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

[trost]

Seems like they want us to help do some pest control. Cull the numbers before those 'Shades' reach the city.

[ It definitely makes sense to encourage the witches and monsters affected by the moon to blow off steam this way. This would kill two birds with one stone. The city has fewer inhabitants going feral, and the Shades are kept at bay. Jean doesn't particularly like putting himself in danger, but if it will protect the people inside the city, that gives him a bit more motivation. ]

Have you ever killed anything before?

[gunshow]

No, I haven't.

[ the words sound thick in his mouth, but measured. as if he both can't imagine it and is trying to understand that right now, it's for a good cause. it's - why he was sent here, as a monster. carefully, ryuu's gaze rakes over the other man, but eventually, it comes to settle on jean's face after all. ]

- you're used to it?

[trost]

[ The hesitation in Ryuu's face is one he understands too well. Titans, he could kill with no hesitation (at least, back when he didn't understand them). They were huge, stupid, and ready to bite a man in two. Humans, though ... He doesn't think he can ever forget the first time he had to take the life of another human. Or any of the other times at all. It's become easier to take action - he's now able to kill an adult soldier without flinching - but that doesn't mean he likes doing it at all.

He's hoping these Shades will be more like the titans: mindless and violent and lumbering. That makes him feel less bad about it, at least. ]

I don't want to die. Where I come from, that's what happens when you hesitate. It's probably going to be the same if we encounter a Shade.

[gunshow]

[ a sound murmurs from his throat in acknowledgement more than in agreement; he's having a tough time going against his morals, his natural instinct to think killing is wrong. then again, there had only ever been men and animals in his world. no monsters, no magic.

not wanting to die... he says it so casually. ]

I don't want you to be in danger because of me. I may not really understand what I'm capable of yet, but I'll try not to weigh you down.

[trost]

It's my decision to stick around. [ His decision to protect this person who doesn't know how to fight, so it wouldn't be Ryuu's fault if anything were to happen to him. ]

But in terms of physical strength, you've probably got me beat. I don't really know how to use my magic yet. [ He'll be giving that a try, because he needs to release it before it becomes dangerous to himself and others, but the outcome is quite unpredictable. He'll mostly be using his gun and a blade he picked up if they need to fight. ]

So, you should probably start thinking about how you're going to use those teeth and claws of yours in case it ever comes to that.

[gunshow]

[ at the mention of the way his body has shifted into something that's not himself, ryuu's gaze falls to his hands, the way his nails have hardened and grown dark. he's aware of his own teeth. it's strange. his fingers flex but ultimately, he winds up looking upwards again with a nod. he's still frightened, but it won't do either of them any good to be inert. ryuu may not know forward motion in the violent way others do, but he can understand the feeling behind it. ]

I know. It wouldn't be fair of me to just be looked after when I'm like this, [ aka strong as hell ] so... I'll try my best.

[ glancing into the forest and not seeing any clear path, he pauses to let his senses reorient themselves. ]

[trost]

[ Well, he's been stern enough on the guy and all Ryuu's been doing is accepting what he says without much argument, so Jean doesn't see much point keeping that up. He exhales in a sigh and tries to let some of his tension roll off his shoulders. Of course, he's always going to be on guard, given that they're in a dangerous place, but when you've been facing danger for most of your life you learn to kind of let your more cautious senses run in the background. It's possible to be on the alert and also have a chat with someone. Heck, he's even had fun while outside the Walls once or twice. ]

So, you probably didn't do much fighting back home, huh? What did you do then? I'm a soldier.

[gunshow]

[ above all, ryuu wants to avoid being a burden... especially to someone who's probably staying around out of kindness despite seeming far more equipped to deal with this situation. and besides that, even - hadn't he felt more at ease regardless? he has to wonder about the magic, if this is what momo was talking about, between magic and monsters. then again, he could just be looking for a reprieve out of selfishness and fear with his tendency to overthink, so he perks up at being spoken to again, expression not really befitting his looks right now. ]

- none at all! I'm a performer... specifically, I sing. [ slowly, his features shift into a modest smile. ] It wouldn't really have a place out here, I know.

[ given they're trying to get the upper hand on whatever's lurking around. ]

You're a soldier though, huh... that's really admirable.

[trost]

It's nothing to look up to. [ If he didn't make the choice to become a soldier, he would never have had to take lives. And he made that choice for self-serving reasons, too -- a chance to escape into the Interior. Though a lot has changed over time, he still doesn't think it's anything admirable. ]

Was singing the only thing you did back home? Can't imagine performers earning very much. [ But he's from a world that doesn't really have any kind of celebrity culture. ]

[gunshow]

[ the quick way jean shoots his comment down has ryuu gazing over curiously, but ultimately, he decides to swallow down his urge to question the point. maybe... there'll be a time for that. a less tense time. with that in mind, he keeps his pleasant disposition around him even if that comment kind of hurts?! ]

It was the main thing! Though I had other areas I worked in, too... [ a breath leaves him, like a chuckle. ] We must come from such different places, even if I ended up earning more than I thought I would. More than if I'd become a fisherman.

[trost]

[ Ryuu is free to ask because the unreasonably bleak circumstances of Jean's world aren't exactly a secret he sees any point keeping. ]

I'd think a fisherman would earn more, since it's not always so easy to get fish. [ Sorry that he continues to be ... disrespectful toward ur profession. He just comes from a place where musicians don't earn very much at all because they aren't a quarter as revered. When Ryuu calls himself a singer, Jean is thinking of a bard singing some tunes in the local pub for a bit of coin. Fish, on the other hand, is valuable and tasty!!! ]

You must be good then. You should show me when we get out of here. [ It's rare that he gets any kind of entertainment. ]