I. A Friendly Competition (14th - 16th)
To those who spend their time with Aefenglom's Wilders, they'll notice them quite excited as the day of the Not-So-Annual Grand Scavenger Hunt approaches. It's set to be Wilders vs Mirrorbound, and even those who aren't participating are discussing it like a spectator sport and placing bets on one side or the other, based on whose wilderness skills they think will win out.
At noon on the 14th, participants meet at a small outpost just outside the city to check in, where those without partners are paired up, and each duo or trio is given a bundle of items: a list -- on a paper enchanted against moisture and tearing -- of the challenges to be completed, in no particular order; a map of this area of the Wilde marked with general locations for where each challenge can be found - not small area by any means!; three emergency flares, should they find trouble; a small med-kit with basic first aid supplies; and a bag to hold their retrieved items in, which can be turned in at the same outpost at any point during the 48 hours of the competition. You are responsible for your own camping gear if you stay out overnight. At least it's summer out there!
Once everyone has been given their kits, the event begins, setting participants scattering off into the woods to track down and complete any of the listed challenges. The Wilders are highly competitive, wanting to bring a win to their side in the first Scavenger Hunt in a few years, and some of them will do anything (short of murder or grievous injury - they don't mean anyone true harm) to nab more points or sabotage the other side. Watch out for your opponents trying to thieve your item bags, trick you into getting lost, or setting off natural obstacles that will slow you down! All's fair in love and scavenger hunts though - it's not against the rules for you to sabotage them back!
Mirrorbound Witches need to watch out as well - the competition takes place during the new moon, and this month, it's going to be difficult for even experienced Witches to control their super-charged magic. Backfires, fizzling out of spells, etc. are all expected - from you, but not from the native Witches on the other team, whose magic is only weaker on the new moons.
a. Challenge 1: Pearl of Wisdom A broad lake can be found some miles to the east, the water glittering and inviting, if dark enough that you can't see the bottom of it even on a clear day. The brief outlines a species of clam found at the bottom of this lake, numerous, big as dinner plates, and bearing massive, iridescent black pearls, prized for beauty and their properties in illusion spells when ground into dust. One of these pearls is your target. The clams are uninfected and generally safe to handle, protected by their hard shells. The brief does not warn, however, about the troupe of white-eyed Merrow Shades that live in the lake and jealously guard this treasure. They use their shrill singing voices to muddle minds and urge trespassers to drown themselves, and they're viciously adept at fighting both on land and in the water.
b. Challenge 2: Willow Bark The bark of a willow tree, infused with magic, has some fair pain relief properties. The maps are marked with the location of a willow grove, largely untouched by Cwyld, where participants in this challenge are required to collect at least a hand's length worth of bark. The main problem, not mentioned in the brief, is that the real willow trees are interspersed through a grove of numerous toxic Impostor Willows, which look exactly alike, but whose bark has opposing properties - it causes horrible pain when prepared and consumed, and causes ugly rashes when you peel it from the tree. Find the bark of the real willows using observations of the area - insects and small creatures tend to avoid the impostors - or, less recommended, by... testing them yourself...
c. Challenge 3: Track & Observe You have been given an enchanted tracking collar in your item bag for this one. Without harming the creature, place the collar on a Neeklur; these will be used for tracking purposes to study their movements and behaviors. The Neeklur is a breed of small, nocturnal marsupial. They have developed a unique relationship with a type of bush that grows into tall hedges, which spread across sparse, open areas where there are few trees and plenty of sunlight for these aggressively spreading plants. Neeklurs make their nests in the heart of such natural hedge mazes, where they can sleep safely during the day, when the hedges quite literally move around on their own, rearranging the paths between them in, it seems, no discernible pattern, making it quite difficult to find your way around if you aren't careful to mark your path. Without direct sunlight, the hedges are dormant, but be warned that the timid, sleepy Neeklurs transform into long-clawed, screeching little beasts at night. They are extremely territorial, and defend their home as a horde.
d. Challenge 4: Tree Elk Antlers Tree Elk, found in the lush woods, are sporting flourishing green-leaved antlers during the Wilde summer. Retrieve a branch from a Tree Elk's antlers with the leaves still lush and intact to win this challenge. Hurting the beast in any way, even emotionally (they're easily traumatized by a small fright) will cause the leaves to shrivel up, turn brown and/or fall right off. You'll have to figure out how to gain its trust and get close enough to it to take a small branch as a willing gift. Don't worry, breaking off a small branch of antler won't hurt it, and these intelligent, if timid, creatures are happy to bestow them as gifts upon those who have earned them.
e. Challenge 5: Singing Shrooms At the base of an old, sprawling oak, deep in the forest, is a symphony of mushrooms. Literally. These fungi come in all shapes, sizes, colors... and keys. They sing. In fact, they never shut up. You may find them easily enough by their eerie, discordant song, but finding the right one in that cacophony is a difficult task. Many different types of singing mushrooms cluster together, and may or may not be infected. Cwyld doesn't affect their outward appearance, but it does change their tune - we're only looking for the uninfected ones that sing a particular song in a particular key. Pick the right type of mushroom off the tree and bring it back. Though, watch out for the ones with teeth. And the ones that emit poison spores. Or hallucinogens. There are so many mushrooms on that tree.
All retrieved items must be stashed in the given bags and turned in to the small outpost where the event started by Deceuer 16th at noon. From there, Rilla Sparks and her organizers will count each team's contributions and tally up points. There will be back-slaps and congratulations for a job well done, and drinks to celebrate! Prizes will be mailed out to the winners within a couple of weeks.
The prize list will go up on January 1st and each participant who submits an in-progress or completed thread tackling at least one challenge will get to pick what they want for their character! |
II. Modranicht (21st - 23rd)
Modranicht proper begins on the 21st, and the days leading up to it are a frenzy of festivity. Homes are often decorated with sprigs of greenery and, less traditional, ribbons, and many shops begin holding sales on their giftable wares. This holiday is celebrated as a time spent with family and other loved ones; traditionally, all meals should be taken with others, and those who eat alone are said to find bad luck in the coming months. Those who can are delighted to pull strangers in to have lunch or dinner with them, should they seem like they're a little lonely around this time of year.
Especially in the neighborhood adjacent to the Haven, those people who came over from Dorchacht over a year ago, who are doing fairly well for themselves these days, are thrilled to have their Mirrorbound neighbors over for a hot drink or a meal and a spot of catching up. They heard what happened with Morgana a couple months back, nasty business, horrible woman, that, and for the most part, they seem quite comfortable with the idea that she's dead now. "I wouldn't move back," most say, "but it's good to know they're really free of her."
The ones most in need this season are those orphans in the Harbor District, though efforts by the Mirrorbound Council and others to better care for many of the parentless kids there have improved spirits, making kids playing and laughing a more common sight. Still, many of those rascals haven't lost their mischievous streaks: some little ones are quite likely to try and pickpocket you as you pass through, or pelt you with snowballs, but gifts or candy can perhaps soften their demeanor. They're just kids, after all.
a. Kiss-tletoe Redux While many of the decorations adorning shopfronts and houses are simple wreaths and garlands of pine, holly, and ivy, enchanted mistletoe is absolutely littered around the city, dangling in doorways, hung up on walls, hanging from the eaves of rooftops. Strings of it zigzag over the streets, hung from lampposts. This is a festive tradition that will be familiar to some. When two people pass under a sprig of mistletoe together, they're supposed to kiss, and the enchantments on many of those sprigs encourage it. Some will stick the pair's feet to the ground until they do so, some will just very lightly compel a smooch, whether it's on the mouth, the hand, the cheek, the forehead, or anywhere else. It's all in good fun, though - none of the enchantments are difficult to break, should one really not want to lock lips: you just have to destroy the mistletoe sprig you're under.
Careful about getting stuck in public, unless you enjoy being the center of attention in a crowd! Other passers-by will loudly cheer or jeer you and your mistletoe-mate on until a kiss is had! Be wary too, of pranksters who will actively push two people under a sprig, laughing all the while.
b. Craft Fair Gift-giving is an important tradition during Modranicht. It's considered only proper to present something to each of your loved ones, as a token of your care and affection for them. Handmade gifts are still widely regarded as the best, because it shows your effort in creating something just for them, so while shops may be having sales for purchased gifts, they're also trying to drum up more business again in the form of crafting lessons. Most businesses will set up tables in their shops, and for a small fee at the door (to cover materials), an instructor will show a group of people how to make something related to whatever the shop offers for sale. All materials are provided, and attendees get to take home what they make to give to friends or loved ones. Some of these even include small enchantments, such as carved wooden birds that actually fly, or timepieces that announce the time in funny voices. Witches are encouraged to learn the spell and help their Monster friends by enchanting their creation for them, but the instructors will do it as well if needed.
If you have a crafty talent of your own, it's easy to make some good money this season by setting up your own lessons on how to make whatever you're good at. Space is available, though it's up to you to source your materials and decide your fee. All the rage in the Western Residential District, where Mirrorbound are generally regarded as friends and neighbors, is objects and styles that come from other worlds. They absolutely want to learn from you and be able to give their loved ones something new and exciting.
c. Eat, Drink & Be Merry All meals during Modranicht should be eaten with another person, according to tradition. Many families and groups of friends have their own feasts during the holiday, but all are invited to a city-wide feast as well, on the 23rd. Located in a park enchanted to be more spacious than normal, long tables piled with food rest beneath festively-decorated, open tents, and every resident of Aefenglom is welcome to come and have a plate, from the richest to the poorest - all except those often-infected residents of the Outer City. It begins at noon and goes well into the evening, and people come and go as they please, enjoying the food and the holiday cheer.
It isn't required, but many citizens bring a dish to add to the tables, meant to be shared - usually a special family recipe. Mirrorbound are encouraged to share traditional food from their own homes (or close approximations of it), if they want to - many are highly interested in customs from other worlds, and some challenge each other (or you!) to try every single dish on the massive tables.
The festivities don't extend past the Bright Wall, unfortunately, but the people of the Outer City, who don't have much to begin with, can be found having their own feast on hunted game and pilfered vegetables, trying to scrape up some cheer for themselves. Most groups won't turn Mirrorbound away as long as you've brought a big enough dish to share, welcoming you into the fold to bad-mouth those hoity-toity inner city folks, but some rare clusters of residents can be hateful at this time of year, made somewhat bitter by your privilege and their lack.
|
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
no subject
H-Hey! Cut it out!
[ nope! they don't care! and they're not afraid of his show of anger, either! soren never harbored any illusions that they did, but he's still going to protest anyway! he hates people, but children especially can be vile. ]
[ their laughter crescendos. what great fun! pelting the dragons! soren can't even use scare tactics beyond baseless verbal threats right now... not that he would ever intentionally harm one of them that badly over volleys of snowballs, because that's just asking for more trouble. the bracelet on his wrist prevents even his breath from working, so he covers his face and tries marching forward in spite of it. but it's becoming a flurry, and now they're mobilizing to aim for his front to freeze his progress... literally! snow is so cold, and it's getting in his clothes! ]
[ come on! fight back! join in! they heckle. is there really no choice? maybe they'll stop aiming for him so much if he finally complies? shakily, very slowly, he crouches down to the snow and starts compressing snow together at turtle speed... ]
no subject
[ and his face screws up as he just barely notes that soren - likewise doesn't seem to be on the offensive. ]
[ he snatches out a risky hand out to the young man's shoulder, giving it a desperate squeeze of claws to draw his attention, as well as hopefully stop his progress elsewhere. notably, he seems to stooping behind the other dragon so as to hinder the onslaught against him alone. he stoops, eyes ablaze, and in an vicious-sounding hiss beneath his breath so that it can go unheard by any eavesdropping children, ]
You, too, are a fire dragon--?
[ because what is his luck, if so - but if not, he thinks he might have an, erm, unfortunate strategy ready. ]
no subject
but it doesn't seem that way. and he has gotten soren to stop. ]
No... [ he whispers. it's pretty obvious why he might think so, though, given his, er... rather pitiful struggles. ah... his snowball has fallen out of his grip and to the ground. ] But cold weather still makes me sluggish. There... must be a reason you ask.
no subject
There was...
[ he confirms, and he ducks just in time as yet another snowball arches their way -- instead of his face, it grazes his horns, causing it to fissure into ice chunks. there's an irritated huff of breath that clouds the air, a small flame flickering behind his fangs. ]
[ sorry, soren, apparently he's not done with trying to manhandle you...: he drops his hand from his shoulder to his sleeve, claws digging into the fabric. ]
Come with me—
[ he'll give soren a tug forward along with him, then, as he's determined to march directly, if at a weakened and thus slow pace, toward the children and their snow fortress. the least he hopes for is that their attentions remain divided between the two of them. ]
no subject
soren has half a mind to beg the fire dragon to let him piggyback a ride off him and fly him away from here, for his wings are rendered scarcely better than decoration thanks to his wrist cuff, or at least with the lift capability of a partridge's. it would be one thing if he were trying to book it together with soren in tow until they were beyond the children's scope of desire to pursue. but it doesn't look like they are steering away from the fray at all. no, they're headed straight for the snow castle garrison. this is the opposite of retreat.
that's his plan, isn't it? ruin their offense by destroying their defense and their largest stockpile? yes, in theory, that is the best way to conquer their enemies and reduce their strength, if not demoralize them with fright completely, especially since their ice palace can be melted down with just one plume... ...if they didn't care about whether a child or two gets burned in the process.
don't get soren wrong, here. it serves them right. they're brats, and if they are going to mess with a couple of grumpy dragons who hate snow and fun, they could stand to learn a lesson. he doesn't actually care about them. but he's on thin ice with the coven right now, and if any authorities catch wind that he's been correlated with the act of harming children, that could spell deep trouble for him. soren resists like a tiny old dog being dragged on its leash through a walk it doesn't want to be on. ]
Wait...! If... If you intend to use fire and end up harming any of the children, we might finish this with a rather, erm... pyrrhic victory. I can't afford to be caught guilty by association. Be careful!
no subject
[ viren listens to soren's plea, his pupils having expanded at the sight of -- his targets, a little smile pulling at the corners of his mouth in a way that catches on his fangs. there's a tremble, due to weakness, in his hold over soren. he glances to his
accomplicehostage, expression gentle with forced sympathy, and his response is coolly measured, ]Your concern is noted, and I'm sorry for your [ .. err ] predicament. But, they should have thought before assaulting two Dragons -
[ if more is to be said, he doesn't quite finish, because at that moment a snowball smacks him in the side of the head. fleck of ice slide down into his collar. decided, he takes a deep breath, the beginnings of flame glowing within his throat - ]
[ - and the fire ignites. notably, fortunately for everyone involved, the cold weather has done its work: it's a thin, strangled stream of fire, one that flickers with a precarious vitality. ]
no subject
the children shriek in preparation for their stronghold to erupt in flames and melted ice, ducking and evacuating depending on their current position and how much bravery they possess... but when they see what he's made of, their hollering reaches a more humored pitch. the snowballs proceed, but at a dwindled rate with the meeker, more cautious children unsure if they really want to keep messing with forces of nature. though soren hunkers close to viren's form for protection, he still tries to squirm free from his clutches. ]
...They deserted the fort in fear, at least. If we take it before they return, we could melt it down from the inside-out.
[ he certainly can't do anything to induce more fear in them as he is. ]
no subject
[ grip still clamped about the smaller dragon, he's going to trudge forward again - directly to their hideout. at least there's only a bit of this shoving about to be had... he does plan on releasing him once they're within the fort. at least, they're evidently of the same mindset of melting it from the inside-out. viren has always enjoyed his permanent solutions. ]
[ voice a growl, ]
Don't try to sabotage me again, boy.
no subject
[ soren stumbles along where viren drags him, his umbrage manifesting on his face more coldly than the temper of the fire dragon. he keeps tight lips, recognizing that sassing back to a furious dragon while unable to exactly defend himself is not the best of ideas
for once. but he stubbornly withholds any promise not to get in his way, either.this whole situation really is pathetic, isn't it? mighty dragons, rendered sluggish targets before mobs of children, who pose enough of a threat to his mobility that they could legitimately cause him to pass out if he vacates the shelter of the fort in this moment to leave viren to his own devices and they choose to bombard him. besides, he could stand a bit of heat right now, even if he's all but engulfed. soren glances around, apparently the only one concerned about burning kids, and catches a bit of movement ducking behind the massive pile of snowballs. a green woolen hat... a jolt of anxiety sparks in his chest. ]
Hold! There's still a child in here... Go on! Get out of-
[ a snowball sails over the mass and plops right on top of viren's head. ]