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

[redload]

No one told me. [dante heaves the sword onto his shoulder, and turns back towards nero.] But it was good advice.

[a quick glance over at his nephew, dante feels a coiling of something bitter in his gut. he was in the middle of his fight with vergil and got interrupted by nero—got slapped by nero before getting dunked into this world, powerless and with no real closure to his feud with his darned twin.]

[it's unfair to give nero something of a rude silent treatment, but it sure has been that way since this whole qliphoth business started. he walks over to the other... and keeps on walking, actively brushing past him as if to say that the young demon hunter is on his way. dante will stop being so sour soon enough, he just needs a moment to come to terms with this new sense of loss.]

There are more where these came from.

[themogget]

[Mogget purrs softly.]

I once had many names. Now, only several. Or perhaps just one.

[Perhaps just one, here, where he feels the strangeness of the magic not only in the air and the earth but in himself, too. Something is different, but he's not yet had the time to explore it.]

You can call me Mogget. And you can tell me where I am.

[trulygifted]

Well, sure.

( Nico nods, like it isn't really anything out of the ordinary. )

Me an' my associate Nero, we run just about the best demon hunting outfit you'll ever have the pleasure of comin' across.

( But she's grinning again, playful and bright. It isn't that she doesn't believe every word she's saying—Devil May Cry is the best—but she's also being just a little theatrically boastful for fun. Still, it's a little disappointing that the guy isn't aware of any demons messing up the city ...

For the best, sure, but. She really does need fresh supply of parts to help elevate her work into art. )

I'd offer you a card, but ...

( Nico pats herself down demonstratively, her grin turning sheepish. )

I guess the powers that dragged us here aren't what you'd call business minded. ( But you know, there's opportunity here anyway! She holds out her hand for him to shake: ) Nicoletta Goldstein of Devil May Cry, at your service.

[holybeasts]

[Ah, so he does have companions at least. She's pleased by that knowledge.]

Mm, I say then because I'm not quite sure what I am at the moment. When I was last here it seemed transformations took some time. I could have been some form of Monster then too but I rather think by the way I figured out how to adapt some of my abilities, I must have been more of a Witch.

[She brings a hand forward and it's... nothing really. Not a thing happens. She doesn't seem upset by that fact more than she is the next. Her voice is gentle and soft, sorrowful perhaps? Wistful?]

I can never hear the voices of my Guardians here, neither this time nor last. I can't feel them either. I do recall last time I was told I could possibly learn more about the magic here and I did take a lesson or two so maybe it's much the same this time in that regard.

[She buoys up a bit, not jovial but gently pleased.]

I had fun with that the last time. I've never taken classes when it came to magic at home or had any training of that sort.

Ahhh, an Urianger! I am so enthused!

[purposefulnonsense]

Having grown accustomed to the looks and jumps his presence sometimes garners in this place, Hythlodaeus is no longer even confused by the occurrence. So it is with no small measure of gentleness that he regards the individual before him. "There is nothing to forgive. 'Tis no transgression, to be taken by surprise."

He glances briefly at the set piece his attentions had been focused on, and after taking a moment to assure himself of its stability, turns to face the smaller person in full. "...My name is Hythlodaeus. I have only recently started here, and recently... arrived, as those here seem to call it."

He shifts, leaning ever so slightly forward... at least in his perception. To a smaller individual, the movement would naturally seem a fair bit more pronounced. Yet it is a movement without ill intent, being born instead out of an abundance of curiosity, his head inclining to one side as a smile blooms over his features.

"Would I be correct in thinking you are here to lend your assistance to this effort? I am told that it was only recently that such things have been made legal, though I have yet to fully understand why it was ever frowned upon to begin with!"

[lookslikeacinnamonroll]

[ Every second, every new word out of her mouth, he just looks more and more impressed. ]

That's very different. Usually all forms of cultivation draw on a power coming from inside yourself, whether it's a Golden Core or it's blood, for demonic cultivation.

[ But we don't talk about demonic cultivation, no sir, and we definitely don't talk about how Wen Ning's best friend is the master of it, no way no how. ]

[jichengren]

[ Zixuan resist every urge inside him to roll his eyes. ]

I do have an interest in seeing my wife happy. So yes, I honored her wish.

[ It's just his cousin that made the whole thing difficult, by going to intercept Wei Wuxian on his way to Carp Tower. Zixuan had been about to leave to stop it, but wound up here instead. Hopefully things won't go too badly without him. ]

please let this be their cr forever

[eyeforaneye]

[ He finally moves away from that window the moment he sees her heading for the exit, anticipating her arrival with a predictably uncomfortable focus. She steps outside. Passes over the cloak. Smiles.

He takes it, expression unreturned. ]

We'll see how resilient it is. The design is my preference, but it might wear on me quickly. [ How can he accurately judge his own moods any longer? It's impossible with this transformation... impossible... ]

And now I'll uphold my end of the bargain. What is it you want to see or know?

[redload]

[she would be in for a surprise if she shot him in the forehead, that much is for sure. her taking things casual and with no further shock past the initial surprise earns her a mouthy grin, stretching from ear to ear, and dante's putting his hands down now that he's ascertained that she isn't as trigger happy as other women he knows.]

Doubt it.

[—dante counters, putting hand to the hilt and curling his fingers around it. with an easy heave, he picks it up and does nothing but to swing it about in a lackadaisical manner. he is more than aware that she could still shoot him, but it doesn't make him not turn his back towards her in the most relaxed of ways.]

It slipped from my hand. [and now he's clipping it onto his back, easy as can be. he looks at her from over his shoulder.] Your pretty yelling led me right back to it.

HERE WE GO

[redload]

[it's just his luck to try and sucker another newly arrived into sharing some heard-earned coin on something. dante's disappointed shows on his face—but only for a moment! a curt smile appears on his face as he tries to come to terms with the loss of a potential transaction here.]

No cash? Nothing? [raised hand having thumb and forefinger rubbing together to imply a kaching, kaching gesture] Looks like you and me both are down on our luck.

[dante drops his hand, but he's still got a heavy arm over zack's shoulders.]

[at the question, he responds quite easily, though his gaze pushes back towards the stall with the look of a man that has given up hope on getting what he wanted.]

These scales are growing with an itch. Can't exactly scratch them off. [he rubs at his chin in contemplation for a moment... before finally letting go of zack, giving the young man a hearty pat on the back.] Thought it wouldn't hurt to try, but it's not the end of the world either.

[redload]

[nico's downright in her honesty, and although her words pack a punch and are rough around the edges, she definitely shows a generous amount of concern for his nephew. it's unsurprising, really, from what little he knows about their partnership—but even his own partnership with lady had been somewhat similar at the start (and even now); rocky, pushy, churning about insult and skepticism despite the fact that there's no one else the two of them would trust the most.]

[that much is somewhat nostalgic to witness, but it's her further commenting that has dante stopping and turning back to nico rather abruptly.]

He's into that?

[clearly, time to push past the emotional and serious stuff. he makes a face of disgust.] Gross.

[redload]

[his experience with vampires has been... pretty much zero. demons, however, who crave blood and drink it to satisfy their own hunger, energy, or need for survival? he's seen plenty of those—and over the years as a demon hunter, he can proudly say that none of this stuff is necessarily new to him.]

[her politeness, though, really surfaces as something of the weirder aspects of this whole transaction.]

[sitting himself down against a desk, dante brings down the height difference between the two of them, if just a bit. graciously, a hand moves to hold her by the arm, gently over her elbow, to keep her steady.]

Let me worry about those details. You do what you got to do.

[redload]

Exactly.

[her question obviously has no sense of urgency in dante's mind. as far as he's concerned, lucky is lucky and to question that means having to think too much about something that is not necessarily of interest. for him, anyway.]

[he shoots her a grin and a shrug of his shoulders, turning around and ready to head off once he clips the word onto his back.]

[but he seems to think better of it — and stops, turning back towards her.]

Is this hell?

[trulygifted]

( It takes a second for Dante's joke to land, but when it does? Nico wrinkles her nose in disgust before snorting with laughter. )

C'mon, shut up.

( But she's grinning—it appears dante's attempt to introduce a little levity into their situation has worked like a charm. Nico punches his arm for the second time today (lightly this time) and offers a roll of the eyes, because honestly, guys are all the fucking same. Always with the fisting jokes. )

You know he'd never do that to Kyrie. You think me an' him are inseparable? You better hope he doesn't show up here, 'cause if his lady-love ain't with him you're gonna be in for a real eye-opening experience.

( She raises her eyebrows. )

Maybe it'll be for the best if he just stays put.

[voktys]

Thank you.

⟪ for a woman who has spent the better part of the last years concealing certain aspects of her nature from mortal men (only to find herself afflicted with changes of a far more dire nature in this world), there is something very strange about the simple stride with which he accepts this revelation. even aids her in it, holding her steady, lowering himself so he no longer stands so tall.

two things do her already shattering resolve in: the touch, for one, and the fact that he is warm, for another. the unnatural body heat she used to live with for the past centuries has been undone here, and now, warmth draws her in more than ever before, if at all possible. one more, near-controlled breath, and then she's moved against him where he's seated, smoothing down the flap of his collar with careful fingers, touching the strange, soft fabric of his shirt.

then she leans in, first merely pressing her lips to the point where his pulse beats the hottest, then shifting slightly lower as to not injure the most critical spot. if he does not stop her now, sharp teeth will follow the softer touch of her lips, break the skin, and offer her relief in the taste of his blood. ⟫

[redload]

[that's gotten a laugh out of her, at least, and dante can't help but feel pretty cool about that. he'll even allow the punch to his arm to go without much of a complaint. usually it's trish laughing up loudly with his lame jokes and lady telling him off for being disgusting.]

[the mention of kyrie (who's that?) makes him pause a bit before oh, he remembers. the girlfriend.]

[he waves his hand about nonchalantly at her mention of how nero would lose his mind without her around.]

Let the sappy lovebirds be by themselves. We got this. Don't we?

[nico seems easily excitable, and maybe this much enthusiasm will put her in a good mood all around.]

[voktys]

This type of healing is not known in my world.

⟪ the flame of life can be passed on, if the lord of light so grants it, but that is never a guarantee, and does not heal anyone's wounds. ⟫

I am what is known as a Shadowbinder, though I know spells beyond it.

[redload]

[sharp teeth break skin, and dante doesn't even wince.]

[the touch on her arm moves towards the small of her back, keeping her there and—let's be honest—quite enjoying the soft press of a woman against him. he is a man after all, and for her to want to put herself so close to himself despite his more brash and undesirable aspects, it's not something he will argue again.]

[so he'lll just wait. that's all he has to do, right? time to hum himself a song. after a moment, though:]

Taste any good?

[voktys]

⟪ in truth, she rather likes the scales. perhaps it's the years on dragonstone, spent wondering how to bring the great stone dragons of the castle back to live, as legends say can be done. she never did succeed. nothing else seems to displease her: the touch of his hand is met with no resistance, and he can feel her lips curl into a smile at hint of a song even as she drinks.

taking his question as a cue to contain her greed, she offers a pleasant (or maybe just pleased) little noise in response, before she draws back enough to wedge the palm of her hand between herself and his throat, covering the wound as best she can as she pulls back only enough to look at him. ⟫

The Red God offers his blood for wine in the Hall of Light. This must be what it is like. ⟪ there's still a dazed look about her, all told, but now it's lets starvation and more pleasure. pale she remains, but now it's less a shade of ash. she licks the remaining blood off her lips. ⟫

[radishlobbyist]

It's... complicated. [ She trails off, a little frustrated. If Melisandre doesn't even know the term doctor is, she is unlikely to know of golden cores and the like. ] Most of my patients are cultivators like myself. Cultivation permits people to heal faster and withstand greater damage than ordinary people, even without a cultivator doctor's interference. It all comes together. But like I said, it doesn't hinder me much. What does hinder me is that I don't have access to my ingredients here.

[ Far more interesting than her own powers are Melisandre's now. ]

I've never heard of Shadowbinders. [ She pauses. ] Do you know of demonic cultivation? [ Only visually describing what Wei Wuxian does, shadowbinder could easily be the term you'd use... ]

Re: <33

[radishlobbyist]

You... [ Wen Qing's eyes are immediately going towards what Jiang Yanli is trying to hide, a doctor's attentive eyes searching and mapping and she takes half a step forward, mouth already opening to demand that Jiang Yanli stop hiding her changes and let her examine her.

Then she catches herself and realizes it is really not her place to do so here and now. Here, Jiang Yanli is not her patient. ]

Have you been here for long?

[trulygifted]

( That just gets another snort. )

I mean ... do we?

( She makes a vague gesture around them. )

'Cause no offence—believe me, you're probably the coolest person I ever met!—but I don't feel like I got this, an' you don't ... ( A sheepish smile tilts her lips, because ... How to put this delicately. ) You don't much look like you got this either.

( Backpedal, bACKPEDAL!!! )

Unless you got some kinda plan you ain't tellin' me about?

[radishlobbyist]

Oh A-Ning...

[ Her face wants to crumble but she holds herself back with the sheer self-control learned over a lifetime - and it takes all of it. To see Wen Ning in such a state and know there is nothing she can do about his change hurts so much more than knowing of her own. ]

It must be that you are changing. Your hearing is already getting better. [ The doctor in her wants to ask a hundred questions and start examining him on the spot but she needs to be a sister now first. She reaches for his hand. ] We are all changing. It is nothing to fear.

[ Or so she says. Because she needs to say it, not because she believes it. ]

[lookslikeacinnamonroll]

[ Nodding, Wen Ning accepts her words as fact, because that's just the way things have been for most of their lives. Wen Qing knew what she was talking about, even if Wen Ning didn't.

There's one thing, though, that bothers him. ]

Are you changing too, Jiejie? [ He looks her over for any sign of anything different. ]

Re: Grips your shoulder

[fairyherder]

[ he makes a face, annoyed, but fine. it's not like she's wrong. ]

You were the first person I saw! [ and then, a little more subdued, embarrassed: ] Sorry, okay.

[ he takes a breath and breathes out, shifting his shoulder and finally looking down at the dripping state of his robes. at least he still has his sword and his bow and arrows. he just doesn't know where he is, and neither does anyone else, it seems. ]

I've seen big towns. [ but even if he wants to boast or otherwise feel like he's in the know, he isn't, and this town is big. bigger than the area around Carp Tower, bigger than Yungmeng. ]

But this is... different.