EVENT ✨ Sugar and Siege

[avalonmods]

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The fairy queen is less than pleased, but not angry, with how her quest went. She has Princess Bluebell of the Guinea Pig Nation speak, and Princess Bluebell also has a favor to ask... which seems to be the calm before the storm, as an unknown third party who made off with the Fisher King earlier this month have performed a ritual to resurrect him and left the veil open, letting in untold forces that have engaged in a Wild Hunt... and the prey is Camelot.

CONTENT WARNINGS:

• 1st Prompt: --
• 2nd Prompt: Active: Battle, disease, famine, living death, rage; Historical/Not active in prompt: mentions of serial killers, murder, biological warfare, god/human love affair
  
• 3rd Prompt: --

This prompt is backdated slightly and takes place on February 18th.

A live broadcast comes to everyone's devices, featuring a rather peculiar speaker. "Attenchun, kindly o-otherwowders! Tis I, Pwincess Guacachia Bluebell of the Guinea Pig Nation of Nowth Elphame. Though our home is too small to be noted on the Laage Neighbow's maps, I asschuwe you I am caulified as Ambassadow for Chween Elphame. Though you had failed her chwuest, many of you have shown the twust she asked fow even if not the bwains. Those who have will be shown gweat gwatichude, but she does feel [squeaking sound of dismay that cannot be translated out of guinea pig adequately] as the Fishaa King's body was pawt of hew pwans to dishmanchle the Cawamidy and didn' want to speach chuday because of it. Evewyone send good wibes and wikes, she won't speak when she's not
[again: squeaking sound of dismay that cannot be translated out of guinea pig adequately]... the Cawamichy won't be ended if you all don't wowk with the Chween, King Awfur's gwaces or notch, you know! But that's none of myyy busy-ness! Elphame offews a rewawd fow the Fishaa King's body now, much to keep you "fat and happy" for many yeaws!    I also have a favew to ask on behaaf of my people. Our Festiva of Life is next week and the usuaw souwce of one of the chey ingwediench of our festiva cakes was a Leschawian, bwessings to them!" As it turns out, the Guinea Pig Nation (all talking guinea pigs who like to dress up in various outfits- in style now in particular is old western themed outfits, but the Princess must always wear her crown) are in a pinch because their Lestari hook-up for the feathers died in the fall of Lestari. They need help to pluck feathers from a bird called the Prism Tweeter! Their people love to decorate the outside of their Festival of Life cakes with their feathers, which are made of finely spun sugar in a variety of colors. These birds are typically found in the first Ash Mountain, but upon its fall, migrated to live in the Forest of the Felled as one of its new, more colorful residents. It only takes one feather to cover a cake, so pluck no more than one feather per bird and the whole flock will go unharmed... the only trick is catching these delectably sweet aviators: The birds can magically phase through physical, non-enchanted objects, so you have to surprise them to grab them. The plus side is, they really love vanilla beans, so they're easy to lure out of the trees.. you don't have to be George of the Jungle to help out the pigs.   More of a stay-at-home kind of helper? That's fine too. They need bakers to make as many tiny cakes as they need for the festival since it's so last minute this year! Hurry up and grab a friend to get to baking 3-layer 1 inch cakes wrapped in rainbow feathers to help these little guys out. The Elphame Traders will make a special trip to Camelot to pick up all of these cakes as a favor to the Guinea Pig Nation, so you can stay at home and bake with your friends no matter where you live. This prompt takes place on February 22nd and February 23rd.
	A few days after the fun and fancy-free stylings of the Guinea Pig Nation ahead of their Festival of Life (you weren't invited, sorry, too big you would destroy their homes- but they appreciate the help!) things are going pretty mundanely. That is, until what sounds like a battle cry is heard approaching New Camelot. On the horizon, what appears to be a massive cavalcade of demon horse-riding wraiths lead by four knights in what appears to be ancient armor rush toward the city. A few of the locals who hear the sound and come out to see what all the fuss is about immediately seem to spook, shouting something about the Wild Hunt. Usually it's something preserved for earth and those who find it will be taken along and dumped either in Avalon itself or taken straight to the underworld, but their presence here in Avalon.. well, that can't be good. The shouting seems to alert the castle, which seems to alert more people, and within a matter of minutes people are being rushed to take cover within the castle walls for siege.
All of Camelot's gates are closed and people are directed to a couple of different places: knights and those who wish to fight are to prepare for battle at each of the gates. Healers who wish to stay and help the wounded are to gather in the citadel, where the injured will be taken. Those who wish to battle and heal will act as field medics to get people into a state enough fit to be taken to the citadel. Those who wish to offer other support may be asked to hand out food and water within the citadel or fetch supplies around the city, or to rush to the library to try to figure out what the hell is leading this hunting party toward them. King Arthur will lead the knights into battle. Merlin will also be assisting in battle, using a variety of magic from atop the castle. If your character gets into a pinch and you aren't sure how to get them out, feel free to have him send a magic spell to block an enemy. Knights given the authority to direct other fighting characters as they see fit (though your non-knight fighter's compliance is, as always, depending on your choice as a player).  Those who wish to opt out of this event entirely will be whisked away by some of the Fairy Queen's spies to Nicnevin for safekeeping. If you do not want your character to remember or acknowledge any portion of this event, we can handwave that the Fairy Queen arbitrarily found your character annoying and put them under a sleeping spell for the duration of their stay. This will be done before the outer city gates are broken through, so your character can be safe the whole time and just chill in a hotel room in Nicnevin. Those who stay will be fighting wraiths (unkillable enemies) lead by four beings called the Knights of the Veil. Those who have rushed to the library to find answers will be able to spread the following information regarding the enemies, though first-hand experience may also be how your character finds out some of it: The Knights of the Veil live in the void between the world of the living and the dead and escaped when the veil was not closed during a ritual to raise a heavily cursed and protected corpse back to life. Though there's no way to know which corpse, recent news of the Fisher King's body going missing leaves some speculation and fear about who it was that was raised, but no one has any idea who did it. The Knights of the Veil have touch-based magic in addition to weaponry which you may have your character afflicted by at your behest. The four knights are as follows: Carlea: Once a proud Queen, she sold her soul to the darkness after her husband was killed by enemies and the prince of the enemy nation forced her to marry him. She used this ability to brutally murder every last citizen of her enemy's kingdom over time in secret and feed them to a pet bear she was gifted by her new husband, saving him for last. Carlea's touch will invoke a curse of famine, causing all food and drink to turn to ash in the touched individual's mouth. Rubion: Rubion was a serial killer in his world known for killing over a hundred people, though the exact number is not known. Who he was before that isn't particularly known, but as a killer, he was known for brutally killing anyone who crossed him in a fit of rage. He was from a time before forensics and tended to kill witnesses, so he was never caught. That is, until he missed seeing a small child hiding under his bed during one of his rampages. The child's grandfather took him in and killed Rubion himself after he found out why the child would not speak for a month straight. It is thought that his own god cursed Rubion to stay in the void where he could not torment his victims in the afterlife too. Rubion's touch will invoke uncontrollable, violent rage and turn even the smallest slight into a mountainous anger. Augusto: Augusto was the general of an army who used the blood of his people's sickly to spread disease in conquering nations. He did not choose to become one of the Knights, instead being cursed to eternal damnation by a priestess in one of the villages he wrought destruction upon. Augusto's touch will inflict a disease of the player's choosing upon their character, at full height of symptoms within 30 minutes of touch.  Pien: Pien is a god of an older religion who was banished from the heavenly kingdoms for loving a human so much she attempted to give her eternal life despite that it was forbidden to grant eternity to mortals. She has a high-and-mighty attitude, and if disrespected will disrespect you right back with dignity-obliterating consequences. Her followers tended to be on the M side of things. Her touch will invoke conscious zombieism, meaning that your body will die and begin to rot despite still being able to move, and you will be aware and able to communicate and feel during this experience.    The Knights and Wraiths cannot be killed by any means as long as the ritual remains in effect and their tie to the underworld is stable, so for the time being this is a heavily unwinnable battle. Thankfully, wraiths are not very coordinated even if they are aggressive in battle so it's easy to dodge, flee, or take cover.

On the second day of the Siege, devices will flicker with a face we haven't seen in some time. She is this world's mother goddess, after all, so if threatened she will come to offer reprieve. Morganna looks almost amused at how much destruction had been wrought by the actions of, truly, one man and those he had strung along. Morganna will not punish nor reveal them, but she will speak on the matter: "Those wishing for this to end, rejoice. I have birthed verbena upon your doorsteps. Take another's hand, light a candle and burn the flowers. Whisper 'lights out' three times together, and pray to send some of your magic to me. I need as many of you to do it as possible, or else I will not be able to freeze time fast enough to stop the calamity from engulfing this place afterward when I complete the ritual shutter."
That is all she says. The ritual won't do much if only one person does it outside of today as Morganna is keeping secret what she does on her end to complete it. If your character's name is possessed by the fairy queen, they will be forced to participate in this ritual so they may notice something odd if they weren't intending to do it. After the ritual is complete, all personal rituals will be voided and need to be recast. (This includes things like brownie summoning spells or the banishing of lesser frost fairies if your character was doing that from last year to keep their house warm.) This will also cause both the sun and moon to black out for about a day afterward, so you may want to get on board with artificial lighting or spells until a party heading to Celliwig to repair that ritual can get out there in about a day's time. The most dangerous ritual that has been broken will be the time freeze. Morganna uses everyone's magic to give herself superspeed to recomplete the ritual to recast it, along with a significant portion of the Isle of Avalon's itself that had been built up in surplus having everyone here for so long. However, there are still 2 seconds in which the massive event that threatens the multiverse can move forward. It is now visible in the sky to the north during the night even without being at the End of the World, and will stay that way for the duration of isleofavalon until the multiverse is saved. It is outright terrifying if you travel to the End of the World now, taking up the majority of the sky. For a month afterward, those who participated may find themselves fatigued without clear cause... but in general, magic will be misbehaving and causing accidents for everyone for about the next month.

Comments

[silvergarden]

I... I see. [So it still takes a provocation? The thought of Somnus harboring some sort of underlying resentment like that makes her feel a little ill.] Then I can only pray that Lady Morganna will banish the blight with all speed.

[Her expression collapses in on itself, miserable. Being forced to sit and wait is a kind of torture all of its own, and she's been doing a lot of it lately.]

At least I can keep you safe, sir Hijikata. [She's so thankful he didn't immediately jump up and try to go out again!] When you first arrived, I was so frightened...

[plenilunium]

Ah, you don't remember me--[That matters a lot to him because he'd really liked Doppo a lot. In some ways, he could understand Doppo's negativity and how easy it was to get lost in it. If it hadn't been for all of the work Jyushi had done to never let himself be buried by his negative thoughts, it isn't like he wouldn't be that different.

And that's why he'd always wanted to help Doppo. So his heart does drop a bit, just a little upset that Doppo seems to have forgotten him and he is sad about that for one short moment.

You know, until he notices the bleeding nose.]

Doppo-san! You're bleeding! [Said with the kind of tone that doesn't do a ringing head any favors.]

[mayoninofukucho]

[Hijikata summarised the effect of Rubion's curse without putting much thought into his phrasing, and the particulars of Rinea's worry go unnoticed on his part. He, too, feels restless, unused to sitting and hiding while a battle is raging - but he couldn't even summon his intuitive fire magic, so how should he carry out exorcisms that require far more mana? He still has his death-magic-imbued sword, but he feels physically unwell.

He can only assume that a siphoning mage looked after him while he was unconscious, given that he can breathe without pain and doesn't feel feverish anymore, but between the exertion, the after-effects of the illness, and the hogweed potion affecting his health he bitterly has to accept that he wouldn't be able to contribute much value on the battlefield right now. That acceptance allows him to smile at Rinea's words, albeit resignedly, and take the time to reflect on how she's been going out of her way to ensure his safety for the second time now.]

I'm sorry I gave you a scare. This is already the second time you take care of me, Lady Rinea. I'm in your debt.

[mayoninofukucho]

[Hijikata simply accepts that information; he doesn't need Somnus to recall the grisly details for him. He slightly shakes his head in response to the question.]

It's the opposite, really. She's protecting me.

[It's kind of embarrassing, but it can't be denied that Rinea may have saved his life twice already by keeping him out of the sun when he was amnesic respectively unconscious.]

I'll try to return the favour if I can, though.

[That being said he knows that he shouldn't stay with Rinea for too long. Given his occupation and the enemies he has made it'd be a bad idea to create a noticeable connection between him and her.]

What are you going to do now? Did you come to me for help?

[Many people who met the same fate as Somnus would surely seek a way to come back to life, but with him Hijikata is never quite sure.]

[fujimaru]

"I had some help. --One of the other people involved is a friend of mine. He has a whole vested interest in keeping me in one piece."

She's not ashamed of admitting that; she isn't a fighter, and she has no real interest in becoming one. Self-defense, certainly, but anything other than that? Nah.

And she's not quite so torn up about the betrayal, such as it exists. Ardyn had looked like a villain-type from the beginning, and she'd still gone along with it. Maybe it had backfired this time, but what if it hadn't? She's the forgiving sort, no matter how much it frustrates the people around her.

After a moment of consideration, she digs into her pocket, producing a small wrapped packet of jerky, offering it to him.

"You can't blame yourself for something someone else did. You can take responsibility for your part, but it's not a bad thing to trust someone."

[fujimaru]

That's already loads better than some of the knights I've met...

[ She isn't even mad. Sometimes one of someone's titles is literally the Knight of Treachery, so she'd be the worse clown for not expecting some underhanded tricks. You've gotta make your peace with it, when you're friends with someone like that. ]

I trust you, but I am also not above bribes to help ensure it too. I'll buy food.

[theskyaccepts]

[Tsuna can't say he approaches this with the same amount of fearlessness. Fighting without Hyper Dying Will is scary, and really it's only the determination he gained in the Future that is driving him forward. Camelot is his home for now, and he needs to defend it.

But he ignites his fists and follows Hijikata.]

Y-yeah. Let's go.

[cameprepared]

Claire lets Steph take the lead there, and The Dog jumps in to join her. The big beast, snarling and angry, is pretty effective at getting some of the wraiths down, and Claire's gun barks in time with his attacks. They can't kill these creatures, but she's certain she can incapacitate them for a bit, so she aims for legs and arms, focusing on enemies that are trying to break towards Steph.

[cameprepared]

You got it.

[Turning to move faster, she starts jogging, making sure to keep behind the fleeing civilians. They break and run, heading right for the castle, so that's not a problem.]

It's not far, but we'll probably have limited time.

[cameprepared]

[Mordred is a good boy. Sometimes.]

Well, glad to hear it.

[She'll take food, too. But more that she's doing well. Claire's hardly a "True Knight" or anything. She's a garbage pail kid from Ohio.]

We'll be heading into territory that's kind of sketch. I don't know how many of them have broken through the lines, but the castle's the goal. So, focus on that if we get separated, kay?

[ofsilverflame]

Chris doesn't break stride, charging the horde. But given how crowded the street is, and the distance involved, this is untenable. The Dog is certain to be overwhelmed before Chris makes it there in time, and then Claire...then Claire...!

Drastic times call for drastic action. She needs the street as clear as possible, so she channels wind energy around her sword, letting the blade gather up a whirling tornado around its steel. One horizontal slash, and the wind energy is released, a hammerblow sure to blow the infected right off their feet and give Chris, moving more nimbly unencumbered by her heavy plate to run past them and avoid any swipes as they try to pick themselves up.

[cameprepared]

The horde is thrown clear, knocked flat on their asses. Some of them get up, but not in time to stop Chris in her charge. They're awkward, encumbered by the rot, damaged beyond repair in some ways.

It's a few dozen yards more to the house Claire had mentioned, and it would be clear...save for one very large, very robust specimen. A large man, probably a blacksmith or a butcher, wearing an apron lurches out at Chris with a roar. He's probably not that dangerous to someone in armor, but he's large and might knock her down and make her more vulnerable if she's not careful.

[mayoninofukucho]

[Hijikata sets off one of his glyphs, but the wraith knight manages to drive his horse out of the way and narrowly avoids being blasted with the death magic. His strike comes fast, but the samurai is prepared and parries with his own sword, grimly satisfied at how well he managed to enchant it.

He's only waiting for an opening to activate another exorcism wheel, but for now his adversary is keeping him fully occupied with swift swings and stabs... all the more of an opportunity for Tsuna to land a hit.]

[mushroomaficionado]

[One might say that trust is misplaced, but no he really won't tell.]

Then we won't. I can eat enough the two of us anyways. And for Floyd as well.

[luciing]

...Nay.

[ Is the answer he gives, and that alone may explain little or a lot all at once. ]

If she is tending to you, I presume she must be well. That is all I wished to ascertain.

[ As for needing help while dead... Hijikata has enough on his shoulders, from what it appears. ]

[sandinmyhair]

[He sits up, blinking owlishly. Fuego makes a quiet rumbling sound and pushes his head under Bruno's hand.]

No, no, it's okay, this... [He looks about,] this really isn't a good place to sleep. But I've just been... really tired since that ritual thing....

[To the point where his eyes are falling shut again. Fuego nudges him and he snaps to. Blinks again.]

Okay. Yeah. Who... are you? [Maybe squinting at this armour-clad being will keep him awake.]

[sandinmyhair]

[He takes the hand, acutely aware of his familiar's eyes on him, and between the two of them they get him on his feet.]

[Then he smiles a little bashfully, trying to push his hair into something other than a wild fluff.] Ah, right. It was kinda fun, wasn't it? Thank goodness I managed to stop floating--would've been really awkward if they came through to turn everything off at the end of the night and I was still up there....

[He's blithering. He clears his throat.] I'm Bruno.

[resistetmords]

Ah- that's a relief.

[Though she has a feeling that everyone was just feeling okay. Only putting on tough fronts for the sake of each other. It was all something she was familiar with. But as long as he could still breath and think then he should be just fine!]

No need to look for them, they should still be at the nearby gate.

[Then again they were being pushed back hard like everyone else.]

They will more than likely be fine without me like you said. [But she still couldn't help but worry and continue to carry out her duty.]

[resistetmords]

[Well goodness! That was quite a bit more than she was expecting! But that was fine, since she made quite a few, little cakes for the piggies to enjoy!]

Good job! Well, I'm sure the birds might say otherwise, but I don't think we should worry too much about what they think.

[Probably, unless they suddenly organize themselves and launch an all out assault on the Guinea Pig Kingdom. That could cause all sorts of problems!]

We only need one per cake, so we'll probably have more than enough to use for other things as well.

[sandinmyhair]

Oh... oh, no. [He pauses in the bandaging he's doing and his gaze flicks to the windows before he returns to it, carefully taping bandages to the other man's wounds, and mumbling,] Gonna want to keep these clean, those creatures look like they'd make a paper cut go septic if they had half a chance. Last thing anyone needs is a spectral infection....

[He's no germaphobe... in fact, he's pretty much the complete opposite of one after those ten years, but even he can just see the poison wicking from these intruders.]

What do you figure that'll mean, the way it's going right now? [fretfretfretfret....]

[amakakeru]

...Master was there with ya?

[ If so, that explains everything and makes him a little more angry, to boot. ]

[dontgetintherobot]

I'd happily trade you.

[Stated flatly with no small amounts of exasperation. If only it could be so simple. He’d have liked something smaller and faffectionate, or even aloof, but no, he had the monstrous fiend that raided the larder. It didn’t even need to eat.

He was rather eager to draw the focus of the conversation away from the beast if he could.]

Elpis? Is that where you're from?

[theskyaccepts]

[And Tsuna is there. He's had to adapt his fighting style to comply with his magic, and charging in like he used to doesn't work quite as well when you don't have the liberating effects of the Hyper Dying Will.

His hands wreathed in red-orange flame, Tsuna summons several large boulders, launching them at the knight the instant there is an opening.]

[dontgetintherobot]

That's an interesting idea, we usually rely on thrusters and jet propulsion to achieve vertical landing. Rotors are typically saved for airships and the occasional gunship to ensure they can remain in place while airborne.

[Ah, but she was not the pilot, and he was letting his nerd flag fly a bit much. So he cleared his throat to perhaps try and get the conversation back on track.]

It’s quite an accomplishment to go from a student to a Knight I’d think. I’m curious as to what you studied in your world though.

[hitokiri]

Yeah.

[ he sighs, because now that he's said it he might as well piece it back together in a way that makes more sense. ]

I didn't much like the guy. Jus' didn't seem like somebody who oughta be trusted but it's a feelin', y' know? Ain't like I had proof an' y' know how she is.

[ and how he can be, but that's established. ]

Anyway, I ain't blamin' her an' I'm leavin' that detail out so long as she don't mention it herself.

[ because that isn't up to him. ]