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

[crescendoed]

[now that is a shock to hear. different worlds is in the realm of possibility after all, she doesn't even question that it's a thing.

but different -- timelines?

the professor being with claude?

her heart skips a beat in hope.]

That is quite different from what I remember, yes. The professor was with the Black Eagles, and assisted Edelgard in conquering all of Fodlan. The deaths- the bloodshed. It was unbearable.

[her eyes shut tight, hurt by the mere memory.]

Even you, Claude- despite all the time we've spent together, the professor's sword still pointed toward you- towards Hilda. [her hands go to her face, now.]

They killed her, Claude.

[she thought she'd locked all these emotions away, but it certainly is difficult to keep them tucked away when her guilt incarnate is standing before her.]

And they very nearly killed you as well. Had you not bargained for your life- offered yourself as being useful- I'm not sure they would have spared you.

[kingofunification]

[Something in Claude seizes, his whole body frozen in time.

That's...that can't be right. Timelines could vary, yes--even if the catalyst was the same, the paths could diverge. He knew this, and had seen it demonstrated in this very place. It was in in the realm of possibility, but he couldn't...he couldn't imagine...

--not Hilda--]

That's-- [There's a sharp intake of breath from him, his eyes closing at the stab of pain in his abdomen.] ...this is not yet a future I've heard of, even from your timeline. [How could Hilda have--] Not the most pleasant outcome I would imagine for myself.

[crescendoed]

Yes- I could tell she adored you, Claude, it was evident in every fiber of her being, in the way she held herself on the battlefield, in how she fought. I'm- I'm so sorry.

[she dares not open her eyes. she's decided to live her life in remembrance for those who lost theirs. she's came out alive, the least she could do is spare a moment for those who've passed.]

That's why- that's why I can't believe you're willing to speak to me. She sacrificed it all to fight someone else's war, and yet I still live purely out of circumstance. Convenience.

And that's why I fled to Brigid. And you fled as well- from what I hear, to Almyra. I haven't seen you since.

[kingofunification]

[Grief spears Claude, more than he thought possible. It would have been easier if Dorothea had told him that he was killed in battle--more expected. It always was a lingering possibility that he could fall any day, something he had accepted and lived with.

But to hear of his friend--his dear Hilda, fighting and dying in his honor--

Why wouldn't she have ran? Why--]

This...doesn't change how I see you Dorothea, but I have to admit it's knocked me off balance to hear such a thing. [He takes a step back, running a hand through his hair as he processes the words--compares him from other accounts he's run into.] The Professor for your timeline account had all the Deer rallying for the Empire...and the surrender of Dedriu was a more...amicable affair. [Certain not framed as him begging for his life, as the Professor...]

[crescendoed]

[at the heart of his persona, dorothea knew claude was a good, kind man. she smiles, finally looked at him with teary eyes.]

History from the perspective of the victors is often not quite as truthful as it should be, I think. That is true both in operas and in reality.

[a sigh, a deep breath.]

I haven't performed it, but I've created a song for her. It's light, airy, and full of strength - just like her. Something to allow her legacy to live on, if even just in my memory.

[kingofunification]

[He closes his eyes, another wavering breath forced from his lungs. He counts down in his mind, tries to pull back the calm, unflappable mask he's always hidden behind.

History from the victors was always different from history of the fallen. Dorothea wasn't a commander--wasn't a soldier. She was powerful of course, a force to be reckoned with--but not for killing. She wasn't a general, like himself, or the Professor, or Edelgard.

A commoner pulled by the puppet strings of a noble's game.]

I'm sure she would have loved it. [He sighs, eyes open once again to face her reality.] You say I nearly met my end by the Professors sword?

[crescendoed]

Yes... you were the last standing in the fight at Derdriu. You said something about Almyra and that you'd be more useful being indebted to the Empire. I was glad you escaped with your life, Claude, even if under the Empire's close watch.

[the sadness does not drain from her expression, but she does look every bit as relieved as she feels.]

I, too, cannot escape, no matter how far I may be. But that is the reality of life now, I suppose.

[kingofunification]

[So, the alliance garnered between himself and the Empire was a gamble of his worth against the edge of a sword...

...was this the same alliance that Edelgard spoke of? As her general? Or was it a future where the battle had turned for the worst? They said Hilda was spared...was that the truth? The answers that he could never see for himself were maddening. Relying on word of mouth was unreliable, bringing up more questions than answers. If only he could somehow see it for himself...]

We can never truly escape the things in war, but we can at least look out for ourselves. I'm glad you found some peace in Brigid, at least. [There's a tired smile on his face.] Thank you for telling me your side of things. It's hard piecing these...multiple accounts of the future together.