♥ September (Ohnir) Event Log

[hugtopiamods]

September (Ohnir) Event Log
The month of Ohnir brings with it a slow but steady relief from the heat, as summer gives way to autumn and the city begins to change with it. Plants are slowly deflowering, leaves are starting to fade and fall, and while the season is not yet in full swing, all the signs are there if you know where to look. The city is abuzz with new energy as the residents realize that for the first time in centuries, they have some actual nature clean-up ahead of them: raking leaves, pruning branches, protecting young wildlife and fresh plants from the incoming chills of winter. Such work used to be relegated to those who cared for the botanical gardens and zoos, but now everyone who's been enjoying this year's garden harvest has to learn how to future-proof their treasured flowers. Offworlders are encouraged to do the same, lest all of the growth be lost over the winter.

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❥ PROMPT I: A Clean Getaway

With all of the work to be done, it's no surprise that some are looking for new ways to refresh themselves and relax, and what better time would there be to open up the Public Baths! All the volunteer work cleaning the place has paid off, and the facilities are officially open and available for use. It is technically free to use, as a public facility, but those visiting are encouraged to tithe a small donation once in a while to pay for upkeep and freshen up the place, provide new soaps, etc. No judgment if you can't! It'll just make everything that much nicer in the long run.

The baths are separated into a few sections: oil baths for the native residents, and water baths for the offworlders. For obvious reasons, offworlders are encouraged not to enter the robot-residential sections! Though they are not strictly forbidden... it would be quite messy and bad for your health.

The offworlder half has additional separated sections that may interest characters when they visit:

1) Hot Springs Style - Clothed or Unclothed: there are 3 available rooms for each, one for separate presented genders, and a shared bath for those comfortable with the concept or don't wish to use either male or female. Each room has one larger pool and a few smaller sets, so you can sit by yourself or with others as you please.

2) Pool: a shared public pool! The water is nice and cool, which should be a comfort to those still struggling with the lingering summer heat. There is some water game equipment available for open use if people want to play and get their sports on.

3) Sauna: similar to the springs, once again, there are 3 rooms for gender splits so everyone can enjoy the place at their own comfort level.

It all seems very nice and relaxing for everyone, but this wouldn't be a proper event without some shenanigans now, would it? There are a few effects that may occur within the baths, and these effects are somewhat random. Some characters may experience them to a powerful degree, while others feel nothing at all. Players can decide for themselves who and where these will affect, so feel free to mix, match, and go wild. The effects are:

• The spring water is so relaxing that you feel free and more willing to talk about yourself, or share your feelings more openly.


• The swimming pool is cool and energizing, making you want to horse around and play with others nearby. You may also feel inclined to drape yourself onto others, like a cool, comfy pillow.


• The sauna has you dishing up spicy hot takes, releasing negative emotions or complaints, and makes you a little more inclined to gossip.

All effects can either be nullified or emphasized according to player discretion by physical contact. For some characters, holding hands or something will stop the effects, but for others it'll intensify them - it should keep characters guessing!

❥ PROMPT II: REM Stands for Realistic Emotional Memory in These Parts

Characters who were around last year might remember a bout of strange and sporadic dreams that plagued the town around this season, along with the sensation that they were being followed. This year, dreams once more enter uninvited to one's mind, but this time, it occurs as a random daydream while they are awake, and it is very different from person to person- instead encouraging you to do the following. All visions start out hazy, like a grainy old movie where details and figures are difficult to make out, but there is something both familiar and alien about it. It feels like a memory… but it is not your memory. Over time, the visual begins to clear the more often the dream repeats, until slowly the images grow more distinct, offering clearer faces, the addition of voices, discernable quotes or expressions. The memory will provide hints as to who it might belong to, though the subtlety of those hints will likely vary. Before too long, if you have not found a way to rid yourself of the dream, you will experience an entire memory of another person in town as if you were witnessing it from their perspective!

Now, how does one rid themselves of these strange visions? You could wait it out, if you're patient enough and not inclined to seek the answer, but those who've been here long enough can wager a guess: you must find the source of that memory and "send" it back to them through physical interaction of some kind. Some memories may take longer to transfer than others, and it may depend on the person, the memory itself, how clear the memory has become in the time you carried it… no two experiences are likely to be the same.

There are a few specifics about these memories that are worth noting:

• the memory should be of a single event, not a series of events that span a long period of time. For example, you could witness the stretch of someone's day at a wedding or long party (sped up to skip insignificant moments so it doesn't play in real time), but not a memory of an entire war that goes for months. How long the memory goes for is up to the player that the memory belongs to, as long as it falls within these guidelines.


• you are not limited to a single memory from a single person. Once you have solved one vision, after a certain amount of time, you may find yourself plagued with another.


• you will not necessarily end up having the same memory partner! You won't always have the memory of the person who has your memory. Characters are encouraged to pair up and try to piece together clues that might lead you to your intended partner. Help each other out and guide one another in the right direction if you can.


• those whose memory has been borrowed may find it difficult to recall it; it can seem fuzzy and indistinct, missing entirely or simply missing choice details. Through physical contact, that memory will fully return to them and both participants can experience it together.


• you can find your partner accidentally! If you're still searching for clues and happen to touch your partner through other circumstances - such as shake their hand at first meeting, or hug a friend - you may find both of you are suddenly experiencing a memory together as it is transferred! Aren't you lucky, to have found your partner so easily?

!!! IMPORTANT !!! The contents of the memory shared is up to you, but please be mindful of harmful subjects and tag/mark your comments and toplevels accordingly! Triggering memories should be noted with content warnings. Be kind to your fellow players! If someone asks you to tag something and you have not done so, please correct it as soon as possible. Untagged comments that aren't adjusted and are reported to us may be subject to mod screening until the issue is resolved.

❥ PROMPT III: I Shall Fight With My Bear Hands

Closer to the tail end of the month, one of the research facilities distributes a "Help Wanted" advertisement through the network, requesting the aid of offworlders. The advertisement reads:

"Calling all offworlders! Havenwell Research and Development is seeking volunteers for both physical prowess and supernatural ability testing. All are welcome! Even if you have no combat skills and feel only a desire to learn, we have a job for you. Those who already possess some form of self-defense or combative powers will be partnered and asked to "spar" in a partially digitized facility, or proceed with a simulation that will gauge destructive capabilities. And for those who possess neither, don't worry! Our program is specially designed to help you discover just where your talents lie.

No harm should come to any volunteers, as this is strictly simulation-based, similar to the virtual reality technology already widely used throughout the city. However, in case of any accidents, medical staff is on site to treat injuries as needed. Additionally, there is no need for you to wear any of the VR headgear typically required in our cafes, so if these devices cause you discomfort, this may be a simulation that better meets your needs.

Please contact us ASAP if you are willing and able to help. A monetary commission will be awarded upon completion of each session."

Any volunteers or inquiries will be provided with more information, and invited to one of the research towers located in town. They are guided to a floor that is abuzz with activity, partnered with whoever happens to be scheduled at the same time or a partner they themselves opted to bring with them, and taken to a room akin to Star Trek's holodeck. There, they can input "powers" or "no powers", and a simulation will be created for them based on their selected guidelines.

With Powers:
The console invites characters to select one of two options- their own abilities, or temporarily gain access to the elemental powers offered via AC Rewards (point levels 50, 100, and 200). They are able to choose a particular power level for the duration of the simulation, which can either dampen their natural abilities to a more fair level for the test you're undertaking, or remain normal. While in the simulation room, rather than actually using any real abilities, the room will materialize whatever ability you choose without causing true damage to either the room or your opponent. Science, or magic? It's probably both. Feel free to go wild and have fun, maybe try some powers you've never experienced before or vent your frustrations on being stuck here!

Without Powers:
The console invites characters to select a type of weapon and skill level, and said weapon will materialize in a basic form; while held inside the room it moves and feels real, but it cannot be removed from the facility. Those who are skilled in utilizing said weapon are free to wield it as if it were the genuine article in their chosen simulation. Those without much or any skill will be walked through a tutorial on basic techniques from a variety of styles, old or new, most unfamiliar but well suited to the body type of the person using the program. It's quite intuitive, though it is by no means perfect, so characters might end up being guided through a stranger workout than intended.

For versus mode, each participant has an HP bar displayed above their heads, and everyone has the same HP unless both players select an unbalanced mode, and the goal is to force your opponent to hit zero HP. Characters can also choose how realistic the simulated violence is and how the process feels: in low realism, it's similar to laser tag, where characters flash a colour when hit and take damage without feeling anything more than some uncomfortable vibration. In high realism, pain is genuine to a certain degree depending on how high a level they choose, though it is artificial and will fade as soon as the program ends. Hitting zero HP will not result in a knock-out, but characters will feel dizzy and be forced to sit down, unable to rise again until they surrender. All effects wear off as soon as the simulation ends.

For demonstration mode, participants are given a selection of virtual targets to practice on using whatever method of combat they've chosen. It could be moving targets, such as creatures that have invaded the barrier previously (via the Wild Wild prompt), or simulations of the more dangerous beasts in the museum/zoo areas of town. It could be simple targets built to take a beating without providing much challenge in return. It could be a collection of buildings that characters can break or explode as they please. This mode is designed to gauge just how strong a person's destructive potential is, either with their own powers or with powers granted to those who have been blessed by their patron god.

Characters are welcome to volunteer as many times as there are available partners and/or slots! So feel free to try a few times using different options.

❥ PROMPT IV: A Bonus Trip Down Memory Lane

Last year, some offworlders might remember the tradition of sharing stories in the temple of Ohma, to offer small tributes to the god on their first month of devotion. It is that time of the year again, and everyone is welcome to return and share more stories, or perhaps retell an old favourite to a new audience. Here is the event as described previously:

Ohma's temple is particularly lively during Ohnir and the priests are busy cleaning and sweeping, decorating it with rolls of parchment and digital inkwells and quills that write as if they were actually fountain pens. The natives, especially adherents of Ohma, start to make pilgrimages to the temple in little processions, some playing music, others flying banners.

Anyone who chooses to follow can observe the natives going up to the altar and sharing stories with one another. They talk about things they did over the past year or things that are far, far in their past. Some of the stories are happy and result in the procession laughing and some are...well, not everyone returns safely from certain disasters that befall the city throughout the year. The priests diligently write every story down on those parchment rolls and deposit them onto the waiting altar, where they're summarily lit on fire to the cheers of those present. The more emotional the story it seems, the brighter and bluer the flame that it emits and the louder the procession cheers.

As the file out, they notice you watching and urge you to go up with someone else in the temple to clear your heart and offer up your own stories. They can be stories of home, information about your worlds, or stories about your life.

---

This event will run from September 14th 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

[whenyouneedme]

"Oho. Glad you got someone to go with you then."

Even if maybe it was likely the other way around, and someone else had been doing the convincing. The result was the same either way.

"Here's to more than one go at this one then."

[hedgehogsdilemma]

"Well," he says, with the gentlest nudge of his elbow, "I figure I have at least one person around now that wouldn't mind dropping in at any time."

Not like he's going to drag Kai out here whenever the mood strikes him, but it's nice to think that there's someone who's likely down for it at any rate.

"I wouldn't mind joining you if you ever feel like having the company for yourself, too."

[whenyouneedme]

That was him, right. Every context clue pointed to yes, probably, Shinji was talking about him. Also, you know, the really blatant spelling out of it there at the end. Nice.

Kai chuckled, nudging Shinji right back. "'Course. Whenever the mood strikes then. We put a lotta hours in here, we gotta put just as many into enjoying it."

[hedgehogsdilemma]

Surprise! It's you!!

"Mmhm." Might as well get as much use out of the place as possible after putting all of that work into it. "A good way to relax after all that scrubbing."

[whenyouneedme]

Golly!!

"Hell yeah."

So much relaxation. Power relaxation. Look at him go, slipping down into the water up to his neck. "It was already worth all the scrubbin' 'cuz I got you coming over out of it, but this is real good too."

Oh that just kinda fell out there huh.

[hedgehogsdilemma]

Turbo relaxation. If they don't end up feeling incredibly zen after all of this, there's probably nothing that'll get the job done.

Unless, you know, tiny little confessions like that keep peppering their conversation, huh? Not entirely conducive to unwinding, what with the quick uptick in heartbeats it brings about, but still awfully nice to be hearing. Doki doki, and what have you.

"Yeah," he exhales softly, trying to push any sheepishness he's feeling out of mind. "Getting a place to call home out of it was more than worth the effort."

That. Uh. Also just kind of fell out. Huh.

[whenyouneedme]

Ah. Ah... They had said it before, when things were still new. It had slipped out just like this. The nervousness that had come with that first time they used that word wasn't there. It was just all the warmth that had come with it, warmer still with how comfortable the notion had become. Because it really, really had.

Kai tipped his head, that impossibly soft little smile back on his face as he looked up at him.

"... Mhmm. It's been good." He'd spent a lot more time at the house now that there had been someone to look forward to there. What a strange concept.

"Only felt like home when you got there."

[hedgehogsdilemma]

Ah, what an impossibly soft thing for you to say to him, Kai. So soft it brings a a distinct blush to his face. Maybe... that's just the heat? It's probably not, though.

"I think... I know what you mean." It's definitely not the house itself he's attached to, after all. They're all the same - it's not any different from the one he came from in any essential way.

The one big difference being, "It's really more like..." he pauses for a second, but he's genuinely unable to stop what tumbles out of his mouth next, "You feel like home."

[whenyouneedme]

His words had been plausibly soft. Shinji's were the impossible ones here. That look of surprise that flickered across Kai's face was completely genuine, as was the rise of heat that followed that definitely wasn't because of the bath. That! Sure had been a thing to say!

There was thunder clamoring in his chest and all Kai could think to do about it was seek out Shinji's hand under the water. Ah, what a strange feeling to be seeking out something grounding from the source of the wild feelings to begin with. And yet there he went, a clumsy fumble of palms.

"Really just puttin' it out there, huh," He said with a breathless little laugh, not sure what else to say. Which was a lie, there were things he could say and he knew it.

His voice dropped to a whisper though as he finally hooked his fingers with Shinji's. "... You too, y'know. Never actually knew what people meant by it, 'till now."

[hedgehogsdilemma]

As soon as the words left his mouth he definitely felt an extra burn in his cheeks, but as unexpected as they were, it's not something he necessarily feels like he regrets saying. Especially not with what follows that gentle little tease from Kai.

He lets his hand get caught, an unexpected echo of something that's happened to him in a situation much like this one before. Just... a bit More. Enough to keep him pulled out of his own thoughts and cemented in the moment that he's in now. There may be the same tiny startle at the contact, but he quickly lets his fingers get tangled up in Kai's with a short exhale.

Is it selfish to be really, truly enjoying those soft words and this clumsy little display of affection? Probably. Definitely. It's incredibly hard to even think about not letting it happen, though. To let Kai open up those gentle sentiments to him. How truly rare, something worth cherishing. Even without the extra little encouragement to be open and honest from the water, that confession does an incredible job of disarming a lot of Shinji's natural hesitance.

"Yeah," he agrees softly. "It's... kind of amazing, actually. So I'm glad you understand, too. You really deserve it."

[whenyouneedme]

Did he? It took a truly astounding amount of effort to bite back the rebuttal that was at the tip of his tongue. It was easy enough to just drop them regularly, the want to be honest about his feelings right now made trying not to say it a struggle. The only reason he'd triumphed was because ultimately... He wanted this more than he wanted to set things straight.

He wanted to have this moment, wanted to hold it tight and hold it close. It burned brighter than the chilly whispers that told him this would fade now that Shinji wasn't alone. He wouldn't be needed anymore. But maybe... maybe...

He'd be wanted instead? An amazing concept that was still absolutely fucking wild.

"I'm... really glad I get to give you one," he said instead, shaking his head just a bit. He'd never thought to really want one, but even if he never considered where he lived a 'home', it had at least still been something static. He wasn't the one that had been shuffled from place to place and person to person. "It's been nice seeing you settle in."

[hedgehogsdilemma]

If Shinji gets to be greedy about this whole situation, then it's only fair for Kai to do the same. Well done on the internal struggle of clutching so tightly on to that selfish little desire.

His hand squeezes Kai's gently, as something else he wants to hold on to just as solidly. This warm hand that's always brought him so much comfort, this person who's never failed to make him feel cared about and wanted. He can only do so much to repay that kindness, he's sure, but hoping for Kai to have the same measure of assurance granted to him is a harmless enough wish.

"You're a very comfortable person to be around," he knows he's said as much before, but it's worth reiterating, warm and sincere as he can manage. "So settling in has been easy."

[whenyouneedme]

Bro you could have it all with smooth moves like that.

Kai huffed a little as he carefully pushed himself back up through the water. It wasn't like he was going anywhere, just putting himself back at Shinji's level a bit. It was maybe too warm down there? It was very, very warm.

"Good. But, y'know, more than that..." Kai looked over at him with a familiar kind of focus as he took in the softness of Shinji's face. That warmth felt fairly common now, but it hadn't been there the whole time. He didn't always look so at peace. Kai carefully brushed his thumb over Shinji's under the water, an idle gesture of comfort as he quietly called attention to something else.

"You've been smiling more."

[hedgehogsdilemma]

That sounds fake

but also right back at you dude??

That's a surprising thing to be pointing out right now! Has... he? Obviously, he's been a lot happier in general with Kai keeping him company so often, but he didn't really consider it to be something so noticeable. He raises his free hand to lightly touch at his lips, like that's going to... confirm that statement? He wasn't smiling just then, exactly, but he still subconsciously makes that bashful little move.

"I... suppose that's true," he thinks it over for just a moment, before pulling has hand away again and regarding Kai with a similar kind of focus. "You have been, too, you know."

[whenyouneedme]

Had it really been that much of a surprise? Kai watched that charming little motion play out in amusement, following the path his fingers took. Yep, right there. That soft line.

There was a flick of gold as Kai had to actually shift his focus back to the whole of Shinji's expression. Oh. Him too, huh. The callout brought a quirk to the corner of Kai's mouth.

"Uh-huh. Seems that way."

[hedgehogsdilemma]

Yeah, just like that...!

"It's nice," he says softly, none of that warmth and sincerity leaving his voice yet. Kai has a nice smile, he thinks, and manages to keep himself from dropping out there on top of all of those other soft sentiments. "It's like... all of this was good for both of us, huh?"

Who could have imagine getting kidnapped by robots would have actually worked out well? It's probably got a lot more to do with the simple fact that they got to meet each other through it, but... gosh. The idea that he could be a factor in improving someone else's time here is really huge, and really wild. So he doesn't call direct attention to that fact, because even if that was his own implication, he's not sure he could really accept it as a fact. Just offers a little rub of his thumb over Kai's.

[whenyouneedme]

"Mhmm."

Kai looked down at the wavering image of their hands, letting himself lean against Shinji a little more with a content sigh. This had been pretty good, huh? It wasn't the first time the sentiment had been expressed, that this was good and they were lucky. It wasn't any less true either, but after all this time... they really did have a swath of positive reinforcement, didn't they?

Glancing back up at Shinji, Kai let him have an actual smile. They might have seemed a bit easier to come by these days, but they were all the days with him.

"Seems like our fresh start's been going pretty good."

[hedgehogsdilemma]

Gosh, as if they needed an extra level of coze in here.

Shinji offers another contented sigh, closing his eyes and letting a tiny smile slip its way into his expression as he leans back against Kai and basks in just how nice it feels, like there's an extra layer of trust there, to have Kai initiate these cozy leans.

"It feels like we've been doing a good job with it."

By their own measures, anyway. They've survived pretty much unscathed - and more than that, but actually generally happy, too. How unbelievable. How astoundingly comfortable. All Shinji has to do is not mess up what they've got, and this is already so much more than he could have ever hoped for. Whether or not the gentle encouragement from the hot springs ruin those efforts is yet to be seen.

"If I get to keep seeing you smile like that, then I know I'm doing something right by you. That's all I need."

[whenyouneedme]

What could the hot springs possibly ruin at this rate, geez. Gosh. What secrets could there possibly be that needed protected.

Their own measures were the only ones they had though, so doing good by that was... pretty good! Sure maybe they both had a very unhealthy relationship with themselves, but if it seemed like they were making progress in each others' eyes than that had to count for something. They could count it. It was good.

"Y'dont need to worry about that part." Kai was pretty sure his smiles could only provide so much sustenance though. He'd selfishly be glad for it now, but he knew better. "If you ever want anything else though, just say the word."

Any of those things like uh more baths or uh clearing things up with friends or. Whatever else Shinji could have wanted from him, he couldn't imagine it was a very deep list.

[hedgehogsdilemma]

Maybe if he were some kind of plant, who could sustain himself on sunshine...

That might be stretching the metaphor a bit too far regardless. Still, he can take the emotional solace in having that indicator of still being liked, of having some way of telling that he hasn't overstayed his welcome. Those kinds of thoughts were generally quieter ones these days, but ones that could still make themselves known when everything else is even more quiet.

"If there's anything you want from me, too," there's no way he wouldn't reciprocate the offer to whatever extent he can! "I'm here for you whenever you need."

[whenyouneedme]

Kai hummed, sighing out a soft, "I know." It would have been fine just to leave it like that. Similar to Shinji's feelings on the matter, this was already way more than Kai would have ever hoped to get out of anything. Really, he should have been completely satisfied.

There was still that lingering thought though. The one that knew that Shinji had someone else here now. If something shifted, it wasn't Kai's place to say anything about it. That's just how it was.

Except this once, Kai didn't want to let it go quietly even if nothing had happened.

It was after a few long stretches of comfortable quiet that he spoke up again in a low murmur. "Just don't forget I'm here, ok?"

[hedgehogsdilemma]

Shinji would have been more than content to let the conversation fade into that comfortable quiet the two of them had become so good at, letting the warm water ease the tension out of his muscles while Kai's hand tangled up in his eases the worries out of his mind, but then those words meet his ears.

Ah...? Ah. He gets, at least, the basic sentiment that would drive a wish like that, even if he's unaware of the particulars of why it could be relevant.

"I won't," he assures him, voice just as soft and quiet. "I don't think I could, but I definitely never want to."

[whenyouneedme]

Remarkably, that Shinji wouldn't want to was something that Kai already wholeheartedly believed. After all of this, it wouldn't be something that Shinji would have actively chosen to do. That would be much easier to deal with, Kai was sure.

It'd all be a lot easier if Kai just actually knew how to be selfish. Or if he understood why the idea that Shinji could be happier with someone else twisted him up inside so much. Truly these were both powerful mysteries.

For now though, Kai just squeezed his hand. "Good to know."

[hedgehogsdilemma]

I'd be pretty hard for him to even do by mistake, considering how much longer he's known Kai compared to anyone significant who could show up and how much time and emotional investment he's paid into him as a result. This... this is something he absolutely wouldn't want to lose. He'd never be able to forgive himself if he did, and if Kai got hurt as a result, he's sure.

"Hmm," he hums softly, letting his head come to a rest at Kai's shoulder. Even if Shinji knows that this is so much more than he deserves, that he'd want Kai to find happiness with someone actually good, it would be really, really hard for him to let go at this point. How truly stupid of him.

"I'm not going anywhere," he says, a bold little bubble of honesty surfacing with the encouragement of the hot springs. "However long you'll have me, I'll be right here."

[whenyouneedme]

There he was. Kai let out another soft sigh as his head found its spot nestled right there against Shinji's crown. Here he was trying to be something Shinji could lean on, but it was the other boy always handing out the reassurances. Geez.

It was stupid, he knew, but it still felt nice to hear them.

"Thanks for always reminding me," Kai said with a soft puff of a laugh against Shinji's hair. "I'll get it one of these days."