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aefenglom log posting account ([personal profile] faileas) wrote in [community profile] middaeg2021-05-02 02:26 pm
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Quest Log: MAY 2021

Quest Log: May, 2021

CITY-WIDE QUESTS

    Quest #1 - Part-timers Wanted! (Aefenglom) - The following places are looking for part-timers for the month. Duties vary by shop, though all are paying 500-cunes per hour, five days a week.

      Clockwork World - A shop specializing in working with gears, clocks, watches, and very tiny tools is looking for part-time repairers. Dainty hands are a requirement, unless you're skilled in dealing with very small objects; the ability to peer into a magnifying glass for hours on end without getting tired is much appreciated.
      Batten Your Hatches - A group of ex-sailors who have decided the sea is no longer for them are hiring help for their new business, Batten Your Hatches, a ship repair and cleaning service that hawks their talents to those docking in the Harbor District after long journeys. Barnacle removal, leak repair, swabbing poop decks, upgrades and more. If ships are your thing, you’re hired! Does not require travel!
      Sweater Weather - A very pinch-faced, traditional-thinking elderly woman is hiring anyone who can knit to help her produce enough sweaters to make these visitors from the islands cover themselves up. She is just positively scandalized by their light-weight, flowy clothing, often lacking sleeves, my gosh!, and thinks they should be dressing properly now that they’re in Aefenglom! Maybe you agree, or maybe you just want to earn some money knitting and try to convince her that other cultures can dress how they want, you know.

    Quest #2 - Boaltinn Through the Storm (Aefenglom) - Boaltinn is a significant celebration in Aefenglom, marked by large bonfires central to the holiday, lit to herald in the coming of summer and fresh starts. Unfortunately, with all this rain the first three days of Maiuril, keeping a bonfire going after nightfall is a lot more difficult! Not to mention it seems like it will be more difficult to get people out of their homes to celebrate in the rain. Help is wanted in raising large, airy tents, pavilions, or other open coverings that will shield gatherings of people and still allow the bonfire tradition to be observed - it’s a soggy job, but you’re willing to help, right?

    Sharing food and treats is a tradition easy to observe indoors, however, and patisseries, cafes and restaurants are also baking or cooking up a storm. So if your calling is more food-oriented, and you want to stay dry, there are also plenty of 'help wanted' signs in shop windows! Bakeries and patisseries especially are looking for help from artistically-inclined individuals to decorate their cakes and cookies for the festival in appropriately spring-inspired designs. For those who are artistic but no good with handling icing or chocolate, there's also significant demand for artists to help design and illustrate fortune-reading cards similar to Tarot decks, which have been quite popular lately. This is a great month of opportunity for anyone wanting some extra cunes in their pocket!

    Quest #3 - Scentsational Samplers (Aefenglom) - A young Merrow named Tamsin is eager to inherit the parfumerie her late mother bequeathed her, Scentsation. Along with the deed, her mother has left plenty of notes and guidelines for creating the unique perfume oils and cosmetics the shop is famous for. Tamsin has made the first batch already and is offering free samples around the Entertainment and Shopping districts, trying to advertise her wares and make some sales that will draw attention to her store. Perhaps you’ve grabbed such a sample, or gotten it from someone else who picked one up or purchased a sampler pack. And though everything smells absolutely amazing, there's a bit of a… problem with some of these oils.

    Tamsin certainly has a nose for composing unique scents, all being pleasant ones. However, she's still not entirely familiar with all the different ingredients her mother's shop is stocked with, and in her excitement to create new and unique perfumes and essential oils, she seems to have accidentally mixed in a few volatile ingredients that are now causing unexpected side effects in some customers.

    Perhaps she accidentally mixed some items into the new spring flowers scent that belong in a love potion instead, causing the wearer to smell incredibly attractive to everyone else around, or maybe even causing the wearer to become more attracted to people around them. That fresh minty scent could accidentally cause you to become really cold instead; at least you'll smell amazing while cuddling up for warmth. Sweet vanilla increases desire to compliment and befriend others, encouraging a sweet and friendly disposition in the wearer and those who're nearby -- while the musky, more adult version of the scent takes it a notch further (for characters 18+) and makes them feel frisky and loose, lowering inhibitions.

    And so on and so forth -- feel free to make up your own scents and related effects, from general mischief to spicier options. In fact, characters 18+ will even be able to purchase oils and perfumes encouraging sex and kinky exploration intentionally from Tamsin's pop-up shop in the Entertainment District, Sensual Sentsation, later in the month when the optimistic Merrow turns customer complaints about the side effects into inspiration to further her business venture!

WILDE QUESTS

    Quest #1 - Helping Hands (Aefenglom) - The slums outside the Bright Wall have been slowly receiving assistance from the Coven and especially the Mirrorbound over the last couple of years, but their location so close to the Cwyld-infested forests always threatening to push closer has made it difficult to enact lasting change in the rates of infections no matter how many times healers go out to help. Until now. With the Cwyldheart destroyed and the leylines beneath the land cleansed, Nerissa Bell puts out a call for volunteers to jump on this new opportunity as soon as possible. This is their chance. For the first time in recent memory, the area outside the Bright Wall has a chance of being restored and protected.

    A committee of Coven Witches puts together parties of volunteers to assist the citizens of the slums and sends out healers trained in handling minor Cwyld infections. For those out beyond the Wall who are too infected to be treated on the spot, the committee is trying to get the funds from Parliament to set up a treatment center, but it may be some time before such a formal solution is possible. In the meantime, volunteers are being sought to help in any way they can.

    As always, the Coven asks you to be careful when interacting with infected individuals; though they're still within their right minds, becoming infected is a very real danger. Please wear gloves and a face mask when interacting with those showing symptoms of the Cwyld.

    Volunteer duties include but are not limited to:

    - Medical aid: taking care of someone, healing, administering medicine in syrup, pill, or shot form, etc.
    - Entertainment: singing, dancing, acting, story-telling, playing an instrument, otherwise helping to bring cheer to those in need
    - Guards & Fighters: there are still some infected creatures roaming near or even in the slums, or occasionally individuals out of their right minds who might present a danger to themselves and others. The goal is always to get them help, so please be careful if someone needs to be restrained.
    - Donations: even if you can't go in person, you can always donate medicine, books, toys, cunes, supplies, etc.
    - Activism: anyone who has more influence with Parliament is also encouraged to participate on the political and activist side, putting pressure on Parliament where possible. Calling attention to the cause is also encouraged. This is the first time in years there's a reach chance to make a lasting difference outside the Bright Wall!

    Quest #2 - Pretty Plumage (Aefenglom) - A familiar group of jewellers that asked for help in Deceuer once again reaches out with a request. This time, just like before, they’re asking to venture into the Wilde where the Snowbirds (smallish ground-bound birds with beautiful crystalline feathers that are known to be quite delicate; scared or distressed the birds turn brown and remain this way) usually nest, and make sure that the birds are safe after that whole hubbub with the Cwyldheart last month. Previously, the Mirrorbound cleared the place of infected foxes. This time, the representative wants to ensure they will still be able to emerge with the colder Wilde weather. While the city's craftsmen collect their feathers for monetary gain, they want to protect the birds. They even offer rewards for checking the place periodically, or if someone befriends the birds enough to bring feathers.

    With winter settling into the Wilde and snow beginning to fall later in the month, the Snowbirds are approaching their mating season -- which means that young males are sporting long, delicately lacey tail feathers to attract their mates, adorned on the ends with what looks like a different snowflake design for each. These beautiful feathers also attract very wealthy buyers and fetch a pretty price on the market. Adventurers willing to help harvest these tail feathers will be paid handsomely, but are reminded again that the birds must be treated carefully and gently. It is possible to collect fallen feathers or gently pluck a few from each bird. Startling, upsetting, hurting or killing the animals makes all their feathers turn brown or even shrivel up and wither from the stress, rendering them worthless. Those familiar with the Snowbirds will advise that the best time to try to snag some feathers is during the male Snowbird's elaborate mating dance, during which he vigorously fans his tail and occasionally sheds feathers… or is at least distracted enough that he might not notice a couple being plucked.


HIGH RISK QUESTS

    Quest #1 - A Whole New Wilde (Aefenglom) - With the Cwyldheart cleansed, the worst of the infection in the Silent Forest and the stretches of Wilde between Aefenglom and the Northern Outpost is also on the retreat. There are still pockets of it clinging to trees, plants, and animals even though the earth beneath them has been cleared out from below. The Wilders and the Coven are calling for volunteers to help track down pockets of infection and work on hunting and eliminating remaining Cwyldtid, especially those closest to the outskirts of Aefenglom. The goal is to expand the safe area of land as far as possible outside the Bright Wall, protect the people who live there, and eventually be able to cultivate more farmland.

    Volunteers are asked to help with several tasks. Those equipped and confident enough to fight the infected beasts out in the forest will find plenty to hunt, and are encouraged to look for nests or groups of Cwyldtid. It is imperative to remove as many of them as possible to slow or halt the further spread of infection from the creatures interacting with other animals in the woods.

    The same can be said for the plant life. Controlled fires need to be set throughout the forest, so Witches specializing in that type of evocation magic (and those Monsters with a more elemental affinity) are sought after, as well as those proficient in water magic and barriers. They must take care to burn only the infected portions and keep the fire from spreading.

    This is a task likely to take some time as there’s a lot of ground to cover, but little by little, with everyone’s help, new plants may blossom after this Wilde winter.


    Welcome to May's Quest Log! Here, you can thread OR post links to your own catch-all logs. There are no limited quests this month, so no sign-ups are needed.

    To keep everything in one place, we ask that you bring your quest-related questions to this thread, and you're welcome to use this header to plot among yourselves! Please note that this is not the month's event -- check out the Calendar for those dates!
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noblegarnet: (i: well...)

[personal profile] noblegarnet 2021-05-25 07:19 pm (UTC)(link)
Well...

[He's already attempted to come up with more specific ideas on his own, so he might as well just answer the question without trying to think about what might or might not be useful.]

I'm good with my hands—detail work. I can cook. And I guess I'm good at gathering information...

[Illusions do come in handy when it comes to avoiding being seen... or getting people to talk. Ferran shrugs, his eyebrows raised.]

Other than that, I'm decent with animals?
yesdoubt: (why is it you use those tragic methods)

[personal profile] yesdoubt 2021-05-25 09:23 pm (UTC)(link)
[While those are all pretty useful skills on their own, Momo takes a moment to think about where they'd be best put to use out here. There's always the option of helping to entertain people if he's good with his hands, but he feels like there's better alternatives that might make him feel a bit more useful.]

Are you good at using that information to talk people into stuff or anything? We do need some action on Parliament's end to keep all this going, so it'd be a big help to have people handling that. Or there should be food service stuff around to help out with, you just might have to join an existing group doing it instead of trying to start something on your own, because the locals here can be a little slow to trust.

[Understandably, considering what a lot of the people within the city have left them to, but it does sometimes make things a whole lot harder when it comes to trying to help.]
noblegarnet: (f: hmmst)

[personal profile] noblegarnet 2021-05-29 06:06 am (UTC)(link)
[Ferran puts his hands on his hips as he considers. Could he talk Parliament into anything? Partly to himself, he mumbles:]

... maybe.

[He'd need to do a considerable amount of studying local politics before attempting something like that, though. Not to mention Fae aren't exactly trusted... Still, it's a possibility, and starting with the smaller things can be just as important.]

I don't mind working with something already established, though. It would be a start... and everyone needs food. [He lets his hands return to his side as he brings his attention to Momo himself.] What about you? Do you help with anything other than the medical side?
yesdoubt: ((your way) is towards the future)

[personal profile] yesdoubt 2021-05-30 09:48 am (UTC)(link)
[Momo smiles a little as he overhears that - the people involved with Parliament are getting fewer lately, so it couldn't hurt to have more around. But for now, he'll focus on the more immediate possibility, even if he doesn't mind Ferran shifting the topic back towards him a bit.]

Entertainment, usually. I'm a performer back home, and the locals like a bit of improvised comedy or music or dancing. And if they're in dire need of more people to deal with Shades wandering in, I'll sometimes do that too, I just focus on this the most since it's more specialised work.

[It's not so hard to find people who can do something entertaining for the locals, or fight a Shade. Finding healers who can also treat minor Cwyld infections is rarer.]
noblegarnet: (f: x to doubt)

[personal profile] noblegarnet 2021-06-02 03:41 am (UTC)(link)
Right. I'm sure it takes a lot of work to get good at that.

[Doctors in general require years and years of training, after all. Plus, if it was that easy to remedy the Cwyld, it wouldn't have spread so far or be treated with this amount of caution. Ferran sighs, unable to resist a complaint about the situation.]

I've been training with a weapon recently, but it's not exactly something I'm confident in yet. [Or that he necessarily wants to do. It's different when you have a more personal foe, but this... it's just a bunch of things more worth pitying than hating.]

I was so used to being able to do a lot on my own, back home. Not that I hate doing things with other people, but...
yesdoubt: (you just have to trust in the future)

[personal profile] yesdoubt 2021-06-03 11:39 am (UTC)(link)
That's a good idea, there's no telling when you might run into trouble here. I started pretty early after I arrived, but Witches have different advantages and disadvantages to think about compared to Monsters.

[Momo incorporates a lot of magic into his fighting here now, but initially he was focusing on more defensive and supportive magic types, so he took that opportunity to brush up more on his physical fighting and branch out more to things that weren't just going for weak points and trying to immediately put someone down.

Ferran's admission gets a bit of a sympathetic smile, though.]

It can be hard to adjust if you're used to being independent. Fae have some pretty cool abilities, but it does come with some hefty weaknesses as well, so I guess it balances out.
noblegarnet: (i: well...)

[personal profile] noblegarnet 2021-06-06 05:00 am (UTC)(link)
[Ferran shrugs, the motion a little more dramatic by how long he holds his shoulders up. He's sure some people would love to have what he can do, but he's not exactly grateful.]

It's mostly forced me to either do nothing about the Cwyld or be so indirect I might as well have not put in the effort. [He feels like he's maybe done one productive thing on that end. It doesn't sit well with him, supporting others purely from the sidelines.] I'd be lying if I said I didn't envy witches for being able to choose what they focus on.

[But he didn't come here to mope. Mostly.]

Anyway—is there anything I should know about... the area? Places I shouldn't go, or faux pas to avoid or anything?

[He wants to make sure he's being sensitive enough to the people out here, with them struggling as much as they are... and also that he doesn't land himself in a situation he can't handle.]
yesdoubt: (but that's not it)

[personal profile] yesdoubt 2021-06-09 11:23 am (UTC)(link)
I won't say Witches don't have the better end of the stick about that, but it's not always the direct stuff that helps most. Sometimes it's the things behind the scenes.

[Or sometimes it's a combination of the two. Either way, he feels like even helping indirectly with Cwyld may well be worth the effort more than it's being given credit for.

But he can't necessarily talk someone into changing their mindset on that, so he'll focus for the moment on what he can help with.]

They're not that picky about manners out here, just don't act like some out of touch city snob and they'll be fine with you for the most part. I'd avoid the further out areas, though, because besides the Cwyld risk, that's usually where the people who've totally given up trust in the city or anything it has to offer are, so they can be more standoffish to outsiders. Assuming they're not already deeply infected.
noblegarnet: (f: hmmst)

[personal profile] noblegarnet 2021-06-11 08:33 pm (UTC)(link)
[Ferran lets out a hum of partial agreement; while he would certainly praise anyone else for doing the work behind the scenes, he can't apply that same standard to himself, whether because of a mental block or just his personality. A person is always their worst critic.]

That makes sense, I guess. [There's a touch of sadness nearing pity in his eyes when he says it.] I'm sure there are plenty of people who think they have a better shot out in the Wilde rather than waiting on the government to do anything to help them. And some of them might even be right...

[Look at how hands-off the Coven and Parliament were with the Circle, after all. They had to call in the Mirrorbound like some vigilante force to do their dirty work, instead of actually taking action. Ferran's brow furrows as he thinks of it.]

I'd say I wonder how it got this bad, but... I think people are the same no matter what world you're in.
yesdoubt: (i'm sure you're aware of it)

sorry for the wait! i went on hiatus the second half of june

[personal profile] yesdoubt 2021-07-10 10:37 am (UTC)(link)
[Momo nods at Ferran's observation on those who've gone out further away from the walls, because that's generally what he's observed when dealing with them as well. They're so far gone that it's really not unreasonable for them to feel like the Wilde is going to do more for them in the long run than anyone from within the city walls.]

People are people. The ones who end up taking powerful positions are usually the ones who are invested in keeping things a certain way, whether it's the status quo or changing things to how they like it. But it's usually about benefiting them and their group more than anyone else, or at best benefiting enough people to help them stay in power.

[Momo says it without any particular bitterness, more as just a mild observation. He deals with people like that on the regular in his line of work back home, so it's hardly a new revelation.]

But there's not much point focusing on that instead of the bits we can do something about.
noblegarnet: (f: hmmst)

[personal profile] noblegarnet 2021-07-17 07:42 pm (UTC)(link)
Sure—I guess I just like to think about the reasoning... like maybe it'll help us figure out a solution.

[It's not always that easy, though, and as mature as Ferran tries to seem, it's not like he has the kind of experience that lets him actually come up with those answers entirely on his own. He does, however, know that not everyone is interested in the greater good the way he is, and that it's best to appeal to others' individual goals to motivate them towards that end, however distasteful it might feel.]

Thanks for the advice, though. I definitely want to get involved somehow, so... at least I have some concrete places to start.
yesdoubt: (why is it you use those tragic methods)

[personal profile] yesdoubt 2021-07-19 12:44 pm (UTC)(link)
[At least it seems like he's given Ferran a bit more to chew on, so he offers a reassuring smile.]

Glad I could help. While you're here, since you brought supplies anyway, it's never a bad thing to have an extra set of hands to make sure people are getting what they need.

[There's quite a few healers out here, and it's easier for some than others to go back and forth for supplies. Since he's out here anyway, Momo figures he's going to want to do at least something to lend a hand in the moment.]
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