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

[sandu_shengshou]

[ as soon as someone is darting out before him, Jiang Cheng is alert, hands out just in case. his first instinct is to draw his sword but-- that might not go over well in a place like this so he instead focuses on the individual that has now recoiled from him as if stung.

(it was a normal reaction for many upon meeting him, but it still makes him bristle slightly.)

getting a better look at her, the sect leader is glad he didn't pull he sword. she is-- young. young and terrified and that tugs on something in the cavern of his chest. there is blood on her clothes (not fresh, not from a current wound, that he can tell) and there are little tells that make him worried for reasons he can't quite explain.

the lines between his brows soften slightly.] I did. I found myself in a lake. [ a pause, words awkward and stilted on his tongue, as if he doesn't know how to soften them anymore. ] Are you alright?

[shinkunochou]

Oh. [That explains his wet clothes then, and suddenly she figures she’s a little lucky.] I don’t know how to swim. [So she’s real glad that hadn’t been her. The idea of expanding on that thought—explaining that she obviously hadn’t materialized in a lake—doesn’t occur to her though. With her twin she’d never really had to; Yae had always seemed to know what she was thinking. The fact that others might not be able to follow doesn’t occur to her.

She looks down at her kimono though, shaking fingers touching at the blood that’s saturated in. Bits flake off and fall to the ground, her eyes blank as she follows their descent.]

No... I mean. [Sae’s brow furrows and she withdraws her hands, staring at them and the dried blood also caked under her nails and around her finger tips. She shakes her head.] I’m not harmed. [Physically, anyhow.] This was... from before I came here. There was...

[But she trails off and looks beside her like she expects someone to be there and help explain. There’s no one, of course, and for a moment she seems confused by the loss before turning a hopeful look on him.]

My sister. Have you seen her? We’re twins.

[sandu_shengshou]

Mm, it was not the best way to wake up, despite the fact I am sure I did not fall asleep.

[ sharp eyes watch her as she speaks, the furrow between Jiang Cheng's brows deepening, at the way she all but curls in on herself as if she could hide. he notes the dried blood on her skin, the quietness in her voice that says more than the words and his chest aches a little. even more so when she turns to the side to seek out someone that is no longer there.

he knows what that is like, to have those that you love and depend on to be ripped from you in a heartbeat. without much thought, Jiang Cheng finds himself looking around to seek someplace for her to clean herself up. it cannot be comfortable to be covered in dried blood, even more so if it reminds you of something you would rather forget.]

I haven't been here long enough, but no I have not seen your sister. [ a pause while he tries to weigh his words. ] We should find you a place to clean up, I know from experience how uncomfortable dried blood can be. We can search for your sister if you should like.

[shinkunochou]

[Her expression falls, disappointed but resigned to his answer. She hadn’t truly been expecting he might have, but if she’d ended up in this place then surely her sister also...

The idea is a good one though and after a moment she nods quietly.] ...Alright. [Getting clean would be nice, though the streets are mostly deserted at this time of night. There isn’t likely to be any place like a bathhouse or even a residence that would take kindly to a blood-soaked stranger showing up asking to clean up.

But there are fountains around and probably a couple wells scattered throughout the city.]

Her name is Yae. Ah. [She pauses, blinking and then shaking her head some to clear it.] Manners... I’m sorry. My head is...all over the place.

[Decorum and rules are all that she has left to cling to right now, so she folds her hands neatly in front of her and bows at the waist]

I’m Kurosawa Sae. Please treat me kindly...

[sandu_shengshou]

[ Jiang Cheng is fairly confident that he can find his way back to the body of water he woke up in at the very least if they need to, though that would do little to deal with the blood in her clothing. that can be a problem for another time. tomorrow perhaps, when there are shops open.

(he tries not to think about how familiar the lost look in her eyes is, how he knows what it feels like to go through the fire and try to be fine when the smoke clears).

something that almost looks like a smile, or the ghost of one perhaps, tugs at the corner of his lips as he holds his arms out in a greeting after her. there is familiarity here, something that Jiang Cheng can find equal footing on. even more so in giving himself the task of helping her in any small way, it is better than raging without a focus through this unknown city at this time. ]

Jiang Wanyin of Yungmeng Jiang. I shall do my best. [ he straightens, furrow creeping between his brows again easily.] I have seen a few fountains, or the lake I woke in if you would rather avoid the town, I do not mind accompanying you as you said you can't swim.

[shinkunochou]

Yunmeng Jiang...? [Her brow furrows, but after a moment she shakes her head, unable to place the name.] I don’t know of it. I’m sorry. [She does seems sincerely apologetic about it though, embarrassed by her own apparent ignorance.] My education is—was—lacking...

[At least she’s aware of it, hesitating a little as she considers her options. Falling into a lake sounds a lot more dangerous than falling into a fountain] The— The fountain might be safer. Could you... still accompany me?

[sandu_shengshou]

[ there is something that might almost be considered a smile on Jiang Cheng's face while he shakes his head at her apologies. ] It's fine, what is important is that we find you somewhere to get clean.

[ he gestures towards the las fountain that he had passed, not too far from here, briefly wonders if there are inns around here that they might be able to procure as well. ]

Of course, I shall accompany you. Have you eaten as of late?

[shinkunochou]

[She bows again, relieved, and straightens to start walking over there. She moves her head as she walks, taking in their surroundings with wide eyes, still bewildered at how fundamentally alien it all is to her.]

Where in the world... did we end up...? [She trails off and then startles at Jiang Cheng’s question, surprised.] Oh, um—

[When...WAS the last time she’d eaten? Or even felt hunger? She’s about to say that she doesn’t get hungry, when her stomach growls all the same. She winces in alarm and hugs around her middle, suddenly feeling the queasiness that comes from intense hunger.]

...I don’t remember. [So no, she hasn’t eaten as of late.]