EVENT✨ LAPIS EXILIS

[avalonmods]

QUICK NAV: LOGS ⚔️️ NETWORK ⚔️️ MEMES ⚔️️ OOC ⚔️️ NAVIGATION This is the event post! Ask questions in response to this comment HERE. Click here to view top-level comments only.

 

CONTENT WARNINGS:

• 1st Prompt: Merpeople, naga, cecaelia. If fish, tentacles, or scales freak you out, be warned.
• 2nd Prompt: Mention of changelings, impotence, future generations. Only if your character is a dick.
• 3rd Prompt: Age-inspired death acceptance, violence, flaying, alcohol.

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POST TYPE: Event
DATES: Algae is Greener - 8/19-8/24 (includes travel time). Dinas Emrys- General area description, arrival is ~8/24. Worthy- 8/24-8/25.
PROMPT BRIEFS

Algae is Greener

• Residents of the cursed underwater town characters encountered about a year ago sent out messages in a bottle during the TDM sharing they had a way to get past the battling elemental giants that's guaranteed no pirates.
• Use cursed crown from cursed town to curse otherworlders (anyone who gets into the water near Camelot) to turn them into merpeople, naga, or cecelia. Use special crystal to delay setting time, so they have a week before the curse becomes permanent.
• Don't want to go on the quest? Babysit the alpacapies-- help take care of the sick parents or babysit the babies.
• Swim under the lake to get to Dinas Emrys. Encounter dangerous creatures we've previously met in game. See bestiary.

Dinas Emrys

• Setting info for Dinas Emrys location. Explore. It's a lot of description, there aren't really specific prompts here, but feel free to do whatever inspires you.

Worthy

• Phoenix puts characters through trials of chivalry to see if they are worthy of the lapis exilis, which it will die to give up and save the multiverse. But it has to trust y'all first.
• Wake up warring red and white dragons, valley of the shearing sucks, there's a lake of mead. All of it was actually in y'alls shared cognitive space though so everyone's choice counts and if most people pass the trials, lapis exilis is yours. Fail and have to embark on a new quest to find the only other source of lapis exilis available. Or kill the phoenix, that's always an option. There's a poll attached to this part.

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THE ALGAE IS GREENER

As promised in the messages within bottles sent to New Camelot earlier this month, the citizens of the cursed underwater town have come bearing a gift, and a curse. Their curse, actually. The entire city has agreed to come to Camelot for a town-wide vacation and offer what they have discovered to be the vessel for the curse: their town mascot and honorary Junior Mayor, a giant 400-year-old quahog that ate a cursed crown from a long since fallen king. After removing the crown, they offer it to Camelot on the condition it be returned to them at the end of the mission. After all, their town has been like this for the last couple of centuries– it’s their culture now, and they would not like to live on land anymore. Keeping the cursed object on them is dangerous– but they have discovered protective crystals that will delay the settling of the permanent version of the curse to a
week, rather than only a day. One of their own will travel with you with the crown and upon the party’s arrival and resurfacing in Dinas Emrys, utilize a Welcome Ring to return to Camelot for their people, thus freeing participants of the curse before it settles in permanently and returning their legs to them.   Anyone who gets into the waters near Camelot will be transformed into a merperson (fish bottom), cecaelia (octopus bottom), or naga (serpent or eel bottom) during this time. This is the player’s choice, not the character’s. All characters affected will be able to breathe underwater without use of a potion and will be able to swim at much faster rates than normal. Merpeople’s singing voices are able to put people and creatures into a trance. Cecaelia can normally grant vengeance wishes, but per previous events, wish magic is not currently functioning as it should- so their primary features are the ability to ink and use their tentacles as additional controllable appendages. Naga have advanced strength and can extend their nails as claws. Whether they intend to travel or not. The curse lasts for 3 days, but don’t worry– if you’re not intending on taking the underwater trek to Dinas Emrys, there’s something for you to do and the curse will remain, as at least two of the gems from the crown are being kept for a very particular purpose…   A tragedy happened and most of the adult population of alpacapies has grown ill. (See notes for reminder species info.) Healers and alchemists who do not wish to travel are being urged to come treat the adult alpacapies… it’s best to do so in pairs for safety. because they are irate and can suddenly attack when ill. Everyone who isn’t going is being asked to care for the two-month old babies. They’re rambunctious and love nothing more than to investigate any loose objects and hide them for their own collections later. You may also have to find their favorite lake kelp to feed them, as they’re very picky eaters when they’re separated from their parents! Good luck! For those who are traveling, you may find that the perils of the lake are no friendlier to you when you’re one of them than when you’re not. Though you can breathe underwater, you may need to fight fuath, kelpies, merrow, and a megalodon who’s more than happy to swallow wayward travelers whole if they stray from the group. You will be traveling deep enough to avoid the battling giants, though should you happen to go too far, you may be thrown clear across the map by one of them and need to come up with your own spur-of-the-moment landing strategy. Once everyone has gone the underwater path beneath the battling elemental giants, characters will emerge on the shores of Dinas Emrys. --------------------------------- DINAS EMRYS  Dinas Emrys is a rather large area. The western arrival point is heavily spotted with brushwood that leads into a grove of well-sorted trees with a well-kept field in the middle. This place is known in the local tongue as Cell y Dewinaid, or “Grove of Magicians.” There is evidence of recent use, as there are certain areas laid out for fires, flattened grass circles where spells have been performed, and a circle of stumps for meetings at the easternmost point.         A little further along and there is a camp of a nomadic coven of druidic witches. These witches live in wood and cloth hovels they’ve built themselves, as if they were straight out of Arthurian times, and leave no footprint, no harm to the environment. They give more than they take, and they are loved by the trees and animals of the area. Though they are not the only people to live within Dinas Emrys throughout time, they are the prominent group within the area now. North of Cell y Dewinaid are rocky and wooded hillocks, leading up to a tall peak at the northernmost point of Dinas Emrys. From the peak and down the center of the hillocks is carved with a creek and small waterfalls throughout.       Dinas Emrys itself is a largely peaceful area, filled with natural spirits such as vila and treants. Vila are a living essence of nature and live in the trees and waters of Dinas Emrys. They are beautiful, eternally young, possess no gender, have eyes that flash like lightning, and unique wings sprouting from their back. Vile can transform into horses, swans, falcons, wolves, or be invisible as the wind. They tend to help guide those who are lost so long as they are kind to the woodland around them. Destruction of the environment will be met with cursing with impotence, magically marking people as a target for changelings should they ever conceive, or cursing their next five generations with tremendously bad luck. They are not to be trifled with if you value your future, even if they are non-violent in nature themselves. The treants may go unnoticed by you unless you’re a keen observer. They tend to be slow-moving, but do change position– which makes it very easy to lose your way. They will speak to green mages, but don’t tend to bother with most people. They are thousands of years old, and thus can offer sage advice on all matters, though it may take some time to respond so you must be patient with them. There are of course, woodland creatures out and about, but for the most part, Dinas Emrys is a relatively safe place on the surface.       Speak to the residents to get to know the area, or simply explore, and eventually you will gain information about the lapis exillis. Just remember- do not take anything from Dinas Emrys you do not have permission to take, and do not destroy anything, and you will be seen as a friend. --------------------------------- WORTHY
	At the peak of Dinas Emrys lies a nest rumored to be made of the very threads spun by Rumplestiltskin himself. (No one can confirm this, but it is the old wives’ tale that seems most prevalent.) This nest is the home to an ancient bird– one of the original phoenix of legend, who gave life to those phoenixes who followed, including those who are familiars now. This bird is millennia old, old enough to remember the time of the Stone Giant and have witnessed the birth of man itself. Its brother was the one whose heart was given to create the lapis exilis used to forge the Holy Grail. The coven shares that you must climb to the top of the mountain and kneel before the nest to show humility. Only then will the phoenix appear to discuss the lapis exilis.
Sure enough, as promised, those who kneel before the golden nest will witness a bird emerge from deep within it in a burst of flames that heat the gold threads of the nest into glowing metal for a brief moment before they, and the phoenix, cool back down to a safe temperature. Those who do not kneel will find that nothing happens, as they have failed the first test: humility. Those who have met the phoenix will find that it speaks within their minds and already knows what they seek: the lapis exilis.  The phoenix shares that it is prepared to give it, and has known this time would come for a long, long time. It is old, and it longs for rest, but it cannot simply give such a powerful stone to just anyone. It needs to know that those who seek its gifts are noble. To that end, to obtain the lapis exilis, participants must pass a series of trials to prove they are worthy of this phoenix giving its life.  The mountain you stand upon is hollowed out and within it, a lake filled with the finest mead any man has ever tasted. It is said to be the variety with which the giants tested Thor, and even such a just and righteous god fell to its temptations. Those who drink even one sip of this mead are said to lose all inhibitions, but will be blessed with luck so strong that they will be immediately given one of their desires upon doing so. (The drink will cause your subconscious to project your greatest desire-- be that upon another person, bending them to your will, or causing an illusion that reflects it if that person is not here or it does not involve a person.) Test two: Conviction -- Promise not to drink the mead. Do not drink it. Hold yourself accountable, as though it is tempting, you have a task to complete. At the bottom of this lake lie two sleeping dragons of red and white color. These dragons were sealed at the bottom of the lake by King Lludd to stop them from destroying the towns of the middle ages with their incessant fighting. It is possible that they will resume their fighting when awoken, but they are presently trapped in a prison within their own minds. If they awaken, they may break through the mountain and could potentially threaten Nicnevin with their battle. Test three: Mercy. Show mercy to the Red and White Dragons by waking them, even if it means that there may be consequences. The dragons will then awaken, and sure enough, burst through the side of the mountain, causing a new cave to open up and a rockslide to spill into the canyon known as the Valley of the Shearing. The Valley of the Shearing is so named as it is filled with a hoard of creatures known as Kamaitachi, who are all now wide awake and pissed. These creatures move with the wind and are demonic weasel-like creatures with blades for arms. They slice and flay any who would enter their territory. There is no time to summon your flying mounts before the dragons reach Nicnevin. Test four: Courage. Despite the high likelihood of injury, cross the Valley of the Shearing to follow the dragons. *Note: The phoenix will heal all those who manage to get halfway through, and effectively cast a temporary regenerative spell on them, but only after they've shown courage enough to move forward without. Test five: Justice. Get the dragons to stop fighting by any means necessary, except for ending their lives. They have not broken any laws fighting with themselves yet, and as such are not subject to laws that would permit their slaying. This can be done by diverting the fighting away from Nicnevin through joining the fight, using animal magic to talk them down, cognitive magic to influence their emotions and take them out of their fight-or-flight state of panic after waking up from their slumber and only remembering battle at first, or any other means you can think of that does not kill or permanently harm the dragons. Lastly, the unspoken test: nobility. It is possible to simply rip the living heart out of the phoenix. If you have hope and faith and choose to take the tests instead of resorting to unchivalrous action, you automatically pass this test. Note that the phoenix uses cognitive magic to cause each of these scenarios to play out within peoples' heads as they arrive. ----- The following section contains content not previously mentioned in the plotting post based on the poll results. The choices that people make during this event will be totalled, and if the majority of characters pass each test, the phoenix will choose to pass gracefully and allow the lapis exilis to be taken from its heart painlessly.   Once the test is passed by the majority of those who have visited the Phoenix, the Phoenix will wait until the sun begins to set. The red and white dragon will come up to the peak to say goodbye to their old friend. As the fires of the sun begin to disappear across the northern edges of the Lake of Avalon, the edges of the bird's feathers begin to furl into dull embers. Each feather that disappears fades into a ghostly wisp of orange, yellow, and dim red flames that flies into the sky. The process is slow, and the legendary bird sings a song rarely heard by any people. It's haunting, and yet strangely uplifting. There are no words, and yet it's clear it means goodbye. These are its dying lights. Small embers glow from the ashes and suddenly shoot into the chests of each Otherworlder who stayed to give the Phoenix their respects. In this fashion, the Phoenix's final spell is to protect the Lapis Exilis until it is safe in Camelot. When each of those who passed its test return to New Camelot's grounds, the piece will arise from them and find its brothers and sisters to form the Lapis Exilis. This way, no mischievous souls may interfere with the universe being saved by stealing it for their own means, as the Lapis Exilis is a powerful means to gain immortality.   The two dragons sealed within the mountain invite all those who wish to celebrate their friend's passing are invited to the very Mead Pond featured within the test. This mead does not have magical abilities like it does in the test, it is simply really good mead. The dragons have long since made up and are great drinking buddies, hoarding treasure along the Mead Coast. The vila will take anyone who wishes to go there to drink with the dragons in celebration of the phoenix's life for quick passage to the Mead Coast, where there are large amounts of food on an old table. It is recipes of the olden days- roast birds, stews, tomatoes on the vine, grain, and freshly roasted veg. There are huge amounts of meat, of course, as the dragons intend on dining with you. There are not, notably, utensils or napkins. Good luck with that. The dragons will then fly anyone who wishes or does not have another way home over the real Valley of Shearing (unfortunately, accurate to the trial version) and to Nicnevin so that they may find safe passage home.

 

Comments

[morganknight]

Test IV

Oh my god, how many of these things ARE there?

[Morgan doesn't often go all-out, but fighting against the press of Kamaitachi is like fighting against a hurricane, and takes more effort than anything he's given in Avalon thus far. Several of them focus intently on him, lashing out at him as he tries to get past them. A twist, a circle with his free arm, a parry with his sword, one blade skittering off the armor of his coat, and he's unharmed from this exchange. A line of blood on his hand, another on his cheek, and some significant damage to his shirt promise he can't keep it up forever though.]

Test V

[Ah, nonlethal subdual. This is Morgan's time to shine.]

[Also, have you ever seen a dragon suffering an arm pin? Well, now you have: Morgan stands on the red one's back, its foreleg twisted up and back around in Morgan's grip, his palm on the joint to strain it and keep it immobile. Excellent technique, diminished only slightly by the dragon attempting to bash him with its wings. Right now it's a challenge -- will Morgan get buffeted loose before the pain forces the dragon to quit?]

Get the white one! Calm it down!

[That's the other problem here -- the red dragon can't do much without amplifying the strain on its elbow, but it also isn't inclined to settle down any time soon...]

Zidane Tribal | OTA

[tantailizing]

I. The Algae is Greener

[Zidane's not all too unfamiliar with his form in the water if only because he had a certain snek shirt from the traders months before. Gold and red scales coat parts of his body and his legs (and tail) have become that of a snake - er, more accurately, a naga in the world.]

[Swim to Dinas Emrys like this? Waaay easier than sliding around on the ground. Weightless, swirling tail pushing the water, clawed hands helping redirect or turn directions; oh yeah, he's got this. Looking at the person nearest him, he grins.]

Ready to get going?

II. Dinas Emrys

[He's been socializing alright, but at the moment, he's intensely staring at... a tree. Slowly, slowly he proceeds to look away, eyes lingering back only to snap his head around and resume staring at it, tail twitching behind him.]

[There's an urge to climb the tree, but he could've sworn it moved too... and the last time that happened, the tree was a mimic so what was this one. Or was it a tree? Again, he stares intensely, slowly turning away... but then snaps back to look.]

Hmmmm...

[Should someone have Green Magic, he'd be grateful... otherwise, his staring resumes.]

III. Worthy

[OOC: So, since Zidane's up for any of the Test, I figured people could tag with a blank comment and subject line with what test they wanted to do and I could (or you could) make a starter based around that. Free to either option!]

IV. Wildcard

[OOC: Wanna do anything unlisted or otherwise? Hit me up at demidemonLove and we can plot! He'll be drinking if we do the after test party option, and depending on his level of inebriation, he might talk about his ~feelings~ gaaaasp.]

Naomi Kimishima | OTA

[chatwithdeath]

I. The Algae is Greener - Adults

[Despite her possible curiosities towards Dinas Emrys, there's a pressing matter that required Naomi to remain in New Camelot. Apparently, a number of the adult alpacapies had caught some manner of illness. If left alone, it would be possible that it didn't remain only to the alpacapies, but now wasn't a time for a lecture on possible zoonotic diseases or viral mutations.]

[Instead, it's a matter of being within the water a great deal with a swim top on, getting used to her new octopus appendages - their white coloration matching her hair - and being prepared to wrestle with any alpacapies that may begin to lash out while treatment was underway. It's unfortunate, but without animal magic herself, she's unable to communicate and has to do her best to take care of them.]

[When the worst of the struggling has ceased, she releases her 'patient' and continues to mend them.]

II. The Algae is Greener - Babysitting

[She's meant to be taking a break, but she's not sure if the baby alpacapies managed to get away from their current caretaker or they're playing some manner of game.]

[Either way, so much for being on her own as several have invaded her space and she seems to be dealing with it... mostly...]

I don't have any food on me...

[What do little alpacapies eat anyway?]

III. Wildcard

[OOC: Wanna do anything unlisted or otherwise? Hit me up at demidemonLove and we can plot! With most everything happening in Dinas Emrys or via cognitive magic, those extra plots or prompts can be used here.]

Toshirou Hijikata | Gintama (Primatica CRAU)

[mayoninofukucho]

1) Algae is Greener

[When the inhabitants of the cursed underwater town told the Camelotians that they found the source of the curse Hijikata couldn't believe it. A 400-year-old quahog that swallowed a cursed crown... of course it'd be something like that!! Regardless, the discovery was well-timed. After the aggravating episode with the pirates earlier this month he'd felt about ready to travel to Dinas Emrys solo on his archaeopteryx, and who knows how that'd have played out? Travelling in a group should be much safer.

Or so he thought, because he's barely gotten underwater with his newly grey-greenish tentacled body (and a transparent plastic backpack holding multi-layered waterproof bags containing his clothes and some other important items, like his mayonnaise) when he sees a whole group of carcinuses gathered a little bit further down the lake bottom. The huge scorpion-tailed crab creatures seem to have been attracted by the commotion of the lake people arriving and congregating and the volunteers entering the water for their journey.]

Ugh, these bastards rolled up to study the menu, haven't they? They're looking at us like we're lobsters in the display tanks!


2) Dinas Emrys

[After a long 3-day journey through Lake Avalon they finally reach their destination. Hijikata is glad to have his legs back, and to have brought dry clothes. Once dressed in his usual attire he joins the others in exploring the new location. It seems quiet apart from some birdsong, and while the mountains here aren't as large as the Ash Mountain range the untouched forest can easily compete with the Forest of the Fisherking in terms of size. The area feels like an enclosed ecosystem, even containing its own stream separate from the large river.

Yet there are signs of civilisation: recently used fireplaces, tree stumps standing in a circle, the lingering traces of magic. Before long the new arrivals find the druidic coven's dwellings, and the down-to-earth witches are friendly enough to the outworlders. Once they have gathered information about the phoenix living on the northernmost mountain Hijikata steps aside from the ongoing socialising to light himself a desperately needed cigarette (he already smoked a couple at the shore while ensuring that everyone made it on land and got their legs back, but that wasn't enough!).

He can feel somebody watching him... he turns around, but nobody is there. However not too far away he spots a fellow outworlder exploring the area. Was is their eyes he felt..? He approaches.]

These woods better not be as cursed as the other ones. I have a weird feeling about the atmosphere here.


3) Worthy

[On the peak of the mountain Hijikata readily kneels in front of the golden nest along with the vast majority of explorers (and he idly notes a couple of refusers being knocked or kinetically pulled to their knees by aggravated peers - good!). When the phoenix appears and speaks to everyone with what must be high-level cognitive magic he stays quiet and sombre. It's humbling to be addressed by a millennia old being, and the phoenix' willingness to give up its life is both a relief and a grim reminder of just what exactly is at stake here: the continued existence of the multiverse.

With the simple first task set (well, it's already the second one, really) Hijikata makes his way inside the mountain along with everyone else, determined to stop anyone foolish enough to sample mead from the lake within. This is such a simple test, he won't allow anybody to mess it up for them!! When they arrive at the lake, however, the two dragons sleeping at the bottom come as a surprise.]

Well, I already wasn't going to drink from it, but all the less now. This is like those novelty drinks with scorpions in the bottle.


4) Aftermath

[When everybody comes to next to the phoenix' nest and it explains that the trials took place in their minds Hijikata is initially pretty damn vexed. So Nicnevin was never in danger?! But... that's really a good thing, isn't it? Nobody even needs a healer now. He quickly gets over his irritation as the phoenix confirms that the group proved themselves worthy of receiving its heartstone. As the sun slowly sinks on the horizon the red and white dragons - their strife long overcome - join the assembly on the mountain, along with other local beings who hold the phoenix in regard, as its time comes to say goodbye.

Hijikata didn't know the legendary bird any longer than those who came here with him, yet he can feel a heaviness in his heart as its feathers slowly burn out one by one and its strange but beautiful song fills the evening air. When the embers spark back up and enter the chests of those who passed the trials he intuitively understands that they each were entrusted a small part of the phoenix' heart.

He might usually decline the dragons' invitation, but he feels melancholic now... in a month's time he'll have to say goodbye again when he sees all his ghost subordinates off to the underworlds, won't he? He intends to be an unwavering Commander then, so screw it, this time, when everyone around him feels more or less the same, he'll drink as much as he can!

Before long he's getting straight-up hammered on mead, eating a roasted pigeon with his bare hands, and listening to stories the dragons tell of their and the phoenix' lives. Their hospitality is doing wonders to reduce his knee-jerk animosity towards dragons (not that Belgium and Walter's little ones didn't already cause his stance to soften)! At one point he gets up to head out for a smoke, but his orientation is all shot, so someone may notice him staggering around at the shore of the mead lake.]

Where's the exit..?


[OOC: If you'd like to hammer any details out please hit up my plotting post!]

Jade Leech | Open

[mushroomaficionado]

Algae is Greener

[Having known Azul for many years, Jade's always wondered what it would be like to be part Octopus instead of part Eel. Would the tentacles be fun to sneak attack with?

Now though...

It turned out that all those extra appendages were hard to coordinate. Jade was also used to how much sleeker and streamlined his old merform was. This body was much slower. He and Floyd had always teased Azul about his lack of speed before, but now that Jade was experiencing it, it was almost maddening.

After his last entanglement with a large strand of kelp, Jade's decided to take a break and is clinging to the side of a stone as if it's a life line]

How annoying.

Mercy

Personally, I think we should just leave them as is. Though if you would do otherwise, I will not object.

[Not that Jade isn't curious about what will happen if the dragons do wake. But, he can be pragmatic sometimes. And honestly, these tests are a little stupid. But it all depends on his partner(s) for this venture.]

Wildcard

[Feel free to throw your own prompt at me or request something and I'll make a top level for you. Jade will be around Dinas Emrys (he has green magic FYI) and going through the other trials and is free to be accompanied. You can pm me here, at plurk (kanetsugu or Joy#8142 on discord.)]

Floyd Leech | Twisted-Wonderland | OTA

[over_the_sea]

I – Algae is Greener
[Floyd did enjoy a chance at any of the water quests. It was his natural territory after all, as well as a great excuse to go swimming. Unless he wasn’t feeling like it, that is, but right now, hell yeah. Also, maybe because he’s hoping there’s some pay in it for him as he is owing Azul quite a lot right now thanks to the fight he and Jade got into and broke stuff in the restaurant… so yeah, he needs gold.

There’s no hesitation with jumping into the water from Floyd, he all too ready to transform into his normal eel-y self and enjoy his time during this. Only, no, no it couldn’t be that easy, could it? Instead of his normal awesome eel form, Floyd will find he now has many more legs than even his human form, finding himself in a cecaelia form instead.

And he hates it. It’s so slow! How does Azul put up with this?! No wonder he hates changing into his form to swim! It’s horrible! And how are you even supposed to deal with this many legs?! Two were bad enough on land, but this? This is too many!

Eventually Floyd will be making his way around, but far slower than he wants to, and no doubt whining the entire way how much he hates this and he wants to change back and this is stupid and why did he have to get the slow body?] I want my normal body baaaack!

II – Worthy: First Test
[Floyd normally hates hiking and stuff, that was more Jade’s thing, but after that whole water and forced transformation thing… he kinda wants to get away from it for a bit. Just… yeah, no more swimming for him for a while.

Getting up to the spot they were aiming for and before that nest, whoever Floyd is with will hear him let out a ‘eeehhh~?’ of a whine as a hand goes up to scratch at the back of his head.] What’s all this? [He clearly seeming not interested in the idea of kneeling at all. It was rather cool looking, but kneeling? Yeah, it’s no where near Floyd’s first instincts or thoughts to do. Why should he kneel to anyone?]

III – Wildcard

Rinea | FE SOV

[silvergarden]

A. Test 4 (open)

[Trials one through three were pretty much a cakewalk for someone as soft-hearted as Rinea, but the subsequent explosion of violence and danger as the dragons awaken brought that to a swift end. The consequence of a rockslide and a vicious battle is devastating enough, but to be urged by the Phoenix to follow after them has Rinea trembling at the newly-formed cave entrance, tears in her eyes.]

Th-Through a battlefield? I couldn't possibly, what good could I...!

[This is a very bad time to panic but COME ON]

B. Closed to luciing and mamowavin

[ Mamori was a Hero of Avalon from nearly her first day on the isle, so of course she was going to follow through on any task set upon the otherworlders. Even putting aside the task's importance, Rinea wasn't about to let her little roommate go alone, so she has come along too. And where Rinea goes, Somnus of course will surely follow.

So here the three of them are, traversing into the mountain that leads to the Mead Pond to fulfill the task the phoenix bid of them.]

It was quite a magnificent creature, wasn't it? [Despite whatever mysterious trials they're heading towards, it really just feels like they're on a nice little hike at the moment. (Rinea is wearing pants and sturdy boots accordingly, though the outfit is still Very Cute from Somnus's gifted deluge of fabric.)] I am a little wary of large fires, but it was such a pretty bird...

C. Wildcard

go nuts!!! you can contact me on the plotting post if you wanna brainstorm, also!

Emet-Selch | open to all (will match format)

[emet_sulk]

1. A Mer(e) Drop in the Ocean

a) The deeper you go, the more difficult it is to discern your way. Man's eyes were not made for such gloom. Such is the problem facing Emet-Selch as he uses the opportunity to seek out underwater plants for his work as an alchemist, browsing the assorted sea grasses and kelp that decorate the lakebed. Unfortunately, his occupation with these plants means he is wholly unaware of danger looming nearby...

b) You're minding your own business when something suddenly wraps around your ankle and yanks you down towards what appears to be a bed of kelp: in reality a bare-chested man with eight tentacles where his two legs should be. He doesn't say anything, simply reaches out and tries to grab your arm.

2. Thicker than a Knife's Blade

When he realises that they have to make their way through a valley of creatures whose winds can flay the skin off a man's bones, he has to admit to hesitating.

He could die. If the winds themselves don't simply push him off the cliff, the thousand-thousand cuts may lead him to bleed to death by the end of it. He promised Hythlodaeus that he would not seek his death so readily. Wouldn't it be irresponsible to go ahead with this trial? He stares at the passage. Listens to the howling gale. If he doesn't go, someone else will. Some other 'hero'. Or...perhaps no-one will. Perhaps no-one will be able to brave the Valley of Shearing, and if so, they would not be able to save their worlds from calamity.

Closing his eyes, he takes a deep breath and steps forward.

It's impossible not to flinch. A thousand-thousand cuts flay his skin, drawing bright, scarlet lines across exposed skin. His hands, his face, and he swears even through his clothes, the wind lays into him without mercy. Still he presses on, keeping one hand on the rock as a guide whilst the other shields his eyes. He doesn't know how long it takes but at some point he feels a warmth gracing him.

"Don't," he growls. "I don't need your healing magicks. This is the least I deserve, for what I've done."

The warmth persists for a little while and then fades but it does not go away completely. In the end, that is what helps him survive the ordeal: he collapses at the very end of the valley in a terrible state, bleeding from a plethora of cuts but, somehow, still alive.

3. Wildcard

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