[Event] Summer Festival [June 23rd - June 29th]

[rubycitymods]

There is a lot of information here, but please read everything carefully!

IC

It has remained relatively quiet within Ruby City's boundaries for a while now. As the days have been growing both longer and warmer, this fact is made all the more apparent by the way the hours stretch on and on, into picturesque sunsets and temperate, starry nights. Fireflies are beginning to appear in the city's streets at dusk, tempting even the more hesitant folks to try and catch a few, or at least to offer up a hand to present them with a place to rest for a spell.

As of Friday, June 20th the firefly population will begin to subtly increase, almost as though they were gathering in preparation for something... and, this being Ruby City, it just so happens that of course, they are. No ordinary fireflies, these little evening delights bring with them a fun variety of quirks liable to turn the lives of Ruby City's residents right on their ear, should one happen to make direct physical contact with the little guys.

Dulled Senses - Hearing, Sight, Touch, Taste and Smell, depending on where the fireflies land on your body, you might find one of your senses isn't working as well as it should anymore. Can stack for multiple senses!
Devil-May-Care - The affected is suddenly given a careless attitude which may manifest itself as anything from a dreamy lack of suspicion or concerns to the kind of reckless abandon that ends in someone finding themselves about to jump from a roof and suddenly wondering what on earth they’re doing.
The Ghost Effect - A firefly lands on you and suddenly whatever you’re holding drops from your hands! You’re still visible, but incorporeal. Feel free to have fun with it, but try not to get stuck in any walls.
Rhyming Couplets - Exactly what it says on the tin. For an undetermined amount of time, you find you can only speak in rhyming couplets! Entertaining, embarrassing, perhaps both?
Body Swap - You don’t need to know the other party in advance, but you might find yourself knowing them fairly well before all’s said and done; should one of these fireflies land on you while you’re standing within fifty feet of somebody else, you’re going to find yourself walking in their shoes for a while. And by “shoes,” we mean “body.”
Feeling Normal - No, not the way that you’re hoping. Anybody with any sort of “superhuman” abilities will find themselves feeling decidedly less “super” and more “human” if one of these fireflies lands on you. This goes for gifts bestowed by genetics, nuclear incidents, enchanted items, and anything else that grants a resident any sort of gift-- Everything is nullified. Woo hoo!
 

Finally, the real source of the fireflies' strange behaviour will become apparent, but not before they've had a few days to wreak their bioluminescent havoc. On the morning of Monday, June 23rd, the residents of Ruby City will awaken to find their temporary home redecorated, with brightly-blossoming flowers and vividly-painted stalls spread throughout the streets.

While most of these stalls are filled with more flowers, these of the potted variety that one might choose to take home, others offer brightly-colored clothing suitable for summer, peculiar and exotic foods of every imagining, and a few even boast what appear to be specially-brewed summer ales and ciders… and all of it is perfectly safe!

In addition to the seasonal decor and treats, an immense well has, for the time being at least, replaced the ruby obelisk that usually occupies the city's center. Fully ten feet across and at least fifteen feet high, the structure would no doubt be much more impressive were it not for the weathered, rotted boards sealing it closed at the mouth. Through the patchy moss that covers them like a tattered sheet, some words are barely legible just above a single palm-sized circular indentation, their faded paint hard to read in places;

"six fragments must be placed
and a single desire will be granted
for the good all or one"

Aside from the well, several other new structures appear to have sprung up overnight; a variety of antiquated game booths can be found scattered throughout the city, adorned with signs which brag that anybody of sufficient skill might just be able to win a highly-coveted prize. No further details will be revealed, however, unless one steps up to play… and anyone who does will find that any magically enhanced abilities are nullified and participants must rely on natural talent alone.

Faint heart, though, never won fair lady. The games on offer are a rickety assortment;

Horseshoes
Beat the Dealer
High Striker
Archery
Duck Pond (you always wanted a real baby duck, right?)
Ladder Climb

For games where multiple winners are possible, the ‘prize’ (detailed below) will be awarded randomly to the person marked as the ‘winner’ from the people put forward.

And as if this wasn't enough, the change in the city's air has, on top of everything else, drawn the attention of the local Dryad population, usually residing in the forest. From Monday the male residents of the city may, if they're (un?)lucky, find that the Dryads have likewise drawn their attention in turn.. for the usual sort of shenanigans that Dryads tend to try for.

Careful, boys, there's more to these new ladies than meets the eye.

The festival trappings will remain until Sunday, June 29th, but the well will be a fixture until such time as it is used (or not). However, the presence of the well itself will have unexpected consequences in the weeks to come...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

OOC

The fireflies and their various effects will precede the event before continuing throughout its duration. How long the individual effects last, however, is entirely up to you!

The "highly-coveted prizes" that the residents will be competing for will turn out to be 6 fragments of a single large, battered, gold coin - one which fits perfectly into the indentation on the boards blocking off the well, upon close inspection. The well will accept this coin, once it is whole, in exchange for a single wish... So choose wisely. There are only six fragments to be won, so if you think that your character might have what it takes (or that they would simply try, in games of chance), feel free to offer them up in the [FRAGMENT WINNERS] comment thread below by no later than Thursday, June 19th. Winners will be chosen at random and notified accordingly.

The winners/city residents on the whole may choose to work together for a wish that benefits everyone, but it is also possible for one selfish person to try and claim it for themselves! Please use the dedicated thread below (which will be put up after the winners are chosen) to decide what will happen. It’s also entirely possible that the end decision is not to utilise the wish at all.

Yes, the Dryads are really trying to do what you think they're trying to do, and they're mighty convincing about it.


This is a CITY-WIDE event. Participation in the festival itself is of course not mandatory, but it will be going on regardless! The event will run from Monday, June 23rd until Sunday, June 29th. If you have any questions, please see the [QUESTIONS] thread in the "comments" section of this entry. There's always a chance that we overlooked something or could make something better. Otherwise, have fun, and thanks for playing!

Comments

[QUESTIONS]

[rubycitymods]

Ask any questions here! Don't be shy - if you thought of it, someone else may have as well.

Re: [QUESTIONS]

[singinghuntress]

Okay, so clarification on the Feeling Normal effect from the fireflies. What if the person affected is a vampire? Would their super human abilities be nullified and they still be a vampire, or would it make them more human.

[gordianknots]

RE: the fireflies. Will their effects wear off before the carnival/the 23rd? Some of the effects (loss of touch, ghost body, etc.) might impact some people's abilities to participate in the games.

[crowsicle]

Is flashstepping a power? I always just sort of considered it a slight gift or family quirk, in the Homestuck context.

[neverbeamemory]

Will the Fireflies be around all the time, during the days as well or only during dusk?

Re: [QUESTIONS]

[superstylishsquid]

Are the Dryads convincing in the 'charismatic' or 'pushy' way? If it's the latter, Alastor might end up kind of displeased with them...and highly, highly suspicious.

[psych0p0mps]

Ghostified people don't still need to eat or anything, right?

ETA: Are they translucent or do they still appear solid? Or does it matter? /goes with translucent anwyay fuk da police

ETA2: Does ghostification confer the ability to ignore gravity? Aradia can pretty much do this anyway but I'm curious.

Re: [QUESTIONS]

[sailor_v]

Re: the body swap. So Sailor Venus and Miles Edgeworth are swapping. Which body can transform into Sailor ______? Either answer would be hilarious, as she'll either have to coach Edgeworth through the process of being a magical girl, or we'll get to find out if Edgeworth shaves his legs.

[neverbeamemory]

Sorry I have another one.

Point of interest: What is on top of the well? (for those of us that can fly)

(frozen comment) [FRAGMENT WINNERS]

[rubycitymods]

If you'd like to put your character forward for a chance to win one of the coin pieces, please do so here by Thursday, June 19th to allow time for plotting.

(frozen comment)

[magicsprice]

I'd like to put Gold up for either the Archery or Beat the Dealer games.

(frozen comment) Ahahaha.....whelp

[provenworth]

I'm throwing Elena in here as a potential winner.

(frozen comment)

[stylish_hunter]

I'm gonna toss Dante in for this, as well. He'll really only be trying the games for entertainment value with no intent of winning, but with the powers being nullified for them thing going on he'd actually give it a sincere go!

(frozen comment) Re: [FRAGMENT WINNERS]

[unitesearthandsky]

Putting Link up as a potential winner

(frozen comment)

[bifroster]

I would like to put Jane up for a potential winner!

(frozen comment)

[all_onis_are_true]

THERE'S STILL TIME putting up Hiroshi for a winner since he could use some good luck for once.

(frozen comment) Re: [FRAGMENT WINNERS]

[leekspins]

Submitting Orihime Inoue and/or Minako Aino. The former would play ALL the games. Minako loves the sporty stuff, so things like the Ladder Climb are right up her alley.

And if anyone wants to be shot by cupid's bow, let me know. She's not that great at archery. C_C

(frozen comment)

[hellburner]

I'll submit Rider and her stupid EX-rank luck for Beat the Dealer because there is no way this can end poorly, right.

even if she loses that'll just be hilarious

(frozen comment) Re: [FRAGMENT WINNERS]

[questionslinger]

I'd like to put up Edward for... any of them (who used to run -- and rig -- carnival games? Edward. So much Edward)

(frozen comment) Re: [FRAGMENT WINNERS]

[justabitunlikely]

I'd like to throw Jenny in for a chance in any of the games cause odds are she's gonna try them all. ^^

(frozen comment) Re: [FRAGMENT WINNERS]

[superstylishsquid]

Even without powers, Alastor's got a decent chance of winning a few of these. Going to be trying all but the duck pond because hahaha you don't want him around the animals, he'll spook them.

(frozen comment)

[asapphireheart]

I'd like to toss Aqua in for a chance to win at: high strike, archery, ladder climb.

And Rose Tyler is going to be a dumb and try them all.

(frozen comment)

[neverbeamemory]

Sephiroth would ~potentially-maybe~ give the High Striker a go for winning.

Particularly if he saw someone else do it and show-off with their score. Either that or if someone called him out for being too weak really to compete. That ego is a problem, man.

(frozen comment)

[untilavalon]

I'd like to put Saber up to Beat the Dealer. Her secret skill is to be really good at gambling, and it'd be fun to reveal here if anyone's ok with that.

[PLOTTING]

[rubycitymods]

General event plotting!

[PLOTTING]

[pocketmobster]

Hahaha oh my god who wants to protect Fuyuhiko's virtue from those wily dryads?

Also Davesprite will absolutely totally get the Feeling Normal effects from the fireflies (because I can never help but depower him when depowering's on the table), so anyone who wants to run into a de-sprited, de-crowed Dave enjoying his legs is more than free to do so.