinxes, Priestesses, and more cats than could be counted. As was tradition, the holy statue of Bastet had been brought out into the temple courtyard, so that all might worship the goddess directly during the days of her festival. The tall icon dominated the courtyard, and though it was only mid morning, already the statue’s feet was surrounded by offerings - flowers were piled in abundance, with playful kittens bouncing around and pouncing on each other in the midst of the soft carpet of petals. The thick scent of perfume hung in the air as well, and even the breeze coming in off of the Nile River could not carry it away for long.

At the top of the stairs which lead into the temple itself, Selene IV rested in regal repose, eyeing the crowds below delightedly - already she was hearing whispers of excitement about this year’s bachelor auctions, and the twinkle of coming coin danced in her eyes - while Berenice batted playfully at the end of her tail. Farther down the courtyard, Sahret was speaking to a small gathering of prospective priestesses who were anxiously awaiting the start of the job fair.

Outside the temple food, shop, and game vendors lined the streets, hardly needing to shout to sell their wares with such a large crowd on hand. The aroma of delicious treats tempted even those Sphinxes who had vowed to fast in anticipation of the feast scheduled for that night, and laughter from the game booths cut through the general crowd noise as friends good naturedly gave each other a hard time for unlucky breaks in games of chance.

The festival ran the length of the main city thoroughfare and all the way into the Great Park of Khemet, where Sphinxes would had had their fill of crowds and noise could lounge and relax on cool stone in the shade of palm trees or next to the center fountain. The general feeling in the air was of a release of tension, the ability to relax, and of hope in the future ahead.

~~***~~

Roleplay Rules and Info: This year’s RP is meant to be casual, a time for your Sphinxes to interact with others and maybe make some new friends! You can bring your Sphinx in anywhere you like - in the temple courtyard, the streets, or the park! Pretty much the whole city is going to be in the swing of celebration.

As described above, this year’s festival is a bit reminiscent of today’s county fairs - the Heb still has great religious significance, of course, but there are also lots of games and feasting! From time to time during the Heb~Bastet either myself or wolfrysk will be running small games in thread, based off of games you might find at your local fair (for example, a Sphinx version of ring toss). Prizes will be more on the trinket side, also much like fairs, for the primary focus here is for your Sphinxes to relax and enjoy the fun!

The same basic rules for all Sphinx RPs apply here:

1) No godmodding (In other words, don’t try to control what another person’s character does.)

2) Keep things at a PG rating

3) Games will be run in one thread at a time. You may only participate in a game if your character is already located in that thread/location. Characters can travel from place to place - say from the Temple to the Park, but for the duration of a game only those charactesr already located in the relevant thread can participate.

4) There is a limit of 1 'toy' prize and 2 trinket prizes per person - not per character.

--This isn’t really a hard and fast rule, but it greatly helps if, when you are making character posts, you bold the name(s) of the Sphinx(es) your character is speaking to.

--And lastly, all out of character posts should be made in parenthesis with an OOC note.
((OOC: Like this!))

For those of you hoping for something more plot-oriented, no worries! There will be other RPs this year, we promise. ^^

[bjjlilly]

Chanelle was so excited for her first Heb celebration. She had been so busy in previous years that she didn't get to enjoy any of the festivities. This year, though, she was determined to go out and party! She approached a vendor selling delicious snacks and happened to catch a glimpse of herself in the reflective surface of his cart. Her face broke out into a childish grin as she admired her new wings and ears. That must have been some cookie she had eaten!

[Ariya Eretsee]

"Come ooooon brotherrrr!" Ieb'Ka'She, a young medium flew in circles around a rather large and daunting masked male. She complained in an almost whining tone to the clearly not interested Priest of Anubis. "It doesnt MATTER that you aren't praying to the same god. Let's just go have fun!" Ieb landed and tugged on Akh'Ka's wing. But it was all in vain as he merely laid down in the grass and enjoyed the little bit of quiet he could find in the overrun town of Akhet. "Your no fun" Ieb pouted and sat down with an annoyed expression.

Sheut and Ren'Ba didnt share their masters worries and where perfectly content exploring in the background. Unlikely for a cat and dog they seemed to get along very well. Sheut tip tapped along the bushes while the cat simply lazed on the hound's back and let herself be carried.

[hybridsiren]

A party, a party! One that almost all are involved in! The beautiful priestesses-for once- are bringing themselves out to the wider world to show their love to their goddess, and he got to enjoy the way they moved, their coats and their bodies. Maybe even more intimately one night? Hmm. That would be lovely.

For now though, his other senses seemed to be deprived. His stomach lets out a low growl as his mouth escapes a grumble at the discontent of his body. Looking around, he follows his nose as he flew through the sky on his gently glowing wings. His shark tail wavered in the wind lazily as he made his way through the air and over the park, his nose being touched by the lovely smells of sizzling fish flesh. Mmm~

Taking himself down closer towards the park's vendors, he steps carefully closer to the vendor, trying not to frighten the man by his shark-ish look. He's been in Egypt for months, yet he stills gets people turning their back on him for his 'ghastly' looks. Whatever. Back in Greenland, he was seen as a beauty, quite the handsome man. Here? He's a monster. So much for his sea god's blessing. Luckily, getting his grilled fish was no hassle with the vendor, and Vell continues to inspect the other sphinx of the area as he enjoys the warm flesh sparking his taste buds. Grinning widely, he finishes it before he spots quite the fetching batty girl (Chanelle), sparking his interests.

Strutting his way over towards her, she can easily pick up his heavily foreign accent, "Why, what are you doing here all alone?"

[bjjlilly]

Chanelle was jolted out of her admiration of herself by the strange looking sphinx with the heavy accent (Vell). She tried to hide her embarrassment with a jovial laugh.

"Why partying of course!"

At this point, her stomach gave an audible rumble.

"And trying to decide which of these vendors to spend my money on, haha! Do you have any suggestions?"

[hybridsiren]

Smirking as the lady puts out a bit of a laugh, he shifts his weight onto one side as his expression grows brighter. Ahhh, just the kind of woman he needed! Grinning wider-revealing his rows of sharp teeth- he could help but chuckle a bit himself.

"You're my kind of gal! Say, why not let me treat you to something, seeing as you're getting rumbley in your tummy?" Shifting again and pressing his wings tight against his back, Chanelle could see the pale blue markings running along Vell's body gently pulsate in their glow. "The grilled fish here is to die for, you into it?"

[bjjlilly]

Nel smiled as she admired the beautifully glowing markings which covered Vell's body. He was rather handsome for a sphinx, and definitely nothing like those she lived with! Then again, neither was she.

"Oh for sure - I love fish!" She gave a great flap of her new wings with excitement, jostling a nearby sphinx with them. "Oh... uh... heh... sorry about that..." Chanelle took a cue from Vell and folded her wings against her back, smiling triumphantly at the new skill she'd picked up from her new friend. "Which way's the fish?"

[Ori]

((Even odds that Mina will be showing up later to join in with her family. But I thought I'd drag Badru out for a bit instead since it's been awhile since I played with him.))



Badru clacked his beak as he approached the great part, two cubs in tow. He hadn't exactly...planned to leave home and venture out, but his lodger (and sometimes lover) had been in one of her moods today. Something the cubs had done while she was trying to cook he gathered. He hadn't stuck around long enough to find out exactly what it had been once she started shouting in her native tongue. That had been his cue to poke his head into the spare room he rented out, call for the boys, and head out. Quickly.

And now he wasn't exactly sure what to do with them. With all the celebrations going on the city was turned upside down from usual, especially with all the relief at a new pharaoh on the throne. And he rarely had sole custody of these two; Mina was almost always there when he interacted with their son and her adopted boy.

Vadim at least was old enough to help, but the cub was still clearly excited and growing old enough to be into mischief. And Drakos (where did Mina come up with her sons' names?) was just about old enough to toddle off and get into trouble. Right now he had Drakos draped over his back, huge eyes staring all around in awe, and Vadim trotting along beside him, nearly as entranced. At least the cats had stayed home, probably hoping to swipe some of the fish Mina had been working with.

In the park the magician stopped and looked around, somewhat at a loss. The crowds were beginning to swarm in here as well as all over the streets. Everything from priests to very obviously foreigners gathered here. Badru gulped slightly, then looked down.

At nothing. Squawking in dismay he cast all around, seeking the vanishing tip of a brown tail. How had he lost Vadim already?! Twisting his head around he reassured himself that at least his own son was still with him, though the youngster was squirming and wiggling and clearly trying to get down to go follow... Squinting in the direction that Drakos was stretching his paws towards Badru finally found what he'd been seeking. With a yelp he hastened off after the cub. What was Vadim doing play stalking a Priest of Anubis?!

[hybridsiren]

Vell's great, glowy blue eyes inspect the female in front of him discretely, grinning on the inside. He has seen many with her kind of coat, but those ears! He hasn't seen ears like those ever before! Quite striking, adding to her cuteness and an adorable contradiction to what would normally be intimidating wings. Raising an eyebrow as her excitement nearly impales a random passerbyer's eye with her wing-claws, he can't help but grin. Odd, does she not know how to keep them handled?

"Good good, it's right this way," He points with his chin to over his shoulder, a grin wide on his lips. "They've got it grilled up so tender and moist, I'd be surprised if any wouldn't like it." Snickering a bit, he takes place beside the female, offering his paw. "Is there a chance I can gain the knowledge of your name?"

[melodysangel]

Tikal Giggled innocently while scampering through the grass and trees. Playing was SO much more fun then watching her mama in the temple! The cub eagarly looked around to see if she could find someone to play with. Maybe that lady with the fun tail qwas here! ((Mina, she isnt as far as I can see but the cub doesnt know that))

[bjjlilly]

Ignoring any potential rude looks from other sphinxes that her wings may have bumped in the process, she took Vell's paw and shook it a bit more vivaciously than necessary.

"Haha, silly me! My name's Chanelle, but friends just call me Nel. What's yours? Oh, and where are you from? Is that rude to ask? I mean, you just look so neat! And your accent - I've never heard it before!" Nel seemed content to just prattle on with as many questions and exclamations as Vell would allow as she let him lead her to the delicious smelling fish.

[springacres]

Not far from where the crowds were gathering, an unusually colored sphinx could be seen, paws and wings moving rhythmically as he danced in a whorling pattern around a tamarisk tree. It was unlikely anyone watching would have recognized what Ankhu was doing; the dance was part of a ritual performed at this season each year by the druids of his father's tribe, and their sacred grove was at least a month's travel west of Akhet. Ankhu himself had not been there for many years, yet he still felt the connection, still felt out of place here among his mother's people. So he danced as he had been taught - even if it meant dancing among the tamarisks and sycamores, rather than the venerable old oaks and yew trees of the land of the Celts.

Not far away, Taranis sprawled lazily under a bush and watched his master through half-open lids. Occasionally he lifted his head and shifted his gaze to the festivities going on not far from them, but at present they didn't interest him enough for him to move.

[Sweetintoxikation]

Shakir lazed beneath the shade of a near by tree in the great park. His head cradled upon forepaws and eyes half-lidded in drowsy contentment.

His son, Kafele, pounced and chased at various imagined or real bugs in the grass, careful to not leave his father's sight for longer then to try and sneak attack a new cricket or spider.

((Sorry for horrible posts! I'm having trouble getting started today..))

[gigglingaxe]

What a beautiful day for a festival, the oh-so-noble Goaz thought to himself as he prowled along the vendors. Usually festivities and celebration weren't his thing but he could not pass up using the opportunity to score precious coin from greedy, corrupt vendors.

Perhaps thoughts of stealing on such a day was not the most morally correct thing to do but it was all Goaz tended to think about. It was his job and his job was his life afterall! He'll make it up by offering something nice to the statue of Bastet.

The golden paw thief was prowling near the food vendors, which he felt were not ideal targets, when his red filled eyes caught sight of Vell and Chanelle. A smirk rose about his features as he stayed tucked in the background a moment, ears flicking. Well, it was a festival and you were supposed to have fun at festivals.

Padding up, seemingly out of nowhere, Goaz approached the batty girl with charm written all over his face. "Fish??" He asked, rudely disrupting the conversation she was having with the incredibly bizarre (but handsome!) Vell.

"No, no dear. Surely you want something far more delectable. Something sweet, like a nut treat. Don't dates and almonds coated with honey and sprinkled with cinnamon sound far more appeasing than the fish" He spat the word as if it were bitter to the taste. "That this ruffian so appallingly offered."

His voice dripped with charisma, tail swatting Vell in the face.

[hybridsiren]

Heh, Vell was offering his paw to hold to the woman to escort her, but he shook her paw with exuberance as well. Hey, what can he say? This lady's excitement just poured off and coated him as well. It's infectious! He for sure can complain about that- it means things are all well once again. Good, good.

Tilting his head as he suddenly gets all the questions about him at once, he lets out a laugh as he begins to escort Chanelle down towards the fish vendor. "Why, I am 'Velvet Belly' Vell, of the far off islands of Greenland. Far, far from here, across the entire ocean! That was quite the trip," He snickers to himself, "It's amazing what the blessings of Njorn can help you with, no?" There seemed to be even more visitors of the park suddenly, as many even bring their children. Interesting choice, he must note..
"Don't worry about it Nel, I don't mind you're asking. Glad you like what you see," He grins before giving her a playful wink.

AND SUDDENLY! His attempts were oh so rudely disrupted by some red eyed thief, who Vell bares his rows of sharp teeth at. "Yes, fish. What is wrong with fish, red eyes?" Rolling his eyes as the thief offers lovely Nel just sweets, he's just about to send his claws raking against the thief.

"Why not go back to your cave counting your gold, and leave this lovely lady alone? The sweet vendors aren't even open right now!" He has checked from the sky, and yeah, the vendors making the honey coated everything are busy making said treats and aren't open just yet.

Vell spits at the ground when suddenly a tail swats at his face, now sending a growl towards Goaz, "Filth! Get out of here!" His voice raises, as does his temper, and he unsheathes his claws.