OOC Info Spring 518 Calendar

[Chameleon]

Spring 518 AV Calendar

The flash of green watchtowers brings Spring and an end to the snow illusion. With it comes a festival, a murder, more bugs and less water.

Winter's calendar.

Quick Glance

1st: The Watchtowers flare green, announcing the arrival of Spring
4th: The Ionu's Mercy have classes on disease prevention
10th: The Festival of Illusion transforms the city into a maze of pottery
11th: The maze walls (and some others) change into glass
12th: The maze becomes a hedge maze
13th: Animals run loose throughout the city
14th: Artists decorate the walls of the maze
15th: The maze becomes a giant puzzle
16th: The Inverted put on a performance
20th: Perspective becomes important
37th: Wells start being monitored and rationed
45th: The dead body of a Twisted-Streeter appears just outside the Womiyu [P] Act One
48th: Aysu has a performance punishing water thieves and a river appears through the city
51st: A boat sets sail to search for a sea monster [M] here
60th: A public funeral is held
67th: Interrogations are held about the murder [P] Act Two
73rd: The river disappears
90th: A trial is held for the murdered Twisted-Streeter [P]

Key:
[M] Moderated event.
[P] Prompt.

The Costume Clues Box
Info: Here you can find some helpful illusions, scenarios, items and ideas for free use in roleplay. The items listed below are not date-specific! You can also use these items as clues to investigate the murder - PM me if doing so

A handkerchief embroidered with the letter M
Quarrelling sisters
Footprints with six toes
A glyphed coin
A maledicted bone
A crazy woman who sees the dead
A red herring
Puddles that don't exist
Vantha heritage
A broomstick
Konti scales
A venture into the Unforgiving

Bugs Galore

The level of insects begins to increase again, causing panic throughout the city following the previous parasite that had been caused by them. Drastic measure are put into place to kill the bugs and protect the citizens from them. Various herbal remedies and charms sweep the markets that promise to protect from the threats they bring. Most are found to be useless trinkets by the vendors can't be found for refunds.

In a hope to prevent further spread of disease, the Ionu's Mercy holds classes on the 4th about disease prevention. They range from general health and fitness to more specific methods concerning bugs, only slightly dabbling in actual cures. Despite their attempts, the classes aren't too busy.

The bugs remain at annoyingly high levels all season but don't bring much disease with them. Only a very, very unlucky few fall ill due to their bites, while the rest have to deal with the scabs and scratchiness as minor inconveniences.

The Festival of Illusions and Mazes

The Festival of Illusion arrives on the tenth day of the season, bringing with it exuberant joy and festivities. Series of celebrations follow one another over a period of seven days, this time spread out in a giant maze that has replaced the (already maze-like) city. Every so often, a clearing holding a few buildings can be found, but more often than not, the citizens find themselves walking through proper labyrinth.

Day 1 :

Potters, sculptors and those of a similar trade spread their work across the streets, demonstrating both the most useful of pots and the craziest sculptures, the creation of which seems impossible. Those who make particularly impressive works find that they are absorbed in the walls of the maze, which are a mesh of broken pottery and works of art.

Day 2 :

The walls of the maze turn into glass, allowing people to see across vast distances without being able to reach them without a lot of wandering. Glassblowers find themselves in the centre of attention with large public workspaces dedicated for selling and teaching the craft. A few unlucky folks find the walls of their houses turning into glass and lose privacy for the day.

Day 3 :

The maze turns into a hedge maze, with varying types of hedges, trees and flowers forming borders. The gardeners and herbalists take the front row, selling potted plants for those interested and transforming parts of the hedges into grand plant sculptures. A lot of people also find themselves finding the new farms where the farmers show off their rather bare looking fields.

Day 4 :

All pet and work animals manage to escape from where they are trapped and most festivities are halted to cope with the chaos of all the additional animals. Additionally, rumours start spreading about a beast that is stalking the labyrinth unlike the rest of the animals. They say you're lucky to see it - or is it unlucky?

Day 5 :

After the animals have all been gathered up, artists take to the streets, transforming ordinary stone walls and floors into mind-bending illusions that appear to be leading to new parts of the maze. Some are so good that it's hard to tell what's real and what's not.

Day 6 :

The maze turns into a giant puzzle and those with logical minds with an interest in inventing things find themselves challenging each other to races through the city. While a large race sets off at midday, others focus their attention on trying to sell their goods, believing the winner will by the one favoured by Alvadas, not the best.

Day 7 :

The seventh and last day of the festival brings the Inverted performance at the centre of the maze, which few could reach before but everyone can now. Unlike some of their other more political performances, there is no story or real structure to their show, which is formed mostly from a combination of acrobatics, dance and contortionist. Either way, it is incredible and the performers seem to blend seamlessly between the act and becoming part of the walls that surround them.

Weather Update: Dry With Sudden Rivers

Despite the efforts of the expedition last season, the drought reaches its peak by the 37th and most water sources found in the city are monitored by a small group of Sheathewhisps to ensure equal rationing. Priority is given to the farms within the city walls which results in a few bolder folks claiming to be fetching water for their imaginary crops. On the 48th, some of these scammers are apprehended and Aysu the Sea punishes them in an elaborate performance in which they are surrounded by water but unable to drink it. The city decides it likes this illusion and several streets flood to form a large river, completely undrinkable. A fun illusion, or another punishment from above? This illusion lasts until the 73rd.

Murder in Three Acts

The morning of the 45th, the city of Alvadas emerges to find a terrible sight left on the doorstep of the Womiyu. A Twisted-Streeter, in a garish costume, lying dead. Sudden outrage spreads through the city and the increased attention to it causes alarm from the citizens who realise this wasn't another death. On the day of the death, everyone in the city can find their way to the murder scene and investigate.

A large funeral procession is held on the 60th, with several grand speeches in honour of the dead and morbid celebrations. Free food attracts those who don't care about respecting the dead, organised by the Cravens but supplied by vendors and restaurants in the city.

Later, public interrogations are held on the 67th, giving everyone the chance to question their friends, enemies, neighbours and strangers about their knowledge of the murder. Finally, to the shock of many, a public trial is held on the 90th, with the chance for every citizen to speak their mind in front of a jury of Speakers, who seem to know more than they let on.

How This Will Work :

Roughly lasting a month for each, I will post an open prompt where you have the opportunity to take part in all the events. Participating later events is allowed even if you miss the first, and I will let you know what the city will have learnt each time around. After the month (or there about) has passed, the thread will close and you won't be able to learn any more from that.

Posts will be short and simple allowing for me to let you know what you learn. Please PM me with questions, but I will explain this properly when I post up the first one (hopefully in the next few days).

You can also investigate in your own threads during the rest of the season. Choose an item, person or prompt from the Clues box, include it in a thread and try to piece it into the mystery. PM me if you are using this!

Threats From Beyond?

A fisherman returns claiming to have spotted a large sea creature outside the port of Alvadas that was disturbing his fishing and almost capsized him. After several cries for attention, the city finally picks up on his worries, but only after another ship seems to have been lost at sea. Discussions with the local Charoda and Svefra reveal that they've been experiencing other strange phenomena all season, unfamiliar current patterns, sudden waves, less fish than usual and unidentified shadows in the water.

Curious about the possible threat, the city gathers up a few interested people and sends them off on a ship on the 51st for a few days, hoping they will find something of interest. Those going are recommended to spend a few days preparing for a lot of swimming. (This will be a Moderated Event, which you can sign up to, using the correct form, in my office. Limited spaces available!)

Meanwhile, a few outspoke citizens decide to blame Laikvu for all the problems they've been having with the fish. The small catches that come in often reveal strange looking creatures that come attached with weird smells and odd colours despite being perfectly edible. Speeches for Ionu and against the god of the sea rise in popularity, despite the offense to the god.

Old MacDonald Had A Farm...

The farms start ploughing and planting. The Community Farm once again asks for volunteers who want to help, in return for teaching them the skills necessary. Other farmers also create their own things to coax helpers towards them - cakes, drinks, interesting necklaces... On one farm, they claim that ploughers can take anything they discover when churning up the soil. One archaeologist seizes the opportunities and starts searching for artefacts in the soil.

Also, Spring brings the birth of new animals. Those with experience with animal handling are needed to look after all the new lambs, calves and chicks. They are also sold as pets to the naive and a new trend sparks up of having brightly dyed lambs to take on walks. By the end of the season, everyone who wants to be something in the city tries to lay claim on their own.

City-Wide Illusions

On the 20th, perspective starts changing, and the size of things begins to vary a lot. Also, not physically being next to something doesn't mean you can't affect it - holding your finger up so it appears like it's pushing something in the distance will actually affect the object.

Midway through the season, people start seeing things in only one hue for a few days at a time. For some, this never comes, for others, they experience every colour in the rainbow. The exact dates vary from person to person.

A large focus shifts onto food illusions towards the latter part of the season. Chefs compete to create the largest, most extravagant dishes, while mixing crazy flavours together. Workshops and kitchens also move outside, some simply losing walls, so most ordinary citizens can watch them at their craft. Additionally, any food created without blessing Ionu during it will have one unpleasant flavour strengthened.

_________

Seasonal Challenges Spring 518

Note: Completing these challenges will allow you to receive the Alvadas Seasonal Challenge Badge. Those who currently hold the badge are: Sayana & Aislyn Leavold. This season, there are three categories. Out of these three categories, you need to pick two challenges. Each must be covered in individual threads, but there is no minimum word count. Once completed, post a list complete with links in my office.

Multiplayer-character challenges: Must be completed with another PC).

• Have a thread with a baby animal
• Discuss or investigate the murder
• Do something dangerous
• [1-Blame a god] [2-Praise a god] [3-Confuse a god]

Knowledge-based challenges:

• Learn a new trade skill
• Learn something new about Ionu
• [1-Draw] [2-Cook] [3-Dye] something green
• Earn 2XP in a skill that has something to do with Spring

PC-development challenges:

• Discover a new [1-favourite food] [2-least favourite food] [3-food allergy]
• Think outside the box
• Watch a performance by a Speaker notethis does not have to be a calendar event
• Describe an item of clothing your PC is wearing

*(Roll a 3-sided die in chat if you want a random selection)