The Masking Ceremony

What a day, that was a lot more running around than I usually do. But the result was pretty good. Even though the other team with Haibram, Faran and Rib came in faster than our boat, our boat did get the better crowd appreciation. The only two snafu’s were that I was witness to a pickpocket, who regretfully got away from the guards, and that something set off the Academy’s alarm and protection. But the teachers have concluded everything is okay so let’s forget about that.

Today is the masking ceremony. The teachers will help us with the creation, but most of it will come from us ourselves and our attunement with magic. In order to better visualize the mask I’ve envisioned up to now I’ll write it down one more time.
A wooden whole-face mask, as a perfect circle. The etching on it is of a yin-yang figure, rotated 90 degrees counter-clockwise. The inner circles in the yin and yang parts are the eye-holes. The now top part, originally black, will represent primal magic, in the form of a nature scene with trees and birds. The bottom part, originally white, will represent arcane magic. Since arcane magic is more difficult to envision, I will let it guide itself, but I’m hoping to get to some core arcane tenets or symbols, without it actually representing a spell or part of a spell.

Why is there so much bad stuff happening at the University? Before I joined I never heard much about bad stuff happening. Are they actively trying to hide what happened? Though nobody told us we’re not allowed to talk about it, so maybe that’s not true. But then why now? Is it because we let Kurshkin escape and he is plotting some new shenanigans?
Though smuggling giant insects inside the University by setting off the alarm at another location, and then having those giant insects hollow out the ground by making so many tunnels beneath all the University buildings goes quite a bit farther than “shenanigans”.
Well, seems like we’ve been voluntold to investigate the tunnels underneath one of the buildings, while other students investigate the other buildings and tunnels. It does make for a nice trial while staying close to the University for help if necessary. I guess we can go in with some confidence.
Now if only my reports and research had gone as planned as well. I think I’m catching up, but I’m not catching much sleep at the moment.

Oh, before I forget, let’s write down a bit about my cohort members masks:

• Matthuas: a wooden mask in the form of the head of an ant, it represents strength, community focus and toughness. Or at least, that’s what I remember from the mumblings during the ceremony.
• Faran: a brown mask with two yellow streaks from left to right, the intention is to resemble an oriental hornet. It represents a social person, but if threatened does not hesitate to use its venomous sting. He may find that many people afraid of bees and wasps may not have positive first impressions, but that will make it that much more of an accomplishment when he can overcome that.
• Rib: a black wooden snake mask with iridescent purple highlights covering the top of Rib's face and muzzle. There is also a small red hibiscus flower carved above where the right ear would be.