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
Sorry for what, go off my dude, go off, I need my big brain so sorry if this one sucks ><
Of course, things can never go exactly according to plan, it is never that simple and probably never will be, but that does not stop the swordsman from wishing. Crap, it’s not working, and all Yamamoto can do is register that; he does not notice that Gokudera is nicked; all he sees is Knight going for his friend. Jirou is straining against Larry’s hold to rush in front of the other boy. Then he’s barking; the Rain stops in his tracks for a moment.
What the.
The bombs, the groans, the reckless abandon he is fighting with, those are all Gokudera; he knows them even if they irritate him; what he is not used to is the absolute feral way he is responding like a dog to the Knight?
He shakes it off after a second, swiping in when his blade slams into the Knight’s back; he tries to bring the other in and knock his sword from his hand. Except, there is a clang as steel meets armor, distinctly like a bell chiming. It vibrates up his arm, but he has endured that before and would persist, except the Knight turns on him at that moment.
“Hahaha! It looks like it’s you and me now.” He is laughing, but every part of him is battle-ready, if he can’t defeat him, he can at least try to disarm him, and thankfully he is only relying on skills he already has. Though lacking his flames' strength, he is no slouch and has trained his body to where his movements are muscle memory.
Jirou struggles harder, trying to get in front of Gokudera, it seems as if the dog understands what is wrong, while the Black Knight reaches out, grabs Yamamoto, his blades are pesky, and the Knight does not seem to care for them. He raises the swordsman and sends him flying; he slams into the ground about a foot away, the breath knocked from him but his familiar taking the brunt of it, materializing into a wolf beside him after, he’ll probably be bruised a bit.
The problem being, now the Knight can focus on the annoying barking boy, the dog, and the familiar, and Yamamoto unfortunately still does not realize Gokudera is without his magic, or he would get to his feet faster. As it is, he draws in several heavy breaths and is pulling himself up, ready to go back into battle but expecting his friend to be alright in the short term.
lol big brain tags right here!
He has no idea why he's barking but it's just... a natural reaction? The noise leaves him much like a yell or an insult, a command to stay back and a cry for help when he yelps. Gokudera's on his hands and knees, the blood on his shoulder hidden behind the dark of fabric he wears.
The clang of metal is like a shock, like he'd been under some kind of hypnosis that made him act like a dog, and now suddenly he's wondering why he did such a thing. Like a pendulum, his manners swing back and forth. The sound of the Black Knight approaching him registering ominously, metal steps in snow, plates clanking together. Dog, boy, dog, boy. Gokudera doesn't know what he's doing, but he's back to burying dynamite. There's no problem, but the manner he digs and buries changes, and then he's on his feet as the Knight swings his sword again. Gokudera tumbles towards him and sticks several bombs to his legs, then dashes behind him and drops a few more.
He's running faster than he's ever felt himself move and throws himself into cover with Larry and Jirou, the familiar cloaking them as the bombs go off, and luckily or not, with the knight having thrown Yamamoto aside, he's not within the blast radius. Gokudera's panting, arms around his familiar for support as air and heat rush against his back and melt the snow around them.
The earth beneath them shudders from the explosion and the trees that surround the clearing drop piles of snow, one landing to hide Yamamoto, completely burying him in a thin layer so he can be hidden unless he chooses to move and brush it off.
The Knight is prone, down for the moment, but Gokudera is not facing him, knows that if he makes a noise, he'll give himself, Jirou, and his famliar away. He can only hope that there's enough time for Yamamoto to rush in and take the Knight's sword.
Best kind! now that I you know have a brain.
He knows he made a mistake; he also knows now he left his companions exposed; he is dazed for a few moments, snow-covered a bit disoriented, till he hears barking. It’s not Jirou, no it’s still Gokudera, and it shocks the swordsman out of his slight stupor. It’s on him now; all he can do is keep the Knight’s attention, find his opening and knock the sword toward Gokudera to grab or grab it himself.
Either way, he comes up out of the snow, blades moving in tandem as he makes his forward movement toward the Knight. “Hey, you big hunk of metal, over here!” He taunts, wanting to draw attention to himself despite a slight ringing still in his ears. Once the Knight is coming for him, Yamamoto compartmentalizes two goals, keep him away from Gokudera, Jioru and Larry and get the sword.
Suddenly the Knight lunges, and Yamamoto gets his blade up in time to deflect it, metal against metal clanging through the empty field again as the swordsman grunts, being shoved back, jumping an extra couple inches and batting the incoming sword aside also. “Too slow, need to oil your joints.” Rather it’s the taunts or the fact that he is blocking those attacks; he will keep up; the more wildly he can get the Knight to attack at him, the better chances he has of knocking his blade from his hand.
it's here! Not always big or working!
When the swords clang again, he's not necessarily hit with clarity, but confusion about what he'd been doing burying the dynamite like a dog. If he'd left them on the floor, that would have spared him more time to put in more distance. There is no panicking as he hears Yamamoto calling out, and he pushes himself up slightly, checking on the dog and his familiar, then trying to make a shield bubble for the Rain Guardian.
No matter what, though, he's just holding his hands apart and nothing is happening. Gokudera looks at Larry, who is still coiled oddly to block Jirou from jumping in. The creature no longer seems concerned for him, but then, no one is in as much trouble as Yamamoto. Gokudera motions his hands as if trying to lift up a square of snow like a rug, and nothing happens, so he's left watching and feeling useless, uncertain how Yamamoto will fell his foe, or if he's supposed to wait for an opening to rush in and grab the weapon. Gokudera watches their swords clang again and has to clap a hand over his mouth.
"GGGgggrrrrrrrr" Thankfully Larry is still cloaking them... somehow.
It is now or at least I hope so!
Getting that sword without getting struck is only possible if the other swordsman is not as skilled as Yamamoto. The problem, this is an Immortal Knight; he's got skill.
By now, the swordsman has taken the Black Knight in a circle and got him as far from his companions as he can in the clearing. Wishing he had some way to tell Gokudera or Jirou what he intends to do.
Not sure what is going on with Gokudera, neither the barking nor that his magic is not working. He is too busy, parrying blades with black knight and watching for his opening. The ting, ting of swords clashing is heard over and over again. Steel nicking skin here and there on the hitman, his blade clashing against the armor the Knight wears.
Then he has it, one, blades crash, the sound echoes, two he steps in, pivots, locking the blades together, three he slams a kick into the black knight while pushing up with his sword. It works, he's able to free the sword, and he puts all his strength into hitting it away, toward Gokudera while the Knight gains his feet.
"Gokudera, grab it! I'll keep him back.." Because even unarmed, it seems the Knight will keep coming, trying to get to the swordsman and the blade he is blocking the path to.
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Yamamoto's sword style is undefeated, but this isn't a battle to the death. Of course an immortal knight has skill, but he has to adapt his sword forms into disarming rather than killing, and Gokudera would understand how difficult a handicap like that can be, considering his own choice of weapon has little to no means of being scaled down in destruction.
The clash of blades over and over has Gokudera flipping back and forth, but he's holding himself back, not sure what he should do now that Yamamoto is actively knocking the sword out of the Knight's hands. He rushes forward and grabs it, then looks back at Larry.
The Ogopogo gives a strange warbling noise and fires bubbles all around Yamamoto to aid in deflecting the Knight, to literally push him back and create more space. Gokudera starts running, hoping the other Guardian will take this opportunity to follow him, and then they can use the surrounding woods to help hide them in their escape.
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Lucky for the swordsman, he is a natural, and adapting is like second nature to him. If not, this entire thing could have ended a lot worse. Once he knows Gokudera has that sword, he focuses everything he has on the Knight.
The Gokudera's familiar joins in, his own materializing and racing away, the swordsman pivots. He is graceful as ever, even he feels the twinges from some of his injuries, a few good cuts, some bruises but nothing feels broken, and even if it was it does not matter.
He is running full tilt in pursuit of his companions and his familiar is slipping behind him to keep the Black Knight at bay should he try and advance again. After running a good distance he skids to a stop.
"Wait! I think we lost him.." They should get the sword to that woman and hope it stops the storm the swordsman thinks, everything else, like what's wrong with Gokudera and his injuries can wait.
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Larry seems to be gone, lost in the way it is creating distractions to completely cloak off what direction the boys have gone. There are no footsteps to be seen, and it’s all a trick of the eye.
Yamamoto is right to think they’ve lost their pursuer, and Gokudera’s still somehow dog-brained. The frequency of metallic sounds having lengthened the stretch of time the curse would normally linger act. As though someone set a timer for thirty minutes, then reset it upon each noise. He’s stopping hearing his companion call out, then approaches Yamamoto to check on him. It’s not obvious what he’s doing, because he’s not talking, but there’s a gently puzzled look on his fatigued face. He holds the sword firmly, one edge rested against his shoulder. It’s a heavy broadsword, a weapon befitting the Knight they fought, that would obviously do much more damage with a swing or stab than resting. Gokudera would consider it dull compared to Yamamoto’s Shigure Kintoki.
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The Akita bounds to the hitman, Yamamoto chuckling as he sratches the top of his head, stopping him from jumping on him with a simple command.
He watches Gokudera approach, most of the injuries are well hidden and minor enough that it is not even honestly immediately apparent, save for some blood on his shirt here and there.
"You okay?"
He inquires, not sure what is going on with Gokudera and the erratic dog like behavior but still smiling at his friend all the same. As he straightens up, he wishes he could activate Shigure Kintoki, that would have been much easier with the familiar blade in his hands. Maybe eventually he can find a way to make it turn steel again.
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“Woof.” He answers, then offers the Black Knight’s sword to the swordsman. Seems like an appropriate thing to do.
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What concerns him the most, how Gokudera is acting. "We need to see a healer..." Not because of the injuries, no a regular old doctor could fix those up but maybe one can help Gokudera he thinks as he reaches out, winding his fingers around the Black Knight's sword. The swordsman in him can not resist testing its weight, he does not care for it, too heavy, it would hinder his movements. He'll stick with his own style.
He reaches in his pocket and pulls out the vial they were given, he pours it out and has to chuckle when the whirlpool appears, swirling wildly he drops the sword in and it is swallowed with a quickness, the water, seeming to sink into itself and disappear.
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They reach Camelot in about fifteen minutes. All the while the baseball idiot chattering on about random things.
"How about we go to the clinic." Because he is pretty sure his friend needs a healer but there is no forcing Gokudera Hayato and he knows that. The strangest thing of all, he is just, in general, reminding the other teenager of Jirou.
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"Why? You hurt?" The bomber has a scratch on his shoulder, but it's nothing a first-aid kit can't fix. They must have made it out of the fight victorious, but he's bothered that he can't really remember it.
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It's strange, to say the least how the bomber seems to just return to normal. For a split second Yamamoto wonders if he imagined that part.
"I'm okay, he didn't get me that bad. I meant for you." He chuckles here, though it has a nervous, sheepish quality to it " You don't remember acting like a dog?"
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"I don't remember much of anything after his first swing, actually. Did he knock me out?" Acting like a dog? Who does that?
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He really does not want to do that right now, since after all, they got the sword, they succeeded. So it's a victory. Finally, he just grins, like he always does.
"Nope, you started barking and I think you were digging and hiding your dynamite."
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He just shakes his head at him. It's just too odd to think about right now. "Maybe there was some magic that did that?"
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So maybe it was just a fluke, brought on by the Black Knight and he does seem okay now, the swordsman thinks a moment then chuckles, props his hands behind his head, and starts walking again "Yeah, we better let Tsuna know, in case someone tries to use it on him or something."
And because if it comes down to something needing to be done about it, the swordsman will try but he also knows, Gokudera at this time is going to listen to Tsuna and no one else.
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He will also keep an eye on his friend, make sure the other boy doesn't suddenly start acting like a dog again or get himself hurt in some way from it. After all, when he started barking it was like the bomber went off his game completely, he was acting like a dog.
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"Then we won't have to worry about it. It's fine if the Tenth knows. Not like we didn't do what we set out to."
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"Hopefully he's back at the room, if not we can tell him when he gets back." Either way, that is the direction the swordsman is heading, the cellars should be evacuated right, with the swords being handed over the storm should abate.