hugtopia_logs | January Intro Log

a town blanketed in snow with the sun rising

January Intro Mingle Log
Welcome to Hugtopia, and to the city of Havenwell. This mingle is meant for new arrivals to get settled and meet the other inhabitants. New characters should be the only top-levels but everyone is free to tag around and make new friends. Who knows, you may find that Perfect Hug in here. You can use the prompts here, or create a wildcard of your own.

ICly, this takes place from the 2nd to around the 10th, with a proper event coming soon after applications are processed. The prompts below are optional, but are a way to get you started if you wish. Some also carry over from the TDM, so you can continue threads officially in-game if you wish! To help you create your own prompts, please take a look through our Settings and FAQ. Click on each prompt's title to see the text.

If you have any questions, feel free to direct them to the FAQ or to the Mod Question thread below.

❥ PROMPT I: Awakening

When you awaken, you're in the last outfit you remember wearing, and (up to) three of your belongings are laid nearby or your animal friend curled up beside you, waking up as you do. A stone slab is not the most comfortable place to sleep, but once you're awake, a humanoid-looking robot enters the room and explains that you're in Havenwell, then leads you out of the room and into the main portion of the temple where a welcoming committee of similarly humanoid-looking robots hand over a clear smartphone-sized tablet, some starting funds, and explain their dilemma. Then they release you into Havenwell to pick your new home from free housing in the city and give you the chance to settle. It might be a bit disorienting, but thankfully there seem to be a lot of robots and even some non-robots around. Maybe ask them for help? Strike up a friendly conversation, get to know your neighbours! It seems as if you may be here for the long haul.

❥ PROMPT II: Just Like Glue

two gummi bears fused together, head to side

After you're given an explanation of your situation, as well as your communication device, the priests are busy or shorthanded enough that there is little further guidance offered. Instead you are set loose to explore the city on your own, to take in the sights or find your own lodgings. The city is yours to discover! Go forth, and enjoy!

However, newcomers and current residents should beware: the arrivals are… sticky. Not noticeably so, of course, and they find no trouble moving place to place, but should they brush up against another person, or shake hands, or collide in any way- they will find themselves… stuck. Magically, inexplicably. The hold is not painful unless they pull too hard, but no amount of tugging will release them. However, should the initial point of contact be too awkward, switching areas can release another. Characters attached at the hip can swap for handholding, glued chests can trade to shoulder-to-shoulder. They have to figure that out first, of course, but it may ease some awkwardness out of the encounter.

This effect can last up to half an hour before characters are released for good. There is a cooldown period in the aftermath, a few minutes perhaps, but further contact will repeat the process all over again. Best to duck and run once you're free, unless you're into that sort of thing.

❥ PROMPT III: Get those Creative Juices Flowing

paintbrushes, a set of paints, resting on a painted background

The weather within the city's barrier may be artificial, but that doesn't mean that the culture is fake, too! A full rotation around the sun has concluded, bringing with it their own year-end celebration. And as they've come to know their visiting residents, they have begun to recognize many similarities between seasons, calendars, and even some holidays, too. With your arrival, they know that their world has a chance of recovery, and they want to continue to show their appreciation for your efforts. The changes have been subtle in the months since the gods started to draw in their saviours, but even with such hiccups as the broken wall in recent times, there have been improvements in ways that may not be apparent to the non-natives. A new year will surely bring new changes, recovery, fresh starts.

From within the temples, priests are beginning to march out with various decorations, tassels, lanterns, and fresh new colours to decorate the area with. Not only is it a new year, but something else is coming, something loud and celebratory, though the residents themselves are keeping mum about what, exactly. To incorporate their visitors' cultures and designs at the same time, however, residents are encouraged to visit any temple at their convenience or pleasure and join in the design process. There are craft tables, ranging from basic (for the younger or less skilled, such as kites or papercraft) to intricate and advanced designs (like glass lanterns or embroidery). Those less creatively-inclined are welcome to use their various skills, magics, or just ladder-balancing talents to help with the decoration installations around town. Many hands make light the work, after all.

Come hang out, do some art, form a knitting club! It's a great way for new people to meet their neighbours, perhaps share a little bit of their own culture with this world that is to be, at least for now, their new home.

❥ PROMPT IV: A Delicious Delight

The limited edition drink selection has been so popular (weird side effects and all) that the priests and the scientists of Experiment 73 have carried on serving it, though as the month begins the promo booths around town have mostly been taken down in favour of allowing for the town decorations, hence they are more sparse than they were last month. However, in exchange, these drinks are now temporarily available in the at-home replicators as well! There are five drinks in total to choose from and you should certainly try them. When you take a sip of these exquisitely delicious (honest! For once they're good) beverages, prepare yourself for a little trick with your treat.

Ginger and Honey Tea: A hot, thoroughly warming drink with the bite of ginger and the sweetness of honey. Drink this and you'll be shored up against the cold, but also feel compelled to tell or blurt out the truth. Whether you're asked a question or trying to tell a little white lie, you find you can't say anything but the truth. This effect lasts for up to an hour after drinking the tea.
Strawberry Shortcake Smoothie: A cold sweet treat of vanilla smoothie topped with sweet strawberry pieces and whipped cream. At the bottom, you'll find a layer of sweet sponge cake cut up into pieces. Drink this with its own special thick straw and enjoy the taste of cake; and the effect of a personal miniature snow cloud that appears over your head. The cloud dusts you and your immediate area within a foot of you with beautiful multicolored snow - and that snow leaves splotches of color behind that last for up to an hour after drinking the smoothie.
Hot Cinnamon Apple Cider: A deliciously steamy beverage that tastes of apple and cinnamon and comes with a cinnamon stick stirrer for effect. This beverage smells as delicious as it tastes and the aroma wafts around the area more strongly than the others. Drink this penultimate holiday drink and you'll find yourself heating up so much that you'll want to stay cold by giving your heat away via holding someone else. You'll want to be everyone's personal heater for up to an hour after drinking the cider.
Gingerbread Latte: A nice piping hot latte with the hint of gingerbread threaded through the coffee, topped with whipped cream and dusted with gingerbread spice. Served in a tall red cup that seems to transfer the heat uncannily well through its thin walls, sip this and you'll find yourself painlessly sprouting an animal's appendage at random. You can have one functioning or non-functioning, cosmetic animal appendage like a cat's ears, a dog's tail, a duck's beak or whatever else you can think of for up to an hour after drinking the latte. They can replace your original body part (e.g. your ears become cat ears) or grow superfluously (e.g. you have regular ears AND cat ears). You can move the appendages or talk with them as if they are your own, but they don't confer any special magical powers with them. So you can fly with those griffin wings, sure, but you're going to need to put the effort into it.
Hot Mulled Wine (alcoholic): This one isn't for children - and in fact, under 18 people might find it hard (but not impossible, be industrious, little ones!) to get their hands on this drink. Red wine is heated with spices and citrus fruit over low heat for several hours - or it would if it wasn't all synthetically created. The effect is the same though, a delicious adult beverage that's a nice way to spend an evening with someone special. And you'll want them to be someone special because drinking the hot wine makes you inclined to get a little steamy with people. Kisses, both chaste and passionate, seem to alleviate the urge which you'll be under for up to an hour after drinking the wine.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Nita's not the first person she's encountered who has been affected by the snow cloud. So that's not exactly what catches Momo's attention but rather:]

Cel...ray?

[Nita's startled out of her exasperation-fit by the unexpected person and question.]

Er- it tastes like celery. But not in a gross way?

[She shakes her head at the cloud.]

This was a strawberry smoothie, anyway. Totally different.

[Just unique.

This does not stop the peridexis from being amused, however.]

So like a modified version of the vegetable itself, I see!

[Momo has never encountered a Cel-Ray in her life, alas. Her attention turns to the cloud now and she seems pleased with herself for actually bearing information about it from a previous encounter.]

Ah, yes, it does do that! But worry not, the snow is quite harmless and the cloud itself dissipates within an hour or so.

[Nita nods.]

Yeah; it's a soda. Healthier than some, I'll bet, though it still had all the bubbles.

[She takes the information with some reassurance.]

As long as it's temporary... Did you have one yourself, or has this one happened to a lot of people already?

Someone else I've stumbled into, actually. She took it in stride and just played with it. The colored snow does look beautiful, after all.

They've been serving these drinks for at least a month now though, so people know already the—

[Ah]

Could it be that you're new around here?

[Nita nods, wryly amused.]

Yeah. Only showed up this week. I've been trying to catch up with what's on the Network, for starters, but...

[She shakes her head.]

Anyway, I'm Nita. What's your name?

I hope it wasn't too bad a welcome to have a snow cloud over you for an hour. Although I suppose there's no choice otherwise...

[A polite bow, the she smiles.]

I'm Momo Yaoyorozu. I'm pleased to make your acquaintance, Nita. I've been here for a few months now, so if I could help you out with anything, I'll do my best!

[Nita smiles wryly.]

I've definitely seen worse, that's for sure.

[There's a brief, entirely mental, moment of indecision for Nita. Does she bow back???? ... Nevermind.]

The same to you as well, Momo. And- I guess I should start figuring out how to get around the city, and where people live.

[That smile warms.]

Help would definitely be great.

[See, Nita's just in luck because Momo's the type who loves being able to help others. That reflects as much on the excited smile that blooms on her face.]

Excellent! Seeking shelter is quite important in situations such as this. [You know... being suddenly whisked to a new world and all.] We can head towards the residential area first, if it suits you?

[And Nita can appreciate that attitude.]

No kidding.

[The cloud above her still drifting snow, she walks on over to Momo... then stops.]

You don't mind the multicolor snow, do you? I can keep distance if that works better.

[She waves her hands in front of her.]

You don't have to keep distance at all. Some colored snow wouldn't hurt anyone. Come to think of it...

[She holds out her hand to Nita.]

Would you mind if we held hands as we head towards the residental area? They probably explained it already at the temple, about earning credits through physical contact. This should earn you a bit to get situated here better. Only if you're fine with it, of course!

[No less relieved by the offer, Nita finishes crossing the distance and takes Momo's hand.]

That works for both of us, then!

... Though, no one said anything about when the money comes in; not sure why.

[She'll walk when - and where! - Momo does, for now. Nita's hand is not chilled despite the 'snow', though her other hand is still occupied with smoothie.]

[Off we go! With a steady hold of Nita's hand, Momo leads the way.]

It comes by the end of the month. That I've only come to know through experience as well. You'd have to make do for now, but the shelter and the replicator in it should get you through until then.

[Also, getting to know each other should pass time as they walk there, right?]

If I may ask, the world you came from before you got here... what kind is it?

Right...

[She first means to ask about the replicators, but then Momo asks her own question.]

As far as most of the Earth is concerned? It's pretty normal. Buuut, I've seen how it's anything but.

/Being a wizard and taking the Oath in Life's Name tends to do that./

[Slipping into the Speech to prove her point? Why yes; having the peridexis in her head snickering at her sense of humor also encourages her.]

[Oh?? What's that just now? Sure they understand each other perfectly already, but with Nita's Speech it seems like Momo heard it from her own native language, Japanese. It's a bit confusing, but certainly something that doesn't escape her notice. Some of the terms she's just said is still foreign to her in another sense, though. What's this Oath? Life's Name? Ah, but one part is familiar, at least.]

A wizard, you say! Do you mean that you can do spells? Like the ones in fantasy stories!

[Hoo boy. Time to play 'combat the myths'!]

Not always like those, but I've definitely got spells covered.

Sometimes the stories make them sound way too simple, too.

[Nita laughs a little, mostly at herself.]

Less on the 'dried eel', more on the 'obscure piece of scrap' count, if you're stuck relying on physical props.

Ah, of course. If you're from a different world, it only makes sense that my perception of what a wizard is may not be completely aligned with yours. I'm glad to hear that spells seem to be a universal characteristic, however!

[And the wryness of her answer earns a small laugh from Momo, too.]

What obscure piece of scrap are we talking about here? Surely it's still a magical item of some sort?

[Nita nods again, pleased that Momo gets it on her own.]

Pieces of old TV sets-level old. It's all about how the item warps the space around it, like a dent in space-time.

It's old theory, for sure, and once you're better at the vocab you can mostly do without it when out on errantry, but it still works all the same.

January Intro Log

IV

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject