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

N...No, that's okay. I don't think you want me getting those measurements when we're...like this...

Wh— no! What?! I was not about to suggest that you — that you actually —

Just... imagine that this is all business! That you're — erm — trying to study its form!

I have been studying your form! How could I not?! You're like the most beautiful woman I've ever met! How much more do you want me to study?!

[Her body stiffens when he says it. And there's a momentary impulse to grab his arm and flip him over her shoulder, slamming him on the surface of the water in the most painful of belly flops. Not merely because it was so much more simple and comfortable when they were feuding enemies, but because she's not one who normally takes well to shameless flirting.]

[But she calms herself, because after a moment of reflection, she decides that he probably wasn't intending to flirt. It was, in all likelihood, just the simple truth.]

Th... thank you?

[And then she swallows, as if to clear her throat, and attempts to state with more confidence:] But I merely meant — look, you must have a certain mindset when you're doing that work and taking those measurements, right? Can't you try to get into that sort of mindset now?

It's...it's really not that simple...

[For one thing, he's not insanely attracted to those people.]

L-Look...this is...this is my problem to deal with, you know? Trust me when I say you've done nothing wrong...now brace yourself, I'm doing the lower back...

Wait... brace myself? [She does unfold her arms, putting them against the edge of the pool in a bracing stance. But...]

What are you planning on doing, exactly? [Because given the context of the exchange they just had, she's wondering how far down she should expect the hands to wander. After all, it doesn't seem like it would be getting more painful — and even when he's worked on tight, sore knots, it's been bearable so far.]

I'll be done after this so...

[He places his hands on her hips which likely means that, yes, he can see her butt pretty clearly. But he arches his wrists so that the heels of his palms start to knead the muscles of the small of her back.]

[He figures the quicker he does this, the quicker they can finish up...and this bath won't get any more steamy than it already is.]

[Though, he finds himself wondering if that would be so bad. It would probably end a lot of tension...in more ways than one.]

[Ah. She's starting to understand now. Because it's a painful sort of pressure that he's putting on her backside, a sore and tender feeling as if he were prodding at a bruised spot — but there's an undeniable relief in it as well, as he works out the knots and kinks with unexpected mastery.]

[And she's... trying to maintain her composure. Because with the way he's holding her, with the sharp and shallow breaths she's drawing... anyone seeing this would get the wrong idea.]

[And she's getting the wrong idea.]

[And that's unacceptable! She was just saying to him that he had to think about this in a professional way! So, she clears her throat, and attempts to hide the tremble in her voice as she asks...]

Where... did you learn to do this? This isn't something most people would think to try...

[See? Professional!]

Uh...when you...do a lot of physical work...you tend to learn where the body carries most of its stress...

[He's having a hard time not staring at her ass...and now that she's no longer got her arms crossed over her chest, he can see a little more of her curves...more than she likely intended.]

[Which means he needs to back up his hips a bit. Otherwise this could become far more stimulating.]

A-Anyway...I think...I'm just about done...

You should have gone first, then. I might have done a better job if I had known...!

[But it would have meant that he'd feel those soft, lithe hands of hers at his waist, and the oil dripping down past it. And he's already at a significant disadvantage when it comes to maintaining his composure. Would he have been able to handle that?]

[And what's worse...]

You have a forge now, don't you? I've kept it in mind in case I ever needed healing in an emergency... perhaps I'll stop by if I feel more aches, instead.

[Would Darin be able to handle that kind of side business?]

U-Uh...a-alright. You're welcome any time...

[He takes a step back from her.]

A-Anyway...if you're done...

[Honestly, he's not sure how much longer he can keep this up. He wonders how she can keep so calm. Maybe she doesn't see him as anyone worth her time? Why else could she be so relaxed about the state they're in.]

[...At least all he managed to see was her butt. If anything else happened...well, he's not sure how composed he would be.]

I can't how much more there is to do...

[And she pulls back from the wall, giving her arms a test stretch... and she brightens up.]

Darin... this is amazing! I feel so limber!

[Taken by her own enthusiasm, she starts stretching more — twisting at the waist and shoulder — unaware that she's starting to turn enough that he can start to see some of what's been hidden up front. Only from the side, really, but that's probably enough.]

Th-That's great! Um...! But...maybe you can test that when we...get out of here...?

[It...actually sounds even more like an offer. And while he knows he should look away...the temptation is far too great at this point. Part of him is flat out hoping she'll just turn around.]

What? I wasn't planning to...

[She trails off. Absentmindedly, she turns a little further, until she can start to see him at the edge of her vision.]

[And he can see even more of her, right square in front of her vision.]

[And then... oh, have you ever seen a face flush such a deep shade of red?]

[Allura's arms wrap around her body, and she turns her back to him, and she kneels so that her body drops into the water, up to the neck.]

S— sorry! I'm so sorry! [Wait, why is she apologizing?] I-it's just — the back rub felt so nice, that I wasn't thinking about— I — I wasn't thinking!

[And she sinks into the water further. There's a few bubbles coming up from her mouth, but it's likely that they escaped while she was getting hold of her breath, not from her actually trying to talk beneath the surface.]

[So, what was that about her being oddly calm around him?]

[He immediately whips around himself, but not before getting an eyeful.]

W-What? No! I'm sorry! I should have turned around as soon as I was done! I didn't mean to stare! I wasn't even trying to look!

[Oh man, she's gonna be mad at him now. He blew it, all because he wanted to see more than he should ever see.]

L...Look. I'll...I'll get out and leave you to soak! I'm really sorry! You shouldn't apologize! There's nothing to even apologize for! Hell, I should be thanking you...!

[...And with that, he realizes how bad that sounds and just...starts to climb out of the pool.]

[Cautiously, Allura starts to rise out of the pool... just to the shoulder, so she can talk once more.]

Thanking me...? What, for rubbing oil on your back? But I'm sure you did a better job... or is this about the monster?

[Perhaps most significantly, she doesn't sound mad. Nor is she screaming, or demanding that he get out, or anything like that.]

...Let's...go with those.

[It's obvious that's not what he's thanking her for and if he tells her, she might get angry!]

... ... ...

Just... don't tell anyone what you saw, all right? I don't want anyone to think that I showed you that in exchange for rubbing my back...

[Is it ever going to sink into Darin's head that he's actually safe? At least for now?]

What? No! I'd never tell anyone! It'd be our secret! I mean, we both know it was an accident! It's not like you'd turn around willingly. Of course I know that!

... see, that's not better. You're making it sound like you tricked me, and we also both know that's not what happened.

As far as I'm concerned, you upheld your promise the entire time.

So... yes. Let's just keep this between us.

I know I didn't trick you, but I also know you'd never just...turn around with me here.

[At this point, it's more like he knows that she's so far out of his league that this was just a happy accident and nothing more.]

I-It's fine...! I mean, like I said, I should be thanking you...! [For the view.]

[With me here. Something about the way he says that bothers her.]

... Darin... you realize that's not any sort of comment on you, don't you? [Because from her dubious tone, she suspects he does not.] That's not someone I would be showing anyone. Not unless we were... already involved at the time.

Y-Yeah! Exactly! I mean...you don't...You don't do that unless you're at least attracted to the other person.

[Darin's not naive. He understands that people don't wait until they're married. Hell, most don't even wait until they're in love.]

[Though, considering he's been strutting around naked this entire time without a care of what she sees, it begs the question of where his thoughts on her lie. Especially given the nature of the siren.]

No — see, that's precisely what I mean. You're reading into it far too much!

[And in a way that could absolutely be construed as fishing for details from her. She needs to change the subject, at least until she's had a lot of time to reflect on...]

[All this. The fighting, his shameless behavior in front of her... and of course, the incredible back rub. She needs some time alone in her bed to contemplate her own feelings.]

Look, I realize humans tend to expose themselves more than we do. [Has he seen how much her clothes cover herself up? Even the skintight jumpsuit still has a high collar and cuffs that cover part of the hand.] But even so...

I think it's safe to assume that if I were so quick to show myself in front of others, even here in the bath, I'd quickly pick up a reputation as an exhibitionist. And I'm not sure I could handle something like that being attached to my name!

(no subject)

forgeabettertomorrow - 2021-06-11 06:39 (UTC) - Expand

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

EVENT ✨ The Answer is Always C

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