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avalaughs2022-03-17 02:25 am
EVENT ✨ Nightmare on Elph Street
QUICK NAV: LOGS ⚔️️ NETWORK ⚔️️ MEMES ⚔️️ OOC ⚔️️ NAVIGATION This is the event log for IC comments only! Ask questions in response to this comment HERE or use the FAQ for general questions. Click here to view top-level comments only. |
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| The ritual-wiping ritual wasn't the best news for Avalon and magic has been wacky for everyone since it was performed. However, if there was a time for it to happen, it happening before the Spring Equinox was just about the best time it could happen. The Spring Equinox, after all, is a time of renewal and rebirth. It's what you'd call a silver lining. As long as enough people participate in the Spring Equinox rituals, it should be fine... right? |
CONTENT WARNINGS:
- 1st Prompt: --
- 2nd Prompt: --
- 3rd Prompt: --
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This part of the event takes place on March 20th.
Though there is no Spring Masquerade this year as there had bene the last, there is a much smaller token of appreciation from the castle of Camelot to all of those who live within its borders: a gift basket with a salad of edible flowers, eggs, breakfast sausages, and a small bottle of champagne (or sparkling seltzer for those underage) and a bottle of orange juice to make mimosas with. Those of the vegetarian through vegan persuasions will receive vegan white chocolate eggs filled with coconut cream frosting and a mango puree 'yolk' and Avalon's best plant-based sausages. It's not quite a feast, but no one should go hungry on this day of celebration! Brownies will help to deliver these overnight, so you'll find them on your doorstep in the morning with a special spell to keep everything fresh through most of the early afternoon. |
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Those who saw it last year or locals who are normally residents of Avalon will tell you not to fear, this happens every spring. The plants grow around and not through structures, the buildings still safe and sound beneath large vines and leaves and pools and flowers. Most notably, huge beds of vines, open seed pools, and giantic flowers large enough to take a bath in have started cropping up around town, and they all seem to be filled with a vibrant, glowing liquid of some kind. Each of these floral wonders, locals will tell you, is called a vernal soul pool. Upon entering one, you'll enter a lucid sleep state that connects you to everyone else in Avalon and the island itself. Doing so will cause your magic to be amplified and grow and stabilize, but also allow you to be cleansed and refreshed as a person. How much detail the person you're talking to gives is up to you (in case your characters would back off of it if they had the following details but you still want to experience it). Once someone enters, they will immediately feel as if they are at home and the pod will close over them gently, leaving them in a pool of that mysterious glowing substance-- vines grow further to encase, the pool closes, flowers close into buds instead of open blossoms. Under normal circumstances, the pools would remain closed and in this state until the witching hour and slowly and gently awaken those within. However, even the magics of the spring aren't stable right now, and what ends up happening is the pools suddenly spill open before anyone's dream sharing can truly get underway, dumping their passengers out onto the ground into a state of jarring awakeness. With them, they will find they are unable to access their Avalon magics but instead have one of the following:
 This part of the event takes place late night on March 20th through slightly past midnight on March 21st. | ||
| The fairy queen's envoy, Princess Bluebell, sends out a panicked emergency message (complete with the obnoxious alarm that sets off phones even on silent) after a couple of hours of this, and casts a mirror-travel spell to Nicnevin so that any may quickly arrive just outside of its borders, next to the river. The message states that the dream world and reality have melted together due to the majority of magic being funneled into the time freeze spell or the equinox ritual, which uses Queen Mab as a vessel through which the vernal soul pools channel everyone's magic. The Spring Equinox renewal did NOT go as planned, needless to say. Otherworlders must head to Mab's Cavern to locate Queen Mab and absorb some of her energy by touching her to stabilize their magics and drain the spring equinox's out of her before even bigger disaster strikes! | |
Mab's Cavern is typically a place forbidden to enter under normal circumstances. It is the world of dreams and nightmares takes from our subconscious what we most desire and what we most fear and our memories and turns them into reality. This is what your character will have to face without their Avalonian magic and the above either unstable or beginner-level powers. Mab normally goes into a slumber and connects herself to the whole of Avalon during the Spring Equinox to allow the vernal soul pools to utilize her magic, so she cannot let everyone in or help anyone navigate her realm. Mab's Cavern looks like a normal mountain from the outside, covered from head to toe in pink cherry and plum blossoms trees, shrouded in a fog that's pink itself from reflecting the petals. The entrance to the inside of the cavern is an ancient door, carved from white marble and enchanted to be impassible without an offering and engraved says: "Offer me your most secret dream and enter this forbidden realm. Dream with me for eternity." The offering, in this case, is simple: speak your most secret dream out loud for the door. The open door will allow one person to pass through per offering, and leads into a hall entirely coated in flowers of a variety of colors. These flowers speak, and will ask you how you are, warn you to turn back, tell you and whoever you're walking with that you make a cute couple, sing the national anthem of their people, whatever. They seem to get more and more chatterbox-y as you head inward and the lights grow dimmer until there is no light left. Even if you light one, it seems as if you are in a black space where nothing exists but you and whoever you walk with (if anyone), and voices. | ||
This portion of the event contains a FOURTH WALL EVENT element and takes place on March 21st.
That is, until you hear a new voice and the chatterbox flowers hush. Anyone from any canon can appear and team up with you within Mab's Cavern as this is a fourth wall event. Guest characters will have access to their canon abilities, but cannot leave Mab's Cavern or affect the environment outside of it. |
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interpretation again, but be sure to ask permission if it involves another character who is in the game or a part of the fourth wall) and their new party member may need to convince them to leave instead of staying in the dream world forever. If you've trusted the flowers, you'll find yourself in trouble. These are actually souls who crossed Queen Mab and attempted to steal their desires away from her cavern and bring them into reality. Their curse? They can escape if they trade another soul for theirs. Now would be a good time for a partner to help pull you out because as soon as you touch one of the flowers, they will turn into vines and attempt to wrap around you to pull you under the water and drown you! The "water" itself is the same liquid used within the vernal soul pools, so you'll find your life literally flashing before your eyes as this happens, making it very difficult to escape without someone else's help. If you die in the water, the flowers who did it will transform back into their original selves and flee, and you will be transformed into a talking flower yourself. If you make it to Queen Mab, you'll need to place a hand on her and all dreams and reality will sort themselves out within you-- that is, your broken powers will disappear and your Avalonian magics will return. As you head out again, the guest character brought in to help you will begin to fade away slowly enough that you can say your goodbye before they are gone. There is no way to stop this. All memories of fourth wall visitors will be retained as part of game canon. After enough people have come to take Mab's powers enough to deplete the effects of the Vernal Pools, the Fairy Queen herself will come to Mab and run a strange-looking dagger through her heart. All of the Spring Equinox magic that was being filtered through her will be released into the land and stabilize magic for everyone, and a flower will blossom out of Mab's heart around the dagger. Within the center of the bud glows a small child version of Mab, and anyone still in the cavern will find themself just wandering around in a dark cave. The Fairy Queen glows in the dark and will lead them out with little magic glow bubbles that try to make them follow if they get separated from her vicinity, but is still not speaking to anyone. She will also transport anyone who has been turned into a talking flower out of the cave via some kind of levitation spell and give them to someone they know-- whether they know them in a positive or negative light is up to you, she can only register connection on sight with magic, not emotion.
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I'm fine.
[He takes hold of Zagreus' wrist with a light touch, sliding his thumb against the heel of the young prince's hand. His face is probably going to bruise, but he'll live.]
I always am, don't look so concerned. [Actually, please don't, because he isn't sure how much longer he can cope with seeing Zagreus looking at him like that.] It's just a scratch.
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I'm just not used to seeing you hurt. Even Death isn't always invincible, I suppose.
[He gives Thanatos's hand a quick squeeze, before looking ahead of them to the other side of the chamber, where a door has appeared. It looks out of place here, but it's not exactly the strangest thing to happen today.]
We should get moving.
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[He's been bested before, on more than one occasion, but such things are always a sore topic for Thanatos and often best left well alone. The squeeze to his hand is lightly returned before their fingers part and he looks to the door with a suspicious frown.
Well... it's that way or staying in here, and with no other options...
Thanatos sighs.]
Let's go, then.
[And through the door it is.
On the other side is... somewhere that Thanatos immediately recognises. A wide field of gently swaying red poppies, the rushing sound of a river in the distance, and a cave just in view. The air is heavy with the scent of the flowers and sitting in the middle of them is a tall, slender god with white hair.
A god who cocks his head when Thanatos and Zagreus draw closer, and speaks up in a chirpy voice.]
Oh! You made it! And he hasn't left you yet, Thanatos. That's neat.
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Hi, Hypnos. You're not at the House?
[He's not sure what he meant by that comment addressed to Thanatos, so he ignores it for now.]
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[Thanatos knows his brother. Even in Avalon the threads that bind them are not something so easily severed. Whatever that is sitting in front of them... it may have the appearance and voice of his twin, but that is not his brother.
He puts his arm out to stop Zagreus moving any closer, and his other hand tightens around the handle of his scythe.
The thing that looks like Hypnos appears unfazed. Thanatos' jaw tenses.]
Nope! I was just waiting for him, but it looks like you've stuck with him longer than he thought you would.
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[He looks between them and wants to ask how Thanatos can tell, but if anyone could, it would be his twin. So he stays where he is, more wary now, but doesn't call his weapon just yet.]
We're just passing through. Let us go, and we won't bother you.
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No one knows Hypnos better than his twin. No one knows better what Hypnos is capable of than his twin. He's a god, after all, and cut from the same cloth as Thanatos himself. Between the two of them, they could bring Olympus, the surface, and the Underworld to their knees if they were so inclined.
'Hypnos' lets out a giddy little laugh and slowly rises to his feet. When he's upright there's something uncanny about his posture, and it takes Thanatos a moment to realise that it's because he isn't carting about his usual quilted blanket.]
Why don't you go, Zag? Then me and Thanatos can have a chat. [The creature's voice comes out saccharine-sweet. Thanatos feels his heart start to race. If the thing in the room before was a sum of Zagreus' fears... then what is this?]
Don't worry about hurting his feelings. He barely has any to hurt. Or-- whoops, he didn't at least, until you tried to run away.
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Don't mock him like that. I know I hurt him, and we've already talked about it.
[Thanatos can no doubt stand up for himself, and he doesn't want to rise to whatever bait this is, but he has to say it, regardless. He looks to the other god beside him, more urgent now. His nerves were already frayed from the previous chamber; he doesn't want to deal with whatever this too.]
Come on, Than. Let's go.
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Go on, leave. It's what you're both best at doing.
[Thanatos' hand is on his sword-hilt before he realises what he's doing but then he stalls, looking momentarily at a loss. This isn't his twin, but it looks and sounds like his twin, and he can't...
He can't do anything.]
You know he's going to abandon you, Than. He can do better than you. What do you have to offer, anyway? You should just stick to what you're good at.
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[And right there, Zagreus realises belatedly, so he should probably stop. Faintly embarrassed, but nonetheless determined to emphasise he means it, he draws his blade, stepping around Thanatos to point it at "Hypnos".]
I think it's high time I return the favour. You can wear Hypnos's face all you like, but if you say another bad word about him, I'll run you through.
[He's smiling, but his tone and the rest of his body language are anything but, tensed and prepared to strike. Unlike Thanatos' misgivings, Zagreus is used to cutting down people he cares about, and a pale imitation will do even less to stop him.]
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This isn't the first time he's heard accusations like this in Avalon, though the last time they had come from a twisted reflection of himself, and not his brother. He hadn't known what to do about it then, either.
The thing that is not Hypnos just giggles again.]
Look at him. Have you noticed you're the only one trying to defend him?
[Could Thanatos stand by and watch while Zagreus cut down something that looked like his brother, even if it wasn't him? His hand is still on his sword hilt, but he's still not drawing the weapon.]
He knows you're going to leave him. You'll find something better, then off you'll pop! He didn't even tell you he was trying to leave Hades, Than, remember?
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Than... you know why I had to leave. And I'm sorry I didn't do it right... That I didn't tell you. But I couldn't stay in the House forever and not know the truth. I couldn't live with myself that way.
[He lowers his sword, turning to Thanatos properly.]
I never wanted to leave you. Truthfully, I don't know what I'd do without you. I can't convince you with just words, I know... but I still want you to trust me.
[Tentatively, he rests a hand on Thanatos' arm, as if it might help bring him back from the haze of dark thoughts the illusion is trying to drag him under.]
Please.
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They had talked about this when Zagreus was here before. Enough that Thanatos thought he had moved on from it, but it would seem that the lash of abandonment had cut deeper than he had realised.]
I do trust you. [He looks at the hand on his arm, how Zagreus' fingers seem so small as they rest there, and he places his other hand over the top of it. His pulse is still pounding in his ears.]
I trust you, Zagreus.
[Because he must. He has to because the alternatives are all unthinkable. He has to because he loves him.]
... This wretch isn't my brother. It doesn't know what it's talking about.
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Right. Let me make sure it stops bothering you, then.
[He pulls away from Thanatos and raises his blade again; he won't make Thanatos do such grim business himself. He and his father might be all too versed in slaying family, but that's not something he ever wants Thanatos to experience, even when it isn't real.
So he grabs the imitation by the shoulder, and slips his blade through its ribs. It's as quick and clean a kill as he can give.]
Night night, Hypnos.
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The not-Hypnos creature just lets out a surprised sounding 'oh!' and, rather than the bloody and violent mess Zagreus' own fears had made, simply fades into a few glowing white feathers before disappearing entirely.
Thanatos frowns at the ground, unsettled and embarrassed by his inability to face up to his own insecurities.]
That isn't something I would have wanted you to see. [Sure, he'd seen it once... but it looks like Zagreus doesn't remember being here before. He could have been spared dealing with it a second time. Would have liked to have been spared that.] But this place... I haven't been back here in so long.
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When Thanatos speaks up he looks around the cavern, then back at him.]
I was sure we were in Tartarus earlier, but I haven't seen this place before. Where are we?
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[He trails off. Still not quite settled in himself despite that creature being gone, so swiftly dispatched. Thanatos crouches and picks one of the poppies gently swaying at their feet, twirling it between his thumb and forefinger.]
The river you can hear is the Lethe. [The death god cocks his head for a moment, listening to the distant sound.]
This is where Hypnos and I grew up. In the earliest days of our existence.
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So Nyx raised you both here? And Charon too, I suppose.
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[Maybe that seems strange, but the family of Chthonic gods is an odd one and Thanatos had not thought much of it at the time. He lifts the poppy to his nose, taking in the delicate scent for a moment, then frowns softly again and drops his hand. The flower falls from his fingers, decaying as it falls and vanishing before it hits the ground.]
I don't think about it often anymore. Things were different then. [He and Hypnos were different. There's a door in the centre of the poppy field now, one that wasn't there before, and he sighs softly.]
I suppose we should be going.
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[He smiles, lightly teasing. He'll just have to make a note to pester Hypnos about it later, if not. Thanatos is hard to read when he gets like this, so it's hard to tell just what's on his mind -- or what he might be remembering.
Then Zagreus approaches the door, though he doesn't open it right away.]
Only if you're ready, we'll go.
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[Maybe. His childhood was so long ago and he doesn't think about it often at all. So many of his memories of back then are shrouded in a fog that's difficult to see through.
He follows after Zagreus, distracted, then nods.]
The longer we stay here the more difficult it feels like it will be for me to leave. [Thanatos can recognise that much at least. The allure of the place is almost tangible - he could stay here, if he allowed himself the luxury of letting his guard down agaisnt the strange magic laid over the place. This isn't home any more than that creature was his brother, and it's better if they both get out of there.]
Come, let's see what awaits us next.
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He pushes open the door, and they find themselves in... another cavern filled with flowers. For a moment he wonders if this is some kind of mistake and they've just walked into a continuation of the previous cave. This one, however, has a woman sleeping in the middle.]
Do you recognise this, too? [He speaks in a low voice, keeping his voice down to avoid disturbing the sleeping figure. It might be his imagination, but he's sure that when he speaks, a whispering starts amongst the flowers, as well.]
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He does not like it.]
No, this isn't Hades.
[This is... somewhere in Avalon, he thinks. He looks around with a wary frown.]
Be careful.
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Help us! We're trapped here!
[Zagreus pauses to squint at the flowers. So he didn't imagine them talking amongst themselves after all.] You're... trapped? As a flower?
Yes! We weren't strong like you two. We couldn't overcome our fears and desires...
Oh... That's awful. What can we do to help? [That question is directed as much at Thanatos as the flowers, since he might be more knowledgeable about this kind of curse than Zagreus is. It doesn't even occur to him for a second that they might be untrustworthy.]
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Don't get too close.
[Everything in here feels wrong and after what they had just dealt with in the previous two rooms he is not going to give an inch in believing that these flowers might be entirely innocent. Thanatos looks around the room, keeping his hand firmly on Zagreus' shoulder as he does so. His usual stoic expression is creased with a small frown.
His attention falls on the sleeping woman. Ah... that must be her, then.]
She's the one we're here for. [And he doesn't trust that one jot either, but the alternative is being stuck here. He breathes out a sigh.] Come on, Zag.
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