PLOTTING POST ✨ The Answer is Always C

[avalonmods]

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This is the plotting post! Ask questions in response to this comment HERE. Click here to view top-level comments only. The actual event log will be posted on May 20th, please use this post to plot with your fellow players and ask questions ahead of the event start.

KEY POINTS

Arthur announces the results of the polls and that he spoke to Celliwig's people, they will be testing Camelot the week of the full moon.

A series of choice-based enchanted scenarios is presented based loosely on a modernized seven sins/virtuous responses (power imbalance, cruelty or mercy, excess/greed or restraint, sloth or work ethic, desire/lust or self-control and bravery or cowardice, and sacrifice or self-preservation)

**** The above key points are a new feature we're going to start including on TDMs and Events. It has been moved to the top of the post based on feedback, and for the TDM we will try under each prompt then ask for further feedback at that time to see what seems to work better for players at-large.****

In case you missed it: this event was set up in the TDM this month as well as voted upon in a poll in the OOC community with the choices mentioned under the prompt "Vying for Votes." Check out the Game History/NPCs page if you need even more context, as a bullet point list of game progression is listed there.

With the polls closed, the decision is made, and King Arthur takes the opportunity to address the kingdom via a streamed press conference. Though it is not an open post, anyone is welcome to comment on it and talk to each other about it. However, it is unlikely that Arthur himself will respond to comments. A notification does appear on everyone's smart devices to invite everyone to watch live; if they tap it too late, it'll still show the recorded stream. "People of Camelot, I wish that we had better news that spoke of an easier path to the calamity that stands before us. Celliwig's charge is with protecting Avalon even in the face of protecting Camelot and those of you who chose to use your voices have shown that you choose to respect their way of handling things. However, it was only just over half of you who chose this path. I think it is important that with such a great portion of people believing that bypassing Celliwig and going directly to Elphame, as much as it may take patience, we take this action into consideration. There is no sense in ignoring the voices of so many when there is nothing to say we cannot approach from two fronts. As Camelot's king, I have issued our intent to accept Celliwig's challenge to a descendant of Glewlwyd, a man who was much trouble for my knights in our time. They have said after failing one, we shall be tested on multiple fronts, the week of the full moon's rise. Bear in mind that this is our final chance at this." Merlin sidles up to Arthur in the video, one arm around his shoulders and leaning in to speak into the mics in a much-too-familiar manner. At least his sunglasses are off this time. "Now then, anyone who wanted to go to Elphame, you'll want to head to the docks around, oh, say, the first of June. Step one to flirting with fae is to put on a good show before the traders leave. It's a good time whether the Celliwig's dooming us or not." A wink accompanies that odd note, and Arthur orders him off stage before thanking everyone for their time. With the consent of its people, Celliwig performs a ritual to place Camelot under a rather strange spell. Much is the same, but there's a sense that everything is just slightly off from what it should be. Fog covers the grounds throughout the entire city throughout the entire day. It's just a little too quiet, the usual hustle and bustle of the city falling just a little too distant on your ears. You can go about your day as normal, but feel as if something is simply off. And eventually, you'll walk through a door, and it will be. Part of the enchantment, however, includes a strange inability to connect these doors with being part of a test-- they seem real, regardless of how absurd the scenario would be were your characters thinking straight. Day One: Power Imbalance The door you walk through is into a club of some kind. It wasn't your intended destination and yet, here you are, and you're being handed a glass of your favorite drink and being ushered to your seat. The show is fantastical, some kind of circus-esque show with gymnasts and magical effects making it impossible to take your eyes off of. That is, until the spotlight falls upon you and urges you down to join the show. A volunteer! Well, one of two. Another volunteer is brought up along with yours, and the ring leader of the circus gives you both bracelets-- one with selenite embedded in it, another with andara. The ring leader explains that they're both known for creating high frequency connections, though one is known to spiritually be associated with finding one's path and the other with manifesting one's true self. When enchanted together, this makes it so that the person with the andara bracelet can order the person with the selenite bracelet to do anything they please-- making their true self the person's purpose. Very dangerous, very intruiging, very tempting, very morally wrong to do it for real, so please keep it to the stage! A quick demonstration of this dark use of magic as part of the show... and it seems that afterward, they forget to take the bracelets back. What will you do with your newfound control over your partner? The choice is, after all, yours. (Or theirs, if you're the unlucky partner with the selenite bracelet-- only the person with the andara can remove the bracelets, after all.) Day Two: Schadenfreude Yesterday seems like a dream, and you may even feel the need to write it off as such unless you run into the same person again and realize no, they too remember it. But if that's not the case, it doesn't matter. You'll be able to find yourself in your definitely normal and usual mideval city, where someone is in the stocks. Your memories seem a little fuzzy on whether or not you're supposed to be in medieval times or not, but this seems right, and there's a fruit vendor right next to you selling soft fruits to throw at the poor sap in the stocks. There are also a number of other ways to mess with the person, including feathers to tickle them, a riding crop, some ink if you want to grafitti the person.. a good number of ways just to humiliate the person without causing them permanent harm. The crowd is cheering you on, but you also see the keys to set them out just sitting on a table nearby. Do you engage in a little sadistic fun or do you embark in a daring rescue? (Or are you the punished in someone else's scenario?) Day Three: Indulge Me Back to the modern day like it didn't happen, you and a friend walk into a door to your favorite convenience store and as you finish up your purchase, you win an all expenses paid trip to the Black Knight's Castle, formerly the home of the Black Knight and turned into a lavish tourist attraction by Yvaine and Laudine's descendents, who have become worshippers of Dionysus. You're transported there in a puff of sparkling magic dust, right before an extravagant golden fountain in the middle of the lobby. The owners explain their policy for the Black Knight's Castle that you can have anything you desire, however much you desire. Anything at all, consequence free. The only thing that they ask is that you give a blood offering to their god to help feed his dead worshippers on the other side of the veil, which will ultimately tie your soul to him as well. Just a quick cut of the palm and you're welcome to come back any time, have anything you want, for the rest of your life. Taking the deal means you really will get what you want! ...For the day, anyway. (This is just a spell, after all, even if your character doesn't want it.) If you choose not to, you'll find yourself magically deposited back to the convenience store. Day Four: What's the Meaning of Stongehenge? This fourth day, there's certainly something to be said about a hard day's work. When you walk through today's door, you find yourself in the middle of a grassy field, strange markings on the ground, and surrounded by oddly shaped boulders. The markings on the ground seem to indicate where some the stones should be placed. There aren't really any directions, but there's always the option of waiting for someone else to solve this problem for you... There is a very comfortable looking patch of grass anyone able to relax in. So the choice is yours: wait for someone else to move the rocks or move them yourself? Day Five: Pooling Desire Day five is a trip to the pools. But not just any pools! These are special, underground pools hidden deep within a cave. You're sure whoever told you to head through this door mentioned something about them being a special relaxation package at the Red Springs. As you head into the pools, however, you find someone in there with you: the subject of your desires. Regardless of who or what they are, they seem to have a crown upon their head, aren't wearing anything in that water, and seem to have a lovely singing voice judging by the tune they're humming to lure you in before you even notice they're there. It is at that point they will try to seduce you, even if that same person is standing right there with you. The seduction, of course, needn't be sexual-- a strong lusting for a turkey leg wrapped in bacon may be just as powerful as a desire for a brand new Ninblendo Swatch or something you should definitely label as NSFW if you want to thread it that way. Give into them, or.. maybe listen to the person who came in with you that they're definitely some kind of weird half-otter bottomed monster under the water before they try to drown you. Or if you're the one trying to stop this, are you brave enough to get in between a stranger and a monster to try to snap them out of the siren's thrall, even if it means fighting both of them? Day Six: #ChaliceChallenge The sixth and final door sets you walking outside on a beach. There's nothing else there really except for nature. The sounds of the waves crashing against the sound is soothing, and real, and sharper than anything you've felt in the last five days of haze. There is no fog today. Clear, blue skies stretch forever above you, not a cloud in sight. The only man-made thing you see is a small woode table and two chairs. Upon that table, two chalices. Nothing will happen and there seems to be no way off of the beach until both parties sit down at the table, at which point a strange old man with huge, rippling muscles of at least 7 feet tall and a long, scraggly beard will appear. He informs your characters of the rules: in one chalice, deadly poison. In the other, water and bitter flavor. Each must drink from one cup, or you will both perish of starvation on this beach. Choose wisely. NOTES: While this is all really happening, any objects in the prompts are part of the enchantment and will disappear once it is over on the seventh day. There will be a poll posted again to gather responses to each of the trials after the event starts (so you've all got time to plot), which will then have an effect on the upcoming TDM. Merlin's tasks (the 2nd place result of the poll) will also be included in the next TDM. Your character doesn't have to participate in all of the prompts to participate in the poll, you're welcome to pick and choose what you want to do. Since it isn't real intentional participation, it's completely up to you rather than what your character does/doesn't want to do themselves. Camelot specifically is being tested and given a time and date, so anyone who doesn't want to be involved can get their character out of the city for a bit. The Red Springs loves visitors! Now then.. for your convenience, a little form for plotting: <b>Player:</b> <b>Contact:</b> <b>Character:</b> Name (Canon) | <user name=> <b>Familiar:</b> <b>Magic Disciplines:</b> <b>Event Plans:</b> What are you interested in doing? Do you want to make a top level or are you just tagging around? No idea what you want to do but you want to do something? Whatever it is, say it here! <b>Other Notes:</b> Anything else you want to add?

Event log will be posted on the 20th, same date as Arthur's press conference. The events of the trials will take place starting on May 23rd-28th. Everything will be normal in Camelot on the 29th just in time for the Elphame Traders' arrival.

Comments

Questions

[avalonmods]

[notquitetamed]

Is magic still going to be usable during these? So for example could someone use kinetic magic to escape the stocks or could someone with healing magic heal a person who drinks poison? Or would magic being used to cheat not be allowed?

[colchismagecraft]

For the Power Imbalance- are the characters effectively being puppetted against their will, or is their will twisted so they want to obey the other person.

[zunge]

For #ChaliceChallenge it says "Each must drink from one cup, or you will both perish of starvation on this beach." In the event that neither person is willing to drink, how long do they have before they'd die of starvation? Like what kind of time limit is there ICly.

Also to be clear, each person is allowed to drink from the cup of their choice no matter which one, so long as they don't drink from both?

And how long does it take for it to be obvious that someone who drank the poison did in fact drink poison? Is that player's choice as long as it's within a min and max, or...?

[doctorintern]

For #ChaliceChallenge, how strict is the rule that each person has to drink from one chalice? Is it limited to just physically drinking from each chalice?

For example, would they be able to pour out the contents of the chalices or anything, and just have to drink out of the chalice for it to count? Or does one person actually have to drink the content of their chosen chalice?

[scension]

For #ChaliceChallenge, can we ill-advisedly attack the giant buff old man?

stonehenge!

[snaccs]

How easy to move do the boulders look? Are there any mechanisms that would make them easier to move for people? Or do they give off "do not touch unless you bench 400 minimum" vibes?

[emet_sulk]

The obvious question: is a character allowed to swipe both chalices in the chalice challenge and drink them both so that the other person lives?

Re: Questions

[justlittle]

1. In the #ChaliceChallenge, is there anything to stop both characters from drinking from the same chalice?

2. In Indulge Me, if a character makes a blood sacrifice to Dionysus, does that tie their soul to him beyond the 1 day time limit, or does that go away at the same time the indulgent requests do?

[eightfoldfiend]

For "Schadenfreude" can a character kill the person in the stocks? The people jeering?

Actually, in general, what is the policy on "attack npcs/other people in the trial"?

Re: Questions

[dottedline]

For Day Six: can the characters dilute the liquids, so to make the poison less deadly?

[leicesters]

For the #ChaliceChallenge, are characters told which cup contains the poison or are they impossible to distinguish?

[leitstern]

For power imbalance:

"They're both known for creating high frequency connections, though one is known to spiritually be associated with finding one's path and the other with manifesting one's true self."

Could the bracelet that manifests one's true self work under it's own power [without consent, etc] to reveal someone's hidden form? Jasper has his demonic self that I'm curious about exploring with his close CR and this seems like a good way to force his hand since he's not willing to just drop it on people.

Also which bracelet is responsible for finding one's path and the manifestation of the true self?

[songstressedout]

Can there be multiple Sirens? May as well ask if it's only one Siren there.

Re: Questions

[ferrytale]

re: the schadenfreude one...

1. if asked, would anyone offer a reason why the person is in the stocks? like what they've done or what their sentence is supposed to be?

2. just because i'm weirdly curious and i don't think anyone has asked: if someone offers to take the place of the person in the stocks, would that be allowed?

SORRY EDITING IN ONE MORE

For the Chalice one, would the old man react at all while people are deciding what to do? like is he just impossible to read entirely or might he have little "tells" about which one is which?

Re: Questions

[saxum]

For Indulge Me, I know it mentions anything at all but JUST CHECKINGp are characters only offered tangible items (food, money, etc) or do they also offer desires in terms of ideals for themselves (immortality, good health, eliminating personal or physical problems they have)?

[schmisse]

Hello! For the day six challenge, the poison is magic, yes? So would it be possible to siphon that specific magic to get it out of someone who drank the poison or is my imagination way too crazy? Akdjalf

[scension]

For day 4, does anything happen if characters manage to move all the stones into place other than a nice view?

Re: Questions

[crimsongirl]

In the Chalice prompt, what would happen if the participants attacked the old man? Would he be too overwhelmingly powerful for them to handle, or would the challenge just be reset?

[onecupdrunk]

For Pooling Desire: Have to ask because a thread I'm writing is starting to head that way, can the sirens be killed? If not, what happens if someone attempts to try it?

[standvastig]

For the Chalice Challenge, what would happen if the pair mixed the liquids together and redistributed the mixture between the two cups? Would that count as diluting and reset the trial? If not, what would happen if they drank the mixture?

[carligrapher]

for the chalice challenge...

Sk8 canon implies that Kaoru can use Carla to do things like check the temperature of bathing water. Would Carla be able to detect any small differences between the poison and the drinking water?

And this is just my own terrible curiosity - what if someone fed the poison to a familiar? :')

Re: Questions

[flamekthunder]

Should have asked this earlier AHAHA... For the Stongehenge challenge, are the characters aware that they must do something with the stones? Like any kind of instructions they could have been given? Or do they just enter and are presented with the rocks without anything else and it's ultimately up to them to decide what they do with them?

I only ask since the poll suggests this is to determine hard work or laziness, but unless given instruction it's possible for someone to not touch the rocks out of suspicion that something bad could happen or ignorance that they need to do anything since I believe they aren't supposed to be aware it's a trial, so wondering how that would play out.

Re: Questions

[eightfoldfiend]

Do people remember Day 1 after the Trials are over or is it forever just a dreaaaaam?

Re: Questions

[ichoosefight]

Very late, but sirens: what do they look like, besides... having an otter butt? can the bystander hear what they're saying to the victim? if not, do the sirens speak/make noises?