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

Goblin Market!

[bravers]

[There's a woman in her underwear in the market.
There's a woman in her underwear in the market that's squaring up to a vendor.
There's a woman in her underwear in the market that's squaring up to a vendor that's looking like he's about to scream, run away, and let go of both his bowels and his bladder. All at once. While screaming. While running away.


It's not his business.
He's pretty sure of that. His presence isn't wanted or needed, and despite the fact that yes, the entire situation happening right beside him isn't going to end well, at all, not much goes through his mind but making sure it doesn't spill over onto him.

Wishful thinking.
Because, suddenly, the vendor turns to him, a panic-stricken look in his eyes. And he's babbling. Great.

Nonsense, miss! Our tinctures are THAT amazing at restraining magic, they even have a double purpose! THEY INCREASE MAGIC, TOO! So you get more! Magic!! And you can... restrain it better too! More magic, more control! Perhaps this gentleman can... show you... with an application...?

An exhale. A narrowing of the eyes.]

I ain't a witch.

[The mistake's easy to make. It's a magic stall. Monsters don't usually concern themselves with them. And Cloud's hardly showing any monsterous traits. But with a look to Kainé- ]

You're right though. It does smell like old piss.

[More babbling from the merchant. Ammonia! Simply ammonia! This tincture has been handed down by MY family of great witches!! Great warlocks, all! Perfected over generations! I can assure you, nothing as... base as urine is used in this! Now, for a meagre price of-

Ugh.]

bless

[shithogs]

[The vendor's reaction is almost worth the time she's already wasted here at his stall— it would be pointless to make more of an issue of this than she already has when she can easily walk away and look elsewhere, but she doesn't like the idea that someone else might come along and be a much easier mark for crooks than she was.

Pain in the ass.

She sighs as the vendor rattles off the many virtues of his products in a desperate attempt to convince her— them, because she's not the only one he's addressing any longer— and offers Cloud a brief nod of solidarity. Good that he's not fooled, either.]

Save the hard sell for someone else. You're wasting your breath.

[Actually—]

I'm sure the local authorities would be real interested in hearing about your business practices.

[Okay, so she doesn't have any actual evidence, but she has a feeling she doesn't need it. The vendor looks cagey, and his gaze is quickly moving towards other nearby merchants to get a feel of his surroundings.

Now, I assure you both, these are ancient family secrets! Proven remedies that—

She cuts him off by folding her arms across her chest and looking to Cloud directly.]

Sounds like a load of bullshit to me. What do you think?

♥!

[bravers]

...

[Normally, he'd... not really see the virtue in sticking around. Nor being any part of this. He's not entirely sure why she is either. To him, if someone happened to get suckered into something like this, then it's no-one's fault but their own. Even then, judging by the rest of the vendors, if this guy got moved on, it's not like it changes anything.

Normally.
He's far from good in a social capacity, let alone anything like this. He shouldn't linger, and unlike Kaine, he... really couldn't give a shit what the vendor was pulling. Calling for the authorities sounded a pain in the ass too, but...

He lingers. Because if anything, before Kaine mentions the authorities, the guy seems, on one side, to be revalidating the worth of the product. But there's something else, too. He can see the guy's eyes darken, he sees some sort of fear kick in. Then she says what she does. What she says, about the authorities, it only makes it grow.

...He just doesn't quite know what this fear's regarding yet.
So he lingers. And when he's asked, he answers.]

Yep.

[Verbose as ever. Not like he's got the opportunity to say more. What follows, almost immediately after Kaine's accusation is one of the merchant's own. Right after he takes a look to the other vendors (emboldened by them, perhaps?), he points a finger.

If you don't HAVE any money, then scram! I won't have the both of you making things up about my product! I won't have you scare away my customers with lies, or slander!

...Said finger is ...shaking.
Least the guy manages to keep his voice steady.

He doesn't get it, though. The fear. Probably because he can only see Kaine out of the corner of his eye. And he's got no idea how the woman's probably staring at this guy.]

[shithogs]

[Next to Cloud, Kainé herself must seem like a regular chatterbox, if an aggressive one. When the vendor points that accusatory finger at her, she stifles a laugh just enough that it comes out as an unimpressed snort.]

I'd be more convinced if you didn't look like you were about to piss yourself.

[There have been no weapons drawn, no open threats— but even if Cloud can't see the hard-edged look she's giving the man behind the stall, her voice is cool and almost dangerously calm, unwavering in its confidence.]

Show me something worth buying, and we could do business— but take advantage of any of the new arrivals who might come here looking for help? I'll know.

[The strong implication being that he will come to regret it.]

Clean it up or pack it in. Selling bullshit garbage to people under false pretenses is no different than stealing from them— and you know what some places do to punish thieves?

[The vendor looks stunned for a moment, startled, and he looks to Cloud even as he makes a white-knuckled fist to try and keep himself collected.

Now, I never said any of my wares came with a guarantee, if they don't work for someone as intended, that's not my—

Kainé interrupts him by slamming a hand down on the stall's counter, causing the potion bottles there to rattle, some threatening to tip over.]

Sounds like someone's a scared little bitch to me.

[bravers]

[...Well then. He'd about opened his mouth to say something, but between the vendor and Kainé herself, he... doesn't exactly get opportunity to. So he closes it, stays quiet, and as the vendor looks at him, probably in an attempt to sniff out a weakness, some form of getting his high ground back since Kainé is providing absolutely none, the vendor's met with nothing but a cold expression, barely veiled with a vaguely disgusted pinch of his eyebrows.

It's not as if this is anything he's uncomfortable with. He's no stranger to intimidation. Kainé's intent behind it isn't exactly something he doesn't understand. It's something he sees as pointless, sure. But it's not unfathomably strange. As Kainé's threat turns into an insult, something seems to switch in the vendor.

You're banned! Both of you are banned from this establishment, and...and!! I don't want to see either of you a-a-around here again, you- you hear me?!

...And there goes his voice. The guy almost looks like he's going to cry. He moves his eyes away- inhaling. This... is the part he doesn't like. It... never really did much for him, seeing fear so openly.

So.

He moves his hand on the counter to close, dragging it back- and taking a step back. He turns his back, and starts to walk.
...And. if Kainé's coming with-]

Can't blame 'em. This world's not exactly got much opportunity for people that can't fight.

[Something from long ago comes to mind. About trains, and tracks. But.]

I take it you're new. The whole 'defending the new arrivals from buying jars of piss' thing.

[shithogs]

[She does come with, though more out of convenience than anything else. She's not particularly looking for company, but with her 'business' at the previous stall done with, she'll need to seek somewhere else that can potentially offer something to suit her current needs.

Despite the cruel edge to some of her words, she doesn't seem to have particularly enjoyed having intimidated the merchant into forcing a ban, but she doesn't seem especially remorseful, either.]

The world is a shitty place. You'll find that no matter where you go. Capitalizing on the needs and weaknesses of others is bullshit.

[There are more honest ways to make a living, even in the harshest environments.]

I don't have a lot of sympathy for crooks, no matter how hard things get. [She pauses, just for a beat, her gaze fixed ahead as they walk, sparing him only a brief glance in the process.] Yeah. I'm new.

[bravers]

Only way some people can get by.

[He inclines his head then, to look at Kaine as she's walking beside him. And then...

...He can't help it. With the counter in front of her, people all around her, she seemed... underdressed. But the extent of it is... well. Kind of obvious now. And honestly, he doesn't know where to look. ]

I mean...

[It's fine. Everything's fine. It's just a body. A lot of a body, but. She's probably just... been taken here in her sleep. Or something.]

You don't think some people deserve it? If they're dumb enough to smell something like that and not know what it is, some people might say they deserve to walk around wearing someone's piss. Might teach 'em a lesson.

[And right, she's new. So:]

If you're after temporary bonding potions, the coven give 'em away for free. If you're feeling weird, they take the edge off.

[shithogs]

[You can look anywhere you want, Cloud— it won't be covered either way. 'Underdressed' is definitely a kind way of describing it. Either way, she seems comfortable in her own skin, unbothered by the fact that she is, indeed, walking through the market in her underwear.]

If they're really that stupid, then yeah, maybe, but those assholes should still be ashamed of themselves. This world is better off than the one I'm used to. There are other ways.

[More honest ways to get by, even if they may not necessarily be pleasant. Either way, she's used to people being assholes to one another. Not like she can expect it to be any different here. People hurt other people. They take advantage of them. It's just what they do, and it's a disappointment every goddamn time.

She gives him another glance in passing. Well, that's useful, at least.]

Good to know. I'm not really into 'bonding.'

[In any sense of the word.]

[bravers]

[Right ahead it is. Even if on this world, it's turning into winter. Part of him can't help but wonder if she's cold.]

I don't know. Been here for three months. The shades haven't stopped attacking yet. Head it's gone on for even longer, too. This city, and one a ways away might be the only places left.

...What's yours like? Your world.

[The question surprises himself. He's... not normally so direct. Fooled himself for a long time into thinking that he didn't care about the answer to questions like that, too. But... he's curious. His only basis for comparison is some he'd been told about. And his own, of course- giant, flaming ball of death in the sky and all.

Only he's feeling her gaze. So he turns his head to her at it,
even if he quickly moves it back.]

C'mon. I'll take you.

[shithogs]

It's a shithole.

[Succint. Descriptive. Probably a gross over-simplification, but it seems to be all the information she's interested in giving so far. His offer, however, is not one she can pass up, and her demeanor softens ever-so-slightly.

She's heard about what a bond entails. She's not interested in getting that close to anyone here, not if she can help it.]

... thanks. Appreciate it.

[She huffs a brief sigh as they walk.]

Think all the places left standing where I'm from put together still wouldn't make up even half of this city.

[bravers]

Hm.

[It's definitely a short description. But it's enough to give him an idea. He knows the feeling behind such a gross, simplistic understatement. It's similar to his own. Not for an entire world though. More like a single place.]

S'fin. [Not like he had anything better to do. Regardless:]

Sounds kind of strange your world's so small. What happened?

[He catches himself then, shaking his head, and walking a little faster.]

You don't have to tell me. It's not like it's any of my business. Anyway, the place where we're going's product is decent. Used to use it a lot myself. Not exactly something you can do long-term though. As shitty as bonding is, it beats the alternative.

[shithogs]

Couldn't tell you if I wanted to.

[Well, not entirely true, but so little of their history has been passed down, so many things lost— even if she was the type to share, there's not a lot worth sharing. All any of them know is that there's not much 'world' left anymore, and even growing enough food to live on is a challenge.

The Shades were going to outnumber them sooner rather than later, anyway.

She pauses for a beat before going on to ask:]

What's the alternative? Potion stop working after you use it enough?

god i just saw all of my typos, what is even wrong w/ me (apologies!)

[bravers]

...Uh-huh.

[He assumes it's a matter of not wanting to talk, rather than actually not knowing anything. The world Kaine came from is a special degree of fucked, to the extent he'd honestly be surprised, so while she's being truthful about it being a matter of can't rather than won't, he... can't really imagine it being more a matter of the truth than anything else.

...But regardless, he's fine with what he assumes it to be. Wasn't his business anyway, and it's not like he's not declined to comment about matters he could've.

So he focuses on the question.]

Pretty much. Your body winds up getting resistant. It's alright for a couple of months though. Maybe three. So you've got time.

no worries! ❤️

[shithogs]

[Time, huh. A couple of months almost sounds luxurious, considering how rarely time has ever been on her side, but she'll take that for whatever it's worth.]

Well, that's bullshit.

[She's not really interested in making nice with her fellow Mirrorbound, even if it's in the interest of helping herself. Just sounds like the kind of thing that would go poorly, given her track record.]

As long as potions work for now... I can worry about the rest later.

[She sighs, irate, but casts him another glance as they walk, longer this time.]

Got a name?

[If he's helping her, even if only for a few minutes, she might as well ask.]

[bravers]

[He could relate to that, the Things Not Going Well thing.
But... well, he doesn't know. She hasn't voiced it. So he can't. He just answers the question.]

Cloud. You?

[Straightforward questions earned straightforward answers, after all. And.]

Exactly. Most people don't even last a month without the potions, so they're there for the time being. Hopefully you'll find someone to bond with that suits you.

[And. A little more walking, and they emerge into a square. The populace seems, already, decidedly snootier.]

This is you.

[shithogs]

Kainé.

[What kind of a name is Cloud? Not that she's in any position to judge there. She lets out another huff of breath, shaking her head.]

I'm not great at 'bonding' in general. [Let alone the type to Bond with a capital B.] Going to have to deal with this as it comes.

[She doubts she'll be bonding with anyone anytime soon, given that she's not exactly a people person by most definitions, but right now, she'll worry about the immediate future. That means the potions will tide her over while she figures things out.

She slows to a stop as they enter the square, the people assembled distinct from those they'd passed in the market.]

Well, don't we stick out like sore thumbs.