isleofavalon | EVENT ✨ The Summer Solstice

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EVENT ✨ The Summer Solstice

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This is the event log for IC comments only! Ask OOC questions/plot/view event notes HERE or use the FAQ for general questions. Click here to view top-level comments only. A poll to collect results of the trials will be posted this weekend and stay open until the end of the month to give people a little time to see how their threads are going.

KEY POINTS

Celliwig responds-- y'all barely passed, so they kidnapped everyone and brought them to Celliwig for the summer solstice.

The summer solstice ritual is about renewing the sun and moon within a sacred fountain called Diamond Falls within Celliwig, which requires large-scale magics to essentially create a sun and moon cycle for the following year for Avalon, which exists outside of normal space and time.

Not everyone is happy about Celliwig opening back up, and some cursed spirits cross the river to attack the homecoming trip.

There have been some whispers about the summer solstice, but for some reason, Camelot doesn't seem to have put in as much effort for the summer solstice as they do for the other solstice and equinoxes. If anyone had asked around town, they'll say that the sun always seems to come out after they banish the water spirits, so there isn't much to do for it. A few of the more elderly fae around town seem to say there's a lot to do about it, but not to worry about it and just enjoy the time off. Even more silent has been the results of the trials. It seems as though it's bound to be a quiet June, relative to the last couple of months.

At least until the morning of the 20th. The sun has yet to rise, though birds have started their morning rounds and chirping. Rather suddenly, the entire atmosphere goes completely white, as if everyone has been enveloped by the sun itself. It's too bright to keep your eyes open, though if you'll try to squint through it you'll notice the entire ground is enveloped in shadow despite the impossible blinding light all around before you're pulled down into the darkness within a matter of seconds.

Regardless, when you open your eyes next, everyone has been teleported to a strange-looking park. The trees seem to be made of ceramic, blossoming strange, pure black leaves. Those with green magic will be able to tell the trees are alive and well, despite their odd appearance, and once out of the park, it may become more apparent where everyone is: A city beautiful and glistening, its buildings made of crystal and glass. Welcome to Celliwig, the Splendored Court. And this time? Their doors are open.

Explore: Celliwig
Celliwig is a city that's hidden with a large-scale glamour that causes it to look like a shanty-town from the outside. Those with permission to enter, however, will find that the city is actually a splendorous city made entirely of crystals and glass of all kinds. At its center is the Hall of Mirrors, which is typically closed to the public and guarded by a strange old man with huge, rippling muscles of at least 7 feet tall and a long, scraggly beard. Some may recognize him as the man from the #ChaliceChallenge trial, but he'll mostly ask you to call him Glewlwyd (the IV, but you can drop the number.)

Everything in the city appears to be open now, in contrast to the city mostly hiding away during the first visit. It isn't too crowded, but there are people out and about, and they seem to be less wary. The popular fashion seems to be styles similar to gothic lolita/aristocrat and cyber lolita/aristocrat, largely in black, white, or gray with sparks of color for accent that make each outfit unique to its wearer, and each person seems to have an almost airy, ethereal nature to them. They seem humanoid, and yet distinctively not human, gliding around rather than walking. There aren't too many typical dogs and cats around as pets, but snow-white ferrets and owls seem to be the popular animal companion of choice, often being carried around with their owners. There are also wild hamsters with tiny, useless wings that seem to run around during the day, so please watch your step. (They are fairies who used to be able to fly, but their wings seem to have gone the way of the appendix.)

Music seems to be largely string in nature, though it can range from calm and peaceful to sometimes more familiar music styles. It is played more openly in areas like the park or shopping centers by musicians who simply wish to share their sound, but outside of those designated areas it is mostly quiet in nature, save for the clamor of the newly transported guests from Camelot.

Celliwig's restaurants typically serve molecular gastronomy versions of food, and alcoholic drinks seem to come in vapor form and flashes of light if ordered, but seem effective nonetheless. Stores in general are open now, though except for a singular general store, seem to be very specific in nature. If you're going to a magic store, there is one specific store for crystals, one specific store for hand-crafted woodcrafts (wands, staffs) to better direct magical energy, a store for vegetables that's peculiarly separate from the store for fruit and the store for fish and the store for cooking supplies (which again, are all oriented toward molecular gastronomy-- good luck finding a whisk, enjoy your nitro whip canister), and so on.

Of note toward the entrance of town is a very large waterfall fountain that seems to be made of massive amounts of diamond, with inscriptions and a plaque toward the front. The plaque reads "Those who walk only in the light miss the truths hidden in the dark." This is of particular note given the invitation extended to all devices in the area:

Welcome to Celliwig. Tonight we celebrate the summer solstice. Having Barely Passed your trials, we ask you to participate in this sacred ritual before we grant safe passage and open communication with Queen Elphame. To the north of the park you arrived in, a hotel is prepared for your stay free of charge for the night. At sundown, come to the Diamond Falls. Be warned, thieves: The Diamond Falls are sacred, and thus cursed.

Those who try will experience a curse that causes food and drink to turn to ash in their mouth and an inability to experience pleasure, heal from injuries, or die. While they appear normal in the sun, the moonlight will reveal their true nature-- no matter how gruesome that gets, and will only be lifted when the sacred diamond is returned. Drinking water from the fountain is fine though, and if drunk can heal all wounds, regrow limbs, and get rid of scars so long as the drinker stays within the walls of Celliwig. The sacred water's effects wear off outside of the Splendored Court, unfortunately. Characters can ask around and Celliwigians will tell them this information freely, as they are quite proud of their splendor.

Those who choose to participate in the summer solstice rituals and show up at the Diamond Falls on time will first be offered a drink from the fountain, though it is not necessary to take the sip. (You may choose whether or not your character was informed of the effects of drinking the water ahead of this decision, if you want them to do so but they would not on their own.) After the drinking, a number of Celliwig's citizens will engage in a dance that rapidly picks up pace until they go into a trance, glowing magical energy starting to flow out of their bodies and create an almost solar flare-esque glow before they collapse to the ground. Not a moment later, the earth shakes and the ground begins to open up beneath the fountain, the waters draining down over a staircase that opens up beneath the floor of Celliwig to a large crystal cavern. The crystals within are huge, some easily surpassing twenty feet in length, and burst out from both the floor and ceiling. At the bottom of the staircase, the ground itself is covered entirely in at least half a foot of water save for raised platforms that those performing the ritual will be expected to jump across instead of disrupting the waters. At the end of this long passageway, there is a door made of stained glass. On the other side, a room carved out in stone, lit in vibrant orange and heated by a scorching heat. The stone forms a circle that flows around a large pool of lava.

One of the Celliwig leaders reads some sacred texts, then offers the following instructions: "Turn to the person next to you and offer them a piece of yourself. It can be tears, blood, hair, a whispered confession made tangible with magic-- anything that is yours. That person must then throw it into the lava and do the same in exchange. By giving part of ourselves to the fire and weaving that energy through those around us, we share the light with all around us. We fuel the sun of Avalon."

Once this portion is done, water will rain down from the ceiling and the entire room will be filled with steam, and then darkness as the lava's flames are rapidly put out. It's blinding and almost unbearably hot, and you'll have to find your partner-- or maybe someone else, by wandering around carefully and blindly. It may help to use a little magic at this point to see or guide yourself or others, either by cognitive suggestion or something more physical like creating vines to catch someone from falling on the still-rather-hot solid substance created by the water hitting the lava. Regardless, there seem to be giggles and screams and all manner of unnerving sounds as people try to find each other in the dark and look for the exit, which... doesn't seem to be where it started.

Eventually, the steam seems to get hot enough and shatters the stained glass door, which reveals a different room than before. The temperature drops rapidly, the air fresh and much easier to breathe as the steam spills out over the surface of the cool water. Light spills out from the ceiling, dim from the moon, and it becomes apparent that everyone has been let out into a massive cenote. It seems as if it's now time to relax and swim for a little while and just enjoy the cool release of no longer being trapped in the hot Diamond Fall's underground.

Eventually, everyone will find that regardless of how they felt when they got in, anyone in the cenote will feel their mood lift, until eventually they find a song in their heart that cannot be contained. People start bursting into songs that express part of who they are. For some, it will be songs they know. For others, it may be a song they've never heard but matches who they are to a tee or shares something they hadn't intended to about themselves with whoever is there. It's also possible two people could end up in a duet and end up swim-dancing together through a musical number. With each song that finds its way into the cenote, crystals seem to light up in the walls, as if they're reacting to the music itself. Once the entire cenote is lit up, the water begins to rise within the cenote much as the tide might, finally raising high enough to bring the people within back to the surface, the small pond within the park that everyone started in.

"The tides can feel your hearts and souls and raise with your spirits, and the Moon of Avalon in turn finds its will to dance with the Sun, providing light for the dark as the sun rests." the same leader speaks, before finishing, "Thank you for your assistance. With so much more energy than normal, even with the world as strained as it is now, Avalon's day and night cycle will remain as it should be. Rest now, and stay as long as you like. We will speak to Elphame and arrange a meeting. This shall not be forgotten, and you are welcome in Celliwig so long as you remember that light and darkness exist in tandem."

With the stay in Celliwig over, a special squad designed to help use a large-scale dark magic spell to pull everyone back to Camelot has come to greet everyone at the entrance to the city. However, the sudden increase in noise and flow of magic has attracted spirits from the Forest of the Felled to start crossing the nearby stream. The Forest of the Felled is a haunted forest, filled with spectral creatures alike of all manner that are often trapped in a labyrinth of spells and wards that were once put up by Camelot's finest. This haunted forest is part of the reason that Celliwig had cut ties with Camelot to begin with, after a group of people from particularly morally strict times had decided that the dead and cursed should not wander among the human witches and wizards that, at the time, had largely populated Camelot and sealed them off in the Forest of the Felled.

Enraged by Celliwig's reacceptance of Camelot citizens into its borders, a wave of specters has rushed across the white waters without concern for the Pure of Heart bridge to attempt to possess and attack the citizens of Camelot and prevent them from easily getting home. Ultimately, those with death magic are going to be most effective in this case, particularly at stopping possessions. However, green mages, alchemists, and elementalists are going to be important for staving off the death-like state of freezing that specters passing through your physical body can cause by creating means to rewarm people before they succumb to freezing temperatures and die. It seems as though light magic is very good at hiding people from the specters as well as temporarily warding them off with large blasts, and they seem particularly fearful of dark mages who are willing to curse the dead, given they've already lead a miserable existence. There are plenty of ways for each type of magic to find themselves useful in this battle, whether it's to help others escape or to fight on the frontlines.

Be particularly cautious as some of the will-o-wisps joining in the battle can transform into the visages of the deceased that they sense are close to your heart and draw you into the white rapids of the river. In the end, it will be a fierce battle.. or a fierce retreat, for those who don't have fight in them. Regardless of your solution for getting home, this time, you're going to have to walk home after escaping instead of relying on Celliwig's shadow transportation ritual.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Bennett feels the chill leaving his body, heat beginning to course through his body once more. He takes several slow, deep breaths, attempting to get his adrenaline going so his heart will pump blood faster through his body.]

Y-yeah... [He places a hand on the ground and attempts to push himself up to a sitting position. His joints are still stiff and cold, but he's managing to move, at least.] I think I'll be good.

[Moving is important, which is why Tifa helps him sit upright, to get the blood pumping through his arms and legs again so he'll be able to stand. The fire in her hand flickers, threatening to go out, but with a bit of focus, she forces it to grow again, and that's when she breathes out a sheepish laugh, letting herself fall back into a seated position in front of Bennett.]

Takes a lot out of you, this magic...

[She flexes her fingers, as if that will help.]

No kidding... Some people make it look so easy, though, I'm a little jealous, haha.

[Bennett slowly stretches out his legs while on the ground, reveling in having the feeling returning to them.

He notices her struggling with maintaining her fire and holds up a hand to stop her.]

You should rest, I can take over from here.

[And then that same hand becomes wrapped in flames.]

You too, huh...?

[She's not cold, but she finds herself leaning into the fire anyway, her entire body relaxing with relief. He seems to be alright, so with one last quick look-over of him, she lets her flame go out.

For now, they're safe from the specters, being far enough away that they can't easily get here without having to go through the others first, so she gives herself a moment to rest. Give herself a break from the magic and the fighting.]

What's with these things anyway? Did something happen that now they don't want us to leave?

[Seeing that the danger has passed for the moment, Bennett feels his muscles relax, even as stiff as they still are, feeling the tension leaving his body. Being an Adventurer, he's fearlessly tangled with his fair share of danger before, but there was something different about these things. They were spooky.]

Good question... [He holds his hand steady, focusing on keeping that flame going.]

Maybe... they're mad about something?

Can't imagine there'd be anything to be this mad about... that we can't go home.

[Tifa gives a breathy laugh, albeit a touch sad.

He's probably right, though—it seems a bit odd to think that they would be doing this without a good enough reason, in their eyes. Going up against this many people desperate to get back alive is writing a death wish.

She gives a quiet groan when she pushes herself up to her feet.]

We should get you somewhere safe. Shouldn't stick around here too long.

[Bennett shakes his head to Tifa's suggestion. He wasn't too keen on leaving here just yet. He follows after her, pushing himself up off the ground to his feel.]

There are probably other people out there just like me, right? That got caught and frozen by those ghosts... We should be going out and helping them instead of getting out of here.

But...

[She brings up a hand, as if waiting to catch or steady him should he waver when he stands.]

You sure you should be overexerting yourself?

[Not that she doesn't think he's capable! He's shown that he is more than that with his magic especially, but her concern is palpable in her voice. He should be finding a safe place to rest and regain his energy! And while she won't fight him should he insist—]

I don't think now's the time to try playing the hero.

I know... [Bennett frowns. he knows she's making sense here. But that doesn't mean he has to like her answer. Because he doesn't.]

It's just... There are people in trouble out there. And if you've got the ability to help, then you should try to help. At least, that's what I think...

[As long as he's aware of that, then she won't press him any further. Tifa knows all too well the feeling of wanting to help, and she does here, but she also knows how much trouble it can get someone into if they overexert themselves. She's had one too many close calls.]

Right. But if you're feeling tired, don't push it, alright?

[She'll be here to back him up when that happens, but for now, they have some people to help.]

We should focus on the ones that are injured. Help them get somewhere safer than here. One of us'll have to keep the ghosts back. Think you're up to it?

[Bennett nods to Tifa. Her plan seemed sound, a lot safer than anything his reckless ass would have come up with.]

Got it. I won't overexert myself out there, but only if you promise the same, deal?

[Tifa smiles, the warmth practically radiating from it.]

We'll exert ourselves just enough.

[It sounds like a good plan to her. As for the injured... Tifa takes a look around them, and there are some locals who are hiding in the trees just far enough away from the rapids that the ghosts don't bother with them. Some are unable to stand or walk while others are afraid. Unlike her and Bennett, they have no magic to protect them...]

Come on. The people like us can take care of themselves for a while.

[She takes Bennett by the hand and leads him to them, and they all cower and shake. One girl peers out from behind her mother, up at Bennett.]

"Are you here to help us?"

[Bennett nods to Tifa, following behind her as they head over to the group of people. When the little girl speaks to him, he crouches down to speak with her at eye level, warmth and kindness in his green eyes.]

Mmhmm. We're here to make sure you can get away from the scary monsters, okay?

[Bennett was barely more than a kid himself, but it meant he did know how to treat them, because he remembers how he wanted to be treated.

He looks up from her now, assessing the condition of the rest of the group.]

Does anybody here need healing?

[Meanwhile, Tifa's speaking gently to the girl's mother.]

May I?

[And with a confirmation from the woman, Tifa lifts the girl into her arms and holds her tight while she wipes her eyes, nodding at Bennett, hand cradling her head as she looks behind to the specters at the bridge, then to Bennett with a smile filled with pride. The mother approaches Bennett, and points to her daughter, whose hand has been bitten by the cold of the specters, turning from a deep blue to a black.]

Here.

[She takes the girl's wrist and holds it out for Bennett, assuming that he'll be able to help.]

[Bennett gives the small girl a gentle smile. He softly places his open hand on her head, a pale golden glow washing over it. It takes away the pain and some of the bruising, though he won't be able to do anything about the spectre's cold with it. For that... He looks over at Tifa. His control over his magic was questionable at best, he wasn't about to risk trying to use two magic types at once right now.]

Do you think you could put some heat on it, Miss, umm... [He realizes he never asked her name.]

Tifa.

[It makes sense that the two of them never got to exchange names. It's the last thing she thought to do in the middle of all of this, and she gives Bennett and expectant look, waiting for his, as she presses a hand near the girl's wrist. She winces when she feels the heat of the flame, but Tifa's quiet, low hum seems to soothe that.

There is someone who wanders close, limping as they approach, and he sets a hand on Bennett's shoulder.]

"I think I sprained it trying to get across the river..."

[Tifa flashes him an apologetic, but stern look. Why in the world would anyone try to cross that without some kind of safety net!?]

We need to get them patched up and across somehow...

Bennett.

[Bennett gives Tifa a smile, and then returns his attention to the little girl's. With a combination of Tifa's flames and Bennett's healing, the little girl's wrist recovers, at least enough to where her body can handle the rest on its own. And just in time, as another case shows up.]

Lie down on the ground, mister.

[Bennett hardly misses a beat, turning his attention away from the little girl over to the man and reaches into the bag he carries at his side, fishing out a roll of bandages from it.]

Sorry... This might hurt a little.

[He doesn't really give him much of a chance to respond or object though, as he quickly begins to wrap the ankle up, starting at the base of the foot and working upwards.]

[Tifa watches, the girl's mother clutching onto her while she holds her daughter. She's about as small as she remembers Marlene being, and her worry for what she's up to back home only has her bringing her arms around tighter.

The man, although wincing in pain, finally breathes out a sigh of relief.]

You're a natural at this, Bennett.

[She means it. What could she have done for these injured people? Those who hadn't suffered the frostbite? She doesn't want to think about it, so she frees the girl from her grasp, handing her back to her mom, and offering a hand to the man, who takes it and hoists himself back up when the magic's done it's job.]

Hey, [she offers Bennett, gently.] If I can get them all to the other side, think you can hold down the fort here?

[Bennett blushes at the praise Tifa is offering him, his cheeks turning red.]

Aha... I'm so used to treating my own injuries all the time, that something that like this is just second nature for me now, I guess.

[He'd never given much thought to the skills he'd developed as a result of the misfortune that constantly befell him, just considering them a necessity to survival and to not being a burden on others. But he really could do good with these skills, couldn't he?]

Eh? [Tifa's suggestion catches him by surprise, but he doesn't object to it, wanting to prove himself.]

Y...yeah! Just leave it to me, I can handle things here!

[And hopefully his bad luck won't rear its ugly head while she's gone...]

[That's the spirit.

Tifa smiles at him, a hand finding his shoulder to give it a firm, reassuring squeeze before giving the injured man an opening to throw his arm around her shoulders so he can at least hobble his way across.

She whistles quietly, summoning her familiar to her side—a dolphin that happily chirps as it pokes its nose at Bennett's side in greeting before swimming through the air towards the rapids, already knowing what Tifa has in mind for getting the people across. There's the soft sound of ice crackling as she freezes the water until it's thick and solid enough for them to walk on.]

Alright. Soon as I get them all somewhere safe, I'll be back. But don't wait up for me, okay?

[Bennett lets out a soft laugh as the dolphin pokes him in the side.]

Sounds good!

[He gives Tifa a thumbs up. It felt good to be able to do something to help, and without his bad luck rearing its ugly head for once. He could only hope that it stayed that way.]

See you later, then. Either here, or somewhere else!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

EVENT ✨ The Summer Solstice

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gonna start pushing to a wrap if that's cool! 😊

Sounds good!