Day 1: Evening

[wizardseason]

Evening: 5:00pm - Midnight

[ IRL Timeframe: March 11th - March 18th, 2019 ]

The first day has come to a close, the only things left to do are get some food and get some rest. Fortunately the residents of Bamborough are hosting a party to congratulate the heroes on their first victory, unfortunately it's running for several hours this evening. There's only so much time for sleep. What kind of balance will your hero try to strike?

Unfortunately for everyone, the evil-allured knights will be treated to a rude wake-up surprise when they finally go to sleep. No matter when they finally set their head down to rest, they all wake up at the same time, in the same place. Only the evil-allured knights will have access to this post, click to see if you've been chosen.

The good-allured knights, meanwhile, are free of a visit tonight with the Princess and the Protector. The two of them, however, are due to have a chat. Questions have to be answered, after all! He's dressed in his usual attire:

He's the same height as Luka with dark skin and vivid blue eyes that match the color of the sky. He has wicked winged white eyeliner to accent his eyes and curly black hair with white tips piled on top of his head, it's a wonder how it stays up there. Surprisingly, or unsurprisingly, he's wearing a pajama robe that looks either blue or silver depending how it's touched or how it moves. Most importantly is that he's got brass knuckles on both his hands, like he's ready to fight. But he's not here to fight, he's here to give a whisper about what comes next.

First Night Event: Bamborough: Everyone invited.

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The Weather

• Starry Night.
• 64°F / 18°C
• Quite breezy, all the trees are rustling.

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Prompts:

• Bamborough Party: To celebrate the defeat of the first monster, a full banquet is being held near the beach in Bamborough. Unlimited food, unlimited drinks, and most importantly of all was a small stockpile of blankets, sheets, pillows, and toiletries to offer any knight who might've forgotten something on the way out here. Naturally, every item is sponsored.


• You're all over Social Media!: Videos were successfully taken of all twelve knights and the princess during the first battle, and now the world is abuzz about what happened! What are they saying about your hero? How did they even get this footage? Or worst of all, how bad are they dissing your camera skills for those that recorded themselves?


• A late night walk: The first day is over, the first monster is dead. How's your character holding up? Do they seek out support from a fellow hero? Do they spend it alone? What kind of night are they having now that it's all real?


• A late night meal: Anyone leaving the Bamborough party late enough will be able to spot that a local late night ramen shop is open for business. If your hero hasn't quite eaten enough, they can drop by for a bite. But be warned, a certain sleepy villain is getting a bite to eat herself. Care to share a ramen bar meal with the enemy?

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Procedure:

Reply to the appropriate toplevel comments for events below. Indicate if a post is a private conversation with "Private" in the subject otherwise all threads should be open to interaction with others. Plan OOCly how you'd like to toss everyone around.

Comments

[fop_lop]

"Oh yes?" Terrence asks, resting his chin on one hand and leaning in slightly. "I was placed in a particularly pretty little seaside shack. It's not exactly isolated, bu-..." A memory cuts the rabbit knight off as he sits back up suddenly! "Did the, ah, 'welcome committee' locate you this morning?" Terrence certainly welcomed them, but it occurs to him that most people wouldn't that early... Especially those who value privacy a tad more.

[zafika]

Zafika tilts their head as Terrence suddenly cuts himself off in the middle of explaining where he was staying, and at the reminder of the van from the morning, they sigh quietly. "They did, yes. Couple times, actually. I'm glad people are enthusiastic, but disturbing entire neighbourhoods is... not necessarily the smartest idea."

[fop_lop]

That gets a mischievous grin out of Terrence. Not that he got enjoyment specifically out of the idea of violating Zafika's solitude, but he did find the greeting party annoying the piss out of his fellow knights rather amusing.

However, the smile fades as Terrence sighs and leans back in his chair, "You're probably better at threat assessment, or at least sizing people up..." The sudden changes in topic imply that he's still drunk, but he's dropped his usual fanciful tone and is no longer looking at the assassin. "How do you fancy our chances?"

[zafika]

Zafika goes quiet as Terrence asks them how they think they'll do, frowning beneath their blindfold as they take a moment to think. They admit, they've avoided the subject, despite how well the fight against the first monster went, even though it was accidental.

"Hmm... well... aside from me, I think we have... three others, who know how to fight. There are few Knights who I think would be quick learners, as long as they get some training. But working together is absolutely crucial, especially with the rest of the monsters." If the monsters were to get harder to defeat at a reasonable pace, two or three people could defeat the fourth monster too, but after that, they'll need as many Knights working together as possible. "Of course, it will help if some of the Knights have powers that can be used in combat. Mine, isn't that useful, I checked with Muraj and... apparently it's light manipulation. It doesn't sound like something I can use for attacks."

[fop_lop]

"Light manipulation? Could that not render you invisible, or at least induce illusionary shade or a blinding effect for cover? That seems awfully appropriate for someone of your, ah... Abilities." He hadn't intended to bring it up again after their reaction last time, but it was sort of crucial here. It did sound a bit on-the-nose.

[zafika]

Zafika gives a wry chuckle, Terrence did indeed have a point there. "Oh, no, I'm fully aware of how fitting it is. An assassin with the ability to turn themselves invisible? That's almost too perfect. I haven't gotten to experiment much, but I think I can use this power to make visual illusions, and maybe blind some of the monsters temporarily."

[fop_lop]

"I'll be first to admit I'm not one of the fighters," he concedes with a shrug, "but my power seems like it could be useful to our team at large. I can, essentially, enhance the effectiveness of anyone else. It has drawbacks, however."

Terrence's gaze shifts from the ceiling down to one of his palms. That's where it radiated from him earlier, at least. "Frankly, I'm scared. I believe those drawbacks have the potential to get us killed." Zafika had been candid with him, so it feels proper to return them the favor. Maybe that's just an excuse to air his fears, though.

[zafika]

"Enhancing? That makes you ideal for support then... you shouldn't underestimate that position either, good support can sometimes be the thing that determines how things end. And those drawbacks can be learned to work around of, right?" Zafika refuses to let the drawbacks weigh them down, they're determined to live through this.

But hearing Terrence admit that he's scared, they feel worry for their fellow Knight. "Being scared is okay. It's normal. Hell, I'm pretty sure there has never been a Knight who wasn't at least a little bit scared. But again, there's thirteen of us. We'll be looking out for each other, right?"

[fop_lop]

"Technically twice that if we're counting the companions," he corrects with a chuckle. It helps to deflect when Terrence is thrown off. It's not that Zafika struck him as mean or anything, but they don't immediately come across as the caring type. Why are so many of the knights so genuine? Here the rabbit is expecting surface-level obligate pleasantries, and he's been surprised time and again.

"Regardless of power, it's not as if I was ever going to be anything but support anyway," he concedes. "I'll just have to practice with it, I suppose."

[zafika]

Terrence correcting them actually gets him a half-chuckle from Zafika, right, technically there were 26 of them, but the companions and the protector couldn't exactly take part in the fights.

"All of us have to practise our powers. I mean, all I can do right now is turn my arms invisible, you can't exactly sneak up on anyone like that... but, we'll have time to practise, if these monsters are taken down as fast as the first one." And with what Haizea and Garrot have planned for the morning, they definitely are going to have a good opportunity to practise their powers.

[fop_lop]

Terrence mulls over the words for a bit, considering their truth. This is all getting a bit too serious for a celebration, though!

Even while being one himself, Terrence is still at heart a huge fanbunny for knights. He's silent for yet another second before grinning and piping up with, "Could you... Y'know, demonstrate? The invisible thing, I mean! Even if you've yet to master it, that's still so cool!"

[zafika]

Terrence's question certainly surprises them, especially with how excited and hopeful he sounds. And, strangely enough, they can't refuse. He's been nothing but nice to them, and if this will lift up his spirits, so be it.

"Oh, alright. It's, not really that fancy but, okay." They take a deep breath as they bring their hand up in front of them, focusing again on what exactly they want to happen. And, once again, their fingers start to shimmer and sort of vibrate like a mirage, before they turn invisible, the rest of their hand following suit, and more and more of their arm disappears, all the way to their elbow, before they stop the progress. Learning to make their entire body invisible will be useful, but knowing how to keep it that way will be even better.

[fop_lop]

Terrence watches the display, wide-eyed. It's... Quite a contrast to the usual disposition he gives off.

"Splendid! Oh, oh, wait a moment..." Terrence initially reaches for where Zafika's arm should be but stops himself short - personal space, Mr. Torrence. You've only just met! Instead, he swipes a napkin off of the table next to them and unfolds it like a miniature tablecloth before draping it over the other knight's invisible appendage.

"Haha, it's floating!"

[zafika]

Zafika tilts their head a little, wondering what Terrence is planning, and when they feel something light on their arm, they actually peek out from beneath their blindfold to see what it is. And, they barely suppress a chuckle as they see a napkin practically floating in the air.

"Well, I guess this power can be used for fun tricks like that one." They lower their blinfold back to its place as they speak, and return their arm normal before they fold the napkin back up. They don't want to attract too much attention, after all, so hopefully Terrence is fine with such a short 'show'.

[fop_lop]

"Thank you for that," he nods, leaning back in his chair again and seeming somewhat less on edge now. "I'd reciprocate, but I'm afraid my power is a smidge less showy, sorry... I still suppose it could have some fun applications though! Honestly, all of our powers could be used for something more fanciful than fighting... I'd prefer just about anything else, really."

Terrence is practically the living embodiment of the epithet 'lover, not a fighter'. "Imagine if instead we were all just summoned here to entertain everyone... I suppose technically we'll do that regardless, but I mean if that were the primary intention and there was no threat of danger." The alcohol is still doing most of the talking.

[zafika]

"No, don't apologise. It's an amazing power, you shouldn't underestimate it." They tilt their head at the bit of 'fun applications' and, they guess invisibility and illusions could be used for harmless tricks and pranks. That'd be one way to practise at least.

Then Terrence suggests the option of them just being here to entertain people, not fight, and their tail coils slightly. "I'm not going to be a spectacle for people to watch." Their answer is clipped, tensed, they remember the moment of their capture, and the mock trials. "I guess we're already doing that though, with how people are watching this sick game as if it doesn't affect them..."

[fop_lop]

"They've no choice, really. It's already been proven that the best anyone other than the knights can do is support us and continue living under the impression that we're going to win. We've managed it for 40 years so far," he shrugs, noting Zafika's renewed tension.

"Most people just want to lead an enjoyable life. They don't mean any malice, they're just preoccupied with their own problems and perhaps don't ponder predicaments outside of their own as often as they ought."

[zafika]

They sigh quietly as an attempt to relax, and force their body to be less tense. "I know... but the fact that they make a game, a show out of it? That's just wrong. They treat this like a reality TV-show while people are dying and get hurt."

They know they're technically not the one to talk, with how clueless they were about things outside of Tellan before they became an assassin, but still. They don't like how some people treat this so called Wizard Game.

[fop_lop]

"I'm sure there's certainly a smidge of cynical cash-grabbing at play here," Terrence admits bitterly before softening again, "but I suspect some people simply don't know how else to react. It's so hard to even wrap one's mind around the concept of our imminent destruction. Treating it as something other than reality makes the events far more palatable."

He sighs before getting to his point, "We're not ignoring how terrible things are. It's a defense mechanism specifically because we can't ignore it."

[zafika]

Zafika goes quiet as they think more about Terrence's words, and... well, he does have a point. They understand it being a defence mechanism, but it doesn't stop it from rubbing them the wrong way.

"I guess you're right... it just becomes more frustrating when you're the target of all of that, you know? Suddenly it's your life that's in risk and it's instead turned into entertainment for others." They have mild experience from it, but even their trials and everything else about their capture and imprisonment seems like nothing compared to this.

[fop_lop]

Terrence takes a moment to consider Zafika's perspective in turn. They were one of the knights he'd had the least info on, after all, so it's not like he has a full understanding of the snake knight's situation.

"Everyone's..." he stops himself. His first reaction was to again point out that everyone's life is at risk, most of them just don't get to participate, but really that's helping no one at this point. "...Probably not thinking about how their words might negatively impact us. We're 'heroes', right? We're larger-than-life, so nothing can stop us. That's not true, of course," he pauses to laugh for emphasis. "But we can't let everyone else know that."