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

[holybeasts]

[Maria seems well pleased with Saber's conclusion there.]

Mm, for the most part. And hopefully yours can be too.

[She looks skyward after that or, rather, more at the canopy above.]

With this much forest to run through and explore at least neither of us will feel very anxious anymore.

[That said, now seems to be a good time to shift the subject somewhat naturally.]

Would you mind some company for a bit? I haven't really talked to many others who are changing like this.

["Becoming Monsters". She doesn't necessarily like the word 'monsters' though.]

[arturiarex]

The anxiety is probably the worst part; the feeling that one can't be comfortable.

[ Saber shakes her head. That anxiety leads to a loss of control. Something she has no desire to revisit or experience. ]

I wouldn't mind company in the least. Getting another perspective on it would be... welcome.

[ She pauses, fingering her walking stick. ]

How difficult have you found the physical issues to adjust to?

[holybeasts]

[At the question Maria can't help but glance down. She's wearing shorts today as she typically is used to doing and the length of her furred legs are visible. And naturally her hooves too.]

I think the worst part was really the hooves. And a lot of that was how they happened overnight. It's one thing to step out of bed on feet and another on hooves.

[arturiarex]

It was my wings for me, honestly. Having to adjustm y clothing and learning how to move with them has been an exercise in frustration...

[ She's just glad she can talk to other people about this. Even if she'd normally keep it bottled up. ]

Did you have to learn how to walk on them or did it come easily?

[holybeasts]

[Maria looks sympathetic at the idea of having to adjust one's entire wardrobe.]

At least there isn't a lack of compatible clothing makers. Have you adjusted to walking with them then?

[She makes no mention of the cane of course but it is there in her thoughts. And she's quick enough to turn those thoughts to musing on her own experience.]

Mm, well. I will say balancing hasn't been an issue since they do seem large enough for my body -- the size of the hooves I mean. It's very odd to go from wearing shoes to not all at once though! And to be honest I'm not sure these sorts of legs are as sturdy as what I had before.

[That explains the leather wraps she has so tightly bound around said legs. Some rudimentary attempts at making them more sturdy?]

[arturiarex]

[ Saber frowns. ]

They can be a little unbalancing, yes. Although I've mostly adjust by now...

[ The walking stick is mostly for the hike, honestly. And so she can deal with wildlife that get too curious for its own good. ]

You mean your legs aren't suited to you anymore...? Or just that they feel much more frail than they were? Do you think they might break or sprain easily?

[holybeasts]

Mm, well, they're suited to the me I'm becoming.

[There's only a light tinge of sadness at that. She's gracefully accepted who and what she is must change somewhat as her body does. She's already found the emotional effects of being a faun after all -- the fear of fire for one, an increased skittishness for another.

That doesn't necessarily mean she enjoys any of it.]

They're very nimble but as you said, they might sprain or even break more easily. There is a price to be paid for agility.

[arturiarex]

[ Saber doesn't much like the sound of that, but Maria seems to have accepted it as a given. She shifts her weight slightly with a sigh. ]

They might be suited to what you're becoming, but I always wonder if these changes are actually to suited to us. Although I suppose that it doesn't matter; we have to deal with them either way.

[holybeasts]

[Maria looks conflicted at the idea.]

I can't be sure to be honest. One would think if these were changes suited for us we'd have more of a say in them.

[But... the blonde tilts her head, glancing down to her legs.]

There have been more than a few times however when I've had to adjust to the changes around me rather than being able to dictate them. Life seems to enjoy doing that as well.

[arturiarex]

I'm used to standing up against life and managing to endure what it throws against me, but...

[ She flutters a wing, bringing the tip around so she can peer at it. ]

This feels so much different in so many ways.

[holybeasts]

[The blonde mulls on Saber's words a moment.]

Because it's a thing you can't really fight perhaps?

[arturiarex]

That may very well be.

[ Saber sounds rather thoughtful. ]

An enemy I can strive against or argue with or otherwise fight. If it's my own body...

[ She breathes out in a soft sigh. ]

That does seem rather different.

[holybeasts]

[A sympathetic look flits across Maria's face for a brief moment.]

I understand.

[The blonde's expression lightens as she tilts her head a little.]

I suppose... I won't say I'm glad for the changes but I've gone through physical changes before. Not to this extreme of course but it does make it easier to accept these as a natural course of events for being here.

[arturiarex]

I haven't had changes like this, I must admit. Or even... many changes, since I was younger.

[ Haha, she was eternally youthful, thanks magic. ]

So adjusting has been strange. But... it is the nature of this place, as you say.

[ Maybe she should change the subject a little. ]

How have you found the agility your changes have brought you?

[holybeasts]

[Ah, the agility!]

I really enjoy it, to be honest. Then again I've always been energetic so it's refreshing in a way to be so nimble.

[arturiarex]

I think I've gained power and strength which... isn't unfamiliar to me, but it still feels a little strange, honestly.

[ Adora looks thoughtful. ]

Especially since it feels so... unrestrained at times.

[holybeasts]

Mm, with the phases of the moons and the like? I've heard Bonds help with that though, don't they?

[arturiarex]

They do, fortunately, and I've been able to obtain one. However, I was not so fortunate during my first.

[holybeasts]

[Ah, there's another sympathetic look from the blonde.]

It must have been uncomfortable if it was anything like this then. The restlessness is a bit much.

[arturiarex]

Worse, honestly. I would rather not go into detail, though. It was... unfortunate.

[ Really, not something she wants to revisit. ]

Have you ever experienced it yourself?

[holybeasts]

Mm, not aside from what's been going on these last few days anyhow. The restlessness is annoying but it's not exactly horrible. The urge to run though is hard to give into in town.

[And part of the restlessness she doesn't feel appropriate to delve into with a new acquaintance. The more libido side of it is enough to make Maria fluster even with the best of friends.]

[arturiarex]

Yes... and hardly appropriate. At least out here there's more room, even if there's more danger from the wildlife...

[ Saber sighs. ]

All we can do is endure it, I suppose.