isleofavalon | EVENT ✨ The Answer is Always C

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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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Venti only winks in return before going right up to the pool of water to set himself fearlessly at the edge.]

At least it tried... As phony as all this is. So, who are these giant twins to you then?

[Azul isn't going closer just yet, just in case proximity increases the pull.]

The one on the left is Jade, the other Floyd. They're...friends and classmates.

[His only friends, really, but details.]

And also employees, technically.

[Meanwhile, Venti seems uncaring for any potential danger. He's sure that these pools are all fake and silly. At least he doesn't put his full legs in the water. Only peering into the water as if searching for something.]

I see! Friends and classmates from your watery home? It's no wonder the pool is calling them out to you. Do you miss them?

As much as anyone would miss their friends.

[Except it's a lot more than that, because they're Azul's only friends. But he's not saying that.]

What are you looking for?

Of course.

[Venti winks.]

And anything that might want to pop up and kill us.

[:)]

Have you found anything? I would get closer, but these things tend to work by proximity.

Hm, not yet. But since your friends are a display in the water, I'd be careful about getting closer.

[As for Venti? He's sticking his hand right in. He wants to find out what the trick or creature is.]

I plan--what are you doing?!

[THAT SEEMS REAL DUMB THERE VENTI]

Finding the source of this farce!

[Fearless little bard.]

Ah, I can feel some strange dark magic here. There's probably a dangerous creature of some sort.

Then shall we leave and find an uninfested hot spring?

You're not curious about this one at all?

Not in the slightest.

[Welp.]

It clearly wants to eat me or something, so I have no interest in finding out why or what it is.

Hmm, I can't argue with that logic.

[Venti moves to withdraw from the water. With a shrug. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯]

It's too bad we can't find a real hot spring to relax our aching bones in down here.

[Azul sighs and shakes his head with a small shrug.]

Unfortunately. I could really use one after the last few days, with their absurd trials.

[Meanwhile the water seems to be bubbling? Like it's angry they're leaving??]

Is that so? Have you tried the Red Springs? They're quite delightful! The hot water feels just wonderful on the skin and ankles. Even I could sit in that water for hours! Ehe!

How much do they cost per hour? I'm still saving up, after all.

If we go together you can leave that to me. I've made what is called a tab at this place.

[A magical thing called a tab. That he never plans to pay.]

[Yeah, Azul can guess. Anyone who asks for a tab is the worst sort of customer.

Or best, if it means he can get them working for him.]

That still didn't answer my question, but...I may take you up on that after this is done. I never liked tests of morals or whatever they're calling these trials. Waste of time, energy, and money.

[He only dodges answering the question because he actually doesn't know how much it costs. What is the value of money? He's not as bad as a certain rockhead but...]

Hmm, I'll have to agree! These farces they call trials are all just tricks and lies. Doesn't say much about the ones that set them all up.

[A rude bunch, to be honest. But goodness he did want to see that murderous creature in the pool just for the sake of it. Oh well.]

[MONEY IS THE MOST VALUABLE THING YOU WINDBLOWN LUSH.]

And what it does say isn't flattering. Why does Camelot want their approval so badly?

[It's not about the money, money, money
We don't need your money, money, money
We just wanna make the world dance
Forget about the price tag]

A question I've been asking myself. Then again, I'm unsure what King Arthur wants with all of this anyhow.

[King Arthur isn't HIS king. And well- Venti's never been a fan of monarchs.]

Obviously not trade, since we're here and not doing the sensible thing.

And what would you call a 'sensible thing'?

Building up a trade empire so massive, they look like fools for refusing to trade with us, or finding goods they simply can't live without but have to get secondhand.

Ah, you do know a thing or two about these things. So, if I can also ask? How do you feel about King Arthur and this entire trade?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

EVENT ✨ The Answer is Always C

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