isleofavalon | EVENT ✨ Fall Equinot

QUICK NAV: LOGS ⚔️️ NETWORK ⚔️️ MEMES ⚔️️ OOC ⚔️️ NAVIGATION

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: In the days leading up to the fall equinox, geese intended for eating escape and cause havoc around town, people share techniques to preserve plants for the winter, and Camelot's citizens compete to make the best light shows with traditional wax candles to draw spirits peacefully into Camelot.

With all the harder preparations gathered for the Fall Equinox, throughout the month people will notice that decorations start going up around town. The colors of fall seem to seep throughout Camelot, but more than that, so do more traditional sights and smells. In the days leading up to the equinox, traditional acts such as the sacrifice and consuming of flesh are performed. Well.. normally they would be. The fattened geese that are normally eaten in preparation for the equinox have escaped and are causing havoc around town. Geese are running around causing trouble for everyone-- stealing glasses, opening gates, putting up toilet seats when people try to sit down so they fall in the bowl... all kinds of madness! Even if you weren't intent on eating geese and were going to settle for the vegetarian option (pumpkin and nut soups are frequently served using the gourd itself as a bowl), you have to agree the general public needs to be rescued from these menaces. If you have the stomach for it, you are welcome to keep one of the geese you capture for your own table... but otherwise, please return the birds to the farm where they can be handled accordingly.

Birds are not the only sacrifice made to the autumnal equinox. As the flowers begin to reach the end of their life, there is a strong tradition of gathering flowers and herbs and preserving them for the upcoming winter, either to protect their beauty, scent, edibility, and sometimes magical properties. The simplest form of preservation is, of course, drying and pressing-- a technique you don't need magic for, but some of the locals will happily teach you. A more advanced technique can be learned to enchant glass bell jars to suspend the lifeforce of any living thing within its grasp for up to a year, if no one opens it. It's a technique used to preserve important or rare plants that may otherwise die out during the winter, such as herbs used in your favorite spell.. or dish. The glass bell jar will protect the plant, but each time it is picked up, a single petal or leaf will fall off of the plant. If all the leaves fall off, the plant becomes unrecoverable, and come spring the caster will find themselves cursed with a touch that wilts any plant they come in contact with. So if you choose to use this, be warned that there are consequences for misuse and a wide number of horror stories from people who have tried to use this spell for anything other than plants. Any type of mage can pour their magic into a bell jar to enchant it, and the type of magic will be reflected in a glass design that forms around the rim and handle. (An elemental mage may have glass flames form, or frosted etchings of your favorite animal may appear if you're an animal mage, and so on. Feel free to get creative.) Green mages may find this magic a little useless, since they can just replenish plants with their own magic, but it's still a good technique to know.. just in case!

Perhaps the most beautiful tradition that takes form leading up to the autumnal equinox is the candle pathway. Every street in Camelot will be lit up with thousands of candles for two nights leading up to the autumnal equinox, as a guiding light to help the spirits find their way to Avalon. The way the streets in Camelot are mapped out, the lights will form a path to the square where the fairy coins are being held until their release on September 22nd, the same area where the guardian egg ceremony had been performed. Some people get very creative with their lighting displays, which can sometimes result in beautifully lit streets and magnificent structures of flames. Accidents are quickly quelled by volunteer elemental mages throughout the city to prevent any structural damage. Some people might be compelled to make their own light display the most outstanding on the block, and it becomes a bit of a game to compete with your neighbors to see whose section of the candle pathway is the most extravagant.

SUMMARY: The autumn equinox ritual is interrupted by a huge earthquake caused by a Stone Giant bursting out of the Ash Mountains, bringing the closest Ash Mountain and Lestari to the ground. The purple dragon erupts from the ruins to attack Celliwig. The survivors of the collapse need help desperately. Characters must choose where they go to determine the fate of Avalon.

Calm and mundane preparations are a nice break from the sometimes stressful lives of Camelot's citizens and otherworlders, who often are asked to embark on life-threatening adventures and tasks. It's probably a good thing most of the month has been relatively peaceful, as things need to go a little bit differently this year on the fall equinox itself... but not as differently as they actually do.

In the town square, elaborate celtic-similar symbols are carved out into the ground and filled with mysterious glowing liquids. All of those who gained guardian tattoos and their attendants were asked to attend a ritual to release them on the night of the 22nd, along with anyone else who would like to witness. Everything is ready and as the witching hour approaches, several individuals dressed in flowing robes with their faces painted like skeletons approach. As the leader raises his voice to explain why they've come and what to do to make this night a success, a sudden shock-- Avalon itself shakes with the might of an earthquake... or at least, that's what it seems like for the first few minutes as everyone gathers themselves until they hear mass screaming in the distance. Though it's hard to see what's going on... there are still some very, very obvious problems.

A stone giant rises from the first of the Ash Mountains, crumbling the mountain around it as if the ancient being were holding the very mountain itself up... and it was. Those who visited Lestari will have seen its giant feet within the underground city. The former city. Lestari is now buried beneath the mountain, along with many of the other creatures living on and around the mountain. A huge storm of mixed weather forms above the giant's head, blizzard and lightning raging around it to no avail. As the people of Camelot watch what's only visible at a macro distance, they may not be as quick to notice that all of the fairy coins have begun glowing vibrantly, then suddenly burst out of the jars they've been held in, shattering right through them to fly off en-masse toward the stone giant. They embed themselves in it, fueling the giant with enough power to both begin to walk away from the rubble and for the spirits that have begun gathering in Avalon to head toward it, rather than where they had been intended.

As if that were not enough, after the Stone Giant takes two large steps through the Land of Rot, the gargantuan cloud of dust covering the ruins of the first of the Ash Mountain range rather suddenly lights up with a vibrant, ultra-violet burst of flames that illuminates the smoke. The gargantuan purple dragon that once took up residence in the mountain clambors out of the dust and shoots straight into the sky, enraged and furious, and able to sense where the magic came from that raised the stone giant. The reason it immediately begins flying toward Celliwig with the intent to raze it to the ground is likely not immediately apparent, but it is quite odd that it bypasses the much closer target of Camelot with its rage. As does the Stone Giant, though it does not head toward Celliwig and instead seems to absorb the souls of the dead that were intended to be guided by the fall equinox's rituals as it lumbers through the land. If someone does not stop it, it is headed for the Forest of the Felled.

King Arthur is immediately on the emergency broadcast system to implore people to join one of three groups:

Investigate and stop the Stone Giant

Slay the dragon and save Celliwig

Rescue survivors of Lestari and the Ash Mountain

The success of each of these missions is dependent on character participation. See the poll for details about how certain character types may affect the outcome of the missions.

~~Please refer to Event Poll Notes for information about aftermath of this event and additional event info~~ > Event Outcomes.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Byleth accepts the greeting kiss with a quiet laugh, nodding when Edelgard speaks up again. "I'll handle things here," she replies, and then—well. There's the door. She waves once at the familiar young woman when Musse opens the door, stepping over.

"Welcome. Please, come in. Do you want help with any of that?" she gestures to the obviously somewhat unwieldy load the tactician is carrying, eyebrows slightly raised. The plant is a surprise, but a pleasant one.

From the kitchen, Edelgard smiles as she hears Musse welcome their other guest. Good thing she'd already prepared for the tactician's arrival. "Hello, Robin! Do come in, there's tea and biscuits on the way." She calls.

Well, she wasn't expecting an entire welcoming party, so forgive her for momentarily staring at Byleth and Musse. One she expected to see, but the other...

"That would be wonderful. Here, take this," She offers the plant out to Byleth, a small smile on her face. "For you and Edelgard, as thanks for letting me stay here."

And with that sorted out, she addresses the other familiar face grinning back at her. Something tells Robin that she's the last one to know about whatever is going on here. "Oh, Musse, I didn't expect you here." A little awkward, but justifiably so! She was told that someone else was moving in, but not who it was. Seeing her here is nice, but a bit intimidating as well.

Walking through the doorway, she calls out to Edelgard; "Is there anything I can help you with?"

"I strive to accomplish the unexpected, but you'd think it'd at least be a pleasant surprise!"

Musse's comment is playful and mock-indignant as the oblivious tactician moves through the situation with the social grace of a large bear.

Byleth smiles when Robin offers the plant, nodding.

"It's lovely. Thank you," she says, taking it from her and placing it on a small table by the window in the den. "I hope you had no trouble finding us?"

"No, but thank you for offering." Edelgard replies. "I'm almost finished as it is."

She sweeps into the den with a tray laden with the promised refreshments. "And here we are. I admit I'm still not entirely used to this sort of thing, but this is well within my capabilities." She was no stranger to tea, and the biscuits and cakes, well...they were store-bought. Edelgard was not yet anywhere near a place to try...baking.

"I wasn't aware you and Musse were already acquainted." She notes, setting the tray down. "But it's a happy little bit of serendipity. It should make things much easier while you're our guests. Please, help yourselves." Having taken her own cup of tea, Edelgard takes a seat, nestling herself against Byleth at the earliest convenient opportunity.

"We'll just need to sort out the sleeping arrangements first."

"It is, it is," She says hastily to Musse, a bit of a laugh in her voice. Really, this is the best-case scenario in her book, not having to tip-toe around the awkwardness of sharing space with a stranger is a relief as far as she's is concerned.

Following Byleth inside, pulling her suitcase behind her, Robin sits down near a coffee table, watching both Byleth and Edelgard as they move about the room. The tactician doesn't hesitate as she takes a cup of tea, nodding appreciatively before taking a sip. Oh, this is nice! "We were neighbors until today," She explains before setting her teacup down. "Though she neglected to tell me that we would be housemates as well."

Just a bit of lighthearted jab, with a teasing smirk to punctuate her statement.

"You don't need to worry about me, I could sleep just about anywhere."

"I just learned myself or I would have!"

Musse giggles, before rolling her eyes at Robin's next statement.

"Give her the larger room. This woman would happily sleep in a tent without complaint so it's time someone forces her to enjoy some measure of luxury for herself."

Byleth takes her own cup, absently leaning over to place a kiss to Edelgard's head as her wife settles in before taking a sip.

"There's nothing wrong with a good tent and bedroll, if the camp has what it needs. But learning to enjoy something more stable can be nice."

Edelgard smiles a little at the kiss. "Agreed." She looks up at Byleth. "Robin, feel free to take the guest bedroom in that case. Musse, if you don't mind the somewhat rougher accommodations, you can bunk down in the studio." That seems like it works out the best for everyone; Musse did say Robin deserved some luxury, and the guest bedroom fits that nicely."

She takes a cake from the tray. "I've also had some spare keys made up, so you may both feel free to come and go as you please." There will most certainly be more to do once things have settled enough for everyone to properly take stock of the situation and figure out the next step. "My aim is that this stay will be as comfortable for all of us as possible."

Though it is somewhat a shame she and Byleth only recently started becoming...intimate with each other. Little chance of continuing that with Robin trying to sleep one room over and Musse at the end of the hall. Not unless they could find some guaranteed method of soundproofing, at least. Edelgard...well, she liked to enjoy herself during those all too brief moments they'd shared together.

Not that she's put any thought towards how that soundproofing might be accomplished, of course. Or Byleth, for that matter. But given the situation, it was sadly necessary to forgo that pleasure for the time being.

Or at least until Musse and Robin were both out of the house for an hour or two.

"You really don't have to..." She answers, somewhat half-heartedly. Robin has already learned she can't win against Musse, and having both Byleth and Edelgard backing her means that there's no hope in convincing any of them otherwise. Some battles simply cannot be won. Thoroughly defeated, she offers Edelgard and Byleth a sheepish smile. "But if you all insist... I suppose a bit of luxury is good every once in a while."

That's going to come back to bite her in the future, isn't it?

Taking a sip of tea, she takes a moment to enjoy the scent before speaking once more. "Is there anything that either of us could do to make this arrangement comfortable for the two of you? We are the ones imposing, after all." Hopefully Musse doesn't mind Robin casually implying that they would both be willing to help wherever necessary.

Musse is somewhat relieved to see Robin doesn't put much of a fight. She'll have to remember that tactic works for a later occasion.

"Yes, absolutely. You were kind enough to open your home and clear space for us, so the least we can do is help around the house."

EVENT ✨ Fall Equinot

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject