isleofavalon | EVENT ✨ Old St. Nic(nevin)

EVENT ✨ Old St. Nic(nevin)

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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

mari lywd, a horse skull creature dressed in white cloth andd ribbons and ornaments

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!

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[ Now being conned is a new one for him - so he doesn't realize that's Kotaru's angle. He tilts his head, unfamiliar with the word "cha-ching", but he thinks he knows profit.

Is this guy saying he'll pay Asterios to lift him? No need! ]

... It's okay. I do not need money. I can still carry you.

Don't need money? C'mon, big guy... Don't you know that moolah makes the world go 'round?

[Don't mind him as he gently pass his arm... He'd pat his shoulder and drape an arm over it like a shady businessman, but Asterios is a very big and tall fellow compared to him.]

Sure, I might not need to pay you. But imagine all of those poor and innocent souls who might need a ride to get by! Just for a little bit of dough... You could become more popular and make a lot of friends!

[ He's getting sudden flashbacks to fellow servants Julius Ceaser and Queen of Sheba, and not in a good way...

But while making friends is nice (granted, he still doesn't believe he deserves them) the popularity thing is... a miss. Yeah, all that extra attention? No thank you.

He decides to cut right to the chase. ]

... Do you want to got up? Or not?

A man of few words, ain't we? Okay then... I'll take up your offer.

[But he's not going to give up here! He was already patting his arm, but now... He's going to be climbing up that and comfortably lean up against his shoulder. Kotarou was not for one who enjoyed long silences, so he could totally keep the conversation going on his end.]

Say... Do you know a certain carrot topped babe named Fujimaru Ritsuka?

[ Given that Asterios was probably going to pick him up like a rag doll, the climbing onto him was probably the option with better dignity. Well, at least he's finally up there.

With that, Asterios turns towards the tree, gets a good grip, and begins climbing. He would've been satisfied with silence, but when there's a certain name drop, he is curious - still climbing, but curious. ]

That is... my Master. You know my Master?

Yup! I did some cooking for her the other day! The two of us shared a very passionate day together. ♥

[He says playfully lifting up his pinkie with a rather cheeky expression. In Japanese culture, this was a way of saying "girlfriend" or "lover"! But Kotarou knew that they absolutely weren't that close... He was just playing around. At the very least, he felt he gotten a bit closer to Ritsuka... But he's not sure if she feels like she could call him a friend yet.]

So what's this Master business? Are you like her Pokemon?

[ It's all Greek to him - literally, since he's from Ancient Greece. So the little gesture means nothing to him. He blinks, but just continues to climb. As far as he can understand, this is a friend of Master... One that certain servants, like Kiyohime, probably wouldn't care for.

He also has no idea what the hell a Pokemon is. ]

... I am a Servant. I obey Master. I fight for Master. I protect Master.

Ah... I'm right on the money with that one then.

[He really is like a familiar. Back home, he knew the whole Master-Familiar system built upon by summoners through Gaia. Given the size of this guy, Kotarou felt that he had to be crazy strong. Whenever it came to being a summoner, Kotarou had barely hit average with his potential. So chances were that he'd get something scrawny at best...

Still, it'd probably take like five summoners to form a contract with this guy. And Ritsuka was just one girl... The mystery about Fujimaru Ritsuka thickens.]

So in your humble opinion... What is your Master's greatest quality?

[ A moment of silence... It's both a difficult question and not so. Master is such a wonderful person, how can you pick just one of their qualities? He mulls about it before picking his answer - the one that means the most to him anyway. ]

... Master... reached their hand out to me. They were not afraid of me... once they knew me. Even though, Master knows all I have done. All my sins. They still... believe in me. Trust me.

Master... has faith in others... like no one ever could.

Well... Let's hope that faith doesn't screw her over one day. For a monster, you definitely aren't a bad guy. But there's definitely others that don't think the same as you.

[He couldn't say that he knew Ritsuka as well he did. What words could he describe her? Stubborn? Prudish? Cute sometimes? She had a big stomach that was one thing for sure.]

It's not easy being strong... So I guess I know how it feels to not fit in with others and stuff. If I had a friend like her in the past, I probably wouldn't be as screwed up as I am now.

[There was Kotori... But he couldn't say that they had gotten along very much back then. They had gotten along much better now, but there would always be that invisible wall between them. Ritsuka didn't seem capable of seeing those around people.]

[ Easy for this guy to call Asterios not a bad guy - he doesn't actually know the sins of the Minotaur. Not that Asterios is going to tell him anytime soon - he rarely talks about with Master! So he's definitely not going to divulge the past with this stranger. Just keep climbing. ]

... You can be her friend now. Master can befriend anyone... even enemies.

You think so?

[Asterios makes it sound so simple! Kotarou is actually quiet for a moment... He's kind of glad that this guy is straightforward and simple. Monsters could be easier to get along with than humans sometimes. He should know since he had his own set of familiars once. Still, he definitely wanted to make more friends for the future...]

Sometimes, it's hard to tell whenever you've befriended someone. Everyone's different that way. I can't read minds or see an affection meter telling me how good I'm doing... So that makes it difficult.

[ Affection meter? Huh. Asterios would have shrugged, but that probably would have knocked Kotaru off, and they still have a long way to go. ]

... I cannot tell such things, either. Friendships... are different, for everyone. Hearts... are different, for everyone. That can't be helped.

... That is why, I prefer... animals. They are easier... to understand.

I agree! Animals just like to be fed and taken care of. If you do those things well, then they'll stay with you forever. Humans come with a lot of baggage, but animals are super pure!

[There were times where Kotarou wished that he could live out in the forest and not have to bother anyone, but his heart would've crumbles first without any social interaction. It was hard to live around people, but you also couldn't live without people. He felt half human and half animal sometimes... Stuck in the middle were it was hard to pick a side.]

I'm actually pretty fond of cats! Do you have a favorite you like to take care of?

[ Asterios did try to leave out in the forest but everyone who knew him pretty much dragged him out once the snow came. Worrywarts. ]

... My familiar. It is a good animal. It understands me... without me saying anything.

A relationship with any words or walls getting between ya, huh? You can call me jealous since my familiar still barely listens to me!

[It's a complicated relationship... His familiar shows up whenever he calls her, but she usually likes to mess with him for fun.]

Maybe it's because you've got a pure heart or something. Animals are always good with picking up subtle things like that.

... No. I do not have a pure heart.

[ He is not a good person. No matter how many good deeds he does for the rest of his time here, he will never be a good person. He believes this absolutely and no one, not even his beloved Master, can change his mind about that. ]

Hmm... You're definitely dead set on that, huh?

[Kotarou couldn't help and sympathize with this guy. He couldn't call himself a pure hearted person either. Selfish, greedy and self-centered... He absolutely knew how much of a flawed guy he was.]

I can't say that I'm the purest guy around either. In fact, I'm kind of an asshole... But I think having a few flaws here or there is okay. As long as you wanna change yourself to become a better you... It's not gonna change the past, though.

... The past cannot change. Should not be changed. Some flaws cannot be forgiven. But to do nothing... is to still do wrong.

[ When did this turn into Philosophy 101??? He sighs, looking up. ]

... We will be there soon.

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EVENT ✨ Old St. Nic(nevin)

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