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

[crowsfeat]

Eileen calmed herself, taking in a deep breath and letting it out as a long sigh. This was a topic she was getting a little exhausted with, but she knew well it was a matter she couldn't simply wash over, either.

"It is work, though there's no honor in it, but it is necessary."

[kingofunification]

[That brings a furrow to his brow. He thought with their...history Edelgard would be less likely to approach Dimitri--though perhaps she was trying to sway his opinion in her favor? Or was it a curiosity that drove Dimitri himself to approach her?

Another question, filed away to dwell on later.]

Ah yes, I have heard rumors of this General of hers. [He was also loathe to call her by "professor"--something about it always brought a feeling like a twist of a knife in his gut.] I'm sure they're quite proud of themselves, though the methods I've seen them use doesn't really bring me any comfort in the thought.

[His own arms cross, eye on Dimitri. He doesn't think the other would...well, lose it, so to speak--not out here in public. But Dimitri has taken this...surprisingly well for how hard it hit him firsthand.]

[silentsavant]

( nobody's graceful when they're slipping on ice! the dragon boy capsizes beneath the small islands of broken ice that rock with the tumult of his crashing body and escape downstream with the current. his horned head bursts from the waters with a sharp, sputtering gasp, eyes glowing a fearsome red. with a coughing growl, he takes a winged leap from his cold and liquid straits. )

Ranulf!

( uh-oh! he's all riled up now! not only does he sound miffed, but his drenched clothes and sopping hair render him quite the miserable sight and his expression peels with aggravation that has the unfortunate quality of looking far worse than it's really felt, a monster with glowering pupil-less eyes and clenched fangs flashing. his intent flags pursuit, hot and heavy across their bond — he's coming to get him and he'd better head for the hills! )

[scatmaam]

I suppose I can spare you the indignity of stealing your kills. [ Scathach quipped back, rolling her spear back into an offensive position and charging into the oncoming fray, perhaps a bit reckless, but confident all the same. ]

[boarddyd]

[Dimitri can feel his jaw setting, and he brings a hand to his chin, fingers coiling over his mouth. Both to obscure how quickly his smile falls away, and to press his thumb into his cheek.

Controlled pain is better than whatever keeps racing down his spine - pinpricks of aggression he can't help but feel whenever the General comes up.

It's hardly easier to keep his anger in check now than it is when face to face with the woman herself.] What methods do you speak of?

[He's heard conflicting accounts, all of them vague. Claude may be prone to lying, to underhanded tactics, and to secrecy... but Dimitri trusts his accounts of this.]

[waswrongtoo]

"Honor's... not really my concern. I just want to keep people safe."

And if hunters in her world fell the way this woman was describing... yeah, she'd definitely see why someone like her had to exist.

Oh hey, guess what happened. ...That's right! Mettaton told him!

[purposefulnonsense]

Mirth stirring at the accuracy of his friend's assessment, Hythlodaeus' smile turns playful, as though to affirm Emet-Selch's voiced suspicions and underscore a hint of promise on following through with them should the impulse strike him. And it will strike him, for it always does.

The notion of Hades coming to his rescue is an added touch. One that comes as a surprise to him. It feels like a rare admission, and in response Hythlodaeus can feel his veins suffusing with a warmth that lingers strong even as the conversation turns towards other subjects.

"As to be expected of one so important! So..." He pauses, deliberate in the creation of that brief period of silence and making not the slightest secret of it as he leans in, ever full of benevolent mischief.

"...which is it that you go to in order to hide away from those who seek your company?"

[gynvael]

[ As if stumbling through a fucking pane of glass wasn't enough, he's got something barreling right at him. Geralt has enough time to curse before he takes the man directly on.

He grunts, glass crunching beneath his boots. ] The fuck.

[ What—

He's in no mindset to even think about being polite; Geralt simply pushes the man back, his hand reaching instinctively for his sword. It closes around the grip as he takes in his surroundings. He is not, at all, at the inn he'd been staying at. ]

Who are you?

[zewu_jun]

[ He feels guilty having to tell Sae about these changes when he himself is not a monster. It sounds cruel to him, saying that he is only a witch. It makes him different, and he doesn't want to be given more than this poor girl. She deserves the kindness. ]

I do not know what decides it. I sometimes think it must be unfair, choosing us to be put in these separate groups. I try to tell myself that it will be for the best and that there is a reason we are meant for them, but... I don't know much about it.

I believe once the changes begin someone will be able to tell us more.

[trost]

[ please hop over to the overflow! ]

[proudofme]

Whoa, whoa there! [Soren she is not a rowdy horse, calm down yourself, some. He reaches for her quickly when she begins to collapse. Catching he, Soren holds her carefully in both arms, firm and protective like. Welp... he is a knight. Helping those in distress is his duty!]

Your sister- [say something comforting, idiot!]-yeah! Maybe. She could show up, like... I showed up here after my Dad had already been around a while. Totally possible.

[he adjusts some before hoisting her fully off the ground and into his arms to carry]

Huup-! There we go! Now.. you don't need my big, clunky boots, huh?

[digthefuzz]

[The whole thing doesn't sound too farfetched to him. Being someone who already looks monstrous and who found out he travels through some other dimension when he teleports. The magic's new, although he does know that mutant powers can be oddly magic-like.

He shrinks back a bit as she calls him out. So she's finally questioning his appearance.]

I- I know it sounds crazy! I'm still wrapping my head around it myself. But, um, I'm not shady at all! I swear!

[He sighs.]

It's just - I'm different from other people. Even in a place like this, I kinda stick out. Trust me... if you got a good look at me, you might not like what you see. [She seems nice enough, so far. But even though he's had some surprising cases of people who've immediately accepting him the way he was, he also knows the opposite. People who are suddenly afraid or distrustful of what he really is. So he hesitates.]

[gynvael]

[ He's curious enough to remain watching, leaning against the trunk of a nearby tree. So another like him, then. Drawn into this world through some sort of reflective surface. He doesn't understand it, exactly, but he knows enough of magic and its surrounding chaos to understand that mirrors and lakes are easy doorways. Accidental or otherwise.

At least the man knows how to fish. ] Only the Shades concern you?

[ There must be more than that. Or perhaps his time here has simply been too short to have a good idea of how much of a threat they are. Like his companion, he has no love of cities either. Nor anything involving large amounts of people he has to brush shoulders with. ]

[confectionerie]

[ A chimera...he's the first she's heard of, so it's difficult to picture in her head, but chimeras are usually made up of a lot of different creatures, aren't they? The idea of any kind of transformation is still alien to her, but she's getting more used to it. Her best friend is a monster now too, after all.

It takes her a moment to answer her question. She passes it off as intently reading a label, but she isn't...sure yet how open she should be about being a Persona user, even here. It's been such a closely guarded secret, but in a place like this where the supernatural is common, does she have anything to be afraid of?

Chewing her lip, she glances back to Zack. ]

Um...sort of. But it's not really magic in the way this place is. Most people don't know there's anything supernatural about my world at all.

[ There, a nice and vague answer, that'll do, right? She picks up a vial to look it over. ]

What about you? Or did this catch you totally off-guard, too?

[hoboagogo]

...Weird. [He just leaves it at that, though. There's plenty of other things to adjust to once arriving here, learning that you're apparently some sort of anomaly doesn't have to be the very start of it.

And look, his hooves can totally be touched. It's a little weird, but whatever. They're new, to Minato, so like. Whatevs.]

Yeah, they're as real as anything gets here. [Which feels pretty real, especially after almost a year of living it. He brings up a hand to scratch at the thick hair at the back of his head, just managing to dampen it and tangle it further.] Same with the bonding thing, if anyone explained that. Monsters go way less crazy with it, and Witches don't gotta worry about magic buildup.

[Though the living situation...] I mean. I got two bedrooms open at my place. Koro's kind of taken over one, but I'm sure he'd share with you if you asked nice.

[twilightskey]

[Roxas's own tail begins wagging as he heads off with the wolf in tow.]

I'll be sure to not get you anything chocolate. I know from a friend that dogs aren't supposed to have anything chocolate. But I think salted caramel should be fine.

[confectionerie]

The...Looking-Glass House?

[ That sounds like something right out of a storybook. Ann definitely doesn't recognize the name, but it's not like there was anyone around to tell her where it was that she dropped out of the mirror into. For all she knows, that was the Looking-Glass House.

She chances a look over her shoulder. The guards are still behind them, but they're looking a little lost, now.

Somewhat assured, she offers Yona a smile. ]

I'm Ann. And seriously, thanks for helping me out. [ And then, glancing over at the buildings surrounding them— ] I've never heard of a city called Aefenglom. What country is it in?

[fallingcrows]

( well of course he sucks ass at reading people? look how dumb he is, crow can't keep himself from reacting to everything and anything! especially that tail; he reacts as expected by squirming and wiggling his tail unconsciously.

it does absolutely nothing in terms of force, but it looks like a nice wet furry rope underwater. that's good for something, right? )

Dammit, can you stop moving yours?!

( it's. making him feel things. )

[strongspirited]

I know I am.

[Sypha grins.]

If you act up, or something happens, I'll make sure you don't hurt anyone, too. If that helps.

[lightblooming]

Well...

[It's not the first time she's been asked that. Sora did ask her something similar not too long ago. That's actually an easy question to answer. When she first arrived here, she felt powerless - but as time went on, she found other ways to learn to fight all over again. ]

... I'm able to protect the people who are important to me - and others here. I was without my magic when I first arrived here, but... in time, I was given other powers.

[islandhuntress]

Is that a truth?! That is giving me so much relief.

[After everything that's happened here, the revelation is such a relief that she almost feels emotionally drained, a huge weight off his shoulders. Letting her hand slip away from his, she steps closer and gives him a hug, leaning into him for a moment as she composes herself.

She lets him go after a brief moment, stepping back a half step to give him his space, head bowed, a little embarrassed by just how much emotion she was dealing with.]

It is good to be hearing that we were having victory at Fort Merceus. We were marching there when I was appearing here.

[She looks up again when he says he's a witch.] You are lucky. That is meaning you will not be changing. Not be... becoming a monster.

[At the moment, Petra's changes were all things she could mostly hide. Her nails had turned black and grown into sharp talons but, with Bernadetta's help, she kept them filed down and manicured. Her forked tongue was also easy to hide and the few scalier patches of skin that had appeared around her hips were easily hidden by her clothing. In short, she was 'fighting' and hiding her changes, refusing thus far to think about bonds or acknowledge that her body was changing.]

[exsoldier]

Feathers?

[ It seems to be a common affliction, at least from Zack's experience. Except that with Angeal and Genesis, the wing had manifested almost instantly. If that's what's going on with this guy, then it's clearly a slower process.

Zack gets a few more good scratches in, then pulls back and rounds the tall stranger to get a look at him from the front again. ]

Forgot to get your name before. I'm Zack. [ He extends his hand. ] Did the fur and everything come before the feathers, or...?

[exsoldier]

Lightning, huh?

[ Maybe it's the name that had drawn Zack to her first. Cloud, Lightning -- seemed like there was a pattern forming here. He almost wants to make a comment about it, but he can bring it up later. Chances were he'd already said something the first time they met, and he wouldn't want to be predictable.

The towel's damp, but it's still a towel. Zack's not in a position to be picky right now, so he nods in thanks as he draws it through his hair. With all those thick spikes, plenty of water is still caught in it, and that's the major source of the continual dripping. ]

Wait a second...

[ He pulls the towel down for a moment to look over at Lightning. ]

You just got here, too? Then how have we met before?

[scowlish]

I'm sure. Like I said, it isn't anything personal.

[He says it very abruptly, and very quickly after Reynir answers the question. Onni is fully prepared to move on after that, to brush aside whatever strange instinctive things are going on in his mind and simply carry on. But Reynir doesn't move on. He just stares Onni down with that too-familiar stubbornness and softness, and continues to speak.

The way that he speaks and the things that he says make Onni uncomfortable again, as he always is when people are too emotional around him. The emotion is too much, the open expression of it too foreign. He has never understood how Reynir exists and survives, being so soft and open.]

You mean going feral.

[It comes out a little flat, because the prospect of that is particularly bothersome. Taking a sharp little breath, he sighs after a moment, and shakes his head, looking a little resigned.]

I supposed that if I got to that point, I would ask you if you wanted to bond with me.

[After all, even if part of him is still a little edgy with Reynir after the lie he'd told him, Onni trusts the Icelander more than he trusts anyone else here.]

I didn't think it was that far along yet. But I suppose you're right, and I should probably stick close in case it does get to that point.

[scowlish]

[Onni has no compunctions about perusing this sort of thing openly, but then again, he's never had much shame about his interests. He brushes off the collision as easily as he brushes off most similar small faux pas, and shrugs.]

I'm not sure.

[That admission, however, makes him a little uncomfortable. Not particularly because he's admitting he doesn't know something - he has no problem with admitting that. The discomfort comes from the fact that he doesn't know if he has magic, which is something that he's not used to. Onni is used to being the powerful mage, the one who can do what most of his fellows can't, and is always in tune with his mage abilities, always aware of them from hearing the spirits. Here, the air is silent and sterile and he doesn't feel that connection with his gods and his homeland.]

I haven't worked out yet if they've made me a mage or a monster. Have you?