EVENT ✨ The Answer is Always C

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This is the event log for IC comments only! Ask OOC questions/plot/view event notes HERE or use the FAQ for general questions. Click here to view top-level comments only. A poll to collect results of the trials will be posted this weekend and stay open until the end of the month to give people a little time to see how their threads are going.

KEY POINTS

Arthur announces the results of the polls and that he spoke to Celliwig's people, they will be testing Camelot the week of the full moon.

A series of choice-based enchanted scenarios is presented based loosely on a modernized seven sins/virtuous responses (power imbalance, cruelty or mercy, excess/greed or restraint, sloth or work ethic, desire/lust or self-control and bravery or cowardice, and sacrifice or self-preservation)

With the polls closed, the decision is made, and King Arthur takes the opportunity to address the kingdom via a streamed press conference. Though it is not an open post, anyone is welcome to comment on it and talk to each other about it. However, it is unlikely that Arthur himself will respond to comments. A notification does appear on everyone's smart devices to invite everyone to watch live; if they tap it too late, it'll still show the recorded stream. "People of Camelot, I wish that we had better news that spoke of an easier path to the calamity that stands before us. Celliwig's charge is with protecting Avalon even in the face of protecting Camelot and those of you who chose to use your voices have shown that you choose to respect their way of handling things. However, it was only just over half of you who chose this path. I think it is important that with such a great portion of people believing that bypassing Celliwig and going directly to Elphame, as much as it may take patience, we take this action into consideration. There is no sense in ignoring the voices of so many when there is nothing to say we cannot approach from two fronts. As Camelot's king, I have issued our intent to accept Celliwig's challenge to a descendant of Glewlwyd, a man who was much trouble for my knights in our time. They have said after failing one, we shall be tested on multiple fronts, the week of the full moon's rise. Bear in mind that this is our final chance at this." Merlin sidles up to Arthur in the video, one arm around his shoulders and leaning in to speak into the mics in a much-too-familiar manner. At least his sunglasses are off this time. "Now then, anyone who wanted to go to Elphame, you'll want to head to the docks around, oh, say, the first of June. Step one to flirting with fae is to put on a good show before the traders leave. It's a good time whether the Celliwig's dooming us or not." A wink accompanies that odd note, and Arthur orders him off stage before thanking everyone for their time. With the consent of its people, Celliwig performs a ritual to place Camelot under a rather strange spell. Much is the same, but there's a sense that everything is just slightly off from what it should be. Fog covers the grounds throughout the entire city throughout the entire day. It's just a little too quiet, the usual hustle and bustle of the city falling just a little too distant on your ears. You can go about your day as normal, but feel as if something is simply off. And eventually, you'll walk through a door, and it will be. Part of the enchantment, however, includes a strange inability to connect these doors with being part of a test-- they seem real, regardless of how absurd the scenario would be were your characters thinking straight. Day One: Power Imbalance The door you walk through is into a club of some kind. It wasn't your intended destination and yet, here you are, and you're being handed a glass of your favorite drink and being ushered to your seat. The show is fantastical, some kind of circus-esque show with gymnasts and magical effects making it impossible to take your eyes off of. That is, until the spotlight falls upon you and urges you down to join the show. A volunteer! Well, one of two. Another volunteer is brought up along with yours, and the ring leader of the circus gives you both bracelets-- one with selenite embedded in it, another with andara. The ring leader explains that they're both known for creating high frequency connections, though one is known to spiritually be associated with finding one's path and the other with manifesting one's true self. When enchanted together, this makes it so that the person with the andara bracelet can order the person with the selenite bracelet to do anything they please-- making their true self the person's purpose. Very dangerous, very intruiging, very tempting, very morally wrong to do it for real, so please keep it to the stage! A quick demonstration of this dark use of magic as part of the show... and it seems that afterward, they forget to take the bracelets back. What will you do with your newfound control over your partner? The choice is, after all, yours. (Or theirs, if you're the unlucky partner with the selenite bracelet-- only the person with the andara can remove the bracelets, after all.) Day Two: Schadenfreude Yesterday seems like a dream, and you may even feel the need to write it off as such unless you run into the same person again and realize no, they too remember it. But if that's not the case, it doesn't matter. You'll be able to find yourself in your definitely normal and usual mideval city, where someone is in the stocks. Your memories seem a little fuzzy on whether or not you're supposed to be in medieval times or not, but this seems right, and there's a fruit vendor right next to you selling soft fruits to throw at the poor sap in the stocks. There are also a number of other ways to mess with the person, including feathers to tickle them, a riding crop, some ink if you want to grafitti the person.. a good number of ways just to humiliate the person without causing them permanent harm. The crowd is cheering you on, but you also see the keys to set them out just sitting on a table nearby. Do you engage in a little sadistic fun or do you embark in a daring rescue? (Or are you the punished in someone else's scenario?) Day Three: Indulge Me Back to the modern day like it didn't happen, you and a friend walk into a door to your favorite convenience store and as you finish up your purchase, you win an all expenses paid trip to the Black Knight's Castle, formerly the home of the Black Knight and turned into a lavish tourist attraction by Yvaine and Laudine's descendents, who have become worshippers of Dionysus. You're transported there in a puff of sparkling magic dust, right before an extravagant golden fountain in the middle of the lobby. The owners explain their policy for the Black Knight's Castle that you can have anything you desire, however much you desire. Anything at all, consequence free. The only thing that they ask is that you give a blood offering to their god to help feed his dead worshippers on the other side of the veil, which will ultimately tie your soul to him as well. Just a quick cut of the palm and you're welcome to come back any time, have anything you want, for the rest of your life. Taking the deal means you really will get what you want! ...For the day, anyway. (This is just a spell, after all, even if your character doesn't want it.) If you choose not to, you'll find yourself magically deposited back to the convenience store. Day Four: What's the Meaning of Stongehenge? This fourth day, there's certainly something to be said about a hard day's work. When you walk through today's door, you find yourself in the middle of a grassy field, strange markings on the ground, and surrounded by oddly shaped boulders. The markings on the ground seem to indicate where some the stones should be placed. There aren't really any directions, but there's always the option of waiting for someone else to solve this problem for you... There is a very comfortable looking patch of grass anyone able to relax in. So the choice is yours: wait for someone else to move the rocks or move them yourself? Day Five: Pooling Desire Day five is a trip to the pools. But not just any pools! These are special, underground pools hidden deep within a cave. You're sure whoever told you to head through this door mentioned something about them being a special relaxation package at the Red Springs. As you head into the pools, however, you find someone in there with you: the subject of your desires. Regardless of who or what they are, they seem to have a crown upon their head, aren't wearing anything in that water, and seem to have a lovely singing voice judging by the tune they're humming to lure you in before you even notice they're there. It is at that point they will try to seduce you, even if that same person is standing right there with you. The seduction, of course, needn't be sexual-- a strong lusting for a turkey leg wrapped in bacon may be just as powerful as a desire for a brand new Ninblendo Swatch or something you should definitely label as NSFW if you want to thread it that way. Give into them, or.. maybe listen to the person who came in with you that they're definitely some kind of weird half-otter bottomed monster under the water before they try to drown you. Or if you're the one trying to stop this, are you brave enough to get in between a stranger and a monster to try to snap them out of the siren's thrall, even if it means fighting both of them? Day Six: #ChaliceChallenge The sixth and final door sets you walking outside on a beach. There's nothing else there really except for nature. The sounds of the waves crashing against the sound is soothing, and real, and sharper than anything you've felt in the last five days of haze. There is no fog today. Clear, blue skies stretch forever above you, not a cloud in sight. The only man-made thing you see is a small woode table and two chairs. Upon that table, two chalices. Nothing will happen and there seems to be no way off of the beach until both parties sit down at the table, at which point a strange old man with huge, rippling muscles of at least 7 feet tall and a long, scraggly beard will appear. He informs your characters of the rules: in one chalice, deadly poison. In the other, water and bitter flavor. Each must drink from one cup, or you will both perish of starvation on this beach. Choose wisely.

Comments

[tantailizing]

[Glancing her way, his tail twitches. Ah, so someone else in this crowd has some sense.]

Alright. Don't start just yet, but be ready.

[He wants to keep this covert for a bit, but once they realize what's happening, she was free to do... whatever she could. He did have to pause and wonder her abilities, but she's immediately confident to offer cover so he'll assume she's good.]

[Slinking away through the crowd, he takes his time to keep suspicion minimal so swiping the keys is done as a casual pass.]

[standvastig]

[Hendrik listens with no little amount of conflict in his heart. As much as he had wanted to see Jasper brought to justice before the fall of Yggdrasil, and as much as he had raged over what had happened after, he did not want to see Jasper die. Believing it to be likely did not mean he wanted it to happen.

And yet it's Jasper who is offering a roundabout comfort, grounded in logic. Of course he would see things this way. Of course he would find a comparison he could not refute.]

Indeed. I know you are right.

[It's also a little ridiculous to be framing it all in this way, considering there's an equal chance for him to drink the poison. But it does make him feel better to push past the hurdle of accepting the chance that he will die.]

We are making this decision together.

[leitstern]

[Jasper smiles though the occasion hardly demands it.

The years have passed them by; him spending his time in solitude and Hendrik, well, he doesn't even know. All he remembers now is that he had grown used to living without feeling like his best friend had his back. That he walked alone, without the man by his side. He strolls back towards the table and pulls out the chair to their left, collapsing into it with a sigh. He feels his heart stop in his chest. He scarcely knows what to do with himself and drums the table with his fingers.

He has every intention of throwing the contents in the old man's face, but it would just come back. So he takes the nearest chalice with his right hand and stares down. He has no love for the moment but there is a calm serenity in knowing they are even emotionally.

A decision together. Was that it? He makes a noise.]

How good it feels to do so.

[When they are ready, he drinks. It tastes like water. Clear, unadultered water. But with a sweet taste that after a second becomes difficult to process and parse - or even to think about. Hard to think about, period. He has the quick flash of knowing he chose poorly and slumps over in the chair, unconscious.]

[patchricide]

"Then I absolve you of the responsibility."

It's almost defensive, how quickly she replies.

"I hope that you try... but if it simply cannot be done, I don't want you to feel any guilt on my behalf. It's... simply an unfair situation we've been forced into."

Which is why she's not answering the question about friends and family, or what she would want to live for. From her perspective, and all the things she's been taught about the responsibility of leaders, it's all dwelling in selfish things and distracting her from the true path forward from here.

"Please. I can accept the worst happening to me."

But if she asks someone else — even a stranger — to risk their life so she might have a chance to save hers? She would have no right to lead anyone anymore, nor to wear the crown that's her birthright.

Unfortunately, the fact that Adela's already holding a chalice makes this difficult. Because as much as Allura's no stranger to violence, forcibly tearing the vessel from her hands seems like it would undermine her point.

Instead, she pauses to think, then takes the other chalice. And she holds it out, far enough that Adela would be able to pour hers into it. A final opportunity to reconsider.

"I'm already prepared to face this."

Day 2!

[notcethleann]

[Flayn notices the crowd before she notices why there is one, too short to see what's at the center with all these people in the way. Maybe, she thinks, it's some kind of performance, or a festival! She does so love festivals.

She tries to be as polite as possible as she slowly works her way through the crowd to the front, squeezing in between people and sidestepping others who seem to be in more of a hurry. When she finally emerges through the mass of onlookers, she gasps, hands flying to her mouth.]

Claude! No, of course I am not enjoying this! Who has done this to you?

[Eyes full of determination and righteous anger, she rushes over to plant herself in between Claude and the crowd, spreading out her arms to shield him from the projectile fruit as best she can. She raises her voice so they can all hear her. So focused is she on her mission that she doesn't yet spot the table with the key on it.]

You should all be terribly ashamed of yourselves! How dare you perform such acts of cruelty upon my friend? I shall not allow this to continue any furthe--

[She cuts herself off with a surprised shriek and only just manages to get her arms up in front of her face before a very ripe tomato smashes into it. Jeers and shouting for her to get out of the way or join Claude in punishment ring out from the crowd...but she refuses to let them do this to Claude any longer, and stands her ground, no matter what the consequences might be.

[konpeito_aji]

Yet your head is still attached. [Not complaining, just making a note of observation. In his country, insulting a samurai could get one killed. Something Nobunaga had been working to upend, however.]

[So he casually saunters over to the locks to undo them with a paperclip and bobby pin. Believe it or not, he's a general, and a noble, not a thief. He's just paranoid. It's good practice in case he gets kidnapped. Again. #Noblethings] Try not to die.

Hey shitty useless morons! Quit being wastes of space! Go make something, or learn a real art! [Flips off the entire crowd off with both hands.]

[Believe it or not, he's the entire ruler of Japan, and they're a reserved, quiet people. Nobunaga is just a huge anachronism.]

[forgeabettertomorrow]

Far away...

Right. We can do that.

[He tries not to push the horse too hard. Since they don't seem to be under pursuit, Darin relaxes in the saddle. Before long, they're riding along the outskirts of the city where buildings have given way to cottages and slowly to farms.]

[Darin veers off the main road when he spots a brook and dismounts to lead the horse and Marianne to a place with shade where the horse can drink. Once the coast seems clear and their mount is drinking, Darin extends a hand to Marianne to help her down.]

Looks like I owe you my life...

...I'm Darin, by the way. Darin Altway. I'm a master blacksmith...

And completely in your debt. Thank you...

[forgeabettertomorrow]

...Seems like the only fair way.

[Darin grabs the chalice in front of him and raises it.]

Care to make a toast?

[patchricide]

"... perhaps you'll have to tell me later, then. For now... there's hardly any justice in locking people up over stories, is there?"

"And who d'you think you are? Waltzing in here, manhandling us and giving us lectures! How about you let us handle our prisoners how we see fit, huh?"

The plan is a bit of a problem. She's no stranger to stealth missions, but it seems like the whole town's eyes are on this one man. And now, she's already drawn quite a lot of attention by demanding answers. Should she really fight an entire mob?

She looks around, before reluctantly letting go of the man's arm. There's a few jeers from other angry men, shouting at her to get out of here and stop spoiling their fun. She holds up her hand in some sort of signal, before she seems swallowed up by the crowd looking to torture Masamune.

"All right, how's about we start having some real fun? Where's that riding crop?"

There's some deep, ugly laughs, which are quickly drowned out by the sound of a cart's wheel breaking and fruit spilling out all over the street.

[forgeabettertomorrow]

[Do it, they can both use the fight it'll cause.]

And how full of yourself do you have to be to judge an entire group of people based off of one perceived slight? How do you know they don't have reason to condemn me? You don't know me! You don't know the first thing about me!

Condemning the many over a single person is how wars start. If I can forgive them, then anyone should be able to!

[forgeabettertomorrow]

The only thing I'm requesting is that you stop being so damn prickly!

I mean...you know me, right? Unless I've given you reason to really not be able to stand me...which, I'll be honest here, is completely possible...then why can't you engage with me like a friend?

It's like you don't allow yourself the luxury of friendship.

[angelolatry]

He's there in the water.

[She gestures, pointing. Though it might not be the same thing that Emil himself sees? Colette's certain if Lloyd were here though that he would have found her by now. That Kratos or Emil would have let her know or something. She tilts her head at what Lloyd says next, expression confused at something Lloyd says. Before he again offers his hand to her. Colette almost reaching to take it, in that instinctive desire to be with Lloyd, to help him.]

[forgeabettertomorrow]

[Darin hangs there ashamed. He barely registers Maribelle fiddling with the lock.]

...It is my fault...

My brother and I were chosen. Given power. She couldn't...

She couldn't handle the birth...and she died...

[forgeabettertomorrow]

...She's not an asshole but I still say she doesn't care about me.

Which, honestly? Is fine by me. The last thing I really want is for people to care too deeply about me.

[He sighs and looks around.]

Alright...we'll do it your way for now. If you can create vines to entwine these rocks, I can see about moving them...

[forgeabettertomorrow]

"I know I don't need to. But I do. And over time you'll see that I keep my promises."

He offers her a grin and then he holds up a clenched hand, extending a single pinky.

"I won't leave you behind."

Day 6 - because hey why NOT have this be their first meeting

[angel_of_death]

[This is a farce. Walter can only imagine what those yearning for war would say to an ultimatum like this. Something along the lines of 'I told you so', no doubt. But why would Celliwig, as powerful as their mages are, risk such a move? It's bound to spark unrest far beyond that which was directed at them up until this point.

There has to be some trick to it. Something on the other side of the test, perhaps. But whether or not they'll actually experience death is something he can't speak to with certainty. And there could always be a price to being revived by one of Celliwig's mages.

However, he has an idea of his own.]

The whole cup, unfortunately.

[He picks up the cup in front of him, eyeing it disdainfully.]

What a despicable game. What do you suppose they're testing with this one? Whether we'll try to trick each other into drinking the poison to save ourselves?

[forgeabettertomorrow]

Zel, I'm serious, they just don't know any better...!

You need to get out of here!

[forgeabettertomorrow]

Seems like it.

Are you going to give these people a good show then? I'm game for whatever you throw my way!

THIS SHOULD BE GOOD! No need to avoid spoilers btw~!

[forgeabettertomorrow]

[Oh good. Darin recognized that voice. He'd never had the pleasure of meeting Emet-Selch in person, or even seeing his face. But there was a certain air to it that made Darin feel like he was dealing with some sort of royalty.]

[It grated on him.]

It wasn't unclear, just unexpected. They can't possibly be serious about this. There has to be another aspect of the trial we're missing.

[patchricide]

"You might be right about that..." Allura folds her arms thoughtfully, but turns her back to the vendor and leans in closer to Makoto, so she can speak in a lowered voice. "Stopping one vendor won't stop this spectacle. It's a much bigger problem than just her... it could take a long time to sort this mess out."

"... but there is something we can do right now." She looks to the keys, then to Makoto to check if she sees them. If not, she'll try to gesture subtly with a tilt of her head, rather than point them out to the whole mob of people.

"I think I can grab them. Watch my back?"

Day 2 because Nobunaga just has to escalate things

[konpeito_aji]

I suggest you losers disperse immediately. Weaklings shouldn't linger in the presence of what they fear.

[Nobunaga has both a giant katana (seriously, it's almost a claymore... Okay, not that wide, but definitely unusually hefty!!!) and a Tanegashima gun out, just in case the tone of his voice wasn't dark enough to get his message across alone. He didn't even yell it, but he seemed to hush the whole crowd.]

This has nothing to do with you! [One man attempted to insist, before seeing the weapons, and worse: Nobunaga's frigid carnelian eyes, and murderous face.]

Fuck off! I'll decide what concerns the Demon King of Sixth Heaven!

[He steps in front of Zelgadis, and belts his gun, but only so he can have both hands on his sword.]

Go make something useful of your lives, before I decide to end them entirely!

[forgeabettertomorrow]

[Darin turns to shield her from some rotting fruit being thrown at her. She'll hear it thud against his muscular back and fall harmlessly to the ground.]

As long as you draw breath, there's always a future for you.

...I don't know what happened to make you like this but I'm not going to leave you. Not to these animals.

[Darin shoots a glare over his shoulder that could freeze fire and several of the closer attendees reflexively back away. That one glare says it all: He dares someone to try and stop them.]

[If no one is going to take up the challenge of the witch and her protector, then Darin will calmly step off of the dais and start walking away.]

[angelolatry]

Eh? The reflections?

[A monster? Her eyes widen, glancing from the water to him when he says that, before he asks about Eustace. Who she of course had met (when he was initially stuck in dog form....) so she gives a nod in answer to the question.]

I have, yes. What about him?

[sos_pilot]

[ Della can see Harry saving the man, and hopes she can see them giving her thumbs up. Looks like everything's going to work out! ]

C'mon, let's go! Maybe we can get out the same way we came in!

[sos_pilot]

AND I OWE IT ALL TO YOUUUU~!

[ And she runs full speed at him, and dives on in! ]