MOD POST: JANUARY EVENT RESULTS + EXTRA REMINDERS

[asgardmods]

Hey, guys! The results of the poll are in, which means we have the rest of your January events for you! Before I get into them, however, we have a couple of reminders that we noticed might help understand our policies a bit.

The first is about Activity Check check-ins. This one's always a kicker so we try to make reminders for it every couple of months or so.

• Every character in Asgard is required to respond to AC, regardless of whether you were accepted during the AC month or if you were on hiatus. You are always required to check in to AC.
• If you were accepted during the AC month or if your hiatus covered more than two weeks of the month, then you are exempt from the 30 comment requirement, but you still have to respond to AC to let us know that you're around.
• If you are on hiatus during the AC period, you have 72 hours following the end of your hiatus to respond to AC.
• Only hiatuses posted on the official hiatus page will count for an exemption / the 72 hour extension.
• Failure to respond to AC with these things will result in a strike. Strikes are cleared after passing two consecutive AC periods with the 30 comment requirement. Hiatus passes will not clear a strike.
• If you have any extenuating circumstances that prevent you from either making activity or responding to AC, contact the mods immediately. Letting us know beforehand is always better than trying to work things out after AC has already been processed. We will try to work with you as best as we can, so don't be afraid to talk to us!

And that's pretty much it! If you are ever confused or need clarification on our AC policies, don't hesitate to ask. We hate having to sweep people for missing AC because we want to keep you in our pockets forever and ever, so please let us know how we can help you accomplish your AC.

Second, remember to get your Holes submissions in! The Holes bring in things like monsters or illnesses from your canon worlds, so it's a fun way to bring a bit of your own flavour into the game. For more information, you can read up on the Holes here. Submissions for this month should be posted here and we will draw for this month's Holes event on January 11. Good luck!

Now, enough of Faith's usual rambling. On to your January events. As always, your calendar is always here and the link to the plot Fast Facts is here!

I hope you guys like some handy dandy copy/pasting because it's happening, prepare yourselves.

PLOT EVENT: A Friend In Need ( Jan. 8-19 / Days 385-390 )

To launch Arc 4, we are bringing forth a potentially world-altering and high impact Traveller decision that will start the first inklings of the eventual militarisation. This event is largely geared towards PC involvement, which means the conclusion and its execution are going to rely on you in more ways than one. Before I get too far ahead of myself, though, let's dig into what's ahead.

Day 385 ( Jan. 8/9 )

Early in the morning, as the winter sun is still creeping its way above the horizon, any early risers might look outside to see what seems like snow falling in strange swirls. It doesn't quite follow the normal patterns of snowfall, and it sticks on anything it comes in contact with regardless of temperature.

You aren't going to want to catch this stuff on your tongue, because closer inspection will reveal that this odd precipitation is not snow at all, but rather ash blowing across the kingdom from the west. To reach this far, the flames must surely be intensely powerful - and so it is, with the Fire Giant invading Alfheim. Their home in Muspellheim has been near to completely devastated in the sudden eruption of the volcano at its centre, and Surt, knowing he stands no chance against the might of the gods in Vanaheim and too reliant on his alliance with the Dwarves in Svartalfheim, has led his army around Mirror Lake into the kingdom of the elves in search of new territory.

Towards noon this same day, a handful of riders will come barreling into the city through the Gate of Fog, followed closely behind by a single wagon full of injured elves. Odin's spies smuggled the Queen out of Alfheim before Surt could come for her head, and Skuld will head straight to the castle to seek refuge with the gods. As questions arise with little answers to be found, the natives and any Travellers willing to help will be left to aiding the injured towards the hospital while they wait for news of the distant fires.

Day 386 ( Jan. 10/11 )

The next day, after a long discussion with Asgard's King and making herself presentable, Skuld will post to the network to explain the situation to the Travellers and plead for their aid. This is where the poll will come into play, as it will be up to the Travellers to decide whether to round up a defence and send the Travellers into Alfheim to force the Giants out of the forests or to set up refugee camps in Asgard and evacuate the elves from Alfheim - or to do nothing at all.

As per the poll held earlier this month, the Travellers will ultimately decide upon coordinating a defence and attempting to drive the Giants out of Alfheim. In order to accomplish this mission, three things will be required of the Travellers and you, as their players:

1. The body of defence: This will require volunteers to fight with each other and the forces of Alfheim against the Giants and serve as a temporary armed force for Asgard and Alfheim. These volunteers will be heading directly into a war zone that has already caught flame in the most literal sense; the siege on Alfheim will be days under way, the entire Muspellheim army will be there, and they will be desperate to win this battle in order to build themselves new homes. The risk of injury is high and the chance of death is possible, if not probable. There will be no limit to how many can volunteer for this task.
   • Two leaders will be required for this group. Their job will be to coordinate and keep track of the other volunteers to function carefully and efficiently. They will lead the group into Alfheim and head the battle against the Giants. This will require plotting with the other leader as well as the rest of the volunteers, so only apply for this position if you are prepared / will be available to communicate and plot with others. These leaders will be decided by RNG.
2. A body of healers: This will require volunteers to go onto the battlefield to help retrieve the injured, both Travellers and elves alike, and bring them to safety to be healed. These volunteers will be on the fringe of the war zone and will be required to function in a fast-paced and dangerous environment. The risk of injury is still high and the chance of death is possible, though not entirely probable. There will be no limit to how many can volunteer for this task.
   • Two leaders will be required for this group. Their job will be to coordinate and keep track of the other volunteers to function carefully and efficiently. They will lead the group into Alfheim and direct the healing of the injured. This will require plotting with the other leader as well as the rest of the volunteers, so only apply for this position if you are prepared / will be available to communicate and plot with others. These leaders will be decided by RNG.
3. A body of support: This will require volunteers to help contain the flames and damage done to Alfheim and the forests surrounding it, as well as providing assistance to everyone wherever needed with supplies and back-up. These volunteers may not be directly on the battlefield, but will be required to move through damaged / burning environments and may still come to face Fire Giants still lingering amidst the ruin of the trees. The risk of injury is moderate and the chance of death is possible, but not entirely probable. There will be no limit to how many can volunteer for this task.
   • Two leaders will be required for this group. Their job will be to coordinate and keep track of the other volunteers to function carefully and efficiently. They will direct efforts to contain the fire and guide volunteers to where they are needed. This will require plotting with the other leader as well as the rest of the volunteers, so only apply for this position if you are prepared / will be available to communicate and plot with others. These leaders will be decided by RNG.

It will be up to you lot to coordinate within these groups and plot with each other for the event's success. There are preexisting groups for both defence and healers in the Guard and the Medic Corps that can help aid in this task, but are not necessarily required to join for the event. There tons and tons of ways to do this, guys, so plot around and work with each other to do the thing!

Day 387 ( Jan. 12/13 )

The city will mobilise to prepare their newly formed groups for the task ahead of them. Natives will be helping to arm and supply the Travellers with everything they need, aiding in loading things onto the train and stuff like that. Odin's spies will leave the city before the groups move out to ensure the path ahead is left clear and safe, giving the Travellers a smooth five-hour train ride into the land of Alfheim.

Alfheim is defined most strongly by its wooded areas: closer to the city itself, the forests consist of tall, leafy trees which create a thick canopy in the summer and long, thin arms of shadow in the winter. These trees can be found throughout the city as well, as the elves built around the forests wherever they could, leading to unique structures which are visibly much older than anything seen in the other cities. Beyond the city, large mountains cut into the skyline, their own forests primarily coniferous (pine, cedar, fir, spruce) and much more dense until the trees thin near the peaks. This is primarily where the Treepeople dwell, as they live amongst the sacred trees under their ward. In both cases, the woods are marked by the cleanliness of the underbrush, as the forested areas are always being used and travelled - there is no deadfall left behind, because everything has a purpose in the Elvish society.

As they approach the kingdom now, however, these grand woods will be shrouded in dark clouds of smoke that glow red at night in reflection of the wild flames beneath them. The unnatural heat brought by Muspellheim's explosion dried the life from the leaves and bark of this old kingdom and has lent its aid in spreading the Fire Giants' cruel touch throughout the woods. Before the train even comes to a stop, the Travellers will need to put on the masks provided them in order to breathe safely through the air thickened with smoke and ash.

Once they have departed the train, it's time to get to work. The homes and buildings of Alfheim will be in varying states of disarray and ruin, some still burning as the inhabitants and neighbours struggle to douse the flames. Others will be smouldering, successfully saved or otherwise left to burn itself out in the days since the initial attack. There will still be Fire Giants sparsely wreaking havoc amongst the living quarters, but the vast majority of the fighting will have been drawn into the treeline by the elves to give room for relief efforts and any evacuation attempts. Homes and larger buildings still largely intact will have been turned into temporary hospital rooms, with the injured laid out anywhere there is room; the dead will be wrapped in sodden sheets in the alleys between buildings until they can be properly buried - if ever they should find the opportunity.

This leaves the Travellers to split up and jump head first into their tasks. The elves will be pleasantly surprised and immensely grateful for the arrival of aid, but they will not spare much time to gratitude when the battle wages and every second counts. Those fighting will immediately accept the Travellers into their defence, and from there, they will begin to push back against the Giants' forces. At this point, it will be largely defensive combat, an attempt to keep the Giants from moving further into the kingdom and setting more to flames. Surt himself will be present in this, and a vast majority of those that try to stand against him will be met with fiery doom. Tread carefully, as the floor is actually lava.

Day 388-389 ( Jan. 14-17 )

Starting that morning, the gods will manage to grant the Travellers their Asgardian House Powers here in Alfheim. In these two days, the battle will persist near endlessly, with few lapses in the assault from the Giants upon the elves and the Travellers at their side until the flames begin to significantly dwindle nearing sunrise on Day 389. From that point onward, those fighting for Alfheim will rise to the offence and the Giants will begin to fall back as their numbers lessen and their advantage wanes. They will begin fleeing the kingdom, leaving Surt with only his loyalists at his side - and against the might of the Travellers and the elves emboldened by their allies' support, they few will not be enough to claim the entire kingdom.

Day 390 ( Jan. 18-19 )

The Giants go home with their tails between their legs and Surt pouting like a fool because his life sucks and he's super lame. The Travellers, now powerless, are provided with packs of food and words of sincere gratitude from a battered but victorious Alfheim and will arrive back in Asgard late on the evening of Day 390.

PLOT NOTES:

• Deaths during this event are not exempt from the death consequences and will count as another death strike against them.
• Remember that powers DO NOT typically work outside of Asgard. The gods WILL be boosting their power range to extend powers to them just on Days 388/389 (January 14-16th.)

OPT-OUT EVENT: The Power Shuffle ( Jan. 14-15 / Day 388 )

Day 388 ( Jan. 14-15th )

Starting the morning of Day 388, characters still in Asgard may notice that their powers aren't behaving the way that they should be. As the gods strain extend their magical reach to the Travellers fighting in Alfheim, the surge of energy overloads and tangles the system Asgard.

During the course of the day, characters' powers may end up on the fritz. At any point without warning, characters could find that their own powers have been replaced with the level-one power of another house they could have been chosen for. A kind, selfless, artsy character who ended up in Sigyn may find their healing power replaced with a level one power in Freyr, but would not find themselves with Baldr's power at any point.

These glitches in the magical system will not last very long, and control over the powers will be erratic at best. By late that night, the gods will have things sorted out and all powers will be back to normal.

SPECIAL EVENT: Wife Swap: Asgard Edition ( Jan. 28-31 / Days 395/396

In thanks for Asgard's loyalty to their allies, the elves will be proposing something of a trade to help both kingdoms work through their rebuilding efforts. This event will cement Alfheim's alliance to Asgard and give an opportunity to experience some new culture on both sides of the coin.

Day 395 ( Jan. 28/29 )

The train will arrive just after sunrise carrying a few dozen elves with carriages full of their wares and supplies that the natives will immediately assist unloading into the streets. For these next two days, they will be camping just outside of the castle at night and offering their assistance in the construction efforts around the city from the previous attacks. Their culture is built upon 100% efficiency, with zero waste output and all of their technology function on steam and clockwork, allowing them to assist Asgard in a unique and valuable manner.

But wait, there's more!

Not only will the elves be teaching their techniques to the people of Asgard, but a handful will remain to escort any willing Travellers back to Alfheim to assist in their own rebuilding efforts. After the flames went out and the Giants went home, several of the elven homes were left in ruin but the true damage is to the forestry that is the heart of their kingdom. Those in Sigyn with Growth or those with energy sharing, healing, or other such abilities as well as anyone simply interested in helping or curious about a new corner of Yggdrasil will be escorted back to the forests for two days of some mutual benefit. ( 'eyyyy )

Day 396 ( Jan. 30/31 )

After another day of hard labour and exploration, as the sun sets, both kingdoms will be hosting a feast for their guests. Asgard's natives will ask the Travellers to assist them in setting up dishes from both the kingdom and their own worlds to serve to their friends, as Alfheim's natives treat the Travellers to song and dance alongside their own foodstuffs. It'll be a ton of fun and everyone get crunk before taking the train back home!

FAST FACTS

PLOT EVENT: A Friend In Need ( Jan. 8-19 / Days 385-390 )

• Day 385 ( Jan. 8/9 ): Ash rains from the skies. Skuld and a few guards ride to the castle while a wagon full of injured elves seek help from the hospitals.
• Day 386 ( Jan. 10/11 ): Skuld tells the Travellers that Alfheim is under siege by the Fire Giants and asks for their help. As per the poll, the Travellers will decide to send aid into Alfheim and attempt to reclaim the kingdom from the Giants.
• Day 387 ( Jan. 12/13 ): The Travellers will arrive in Alfheim to find the sky clouded with smoke and ash. They will join the elves in fighting, healing, and calming the flames spread throughout the trees.
• Days 388/389 ( Jan. 14-17): The fighting continues until Surt's forces begin to flee for their lives, at which point the battle tips in favour of Alfheim.
• Day 390 ( Jan. 18/19 ): Sweet victory! The Travellers return to Asgard and send Skuld home with the remnants of her guard.

OPT-OUT EVENT: The Power Shuffle ( Jan 14-15 / Day 388 )

• Day 388 (Jan 14-15): Characters who remain in Asgard when the battle in Alfheim is being waged will find that their powers are in a state of flux. During the course of the day, they will be replaced short-term with level one powers from other houses that they could have feasibly been sorted into.

SPECIAL EVENT: Wife Swap: Asgard Edition ( Jan. 28-31 / Days 395/396 )

• Day 395 ( Jan. 28/29 ): A group of elves arrive to help rebuild the city. A few others escort some Travellers back to Alfheim to help regrow the forest.
• Day 396 ( Jan. 30/31 ): After two days of helping each other out, the kingdoms throw a feast in honour of their respective guests before sending them back home.

That's all, folks! Let us know if you have any questions / comments / concerns / dirty jokes! And as always, feel free to use this as a plotting post for your characters.