isleofavalon | EVENT ✨ Stationary

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EVENT ✨ Stationary

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This is the event log! Ask questions in response to this comment HERE. Click here to view top-level comments only. Suggestions for how your characters will attempt to persuade the Fisher King to cooperate go here.

CONTENT WARNINGS:

1st Prompt: --
2nd Prompt: Insects/mosquitos.
3rd Prompt: Potential for adulterous behavior in one curse option only (flort curse)

With everything prepared, a party is organized at the Malous's village. Any who come to make the journey to Bermuda Station are provided with a small tincture of super strength. It will only last for a couple of hours, so it's best to be mindful of the time while searching for the Fisher King. You can drink it early, but there is a bit of travel before reaching the entrance. And.. be mindful of what you touch. Super strength via potion has no off button, so there's a very good chance that you're going to shove a pal through a wall or break a delicate object if you aren't exceedingly careful. (Note: Characters who canonically have super strength will have a better shot at controlling this through experience, but may still struggle with getting the exact level right at the player's discretion.)
Characters who show up to the Malous's village are also given a small ring with a fragment of hourglass coins embedded into them. This will protect them from being affected by time and space fragments that may appear within the station. You must be in contact with the ring to receive its protection, which is specified as instructions when given-- wear it and keep it on you, as if you lose it, you'll need someone else to make contact with you to get out. It's hard for them to explain exactly what that means without you seeing it, so that's most of what you're given. Once everyone is ready, a handful of the Malous lead everyone out on the marsh rafts piloted by giant sea horses that pop up periodically to squirt water at anyone who talks shit about them. Characters are warned not to touch them despite that they are very friendly, but are not given details as to what will happen if they do. It is spring time and these sea horses secret hormones that tends to mess with everyone a little bit differently. Male sea horses release pheromones that tend to make people hyper emotional at whatever it is they are feeling and make it impossible contain. Fear, love, anger, sadness, confusion, horniness-- it'll go from a 1 to a 10 within a matter of minutes after contact. What? It's a great way to get in with the lady sea horses.. which incidentally have hormones that are designed to get the males ready to hold their babies, but in other creatures tend to induce a sex swap that lasts about 3 days-- so you'll probably be stuck that way even when you get back for a little bit if you touch the lady sea horses. Player's choice which you touch. (OOC Note: Please bear in mind that disrespectful misrepresentation of gender will not be tolerated if you choose to do the sex swap prompts. Otherwise, please have fun. Only play what you are comfortable with, as always.)
	As long as you follow instructions though, it's a quiet trip, if a little long and tiresome. Just out of the Unnamed Marshes, almost to the edge, there is what appears to be a sand bank with a single sign with a picture of a train and a large glass entrance that looks almost like a subway station-- well, behind the giant side of the sleeping Falak, anyway. Now is the time to take those super strength potions and push what's probably a small fraction of the world-eating serpent aside to get down into the station. The Bermuda Station is an underground railway station that can be used to go to and from other worlders beneath the oceans, without disrupting the worlds' ways of life. It uses magic to counteract any underwater pressure, so when people wash up on the shore in another world, they don't get the benz or any
other kind of ocean-inspired ailments (besides maybe dehydration if they don't get to the shore fast enough). The station itself is entirely see-through, so you can see Avalon's lake and creatures swimming around it. The station itself has a ticket booth, but as it's not operational during the time freeze, there's no one working there. You're welcome to explore anywhere you'd like... there's even a convenience store, so you can pick up a snack while you're down there if you've got any penchant for lock-picking to get in. Following the railway down, there's about a mile before you get to the end of the Avalon side of the rail. There is a train sparking out of existence about halfway through its length at the end of the tunnel... but getting there will be a challenge on its own. All around you spark pieces of life from other worlds- frozen like photographs of memories from different worlds, and they seem to change to reflect whoever is closest to them at the moment, but immediately freeze again after a second. Make sure you have your fragment of hourglass coin on you, or you too will find yourself frozen in time the second one of your own pops up and the only way to be unfrozen is if someone else with their piece still with them is in contact with you. Within the station also reside timosquitos, which are large insects with a long, needle-like mouth that feed on leaked time magic within the station. They've since taken over with no one around to shoo them off, and are happy to fly around attacking anyone who dares to threaten their new territory. Bug spray isn't very effective, so you better be ready for some magical combat. Don't get pricked either, as they have a fear venom contained within those tiny teeth that make you hallucinate even friends as terrifying entities. At the end of the train lies the Fisher King, having touched the frozen time to still himself once more, but in doing so having doomed the Unnamed Marsh. The real trick now is figuring out how to get him free from his frozen time and back to the fairy queen willingly as he did put himself here on purpose. Submit your ideas here on how to proceed. The event post will still go up on the 17th, but an additional follow-up will be posted after May 21st with whose idea goes through and what happens with the Fisher King depending on player-submitted ideas and thoughts on both; 1. How to free the Fisher King from the time freeze, which he will willingly try to induce whether he's held or not or 2. What your character may try to say to convince him to cooperate or 3. If your character has some other means of getting him to Elphame against his will.

Didn't head out to the Bermuda Station? Don't worry, plenty of people did! With King Arthur encouraging everyone to help, it's left Camelot a little vulnerable and that oh-so-helpful criminal element that auctioned off the hourglass coins? Well, they're here to get some G and are terrorizing the citizens of Camelot with dark magic. They're reasonable people, they only want half of what you've got-- so they're holding people at curse-point and making them show their bank numbers, then having them transfer half of that to them... or suffer one of the following curses:

Tickle: Character, regardless of whether they are normally ticklish or not, will feel the sensation of being tickled all over their body until they are assisted by either a siphoner or drink a counter-curse potion. Does not wear off.

dude in a top hat

Midas Touch: Don't want to hand over your virtual Gold? Greedy with a capital G. Now everything you touch other than your natural body will turn to gold-- and that includes living beings. And clothes.

Flort: Your character finds themself flirting with anyone they speak to, even if they don't want to. Even if they're really bad at it. Even if they're already taken. Embarrassing.

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You're surprised that no one mentioned something? I thought you would know better by now.

[It does seem to be a habit of the natives here to not mention things like this, though the station could have been abandoned for long enough that it was simply that no one had noticed the horrible things. Or maybe they were new?

He does give a small double-take at the man's current appearance, but he's already dealt with this once with poor Century Egg... who had just seemed entirely bewildered about the whole thing.]

And that may just be wishful thinking. I see you fell prey to those seahorses as well, hm?

I sure did.

[The change is pretty... profound. It turns out that a female body handles daily mayonnaise overdoses differently from a male one - or at least that's the case for Hijikata. He lets out a frustrated grunt, both at his physical situation and at Red Wine's prior remarks.]

You know what, you're right. No one ever mentions half the shit waiting for us in the situations they send us into, so I don't know why I didn't brace for it this time. I don't expect these things can be reasoned with, so--

[As soon as he says that one of the large creatures starts buzzing towards him, and he simply lunges forward and slays it with a hefty swing.]

Hah... what a pain...

[He's already out of breath a little.]

Maybe you ought to let me take point on this.

[Not his usual position, but he can work without someone shielding him if he has to. The last thing that either of them need is Hijikata getting injured when he's so easily winded.

As if to further make his point, Red Wine plants a hand on his companion's shoulder and shakes his head.]

I insist. If it looks like I'm struggling, I'm sure I'll welcome your assistance.

[He opens his mouth to protest, but gives in with a sigh. This is only sensible.]

Right. Let's be careful - who knows what else is hanging out in here. I hope nothing came through from the other side.

[As they move down the train tracks a couple more timosquitos show up with that horrible buzzing, but Red Wine will likely be able to dispatch them on his own without needing Hijikata's help. The further they advance the more time shards starts floating through the air around them.]

You've got a ring too, right? Even if not, mine should be enough to keep us safe.

[Some shards near him flicker and change, showing scenes from his memories. There's a small, bright-eyed boy holding a man's hand, a long-haired teenager bandaging his wounds alone in an abandoned temple, the adult known to his peers on Avalon enjoying a humungous mayonnaise meal... he barely spares them a glance. He knows his life. Those around Red Wine, though, draw his attention, albeit he doesn't remark on them. It's always interesting to get a glimpse of fellow outworlders' lives back home.]

[That they announce themselves with that dratted buzzing at least gives him plenty of time to be prepared for them when they do show up. Red Wine takes them down easily when they appear, their size giving him ample targets to swing a blade at.

He tries not to look at the fragments of his own past as they flit past him. Much like Hijikata, he knows his own past and has no wish to relive it even while it plays out in front of him.

Though he does catch his companion as he looks at one particular scene. That woman, sliding slowly off the blade of Red Wine's weapon.]

Hmph. [The Food Soul sniffs slightly.] There's a face I could do without seeing again.

Was it personal?

[He recalls that Food Souls usually act on behalf of their masters, so that surprises him a little - but then servants, too, have their own animosities and vendettas. As if on cue one of the shards near him changes to display a tall, haggard blond man in a white uniform taking his phone from him - Sasaki, Commander of the elite police force Mimawarigumi, a man whose sheer presence made him bristle from day one, and who damn near killed him later. The scene freezes before the memory Hijikata can snatch his phone back.]

Well, at least you won't have to see her again back home.

Personal? Yes, you could say that.

[His actions had not been entirely against his master's wishes, but he knew what would have happened if she had simply been taken in. She would have used her money to get out of being punished for what she had done, or her Food Soul would have ensured her freedom in any way that he was able.

No, he had taken the only course of action available to him at the time.]

She had been killing young maidens in the city, for their blood. To try and get my attention. Thinking it was something I would have wanted. I couldn't forgive that.

I heard of a similar story before, but that other lady wanted to preserve her youth that way. Why'd this one think you'd approve of something like that?

[A particularly careless timosquito approaches on foot, so he roasts it with his fire magic without hesitation. This is significantly less of a strain than using the sword!]

Did she think you were a vampire? Did she want you to turn her into one too, or what?

[Red Wine's expression turns visibly sour before he even says anything, revealing all too clearly how Hijikata had managed to hit the nail on the head immediately.]

Precisely.

[He had grown used to such misunderstandings, but no one had ever gone so far in their delusions as to start killing people to get his attention.]

And to make things worse, she corrupted her Food Soul with this nonsense as well.

[Oh wow. Hijikata hadn't expected his guess to be that spot on, but apparently Red Wine has really been getting it from all sides with the vampire assumptions!]

Are Food Souls connected to their masters like our familiars to us here?

[He doesn't know if familiars can be corrupted based on their bond partner's actions... but they actually can, as the dark web QuestBoard will reveal in the near future!]

Also why the hell would anyone want to be a vampire? Sure, you live forever, but is that really worth the shitty diet and nocturnal life?

[He sighs.]

For the power, and the immortality. Her motives were simple, despite the ugliness of them.

[But really, he doesn't like to talk about it. Red Wine shrugs one shoulder and turns away from the scene still playing out in a loop.]

As for your first question, yes, we are. The forms we take on being summoned are shaped entirely by the will of our first Master Attendant, and how we develop from then on is more heavily influenced by them than anyone else.

[Okay, that does add up... still, Hijikata would never choose immortality over mayonnaise! Red Wine elaboration on the nature of Food souls thoroughly distracts him from the vampire topic as they move on, though.]

Wait, so you don't have a fixed form before you're summoned? How does that happen, anyway? I assume it's not enough to make a pentagram out of red wine bottles and call out for you?

[In the distance the train is coming into view, along with the glowing... portal? vortex? is halfway stuck in. Damn, no wonder this location is so unstable!]

You're not too far off the mark.

[Eugh, he doesn't like the look of that mess up ahead. Though it isn't purposeful, Red Wine finds himself slowing his steps slightly as they approach. Just to make sure nothing surprises them, he'll tell himself.]

Summoning one of us requires a certain ritual using the food involved. As for where we are before that... I don't think I could describe it to you, but I remember being there for a long time before I was brought forth into this body.

That's crazy. Existing without a body... I mean, sure, ghosts do it too, but those came from somewhere else first!

[A trio of timosquitos slowly but purposefully rises into the air as they approach the train, but Hijikata simply sends a large fireball at each. He and Red Wine truly have just the right magic type to take them out in passing. He exhales in frustration as he stops in front of the flickering last wagon.]

Great! Of course the bastard had to hide here of all places!

[If the Fisher King is even in there and they haven't been led astray again... then he'd really blow a fuse! He resolutely pulls the door open and hefts himself up inside with a grunt.]

Okay, all clear! No enemies, just a crapton of those shards.

I came from somewhere else. You don't think I just popped into existence in the ether, do you?

[But surely that kind of thing can wait for another time. They have more important things to deal with right now - namely the train up ahead, and the potential of their quarry being inside. He waits for Hijikata to pull himself up and steps lightly up after him, lingering in the open doorway.]

More of those things? Ugh...

[He doesn't much like the idea of yet more of his past being laid on display, but if that's how it's going to be...]

Let's press on.

[It's hard to imagine for him where Food Souls come from!! But he, too, focuses on the interior of the wagon, doing his best to not let the flashing memory images - a village on fire, a pale ponytailed girl smiling at him, a battle in the rain - distract him. Luckily all the rows of seats are empty, and no timosquitos seem to have made their nests here. He and Red Wine are able to move from wagon to wagon, until he eventually stops in what appears to be the last one. He lifts his arm to point at an unmoving humanoid figure ahead of them.]

Is that the Fisher King? Amazing that he made it this far before getting frozen. If we approach him our rings will snap him out of it - do we go ahead, or should we give our bleeding-heart diplomats a chance to catch up first?

[Frankly, he doesn't mind either way. Hell, he'd even let the king tell his story to the two of them too before lugging him off, but it's no skin off his back to leave that to the more sensitive members of the expedition. If nothing else he and Red Wine are now here to step in if things unexpectedly go haywire.]

Hmph.

[Well, they had agreed... Red Wine presses his lips together and looks over his shoulder at where they had climbed in to the train car. It would be very easy to end this here and now, but...

He sighs.]

We should wait. I don't fancy the wrath of whoever might come upon me with this knave's blood on my sword.

[Not that he couldn't take it, but he doesn't want to have to deal with the fuss of it when some people have already said they would try to speak to him first.] Let's back off, before we do any harm.

Right. They'd definitely be upset if we skewered him!

[He turns back - in the previous wagon they'll still be close enough to notice if anything goes amiss, but run less of a risk of accidentally jolting the Fisher King out of his stasis.]

Now you've got time to tell me where you came from after all.

[Or maybe not, depending on how soon the others arrive. Fed up as Hijikata is with the Fisher King, he wouldn't want to miss the confrontation!]

Hah. I suppose I do.

[It's not a terribly long story, so once Red Wine has followed Hijikata back to the previous train carriage he takes a seat near the exit door and braces his forearms against his knees.]

We come from the same place that human souls do. We were simply... handled in a different way, in the Beginning.

[And if Hijikata has paid any attention to him before he knows that humans have not always treated Food Souls well... so this sure does add an extra layer to that.]

Hm. That adds up, but we usually don't remember anything from before we were born.

...

What's it like?

[If Red Wine remembers being 'handled differently' then does he remember the higher power(s) that be?! This is a deep conversation to be having in a subterranean train stuck halfway in a multiverse passage!]

Mm...

[Now this is casting his mind back a way, and the memories are fuzzy. He sighs and shuts his eyes, tilting his head back just slightly.]

Noisy, if you would believe it. I remember that much. I'm still fairly young by the standards of a Food Soul and was summoned long after the first battles that inspired our creation. [He half opens one eye and smiles a little.] And I'll admit, I've been spoiled.

Spoiled? How so?

[There's the distant noise of a wagon door opening and closing - it seems like more expedition participants have arrived at the train, so their little chat will probably soon be interrupted, but he still wants to hear about this at least!]

A good number of Food Souls aren't summoned by people who treat them kindly.

[He thinks they may have talked about this before, in some fashion. Funny how he still considers his own kindly Master Attendant as an exception rather than something that should be the rule... but he's well aware of the kind of treatment other Food Souls have received. Even this far on, when they are viewed as more than simple weapons.]

But mine, she was like family.

[Red Wine glances towards the noise at the other end of the carriages.]

Mm. We should go.

[Hijkata does remember that, and it makes sense that summoned servants are generally seen as means to an end, not as companions to cherish. Lucky are the ones who get good masters who see a person in them. Like family... Red Wine's summoner must have been one he followed gladly. Once more Hijikata feels a sense of kinship with him. While he was free to choose his Commander not every samurai was that lucky. He readies himself for the others' arrival as their voices draw nearer.]

Let's see, then, how far diplomacy is going to get us here.

[Little does he know that it'll be pretty damn productive! He and Red Wine won't have to draw their swords again on this venture.]

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EVENT ✨ Stationary

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