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

[omnicrafter]

"I wouldn't know, but you seem to be trying very hard to prove it, one way or the other." She makes a nonchalant gesture. "Though I suppose this is an opportunity to find out, isn't it?"

Irhya looks around, perking her ears up to listen for any out-of-place noises. There's the sound of faint giggling, yes, but where's it coming from...?

"Now, if you were a doll and you wanted to hide, where would you go?"

[problemsoncauthess]

There's another hurt gasp from Ardyn (overdramatic, of course) - how could she be so cold when he is oh-so-clearly concerned about how he comes off to people? Why won't she think of his feelings?

The moment doesn't last long, of course, and Ardyn's easy smirk is quickly back on his lips as Irhya asks the question. He looks around lazily, as if trying to find the source as well.

"Hm, hm... I wonder. Somewhere easy to hide, and easy to reach for a tiny creature..."

Softly, he steps over to a pile of dead leaves - and then stomps on it, hard, as though aiming to squash something - though of course he's merely trying to keep the doll trapped, if there is one in there. Of course.

[omnicrafter]

That's certainly not the reaction she'd expected. Shooting him an uncertain look, she says, "Hey now, aren't we supposed to bring them back in one piece?"

...Actually, she isn't sure. But why the need to crush one of them? And what if it's hers? With a sigh, she moves to the pile and flicks a wave of leaves at him as she digs. It turns out his boot missed, because an Ardyn-shaped doll skitters out of the pile, unhurt.

[problemsoncauthess]

Ardyn gives an expansive shrug, deep down enjoying Irhya's uncertainty and concern - but he does a good job of not showing it.

"Oh dear, there it goes again. You've seen how fast those things are - I was merely trying to hold it down! Alas, it seems that I missed."

[omnicrafter]

"Yeah, right," she says incredulously. He isn't fooling anyone, but she can't help but feel trepidation anyway. "If you're not gonna chase after it, I will."

The doll has stopped briefly to taunt them, then darted behind a tree... and seemingly disappeared, Irhya finds as she investigates the area. But, as she finds a hollow in the tree, perhaps not as thoroughly vanished as they think.

"I need to borrow your height. I think it went into this hollow." She gestures to the smaller opening at the bottom and then the larger one higher up. "Can't reach it."

[problemsoncauthess]

Ardyn follows at a nonchalant stroll, but his eyebrows rise when he sees the tree.

"Ah, what wily things... Yes, I suppose I would be a better candidate for reaching there."

He strolls past Irhya - and if he is able, takes the chance to pat her condescendingly on the head, - then tiptoes to peek into the hollow.

"You'll keep watch down there, yes? In case they try to escape the same way?"

[omnicrafter]

Irhya opens her mouth when he pats her head, but just ends up gaping indignantly at him for a moment before closing it. Just because she's short and her ears look different...

"Yes," she growls, getting down on her haunches to be ready to snatch the doll in case it should try to come out the way it came in. But what if it retreats into the middle of the hollow where neither of them can reach it? She frowns at the tree, wondering how easy it would be to cut it or knock it over...

"If you can't reach it from there, I might have another idea."

[problemsoncauthess]

The indignant look earns another smug smirk from Ardyn - really, at this point it's obvious he derives pleasure from annoying or insulting others. That smugness is quickly tinged with curiousity, though, and he turns away from the hollow to look down at Irhya.

"Oh? And what might that be, my girl?"

[omnicrafter]

"Slice through it with my sword," Irhya says plainly, then has an afterthought. "Though... that does run the risk of slicing the doll in half too."

Not that this guy seems to care either way. She hears movement in the tree hollow, as if the doll is reacting nervously to the idea of being cut in twain.

"Unless you've a way to knock the tree down and shake it out somehow?"

gosh i'm sorry for how late this is and also for how shitty ardyn is

[problemsoncauthess]

Ardyn hums briefly, thinking the question over. Now, does he have anything like that? At the same time, he can't deny that it would be entertaining to watch Irhya use her sword. Decisions, decisions...

"Well, now... Perhaps I can think of something."

He gives Irhya another smirk - and then curls a finger, as though beckoning to her; at the same time she'll feel a tug, as though an invisible hand is trying to lift her chin, make her look up at him. Ardyn is a kinetic mage, after all, but he does not offer that as an explanation yet, wondering if Irhya will guess what's happening on her own.