♥ January (Lasra) Event Log

[hugtopiamods]

January (Lasra) Event Log
Are you feeling free of last year's burdens, offworlders? The natives certainly are after spending the final month of the year at Rawna's temples. Now it's time for a new beginning even as the cold deepens, leaving snow drifts piled along Havenwell's streets. Industrious robots are hard at work keeping the city clean and removing any ice from the stone roads, leaving only beautiful winter scenery behind. The city sparkles under the snow and the silvery white decor brings out of their temples the priests not only for Rawna, but all of the gods.

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❥ PROMPT I: The Temple Celebrations

As noted in the Intro Log, the residents of Havenwell have been invited to help with the decorations in order to incorporate your worlds' cultures with their own, and to assist in celebrating the new year's coming. 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.

Each temple has music playing and all of them have their associated animals not inside the temple like normal, but spread all over the temple grounds and surrounding areas. They aren't lost for once, but seem to be beckoning people toward their respective homes which are bedecked with holograms of dark green leafy boughs, ribbons, and ornaments all in the temple's colors. Diacht has red and white striped ornaments, Ohma has blue and gold, and Ainea is bringing up the cute factor with pink and purple. But Rawna is looking especially resplendent with rainbow sheened silver ornaments hung in the air, mixed in with real ones that are suspended from wires so thin they look as if they're hanging in midair. The dragonlings fly through the air, trailing silver ribbons behind them that make the temple really seem to shine this month. At each temple, simply by showing up, you can receive a small gift from the priests regardless of whether or not you're an adherent. And they invite you to play the temple games or dance along to the festive music playing from speakers. Each temple has something different to offer, so grab a friend and make your first visit of the year a special one!

• Ainea:
Ainea's temple offers a soft fluffy pink and purple-swirled scarf that's long enough for you and a friend to wear at the same time if you so wish. The temple's game is called "The Best Of." You and a partner step upon a small silver platform and each pull a card from a pile. Tell your partner about the prompt on the card in order to clear it. Only honest answers count and you'll know when the other person is being honest because the platform sings a little jingle and counts a point for your pair. The more cards you can get through, the higher your points! Some examples of the prompts are things like: the most embarrassing moment of the last year, most exciting moment of the last year, hardest you laughed last year, most beautiful thing you saw last year, most memorable trip from the last year, favorite song of the year, etc.

• Rawna:
Rawna's temple has an offering of beautiful gloves, threaded with rainbow thread at the wrists in an intricate and abstract pattern that somewhat resembles dragons in flight. Their game is one of flying kites. For a small Dora donation, priests will give you a thin slip of paper to write a wish upon. Tie your wish, or wishes if you're here with someone else, to your kite and get help from someone to make it fly the highest in the hopes that the gods will hear and answer you. As you deepen your relationship with the person you're flying your kite with by talking or sharing the meaning of your wishes, the kite seems to fly higher and higher.

• Ohma:
Ohma's offering is a tasteful blue, wide-brimmed hat with a gold ribbon and flower accents. Their game is a card matching one. For those read up on Havenwell's poets, try your hand at this game where you match the beginning of the poem with the next line. A robot judge reads the first line and then you have to find the corresponding card among a field of brightly colored cards. Grab the card first and win points! For those not familiar with Havenwell's poetry, you can try the game with more simple themes like colors and fruits (not that they make much sense - why is an apple blue??) or facts about the other people in Havenwell. ....when did that game become so popular?

• Diacht:
Diacht's offering is a white and red feather pendant necklace on a thin white-gold chain. Their game seems to be something like Earth's game of badminton, but minus a net. Grab a pair of large white and red wooden paddles and a multicolored shuttlecock and try batting away the year's bad luck by keeping the shuttlecock aloft. If you're the one to drop it, your opponent gets to draw on your face with a special ink-brush that has the ink contained in its handle. For the non-athletically inclined, you can watch the professionals play the game as the robotic natives most renowned for the art of this game are trying to break a Havenwell record for a single continuous game: 22 days.

❥ PROMPT II: Your Yearly (Mis)Fortunes

At each temple along all the other celebrations and games, you can also find a separate booth that has a strange and unreadable Aellyn script on it. The robot sitting behind the booth has their face covered with a strip of fabric that obscures it completely, but it calls out to you when you walk by. It offers you an ancient-looking wooden container with a single small hole at the top. If you take it, it mimes shaking the container and tipping it over. Do as they say and a wooden stick pops out of the top with that same strange script on it. The robot takes a look at what you got and takes the container back, passing you a single strip of paper with reverence. "Keep your fortune close or learn to let it go," it says, and then looks to find another patron. Turn your paper over and discover what your fortune holds for you.

• Big Luck:
"The world shall become your limitless bounty, until you choose to rely on others." After reading your fortune, the world does indeed seem limitless. Or maybe it's just large? Everything around you has suddenly gained in size. The fortune-teller's booth seems like a mountain. The stones under your feet like a massive raft. Has the world suddenly grown? Nope, you've just shrunk down to about 5 to 6 inches tall. Everything you were holding and on your person is also proportional to your new size. Hopefully you can find someone to carry you around for a bit because only by being carried will you return to your natural size. As an option, this can happen to you again randomly at any time during the month so long as you keep the paper fortune on you.

• Medium Luck:
"All that glitters is gold for you until another helps you out." After reading your fortune, nothing much seems to have overtly changed. And you probably won't notice anything until the next time you try to eat something. Any time your hands touch any food or anything that can be used to feed yourself, it explodes into glitter and your communicator rings as a deposit of Dora is made into your bank account. This seems pretty awesome at first, until you realize you can't eat anything and you're getting hungry. You may need to get someone else to feed you your next meal, after which the curse seems to have been broken. However, you have the option to have this effect happen again randomly at any time during the month so long as you keep the paper fortune on you.

• Small Luck:
"The smallest things can bring the biggest rewards." After reading your fortune, nothing much seems to have changed until you return home and find all of your pillows, blankets, and bedding have turned much, much too small for you. If you're an adult, the bedding is now the size suitable for a baby. If you are a child, you're looking at something small enough for a large doll. Any bedding you try to borrow changes its size as well, and it seems the only thing that can change them back is to share your bed or a blanket with someone else for a night. When you wake up from your nap or your slumber, everything will be back to normal. As an option, you can have this effect happen again randomly any time during the month so long as you keep the paper fortune on you.

• Bad Luck:
"The love of an animal is almost as strong as the love of your fellow people." After reading this fortune, all the temple animals turn and look at you in unison. They seem to be drawn toward you, literally, as they begin to converge and run toward you like a tidal hoard in an attempt to cuddle you. You best run or they threaten to bury you under their mass, and they'll keep chasing you until you find comfort in the arms of another - whether that's climbing on top of them to get away or jumping into their arms to avoid the tidal wave of mice - as soon as you cling to someone else, the animals seem to lose interest. You can optionally have this effect activate again at any time during the month so long as you keep the paper fortune on you, creating a new stampede of animals of any variety that try to love you just a liiiittle too much.

• Terrible Luck:
"Even bad luck can be the beginning of a beautiful friendship." After reading this fortune, you don't immediately feel any different. In fact, nothing much seems to have changed at all. You decide to walk away from the booth though, and that's when it hits you - or rather you hit it. You're overcome with a clumsy streak the size of a meteor belt as you bump, trip, and fall into just about everything in your path be it inanimate or animate. If it's inanimate, hopefully you don't mind a few bruises. If they're another person, maybe they'll catch you because only by being caught by someone can you break your clumsy streak. As an option, you can have this effect come back at any time so long as you keep the paper fortune on you.

OOC: If you wish to roll for a random fortune, leave an comment with your character's name in the Request Thread. The mods will randomize for you and give you your fortune. Your character can only claim 1 fortune, no matter how many times they attempt the fortune-teller's game. Feel free to choose your own fortune instead, if you would prefer a set result.

❥ PROMPT III: Memories of the Sun (VR)

This seasonal VR simulation is especially popular with the natives for the fact that it lets them see their world as it used to be. Load into the simulation "Memories of the Sun" and you'll be transported along with all others who are currently logged in to make a pilgrimage up Aellyn's most sacred mountain. Although its peak is rocky and somewhat barren, it has a serene beauty as it reaches up through the cloud layer and you climb upwards through the dark. The path is clearly lit by small lamps embedded into the ground, but you might find it easier to take the climb if you hang onto someone else. Once you reach the peak, whether you're alone or with someone else, you'll be treated to the sight of a gorgeous sunrise peeking over the thinning clouds. It's a sight to remember, and a sight that brings memories. As you watch you're overcome with a very real vision of your home, a place you remember, or people you know. This vision is typically of a better time in your life, something to bring you hope and peace as the new year dawns - but not always. Is this a vision of your past? Your future? Of your present? If you came here with someone else, they can also choose to share in your vision and you in theirs. Are you brave enough to face what the mountain has to show you?

❥ PROMPT IV: All the Ups and Downs

And while the celebrations continue, there seems to be something a little awry with Havenwell. Here and there throughout the month, gravity has gone utterly haywire. You can be walking from temple to temple or going about your everyday life when suddenly you feel yourself lifted off the ground or heavier than you have any right to be. Havenwell's natives aren't immune to this effect either, and you might see a robot go shooting up into the sky suddenly to hover a good five to ten feet in the air. Or they might take a step and suddenly fall flat on their faces, their gears whirring with the strain as they try to pick themselves up. Thankfully the other natives are quick to jump up and grab their companions if they're flying overhead or pull their friends out of the well if they're stuck to the ground. If you find yourself caught up in these gravity wells, you'll need someone's help to do the same. Be sure to pay it forward because you'll never know when it could be you in this awkward position.

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This event will run from January 15 to January 31. 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.

This post is meant to act as a catch-all for convenience, but feel free to make your own posts if you prefer!

Comments

[daikonrose]

"I wanna!" Here she was, practically at his heels. Amazingly, she wasn't actually crashing into him or anything though? Huh, how refreshing.

Her grin turned a little sheepish though, as she heard herself. "If it's really okay for me to tag along at the last minute like this." After all, maybe he was actually planning on meeting up with someone else? Kaito was a nice boy, but she didn't wanna be the third wheel he felt obliged to bring along, or anything like that.

[whenyouneedme]

... Third... wheel... ? ? ? Hilarious.

Kaito half turned to look at her, a little quirk in his brow. "'Course it's okay. I offered, didn't I?" This was almost a legit question, because he suddenly had to wonder if he actually had or not. He wasn't used to being the person doing the inviting, so maybe he'd bungled it up somehow.

[daikonrose]

Kyoko's grin managed to turn even more sheepish. Yes, he'd offered, but she shouldn't assume he wasn't just being nice! That was honestly the case even if she wasn't imposing on any plans with his friends, here, too. If he'd been planning to just have a peaceful mountain walk on his own, it was still very generous of him to include her out of nowhere like this.

"Yes... thank you. I'm glad, you know? I've been a pain every time we've spent time together before, so this is my chance to break the streak!"

[whenyouneedme]

That was a whole lot of unbelievable things she just strung together! All at once! Geez! So much so that he had to look forward again before his face did anything weird as he attempted a flippant sort of shrug.

"You haven't been a pain," Kai tutted. There was going to have to be a whole lot more blood loss involved before they got to that point! "But it should be a nice change of pace."

[daikonrose]

Rather than get into another round of bickering, Kyoko just tipped her head to the side with a little sigh, and accepted that he was wrong. Maybe she could convince him later. It just didn't fit the mood, right now.

"Yes! Even putting aside rock climbing, I've never been on a proper mountain hike before. I guess this one would be a representation of this planet's mountains, though, not Japan's, or even the Alps or the Andes...."

[whenyouneedme]

Where's the VR event where they are mountain rams fighting for dominance over their opinions on these matters.

"That's right. Apparently it's one they consider real sacred or something. For pilgrimages, I guess? Either way, it's a real pretty hike." He shot another half-grin at her. "A nice warm-up for the real thing until we can get you on a real one."

[daikonrose]

"Hey hey, don't get ahead of yourself. I haven't even proven I can survive the VR yet." She was miraculously keeping up this streak of normal walking, though, with just a little more bounce than she'd dared to have recently creeping into her steps. "What real one would you get me on anyway?"

[whenyouneedme]

"You seem pretty in shape, I think you'll be fine." Though, maybe the clumsy factor was what she meant? That seemed pretty under control now too, at least for the moment. Hm. "Maybe one of the smaller ones, like Mt. Buko. Do you like bears?"

[daikonrose]

Her eyebrows arched high, before falling flat into a deadpan. "No matter how much muscle you think I'm packing, I definitely cannot take on a bear. Even if you find me a VR simulation of that, too. No thank you."

[whenyouneedme]

He snorted, pausing as they came up to the VR cafe so he could get the door open. "We wouldn't wrestle the bears, geez. We just might see 'em."

Let's step into the future, Kyoko!!

[daikonrose]

"Well I can't be sure, when you're talking about preparing me for the real thing, and then you talk about my strength and throw in a line about wild bears." She was grinning again despite all that talk, as she followed Kaito into the cafe.

"Let's see, we need those hats--no, they're helmets! Helmets, right?" It's been a hot second since she did any of this.

[whenyouneedme]

Was it the strength he'd been complimenting? Maybe he just thought she'd be fit enough to run away with him. What a mystery. Possibly one that would never get solved, because he hadn't seen any alien VR bears on this mountain just yet.

"Yeah, those things. The helmet hats." Two of them! Like these two over there! Kai wandered his way over, hoisting one up to hand over to her.

[daikonrose]

"Helmets are a kind of hat," she mumbled defensively, but took the offered one and lifted it to settle on her head. Dumb banter could continue on the mountainside.

But she forgot all about it when she blinked her eyes open in this fake new world to take in a whole lot of darkness. There was a small pause before she turns around uncertainly. "--Is it... supposed to be night? Is this what they call a glitch?"

But in turning, she took in the warm glow of tiny lanterns beckoning them towards a path--it had to be a path, because she could see more little lights winking at them from further off. Face softening, she tilted her head back to search for more. "Oh...!"

[whenyouneedme]

"Yeah," was his reply, though it sounded a bit far away while he wasn't in the VR yet. It only took a moment for him to flicker into view at her side, bringing his voice closer to her. "It's supposed to be like this."

It seemed like she'd already figured it out though, seeing her looking off over the welcoming trail of lights.

"We're gonna go greet the dawn."

[daikonrose]

"The dawn... That's right, this is for the new year, after all, isn't it? That makes sense." It had been a little strange to see all these vague similarities to home traditions lately, but Kyoko couldn't deny the comfort in it.

She took another moment to gaze quietly up at the twinkling mountainside, before turning her head to look through the dark at Kaito. "You already know the path, right? Will you go first?"

[whenyouneedme]

"Not well, but I've been up it before. I can lead if you want."

Though that would have felt better if he could hold her hand, just because it was so dark out there on the path. The soft lights of the lanterns helped to show the way to go, but the shadows across the ground were still flickering strangely. Reaching out for her hand was something he knew she wasn't going to go for, so he just made a motion for her to come up to his side.

"Or we can just go up together if you're not in a hurry."

[daikonrose]

Kyoko only blinked briefly before skipping up to draw even with him. "I was worried about slowing you down, but if you don't mind, then this way is good. Although I guess the danger of me crashing into you and causing a catastrophe increases, this way...." Though her clumsy streak still seemed to be taking a nap? Huh.

[whenyouneedme]

How about that!

"Does it?" He asked, shooting her a vaguely amused look. He was having a hard time picturing the supposed crashes like this, but some of the mental images of making it work were fairly amusing to him.

"Seems like it'll be fine if we just take our time, right? No revenge plots to rush to, this time."

[daikonrose]

Kaito's amusement was answered with a grave look. "It does." Even if this was a pretend mountain, she didn't want to knock him off it, or into a pile of boulders, or whatever the actual dangers of mountain hikes were! "Whether I rush or not, everything in my range of motion is a hazard, the way things are right now. You haven't been having any trouble at all?"

[whenyouneedme]

That intensity got an eyebrow raise out of him, but he still took on a thoughtful look. "Nothing quite like... that? I'm more likely to float away or cough up a bunch of glitter."

He wasn't trying to eat anything right now, and they were indoors so there was only so there was a hard limit to how high he'd be able to go. So! Everything was fine! For him, at least.

[daikonrose]

"So the glitter thing is going around too...." she muttered. "But the gravity problems are really worrying, right! I haven't flown away anywhere yet, but even on solid ground it's a big problem! Is it just gonna be this way from now on?"

[whenyouneedme]

"Who can say," Kai said as they really started in on their way up the path. "We get all those weird pockets of weather already, guess weird pockets of gravity isn't too far out." He clicked his tongue. "Hopefully s'just a passing annoyance."

A somewhat worrying passing annoyance.

[daikonrose]

"Maybe we've already failed this planet so badly that it's ripping itself apart, getting ready to send us hurtling through space to our doom, eternal solitude in the darkness," Kyoko said, so flatly that she couldn't possibly be serious. It was just an idle thought, you know. Her head tipped back to look up at the pre-dawn sky, speckled with unfamiliar constellations. "Up there... floating through whatever galaxy this is."

Aren't you glad you brought her, Kai.

[whenyouneedme]

Definitely. It certainly got a chuckle out of him.

"What a way to go though, getting swallowed up by stars."

[daikonrose]

"What a romantic way to look at it.... We'd already be dead by the time they swallowed us, but at least it would be a pretty view on the way up," Kyoko conceded lightly.