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

arrival

[boarddyd]

[Dimitri rarely makes time to explore the Coven, but its libraries are easily the most accessible in the city - and less dubiously edited than the one in Garreg Mach. He's just finished an hours long exploration of the history between monster and witch, and is on his way out, when he recognizes a familiar scent in the hallway.

Light hair, and a slight frame... it must be-] Excuse me, Ashe?

[Dimitri trots up behind him, nodding in greeting at his side before falling into step with yet another five-years separated friend. At this point, he sees no reason to ask about the timelines... but he anticipates answering any questions the archer may have.] Are you well?

[kindlymeant]

Many, [ she admits, with a little huff of laughter. She turns her attention to a different stall, then, filled with different questionable offerings. ]

I did not come for anything in particular, save indulging my curiosity. I am not long arrived, and there's much to see. [ She smiles. She does not want to impose on anyone, especially not a stranger, but she's also aware that her friends here are few to non-existent. ]

I... do not mind the company, if I may be bold.

[partnerinheels]

She huffs out her own rough laugh at that, knowing all too well exactly what he feels like. A nod of her head indicates for him to follow her, "Come on. I haven't really touched Chris' old room."

That's a lie. The weapons left behind have been gathered and maintained since his disappearance, and she got whatever was making that weird smell out. Otherwise, she'd more or less left it intact, mostly because disturbing it felt wrong. It still smells like him, barely. She knows it's not the healthiest response, but she's making baby steps forward.

"He's not here any more." The complexity of her feelings fill her voice, but she doesn't go into those details. "We arrived at the same time, but he... There was an incident where mirrorbound were kidnapped and tortured." There's a long pause as she busies attempting to school her expression into something stronger. "That's the last I saw or felt him through the bond."

He had been a monster, so the bond was imbalanced and ill advised by most. Still, they were partners and trust was difficult to come by here.

She glances at his changes when he draws attention, humming softly and frowning. "You just arrived and have changes already?" It's not what usually happens outside of the shared dreams, and it's concerning. "There are monsters of varying types, and witches. You become one when you're pulled here."

[cryptsleeper]

You'll find you are not alone in that regard. I don't know if there's comfort in that solidarity.

[But indulging in curiosity? That is a trait that Alucard can support, and better to be with someone who can at least reasonably sniff out something suspicious than to be duped by some shifty eyed seller.

So he nods assent.]

If that is a request, then I can do nothing but oblige. And you needn't refer to me as a lord. [The technical status of what on earth rank Alucard might hold right now in Wallachia and the night world is something he's hardly considered and frankly, does't want to.] I am Adrian Ţepeş, also called Alucard by my countrymen.

[boarddyd]

[Freeing the arrow looses the scent of the beast's fresh blood. Dimitri's nostrils flare, and he can feel spit welling in his mouth, a craving to eat he hasn't felt in years. He watches Shamir reclaim her arrow intently, and his body screams for him to pounce the moment she steps away from an easy dinner.

He shakes his head and flexes his fingers at his side.] I am capable of paying you - though I doubt what I offer would compare to Church's salary.

[Her coyness doesn't fly over his head, but Dimitri insists on keeping things serious and professional regardless. No matter her reason for cooperating, he intends to pay.] If that alone won't suffice, I'm sure I can find another means of payment.

[Not that he has any ideas.

Finally, he approaches the piece of game Shamir abandoned. Slowly... so very slowly... he picks it up by the hind legs. It'd make good bait. As gently as he can manage, he tosses the meat into a thicket of trees - it's not subtle.]

[trost]

[ For a guy very rooted in reality who likes to act on logic, the existence of magic is quite annoying. It's airy-fairy, and it makes no sense. Even the existence of titans started to make sense to them after they learned the truth.

His answer comes snappy.] Don't be stupid. I'm not making you touch something if it hurts you. I believe you.

[ Jean sounds slightly affronted that that would be something she would even suggest. He's been protective of her ever since they were children. Of course he would never want to see her in pain. ] So, you can't touch anything that's made of iron, huh? Is there anything else I should know about?

[kindlymeant]

[ Well, that is a clear answer, however indirect. Alayne can't help but feel she's made a misstep. On reflection, she isn't surprised. Had she been told she was a monster...

Well, she thankfully wasn't. And monster or not, this stranger has been less monstrous than some humans she's known. ]

It is the same for me. [ Not that she knows what movies are, but the rest fits. ] It's said it existed a long time ago, but even that much is sometimes a topic of debate for the maesters now.

[ She hazards a smile. Monster this one may be, but they're yet to be unkind. ]

I have not introduced myself. I am Alayne Stone.

i.

[hoshikiri]

[Maybe Takame should be thankful that he came out of a puddle on the street rather than through someone's mirror. He was still soaked from it, not that it stopped him even if his body was starting to run cold. Even moreso at the blaring sound of an alarm that suddenly started as he tried to find some information within the city.

Instead of that he found several cracked clay pots barreling towards him, one of which he kicked the opposite way by sheer reflex breaking it apart completely. But even the sound of clay breaking didn't cut through the alarm, or the very angry shouting his gaze was now turned towards.]

Seven hells, what is happening here? [Said mostly to himself, but his presence was pretty conspicuous. He's Staring At You, Kainé.]

[boarddyd]

The professor's hands are so warm - Dimitri's lips twitch, unsure what sort of expression to make. It culminates in a frown, brows twisted in conflict. He keeps himself from reaching up to keep Byleth's hand on his face, but only barely.

Sitting with some distance between them is far more appropriate.

He catches himself fiddling with the sheet at his waist and grips his hand in his lap.

"I'm afraid I don't know the answer to the discrepancy in any memories or ages," he shakes his head, a glance to Byleth's hair and eyes - a change he assumes is due to the dragon transformation he's undergoing. Disappointing that he's not a witch...

Oh, that pause has gone on too long.

"I can tell you that we are in a city called Aefenglom. Here, witches and monsters coexist to protect the residents from the dangers beyond the wall. Witches possesses greater magic than we've seen in Fodlan, and monsters..." Should be self explanatory - suddenly he's feeling self conscious about the patches of fur on the backs of his hands, his neck, his feet, and the ugly way his teeth have begun to grow.

"We possess strength not unlike that given to us by our Crests at home. Unfortunately, both may suffer from uncontrollable powers or urges, so typically, monsters and witches form a bond to maintain balance with one another." Something he's very determined to avoid.

[zewu_jun]

[He relaxes a little when she says the apology is accepted, because he's a polite boy that doesn't want to be an inconvenience. But the question earns Vex an innocent look of surprise, as if he were completely thrown by that line of thought.]

I... believe that they must charge a certain price based on the effort that was put into making and obtaining such items. I suppose I am not an expert in appraising those things, but I do not believe they would choose their prices without thought.

[unsacrificing]

Honestly, Byleth knew Dimitri was tall, but he didn't realize just quite how big he is. In his flimsy nightshirt which leaves very little the imagination, he can see his broad shoulders, his defined chest, and much, much more.

He notes the patches of fur, reaches out like he's about to pet a dog or cat as he scritches a patch on his neck.

With his free hand, he reached up to his own neck, and he feels tough scales sneaking under the collar of his armor. Is he a fish?

"I see. And what sort of urges and powers? I suppose I'll need to find someone to bond with." A beat. "Is it just you here?"

Is this, somehow, a realm beyond death?

[ourdays]

[There's something a bit intimidating about the hand on his shoulder - Jian Yi wonders for an instant if he's about to discover this guy's dark side. He quickly leans into him further, folding into his side. An attempt to charm the beast...

That seems to work (or, it was wholly unnecessary to begin with).

Jian Yi's been, he thinks understandably, jumpy since arriving, but this monster's not so bad.

And totally easy to swindle.] That's right you do! I'll have you take me to a nice noodle place to compensate.

[They just... have to find one first. Jian Yi very confidently leads the way down the street and away from sketchy vendor town, though the next street over doesn't seem to have any restaurants that fit his specifications.] My name's Jian Yi, so you don't forget how to address me.

i regret nothing !!

[fullgauntlet]

[Izuku can feel the magic crackling under his skin. It's almost like it's going to burst right out of him in a very violent way. The only way he knows how to get rid of it right now is to keep casting and casting. Even if it hurts. The magic is too strong!

When he hears the noise Izuku quickly turns on his heel. Upon seeing a very inhuman Katsuki his eyes go wide with shock.]

Kacchan-! Stay back. I'm warning you!

[Although a part of him is suddenly very fired up. If there is one way to get all this pent up energy out of him it would definitely be fighting with Katsuki. Nothing else would even compare. And because of that thought Izuku's eyes go wilder as he starts to spark another powerful crack of lightning in the palm of his hand.]

[gunsmithed]

[ Even despite how on edge he is, Percy can't help a slight wince as whatever-it-was crashes into one of the trees. There isn't much to make out other than a flash of red and something that looks like scales, but that unfortunately doesn't narrow things down as much as they used to. When the crashing finally stops and he gets an annoyed sound rather than anything that seems injured, he lets out a breath. ]

My apologies. [ It comes out more than a little dry, considering that the gun can't have been much of a surprise even from a mile or so away. But he can never be certain, here, who knows about firearms and who doesn't, so he is trying to rein his sarcasm in a bit. Still. Sneaking up on someone while hunting is never a good idea. ]

Are you alright?

[purposefulnonsense]

Hythlodaeus pauses then. Her words touch on something that he, even as new as he is to his present surroundings, has already experienced. On that basic level, he can already surmise as to what she is alluding to. Still, he looks at her thoughtfully, head tipped to one side, curious. "...I see. Has something of the sort happened to you as well?"

A subtle acknowledgement of his own predicament, for he sees no reason to hide it, even having been unexpectedly transported to an unfamiliar place.

[ruinedempire]

[He's definitely an oddity with the scales covering his body, although the white hair is perhaps the most distracting part of him, enough for Rufus to double check something-- mostly by staring into Near's eyes. Well, red eyes is certainly better than the cat like pupils of Sephiroth and his remnants, so he relaxes by a small amount. He's dealt with enough black leather wearing, silver haired nightmares to last him a lifetime or two.

Still, despite being reassured that the boy in front of him has no connection to Sephiroth, Rufus keeps his gun aimed at him, because one doesn't have to be a genetically modified soldier to be responsible for numerous amount of headaches. He can still possibly be a failed experiment of Hojo's, although he seems to have his wits about him. Reassuring, perhaps.

At least the well-dressed man doesn't seem too trigger happy, a measured calm and sophistication to him as he speaks to Near.]

I must say, it's not often my kidnapper is so polite with me. [Although, there's been far too many mistakes to really consider that the boy is actually responsible for this. Unless he's really that confident-- either through a hidden plan or his own powers. Rufus isn't about to count anything out, he's survived this long because of it.]

[kindlymeant]

[ It's okay, Sae. Similarly unused to other naming patterns, she absolutely thinks your first name is Kurosawa.

It's comforting, in a way, that someone else feels as out of place as she does. More so, perhaps, from what she recounts. Alayne can hardly imagine how it would feel to come from a mountain village to this. ]

They are not so different, I think. [ She glances around them, at the looming buildings, the cobbled streets, the foreign clothes. Despite all that, it is not so dissimilar from Kings Landing. Or Gulltown, she supposes. ] But there's no magic, where I come from, and even the largest cities aren't so vast. [ She smiles wryly. ] I've been lost thrice since I got here.

[fullgauntlet]

[Izuku feels so out of control of his own body. Which is a terrible feeling because he's spent so much time and energy with getting in control of himself before. His body is strong and his muscles are getting stronger each day. But here it seems like he's taken ten big steps backwards. It's frustrating! And the magic is so strong inside of him because of the wash of the moon that each flash of lightning that he cracks seems to get brighter and wilder than before.

But then it happens- His magic flies wild enough to knick someone with it and Izuku shouts.]

Stop! Stay back, I can't control it!

[What kind of hero would he be if he let some innocent bystander get his by his own powers? He has to run! The other boy has to get out of here!]

[zewu_jun]

The name certainly surprises him, but with the goblin looking more and more like he might react with something other than impatience to the two having such an unhelpful conversation where he's trying to conduct his questionable business, Lan Xichen doesn't have time to dwell too much on that question at the moment. It seems that the world is just full of confusing surprises these days.

"Yes, perhaps we should go elsewhere. I'm sure that we can find another shop to provide what you need. I shall walk with you."

And while the goblin just sees them as a minor annoyance at worst, Lan Xichen also isn't really the type to punish or condemn other people. He's happy to take Xiao Xingchen's lead and leave well enough alone. So he leads the way back to the main street where there are more shops and people around buying from them.

"When did you arrive here? Have you been able to settle in yet?"

[moneytwin]

[ Recognising the man below as he steps out into view seems to slow time a moment. Her eyes widen, and for a moment Vex forgets to breathe.

The sudden rush of emotions hurts. To see this young man whole, hale and hearty, and not grey and bled out in the dirt, no amount of healing returning colour to his cheeks.. To see him again is more than she'd hoped, after where she had been.

In an ideal world, magically transforming and leaping at Percy naked as the day is long is probably a very highly desired outcome, in at least one mind. But in this unfamiliar reality, such things are best saved as the fantasy they are for more personal, private times.

And so Dragon!Vex is perfectly still, wings slowly folding to her sides, watching him with unblinking eyes before very slowly she emerges from the tree. The fact she is a red dragon is a terrible irony that they can perhaps joke about later. But for the moment, the drake rumbles softly back at him, all irritation forgiven and forgotten--

--Before she rears back, nostrils flaring wide, before jaws part to release fire - a ball sent careering past the gunsmith, though he'd be forgiven for initially assuming himself the target! Then, behind him, the shrill scream of a shade arachne follows as it ignites. ]

[kingofunification]

[Oh.

Oh.

Claude is silent for a long moment, repeating the words over in his head, prodding them from different angles to see if there was somehow he could've misinterpreted the words Sylvain said.

Different timelines. Different ways the war went about. And Teach leading different factions in each one.

It's...unbelievable. The skeptic in him has one thousand other questions to ask, on what exactly differs besides allegiances, how the Empires invasion seems inevitable...]

I wish I could say that you're spouting nonsense, but I've certainly seen stranger things in my life so far. [His hand is back in his hair, a ruffling it idly as he sorts his thoughts.] So you're not the only one from...our world here, so to speak. Incredible...

[He eyes Sylvain's back, lips curved downward.] So. Teach lead the Blue Lions in your memory of events.

you never do

[apshot]

[ He hadn't expected to find Deku of all people to be the cause of the green lightning. Though, given the loser's abilities and what they look like when they're activated? Makes sense. But that's not really what Katsuki is thinking about right now. What he is thinking about is that the nerd is a strong opponent.

So which one would be stronger? A Witch just coming into their powers or a Monster just beginning to learn their strengths? ]

Haaa? Who the hell do you think you are!? Me? Need a warning? From you!?

[ Oh come on. Katsuki definitely does not need Deku worrying about him. He fans his wings out, moonlight dancing across his scales. Oh. It's on. They are doing this. ]

[trost]

[ Jean's never been a particularly affectionate person. Grabbing someone else's hand is not something he would do in any other situation. Right now, though, he's just trying to avoid the annoying and potentially life-threatening situation of floating about in the air with no tether. Yes, his pessimistic brain is already considering the possibility of falling a long way to the ground when the effect wears off. He's scared of dying, and he especially doesn't want to go out from something so stupid after fighting titans for so long. ]

It's probably that potion sample that shopkeeper smeared on my hand. I said I didn't want it! [ Is this the first time Jean has held hands with a girl? Yeah, probably. With the ridiculous situation that's happening, though, he doesn't dwell too much on how awkward it feels. Jean reaches out his other hand for Allura to take and tries to use their handholding as an anchor to lower the rest of his body. ]

Thanks for this.

[pastregrets]

He definitely would have...

[Omi resists the urge to randomly groom himself; that's one of the weird bits of this.]

I'm a Monster, after all. Everyone can tell.

[kingofunification]

[He returns her laugh albeit with a bitter tone. If only the unfinished business he had in Almyra was so simple.] Ah yes. I'm sure he's soaring free as a bird. I envy the guy, really.

[Claude raises a brow. Seiros...or Rhea? Were they one in the same? He had his suspicions about the Archbishop, but something outlandish as her and the old Saint was certainly not at the top of his list of guesses

It's a thought filed away for later inspection, reflexively rubbing his chin in though to ease the tension in his shoulders.]

Interesting. The way I know it Fhirdiad met its end more personally by you. Or, I shouldn't say you, as I believe you were at the capital. Just those under your command.

[He eyes her, smile replaced with something more somber.] And with it, Dimitri.

[Or, at least the Dimitri they knew.]