March Event Log

[kaisoumods]

March Event
Dominant Element: Wind
Waning Element: Earth

※
It's as they say, March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. The early part of March will be blistery and cold, with strong winds and chilly nights. But as the month goes on, the weather will slowly warm and the snow will melt. By the end of the month, it's well into the early spring and the plants already begin to green up once more.

First Signs of Green

With Valentine's over and done with, there's only one thing that everyone's looking forward to, and that's the arrival of spring. Shops in town are stocking themselves up with new outfits for spring and outdoor furniture. The garden shops are stocks with flower seeds and spring vegetables, preparing for the warm weather to finally come rolling in. Many restaurants will be having a special on Bara Brith (malt loaf) and Cawl (lamb stew), in honor of St. David's day earlier in the month as it's trendy this year. On warmer days, people will be finding just about any excuse to be outside and the streets will be busy with people. Enjoy some much needed sunlight everyone!

For adults looking for activities to do, with the upcoming St. Paddy's day, plenty of bars are doing their own promotional celebrations. Most of these are the standard kind of fanfare, where you get a discount if you wear green or there's beer that's been dyed green. Though there's a few quirkier promotions, such as the Deathmatch bar offering free beer for everyone until someone uses the bathroom. Work together to hold the line and your bladders.

Gacha Day

Throughout the month, there's talk in Undertown about being on the lookout for good fortune. On the surface it sounds like the usual fanfare you hear from gossip - someone reblogged a lucky cat photo and came upon some money. Or someone found a four leaf clover and won the grand prize in the raffle. It's easy enough for the more skeptical to dismiss. However for those who are on the look out for lucky signs may find themselves also being blessed by good fortune. A brand new TV will appear in their house, or they'll befriend a new animal friend, or they'll discover they have a new ability. There's no rhyme or reason for what good luck will befall you, but these lucky occurrences seem to have shortly after seeing an omen of good luck. And granted...some of these occurrences might be hard to perceive as lucky. Some may even be downright cursed.

Still! Maybe it's time to keep a closer eye on any patches of clovers you come across, huh?

The Dulahan

The night of March 15th is an usually foggy night. There's an eerie stillness to the world, and the wind that blows with an unnatural chill. Even the normal citizens in town feel a sense of unease, as people rush to get home. As for those more sensitive, you can't help but get a feeling of dread in your stomach. Animals too may seem unsettled, not unlike when they sense an earthquake.

It's late in the night when he shows himself, long after the streets have grown quiet. A horseman riding a horse as black as night, with his own head missing from atop his shoulders. One hand holds onto the reins of his horse, while the other carries the severed head of a woman. He trots through the misty streets of Kaisou, occasionally pausing in front of a place of residences and pointing towards those who dwell inside, before continuing on his way. If you attempt to confront him in the street, he will disappear in a sea of mist and reappear further down the road, focused on his task. Repeated attempts to confront him will eventually enough irritation that he'll pull out a whip made from human spines. Being hit by this whip will render them unconscious until morning.

It's not clear until morning what the Dulahan was after, but when the first rays of morning come through, the horror will sink in. Every person that the Dulahan singled out? Is now missing from the city - whisked away into the Spirit Realm.

New Gate: Tír na nóg

The following morning, March 16th, a new message from Zodiac is sent out

ALERT: SHIFTING GATE IDENTIFIED IN BRICK ALLEY.
Element Classification: Unknown
Danger Level: S
Designation: Tír na nóg
ALERT! A highly dangerous gate has been discovered in Brick Alley. It's already been linked to disappearances across the city. Zodiac is currently investigating but we ask all available people to help investigate and recover the missing people. Please visit the Zodiac office for any supplies. Use caution when engaging with denizens in the realm.

Going to the Zodiac Office, you will find that it's a lot busier than normal. Several Zodiac employees are coming in and out, talking and using tech as they try to sort out the scale of what they're dealing with. Professor Willow is there too, there to help with consultation. According to him, it's a Dulahan that was spotted last night- though his own information is limited to what's known in popular myths. His specialty is more on animals found within the spirit realm, not mythological figures. Notably, it seems he's managed to befriend a Meltan from last month's gate.

Zodiac will supply weapons made from iron, as well as packs of food. If you press them for more information, they will suggest not to give your name or consume any food while within the spirit gate. If you need motivation than saving your friends to help, Zodiac is more than willing to pay you for your services. As for the location of the spirit gate, they will mention that it might be a little hard to spot this time, so keep your eyes peeled!

Hard to spot will turn out to be an apt description. When they arrive in Brick Alley, there's no obvious standing tall gate as there were the previous two months. Instead, they will have to search around until they find a circle of mushrooms that have popped up on a patch of grass. These mushrooms are impervious to harm, and you'll have to stand in the center of them if you want to enter the realm. It'll take a moment or two to activate, leaving you feel a little awkward as normal people pass by and stare at you standing in a circle of mushrooms, but hold fast, because soon you'll find yourself warped into another realm.

The landscape of Tír na nóg is beautiful, looking like it came out of the pages of a fairy tale. Golden sunlight washes over lush meadows and forests ahead of you. Behind you, are tall rocky cliffs that drop down into the raging sea below. In the distance, there is a castle that stands on higher cliffs and looks like the only place of civilization in this realm. If there's any spot where the kidnapped folks are being held, it's there. You must travel through a long winding path through the forest in order to reach it. The forest is full of wildlife that's more like Earth's, but you can't but get that feeling that you're being watched. You better hope that you ate before you left or brought food of your own, because the trek takes long enough that the unprepared may find themselves feeling famished by the time they make it to the castle.

When they reach the castle, they will find the place guarded by several Fae guards along with a couple mythical beasts. They will allow entry, but only if they leave behind any iron they have on their person. If you agree to do so, they will be rather welcoming, offering refreshments for any weary travelers. Curiously, if you inquire about the other people that were brought here, the fae will seem to be of the belief that the people they're talking about have been guests at the castle longer than they've been missing, by several days in fact. What in the world is going on?

As for those who act with more hostility, well: prepare for a fight. The fae would prefer to talk things out, but they aren't afraid throw down arms when faced with violence. What more, they wield much stronger magic than anything the characters currently have. Don't be surprised to see yourself be turned into a small animal for your troubles. Only apologizing to the fae or leaving the spirit realm will reverse the effects.

Waking up at the Castle

Those who were kidnapped by the Dulahan will wake up to find themselves in much nicer accommodations than you'd expect for being kidnapped. You wake up in your own personal guestroom in soft beds. Fae attendants will come in to check on your needs, checking if everything is to your liking while any requests to go home seem to fall on deaf ears. While this place is much more medieval in terms of technology, they seem determined to make your stay as comfortable as possible. You are even allowed to leave your rooms to wander the halls to see others in their guest rooms, though for a least the first morning they block you from leaving the guest wing. It should also be noted that anything made of iron has been removed from your person.

At midday on that first day, the kidnapped characters will be invited down to the main hall of the castle for a grand feast. Any type of food you could possibly desire, as well as foods you've never heard of, are laid across the giant banquet table. The fae are friendly and more than curious to learn about their new "guests", asking personal questions and encouraging them to eat up. The fae themselves come in all shapes and sizes. Some look like classic fairies while others more otherworldly appearance. It's only when they've made sure enough of their new guests have eaten and shared their names do the head of the fae announce their reason for bringing you to their realm: they could sense something special about you, and have decided to have you joined the fae. It's been a long time since they've had anyone bolster their ranks after all.

After this announcement, the fae will allow the guests to travel where they wish. You can explore the realm or spend time with the fae as you like. However if anyone who ate the food or gave their name will find that even if they reach the gate, they won't be able to use it to get back to Kaisou. For now, you're stuck in the spirit realm.

Life among the Fae

One thing will become obvious when the kidnapped meet up with their would-be rescuers: time flows differently in this realm. A single day in Kaisou is several days in Tír na nóg. By the time the would-be rescuers have found the people they were looking for, several days have passed - more than enough time for the kidnapped to explore and experience this realm on their own. The fae themselves aren't too concerned about the new arrivals, and will treat them as guests as well. It's not like they have a way to ESCAPE after all. Though just like those kidnapped- any who share their name or eat the food will also find themselves stuck in the spirit realm. Whoops.

The fae are friendly and playful race. While they rarely give a straight answer, they enjoy playing games and hearing stories about places outside the realm. Some of their games include riddles, fishing, or playing with balls made of sheer gold. However, their good nature will quickly sour if you do anything to cross them. Attempting to cheat, steal, or honestly any perceived slight against them may result in you getting cursed with magic. This magic will either turn you partly or fully into an animal, depending on the severity of their rage. Though at the same time, getting endearing yourself too much to the fae may also end in your body getting changed, with them deciding to "bless you" by granting you fae-like features.

It's not just the fae you need to be wary of. A popular dish among the court is called the "Fish of Knowledge". It's a type of salmon that admittedly tastes extremely good. However anyone who consumes it will find it having an effect on their memories. AU characters may find all their AU memories getting swapped for the memories of their canon counterpart, now even more lost and confused to what's going on here. Otherwise, characters from other worlds (and any AU characters that rather go this route) will find themselves becoming an expert in a random field of study. Never went to medical school? Doesn't matter, you now have a PhD worth of medical knowledge in your head, or any other subject that you feel apt.

The Rescue

As much as the Fae want to keep their new friends, it's not like you guys can actually stay forever. Eventually, they'll be able to strike a deal with the leaders of the Fae. If they can retrieve the head that the Dulahan carries and bring it to Gwenffrwd well atop the mountain (there's murmurings among the court whether it's ACTUALLY a mountain, this seems to be a contentious opinion), everyone will be allowed to leave the realm. They'll even be nice enough to give back your iron weapons for this quest -- once you leave the castle grounds, that is.

Finding the Dulahan will take some work, as he wanders the bogs of Tír na nóg. These bogs are treacherous, where taking the wrong step could lead you to fall under the murky waters. No matter the time of day, it's dark and gloomy in these spots. Will-o'-the-wisps appear as lights floating over the bog, intent on leading people off the path. Undead skeletons are also found in these bogs, and they are more than happy to try to get you to join their undead horde. When you do finally find the Dulahan, you'll have to be careful to make sure he doesn't run off before you can grab that head. Not only that, but his power is stronger now that he's in the Spirit Realm, meaning his attacks might do more than just knock you out for awhile. Teamwork is likely your best option here.

Once you have retrieved the severed head (which is the real severed head of a woman, wonderful), it's time to go up the mountain(?)! Away from the bog, the path up the mountain(?) is winding but straightforward, but it'll turn out about three-fourths up the mountain there is one teensy little detail the fae left out. And that detail being that the path to the well is being guarded by a large, fire breathing, red dragon. It seems some fae have even gathered around to spectate the whole encounter, because who are they to turn down free entertainment?

Good luck guys!

If you manage to find a way past the dragon, then the rest of the trip to the well is pretty straightforward. Drop the head into the waters of the well, and there'll be a glow of magic. All characters, regardless of if they ate the fae food, will be allowed to come and go from this realm as they wish.

Aftermath

While for those trapped in the realm, it'll feel like they were there for a month -- once they return to Kaisou they will find they were only gone for 1 IC week (the 15th to the 22nd). You're welcome to deal with the consequences with work or school that'd happen for being missing for a week, though if you rather not then you'll find that Zodiac stepped in and was able to give believable excuses for your absences. It's uh, a little unnerving how good they are at handling explaining people disappearing, honestly

Any knowledge or memories that your character gained from eating the fish will disappear, becoming fuzzier and fuzzier until it's hard to recall anything they learned. As for any animal/fae features they received from Fae magic, it is optional whether or not they will stick around for any amount of time.

For the rest of the month, characters are allowed to come and go into Tír na nóg as they wish. The fae will be sad that you won't be staying with them forever, but they are still happy for your company. With the crisis averted, Zodiac will once again offer paid incentives to bring back items from the realm. Those gold balls in particular are of interest to them, but don't let the fae catch you thieving. And per usual, there'll be penalties for anyone who doesn't return the items that Zodiac loaned out.

OOC Notes

The dominant element this month is wind! Anyone with an affinity to the wind element will find themselves boosted throughout the month. This could mean a boost to their power, having more energy, feeling more inspired with creativity, having better luck on different attempts -- the boost can manifest in all sorts of different ways. By contrast, anyone with an affinity for earth will be experiencing the opposite. Perhaps their powers will be weaker, they have less energy, they're having a creative block or general worse luck - again it can manifest in all sorts of way and players are free to play with this mechanic as they'd like.

Memories gained by eating the fish will not remain, but characters are welcome to retain any animal features. If they were turned fully into an animal, they'll find they are now able to shift between human and animal form. Nice! (EDIT: Details on the feature have been elaborated on here.)

Any fights or interactions with NPCs will be handled by the players! Feel free to thread out things however you'd like! If you have any questions, please ask them on the plot questions thread below! The original OOC plotting post for this event can be found here.

Comments

[inutilis]

...D-do they really think you'd do such a thing? I suppose it's better safe than sorry, but still, for goodness sake...

[ ...hm.

well, as they're going to be walking for a bit-- Abel is reaching out to lightly tug on Jun's shroud at the back of his head. not hard enough to displace it, but enough he would feel it. ]

So you found this in your closet...? Was there anything else?

[whiteshroud]

So it seems.[He knows better than to elaborate how plausible a scenario that is to his father. Murder wasn't his first option, but man if they had actually harmed his father, well...

Do what needs to be done, whatever that is.

He feels that tug. He turns his head enough to be able to see his dad]

Yeah...there was an armchair, a spool of thread and a pearl necklace in my room that weren't there before. But only this uniform felt like I'd seen it before.

[inutilis]

[ jUN...... don't do murders!!! heaven help the fool that does manage to do Abel dirty one day, apparently they will be in for a world of hurt... rip that guy, ]

--So you found some other random stuff, too? Hm. I thought it might have something to do with the fae, but...

[ well, maybe it's not ALL the fae? why is everything so WEIRD ALL THE TIME it makes it hard to determine the source of each different brand of Weird..... ]

[whiteshroud]

[It's just a little murder!!! Dad is precious to him, ergo anyone who tries to destroy that must be eliminated. Totally normal feelings to have!! ]

Mm, a lot of people have. Rean even had a music organ made of furbies appear in his room.

[Truly the stuff of nightmares]

Why? What stuff showed up for you?

[inutilis]

[ .......only good can come of this. this definitely won't be a problem one day, haha, nope,

speaking of problems, ]

Music organ made of... what??

[ no excuse you. WHAT?? he doesn't think he can even--

he is stopping right where they are in the corridor, staring at Jun as though he'd just gone and grown a second head. JUN...... ]

[whiteshroud]

[He stops a couple steps after his father does, looking back]

Of furbies.

[He knows this is a cursed thing that you need to see to believe, so he'll pull out his phone and open the Libra app until he finds Rean's post about it. Sure enough: a furby organ]

I suspect this is the closest approximation to what Hell sounds like.

[inutilis]

[ .........this.

this is absolutely what Hell sounds like. it sends a shudder all the way down his spine; it chills him to his core. oh, god. oh god. ]

Jun...?

[ Abel is staring at the screen in his son's hands as if he has looked into the void, and it has looked back at him. ]

Let us never, ever talk of that abomination again. Purge it from our minds. Wipe it from the face of existence.

[whiteshroud]

[He'll immediately close out of the post, giving a solemn nod]

Understood. I'll treat it as taboo.

[And pray it doesn't continue to show up in his nightmares. Someday it'll stop surely right...

By now they've reached the gates. Jun will briefly explain to the fae guards that they're off to accomplish that challenge set out for them. The guards watch them warily, but hand over a iron sword Jun got from Zodiac. They'll even direct them to the general direction of the bog. To the east!]

That was easy enough.

[Step one down! Now just. the rest of the mission]

[inutilis]

[ oh, Jun... he's doomed himself and his father. they'll be waking up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, mumbling about the furby organ.....

...yes, best to just-- move on. mmhm!! that never happened. Abel's watching Jun retrieve his sword with a mild curiosity (does he know how to use it...?), before heading back out into the open air. somehow it's immensely reassuring to be free from the castle... even if this is still technically the fae's territory. ]

Do you suppose it'll be possible for the two of us to find it...? The Dulahan, I mean.

[whiteshroud]

[Look Jun was already doomed to those nightmares. He was just making sure he wouldn't be the only one that suffers]

I think so... it's a headless man on a horse. It can't be that hard to spot.

[inutilis]

[ .......so generous. so, so generous, this son of his. ]

W-well, spotting him isn't what I'm afraid of...

[ tracking him down, though... hm, hm, hm. Abel did some wandering and these lands are rather large, but if it hangs around a particular area it might make it easier. ]

...By the way, Jun, I don't suppose you have an idea what we'll do once we find it, do you?

[whiteshroud]

[he pauses]

...I'll admit, I'm still thinking on that.

[There's no point in denying it. Not when they were already on their way there. ]

We don't need to beat it, just grab the head. So maybe if we can come up with a distraction while one of us grabs it...

[inutilis]

[ ah. ah, Abel is beginning to gather what kind of situation they've got here. this isn't precisely the 'planned out in advance, coordinated attack' kind of rescue as much as a,

'let's wing it bro c'mon what's the worst that could happen' sort, huh?

well, you know what... he and Jun are, if anything, more solidly prepared for this sort of situation than most, at least?? they've got a decent chunk of... ability... between them, even if neither has had to use it for much in quite a long while (or at all, in the case of Jun's newly discovered powers). if they get in over their heads (ha, heads, get it? bc the Dulahan carries a-- okay), then they can simply pull back and get some help. ]

Distraction, hm...

[ Jun DOES have the teleporting truck up his sleeve, that might come in handy... ]

...Hey, Jun. Have you ever tried taking someone with you when you did your neat teleporting thing?

[whiteshroud]

[You got it in one Abel! Jun didn't exactly coordinate a plan of attack with anyone, certainly. Because that requires teamwork and really....like he's good at that in the slightest. In any universe.]

Teleporting with another person?

[He considers, before nodding]

Mm, once. It takes more energy, but I can do it.

[inutilis]

Mm, alright. Then if we get in trouble, you think you could get us a safe distance away?

[ it seems like a safe bet -- trying to wrangle the head and making a very... very quick escape out of the Dulahan's reach where it might not be able to track them.

this... hypothetically?? might actually work between the two of them? they would work well together considering their familiarity with one another, so...

w-wow.... is teamwork going to make the dreamwork?? it's not impossible, and that's sure something!! ]

[whiteshroud]

Hm, I think so....

[He mulls it over. He'd have to move fast. But surely that was do-able. But while he thinks of that, he walks over to a nearby tree and uses his sword to start carving an X into the wood

Which is random as hell, so he'll explain]

Making a landmark that's easier to visualize when I teleport.

[In other words, the faster he can think of a place, the faster they can get out of harm's way]

[inutilis]

[ hey... whatever will help Jun do his thing? Abel has no judgment, watching this curiously before inevitably giving a nod at the explanation. so, this will be the point of 'return' should they need to flee; it's far enough from the castle that they won't cause trouble for those habored there, and far enough from where they should find the Dulahan -- probably -- that cover that base, too.

...well, it's the beginnings of a plan!! ]

Then... do you think you could distract it? Maybe you could teleport short range distances, get it moving so I can get close enough to grab the-- ah. You know.

[ head..... ]

[whiteshroud]

The head?

[He says, as almost to clarify just what's getting grabbed. Just to make sure his dad remembers what to grab!!

Once he finishes carving, he'll lower his sword]

Mm. I think I can do that. Will you be alright getting that close?

[inutilis]

Mm! Don't worry; I'm still fast on my feet~! I just outran Mrs. Norris's pitbull last month when he chased me for two entire blocks making a delivery, so-- this is a piece of cake in comparison to that, h-haha...

[ ...smh.

he'll be fine; he just needs to get the-- thing-- and get out of there, and if the worst should happen... well, he much rather risk injury to himself than Jun. he may not like his gifts, but they can be useful sometimes!!

and let's be real he would sooner cut his own arm off than risk Jun getting a papercut in the long run. ahem. ]

You just keep out of range of that thing, alright? I-it's creepy, and considering what it carries around all the time, I highly doubt it will be very-- um. Friendly?

[whiteshroud]

[ 💧 ] She let her pitbull out again? She really needs to stop that...

[As cartoony as that story does, it does seem to reassure Jun. His dad was strong, even if he didn't always show it. And more experienced! He should be fine! And if not, he'll teleport them out of there.]

...Alright, I'll do that. [Stay out of range, keep it distracted. ] And you're right, it's not. I read it keeps a whip made out of a human spine.

[...Lovely! But he starts walking again. Slowly the terrain is becoming much more bog-like. They're getting close.]

html..... my mortal enemy, i see it haunts you as well...

[inutilis]

[ a whip made out of--

...

a-ah. well. carrying a head, and using a whip made out of human spine. this sounds like a merry little adventure, doesn't it?? oh, god.

Abel's sending Jun a slightly nervous look, but... well-- they are going to be exceptionally careful, and if the two of them can end up opening a way home for everyone else? then it'll be well worth the effort. it's not an entirely unselfish wish, after all; Abel would love to go home, get out of this realm and return to his life with his son and some semblance of normalcy. ]

Do you know if it's weak to iron like the fae are, Jun?

[ the slow creep of the bog as they near the Dulahan's territory is... well, promising, at least. not much longer now... ]

always. html is always lying in wait to strike

[whiteshroud]

[Yeah it's truly a lovely creature isn't it? Very merry and friendly.

Jun sees that nervous look on his dad's face and he can't fully blame him. If his hood was down, his own expression would reveal something similar]

...I'm not sure. It depends on it's a fae. I read that there's rumors it's weak to gold, but I don't know if that's been verified.

[So...it could go either way!]

Did you want to borrow my sword?

absolute monster

[inutilis]

[ hmm... well, this is sure A Thing, isn't it? he rubs at the back of his neck with a little mumble under his breath "why couldn't it have been a nice kitty who just needs some pets out in a field of flowers...?", before shaking his head. ]

No, no... I rather you hold onto it in case something goes wrong. I trust you to have my back, mm?

[ and Abel doesn't plan on engaging the thing in combat. he'd like this to be relatively simple...

but when has anything ever been simple for them, huh. ]

[whiteshroud]

[That was last month Abel. You got to pet a cute animal last month, so now you have to do this.]

Of course, Dad.

[If Dad's gonna insist on no weapon, then who is he to judge? He continues on. Very soon, they enter the bog. Despite it being mid afternoon, the lighting of the bog is closer to late evening. They can still make out the path ahead of them, but other the murky water Will-o-wisp gently float like blue candlelight]

Will o' wisps...they're as pretty as I thought they'd be.

[inutilis]

[ okay well at least they get to keep the cute flower kitty with flesh ribbons and feed him and love him...... that sounds real weird when I type it like this,

...Abel grows (shockingly) quiet as they slip into the denser atmosphere of the bog; the shift here is almost palpable where the light is dimmer, and while there is something unsettling about knowing what they're after-- this... ]

...it really is beautiful...

[ the land of the fae is both a frustrating and utterly exhausting experience and a gorgeous one. Abel can't deny he's been living in relative luxury despite being a 'captive,' and the roaming of the surrounding forest and hills about the castle was... well, pleasant?? all in all, there were far worse places to be trapped for sure. ]

This place... it has a certain feel to it, doesn't it? The whole of this realm. Like walking into a fairy tale...