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]

And this trial is outside!

[He says eagerly, grateful and all the more excited for the challenge. Hiding spots outside would be the best. Gokudera really likes the way the fae are running this festive activity. It may be unusual to anyone who recognizes him to see him so happy.

But at heart, he still has his youth. It’s why his jokes seem so juvenile. He’s never done anything like this in all three of the worlds he’s been on, so it feels good to be actively involved in something like this.]

[chatwithdeath]

Don't go too far ahead.

[Because, looking at the rules properly, they both needed to obtain a doll and return it to 'win'. The dolls would attempt to escape and there was some... other inferred caution to err on, but what against? Someone drew a smiley face instead of answering.]

Hm... Alright, let's go find these dolls.

[bakudan_bambino]

[Gokudera slows down his eager pace and glances back at Naomi, a pout in his expression.]

Fine… fine… we’ll do better as a team anyways.

[chatwithdeath]

[For all his acting, still such a kid. She nods still.]

Indeed. In fact... I believe I see one of our dolls...

[Though, where it is... amongst others in an open hole of a tree.]

[bakudan_bambino]

[Definitely not an adult. But hey, he never really got to have a good fun childhood.]

Which one? We both have like… the same colored hair.

[He starts patting around his shirt for his glasses, unable to tell which of them the doll is supposed to resemble.]

[chatwithdeath]

[Which is unfortunate.]

Yes, we do. [And may no one else point that out.] Hm... they are cursed dolls capable of movement and escape. Perhaps their appearance can change as well.

[Because, aside from the 'hair', she's not really discerning any other features.]

[bakudan_bambino]

[He hasn’t met many people that share his hair color, and he’s just now thinking over how interesting it is that that’s the case.]

You think? I wouldn’t put it past them.

[Fae magic, after all, is tricky.]

[chatwithdeath]

I wouldn't either.

[Curiously, they don't seem to be attempting to escape now... but the tree itself seemed off to Naomi.]

[bakudan_bambino]

They don’t look dangerous.

[They might be? What does he know? Gokudera is going to walk right up to the tree without suspecting it in the slightest. He’s grabbing that little doll and inspecting it, and the hair is cut in a bob that flips back. Yep, it’s a doll modeled after him. He’s grinning and wondering if they’ll be able to keep them. His pet leopard would love this!]

[chatwithdeath]

... I don't think that's--

[But before she can finishing, that would certainly be a tongue coming out of the ground to try catching Gokudera. Oh yeah, that seemed too easy - the fact the doll didn't even attempt anything after the warnings was fairly telling.]

[bakudan_bambino]

[Gokudera didn’t see her moving to complete this task, and as soon as he notices the strange tongue and his eyes follow, it’s wrapped about his ankle.]

-Fuck!

[He clings onto his doll with one arm, the other moving to try and grab at that tongue and loosen it’s hold in order to drop him. Gokudera is trying to grab and burn it with his magic, but it’s slippery and shaking him side to side.

Despite him practicing some acrobatics as part of his training, strengthening his core and making his current position easy, and his past experience fighting tentacle monsters, this… he’s not entirely sure how to combat a giant tree tongue.]

[chatwithdeath]

[Well, this is an unfortunate predicament they're now in. Naomi watches the tongue shake Gokudera around, contemplating the best way to get a giant tongue to let go. But, therein lay the problem because honestly, how did you? Peppers? It's not like she had them.]

... How effective would shooting it be?

[bakudan_bambino]

[Gokudera is still trying desperately to make that tongue release him, and now he’s shooting out little lightning bolts from his fingers.]

Try it!!!

[He’d rather she help him, even if they aren’t certain how well shooting it will play out. It’s a… tree? Something else pretending to be a tree? Gokudera just wants to be right-side-up.]

[chatwithdeath]

[The question was really where to shoot, but she doesn't know how much damage might be done to the tree.]

[Still, no one ask, but the doctor draws a gun and chooses to take a shot at the tongue itself. It should still be fairly sensitive and vulnerable as any other tongue.]

Yay I didn’t lose this one! I’m just slow! 8D

[bakudan_bambino]

[Gokudera is able to use his own magic, thankfully, to make a light shield around himself, and it is struggling to cut off the slime grip of that tree-tongue about his ankle. The rest of him is curled up and he waits for the shot.

And it drops him with a thrash. He lands on his shoulder instead of his head, thankfully, and rolls, still hugging the doll close to his chest.]

Haha, it's okay

[chatwithdeath]

[Lowering her gun once the tongue drops him, she hums.]

Right, sorry about that. I would've softened the impact if I had the magic, but it appears you know how to rescue yourself from that fall.

[No apology for the tongue. That's on him.]

[bakudan_bambino]

[Gokudera very slowly takes stock of how he is as he’s lying still, pushes himself up slowly and pulls out a handkerchief to wipe about his ankle where that tongue had been. Who knows what effects tree saliva could have if left on the skin! Maybe he’s just a bit paranoid, though.

He stands and brushes off his shoulder, lifting an eyebrow at the gun in her hands.]

Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve fallen.

[chatwithdeath]

At your age, I'd be surprised if you hadn't by now.

[Either way, she'll put her gun away. And knowing he was staring...]

... I've handled a few cases for the FBI in the past. Just a precautionary usually should security be breached in any instance.

[bakudan_bambino]

Right.

[But he means more like, dropped head-first into the ground. Gokudera’s been thrown into burning buildings while wearing explosives. Getting picked up, then dropped by a tree-tongue is new, but not the worst or most dangerous situation he’s been in.]

I’ve grown so accustomed to magic. It’s been a while since I’ve heard a gunshot.

[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.

[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.]

[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.]

[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.

[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…