EVENT ✨ Old St. Nic(nevin)

[avalonmods]

QUICK NAV: LOGS ⚔️️ NETWORK ⚔️️ MEMES ⚔️️ OOC ⚔️️ NAVIGATION This is the event log for IC comments only! Ask questions in response to this comment HERE or use the FAQ for general questions. Click here to view top-level comments only.

 

 

Everyone is invited to Elphame to celebrate this year's Winter Solstice and take part in Elphame's portion of the Winter Solstice rituals. Everyone was provided a quick-travel totem to get to the Land of Maidens, which now has an open path into the fairy capitol of N

Thanks to the completion of the 9 Sorceresses' tasks, preparations for the Winter Solstice have gone smoothly and, temporarily, the waterfall gorge that leads to the Land of Maidens has frozen entirely. Where the entrance to the Land of Maidens had once been hidden behind the water, a new cavern is formed by the frozen ice. A small pathway of moss and tiny flowers formed by petal-thin crystals leads the way to a door. This one is wood and seemingly carved out of a the cliff at the base of the waterfall. The wood door is covered with vines and moss and red and white spotted toadstools and is quite, quite small. You'll certainly have to get on your hands and knees to pass through or if you refuse, the fae of the gorge will have little hesitation in spreading rumors of your cowardice across the land.
Harsh words like "I heard they only fuck chickens because that's what they truly are" and a good many other crass and sometimes ridiculous rumors (and caricatures we dare not share with you) will spread about the land, even going so far as to come back to Camelot. To have rumors spread about your character during the event, list them here for all to see!
	Enter, and you shall crawl through a small tunnel that seems to get wider and wider (or are you getting smaller and smaller? It's impossible to tell for sure.) until you reach a rather impressively sized moat surrounding what may be the largest tree you've ever seen. There are small boats that will carry two to three people at a time, manned by what look like nutcrackers. Ask their names, and you will find they are called Undante and Redd and they both will speak the same thing at the same time, which can get rather confusing when the other boat is speaking to their ferryman. If you continue to bother them at work, they will send you on a quest that's essentially impossible to complete and a complete waste of time. Don't bother them, they've got more passengers to ferry, don't you have a fairy capitol to explore?
Once you arrive at one of the roots of the tree, you'll be expected to climb up the side of it using vines and thick flat mushrooms that grow up the side of it and knobby growths, since most humans can't fly. There are homes and shops built all along the side of the tree, carved into it but not deep enough to disrupt its growth. Once you get up to the first main district about two hundred feet above the base, the fairies will laugh and show you a staircase through the trunk you could've taken and may use for future reference. You can travel across branches to reach other trees with more homes once you reach another three hundred feet above the shops level, and there is a single staircase that wraps around the tree that unfortunately is not a joke- you really do need to climb another six hundred feet of stairs up to reach the castle of Nicnevin... and even if you do, you'll run into more nutcrackers guarding the door and preventing anyone from entering the castle area. Thankfully, you don't need to climb the entire tree to find the gathering square back on the main district level, which is paved with skipping stones from a pond (or large flat stones? The scale is still quite unclear) and decorated with evergreen branches and winter flowers like poinsettias, winterberry, and black hellebore. Warm cups of soup are being distributed filled with Everwarm (though those who were paying attention may think better of it). Many of the fae from the Elphame Traders who have visited in the past can be found in their home shops here and may greet people who made purchases from them in the past. Speaking to them may be the only way to get food imported from Camelot if you forgot to bring some. The Traders will direct players to an inn tree known as the Everwelcome Inn. Rooms come in standard hotel sizes. 1 queen bed or 2 queen bed rooms will be offered for free to visitors from Camelot, but there are suits available to those who are willing to barter something valuable to them. They do not accept G in Elphame, but they may send characters on quests to fetch various items or defeat certain beasts, or accept personal items (low value) to upgrade to suites with a king bed, hot tub, kitchen, balcony, and an included couples package (learn to make fairy guacamole together, couples platza treatment, and a romantic in-room dinner that looks like it's made mostly of sweets fit for a French King.. if you think that's a good idea).   The people themselves don't seem keen on opening up to people yet, so it may be hard to learn about Nicnevin's culture, but it does seem to be home to a wide variety of strictly non-human faeries and creatures... so it may just be hard to get a grasp on as many have their own rules to live by, provided they all respect each other (pranks on humans don't count) and obey the Fae Queen's edicts. However, everyone comes out together on the night of the Winter Solstice to participate in a dance around the base of the tree. As Winter Solstice tradition, characters will be provided with either white robes or be told it's more polite to strip nude. (All of the fairies will be without attire, so as to feel closer to the island.) Once you're out around the base of the tree, you're told to hold someone else's hands in a circle around the giga tree, and step toward the water. So long as you don't let go of at least one other person's hand, you'll find you're able to walk on the surface of the water. All the fae begin to sing, and if you listen to your heart, you'll find somehow you know the tune deep down as well and are able to join in should you choose to. Dance in any way you find enjoyable, then run together with everyone clockwise around the tree. This will coincide with the Solstice Night Run taking place back in Camelot and work in conjunction with it. (Anyone staying in Camelot is welcome to use the Solstice Night Run prompts from last year if they see something that interests them, though everyone is encouraged to head to Elphame using Land of Maidens totems provided for free to them!)

Whether you choose to participate or not, eventually everyone will need to find their way back to their rooms at the inn and will find slumber, even if they're not the type to usually sleep. Something about the way magic is channeled through the fairy kingdom differently tends to make people very sleepy.. which is just as well, as they'll be woken by a visitor in the morning. Mari Lwyd has come a'knocking. A skeletal horse covered in white cloth and decorated with ribbons with ornaments in its eye socks stands at the door upon opening, and begins to slap down some sick rhymes about why it should be allowed to come in. If you are able to get a verse back at it telling it not to come in with, it will return fire with another rap. Return it in what boils down to a rap battle with Mari Lwyd for three verses and it will leave-- from either you, a roommate, or a benevolent passerby, so tag in to save a rhyme! Stop before
reaching three verses, and Mari Lwyd will come in and take the entirety of your food and drink stock, leaving only water. Happy.. Solstice? Complain to any fairy and they will simply tell you oh yes, that's Mari Lwyd, it comes every year. However, you will find that at the end of the day the Mari Lwyd will find anyone who it spoke to and give a Fairy Blessing to them (whether they won the battle or not). Fairy Blessings DISCLAIMER: Fairy Blessing Magic Upgrades can only be obtained after your character visits Elphame. If your character does not go ICly, they don't get a boost. They can go to Elphame and obtain a blessing from the Fairy Queen at any point after Dec. 2021's Winter Solstice. It does not have to be during the event. The following upgrades are available to Primary Magic types: Healing: Area of Effect casting-- cast healing magic across a group. It will do less than a concentrated healing spell would, but you can cast on more people at once to reduce the amount of time needed to heal each member of the party and ability Locking (temporarily limit someone to only using the last spell that they cast. The spell will be boosted significantly in power/skill, but they cannot use anything else until the lock wears off- beginning practice 1 minute, up to 30 minutes max). Elemental: Control existing elements within the environment. (Ex: Calm fires, push back waves, spin tornados, etc.) Animal: Transform or partially transform into mythical animals (Non-fairy/humanoid). Dark Magic: Travel through connected (touching) shadows only to places the character has been before. (If there is too much light, the mage may be trapped and unable to travel.) Cannot stay stationary within the shadows, as there is no shadow realm to hang out in. Kinetic: Vibrate body at high frequency to be able to phase through objects. (Note: Will only work on self.) Cognitive: Telepathic conversation (two-way, by consent only- they can't read thoughts without permission). Alchemy: Fluid animation of elements according to the whim of the creator. (Ex: Toys that move on their own, a scaregrow with the whim to protect fields, enchant a spare key to run away from thieves, etc.) Light: Full-room, tactile illusions (combination of hard light and illusions). Details require significant practice, but could be used to create entire illusory scenarios. (Must be present to cast, you cannot create illusions and leave someone trapped.) Blessings are not currently available for secondary magic types. Camelot's officers will be setting up a halfway campsite at the Forest of the Felled for anyone who wishes to stay between the two lands for easy access to next month's events and Camelot. Characters are welcome to stay wherever they would like!

Comments

Della Duck | Ducktales 2017

[sos_pilot]

Nutty Nutcrackers

Awww, you little guys are adorable! How long have you been doing this? Are you actually made of wood, or is that a trick of the light? Say, do you even like nuts?

[ Curious as always, Della is peppering Undante and Redd with endless questions, and seems to be entirely oblivious to how much she's annoying them. Social cues aren't always her strong point especially when excitement overwhelms her.

Otherwise, once they're on dry land, you can find her doing endless/impossible quests with a cheerful smile on her face and trying her darndest anyway! She is one determined duck! ]

Okay, let's try that one more time... Walk backwards, with one eye closed, to the third tallest tree in the land to obtain the giant's toenail...

Climbing Crusade

[ Woo, climbing! Fun fun fun! No surprise she's enjoying the vine trek and hopping on mushrooms like life's a video game. In fact, she's enjoying herself so much that when the next set of stairs is made obvious... she ignores the stairs to climb! And if she sees anyone try to take them instead of climbing... well, she's not mocking, but - ]

C'mon, do you really wanna take the easy way up? I bet we'll have way more fun if we continue to climb! Maybe we can find secret passageways and little nooks and crannies no one else has seen! I'll even race you!

Dancing Damsel

[ Those who know her well, or at least have seen her around, might be surprised to see her without the trademark scarf and goggles she usually wears with every single outfit. Indeed, while she's wearing the white robes assigned, she keeps tugging around the neckline, as if incredibly uncomfortable without the scarf. It must be very important to her.

... That, and while in her world a lot of people are already usually pants-less, what they've got is still covered up by fur and feathers. As such, she turns away from the naked folks, muttering under her breath - ]

Geez, how do you guys handle everything... dangling? That has to be super uncomfortable... Or at least really cold all the time.

[ That said, once it's time to dance and make merry, she's more than willing to put aside the weirdness for the celebration! Especially when it's time to bust a move, especially the hits from her childhood - the macarena, hammertime, cha cha slide... Say, didn't they do something similar like this last year? Well then, time to spice it up with something new - by her favorite artist, Powerline! ]

Oh man, this takes me back! This may be... the fourth... eh, maybe sixth most unusual Christmastime I've ever had!

Rapping Report

[ This bumps it right back up to fourth! Maybe even third! Still, when a horse skeleton knocks up on your door and delivers some sick beats... even adventure-savvy Della is thrown for a loop. She needs a few seconds to comprehend what's going on... but just a few.

She holds up a hand, pretending to adjust sunglasses that ain't there. Time to invoke the freestyle rap she knows of the 90s, and all its glorious cringe! ]

Whoa whoa whoa, hold up, soon! You think you can drop some lyrics on my doorstop and not expect me to lay down some funky beats? Oooh, here we go!

[ While pretending her fist is a microphone, she makes the stereotypical "DJ Noises", such as scratching records or 'un un sshh!' ... This is probably the only time her children may be glad she's not there. ]

Oooh, so here's this fella
Don't know he's with Della
You think cause I got kids I don't know to diss?
Son, you ain't gettin' in, so says this sis!
I've been dealin' with rhymes ever since the dawn of time,
Been there and back, and you don't know Jack,
so what do you have to say, cause I hope it's only NEIGH!

[ Totally forgiven if you see this and just choose to move on.

On the flipside, if she's spotting you while you're sweating for style? She'll help you out... uh, you know, in her own way. ]

You got this, bro! I'll lay down the beat!

[ More DJ noises. Endless DJ noises. Vanilla Ice would be proud. ]

Wilcard
[ Make your own prompt! Feel free to hit me up on plurk (melcat33) or discord (melcat33#1997) ]

Dancing Damsel

[pricklybloom]

[ Amy is similarly trying to avoid looking at those who opted out of the robes, as she tugs a bit on her own to make sure she's decently covered. The dancing is a nice distraction, though, and she watches Della for a moment before a laugh bubbles out of her. ]

Nice moves.

[sos_pilot]

[ Della grins, and moves to grab Amy's hand. ]

You dare leave me to dance by my lonesome? Oh, no no no~!

[pricklybloom]

[ Surprised for a moment, Amy then grins. ] Well, I don't mind dancing, but you'll have to show me the steps.

[sos_pilot]

You ever tango'd with anyone as beautiful as this?

[ She popped the first cheesy line she could think of mostly just for laughs, as she gives Amy a little twirl. ]

[pricklybloom]

[ Amy can't help a snort, following Della's direction. ] Can't say that I have, honestly.

[ If only because a certain someone back home has never taken her dancing. ]

[sos_pilot]

Well, now you have something else to brag about!

[ Enjoy the low, low dip! ]

[pricklybloom]

[ The dip catches her by surprise, but she laughs a little as they continue to dance. ]

You're pretty good.

[sos_pilot]

Well, when you lead a life like mine, you never know when you need to keep in rhythm with a musical puzzle room, or a respectful rumba to appease the gods, or be the distraction as the rest of the gang sneaks around to get the treasure...

[ All said as she sways, twirls, dips, sashays, etc Amy here there and everywhere! ]

[pricklybloom]

[ Amy laughs a little, keeping up with Della easily enough. ] Honestly, I'm actually more surprised that my friends and I haven't encountered stuff like that already.

[ Given some of their own silly adventures. ]

[sos_pilot]

Give it time, you're still young! Why, I bet when you get to my age, you'll be an expert at everything and anything adventure-related!

[pricklybloom]

Well, my friends and I have done plenty of stuff to. We've had a lot of our own adventures.

[ And most of what they knew they had to learn themselves. ]

[sos_pilot]

You're never too experienced! There's still so much I can teach you!

[pricklybloom]

...uh huh.

[ She'll just...let Della have this one. ]

[sos_pilot]

But that's for another day! Today, WE DANCE!

[ EPIC PARTNER SPIN! ]