Intro Log: February

[faileas]

Intro Log: February

I. ARRIVAL 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. A moment later, you feel a tug, and you find yourself stumbling into a dark, musty room. Behind you, a mirror stands ornately decorated with reminders of home wrought in brass and wood: the faces of people you know, and symbols important to you; all things that send a pang through your chest with the desire to return to them. Touching the mirror's surface does nothing but leave the stain of your fingerprints. When you turn to survey the room, you find there are hundreds of other mirrors. None of them are as decorated as yours - they're plain and dusty, speckled with age. Then you realize a second thing: You're not alone. Distantly, the ringing bell of a clocktower can be heard. But no matter its distance, the time is clear to make out: it chimes three times, stark, resonating like a pulse of something in this mirrored hall that you and many others have found yourselves in. For those familiar with magic, they might feel the power of the witching hour upon them, though it will feel different from what they're used to - in fact, everything does. You're certainly not the only ones here, however. On the first floor, with the doors wide open behind them in the foyer, is a small group headed by two individuals. As people begin to arrive, to come from the higher floor, they're waiting - and they're waiting for you, and your questions. Explore the rest of the mirrored halls you've now found yourselves in, or proceed to the foyer? Leaving the Looking-Glass House makes it obvious that the clock striking three was for 3 AM - the night sky is faintly cloudy, but the stars are dim in the face of two moons, even so close to the new moon as it is. The Looking-Glass House is rather nondescript two-story cottage made of grey brick, sitting at the edge of The Coven's courtyard; stones which glow as you step on them mark the path to and from the two buildings. While fairly small and plain on the outside, the inside has been enchanted to be the size of a large library, with hundreds upon hundreds of mirrors hanging, standing, and resting inside its walls. Some are broken, some are cracked, and some seem completely uninjured - but all of them are just as plain as the cottage itself, showing age in the silver beneath their glass and in the greening of their metals... Well, all except a character's personal mirror; to characters, one mirror - the one they came through - will be decorated lavishly with metal-and-wood-wrought reminders of home, and the surface will be as clear as a brand-new mirror.

II. THE WELCOME PARTY Whether you've decided to find a way out of the building you've arrived in, or decided to explore the rest of the Looking-Glass House - and perhaps finding a few familiar faces among the crowd - you feel a pull towards the foyer of the first floor. It's like a firm suggestion, as if to take you by the hand and draw you to where it begins, and the source of it becomes quite apparent upon finding one's way to the front room: a tall, comfortably-dressed older woman and her even taller wolfish companion, along with those which feel to resemble yourselves in a world-traversing sense: Mirrorbound, they're called. "There's always a right lot of you coming in, aren't there." The woman sets her hands on her hips, with her Bonded casting a glance at those looking confused - newly arrived - and those who may have followed them in to talk to the newest addition of their mirrorbound bunch. "About time for introductions though- this here's Mhairi Ainsley, ambassador to the Parliament and my Bonded, and I'm Nerissa Bell, Head Witch of the Coven - but you can just call me Miss Nessie, you can," she adds, winking. "The lot of you must be as tired and confused as the last batch - hullo to those who've joined us, too! - so just a moment, dearests, I'll set all you right up—" With nothing more than a wave of her hand, rows of seats are summoned; despite their wooden nature, they're all sturdy and comfortable, filling the foyer and spreading out a ways into the lawn behind them, making room for all of the new arrivals as well as the previous batch. After all, they'll find this just as interesting. The Witches and Monsters that accompanied Nessie and Mhairi move to make room, and some disperse into the building itself to see if there's anyone who needs tending to. Mhairi steps forward as the chairs materialize. "Please, those who are able, join us for a moment. There are many questions that I'm sure you have - we will do our utmost best to answer them, and you may take any that we can't as a promise to find some sort of solution or answer." NOTE: If you wish to interact with Nessie and Mhairi, please comment here. You have the option of handwaving the IC interaction to OOCly ask what questions your character might have for them, or for us to summarize an answer. Simply specify in your comment's subject and we'll respond accordingly. For those that'd like a more player-based interaction, Aefenglom has its own Welcome Wagon under the same header! These are players who've volunteered for the role, and those that didn't sign up may assist as well if they'd feel their character would -- have fun, and make friends. Additionally, those with notable injuries or sickness will be attended to ASAP by Coven-based witches, and should anyone be curious about what they are - if they have magic potential, or if they swing a different way - then this can be done during this and the general hour or so the new arrivals are within the Coven's grounds. There are ongoing classes on magic, monsters, and Bonding as well, though they take place more during the day than at night - feel free to have your characters attend them at any time!

III. THE HAVEN After an hour or two of general chaos, questions that the natives attempt to help with, and injuries tended to for those who arrive in poor condition, it's time to make a trek to where you'll be staying while Nessie and Mhairi continue to search for a solution to the situation. As you're leaving with a few Bonded for guides, peculiar-looking devices - watches, the native Witches explain, compliments of Parliament - are passed around to all the new arrivals; they're given a quick rundown on their functions and bid to test them out when they can. They can even do it as they make their way out of the Coven's courtyard and to the Haven. Formerly part of the Aristocratic District, The Haven is just as well-kept and brightly-lit as the district it hails from. The houses err on the tall and ornamental-side, large enough to fit several families (or, according to the upper class, their one family, several dozen servants, and guests), especially closest to the Aristocratic District. They become a little more modest and smaller as one gets away from the realm of high society and nearer to the Residential District proper. Newcomers are shuffled here and invited to find somewhere to live - the Coven is currently handling expenses for the houses themselves in a program implemented by the Parliament, though if your character wishes to have anything extra - like maids, chefs, and so on - they'll have to pay for them themselves with their own earned money. Much of the landscape and fixtures are the same as in the Aristocratic Districts, though it lacks formal emergency services due to its roots as part of a district that already did. Much of the housing already has furnishing due to the speed at which homeowners were relocated; they were given enough time to collect their valuables, but standard furniture such as kitchenware, couches, beds, etc. were left behind for those moving in. Other houses appear the same, but the dust on the floors suggest these houses were left before the new arrivals even showed up - a reminder that the Cwyld can strike just about anyone, regardless of standing. Another portion of this district has been opened up to the new arrivals: the barracks, the row of buildings pressed against the very edge of the Bright Wall. As the city's military force no longer has the same presence it previously did, the barracks have gone into disuse, and a cleanup effort has been in place since before the new arrivals came through the Looking-Glass House. For those who desire something a little less opulent, the barracks might just be the answer. The barracks can also be used for business, for a welcome center, a communal space, for anything that the residents of the Haven see fit to use it for - so long as the legality isn't questionable, on the surface. To help with filling up the larger houses - and even some of the smaller ones, and the shared rooms in the barracks - the Witches put together a little roommate finding service, on a smaller scale from the grand opening of the Haven. For those who aren't entirely sure who they want to shack up with, they have a small survey for them to fill out and post on the board they've magicked up in the center of The Haven. The board also very helpfully reads aloud each form for everyone to hear in a cheerful, monotone voice. It isn't able to be shut up, nor is it easy to ignore, being imbued with a kind of amplification magic. It reads simply the information you've offered up yourself, or that someone might have written up for you, should that be their idea of fun.

IV. Faiolleach From the 1st to the 3rd of Feoveuer is the holiday of Faiolleach, a time of spring-cleaning and purification in preparation for the new solar year, of rebirth and youth. It comes at a fitting time, after the dark happenings of the previous month - happenings that most natives are not willing to discuss, except in hushed, sympathetic voices. It was horrible, you know, best to cast that negative energy out. They won't discuss the details, not being privy to them; that's for Mirrorbound to clue the new arrivals in on. Many who have been here longer, though, will notice that Mirrorbound do not receive such a negative response in the wealthier areas of town as they did before. The vast majority of citizens, wealthy elites included, are, at the very least, polite. Despite the storm cloud of the Rathmores' trial on the 3rd hanging over the city, citizens are trying to put on their cheerful faces to celebrate Faiolleach. Originally celebrating the arrival of the sun, it was represented by a daughter of heaven whose name has been lost to ages - many still leave small offerings of food and drink out to this mythical figure, believing it bad luck not to do so. This is mostly done by older natives; the younger generation brushes it off as superstition. They're much more excited about speed-dating parties set up around the city, and blind dating, encompassing the traits of good luck and fertility traditionally held by the holiday. a. Speed-Dating The popular Faiolleach trend among the youths of Aefenglom is speed-dating, normally held in small to mid-sized gatherings of similarly-aged humans and Monsters both. The parties are all independent, usually held at small restaurants or bars, or other local shops rented out for the occasion, and many try to out-do the others - different themes, costumes or dress codes, and magical gimmicks are present at different bashes. They all hold to a similar mechanic: party participants are encouraged to make the rounds and spend just a handful of minutes with each person, sharing information about themselves in order to determine compatibility, but the level of structure (casual to organized) and the types of icebreaker games differ wildly. Revelers in the streets are out to pull walk-in participation in whatever bash is going on nearby, but they back off easily if the person isn't interested. It's certainly not a required part of the holiday, but they're eager to see people having fun. Whatever a person's tastes or interests, it's probable they'll find a gathering to their liking; some are skewed more toward finding someone to Bond with or making a new friend rather than finding someone to date, while some held in the Red Light District are a little spicier, with lingerie or kink themes to their parties. Participation is all optional, but meeting new people, regardless of how, is highly encouraged. b. Bonfires After dark, on all three nights of Faiolleach, bonfires of different sizes are held, scattered around the city, the flames magically contained in circles of runes (to avoid more possible fire damage, with repairs still ongoing from last month). People gather around them to dance, sing folk songs, and share warming drinks with one another. Like the speed-dating parties, they vary wildly from area to area; some are folksy, all-ages affairs where grandmothers tut and offer hot chocolate to ward against the evening chill. A common children's and young adults' activity at these bonfires are decorating wands of white birch wood with ribbons and baubles, and using them in the group dances to create mesmerizing swirls of color and sparkle. Others, especially those in the Entertainment District, feature beautiful dancers of all species in fine silks and satins, performing dances that are a little more sultry. At the obviously-adults-only bonfires, the favorite drink passed around is alcoholic in nature, and lightly spiked with a potion to help the drinker lose some of their inhibitions and help them loosen up. These effects will be readily disclosed to anybody who is offered a cup, to let them choose for themselves - but hey, where's your sense of adventure? c. Light a Candle The 2nd of Feoveuer brings with it a more minor, but still well-loved tradition. As dusk falls, all candles in the city are lit, casting a warm glow from every window and on every street corner as the dark of night sets in. The flickering lights lining paths and shining in homes lend a more metaphorically-magical air to Aefenglom, bringing with it a sense of renewal and shared joy. Light a candle with loved ones and new bonds alike, and it's said to bring good fortune to your friendship or relationship. As the candles burn, several food vendors can be found selling a particular festival dish, a thin pancake topped with fruits, nuts, and cream, meant to be shared with someone by feeding it to them. For couples (or those pretending to be couples), often the vendors will offer the sweet treats for free with well-wishes for their future together.

V. Inkchanted For some time already this has been hailed as the opening day for Inkchanted, a Mirrorbound led tattoo parlor in the Harbor district that offers… well tattoos, but not normal tattoos: these are enchanted. It’s not a popular use of enchantment school, but it works nevertheless. With the use of special ink, runic spells are weaved into the tattoo’s design, which allows for various effects. For Witches, this can mean instant activation of spells without the need for chanting or gestures. Just run your magical energy through the design and the effect is instantaneous! For Monsters... that’s where things become interesting because Monsters also are granted use of that specific tattooed spell. The caveat is that the tattoo must be charged with Witch magic, or draw on magic stored in a sort of ‘battery’ they also have in the store. Said batteries are made of various jewelry or pendants, ranging from simple materials like copper and glass to more expensive made of silver and opals. Ink in the tattoos does not last forever, though; they will fade away entirely after reaching the limit of their use (which is said to be anywhere between 15-30 hours of continuous use, depending on the design’s size). A cheaper alternative to the tattoos are painted spells, with similar specialized paint to help them stick to the skin. Instead of a time limit, these have a limited number of uses and will disappear afterwards. That’s what it says on the paper, but a keen eye will notice that despite opening on the advertised day, there must have been some complications quite recently. There are signs of fire around the building, and any help with painting over them is greatly appreciated. Likewise, windows seem particularly new, and there are still shards of glass that could be found outside; anyone willing to help with this particular detail will be compensated by an old sailor named William who is renting the space to the young Mirrorbound, If asked what happened here recently, he becomes serious but tries to brush off the questions. When it becomes apparent that new Mirrorbound have appeared, the owners of the parlor scramble to find something for them to do, and thus end up encouraging a simple activity meant as practice for Witches and Monsters, both old and new. They offer a vast amount of magical energy batteries and encourage the Mirrorbound to form pairs, where one person fills the battery with magic, while the other attempts to siphon it out, cycling the energy this way. The only thing they ask is to have the batteries left fully filled. Soon, it turns out that the exercise might come with some side-effects, from getting memory-flashes of another person that used the battery, to sharing their emotional state or even simple thoughts. And should someone try and steal the magical battery… they might find themselves chased by one of the owners or… knocked right into the harbor’s water by a magical ward placed on the entrance if they don’t have a way to counter it! Note: More on this player-run business and its owners can be found on the Locations page! Big thanks to Shuu and Lena and co. for this prompt!

Welcome to the intro log! While mingling on the log itself is highly encouraged, feel free to make your own logs; take the prompts offered and go wild, go crazy, go stupid, have fun. The network system is free to use once characters have their watches as well; information on that can be found at the bottom of the Setting page, while any extra questions about it can be found in the FAQ index. Quests can be picked up now as well! While new characters will have to get settled in, you can go ahead and put your name on some by replying to the February's Quest Pickup thread on the Quest Board. Finally, if your character is getting into any Shenanigans, let the mods know and if you have any questions about the log, ask them here!

Comments

[reluctantradiance]

A monster? [ Ouch. ] Maybe they just don't see a lot of kitsune here. If that's the case, then I guess it makes sense that they wouldn't know any better...

[ Said in his usual gentle tone, of course. Kaden's plight is something that Yuma can definitely relate to. After all, he went through an extremely similar thing himself.

He looks away for a moment. Depsite his attempt at optimism, he can't help but feel a little bad anyway. They'd said something about him being a monster shortly after his arrival. Had they sensed the Dragon, somehow? Or was it something else? He really doesn't know. His worry for Kaden ultimately wins out over concerns for himself, though, so he doesn't dwell on it for very long.

Though he's quickly caught off guard by the next thing Kaden says. Yuma's not unused to praise, but he never really knows how to deal with it, and right now is no exception. ]

Huh? What makes you say that? [ So of course he defaults to this. ...his cheeks might be ever-so-slightly red, though. ]

[nishiki]

Guess I must be the first one to arrive... maybe.

[ but it wouldn't surprise him if he were the only one, as well. there's something to be said to have gone on a long war campaign, dragged along through the most unlikely of happenstances, to then be dropped into another trial by fire. except this time, he's alone? he's not sure.

at least he has someone willing to groom him, to treat him with selflessness and care. ]

Because you trusted me. We don't know each other, yet you're sitting right here! And I think I made the right choice in trusting you, too.

[ which is flattering and when combined with the brushing that yuma's been doing? he doesn't even make an effort to shield him from his own rosy cheeks. ]

So... I think I owe you a favor.

[reluctantradiance]

Of course I trust you. You don't seem all that bad to me.

[ Of course, he's only just gotten to know Kaden. And this is a pretty strange way to meet someone. And...he's never met a kitsune before. But even so, Kaden still seems okay to Yuma. He's had a tough time as a newcomer, but he seems to be holding up fairly well. Yuma can't really do much to help him with that, but he seems to be just fine with being brushed, so-

His eyes go wide, especially when he sees Kaden's face. Hang on. A...favor? ]

Oh, y-you don't have to, it's okay! I didn't really do anything...

[ Flustered, Yuma defaults to his usual modesty. Whether he's saving someone's life or just offering a simple act of kindness, he's never one to expect anything in return. ]

[nishiki]

Yes, a favor! You've been kind to me, so obviously I need to repay you somehow. Sometime.

[ his fur feels so nice? very fluffy? even if yuma's inexperienced, there's something to be said about getting brushed by someone with a hand familiar with doing good and kaden can just feel it radiating off of the other guy! or maybe it's just instinct, a gut feeling that the kitsune could rely on in times of need, and... kaden just needs other people to be around. ]

It's only fair. Maybe... maaaaybe...

[ he narrows his eyes as he thinks, only for them to widen in surprise. the light bulb is on. ]

I could brush your hair. Oh, but not with the same brush! I have a few with me.

[reluctantradiance]

[ Kaden's not really leaving Yuma with a lot of room to say no, is he? Not that Yuma's opposed to a favor, but he really doesn't think he's earned it.

He's still trying to parse it when Kaden offers a suggestion. Brush...his hair? ]

Huh?! [ His eyes go comically wide with surprise, his cheeks flushing red. How does he even respond to that? Not that he's entirely opposed, and Kaden sure seems like a nice enough person...but he's only just met him, and that's quite the favor to offer in response. ]

Y- Wha- B-Brush my hair?

[ He's completely struggling with words now. He can't remember the last time anyone other than his mother brushed his hair, and that was...painfully long ago. He has absolutely no idea what to make of the offer. ]

[nishiki]

[ oh he looks positively... well, red. very red. will he explode? kaden blinks a few times, albeit this time with a nervous and almost apologetic smile on his face. the last thing he wants to do is kill yuma with kindness! ]

Maybe! But I'm sure I could find something else to do for you, if that's too much. I don't want to make you uncomfortable.

[ because yuma already looks like he is, so... ]

I could give you one of my brushes. [ a beat: ] No, I could find one for you. That makes it more special, right?

[ and then he leans toward yuma. ]

Is that better?

[reluctantradiance]

[ Whew, okay. At least that's one awkward situation averted. Not that he doesn't appreciate it, but that's a favor that Yuma wasn't sure he was ready for. And Kaden's alternative sounds pretty gooOOOKAY HI THERE ]

Ah-

[ That sure was sudden. After his mind clears up a bit - Yuma's a little awkward about this, but he doesn't move away; he doesn't want to upset Kaden - he finally manages a nod. ]

S-Sure, that sounds great. Thank you, Kaden.

[ He may still be a bit flustered, but he does sincerely mean that. After all, he can kinda see how this sort of thing holds a lot of meaning for Kaden. ]

[nishiki]

[ it's not his fault he has this weird and sometimes uncontrollable urge to just... get in people's faces without warning! at least he's not begging for food or something, right?

he gasps...! ]

You're welcome, Yuma! I'll make sure it's something perfect and one that suits you perfectly.

[ he can already imagine one that matches his hair color? or something a little more muted and subtle, that would fit perfectly in his hand.

and then he laughs to himself. ]

It's been a long time since I've been able to do things like this. Favors, anyway.