Event Log: May, An Inauspicious Arrival

[faileas]

Event Log: May, An Inauspicious Arrival

I. Boaltinn (1st - 3rd) Boaltinn comes around again. A handful of Mirrorbound will remember the holiday from last year, but for others, it will be brand new. In both Residential Districts, bonfires burn in central locations through the night, frequented by the residents celebrating another summer come to Aefenglom. Curiously, while last year the bonfires seemed quite segregated by human or Monster, this year, there is more of a noticeable mix at each, and Mirrorbound are invited to join the games and festivities quite happily. Characters are invited to try and jump through the bonfire's flames to burn away any poor relationship experiences, be it romantic or platonic, past or present; to aid them in this, those at the Eastern Bonfire will give those participating rune-etched accessories to protect them from the fire. The city has quite a bit to offer for this holiday: shared rose baths at public bathhouses and pleasure establishments that increase feelings of friendliness and talkativeness, poles draped in ribbons meant to be danced around, wrapping a ribbon around the pole to bring good luck for the summer, food stalls whose offerings are meant to be shared, and fortune-telling set up by Divination students of the Coven, who can tell your day is going to go. To see last year's Boaltinn prompts, you can take a glance right here! Much of it, including the bonfires, baths, and entertainments will be similar this year, so feel free to use those in your top levels.

II. An Unusual Arrival (3rd on) A full year from the arrival of the first group of Mirrorbound, the 1st passes quietly, with no one showing up in the mirror-lined halls of the Looking-Glass House. Dates and times are important in most kinds of magic, and this is strange enough that some Witches of the Coven get together on the night of the 3rd to try a probing ritual, attempting to gather some kind of clues that could be useful in prying out the cottage's secrets. Boaltinn is the best time for such things, when the boundaries are thinner, and magic is stronger. Those who are awake that night at 3 am might notice a pulse of harmless silvery light that spreads like ripples on water throughout the whole city, originating at the Looking-Glass House, but nothing further happens, and the Coven receives no answers. Well, nothing happens in the Looking-Glass House. Before long, the reports start coming in: people are emerging from mirrors, regular old mundane mirrors, all over the city. Anything with a particularly reflective surface could be an entry point for someone from another world! Inhabited homes, businesses closed and locked for the night, pools of still water in fountains or the river, these unorthodox Mirrorbound pop up anywhere and everywhere, causing chaos for the City Guard (folks aren't happy to find strangers in their bathrooms at 3 in the morning) and the Coven both. Out of nowhere, a glint of light catches your eye; your heart thunders in your ears as your body moves on its own, your mind consumed with inspecting the source. Your reflection stares back at you, just as curious from the surface - a mirror, a pool of water, your most trusted sword, something fleeting that your mind can barely remember - then ripples at your touch. If you are one of these unfortunate arrivals, it's likely a rude awakening for you, to find yourself somewhere inconvenient, somewhere other than where you've been. It only makes sense to be confused. Hopefully someone finds you and explains to you what's happened to you. Resident Mirrorbound will hear a message from Miss Nessie shortly after it begins, a call to arms: "Dears, I'm quite sorry to disturb you, but it seems your fellows are arriving elsewhere than the Looking-Glass House this month! We're trying to track them all down for the usual welcome, but we could use a hand or several! If you could just bring them by the Coven, the usual spot, that would be lovely." She'll give her usual orientation and pass out Watches, but no doubt the Mirrorbound will be more helpful in this regard, with so many arriving.

III. The Goblin Market (All Month) Life goes on in Aefenglom, despite the addition of so many new residents. With the City Guard decidedly busy dealing with the sudden flood of break-ins (or, more accurately, break-outs?), the vendors of the Goblin Market find opportunity to set up their stalls more openly than they have since the crack-downs some months ago. They pop up all over the city, but clustered more often in the Residential Districts and the Harbor District, where there are even fewer law enforcement agents out and about to run them off. These sellers, while not as devoid of morals as those major players of the Black Market, still have very few compunctions when it comes to lying, cheating, fencing stolen goods, and misrepresenting their wares to unsuspecting buyers. It's also the place to find those things that are- not quite legal, shall we say. They won't say a word if you don't. If confronted, they are quick to pack up their things and slip away, however; they know this city and its hiding places a lot better than you do. With a brand new batch of what the natives assume are Mirrorbound, many undergoing rapid transformations into their Monster forms, many of the wares on display are potions: supposed cure-alls for aches and itches, calming draughts for the full moon restlessness, some even claim their brews can halt changes entirely! Some concoctions are meant to increase a Witch's magical ability, or decrease it, or provide them a finer control. They offer potions that they say will eliminate the need for a Bond, or temporary Bonding potions of their own that they claim are more pure, stronger, than the ones offered by the Coven. Claims are only claims, though. A few remedies for the pain of changing or some regular temporary Bonding potions can be found here and there, but for every potion that works, there are twenty more that have less than pleasant side effects. A brew that will cause everything you touch to turn to solid gold for up to an hour; a potion that will invert your sense of direction - trying to turn right will make you turn left, trying to go forward will cause you to walk backward; a potion that will remove all traction from your feet, causing you to slide around as if cobblestone are the slickest ice. Worse, some shadier vendors sell things more sinister, including a potion that gives you the appearance of being moderately to heavily infected by the Cwyld. Even if you don't drink any, the vendors are not at all careful where they're sloshing those bottles around, trying to show them off, and they all activate on skin contact.

IV. A Wilde Hunt (7th - 22nd) All Mirrorbound, temporary or not, are likely to feel it. Monsters are always affected by the full moons, but this month, it is more. Stronger. Instincts rise to the surface as the Sisters emerge full and visible in the night sky, and for many Mirrorbound, they are undergoing rapid transformations into whatever type of Monster they are meant to be. Curiously, the natives get along like they usually do, noticing nothing out of the norm, other than the increased agitation and restlessness from Mirrorbound Monsters. Monsters' aggression fades when the Sisters start to wane, but as the new moons approach on the 22nd, Mirrorbound Witches will notice their magical reserves overfilling, and will find themselves stricken with the overwhelming urge to use it, until casting spells, pushing one's magical limits, is almost a compulsion. Those who are not in proper Witch-Monster Bonds will feel it even stronger, with no stabilizing magic to consume (for Monsters) or avenues to expend magic (for Witches) other than casting spells. (For those who are interested, the Coven does offer temporary Bonding potions which can be used to help alleviate the effects somewhat.) The Coven Witches notice the signs, and they take decisive action on the morning of the 6th, the day before the full moons. So many Mirrorbound, likely to be so heavily affected by the lunar cycle this month, many of them coming into new features and abilities at a breakneck pace, only spells danger for the city. They barricade off a massive chunk of Wilde outside Aefenglom, largely free of Cwyld and totally bereft of farms, homes, and Wilder outposts. They invite anyone who feels the effects of the moons too strongly to control to come out for a Hunt. The hunting grounds will be open nightly to anyone who needs to work off restless energy or overflowing magic; all participants will be warned that their safety cannot be guaranteed from others, but they won't be able to harm bystanders out here. The woods are thick, with the river cutting through them, and full of wildlife. There is room to run and chase prey, or room to play with your developing magic. Play cat and mouse with your friends or Bondmates, or stalk a stranger. If playing games isn't your thing, there is something else to hunt out here as well. With the deep Wilde entering into Winter, this patch of land so close to the city is much warmer, and fearsome Shades have emerged to search for prey. These were once living beings, Monsters, Witches, or animals, who have been overtaken by Cwyld infection long ago, leaving them dead but for the infection, white-eyed and seeking out sources of magic to consume and infect. Anything could become a Shade, but the most common out right now are the ferocious remains of bears, wolves, and nomadic Arachne and Turnskins. If not killed, these Shades threaten the people of the Outer City, when they inevitably escape the barricade. Careful to limit your contact, though; anyone infected upon their return to the gates will be escorted straight to the infirmary.

Welcome to May's Fourth Wall event, An Inauspicious Arrival! The comms are now open to comments from all registered users and will be until June 1st. Current players, if you don't want fourth wall characters tagging your posts, just say so in your text. Fourth wall characters can use this post for their own network top-levels, or this post for log top levels. This event is game canon; threads from this fourth wall can be used as application samples later and current players may use these threads for AC. As always, be courteous to each other! Let the mod team know if there are any problems and we will handle things.

As always, please direct your questions to this thread!

Comments

[liquidate]

Look at you; you can't even pretend you think I'm useful anymore. (props his arms and chin up on the edge of the tub, tail undulating under the spray that makes slimy skin glisten and shine.) It'd be convenient for you if you could... but I've only seen you a few times in the last couple years. This is the least you can do for me.

(being hit directly in the face with the stream doesn't deter him, mouth opening to collect as much water as he can at the back of his teeth to swallow it down, uttering a relieved "whew." all this isn't as strange as it could be, and maybe that'd be disconcerting for the people who hardly know him. sasuke, on the other hand, was his teammate for how long?

a tail won't slow him down. neither will gills, porous skin, or drying the fuck out.)

You look like a corpse.

[hoboagogo]

[look he has to try REALLY HARD not to let it show how damn adorable it is when Legoshi's tail starts wagging. Sure, he's a tall, gangly wolf, he speaks and is sentient and should be treated like a person.... But he's also fuckin' cute as hell.

And so he keeps his eyes fixed ahead as he finally settles on a stand that has a small gathering about it. It smells spicy, which is usually good. They can at least start there.]

Alright, so nothing living. That's easy enough. [First: food. So he'll go up and order one of the bowls they have for sale. Something akin to a tofu curry- some sort of creamy, spicy sauce, rice, vegetables mixed in. Enjoy the ecclectic collection.]

Yeah, Bonded. Witches and monsters bond here- kinda like a magic connection- to balance 'em out. Keeps me from going crazy, keeps him from exploding and flinging venison across the street. [Messy streetfood bowl recieved, he passes it to Legoshi and rummages in a pocket for some cunes to pay the guy.]

And yeah. Start eating, I'll give him a call. I dunno if he's at home or work or what.

[poisontippedcure]

[Rose shrugs. There is, indeed, a reason that Alphinaud is the brains.]

Are you referring to this?

[She points to the wings.]

Not exactly. Many people here do eventually transform, but there are those who transform into dragons and snakes instead of fae. There are also those who are given magical powers.

[poisontippedcure]

[It does, indeed, mean something.]

Yes. This is your fault.

[That's all she says. Y'Shtola has taught her well.]

[pinwheels]

[ A bark from Angelo alerts Rinoa to Daenerys's nearby presence much sooner than her own ears ever could. But sure enough, once she's listening for steps, she hears them - hurried and firm in their fall. A frown comes to her features - one of concern at first that quickly changes into something else entirely when the source of the sound emerges from the trees.

No. Not here... How?

A woman with actual physical horns, talons where her nails should be, and strange markings along her skin... She must be a witch. Not the kind from this strange world, no... the kind from Rinoa's own world. The only thing she's missing are the wings - it's a consideration that makes her hesitate over her conclusion for just a moment.

But then again, Rinoa's own wings haven't yet appeared in this place either. What makes her think this witch would be any different?

Sensing her mistress's fear, Angelo's bark shifts into a low growl; and, reaching into the newer magic pool this strange place has gifted her, Rinoa weaves a protective barrier of glowing light around the two of them. From her relative safety behind it, she glares out at Daenerys. ]

Who are you? What do you want?

Wei Wuxian | The Untamed | Witch

[yilingdaddy]

Goblin Market

"Oooh, so this is supposed to help with restlessness and the changes?" Wuxian raises a couple vials up to inspect, eyes wide as if he believes the goblin seller. He knows better than to trust such things without more information and testing.

"But how am I supposed to know it'll work for me? I don't know if I want to drink this," he opens one vial to the protest of the seller and gives it a good sniff before his nose wrinkles up and he shakes his head, absently recorking it and setting both vials back down.

"No, I think I'll keep looking. Thanks!" He wanders off, ignoring the grumbled protests. Much better result when he has...nothing to barter with. So what if he doesn't feel any different, and a quick check under a sleeve before even entering the market told him all that really mattered. Still one life to take. But whose?


Wildcard Hit me up with a starter of your own or message journal or fireduck if you want to talk something out!

oh my god

[fairyherder]

[ not so bad? not so bad? he's turning into a monster of some kind, it hurts and he's alone and fuck this place he doesn't even have access to his golden core and it's all confusing and he's just a kid!

he whips his head up to retort and glare but catches himself, confused at the familiar golden robes but the unfamiliar face. he remembers most faces of the Jin sect, so who is waltzing around in their robes if he doesn't know who it is?

not that it matters, he's not going to show weakness in front of someone, not even someone who's supposedly familiar (least of all that!), and he rubs at his eyes furiously with his sleeve, glowering. ]

I'm fine. I was just—

[ just sitting down. just gathering his wits. just taking a break?? that's a weak excuse and he knows it, so slowly gets to his feet, fingers curled around Suihua like a life line. even if the sword is just a regular piece of metal here, it's still his piece of comfort. ]

I fine. Who are you anyway? I don't recognize you.

[blankpieces]

There's a separate entry location with rows of mirrors, yes. You'd typically arrive there.

[And typically they wouldn't even arrive here first. Most new arrivals, though admittedly not all of them, participated in a dream-like scenario with the current Mirrorboud. It's how everyone knew more people were about to arrive. This time they seem to have skipped that part entirely - but then, their system does seem to be on the fritz.

Maybe if he takes his mirror down for a few days he can avoid this happening again. He can set it out against the back wall of the house. Everyone's already deposited outside. Simple solution. He'll get right on that after he deals with this.]

As for this place, it pulls people from across dimensions. I can't tell you how to leave on your own, but if I figure it out I'll let you know. [The way he says this makes it sound as though he doesn't expect it to happen any time soon.] If your stay is permanent you can expect physical changes. Not necessarily like mine.

[zewu_jun]

[ As long as Jin Ling agrees and he can watch after him, he doesn't have to be friendly. Lan Xichen is content to be his companion and help him as he adjusted to what are clearly monster changes. ]

Ah, well, not a dog exactly... [ He doesn't want him to panic, but he wants to be honest. ] Many of the people that come to this city turn into something more than human. They gain certain hunting instincts and have stronger senses, but as you see, there are some new things that may be hard to accept at first.

[ He really doesn't want to say the word monster around Jin Ling. Can't someone else do it? ]

But I am sure you will be fine. I just don't want you to risk being on your own with so many new things to learn.

[guardianreaper]

['Everything about it feels odd' is putting it mildly.]

Yeah, time works kinda weird here. You can be here for years without any time passing at home.

[He shrugs.]

The official word is that we're here to stop some sorta plague. Don't know how true that is, though.

[oathkeeper]

[Sora's concern is still on his face as he helps the woman back to her feet with a quick nod. His rabbit ears bounce almost comically with the motion.]

Are you sure? The witches at the coven have really powerful healing magic.

[He knows that the coven might not be everyone's favourite place to be but they really are good at what they do. This woman looks so standoffish about it all and he really doesn't understand why. He keeps a hold of her when she clasps his wrist and is back on her feet and gives the back of her hand a tiny gentle pat pat.]

You don't like it there? Why?

[doomflagdestined]

[See? See? Kotomine gets it.]

[A little too well, probably.]

Oh no, you might be right! All this time I've been practicing my snake throwing on striking dummies. I've never attacked a real person!

[doomflagdestined]

[That's probably the nicest thing anyone has ever said to her about her 'methods.' She's glad.]

Of course it does! My magic spell is called 'dirt bump,' so being in tune with the dirt helps make it more powerful.

[doomflagdestined]

[He absolutely shouldn't pry. Not because she wouldn't tell him, she definitely would, but it would only make him sad.]

That one over there.

[She points to a building that can only be described as 'sketch.']

But I, uh, probably shouldn't go back there right now.

[bravers]

[He doesn't know Kadaj that well, (didn't know him at all, actually. He can count on one hand the amount of times they've actually met, each of them involving himself getting as far away as possible relatively early on into the meeting.) But even then, even with what he thinks to be his usual manner (hysteria, mainly) shaking, stumbling, and figeting doesn't exactly fit the picture.

Were it not for his lucidity, Kadaj almost looks like he's coming out of mako poisoning, going through withdrawal symptoms- but-

It's this world, isn't it. He stops, mid-stride, and turns to him. His eyes look concerned. ...This better not be a trick.]

C'mon. We're going to the coven.

[He extends an arm, to help him along. Reluctantly.]

[hopticulture]

I'm already soaked and muddy from our fall so it's no big deal, really. [And, still holding his hand, she offers him her other one for him to take.

Kind of like...a mom trying to help a toddler walk, in a way.

Ah, this is kind of a ridiculous solution.]

Just tell me if I'm about to crash into anyone, we'll take it step by step until we find a place out of the way for you to sit.

[sparkstrikes]

I don't wanna deal with magic.

[She's had plenty of it to deal with on Cocoon, thrust upon her just like it was here. The Coven's magic is the last thing she wants right now... but maybe she's being a little too harsh with the kid. He's only trying to help, and she's acting like it's his fault that they even exist in the first place.

Which it isn't.]

Don't exactly have the best history with the magic here. [She gives him a once-over again.] You don't have any, do you?

[exsoldier]

[ Well, Zack won't ever say no to the attention of pretty lady, and so he's quick to turn to her and hold up the bottle so that she can get a better look at its contents. The goblin vendor looks a bit concerned that he might run off with it, though Zack has no intention of that. ]

Apparently it can create a temporary Bond between two people... but you can't just fabricate something like that, right?

[ It takes hard work and mutual trust to forge a Bond, so the idea that some potion could instill that in two people seems wrong on every level.

After a pause, he hands the bottle back to the vendor and turns back to the woman to give her his undivided attention. ]

Zack Fair. [ He stretches his hand out toward her. ]

oh no the owl

[boarddyd]

[When prompted, Dimitri opens a pouch at his side and produces a few golden coins. They're not worth more than a night's meal and board here, but back home the right buyer could take interest in foreign gold. He has more, of course, in his quarters, and is willing to pay whatever she demands.

Quickly, he pockets the money, and the follows her sudden trail.

Had she seen something? Dimitri's shoulders set when he stops at her side, as if he's ready to barrel into prey a beast his size or greater.

It's just the bait - seems it summoned two animals after all. Dimitri smiles, shaking his head at himself before taking a few steps back and crouching in the underbrush, back against a tree.] I don't.

If you keep watch from above, I'll wait here.

When something comes, we can pin it from two angles. [A great plan, so long as what shows up doesn't take hours to do so, and is actually a shade and not a bear or something.]

[boarddyd]

[Claude has always been a master of smiling - even in moments when Dimitri would think no one should want to. Those diplomatic grins had been a source of envy for him, and now that he's witnessing one falter, his stomach sinks.

The war, and tales of his madness... Claude must know. Maybe even suffered directly because of him.

An apology dances on the tip of his tongue, but he bites it back in favor of answering the question posed to him.] No.

In fact, while I've met many of our classmates here, I seem to be the only one behind in age.

Sylvain, Felix, Petra... Edelgard. They're all from my future. [Or something close enough to it.]

[mensrea]

[ The shower curtain rod is thrust out of the tub suddenly, throwing Stiles off balance as he continues to cling to it with one hand. Before he can celebrate that particular victory, a palm slams into the base of his throat with enough power to make him gag. Both the rod and gills are released as he reacts on autopilot, reaching up to scrabble frantically at the hand – and then he’s underwater, breath escaping in an explosion of bubbles. Through the Bond, Stiles tries to transfer the brunt of his horror and panic in the hopes of alerting Jonas that he needs help. It’s the last conscious action he takes; everything after is simply pure instinct.

Because Stiles has drowned in the past. He knows from firsthand experience what it feels like to have water force its way into mouth and nose on a desperate inhale, flooding air-deprived lungs in a flare of burning pain. The fear alone was like a physical vice strangling his heart, as lethal as the water rapidly suffocating him. Stiles has died that agonizing death. He won’t again.

Bracing knees against the side of the tub for leverage, he tries to fight the strength holding him down. When that fails, he digs nails into the soft flesh of a wrist, raking hard enough to break skin. But it’s not enough. This guy is relentless, determined to kill him. As involuntary apnea threatens to seize control, Stiles reaches deep for the well of magic that the Bond provides him and consumes. The trigger in transformation is almost immediate; before all Arachne limbs even have a chance to burst free from the confines of his back, Stiles is wrenching his head to the side and biting down hard with elongated fangs, injecting a weak form of venom. The bath water turns red with spilt blood. ]

[boarddyd]

[It's been so long since anyone addressed him so formally - hearing his title is somewhat disorienting. Dimitri's next step is heavy, and his gaze drifts away from Marianne to a stall selling intricate woven charms.

The next moment, his focus returns and he presses his smile.]

Yes, so I've heard.

From my understanding, there are five years between us.

You look as if you've been well. [Somehow, despite the fires of war and the collapse of Kingdoms, Marianne seems to have... grown more alive.]

tw survivors guilt

[boarddyd]

The Professor's gentle acknowledgement tells Dimitri that he, too, is five years ahead. The knowledge lends heavy context to his inquiry - is he alright? He's gone mad in that half-decade, and as Felix claims...

There's not much anchoring to the precipice of sanity now, either.

He's simply accepted the inevitability of losing himself. To revenge and the voices of his ghosts or to the monstrous changes pulsing in his veins. There's a sense of desperation in that, and when Dimitri stops to take stock of how he feels right now, he realizes how heavy that sensation is.

He shakes his head.

"I-

I have heard of so many futures where nothing becomes of me. I'm afraid." His voice softens, but it doesn't quite hide the way he falters. It's easy to admit these things to the professor - but less so to himself.

"I'm afraid that I'll accomplish nothing.

If I die like that, then-" Why did he even live through Duscur in the first place?

[sneaksweet]

He must be a good actor if he helped beat God Troupe.

[But wow, a homeless man with amnesia.]

[shithogs]

[Whichever he means, it doesn't seem to matter.]

Wasn't looking for your approval, but thanks.

[Not a particularly genuine 'thanks,' but he had helped her out. There's some sincerity there, if only a little. She steps away from the rune and turns her gloved hand over to examine it, as if she might see some evidence of why she'd been able to silence the alarm with only a touch, but it looks the same as always. The pulse of magic she had felt, however, was distinctly new, and that bears investigation.

Later. She'd rather not be here when the authorities arrive.]

Anyway... yeah. [She hates to admit that he's right, but she'd been thinking the same thing. She looks behind the front counter for anything she can write with, and thankfully, she doesn't have to rummage much before coming up with a pencil and some blank parchment. Should do the trick.]

I'll pay for the mirror, too.