seasonsrpg | Event #1: Welcome, Adventurers

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Event #1: Welcome, Adventurers

Welcome, Adventurers
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Guild Playing Games With my Heart

Part 1

A new message on everyone's smartphones says that all the Guilds are finally open for business! Instructions on how to get to each one of them are sent with the message.

Each Season has their own Guild (Winter in Frostreign, Spring in Blossomcrown, Summer in Solarpeak and Autumn in Amberfall). Originally they were formed when the world was thriving and the natives were power holders, now they serve a purpose for aiding Otherworlders.

Although there are some aesthetic differences, all of the guilds have the same basic layout, which the newcomers are given a tour of:

The main floor is for information, containing computers that are connected between all guilds. Using them brings up holographic boards which contain information on each of the segments, with a focus on their home segment. You can find out here what the weather is like in each segment, what quests are available, an explanation on how the Flower Yards work, and even a list of powers that have been discovered and how to practice them.

The second floor is a place to go for combat practice, or just practice using your powers. There are simulators here that can be used to create a space to test your skills against virtual monster opponents or against other power holders, all with safety precautions to keep anyone from being injured.

The third and final floor is meant for relaxation and provides a temporary place to nap when necessary. Those who do quests on a regular basis will receive a key that opens their own, personal room for relaxation that can be customized as much as they want. It's void pocket space that doesn't appear unless the specific key is used or the owner invites someone in from the inside.

It's also the floor where the leaders of the guild have their own private space in that's a restricted area. They have their public office there as well.

However, the power holders are expecting everyone outside, in the backyard of the Guilds...

Part 2

The main event of the opening day of the guilds is a lesson on how to become more attuned with your new elemental magic. Some characters may already feel comfortable with them, but the Power Holders wish to help anyone who might still feel like they're struggling.

Behind the guilds there is big open space. A yard meant for lessons like this. Each of the power holders is own their own stage (even Sawyer, who seems rather reluctant to be there) and announces the name of the lesson: Elemental Dancing.

They explain each in their own way that dancing while focusing on their basic element is a way to start properly feeling the element. The dance can be anything, as long as their bodies are moving and they can feel their magical energy align with the element.

To demonstrate, they dance:

Olwen dances a slow dance that looks a little like ballet, with water flowing naturally around him and increasing in quantity as he goes.

Jade has a much quicker dance method, like she's dancing at a party and is surrounded by wind that sometimes helps her even jump higher.

Dawn's dance is a passionate belly dance accompanied by rings of fire around her that turns into a pink fire so she doesn't burn herself as the flames come closer to herself.

Sawyer, as reluctant as he, goes full breakdance with each of his tricks forming pillars of earth that he can use to dance even more.

Once their demonstration is over, they encourage new power holders to give it a try themselves and remind them that they can dance however they please. They also advise that the dances can be attempted with a partner, as long as they can learn to trust one another. Sometimes magic is far stronger when done together... but it may also backfire.

I Came In Like a Questboard

Anyone interested is encouraged to join their guild. The staff explains that it's very beneficial, as they would get access to the upper floors that just today were shown to them, and that nearby stores would give guild members discounts for potions and other such adventuring necessities.

Even without joining, all of the first floors services are available for everyone. That includes the questboard that is now on display, though it only shows four quests for now.

There are some necessary preparations still going on with the questboard itself, but the staff assures that later there will be more of them, with some permanent ones added to the mix that would help with making the Segments safer for those without powers to explore as well.

Why not find a friend and go out on an adventure together? The guild does recommend doing quests together with someone, rather than alone.

Well, except Sawyer of Autumn, if he's around. He will always encourage people to go on their own and claims it's an act of bravery. Oh, and make sure to check the Beastiary before heading out, once you've picked your targets!

The Quests [ Click to Expand ]

Quests

CW/TW: possible nudity, possible death

Name: Skeletal Mischief
Rewards: 100 Moon Coins per 2 Snowskeletons vanquished
Location: Winter Segment
Description: For some time Snowskeletons have bothered natives who visit the Flower Yard. Usually the only nearby place of peace has now become a nuisance to visit. Those who attempt it usually return to the city in just their underwear (if they’re lucky). A request has come for the guilds to get rid of the Snowskeletons near the Flower Yard in whatever means necessary.
OOC notes: Snowskeletons have two types: either they're snowmen made from bone or they're skeletons made of snow. Either way they're definitely not friendly and often disguise themselves among the snow to surprise their prey. They're not really out to kill anyone, but may sometimes accidentally do it. Instead they're looking to steal clothes and wear them. Basically they're notorious bandits.

CW/TW: mind altering

Name: That Very Big Tree
Rewards: 500 Moon Coins, Loot you find
Location: Spring Segment
Description: The researchers are curious about the “One Very Big Tree”. They want to know what the tree does and are asking people to take a look and report back what they find.
OOC notes: One Very Big Tree is hollow on the inside and looks like a big tree house. The higher someone climbs it the less they feel like they’re themselves. In fact, they will turn into the exact opposite of themselves. There are also dangerous Gale Squirrels living inside that use wind magic of their own to attack!

Reaching the top, however, will reward them with feathers of a mighty monstrous bird that can be used to enhance any weapon so that they fly back to the user's hand. Only one feather per character, magic stops them from taking more than one.

CW/TW: possible death, possible mind altering

Name: Treasure Ship
Rewards: 500 Moon Coins, any treasure they find
Location: Summer Segment
Description: “The abandoned ship in the Great Ocean Lake used to be a treasure ship! So why not go fetch the treasure? I’m sure it can be used to make some neat weapons or armor. I’d love to help do that, I’m an expert in using treasure for enhancements! But I’m not strong enough to go get them myself. The fastest route there is from the Airship Station!”
OOC notes: The ship is full of Octokitties that are cats with six to eight limbs. They’re territorial and won’t appreciate anyone coming to their ship for any reason and will attack viciously. They can also spit ink that includes side effects of going into a berserker mode and not caring who is an ally and who is an enemy. But the treasure is real.

CW/TW: eaten alive, death

Name: The Blue Flash
Rewards: 700 Moon Coins for finding a lost one*
Location: Autumn Segment
Description: “Help, my friend disappeared on our trip to visit the old lady of Autumn Airship Station. We walked outside to stretch our legs after our airship journey and then there was a blue flash in the corner of my eye and he was gone! Nothing at all remained and I was too scared to go look for him so I ran back inside. I’ve heard this isn’t the first time a blue flash has abducted someone!”
OOC notes: The reason for disappearances is the Angler Will-o'-the-wisps: Most will-o'-the-wisps are harmless, but there are types that act like anglerfish. They take the form of other monsters and toss a "fishing line" out of a dark bush to make it look like a normal will-o'-the-wisp was trying to get their attention. When the prey gets too close, they will attempt to devour them to get more soul energy. They have left their normal place in the forests and invaded some bushes around the Segment.

*Reward stays the same even for just figuring out the mystery behind disappearances.

Enhanced to Meet You

Part 1

Enhancing items is a magical specialty in Ellipsa. The power of words determines how your item of choice gets enchanted. If you're trying to make an armor stronger, it would be wise to use kind and encouraging words but a weapon might need violent and determined words. Enhancement include defense boosts, attack boosts, health stealing and even adding status effects. All of these effects aren't permanent, but they should last for at least a month before fading away.

The workshops around districts will offer teaching to anyone who is interested in learning the basics of basic item enhancement. For more advanced things (like learning to make the enhancements permanent) the natives suggests taking an apprenticeship in the Magical Manor of Amberfall or Tower of Potions of Coldreach. Especially with potions, as those are more advanced than what they are showing.

Of course, armor and weapons aren't the only things that can be enhanced anything is possible as long as it's a non-living thing.

Part 2

A group of mischievous Imps are causing trouble. They're doing everything they can to make people angry (like dropping items on people's toes) as they try their magic. This could happen to anyone, even otherworlders testing their new magic.

Due to their mischief, a group of magical performers who were meant to enhance some animal statues to make them move around in a show ended up cursing a lot while the magic was happening. Because of that the animal statues did come to life, but they're angry and started running around, ramming into people left and right. It's especially alarming when one of the statues enhanced is a giant elephant, and some of the statues were meant to be used in a bullfighting show. Those are some very, very angry stone bulls coming at people in high speeds!

The natives don't want to break the statues, but they would like the statues to be stopped. With kind and loving words the effects of the curses will vanish and the statues will calm down and act like they were supposed to.

Of course they would appreciate catching as many Imps as possible so they could be returned back outside into the Summer Segment.

OOC TIPS

- Ask Questions here

- Smut is not allowed on the event post, so if your thread is heading that way, please move it to a private entry of your own (your own entry or a new locked post on the comms).

- Remember to content warn as necessary!

- Event starting date is March 17th, but the opening day of the guilds and the elemental dance lessons happen for a week so everyone who wants to attend them can have a chance to do so.

- NPC Power Holders can be interacted with, but it will all be handwaved. Feel free to ask questions on the questions thread if you're unsure of how the interactions would go.

- Starting in April, quests will be posted bimonthly and there will be a Quest Mingle available for people to use to thread out the quests! This format is just here because it's the first event where they're introduced.

- These particular quests are canonically open until end of month.

code bases by tricklet

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Hm?

[ Why is Cloud looking at her like that? She tilts her head as she looks up at him, only for him to reach out to her and fix her ribbon. A soft squeak comes out of her when she realises that she must have looked like a fool just now! Colour tints her cheeks and she looks away as soon as Cloud gives the signal that they should get going.

Instead of apologising or asking to be excused? She puts a smile on and whispers a "thank you very much" before getting a move on. ]

How long do you think climbing will take us? [ :|a A day? A couple of hours? Hm... ] I cannot imagine taking only a short while...

Not to mention, we may encounter some worthwhile things as we ascend.

Oh I'll make a note to buy Trickstar music later since it would be difficult to do our routine with just me. [Not to mention he would start missing them then he would become sad and he wouldn't want to become too sad right now.]

I will say I am surprised to see a lot of the things in our world along with magic, though I still have to get used to magic being a real thing. It's still pretty cool to use. I'm still figuring out if I want to go on quests. Are you going to go on any quests?

Aww thanks! It's nothing too big, but it's a lot of fun. Yep! I'm in the broadcast club back home and I've been learning how to music mixing for my group too. Oh I do a little mixing for my stream channel too.

[ Don't think he didn't hear that little whisper, Ayaka. Not with the way Cloud spares a little glance over his shoulder and nodding with a hum of acknowledgment. ]

Judging the height from outside? [ He brings a hand to his chin as he approaches the base of the stairs, giving the first one a stomp to test its fortitude. It creaks in protest to the pressure, but it's nowhere near giving way. It's surprisingly sturdy. ] Couple hours if we're steady about it.

Let's not rush it. [ Unless they wish to put their cardio to the ultimate test, he takes a few steps up before looking back to Ayaka to make sure she's following. The stairs aren't too narrow. And thankfully, there appears to be some kind of intricate railing to guide them. ...whether this weaving of wood and branches follows them the entire way up was anyone's guess. But for the first leg of their ascent, it seems relatively safe for now. ] Last time I ran flights of stairs, my legs regretted it.

[ Storytime on the way up? ]

[ Storytime on the way up!! There's a bit of hurry when she catches up with him, ensuring she's on his tail because she would like to hear what he says as they make their way up. ]

Really? [ This must be an interesting story! If only because- ] I've never seen you get tired before!

[ Except for the Month of Love and that one October night, but... that was a different kind of exercise. ]

The walk up the Grand Narukami Shrine is something like this as well, actually. But the stairs were out in the open, so you had to be very careful during windy days.

The wind can be used to create flow, which would work well with dresses and can even pick up small items. Like what if we have flowers and controlled its motions throughout the dance?

Surprise, surprise.

[ Even Cloud can get fatigued under the right circumstances! ... but when adrenaline is pumping, that's another story entirely. It's like lighting a spark near gasoline with his body and the enhancements done to it. ]

When we infiltrated Shinra HQ, we had a choice. Take the equivalent of the front door and use the elevators...or sneak around and take the stairs.

[ Guess what they picked. ]

59 floors later...

[ Now. Was this tree 59 floors tall? It IS a Very Big Tree. ]

Betcha it's way more scenic than just industrial steps on repeat.

A net, huh...

[ Inaba hums to herself. ]

We'd need bottles or jars too, in that case.

Fifty-nine...

[ Ayaka pauses to look up at what's ahead of them. A long spiral staircase up! She can't even count how many floors this place has... ]

Goodness!

[ Okay- gotta catch up! The bells in her slippers make some noise as she catches up with him up the stairs. ]

Then... let's count. [ How many floors this tree has. ] I want to see if I can manage fifty-nine floors, too.

Something to prove...? That you could?

[ He's not sure what music would prove but he's willing to buy whatever. ]

Ready. [ Nico ends up rubbing his hands together before he reaches out for it, out of nerves most likely. Once he has it...

It...should be easier to make a carrot out of something orange and vaguely carrot shaped, right?

He just has to concentrate.

...It's going to take a minute or two before they start to see a change, but it DOES seem to be working! ]

...Sort of. You're - you seem kind of calm.

[ It it weird to say that helps? ]

Not yet. I hear...

[ His eyes narrow. HE KNOWS THIS SOUND. ]

...Cats.

[ WHY THE FUCK DOES HE HEAR CATS ]

[Well... observation only goes so far. And still he stands in place, watches, wide-eyes latching onto the other's approach. Looking the way that Shoto feels, and fumbling words the way that Shoto might, who's not quite sure if he seems expectant or not. His brows go up, and the quizzing expression he's fixed in place shifts in effort to seem more pleasant at least. He has to try, and since he's anxious just as much, he still can't quite imagine himself joining in next or moving with Olwen's grace. When he does resolve to speak, it's with an obvious air of shyness.]

Uhm— [Hi?] We... should probably try our powers too.

[And isn't that all it is... in the end...?]

That's a tough one, anything you make is delicious.

[ Yoimiya has to take a minute to ponder on that one, as she's imagining all the different yummy foods the Traveler could whip out. Maybe she's channeling her inner Paimon energy because everything sounds so tasty. ]

Oh! Since you've been traveling through Sumeru, a dish from there would be amazing! I hear they have some amazing food.

( Khaalida, scythe momentarily dismissed, stood with her arms folded, watching the deck-monster-statue form. )

Try not to destroy the entire ship.

It is nice to meet you, as well.

[Dimitri happens to be attentive to the movement of Rider's feet as well as his own while they dance, so he adjusts to correct for her missteps -- and to avoid her stepping on his toes. Once she corrects, he returns to the proper rhythm.]

I have. I first learned to dance when I was still a child. I have also been to multiple balls before. I admit that I'm a little bit out of practice, but it's a skill that's difficult to lose.

[The truth is that he's more than just "a little bit" out of practice, essentially being unable to practice at all for the past five years. But as he says, it's very difficult to tell.]

[She gave his hands what she hoped was a reassuring squeeze, before slowly starting to step from side to side- larger step, then a smaller step, then a larger step- so they'd slowly go in a circle.]

One, and two...one, and two... one, and two...like that.

[She did promise nice and simple!]

[Dimitri thought on what Byleth said. It did seem possible, and it would be interesting to see how much things lined up.]

...After we liberated Fhirdiad, we received an urgent request for aid from the Alliance. A regiment of Imperial soldiers led by Lord Arundel had broken through the Alliance front and was laying siege to Derdriu, and Claude requested our help. I led my own forces in and we were able to kill Arundel and rout the troops, then consolidated Alliance forces into our own.

[Dimitri doesn't intend to keep secret the fact that the Alliance voted to rejoin Faerghus, but it would lead to a tangent of its own, so it can wait.]

Our expanded army then assaulted and captured Fort Merceus. I offered Edelgard parley before we entered Enbarr, but we failed to reach any kind of agreement. So, we attacked the city. The fighting continued on into the Imperial Palace, where I fought Edelgard herself. She...she remained defiant to the end.

[He wants to tell Byleth more about his parley with Edelgard and about the lengths to which she resorted in their final battle, but again, they could wait.

Additionally, there's no sense of pride in Dimitri's words. He hadn't wanted to kill Edelgard at the very end, but she forced his hand. The way he speaks of it is with a solemn tone, though not remorseful.]

With her death, the Imperial troops in the capital surrendered to us.

I cannot promise they will be the most comfortable to pet.

[Given that Grani's hide is far more similar to a dragon's than a horse's.]

But they will not object, if that had been your question.

[Interesting. So, Dimitri had encountered Thales too, even if it was in his Arundel guise.]

I see. There're some similarities: Faerghus and Leicester are allied with one another against Adrestia in my timeline, though admittedly Leicester only extended the alliance once they were certain Faerghus was winning the war. But, we hadn't reached Enbarr... the war was mostly won in reclaiming Garreg Mach from Thales.

['Mostly won' because the Empire hadn't officially surrendered yet, if only because they didn't have anyone to surrender for the nation. With Duke Aegir dead, Edelgard captured, and majority of the Imperial nobility either deceased or detained, Adrestia was on the verge of total collapse.]

Because that is Arundel's true identity: a dark mage much like Cornelia, working to undermine Adrestia from within. He gloated about being the mastermind behind a myriad of schemes to sow discord throughout Fódlan, though he never gave a coherent reason as to why. Also...

[Here, he hesitated. There were no words to adequately described what had happened to Edelgard, and from little he knew of the dynamics between the lords, it was something that had pained the Dimitri of his world. Even Byleth was disgusted at what the dark mages had done - the Emperor had been a peerless warrior and a shrewd tactician, and now all of that was gone, possibly forever, unless one of their own mages found a way to reverse the spell cast upon her mind.]

...he was the one in control of the Empire, not Edelgard. He... did something to her, that mentally reduced her to a childlike state, unable to function without a minder. In truth, it sounds as if she had a kinder fate in your timeline.

[At least Edelgard had been able to die as herself, defiant or not. In his world, there was a possibility Edelgard would have to have constant care for the rest of her life - which apparently caused complications for the Dimitri of his world, as how did you extract reparations from someone who couldn't recall the war they declared, and who now lacked the capacity to understand? Not getting into the thorny issue of those baying for punishment...]

It very definitely won't hurt. And if there's one thing that has come of Emet-Selch's long life, it's the fact that he no longer much cares if someone catches him showing off. (Which he is very definitely doing, a little.)

"Only in that the steps flow in a manner not completely dissimilar to water."

There's a shrug with the words, and though he notices the brief gust of wind he says nothing of it. New as their respective elements are, he won't fault Hythlodaeus for not having perfect control over it. Instead, he offers a gentle hand. Hythlodaeus is hardly the only one who dearly wishes to dance with an old friend, and there's the faintest beginnings of a soft smile on his face.

"That's all I would have asked."

Everyone has to start somewhere, and if he can put some of the less immediately military skills he had been required to learn as Emperor to good use, than so much the better he figures.

[Just let go? Have some fun? Easy for her to say.

But he gets the feeling she won't let him go until he dances along. Seeing that there's no way out, he gingerly sway his hips, left to right, trying to mimic Bridget's moves. Except her energy, of course. He can't mimic that.]

You are clearly better at this than me...

...Cats?

{ well that's certainly strange to hear on a boat. but he finds him being right, as he ascends further and starts to hear the softer meows as well now }

How peculiar.

[ If it's weird, Skylark's not feeling that it is. ]

It's not as if I have any reason to not be?

[ You know, aside from the fact he's dancing with a cute boy alone, maybe? Certainly hadn't occurred to him it's anything to lose his cool over. ]

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Event #1: Welcome, Adventurers

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