The Arh'Nuk Fair
This is a Mage's Guild RP.
Xalious Celestial Celebration
This event is hosted annually by the Mage's Guild. The Xalious Celestial Celebration begins on August 31st, which coincides with Arh'Nuk's Perigee (the day that Arh'Nuk is closest to Hollow in orbit) and ends the following week, September 7th. The entire event includes: A ball, a pageant, fine dining, dancing, and a week-long Fair.
The Mage's Guild Ball
This event is hosted by the upper echelon of the Mage's Guild, where new inductees to the guild are formally recognized and any promotions that transpired over the last year are announced to the lands, under the presence of Arh'Nuk. It includes a formal dinner and dance, and a pageant at the end for the Chosen of Arh'Nuk! At the commencement of the ball, the Arh'Nuk Fair begins and is open to all for one week.
The Arh'Nuk Fair
Because this Fair is a week-long event, it is impossible for a member of the Mage's Guild, let alone all of us, to be there to NPC the Fair and it's attractions for each and every player. However, we want everyone to have ample opportunity to be able to participate, so we have gone ahead and made this wiki page to list the Fair's attractions with descriptions of it all so that you can attend with your own party of ten or of two! The possibilities are endless! (OOC NOTE: Use these descriptions to help guide you through your time at the Fair!)
Magical Games
One of the highlights of any carnival is the games and The Arh’Nuk Fair is no different! Spread out all over the fairgrounds are games of skill and chance--while there’s many of the typical ones, there’s quite a few more elaborate games as well. In one area of the fair is a medium-sized rectangular swimming pool--it’s a take on the duck game usually featured at carnivals, except this one uses live geese! Try your luck at catching them, find the number stamp on their butts, and turn them in for a prize! But watch out! The foul fowl have been outfitted with dentures, so their bite is worse than their honk! There’s also Pin The Tail On The Lycan (sans real lycan), Ale Bottle Archery, and Catseye Darts--this last one in particular is curious indeed. The aforementioned catseye is very much attached to someone that bears a striking resemblance to a certain Murder Kitty. It’s not very exact, but whoever designed the game must have some sort of grudge against said Fighty Feline. The pièce de résistance of all of the games, however, are the twin dunk tanks. Neither are like the usual of their kind. Both are dubbed Whirlpool Of Death; one is hard mode though, and the other is Super Extreme Death Mode. The difference? One is merely a dunk tank with large whirlpool in the middle; the other has not only the whirlpool but also your friendly neighborhood sharks! Brought in straight from Cenril’s shores, the sharks have been (thankfully) fed but that doesn’t mean they’re not still occasionally bitey! (Spoilers: the person getting dunked can be any one of the fairgoers!) And last but not least, the other more simple games are still there, but they’ve been rigged so more money can be made. With it being a common claim amongst sore losers in a carnival, no one suspects a thing (thanks to the Rogue’s Guild)! So take a chance, try your luck, and have fun!
Magical Rides
Kraken Tea Cups
The Fountain of Corruption in Xalious Park has been modified ever so slightly to accommodate an unusual guest from the Black Pond. A behemoth of a Kraken sits in the middle, spinning around while using his tentacles to balance, spin, and bounce large teacups at the tips. Better buckle in! You're at the mercy of the Kraken now!
- Disclaimer: By riding the Kraken Tea Cups, you are assuming all risk for personal injury including death and damage to personal property. The Mage's Guild will not reimburse you for costs of items eaten by the Kraken, medical or healer bills, or possible funeral costs.
Basilisk Roller Coaster
Rows upon rows of leather seats are attached to the back of a cranky basilisk for one hell of a thrill ride on a designed track. This ride features loops, double loops, corkscrews, full inversion, twists, neck-breaking turns, high heights and dive-bombs that will make you question your very existence. Riders must sign a waiver before boarding.
Enchanted Balloon Rides
At the top of the Rolling Hills is an Avian vendor with an assortment of gems that levitate at eye level. Place your hand on the presented magic gem and think of your spirit animal. If you cannot think of one, the vendor assures, the gem will look into your soul (or lack thereof) and assign one for you. A magical orb shaped as such with form around you and your partner. You'll float above the festivities and take a tour of the Xalious Mountains for a romantic ride that you'll never forget.
Spirit Animal Attraction
For the first time ever (probably), there's a huge octagonal tent, sixty feet in diameter. Each wall stands twenty feet high and tapers rapidly to a middle point twenty feet higher. It wasn't here the day before the fair started, how did it go up so fast? Magic of course! On one side of the door flap entrance, is a six foot pole with a heavy draping banner of bright purple. In large sparkly silver letters it reads, "Find out what your spirit animal looks like!" On the other side of the door is a very similar sign, except it's a silver banner with purple lettering. "Only 25 gold pieces!" Under this, in much smaller letters, is the disclaimer. "We are not responsible if you turn into a a prey animal and get eaten by someone who turns into a predator. You are responsible for the damage you cause as an animal. In the event your spirit animal is a fish or other aquatic creature we supply fishbowls. If you think you will turn into an aquatic creature that won't fit in a fish bowl we recommend you provide your own body of water. We are not responsible for anyone who suffocates." So exciting! So very exciting! And once you enter the tent, there's many many different pens, stocked with food needs for all different types of animals! All your needs are met! Finally at the back of the tent is a very bored looking Lanlan! All you have to do is sign a few forms, pay the 25 gold, and take a spot in one of the pens. Also you do not have to take your clothes off, they transform with you. Once all the curious customers have taken their spots, Lanlan will channel magic into a mysterious moon colored rock and every willing participant will turn into whatever their spirit animal is for 10 whole minutes! Wow!
- Disclaimer: Please know what your character's spirit animal is beforehand because I sure don't.
Lithrydel Ferris Wheel
At the center of the fair resides a large contraption of dwarven and mage-make. Using a lightweight metal alloy, the dwarves forged small enclosures that are locked at intervals around a large wagon-wheel like structure. Twinkling lights flicker all along the pinwheel shape, enticing onlookers to urge their company to investigate! With the assistance of magic-users, the large wagon-wheel structure rotates, carrying each enclosure up, up and then back down again in a clockwise motion. Were one to board this ride, they would find four seats within their chosen enclosure and that the temperature inside is perfectly suited for each individual passenger. As the ride begins, the riders are lifted up and up, their view of the surrounding Xalious Mountains slowly fading, until they're replaced by snowy landscapes of Frostmaw, moving into coastal beaches of Cenril, then earthy forests of Kelay-Sage and everywhere between. This ride takes the passengers on a journey through Lithrydel, visiting all the wonders imaginable from a bird's eye view. And yet, all good things must come to an end... the ride grinds to a halt and the passengers are ushered out so that new riders might go on a journey of their own.
Magical Mysteries!
The Vendors
Halifax Roots
A new and local Kelay-Sage brand that teamed up with the local Kelay healer, Yerrel. The vendor’s booth has a giant wooden sign with shiny, metallic gold paint in neat cursive script that says “Halifax Roots” with ivy leaves that surround the top. The table is covered by a lacy cream table-cloth and in front of the booth different colored green tassels hang in a curve for decoration. On the table are different shelves and wicker baskets full of bags of herbs, jars of salves, vials of oils, and jars of spices. Each bag, jar, and vial are covered with a gold lid. Each bag, jar, and vial are labelled with what ingredient the herb or oil is and are tied off with a wine-colored string. Behind the table, a dapper man with short, dark waves stands with a stubble face. The man looks woodsy in visage appearance, but looks dressed for the part with the events going on. Ruari Erickson an assistant to the owner herself--Penelope Halifax—who stands next to him in her calm, graceful nature.
Özcan Provisioning
A small propriertorship from Cenril. The booth is well-organized and decorated with beautiful geometric fabric using warm red and yellow colors. Visitors can purchase streetfood-style snacks like beef and fish skewers, individual pickled vegetables of many varieties, or special fermented drinks like ginger beer or tepache (a fermented pineapple brew spiced with cloves and cinnamon). They can also request bulk orders of preserved food for long journeys over land or sea, and requestors can get their orders fulfilled faster if they can provide the fresh food themselves. The booth is run by Gamsiz of the Isran Collective, a tattooed and charismatic male feline in his late twenties. He looks more like an elf, except for his fuzzy pointed ears and long tail behind him. He is clearly a foodie at heart, and enjoys giving pointers to people interested in preserving and fermenting their own food if they can’t come to Cenril.
OOC Note: See https://www.hollowgame.com/wiki/Isran_Collective for more information about the Isran Collective
Face Painting
This booth was put together by the owner of the Rebel Room, an art gallery in Cenril. What's a fair without a bit of face painting? A booth has been set up and staffed with three individuals just for that purpose. Adults and children alike can have whatever tasteful request painted upon them. Options are not only limited to the face, painters are also willing to make their mark upon a hand, arm or even shoulder. Painters are equipped with a paints in a rainbow of colors, some of the paint even glimmers, shimmers, glows, or changes color. There are a couple of large canvases on display that have some commonly requested designs to help people pick their selections, but artists are not limited to only what is only display. Pricing seems to be reasonable but dependent on the size of the request, most seem to be paying around twenty gold at most.
The Music
The Sound Of Sirens
Once an hour every hour, the Lithrydel-renowned rock band The Sound Of Sirens takes the stage. A three-song set is on display right on schedule, taking up about twenty minutes before another act or band replaces them on stage. There’s no shortage of pyrotechnics or use of magic in general; despite the fact that this isn’t a full show, The Sound of Sirens spare no expense to get the crowd pumped and rock the hell out. The band is, unfortunately, lacking their fearless leader ‘Red’, but Gorey Taelyr is there to pick up the slack to make the fans’ ears bleed with the most mind-melting, heart attack-inducing banshee’s wail that anyone’s ever heard this side of Vailkrin. With Jon 3, Spyder, and Dayv Ghoul by Gorey’s side, the Sirens will be performing some of their more popular songs: A Favor House Alithrya; Should I Stay Or Should I Go Get Drunk?; Why Is It Always The End Of The World As We Know It?; My Black Plague; Social-Psycho; Carry On Wayward Bard; Ride The Chain Lightning; Kickstart My Undead Heart; Fell In Love With A Living Dead Girl; Arrow With Butterfly Wings; and so many more! And after the band finishes playing, be sure to check out their merchandise table! Plushies of the Sirens, as well as various types of apparel and accessories with the band’s logo are available for purchase!
The Fortune Teller
A small, circular tent with a pointed top is erected off to the side of the vendors, crimson fabric cloaking the entire thing, the entrance obscured by opaque material. Once inside, the flicking, magical blue light from the various candles give the whole enclosure a mystical feel. Dominating the interior of the space is a round table with two wingback chairs on either side. The table is laden with a red and gold shimmery cloth with a bold, black embroidered pentacle and upon the top lay various objects. To left is a deck of worn, battered looking oracle cards, each one depicting an animal in its native scenery. In the center is an impressive crystal ball, about the size of a melon, seated upon a rosewood stand. Maybe it's a trick of the light, but the interior of the orb seems to be filled with opalescent, swirling fog which undulates against the glass-like sphere. Finally, to the right, there is a wooden board with a sun and moon burned into the center. Words surround the celestial illustrations, such as 'yes', 'no', 'maybe', and 'unknown'. Laying behind the strange piece of wood is a thin metal chain with a green, purple, and pink hued fluorite crystal point attached to the end--a pendulum with a corresponding board. Seated behind the table swathed in various shawls of purple and silver, perches the witch Talyara. Near her left elbow rests a large hawk feather as well as an abalone shell where a bundle of sage burns, causing thick ribbons of smoke to fill the tent. Her wrists are heavy with bangles that jingle with any movement she makes, and jeweled rings adorn each of her fingers. Her normally unruly curls have been teased out and her eyes have been painted with powders and gels to make them appear large and mysterious. When she speaks, she hitches her voice in a lower tone than normal, as if it will add to the ambiance of the fortune telling tent. Once inside, she beckons all those who wish to delve into the mysteries of the future to pick which type of divination tool they prefer--cards, crystal ball, or pendulum.
- Disclaimer: If you'd like to RP out a fortune telling session please let me know via hmail or Discord (the latter will get communication to me quicker). Even if this isn't something we can do live due to conflicting schedules, we can absolutely do this via hmail as well! I just need to know which means of fortune telling you want and what question/questions your character will ask. Just remember, the future is a fickle thing, and you might walk away with an answer you weren't excepting!
The Fair Food
Ginger Snapped Bakery and Sweetshop
Catering for the Arh’Nuk Fair is provided by the Ginger Snapped Bakery And Sweetshop and all manner of fried treats are being sold! From cookies to truffles and cheesecakes--even sticks of butter--are deep-fried and given a generous shower of powdered sugar. There’s even chocolate-covered cheesecake on a stick! The most popular deep-fried delicacy, however, are the Olyphont Ears, with several food stalls dedicated to just that, with the option of powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar, or various kinds of pie filling! Not a fan of sweets? There’s savory foods as well! Ginger Snapped Bakery has recently started selling gourmet-style sandwiches at the shop in Cenril and they’ve been brought to the fair in order to promote it! Choose from several different kinds of breads, meats, and cheeses to make your own creation! And don’t forget to wash it all down with fresh squeezed lemonade or iced tea!
The Security
The mage guilds finest spearhead a cooperative effort with Xalious to perform local security for the week long festivities. Armed guards patrol through the events letting little escape their gaze, ever watchful and vigilant of any bad do-er who might be out to spoil the fun for others. Intermixed with the visible forces are the unseen ones. Those mages and spell blades who are able to bend reality to their will and meander unnoticed under the effects of illusion for a form of invisibility. Even still is an erected watch tower -- housing a makeshift jail to hold ruffians for a few hours. It's upper most levels are where more skilled casters use scrying to observe those within the grounds. It would seem this entire area is well under guard; because it is. Every so often a patron who's had a little too much 'fun’ finds themselves escorted out and to safety. Otherwise, the guards themselves never even stop to bother any festival goers.