♥ July (Lasdia) Event Log

[hugtopiamods]

July (Lasdia) Event Log
Offworlders, did you know? It's been a year since you and your peers began to arrive here! Some of you have been around this entire time, others have only just arrived, and many more fall in between. Whatever length of time you've spent here, the locals are very grateful for your time and effort. Even if it's been given without your consent, they want to make sure you know that your contributions are appreciated and, of course, have come to bear much fruit. Sometimes literally!

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❥ PROMPT I: National Telegraphic

As Lasdia is in full-swing and whispers of anniversary are in the air, the entertainment district is beginning to capitalize on the general mood in town. Camera crews and journalists are seen more frequently, particularly in the residential areas where the majority of offworlders have settled, and have taken to following a few people on more than one occasion. Some are more subtle than others. And some are very obvious, maybe even going so far as to narrate what they observe. Even if what they see characters doing is mundane and not especially exciting, they'll do their best to hype it up. "Watch as the human stalks his prey, teeth bared and hungry, trying to decide which angle to strike... and he's got it! The human has chosen the strawberry danish as his meal. ...Oh no, we've been spotted! His teeth are bared towards us... loyal viewers, this could be the end for us...!"

It's... mostly harmless, and when caught in the act most of them will dramatically flee the area and attempt to film in a more subtle manner. Their attention can be short-lived if they spot another offworlder wandering by doing something more interesting and switch targets. Some will try and create drama or conflict, either between residents and offworlders (such as knocking over a store display and vanishing, leaving someone with an irritated shopkeep) or between the offworlders themselves, and generally they won't break any laws to get a scoop... but you may want to keep your curtains closed. A clever offworlder or two could probably get some annoying crew arrested for causing too much trouble, as many locals are likely to grow exasperated with it as well.

Shops to an extent are on board with capitalizing on the offworlders' popularity, however, which becomes apparent as characters might find something odd while shopping around: merchandise, representative of either yourselves or your neighbours. Perhaps some collectable figures of the great warriors of Havenwell can be spotted at the check-out counter. Or keychains showing a recognizable symbol someone wears are for sale at repair shops. Clothing of the offworlders become a popular style that transition well into the shawls and scarves that the robots wear. Trading cards with information blurbs (which may be accurate or entirely fictional), buttons... you name it, there could be at least one of it out there of you! Do you object, find a seller to yell at? Do you buy out the stock and hope they disappear? Or do you collect your friends for a laugh?

Just... maybe do yourself a favour and don't check the network for offworlder fanfiction. Even if the names have been changed, some of it is far too obvious and probably not meant for public consumption.

❥ PROMPT II: Calling Doctor Jones

Over the past year, and the past several months in particular, the locals have heard a number of requests for a more organized health care system within town, as the population of flesh-and-blood residents remains steady. While each temple has had recovery rooms built to provide aid to those who get sick or injured, it isn't their focus, so despite their best efforts they have come to recognize the need to do better.

Therefore to fill the void, this month's changes include the soft opening of the Havenwellness Clinic! Run by a local researcher of biology and a former veterinarian, Dr. Rojir, it exists not to replace the temple recovery rooms, but to give residents a more clinical and less religious location to recover from whatever ails them, as well as centralize supplies, medicine, and direct research on non-robotic species without being too invasive.

Doctor Rojir is a quiet and polite automoton with padded metal fingers designed to sense subtle differences in texture, temperature, and damage across surfaces, particularly skin. It can't feel, exactly, but complex mechanics within have been specially programmed to aid in detecting what sort of ailments might be affecting the patients. He's done a fair bit of research into the medical techniques of the past, as well as what is known thus far about the species inhabiting the world - humans especially, as there are a number of you! - but much of the information available is incomplete, since they don't have years of study to fall back on, or even a proper subject to examine, living or otherwise.

This is where you come in! There will be a sign-up thread down below for appointments, and Dr. Rojir will have a toplevel on the event post. What he's also going to do to assist in his research is pair characters up with someone unlike themselves in some way. That person is going to be your temporary research partner! You will be asked to sit down with the other person and teach one another about your status, your general health, anything that might be considered unique about who or what you are. This prompt is all about world-sharing and swapping questions with another person, and may be a great way to make some new CR, good or bad! You can request a specific partner, or have it randomized by a mod. We will try our best to link up characters who aren't in the same exact situation, physically.

If Dr. Rojir's solo appointment requests are too popular, we may schedule dates for when said appointments will occur, to avoid mod overload. You will be given a date if your appointment is going to occur later on during the event, or afterwards. We ask that you respond to the Sign-Up thread before tagging the NPC toplevel, so we can gauge interest and schedule accordingly.

Additionally, characters who are a) already volunteering at the existing temple clinics or b) medically trained in some way are welcome to volunteer to work at the clinic with Rojir. There will be a salary awarded to those willing and qualified, so it can count as a job in-town to help with whatever your monthly dora reward won't pay for. Please let us know if you're interested and qualified, and you can be added to the staff once we have the clinic added to the game information pages.

❥ PROMPT III: So Very Glamour-ous

It's been a year since Havenwell officially began pulling people in from another world. Crazy, is it not? The locals can hardly believe the changes and how well things are progressing. It may not seem like much, but to them, who have seen no positive changes for centuries, it's something worth celebrating for certain. Therefore, close to month's end, they're throwing a party for everyone!

Much like the food festival half a year ago, the party will occur in one of the towers in town, on a floor large and open enough for such gatherings. It's been decorated to the nines, each corner devoted to one of the gods and their respective colour combinations (iridescent silver, pink and purple, red and white, blue and gold), with the central zone focused on Havenwell itself, a spread of tables with food galore, and an elaborate showcase of events and instances where the newcomers have helped the city, all displayed through edible arrangements: sad fork robots saved by the arrival of sliced-meat and fruits in the shape of people; tiny grape spiders breaking through a wall of cheese and crackers, fought off by celery-soldiers; a handful of cookie-people cuddling and sitting cozy or kissing. It's all very fancy and delicious enough that they've clearly put the work in to show their appreciation. They will of course urge everyone to eat and enjoy, no matter how fancy it looks. It would be terrible if it all rotted and went to waste. Once a sufficiency of food has been consumed, the tables easily move aside to make room for a dance floor, if people feel so inclined. There is a band of local talent playing a curious blend of synth and orchestral music, their style shifting suitably between fast and slow dances, so there should be a little something for everyone in attendance.

What is the dresscode for such an event, you might ask? Well, on paper the locals have stated that anything is fine, since it's your party, but the gods (not without their own sense of humour) have other ideas. Plenty of their accomplishments this year was fueled by you, but they also brought you here... thus, a few days before the party, you might find a package on your doorstep, seemingly delivered by one of the animal familiars of your god of choice. Inside the package you'll find one curious thing: the equivalent of a glamour prism, a curious bauble that could easily fit into your pocket and that alters whatever you're wearing into a single outfit that the glamour is programmed to display on you.

What outfit it is... well, that's your choice! There is no universal style. The only stipulation is that it is not a style of this world, and it is not dangerous/magical beyond the glamour's effect. The outfit feels real, and can wiggle/move/flow in the breeze as it normally would, provided the glamour is active- so rock that cat-eared beanie, roll with that floor-length cape. It can be an outfit from the character's home closet, a style of your world or another's, a fancy suit, or something silly like a dragon kigurumi. If you're not sure if what you can acquire is allowed or would require modification, please ask in the question thread below.

If your character ends up with an outfit they wouldn't wear to the dance, never fear- you can still wear whatever you like! But those gods and their critters can either be easily offended or love a good gag, so the glamour might find itself on your person in some way during the party, inexplicably active. You can deactivate it, throw it away, whatever- somehow, it just keeps finding its way back to you. Might be best to just roll with what you're given.

EXTRA: Characters who first arrived in this world last year might remember the Ribbon Games that were occurring in the month of their arrival, and this tradition has been brought back once again- both the temple portion, and the challenge at the party. Feel free to play with this in your prompts if you wish, though it is entirely optional!

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This event will run from July 15th to 30th. 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.

Comments

[scourgingstars]

[WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS.]

...Fine, you win. This time. [Without further argument, he pulled out a brush and hair ties in a quick flash of red crystal.]

[carbungle]

[You started it.

Noctis accepts both, heading over to the couch to nudge the furniture away from the front of the couch, making some space and gesturing downwards.]

You cool with the floor? You're too tall otherwise, and I don't wanna screw up my leg right after it's fixed.

[He could totally perch on the back, but really, why risk it. Look, he'll even pass Ardyn a cushion.]

[scourgingstars]

Gods forbid you make extra work for me. [look, he's learning sarcasm!] The floor's perfectly fine, I don't mind.

[he'll just settle in and accept his fate]

[carbungle]

[He'd applaud that, but his hands are full, so instead he'll just snort a brief laugh and curl up on the couch above Ardyn, his bad leg hanging down with the other tucked up. Once they're both settled, he starts weaving the brush through Ardyn's hair with a surprising degree of care, his hand steady and cautious with any knots he might find. For all his wild recklessness in multiple aspects of life, hair maintenance is something he at least takes his time with, and he even seems to know what he's doing.]

[scourgingstars]

[There luckily weren't a lot of knots or tangles to it--Ardyn's hair was a little uneven and disheveled on a good day, but he did generally look after it. He was tense when Noctis started, back to the 'uncertain feral cat' demeanor for a moment before gradually starting to relax little by little.]

[carbungle]

[It's quiet work for a few moments as they get into the groove of things, until Noctis also relaxes and starts separating the hair into segments, one of which he splits further to work on a little braid on the side, mostly to remind his fingers how it works.]

Been forever since I did anything like this... it's a lot easier on other people.

[scourgingstars]

I don't think anyone's ever done this for me before. Or at least...I can't quite remember if they did.

[carbungle]

Not even Aera?

[He says it a little tentatively, not wanting to bring up painful memories, but she's the one he'd assume would have done it if anyone. He can't really imagine Somnus doing this. They played chess, and warped into walls, probably.]

[scourgingstars]

...I don't know. Possibly?

[He didn't sound upset about the mention, at least.]

There isn't a great deal of finer detail I can remember from back then.

[carbungle]

...Mm.

[A mixed bag, there. He's glad that the memory isn't hurtful, but if Ardyn doesn't remember, there's little sense in prying for specifics.]

Gladio has a sister, Iris. Our families are so close that she's more or less like my younger sibling too. She liked this kind of stuff.

[scourgingstars]

You're going to wound me terribly, comparing me to your younger sister.

[look at him go, trying his best to learn how to banter.]

[carbungle]

[Aww, well done. Noct even sounds amused.]

You better not act like it's an insult. Gladio'd punch a hole through reality just to get here and kick your ass for it.

[Wouldn't that be nice... er, Gladio being here, not the ass-kicking.]

[scourgingstars]

I would prefer to avoid that where I can, regenerating is a bit of a troubling thing. [he's even trying black humor, look at that.]

Would you tell me more about them?

[carbungle]

[Noctis has no comment on the first bit; it makes him think of a shattered body of ice on a train, a cold voice calling him by name for the first time, a pair of amber eyes, unscathed and hateful.

Yeah, no thanks.]

Sure. Gladio's built like a truck, and he's got that big-brother protective streak that keeps him focused, and stubborn about everything too. We spent as much time fighting each other as we did monsters, some days. Guess it paid off in the end- for the most part he's the one who taught me how to fight, and I'm still alive, so.

[He unravels the first braid, satisfied, and starts a fresh one nearer to the middle where he'd originally intended. His tone is mostly fond, but... complicated. That's the word for his and Gladio's relationship, especially in the days leading up to his return here. It lightens up as he shifts to Iris, though.]

Iris is still kind of a twig, but she's just a kid so she's got room to grow. She's just as much a hard worker as the rest of her family. Good at keeping the mood light when things are getting too serious... I have no idea how she bounces back as fast as she does. They're... very different, but you can tell right away that they're siblings. Got the same really intense brown eyes.

[scourgingstars]

['Complicated' seemed like it was always the mood with older sibling types.]

You sound like you care for them quite a lot. I hope I've some chance to meet them.

[carbungle]

...Yeah. Me too.

[Not just for Ardyn's sake, so they could meet his true self instead of the monster bent on destroying their country and/or world. But also, Noct would really like to see them again, too. It's been months since he saw Iris even back on Eos, and considering his lengthy disappearance into the Crystal, and what's going to happen when he goes back, he's not sure he'll ever get to see her again.]

Fair warning, if Gladio shows up here- might want to keep out of arms' reach until we can clear things up. He's got a temper.

[scourgingstars]

Ah...right. Of course.

[Sometimes he almost forgot for five minutes that everyone justifiably wanted him dead.]

Oh, that's right--there's a soldier of the royal guard here now, I presume you knew? I've only spoken to him a couple of times myself.

[carbungle]

Oh, Nyx Ulric? Yeah, we met. He's with the Kingsglaive, so he's one of my dad's.

[Or was, at least. He's not 100% clear on how that turned out, considering Insomnia and the guy's arm, but he didn't want to make unpleasant assumptions.]

No problems with him, I hope.

[scourgingstars]

No--I didn't have a problem proving my name was what I said it was, though he was understandably skeptical. It's explaining the rest that has me...a bit frightened, honestly.

[carbungle]

"The rest"?

[There's an awful lot to explain to the ones out of the loop, so he's not sure what specifically Ardyn means.]

[scourgingstars]

...The last time any of the royal guard crossed my path, they all tried to kill me on sight. I'm not looking forward to what he might do if he were aware what the kingdom calls me.

[carbungle]

Oh.

[Okay, fair. That has the potential to cause some problems.]

No one calls you that here. We don't have to tell him anything you don't want him to know.

[scourgingstars]

I don't want to lie to him. Keeping it secret will only make it worse when it inevitably comes out.

[carbungle]

Your life would be so much easier if you weren't so damned honest, I swear.

[He says that, but he's clearly not unhappy about it. Izunia was the liar, and he much prefers the honest version.]

Want me or Dad to take care of it? He seems like a sensible guy, and if the king tells him not to hurt you, he won't. Especially if you don't attack first.

[scourgingstars]

It seems wrong to burden either of you with that, but...it would be a little better coming from either of you. I don't know that I could admit to it myself.