♥ 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

[carbungle]

...Uh. Whoever's retainer you want to be, I guess? Or nobody's, it's not like you're required to do anything with it. But knowing how to serve is a useful skill for anyone to have, don't you think?

[At the very least it's made Ignis the most unbelievably capable person he's ever known in his life. That must count for something.]

[iustaegis]

As a chocobo thief, I'd rather serve someone who I met... So, that would mean you. [ LUCKY YOU. ]

But as a princess-- I must warn you, [ A pause, and then she continues with a dramatic sigh: ] my heart will always serve my people first!

[ She seems proud of herself, shoulders back and chin up, for saying that line with a straight face. ]

[carbungle]

[He ducks his head in a low bow, eyes bright.]

An answer that anyone would expect from a faithful princess. I promise to keep your true status in mind should I ever ask you to serve me.

[iustaegis]

[ Damn he really knows how to play the knight splendidly. She's surprised! Delightedly so. After another giggle, she attempts to save face by returning into character. ]

I never knew a knight could be so charming... [ Her free hand raises to brush back a lock of her own longer hair over her shoulder. It's been a while since she's had to do that, and she plans to enjoy this long hair in the meantime, the way it feels to have it fall against her shoulder and back as it falls. ] Do they teach you that in... knight school? [ Or. Whatever the hell it is called. ]

[carbungle]

I had etiquette classes in the evenings, yes.

[Even when roleplaying, there is no escaping the puns.]

You should read more books about knights, though. Many of them are far more dashing than I.

[iustaegis]

[ He's just all out with the puns today. She has to keep up! ]

Ah, you mean... romance novels?

[carbungle]

Uh... I guess those would qualify too, sure, though it's not exactly what I had in mind. I prefer more dramatic fan- er, historical... adventure stories.

[If your character exists in a fantasy world, are there still fantasy fiction novels? Or are they just normal stories? Who knows.]

[iustaegis]

[ Welp, there are stories of them now! Romantic and generic. ] I used to read all sorts of those stories back in the... [ Palace vs castle. Palace vs castle. Oh no, what would be more appropriate?? ] ...palace. [ Yes. That works. ]

I wouldn't ever have imagined going on an adventure with a knight before today. It's-- it's exciting. Perhaps the bards will sing songs of this story for generations to come!

[carbungle]

[He snaps his fingers at that, eyes wide, breaking character for a moment.]

A bard! That would be a cool character class.

1/2

[iustaegis]

[ She startles at the sudden character break! She stops to look at him. ]

[iustaegis]

Oh, will you be singing? Or playing an instrument?

[ How cool! Excellent idea, Noct. SHE LOOKS. HOPEFUL FOR THIS IDEA. ]

[carbungle]

Yeah, there is no way I'll be singing. And the only thing I've ever played isn't portable, so... not a class I'm likely to try for myself.

[Sorry, Pyra- you're lucky he can draw, nevermind do music.]

Prompto, on the other hand... bet he'd totally do it.

[iustaegis]

[ Drat, he'd have made a great lead to a boy band! He has the hair!

Okay, no, she's not too disappointed, this is all in good fun, after all. ] Ignis mentioned that he plays piano, too. [ Don't they make portable keyboards? ] You could always be a knight-bard-bard team!

[ Probably imbalanced, but it would be fun. ]

[carbungle]

Oh, he brought it up? Iggy's half the reason I know how to play at all.

[The other half being Luna and his time in Tenebrae, but that's still a clumsy subject for him, so he dodges around it.]

Maybe a bard as a support class could beef up a knight's power... two of them could make some kind of unstoppable super-soldier.

[Definitely unbalanced, but it could be fun with the right trio.]

[iustaegis]

[ --Oh, so he does play the piano! How did she not know this? ]

You could... always be a bard with them?

[ This is said as 1. she's still hoping he'll be one and 2. that bards can also make decent tanks...

Which is actually true, given her history. She used to travel with a playwrite five hundred years ago. He was a beast of a warrior, and so she sees no issue with a bard capably defending against monsters. ]

[carbungle]

[No one asked and he wasn't surrendering the intel unprompted, that's how.]

I could... maybe if you'd be our fourth.

[Four bards! How absurd. And the only way he'd be (possibly) willing (without making any promises) is if he can drag her down to this hell with him.]

[iustaegis]

[ Welp, Pyra has absolutely zero musical practice but is that going to stop her?

Nope. Just hand her a tambourine or something. ]

Ah-- I would... [ She's stammering, she's so flattered by the offer. ] I would be honored to be another bard along with you all.

[carbungle]

[And here he'd half-expected her to refuse, or say they should have a different fourth. Maybe it's easier for her to accept such offers now that the default suggestion is missing. Something bittersweet about that, too.

But he's always glad for her company, so he'll accept it at face value. And... maybe resign himself to this terrible fate they just created together.]

Think the cafes will accept expansion packs for the game? We'd have to make it first.

[iustaegis]

I do not see a reason of why not, along with various updates. [ She's prepared to make his VR dreams a reality. ]

Especially if you and Prompto are going to be competing regularly for top scores, [ Which she assumes will just be a thing, especially based off her conversation with Prompto. ] we'll have to think of new ways to keep the game new and exciting!

[carbungle]

[They will absolutely be competing for the best scores, just like home. And he's determined to stay at the top- just like home.]

I think I'll wait until later to think about that stuff in detail. I'm still kind of blown away that this even exists at all... that we actually made this.

[Mostly her, admittedly, and the actual developers of the cafe, but still. The fact that he played a part at all is still so wild to him.]

[iustaegis]

[ Funnily enough, she's having similar thoughts of him. Coding is one thing, but the design of this level is of ruins and water and waterfalls throughout, sand blowing in from the seaside over worn marble, and tropical vines winding up old columns. It's intricate and detailed, and she wonders if he's based it upon architecture of his world. She would not have been able to design anything like this on her own...

The program that runs all of it deserves even more credit. Upon one of the sides of the hallway they walk through is a small, decorative waterwall gently curving over an infinity pool. With the arm not linked in his, she extends her hand out to run her fingers over the sheer sheet of water, breaking its surface. It feels real. ]

You put a lot of work into this.... maybe more than what the players might be able to appreciate. [ Her attention returns to him, and she smiles. ] You should be proud.

[carbungle]

I am proud, believe me. I never thought I'd do anything like this.

[Certainly not back home. Difficult to imagine the whole "what I want to do when I grow up" theorizing when your whole life has been mapped out and predetermined for two thousand years. Art, gaming, any of his social or charity work that kept him hopping when his father couldn't be involved with the public- none of that was in the cards long term. To be standing here, in the middle of a virtual world that he helped create, is quite literally walking through a dream come true. The chance to be someone, anyone, besides who he actually is or who everyone expects him to be.

To slip into the identity of an insignificant designer, or even this fictional Phoenix Knight, is so unbelievably freeing. So yes, he's very proud.]

And you too- you took all these pieces and fit them together into something tangible. That's so cool.

[Since she's already brushing against the water, he just goes ahead and indulges: he steps right into the edge of the pool, soaking his decorated boots and squishing both feet into the digital sand below. If the program stays this realistic, he'll have wet shoes for an hour after this. He doesn't care in the slightest.]

[iustaegis]

[ Her touch slips from their linked arms to his hand as he steps into the edge of the pool, his presence rippling throughout the altar of water. There's a moment's delay, and then she follows to stand beside him. Where her ripples meet his, they cancel. Where they fan out, they continue their undulations softly as a whisper through glass.

That wonder in his voice and expression-- she couldn't have asked for anything more in terms of praise. A smile, as always, is more than enough for her. At last she accepts the acknowledgement, quietly, a moment passing where her hand tightens in his, briefly, then relaxes. There is far more emotion carried in her voice when she speaks again. ]

Y-yes. We made this together. And... look how wonderful it is. [ Look how fun it is, look how some are engaging the game too. Who would have thought that she'd ever make something that isn't harmful to others, but instead is enjoyable.

She lets out a breath. ] Would it be strange to thank you, too? For... everything. Every minute and hour that we worked on this together. It was worth it.

[carbungle]

Not strange, as long as I can thank you too.

[He raises their joined hands, up high, like a victory pose.]

Here's to more adventures, yeah? And more levels, more monsters. Hell, we could even make more games if we wanted. Chocobo racing, or stealth assassins, or flight simulators... we could make anything, with tech like this.

[The only limit is their imagination and coding ability. Now that he has the freedom and the time to indulge in the former, and complete faith in her ability to do the latter, what's to stop them?]

[iustaegis]

[ His excitement is infectious, his vision for building even more parts to this game even more palpable. She can't help her own smile in response as he raises her hand between them for a salute to what they've accomplished thus far. So she responds in kind, her hand clasped around his swaying gently between them, ] You truly have talent for design. Lets make all of those dreams a reality.

[ Happiness often feels as if she's made inexplicably weightless in the world, with the energy within her dancing like butterflies caught up in a whirlwind and making her forget that reality is so much more complicated with the churning turmoil beneath. This happiness, this fluttering feeling, occurs whenever she sees him expressing it. What a complicated emotion; she always had known she was happy and grateful at seeing others content, but she never knew she could feel this much joy herself when seeing others experience it.

That is to say, she's extremely happy for him. That he's able to indulge in this game and that he's having fun while making it. He should have this choice to temporarily escape from the world, somewhere safe where he can express himself and be himself, even if that means not being a king. ]

Mm, Noct?