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

[bakudan_bambino]

[Gokudera has been in high-intensity situations all his life, it feels. The collar just made it a daily pressure. He could tell her how awful it is, whine and complain and cry, and that would do nothing.

He doesn’t bring up things like this because it’s just so permeating his daily life and he’s trying to just… function without considering the stupid torture-device around his neck.

Once he’s stopped talking and she verbally puts her foot down, he stares.

He is afraid to hope, casts his gaze down.]

I just don’t want anyone blaming themselves…

[He looks up and the knit of his brow is eased up significantly.]

You won’t fail. I’m going to live.

[He doesn’t sound like he has a lot of conviction.]

I’ve spent a long time… seeing my worth as what I could give away my life for. My life was my only worth.

[He takes a deep breath, a rattling sigh, feeling guilt wash in for how he’d been so upset a moment ago.]

But… I know it’s more than that. The collar is… a mark of ownership. I was property. That was my worth, and… I haven’t been free in a long time. Years now.

I think… I still struggle with seeing it.

Why some hero-type would want to help me.

[Gokudera looks down, hiding his face. He may be crying.]

I don’t feel like I deserve it.

[floatsaway]

[It doesn't take much for Ochako's stony disposition to fall back into that warm, gentle, kind face at the admission Gokudera gives her. She doesn't want to pity him, and she won't - because no one really wants anyone's pity, that does very little in the true scope of things. Pity isn't something a Hero gives anyway - what they offer is the help and support people ask for, beg for, cry for. They are the voices taken from the masses, the strength that has been robbed of their wary bodies, and the hope that still stokes the dim embers of their soul.

If she has to be anything, that's what she wants to be - someone's hope.

They're going to do this, and they're going to succeed. It's not just trying to convince herself anymore, it's a promise she brands onto her heart. This is what she trained to do, and she's going to be scared, she's going to doubt, she Ochako will not, IS NOT, going to falter.

Gently, she takes Gokudera's hands in her own and holds them firmly. She understands, a little bit. Understands why he was the one picked by her Worry Monster to talk to, and she understands a lot of his worries, too. They're similar to a lot of her own. Worth, in her world...was determined by many things. Wealth, power, status, but also someone's quirk. A good quirk, a strong quirk, a useful quirk determined one's future in society. Their 'worth' was determined at the meek age of five years old, when their quirk would manifest. That was how Hero society balanced the scales. Heroes lives were never theirs to live. They lived for the society, died for the society, breathed and bled for the society. Their 'worth' was determined solely on what they provided to that society.]

Because you deserve to live. Your life is worth living the way you want. [Her hands tighten around his.] And that's not coming from a Hero, that's coming from me. Ehehe, if you want the Hero's answer, well...

It's simple, but I'll let you figure it out.

[You looked like you needed saving.]

CW: Mentions of past self-harm

[bakudan_bambino]

[There was a time Gokudera had tried to remove his own collar with the intent to end his own suffering. He’d fought with so much determination to experience a second death, to end his exhausting fight with the Pet Ring when Aurora had stepped up to help him.]

[She did pity him, but in doing so, showed him how much she cared, that she was trying to help him shoulder his pain, to support him through it and allow him to feel what he felt.]

[It’s easier to open up to people when they just let him feel whatever he’s going through. This worrigami helps him accept his concerns, to visualize what weighs him down and, seeing Ochako’s monster, he knows he isn’t alone.]

[The boy looks up at her as his hands are taken firmly and he listens to her, giving a gentle nod. His eyes drift back down, shoulders slumping. He could really use a hug.]

[He feels awfully needy.]

Thank you…

[floatsaway]

[Ochako no mind reader, nor is she an empath or anything, but she can read body language pretty well, and just how Gokudera looks. She squeezes his hands once more, just for a second, then pulls him in for a loose but warm hug. He looked like he needed one of those, too, despite whatever bad blood they had earlier. It's clear that they're different, but also have a lot of the same fears and worries. The two monsters that brought them here are indicative of that.

But, that's why they're here, right? To realize they have someone to lean on, to...fall on, when they need it. To accept help and to avoid any future failures because there will always be people around to help lift them up, no matter what. Deep down, at their very cores, Ochako and Gokudera are like that - they're loyal to a fault, and have good hearts that just want to do good and help people. In different ways, but the principle is the same.

She exhales and pulls back after a minute or so, rubbing at the corner of her eyes, which got a little glassy. O-Oops.]

Ehehe...it's fine. We're all gonna be fine!

[bakudan_bambino]

[He’s always been the kind of person to struggle through and try to prove himself. His boss never wanted to prove himself, and Yamamoto was always a natural. Gokudera’s struggle to be happy or successful in any capacity has usually included some kind of rug getting pulled out from under him. The squeeze on his hands is comforting, but not nearly as warming, comforting, and reassuring as the hug he receives.

Gokudera needs one.

The sooner he gets to his procedure, the more often he should probably get hugged. This moment is helping in more ways than his own words could describe.]

Thank you.

I believe in your strength.

[And when she moves out of the hug, he’s clearly letting tears fall, but does not look sad. There is a part of him that thinks that if nothing goes right, he’s grateful for this moment.]

Neither of us need to worry about failure. We aren’t alone.

[floatsaway]

[They both need a hug it seems, because Ochako tries to hide it, but there's a definite quiver to her shoulders that belies her steadfast determination. She's nervous, and she's scared, because failure will never not be a deep-seated worry for a Hero, especially a young one in training. She's still very much a child, just sixteen years old, so there's a lot of pressure on her shoulders constantly. It's a life she chose and accepts, but that doesn't ever make it easy.

So a hug every now and again really helps. But also being believed in. Ochako's lower lip trembles a little, even though she tries to stop it, and her eyes get glassy, but she bites the inside of her cheek and takes a deep breath to push all that away. It's fine, it's going to be fine.]

That...r-really makes me h-happy. [Her smile is wobbly, but it's genuine.] Yeah...yeah. Even if we trip along the way, there's always someone there to pick us back up, ne? Let's...l-let's keep walking together after everything over with!!

[And Ochako sniffles, loudly, then swings Gokudera's hands in hers and plasters a big, kind of wet grin on her face. It's going to be fine - because they'll have friends by their sides. Always.]