As the moon rises on the 21st, all non-emergency businesses will be closing early as the Winter Solstice celebrations are of the utmost importance. Those who participated in the ritual will feel the night is different in their very being. Anyone who participated in the Winter Ritual preparations will be immortal for the next 24 hours. No harm may come to them, they will not be affected by the cold, and their magic will be amplified significantly as they are currently a conduit for the world's magic. Everyone, regardless of whether they participated in the preparations or not, is welcome to partake in tonight's festivities as there are many ways in which the Winter Solstice is celebrated.
The most significant event of the night is the Solstice Night Run. If you didn't participate in the ritual, you may be able to get a hit off of someone's Everwarm to participate. At the edge of the City of Camelot, heading into the Brocéliande, characters will be asked to remove their clothing (or if they aren't comfortable with that, change into very light robes provided by local donations) to return as close to a natural state as possible, then run through the forest. As characters run through the forest, despite everything being covered in ice and snow, the woods will begin to come alive. Will-o-wisps sprout out of the snow and shake the frost off, floating in the air to provide lights throughout the forest. The trees seem to move and dance as you pass by, flurries pick up, and even some animals will start running alongside you. It's a celebration for all, as magic flows through your body as becomes part of the forest.
Inevitably, somehow, someway, those participating in the run all end up reaching what seems to be a crack in the ground, slabs of rock surrounding a stream of water flowing through the crack. This is the fairy fountain of Barenton, a crack in the fabric of Avalon that connects its waters to other worlds. Though it's currently unable to connect now due to the time freeze, some of the fairy folk running with you will happily let you know that some of its powers are still in tact-- try sprinkling some water on the stone slab nearby. As the waters trail down the slab and form a puddle on the floor, the drops from your hand will open a vision of a treasured memory. Anyone near you will be able to see it, so only do it if you're willing to share. There are many other uses, but since you're still very new, this is the only one they're willing to share for the moment. Regardless of whether you choose to use that form of magic or not, as you approach the fountain, it will begin to bubble and glow, and lights like an aurora borealis will begin to glow around you as your connection to Avalon deepens. You'll be able to feel the life of the forest, a connectedness to the world you've likely never felt before. Every leaf, the wind, every living being, the magic in the fabric of the world, is a part of you and you are a part of it.
As the night presses on, a large number of fairies begin to form fairy circles, both in the forest and back in the City-- so you needn't have participated in the run to find one. Toadstools and flowers sprout up through the snow that hadn't been there before, forming near-perfect circles in nature. Stepping into one, whether on purpose or on accident, will shrink you down to the pixies' size so you can dance with them, if you promise to keep going for the whole dance. The dance lasts about 20 minutes straight and there don't seem to be any rules besides keep moving around the fairy circle, even if you bump into someone. In the last minute of the dance, pixies will fly above the circle and sprinkle dust over the whole party. Anyone who completed the dance will be returned to their normal size and granted the ability to fly for the duration of the witching hour of 2-3am. You'll be invited to drink with them afterward, if that's your thing, but will not be offended if it isn't.
Not completing the dance despite stepping into their circle, being rude to the pixies, or attempting to stop anyone who is dancing will anger the pixies. Pixies are a tricksy bunch, so you'd be better off avoiding this, but if a character happens to get on their bad side, there are a few different types of pixie curses they may be inflicted with:
Small Soul: They simply won't return you to your normal size. You may need to find some other way to remedy this, or else you may be spending some time quite small. This can be fixed by a person with healing magic and a simple healing spell, as the spell wasn't originally meant to last this long to begin with.
Pixy-led: The pixies will upset your center of gravity for the rest of the night. Though in reality, there's nothing going on, you may have a huge sense of Spinning Vertigo for the next hour or so. Good luck getting home! You may want to find help. The way to break this spell is to put your coat on inside out, so you'll have to find someone willing to share that with you- the pixies might if you promise to give them something good.
Bellbark: Until broken by anti-magic, any time your character hears a bell, they will mentally act like a dog for the next half-hour. This will last beyond the span of the event until your character is able to get their hands on a counter-curse potion, so be wary if you choose this one for your character. As the night winds down, anyone who had participated in the ritual will find themselves rather suddenly sleepy regardless of where they are and may fall asleep as if under a spell right there out in the snow. They'll wake up normally in the morning, the land having used their slumber as time to finish off its work using you as a conduit. Don't worry, those under the influence of the ritual's effects won't catch cold or anything... though, we can't guarantee anything with those pixie effects-- they weren't really harmful, after all, just irritating. Anyone who fell asleep outside will find that the snow has melted in their area for about 5 feet and bright green plants have started sprouting around them on the ground, some vines growing around their limbs but ultimately nothing that can't be brushed off easily.
It would appear that while it was a permitted act during the Winter Solstice, the fae who may have told you about that little trick with the fountain and the pedestal may not have shared the whole story. As it turns out, the slab that everyone was trickling water onto is a stone known as Merlin's Step. Merlin's Step, when a little bit of water is sprinkled upon it, summons rain. When a lot of people put water on it, it summons a huge thunder storm. It is certain to, as many of the fairies are happy to attest, wash away the freezing snow so they can move about freely during the winter again. Fae often have ulterior motives, even if they're often coupled with good intentions. This may have gone a little beyond their expectations, however, as enough people have done it that the storm has brought about torrential rains and hail, frequent zaps of lightning, and strong winds. Most people are being urged and ushered into cellars throughout the city as the hail has been causing injuries, breaking windows, and the lightning is strong enough that it's been striking the ground frequently. You may end up crammed together in a small, dark room while a storm rages outside with little to do except what's in the cellar-- eat canned foods, play old board games, dust of a.. uh oh, is that a Ouija board? Get creative and have fun with what you think could be in the cellar you end up in.
After what seems like most of the day, the storm is still raging on, but the next moment you find still water, the Lady of the Lake's face shows up, with another woman beside her. The Lady of the Lake's ability to communicate via water is being used to reach everyone at once. The Lady doesn't say anything, once she's got it live, well aware that they're short on time as the lake surface is choppy and dangerous right now. They have a limited time above the surface to speak, so she leaves it to the woman with her. |
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isleofavalon2020-12-20 12:32 am
3
Then he shook his head. "Nothing yet." He peeks at the book at the man's hip. "I think when the Black Knight shows up one of us would do well to be the distraction." And the other person can try to knock the sword out of its hand.
How he wishes he had a bow and some arrows...
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For his part, he casts his gaze about their surroundings. If he could find a suitably sturdy material to serve as a weapon, perhaps he could fashion a makeshift one for himself.
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sorry for wait!
"Sneaking about is not usually my preferred method but I can make do. Alchemy is not terribly suited to combat, but mayhap my familiar can add a bit of chaos should the fight begin to go awry for you."
In investigating the practical applications of his new magic, he had taught it how to create earthen pillars, form crude, stone hammers and other odd things. So theoretically, he hoped it ought to be able to make them on the fly from the forest's natural resources.
For everything else, he had his grimoire.
"So, let us have you be the bait. If you can lure it near the stony outcrop over that way then my familiar and I can attempt to pierce its armour and hold it fast so that we may take its sword," he said.
no problem!
"I guess we have a plan then. And perhaps later when we're done you could show me a bit more of your alchemy. I don't think I've met anyone with such magic yet."
He was very curious about it.
Though, before he could ask more, his ears picked up on the sound of footsteps. He had cast a physical enhancement spell on himself earlier, something to strengthen hearing that he's been practicing with single-minded focus since he discovered it was a possibility. It didn't give him a large advantage but his hearing was noticeably improved and the Black Knight was still far enough that he probably wouldn't have picked up the sound of armoured footsteps yet normally.
"I can hear it coming." He shifted his weight a little so it would be easier to stand, a quick gesture to his familiar has her spreading her wings a little to take a spot in the tree branches. "I'll meet you at there."
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Deciding to place his trust in the other man, Emet-Selch skulked away as quietly as he could and headed for the rocky location. The heavy rain meant drawing anything new with chalk would be fruitless, but that was what he had his book and familiar for. He just had to make sure he kept the former mostly dry until the time came - which was a feat easier said than done when coats didn't come with book-sized pockets.
Reaching the stony outcrop crouched in place so he could begin to visualise how to trap the knight. Piercing metal would be a tall order. Perhaps getting several spears of rock to lock the knight in place...? They did not need to keep it trapped permanently; only long enough to steal its sword.
Nodding to himself, he crouched down and began murmuring instructions to his familiar, drawing circles in the mud for the creature to learn and test before the knight drew near. One could never be too prepared.
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The footsteps were coming closer. He turned up to his familiar who was above him in the trees. "I'll give you a signal to jump him. When we start leading him away, you go ahead." So that they would know they were coming.
He considered whether he would prefer the element of surprise but, all things considered, there really wasn't a place for him to hide and still maintain a good stance. So he stood and walked into the clearing. It's fine. This wasn't a fight he needed to win. He was only bait.
It wasn't long before the Black Knight was close enough that he could pick out the shape of him in the shadows of the trees. He raised his sword in preparations and, unbidden, he remembered Gu Yun's words.
Those who don't want to die will die first. So he held his stance even as the Black Knight came closer and, when he was within reach he darted forward with a swing of his sword. It is blocked but he's quick to pull back and try again.
His strikes are precise and without much flair: practical. But his arms have strength behind them as he parries and attacks. He traded blows with the Black Knight, trying to draw it out to give his companion more time to set up in case it was needed. When he managed to maneuver their positions so the Black Knight's back was to where his pixiu was waiting in the tree, teeth bared and hunched over, ready to pounce, he shouted. "Now!"
And she didn't need to be told twice before she jumped on the Black Knight. Claws couldn't pierce metal but it didn't need to. All she needed was to knock him off balance enough to give Chang Geng a moment dart around him and run for the agreed upon out-cropping of rocks. His familiar pushed off the Black Knight, turning in the air before spreading her wings to fly.
As they agreed, she bypassed him as he ran and will reach the meeting place first, making a circle in the air in warning.
Chang Geng has mind enough to note that, at least this time, he wasn't running in a blizzard and rather than a pack of wolves he was just running from one man.
And he wasn't alone either this time.
He ran and as he entered the area where their trap was supposed to be laid he didn't say anything. Hoping that his familiar being sent ahead will be enough and not wanting to alert the Black Knight that anything was amiss.
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He instructed his gwiber to remain out in the open and then hid himself behind a lower section of rock, keeping out of sight.
In time, even he could hear the loud clanking of the metal knight in pursuit. His familiar barked and hopped in place once the swordsman burst out of the treeline, indicating where they should lead the knight. Then it took to the air to hover out of reach, ready to spring their trap.
Sorry for the late reply!
Without knowing the exact spot where the trap will be sprung, he kept running to avoid giving their plan away, only stopping when he hears a change to the metallic footsteps of the knight behind him and turn around, his sword held up defensively just in case anything didn't work out.
no worries, I just came off several long days of work myself o/
Beneath its armoured feet, the stone outcropping suddenly hollowed out as thick, angled spires shot out around the knight. They met roughly in the centre, effectively trapping their quarry from the neck down. The gwiber quickly beat a retreat - the knight's sword was already starting to chip away at the stone despite limited room to swing. This prison was only as strong as its source after all.
"There!" Emet-Selch shouted.
work is rude like that
He had practised how under the watchful (and ever exacting) eye of Old General Zhong, to hook the pommel over the wrist and twist...but with the stone prison limiting how the Knight's arm moved it also limited his ability to twist it into a position where he had to let go.
So, in a split second, Chang Geng stepped in, lifted his sword and, aiming for the weak-spot where the joint is, he cut the arm off without hesitation.
He kicked the fallen arm away at the same time his pixiu swooped down from the air to grab the sword in her mouth.
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"Quickly, let us send the sword on." He gestures at his familiar and it swoops down, alighting with another of its odd barks. This time a bowl forms out of some loose rocks. Into this, Emet-Selch will pour out the contents of the vial.
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Ignoring the struggling knight in the background, he waits for the vial to be poured into the bowl before he lowers it in. He isn't careful for the sake of the sword but because he wasn't sure he wanted to get any of that water on himself.
The moment he lets it go, there's a faint glow from the water then the sword vanishes.
The Black Knight, however, is still there and, Chang Geng can only assume, none-too-pleased about what's just happened.
"We should go before he managed to get out of that trap."
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Whistling to his familiar, he points at the knight. The gwiber takes flight and launches itself at it with a snarl. Emet-Selch, meanwhile, starts running for the trees.
"Quickly! While it's distracted!"
I....forgot the familiar was the one holding the sword. Oops. Also sorry for how late this is!
With a brief nod, he follows suit and heads for the trees.
His pixiu landed, planting herself between them and the knight, her stance low to the ground in case the knight managed to get loose and go after them.
Chang Geng can run pretty fast and he's tall to boot. But he also makes sure to match his companion's speed if it is slower.
"Once we're sure we've lost it we can head back into town."
we can pretend the familiar dropped it in :')b
The distant cracking of stone as it shatters is alarming, but it seems the knight is not pursuing them. Emet-Selch slows and eventually stops, doubling over as he wipes rain off his face.
"My thanks," he pants. "I hope 'twas enough to end this inclement weather.
retcon is the name of the game!
"If not end it, hopefully our contribution would help work towards that outcome." His familiar decided to rub her head against him, clearly demanding attention and doesn't stop until Chang Geng reaches out to pet her on the head.
"So that was alchemy. I hadn't seen it in use before." But he'd certainly read about it.
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And even then, he still had to devise something unique for this situation. His gwiber trots up and starts making curious noises at the other man's familiar.
"Without your help, I would have struggled to obtain the sword. You have my thanks," he says sincerely.
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The pixiu, while friendly, seems to be ignoring everyone and everything until she'd gotten her fill of attention from Chang Geng.
Only then does she turn to look at the other familiar, her long tail flicking...once, twice...before she goes back to rubbing her head against Chang Geng's legs.
He gives her an exasperated look, before looking back up.
"I can say the same. It would have been difficult to manage that on my own."
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He ignores the creature, shrugging at the other man. "I suppose it is. 'Tis certainly useful for repairing broken items. I can simply walk down to the beach and make whatever glassware I please."
To him, it is an inferior magic to that which he wielded back home. Alchemy is limited to the inorganic realm.
"I must head back before my friend begins to worry for me. May I know your name?"
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