[ Wrapup ]

The events of the day are finally winding down and the last fair attendees are making their way to the nearest bar. Marsa has made herself scarce during the showcase, but has reemerged to help her people pack up. She waves on a few Eisgar who were loading the last heavy equipment onto a phatapin cart. She can handle the rest. The big lugs shrug and trot off to join the others for food and drink. Marsa works until the sun is almost below the horizon.

“It was interesting,” Anya says.

Marsa doesn’t pause her packing. She simply continues to slot the delicate equipment into their designated slots. “They did very well. Most of them are nervous about being around so many strangers.”

“Yes, I suppose this line of work attracts introverts no matter where they’re from,” Anya says. She doesn’t come closer. She simply observes her old mentor, arms crossed, expression unreadable. She can’t help but recall how she used to see Marsa. She had been a giant once, but now she seemed so unremarkable. Just another curio, just with an unwanted passenger in the form of an AI.

“I heard you got engaged? Or married? I never expected that for you.” Marsa’s voice is light and genuine.

Anya frowns. “Expected me to be happy? Or maybe for me to be alive at all?”

Marsa ceases her packing. She is still, but not tense as she replies, “I never thought you’d realize there’s more to life than just this silly job. I’m glad you did. Took me a lot longer to figure out and at much too high a cost. You always were smarter than me, though. Probably my brightest student…”

“I don’t need your flattery.”

“It’s not flattery. Your brightness isn’t a reflection on me in the slightest. You were always going to be a great mind, you just so happened to cross my path.”

“I wish I never had.”

“Sometimes I think that would have been for the best, too.” Marsa turns at last and her face softens as she sees her old assistant’s face twisted in anguish, tears falling despite her best efforts to suppress them. Marsa sees anger, pain, and betrayal in the tightness of Anya’s jaw and the furrow in her brow. She feels like she is seeing the aftermath of her actions for the first time and any peace she’s managed to cultivate dissolves. It’s the same thing she finds herself feeling every time she meets anyone from her old life. She feels it every day. But remorse is useless when it comes to providing comfort. Comfort is not something that is within her rights to give.

“How can I live with you walking around free after all you did?” Anya demands. It’s a real question and once again they are locked into their old dynamic of mentor and apprentice.

Marsa half closes her eyes, seeking an answer befitting of the question. At length she speaks. “By letting me carry the burden and living that life you’re finally learning to enjoy.”

“I hate you.”

“That hurts me more than you know,” Marsa says as she turns her eyes to the sky where the stars are starting to pierce through the blue black veils of night, “but I accept it.”

They exchange a few more words. Nothing of any consequence. Then the two go their separate ways… and for better or worse, time marches on.

On the quiet streets of Hum Durry, certain figures tend to stand out more than others. As the brisk woman with a moving shadow strolls down the streets, flanked by a gaggle of tech touched Undyre and a pair of Eisgar warriors with close cropped fur, heads turn.

“Yes,” she says, stopping abruptly, “This will do nicely.”

“Should we proceed?” an Undyre asks, looking up from his clipboard.

“Yes, there’s no time to lose,” the possessed curio says. She turns to look over the little town’s plaza, hands on her hips and a slight smile on her face. “This is the location of the second annual Tonpelli tech fair!”

Hum Durry has hosted livestock festivals in the past, but is now being inundated with curios of all subspecies as the secretive Society of the Free Tech Touched decide to go public. Marsa, former criminal and now reformed consultant to the organization, is helping get things underway. She insists she is merely helping. Her time in the spotlight is behind her, and she just wants to help the next wave of creative minds be recognized. It seems hard to believe, but the Guilds have not reported anything to the contrary.

The inventions of display pull from technologies from all across the map. A few forward thinking Libraries have submitted some interesting work as well as a handful of Ankuri scientists. The biggest hits for far include:

Enhanced Communications: The Ankuri have grown more bold in using Ancient frameworks to build off of, and this has extended to communications. They have been experimenting with devices that rely on satellite relays instead of typical radio waves. This has allowed more reliable communication at further distances! They even have plans to outfit planes with this technology in the future! Imagine calling someone in Sonderrime from Tonpelli! It would make the world a smaller place in a great way!

Ancient Text Decipherer: Reading text left by the Ancients has always been a chore mostly because most of their text isn’t visible to the naked eye. Instead, it requires concentration of auric strength to reveal it. A few scientists have developed a device that can produce that auric force field and make text visible to all! This fun gadget about the size of an office trash bin has also revealed that the majority of Ancient art was created using the same technique. Marvel at never before seen murals and sculptures that curio kind has been walking past for centuries while being none the wiser!

Colored Photography: At last photos can now be produced in color! Using Ankuri and Undyre tech to improve mainland cameras has resulted in vibrant photographs that accurately capture life on film! The creators are still working on bringing this technology to movies, but judging how popular it is with photographers, it’s only a matter of time!

A Galaxy Map: Marsa did contribute one thing to the fair. After collecting as many star vessels as she could, she was able to stitch them together into a map of the known universe. Several projectors have been set up in an old warehouse so curios may walk through the 3D map for themselves. For the first time, curios know their place in the larger universe even if they don’t fully know who else inhabits them with them.

While the technology itself has been a hit, things aren’t running perfectly.

The Order of Free Techtouched are unused to public attention and on edge around strangers. After years of discrimination, they seemed prepared to defend themselves at a drop of the hat.

Likewise, the Eisgar that settled in Tonpelli are now quite protective of their Undyre counterparts. It’s one thing to have a wimpy scientist displeased with you, but a former Eisgar warrior? Could spell trouble!

Marsa also isn’t immune to criticism. Many former colleagues are angry to see her running free and participating in academic events. If she steps foot on the mainland proper there’s a chance she’ll be arrested again. The Hunter’s Guild which has the strongest claim over Hum Durry has remained silent, but that silence doesn’t mean they approve of her presence.

“Well, there was never any progress without cracking a few eggs,” Marsa muses when asked. “Of course, I’m past my egg cracking phase. I’m just here to help.” She gives a thin smile and it’s hard to say if she’s being honest…

The next few weeks will prove interesting!

What your curio can do

Depict your curio attending or preparing for the Tonpelli tech fair! Do they have an interest in up-and-coming technology, or are they just cruising because there's nothing better to do? Maybe they have a booth of their own prepared, or perhaps they plan to empty out a high-end table when nobody is looking.... This might stir up memories good or bad of the first tech fair. Or, maybe you're just heckling a reporter for the fun of it.

Prizes

⋄Urchite⋄

There is a 15% chance of dropping an Urchite pet!

⋄Eastern Tonpelli Materials⋄

There is a 15% chance of dropping an Eastern Tonpelli crafting material!

⋄Leather Bracelet⋄

There is a 10% chance of dropping a Leather Bracelet!
This adds the 'bodyglow' divine trait to your curio.

⋄Event Stamp⋄

All participants will receive the Forward Motion 2024 Event Stamp!
This can be displayed anywhere you wish.

Payouts

Events pay out both Tokens and EXP, according to the level of finish of your entry. Please use the guide below to calculate your earnings, and be sure to include them in the provided form!

Rules & Guidelines

• You may enter once per 24 hours.
• Drawn entries:
  • Must be flat coloured and have a simple background at minimum.
  • 75% of the focus character must be visible.
  • 50% of all guest charaters, pets, and mounts, must be visible.
  • For comics: At least one panel must meet the minimum requirements for the prompt. Any bonus requirements met in other panels (ie guest, pet, mount) will count towards your total.
• Written entries:
  • Must be 900 words at minimum.
  • Guest characters, pets, and mounts must be mentioned evenly throughout the story.
• All entries must adhere to group rules.

If you don't yet have your own curio, you're welcome to use the Community Curio.

When you're ready to submit your entry, go here: Monthly Prompt Turn-in

Event Ends March 31st, 11:59pm EST