Arc One: A Guarded Town

> "*Since the GUARDIANS exist, and then the GUARD exists, Clarity was GUARDING the house, and the Corrosion is GUARDED.*"
> ― Rei, upon asking Ryan about possible arc titles
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The first of four arcs of the campaign.

## Premise

*A Guarded Town* is the first arc of the Aprilside Campaign, following the new students as they enter Middle School, and are introduced to Charles Parker and Caroline Goldstein, and join the PSA Club in the process. As the arc progresses, the children are introduced to the Guardians, magic, the Guard, the Inner Circle, and the Corrosion. During the process and downtime chats, the characters navigate Aprilside, and spend a lot of time exploring, meeting other characters, and being introduced to the town.

## Missions

### A Prominent Prelude

The first mission covered the introduction of the students to the school on the very first day, including homeroom, as well as students new and old meeting their new teachers. The students navigated the school after an official invitation by the PSA Club, and congregated to the AV Room, using a secret key to get to the secret club room.

Eventually, after a proper introduction, the children were met with their first mission; to do a school-wide sweep of spirits. This led to a battle in the Library against a spirit names Myoot, who went grudge before the children calmed it.

This also led to the introduction of Kieu Dinh, and Tobi's home situation.

### The Dinh Sleepover

Shortly after the museum incident, the PSA Club were invited to a sleepover at the Dinh household! However, this was done mostly with the collaboration of Clarity and Tobi, without much interference with Kieu.

The sleepover started well enough, Caroline being the supervising adult, but after being dragged into Clarity and replaced by her with a mirror image (ha), things quickly spiraled into chaos. The children, terrified, ended up scouring the house after defeating Clarity, and discovered many grim secrets as Caroline underwent a crushing conversation with the spirit, still in the mirror.

A spirit-trafficking business was uncovered (many, if not all spirits, freed), as well as a blood connection between the Dinhs and the Trans, and the discovery of Duc, Tobi's father, being trapped in Clarity.

By the end of the night, the children were sent home after Charles (and other members of the Guard) came upon hearing of the emergency, though Caroline and Tobi's status as carriers of Corrosion strands was revealed.

Jace got a cool sword tho. This was the birth of 'Jace energy sword Sunday' jokes.

Afternoon at the Art Museum

After the debacle of the sleepover, Charles sets up a museum tour for the PSA Club. The characters meet Artemis Long, and Hector, the curator (and assistant to curator) of the museum, as well as a guide named Rachel. After exploring the exhibits, the club encounters an Out Of Order room, which Rachel enters. Suspicious, the children too enter, though end up being dragged through a mysterious vined doorway by a booming voice, which seems to have a hatred for Charles, even as he protests the kids being taken away.

The children get dragged into a swamp, and after being led around by frog spirits, eventually meet Palustag, the Guardian of Dreadwood Swamp. After an explanation of his sacred clay being stolen, the children are sent to fetch some clay for him, and they agree, though not without bitching about it.

They are given a single rule however, about how they mustn't touch anything that isn't theirs, and how they must only fetch the clay.

Eventually, they come across Adder, after nearly being led astray by Willow, a Will O'Wisp. Adder invites them into their home, but eventually leaves them inside, and Oliver is tempted by their large collection of books, and ends up opening them for potential information. However, this seems to be a mistake, and he is confronted as the pages call him out on breaking the one rule he was given.

Stricken, Oliver runs back to Palustag in fear of the others being punished, and his companions follow, though Caleb remains one of the only children to complete the mission first, the others quickly following.

As this transpires, Caroline and Charles, back at the Museum, speak with Rachel, now revealed to be Yage.

Back at the Guardian's resting place, Oliver and Palustag speak, leading to an emotional moment which touches the subject of Oliver's fear and feelings towards his friends, and as the moment comes to a conclusion, the rest arrive. The children argue in favour of Oliver's innocence, which is proof enough to Palustag of the children's worthiness to be in Dreadwood.

Palustag reveals his ability to use magic and what exactly it does, then teaching the children how to make clay keys and how to do a basic spell, then sending them all home with his name and an invitation to come back as they please.

Led back to the museum with another formed door, there is a bit of conflict as the children come out, angry towards their club advisors, and overwhelmed with what transpired previously. In the process, Caleb loses his connection to Caelum's basin, and Charles gets a lifetime ban from the museum.

### B1nary B0ys

Ruby sets up a mission for the PSA Club (and co), introducing them to Magic, and to Hatter and Allen, as well as Gummie. He invites the children to Hatter's residence, and everyone explores the B1nary, a pocket dimension made of monochrome magic.

During the duration of their stay, the children all explore the B1nary, and also do some fucking sick as hell shit when they literally have the ability to create anything they desire just by asking Hatter. This includes some hella cool skateboard tricks, blowing up buildings, growing wings, and getting cool teddy bears named Charlie.

At the end of the mission, the children are given Golden Apples, which allow them communication with Hatter directly, as well as offers for magic lessons in monochrome.

Other side effects of the mission include a triggering of Ezra's strand of Corrosion, as well as Tobi and Ruby bonding over being mediums.

### Of Long Love, Lost

Caroline asks the club assistance from the PSA Club to help her friend, a ghost named Miss Amelie Auspilire, who seemed to have misplaced an item. After cracking a poem and a code, the club goes on a chase around the school for more clues and hints, and eventually discover a history and romance between Miss Amelie and another teacher employed at her time in the school when she died, a woman named Beatrice.

The club eventually finds the object in question; a locket, inside a dumbwaiter in the wall. During the discovery, they are confronted by Shutterspeed, a spirit which looks like a camera, but it is later sent to Max after the club deals with it. Miss Amelie is given her locket, after Max showcases a spirit ability to bond a spirit with a tool, leaving Amelie with the memory of her love.

### Into the Mist

The Club all go to the city square, and become familiar with the Reaper King, a fairly young Guardian, and are introduced to their pocket dimension. After some explanation, the children understand that the spectrals of Aprilside contribute spectral energy, for the Reaper King to redistribute to ghosts, to keep them, well, *alive* in the after-life. There seems to be a single problem, a mischievous ghost named Chip, and the Reaper King asks the PSA Club to assist with the debacle.

After going to the Kiddie Corner, the children meet Chip, though Ezra makes the mistake of picking up the game offered, which triggers a pseudo-battle; a game. As Ezra fights neck and neck against Chip in a racing video game, the other members of the Club go against the possessed stuffed animals in the room, waging a dance-battle for the ages. Highlights include Oliver and Ruby dancing while holding hands, and Jace dipping Gabby in a dramatic show of panache.

The children eventually defeat Chip, Gabby rolling a nat 20 to lift Jace and spin her, and go back to Reaper King to showcase their success, who rewards them by teaching them some magic, allowing them to summon simple objects to bring it to them. They also gift them with keys which would lead to the pocket dimension, and after a goodbye, the children go to the Parker household for a sleepover.

## Other Events

### Corrosion Related

* It was revealed to a few by Dr. Tominaga some mechanics about the Corrosion.
	+ Corrosion mechanics were then edited, making sure that carriers of the Corrosion strand could not speak of it.
* Caleb was infected with the Corrosion by Dr. Theodore K.

### Inner Circle Related

* Mason's relations to Cynthia and his use to the Inner Circle was revealed.
* Mirabel and Ryker came in contact over the compromised house.
* Giselle had a gay bonding moment with Caitlyn in RIngs and Ink.
* Wellington had a pretty gay moment with Nash at the bar.

### Miscellaneous Events

* The surprise party for Caroline was planned and executed, with a huge success.
* Tobi officially moved in with Caroline for the moment, and it's really cute.
* There were several Gay Bonding Moments™ between Max and Dr. Tominaga.
* Caleb came in contact with Florence and Julian, and started to learn sign-language.
* Jace and Caleb spent several moments in the woods together, involving some rather awkward conversation for Caleb, though it was a fucking riot to read since it was so goddamned funny for the rest of us. What a combo.
* Gabby and Oliver went to see Palustag early in the morning.
* Allen and Vincent's relations were revealed, and they went on a date.
* Gabby, Caleb, and Ruby went to Mishka's Mewosels, and the Parker family adopted Esme, and Caleb took a liking to a Russian Blue, and Gabby bonded with a kitten named Trixie.
* Caroline and Cynthia went on a date!
* Tobi and Oliver are going on a fun day out together, to find a tool for Coronis.