isleofavalon | EVENT ✨ Something (Celli)Wigged This Way Comes

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EVENT ✨ Something (Celli)Wigged This Way Comes

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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!

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[ Hey, something they can agree on - Halloween sucks. Maribelle doesn't really want to be here and do this, but Hijikata has a way with words... at least for this prompt.

So, here they are. Maribelle hesitates, but takes a wary closer look. ]

It might be a trick of the light. This whole... thing is designed to play with our nerves, isn't it?

[Come on, Maribelle totally wants the beautiful glasswork prize! Right? No? Did Hijikata try to shill it to her anyway? Or maybe she's actually been somewhat curious to see the paintings, on an art appreciator level, but not without a meat shield... either way, here they are indeed.]

There's something in the water. Look, there are ripples on the surface.

[There really are, faintly ebbing away... and there's a dark shape circling around in the depths, isn't there?]

...

Maybe we shouldn't wait until it comes back up.

Yes, that may be the wisest course... The goal is simply find the exit, not to investigate or battle!

[ So she will take that excuse to begin inching away. ]

Right. Let's move on!

[He starts striding past the next few paintings, not even looking at them. He can't afford to get distracted!! The gallery, however, immediately punishes his cowardice. After not finding a way out of the room in any of the four corners he stops and slowly turns around himself.]

..?

This is the first room still, no? Where's the door we came in through?

[Don't panic, Toshirou!! This art exhibition barely started! But there is no door anymore, only the paintings on the walls... the one with the pond, right behind him, in which bubbles are rising to the surface, and three on the wall Maribelle is standing in front of, each a dark blue - some abstract modern art, Hijikata assumed, until he sees a long, dark body swim past in the frames, as if they were glass panes in an aquarium.]

Ah...

[Shit. Shit shit shit shit shit!! Isn't it awfully cold in here, too?! And dim, so dim! Was the light so blue when they came in? And why does he hear splashing? (It's because water is running out of the frames as the creature, whose body still goes on and on, moves past... ah, there's its tail, finally. Goodness.]

[ This is a time to keep calm, think clearly, and try not to panic. ]

YEEEEEK!

[ Or, in Maribelle's case, attach yourself to Hijikata's arm and hold onto it with a iron grip. Not like he needed all his bones, right? ]

Is that thing going to come out of the frames? It's not, right? It's just a trick of the light, right?!

[ She really seems to be trying to convince herself of this, not asking him. ]

Don't break my arm!! Just how strong are you?!

[This dainty little damsel has the grip of an iron maiden all of a sudden!! As they follow the creature with their eyes, both about equally aghast, something appears at the bottom of the pond, only to disappear again on the other end after passing through for what seems like eternity...]

Is-- is that the same thing?! It is, right? It's swimming through all the paintings!

[He stares at the frame on the next wall, which shows an underwater grotto. Oh, no. Already he can see a shadowy shape coming closer, and with no goddamn door in sight where the hell can they run?! Only a moment later the head of the creature reaches the front of the painting and... breaks through. As its endlessly long body enters the room water comes thundering in from all paintings simultaneously. Hijikata screams a little, but immediately tries to swerve into damage control mode.]

N-n-no need to panic, it's just an oarfish!! They're harmless!

[Right?? Sure, they're said to be harbingers of earthquakes back home, but there are no reports of any ever attacking humans, despite their monstrous size! Sadly this oarfish seems intent of proving its reputation right, because as the room fills with cold water it also starts rumbling and shaking.]

Oh, crap--

[The water is rising rapidly - it's already up to his knees -, there's nothing to really hold on to besides Maribelle, and the massive, ghostly pale fish with its blood-red mane is cruising around very close to them. Hijikata frankly doesn't know what to do and is about to draw his sword to slay it in a vain hope that that'll stop the madness, but then he notices a different painting depicting a lakefront bringing in something else: an old-fashioned, wooden kayak. It's about halfway into the room already.]

Over there!

[He pulls Maribelle along, drags the rest of the boat over to their side of the frame, and holds it steady so she can get in. There's a pair of oars inside, at the very least, so they won't have to paddle with their hands.]

[ So, for the record? Maribelle has DEFINITELY been screaming as it came closer, and as it reared its ugly head. Apology to Hijikata's eardrums.

Fortunately, she is able to hear him despite her shrieking, and scrambles to the boat! ]

This is a dream! This has to be a bad dream! Why couldn't I have a nice dream with Lissa and Chrom and tea?! Why do I have to have dreams with YOU in them?!

[ She might apologize for that later. Maybe. Once inside, she will take an oar and paddle like there's no tomorrow! ]

[Luckily(?) Hijikata's ears are ringing too much for him to really parse Maribelle's complaint as an insult. As the water level reaches the bottom of the painting frames - it looks likes they were all strategically hung up at the same height - the flow stops, so at least they won't drown in this horrible cursed room, but the shaking and rumbling continues, and the oarfish is still swimming around. He picks up the other oar and starts paddling too, but since they're not in synch the small boat starts turning around its own axis.]

Where are we going?!

[Seeing how no door has magically appeared they can really only go... into one of the paintings. The one with the pond shows a bird's eye view, so they may risk a freefall in that one, and the group of three might just dump them in the deep sea. The lakefront seems most promising, though there are a few more they haven't properly inspected yet: the latter's neighbour, which depicts a river running through a forest and past an old decrepit mill, and the two on the last wall, one showing a waterfall, the other a nightly aquarium with bubbling tanks in which various small fish move around.]

[ you spin me right round baby right round like a record baby

But yeah, oddly enough, the axis turn really emphasizes the sheer ridiculous of the situation they're in - which is enough to calm Maribelle down a smidgen. At the very least, she's not screaming like a banshee anymore.

She sits in the boat, taking a few deep breaths. Dreaming about Chrom and Lissa... what would they do? ... Lissa might freak out, but Chrom, brilliant leader Chrom, he who keeps a cool head at all times... ]

Hijikata! Let's head towards the furthest painting - the exit might be that way! At the very least, we need to use the oars together!

Give me yours!

[He grabs the oar from her - forgive his rudeness, Maribelle, he's a little beside himself. With him using both oars the boat gets back on course, and he rows it towards the aquarium painting... and then into it. On the other side they smoothly arrive on the open top of a mid-sized basin, and thankfully this room isn't rumbling at all. It's quiet and cool, and the only sound comes from the various big and small pumps and other equipment supplying the tanks.]

Thank goodness the damn earthquake stopped! Let's see if we can get out of the boat without stepping in the water.

[It won't make much of a difference since their legs are already soaked from before, but Hijikata unknowingly has a good idea since they're actually on top of the piranha tank. He manages to maneuver the kayak lengthwise against the basin's outer wall, then carefully gets up, hops out onto dry ground about 1.5 m / 5 ft below, and quickly turns around to hold the kayak in place so Maribelle can get out too. If it's too unstable for her he'll even catch her, but ungallant as he is he won't offer that without prompting.]

[ Being from a medieval-type world, Maribelle has no idea what an aquarium is, so she's very confused by all these glass tanks and pumps and noise. But, hell, her partner seems to know what he's doing so she'll just follow his lead.

And yes, noted that he's being quite ungallant. Tsk.

With a shake of her head, she slowly begins trying to climb out. ]

... Are we still in the museum? Is this... all one large illusion?

Good question. It better be an illusion, because otherwise that's got to be illegal.

[Never mind all the smoke-and-mirrors effects they were subjected to during Celliwig's trials! He looks around... the only dim light is coming from the illuminated blue fish tanks, so it's not easy to make out anything else. As they investigate the perimeter further, though, it quickly becomes clear that the walkway abruptly ends right around the curve in either direction, as if this were just a small segment that someone took out of an aquarium complex.

There's a painting on either of the otherwise blank walls blocking their path, one depicting a rainy cobble-stone alley dimly lit by old-fashioned streetlights, the other a dusty, cobweb-covered attic. The rain in the first painting is visibly falling, and a pair of spiders are actively weaving their webs in opposite corners of the latter one.]

...

Well, ladies first. Where do you want to go?

[Of course there's also the option of going back to where they came from in hopes that the oarfish and the earthquake will be gone, but climbing back into the kayak in the piranha tank might be a somewhat shaky undertaking.]

[ Yeaaaah, she's not a huge fan of any of these options, if her expression about it wasn't obvious enough. A heavy sigh through her nostrils - somehow it feels like this day is just beginning. ]

... It this is truly an illusion, and we forfeit if we leave the museum... I suggest heading to the one resembling the attic. It at least looks like we'd still be inside the building.

Good reasoning. I'll go ahead.

[Just in case there's something dangerous on the other side! It doesn't seem so, though. Once Maribelle follows him through the frame she'll see dusty furniture, broken tools - a sewing machine, a pair of scissors that's fallen apart into two pieces -, and... dolls. There's a good number of them, more becoming apparent on a rocking chair, in shelves, and all over the place on closer observation, and they're most definitely following the two of them with their eyes.]

...

I don't like it here.

[There are no paintings in this room, only a single trapdoor, which Hijikata hurriedly yet carefully opens. A ladder leads downstairs, and the darkness doesn't look inviting, but neither do the dolls' staring glass eyes.]

I guess we have no choice. This better be ending sometime soon!

[They've got no time to spend all day moving from one creepy-ass place to another - okay, the aquarium wasn't creepy, but it was a dead end!]

[ Yup, major REGRET here. Maribelle keeps her parasol close to her, in case she needs to whack any dolls away... which she immediately realizes is super silly. It's a doll. What could it even do to her? Worst case scenario, she gives it a good drop-kick.

Somewhere, Chucky is appalled. ]

I hope so too - and that the glasswork I get for the token is EXCEPTIONALLY beautiful... something to show off! Otherwise, this whole thing will have seemed rather pointless.

[ If there are no bragging points, what IS the point? ]

[Hijikata responds while climbing down the rickety ladder.]

I'm sure it will be! Celliwig's glass- and crystalwork is their pride, right?

[Of course he'll save up for the tentacle summoning spell, but he isn't about to tell her that. Once he feels solid ground under his feet he immediately summons a flame in his palm to illuminate the surroundings, and Maribelle will hear him scream.]

Haaaaah?! No way!!

[He turns around to frantically climb back up the ladder, but he's so beside himself that he runs into it instead and forgets to dismiss his flame... so the next thing that happens is the old, dry wooden ladder catching on fire. Depending on whether Maribelle was cautiously waiting up in the attic or already mid-way down she may either find herself cut off from Hijikata or forced to decide between quickly climbing back up or jumping the rest of the way.]

Shit-- shit--

[He has water magic, what is he doing?! Well, perhaps the brief moment in which he illuminated the room was enough for her to see what has him freaking out: a huge, massive doll head is hidden in the darkness, taking up most of the room beyond the small space in front of the ladder, and it's just as animated as the dolls upstairs.]

What? What happened?!

[ She hadn't climbed down yet, but she can see the chaos from below - what the actual hell?!

... You know what? Maribelle's had A Day. And there's only such much of a Day Maribelle can take.

Pairing up with him, scary paintings, flood, spooky fish, spinning boats, the fuck is an aquarium, impossible choices, and now this? NOW THIS?! ]

You call yourself a soldier, running away from that?! Absolutely not! I have had quite enough of these... shenagains!

I AM FINISHING THIS AWFUL, HORRIBLE QUEST, AND I'M NOT GOING TO LET SOME POORLY DRESSED CHILDREN'S TOY STOP ME! AAAAUUUUGH!

[ So she's going to jump from the top - AND TRY TO LAND A DROP KICK ON THE DOLL. Try being the operative word here, seeing as she is a Squishy Mage and has no muscles to speak up, but effort has to count for something, eh? ]

Maribelle--!!

[But she's already landing a flying drop kick in the colossal doll head's face (there's no body attached, it's just a huge-ass head crammed into the room and filling it up to the ceiling). It doesn't seem seriously damaged, probably thanks to her light weight, and Hijikata's heart downright skips a beat, but instead of jumping forward and retaliating the doll head stays still... and then it opens its mouth impossibly wide until the opening is as large as a doorway. Light is shining out of it, surprisingly bright.]

...

Could this-- could this be the exit..? No, right? It's a trap!

[Now that it's brighter they can see a small signpost next to the massive thing, one like the paintings in the first room and in the aquarium had stuck to the wall beside them. It reads "'Doll Head' by Sanafina Greenbrook". So if nothing else it seems like this is part of the exhibition, which indicates that they're back(?) in the library.]

[ After the kick lands... Maribelle didn't really have a plan for that, so she just lands with an undignified FWUMP on the floor, landing right on her rear. ]

Ow! ... Ugh... Why couldn't you catch me!

[ Because he didn't know what she was going to do? Bah! It's still his fault. She wobblily gets up, and smooths down her clothes. ]

I don't care if it IS a trap, we have no other options! And whatever we face, we will take down!

[ With that, she heads right into the mouth... still a bit wobblily due to hiney hurt. ]

[He's just been standing back like a frightened damsel while Maribelle was kicking ass, and now he struggles to get a grip and follow her (he really doesn't want to enter the creepy doll mouth, but he also doesn't want to be left behind alone!).]

Wait, wait-- aren't those supposed to be my lines?!

[That realisation comes a little late. As he stumbles out on the other side after her they find themselves in a normal, well-lit small library room where a Celliwigian in a fancy lolita outfit with about as many frills as Maribelle's greets them. She claps and laughs.]

Congratulations! You two were the first who were gutsy enough to attack the Doll Head and find the hidden exit! Here, your tokens!

... Wait, I was supposed to do that?!

[ Granted, she's relieved she's not in trouble for it, but, really?! She runs a hands down her face, sighing heavily, before moving to take her share of the tokens. ]

Thank you, I suppose... Let's get out of here, I've had enough artwork experience to last me a lifetime.

Y-yeah.

[He lets out a shaky sigh of relief. It's still sinking in for him that they really escaped the horrors of the art exhibition, and when he spots a bench right outside the library he sinks onto it with wobbly legs and immediately lights himself two cigarettes (luckily it's easier with fire magic than it would be with a lighter, given his shaky hands).]

Good... good work.

[This is a weak way of thanking her for getting them out of there with her fiery determination to put up with no more creepy bullshit, but he's still gathering his bearings. Perhaps she'll let him off with this today!]

[ As much as she wants to run off and get sloppy drunk, she pauses in front of him. Granted, he did some stupid things during this little mission, but... She takes a breath. ]

... Thank you for doing this with me. I don't think we could have made it through without one another.

[ There. Isn't she gracious? With a little head-bow, she turns to walk off. ]

[She's very gracious!! She didn't exactly see him at his most knightly right now, so some criticism or even a small grudge wouldn't have been out of order, and he's surprised. His smile comes a little delayed after she's turned already, but his voice sounds a little calmer and warmer as he responds through his cigarette smoke.]

Yeah, I don't think so either. It was nice teamwork.

[He sincerely hopes that she'll like the glasswork... most of it will probably be vaguely gothic-looking, but who knows, perhaps one or two of the contributing artists opted for something a little more versatile and light!]

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EVENT ✨ Something (Celli)Wigged This Way Comes

Accursed Thanks - Haunted Art Gallery

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