vallo

My birthday and my wedding anniversary are coming within the next two weeks and I have three requests in regards to these events:

1. I would like to not be turned into a younger version of myself, an older version of myself, or a version of myself that was an Echo Knight and Taskhand.

2. I would like for Aeor to not do something silly and bring with it snow, wild magic, and Aeorian hunters.

3. I know that it is early for the holidays and the culprit is rather contained, but I would also like to suggest that I would like to not be pulled into a Christmas town.

These things can happen at another time, but not within the next two weeks, thank you very much. I would like to enjoy getting older in peace and also be myself to give my husband his anniversary gift on the correct day. That is all, thank you.



Oh, another:

4. I would like for those of you with an interest to listen to my most recent podcast. It is, as the children might say, a banger.

For the record, I just watched a number of jack-o-lanterns roll around campus, trying to bite at the ankles of students running around and away from them between classes. I was able to stop one with a firebolt, but the person it was chasing seemed more irritated that they were covered in hot pumpkin goo than that I had saved their ankles from being gnawed on, so—everyone else has to fend for themselves, now.

Anyway, happy Tuesday? I hope your feet aren't chewed on by a pumpkin today.

An entity that I can only describe as a ghost pirate just attempted to abscond me of all of the various earrings and jewelry on my person, which is a great deal regarding the former thanks to, you know, long ears.

That is a sentence that I both wrote and is 100% factual and truthful.

I was once a high-ranking government official at court and the eldest son of the matriarch of respected noble family. I am now being interrupted while grocery shopping in order to prove to ghost pirates that my wedding ring is my own. What is this life, sometimes?

HELLO EVERYONE

I am sorry to say that CRIMES have occurred.

The crimes are kidnapping.

The perpetrators are the geese (again).

I will remind everyone to conduct proper surveillance and to secure the perimeter before attempting anything.

THEY CANNOT BE NEGOTIATED WITH (again) (I do not think, I tried, bird-to-bird).

We are at the lake (again) (this is embarrassing for me but DADS I did not MEAN to get kidnapped)

Thank you.

I keep wishing that Aelwyn would have been there for the tournament, but at the same time it may be for the best as I think the teasing would have been top tier. Though, I also miss the teasing? Which brings me back around to wishing she was still here.

It was good to have a visit, but it's hard being separated again. Someday a bit more from home will stick around that isn't a building.



Oh, that's sad sounding, isn't it? I'm blaming that on it being Monday and the coffee shop being out of chocolate croissants.

DORIAN

Hi, Mr. Storm. I had a question for you, if you had a moment?

XHORHAUS INHABITANTS (PERMANENT AND VISITING) + OTHER EXANDRIANS

There are a lot of us here right now and I think that calls for togetherness. I don't make the rules.

I want to suggest we eat at Taste of Tal'Dorei and then run around the damn theme park, but I also recognize that's pretty on brand, so I will take other suggestions. Except now I want that disgusting chicken sorbet and the not disgusting pie flight, so I might argue suggestions.

VEX & KEYLETH

How are you both doing?

This has surely been an experience of a day.

Where might one go to find spell components and is there potential for metal rods attuned to other planes?

It's come to my attention that yesterday was some cat holiday, so I thought that was an excuse as any to formally introduce the many cats that Vallo gifted to me that were once my sister's. Some needed names as I hadn't been privy to all of them based on the memories I have from home, but they're all lovely.

As a preface: these cats are not up for adoption, however a good few of them will be living at the bookstores—Chastity's Nook and Enchanted Nook—and are available for gentle pets there. And, you know, while you're there petting the cats, maybe buy some books. (I did advertising, Caleb!)

Anyway: ( here they are! )

Kiri and I made posters for our family!

(Adaine, the kittens walked on yours while we were making it so there is a little extra love from them too)

(Dads my Undercommon is not very good yet so Kiri made that one and she will not tell me what it says so my observation is...do not be mad)

If you would like to make signs as well, Kiri is armed with glitter, I am armed with markers of many different colors and thickness of tip, and a rhyming dictionary in case you would like to make the sign rhyme. And poster board!

HELLO PLEASE ATTENTION

If you see this cowplant with cake DO NOT APPROACH. It is my observation that this cake is a LIE meant to LURE you in before it SWALLOWS you.

My dad (Essek Dad not Caleb Dad, Dads, should we consider different names? I do not know what they would be but perhaps to spare confusion? This can be a discussion for later) has firsthand experience on this and he is one of the best wizards in all of Vallo so I am telling you all this as a matter of public safety.

Do NOT approach the cake.

The cake is a LIE.

You will be SWALLOWED.

and your child will be very scared I observe I need to carry more weapons

I ate something called a crookie today, which felt quite ridiculous to say aloud when ordering it and likewise felt entirely too indulgent to eat.

And yet, it was delicious and there are now many in the kitchen: a message to my housemates. Or, I suppose, anyone willing to be very risky over dessert and attempt to break into our home. It would be very interesting to see you try.

Providing desserts, especially those as sweet as these, has me thinking about Jestser and



And yes, before I am scolded, do not actually attempt to break into our house. I would feel very bad if someone triggered a disintegration trap over a pastry.

CALEB

I would like to be romantic, if my husband would allow it.

FRIENDS + FAM

In case you didn't see it, I volunteered to help out Mike with the village issues he's having. I feel like I need to stretch some adventuring muscles, just with where my head's been lately.



Which is to say, I'm sorry that I've been a bit more difficult to be around as of late. I still miss my friends and hate that I can't do anything from here to help out at home and that all I know about home is how absolutely stressed I am, but with finals done here and some time off from school ahead, I feel a bit lighter. The reminder I have people here to support me too, has also been helpful. I shouldn't have taken my bad mood out on anyone else, though, so I'm sorry.

Anyway, love you all. Wish me luck for when we go in.

Magic users (or non-magic users, should you want to weigh in): what is your favorite spell or piece of magic?

I know that for many of us, our magic varies in application or spell types or names, but I think we all have a basic enough understanding and I am curious. Said curiosity may be linked to a future podcast episode, something I will not confirm or deny. I am very mysterious, you see.

CALEB

Your birthday is next week. I have planned a large celebration, so plan and prepare accordingly.



That is a joke, stop drafting up the divorce paperwork. But do let me know if you would like to do anything in particular and I will make sure it happens. Please note that "nothing" is an acceptable request in my eyes, but perhaps may not be for our children.

I have never felt more vindicated for judging someone based on their microwave habits in the staff room and coffee order than I do now, thanks to the recent news.

That necessary sass aside, I have started making little jumpers for the tressym kittens. I know that my timing could not be worse as they are both insistent upon just growing larger by the day and the weather is also turning warmer, but it has been good use of my leftover yarn from other projects. Strudel can be seen here, kindly modeling as only he can: ( Cut for images! )

Thank you, Blue, for teaching me to knit so such pictures can exist in the first place.

Hello.

I am very itchy and sad and grumpy and tired all over and I would like to stop scratching, please.






And my feathers are falling out.

I think this is a problem.

Ah-- Hello, good morning. I know that it is early for most, but well. I seem to have lost track of the hour.

A thought occurred to me in the night while I was trancing. It--well If you are unfamiliar, it is something that my variation of elves can do, wherein we do not have to sleep and instead go into a meditative trance and do exercises--it hardly matters, but I generally go over thoughts of whatever I am working on or Ca so my thoughts were lingering on this issue we have been going over regarding the portal beast since yesterday and--

I apologize, I did not actually finish my trance and am surviving on coffee and hope at the moment.

Anyway, I had a thought, specifically from the transmutation books that Prigany brought and a few specific runes that those idiots the culprits had tried to use and everything else surrounding the situation and, this might sound mad and I will need someone or a few someones to look over my work, but I am certain that they somehow managed to turn a waypoint crystal into the creature that we have been dealing with today and all of the portals and its glitching and disappearing are stemming from the fact that the magic of the waypoints just shouldn't be within something living and breathing like that.

As I said, I am humble enough to want someone to look over what led me to this conclusion as I have all of the work to show for it, but my humbleness ends at a point as I do have confidence here. There is nowhere for us to send the creature, as they were created and are truly from our Vallo. Perhaps this is something to confirm with them, if communication is at all possible?

But, ah--that is all. It feels as though this narrows our options.

[ooc - posted shortly after portal closed]

Well, a week has passed and I have no memory of it, so... I'm assuming people went somewhere again?

Is everyone okay?

There is a new portal opened in front of Morningside and it is swarmed. I was able to defeat several angry plants and defend most of the building but they are still coming through and I do not wish to burn everything to the ground.

Assistance requested.

Kir, you are to stay home. Do not argue with me.

I know we hate these fucking portals, but there better be one because there is not a chance in the hells that both my fiance and sister disappeared right in front of me and it can't be fixed.

Added later:

No place better to start a list.

Gilmore
Adaine
Kellach
Kara
Keith
Shiro
Atreus
Kratos
Orym
Chetney
Kit
Cayden
Eli
Kaitlyn
Ronan
Matthew
Lan Xichen
Temeraire
Violet S
Henry
Sydney
Katou
El