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

Well, where 'm from...people know who I am and my accent's a dead giveaway 'bout who I might be. When yer a Servant, knowin' their True Name means knowin' everythin' 'bout 'em, includin' weaknesses an' all that. [ He chuckles. No need to keep on all the serious things right now, not when the mood is so good. ] Izō...yeah, genuine's a real good way'a putin' it. He ain't never gonna change himself for no one an' that's part'a why I like him so much, all'a his rough edges an' all.

[ He sounds terribly fond of Izō at that moment and looks it, too, what with the warm smile as he talks about him. ]

Hmm, is that why he was so cagey about giving me his name? [Jane muses, sounding more like she's speaking a thought out loud than actually asking Ryouma a question.

But then she smiles brightly, and she pats Ryouma's forearm in a slightly clumsy gesture.]

I like him, too. I'm sure he'd ask me 'why' and try to give some terrible speech about how he's only good for one thing and why would I want him around for that, but... [Pffffh... she shakes her head fondly.]

I think he's a good person. That's why I like him.

Ah, yeah, he'd do jus' that. He's had a real hard life an' a lotta people he respected treated him real bad... [ Ryouma wasn't one of them, but he still can't help but feel partially responsible in some way. He pats Jane on the shoulder. ] 'S why he needs someone like ya 'round. Ya look past ev'rythin' he puts forward and see who he really is.

[ Ryouma's smile is still very warm, though tinged by a bit of sadness. ]

Thanks for bein' his friend.

[She bites back against saying that she certainly tries to be his friend, though she's never entirely sure how receptive he is to it. He doesn't ever push her away though, not really, so maybe he likes her more than she thinks?]

I shall certainly never treat him badly. [Jane says thoughtfully, with only a faint slur to her words. She picks up her glass and looks at it for a moment, then lifts it up in Ryouma's direction.]

To Okada Izō. The good-hearted, grouchy bastard.

[The curse leaving her still manages to sound terribly refined with her accent, but the snort-laugh she lets out when she realises what she said is certainly not.]

And you, my good sir, are a bad influence.

[ He raises his glass to hers and gives a nod...and immediately starts laughing afterward at her reaction. Down goes the last of his drink and he grins. ]

Am I? I jus' wanted t' help get yer mind off'a everythin' an' I think I did just that! [ Therefore... ] I think it's time t' go, don't ya?

[ Before they have to crawl home. ]

[Jane does cough a little on this shot, though only a little. It could be just the alcohol that had taken her mind off things but she would definitely say it was the company as well - Ryouma is like sunshine. Someone she knows she can get along with very well.

There's a flicker of disappointment on her face at his question, and she sways back and forth slightly on her stool.]

Already? But we only just arrived!

[Please take her home, Ryouma.]

Now don't ya make me carry ya outta here, Miss Jane. 'Cause I will if I gotta.

[ He grins as he gets up off his stool. Steady would not be a word anyone used to describe him right now, but he'll manage. He offers his hand to Jane with a smile. ]

C'mon. Let's go.

Ooh, would you?

[It doesn't sound like she objects too much to this idea, honestly, though she doesn't realise just how much alcohol she's really had until she slides from the stool.

She grabs for Ryouma's hand, misses, but catches hold of it on the second try.]

-- oh, my.

[ Without any kind warning nor hesitation, he scoops Jane up in his arms with a grin. ]

I would. Looks like ya need it, too.

Eek!

[She wiggles, but not too much. After all, she doesn't want him to drop her! Rather than struggle to get free she loops an arm around his neck and lightly punches his chest.]

Ryouma! This is very unladylike.

[ He just laughs as he walks out of the bar with her safely in his arms. As drunk as he is, he's remarkably stable and that's all that counts right now. ]

Ya know what's more unladylike? Fallin' on yer face because ya drank too much.

I'm sure you realise that carrying me around like this exponentially increases the chances of us both ending up on our faces.

[Did she really drink too much? Jane had quite enjoyed herself and she's sure she could have managed her way out of there if he'd let her get her footing...]

Ah, well. It's not every day I'm carried home by a strapping young man. I do believe I'll allow it.

An' if that happens, ya can yell at me for it all ya want.

[ He's in good spirits, laughing about this whole thing. This definitely took his mind off the situation they'd both been through earlier. ]

Well, good, 'cause I ain't lettin' ya down 'til we're back.

[ At least it's a relatively short walk. ]

[She could struggle but she has a feeling it wouldn't end well for either of them, so she keeps her arm slung loose around his shoulders and plucks idly at the fabric she finds there with alcohol-numbed fingers.]

I suppose, hm, things haven't been all bad. It's been good to see everyone coming together to help.

[Jane wiggles her feet a little as she's carried, watching them as if they're doing something fascinating.]

You know, we should do this again. The drink part, not the uh... the mass destruction part. We can probably leave that bit out.

I'd love t' drink with ya under better circumstances. Yer real good company, Jane.

[ And, true to his word, once they're at the inn, he gently sets her down on her own two feet. He does keep a hand on her shoulder just in case she takes a tumble. ]

Don't be a stranger now, ya hear?

[She isn't so wobbly that she's going to fall as soon as he puts her down, though the street does tilt a little when her feet touch the ground. Jane puts her hand on Ryouma's arm and shakes her head, then squints up at the front of the inn.]

Oh, this is where we are.

[And she looks around herself, pursing her lips, then points up the street.]

I'm that way, then.

[ Ryouma looks where she's pointing and cocks his head to the side. ]

Ya want me t' walk ya there? I don't feel real good jus' leavin' ya on yer own.

Oh, it isn't terribly far.

[But the question is, what does Ryouma think of Jane's evaluation of 'terribly far'.]

But I'm sure I wouldn't mind another few minutes of your delightful company.

[ Ryouma bows, then looks up with a grin. ]

Want me t' carry ya again or would ya prefer t' hold my hand instead?

[The woman lets out a little snort of a laugh.]

I do believe I can manage to walk, but you might permit me to take your arm.

[And she gestures him over to her - once he's close enough she will slip her hand around the inside of his forearm. Like a proper lady who definitely did not have half a dozen shots of vodka.]

'Course, it's th' least I can do for a proper lady like yerself.

[ They are definitely not walking like a pair of wobbly drunks whose only support system is the other equally drunk person. It's fine. ]

[It's totally fine.]

Well, then! If you insist. I should not have thought you less of a gentleman if you let me go alone.

[But she will just give his arm a cheeky little squeeze and look up at him with a grin.]

I must tell you, I'm not in the habit of bringing men back to my place of residence.

[ Ryouma laughs and blushes a little bit at that insinuation. ]

What'll th' neighborhood gossips think if they see ya comin' back like this with a guy like me?

[ Dirty suit aside, he comes off as oddly shady.

It's fine. ]

Eh, don't matter what no one thinks. We know what's really goin' on, right?

[ Do they?? ]

[She hums out a sing-song 'hmm!' and flashes a grin up at him while they walk.]

Of course! This is just a gentleman walking a lady home after spending the evening in a shady bar drinking vodka.

[And to be honest, none of her neighbours are really that gossipy.]

I expect that the incredibly tall man they may have seen me kissing on the doorstep with some measure of regularity would dissuade them from thinking anything else.

Or that might make it worse. Might think I'm some kinda guy ya got on th' side or somethin'.

[ Ryouma can't help but laugh at that idea. Creating ridiculous scenarios like that is fun, honestly. ]

EVENT ✨ Fall Equinot

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