isleofavalon | EVENT ✨ Tournaments & Trust

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EVENT ✨ Tournaments & Trust

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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.

SUMMARY: King Arthur needs to go meet with Queen Elphame. Celliwig holds a tournament to invite other people to come with during the communication and celebrate their newfound friendship. A temporary barrier was put up so the river is currently mostly impassible.

After the departure from Celliwig last month, the people of Celliwig have been working hard to make the area around their town safe again from the angered specters. For now, there are makeshift barriers that are preventing anything from crossing the river, dead or alive, except over the Pure of Heart bridge. It will, at the very least, prevent more from coming over and overwhelming the land surrounding Celliwig again.

The city is open and, while the Elphame traders have stuck around to help train people in the proper use and treatment of mounts, the safest way to speak to Elphame is through Celliwig's hall of mirrors. King Arthur, Merlin, and a couple of other members of the royal court entered to speak to Queen Elphame directly in order to find out what information she knew about the Calamity and to begin discussion of what it would take to reclaim Excalibur. With the magics of Avalon having recovered significantly enough to not be at risk of falling apart if some of the otherworlders leave while still maintaining the barrier to keep Avalon safe, they need to begin discussing action.

At the same time, in celebration of King Arthur's arrival and a royal wedding within Celliwig, a tournament is underway! Celliwig's tournaments work a little differently, however, and focus on a little more than just combat skills-- a modern tournament for the modern person. (Though there is fighting as well, of course.) Celliwig's Top Talents Tourney hasn't been held in a good many years since it's been closed off, so everyone is invited to participate. Invitations have been sent to all of Camelot's residents. The tournament categories are as follows:

Cutthroat Cooking - For the chef's out there! Compete against other chefs to show off who has the best culinary skills. All contestants start with 2,500,000G which will be theirs to lose through the course of the tournament. This money can be used to purchase sabotages to use on other chefs throughout the course of the competition.

Vicious Vocals - Singing competition. Anyone may participate, there are no auditions. Each contestant will compete solo first, then have to do a competitive duet with another person who moved onto the second round. The final round involves performing and singing at the same time, so you may want to go find friends to give you tips between each round and help you come up with an awesome set-up that will wow the judges!

Speed Sculpting - This one's for the artists! Celliwig is really big on art, in particular sculpture. Any decent sculpture can be sold whether it wins or loses. Sculpture form can be made with anything you want-- glass, sugar, and ice are popular choices in Celliwig because of the city's aesthetic, but any materials are possible-- plants, stones, clay, chocolate, fabric, whatever you want as long as it stands on its own after you're done creating. (You can use your magic to sculpt if that's what you want.)

Melee Mania - Fight your fellow competitors one-on-one. Weapons and magic are both allowed. Healers will be paid generously for assisting after combat is finished.

Familiar Feud - Let your familiar have a little fun and combat each other! They're the star of the show here and otherworlders are only there in a support role.

Mario Party - It's literally a series of Mario Party games. If you win your block, you move onto the next round and so on. 4 max players per game. If you don't rage quit at any point, you get free energy drinks throughout the day because this party isn't stopping.

Silent Assassin - This competition will take place throughout the course of the tournament. All competitors are kept confidential, but required to wear a hidden body cam so that the experience can be shared online for audience viewing later. All competitors are given fake weapons (paintball guns, rubber knives, and so on) with sensors in them and have to find and "kill" the other competitors throughout the tournament period.

Anyone who shows up to either participate in or watch the tournament will receive 50% off a hotel room and a single (Potion) Counter-curse.

How the tournament will be run is a little different from an OOC standpoint. Any characters can participate, but in order to determine a winner, we will need anyone who thinks their characters skill is great enough to win to comment to the name of the tournament they are entering HERE! If your character would have canon advantages in a category, write +1 advantage in your comment. (So if you are from an idol series, you'll have a leg up on singing, or if your character is a skilled assassin in their canon, they could gain a +1. It won't guarantee they win, but it will give them a leg up so we're not ignoring their skill!) If you do not think your character has any chance at winning, please do not comment. (Someone who's never cooked a day in their life isn't going to magically win the cooking competition, you know?) If you think/want your character to lose even if they may have skills, we do not need your information. This is only an RNG for potential winners. We will RNG the winners from those who comment for each competition as linked.

ICly, anyone who wants to thread any part of it out, go for it! You can thread out watching, you can thread out participating, interfering, anything you want! Thread out having an intimate moment with a healer after a battle, a tearful failure and hurt/comfort consolation, buying a round of vodka flashes for your fellow losers. Whatever you want! Just have fun.

SUMMARY: King Arthur & Co. are still in chambers. A woman shows up and claims they're in danger, argues with Glwelwyd that she saw it despite that those abilities are not possible right now. Players voted to determine the next course of this prompt. (This section may be skipped for prompts now, but is still posted for reference.)

The day after the end of the tournament days, all seems well and peaceful as usual within the city of Celliwig. The mirror hall that King Arthur's party had gone into is still closed shut. The Hall is guarded by a 7 foot tall man with a long, scraggly beard and huge rippling muscles named Glewlwyd IV. (You may have seen him around at past events.) None may enter until negotiations are completed, and it is his sacred duty passed down by his ancestors to ensure that none shall pass his guard. Most in Celliwig won't even try, knowing the futility of such an action, which is why it is particularly peculiar that Gwion can be found yelling outside of the halls that they need to be let in. After an argument and a call to action, some other worlders chose to find Gwion and ask questions.

	"Listen to me, there's something wrong, you need to let someone in there! Look for yourself! I saw it!"
	"Time is frozen, the future cannot be seen. A dream is but a dream, not a prophecy. Disrespect from the people of Celliwig interrupting a meeting of the fae and King Arthur's party would spell much more certain fate.

After one more failed attempt to get past him, the woman stomps off to a nearby bar to blow off some steam, and ends up posting to the AOL Network instead.

The King's party is in danger. No one is allowed in or out, but they're going to die if you don't work together to get past Glewlwyd. You can ask how I know, but it's a real long story and we're real short on time, so I'm kind of going out on a limb here. I'll be at Celliwig's bar if anyone wants more details.

SUMMARY: A very close battle ensues in front of the Hall of Mirrors, with the doors eventually being forced open to reveal a dark, possessed hall. Reflects prey on characters' deepest insecurities and anyone who falls victim to them are trapped within the reflections. King Arthur and the Pure of Heart and Brave of Soul Mirror used to communicate with Elphame are possessed by angry specters trapped on Celliwig's side after the river barrier was put up.

After the drama caused by Gwion's warning, the city of Celliwig is rather unsettled. There's an air of tension thick enough that you could hear a pin drop, and enough people who thought it was more important to protect the integrity and wishes of the fae than to worry about the unlikely chance that a seer had a vision while time was stopped. A large number of people have shown up to stand by Glewlwyd's side and defend the Hall of Mirrors, a show which will not be forgotten by the people of Celliwig... However, the strength in both numbers and battle goes to those wishing to enter the Hall of Mirrors. The battle is strenuous, a mixture of both Celliwig citizens and Camelot's otherworlders, and anyone wishing to play out part of it should put either defense or offense indicators in their prompt title to clearly attract those wishing to play out the fight.

Those who manage to break through the line will make it into the Hall of Mirrors. The first and most notable thing once the door is open is that it's as dark as night. Not at all conditions for a meeting. And it's cold, condensation and fog forming at the door where the freezing night of the hall and the summer heat outside. It is not at all like it was the first time visitors were allowed in to place their Pure of Heart and Brave of Soul crystals in the mirror to communicate with Elphame. There is absolutely something going on, and those on either side of the battle may want to redirect their attention to the Hall. None of the party seems to be seen. Those who dare to venture forward into the hall will find themselves rather quickly at a loss for where the door went. There is a dim light still visible from it, highlighting the other people in the room and the edges of glass and mirrors throughout the hall.

An eerie blue glow reflects through the number of the mirrors, but it seems to move about as if passing impermenantly. Those who try to chase it will find themselves further lost from the entrance, until they find themselves face to face with a reflection that doesn't seem to follow their own movements. This reflection will begin to speak with the character's voice, then immediately target the character's deepest insecurities. Every bad thought that they've thought of themself is fair game. If the character can remain calm and keep moving forward, then they will not fall victim to the trap. However, should they react with a burst of emotion, argue, or be unable to move forward when faced with their own insecurities, they will find themselves trapped in the mirror, replacing the reflection.

Those who manage to pass the mirrors will find themselves at the Pure of Heart and Brave of Soul Mirror. The communication is still open to what appears to be an ornately decorated, natural throne. The Queen is long since gone, having been escorted to safety to keep her safe from the cursed mirrors. Notably, every crystal lining the edge of this mirror seems to have been infected by the blue, almost spectral color. Approached, a chilling laughter echoes from the possessed mirror, but the laughter is finished by King Arthur himself, back turned and facing the mirror. He turns around and wields his sword, ready to defend the mirror, eyes filled with the same blue as the mirror. As more people approach, reflections of Arthur seem to walk out of the mirrors as well to fight more and more people. It's hard to tell which is the real one, so can you really kill him to get him out of the way and get to the mirror? Fight the small army of King Arthurs and gather enough death mages to exorcise the spirits out of the mirror.. or maybe just smash it. Did you think this was the last choice you'd make this week?

Please refer to the plotting post for any additional plotting needs and to check added notes for the third prompt. Timeline-wise, the new/third prompt doesn't start until the 23rd. The poll for it is here.

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[ Monika had just been saved from her own reflection, so she knew how terrible those things could be. She started running upon hearing obviously ill-intentioned words spoken in a familiar voice. And when she arrived at the spot, she pointed her pen at the mirror: ]

Be silent!

[ Okay she knew that wasn't the time for theatrics, but she had a significantly easier time using her magic this way. Cognitive magic, to be specific. She'd read it was able to deal limited psychic damage... The reflection in the mirror had no physical body, it was nothing but dark thoughts. Minor psychic damage against an existence that lived only in people's thoughts would be, she hoped, devastating. And indeed, the mirror in which the reflection had been crumbled, shattering into countless tiny pieces.

It was only a temporary solution, she was fairly certain the "evil" reflection could appear in any other mirror, but that'd at least silence it for a time. With that done, Monika rushed to Mukuro's side and place a hand on her shoulder. ]

Are you alright?

[The reflection stiffened- like a soldier receiving an order- before Mukuro turned her focus on Monika.]

Yeah, it's- I can explain, it's just- a mess, so-

[Where to even start?

Despite her attempts to put up her usual lively front, it just didn't reach her eyes. The reflection was right, after all. And it seemed to pick up on her doubt.]

"What to do, what to do... if people know, then you're failing at carrying out your orders. If they don't, then you're stuck with no one knowing you exist."

...It's fine. I'm fine. Really.

[That...was not even the slightest bit convincing.]

[ She had no clue as to what the reflection's words meant. But she could say it was trying to force her into either remaining miserable or breaking an... Order? She stepped forward, between Mukuro and the reflection. ]

You don't have to say anything. You exist, I can attest to it.

[ Was she hiding her real self? A different name, perhaps? Or possibly she was just like her, unable to speak the truth about herself out of fear. What would others think, if they knew? The thought was so painfully unbearable... Perhaps the best option was to say what she, herself, would like to hear. ]

Just because you have secrets doesn't make your existence any less valid. [A pause.] Even if the real you is hidden beneath a mask, it's still you people have befriended, not the mask.

[The reflection watched Monika as she stepped between her and her real self, head tilting with interest. But it was Mukuro herself who spoke up: ]

...It's hard to remember that- that I exist, I mean- or, I guess, sometimes I think it would be better if I could just be the mask and let everything else disappear.

I don't know, that probably doesn't make any sense.

[But it sounded like Monika at least had something of an idea what she was thinking. The idea that her existence was real, that it was valid... sometimes Mukuro wasn't sure of that herself.]

Raw emotions rarely make sense.

[ That was why those mirrors were so effective in trapping them. Because they were targeting parts of them where logic had no sway. You couldn't be rational with such things. The language of the heart was one that would never accept logic.

Their reflections attacked them where they were at their weakest. But you could fight back, by accepting their words as a version of the truth and working on discovering your own version of your "truth." ]

Why don't you try writing your emotions? [She smiled. Literature, that was always what it came back to with her.] A mask cannot write. Nor can any persona you put on. You can write about them. You can even pretend they're the ones writing. But they're not. It's all you. [A pause.] Written words are a tangible and true proof of your existence.

[ Write the way into your heart. Perhaps it was true in this world, too. ]

Sometimes, it's hard to read your own heart. To interpret your own feelings, to know what to do with yourself. But pouring a little bit of your heart out into words— I know it's helped me find what "I" wanted to be.

Writing them down...? I- I guess I've not really thought of that. Does writing it down really make it easier to understand?

[She started to fiddle with her hair, thinking on Monika's words.]

...Did you find an answer in the end? I really- I don't know what I want to even do here-

"Still lost? You've been here months and you've never had any idea of your role in this world- Are you going to keep pretending you're as nice a person as the ones you followed in here."

[Mukuro frowned. This wasn't a discussion she wanted to have now- but then she focused back on the warm smile the other girl was giving her. It...helped, here, to have people who would genuinely smile to her. And that gave her a little bit of confidence.]

...Seriously, this thing doesn't know when to shut up.

It does help. It's helped me find my way on many occasions. Usually I go with poems. They're short and convey emotions very expressively.

[ Monika turned back to the mirror and used her cognitive magic once more to try and silence it. If Mukuro felt more confident in herself, hopefully it should succeed in silencing it for longer. ]

They're so annoying, aren't they? [She laughed, remembering how her own reflection had basically broken her before Homura and Beowulf had showed up to save her. They said you could never feel happiness unless you feel sadness first... Maybe this is why she feels stronger than usual right now.] Once we're out and after you've gotten some rest, why you don't write a little something? Whatever you want— Just something you feel carry a piece of your heart. It doesn't have to be a literary masterpiece. That's not the point. [She marked a pause.] And, um, I'd be happy to read it, should you feel like sharing it.

You wouldn't mind...? Yeah, I'd- I have no idea how good I'd be at it but I'll give it a go.

[The reflection had gone quieter now, watching the pair of them with a disappointed frown.]

...Let's get out of here. Before it starts talking again.

Let's go!

[ She took her hand to try and reassure her and lead her on the way out. There were marks on the ground the way Monika had come from. Something she'd done with Homura. ]

So long as we follow the marks, we should reach the exit in no time.

[Oh- Mukuro squeezed onto Monika's hand, before glancing down to the markings-]

That's a good idea, I should have thought of that.

...Lead the way.

I didn't think of it till my mirror was dealt with.

[ Nobody could be blamed for leaving their reflection get the better of them. Monika nodded and led the way, following the markings. Sure enough, they were at the exit ere long. ]

There we go. You probably should stay outside lest the reflection comes back...

[She squinted when they made their way back into the light. The sun, the warm outside air was certainly better than the stifling environment of the mirror chamber- and Mukuro took a deep breath to take it all in.]

...What are you going to do? You heading back in?

Hm-mm. There may be more people trapped with their own reflection. [A sad smile.] And with my little trick, I can find my way outside pretty easily.

[ And really it was her way to atone after her own reflection had reminded her of everything evil she'd done in the past. Still, the looked at Mukuro worriedly. ]

You should find a place to rest, though. I'll come back check on you once this place will be empty, alright?

Roger that.

I'm going to settle down a bit, then...I think some friends of mine are in there. If I can stomach it I might try and head back in.

Yell if you need backup, okay?

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EVENT ✨ Tournaments & Trust

2A

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