Killian Row

December 24, 2020 9:42 PM
Autumn term had gone, winter break had gone (which was really much more of a shame than autumn's passing as Killian had found winter break vastly more personally fun of course), and now it was back to work. It was rare that Killian would rather have been off work, as he had found that being off work led to thinking and/or rash decisions, and he was trying to avoid both of those most of the time. Plus, of course, Killian was exactly the sort of nerdy workaholic that sincerely enjoyed his job and wanted to do it basically all the time (and did exactly that; it was one of the dangers of living and working in the same place). Now, however, he had a task that he could work on that helped him set his mind forward a bit.

With only a few students having yet signed up for concert participation, Killian had volunteered to host a workshop of sorts. Same as the previous meeting in Cascade Hall, attendance was required (and indeed, the event took place during what would normally be class time for most students), even if students did not intend to perform. Performance was not mandated, after all, only collaboration was, and this was to be a collaborative effort. Storytelling, brainstorming, painting, magicking... it all required the brilliant minds of the students and staff at Sonora to make a concert possible and this year's concert was particularly interesting to Killian.

As students arrived and took their seats at round tables, square tables, on the floor, on top of desks, wherever suited their fancy, Killian greeted them with a scruffy grin and some kind words to welcome them back from break. He knew that he was not the only one who was feeling bittersweet about the return to Sonora, and some students had downright strong feelings about such things; he wanted to honor all of the minds in the room as best he could, as he always tried to do.

When everyone was seated or standed or whatever they chose to do - so long as it wasn't disruptive of course - Killian made his way to the front of the classroom and stood smiling at them. "Hello, students, and welcome back. As you know, today's workshop will be focused on collaborative preparation for the end-of-year concert. As Deputy Headmistress Skies has already told you all, the theme this year is folk tales, and we're looking at that as a pretty broad concept. Some students have already put forth ideas, but we need more of them! We also need more volunteers to help with stage design, and more performers. Basically, we need more of you!"

He waved his wand and sheets of paper flew to each group of students inasmuch as he could tell where the groups were divvying themselves up; extra papers were available at the ends of table should anyone need them. "Working in pairs or small groups, I want you to put your names at the top of the page and talk about your ideas with each other. Really just get it out there. Write down any stories you can think of that you'd like to see and put down what you'd like to do as far as volunteering. When you're done, go ahead and give those to me."

Killian gestured at a basket on the desk to show where they could do that if he was otherwise occupied at the time. Then, he gestured to the other side of the front of the room, where baskets of costumes and fabric were available. "If you have ideas or if you'd like to start working on one of the ideas that's already been given, you can come up here and start thinking of costumes, characters, etc., and maybe start working on that. Students who have already submitted ideas are encouraged to do that as well, and you can also use paper to write out some ideas about skits, songs, or other performances based on the folk tales you suggested.

Finally, if you are especially interested in performing, please get together with folks in this area," Killian said, pointing to the opposite side of the desk from the costumes, "so that we can get you paired up with a story, a song, a character, a costume, etc. You can work together to discuss those ideas, you don't need to wait for me."

Clapping his hands together, Killian beamed at the gathered students again. "I'm excited for this and I know that all of us on staff are looking forward to seeing what you all come up with. This is a collaborative process that we are happy to help with, but this is your show. Please let me know if you have any questions or need help, but otherwise, get creative and go for it!" Stepping away from the front of the room as the students began grouping up, moving about, and talking with each other, Killian did his best to be out of the way whilst also being as available as possible to as many people as possible.


OOC: Story ideas that have already been submitted can be found in the post linked above and new ideas are definitely encouraged. Feel free to take the reigns and make up groups as you see fit! I'm not going to make separate thread groups since this may become pretty organic and fluid anyway. Have fun!
Subthreads:
22 Killian Row Showing our best selves [All Ages] 1450 1 5

Valentine Duell

January 03, 2021 11:36 AM
Valentine was excited for this concert. It was going to be fun! It looked like everyone was here! She was going to have a class with some of the older students that she didn't get to hang out with nearly enough. She naturally gravitated towards some of her older friends and took a seat next to Ness. This was awesome!

Mr. Row began talking about what the workshop plans were, and she payed rapt attention. It sounded like they needed more story ideas. Val grinned and looked sideways at Ness, she had sat at the right spot. Then he mentioned that the performing people should gather in a different section of the room, she'd signed up for acting, should she go over there instead? The decision tore at her for a bit before she made up her mind. They had her signed up as an actress, so they knew that already and is sounded like they needed more story ideas. She would do more good for the concert here figuring out stories. It was like gaming, it didn't matter how many players you had, with no GM nothing would happen. You needed your stories first. However, once you had those.. you definitely needed players.

Once work was to begin, she turned to Ness with the sweetest devilish smile she could manage. "Okay Gaming President and master GM, what kind of stories can we come up with for this thing?"
2 Valentine Duell Oh the drama! [Ness] 1490 0 5

Ness McLeod

January 04, 2021 5:48 AM
Ness was pretty interested in the upcoming concert. It certainly seemed to celebrate diversity, which was always good, even if it was more to do with cultural diversity than other kinds. Plus shows could be fun, and as a prefect, Ness probably was supposed to be leading by example and helping out a bunch. The Aladren just hoped that not all the fairy stories pushed crumby patriarchal agendas like waiting for a prince to save you.

There was also some fun to be had in the planning meeting, as they were mixing with other year groups. Ness had not been sure about Val upon first meeting, both due to the first year’s utterly ridiculous levels of perky blondeness, but also due to a teensy tiny maybe bit of jealousy/fear of being squeezed out by Val knowing what she was doing in a GM seat. However, that had paled quickly when Val had proven to be fun and useful, and Ness could claim credit for having brought her into the group, and when the rest of the group – Val included – seemed happy enough to follow Ness as leader. Now, being in class together, the sixth year Aladren would happily admit to having more in common with the second year Teppenpaw than with some of the other members of the advanced class, so it was a welcome breath of fresh air.

“I think they’re mostly looking for folktales,” Ness laughed, not sure whether Val was actually suggesting recreating their legends for the stage, or just addressing Ness thusly out of habit/fun. The prefect cocked an eyebrow, half wanting to be drawn down the road of suggesting stories they both liked better, but very used to sticking to the brief when it came to assignments. “How ancient and time honoured are the tales we tell?” Ness checked.
13 Ness McLeod You're never far from it 1419 0 5

Valentine Duell

January 04, 2021 6:28 PM
Valentine giggled along with Ness' laughter. "Sure," she responded to Aladren's comments, "but you have to admit that we did a fair amount of 'folktales' and such last year around the table." Ness had done a fun reworking of Romeo and Juliette while she had played around with the Robin Hood legend. Her eyes sparkled a bit mischievously, "As long as we don't try to put that last game of Gary's on the stage, we may be alright. I don't think the audience will stand for that much death and destruction. I really wasn't sure we were going to live." It had been a rough game, and she'd been curious afterwards so she and Papa did a little research. Gary had put them through the Tomb of Horrors, and if she'd read things right, he had pulled a few of the dungeon's punches.

"Hmm..." she pondered for a moment, "Evelyn's game last year was pretty ancient. Oh yeah!" She'd almost forgotten, she wasn't sure how that'd been possible given the nature of things and this class, but she had. "Over break I asked Aunt Giselle if she knew any ancient Greek myths that'd be good for the box. It turns out that's a required course when you're going to a magical school in Delphi." Val started rummaging around for her notebook. "I took some notes, but wasn't sure if any of them would work well." She flopped a notebook on the table and flipped quickly past a few pages that may have had Stanley's name written on them in the margins in what might have been an attempt at 'fancy' handwriting.

"Here we go," she pointed out, as she arrived at the desired page, "There are the common ones, the Iliad, the Odyssey, Hercules' tasks, Pandora..." she wave her hand in a dismissive 'meh' motion. "Then there is Arachne, or Atalanta, maybe Iphis and Ianthe?" She bobbled her head noncommittally, "Do you have any good thoughts?" she asked with a hopeful smile. "Think anyone would notice if we tried to pass that pirate adventure of yours off as a folktale? That was fun."
2 Valentine Duell That is probably true enough 1490 0 5

Ness McLeod

January 06, 2021 6:24 AM
"Ah, the ancient and noble tale of trees that mess you up," Ness sighed with a fond grin, as Val mentioned Gary's game, "Truly a classic."

It was sort of weird hearing Val mention 'Aunt Giselle.' Well, not that in itself. A lot of people had aunts, and some of them had names as equally weird as 'Giselle', or weirder even. It was just weird thinking that was the divinations professor, cos divination was so bleugh. Everyone knew it wasn't proper magic, and wasn't the least bit reliable. And now Ness had to be super careful about voicing that opinion because it might offend Val. Logically there was nothing to be offended about. Ness wasn't doubting that Giselle Duell could do... something or other (okay, Ness did doubt it a bit because the idea of a branch of magic that was just inherent and unlearnable was incredibly frustrating and the natural reaction was to hope it wasn't actually real), but even if it was real and Professor Duell could do it, that didn't mean that she herself got much sense from what she Saw, much less could teach it to anyone else. However, Val was a Teppenpaw and was likely to take it emotionally rather than logically.

Val’s next suggestion was one Ness was really not qualified to speak on. Greek myths were one of those things the Aladren ought to have been well-read on – they were proper classics, and a cornerstone of civilisation and all that – but somehow Ness had never got beyond the general default level of information that one tended to absorb via cultural osmosis. Certainly, some of the titles Val suggested were unknown. Ness could have said as much, and learnt something new, but the thought of a much younger Teppenpaw being better versed in something like that didn’t exactly sit well.

“I’m sure any of them would be good. You got a favourite?” Ness asked, glad that Val had steered the conversation more broad in terms of what Ness might like to suggest – if the pirate game was on the table, Ness’ answer did not have to be limited to Greek myths. “I wonder if there are pirate myths. Like, pirates are very superstitious people, so they probably do have some good folklore.”
13 Ness McLeod This is what happens when you involve boys 1419 0 5

Valentine Duell

January 09, 2021 8:56 AM
Valentine looked back over her list again as Ness inquired which she like the best. "I'm not sure. Arachne was a lady that was really good at weaving, she and Athena had a weaving competition. Arachne's was better which didn't make Athena happy, it was also a tapestry depicting some of the terrible stuff the Greek gods did which made Athena less happy. So Athena turned her into a spider." That story had some message about hubris in there somewhere, but she liked how Arachne stood up to Athena... even if it didn't turn out great for her in the end.

"Atalanta was abandoned as a baby and raised by animals until they found her some people to live with. She became a fantastic hunter and athlete. The boys didn't want her along until she showed them all up and then they begged her to join them. She would only marry a man that could beat her in a footrace, and they all lost until one guy cheated. He went to Athena and..." she paused a moment, "Athena is kind of a jerk. Anyway, she gave the guy three irresistible golden apples. He chucked them off the track to distract her during the race and just barely won because of it."

"Iphis was born a girl but grew up as a boy. He was then promised to Ianthe and they fell in love, but Iphis was still biologically a girl and didn't like that he and his mother prayed to Isis who then turned him into a boy. He and Ianthe got married and lived happily ever after..." she trailed off a bit. She was pretty sure that was how that one ended, but that didn't sound like the normal ending of a Greek myth.

Valentine shrugged again, "We don't need to go with one of these, and we could always go ask Aunt Giselle about more stories. She knows lots of them. I don't know that I have a favorite." Then her eyes widened at Ness' mention of pirate myths, "Ooooo... I like that idea! They must have some fantastic ones! Where would we find them? Do you think the library has any?"
2 Valentine Duell Are you speaking from experience? 1490 0 5

Ness McLeod

January 26, 2021 5:42 PM
"Iphis!" Ness jumped in, "I vote for Iphis! That sounds awesome!" Obviously they would have to make sure the way it was phrased and portrayed was appropriate, but there were literal trans myths and fairytales out there and no one had told Ness?! The Aladren was also kind of surprised that Val hadn't sensed that was an obvious winner.

"I'm not sure," Ness stated, when Val asked if the library had pirates' own stories. "It almost definitely has historical information about pirates, but that's most likely written by people who are anti-pirate. And it probably has some stories about pirates. As for the stories they told each other, as the waves lapped and the salt licked the air," Ness stated, putting on the best pirate voice possible, "Maybe you'd need to look at the bottom of the ocean, or ask the ghost of an old seadog. But we could try the history section first," Ness added, speaking normally again on the final suggestion. After all, that was a lot more available to then than ocean floors or pirate ghosts, and it might have some passing references to pirate culture and stories.

"Or we could work on something for the Iphis story, like writing it up as a proposal. I really like the sound of that one."
13 Ness McLeod Last year was all Gary's fault 1419 0 5

Valentine Duell

January 30, 2021 10:58 AM
Valentine tried to suppress a smile at Ness' exuberance and failed. She had thought that Ness might like the story of Iphis and Ianthe, but she hadn't been entirely certain. There were a few aspects to the story that she though Ness may not like as much. Best to get those out into the open quickly. Her smile took on a mild look of uncertainty. "Well, according to the story, Iphis' papa wanted a boy and his wife," she glanced down at her notes, "Telethusa, gave birth to a girl. She couldn't bear the thought of leaving her child to die on a mountain somewhere, so she said the child was a boy... also, Isis told her to." This wasn't quite the modern 'I was born a girl but I'm a boy' story, more of the 'I was born a girl and Papa is a jerk and would leave me to die so Mama told him I was a boy and I got used to it' type of story.

The younger girl shrugged, "Iphis did fall in love with Ianthe, and wanted to change, but..." There was something about the story that didn't quite line up completely right with the way she thought Ness saw the world, but she didn't know quite what the words were to describe it. "Was it Iphis' choice, or was it because Telethusa didn't want to lose her child?" Val screwed up her face in a minor expression of displeasure, "Would Iphis been perfectly happy as a girl if her Papa had been a decent person and hadn't been made to live as a boy growing up?" She sighed. "Maybe we'll need to see if Aunt Giselle has more details."

The Teppenpaw nodded at Ness' analysis of their options for finding out possible pirate stories. They did seem mostly unlikely. "True.. But they would probably be really neat stories. Maybe we'll have to dig some up some other time. Somewhere there has to be a pirate historian that knows these sorts of things."
2 Valentine Duell All of it? 1490 0 5