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

[bright_moon]

He smiles over at the other. "We will find a place to live that feels right." For both of them. Xingchen leads the way to the Haven and they find the houses here much nicer, and furnished. A quick check has them ushered to some of the unoccupied houses they can have to themselves. He checks Zichen's expression in the middle of each one to see what the other thinks.

[bitterfrost]

"I know we will." And the area they enter does seem more clean, something he definitely appreciates when they enter one of the houses. The size doesn't matter, but the fact he actually steps inside?

Says a lot. The furnishings are strange though, Zichen stopping to look around.

[bright_moon]

Xingchen makes the choice this is where they'll live, for the simple fact Zichen feels comfortable enough to step inside. Even if the insides have some unfamiliar objects. He's not worried, they will adapt.

"I think this is a good house for us, don't you?" Though maybe he should continue on and take a look at the rest of the rooms. Which...he does. And comes across the bathroom, which has him smile and step back out to look for Zichen.

"You should look at this one. I have used something like it before, it's nice."

[bitterfrost]

He follows him through the house, eyes moving over the furnishings before stopping behind Xingchen. The room itself is decently large, and the furnishing inside have him looking faintly confused.

"Xingchen?"

[bright_moon]

Xingchen doesn't quite manage to stifle the giggle at his soulmate's expression.

"I'll show you later, but this will make bathing very relaxing. Do you like the rest of the house?" Because that definitely matters to him.

...But he really likes this one, and can't help how clear it is in expression, voice, and posture.

[bitterfrost]

"It's clean." He says after a second, gaze drifting from the room to Xingchen. And on top of clean, it's not really all that ostentatious either.

"I wouldn't mind living here."

[bright_moon]

He nods with a happy little smile. "And it'll be easy to keep clean." Whether they use magic or not, as it's learned.

Xingchen resists reaching out to give the other's arm a gentle squeeze, barely, and turns to inform the person they'll take the house. No other roommates, please and thank you. And gently steers the broker away before turning back to Zichen.

"Do you want to form the bond now, or wait?"

[bitterfrost]

"I don't see a reason to wait, Xingchen. It's likely easiest to just go ahead and settle things so it's done and we can start figuring out what the rest of this place is about."

[bright_moon]

The immediate agreement is reassuring. Xingchen hums with his own agreement and leads the way back outside. As far as he's concerned, that is all that needs said.

The ceremony itself is fairly quick. Vows are spoken. Hands held - which has his heart skip a beat or three before he calms himself. And his breath catches when he feels magic take, linking him to this man before him in a way he hadn't actually believed possible.

But had wanted, without realizing it was missing. He released Zichen's hands only reluctantly, bowed formally to the Coven member for performing it so quickly and easily. And they head back to their new home as he muses over how some of the newer instincts he's been wrestling with have eased. While others are stronger, and make it a challenge to keep his hands to himself.

"Zichen. Have you eaten today?" Distract.

[bitterfrost]

He can feel the bond lock into place, almost like a physical click and Zichen exhales a breath he didn't realize he was holding, turning his head to look at Xingchen for a moment before he also bows.

And when they're home, he's quiet, letting himself adjust to the sense of being connected to Xingchen, almost missing the question.

"We could go look for something to eat."

[bright_moon]

He wonders if Zichen can feel it. The restlessness to move, to act, to - do something he'd never have thought of for himself. Just at the edge of consciousness. A different kind of itch.

Xingchen curls his hands into his sleeves to keep from reaching for Zichen again, trying to think past the joy at their new connection to practical tasks that should be seen to first.

...But he also can't, won't, doesn't want to lie. "I am not hungry. If you are the same, we could look tomorrow."

[bitterfrost]

He feels something, gaze drifting to Xingchen every time he moves. "Tomorrow then." Because honestly, he's not hungry. His fingers trace over the edge of a counter though before he turns to fully face Xingchen.

"...Is there anything specific you want to show me?"

[bright_moon]

It's a relief to not need to go out again so soon. He would have, if Zichen had decided he wanted to. But even across slightly different timelines, their minds are near enough to each other it's not much of a stretch. And he realizes he should probably tell Wei Wuxian he won't be returning, and why...

"Go into that room I showed you earlier, I should speak with Wei-gongzi and inform him I won't be returning to stay." But instead of going in person, he holds up the strange contraption strapped to a wrist that he's been shown the basics of use. And speaks quickly into it.

If Zichen decided to do as bid, he'll follow after a minute, if not, Xingchen finally gives into instinct just enough to reach out for a hand to give it a gentle tug to lead him to the bathroom.

[bitterfrost]

He watches Xingchen use the device for a moment before he turns to leave the room, footsteps carrying him to the odd room he'd been shown before, stopping just inside the door. It was decently large, a freestanding tub on one side, an enclosure of some sort on the other and..

Nothing he'd ever seen before. Fingers toy with the edges of his sleeves, something inside him turning a little restless as he waits.

[bright_moon]

Xingchen is patient with his descriptions and explanation of each thing that he recognizes that he's fairly certain his soulmate wouldn't know already. Trying not to breathe too deep when near Zichen, because it's starting to make his head spin and his stomach heat as certain instincts start waking. Telling him to step closer, to take and claim and...

He takes a shuddering breath and finally steps out of the bathroom, shaking his head as he feels his face heat. It's wrong, what those instincts tell him to do. He repeats that in his mind, struggling for his center.

[bitterfrost]

He listens, the descriptions at least detailed enough for him to realize what the tub and shower are for before Xingchen walks away and after a moment he follows.

Comes up directly behind him, reaches out to touch his arm before he's even aware of doing it. "...Xingchen?"

[bright_moon]

Alluring heat right behind him. Hand on his arm. Concern in a growingly familiar voice. "Zichen..." Xingchen turns, hardly even aware of doing so, only that suddenly he presses his lips to his soulmate's, hands moving to curl fingers in cloth to hold on.

Instincts settle smugly as he presses a little further, seeking more of the touch that sends tingles through him.

[bitterfrost]

The kiss startles him enough that his eyes widen but as soon as their lips touch, he can't focus on anything but the way Xingchen's lips felt against his own, the heat spiking inside his body as his hands clutch at the other man's robes.

And when they part, he's panting softly, his skin flushed. "Xingchen.." It's breathless, something confused in the tone because he's not even sure what he's feeling right now.

NSFW

[bright_moon]

It feels right, even when logically he'd never thought about doing this before. Xingchen steps closer, not intentionally guiding Zichen anywhere, but the quick breaths have something in him hum with approval.

He smiles and leans in for another kiss. "It's alright, Zichen," he murmurs against the other's lips. Reassuring and comforting as instinct and desire curl in his stomach to tug on the sash at Zichen's waist.

Re: NSFW

[bitterfrost]

He'd never th..

The kiss cuts his thought off, his lips parting under Xingchen's, his hands flexing for a moment before just curling in his robes again as he loses himself in the kiss.

Doesn't fight Xingchen loosening his belt, either.

[bright_moon]

He's not being pushed away or deflected, which soothes his instincts into staying gentle, if persistent. Xingchen settles one hand on a hip, guiding Zichen back until they reach a wall. Then sets back to work on tugging cloth free here, aside there, as he slowly explores where else he can kiss.

Along his jaw, nuzzling an ear, teeth gently grazing down his neck. Paying close attention to Zichen's responses. Backing off if any hint of distress is sensed.

[bitterfrost]

Part of him knows something's different, that he wouldn't be this compliant normally, not because he doesn't want Xingchen, but because he's not comfortable with the level of contact as a rule. But Xingchen's mouth on his skin as his head dropping back against the wall, inhaling sharply as a jolt of pleasure rolls through him where those teeth find his skin.

"Xingchen, I..." He inhales, tries to steady his breathing. one hand moving to slide up into the other cultivator's hair, tangling in the strands. "I ..what are you doing?" It's not judgment, recrimination, more confusion.