faileas: (Default)
aefenglom log posting account ([personal profile] faileas) wrote in [community profile] middaeg2020-05-03 03:07 pm

Event Log: May, An Inauspicious Arrival

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!

cultivatingrabbits: (3592656(97))

[personal profile] cultivatingrabbits 2020-05-30 11:37 pm (UTC)(link)
[ on second thought, let's move this ]
Edited 2020-05-31 15:20 (UTC)
disasterstraight: (crunchem.)

I revealed his inner truth

[personal profile] disasterstraight 2020-05-30 11:44 pm (UTC)(link)
rootstalks: (pic#13682523)

[personal profile] rootstalks 2020-05-30 11:46 pm (UTC)(link)
[ She wants to chide him, because she knows that's a dig at GusuLan cuisine... but when she's heard their complaints, and been in the kitchen tents during the campaigns with stern-faced cultivators and servants in white making broth that was so unseasoned as to be unfit for... well.

She would say that there were several reasons she'd stepped in back then, and leave it at that. ]


I'm sure I know one or two dishes that you'll enjoy, even without meat.

[ She makes a mental note to write down the recipes, significantly more than one or two, and gift them at the wedding.

Unfortunately, the mention of A-Cheng has brought her down from the heady relief of seeing him again. After all, she was barely out of the mirror when she ran into Zixuan and A-Ling, and heard... No. She doesn't want to bring it up so soon. She dismisses the worry again with a slight shake of her head. ]


Is he well?
kingofunification: (speech)

[personal profile] kingofunification 2020-05-30 11:54 pm (UTC)(link)
I can say the same for you, you know. [He laughs along with him, feeling much lighter than he has in a while.] Thank you for helping me open up once again. It's been a while since I've felt...well, that I belong somewhere I suppose.

Just remember that you also have support. [Claude pulls Byleth closer, wrapping his arms around him in a firm hug.] We all play a part, no matter how important. So don't take the blame all for yourself.
kingofunification: (neutral)

[personal profile] kingofunification 2020-05-31 12:04 am (UTC)(link)
[He closes his eyes, another wavering breath forced from his lungs. He counts down in his mind, tries to pull back the calm, unflappable mask he's always hidden behind.

History from the victors was always different from history of the fallen. Dorothea wasn't a commander--wasn't a soldier. She was powerful of course, a force to be reckoned with--but not for killing. She wasn't a general, like himself, or the Professor, or Edelgard.

A commoner pulled by the puppet strings of a noble's game.]


I'm sure she would have loved it. [He sighs, eyes open once again to face her reality.] You say I nearly met my end by the Professors sword?
bravelyathome: (pic#13718087)

[personal profile] bravelyathome 2020-05-31 12:23 am (UTC)(link)
Yes! They're the right colors for your hair!

[Pale colors so they stand out amazingly well in Petra's hair. Woven into fine little braids before being added to larger ones. It's really a lot of work but Bernie is having the time of her life.]

Oh...I wish I had a mirror for you...

[Because as she finishes, she realizes Petra can't see her work.]
zewu_jun: (pic#13767770)

[personal profile] zewu_jun 2020-05-31 12:26 am (UTC)(link)
[Lan Xichen is happy to be able to offer something. He might not be Jiang Cheng or Jin Guangyao to Jin Ling, but that's no reason for him to leave the young man to work things out alone. He can still provide some help.]

Thank you, Jin-gongzi. I'm sure with your help we can be rid of more dangerous Shades.
bravelyathome: (VAcGU7l)

[personal profile] bravelyathome 2020-05-31 12:26 am (UTC)(link)
O-oh. No. Not at all. They're enemies.

[Technically she should be Sylvain's enemy too. But she so often tries to forget all about the awful war that she just lets that slip by.]
knowledgeordeath: (Determination)

[personal profile] knowledgeordeath 2020-05-31 12:28 am (UTC)(link)
[He frowns at this information.]

This was relieved for you when you obtained a bond?
unsacrificing: (v.)

[personal profile] unsacrificing 2020-05-31 12:44 am (UTC)(link)
[ohhh it's warm here... byleth is pleased. he's just gonna not make a move to remove himself, thank you very much.]

Hm.... even if I'm wearing all-Leicester regalia?
confectionerie: (53)

[personal profile] confectionerie 2020-05-31 12:47 am (UTC)(link)
[ Ann falls into step next to Kaine, slipping her hands into the pocket of her jacket. Would that she could use her Persona here, she'd feel a lot safer...but she's willing to bet that Kaine has those swords because she knows how to use them. They'll be fine if they run into any danger.

Hopefully. ]


Right. Say, are you some kind of...fencing enthusiast?

[ Why else would Kaine just be carrying weapons on her like that? Not that Ann has room to talk, but her weapon is only real in the Metaverse. Maybe she should have brought it with her to class today...but hindsight is 20/20. ]
crescendoed: (soprano)

[personal profile] crescendoed 2020-05-31 12:50 am (UTC)(link)
Yes... you were the last standing in the fight at Derdriu. You said something about Almyra and that you'd be more useful being indebted to the Empire. I was glad you escaped with your life, Claude, even if under the Empire's close watch.

[the sadness does not drain from her expression, but she does look every bit as relieved as she feels.]

I, too, cannot escape, no matter how far I may be. But that is the reality of life now, I suppose.
finesseblade: do not take (1.)

[personal profile] finesseblade 2020-05-31 01:16 am (UTC)(link)
[ There it is. Felix pulls up short the second she's in the air, ducking his head against the whirlwind of leaves and dust she kicks up in her wake. When he lifts his head again, it's to watch her glide to a landing on the opposite side of the clearing.

The giddy feeling the sight invokes isn't something Felix ordinarily allows himself, but tonight is an irresistible exception, and he ends up turning a whole circle trying to work out the restless, full-body vibrations that have taken hold of him. ]


Only because you did not try, [ He yips, tongue lolling out to one side as he pants off the run. ] What are wings for, if not flying? That was excellent.
confectionerie: (49)

[personal profile] confectionerie 2020-05-31 01:35 am (UTC)(link)
[ She takes back the potion, heartened that he doesn't seem to find anything immediately wrong with the idea. Worst case scenario, she might wind up a little sick, right? She's been through worse than that. And if it works, it'd be a huge help. ]

You sure? Thanks, I owe you one!

[ If he really doesn't mind watching her back for a bit, then she'll go for it! Turn back to the merchant, she digs into her bag and pulls out a few coins from her allowance. This probably wasn't what the coven had in mind when they gave it to her, but at least she's not spending it on shoes and clothes, right?

Well, not all of it, anyway.

With the potion paid for, Ann takes a step back from the stall, shooting Zack a warm smile. ]


You know what they say...nothing ventured, nothing gained! [ Never mind that she sounds a bit nervous. ] ...But just in case, I better be sitting down when I drink this thing.

[ Glancing over, she starts towards a bench up the street a little ways. ]
hegemonwings: (ᴛʜᴇʏ sᴀɪᴅ ɪᴛ ᴀʟʟ ᴄᴏᴍᴇs ᴅᴏᴡɴ ᴛᴏ ʏᴏᴜ)

now with an overflow link

[personal profile] hegemonwings 2020-05-31 01:51 am (UTC)(link)
[ she's found the goblin market to be a good place to grab interesting little things for her people. potions for hubert to pick apart, gifts for edelgard and leslie. byleth's dressed fairly simply for her part—a white blouse with a black waistcoat, trousers and boots, plus a sword and dagger hanging at her waist.

still, the pop of color gets her attention, and the long brown hair—
]

Dorothea? [ there's something surprised and pleased in her voice, and she starts moving closer. brace for professor. ]

[ hey! if you're interested, i tossed this up since the comms are locked again. no pressure ]
Edited 2020-06-01 10:01 (UTC)

[personal profile] ex_pathway290 2020-05-31 01:53 am (UTC)(link)
[ He smirks. Trouble did have a habit of following him around wherever he went - that was for certain.  Then again, Markus did his fair share of attracting that same trouble to him. ]

I hope you're up to the challenge.
redmare: (short hair smirk)

[personal profile] redmare 2020-05-31 01:56 am (UTC)(link)
Maybe if you were closer wouldn't need to yell so much.

[ Another kick, and another. ]

What? Can't the little birdie fly?
confectionerie: (92)

[personal profile] confectionerie 2020-05-31 01:57 am (UTC)(link)
[ After a moment, she lets out a breath she'd been holding without realizing it. The only thing that really matters is that she can trust Akira, so if he says all that is true, she'll believe it. Still, her nerves are on end from her run-in with the guards, so a little more time to process her situation would be nice, not to mention a safe place to stay for awhile. ]

I'd appreciate that. Thanks, Akira.

[ When it comes to the topic of Akechi, though, her expression tightens again, and though she meets Akira's gaze for a moment, she soon glances down and away, a telling enough gesture in its own way. ]

That's where I was last, too. [ But — wait. ] ...Why do you say that like it's different for you?

[ Why would he frame it as what Akechi remembers last? ]
redmare: (ugh)

[personal profile] redmare 2020-05-31 02:00 am (UTC)(link)
What, it's my fault for WALKING? Well sooOooorry. And I'm not stomping!

[ She says, with a stomp of her hoof. ]

You try walking in hooves! And maybe instead of running towards them you should be trying to get away!
confectionerie: (16)

[personal profile] confectionerie 2020-05-31 02:01 am (UTC)(link)
You crashed through the window? Are you some kind of burglar?

[ Does he even realize how bad that sounds? If he is a burglar, he's sure a crappy one. He didn't even bother to cover up his face! Although...

Isn't that kind of similar to what happened to her with the mirror? ]


I-I don't know! I fell out of a mirror! Believe me, if I could explain it, I would!
redmare: (kill 'em)

[personal profile] redmare 2020-05-31 02:02 am (UTC)(link)
[ Chinatsu barely bites back another scream, gritting her teeth in pain. But if he's going to use her attacks against her, so was she. While he had his jaw clamped on her arm, she uses it to keep him in place and yank him towards her as she brings her forehead in, antlers and all, and crashes it against his own. ]
hegemonwings: (Aɴ ᴀɴɢʀʏ ᴏ̨ᴜᴇᴇɴ ᴡᴀs sʜᴇ.)

[personal profile] hegemonwings 2020-05-31 02:10 am (UTC)(link)
[ it's the answer she'd expected, really. but it doesn't make her heart feel any less heavy. after seeing how much of the bloodshed could have been avoided if the kingdom and church had surrendered when given the chance, knowing that edelgard wouldn't do the same if it came down to it—and knowing full well why, knowing she would have stayed at her side to the end if that had been the way the war went in their history— ]

... I understand. [ her fingers go to the gold pendant at her neck, marked with an eagle. it's a comfort, a lifeline. ]

Still... see it through. There is... a true enemy lurking in Fódlan's shadows, capitalizing on the brutal world Seiros has made. Those responsible for Duscur, for my father, for Flayn's kidnapping... for Ordelia.

[ what they've done to edelgard and her family simply isn't her story to tell. ]
mistwalk: (22)

[personal profile] mistwalk 2020-05-31 02:36 am (UTC)(link)
[ A polite nod. He's right, she hasn't learned nearly as much as she would like to about this place yet, but she can share what she's managed to glean from the locals so far. ]

This city is known as Aefenglom, and it is supposedly some sort of star between stars, a crossroads. Typically, people arrive through mirrors in a designated place, but our appearance is apparently neither at the expected time or location.

[ Her tone turns a bit more somber. ]

As for why we are here, or the method of our summoning...no one seems to know.
digthefuzz: (he's listening)

[personal profile] digthefuzz 2020-05-31 02:55 am (UTC)(link)
[Kurt shrugs his shoulders, glancing towards the girl before looking over at the blank alley wall.]

That's a good question! It's not one that's easily answered at all, but it's a good one!

[His hand reaches into his hood, to poke at his chin thoughtfully.]

We could try to investigate... see if there's any clues to find about a way out! As long as we can do that without your 'friends' catching up to us... [He really hopes they don't have to be fugitives now.]
cleansingking: (15)

[personal profile] cleansingking 2020-05-31 03:09 am (UTC)(link)
[It's questionable how long he'll really be able to keep up this game, but for the moment he tries to act like he knows what he's doing.]

Naturally. I did say psychic powers, didn't I? It's not surprising at all.

[He taps the side of his head meaningfully.]

Why wouldn't I be serious? You didn't come here on your own, did you? Let's see... you were looking at something? It caught your eye, maybe?