hugtopia_logs | ♥ May (Ealom) Event Log

♥ May (Ealom) Event Log

May (Ealom) Event Log
Ainea's power begins to wane as the last of her months begins, but that doesn't mean it's completely gone yet! With all the effort everyone has put in to clearing and reclaiming the new parts of the city, Ainea and the rest of the gods want to show you the fruits of your labors. A fragrant and gentle breeze springs up through the city, winding through its streets. It's strongest near Ainea's temple, but the power seems to flow from the entire city as it sweeps outward through the new areas. As soon as the wind reaches the outskirts of Old Havenwell, it becomes visible - a shimmering semi-opaque swirl of mixed colors that curls along the ruins and streets. Wherever it goes, greenery and life follows, the atmosphere lifting and the city gleaming in its wake. Small, tentative flowers bloom along the path of the wind until it brunts up against the barrier wall, bursting into a shower of sparkles.

Congratulations, Havenwellians and off-worlders alike! You've cleansed the city!

❥ PROMPT I: It's All About the May-bies

an elderly woman looks into a mirror at her younger self

That beautiful breeze brings with it a strange magic as well. When it sweeps through the city, it touches everyone - flesh or metal-bodied alike - giving people a contented, youthful feeling. That feeling eventually subsides, but in its place is a little bit of magic gone haywire. Throughout the month, characters can experience a little bit of rejuvenation themselves as they suddenly find themselves de-aging abruptly. Whether they retain their memories of their adult lives or revert entirely to their previous selves at that age is up to player discretion. Curiously, no one becomes so young that they would be considered younger than a 6 year old human for their species. Characters can either know where they are in Havenwell or be completely surprised by this strange city full of robots and have no idea what they're supposed to do! Returning to their original age is quite simple though - they can either wait until the power snaps them back, or take the initiative and hug it out to see if it helps (it does, surprise!). If characters wait, they might find that it takes a while before the magic can remember what age they were supposed to be. You might snap from 17 to 29, then back to 12 and suddenly to 59 until you finally settle at your regular age.

Not everyone is affected alike, however. Some may find that they never age one way or another, and some may find they age up instead of down. For those who age up, only their physical appearance is affected and they will not gain canon knowledge of their futures. Sure might feel weird for that 12 year old to suddenly become a 25 year old though! But at least you got to skip the horror of puberty. To return to their original age, they just have to do the same as the others - wait until the power snaps them back (hopefully to the right age) or go find someone to hug these growing pains out with.

Please note, for this prompt you are welcome to use journals other than the ones currently registered to the comms, HOWEVER we ask that you post the journal names you intend to use to the Alternate Account thread on the plotting post. This is so we can more easily track comments for AC and AC Rewards at the end of the month. Thanks in advance!

❥ PROMPT II: There Must be Something in the Air

It appears that the offworlders aren't the only ones affected by the sudden influx of youthfulness. During the month, the city council puts out a call for help from those who are able to give it. The Havenwell Zoo and Animal Conservatory has had an unexpected surge of new baby animals born at the beginning of the month. There's so many that they can't keep them all at the zoo's nursery so they need your help! Characters can volunteer and arrive at the zoo to pick up a cuddly baby to take home with them to keep for the remainder of the month. They will be required to give it back once Ealom ends, however, since the natives will (hopefully) be finished with their new habitat expansions by then. As with any baby, characters will need to keep their little fluffy one close and tend to its needs - which may include having two parents. You and a friend (or frenemy, we aren't judging) will need to help this little one grow up enough that it can return to its conservatory home! The zoo will provide the basics that you'll need to keep these babies alive and well. The animals available are:

Clackoos: These rainbow colored chicks resemble chickens, except that the babies are almost a foot tall and when they "chirp" it sounds more like the clacking of wood. They're mostly flightless, but they do enjoy trying to fly and can get a few feet off the ground or glide when they get older. At this stage, they're testing their wings out and are more likely to fall off of high places and bump into people and walls in a manner more akin to flailing falling than actual flight. Keep them warm at night and make sure they eat a variety of seeds, simulated insect mealworms, or fruits.
Sinory Lizard: These feathery lizards look a little like a cross between an iguana and a komodo dragon, being almost 2 feet in length from snout to the tip of their tail. They come in a variety of colors like striped blue and green, yellow and pink, silver and black, etc. They're most notable for the downy feathers on their legs and along their backs. They make a rumbling sound if you pet the down on their back. These lizards are known for their sluggish nature when it's anything less than hot hot hot, so they tend to slither away quickly to seek sources of heat like sunny spots, people, or stoves. You might want to keep them away from stoves. They enjoy eating the simulated meats or kibble provided by the zookeepers, but will also steal whatever food is on the table if it's not guarded.
Lohpeh: This large pink creature resembles a rabbit with long thin ears and powerful hind legs, except that it also sports brown antlers that sprout light blue leaves and pretty yellow flowers. They're about half a foot tall not including the antlers and pink like bubblegum. They eat mostly grasses and vegetables, and will happily munch on anything that even slightly resembles their preferred food - so hair, clothing, anything flowing. Their teeth are pretty sharp though, so be careful of the accidental nip here and there. They don't like to be alone, so they'll follow the largest group of people they can find, chasing after them to rub their antlers against their legs. Apparently it's to mark them as family.
Nirofu: A small black and white giraffe-like creature with gangly legs, a long neck and two little stubs on the top of their heads that look like they're meant to grow into something much longer. As a baby, the creature is extremely awkward looking as it's trying to grow into its long limbs and neck and they vary in height from runts who are barely over 2 feet tall to ones that are nearly 4 foot in height. They like to swing their heads and bash them into things as a form of play and once they start running, it's hard to get them to stop. They're extremely playful, but the zookeepers still haven't pinned down exactly what they like to eat. Feed them a variety of raw foods from meat to vegetables and these nirofu seem to gobble everything down.

Please choose only one animal to foster!

❥ PROMPT III: A Bigger, Better Nursery

a zoo enclosure with greenery decorating it, and an elephant in the center

Remember when the city council said they'd be expanding the zoo? Well, they're going to need all the hands they can get and have asked people willing to help to do so. This job will be paid, of course, with a healthy dose of Dora into your accounts if you don't mind a little bit (or a lot of) physical labor. The habitats for the creatures in the zoo need to be expanded, new paddocks built and populated with vegetation, water, and play areas. The simulated vegetation like trees, grass that feels real but is very much fake, simulated moss and bushes need to be arranged and planted. Water areas need to be cleaned and then filled. The fake wood play areas with ropes and ladders, slides and swings need to be assembled and secured within the enclosures. There's no lack of things to do! For the more construction minded, they can help pour foundations and lay the mortar and stone for building walls in the new enclosures, or help add the glass or build fences to separate the soon-to-be curious zoo-goers from the animals that need protecting. Grab a friend, roll up your sleeves, get to work and earn some Dora!

❥ PROMPT IV: I Can Show You the City

With all the hustle of last month, the VR cafes were rather sparse and this month the owners of those cafes want to make up for the lost time and profit! This month they're offering a new experience that any and all may enjoy. The cafes' decor have been updated to be painted a light sky blue inside with soft diffuse light that resembles sunlight. On the ceilings and walls are holoprojections of very realistic clouds that slide along like they do outside. Hook up into the VR sets and join others in an extremely realistic and detailed flying tour of Havenwell.

Ever wonder what the city looked like from above? Well, wonder no longer! Once you're loaded up in the game, you'll find yourself floating gently in the sky high above the city. There are others here, too, holding hands or linking arms as they zip about, free as birds. You, however? Well...you can't do much more than float or sink closer to the ground! It seems you need to find a partner and keep in contact with them in order to control your flight, so you better hurry before you end up on the ground like some regular ol' walking Joe. Thankfully, everyone is being loaded into the same game experience, so it shouldn't be hard to find a partner!

If you want a little excitement in your game, feel free to load the "Balloon Challenge" mini-game and compete against other teams to catch the most balloons. Once the game starts, you have 2 minutes to maneuver with your partner to fly through virtual obstacles and collect brightly colored balloons. Catch them by the string and hold on because the more balloons you and your partner collect, the higher your score. If you're crowned that Balloon Challenge champion by beating out all the other teams, you can collect a little balloon of your own when you leave the VR cafe. The balloon floats happily along on a little string and never loses its air, no matter how long you keep it.

This event will run from May 14th to 31st. 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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Why my real family is dead.

Ardbert stops cold with his impassioned response, the color draining from his face. Her family, dead? Murdered by Ishgard's war against the dragons, no doubt.

His voice is quiet, pained, and he reaches out to her with one hand, wrapping the other arm gently around Hythlo, who's unusually quiet. "... You're Auri, but the only thing that matters where you're from is what the people with the swords and axes and arrows think. A good friend of mine told me about the Au Ra."

Children like stories; Ardbert had paid close attention to these in case it gave him an edge against the Source's Warrior of Light, and it's ironic how he uses that knowledge now. "He said they live either on a steppe, a place of malms and malms of grass, or in the deep valleys on the bottoms of the mountains. Both hail from the Far Eastern continent of Othard. The place has been heavily scarred by war, and many refuges fled to Eorzea, including your family."

He pauses, then smiles with moist eyes. "Au Ra aren't common, and Ishgard has isolated itself from all of its neighbors. They don't know what Au Ra look like, being a 'strange' and foreign race. All Ishgard knows and remembers is fear and war. Your grandparents couldn't know the truth."

Ardbert gestures with his outstretched palm, bidding her to at least consider taking it. "But I know the truth. Right now, you're just a scared little girl like any other scared little girl would be in a really strange place that you don't understand with a strange man telling you things that don't make a bit of sense."

She is quiet, listening to the strange man speak. He doesn't seem like he's lying, but what he says is too much. It's too different from what she's been told all this time.

"I don't understand why you care, ser."

Ardbert smile grows, warm buffeting the sorrow as he holds out that hand to her, not moving any closer. "Because you're a good girl, and good girls deserve to know the truth. Also breakfast. I can make us some toast, and some mean scrambled eggs."

Mind you, those are the only eggs he can make, but they're still more than he could do even a few weeks ago.

Kiyo remains silent for a while longer after his proclamation, staring at his proffered hand. She makes no further attempt to move away from Ardbert, but she is still scared despite the strange instinct she has to believe him.

Eventually she speaks again:

"...May I use the chamber pot, ser?"

He snorts at the question, unable to help himself; Era always did have to pee first thing in the morning. "Aye, you can. Let's go back to the house, and I'll show you where it is."

Well that lightened the mood a bit. It's going to take Ardbert a bit of time to recover from the painful revelations, but... she's most definitely a child.

Once again she's faced with the dilemma of being out in the open, horns uncovered for the world to see. She hesitates a few moments longer, but she really does need to pee...

Reluctantly, and with no small amount of hesitation, Kiyo reaches out her hand and wraps her fingers loosely around one of his.

The smallness of her hand holding onto Ardbert's finger just melts away the anguish. Gods, he forgot how much he loved children. Hythlo wiggles in excitement, his ears going back up, and quite clearly agrees with Ardbert being happy about this turn of events.

"Don't worry; people won't care about what you look like here." Ardbert reassures her gently. "Do you need me to carry you so we can get home faster, or do you have enough time to walk?"

Oh—

Kiyo wouldn't mind being carried. It would almost be like a hug. But she's been so bad, she doesn't deserve something nice...

If he carries her though, it would mean she could focus on hiding her horns from everyone. That would be good, she thinks.

Kiyo lets go of his finger so she can crawl out of the bush more easily, once again ignoring the way the branches scratch at her skin. When she emerges on her hands and knees she has to hold back a renewed spike of fear as she's confronted by a very large man and a very large dark creature.

"I— I... Faster is better."

Ardbert knew she was little, but seeing her so close up just hammers that home. He knows that Drahn, or Au Ra, girls are small, so he tacks on a few years to his guess of her age. There are scrapes on her that he'll have to clean up.

When she hesitates, clearly afraid, Ardbert let's go of Hythlo and pats him on the back. "Lead us home, Hythlo."

The amaro jumps out from between Ardbert's legs and starts heading that direction, wanting badly to inspect the little momma some more but knowing to listen.

Ardbert smiles at her when they're alone for a moment. "Thank you for trusting me enough to come out. Is it okay if I pick you up now? What's your name?"

...Does she trust him? She supposes she does. She has no other choice, does she?

"...Yes, okay."

Unsure of what to do, Kiyo offers a little bow. She's never introduced herself to someone before.

"...I'm Kiyo."

Ardbert bows a little himself to be polite. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Kiyo."

He'll stand then, slowly, and then lean over to gently pick her up. Ardbert shifts her to one hip, careful not to push on her bladder as he puts an forearm underneath her. When he begins to walk quickly, he smiles down to her.

"Does this feel all right?"

"Y-Yes, okay," she repeats once Ardbert has picked her up, clearly not accustomed to such an action. Kiyo quickly presses one horn against his side to hide it, while one of her hands goes to try covering the other. "Um— I mean, all right."

She's clearly hiding her horns, but he won't bring attention to that. Ardbert will keep walking quickly after the amaro who is gweeing for them to follow. He's happy enough she's trusting him to carry her.

It won't be more than a couple of minutes before they reach the stairs of the house. "We're here."

She says nothing at his announcement, merely curling the fingers of her free hand more securely into the fabric of his shirt.

She is so quiet that it's almost disturbing. Ardbert has to keep himself from kissing her hair, feeling the same surge of protectiveness he feels for Hythlo. Kiyo is a very good girl.

They're going to need clothes fit for a small girl. Proper underwear. Something to hide her horns like she wishes, wimples and veils. He starts to hum some old folk song from home as he turns the doorknob and lets them inside. (Yes, he didn't lock it.)

"Bathroom is this way. Hold on for a bit longer." He speaks at the end of a verse, then goes right back to humming as he shuts the door behind the three of them.

He does something odd with his voice that Kiyo thinks is 'music', but isn't sure. It's nice though. She can feel it in her horns—especially the one pressed against him. Her tail twitches behind her to the rhythm, though the movement is barely noticeable.

Kiyo nods in agreement to his order, knowing he can feel her head move. It means she doesn't need to use her voice, which is better.

Ardbert knows from Era that humming sounds good, so he'll take advantage of that. She's probably not used to hearing any sort of melody. Music, however, is imprinted on the soul, and is a part of living. He remembers how he would hum Seto to sleep as he does Hythlo and Era both now.

He walks to the bathroom, careful to not step on the amaro craning his neck to see the child and making a nuisance of himself between his feet. Ardbert puts up the seat to the toilet and then looks down at Era. Before looking to the toilet set.

"... Ah, I think this toilet seat is a little bit too big for your bum."

"Um, that is... Is there no chamber pot, ser?"

"Ahhhh...." Ardbert pauses for a moment. "We do have a regular pot we could maybe use."

Kiyo does her best not to squirm in discomfort, while also doing her best to hold everything in.

"I need down."

Ardbert gently puts her down, immediately switching tactics. "You can squat over the toilet if I help you hold your balance?"

She doesn't actually know, but she really has to go pee and she doesn't want to make a mess, so she just nods to whatever Ardbert is saying.

Ardbert leans over and lifts her up again, helping her find her footing as he holds her around the ribs. No time to waste, just getting her up there and letting her squat as she needs.

Kiyo does her best, but still makes a mess down her leg when she's suddenly picked up. It's only a little mess though, because with Ardbert's help she manages to relieve herself mostly in the toilet. It's really loud, and Kiyo is left wondering when the last time this was emptied since it sounds very full, yet doesn't smell bad at all.

Ardbert's glad he didn't wait... they almost didn't make it at all. Small children have small bladders, and she did a good job holding it for so long. For a moment, he's transported back to his life before he even became an adventurer, helping out his parents. Gods, that was several lifetimes ago.

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RIGHT THREAD THIS TIME LMFAO

A+

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