Event 18
World's Wrath
15 Mar - 11 Apr, 2018
Introduction
For over a year now, Alva has been plagued with strange and inexplicable phenomena. From rare magical storms to eerie lights, haunting songs to unnatural growths, the people have weathered and witnessed each happening. The most recent in this string has been, for months now, the bizarre new plant-life flourishing all over Nisalvini and the mysterious humming from Bratkowice’s towering Molvahain forest. As ever, no one has known what to make of them.
The time for simply wondering ends abruptly on the 15th Arrival. All over Alva, a faint tremor shakes the ground. Then, with a terrible rending and tearing of earth, the foundations of Nisalvini's entire island start to sink, plunging the white isle downwards into the sea. At the same time, screams echo in Bratkowice as the Molvahain bursts into sudden, savage growth, consuming fields and villages with massive roots and trees.
Ten days later, the land and oceans heave across the Jewel Sea. Landslides, cracking earth and tidal waves batter the coasts, until the next dawn reveals that new continents have risen from the sea. In their centre stands a grand, mysterious citadel - the Citadel of Crowns, a place of myth and fairy tale, and potentially home to a treasure of legendary scale. This is a prize no nation can turn from... much less let their enemies seize.
Finally, a deep silver mist descends upon all of Alva. The natural world quivers with abnormal tension until, on as dawn breaks on the 11th Seeds, something stirs...
The world has awakened to something cataclysmic. And it is only beginning.
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This is a three part event.
Each part will be released two weeks apart.
Only Parts 1 and 2 have changeable outcomes. Part 3 does not so just enjoy it!
Alva is seized with natural catastrophes and phenomena never seen before. How many will survive Nisalvini's sinking and the spreading Molvahain? Into whose hands will the Citadel of Crowns fall? What does it all mean, and what will be the final cost?
Nisalvini & Bratkowice
Part 1
Nisalvini
The signs that something was amiss started months ago, when the flora of Nisalvini went haywire after the slaying of the Ley Elk. Even after the flood of virether subsided in the winter, the plant-life never ceased sprouting and transforming in ways never before seen. While it was beautiful, academics of the island had to uneasily agree that something was deeply wrong with Nisalvini.
The sun is high in the sky on the 15th Arrival when residents of the white isle feel a rumbling in the earth. The ground beneath them shakes, lurches, and then seawater from the shores starts to rise, flooding the streets of nearby towns. The people realise: the entire island is sinking.
Panic grips the populace and a distress call is sent immediately to the mainland. Boats are loaded and rafts cobbled together by those seeking to escape, while buildings are reinforced with water-repellant magical barriers by those attempting to endure. Those without boats seek refuge in libraries, all of which have been proofed against fire, wind and water in order to protect their books. Everything that cannot be hoarded into a boat or protected building is left to the mercy of the sea as it rushes in. Before the day is out, Nisalvini is completely submerged - and sinking still. How far it will fall - and whether the many trapped on the island can survive - nobody knows.
Bratkowice
Ever since the Molvahain began to sing, Bratkovan bards and troubadours have been trying to figure out what is going on. Many journey to its borders and the single township there to transcribe the song, while others search ancient texts within castle Bratkowice’s library for stories of the Molvahain, aided by the Serdar’s family. For both parties, progress is slow, and desperation rises as more and more people go missing in the forest. Finally a group of Bratkovans, mostly elves, defy warnings and venture deep into the forest, hoping a closer listen will yield them clues.
As the sun begins to set on the 15th, a sudden message arrives from the group, sent through whisper tree to the castle. A frightened voice garbles of a forest that stirs, trees shooting up from the ground before their eyes, trees screaming and bleeding when cut… "Something stirs within the forest!" is the last thing they say before communication cuts off.
Soon, more messages come flooding in from the domains around the Molvahain and a terrible picture becomes clear: the forest is spreading rampantly, overtaking its surrounding lands with huge trees that burst from the earth. As it reaches villages, the people flee or fight to keep the growth at bay - and all the while, the song of the Molvahain rings louder than ever.
Jewel Sea
Part 2
Just ten days later, on the 25th Arrival, the earth shakes between Miras and Linhythe. The ground cracks and land sloughs from under houses. Tidal waves crash into ports and seaside villages. Coastline heaves and breaks around Miras and Linhythe... and as the sun rises the next day, a new landscape emerges. The northern stretch of the Jewel Sea is no more - in its place is new coast, and entire new continents risen from the sea floor.
A rush to explore - and seize - the new land begins almost immediately, driven by a strange urgency from all leaders with a stake. East and West Miras battle for ownership of the new soil on their side, while the Empire and Federation clash in the eastern seas. Although strained from the catastrophes still shaking Bratkowice and Nisalvini, all mobilise both civilians and military in a race to capture as much as possible - for there's more at stake than simple territory. Under the coral and ocean debris, the ground is strewn with the bones of ancient civilisation.
The most valuable prize of all lies on one continent right in the centre - an immense golden citadel, so huge that its tallest spire is visible from both the East and the West. The nearer people come, the clearer its identity becomes. The Citadel of Crowns, a citadel of old known only as a popular fairy tale, is real. Whoever claims it will have an important bridge to ancient knowledge... and most tantalisingly, may find its legendary treasure. Nobody knows the form of this treasure yet - some stories tell of a weapon that ends all wars, others of a book telling all the world's truths - but if it exists, it may be the most powerful artifact of all.
Mysterious Awakening
Part 3
On the 10th Seeds, yet another unnerving phenomenon arrives - and this time it envelops the entirety of Alva. From the deepest north to the farthest south, a thick silver mist descends upon the world. Leaves quiver without wind, rocks feel strangely warm and creatures are unnaturally quiet, as if waiting for something to break. Even humans and elves feel some directionless unease deep in their stomachs. For a day people wonder and try prepare for disaster without a clue of what it might be, but nothing happens.
It is only on the dawn of the 11th that something stirs in the mist. It starts with the Molvahain. The trees writhe and split until from their bleeding bark, twisted elf-like figures emerge. The same begins to happen all over Alva, and from all manner of places. Long morning shadows under leaves transform into the contours of faces and limbs. Stone and soil crack as they push into new forms. Water becomes murky and swirls up into translucent figures. The mist lifts in the morning rays, leaving behind spires of cloud in humanoid shapes. More details ▶
They are still and vacant, somewhere between nature and sentience. They can be felled, or crushed, or dispersed like the nature they came from - and some are thus destroyed in fear. But if left, they begin to stir as if waking from a long slumber. Are they friend or enemy? What is their past and what future do they bring? Either way, a new existence walks Alva.
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A new race, the oriad, is now unlocked.
They will be available for application after this event. There will be an audition next prompt in which members can design them and win special oriad characters. Thereafter they will be available by character token.
Note that IC, oriads are as yet unnamed and not responsive. You may depict characters interacting with unresponsive ones, but may not assign importance to any. If you wish to begin designing an audition character now, please refer to the details linked above but do not commit any writing or character building until we release the guidelines.
Story
Activities
Event Outcomes
The event outcome will be determined by the actions of your characters in the event entry. Each entry will contribute to:
The survival of those in Nisalvini and Bratkowice, and how much damage they suffer.
How much of the new territory and the Citadel of Crowns is claimed by each nation* (West Miras allied with the Federation, and East Miras allied with the Empire).
The nature of the damage/territory claim may also be affected by the specific content in entries.
* Please note that the nation your character is physically with when they advance to the Citadel will be the one that earns land from their participation (e.g. advancing from Cantor means West Miras will get land, from Tusa means the Federation will, etc.)
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.
Special Role
Jasper Cotterill
Hunstman of the West
Miras' military springs to Nisalvini's aid. One of them, the new Argentum Jasper Cotterill, is tasked with rescuing the most important minds and politicians of the island. Amidst the chaos he discovers one great mind worth more than all others - Hadre Kalumnos, known as the greatest historian in the Kingdom... and one of the Arcanists' key ringleaders. Hadre is trapped in a sinking mansion, surrounded by forbidden books and plans and determined to go down with them rather than be captured. Jasper too is determined, for the good of his King and his country. They struggle fiercely but Jasper prevails - by his hand West Miras now possesses both a head of the rebellion and their knowledge... and new hope for a whole Kingdom.
Special Role
Leo Binici
Boy with the Seer's Tattoo
While searching through the Citadel of Crowns, Leo comes across a vast chamber with the remains of a grand mural upon its walls. The only intact part portrays a large bird... and an elk that Leo will never forget: Tharoneos, the slain god child. When he touches the faded paint, a jolt passes through his fingertips and an eye-like mark suddenly manifests on his skin. It seems harmless, though it won't come off, and soon reveals itself to be a mysterious magic that allows him to see hidden things around the Citadel. The outlines of doors, invisible writing on the walls - they all glow softly in his vision, showing him countless secrets in the ruins.
Special Role
Rohayu Shir-Del
Ghost Chaser
The minute Rohayu steps into the Citadel, she realises something is different for her - she hears and sees things that she shouldn't. Where others hear only silence or the faintest whispers, the echoes of words long past ring clear in her ears. Images of tall robed figures and disappeared scenes flash in the corners of her eyes. These are the memories of the Citadel, imprinted into its spaces by intensity and ancient magic. As she chases its ghosts from room to room, she gains a rare and unique glance into the forgotten history of the Citadel - fear and chaos, hellfire from a familiar beast, and three words that ring through the jumble of an unknown language - 'eirene', 'soloros' and 'yerelda'.
Conclusion
West Miras and Estraude rush to Nisalvini’s aid. Many are pulled to safe land in Cantor on the droves of boats, animals and airships that came - but many are not, and as the island sinks lower, rescue becomes harder and scarcer. By the 28th Arrival, Nisalvini is out of reach. By the 30th, all communication is lost. Hope crumbles for survivors. But then, for those below, a miracle unfurls on the 3rd Seeds. The land finally stops sinking - and in the murky light outside the barriers, plants burst into life. Kelps, anemones, marine flora never before seen flourish, some frothing with bubbles. Carefully building their shields outwards, people investigate the new gardens and discover plants that can produce air, be eaten or make water-resistant materials. Nisalvini kicks into high gear - there is a lifeline here if they can learn their new environment.
Meanwhile help flows into Bratkowice from Koben, the military and some forest-hardened Iadlish. Together with locals they slay trees and evacuate residents, but it is barely enough. The sudden rise of the Citadel turns interest west, and too few remain to stem the Molvahain’s rampage. Fields, castles and towns all across eastern Bratkowice are swallowed by the forest, leaving countless dead or missing. The Serdar declares war on the Molvahain and eventually, on the 5th Seeds, forces manage to halt the forest’s advance - but no more than that. While they hold the disaster at bay, refugees crowd into Bratkowice city and any other safe place. There is some small comfort that the best farmland is in the west so the locals will not starve, but Bratkowice can no longer provide for the rest of the Empire. Food will soon become scarce.
The Empire, however, wins what it paid the price for. Arriving in tremendous force on the risen land, it claims not only half the new territory but also the Citadel of Crowns itself. Their ally, East Miras, seizes another quarter. West Miras arrives later and lesser due to their efforts to save Nisalvini, but they still manage to secure the remaining fifth of the land. A few small islands fall into the hands of their friends, the Southern Federation.
Before the Empire’s hold on the Citadel tightened though, people from all over scoured the fairytale city for its legendary treasures. Some were found, and relinquished by the city to their rightful claimers… but the same cannot be said for anything else that was taken. All others who took from the castle soon find a mysterious, itching mark on their skin. It feels like a reprimand, but no one knows what it really means - all they can hope is that Alva has not stirred yet more of the world’s wrath.