much ado [OPEN]

[sighsheavily]

🧙 WHO: Cecelia, whomstever
⚔️️ WHAT: open prompts for quest event "Summer Fever!", opportunities to see the End of the World, misc Camelot-centric activities
🕒 WHEN: July, prior to any monthly event happenings
🗺️ WHERE: Varied
⚠️ WARNINGS: None in the tls; can post in comment subjects where applicable



o1. Summer Fever ! - a health clinic in Camelot
["foreign magic pollen" is such a damn broad arrangement of words, is it not? yet no matter the persistence, Cecelia has yet to find any with the expertise or willingness to extrapolate. very irritating. if it's treatable, wouldn't one also be able to glean as to why, leading to origins and other such things?

honestly... sometimes she can't help but think this place is only kept up and functional by naïve optimism and a willful refusal to learn of consequences. probably why they're in this predicament in the first place, really.

well. she still needs to make money.]

Ah-ah--

[were you trying to take that supply cart just now? a freckled hand reaches out to intervene. Cecelia looks up from the cabinet she's been working through, her expression stern.]

Leave it as it is, thank you. The chemicals have yet to be alphabetized. But if you wish to convey it quicker, you're welcome to assist.


o2. End of the World - the Ambassador's Office in Camelot
[the office is on a less busy street lined with buildings of a similar make, though this one has signage that clearly stands out:

OUTWORLDER AMBASSADOR
C. ARDENBURY
CALAMITY BUSINESS ONLY

after an...eventful month of abduction and other nonsense, Cecelia's back in the office, and it is in a far better state than its work-in-progress state weeks prior. there still sits a pair of comfortable-yet-modest chairs and a tea table by the window, and a ledger and quill on a writing desk in plain view by the door. a sign on the wall just above reads Sign in here, where an ongoing list of names appears.

on the wall beyond that, a few, long pieces of drafting paper are pinned up, and upon them are some rudimentary sketches of a very barren, bleak-looking landscape, and then a sequence of peculiar, starburst-like shapes, all similar in shape and volume. the notes beside them are peculiar -- dabblings of elvish and some other scripts meshed together in an inscrutable way.

further in, there is an oak desk and leather chair, upon which Cecelia can often be found seated at, scrawling away in a journal or poring over some book procured from the nearest library.

a rather cozy setup here. the place smells of spices and a hint of summertime flowers, and there always seems to be a fresh pot of tea on the table up front, waiting to be used. the only thing really peculiar here is the sack of plush animals laying idle at the side of the Ambassador's desk.

it seems progress is well underway here, and those who enter, whether they've called first or not, can come here to ask to be ferried to the very edge of Avalon, to bear witness to the calamity frozen in time with their own senses.]


o3. Odds & Ends - shopping & market districts in Camelot
[Cecelia doesn't really demand much of this place as far as special amenities go -- she can manage with or without some of the more lavish things she has encountered in her work moving through time and place. really, things here are quite a few steps above muddy, swampy kobold strongholds or dusty orcish moot-mounds...

...but she really, really just wants a properly spiced cup of tea. gods. is that really the straw that'll break this extraordinary place's back?

as they say: if you want it done right, do it yourself.

once a week, she picks an afternoon to pause her studies to survey the various spice and tea vendors in the city, trying to find enough ingredients or substitutes that'll aid her in refining her own home brews. she's not a fan of crowds or lots of noise, but she will still be open to letting a vendor try and sell her on this or that, if only to glean some sense of what really has value here, or what things might be around that she has yet to discover for herself. open to a point, at least -- her patience has limits, and eventually she'll retire to some café seat or outdoor seating to catch her breath and just take a moment to observe the general activity of the space around her, eventually picking up her journal to start penning her thoughts.

moments like that, where she is most withdrawn in the open, are the ones where she seems the most intriguing, somehow: volumes and volumes of red curls, freckles everywhere, and a sense of dress that is reliant on this place, but somehow fashioned with a pristine quality that much of the casual folk lack. her expression is even less severe than it typically is, as she takes on a more distant, thoughtful demeanor.

it's a spell that breaks when she gleans the sense of a body drawing too near to by a passer-by, and an ear will twitch before she turns to look at the disturbance.]


o4. Study in Action - verdant places outside Camelot city limits
[seems rude to try and really engage and test the limits of her elemental studies within city walls, and so on the evenings where Ambassador work hasn't tapped her energies completely, Cecelia treks out to the open spaces beyond it, but always keeping the city walls in sight.

she prefers to pick a spot with an abundance of all said elements -- a little creek, some diversity in the soil...the breeze and fire she can handle herself, and she'll light a little campfire for herself to keep her warm and accompanied as she and her familiar set to work.

it can be a few things one encounters: some sculpted earth and stone forms rising and being molded bit by bit, water streaming in peculiar arcs or hovering in droplets, a staggered dance of sparks and embers in the dark that flicker brightly than the fireflies, or a surprise gust of wind that vanishes just as quickly as it came.

either way, it's the half-elf in the midst of it, diligently testing form alongside outputs, pausing often to take notes. this magic stuff is serious business, after all.]

Comments

End of the World

[patchricide]

[The last time she came here, Allura had focused on Cecelia's progressed, and hadn't pressed for a visit to see the calamity herself. Not that she wasn't interested, but from the initial announcement, it had seemed like there were a lot of inquiries about it. And in many cases, demands.]

[So, Allura had decided that she would be patient about it, and spare her one more immediate ferry trip. It's not as if the calamity was going anywhere, right?]

[But now, now that others have had their turn, and things seem to be relatively calm — here she is again, politely adding her name to the sign-in as before. While she waits, she helps herself to a cup of that tea, and if Cecelia provided any sugar or honey then she'll be adding a shamefully large amount to the drink. She sips it thoughtfully and... quietly considers those plush toys, not sure what to make of them.]

[sighsheavily]

[the gentle tinkling of the bell at the door is something Cecelia can pick up even in the concrete room, and she emerges shortly after.]

Good day, I-- ah. [she slows her bustle, wiping chalk off her hands with a towel when she sees who's currently enjoying tea by the window.]

Miss Allura. Good day to you. Have you returned with more questions?

[patchricide]

There's likely to be a few. [With a somewhat sheepish smile. She knows herself well enough, how curious she is about all the things she doesn't understand.]

But actually, I thought it was high time I actually gave you some proper business. Or at least made an appointment to do so in the near future.

[A pause, and then a polite inquiry to start things off:] Have things been a little less busy now, or are there still people demanding you drop everything and show them all that you can?

[sighsheavily]

[as Allura explains, Cecelia folds up the towel, leaving it on the desk, and walks over, lingering at the back of the vacant chair opposite her.

at the question she cants her head to the side a little, flicking a glance out the window.]

I daresay the recent abductions have diverted most attentions elsewhere, and so my office has been quite quiet of late. [she looks back to Allura.] Which is in part to say: You'd be at the top of the list.

[patchricide]

Right. Things have been rather eventful, haven't they? [She looks a little tired at that comment. After the whole business with Caster, she had tried to take it easy for the rest of the previous month. Next thing she knew, she was in Celliwig.]

But really, that's part of the reason why I was hoping to go soon, before I found myself caught up in something else.

04

[dragongrrl]

[Hey, you know what else you can find in the great outdoors besides fonts of elemental energy? A woman who was raised to think of herself as a dragon. Particularly after the mess with the sorceress and Darin last month, she likes to patrol in case someone is abroad kidnapping people and setting fire to forests again.

In this case, however, the fire Barbara spots looks quite small. Barbara prowls closer when she senses a rush of magic, just before she's hit by a blast of wind. As soon as she pulls the hair from her eyes, Barbara steps forward, with her spear ready.

She doesn't say a word, it's a loud dragonish growl, before she gets close enough to see that the mysterious witch at the fire is actually Ardenbury. Oh.]

[sighsheavily]

[oh, joy: feral creatures. and this close to civilization? that's odd.

all the same, Cecelia isn't one to get caught unawares, and at the sound of the growling, she turns herself fully in its direction, drawing up some of the tongues of flame from the campfire into her hands. it is her hope that this display alone is enough to deter any beasts from thinking she's an easy meal, as most balk at open flame, but not all: orcs had no trouble ambushing that silent campsite, after all.

of course, once she flares the light in a threatening fashion, illuminating the area ahead reveals it's no beast, but...]

Miss Barbara?

[oh.

a scowl crosses her features in one flickering of the fire and shadow, but it is gone as quickly as it's come, and the fire in her hands recedes to something no bigger than candlelight.

calling out to her:] Have I offended you in some way? Awfully aggressive approach you have there.

[dragongrrl]

[The flare of fire wins a point of respect in Barbara's view. It seems that Ardenbury has been improving her combat reflexes since last time they were in a dangerous situation together.

She puts her spear up. Ardenbury may be a very strange person, but she's given no reason for Barbara to suspect her of any underhanded inentions.]

Barbara not see face. Outside city, sometimes dangerous.

[sighsheavily]

And is that why you are prowling about, hm? [she relaxes, but her head remains held up high, chin up, ever prim.]

03 Tea Shopping

[wukuiyuxin]

[Lan Wangji is on something of a tea quest himself. Always on the search for decently acceptable tea to brew in the inn, of course, as much as he's had to reluctantly lower his expectations, but recently he has also been looking for osmanthus tea or a reasonable approximation thereof for a friend.

His generally aloof and formal air and rather severe expression have done the work of convincing the vendor that he Does Not Need Any Help Thank You, so he is browsing in peace when he happens to overhear a fire-haired woman looking for various spices to add to various teas, which gives him pause and another idea entirely. Unfortunately, he is far from an expert when it comes to spices. Nor when it comes to asking for help. Or conversations with strangers in general, for that matter.

By the time he actually resolves to ask for her input, she's about to turn and leave the store, so he swiftly steps up beside her and brings his arms up in front of him to offer a respectful bow, sheathed sword grasped in both his hands and long white sleeves dangling like curtains.]

Miss.

[That is as far as he was prepared. She's on her own for the rest.]

[sighsheavily]

[well, now--

this is rather unexpected and rare. not the interruption -- honestly, she'd have thought him another overeager vendor trying to secure a sale had his attire been so stark and...well. sword.

no...it's the bow. it's far more earnest and reverent in execution than any attempt at propriety she encounters on the street daily. it definitely gives her pause and cause to raise her eyebrows.

right, then. he has her attention.]

...Sir. [she does not return the bow, and won't until she understand his intentions here.] May I...help you...?

[wukuiyuxin]

[She isn't obligated to return the bow and he has been here long enough to know that most people's understanding of propriety and respect is... unpredictable at best. Stopping to acknowledge him is obliging enough and he straightens, tucking one hand neatly behind his back while the other holds the sword comfortably at his side. His gaze remains respectfully lowered and he gives an affirming hum at her question.]

Lan Wangji hopes to gift strongly flavored tea to a good friend. Miss appears knowledgeable.

[sighsheavily]

[now that the initial surprise of being stopped has ebbed, Cecelia's features grow more neutral...save for an arched eyebrow.]

Miss Ardenbury, thank you. And...does Lan Wangji ask this knowing I don't actually work for this establishment?

End of the World

[leicesters]

[After their exchange on the network, Claude had spoken to Set and persuaded him to tag along with him for an appointment at Cecelia's office. After all, who better to cross a desert with than the god of deserts himself, powers or no powers? So Claude breezes in, all smiles as always, and shattering whatever peace and quiet she had in the office upon their arrival.]

Hey, Miss Ardenbury! We're here, just like you asked. You have a really nice place going on here-- oh!

[He's so busy loudly announcing his arrival that he only belatedly notices the sign-in sheet, and shuts up long enough to move over and sign both of them in. He gestures vaguely behind him at the red-headed man as he does so.]

This is Set, the guy I mentioned before.

[sighsheavily]

[a small, crystalline chime tinkles as the door opens, and Cecelia lifts her head from her reading.

ah. well, she had been forewarned, hadn’t she?]

Claude.

[she closes the book and rises to her feet, remaining at her desk as he and the stranger enter.]

Good day to the both of you. I’m pleased to see you wasted no time in seeing to this.

[suetekh]

[Set usually wasn't one for adventures that anybody else wanted him to do but Claude had a very annoyingly charming way about him and really, Set just wanted to be somewhere familiar. He was the god of deserts, after all. This was his realm and it felt odd to be away from it.

So Set, not one for manners and pleasantries, just gets straight to the point:] When can you take us?

[He's as subtle as his flaming red hair: not at all.]

[leicesters]

[Claude finishes writing and cringes visibly at that bluntness, shaking his head. Sometimes being direct has a place, but this definitely isn't it.]

Now hold on, Set. She hasn't decided if she's taking us yet, so she wanted to talk it out first. [He looks over to Cecelia.] Isn't that right?

2

[mycrosstobear]

[Well, this is certainly official, Wolfwood thinks as he looks at the sign. "Calamity business only," huh? Good thing that's what he's here for.

The official air continues as he steps inside and sees the ledger. Signing in? But then, it's a good way to keep track of everyone who's shown interest... He glances over the list, but doesn't sign in himself. Instead, he continues on, looking at the sketches on the wall, Cecelia at her desk absorbed in a book (a sight that's somehow disconcerting in its familiarity, given the setting and her own changes), at the bag of-]

Stuffed animals?

[That's unexpected.]

[sighsheavily]

[when the chimes at the door sound, Cecelia’s ear twitches, but she does not yet look up. in fact, she only looks up when she starts to hear ambling about without the scratching of a quill.

blithely:] Good day, and please sign in, as I need a record of—

[she stops short when she sees who it is, quietly startled to see him. not that she didn’t ever expect him to darken the doorway, but…well.

it’s always jarring when one of the ghosts of her past appears.

after that beat, she sits up, nodding.]

If you don’t mind.

[mycrosstobear]

[He starts back down the hallway, but doesn't yet pick up the quill.]

Your records, or the king's?

[sighsheavily]

My own, for the moment. Data as loose as this still has some merit, and may very well in time, should any time-altering or memory-fading nonsense occur.

[she gets out of her chair, closing the book she'd been working in, and starts toward the front of the office, a few steps shy of where he and the podium are.]

It's not being sold somewhere shady, if you're concerned about it.

End of the World

[colchismagecraft]

[Following on From Caster's obnoxious callout on the network, she found herself heading to Miss Ardenbury's office the following morning. Perhaps she was looking for a way to distract herself from everything that had happened, but she also knew she had to see the edge of the world for herself.

And so, she went to go and sign herself in, and wait to be seen.]

[sighsheavily]

[it's hard to be at all pleased that such a person has darkened her doorstep, but Cecelia can't refuse her outright. not just because of the likelihood of retaliation or blackmail, but because her previous life's expertise might actually be of use.

...and if that fails, she may actually find an excuse to test this blood-based puppetry she's been hesitant to try.]


Good afternoon. [she rises from her desk after a minute or two of silently writing.] Have you come prepared with whatever instruments or documentation supplies you may require?

[colchismagecraft]

Good afternoon.

[She had brought her leather-bound notebook and writing implements- with her magic staff in her other hand. Oh, and she had a very ominous looking twisted ritual dagger at her belt. Very reassuring.

She kept her other magic items in a bag she wore under her cloak, but for now trusted she wouldn't necessarily need them.]

Yes. I've brought everything I need. Tell me...how does this process work?

[sighsheavily]

[after a moment of a thin-lipped frown, still going through her options:] ...You've traveled by totem, yes? It's similar. Only...brighter. You'll want your eyes closed for that part.