Event 22
Enigma
29 Mar, 2025 - 10 May, 2025
Introduction
Six months have passed since the failed plot to oust the Consul, the lawkeepers' investigation into the missing Estrans, and the crystalline monster incursion. The excitement went as quickly as it came with the careful suppression of information from the Government and Noitheque. Estraude has since welcomed the return of the long-awaited Path of Beasts festival that celebrated the gods with a unique set of challenges. The boat race takes pride and centre as the opening act to the celebrations. Life in Estraude is vibrant and peaceful, a world away from the monstrous generals and newly awoken deities.
The rainy season is in full swing in the month of Stars when a call for the brave-hearted goes out. A new site, thought to be as old as the Viyanaru cave ruins, has been discovered deep in the rainforest. The Consul, on behalf of the Church College, invites the talented and experienced to embark on a new expedition to uncover its mysteries.
Another chance to delve into Estraude's past has arisen. Can the explorers piece together the clues before the curtain is closed to obscure the truth?
Event Details
Enigma
The last expedition left Estraude scrambling for answers and now, months later, many questions remain unanswered due to the lack of information or the suppression of information. Under the watchful eyes of the Inquisitors, arcane specialists continue to work on neutralising the strange ether that rises from the deep, but every solution they test buckles under the unpredictability of the everchanging ether. The Chamber of Aediles, Estraude’s governing body, has grown increasingly impatient with these distractions and has been pushing for the research’s end, citing more important matters to focus on. The Consul and the Church College continue to champion the investigation, hoping to find an answer that might help solve other problems that bubble across Alva.
On the 7th of Stars 8295, the old lecture hall in the church college is abuzz with life. The learned scholars of the college mingle with the brave and the curious. Many were here for the first expedition, eager to get into the next chapter of this story. A new location has been uncovered to the west of the Viyanaru caves. Once mistaken for a freestanding hill, a recent earthquake has cracked the earthen exterior to reveal the carved slabs beneath. Preliminary reports suggest it may be a temple or a tomb constructed by the same civilisation that built in the Viyanaru caves, with the added benefit that the strange ether, although present, remains stable. Researchers hope that this new location, named Site B or ‘The Ziggurat’, might hold the final pieces to unravel the mystery that hangs over Estraude.
On the 10th of Stars, an airship departs from the college, loaded with the expedition team, archaeological equipment and supplies. The journey is smooth sailing, filled with theory crafting and knowledge sharing between colleagues. As the airship nears, they see that the scouting team has cleared a landing site, providing the explorers with their first view of Site B. From above, disappointingly, it appears as a mound reclaimed by the rainforest, enveloped in layers of earth, roots, and lush vegetation. Upon arrival, the clearing is soon filled with crates and tents. Plans and rules are re-explained, having learnt lessons from the previous venture, they cannot risk the team disappearing into another realm again.
By late afternoon, everything is finally in place to begin the mission. A crevice, tangled with fallen rocks and knotted roots, offers entry into the hidden Ziggurat. Under torchlight, the team must again delve into the remnants of the past and piece together the clues left behind.
Story
Activities
Event Outcomes
After another disastrous expedition, the Chamber of Aediles has ruled that further expeditions will not be permitted. With no new opportunities to explore these ancient sites, answers must now be sought from the reclaimed artefacts, tomes and experts. A popular topic among scholars is who to partner with for their research: Estraude's own academic circles, or those beyond in the Kingdom and Empire? Each one holds valuable expertise in different fields, yet also their own agendas... so who should they collaborate with to find the answers they seek?
The event outcome will be determined by vote. Each member who participated in the modded activities will gain one vote per activity; art entries can earn extra votes.
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Event Participation
Forgotten Ziggurat
An exploration and puzzle roleplay game. Delve into the forgotten ziggurat and uncover clues about its ancient past.
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Event Participation
Tooth and Claw
A bizarre beast has wreaked havoc across Site B. Fend off this new danger in a battle roleplay game.
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Event Participation
Event Art
Draw, write or in any way depict your character's involvement in the main event to affect the outcomes! Art or literature entries will receive a bonus 30 EXP. Only main characters are eligible for the bonus EXP and the outcome.
Event Participation
Prompt Art
For characters who cannot be directly involved in the event, you can use this event as a prompt (e.g. reacting to the news from another city). Prompt submissions will get a bonus 10 EXP for the submission but will not count towards the event outcome.
Event Participation
Action Statement
If you don't have time to make an art piece, you can get 5 EXP by simply stating what your character is doing for the event via a post in the #event-board Discord channel. This applies to main characters only and there must be direct involvement with the events to get this. Side characters' involvement can be described to contribute to the event canon however no points will be given. If you go on to enter an art submission later, the EXP received for this will be replaced by the art submission points.
Conclusion
The expedition into the Ziggurat started smoothly. Teams industriously mapped rooms and collected various items of interest - books, jars, scrolls, knick-knacks - until a misstep triggered an ancient defensive system, sealing the explorers inside along with its untold dangers. With no choice but to continue deeper, they forged on, overcoming arcane locks through a mixture of smarts and brute force. What met them in the heart of the Ziggurat was a luxurious royal court, and workshops filled mysterious research and experiments.
Then disaster struck - a vicious multi-eyed beast found them. Despite attempts at peace and the reveal of its name 'Mixed Nuts' by Oryad, the twisted monster attacked without mercy. Those who could fight stood their ground, and after a hard battle they snatched victory from its twin maws. But before the dust could settle, a new horror sundered the blood-soaked camp with one command on its lips - 'Leave'. The Consul managed to repel its searing green attack with the flawless shelter of legendary treasure, the 'Shield of the Saviour'... and then yet another twist - one of their number stepped forward to reveal herself as none other than Triss. In an instant, she stole both the mysterious attacker and Oryad away through a portal... leaving the expeditioners with nothing but rain and silence to wash away their frustrations. What could be carried was collected, and the injured limped their way to a nearby village to await rescue.
In the early hours of the 11th of Stars, an airship laden with the explorers arrived at Estraude’s main dock, less than twenty-four hours after it had departed. There was no fanfare nor cheerful crowd to greet them - but there was rest and recuperation. They were placed into the capable hands of the Circle of the Wreath for a few days of medical care and quarantine against ancient diseases or curses. Goverment officials visited each bedside and took down each story to uncover the full scale of this disaster.
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After another tragic expedition, the Chamber of Aediles has ruled that further expeditions will not be permitted. With no new opportunities to explore these ancient sites, answers must now be sought from only the reclaimed artefacts and existing sources of knowledge. The question thus emerges amongst scholars: to who and where should they take their research? Estraude's own academic circles and Noitheque, or those beyond in the Kingdom and Empire? Each place offers valuable expertise in different fields, yet also their own agendas, making it a delicate choice.
After weeks of back-and-forth and bureaucracy, the Consul and Apostle of Mareus finally announce their decision: a new joint research program has been established with the Kingdom's Royal Arcanists and newly-reopened Academy of the Arcane. With support from the Estran government, Estraude's scholars will have the opportunity to travel to Miras, consult their experts and study in their gilded halls. At the same time, Kingdom scholars are invited to join the local research teams in Estraude, as many artefacts - including the remains of the terrible beast - are too fragile to make the journey across the Jewel Sea. In this way, all information discovered thus far about Irana’s caves and the mysterious happenings in Estraude are gradually and meticulously shared with the Kingdom, in the hopes that their combined knowledge will pave the way to new insights.
For the rest of Alva, this development comes as a surprise. The Kingdom and Estraude had grown distant since the Emerald Masquerade, with Estraude's attention mostly turned towards Tusa and thawing relationships with the Empire. Given their current ties, a collaboration with the Empire would have been more expected - making it a rather stark sign now that Estraude has chosen to trust the Kingdom over the Empire, and may very well do so again on more critical matters. The Kingdom, of course, is more than happy to see an old ally of centuries return to their fold, but whether this causes a dent in the Empire's newly-repaired bond with Estraude... only time will tell. For now, there are too many other questions to be asked, and much work to be done.