January Event - Party Crashers

After two months of relative peace to close out the old year, it's time to ring in the new with a big festival bash! The New Year's Eve party will be held in Fayren this year, and your character has the option of attending one of three parties depending on their tastes. Or maybe they'll make the rounds and spend time at each one if they're really in the party mood! But be forewarned, with the new year comes a new danger...

Party #1: Town Square

Barrels of good mead and cheap wine are on tap, and there's a variety of good smells in the air as winter treats are hawked from numerous stands and tables. There are hearty meat pies, dessert pies stuffed with spiced apples or winter berries, roasted potatoes and root vegetables on skewers, and spit roasted pigeons dripping with juices. Performers are everywhere, performing sleight of hand magic tricks (or REAL magic tricks!), fortune telling, juggling, and other feats in exchange for coins to keep them fed and warm through the winter. The snow has been swept away from the center of the Town Square to make room for dancers as a lively band strikes up a number of cheery tunes to keep feet moving and people whirling.

Party #2: Elven Village

With the royal family safe and sound in the castle once more, negotiations have settled the two-year feud between the town and the elven settlement in the forest. In a rare demonstration of good will, the village will freely welcome visitors to join them for the the passing of the old year. Unlike the party held in town square, this is a very solemn holiday. From sunrise until midnight, everyone remains completely silent, not speaking a word to better reflect on the events of the past year and who they once were, as well as what kind of person they want to be in the year to come. Once the midnight hour is reached, a bell is struck to herald the end of the year and the day of silence. The first words spoken are considered a gift, so choose who you speak to wisely. Confessions of love are common on this day among elvenkind. It's also used to wish a friend luck, or offer well wishes to one who has been struggling. Shortly after the pealing of the bell, a late night feast is held, offering roasted venison, delicately seasoned greens, and fruits that have been preserved throughout the year.

Party #3: Castle Ball

This party is somewhat more exclusive -- any characters who have a criminal record or a reputation for causing trouble will not be allowed through the doors. Only those in formal wear will be allowed to attend this elegant party, with a live orchestra playing waltzes and courtly dance tunes to entertain guests. Sparkling wine and ornate (but ultimately unsatisfying) finger foods will be served on platters by servants offering refreshments to those with empty hands. The royal family will be in attendance with the king and queen overseeing the festivities from their thrones, and the prince and princess enjoying a dance or two on the floor. The guards will be watching for troublemakers, so don't even think about taking a swing at another guest, or smuggling some of the royal silverware. They'll catch you!

Crashers!

About half an hour after midnight, the Castle Ball will suddenly be a hot bed of chaos. A horrible monster crashes through the wall! The guards will attempt to attack it, but it ignores them entirely. The monster will instead seek out any characters close by and attempt to gore them on the spot. Powers and weapons will not work against the monster. The only thing that seems to hurt it is a direct physical attack, and/or weapons that were forged in Windgate Creek. Note that super strength will register as regular strength when focused on the animal. It will take the combined efforts of several people to bring the monster down, and once it's been killed, the corpse will remain there until someone removes it. For those with the proper abilities, the monster will register as real, and up until its death, it will register on the same level as an animal with (mostly) animal emotions and an animal soul.



Afterward, investigations (via tracks and witness accounts) will reveal that it managed to slip in through a weak spot of the barrier. The barrier itself seems weaker than usual, and won't knock people out if they get too close.

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Please feel free to use this post for plotting purposes. The events and the monster will not be modded, so you will be able to take some liberties with how your character handles (or avoids!) the unwanted party crasher. Feel free to ask questions below!