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

that's totally fine!! this'll be a good time

[exsoldier]

[ Given that Zack's in a completely unfamiliar place and considering how he got here, the last thing that he would expect would be that someone would recognize him. When he hears his name he actually looks around as if wondering if maybe it's meant for someone else (even though the streets are mainly empty this early in the morning), but as the woman approaches him and ask him a direct question, there's no denying what's going on.

She knows him. He doesn't know her. That's a new one.

He glances down at his damp clothes, as if taking them in for the first time, before looking up to meet her gaze. She seems impatient, awaiting his response. Zack doesn't usually get tongue-tied, but that's how he feels right now. ]

Sorry, uhh... kinda been a long night. [ A long day, a long week, a long month, a long five years. He blinks a few times, as if struggling to place her, and then draws a hand back through his still-wet hair. ] Have we met?

[sparkstrikes]

[Has he always been this good at acting? Maybe... it's hard to remember, but she tries to ignore that nagging feeling in the back of her mind that something's slightly off about this encounter. He'd always greet her with that annoying big grin of his, and sometimes would even make a cheeky comment about the first mundane thing that came to mind.

She realizes with that pesky sense that maybe she missed that, but she'd never admit it, so Lightning settles for a crooked smile and an awkward laugh instead.]

That's a new one.

[A new joke, that is. Of course they've met.]

Not your best. You've had funnier.

[exsoldier]

[ Oh. That's not good.

Zack's words definitely hadn't been meant as a joke, which means that this woman can't comprehend of a reality where he doesn't recognize her. It's an eerie feeling, especially given all the time that he's already lost. Five years of his life that he just isn't ever going to get back.

Not that it really matters when his entire life has been lost, but now that he's conscious and aware in a way that feels like being alive, he can reflect on that loss more keenly. He still doesn't know what this place is or what it means to be here, but... ]

It probably would have been funnier if I'd meant it as a joke, but...

[ He trails off for a second, gaze shifting downward. This is awkward no matter how you slice it, and for once, he's not really sure what to say. ]

[sparkstrikes]

[The realization is quick to hit her. Lightning had been expecting another cheeky comment to follow – he was always chummy like that around her – that his response is completely unexpected that it's all it takes to snap her out of her initial thought process. His entire demeanor is different with her, and that's telling enough.

She has so many questions about why, or how, but she wonders how many he has now... so she keeps it to herself, backing off both emotionally and physically by taking half a step away.]

You don't remember.

[It's not even proposed as a question, but a sharp observation. It's probably not his fault, but a small part of her can't help but feel angry at him. She can feel each of the words pang in her chest, giving rise to emotions that Lightning hasn't quite experienced before, but she swallows them down with a low, hollow laugh.]

Right. Should've figured.

[Wow. She hates this world so fucking much.]

You've probably got a lot of questions.

[exsoldier]

[ For a guy like Zack who makes friends easily and is something of a social butterfly, he tends to pick up on moments when he completely botches something. Not that he usually lets it deter him that much, but he can sense the way that she closes off as soon as she realizes what's happened.

He does have a lot of questions, but he also somehow wants to make this up to her, even if it isn't his fault. ]

Well, sure. Like your name, how we met, what exactly it is I don't remember...

[ He sighs and shakes his head to himself. ]

Kind of a lot to ask, though. We should find somewhere more comfortable to talk, don't you think? And let's just say I'll owe you one.

[ Not that he has anything other than the clothes on his back to give up, but he'll figure something out. ]

[sparkstrikes]

It's not. And you don't owe me anything.

[She makes a swift turn on her heel to turn her back to him, and stares straight ahead. It shouldn't sting as much as it does for her, but it's hard to watch the confusion settle on his face. She's mad, but she feels awful for him, too. Lightning doesn't imagine this is very easy, having someone suddenly thrust on him with claims that she knew him in some other life.

Maybe it was a good thing she tried so hard to keep others here at arm's length.

With that, she begins to walk.]

I think there's a decent bar a block away. We can talk there. Have a drink, too.

[exsoldier]

[ Despite her insistence, Zack will still try to figure out some way to make this up to her. Even if he didn't do anything to get his memories wiped, it can't be easy on her either. And maybe a kind gesture will be the right step to get them back to where they'd been before.

Man, this is weird. But he shakes it off as best he can, picking up his pace to walk at her side rather than having to stare at her back. Feels a little better that way. ]

Wouldn't say no to a drink, gotta say. I, uhh... [ He glances down, then pats both of the pockets on his pants. ] Don't have any money on me, though. [ Which means he's going to owe her for that, too. Oh man... ]

So... can I get your name?

[ It feels weird that she must know at least a thing or two about him, while she's a mystery to him. The sooner he can balance that out, the better. ]

[sparkstrikes]

Lightning.

[Offered matter-of-factly, and maybe a little too curt she realizes, so she relaxes her shoulders and her gait to make up for it, deflating with a sigh.

For someone who doesn't like to talk much, even the smallest bit of silence feels strange to her. Having something to talk about helps her focus on the bigger, more important things, rather than her own thoughts that ring loud and clear in her head, vying for her attention.]

Glad I wasn't the only one who got a bad wakeup call in a pool of water. You're gonna need this.

[The towel that's been draped around her neck is offered up. It's still damp, but at least it's better than nothing.]

Don't know if they'll let you in looking like that.

[exsoldier]

Lightning, huh?

[ Maybe it's the name that had drawn Zack to her first. Cloud, Lightning -- seemed like there was a pattern forming here. He almost wants to make a comment about it, but he can bring it up later. Chances were he'd already said something the first time they met, and he wouldn't want to be predictable.

The towel's damp, but it's still a towel. Zack's not in a position to be picky right now, so he nods in thanks as he draws it through his hair. With all those thick spikes, plenty of water is still caught in it, and that's the major source of the continual dripping. ]

Wait a second...

[ He pulls the towel down for a moment to look over at Lightning. ]

You just got here, too? Then how have we met before?

[sparkstrikes]

[She drags the back of her hand across her face, wiping away any stray drops of water that might've come from him squeezing it out of his hair, but her hand falls to her hip as she casts him a tiny smile.]

This isn't my first time 'round the block.

[Probably a good thing, too... or else they'd both be at a loss for what to do in a strange and unfamiliar city like this. At least with her past experience, she can vaguely recall places through muscle memory. The bar she spoke of is just ahead on the corner at the end of the street.]

I guess whoever wants us here wasn't done with me yet.

[Though now that he brings it up... It does occur to her that their circumstances aren't so different, so why then—]

Except I still have my memories.

[Confusion begins to settle in her expression, forcing her smile to fade.]

[exsoldier]

[ Lightning's smile may be tiny, but it still serves as a comfort. She doesn't completely hold this mishap against him, and it gives Zack hope that they can rekindle whatever friendship they had before. He gets the feeling that he'll want to have lots of friends in this place, where so much is new and unfamiliar.

For all of those reasons, he accepts her explanation without a moment of doubt or distrust. Maybe he should have learned by now that he shouldn't just put his trust in anyone he meets, but he's got a good feeling about Lightning already. ]

So there's someone who's responsible for bringing us here? Or are you just guessing? Maybe if we ask, they can clear up the memory thing.

[ It's probably not that simple, but he can hope.

After a few more swipes of the towel through his hair, Zack decides that he's as dry as he's going to get for now. He wrings out the towel as best he can, then shakes it out, before dangling it in the air for Lightning to take -- assuming she even still wants it. ]

[sparkstrikes]

[She takes one look at the towel with a wrinkled nose and waves a hand at him, indicating that he can hold onto it. It isn't even her towel anyway, and no way in heck does she want a stinky towel back from him!

A quiet, shy sort of laugh escapes her at the strangeness of the situation. What she knew of their friendship through fuzzy memories is still there, but it feels like this opens an opportunity for a clean slate for her as well, and not just because of his lack of the same memories. Lightning is a different person than who she was back then when they'd first met – she would have had a witty quip or even turned and walked away to leave him on his own, but right now, there's something she can do to help. And she wants to.]

Maybe that's what it is.

[However, there are some things even she can't help with, and she rolls her shoulders, sighing.]

Wish I could say that's the case.

[As they finally arrive at the bar, she swings the door open for him. Thankfully, the low rumble of chatter inside helps to mask her voice. These are the kinds of things she doesn't want to be overheard by a bunch of strangers...]

There's a group of people here who claim to know a lot of things about this place but can never answer the questions anyone's got. Especially about that, but I'm not gonna stop you from trying.

[exsoldier]

[ While Zack had guessed that Lightning wasn't going to want the towel back, it had still felt right to offer first. It's also worth it just to see the face she makes, honestly. Since he doesn't think that he'll make a great expression if he walks into a bar with a damp towel in hand, he ends up dumping it into the next garbage bin that they pass.

While Lightning sounds pessimistic about Zack's chances of getting any real answers, the fact that there's someone to ask at all is more than he'd been expecting. He kicks himself when she manages to get the door before him, but walks in with a nod of thanks and then quickly secures a table for them.

It's only after they're both seated that Zack picks up the conversation again. ]

The way I see it, it's at least worth a shot. Who are these people?

[ Even if it ends up being a dead end, he'd rather say he tried than just assume his memories are gone forever. ]

[sparkstrikes]

[Lightning lets out a mirthless breath of laughter, choosing to wait on her answer as someone visits their table to ask what they would like. Two beers seems safe and simple enough. It isn't until the girl leaves that she hands the information over.]

The Coven.

[She keeps her voice low enough that only Zack will be able to hear it. The bar isn't too loud, but there's enough background noise that she shouldn't have to worry about anyone eavesdropping. Most of the people are too engaged in their own conversations to care, probably, but she can never be too careful with what she's about to say.]

They're the band of Witches who supposedly run this city. And help other Witches... like me... with magic.

[exsoldier]

[ The Coven. A band of witches? It's hard for Zack not to imagine old ladies in pointy hats, though he doubts that's actually what it's like. Especially since Lightning and Aerith are also witches, and neither of them are anywhere near old. (Even having that thought feels like he's putting himself in danger.)

What catches his interest is the way that Lightning talks about them, though. Keeping her voice down, like she's worried someone might overhear. As soon as their beers are dropped off, Zack takes a drink off the top and then lets out a relieved sigh. While some food wouldn't go amiss right now, this is also quite refreshing. ]

I mean... they don't sound so bad if they're trying to help. Why the hush hush?

[ To his credit, he's also keeping his voice down. ]

[sparkstrikes]

( overflow! )