Event 10

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Snow blankets the ground, shoveled to the sides of the roads in piles and already beginning to gray in the brisk afternoon. Not many ‘mons are out on the streets of Aether, and those that are are bundled up against the frigid chill in the air, wearing as many layers as they can afford. But news is spreading fast of the arrival of ships in the harbor -- ships carrying those Aetherians who went to Sazanami months ago! -- and a discernable excitement begins to mount as loved ones reunite and stories of danger are shared.
Soon enough, the news reaches the castle, brought along the grapevine to the ears of every servant in the royal abode… including ones belonging to a Pancham handmaiden, who pauses to shove one last pastry in her mouth before running out of the castle kitchen.
: OI! Keep your grubby paws off my sweets, you little guttersnipe!
: Sor’y, Boris, a girl’s gotta eat~!
Maeve ignores the Heatmor’s rant, running through the castle to reach Tara’s study, and bursts through the door without knocking, panting to catch her breath.
: Tara, grea’ news! Th’ king is--
: Returned. Yes, she knows, I just told her.
: Wha’? Gaius, how’d ya get here befor’ me? I didn’t think your littl’ legs could move that fast!
: I was able to inform the queen of the news before you because I was at my post -- where I was supposed to be -- and went to deliver the message immediately. If you weren’t stuffing your face in the galley, I wouldn’t have to do your job for you.
: Smug, stuffy, knot-wing’d--
: Thisss is no time to be arguing with one another -- we ssshould be happy!
: I agree, your majesty. The return of the king, prince, captain, and the others is a joyous occasion indeed.
: Race ya t’ the harbor, Tara!
: “Race you,” oh my. Mistress Maeve, while you may be the queen’s close friend, you shouldn’t be so--
: (knocked sideways) !!
: Apologiesss, Gaiusss, but I will not lose thisss race!
The Shiny Arbok slithers quickly out of the study, her handmaiden right behind her, and Gaius shouts for them to slow down and “show some decorum” as he plods stiffly after them. All three ‘mons (at their own paces) reach the front door just as Alaric, Gawain, and Nicolas enter the castle courtyard. Cheers from the servants and soldiers echo against the castle’s stones, and the king bashfully waves a tail tip at the crowd assembling around him while Gawain and Nicholas soak up the attention.
: Yeah, yeah, we’re back, no need to raise such a fuss -- but I hope you’ve been keeping up with your training since I’ve been gone!
: (waving his arms overhead) Hi, everyone, sorry we were gone so long!
: Indeed, it seemed like you were away for a lifetime.
: (patting the bug on the back) Good to see you too, Gaius. Been keeping the place running ship-shape?
: With the queen’s help, of course.
: Don’t be so modessst, Gaiusss, you did most of the paperwork.
: Because ya cannae do the paperwork yourself, what with your lack o’ limbs.
: It isss good to see you all in such good spiritsss. I take it all isss well in Sazanami?
: For now, yeah. But I’ll tell you, those Sazanamese were all kinds of messed up before we got there! How come you didn’t prep us for that, mister librarian sir?
: Well, you all left in such a hurry, how could I prepare you?
: A spreadsheet woulda been nice.
: (sighing) I’ll be sure to remember that for the next time you get whisked away on some extended journey.
: (cocking an ear) Does anyone hear that?
: Hear what?
: Gaius’ complaining?
: No, it’s this… squawking, coming from--
: SIRE!!
The Chatot spirals into Nicholas from the sky, almost knocking him down, and Nicholas stumbles and manages to shove the bird away.
: Charles? What are you--?
: Oh, sire, milord, prince, where have you been?!
: In Sazanami?
: Is that a QUESTION? SazaNAMI?! Why on EARTH were you THERE -- and WHY didn’t you TELL ME?!
: I’m sorry, Charles, I thought you knew, honest! Dad made sure that Gaius would tell you--
: And I in turn told Jackson to inform you of the prince’s whereabouts.
: Oooh, that spectral ex-monarch shall get a piece of my mind, that is for sure!
As the Chatot continues to fume, Tara folds part of her hood over her mouth to hide a grin at the frazzled tutor’s expense… but her merriment is soon forgotten when she realizes that Alaric is staring at her. His expression is distant, empty, and as Tara’s gaze meets his, he moves closer to her, waiting for the conversation around them to grow louder before speaking under his breath.
: Can we talk -- privately?
: Of courssse.
Alaric and Tara back away from the others, vanishing into the castle before anyone could stop them. Both serpents glide down the halls, deep in their thoughts, tails swishing over the carpeted floors in a quiet whoosh-whoosh… and Tara sneaks several peeks at her husband, anxious and frankly alarmed by the serious glint in his eyes. What could have happened in Sazanami to affect him so dearly?
They finally reach his study, and Alaric holds the door open for her, waiting for her to sweep into the room before closing the door behind them. As he turns to face her, she speaks, smiling tightly.
: Oh Alaric, I have misssed you so much, we have much to talk abou--
: You met with representatives of the International Guild and are allowing them to build a headquarters here.
: (mimicking Alaric’s voice) “I misssed you too, Tara, my love, we should spend the rest of the day together, jussst the two of us.”
: This is no time for jokes. Why did you agree with their plan?
: ...If I had handsss then I would have ssslapped you for that.
: Uhhh...
: What was I supposssed to do, Alaric? Arressst them?
: You made a big decision, one that impacts the entire kingdom, and didn’t include me!
: You weren’t here -- and I wasssn’t about to make them wait forever until you came back!
: So instead, you not only allowed people who essentially admitted to spying on us to keep spying, but you gave them an official place to do it?
: Thisss was not my first political meeting; my father made it a requirement for me in my childhood to attend diplomatic summonsss. They approached me, as subjectsss ought to do if they have a requessst, and I lissstened to them without guaranteeing my approval: “keep them guesssing,” as the Ard Rí would say.
: Obviously they said something that you agreed with--
: Of courssse they did! In cassse you haven’t noticed, Alaric, Aether doesss not have many alliesss. From what Gaiusss has told me, you have done mossst of your good deedsss in enemy territory, some becaussse you were threatened!
: Tell me, wouldn’t it be smart to have sssomeone like the International Guild on our side, so thossse situationsss don’t happen again?
: There is no certainty that we won’t be targeted again. It seems to be a trend that won’t end, and the International Guild is just the next one to try.
: That may be the cassse -- but we have an ace up our metaphorical sleevesss.
: What do you mean?
: Should the worst happen and the Guild succeedsss in a coup d’etat, or they can’t keep their side of the bargain, we can essscape to Ulster and take shelter there. My father livesss in a fortresss, after all, with milesss of tunnel-work underneath; we could hole up there for eonsss if we wanted to.
: You… really have thought this through, haven’t you?
: I’ve lived in Avalon longer than you, my dear, I believe I have an advantage in knowing how thingsss work on thisss continent.
: (with a sigh) I’m sorry, Tara, I should never have doubted you. I placed a great deal on your shoulders when I left for Sazanami, and I know that I can trust you to make good decisions for our country… Not sure what came over me.
: (edging close to Alaric and drawing him into a small hug - well, coil) It isss alright, your faith in me isss all that mattersss.
: (pulling away from the hu- coil) But how did you know about the agreement in the firssst place? You only jussst arrived.
: Oh, well, while in Sazanami, I met Bál, a Typhlosion who is one of the Guild leaders. He told me of the construction here, that his people had met with you…
: And that they have been watching us for quite some time. He was not a very pleasant fellow, for sure, did not leave a favorable impression of his people for me.
: Hmph, I would like to meet thisss Bál as well -- so I can tell him how unwissse it isss to speak disrespectfully to you!
: (chuckling) Thank you, love, I appreciate the offer, but I’m sure Bál would show you the same lack of courtesy he showed me.
: (staring at Alaric with a silly grin)
: … What?
: Oh, nothing. (eyes traveling up and down) Jussst getting a good look at you.
: And I like what I sssee~
: (coughing awkwardly) Y-Yes, well… I missed seeing you too.
: Thank you… You mussst be tired from your long journey.
: I am, you have no idea. (slumping forward, finally releasing the tension he’d been holding back) And to return during this time of year too, I can still feel the chill in my scales!
: (pressing against his side, cheek to cheek) Well, then let usss stoke the fireplace and get some warm food in our belliesss, and while we eat, I will tell you about the plansss Gaiusss and I have come up with to celebrate your homecoming.
: Heh, what would I do without you, Tara?
: Luckily, you’ll never have to find out. (tilts to plant a kiss on Alaric’s cheek) Now come, let’sss go; we have much catching up to do.
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The Festival of Light
: It does my heart good to see that you are all returned home safely -- and most of you without too many injuries! Knowing, too, that you managed to complete your task as well, keeping Sazanami afloat and unplundered by their enemies, well to that I say, bravo to one and all who lent a hand to the cause!
: Of course, I also know of the hardships that you had to encounter… and I can imagine that returning home during such a dark, cold, and, dare I say, depressing time of year must not be helping the with post traumatic stress that some of you are surely feeling.
: However! Queen Tara and I had already been planning a celebration of sorts for whenever you arrived, and now that you are home once more, it seems only fitting that we throw a festival to lift everyone’s spirits. Not only that, but we shall specifically celebrate with a festival of light, so that even in the shadows of winter, the good people of Aether can see a glow of hope for the future.
: … Yes, I do realize that my statement is somewhat clichéd, Jackson and Gawain already informed me of that, but I stand by my words.
: From now until springtime, we shall celebrate the light and all that it represents. Decorations will be hung, the markets will bustle with activity -- and at the very end, just before spring begins, we will host a final party that will end with a special surprise!
: Oh, and speaking of surprises, for those of you looking to sell in the market, good news -- you will not have to pay to rent a stall! For this festival, we encourage you to make as many stalls as you’d like, sell whatever goods you’d like; if you can somehow connect it to the festival’s theme of light, hope, and peace, that would be even better!
: More details will be coming over the next few months -- happy Festival of Lights, to one and all!
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Event Rundown:
After all the craziness that just ensued from Mission 10, it’s time to celebrate and relax. So, from December 20th through March 9th, we shall be hosting the Festival of Lights!
During this time, the town will be lit up with many lanterns and littered with large, smoldering braisers to keep the dark and cold of winter at bay. We encourage members to have fun during this festival! Make some snow and ice sculptures, decorate various things around the town with shiny and colorful objects, play in the snow, sing, cozy up with your loved ones, give gifts-- Anything fun that comes to mind really! Winter is long, dark, and depressing, so show that old snow miser that he can’t keep your spirits down!
Unlike normal months, festival stalls will not be limited to ten or even to normal shops, plus they will be allowed to stay up for the entire event! In addition to this, the 500 cressent fee for posting a shop will be waived for this event and item stock may be unlimited. Please feel free to get creative in how you set up a stall! If you have an ideas you aren't sure about, just ask and we can make sure they're alright.
During this time, a number of behests will take place, given out by S.NPCs and encouraging steady participation from members throughout the event. The deadline for all of these behests will be March 9th, when the festival ends, so there’s no rush to complete them. There are no real major rewards from these behests, however their cressent amounts will be doubled. We would love you to use them to learn about the S.NPCs, old and new (hint), as well as interact with other members of the group.
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Available Activities 	Available Activities 	Available Activities
Event: Secret Gift Exchange	Story: An International Welcoming Party	Event: The Great Snowball Fight
The Festival of Light: Finale - Arc 1 End
The snow has all but melted, only clumpy bits of the stuff left on the streets, revealing green-brown grass beginning to sprout in the lingering winter weather. A biting wind rushes through Aether at random intervals, but there is a genuine warmth in the air as Aetherians assemble in the castle courtyard, ready to celebrate the end of the festival this evening. Their monarchs appear from within the castle, slithering onto a pedestal above them, and other members of the royal entourage follow them, including those members of the International Guild who had arrived earlier in the month.
: Thank you all for coming tonight for one last festival event. Your participation in the Festival of Light has been greatly appreciated, and we would like to reward all of you with a final show as celebration for all we’ve accomplished.
: Hold on, dear, aren’t you forgetting sssomething?
: Yeah, Dad, we need to hear the winners of the snowball fight first!
: Si, sire, I want to know if the Gold Team won!
: O-Oh, yes, that.
: (turning to Gaius) Pleassse tell usss that Team Gol -- ahem, which team won the mossst pointsss?
: Of course, milady. (holds up a scroll) It is my pleasure to announce that, after tallying up the points several times, and having numerous pairs of unbiased eyes go over the math, the winner of the snowball fight is…
: Neither of you. It was a tie.
: WHAT?!
: Great, so all that time hiding in bars t’ avoid snowballs was wasted.
: But what about my plansss?!
: Yes, mine are ruined as -- wait, what plans?
: Oh, uhh -- what about your plansss, I could ask you the sssame!
: I’m sure you BOTH had great plans, but maybe you can both use them since you both lost and are losers together!
: … Your team didn’t win either, you’re a loser too, Jackson.
: What are you talking about, I had fun! So I won.
: Can you say YOU had fun?? No, you can't, because you don't have arms that work -- so, here! Your punishment!
Jackson reaches behind him and pulls out two identical white signs, each displaying a message, ‘I CAN’T THROW FOR SNOWBALLS.’ With a practiced flick, he throws the signs around Alaric’s and Tara’s necks, and the two snakes stare at each other in bemusement before laughing.
: Well, I guess there’s worse punishments we could suffer!
: Indeed! I am jussst glad that everyone had a good time particccipating in the event!
: (loudly clearing his throat) Yes, yes, well done to all participants of said frozen-sphere mock warfare. Now, shall we continue this metaphorical patting-on-the-back with the launching of colorful lights into the air?
: Yeah, what he said!
: I have been looking forward to this for quite some time now~
: We had better warn everyone of what’s to come, I’m sure none of them have seen something like this before…
Before anyone can say anything, Hu Shen appears from around the pedestal, carrying a long rope in one hand, with Zhi in close pursuit. He lays it down on the ground and snaps his fingers, a tiny flame appearing on his fingertip.
: Alrighty, folks, time for the big bang~! It’s gonna be loud, so look up to the sky, don’t panic, and here we go!
: Wait, Master, you have to give them more information than--
: Too late, the rope’s been lit!
Sure enough, the rope is disappearing as the flame from Hu Shen’s finger eats it, traveling around the pedestal and towards the shed where they’d been keeping the things he kept calling ‘fireworks.’ Suddenly, with a loud BANG, the shed’s roof disappears, and streaks of sparks ascend to the sky, colliding into bright flashes of light and thunderous sound much to the panicked awe of those assembled below.
!:Flashing lights:!
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And with that, both the Festival of Light and the first arc of Pokemon of Avalon have officially come to a close! The admin team was thrilled to see all the content everyone produced during the event. There were some wonderful and very creative shops, great wanted poster entries, and the snowball fight was a blast to spectate (and to participate in). We hope everyone enjoyed the event as much as we did! Now, on to a few things to note:
Snowball Fight Results
Well you guys certainly did what we thought to be the impossible. As you can see above, the event ended in a tie! The snowballs, art and stories, sure flew back and forth in rapid fire, especially at the end there! It was fantastic to see all the ways people could be pelted in the face with snow. For those interested in seeing the totals or to see how many points you contributed to your team, you can find our score doc HERE!
As for rewards, since both teams won, technically, they both got to be featured in that little ending animation up above! Full still-shots will be uploaded later. But apart from that, we also have a badge for those who participated! Everyone who earned their team some points by submitting entries for this event will be sent this badge. Congratulations to both the Green and Gold teams, you all did fantastic!
End of the First Arc
Arc 1 is officially over! Through ups and downs, the first 10 missions of PoA have passed and we’ve weathered this storm. There’s still be plenty more to come though, as we’ll be heading into Arc2 fairly soon! In fact, Mission 11 is being planned for release in April! The new arc is gonna be a wild ride as we explore a lot of the still unvisited countries and face many new challenges ahead. Missions will be mixed with a lot more mechanics we’ll be introducing soon which we are hoping will make them more fun and interactive for all of you. We hope everyone can join in on what we have planned!
As a bonus, we would also like to introduce two new jobs into the mix! The warrior class Monk and the rogue class Gambler! You can learn more about these two new jobs in the Current Job Titles journal.
What’s to Come
With arc 2 coming up, there’s plenty of new things on the way. Whether reworkings of old mechanics or brand new ones, there is a lot in store. There is a ton going on behind the scenes to make PoA be polished group it was always intended to be, so keep your eyes peeled! We’ll be making a Change Log journal to keep track of all the different things that will be coming in over the next few weeks, so keep your eyes on that! Updates will be peppered through March of all we’ve been working with, things like the- uh… huh? I just had the whole list here, where did it go? And why does it smell like perfume? Well, whatever the case, we’ll find that list and get everything on track. Stay tuned!
Category:Events
Category:Arc 1
Category:Aether
Category:Branching Objective