isleofavalon | EVENT ✨ Fall Equinot

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EVENT ✨ Fall Equinot

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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

[Look. Okay, yes. She knows the feeling. The difference is that she never got mad at her father for failing to stop Zarkon and his armies, never cursed him for old friendships that may have caused him to hesitate at the wrong moment.]

[Which one is Darin, and which one is the dragon?]

What I mean is simple, Darin: You're already working yourself far past your limits as punishment, and you're already saying they should hate and condemn you... and now you're adding that they would be right to do so. You don't want them to be fair to you, because you aren't being fair to yourself.

This town was destroyed by the dragon. You didn't encourage it to take that path, nor did you assist it in the destruction, nor did you fail because of succumbing to some darker part of yourself. Your only crime was being presented with an unfair choice — and you've already told me that you still stand by your decision.

So, why don't you tell me what would be so wrong about forgiving yourself for it?

That's the thing, Allura.

I can forgive myself all I want. I've made peace with my decision to save my friend.

But how many of those who lost everything will forgive me? Hell, I already know people who were ready to kill the dragon that haven't forgiven me.

[That includes the friend he saved.]

You're telling me to forgive myself, and I have. But it doesn't change the minds of everyone else.

[He shrugs.]

So, I'll carry that with me. It's not like it's a sentiment I'm not used to.

[There's still a note of that sentiment there, that he will absolutely be hated. That he can't not be hated. Maybe...]

Will you at least give yourself a fair chance, and tell them all the story? Not merely your crimes, but your better acts, and what you were able to save?

If you're going to have them judge you, then let them judge all of it. And then see how many will forgive you.

That's fine. I'll tell the whole story.

But I can't imagine 'choosing one over the many' will go over well...

If the alternative is that they would have to live with that man's blood on their soil? At least some of them should recognize the truth of all this.

Some of them, too, must believe that you cannot obtain victory through sacrifice.

... ... ...

What...What do you think of all of this?

...Of me?

[He's almost afraid to ask, nor is he able to meet her eyes.]

[She thinks carefully before she speaks. After all, he wants her to be honest.]

... it... hurts to see Celliwig like this. It would hurt even if I had never seen Celliwig with my own eyes before now.

Despite that, I think you made the right choice. And I mean that. That isn't something I'm saying because it's you.

Even though I do truly, sincerely wish that things had not ended this way... everything was set on the wrong course long before it reached you.. Possibly even before the disaster struck, in the days when we could have prepared better, but didn't.

But despite that, you saved a man's life. You stood with your ally, rather than losing sight of those who stand beside you for the sake of your common objective. Or a chance at it, really — it still sounds to me as if the outcome couldn't be assured, if you were at such a point of desperation.

And even if I'm wrong, and the dragon would certainly have died? Letting your teammate die for that would have meant... the loss of something more important, I think.

[Darin nods slowly as Allura reassures him. He's glad it sounded like she would have made the right choice. Finally, he allows himself to spare her a bit of a hopeful glance.]

So...you aren't...

You...still like me...?

[She smiles. It's a sad smile, but... amused despite that.]

Really, Darin? Of course I still like you. Why do you think I've been saying all of this?

...I'm just...I dunno...

I was afraid you'd hate me. That I chose to save a friend over a town...

It's always been easier to accept that people will hate me.

Oh, come here.

[And she pulls him into a hug, wrapping her arms around his back. It's an act of tender affection as much as it is a compassionate act of reassurance.]

Forgive me if this makes it difficult, but I care about you too much to abandon you so hastily. And I'll always want to hear your side of things before I make any judgment of you.

[He slumps into her embrace. He doesn't have the strength to hug her back. But he does rest his head in the crook of her neck, letting the scent of her hair soothe him.]

...It doesn't make it difficult...

I...might not understand why. Maybe not yet but...

I'm...just thankful you're here. That you still have feelings for me even though...

...E-Even though...

[He can't bring himself to finish the sentence as his voice catches. But from the hushed and strangle sound of his voice...]

[It was likely something along the lines of being a monster.]

[He'll feel her hand on his back, rubbing in gentle circles to sooth him. Even despite the fact that his frame is taller and broader than hers, she's giving him her full support so he doesn't have to worry about his legs giving out. From a distance, it might look a little odd, as if his body was propped up on hers.]

There's so much more to you than that, Darin. So much more than you realize...

[And while she hopes that someday, he'll see himself as she sees him — for the time being, she doesn't mind being his eyes.]

I won't go anywhere. I'll be here for as long as you need me.

Mn...

Thank you...

[He doesn't have anything more to say. He's exhausted and in desperate need of sleep.]

...Maybe I should try and make camp...

Need rest...

[While showing some concern for his own well-being is a good step, she has to interject.]

I can make camp. Though if you happen to know a good spot, let me know. [After all the time he's spent here, she imagines that he knows it inside and out.]

Also... do you have any supplies here? Or was everything taken back when the others left?

I don't have much. Been rationing it out...

Prolly should make for home soon...

Tomorrow. We'll leave tomorrow. I should have enough for the both of us until then.

[Which isn't why she had asked, really. It was for her own curiosity of what exactly he had subjected himself to. More than that, really — how else can she figure out what she'll need to remedy if she doesn't know what he's endured?]

[In fact, given how he hasn't been eating proper meals, she fishes around in her bag for some of the rations she brought. Specifically, some strips of dried meat. It's not a snack she tends to favor, but it's one of several things she packed it specifically in case she had found him.]

Here. Something to tide you over while I set up.

Edited 2021-10-08 09:36 (UTC)

... ... ...

[Darin looks at the jerky as if it were some kind of foreign object for a moment before taking it.]

[He picks at it slowly, but eventually nods his thanks.]

Sorry for being so much trouble...

[She draws away from him — but slowly, evaluating him as she moves, as if she's worried that he might still need her close to stay on his feet.]

You needn't apologize. If anything, I wish I could be of more help. I really ought to pick up some of those Totem recipes, we could bring you right back home with one of those...

[If she's setting up camp, then the first thing should be a fire, right? But they might have to leave the ruins to find what they need for that. Everything around them is already charred and burnt out. Even if it weren't, it doesn't seem respectful to use the remains as fuel.]

Yeah...gotta admit, never thought I'd want one.

[He sits there and nibbles on his jerky.]

...You were fighting a war in your universe...right? You and the other paladins?

Who makes the calls on your team? I admit, I thought it was Shiro but...you kinda give off the leader vibe too. So does Keith.

Actually, all three of us do, to different degrees.

In terms of chain of command, Shiro was the Paladin of the Black Lion and by extension the leader... at first. During a period when he disappeared, Keith took over, both in role and in Lion.

But before I became a part of the team, I acted as a commander of sorts, overseeing the mission while leaving the exact execution to the team itself. I had even hoped that when we needed a new Paladin for the Black Lion, it would choose me. ... but I suppose I didn't have enough experience on the battlefield at the time.

Despite that, even though I'm one of the lowest on the team now, [by which of course she means one of the legs at the bottom of Voltron,] I do have say in laying out our course of action. Really, everyone should in a well-functioning team, but I like to think it's one of my strengths.

...I sure wish one of you were there with me. I'm...not good with decisions like that. Orders, I can follow but...

I'm no leader. No hero. I shouldn't be the one making choices like that...

Leave that to the lords and knights around here...

[Come to think of it, Allura's likely seen him do plenty of quests. He probably could be a Lord in Camelot by now.]

Are you sure? From what I've seen, you're always thinking about the situation and the actions you should be taking. And so much of that is born from concern from others, whether it's your teammates, your enemies, or anyone who happens to be caught in the crossfire.

That sounds like exactly the right sort of instincts to lead. All you need to do is hone it with practice.

[He shakes his head emphatically]

No. No, whenever I make a heavy choice, something horrible happens. I'm not...

I can't bear that burden. I'm not a leader. I follow. I'm so much better following...

That's just it, though. A leader should never shoulder that burden alone. Because a team isn't merely one person thinking, and a group of followers.

[She might not have enough for a fire yet, but she can at least start laying out what she does have, so she knows where to gather the rest. The beginnings of something bigger.]

The leader is someone who knows the team, who values their judgment, who ensures their safety as a group... and above all, someone who brings out the best in everyone. And while they will have to make difficult choices, it's only when the rest of the group needs a unifying voice to keep them together.

What do you think? Could you manage that?

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