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

IV

[zewu_jun]

[Defending the people from Shades is one of the few things Lan Xichen does that is actively violent. It normally doesn't sit well with him, even for a good cause, because too many conflicts have unclear sides and he just isn't comfortable with violence as much anymore. But Shades are at least a matter where he can feel merciful, relieving their pain through the hunt.

He's surprised to run into the stranger, seeing what might be a monster with bright pink hair and what seem to be animal features, but it is difficult to be sure. Lan Xichen nods when Caduceus speaks.]

Sir, it is dangerous to be out at night. There are wild creatures around and you might be mistaken as prey by one of the other hunters.

[But he smiles anyway. A monster out on the hunting grounds is probably just practicing himself. Xichen just can't help but look out for everyone.]

[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.

[zewu_jun]

[ The smile is friendly and seems peaceful enough, and Lan Xichen is just the type to take someone at their word most of the time, so despite wearing a sword and flute at his side, he shows no sign of being aggressive at all. ]

I suppose I might have seen some of nature, but I wouldn't want violence to come to anyone if it can be avoided. Even if it is normal, it seems harsh.

[ But the suggestion gets a light laugh out of him. ]

Only if it were practice. Sparring out here is a good way to learn how to manage new abilities and instincts, so it seems like it could be fun. I have seen a few who were challenging each other as well as hunting Shades. Have you heard about those yet?

[ If he isn't sure what is going on, then he might be at risk for infection, so Lan Xichen holds onto a bit of his concern. ]

[eyesofthegrave]

[ Other than the flutes the two have at their sides, it looked like they both took people on face value too. So much in common. ]

The natural world is very harsh, extremely in fact. The difference is when you seek that harshness, that violence, for no gain. I mean, Owlbears eat the ravaged corpses of their enemies, for they know no fear and will destroy anything that gets in their path... But do they do that for fun? No sir.

[ Please, don't mind his rambling, he's trying to compose himself in this strange new place.

He'd seen a Shade as he was wandering around lost, didn't know what it was and how close to trouble he'd passed. It seemed to ignore him for some reason though, that was interesting. ]

Shades? Hmm... have I heard about those yet? ...

[ Caduceus stopped talking, looked down at the floor for about a minute. Then he looked up, past Lan Xichen, tilting his head and making a humming sound before frowning deeply and chewing the inside of his cheek. After about 4 minutes had passed, Caduceus smiled. ]

No. No, I can't say I have.

[zewu_jun]

Owlbears? I haven't heard of those.

[Although he does make a point. Most dangerous creatures don't kill indiscriminately. There is usually a reason of some sort. Still, Lan Xichen is trying not to be that sort of hostile person. Raised in a secluded sect that focused so much on dignity and restrained actions despite any other influence, he's still finding his own reasons to act out--sometimes selfishness take time to understand, even if you have selfish desires.]

I do not wish to hunt you in any case. That would be too much for a first meeting.

[Does it matter how many meetings it has been? Xichen is just hesitant in general.]

Ah, there are Shades here. They are the animated corpses of monsters that have been infected and killed by the Cwyld. If you meet one, you should be careful. Not only are they very aggressive, but we can contract that disease from them as well. There is a cure, but it may take some time to completely heal.