♥ March (Ainir) Event Log

[hugtopiamods]

March Event Log
Spring has sprung! Or at least, in theory. The month began monthly unremarkably, besides the priests of Ainea's temple prepping for the first month in their deity's season, which tends to be a little sleepy as the city traditionally shakes off those winter woes. The earthquakes still has everyone feeling a strange anticipation for change, but with how long it's gone with no noteworthy shifts yet, excitement has grown somewhat muted. All of that is about to change...

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❥ PROMPT I: Let the Rain Fall Down

The month begins with something peculiar: a sudden rainfall occurring sporadically, not just in sections of the city the way it does when the weather system is malfunctioning, but rather consistent across the entire city. The natives in town are flummoxed; this rain is natural, passing harmlessly through the barrier, and the water that falls to the ground is clean, unpoisoned by the perpetual storm and toxic air outside. The rain comes in waves, from a light drizzle to a steady stream, and while it is not raining all day every day, it is probably best practice to travel with an umbrella on hand for a while.

Before long, the effects of this natural rainfall will become apparent: the city is undergoing an unexpected period of growth. Flowers, fauna, and all sorts of greenery are sprouting up in all areas of the city where grass or soil exists. It appears that at last your effort is paying off, and life is returning to Havenwell in a big way. The types of plants that grow will range in type, colour, and species- many of them are live versions of the extinct plants that have been on display in the museums, or whatever is already on display in the gardens. Some of the plants that grow might also be familiar to the visitors of this world- a small slice of your home, adopted by the gods that your touch have rejuvenated.

One downside is that since all these changes are happening at once, in such a short span, the botanical community is ill-equipped to make sure all of these new plants have a chance to thrive on their own. Many things that grow can be left where they stand, but the seemingly randomized placement means that certain plants aren't in a good spot. A tree sapling sprouting in the cracks of the sidewalk, or a sunflower tucked away beneath a rooftop, for example.

Thus, the community is asking for volunteers to help relocate plants to the proper areas. Most should be going to the parks, gardens, or temples, areas with clean, existent soil but with nothing yet growing there. These locations have been tested, and have been determined to be safe for planting- it seems that the rain has purified whatever sour ground that the barrier hasn't kept clean, to make way for the new plants. They can also be relocated to personal residences, for those houses that have gardens or a bit of soil if you're willing to install your own. As the rain continues to fall, plants will keep growing, so when the flora and fauna are relocated there will be more growing in its place before long. Lots of work to be done if you're to save the new life in town!

If you wish to include a specific plant from your canon: please request it in the PLANT FROM HOME APPROVAL thread on the plotting post!

Please be aware that much like the rest of the plants growing around town, those from home will begin as seeds and grow gradually over the course of the event. Keep that in mind!

❥ PROMPT II: Hold My Flower

As the days pass, and there seems to be no end to the growth in town, the natives are growing increasingly excited, and when the collection of flowers becomes such a plethora that there are too many, they explain that the timing of this is very on-point: years ago, before the world began to die, they celebrated a Festival of Flowers, to welcome the shift of winter to spring in their corner of the world. In previous years, the tradition lived on in a simpler form, with paper or synthetic flowers, but it isn't really the same without hair so interest waned.

A major part of the festival involves flower weaving, in many intricate patterns and arrangements, all of which have different meanings, like an arranged bouquet might. These flowers are sewn together into crowns, or woven directly into the recipient's hair, a delicate and rather intimate act done between friends, family, or lovers alike. Since the robots of town can't really benefit from this shared experience (of neither physical interaction or hair weaving), instead they happily pass along their knowledge of arrangements and techniques, floral symbolism. You can follow along with their directions, or just make something up/create something new, though certain unwitting combinations are bound to earn some curious (or amused) looks from the locals. For those of you who lack long hair for such acts, despair not! Crowns placed on short hair are just as socially welcome as the weavings, as you'll see from the robots wearing similar designs around town.

However, there is a chance that the rain is also causing something other than plants to grow around town… namely, exposed hair. Those who get caught in the downpour might inexplicably notice that their hair is an inch or two longer the next morning… and then longer… and longer… there is no hard or fast limit to how much it grows, and cutting it may help for a time, but it does not stem the growth either. Maybe you should just relax and enjoy it for a while.

❥ PROMPT III: Scheme of the Wyrm Queen

Developed by Noctis and Pyra, in collaboration with the VR cafes, Havenwell officially presents: King's Knight 2.0: Scheme of the Wyrm Queen, a game that will be available going forward and premieres this month.

This game is designed to be like an MMO/mobile game, except in VR- every player gets an account, and to an extent their avatars are customizable. There are a set number of levels per playthrough, you can stop and pick up any time after a level ends, and you can re-arrange your party members at the start of each play session.

You can charge through levels just smashing away at enemies, but part of the game mechanic is that physical contact between characters in-game will provide stat boosts, enhancements, occasional heals or buffs, soft revives at 0HP, etc. The effect can vary depending on the nature of contact, but is also randomized to an extent, to allow for player freedom. Let's just say that intent plays a part... so touch someone and wish with your heart, and maybe something nice will happen. Or at least something kind of cheesy. (Noctis would like to establish that he did not program in that part.)

Noteworthy features:

• The plot: The evil dragon queen Nebula has kidnapped the prince of Oriens and absconded to the realm of monsters with him for some nefarious purpose. The gods of Totally Not Aellyn bless a group of heroes with the power to travel through that realm in order to rescue the prince! ...That's it. What, do you think you're here for plot? Nah. You're here to fight monsters and collect treasure.


• A party can consist of 2-4 characters of any class arrangement, though a somewhat balanced party is encouraged to survive each level. Repeated training (or grinding) can help characters acquire better gear drops or level up if they get stuck, but there is an emphasis on teamwork to get you through it!


• "Death" in-game causes a character to become translucent and unable to interact with the game until healed or revived, or until the level ends. If all characters reach this status, they fail the level and the game is over. All characters are healed to full once a level is beaten.


• Levels are randomly generated based on a set amount of algorithms, to shake up the experience and make each game a little bit different. There is a plot as noted above, with some dialogue and programmed NPCs, but interaction with either is simple and can be ignored or skipped after the first run-through if you so choose.


• Certain accounts of people who were a part of the development (AKA those who Noctis pestered about designing things) will gain access to unique costume options upon initial log-in, like a pre-order bonus. These items are cosmetic only, but look pretty nifty.


• The difficulty setting can be adjusted according to player skill, so if anyone feels like Normal is beyond their ability, don't be ashamed to turn it down a notch! Player accessibility is more important. There are leaderboards for each difficulty, but it's mostly for bragging rights and don't earn you anything special.

Available Classes:

• Knight - a well-rounded swordsman with a shield, built tough for the front line and defense


• Thief - master of finding hidden objects, detecting traps, disarming foes, the fastest class


• Sorcerer - commanding the elements, attack from a distance and overwhelm your enemies; glass cannon


• Battle Cleric - wielder of a magic weapon that recognizes friends from foes; striking an ally will heal them without injury, striking a foe will tear them down


• Dragoon - specializes in aerial assault, heavy hits and safe retreats, can reach high areas


• Archer - speedy attacks at long distance; inexplicably great at parkour and glitching out of bounds for treasure

Enemies:

Monsters in-game vary between generic beasts of lore, parody versions of creatures found in Final Fantasy XV, and some monsters based on descriptions that Noctis or Pyra acquired from asking people. These are subject to change on request, as the game will be developing gradually to improve itself.

If you have suggestions or requests for monsters, treasures, or equipment, please submit them to the additional information page on King's Knight, where such updates will be tracked!

❥ PROMPT IVish: A Final Reminder

The soft earthquakes in effect since last month are still ongoing, however they have spread out more and are no longer occurring every day, but instead with a handful of gaps in between. As noted in the Intro Mingle log, there are new messages that characters can receive:

1) "Change is coming." this message is passive, almost like a greeting.
2) "We thank you for all you have done." this message is softer, almost apologetic.
3) "We shall do all we can to keep you safe." this message is gentle, almost parental in its affection.
4) "Share your bounty and your joy." this message is kind and encouraging, tugging you toward people you may not have met yet.
5) "Remember to keep the balance." this message is plaintive, but without urgency.
6) "Do not approach the walls." this message is LOUD, insistent, and the most frequently transmitted.
7) "Soon, change." this message is a gentle reminder.
8) "We welcome you to our home." This message is sent most frequently to newcomers.
9) "Be not afraid. You are safe." this message is polite and reassuring.
10) "Keep your footing and watch your step." this message is cautious, a firm warning.

Most of the residents have stopped linking up, since the messages are mostly on repeat, but the local temple priests still do it every time… just in case. Otherwise, it's easy enough to ignore for most people. The anticipation hasn't faded, but they're simply waiting for whatever comes next.

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This event will run from March 13th to 29th. 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 on the plotting post.

Comments

[iustaegis]

[ Today, she's wearing all three colors she's received of the sylleblossoms, whites, reds, and blues. ]

Yes... of course.

[ Dipping her head, a strand of her hair falls forward. She pays it no heed as she allows him access the flowers she has fashioned upon her head. ]

[carbungle]

[He's very gentle, mindful of the delicacy of the flowers- and what a rare commodity they are in this world. He technically has some in his own home now, but they were planted so recently that they're still seedlings, not yet blooming. He hasn't seen a real sylleblossom since that first visit to the Hunter's prairie outpost, when they'd been gathered for a memorial for Luna, back when the two of them were still believed to have died at the treaty signing ceremony. Those had been blue, same as the ones he saw as a child; the red and white were only rumours he'd heard of, old relics of the past mentioned by Ardyn or Aera.

Despite the newness of the other two, he still picks a blue one as he reaches up, lightly brushing fingers across the soft petals, leaning close enough to sniff. It's exactly what he'd expected, sweet and nostalgic, and for a moment he can only close his eyes and stand there, lost in that field in Tenebrae from 12 years ago, surrounded by blue. With her.

He pulls back, finally, but not before adjusting the position of one of the flowers, his voice hushed.]

You look like a queen.

[She'd looked so happy. He can smile for her; he's determined not to let his memories ruin things for everyone else.]

[iustaegis]

[ A queen... because she's wearing flowers in her hair? She doesn't quite understand the connection, but from his expression and the way he delicately feels the petals of the flower, it seems that they hold no small amount of significance to him. If not because of Luna, then perhaps that they do remind him of his world.

She wants so desperately to ask, why a queen, what do these flowers mean. Somnus hadn't told her, and Ardyn hadn't known, but from everyone's reaction, they must have meant something. If she had known, then she wouldn't have worn them out... ]

Ah...Pardon?

[carbungle]

Um, a queen.

[He lifts his hand to gesture towards her hair, like that helps to explain anything.]

The royals of Tenebrae used to weave their crowns with sylleblossoms. You just reminded me of that, I guess.

[iustaegis]

[ Tenebrae, Tenebrae.... Oh. When Luna is from. And Luna is royal, too.

This has become incredibly awkward. Pyra is the furthest thing from royalty.

She's at a loss for words, half-way debating if she should apologize or dismiss herself. ]

Is... that so....? [ How to save this. How to save this---? Aha.

Let's see if he'll take this out, since this topic is bittersweet at best: ]

Well, you look like a rogue.

[carbungle]

[Have an equally confused look.]

A rogue?

[He doesn't know what that means, either...]

[iustaegis]

Like a bandit, a ruffian. [ She leans forward, smiling coyly. ]

With long, wild hair.

[carbungle]

Oh, geez.

[He reaches back to awkwardly grab the ponytail and hold it out with a grimace.]

Wild is right, look at this mess. It's never been this long before.

[iustaegis]

[ She can't help but smile at his complaint. ] Really? I think with a little tidying, you could look... like a dashing rogue, not a wild one.

I can help, if you'd like.

[ As rarely as she talks about herself, waaaaay back when they had first met, she had actually mentioned to him, off hand, that she once had long hair if he happens to recall. So, she know how to care for it. ]

[carbungle]

If you think you can do anything with it, you're welcome to try. Nothing I did got it very far.

[Not that he really had the proper stuff for it, anyway. It's tied back with a makeshift ribbon, and he had no brush because his hair is usually short enough that a comb does the trick. Trying to brush with that nearly snapped the damn thing this morning.]

[iustaegis]

[ She's gotten away with doing most people's suddenly-long hair with just her hands, braiding their locks into long, natural-looking braids. For those looks, a few tangles here or there did not really matter to the aesthetic.... but his does seem as if it could use a good amount of brushing.

She'll start with him as she always does, by holding out her hand for him to take. ] I have a brush at our house that will do just the trick.

[ And as soon as he takes her hand, she'll be leading him there. ]

[carbungle]

[He accepts her hand easily as usual, walking at her side rather than being guided, since he's been there often enough, though primarily to see Somnus and his bird. Thankfully it isn't too far, and a part of him is glad to get out of the public eye. He'd gone out to help, but the hair thing is making him feel a bit silly.]

I would just cut it off, but it kept growing back anyway. At this point I figured I'll just wait it out. Business as usual around here, right?

[How sad, that he's quickly grown resigned to his own dumb fate.]

[iustaegis]

[ She supposes that most would see it as a nuisance, whether earthquakes or magic rain or whatever the temples priests throw at them in terms of drinks. For her, she sees the latter as the locals doing their part; for the natural phenomenon, she took it as a good sign that their efforts are working, even if it brings some disquiet and inconvenience. One step closer to restoring this world means one step closer to returning to her own, and others to theirs. This is the assumption with which she's been operating, but...

That's not going to help him. He sounds so... beaten down.

But maybe encouraging him to complain can help him. ]

You mean to say... you do not like the novelties each month grants us? [ This is said with just a tinge of sarcasm. ]

[carbungle]

[He hardly needs an excuse to complain, so hey. Sometimes resignation about his own fate is just his natural state. Noctis "plaything of the gods" Lucis Caelum over here.

Her sarcasm does get a little smile out of him, though. He's not incapable of recognizing the weird humour about what's happening.]

Some novelties are better than others. I like the flowers? That part's nice. I can live without the body mods and the voices in my head.

[iustaegis]

[ Damn, she liked hearing those voices too.... Or maybe she's far too optimistic. Just believing that some sort of change is coming has been giving her a little more hope. ]

Oh, I may have... to disagree with you. Your feline ears are missed!

[carbungle]

[Nothing personal against the gods here, the Astrals just spoiled the whole concept of head-voices for him. Them, and the ring; it always hurts.

His cheeks go pink at the mention of the ears.]

I forgot about those... [He huffs a breath, then pauses, his expression shifting to look more mischievous.] You wanna know a secret about them?

[iustaegis]

Yes...?

[ Is that even a question! ]

[carbungle]

That's not the first time I've ever had cat ears.

[iustaegis]

[ That’s news. ]

You have?!

[carbungle]

Well, kind of. They weren't that functional, just... a glamour, I think it was called? For ears, and-

[He mimics two ears above his head and, additionally, a tail in the back.]

We met this girl a while ago on Eos, a miqo'te. Which looks like a catgirl, but don't call 'em that. [Sorry, Era.] After we helped her out, she gave me this crystal thing that made it look like I had 'em. Kind of strange, but...

[He's smiling, so it must've been fun.]

[iustaegis]

[ It sure does sound as if it was fun for him. She's assuming that people with ears like that are not native to his world.

Laughing, ]

I don't think anyone would have recognized you while wearing them.

[ Just some nerd cosplaying! ]

[carbungle]

What, as prince? Most people didn't anyway.

[Perks of isolation, if one can call it that. Sure made it easy to go into hiding, after everything.]

I didn't wear it for long, I had to change because of all the stares I was getting. But for a while, it was neat, I guess.

[iustaegis]

It's a shame that those drinks haven't returned... They were very fun to pet, too.

[ She swings his hand with hers idly happily, turning a street corner. The house is in view.

........Thank goodness they've purchased blinds to the patio of their yard, where she accidentally poured too much rainwater on cultivated sylleblossom seeds and accidentally had her garden flourish with them. He doesn't need to see any more of these flowers than necessary. ]

[carbungle]

I think my dad still has one, technically. We fused a couple into potions, to see if the effects would change or carry over, but when I drank mine it was... weird enough... he decided not to try it. I'm sure he's saving it for some unfortunate pranking.

[One reason why he's glad he can make his own. He doesn't know how into pranking his dad might be, but he'd like it if someone else was the recipient.]

[iustaegis]

[ Very nontraditional. She can't help but chuckle quietly. Ironically, she's thinking the complete opposite of him: that he will be joining his father. ]

For pranks, should I be worried about "like father, like son"?