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hugtopia_logs2019-08-09 11:18 pm
hugtopiamods) wrote in hugtopia_logs2019-08-09 11:18 pm
Entry tags:
♥ August Event Log
August Event Log
The first month of the offworlders being in Havenwell has passed, the welcome party over, and the native residents are starting to get back to their usual routines while the new arrivals are perhaps starting to find theirs. The month of Achtom has started and with it, a crisp summery heat. The skies are gorgeously blue and dotted with high fluffy clouds that never seem to threaten rain - so long as the weather stays controlled. Businesses are picking back up, the natives starting to cater once again to flesh-bodied people with varied amounts of success. The VR cafes are featuring more helmets so even more people can play along with the ever expanding selection of games. Overall, it seems like Havenwell is quite the peaceful city.
And then...
❥ PROMPT I: Where's the Pied Piper?
It starts small at first as most things do. Astute observers might notice that the statue of Ainea in the town square and in her temple is brighter than the other gods' statues. Her colors are a little more vibrant, like they've been given a fresh coat of paint. Then, little things in characters' houses seemingly start moving of their own volition to other parts of the house and go temporarily missing. Search as you may, you just can't find them - until they suddenly they show up again where you least expect with tiny little teeth marks in them. The corners of books and furniture get chewed on. The pillowcases and bed frames get nibbled. The edges and hems of clothing get a little frayed without you noticing when it happened.
Then, the squeaking starts up at night. It's innocuous at first, one or two here or there in the house, just barely noticeable by most. Over time, it gets more insistent, longer, louder, until, by the end of the month, it's difficult to sleep at night for all the noise of chattering and squeaking throughout the long night hours. Trying to find the source is a surefire way to drive yourself mad, but it seems that sleeping in the same bed with another person makes it a little easier to bear, especially if you hold hands throughout the night.
And finally, mice start showing up - pink and purple and of various sizes from panda mouse tiny to chihuahua-sized rats. They pop up in kitchens, in bedrooms, in the temples that don't belong to them, at businesses, in the labs, along the streets and in the city squares. They're in your new favorite chair, popping out from cabinets and drawers, and scurrying from under sofas and beds. It seems the only place they aren't is where they're supposed to be - Ainea's temple - and that's a big problem. Her temple priests are out in the city, begging residents both robotic and flesh to peacefully and carefully capture the creatures and return them home to the temple. They pass out soft woven reed baskets to any who agree and thank all participants heartily for their help.
Then, the squeaking starts up at night. It's innocuous at first, one or two here or there in the house, just barely noticeable by most. Over time, it gets more insistent, longer, louder, until, by the end of the month, it's difficult to sleep at night for all the noise of chattering and squeaking throughout the long night hours. Trying to find the source is a surefire way to drive yourself mad, but it seems that sleeping in the same bed with another person makes it a little easier to bear, especially if you hold hands throughout the night.
And finally, mice start showing up - pink and purple and of various sizes from panda mouse tiny to chihuahua-sized rats. They pop up in kitchens, in bedrooms, in the temples that don't belong to them, at businesses, in the labs, along the streets and in the city squares. They're in your new favorite chair, popping out from cabinets and drawers, and scurrying from under sofas and beds. It seems the only place they aren't is where they're supposed to be - Ainea's temple - and that's a big problem. Her temple priests are out in the city, begging residents both robotic and flesh to peacefully and carefully capture the creatures and return them home to the temple. They pass out soft woven reed baskets to any who agree and thank all participants heartily for their help.
❥ PROMPT II: We Didn't Start This Fire
Throughout the month, pockets of the city experience magnificent dry lightning storms. Before each onset of the storm, an immense clap of thunder booms across the entire city like a siren and the natives hold their figurative breaths until the first strike rains down. A peal of lightning, searing hot, strikes the ground or hits the spires of nearby buildings, cracking stone and leaving nasty burn marks behind. Each storm is only 4 to 5 minutes in length before they suddenly disappear again, but in those few minutes chaos reigns. For anyone unlucky enough to get caught amid one of these storms, take cover! Residents throw open doors and push people inside, even shielding the offworlders with their own bodies if necessary to keep them from getting harmed.
When the lightning and its sonorous booms pass, residents scurry out to repair the damage. They'll be asking nearby offworlders to help as well with patching the stonework or removing broken debris. Most importantly, they put out a call for help in putting out fires that spring up after each storm. Their metal bodies can't withstand the heat for long without melting and the water is dangerous to their circuitry. After the fires are put out and the damage repaired, on occasion, residents will ask for the somber help of pulling a native robot unlucky enough to take a direct hit from the lightning to a local repair shop. Strangely, the natives don't seem sad when their friends and family can't be repaired, and instead start gathering up objects from home to take with them to the temples along with the bodies. When asked, they say it's to pray for a rebirth and go on their way.
When the lightning and its sonorous booms pass, residents scurry out to repair the damage. They'll be asking nearby offworlders to help as well with patching the stonework or removing broken debris. Most importantly, they put out a call for help in putting out fires that spring up after each storm. Their metal bodies can't withstand the heat for long without melting and the water is dangerous to their circuitry. After the fires are put out and the damage repaired, on occasion, residents will ask for the somber help of pulling a native robot unlucky enough to take a direct hit from the lightning to a local repair shop. Strangely, the natives don't seem sad when their friends and family can't be repaired, and instead start gathering up objects from home to take with them to the temples along with the bodies. When asked, they say it's to pray for a rebirth and go on their way.
❥ PROMPT III: Let's Play the Friend Connection
With all the craziness going on, some people might just want a distraction. A lot of Havenwell's natives certainly seem to think so. Despite everything, the Entertainment District is as bustling as ever and this month the offering is to participate with a friend or group of friends to play a game called: Friend Connection. Rather than the usual plug in and sit configuration, this time the VR cafes have been reorganized into 3 meter by 3 meter square pads with no chairs or furniture available. Players plug in or put their helmets on and they're instantly transported to a garish neon-lighted stage with multicolored spotlights that show a floating, legless robot with a rainbow bowtie and a magnificent mustache. The robot's LED face lights up into the approximation of the :D emote and then a disembodied voice comes from speakers overhead:
"Hail, well met, and welcome to the hottest game show around: Friend Connection! As the studio audience already knows, this game is simple! You and your new friends compete to complete more challenges than the other hidden team. The more fabulously you and your team completes each task, the more points you'll be awarded. At the end of the game, the team with the most tasks cleared and the highest point value will be declared the winners and take home some fabulous prizes. On today's team is..."
And the robotic host waves an arm to a scoreboard behind it, showing your names. The heading "Other Team" has ???? underneath it and a list of challenges is revealed along with a burst of applause. The list reads:
Are you ready, contestants? You have 20 minutes. Good luck!
At the end of the game, the characters are declared the winners by a slim and, naturally, exciting margin of just one point! And their fabulous prize......? The friendship they earned along the way! Congratulations, players! And don't worry, when the game ends, you'll be in the exact weird position you were last in as the helmets turn off. Hopefully you aren't still in those weird Twister positions because everyone can and has been able to see you. Yup, the entire time.
"Hail, well met, and welcome to the hottest game show around: Friend Connection! As the studio audience already knows, this game is simple! You and your new friends compete to complete more challenges than the other hidden team. The more fabulously you and your team completes each task, the more points you'll be awarded. At the end of the game, the team with the most tasks cleared and the highest point value will be declared the winners and take home some fabulous prizes. On today's team is..."
And the robotic host waves an arm to a scoreboard behind it, showing your names. The heading "Other Team" has ???? underneath it and a list of challenges is revealed along with a burst of applause. The list reads:
- Play Twister until someone falls! The longer you go, the more points you win!
- Help each other do a handstand! The Wheelbarrow is acceptable too.
- Recreate your favorite scene from a romantic movie. Take, for example, That Scene from the hit movie, Skytanic! Or hum along to this song as you and your friend make some pottery together.
- Create a complicated Best Friend Handshake consisting of more than 5 moves and do it together 3 times without messing up!
- Answer trivia questions about each other and your worlds while holding hands and staring into each other's eyes. The more questions you can answer, the higher your points!
- Do a trust fall into your friend's arms. The higher or further you fall, the more points you'll earn.
- Play two truths and a lie with your friend. If you can guess correctly, you'll earn points for your team!
Are you ready, contestants? You have 20 minutes. Good luck!
At the end of the game, the characters are declared the winners by a slim and, naturally, exciting margin of just one point! And their fabulous prize......? The friendship they earned along the way! Congratulations, players! And don't worry, when the game ends, you'll be in the exact weird position you were last in as the helmets turn off. Hopefully you aren't still in those weird Twister positions because everyone can and has been able to see you. Yup, the entire time.
❥ PROMPT IV: Comic Logic
As Lasdia comes to a close and Achtom begins, characters will start noticing something odd happening. Throughout their day as they go about their daily routines, helping people out or trying to find their missing items, the natives stop looking at them and start looking above their heads. In fact, as characters meet one another, their attention may also be drawn vertically above their companion because floating above every offworlder's head is a faint white cloud. Whenever they move, the cloud moves too. Attempts to dispel it by magic or physical means does nothing and it seems like you can't touch it at all.
It's annoying isn't it? Or maybe you're feeling quite curious about this phenomenon? Or maybe it scares you? Whatever you're feeling or thinking, it shows up in that cloud clear as day. It's not every thought or feeling that shows, but it's enough to be disconcerting, and any attempts to control what appears will fail. Like it or not, you're now broadcasting your innermost self to the world.
...For a time, at least. Over a period of time, smart characters might notice that after prolonged physical contact with another person, the cloud fades away and stays away for an undetermined amount of time. Sometimes it's an hour, sometimes it's a day, sometimes it's only 5 minutes, and then it begins to reform again. Whatever it is, it's here to stay, so good luck keeping your secret inner workings, well, secret.
It's annoying isn't it? Or maybe you're feeling quite curious about this phenomenon? Or maybe it scares you? Whatever you're feeling or thinking, it shows up in that cloud clear as day. It's not every thought or feeling that shows, but it's enough to be disconcerting, and any attempts to control what appears will fail. Like it or not, you're now broadcasting your innermost self to the world.
...For a time, at least. Over a period of time, smart characters might notice that after prolonged physical contact with another person, the cloud fades away and stays away for an undetermined amount of time. Sometimes it's an hour, sometimes it's a day, sometimes it's only 5 minutes, and then it begins to reform again. Whatever it is, it's here to stay, so good luck keeping your secret inner workings, well, secret.
This event will run from August 9th to the end of the September application period, September 9th. If you have any questions, feel free to direct them to the FAQ or to the Mod Question thread below.
no subject
“The work here... Oh, you mean the hand holding and stuff?” Kai glanced down at their hands as he said it, as if doing so was going to confirm that. Touch was definitely the reason they were here, but it hadn’t really felt like a job. “I guess we are getting paid for it, though.”
no subject
He'd considered it briefly. But Magolor's coinpurse heart issue doesn't stem entirely from wanting money itself, and earning it this way wouldn't satisfy him in the end, so he'd discarded it early on. Also, it would be really embarrassing.
He isn't embarrassed to squeeze Kai's hand now though, as if reminding himself that they are in fact holding hands right now.
"That report I was working on for the city, about our needs here . . . I don't plan on stopping just with that one presentation. That's the kind of thing I meant."
no subject
"That's very proactive of you. So more surveys and things?"
no subject
He sure sounds perky about it, and really, he is: he isn't one to shy away from hard work or throwing himself into things immediately. That had been part of the appeal of this path. And if all goes as planned, it will actually help people all around, and if Magolor cares about that for the wrong reasons, well . . . at least he's getting the job done anyway, and with a smile.
no subject
"You still doin' it on your own? Humanitarian works seems like it could burn you out."
no subject
Not that Magolor can exactly offer one yet. He really does need a concrete position and place of business before he can get into expanding. But it's inevitable, unless he gets shot down by the locals in a way he's fairly positive he won't.
no subject
"I'll keep it in mind though, maybe. Y'think you'd need like... permits and stuff?"
How does one. Business?
no subject
"I'm sure I will, but I don't mind going through the proper channels for something like this. Who likes paperwork, right? But sometimes it's got to be done! So I'll keep you informed . . . I should be keeping everyone informed anyway, if all goes well. Or if it doesn't. That's the nature of public work."
no subject
There wasn't a lot of other input that he could think to give here, not being of the business mind like his pillowpuff of a companion. At least, not anything concrete. "I feel like the robots will probably be all over it. Seems like something they'd be really excited about, people trying to make this more like a home."
no subject
Wink.
The path begins to lead them, at last, up to Rawna's temple, and it's only when it's in sight that Magolor takes stock of exactly where his mindless wanderings have led them. Huh. Well that's interesting.
"Hey, would you look at that? This is Rawna's place, isn't it?"
no subject
That scan just drifted its way down to Magolor, a hint of a smirk playing with his mouth.
"Yup. What, you weren't walking me home?"
no subject
Or maybe he was picking up on his own? He examines this—but no, thinking about it consciously doesn't reveal anything he had been secretly considering acting on. Magolor legitimately can't place why he ended up leading them here. It's a path he's walked before, once, and maybe that's all there is to it: subconscious familiarity.
But since they're here, he may as well look around again.
"Not to sound awkward, but . . . do you come here often?"
He winks. There's nothing to do but lampshade it. But the question is genuine.
no subject
"... I do, yeah."
It wasn't a mostly empty house. It wasn't a spot he had to pay to get in to, either. Even Kai was a little surprised sometimes how often he stopped by, since he couldn't have cared less about ~spirituality~ back home... but it wasn't really the whole god thing that brought him by. It was just a place to be. He wouldn't dare let himself think that it had anything to do with the semblance of having a place to belong.
"Why, did you want a tour? Wanted to meet the folks?" ... Hm. "...Or, the folk, rather. Rawna's pretty singular."
no subject
Magolor's curious. He's curious about this god, one of the two he had known would better suit him than Diacht, but the one he had decided would have the worst optics to choose for himself. (And he's not overly fond of dragons, but that's a minor concern.) And, maybe even more than that—he's curious about how other people feel about these places and their alignments. There's no overarching political or business reason for that. He just . . . finds himself feeling strange about where he ended up, from time to time, and the way he feels about it himself.
no subject
Or maybe it was just that Kai didn't go many places, now that he'd found his own haunting grounds. He'd certainly dropped by the other temples when he'd arrived, just to know where they were, but he hadn't felt all that compelled to wander inside or anything. They just weren't for him, in more ways than one.
Kai led Magolor by the hand up the steps, past all the sweeping columns. "There's not really many to meet, there's only a handful of us." It looked pretty empty at the moment, which was how Kai normally found it. It was a familiar kind of feeling that made a home in his chest when he crossed through its halls.
Understanding what Rawna stood for, Kai knew it wasn't a problem. It was probably a good thing that they did not have that many visitors. Still. Still... It didn't sit right with him, in the same way he couldn't let someone be all alone.
no subject
It doesn't surprise him that the place is quiet, considering who Rawna is. Magolor can appreciate him as one of the gods who sounds the most #relatable to him, but it takes a certain kind of person to think that.
"I visited all of them during the ribbon game. I just had to spy on everyone's tasks and see what I was missing out on! But I only stopped in for long enough to see the sign. So, you chose him . . . ? Mind if I ask why?"
no subject
"Why, huh." The question caused Kai to lapse into quiet thought as he glanced around the temple, taking it all in again as if it was the first time. Flickers of light licked against the walls even here, dancing their way over from the prisms at the dragon's altar. "I'm not sure if it was a conscious decision, honestly."
He couldn't remember, really, if he had actually chosen Rawna or if it just happened that way. Of course in a place like this, perhaps "just happening that way" was the same thing as choosing. The gods had a funny way of working like that, he guessed.
"It feels right though. He's a respite, not a destination, and I think that's something that gets overlooked."
no subject
Maybe it wasn't a conscious decision for any of them. Thinking about that is uncomfortable: Magolor had spent some time sitting and consciously making the decision of which god would benefit him the most to follow, in terms of reputation and believability. And yet he can look at how things have ended up and recognize unconscious elements he hadn't seen at the time, and how the same might go for all of them: the strange coincidence of Taranza finding himself tending a temple of flowers, and now the sense of unbelonging that Magolor feels in here.
Because it sounds right when Kai says it, and Magolor is fairly impressed with that level of insight—he'd underestimated this guy—a respite and not a destination. Magolor himself hadn't really approached it from that angle. Apathy and logic, they sound good to him on paper, sure. But this is the same god people come to to ease their pain and guide them through their darkest times. Kai may be blunt, sarcastic, and distant, but he has been . . . a comfort, too. He fits here, even if he hadn't known he did when he picked it.
He mulls all of this over. Then at last he looks up at Kai with a keen, mysterious little smile.
"Hmmm . . . I see. I hadn't thought of it that way, but I agree with you. It suits you! But a respite can become a destination, too."
no subject
Kai laughed a little, the sound seeming that much louder in the quiet of the temple. It was kind of funny, hearing that here of all places and now of all times. He already knew what his own role to play was. He was the escape route, and nothing more. It was the only thing anyone ever needed him for. That was a little different from a respite, in his eyes.
It'd be nice though. To be something someone wanted.
"S'true enough. I know I keep coming back."
They had ended up closer to the altar now, Rawna's claws still cupped towards the skies as they always were. Kai regarded them thoughtfully. "Even respites can use a little company sometimes."
no subject
That's quite a mouthful, and quite a concept. Rawna's people coming to keep him company, taking away whatever loneliness he might accumulate himself in his godly duties of easing the pain of others. Such kindness, Kai—Magolor giggles, not unkindly himself. But it does strike a chord in him to think about. Something deep down about the loneliness of gods that he can relate to, or whatever.
"Then it sounds like you have a good mutual relationship here."
no subject
It felt kinda weird to put it out there when he wasn't entirely understanding of all of it himself. It had to be lonesome though, having the sort of job where it meant things were doing good if people weren't coming to you. That it was better if they didn't come back. The feeling that came after was one he could relate to.
This was, however, maybe getting just a little too uncomfortably close to... a lot of things.
He smirked down at Magolor. "Maybe I just like feeding' the dragons. Who knows. Did you pick your god?"
no subject
He turns from looking up at the altar to looking up at Kai's face, and nods.
"I knew right away who I wanted to follow! If I had to follow anyone, that is. I wouldn't say I have a history of being religious, but it is what it is. I'm an honest guy, so I was naturally drawn. I've been called the wizard of truth!"
Only by himself. Ever. But that still makes this technically true. Suck on that, Diacht!
no subject
In a way it was a little comforting to hear Magolor didn't have that sort of religious history. Not that there was anything wrong with having one, especially since all the people he talked to that did seemed to have those presences very. Present. In their lives. Of course they would be.
This, all of this, was new to him and his unbelieving ass. Maybe that's why this was so weird, even if it felt pretty right. He couldn't really deny the fact that yep, something pulled him here.
"That so." There was almost a twinkle in his eye. "What kinda feats earned you that one?"