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

[kindlymeant]

It is a request, then. [ She says the words with a smile, emboldened some by his willingness to join her. As much as she can in the crowded marketplace, she curtsies. ] And I am glad to meet you, Adrian. [ Alucard is something that she wonders at the significance of; perhaps, another time, she'll ask. ] My name is Alayne Stone.

[ She falls in beside him. ]

You seem more used to magic, at least?

around town >.>

[spareshades]

[ Rude's transformation had started taking place within hours of his arrival and now, a day or so later, he's out roaming the town for emergency reasons.

The emergency being, it seems, that he's becoming something with massive furred legs and cloven hooves and suddenly his fine tailored suit pants are bursting at the seams and he can't quite get his shirt to button comfortably anymore over a broad - broader - chest. That's not even touching on the massive moose horns that are starting to stretch out from either side of his head.

So here he is, mooseying his way through town and pausing to look for a boutique that might have something in his typical style - namely black and expensive looking. Failing that, something that actually fits will have to do.

He should probably be paying more attention to his surroundings, but walking is weird when you have hooves instead of feet and it's distracting. So much so that he almost bowls into a shorter human (heck, he's getting taller too, isn't he, he hates it, thanks), reaching out instinctively to catch him... and then realizing he recognizes him. ]

...Boss?

[ Oh, shit. And here he is, about to burst out of his suit and barely keeping his sunglasses on when there are moose horns in the way and this is definitely not professional. He'll be lucky if he doesn't get his ass canned over this.

Priorities. He sure has them. ]

[shikomizue]

[Pointing a dagger at Takasugi is a good instinct to have.

There's a sword at his side, though even had the weapon been pulled on him, he likely wouldn't have drawn his own. Menacing though he may appear loitering at an alley's mouth, teeth bared in a wide smile and the glow in his eyes diffused by a thin wisp of smoke, he really did just come to talk.]

I imagine there's a certain sense of irony in turning your poachers to gold- [A chuckle, high pitched and sharp.

The less merciful the better.] What became of the last, I wonder... Did you gouge his throat out with your knife? [Come on, tell him a bloody story - he loves those.]

[kingofunification]

[And Edelgard destroyed Merceus with javelins of light, a venomous part in him wants to spit back.

He represses the urge with a sigh, straightening his stance and crossing his arms to match her own. It would be much too childish for him to give into the hurt in his chest, letting the deep betrayal he felt to ruin his chance to gather information. To understand what happened. What went wrong.

So he swallows it all down, facade of a smile gone from his face and just left with something

tired.]

Lead the way, General Eisner.

[cryptsleeper]

[Alucard is a second outing story] Well met then. Although I suspect you should lead, as it's your curiosity that is navigating the market.

[He slows his pace down, just by a hair. It's meant to underscore the point.]

Very much so. I grew up around it and around science. The particulars of this place are new, but they're not a shock.

iv

[gunsmithed]

[ Even despite the number of monsters running around the Wildes at the moment, the increase in the amount of shades in turn has Percy out as well. Perhaps the monsters out there don't particularly need the help, but there aren't many that have quite the distance range that Percy does and everyone can use someone to watch their back occasionally. And besides, Percy has his own agitation to try and run off. If he can do something useful with it, all the better.

So he's been aware as he wanders if not yet on high alert, rifle held loosely in his hands. It means that when he hears movement off to the side, he immediately snaps towards it but doesn't immediately lift the gun into place. Good thing, too, as the sight he's met with has him blinking a few times behind his glasses. ]

I can see that. [ Pale or not, this new figure doesn't much look like a shade, which is probably a good thing for everyone involved. He also does not much look like someone out here to fight shades, and Percy cocks his head slightly. ] Are you lost?

one!

[kisskissboomboom]

Yikes!

[ Jessie jumps backwards as something collapses hard to the ground right in front of her. And only has a moment more before a much smaller projectile comes straight for her face.

Fortunately, she's been here a few hours already and she's already noticed strange changes to her senses and her reaction times and she abruptly darts to the side without even so much as a wobble. She has no idea why this place seems to be affecting her oddly, but considering it's been really useful so far, she's not gonna complain yet.

And hey, she's not wearing his coffee! Win/win in her opinion.

Maybe he could use some of her strange luck right now, as a matter of fact as she comes to bend over him peering down into his furred face. She's never seen anyone remotely like him before. ]

Hey! You alright down there? That looked painful.

[escardos]

Names are always a lot more fun when you choose them yourself anyways.

[ while he doesn't have mind reading powers, there's something that tells flat that the man in front of him really isn't as pure as his name says.

or, perhaps he is, but not in the way that most people would think. and that's fine too. ]

A fake priest... hmm... I've met a priest as well, and he had some assistants with him, but I think he was a real one? Ah, he was a cyborg, though! You're not one of those, though, are you? Where are you from?

[eyesofthegrave]

[ Caduceus, despite travelling as part of an adventuring party, wasn't all that fond of violence either. He was one of two Cleric's in his group, the one that did most of the actual healing, but nevermind that, Caduceus reserved his power to help others unless he felt there wasn't any other choice.

So it had been a conflicting feeling, the sensation of wanting to go out and hunt. Managing to remain composed, being able to meditate really helped calm his urges, the firbolg was just curious now, about what all the fuss was.

As he was approached and warned off, he simply smiled and bowed his head a little to the other man. ]

Well, that's really kind of you to worry, thank you. I think I'll be just fine either way. Seems like the natural way of things, doesn't it? Have you ever been in nature? Violence is extremely natural. Someone's gotta hunt and well, I guess that leaves someone having to be the prey and there's nothing wrong with any of that.

[ His smile is still wide and friendly and despite what he'd just said, Caduceus would prefer not to cause any trouble. ]

Oh, I'm sorry, did you want to hunt me? I don't really understand what's going on here just yet.

[kingofunification]

Perhaps. [He finishes the prodding of his paddle, determining where the paper was weakest. Strongest at the edges, but less surface to scoop a fish with...] It would at least be worth a try. Make use of this chance we get, no matter how strange it may be. And if we fail, at least we could say we tried.

[Claude's eyes track a fish, letting the paper skim the water.] But I am glad to see you, my friend. It's been hard to adjust without anyone I--tch.

[He huffs, the fish he was attempting to catch rolling from the edge of the paddle and swimming off--not before ripping a hole in the paper.] Harder than it looks...

Adjusting a couple things lol

[bright_moon]

Xingchen gladly follows Xichen away from the market. And now that he sees more of the area beyond what he'd stumbled upon, he feels something of a fool for not realizing just how much more there is to this place.

But he takes a breath, wills himself calm and to learn from this rather than grow angry about it, and refocuses on what is more important. Namely learning, and enjoying the company Lan Xichen provides.

"Yesterday. Wei-gongzi and your brother have been kind enough to let me stay with them for the time being."

[boarddyd]

What Byleth is reaching for, Dimitri cannot predict - he trusts his Professor, and so he allows the touch. The strange... relaxing sensation that follows is indescribable. He feels a sigh leave his chest, and his body leans towards the warmth.

Though, when Dimitri registers just how blatantly he'd responded, he flushes. Straightens. And although he does nothing to brush Byleth's hand away, he forces himself rigid.

With his cheeks still pink, he attempts to resume his explanation. "Animal instincts and an explosion of magical energy-" Dimitri would be happy to go into detail, but he lets Byleth direct - and redirect - the conversation.

There will be plenty of time for more information later.

"It is not. Sylvain and Felix are here, though five years my seniors." He sucks in a breath, and the hair on the back of his neck raises. "Edelgard, as well... but I'm afraid she no longer belongs among the ranks of our classmates.

She-" His lips curl, teeth bared for little more than an instant. "I've heard she's soon to launch an attack on the monastery and plunge Fodlan into years of war." Against Rhea. Against enemies he still does not know. And against Faerghus along with the Alliance-

She becomes an enemy, herself, for her cause.

1!

[kisskissboomboom]

[ She's definitely lost. Or she's been kidnapped. Or maybe both? Jessie has no explanation for how she'd come to be here, other than shit was weird and apparently her bedroom mirror was haunted. Cursed?

Either way, it had dumped her out into some little kid's room, who had promptly started screaming bloody murder and she'd leapt out a window before the source of those angry footsteps down the hall could arrive and potentially murder her for scaring their kid. It hadn't been on purpose, but it's not like she had an explanation handy either.

So here she was, roaming the streets, trying to look inconspicuous as she tried to figure out where she was and what the heck she was gonna do about getting back home.

At least until she hears a familiar voice from nearby and it drags her attention out of her skulking to start looking around frantically until she spots a familiar face. ]

Tifa?? Is that you? You're here too?!

[kindlymeant]

[ Gotta work her way up to that. She sets a course through the tightly packed stalls readily enough, grateful for his presence. It's pleasant to have someone to talk to, and he's afforded a slightly wider berth than she. His words draw her focus from the wares being offered to them, however. ]

The magic is different, where you come from? [ Wonder, at first, and then she looks faintly sheepish. ] A foolish question, I'm sure...

[unsacrificing]

[despite claude not finishing the sentence, byleth gets the sentiment anyway. he laughs a little, not knowing if claude purposefully interrupted himself or if the little fish had great timing.]

Mm... shall we see what the rest of the festivities have to offer? I don't know if we'll have much luck, here.

[the subtlest glare at the paddles and fish.]

It's been a while since we've had a moment to enjoy ourselves.

[eyesofthegrave]

[ Caduceus really had no need for money before he joined his party, it still amused him today how much people went crazy for it. And honestly? It wasn't even as pretty as some of the raw gems he had, why such a big fuss?

Still, when the beautiful stranger swooped in and scooped up his coin purse, Caduceus was taken aback. Oh wait, does she know him? She seemed adamant so it was probably best to play along for now. ]

Oh, hey, sure, why not, here I am.

[ Smiling brightly, maybe a little too brightly, he really needed lessons in lying. ]

You told me a lot about it, I'm sure. And wow, well wouldn't that just be helpful of them.

[ No, seriously though, Caduceus still thinks they potions he's been offered, can do everything they said they could! Why wouldn't they?

[shinkunochou]

[The best start to any friendship is complete misunderstanding of cultural nuances like name order. Perfect.]

There wasn’t magic where I was from either. At least... I don’t think so. There were always— always superstitions, but only the gods can do things like magic. [At least, as far as she knows. Supernatural things like ghosts didn’t count as magic, right? And she wouldn’t classify the things she used to be able to do as magic either.

But she bobs her head in an eager little nod of agreement, reaching out to snag Alayne’s sleeve in a childish gesture she never quite outgrew and leans in with a conspiratory whisper.] I walked in circles for nearly half an hour before I realized I was passing the same shop over and over! [She straightens up with a shake of her head.]

And all of this about...about witches and monsters... [Her hold on Alayne’s sleeve tightens in fear before she seems to realize she’s dropping it and she lets it go, looking embarrassed.] Sorry... I used to grab my sister’s sleeve all the time...

[cryptsleeper]

[Gotta earn EXP to unlock tragic backstory.]

Very much so, as well as natural inherited abilities. Much of it is to do with how one learns though. There are no organizations that simply teach it back home. [There are no foolish questions, only sharp eyes that look around the world and are careful of passing strangers.]

If you're new then, is there anything you need off the bat in terms of personal effects?

[hegemonwings]

[ ... well, she'll take it over how dimitri initially reacted. byleth lets out a breath, looking away. something in her posture deflates as she starts walking, not even with a set destination in mind. with a touch of something apologetic in her tone, ]

... If you have questions, I'll answer them as well as I can. [ she supposes that she owes him at least that much. ]

[eyesofthegrave]

[ Caduceus was pale sure, but it really didn't that some of the small mushrooms tangled in his arm fur and the pink lichen that stained his clothes gave off a slight, otherworldly glow. He'd not encountered a Shade just yet, but he'd be very interested in trying to get to know them... Probably not advised of course.

Hearing the other male approaching, the firbolg froze, trying to look as non-hostile as he possibly could. Hunched down so not to intimidate with his lumbering height.]

Hmm, well, yeah, yeah I guess I am a little lost actually. How nice of you to notice.

[ Smiling, as if that was a good thing? Caduceus looked around, then back up to the night sky, his wavy pink threads of hair falling back off his face, but tangling some in the newly growing antlers. ]

I think I was just mesmerized. Conflicted in my soul, really. Are you lost too?

[zewu_jun]

[He's only more concerned when he sees the changes. The division between monsters and witches is too unclear and Lan Xichen doesn't know that a witch can't become a monster eventually, so he goes to his brother with a quicker step, ignoring any thought of danger, because it's Wangji and he trusts him completely.]

What happened? You were not like this earlier. It's all right. We'll find some way to calm you... but why didn't you tell me you were changing?

woke up on the wrong side of the bed again didnt you?

[kisskissboomboom]

[ The ruckus is pretty hard to miss, especially with all that wailing. Having been struck with a new increased sense of curiosity since arriving here (not to mention all the other weird changes happening) Jessie darts through the crowded marketplace to see what's happening.

She'd been told she was a puca, some strange sort of rabbit monster she'd never heard of before. She didn't feel like a rabbit, since the ears on top of her head were small and round and there was no poofy white tail behind her either. But she was getting fur on her arms and legs and she could move like no one's business when she wanted to.

Which was now, as she darts through people who had stopped to look, making her own path through the crowd and then skidding onto the scene and taking it all in with wide eyes.

She can't even say she's surprised at the cause. Maybe she should have known it would be him. But still. She hedges around the crowd vaguely in the direction he's heading, even as the goblin's cries get louder and draw more attention. There's gonna be a scene and he's gonna be in trouble and it's gonna be a whole mess so, deciding why not, she darts out, latches onto Cloud's wrist and tugs him sharply towards a nearby side alley. ]

You really do make new friends wherever you go, don't you? [ -is her cheerful greeting as she grins over her shoulder at him and gives him a playful wink. ]

arrival

[gunsmithed]

It's not that Percy doesn't notice things, so much as he tends to be a bit too involved in the inside of his own head. Inside the city walls, where for the most part he doesn't have to be too concerned with danger, Percy can let his guard down and get lost in his thoughts as he makes his way through the streets. But he's not completely oblivious, he's had far too much experience for that. Some things can still catch him.

Like a brightly colored figure coming the other way. That might not have pulled at him quite so much here in Aefenglom, but together with the curving horns and the flick of something like a tail behind them, it pulls together an image that has Percy slowing despite himself. A tiefling? Here?

Of course, that's when he takes in the rest of him, wet, bloody and altogether looking a bit less than together. Maybe it's the flash of familiarity or maybe it's something like sympathy that has Percy calling out once the figure gets close enough. "Hello there, are you alright?"

goblin market >.>

[kisskissboomboom]

Things that sound that way usually are.

[ Jessie hums thoughtfully when the guy addresses her. He's real cute and his outfit... it reminds her of Cloud's. She wonders if he's another mercenary like him? Or a SOLDIER, not that Cloud talks about that much. Or anything, for that matter. It's what had drawn her in this guy's direction in the first place, but she can admit to some curiosity about the wards being sold at this market.

She reaches out a fingertip to tap at the glass for a moment, watching the pretty liquid swirl within. ]

What's it supposed to do?

[weiward]

Ah.

[he suddenly wishes that he knew more children's songs too. he's forgotten most of them, and the songs that wei wuxian does remember have some lyrics that probably aren't suitable for a young girl.]

I grew up in a place that had lotus flowers all around it. Even in its name. ['far from the one you love'. he smiles but tries to keep any traces of sadness out of it. his home is been through so much, and he knows that it won't even be his home if he goes back. he tries to think of this as his home now, but the thought of lotuses still makes his heart ache.] I ate lotus seeds every day, and drank liquor made from them.

What's your favorite flower, Sae?