isleofavalon | EVENT ✨ Wolf's Moon

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EVENT ✨ Wolf's Moon

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This is the event log. If you have questions about y event, reply to this comment HERE. Click here to view top-level comments only.

The Fairy Queen sends out an invitation for all otherworlders to an eccentric party with ulterior motives that aren't necessarily bad.. after all, they're protecting players from a ritualistic curse cast by escaped convicts from the Elphame prison. But that doesn't mean it's the party's entirely safe either.

CONTENT WARNINGS:

1st Prompt: Mild elements of body horror in the fairy queen's description (paragraph starting with "Opening the message"); this paragraph is description only and may be skipped without loss of content.
2nd Prompt: Ball prompts include reference to drugs, alcohol, smooching, and fake murder.
3rd Prompt: May have potential for mild body horror depending on player preference, as it features cynanthropy/lycanthropy.

The night before the full moon, a message is sent out to all the otherworlders in the land. In each person's inbox, the message sender reads simply "ELPHAME" and appears to have a verified account, despite that looking into it doesn't seem to reveal much content. The profile pic is simply a picture of a mushroom. Opening the message will reveal a video recording. For the first full minute, a woman simply stares into the video through one pure white eye and one wholly black eye. Her hair is white and fair and longer than can be seen in the video of her torso. Her skin is sallow, gray more than any other color, and her décolleté is peppered with what seems to be shells of mushrooms growing out of her flesh like they would on a tree, patches of bleeding tooth mushroom creeping down the side of her neck.
Atop her head, a headpiece made of platinum formed into the tiniest branches, filled with leaves of precious stones- diamonds, rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and moldavite trailing down in long chains that keep her hair out of her face. Her lips are just slightly parted, painted in what seems to be an enchanted design that shifts patterns as she moves, as if they were a green screened galaxy in real life. There is a stud in the bow of her lips, and the top of her clothing appears to be colorful, but is only visible toward the top of her frame, as her top is low-cut to account for the fungi. A number of small stitched scars are visible, but largely healed. She tilts her head slightly. Even though it's only a video recording, it feels as though she is looking directly at your character. "You are busy bees..." A soft voice speaks, almost as if the wind itself is whispering in your ear and not from a recorded video. "Busy bees could barely bother, but bother is basically all you do. I bequeath you busy bees a bidding. Bother blithely, busy bees, in Elphame as bristling beauties are bound to do. A ball before you, beneath the Wolf's Moon big and bright, betwixt burgeoning fae blooms. Do not baa, do not bray, bruin nor boar will keep big bad wolf at bay. Bop and bounce, ballet you may, or brawl your basest behaviors in my ballroom before break of day. Broadcast not your boorish bumf, though, or busy bees will be broken brisker than bats banished from Beelzebub's borders and bound. Bless my bestowal and with bated breath I shall bade you betokened truth, if truth be told." Whether or not your character understood what was actually said or their brain shut down in the middle of those barely benign instructions, they may additionally notice fairy circles made of tiny mushrooms start to crop up regardless of where they are in Avalon.
	Once night falls, if a character dances in them they will be transported to a costume party within the ballroom of the fairy queen in Nicnevin. Costumes will be magically applied upon arrival, based on a favorite childhood fantasy. (Did they want to be an astronaut? A dinosaur? A cowboy? A cat? That's what they'll appear as.) You can choose from any age of childhood for your character, depending on whether you want to go funny or more serious about their later childhood dreams. Whatever your character chooses to do as part of the party, the following party happenings should be noted:
1. If your character or anyone they know uses your character's name or reveals enough information about themself, they will become unable to disobey the fairy queen in future events. They've technically been warned about this in the fairy queen's message, even if it wasn't easy to understand. B. Alternately, you can have your character's name be captured by a more mischievous party guest fae and play with that as you will. You can be released either by someone else killing your captured fae for you, or the fae saying your name backward. So if your character's name is Stevie, they would have to trick the fairy into saying Eivets. This option to NPC your own fae captor is endable on your own terms, but 1a will be on the fae queen's terms down the line. 2. The party itself is a protected area; refusal to attend or leaving the party before sunset will subject characters to the Wolf's Moon, which has been put under a ritual by a prisoner group released from the fae prison during the previous dark web quest, Banyanished. This ball is being held as a gift to otherworlders to protect them from the second part of this event. (See below for details.) Characters will be told that they are in a protective area if they try to leave and to trust the fairy queen, but will not be forced to stay against their will by the fae. The only people who may try to stop your character from leaving beyond telling them this information are other player characters. 3. Dancing, food (fairy food), psychedelics and drink will be provided to those of age who want them throughout the night. If the partygoers don't seem to be having a good time or the party grows dull, the fairy queen (dressed in the award-winning submission to the Elphame Trader's contest some time ago) will make a demand participation in a party game*. If your character is standing around and not participating in the general activities, they may be coerced to participate. Anyone may join willingly as well, of course. The following party games will be played throughout the night:

a bottle on the floor

Spin the Bottle, Elphame Rules:

Fairies are quite randy creatures at times, and the first game played is none other than spin the bottle. The rules are as such: when it is your turn, you are blinded by fairy magic and must spin the bottle. Once the bottle stops spinning, the person the bottle lands on will kiss them. The person who is kissed must guess who from the circle kissed them; a correct guess will mean they stay in and the blindness spell will be lifted. An incorrect guess will eject them from the circle and they will wander around blind for the duration of the game until a winner is declared. Feel free to play out gameplay or your character needing assistance after being ejected from the game circle.

Truth or Dare:

The standard game of truth or dare. Don't forget to be very careful, as certain truths may have dire consequences. (See point 1, be very careful.) You can play issuing and completing dares or asking and answering truths with other player characters or receive dares from NPC'd fairies, which may escalate to dangerous and magical lengths. The only solid rule is that no dares are permitted to require exiting the party to complete, and lying during a truth gives permission to fairies to steal your tongue from you if they discover your lie at any point, even after the party is over.

a woman gasping dramatically with subs that say "Escandalo!"

a woman threatening a balloon with a knife

Balloon Game:
Everyone loves a good murder game! Everyone is outfitted with a single balloon. You may secure the balloon to yourself for 2 minutes before the start of the game. In the center of the game circle is a pile of close-range weapons varying in usefulness from binoculars and pots to knives, slingshots, axes and more. Magic is also permitted. If your balloon "pops" you are "dead" and will float to the ceiling to fly around until the end of the game, out of harm's way. Do not commit any actual murder or the balloon of the deceased will immediately wrap around you in a full rubber bodysuit and imprison you until the fairy queen can deal judgment. (If this happens, notify a mod so we can discuss Queen Elphame's judgment with you OOC.)

Helping to empower otherworlders to improve their chances of saving the world is the kind of task that can be a little.. subjective. A little questionable when it comes to consent, at times. After all, no one is here with their consent and no one was bonded with their familiar or given magic with their consent. What's a little more empowerment? Certainly, a group of imprisoned lycanthrope wizards seem to think they have something of a solution to increasing other worlders' potentials: a ritual using the Wolf Moon of January's full moon cycle to transform unprotected otherworlders into fellow cynanthropes or, in layman's terms, werewolves and other types of weredogs. Anyone not protected (at the party) will be affected by the curse ritual.

dog in front of full moon

Cynanthropes in Avalon have the following characteristics:

Character is now able to transform into a humanoid dog or wolf form to the extent the player chooses (go ears/tail or full-furry)
Experiences enhanced strength, enhanced sense of smell, night vision, blood lust, and characteristics similar to the character's dog or wolf breed.
These effects are only applicable the day before, the day of, and the day after the full moon from sundown to sunrise on each day.
Note that new weredogs/wolves do not have control over their instincts for the first few months of transformations and will behave aggressively. If in an emotional state, they can lose control of their transformed form regardless of how long they have been cursed.
Though characters can be killed by normal means throughout the month, they can only be killed by silver bullets during the 3-day full moon cycle
Full-time side effects include cravings for meat, animal mages having mild influence over them, being able to eat food from Elphame without being bound to the land, and the occasional hair ball.
It is up to players how painful they want the transformation to be/not to be; you can play this how you want and chalk it up to ritual reaction variation.

Cynanthrope ritual curses are particularly strong and require at least two siphoners working together to break the curse, a counter-curse potion (only available through events), or a deal with a powerful being such as the fairy queen or Morganna.

If your character did not attend the party, left the fairy queen's party, or wasn't at the Red Springs (protected by the mysterious crystals that turn it red during the full moon-- conveniently for your excuse not to participate in either prompt if you want to opt out!) they will become a werewolf or weredog.

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(Continued from here!)]

Elza?!

[As soon as she crumples up on the ground he moves in to support her, crouching by her side and putting a hand on her shoulder.]

What's wrong?

[This is bad! He's not a healer, and they're too far away from the city to call for help... he starts rummaging through his bag. He has a Countercurse Potion, but right now he has no indication that she'd been cursed - this looks almost more like a poison kicking in. He searches for his totems.]

I'll get us back to the city, or to the Red Springs! Hang in here!

[The touch to her shoulder felt like icy fire to the area. She could distantly hear something in the background, but the pain tearing through her body blocked out everything around her.

The Ironmoon seemed to reappear at her distress, hovering overhead of the pair while it twisted and turned with that same lazy grin still on its face. A silent warning of such.

Before Hijikata could say anything else, the sounds of bones breaking echoed throughout the otherwise silent forest. Soon after a near gutteral growl escaped from Elza as her body began to elongate and transform.

White fur pushed through her skin all over while her clothes ripped all over. What felt like hours to the gunner was merely seconds as her lithe frame was replaced by the bulk of muscles and limbs.

That gutteral sound was soon morphed into a deep dark howl as a large mutated wolf half crouched where Elza once lay.]

[He's horrified as her body cracks and twists and restructures itself under his eyes. What's going on?! The terrible breaking sounds set off his flight-or-fight mode... and since he usually only ever follows the latter even his newly acquired canine nature doesn't run counter to that. He manages to set a Red Springs totem alight with his fire magic (which, somehow, feels much scarier to use now - perhaps another animal instinct kicking in) and drops it on the ground so its smoke can develop.]

Get into the smoke once it's ready!

[Shit!! Is this even still her? Or did this creature burst out of her body like some horrifying kind of parasite? No, those pale eyes are hers, he's sure of it. She's a werewolf. A proper werewolf!! He briefly looks down at himself, but his body is still human, and he feels fine too. Why the hell are they affected to such different degrees?! (Later, once he learns of the group of mages who conducted this fateful ritual, he'll conclude that different persons contributed different types of curses that hit the population under the moon at random, but right now he has no time for such musings.)]

Elza, can you still understand me?!

[The totem's smoke quickly billows... he sees the IronMoon, that creepy thing, with dismay, and he spots Elza's cherished rifle on the ground. He quickly darts to grab it, not wanting to leave behind the weapon that's so important to her, and automatically aims it at her because the way she's glaring at him makes him feel threatened. He doesn't want to shoot her, of course not, but with the weapon he should be able to intimidate her if she's not in her right mind anymore, right? His flattened dog ears show his anxiousness. He gestures at the smoke with the gun.]

There, it's ready! Go in! I'll follow. At the springs we'll get help!

[His attempts to get her into the safety of the smoke fell on deaf ears. What was left of Elza's human mind couldn't process it through all the pain she was feeling. It disappeared along with her own conscious mind as her body transformed into the huge white-furred beast.

Disorientated, the werewolf stumbled back one then two steps before it reared onto its hind legs and threw its head back to howl a haunting sound up towards the moon.

The sound of Hijikata calling out to the werewolf drew the monster's attention. What remained of Elza was long gone in this state and instead had been replaced by a hungry blood-thirsty beast. Piercing Hijikata with its pale blue stare, the werewolf's upper lip curved up to bear its mouthful of sharp teeth. It wasn't until its target moved that the werewolf snapped out of the lingering confusion.

Food. Blood. Flesh.

Dust kicked up from its paws as it launched itself at the knight. There was no mistaking the killer instinct the creature was radiating as it tore across the distance. Yet when that rifle came up into sight a raw and absolutely primal mince of a growl barked through the creature's drooling mouth.

The werewolf launched itself like a cannonball towards Hijikata as it opened it's jaws wide to slam onto its prey.]

[Shit shit shit. She's out of her senses! He sees no other chance but to incapacitate her with a bullet. While he's a swordsman the men of the Shinsengumi do know how to handle other weapons - handguns, rifles, bazookas, landmines (this is what happens when you're a police funded directly by the government; they certainly can't complain about a lack of arms). So he properly raises the gun, aims, and pulls the trigger - only for it to not work. The rifle doesn't fire.]

Crap!!

[The white werewolf is already upon him, so he has no time to draw his sword. He simply keeps his grip on the gun and tries to ram the barrel into its - he can't keep thinking of this beast as Elza; if he does he'll falter - chest or throat right before it lands on him and topples him over.]

[The rifle was raised and aimed but nothing came from it. Instead the werewolf continued to lurch towards its prey as the human swore loudly at that revelation.

There was a muffled growl of discomfort when the butt of Sturm slammed into the side of its throat. The attack was enough to have the werewolf's jaws snapping at air instead of where Hijikata's throat would have been. It didn't slow the monster down though and recovering quickly, the white werewolf was already scratching its paws and moving in to latch its powerful jaws at the toppled man's throat.]

[Damn, this werewolf is resilient... its body mass and strength far exceed Elza's, that's for sure. But Hijikata, too, is stronger than usual, comparatively weak as his weredog curse may be. He growls at his adversary out of sheer frustration and instinct, knowing that he won't leave much of an impression. He really should draw his sword, but something still makes him hesitate. He usually fights to kill, and what if he kills this werewolf?

You're a death mage. You can bring her back. Despite internally reassuring himself he keeps holding on to the rifle and, focusing on recalling a memory that seems to escape him under this bright moon, mumbles the spell that infuses the weapon with lightning magic. The metallic barrel will function as a carrier for the electric current. He slams it into the werewolf's side, delivering a hefty shock, he hopes, and follows it up with a strong kick from below with both his legs to throw the attacker off him.]

Elza, snap out of it!! It's me, Hijikata!

[But there's no recognition in those eyes, he can tell.]

Edited 2022-03-16 23:55 (UTC)

[Hijikata was holding back but the werewolf couldn't tell that. The growl it received only seemed to heighten the bloodlust inside. Jaws were moments from latching onto Hijikata's throat when a loud howl was sounded as the electrified barrel slammed into its side. The werewolf's muscles momentarily seized from the lightning so when the kick came it pushed the large werewolf from its prize. Had he been a regular human it barely would have made a dent to the monster, but given his extra strength it was enough to knock it off of him.

Shaking off the lightning and muscles back under control, one paw dashed out to slash across the man's abdomen.]

[Hijikata barely manages to get on his feet before the next attack comes. He tries to block it with the rifle, but this time he's a split-second too late and takes the slash across his middle. His coat and jacket are open in the front, so the sharp claws effortlessly tear through his vest, shirt, and skin. He lets out a hiss of pain, but loses no time delivering a sharp, forceful jab with the electrically charged rifle again, using it as if it were a bayonet (albeit dull).

This is no use; as soon as there is an opening he'll need to draw his sword and acknowledge that he's fighting for his life here. This werewolf sees him as prey, much as he resents that - he's a predator too!! -, and if it kills him it'll devour him. He's not sure if enough would be left of his body to even conduct a necromancy.]

[The scent of his blood filled the air as the werewolf's claws swiped across that delicate flesh. It seemed to put the werewolf straight into a bloodlust mode as it continued to swing around with the full intention of latching onto any part of Hijikata's body. It could smell the blood and it wanted the flesh between its jaws.

Teeth moved to cut through the material of his arm as the monster snarled its attack to the partial-were's shoulder. A sharp jolt tore through the werewolf's body again, the electricity momentarily freezing the monster and giving Hijikata the time he needed to get his sword.]

[As the fight intensifies Hijikata increasingly loses his ability to think clearly. His instincts are taking over; there's no more space in his mind for plans or calculations. He growls and snarls, his slightly sharpened canine teeth a pitiful match for the werewolf's maw of fangs.

He's lucky to be bitten in the left arm as it leaves the dominant right one in good shape to draw his sword, Sturm being torn from his grip in the moment of impact as the werewolf strikes at the offensive shock dispenser. Muramasha is an anti-ghost blade, enchanted with death magic, so it won't have a useful boon here, but he's not thinking about that. His sword has been an extension of him for years; he draws it automatically.

He really shouldn't go on the offensive here, but his head is full of simple impulses. Fight! Fight! Kill it! Kill it or you're dead! So he charges at his adversary, ready to slice, stab, bite, claw, kick, whatever it takes.]

[The werewolf sensed the shift in Hijikata as the fight wore on. When those growls and snarls were released, the beast was up against another of its own in that point... Not just something to feast on and feel satiated with the warm flesh and bones.

She was the leader... She was the alpha... and she was going to make this canine submit to her complete domination.

The hairs hackled all along the length of the monster's spine rose up to make it look larger while the beast's ears flattened down against its head. Stalking forward, the werewolf walked off the remnants of stiffness in its muscles from the lightning. A low guttural growl reverberated low in its throat while it approached Hijikata.

So when Hijikata charged, the beast pushed itself up onto its hind legs, standing almost human like, and released a dominating snarled howl. The fact that sword was coming for it didn't matter. The werewolf wouldn't back down. Launching forward, one clawed paw moved to grapple the swordsman while the monster's jaw moved in to clamp down on Hijikata's arm.]

[Hijikata knows that he should just give up, submit and hope to be spared, he knows in the dog part of his mind... but the other, human part is too stubborn and too proud. He'll show this beast!! He may belong to someone, be a knight in the king's service, but that's no reason to look down on him!

His insubordination doesn't last long, though, when the werewolf simply mirrors his attack and, before he can swing his sword arm forward, slams it down with overwhelming force. The wind gets knocked out of him as the rest of his body likewise hits the ground. He manages to hold on to his weapon - a samurai never lets go of his sword! -, but the werewolf's massive paw and the claws sunk into his flesh don't give him hope of getting another chance to use it.]

...

[His head is spinning from the impact, and it's a struggle to stay conscious, so he does the only thing he can: flatten his dog ears back against his head, present his throat and hope for the best.]

[The feel of his flesh and the taste of his blood covered the wolf's tongue. If it hadn't been making this one submit it would have torn the flesh from his body and feasted. Still it didn't stop the large werewolf from clamping down harder while the one beneath it decided whether to submit or die.

It felt the shift in the air and rolled its pale blue eyes over to sight the way those ears went flat back against his head. There was a thrill that shot through the wolf's body at the sign of that near bearing to it and the grip it had on his arm eased. Hijikata's blood leaked from the corner of its mouth as it shifted to bring its snout up to where that neck was presented to it.

The warm breath wrapped around his skin moments before it opened its mouth and began to swipe a dominating... near possessive... slide of its tongue up along the exposed skin.]

[Hijikata's heart is hammering away in his chest, uncertain of whether that hot tongue is just teasing him for his defeat or getting a first taste of his skin before tearing his throat out. How can a dog fully read a wolf's intentions?

So he quietly moves his left hand, unable to move his pinned right arm, to where his short sword still rests at his left side - his squire's present, a blade enchanted with ice magic. In a rapid motion he draws it and rams it in the werewolf's side, using his own elemental magic to further amplify the ice spell and make it travel through the beast's whole body.

A normal wolf or a human might have ended up dead with their blood frozen in their veins, but werebeasts, as he still stands to find out himself, can only be killed by silver weapons, if not by others of their kind. At this point he hardly cares if it kills, incapacitates, or merely hurts his adversary, as long as he has a chance to get away.]

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EVENT ✨ Wolf's Moon

Continued from above!

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