EVENT #17: EPULUM - COORDINATION POST

[abraxasmods]

Event #17 - Coordination

OOC Plotting Post ⦁ IC Event Log ⦁ Nocwich

This post is for coordination while the event is ongoing, to prevent the IC Event Log from being overrun by OOC mod and player communications. The comments section will contain applicable comments and forms for you to reply to as needed.

Use this post to:

◎ Contact the mods
◎ Submit your suspected culprit
◎ Investigate the crime or track ongoing investigations
◎ Submit noticeable actions
◎ Write rapid IC exchanges

Available Forms

For details on each form, see the sections below.
Be sure to reply under the applicable category as required.

Mod Communications

If you have any questions about the limits or scope of what you can do before you formalize it in an investigation, you can go over the details with us here. You can also submit the suspect to Celeste under the appropriate heading. Submitting the name of the suspect is not required to complete the mystery, but doing so may contribute to whether the suspect is caught or escapes.

If you have questions about non-investigative aspects of the event, see the Questions thread on the OOC Plotting Post.

Contact Us

<b>Player Name:</b> <b>Character Name:</b> <b>Submission:</b> (Describe your question OR write the name of the Witness your character will accuse as the suspect)

Investigations

To leave opportunities for others, please limit the scope of your actions per submission. For example, if you'd like to test a key, you must specify a narrow set of locks in a particular section. Additionally, while there are no strict limits on how many investigations you can be involved in, we do ask that you try to stagger them a little to help us keep pace.

You can investigate something multiple times as long as it makes sense for your character to try again. This includes following up with witnesses if characters learn new information. To investigate, fill out the form, then comment under the item you're investigating.

Investigate a witness, scene, or evidence

<b>Player Name:</b> <b>Character Name:</b> <b>Other characters involved:</b> <b>Witness/Scene/Evidence:</b> (What is the witness, scene, or evidence your character is exploring?) <b>Action:</b> (Describe what your character is attempting to do and how. If multiple characters are taking action, include their actions.) <b>Thread:</b> <a href="urlhere">Thread</a> (If applicable. Linking a thread is NOT required, but can help us tailor our responses) <b>Notes:</b> (Anything else)

IC Exchanges

Use this option if you have an interaction you'd like to play out, but setting up a standard IC thread would be impracticable. For example, if your character wants to speak to several people about a piece of evidence, you might want to do an IC exchange. IC exchanges can take place in the real world or the Horizon.

Treat this like an informal IC network thread done in person, where character reactions, snippets of dialogue, and other details can be quickly played out and concluded in-game without committing to a full log thread. Exchanges are game canon, and can count towards Activity Check under the category of a Network thread.

Start an IC exchange

Using the provided form is optional. Begin a thread freeform if you prefer.

<b>Where & when:</b> (Where and when is this exchange taking place?) <b>Purpose:</b> (What's the reason for this exchange?) <b>THREAD START</b> (Write the scenario, your character's actions, and any dialogue as usual)

Notable Actions

Submit any notable actions that are likely to gain attention from other players such as fights or disturbances.

Submit a notable action

<b>Player Name:</b> <b>Character Name:</b> <b>When:</b> (Approximately when is this incident taking place?) <b>Where:</b> (Where is this incident taking place?) <b>What:</b> (Describe the incident) <b>Link:</b> <a href="urlhere">Thread</a> (If applicable. Actions can be submitted without a thread if they're minor.)

Comments

[thedevilwhorose]

>:D

[cointosser]

Player Name: Hannah
Character Name: Jaskier
Other characters involved: N/A (Ciri by proxy, but he's alone)

Witness/Scene/Evidence: Speaking with Retha and Firewing
Action: Coming over from here, Jaskier will be happy to pull her aside and speak on the merits of performing (and birds!) He will offer Firewing many compliments on their plumage, and Asher, his white raven, will caw with appreciation.

He will provide plenty of compliments on her new costumes, and make a few small suggestions -- especially incorporating bird motifs, as that's his favourite as well.

After some time, he'll bring up that he overheard the Maiden was replaced with a performer named Umber, who he will ask after (after adding his regrets, having heard that Cassia was ill.) His intention was he was going to look into hiring her for one of his own performances, as he enjoyed her greatly, but he has seen no sign of her, and no one else appears to have, either.

Thread: Thread. Branching off from here!
Notes: Mostly, Jaskier's a vested interest in finding Umber as he's worried that a performer should go missing after being the replacement for another -- he fears she was mistaken for Cassia herself, or worse... as he's well aware of the dangers of jealousy among performers. Ultimately he is trying to get info from Retha while Ciri explores the dressing room to see if all the belongings in there are Cassia's, or if something of Umber's lingers as a clue.

[aquaveiled]

Not clean? Like just dirty or it has impurities?

[cointosser]

Hey, he recognizes these!!

Jaskier will attempt to draw a little eggplant emoji (thanks, Julie) before the presence leaves. He thinks it's rude if he only stares and doesn't contribute.

[cointosser]

I will be thrilled to provide my expertise to the cause. After I take a long swig of it, of course.

[cointosser]

Player Name: Hannah
Character Name: Jaskier
Other characters involved: N/A

Witness/Scene/Evidence: Marcellus Ver
Action: Jaskier will exuberantly introduce himself to Marcellus with a bow, calling himself "The Summoned Jaskier, Master Bard and Gem of the Phoenix. I'm sure you must have heard of me by now." He will compliment Marcellus on the excellence of the food and drink JAskier has had since arriving.

Though he'll eagerly get to the point. Jaskier has heard tale that Marcellus is the sole source of a unique and expensive wine. Jaskier will be quite upfront that he is eager to get his hands on this, having run vineyards himself and crafted his own vintages, but always longing for a particularly fascinating taste that he has yet to find in the Free Cities. He will offer coin or a personally crafted song for use in his business advertising or about Marcellus himself.

He's not lying, completely. While he knows the other Summoned want the wine for whatever ingredients might be in it, Jaskier is fueled purely by his ego. He cannot be bereft of a wine others may have.
Thread: Thread
Notes: He's hot and Jaskier might also hit on him, sorry

[cointosser]

Jaskier hates this plant, a lot.

Will he get any sense there is another magic forcing it to revert back to a seed, or is the flower itself just... don't it? Can he try to have it create more seeds in the short time it's grown?

[cointosser]

[Jaskier will return to the note after he's met with Wilhelm, and cursed in front of a boy and a plant.]

I regret to tell you the seed is fighting every attempt I have in growing it. I can tell it is one of the nightbloom, or quite similar to it, but... it turns yet back to a seed before anything can be done with it.

A curious plant indeed, unless my chaos has begun to fade. A detail I'm strictly ignoring.

[unwings]

Player Name: Jay
Character Name: Castiel
Other characters involved: Cadfael

Witness/Scene/Evidence: Retha, maybe Cassia if possible
Action: Cadfael and Cas are heading over to the dressing rooms to ask Retha if she'd be willing to introduce them to Cassia and see if she'd be willing to let them examine her to determine if she was poisoned, and/or what kind of poison was used. If she's available, or if there's something around here she might've had on her when she got sick. Cas has the ability to identify recently passed and current ailments in human bodies by smell, or identify people by pieces of their bones?? We're hoping he can get an idea of what, if any, poison was used on her, or what sickness she suffered from.
Thread: Thread
Notes: n/a

[divinityfrompain]

From what I heard! Exclusive, even.

[gynvael]

The attack is unconnected.

[ Ask him how he knows. ]

[magicalarchaeologist]

That is very strange. Did the botanist say anything that would indicate it can't grow? Otherwise something else may be causing it.

[abraxasmods]

Marcellus is highly secretive about his recipes and waves off her questions coyly. However, he's happy to cook a quick dish with her. He explains that because of tonight's disturbances, he can't spend time with Soraya like he hoped and thus is simply occupying himself around the Feasting Quarter.

As the challenger, Himeka can choose the dish as long as it can be finished within twenty minutes and contains ingredients they have on hand.

[abraxasmods]

If they've come into contact with similar flowers, they'll recognize that it belongs to the flowers themselves. Closer examination reveals that one of the flowers is slightly squished, as if the flowers were removed and then put back into the vase.

They may remove the flowers to look inside the vase. The vase itself is opaque.

The vanity does have some drawers or compartments to look in, but these have already been explored by previous visitors so there won't be anything of note here.

[abraxasmods]

Vampire blood gives no changes or benefits! It appears to just be for the act and intimacy itself. Ikorrans will find the idea of "turning" unique or concerning, depending on who he speaks to. It's a foreign concept for them overall.

[abraxasmods]

Babis looks thoughtful. He confesses that although Ikorr's a delightful place, he misses talk of craftsmanship since Ikorr has a strong basis in commerce and trade instead of production. He tells Viktor that his skill lies in metalworking, so he'd like to create a tool or a weapon that could help change people's lives. He doesn't know what that is yet but he hopes that by traveling, he can get some ideas.

A hydroponics system would be very valuable in a place like the Nether. He wishes Viktor luck on his invention.

When Hilda arrives, Babis will happily give his attention to her, too. Hilda may successfully convince him to come look at another piece of art with her. As a result, his drink will be unattended and Viktor may switch the cups.

[abraxasmods]

She explains that Marcellus has bamboozled many people with his charms, but that she knows his true nature. Retha believes he's a man more concerned with profits and fame at the expense of Ikorr's rich culture. Since his investments have helped many people, criticisms of him often go unheard.

After a few more drinks, she admits that she also doesn't like that Soraya is dating Marcellus. Soraya is too good for him.

[abraxasmods]

Marcellus will be startled but gracious about the accident.

They successfully grab a strand of his hair, but if Yennefer or Nadine are observant, they will notice that all of his hair shifts a little with the force when it's pulled and that Marcellus quickly rearranges his "hair" into position. He happens to be wearing a wig of very high quality, made from real hair.

While not uncommon at the party, Marcellus's wig is a natural color unlike the brighter costume wigs popular at Epulum. They can consult other Witnesses who know him to ask why he might've chosen to wear a wig tonight or they may consider this suspicious by itself.

If they miss this detail, they may submit his hair for testing here.

[abraxasmods]

There are no cups or plates that would stand out. If Cassia fell ill, it either wasn't delivered via her room or it was caused by something other than direct ingestion.

Ciri may successfully hide the brush and leave the room. Retha will be none the wiser.

[abraxasmods]

The chef will indulge Michael and note that if the party is held in Nocwich, then he may be able to assist. Otherwise, he hasn't heard word that Ikorr is opening its borders yet so they might need to wait before establishing a formal agreement. In the meanwhile, he's happy to show Michael his delicacies and explain them.

The container contains a list of catering details, one of which is that Marcellus has instructed that the Dusk Rose wine is not to be served at his private after party.

[abraxasmods]

The botanist agrees with Alucard that he sees nothing wrong with Oleuni Square even though he's one of the businesses whose applications have been denied in the past. He understands Ikorr's desires to promote smaller businesses and doesn't have any concerns about this himself, but others don't feel the same. They believe that their commercial success means they should have priority in the Square, and are unhappy that the Ikorran Pact gets to dictate who's allowed to be in the Square.

[abraxasmods]

Retha will offer similar compliments in return and overall seems to enjoy Jaskier's company.

She explains that he isn't the first person to ask about Cassia. As additional news has come, Retha's become a bit worried, too. Umber hasn't been paid yet for her performance since she arrived at the last minute. It doesn't make sense that she would disappear. Retha reported the missing person to the Sentinels, but since they have their hands full with the theft, she isn't sure how well they can help.

She asks him if he thinks Umber is in danger. Has he heard anything about it?

[abraxasmods]

The running man will "wink" at Jaskier before vanishing.

[abraxasmods]

Retha will let Michael hold her bird. He's large and sturdy, so there's no need to be too delicate with him.

From the bird, Michael can read a memory that took place 3 nights before Epulum of an obscure figure with long hair, wearing one of the animal masks (a rabbit). The figure is entering the empty dressing room across from Retha's, the one that belongs to Cassia. Before the door closes behind them, Firewing glimpsed a small leather sachet in the person's hand.

Michael can confirm the timeframe via a calendar in the memory where someone has been counting down the days to the festival.

Retha is not in the room with Firewing at this time. She's absent from the dressing rooms altogether, so only the bird was witness.

[abraxasmods]

When eavesdropping, they may overhear a butcher complain that one of his payments is overdue from a client he wouldn't expect it from. Where's all that money going if he can't pay on time?

Behind a butcher's stall is a thick ledger that seems to contain a set of important records or receipts. They can attempt to retrieve this ledger and sneak off with it, or they may try to read the contents at the scene.

The first option will give them additional time to go over the ledger more thoroughly, but will risk the butcher noticing that his ledger has gone missing. The second option risks them being discovered while performing the task, but they have a chance to quietly put the ledger back unnoticed.