EVENT ✨ Something (Celli)Wigged This Way Comes

[avalonmods]

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Autumn, despite the chillier weather, is a season of warmth and gathering. Perhaps moreso this year than normal, given the rather unplanned gathering of Celliwig and Lestari underneath Camelot's roofs. Though significant contributions from otherworlders have made food, shelter, clothes and other productions and donations, medical care, security and protection, and childcare an amazing group effort, typical individual celebrations for the departure of the dead from Avalon aren't being held, like Lestari's Death Ball. After looking at all the support they've been given, Lestari and Celliwig have looked at what they have to offer to help both their own people and the people of Camelot and other worlds.

The people of Lestari excel in cognitive magic, and while there are those who use it for mind-altering magics, there is a good portion who dedicate their studies to emotional and psychological support. One such method is the enchantment of origami paper into something affectionately called Worry Monsters: an specialized counseling technique used to help form support bonds between people with negative emotions. Having spent a portion of the month enchanting paper, two square sheets of paper are handed out to anyone the encounter. The first paper says: "Personifying your emotions can give them a tangible form and make them easier to face. Write down something that causes you worry, stress, fear, or sadness. This is your Worry Monster." The second paper says: "When your Worry Monster is present, how does it make you feel? Any reaction is valid."
When both papers are written on, the writing on both will disappear as if absorbed by the paper, then the pages will animate and fuse, then begin to fold into a monster! Halloween is this month, is it not? There is no sense in not having a little fun. These little Worry Monsters will stomp off and begin roaming Camelot until they find a match-- someone who shares those feelings. Once they find an emotional matching Worry Monster, the monsters will return to their creator and grow to the size of kaiju. They are very light, enchanted paper, so even if someone or something gets stepped on, they won't be hurt or damaged. However, they are strong enough to pick their makers up and carry them to the matching monster who will do the same. Don't worry-- characters will be invisible while being carried by their monster, so their identities will be protected until they are brought to their match. The paper monster will turn to butterflies and fly away once their task is complete. What matches do after they are brought to each other is up to them-- but they will know, undoubtedly, that they share the same worries-- they are with someone who understands. Do it as many times as you'd like, for as many negative emotions as your character wants. For finding something to do, Celliwig offers a solution. While Lestari's people have spent their efforts this month enchanting papers, the people of Celliwig are less apt to share so openly. Instead, they take their time learning about a variety of holidays from other worlds, and come to find one they can apply their particular talents to. While most of their showcase in the past has been on light magic, a holiday such as Halloween plays in particular to their talents in dark magic. A number of locations that have opted in and won't interfere with other relief efforts have been enchanted with dark magics for brave souls to venture into and test their courage! What's more, each of these locations will yield tokens for the victors that can be used to gain prizes. All courage tests must be performed with partners. Costumes are encouraged but not required.
	The library has been converted into a haunted art gallery, many of which have had their paints and other implements enchanted. Some paintings will seem like they're watching you, others will seem like a small figure in the background is following you throughout the library in different paintings. A painting of fruit may start throwing the fruit at you and materializing it into real fruit, so you may find yourself pelted with tomatoes if you don't run fast! A single painting filled with black paint might start leaking and filling the room you're in, pulling you into shadow until you're stuck in the library's underground labyrinth. (Reference monthly quests here and here for more info about the labyrinth.)
There are a variety of paintings with different curses applied. Navigate through the library and escape the haunted paintings-- pairs who make it through without turning back will gain a Celliwig Token.
Another token can be gained via scavenger hunt in the Broceliande. Find cursed dolls from within tree hollows. The dolls will giggle and try to run away, may move when they're only visible in the corner of your eye if you set them down. What's perhaps a little spookier is that they take on the appearance of the first person to touch them, though they will never exceed three inches in height. Beware during your search, however, as there are a good many trees that have been transfigured into mimics. Though the mimics are not going to attack anyone, they do have giant hidden, wriggling tongues that will reach up and wrap the unalert up above the ground for capture. The only way down is if a partner fights the mimic, so don't go alone! Find a doll of both you and a partner and make it back to Camelot to obtain your token. The curse will break once they're exchanged for a token, so you can keep the cute little doll for yourself if you'd like.

The last test of courage invokes a temporary blindness hex on one of the partners. Both partners are walked into a soundproofed room, entirely silent in a way that truly seems to mess with one's head. The unblinded partner is only allowed to answer "yes" or "no" questions, though no one will fault them for giggling as long as they give no clues otherwise. The blind partner is to stick their hands into a tank of water with mystery items hidden within. These items may be mere objects like peeled grapes in soggy noodles, or perhaps the tank is filled with chicken bones and those tiny garra that eat dead cells and are sometimes used for pedicures. All the items are set up to feel spooky, but ultimately are unharmful. As long as the partner who can give clues doesn't break the yes/no rules and the item is guessed within 3 guesses, a token will be rewarded!

Bring tokens to the inn where a stall has been set up, with Gwion working the booth to exchange tokens for the following prizes: 1 Token: Celliwig glasswork glass set of 4-- spooky themed! It's filled with candy upon receiving, so they are friendly for everyone. 2 Tokens: Recipe: Smokescreen - Cast this spell on any liquid to make it billow plumes of fog. The smaller the water surface, the smaller the billow. A shot glass might just create a small whisp, but two mop buckets would be enough to fill up a medium room. Will not effect the contents of the liquid. Cannot be used on water bodies larger than a swimming pool (could screen about half a block). 3 Tokens: Recipe: From the Void - Summons a disembodied tentacle from the shadows. It takes a lot of energy, so you could probably manage up to three casts a day at most before becoming exhausted. Great for binding enemies, sneaking in small spaces, and reaching places you might not be able to otherwise. The tentacle will follow whatever command you have in mind upon summoning, so be sure to concentrate on the task at hand!

Comments

[chatwithdeath]

[Head injuries are still not uncommon in young kids and teenagers. Though, yes, she suspects he's been through... other incidents. The collar is only one of many.]

Indeed. I have limited ammunition so I haven't been using it. I suppose I could ask about it from those Traders, but that may not be so ideal in the long run should someone else happen to acquire it.

[phoenixwiz]

Alright then, I am going to check what they’re offering at the item booth right now. Then we can get some hot drinks and relax at the inn for a while before calling it in for the night.

(So Harry goes out of his way to the item claim booth to see the prizes that he could get. The spells are nice and all, but his eyes were being more attracted to the spooky themed glasses on display.

Realizing that he might need to get some new drink glasses ever since he had to make room for his roommate, he decides to use his token to claim the glasses.)

[phoenixwiz]

(Harry nods in agreement as the two familiars have a lovely time ‘chatting’ and befriending each other.)

They sure do enjoy each other’s company already.

[bakudan_bambino]

Is that a gun from your home?

[Gokudera doesn’t know the particulars about bringing items from home, or buying them from the traders. He’d arrived with most of his usual inventory (minus his weapon system), but had met a person who’d arrived in Avalon missing their basic tool belt.]

sorry for the wait, new expac dropped and all!!

[emet_sulk]

Hm. No, his pockets always contain some alchemic ingredient or other. He takes out a pouch and some paper packets, setting them in a sma pile by his feet before using alchemy to create a box out of some fallen branches. This he holds open for Zidane to pop the doll inside.

"In you go," he says, frowning sternly at the doll.

[letmewin]

( It's then that Asriel quickly looks around - head turning towards where he remembers seeing an exit. )

The exit -- is it gone?!

tooootally understandable. I'm trying to get through Stormblood and reach Endwalker

[tantailizing]

Watching the guy empty his pockets, that's not really what he meant. HOWEVER, his doll is watching with vested interest - and maybe some sticky fingers - only to pout slightly when Emet makes a box. It's still making that face when it goes into the box.

"Alright. All secure~" Zidane nods. "Let's go find mini-you."

[chatwithdeath]

It is. One of the few things that arrived with me.

[And it's not like she had much arrive with her to begin with... not that she minded. It just meant she didn't carry much on her person.]

Anyway, let's take our time when approaching the next tree should it be a tree at all.

[bakudan_bambino]

Alright. Your turn.

[Now that he’s made a fool of himself, he’ll aid her if she needs it. Something tells him she’ll be able to handle herself well enough without him, but he isn’t going to just leave her.]

[milkmycattle]

So you're more on the athletic side, huh? Nothing wrong with that!

[So it does make sense how Ritsuka knows how to think on her feet. With sports or anything similar, you had to be able to make quick decisions, it's the type of stuff that wins games.]

What were you thinking for lunch? Have you had the meat pies here? They're pretty good!

[With the scare-fest they've been through, they need something to build back their energy. So something with lots of carbs and protein seems like a good idea.]

[unhappy]

There's a difference between stupid risks and strategically beneficial risks. Sometimes you strategically steal a hit's information from a dumbass crime boss because he took too long and you want.. you know, I hear the stupid now.

[ Admittedly stealing from a crime boss probably wasn't her smartest moment. But it felt good, and he's an ass. ]

There are plenty of better examples that are smart though.

[mithrarin]

Yeah. [He opens his hand to show her. Look at the cute little Amy doll, with a disproportionate hammer!] Unless that's really you.

[chatwithdeath]

[She refrains from laughing... but there is a quirk at the corner of her mouth. He'd been so confident on the simplicity when they came in...]

I'll go first, but we should further explore the designated area and see what stands out.

[letmewin]

... Asterios, I... I don't want you to be alone.

I've... hurt a lot of people, too. And I knew that I was hurting them. I thought it was better that I was alone, too.

But, it can be scary when you don't have anyone with you.

[bakudan_bambino]

[And now he’s disgruntled and dirty from being grabbed by a tree of all things! Gokudera isn’t going to get close to a single tree after that. Not for a while.]

Fine. Maybe the other doll is just rolling about in a pitfall…

[chatwithdeath]

... Is that the right doll?

[That was something they hadn't verified yet.]

[fujimaru]

I can tell him, but I'm not sure how much he'll want to hear it from he, ha.

[ She doesn't really want to give out the details of why Kadoc has such a chip on his shoulder when it comes to her; part of that is because she knows she doesn't entirely understand the context--mage society is still an opaque wall to her, more often than not. She knows intellectually that certain things are bad, and she doesn't approve of the parts she knows about... but that's not the same as living it.

And part of that is that if Kadoc is making friends and learning how to be a proper real human, she doesn't want to be the one who sabotages that, even accidentally. ]

If you know him, you can probably tell he's a stubborn guy. That sort of thing probably is going to need to be an ongoing project.

sorry for wait, new ffxiv expac dropped!!

[emet_sulk]

Such as?

[ Having lived as long as he has, he feels as though nothing can truly surprise him any more. Crossing his arms, he adds: ]

Keeping such thoughts will only do you harm. Since you can only express yourselves through voice and action, 'tis best not to contain how you feel.

[bakudan_bambino]

It better fuckin’ be-

[He lifts up the doll-Gokudera and looks it over. It’s cute, a little dirty from being dropped on the ground with him. The teenager is giving it a narrowed, suspicious look.]

Why wouldn’t it be?

[beefaroni]

We don't always get what we want. Life is not fair. You should know that by now.

[ Once more, he makes an effort to leave. He doesn't want to burden his little friend any further - doesn't want to push him away with the worst knowledge, with the real reasons of his life... ]

[morganknight]

What's smart to one person is stupid to another. Comes with the territory when emotions and values differ from person to person. And from past you to present you. And -- glark!

[Pardon the interruption, but no sooner does Morgan stick his hand into a hollow on the tree to check for the dolls they're hunting than said 'tree' immediately slaps him in the face with a tongue that then starts to loll out further and wrap him up.]

[peninhand]

Mhm. [She nodded.] I remember how flustered and defensive he got when I suggested we should all shower him with love everyday till his self-esteem improves. It was adorable, ahaha!

[ Maybe that was going a bit far with that plan... But maybe a less drastic version of it would work. Giving him small encouragement that would help him on a regular basis. Something that felt natural. Yes, that would do just well. ]

Unlike me, he doesn't really have the skill to fake it... [She paused.] That's a blessing, maybe. At least we know he needs our attention.

[doctorintern]

Well, Meadowbell loves meeting new people. It's just too bad it's winter right now. Normally she'll give new people she meets a flower.

[pricklybloom]

Sounds good. [ Amy is more than happy to sit for a while, but the promise of hot drinks is enough to keep her patient as she waits for him. ]

[pricklybloom]

[ Looking at the doll, she makes a slight face. ] Definitely not. [ At least it is cute, she'll give them that. ] I guess that means we need to find one that looks like you now.