[Xanth]

Xanth is up to her old tricks again, experimenting on those poor spirit monkeys, and she needs your help! Between taking care of the realms and watching over her experiment, she doesn't have time (or the inclination) to track down the ingredients she wants, so she's sending you out into the wilderness to bring her back some items:

• Essence of Sunshine
  
• Clippings from the claws of a Zanaryan's wings (preferably without causing an inter-realm incident)
  
• The blood of a dragon (also without causing an inter-realm incident, or, you know, being flambe'd alive)
  
• Essence of Earth
  
• Morning dew from a chiolen tree
  
• Essence of Night

These items can be found scattered throughout the Elysian Fields in any post made within the last month. Once you've found them all, PM me with direct links to the posts you found them in. Then, when you've alerted Xanth to having found them, you'll need to take all six ingredients to the quadrangle and leave them as offerings at Xanth's statue by making an in-character reply to this thread.

Note: If you want to explain how your character acquired these ingredients in-character, you're welcome to do so in your entry post, but please don't make a thread for it. I'll also just mention, even if your character isn't a tough fighter, there are other ways of getting hold of this stuff, so everyone can participate (and I personally recommend doing so)!

Do not tell others where you found the ingredients (although if anyone's still struggling to find them a few days before the deadline, I may be persuaded to give some clues).

PRIZES: It's a surprise, but I promise it will be awesome, so don't miss out!

DEADLINE: July 10th. I know. Doesn't give you much time, but tough. It's all part of the awesomesauce!

[Lazuli]

Lazuli walked into the Quadrangle with a fairly large cloth bag in tow. It obviously contained delicate items, for she paced herself both steadily and carefully, keeping watch for any loose rocks or other obstructions on the ground that might cause clumsiness.

She had heard of Xanth's need for certain ingredients and being the faithful Elysian she was, had gone out to search for them with both determination and natural curiosity. The nature-related items had luckily been easier to get. The alternate realm items however...

Well, let's just say that Lazuli had been asked to complete quite a few strange quests to obtain them.

Any difficulties, however, were forgotten as she daintily marched onward to Xanth's magnificent statue. She kneeled down a few feet away and gently set down the bag next to her. "All right, then! I've got everything you needed, dear Goddess," she said happily as she began retrieving the potions from within the bag.

The essences... the dew... the blood (she felt just a bit queasy about that one)... the clippings.

She aligned them all in a neat, sacrificial row at the base of the statue. Clasping her palms together, the nyad bowed to the earth and prayed to the Goddess. "Please take these, Lady Xanth, as I kindly offer them to you along with my humble devotion," she whispered, closing her eyes.

After she suspected that Xanth had received her message, Lazuli stood up, took her bag, and left with a happy smile on her face with the intention of finishing up some paintings.

anime rain | discolore | celestial-star | night-fate-stock

[Isabel]

It was just supposed to be another ordinary day when Isabel visited Xanth's statue on one of her trips to the quadrangle. There, she learned about a quest given by Xanth to locate six special ingredients needed for some experiment or other.

Thinking that it would just be a simple task, Isabel took on the quest not knowing what she was in for. It took her a total of three days just to get all the ingredients; and for her to acquire them was no easy feat. Especially the clippings. Never again would she ask for the clippings of a Zanaryan's wing.

Having the ingredients at hand, Isabel once again approached Xanth's statue, travel-worn and ragged. Once done offering the ingredients, she'd be going straight to the bath. Only Xanth knows what filth and grime was stuck to her clothes. Ugh.

Kneeling down in front of the statue, Isabel carefully placed all six ingredients. “All six ingredients just as you asked. I hope this is sufficient for whatever it is you need them for.” After bowing her head in respect, Isabel then stood and left the quadrangle as fast as her tired feet could carry her.

[Txelu]

It had been from a friend that Txelu learned of Xanth's special quest. He had spent an afternoon reviewing the list of items and looking them up both in the library and online. Of course, eBay unfortunately did not pertain to this particular mission.

Gathering the items had been no easy task, but Txelu managed it with a little help from Ella of all people. And now he approached Xanth's statue with absolutely no desire to reflect back on what he had gone through to obtain these ingredients.

Being not so religious himself, he didn't pray or recite hymns or whatever people did, but he did kneel down and bow in respect with a certain graceful formality as though before a king. He set the items before the statue with care and precision. Looking over them he said with a faint smile, "I offer these to you, Lady Xanth, to do with as you wish."

With one last nod, Txelu stood up and left the Quadrangle, casting the lilac scene one final look before disappearing into the streets.

[Aiden]

It was early Thursday morning when Aiden strolled into the quadrangle with a backpack slung over his shoulders. Only one other soul was on the quiet green grounds, and the elderly lady was kneeling in equally quiet prayer. Circling to Xanth's eastern side, Aiden nodded politely at the goddess before crouching to sit beside the offering bowl. The bag clinked and jingled as Aiden pulled out its contents and offered them to the goddess.

He passed the quadrangle each day during his rounds, so it had been super-easy to obtain the morning dew. The other things, however, had been harder to find. What Zanaryan kept their wing-clippings? What dragon bled willingly? How might essence be captured? That sort of question belonged better in philosophy classrooms, and not out of Aiden's mouth. Luckily for him, he knew people from various walks of life, and eventually found all of the items that Xanth wanted.

After setting the bottles down in a line, Aiden got to his feet and patted the grass and dirt off his clothes. “I don't know what you're up to, Miss Xanth, but I hope it helps.” He grinned lopsided-ly at the fifteen-foot tall figure, turned, and left the quadrangle to return to his morning beat.

[Naava]

Xanth made strange requests sometimes, apparently. At least, that's the feeling Naava got when she'd been collecting the items Xanth needed. Wearing that acolyte cloak had made it a bit easier. Though some people didn't believe her when she'd said she was an acolyte to Xanth. That was awkward.

Nevertheless the fact also stood that people sold very weird things in their shops. She wasn't even sure selling dragon's blood was legal. It probably wasn't. But the guy she got it from was a 'Vari as best as she could tell, so that meant something, didn't it? That's how Naava consoled herself, at least.

Why couldn't Xanth have asked for something Naava already had. Like... Cheefle feathers. She had plenty of those. They were coating everything.

Sighing, Naava gingerly set all six bottles into on of the bowls surrounding Xanth's statue. The bottles were so pretty. She kinda wanted to keep them. But oh well.

Now that her bag was empty, she should probably clean or something.

Piper's Boutique + Jessica Alba

[Euphenia]

"I think I'm learning more about Your sense of humor," Phen commented idly as she entered her Lady's quadrangle.

The nyad was carrying what looked to be a well stuffed leather sack in her arms, and was hugging it to her chest with both arms as if afraid she'd drop it. She was wearing the delicate seeming lilac dress that she believed was a gift from the Goddess, and its many layers of skirt fluttered about Phen's legs as she walked toward Xanth's statue. She took the greatest of care in lowering her burden to be before the statue, then proceeded to sit down next to it with a swift exhalation of breath.

"Ah. That's strange," Phen said as she peered at the empty offering bowls and space before her goddess's image, "I could have sworn that others would be bringing more of the items You need ... Wait, what am I thinking?"

The nyad chuckled up at the statue. "You've taken them already, haven't You? Well, here's a few more."

Getting to her knees, Phen tugged open the drawstrings of the bundle she'd brought and started to unpack numerous glass bottles that held things of wonder in a rainbow of colors. She paused when she unwrapped one edged with gold, its contents a deep and rich red. "This one was particularly hard to claim," she began in a conversational sort of way, as if she believed Xanth was really listening to her. Phen gently tapped on some of the gold with a fingernail badly in need of a manicure, or maybe just a good washing with soap and water. "I respect Kiel all the more now for his time as a courier. Delivering that package was almost more than I could take, and then that woman didn't want to give me my earnings."

Lightly setting the bottle down with the others, Phen continued to rustle about within the sack. "Mother was of great help with the essence of night, though I suspect You knew she would be from the start," she continued as she worked, "I really wish she could meet You in person one of these days. Then again, given how many secrets she tries to keep from me, maybe she already has."

"Yes, this should be the last one," Phen decided as she drew out a bottle similar to the others, only it was glowing a cheery and sunny gold. Its light played over Phen's face, and she couldn't help but smile. "It seems fitting that the first I came across is the last I set before you now. The apali who gave this to me did not ask for something in return. He .. surprised me."

Phen looked up once more, and unconsciously held the bright vial close to her heart. "Mother says that they can be as dishonest and as trustworthy as any individual can, but I'm nervous around them, the same as I'm nervous when near any anyeli who belong to a faction. I always assume that they will deem me beneath them. He didn't. He only saw Your colors, my Lady, and Your acolyte. Does that make me worth more than the sum of my lineage, by serving You?"

She waited, as if expecting some sort of answer. When none came, Phen lowered her head in a sort of bow. "I love you, Butterfly, and I should cease being so selfish by asking such things of You. What does it matter how am I regarded but for spreading Your benevolence among Your people?" Rocking forward, Phen set the last of the bottles down, then quickly got to her feet. As swiftly as she'd gotten up, the nyad bowed at the waist, her wings spreading open in salute. "May these serve You in whatever capacity You intend, Mother Butterfly. Blessed be Your touch upon mine heart and all that I witness."

Straightening, Phen blew the statue a less than ceremonial kiss and grinned, then gathered up her things. "I haven't been home for the last few days, so I need to go and pick Sanna up from Haven and get some other things together. I'll be back this afternoon to clean. Farewell for now."

The nyad's departure was faster than her arrival. Though the words she'd spoken while delivering what her goddess had asked for were heavy, her steps had become light.

Piper's Boutique # Raine # Celestial Star # DaFont # Angel

[Nicolay]

Nicolay liked to pride himself with his speed and quickness especially as a runner.

But with two bagfuls, one each hand, and an excitable companion, the young man found his disadvantage. He snorted to himself when Adie the Therian declared herself the winner as she hopped three steps away from the offering bowls and turned and waved at him. He only smiled back to the smaller girl, having his hands full.

“Hurry up, Niccy! The Great Goddess Xanth can't wait all day.”

Do these things have deadlines? Nicolay thought and would have wanted to do so aloud except there was something about the way the Statue stared at him that he bit back his tongue and swallowed down his words. He, however, took his time to approach the female Therian who hopped back to face Xanth and smile at her feet. Looking around him, he noted the emptiness of the bowls and the Quadrangle. “Are we too late?” he asked.

“I don't think these things have deadlines, Niccy,” Adie said as she finally reached out and took her sack, crouching just in front of the bowl as she tugged the lips open and began putting out the ingredients requested -- one after another. “But didn't I tell you this was gonna be fun?”

“I don't think we share the same definition of 'fun', Adie,” Nicolay said as he knelt with her, speaking in particular about procuring the Zanaryan clipping which had him drinking all his liver's worth since the seller in the black market had obviously upped the price what with Xanth's quest. Since he and Adie couldn't pay for them, they were challenged to a drinking game but even if Adie had the stronger liver, she was still a woman and Nicolay wouldn't have her in a contest with the brute.

In the end anyway, he won by default after the seller's wife came in to scream at him for drinking. Red all over, Nicolay almost fell over with relief.

Watching his friend perform her offering, he carefully imitated what she did, noting her lack of grimace when she offered the flask of blood -- something he and Adie took from the seller after asking his wife who went, “Go do with it whatever you want. I don't care!!”. The sight of his own item still made him shudder and the was the first thing he rid himself off before he presented everything else his bag held. As per Adie's advice, he tried to bring in some extra of what he could -- in case Xanth needed them. “There. All done.” He turned to the gleaming Adie who went so far as to arrange their offerings. “What next?”

“What next?” Adie repeated. “Well, we pray!” And here she hopped to her feet, Nicolay following in a slower pace as he inhaled the wintry wind and with closed eyes, pressed her palms together and against her chest. “Good Goddess, praises, honors and glories be to you. As you had asked of us loyal followers to deliver, we accomplished the task and pray you see them fit for acknowledgment. With these offerings, we lift up to you our gratitude, our anxieties and our faith in your goodness.” Opening her eyes, she turned to the dumbfounded Nicolay. “Your turn.”

“Oh,” Nicolay jumped to his feet before he caught himself looking up to Xanth's face. “Umm...Good Goddess, uhh...please watch over my parents. And my sister...wherever she is. Also my friends. And umm...” he gestured to Adie's direction. “What she said.” Because she sounded so good, Nicolay was worried he'd offend Xanth if he tried a cheap imitation of it.

Adie was not impressed however. “You're no fun!” she exploded and promptly turned heels and walked away.

Nicolay gaped at her back. What did he do wrong?! Looking back to Xanth, he waved goodbye to the statue and hurried to catch up with his fuming friend. “Adie, wait!”

[Tsiyone]

Tsiyone walked up to the statue warily. In the three years he'd spent away from earth, he'd never actually come to the quadrangle before. Maybe mostly because he lived in Zanarya, but there was something else... something intimidating about it. Still, he'd heard of the mission and that there would be a reward... so he'd embarked upon it.

Getting the wing clippins was surprisingly easy. Okay, well, not surprising, but still. It was far from difficult given the fact that he actually was Zanaryan. He'd managed to acquire the other items as well, all except the chiolen dew. Which was why he was here so accursedly early. The dew was forming on the leaves as the sun rose, and Tsiyone was walking around with a little glass bottle he'd found outside an apothecary. He went from tree to tree, carefully manipulating the dew with his powers until it was flowing into the bottle. He didn't take all of the dew off of any given tree, and so he ended up visiting four different trees before finally filling the bottle.

Once he'd closed the delicate glass, he awkwardly walked over to the statue and left the various bottles in the bowls. “So, uh.... yea,” he mumbled before shuffling away silently.

[Xanth]

In her temple, perched on the edge of her marble throne, Xanth frowned at her creation. This was not what she had envisioned. Of course it was not the first of many experiments to turn out differently, but she had been so certain that these particular ingredients mixed with this particular creature would create something spectacular over which Elysians would be praising her forever more.

It was clear the items had some effect, but she was at a loss. This... creature would not be suited for her gardens, and so what was she to do with it?

Ah, but did she not still owe her little helpers their rewards?

---

As you go about your business satisfied over a job well done, something unexpected happens. A small figure appears before you in a muted poof of lilac smoke, and immediately begins to chatter gibberish at you!

This grotesque, misshapen creature looks like it might once have been a spirit monkey. The signs are all there - the long, skinny form of a primate with a prehensile tail and opposable thumbs. It even has dark fur that looks like it might be luxuriously soft to the touch were it not matted and clumped with streaks of dirt, and what may very well be dried blood.

However, it is quite clear that something has gone horribly wrong.

For a start, this nightmare creature has wings - frighteningly oversized, dark leather wings with claws at the ends sharp enough to scratch out an eye without even trying. There's also an underlying pervasiveness to its vocal chatter that makes you suspect this creature is projecting directly into your mind. Perhaps these "extras" are a result of the ingredients you helped acquire?

Worrying still is that it is now broad daylight and the creature shows no signs of being dispersed as a spirit monkey ought, which does not bode well for you when it begins to follow you with bloody-minded persistence!

---

OOC: This monkey will now follow you wherever you go. It's ugly, smelly, noisy and aggressive, and it will not leave your side.

ONPC will be posting random "encounters" through the next couple of weeks but you're also encouraged to roleplay the consequences of being stalked by these monkeys by yourselves.

Keep an eye out here for updates that will affect all participants, and have fun!

[Official NPC]

It has now been confirmed that these deformed monkeys poop gold in the form of gold nuggets! Maybe there's someone you can sell it to? (You can't GM poop, though - only ONPC can post it. )

And here's a hot tip: Try not to kill your monkey. Maybe they're not all doom and gloom!

[Official NPC]

What's this, another tip?

If you don't provide a means for receiving your monkey (that is, a thread where they can appear), your reward will be significantly less (because all the elements are tied together, you see, and the best reward hinges on you having interacted with your monkey).

[Official NPC]

NEWS FLASH!!!

Apparently, even mutated mutant spirit monkey mutant things need food!

This news was brought to you by the letter E.

[Xanth]

Less than a week after the teleporting monkeys first appeared, Xanth sat once more on her throne and clapped her hands together with rather more glee than was fitting for a goddess such as herself. “Now then, for the real reward.”

---

Wherever they were in the realms, every single one of the malformed monkeys stopped in the middle of whatever mischief they were causing. They dropped whatever they were holding and stilled as if frozen in time. Then, with a muted puffump, each one disappeared amidst a cloud of lilac smoke, taking with them their stench and their noise as if they had never been.

Their stalkees and the city with them breathed a collective sigh of relief. Not more than five minutes later, however, something new, something otherworldly, took their place.

It was a spit of spiritual energy erupting with a spurt of new smoke and with a blinding flash, the monkeys returned right before the eyes of its master. Yet they were different; no longer dark and bloodied and deformed, they were incorporeal and shapeless and cloaked in wisps of light.

Then, these incorporeal creatures began to take shape, plucking inspiration from the minds of their masters and moulding their forms to match. As these new shapes solidified, the light around them dimmed until, for the briefest of moments, one could look at them and see very clearly what form they had assumed.

And then, with a whisper of ethereal song, they rushed forward to envelop their new masters in a feather-light hug, seeping into their skin within seconds. For just a moment, a murmur lit up the dark of their masters' minds to swear protection, and then it, too, was gone.

---

This is your true reward. Xanth could find no place for the deformed spirit monkeys in this world, and so she made use of them in the next. They are now Divine Guardians and a part of you forevermore.

Which is to say that everyone who interacted with their monkey (which is actually everyone who took part, yay!) has earned a free Divine Guardian at Level 1. This guardian will not only provide a measure of defence and boost Divine Shield if you have it, but it is a direct, spiritual line to Xanth in times of need so that your characters' prayers are much more likely to be heard. (Please read Divine Shield for more information.)

And there's more to come!

[Official NPC]

The monkeys were gone. The city was safe and quiet once more (or as quiet as a bustling city could get). Things had returned to normal.

Yet there was one place that remembered the monkeys fondly. Wayne Wainwright and his brothers had put up a new sign in their storefront window offering to buy the crumpled lumps of golden poop. When asked why, Wayne would quite cheerfully tell you, “It's gold! Who cares where it came from?” And if pressed, his less exuberant brothers would only say “Waste not want not”, though clearly they have plans for it because they've been seen talking to the local smelter.

“What are you waiting for? You need the cash, right? Well, we've got it!”

And so, you lay out the gold pieces tossed at you by your monkey (let's say Isabel and Txelu got some gold even though I didn't get a chance to ONPC for them. Sorry about that, guys!), and to your delight hear Wayne tell you:

Aiden -- “That's a pretty one. Big too. I'll give you thirty-six xanthos for it.”

Euphenia -- “Hmm. Ten each. What? That's forty xanthai, take it or leave it!”

Lazuli -- “Well, hello, little lady. You're ever so pretty. What? Oh, right. Ahem. Let's see. Well, that one's worth probably, what, eight, but these two, hmm. Ten and twelve, so thirty and that's my final offer. Want to go for a drink with me later?”

Isabel -- “Hmph. We don't normally serve vampires here, missy, but I suppose I can give you three each for them. Here, take your thirty and go.”

Kazuma (because even though he didn't get a monkey, he sure interacted with them! ) -- “No, no, sorry, but twelve's the best I can do for this one and you're lucky I'm willing to give you that, Xanth-damned fang.”

Naava -- “Wow. Hey, Billy, you get the feeling our store suddenly became attractive to the pretty ladies? Yeah, yeah, you miserable fig. Anyway, how would you like a drink with me later? Hmm? Right, right, the gold. Well, this one, that's pretty much worthless but I'll give you a couple of xanthos for it anyway. This one, though, that's huge. Lucky they didn't throw that at someone's head, eh? I'll give you twenty just for that one, and ten for this other. Bet you didn't think you'd make thirty-two xanthai this morning when you got up, huh?”

Nicolay -- “No, no. Ten's generous for something this small, mate, but I like you so I'll take all three off your hands for that. Here, thirty for you, and gold for me.”

Tsiyone -- “Goddess, you stink. Here, I'll give you ten xanthos for it if you leave right now!”

Txelu -- “I'll tell you what I told your girlfriend earlier, we don't normally serve bloodsuckers. Ehhhh, fine. Twenty-eight, but that's it!”

---

This event is now officially over, so I hope you've all had immense fun like I have, and that you like your rewards!

I'll leave this forum open so you can finish off any threads as you like. (I moved them to this forum if they had monkeys in them since it's important that they took place in the same timespan of one week.)

I know some of you were in multiple threads with your monkeys, though, so I'd encourage you to discuss potential endings with others (for instance, the monkeys can't do their disappearing act in Mumble since they're in others that take place later).

And remember, they can teleport and would have stuck like glue to their stalkees for the duration. Their aggression levels may have died down slightly, though, once they calmed down after the chaos and fear of being poofed into place (though not by much, I'm afraid! )

So, for the last time, HAPPY XANTH DAY / FOURTH ANNIVERSARY! May the next year treat us just as kindly.