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

[unyieldingmarch]

We have established that experiences are different, yes.

[Edelgard's expression darkens slightly at the notion of Rhea being held in captivity. That is not something she would do. That does not seem like something she would do. If she had Rhea in captivity, after seeing what she could become? No...best not to think on the damage that monster could and had done.]]

In light of that, and since the war is yet unfinished for you...my only advice that is if you do find Rhea you do not let her regain power or establish any kind of foothold. No matter what you may think of me, the things that...creature...has either done or enabled are far more dire than my war to oust her.

[Turning her gaze upward, she looks off, letting her attention wander a little.]

Dimitri seems to be having an easier time, yes. He has his friends, he has the opportunity to grow, separate from the ghosts that his memories conjure up. We've a nominal truce, negotiated between Lorenz and myself. One that I would extend to you while you are present in the city. I put war behind me, and I have no desire to inflict our conflict upon our hosts.

[kingofunification]

[He shrugs at her advice.] Rest assured that I have no plans to let the Church's sway stay as it has.

[Even if Edelgard may not realize it, they both shared a similar sort of distaste for the Archbishop. The church had a heavy hand in the stigma Fódlan had for outsiders, and frankly he wouldn't shed a tear if the system as it stood crumbled.

Faith had a time and place, and Rhea had quite overstayed her welcome.]

I'll consider your offer. War is hard to put from my mind, considering the state of my own. But-- [He raises his hand in a peace offering before he continues] --this place is far from the quarrels of our own. I can't say that I wont continue to view you with scrutiny, but I'll try to refrain from bringing new conflict in a land with their own.

[unyieldingmarch]

Watch as you will. But know that I'll be doing the same.

[She expects as much, and he'll be disappointed if he's looking for her to cause any sort of trouble. She lifts her shoulders in a shrug at that, but her gaze returns to him, focusing intently.]

And know since you've given a noncommittal answer that I don't bear you, or anyone from our world, any ill will. However I have people here who are under my care. Including a child.

[Bracing herself, shoulders straightening, Edelgard dips her head forward very slightly and sets her jaw. She folds her arms, her voice growing as hard as granite. She didn't know this man, not really, but she knew the reputation he liked to give off in her world. A schemer, with a good heart, but could she trust Leslie's safety that such a facade was true? No, she couldn't. So, better to be direct.]

I would have your word that, no matter what quarrel you may have with an alternative version of myself, you leave my ward alone.

[kingofunification]

[His brows raise, momentarily taken aback at the change in her demeanor. This was more of the Emperor he was used to, not an estranged friend trying to reconcile.]

You think I would stoop so low as to harm a child? [A huff of a laugh is forced from his lungs, incredulous.] If I'm not going to bring my conflict with you to fruition, why would I take it out on a undeserving bystander?

[He shakes his head, recomposing himself enough to straighten his posture and catch her gaze.] You have my word, however. I have no interest in what you do or what company you keep, as long as it doesn't harm the greater interest of this place and the people in it.

[unyieldingmarch]

[Leslie, the girl, is someone who has done more than worm her way into Edelgard's heart. There's real love there, grown these last months. She stares intently at him, ignoring the incredulity in his voice.]

I do not know you, Claude. Not this version of you. I have no idea what you would and would not do, and I needed a definitive answer regarding Leslie.

[A definitive answer is something Claude is notorious for not giving. But she has it now. As well as an honest reaction, seeing him taken aback like that and put off his guard for even a moment.]

I'll extend my trust to that word. Given your reaction, I feel I can do that.

[The ice ebbs from her tone...]

And you have my word that I'm doing all I can to improve the lives of the Mirrorbound, combat the blight outside these walls, and preserve the resident's way of life. Take that as you will, but my word is given.

[kingofunification]

[Claude shrugs--turnabout was fair play, he supposed. He didn't know this version of Edelgard, so he couldn't expect her to blindly trust that he was the same man who left on good terms in her version of events.]

I'll let your actions speak for your words. [He lets his arms cross behind his back, feeling the tension between them easing. They may not see eye to eye, but he sees no reason for her to attempt to meddle in his affairs. He had no stakes here, after all--and it's not like he had plans to go rampaging across the countryside.]

And my actions will speak for mine, though I fear you may find them less...ambitious than your lofty goals.

[unyieldingmarch]

Likely so.

[Claude was ambitious and clever, yes. She knew that. But few people were as driven as her, and blessedly few people understood the reasons why she was so driven. The things that had set her on the path she'd walked...]

But I'll be satisfied with you simply not interfering with my goals.

[She doesn't expect him to, at least. And she turns to go, offering a wave.]

If you have no further questions, I will leave you to your shopping. If you think of something you need during your stay, use the watch and contact me. I'll answer as swiftly as I am able.

[kingofunification]

As I said, as long as your goals remain noble. [Claude huffs a laugh, raising his hand. He had no stakes here, yes...but that didn't mean he had no drive. He just enjoyed amassing information before he began to be spurred into action. And it was much easier to gather information on a ground of neutrality.]

I'll keep communication in mind if the need truly calls for it. [For his petty pride however, he hoped it didn't.] Good luck with your haggling, Emperor.