Melrath Hot Cycle 719

Melrath Hot Cycle 719 Calendar

Overview

Much like the rest of the world Melrath experiences the repercussions following the Fall of Emea. Hatred and anger toward the foolish Immortals grows and many turn further toward the old Melrathi ways. This seems to cause a change in Melrath, the spirits are more active than ever before, the Induks are becoming more and more involved in the daily lives of mortals and there are distant whispering that something is amiss in the Beneath. Once again Melrath finds itself in a tug of war between those who wish to embrace the outside world and all its dangers and treasures, and those who wish to keep to the ancient ways to live simple lives in balance with the spirits of the land, water, and sky. People are afraid, there is spiritual unrest, and the wheel of time pushes ever forward.

Ymiden: 83 trials

General Weather

Ymiden is known for its hot, summer weather and strong hurricanes. Though this season isn't as unbearable as Saun, Ymiden provides more cloudless days than cloudy. Astronomers cherish this season for its clear skies, giving way to cool nights full of stars and moonlight. Ymiden is also the season where most festivals take place. Crops planted during Ashan will be harvested before the middle of Ymiden, allowing for enormous feasts, plenty of drink, and an unlimited supply of entertainment.

Ymiden lasts for a total of 83 trials (days). During this time, temperatures remain moderate while oceans and any other body of water become warm enough to swim in. The storms that occur throughout this season can be severe, ranging from hurricanes, typhoons, tornadoes, and monsoons. However, each region will experience the effects of this seasons differently.

Melrath Specific

There is still a stark chill in their air during the early trials of Ymiden. It's as if the Rebirth Cycle never left, some mornings there are bits of frost covering the earth and treetops. However it is clear that the weather is warming up as the sky is mostly clear during the afternoons and some of summer's greenery is returning to the lowlands of Melrath. Flowers begin to bloom, and the darkened depths of Myrkvior Forest becomes dense and lush with life. Storms become more prevalent near the seaside, especially in the north near Draugen Bay where there are far fewer barrier islands to protect Raelia.

Saun: 40 Trials

General Weather

As Ymiden closes out, Saun begins, bringing with it another sun. Saun is known as the hottest season in Idalos with high temperatures that can become unbearable to work in. During this season, night time provides a small relief to the heat and though the temperatures aren't so excruciatingly hot, exposure to the sun without proper water and shade as well as rest can be fatal.

Saun lasts a total of 40 trials (days). It is recommended during this time to keep a close eye on all children, livestock, and crops. Because of the heat, water will need to be readily available and distributed frequently, as to avoid potential stroke or loss of life from overheating. Any storms experienced during this season are much more powerful than those produced during Ymiden.

Melrath Specific

The heat of Saun finally begins to reveal itself in Melrath, although in the mornings there is still a lovely crispness to the air. In the Melrathi Mountains the last of the snows have melted and every spring and stream is bursting with bright clear water. The Vynmur River is full of life and people claim to sometimes see the Azure Dragon of the River Induk dancing over the water at night. Afternoon showers become commonplace as well as the occasional thunderstorm in the late evening.

Events

Ymiden

1st of Ymiden: “The Fall of Emea” Melrath awakes to the Fall of Emea fresh in everyone’s mind. People are terrified and many blame the events on the Immortals of Idalos. The Circle convenes an emergency session and calls forth the highest ranking members of the Aesir as well as the Ragnari to ensure that the nation is well protected. The Aesir are commanded to try and seek guidance from the Induks of Melrath on the matter of Emea’s fall. Lower ranking members of the faction are also tasked with communing with lesser spirits such as the Anak and Diri to try and gain new clues.

(Players, feel free to pm me for plot notes if you are a member of the Aesir and you wish to investigate the Fall of Emea as well as the meddling of those blasted Immortals)

2nd of Ymiden: “Tears of Dreams” On the second night of the season a strange storm blows across the full expanse of Melrath. Softly glowing azure colored raindrops fall upon the nation. Those who find themselves trapped in the downpour find that the next morning their appearance has changed in a subtle way. Some realize that they now have glistening scales on their arms, or their eyes have changed to an unnatural color. Others even find that the hue of their hair has changed. The changes are all very subtle and very permanent. (Players, you may make a single change to the appearance of your character if you participate in this event. It must be subtle. If you have any doubts about what you want to try, then please message Oracle)

3rd of Ymiden: “Whispers in the Dark” Starting on the third of Ymiden, everyone across Melrath who travels through Myrkvior Forest or nearby swears to hear the murmuring of children’s voices following them. There are flashes of movement in the brush, and strange footprints lining the hunting trails. The Ydalir rangers and a group of Aesir are dispatched to investigate the disturbances. One thing is for certain, something in the forest has changed.

5th of Ymiden: “The Court of Eagles” In Raelia, House Veldaris is hosting an opulent ball and banquet on the night of the fifth. The party is being held on their estate, there will be a vast outdoor area lined with lanterns and outfitted with feasting tables and a dancing floor. Animal trainers have been hired from Fensalir to bring in dozens of golden eagles to perform tricks and entertain the guests. Amelie Veldaris, the Jarl of House Veldaris will be in attendance, she will be hosting a formal dinner within the estate’s dining hall. Nobles of Melrath and foreign dignitaries will be permitted within the hall to wine and dine as they please.

Throughout the party however there is a pale woman with platinum blonde locks, burning dark eyes, who is dressed in a form fitting jet black gown. Throughout the night many people see her drifting through the crowd, as if she is merely observing the party. She refuses to speak with anyone, although those who offer her drinks and gifts seem to earn a twitch of a smile from her.

12th of Ymiden through the 22nd: Hesterfor (Holiday) Coming of age is incredibly important to all Melrathi when they become fifteen arcs old. It is on the 12th of Ymiden through the 22nd that all local settlements host a competition that stretches over ten full trials. During these ten trials young Melrathi who are either approaching their fifteenth birthtrial or will be doing so later that arc are permitted to compete. There are several accolades that a youngster can earn during Hesterfor. There are several trials that a child can compete in so to gain honors amongst their seniors and peers. It is not required that a youngster compete in Hesterfor however doing well in the trials always brings honor to their family and aids them in earning apprenticeships and jobs.

More details on the individual tests and trials here: Details

20th of Ymiden: “Lothar Raid”: A group of Lothar raiders attack the town of Alivilda in the early hours of the morning. Many are injured, supplies are taken, and even a couple townsfolk are kidnapped. The Ydalir Rangers immediately respond and begin the hunt for the raiders. Later that trial a band of heavily armed Ragnari descend upon the town on their winged mounts. They too join the pursuit of the criminals in the hopes of rescuing the kidnapped residents. (You may either participate in the raid itself or the hunt for the perpetrators)

27th of Ymiden: “Rainbow Waters”: Somehow in the night the waters of Lake Svariella have changed hue to that of an iridescent rainbow. The surface of the lake glistens with a wild assortment of colors and people in the area claim to hear a voice singing whenever the wind blows through the reeds on the shore. Dwynmer and other Melrathi alike flock to the shores of the lakeside to listen to the music and observe the phenomena. The lake returns to normal the following trial.

38th of Ymiden: “Myrkvior’s Judge”: within the streets of Raelia a new and alien threat has revealed itself. Starting on the dawn of the 38th and ending on the 44th of Ymiden people are turning up dead in the streets with their broken bodies put on full display. Always the corpse bears a crown of thorns and there is always a note left behind, tied around the victim’s neck with a cord of black silk.

Content of the notes:

"First Trial: “She Watches"

"Second Trial: “She Knows”

"Third Trial: “The world wakes”

"Fourth Trial: “We remember.”

"Fifth Trial: “The judgement comes”

"Sixth Trial: “She is here.”

The Ragnari are tasked with getting to the bottom of the murders, but many of the senior Aesir claim that there is nothing to be done. All they will say is that “The Dark Mother Judges All.”

45th of Ymiden: “In the Dark of the Night”: Moderated Event: Sign Ups to be posted.

60th of Ymiden: “Etherstorm”: Throughout Melrath a strange stormfront is seen approaching from the southwest. It crackles with azure lightning and makes the air smell crisp and electrified. This is a storm like no other as it is flooded with ether from the fallout surrounding the damage done to Emea. Towns and settlements all see their fair share of extreme damage as the storm passes over Melrath in the late hours of the evening. Glowing cobalt rains pour down and crackling arcs of purple lightning set buildings on fire. Winds reach intense speeds, many ships are sunk with their masts snapped or their prows forced into rocky shorelines. Homes are destroyed and roofs are torn off. Those forced to endure the raw elements of the etheric storm find that their bodies and even minds are changed the following morning. Soon to be called “Storm Sickness” by the Aesir Druids, people caught in the Etherstorm find that their skin color has changed to a a subtle shade of blue or green. Scales and even horns have begin to grow on their bodies and many find that their minds have been affected as well. Some people have begun to adopt animalistic, almost rabid tendencies. Attacking passersby and experiencing increased aggression. The Aesir begin to seek aid from the spirits and the Induks of Melrath to heal the “Stormtouched”

(If you want to become a Stormtouched, let me know and we can work out how you want to handle the changes and if you want to try and seek out recovering from the condition. Also if you want to work on a cure for the Stormtouched please reach out to me and I'll give plotnotes. )

Mages: The Etherstorm affects you differently. Being in the storm itself is like drinking raw ether, akin to flaying a soul. It’s intoxicating, however it’s wildly dangerous since being in the storm could very well lead you to becoming addicted to feeding on this much ether. If you choose to take part in this event and go out into the storm itself you must accept the following special magic mutation.

“Etherstorm Exposure:” After experiencing the untempered power of raw ether filling the sky, you can physically “taste” and “smell” all sources of ether around you. This is akin to smelling or tasting food. Each person you pass will “taste” differently according to who they are and what sort of soul they have. In a way this gives the mage a 6th sense as to what kind of person they are. (This is meant to be a very subtle new sense, without the details or specifics granted by a power such as Attunement)

As an example, cheaters and liars may have a bitter scent, where as romantics and artists may have a sweeter flavor. But from this point on you as a mage can sense a few new things now that others cannot, so long as you physically walked into the dangers of the storm. (Which of course will be wildly dangerous for you) Additionally your urge to Flay has greatly increased. Being in the presence of mortals, mortalborn, Immortals, and other mages may sometimes be too much to bear and you will be driven to feed upon them.

68th of Ymiden "Outlanders" : The Ydalir Rangers have picked up on tracks leading into the southern expanse of Myrkvior Forest. Someone is entering Melrath secretly and undetected. Tracks indicate the presence of several dozen of these bipedal invaders and suggest that they have split up between the hunting trails of the forest while others have headed into the mountains. Three trials later on the 71st news begins to be heard within Fensalir and Alivilda that these 'Outlanders' have been spotted within these settlements clearly interested in learning more about Melrath and their military capabilities. Crimes of assault increase in these two towns, perpetrated always by men and women who appear to be dressed in foreign clothes and armor more commonly seen in central Idalos around Rynmere.

• The Ragnari are summoned to investigate and cull these invaders. If you are a Ragnari member you may find that you run into these 'Outlanders' from time to time in Alivilda and Fensalir starting from the 71st. They use guerrilla warfare and are very hard to capture. Please pm Oracle if you are interested in following up on this event and I'll provide plotnotes.

71st of Ymiden: “Ymir’s Cull.”: In the distant alpine town of Vorkund the mountains have seen an upturn in the number of predators attacking villagers. These creatures seem to have been touched by the same Storm sickness that many across Melrath are experiencing. Highly aggressive mountain lions, panthers, wild boar, and even elk have killed nearly a dozen residents over the course of the next several trials since the storm. A group of local Aesir commune with the Mountain Induk and announce that the people of Vorkund have been tasked with culling the Stormtouched wildlife, for the good of the mountain and its people. Ydalir Rangers also arrive to assist in the hunt. Even a couple members of the Syns arrive to study the Stormtouched creatures.

81st of Ymiden: “Apostates”: Scarred by the Etherstorm, at least a dozen mages have flayed innocents to the point of death in the last few weeks. These murders will not go unpunished. The Shamans of the Aesir have been summoned forth to deal with this problem and have begun hunting down these rogue apostate mages who have been afflicted with the Thirst. The Syn’s are also being consulted on the matter. Mages themselves are facing more fear in public and having a Mage’s Mark has led many to be accosted in the streets or outright attacked.

83rd of Ymiden: The Last Trial of Ymiden

Saun

1st of Saun “Imair’s Feast Night”: The nobles, wealthy as well as members of Melrath’s factions are invited to a seaside feast hosted by House Imair. There is also a cordoned off area where the public has been allowed to purchase from food stall vendors and watch the entertainment. There are fire dancers performing as well as Sea Singers from the Mervarians who are making the waters of the bay dance and leap to amuse crowds. Gilded torches and silken tents are arrayed everywhere in the main feasting area and food and drink are plentiful. Amelie Veldaris is in attendance, as is of course her political rival Eric Imair. For some reason later in the night Eric begins acting strangely, dancing like a fool and becoming deeply inebriated. It is a great embarrassment to his House, and all the while Amelie simply watches on with a soft smile on her lips.

(Players, feel free to attend the party and enjoy yourselves. There are many topics of conversation being covered, from the Etherstorm to the apostate mages from last season.)

4th of Saun “Rumblings in the Sea”: Just offshore of Noatun Village there is an earthquake within Felwind Strait. There is tidal surge and parts of the fishing village are damaged, people are left injured with more than a couple locals are washed out to sea. Rescue operations begin immediately to try and find those who have been lost to the waves, and repairs have begun in the village. However, everyone is left wondering, what caused the earthquake when there has never been one in the region before?

6th of Saun “The Doors in the Mountain”: Within the depths of the Melrathi mountains strange doorways are appearing across the slopes of Mount Ymir. The doors appear cracked with spiderweb fractures of light racing across them. It’s as if something is trying to break them open, however no matter how hard you try, you yourself cannot get the doors to budge. However if you press your ear to the doors many claim to hear the words.

“The way is opening, the Dead come.”

It’s as if hundreds if not thousands of voices are speaking these words in tandem, and it sounds as of all those voices are standing just on the other side of the door. The words repeat over and over without fail.

The following trial the doors appear to vanish, although wherever they previously stood the stone of the mountain is cracked and streaked with ashen hand prints.

11th of Saun: “Hoofbeats of the Sleipnir.”: A large herd of Sleipnir have descended upon the lowlands, arriving just to the south of Alivilda to hunt prey in order to feed their urge to consume meat. It seems that the Stormtouched creatures in the mountains have caused the animals some distress and have forced them into the more populated areas of Melrath in order to satisfy their carnivorous nature. A child is attacked by a hungry young Sleipnir colt but no one is killed, however the people of Alivilda are stuck with the difficulty of dealing with the winged equines during their stay in their lands. A few locals and travelers take the chance of trying to tame some of the young and later a group of Ragnari Valkyrion arrive to capture a few wild Sleipnir to add to their stables.

(Players, if you want to try and tame a wild Sleipnir then here is your chance. But be warned that these beasts are hard to train, especially if they are not young when you capture them. You also run the risk of being attacked by the older members of the herd if you try and capture a foal.)

18th of Saun “Grendels in the Wood”: Rumors are circulating that a group of rogue male Grendel’s have taken up hunting children and pets that wander too far into Myrkvior Forest. People have been mauled or even killed by the savage beasts and calls for help have gone our for anyone to assist in putting the creatures down. The Ydalir are sending out rangers to deal with the issue and ensure that the rogue bulls are swiftly dealt with.

21st of Saun “Whispers in the Water”: All down the Vynmur river a playful voice can be heard whispering through the gurgling of the water.

“Tell me a secret that no others should know. Tell me your truth, and I’ll give you a gift in exchange.”

Should you speak a personal secret to the whispering voice in the river you will find that a shiney gold coin now rests in your pocket. The coin is polished like a mirror and has the emblem of a serpent on one face and on the other is the face of a laughing Mer man. The coin feels cool and oddly heavy, and for some reason you can’t stand the thought of parting with it.

The next trial...you find out that apparently the river has been gossiping about your secret with everyone else in Melrath who spoke with it. Now everyone knows what you told the river.

Well isn’t that embarrassing?

(Players, feel free to confer with each other if several of you participate in this calendar event. The river will gossip about other player’s secrets with you once you give it a secret yourself.)

29th of Saun “Crovan’s Tournament”: House Crovan is putting on a large fishing tournament Draugen Bay as well as a smaller version of the tourney in Noatun Village. Anyone is free to participate. House Crovan is providing dinghies and rowboats as well as fishing equipment to those who do not have their own. They are also providing food and drink. You may keep all of your catches. There will also be a main competition with four chosen fishermen from House Crovan. The first is a novice level fisherman, the second competent, the third, expert, and the fourth is a master angler. You may compete against these minor nobles of House Crovan and if you best them you may possibly win a small rowboat or dingy to keep for yourself.

(Players if you intend to compete in this event please let me know if you feel that your character might best any of the anglers from House Crovan. We can talk about rewards at that point and I’ll award them in your thread(s))

33rd of Saun “Verimeer’s Lost”: Within the waters of the Dwynmer Lochs Mer are starting to go missing when they swim into the waters further into the Melrathi Mountains. No one knows where they have gone as no bodies are ever found. However a few young Dwynmer children speak about seeing “doors” under the water in the colder lochs around Mount Ymir. Within three trials the disappearances cease, and several of the Dwynmer are never found.

40th of Saun “The Dead” : On the last trial of Saun all across Melrath doors etched in flickering eerie light have begun appearing all over the place. On the inside of Raelian shops, on hillsides, in tree trunks, within the depths of the water. They are everywhere.

Suddenly the doors all snap open at once at the stroke of midnight before closing almost instantly and vanishing. Those that try to enter the doors are immediately thrown out by the force of something exiting. Everyone across the nation feels a chill in the air as a silver alien fog settles in across the land. Something came out of those doors. Something that is not supposed to tread in the world of the living.

From this trial onward everyone in Melrath begins to sense that they are no longer alone in the world. In an empty room you may hear footsteps approaching just behind you, or the soft caress of breath on the back of your neck. In mirrors and other reflective surfaces people swear to see the faces of people who they know have died. The air feels “thick” with energy as if dozens of people are standing around you when you are clearly alone.

Everywhere that the doors had previously appeared there is now inscribed a hastily written message written in panicked handwriting.

“The Dead have come,

They must not stay.

The fabric of the world unravels.”

The message vanishes within breaks of the doors closing. It’s words lost to dust.