Event Log: June, What Lies Beneath

[faileas]

Event Log: June, What Lies Beneath

Down, Down, Down The group leaves on the morning of the 16th, a band consisting of Mirrorbound, Theodore and Sowilo from the Coven, and one of the two returned Wilders to lead the way. The latter three will only be present for the first leg of the journey: from the North Gate to the Northern Outpost by teleporter, then a few hours' hike to the site. A tunnel yawns open, fallen rocks built up around it in mounds. Everyone is offered enchanted lanterns to light the way, and their guide takes them perhaps a mile down before he and the pair from the Coven must part ways with the Mirrorbound. The poorly-lit tunnel leads steadily downward. The way is marked by their gracious hosts to be, with arrows drawn in softly-glowing algae painting the walls so there is no mistaking which way to go; a good thing, because the deeper the party goes, the more tunnels branch off of the largest one, twisting and turning into the dark. It takes some hours to reach a familiar cavern lit with algae and glowing crystals, a herd of the velvet wormipedes idly milling about the small lake and stream that led into town in the dream. Much nicer long boats are set up and waiting to take them deeper, along with respectfully quiet Monster guards to steer them. They take a slightly different route from the dream, but before long, they reach the curtain of grayish green moss that dangles down into the water, stretched across the wide tunnel exit like a membrane. It parts on its own as the boats pass, though beware if you are infected by the Cwyld - it will not allow passage, only reach out long, tough tendrils to try and envelop you, the touch of it burning acid-bright where it is harmless for those uninfected. Past the curtain of strange moss, the cavern city opens up before them, vast and spacious, dimly lit with more algae, crystals, and softly glowing orbs of magic. It's like being plunged into an eternal twilight, somehow soft, cast in gentle colors. The boats bypass the markets this time, drifting farther down a branching stream into the city proper, to dock next to stone platforms. The winding streets and flowing canals branch out all around them with no rhyme or reason, the city sprung up around the natural layout of the caverns rather than the other way around. Buildings are carved out of tall stone spires, the windows and doors covered in fluttering silk, many of which are pulled away so that fascinated locals can peer out at the scene unfolding. The Matriarch herself comes to greet the group, ringed at the back by spear-carrying guards, all Monsters. A tall, long-limbed Arachne woman bearing battle scars and stark white hair, she looks perhaps in her 30s, and speaks with a booming, commanding voice, amplified by a charm. As she speaks, ten Wilders are released from silk rope bonds and nudged to join the Mirrorbound; they're a little roughed up, perhaps, and shaken, but none are seriously injured. A few Monsters also make the rounds, placing copper tokens in the hands of ten individuals. "Welcome, travelers! This meeting was foretold and so it has come to pass. During your stay you will be treated as our honored guests. You may come and go as you please, but we ask that you use the same tunnel you entered through; we have not yet re-secured the other entrances from Cwyld nor the tribes. I would hate for danger to befall you while you are under my care." Her smile is wide, her eight eyes bright, and her teeth are very sharp. "We have prepared temporary residences for your use. I hope you will stay for the celebrations. I look forward to meeting with some of you very soon." Notably, she does not mention the surface where from the Mirrorbound came, and those around her do not ask.

I. The City The Mirrorbound receive mixed reactions from the Underground. Some are fascinated by these visitors personally invited by the Matriarch and allowed past the markets; others are wary and suspicious, believing them to be wolves in sheep's clothing. In the city proper, most passing Monsters are armed, but this doesn't seem to be anything new. Still, step cautiously - plenty do not take well to even unknowing offense and will pick a fight, or may see these guests as easy, weak targets to pickpocket or mug in the dark corners of the twisting streets. The guards only step in if things take a turn for the worse or if the fight is very obviously imbalanced - they step in more for Witches being attacked than Monsters, because they feel Witches require protection more. Still, not all are so unscrupulous: more citizens are delighted to talk, even if they still seem skeptical about a whole world up above. Mirrorbound, as guests of the Matriarch, are given nearly free run of the city, allowed to explore such locations as the marketplace, the library, the shops, the schools (the Arena for Monsters and the Academy for Witches), and the tunnels and caverns outside the protective moss barriers. The only places they (and most locals) are expressly barred from are the Matriarch's audience hall, the upper level of the library, and the guards' barracks. a. The Marketplace The marketplace is much larger than previously thought - it rings the entire city, and stalls spill onto the streets of the inner city as well in a lazy sprawl. There are some shops with actual buildings, but they're fewer and more expensive: alchemy and apothecary shops, a couple of restaurants, a weapons shop or two, nice clothing shops. Most, though, are independent merchants who set up and take down their stalls every day and night. Any number of Underground-sourced foods, clothing, weapons, trinkets, and more can be found at the stalls; they barter, or exchange chips of precious metals and gems, but they'll take cune coins with fascination. The marketplaces are the liveliest areas of the city with Monsters and Witches alike, from all walks of life, mingling and sharing gossip and idle talk. Those who lost items to the burrowing hyenas at the Northern Outpost some months ago should keep an eye out: the hyenas are fairly common down here, serving the roles of pets or working dogs for Underground citizens, and a few merchants deal in more interesting goods. The missing items can be found scattered across some stalls, and the merchants will gleefully tell perusers that these things come from the surface, aren't they fascinating? Don't you want to buy? Luckily, it shouldn't be too hard to get your things back. They'll take all manner of interesting trinkets in trade. b. Library The library is bound to be a popular stop. Monsters get some strange looks if they enter the spire just off the courtyard from the Academy, but they aren't barred from entry; most just feel that reading is for Witches. The building is only two levels - one closed off at the top, guards keeping everyone out, and the rest is just one very tall floor ringed with a spiral of platforms and stairs to access the honeycomb-shaped shelves built into the walls. All their books are written on scrolls of silk, and the librarians bark at patrons to be delicate with them, some are very old. If one has endless time, the scrolls can offer a look at life Underground: historical accounts of past Matriarchs, brave warriors and battles against nomadic tribes or hideous beasts, their history as they know it, scrolls on offensive and defensive magic for Witches, fighting techniques for Monsters, information on their unique flora and creatures that can be found outside the city, and even plenty of fiction - sword and sorcery novels all set in the tunnels and the city. It's just a bit difficult to find what, specifically, you're looking for, because if there's any kind of organization, it only makes sense to the deep-dwelling denizens. Maybe make it a team effort! You'll also need some simple translation spells, because their system of writing is quite different to the common system in Aefenglom; even then, it may not be accurate on older scrolls. c. The Guest Villa Those who choose to spend several days in the Underground are given modest accommodations in a tall stone building. These guest chambers boast gentle lighting, wide beds, backless sofas, potted decorative fungi, and stone furniture. It's... cozy, with humble individual rooms and larger common rooms for gathering. The algae grows in delicate patterns across the walls, pulsing in soft colors. They've gone out of their way to provide what comfort they can, but there aren't enough rooms for everyone to have their own - everyone will need to share with one or two others, so choose someone you can get along with.

II. The Tunnels Mirrorbound are not restricted only to the city. There are many entrances to the cavern where it resides, the openings all covered with sheets of that same gray-green moss; some wider tunnels obviously see more use than other, narrower ones, and the footpath of many Underground denizens is easy enough to trace, the stone worn smooth. The path to the velvet wormipede cavern is one of them; they're raised as livestock, all at once food, transportation, and producers of silk and hide for clothing. This is much the same as the dream. Another well-worn tunnel leads upward to an agricultural center, though, and still more lead out into the wild. They're warned, but not hindered, before they leave for anywhere other than the farms or the livestock cavern; dangers abound in the Underground. Those who do much wandering may notice something going on as well; the guards stationed at each tunnel mouth can often be found talking to each other in low voices about an unknown red algae that seems to be growing on the protective moss. It can be found primarily around the lesser-used tunnels so far, starkly bright against the dull green, and this seems to be a point of concern... a. A Botanist's Dream It's a short walk down a wide, inviting tunnel to reach the place where the city grows fungi and underground plants for food and medicine. Large rats and hyenas both are present to keep opportunist creatures and insects from demolishing the carefully-cultivated beds of rock and soil, and small blind fish swim about in the large pool of shallow water, in which grows something like seaweed. One of their primary sources of food, besides bug and rat, are mushrooms of many sorts - all the types that grow in the farms are edible, though some may be an... acquired taste. The Fauns and Witches who tend the beds are happy to offer samples of anything that can be eaten raw; they're most enthusiastic about a type of spherical mushroom whose cap opens up to reveal what tastes and feels like savory cotton candy, and a type of flat fungi that tastes sweet and fizzy and offers a heightened good mood for an hour after. b. The Wild Underground The lesser used tunnels are a different story. A mile out from the city, Cwyld runs in thick black veins through the stone walls, infecting the sparse plants and many creatures that live out there. Careful not to touch. Infected and uninfected creatures both are highly dangerous to explorers, including stone-burrowing moles with wicked teeth and claws that can cut through metal like butter, vicious white wasps that carry lethal venom, and berserker vampire bats that survive on the blood of other animals and people alike. Some infected fungi give off blindingly-bright flashes when disturbed, while others will cause rashes and blisters on contact. Explorers are warned not to touch anything if they can help it. As well, the nomad tribes roam the less-civilized tunnels and caverns. These are small bands of usually Monsters of different types in mixed groups, though some can be found dragging humans along with them. Nearly all of them are some degree of feral, and plenty bear Cwyld infections in different stages of seriousness. They don't stop to ask questions before they'll attack anyone, including each other, in hopes of robbing them blind and leaving them for dead. As vicious and quick as they are, perhaps it's no wonder they value strength in the city?

III. Graduation Day (21st - 23rd) The Underground does not have 'Litha' as Aefenglomites know it, but come the 21st, they do have a major celebration. They simply call it the New Year, or Graduation Day, depending on what festivities are asked about, because the three days serve as both. At this time of year, with more magic in the air, the algae and crystals glow much brighter, cycling naturally through different colors that cast beautiful rainbows across the imposing stone structures. This display is how they mark the start of a new year, and it coincides with the graduation of young Monsters from the Arena and Witches from the Academy. The New Year is a time to celebrate Bonding, partying, and showing off one's skills in the hopes of attracting a new Bondmate or romantic partner. Tensions can also rise high as rivalries are settled, and small brawls in the streets are common; the guards don't interfere, again, unless things get too dangerous. They're content to let citizens work out their own issues, but unfortunately, this means Mirrorbound may get dragged in on occasion! Small fights are also a tried and true tradition to show off one's abilities around this time of year. It serves multiple purposes: attracting a Bondmate, establishing a place in the unspoken hierarchy of the city, and working out problems with others. Monsters are more likely to start brawls than Witches, though it isn't wholly uncommon to bear witness to two rival Witches throwing spells at each other in an alleyway over their grievances. They're more likely to be stopped, as magic can be quite destructive. a. A Matching Pair The un-Bonded should take precautions during the New Year celebrations. These fascinating newcomers are bound to draw the eye of curious locals, and they may put on a violent or flashy show trying to draw your attention in return! The most common way to show that you're already taken during the celebrations is with face-painting: several stands set up around the marketplace with cosmetics and brushes, and two (or three, or more) people painting matching designs on their faces and bodies signify them as a set - either Bonded or intending to Bond. That doesn't mean there won't still be competition for your heart, but it will lessen significantly, especially if you're a Monster-Witch pair already. b. Exhibitions Primarily intended for the graduating classes of Monsters and Witches, the exhibitions are an official stage set for their coming-of-age; this year, however, the Matriarch has decreed that Mirrorbound may participate as well, in the interests of getting to know one another! They're interested to see what these strange travelers can do, especially against some of their own. Mirrorbound are encouraged by excitable locals if they seem reticent, but of course, no one is forced. (Just don't be surprised if you're called a coward for refusing!) At the Arena, a massive sunken ring with stone benches for spectators ringing the whole of it, young Monsters learn combat skills, with and without weapons, and how to harness their unique physiologies in the dangerous world of the Underground. Their yearly exhibition fights take place all through the three days of the New Year, and young Monsters battle each other til first blood to the cheers and jeers of citizens (and more importantly, Witches) come to watch. The longer the battle, the more impressive it is - and Monster Mirrorbound will have no shortage of eager opponents wanting to test their skills against the unknown. Generally, the fights result in bruises, small cuts, and little else, but rivals for the same Witch might take it farther on purpose before they're wrenched away from each other by the teachers. Meanwhile, at the Academy, the tallest stone spire building in the city, young Witches learn magic from a young age. It isn't exactly the same as magic taught at the Coven, but many concepts are similar - barriers, evocation, enchantments meant for weapons or shields, healing, most of the magic they're taught at this younger age is for combat, protection or practical purposes. They only learn more frivolous magics after graduation. Much like their Monster counterparts, they give solo or duet shows of their flashier and more impressive magical skills in the courtyard, with many citizens coming to watch and take stock of the new generation. Mirrorbound Witches may find themselves being cajoled into putting on a show of their own by curious locals wanting to know what kinds of magic are taught elsewhere.

IV. Aefenglom - Litha (21st - 23rd) Meanwhile, for those who have chosen to stay above-ground or those who have left early, Litha comes once more to Aefenglom, bringing with it beautiful pink and purple skies, a far departure from last year's red tint. It has the city in a much cheerier mood for the celebrations. While they know that several Mirrorbound left for a while, they don't seem too aware of the actual mission, and have very little to say on the matter - they'd rather have a nice Litha, after last year's bad omens! Many of the activities from last year return, better than before, including the brothels opening up their doors (showing off all the wonderful new styles in lingerie!), collecting flowers to put under one's pillow in order to dream of future partners, and wandering the hedge mazes that have been magically constructed in certain parts of the city. Seeing off ships happens regularly as well, citizens setting floating candles into the harbor and river to wish them luck. a. Love Boats A new attraction for Litha is being rolled out this year right on the River Temese! Near the gate, an enterprising Faun has set up a few small boats, each just big enough for two and shielded with fine gauzy curtains for privacy. Couples are invited to buy a ride down the river together, assured it will certainly set the mood. Those who have no partners are offered (or cajoled) to be randomly paired with someone, because perhaps it's fate! The boats drift lazily down the river and stop on their own next to a small dock right before they reach the Harbor. Unless you're willing to swim, hopefully you like your boat partner, because you're stuck with them the whole ride. b. Predictive Pools One bathhouse in the Entertainment District has laid an enchantment on one of their semi-public baths for Litha. When two people stand in the water together, bare, it will begin to glow and take on one of a handful of colors that they say will predict the pair's compatibility level! Sexually, romantically? Well, why not both? The only thing is, they've lost the instructions, and cannot seem to remember what color means "most compatible" and what color means "not compatible at all"... As a reminder, all sexual content should be clearly marked in comment headers, or else moved to a comm-locked log or personal inbox! Be good to each other.

Welcome to June's Event Log, What Lies Beneath! The Underground will be open until mid-July at minimum, and possibly longer. Characters can come and go if they're willing to make the trip multiple times. As always, please direct your questions here! The NPC threads will take place here. Aaand, the Action Tracker is right here! Make sure to let us know what your characters have been up to, good and bad, by July 7th, as this will help determine how Mirrorbound-Underground relations might proceed in the future!

Comments

[glitzandglamour]

So thorough. I like that.

[Practical and pragmatic. Mettaton nods in approval at her question, to which he strikes a sort of thoughtful pose.]

I hadn't thought about it... I don't see why you, a Fae, shouldn't simply have it. It's for your well-being. I wouldn't wish a weakness to iron on anyone.

[He's so intimate with it. He can't begin to explain how sick and injured he was, but if his fur were shaved, it would show in scars — scars by the Rathmores, and scars by his own body. But there is a catch, for all that Mettaton would give it to her without recompense.]

It's rooted in alchemy. The ingredients are rare enough that I had others fetch them for me, deep in the Wilde. As you can tell, I'm not a fighter. I'm more of an... objet d'art. Ha-ha.

[Mettaton is one of the only people who would proudly objectify himself while being vain as hell about it... He can dodge a fair bit, but if things got serious out there, he'd be Cwyld-infected scrap metal. (It didn't help that he wasn't Bonded.)]

While I can give you the formula, the ingredients are another story!

[stopfen]

It's a pain in the ass. I burnt myself trying to cook a few weeks ago... [He'd know of her issues better than anyone. From his own experiance. And that he'd seen how she'd reacted to being burnt when he'd held her back, how that wound had remained. The imprint of his clawed fingers in her supposedly solid chitin. Melting through it until she'd moulted.

She didn't take her eyes off the silk she was examining. Just plain white compared to the royal blue he was looking at, giving him a roll of her shoulders in response.] And I'm a fae. I can't out to areas that haven't been cleared unless I'm with a large group.

[She'd been out twice. The expedition when she'd first arrived and the trips to the outpost near the tree. Both times she'd had to take a support role. Her methods of fighting, her new weaknesses...They didn't lend themselves well to this place. She couldn't punch an infected creature, and no matter how quickly she could move it was impossible to dodge the blood splatter.] How did you get them if they're hard to get?

[glitzandglamour]

I had the Mirrorbound help me. I put out a desperate plea for help... [He clasps together his hands, fluttering his eyelashes.] And my call was answered! Come Feoveuer... the Coven had tested, retested, and improved their formulaic enchantment made for someone like me.

[Mettaton rubs his hips. He's made of metal under that black silicone that cover his supple legs — giving like skin, but also... furry now? Beneath lies a framework of metal, hardy and heavy. But wherever there's fur, there's flesh for it to grow upon... a disturbing conglomeration of silicone, flesh, metal, fur, electricity, and... he'd admit it if asked, but he bleeds now, disturbingly enough. Not that Mikasa would know that.]

Anyway. I understand it too well. I've been told that I'm among the most susceptible to the Cwyld, along with you Fae and Dragons... for reasons. [He waves a hand. It's magic reasons...] Having a Bond helps me. But! It's worth it. Being immune to iron. Surely there will be Mirrorbound sympathetic to the both of us, willing to help.

[He views Mikasa as very charming... if not in her unusual, blunt sort of way. He imagines she must have endeared a number of people to want to help her if possible.]

[stopfen]

[It was tragic that she knew more about his skin growth than Emet...Granted her knowledge came from the dream. And that wasn't always right. Given she didn't have wings.

The comment of him being susceptible gets a raised brow. Reasons? Uh-huh. ] It's... [She sighs through her nose. Turning her head back to examining silk.] I wouldn't be so sure about that. I'm most skilled at- [A shrug.] You saw my memory. [That big dramatic speech about slicing up flesh.] Here, I can't do much. I had to be completely reliant on someone else on all of my trips outside of the wall.

[And with that she's taking the bolt of fabric down to get it cut by the stall owner. She wasn't upset at losing her main skill and having little of value to replace it with. Not at all. She wasn't darting off to speak with the shopkeep to dodge the topic.]

[glitzandglamour]

[It would be hard to consider that fur grows upon flesh, after all. Mettaton only mentioned it because he was tickled by the sensation he had with this developing body, but the fur would have to be shaved down to show that it's definitely skin underneath it.

Mettaton cants his head as he listens, watching Mikasa grab a bolt of fabric and head for the stall owner. White, huh? He remembers seeing her hard at work at Sew N Sews (while also ignoring the weight of their conversation back then) and thinks about what her skill was back home. A skill of survival, of combat. He sighs.

She doesn't seem terribly upset about it. And he wonders, then, if Mikasa's growing fonder of sewing, now that she has the tranquility to do it. When she returns, his expression is calmer, ears poised pleasantly.]

Well. With so many people willing to help... We'll both be okay, going out into the Wilde. [A nod.] In the meantime, have you been getting more interested in sewing? A blooming sewist... Picking up the needle for fabric, instead of lacerating flesh?

[Mettaton would buy fabric. Just to have it. It's so soft... but he still has to return to Aefenglom to fetch the cunes he stupidly left behind. He has no money on him.]

[stopfen]

[As amusing as the mental image would be, she really didn't want to shave him. He is safe, for now.]

I've been sewing longer than I've been fighting. I knew how to do it before I'd even met Eren... [Was that a dig? Maybe. But not a big one as she moved on. Waiting for her fabric to be cut.] It's earned me more here than fighting with the Cywd. [Safer and without the risks. Though there were some designs she knew, could picture them when she closed her eyes that she wouldn't sew. The ones her mother taught her. ]

I don't know if people would be as willing to help me as they would you... [She was hardly carismatic.] I have little to offer.

[Though...She was waiting for her pieces to be cut. The shopkeep did keep lifting their head to glare at them, or rather Mettaton. Buy if you're touching please.]

[glitzandglamour]

[Hello shopkeeper... Isn't Mettaton So Sexy Today? Being watched, even with a glare, has Mettaton posing. He leans against a beam that supports the structure of the shop, shooting the shopkeeper a smouldering look as he holds the tip of his finger gently between teeth, his ears flicking as he gives them a good, thorough once-over. His free hand wanders over his thigh... emphasizing a lack of pockets, of money, of any sign of being able to pay for a thing.

Unspoken, Mettaton's simmering gaze asks, Oooh, Mx. Shopkeeper. I have no money, and I'm SMITTEN by your fabric. I'm drawn to it enough to do just about ANYTHING! Look at my sexy, sexy legs and tell me, What Can I Offer You Instead...?

Prince rolls a 10-sided die for a charisma check. Mettaton gets a 3. The shopkeeper sighs and looks away from Mettaton, realizing that Mettaton doesn't have any money, and they aren't impressed by him. They decide to make haste with Mikasa's cut instead, hoping to get the Mirrorbound away from their shop so that Mettaton stops doing... everything he's doing.

Well, that didn't work. Mettaton looks mildly annoyed now that the shopkeeper's not paying attention to him. What did Mikasa say...?]

Nonsense. The Mirrorbound want to help each other. I'm sure you can find something to offer up to those who want compensation!

[Unlike this shopkeeper, who won't take Mettaton's sex appeal in place of money. Another vicious glare. Enjoy watching Mettaton getting snubbed in real time, Mikasa.]

[stopfen]

[Mettaton, please don't bring the fucking tent down on her their heads. They might actually be kicked out of the whole market then.

If...if she'd been in a better mood with him. She might have brought it, said it was for practicing whitework but. Okay, that's a lie, she didn't care enough to lie about it. She'd have just cut it in half and gave him some. But she wasn't really feeling that charitable today.]

I'm not that skilled, magic can easily do all the things I'm good at without any risks. Or is quicker. [There was little reason for her to stick with one job when she couldn't find one where she felt truly at home doing it. Spent too long fighting to suddenly be unable to go out and fight just like that.]

[glitzandglamour]

[If he rolled a 1, the tent would be coming down. A 3 is just... mediocre bad.

Mettaton still shakes his head at her, mood simmering back into something a little softer, and he smiles at her.]

There were a lot of people who simply wanted to do it for the sake of helping me out. They told me they were going out there anyway... And wouldn't mind. I don't see why people wouldn't want to help you just the same.

[There is, of course, the caveat that Mettaton was in dire need, and anyone could see that: he was a metal Puca weak to his own body, and there was no getting around that without some help. Already weakened by being brought to Geardagas at all, there was no way he could go out into the Wilde... and Mirrorbound were sympathetic to that. But Mettaton doesn't imagine people would be so reluctant to help Mikasa, either.

Nonetheless, they appear to be safe from Naga and Turnskin. Mettaton peeks around the side of the tent.]

Well, darling. I think we lost them! Thanks to your quick thinking. [He gives her a wink.] Are you going to keep shopping? I'd join you... if I hadn't left my money back in Aefenglom. Ha, ha.

[stopfen]

[Mikasa is happy with her fancy silks to embroider. Hopefully, she wouldn't screw it up and would be able to trade them.]

Really? ...I know people here can be giving but rising their lives for plants without expecting anything in return. [Honestly, she'd go out if someone with a need asked. But she couldn't because of her weaknesses...But the idea of people being so willing. She wasn't sure what to make of it. There had to be a hidden cost somewhere, some debt to repay, right?

Or maybe there wasn't. She didn't know.

His question and wink gets a shake of the head.] No. I'm heading back to house, I need to work on things to trade. [Just holds up the silk, waving it at him a bit. Then she's turning to head off.]

[glitzandglamour]

Well... Wouldn't you be giving, if you could?

[He flashes a smile her way as she makes her choice to depart, to make things to "trade." He wonders, then, if Mikasa holds herself to that same standard of give-and-take. Mettaton knows that if he had the resilience and ability to navigate the Wilde, he'd probably be the type to help... Though he wouldn't say so loudly. He may be egotistical, but when Mettaton has the resources, he's very giving, and doesn't ask for anything in return.

Mettaton sees her off with a wave, deciding to head off in the other direction. Perhaps he'd return to his temporary lodging, too... And not get into any more trouble.]