Airborne over Northwood

Just like everything else in this section of woods and mountains, years of magic use has made the air currents rather ... odd. Unlike the sylphs of the Water Dorm, the wind keeps magic from concentrating enough to form actual elementals, but the air can be said sometimes to have a mind of its own. It's a fractious, fiesty thing that does not tame easily.

This makes the University both the best and the worst place to learn wind magic; because the control needed to manipulate the winds is difficult to learn and even more difficult to master.

Flying objects disapproved by the school do not fly over Northwood. The area is known to have heavy turbulence, so only occasionally do aircraft stumble across a portion of the airspace.

The currents help protect and guide fledgling gliders, as quick to play as to hinder the more flamboyant or careless. With practice, those who know wind magic can cajole the currents to lift them into the air or to increase the gliding distance (which would enable them to fly beyond Northwood's boundaries).

The wise students know that the wind will whisper of ill deeds as well as good, and nothing gets beyond the school's Weather Witch. Mischief is disciplined; malicious behavior is not tolerated.

At the level of the peaks and above, the wind is as choppy as the sea and changes just as fast. Never is the sky the same two days running. For some, the beauty and wonder of the sky is a lure more powerful than magic, but for most, one trip into the air is enough. The majority of students use their gliders as transportation down the Little Windy Hill, and for little else beyond occasional use.

<<Cheshire>>

The first day of term was always exciting, if a little stressful. You never quite knew who would show up from year to year, although, for some strange reason, the troublemakers always seemed to return in greater percentages than the rest.

The day had been peaceful and still, warm even, but Cheshire wasn't fooled. The atmosphere felt as if it were waiting for something. He knew from riding the currents that a storm was building to the North-West.

He flew upon the currents off and on all day, keeping an eye on the storm front. There were no clouds yet to run amongst, but hardening the air enough to walk upon was too exhausting. He needed to keep his energy reserves full in case the storm decided to creep any closer. Maintaining enough wind for lift required far less effort.

Flight was Cheshire's passion. His glider was a pale blue with white stripes. When in the air, the wing was indistinguishable from the sky above. He called his glider Lilyue. She was a temperamental lady and required plenty of soothing after a summer working to renew the spells upon the other gliders. She was a jealous thing, but after so many years flying together they were a perfect team. Cheshire could let his mind wander or concentrate on spells and she would maintain their flight path; but if something required her rider's attention, Lilyue could quickly alert him.

He knew he stayed in the sky too long and was like to get fussed at, but the hovering storm bothered him. It was too early in the season for snow, but that's what it smelled like, and the way the storm lingered just beyond his reach to disperse felt like no accident. Still, he could detect no magic in its making, and could only hope that the school would warn him in enough time to re-direct the worst should the storm decide to come their way after all.

Turning his glider's nose towards the Main Campus, Cheshire landed with perfect aplomb, using a bit of magic to carry Lilyue back to the hangar, and entered the Dining Hall.