♥ 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.

---

❥ 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

[hedgehogsdilemma]

There we go.

Even as he's struggling to try and stem the flow of his own sorrow, having that assurance that Kai will actually let Shinji worry about him is profoundly comforting. He knows it can be a hard thing to accept, but that grasp from his hands anfd that quiet little nod is enough to assure him that his words have been taken to heart. That this nice, safe spot, right here, tucked away against Kai's chest, might feel just as reassuring for the other boy as it does for him.

Let him snuggle in a little closer, if that's even possible at this point. Here they both are. Nice and solid and here.

[whenyouneedme]

What incredibly nice things to be.

Kai drew his knees up a bit even, just to keep Shinji nice and close. The only kind of cage here was the comfort kind. No fatalistic elevators, no cells. Just all this solid warmth that came with having at least one other human being really, truly desire the other one's presence.

"M'not gonna cause trouble," Kai mumbled after a number of long moments of quiet passed like that. He had a feeling that even with the jumbled disarray of the fight, Shinji might have been able to guess where Kai had been. He sighed a little. He was rowdy and found himself in troubling situations, sure, but nothing juvie worthy.

"Only reason I was there was cuz I was helping Kei get away. So. Hopefully you won't need to worry."

[hedgehogsdilemma]

This would probably be a downright desirable position to be in if they weren't on the kitchen floor, honestly. Maybe a reprise in a more comfortable location will have to be in order after all of this.

The fight certainly was hectic and hard to follow, but the benefit of it sticking around for as long as it had made some of the finer details at least trackable. He had, after all, made the guess that it had ben a cell of some kind, there aren't many places it could have been given the context. He'd be a real asshole if he held it against Kai, though, even if the circumstances that put him there hadn't been, in fact, totally unfair.

"Didn't think you would," he'd been here this long and the worst he's really done is ? yell at a god. Shinji's pretty sure he isn't the type to go looking for trouble, just the type to have it come to him, and being worried about that sort of thing is still on the table. He'd like to think that would have been the case with this particular incident, knowing what little he does about it, but it wouldn't actually change his mind either way.

"Neither of you deserve to be treated like criminals."

[whenyouneedme]

This was in fact a very strong contender for a favored position to be in, regardless of being on the floor or not. It would be very easy to coax Kai into a repeat in a cozier location, especially when it was less a desperate act of consolation and more just simple displays of affection.

Deep down Kai knew Shinji suddenly changing his mind about everything wasn't really anything to worry about with this revelation. It was just partially one of those ingrained sort of things. More than any real worry though, Shinji had already seen the first act. It only seemed fair he knew how the rest played out if he was going to get shown it anyway.

(That worry definitely was still on the table, and it was smart of Shinji to keep it there. Kai was just that kind of guy. Getting into those particular scuffles just didn't seem optional.)

"No," Kai agreed. "Neither do you."

[hedgehogsdilemma]

That part he's not sure he can agree with, actually. On Kai's end, one of them just had the unfortunate event of not dying when he should have, and the other was just trying to get him somewhere safe. Shinji's actions, be they coincidental or actively malicious, resulted in an immeasurable amount of collateral damage - if anyone here's done anything objectively worth punishing, it's Shinji.

But, he keeps that knee-jerk reaction of protest to himself. He's not sure he can believe it, but he doesn't want to push that sentiment away either.

"I... don't want to be that person any more," he manages to eke out after a few moments of still silence. Just because he can't agree means it's anything he ever wanted. "You've helped, a lot."

[whenyouneedme]

Kai knew he didn't have the whole story, but he didn't particularly need it either. There was just enough there to point him to all the conclusions that of course Shinji hadn't wanted to do it. Even if it was an admittedly much larger scale, he was still just controlled by his circumstances.

But more than that, and much more simply, Kai just simply believed he didn't deserve that treatment. The end.

So it was good that Shinji didn't try to argue, cuz Kai wasn't going to have it. "I know you don't," Kai assurred him firmly. "You don't have to be." The clutch of fabric smoothed as Kai rubbed slow circles across that spot. "If I'm helping, then I'm finally doing something right. We'll just keep going like this, okay? You've been doing real good."

[hedgehogsdilemma]

"You've been doing good, too."

Even outside of what's been helpful for Shinji, seeing him go from a kid who didn't want to go home, from someone who got roped into brawls in juvie (and, apparently, bathrooms??) and showed up in Havenwell fairly closed off for what are now probably pretty obvious reasons, to someone who can be a little more open, and has been taking steps to settle in with a business venture of his own creation... it's not like Shinji thinks he's a different person now, per se, just. Himself, but More.

"I think... you're probably doing more right than you think."

[whenyouneedme]

Himself, but More was a good way to put it.

His own knee-jerk reaction was to say he hadn't been doing much though. There was no active attempt on his part to try and change, so maybe he shouldn't be getting a whole ton of praise.

...Except that wasn't entirely true. I need some time to believe the rest of that, he'd said. That he was a person that deserved the care that people were trying to give him. He was trying. The people that somehow, inexplicably chose him deserved the effort.

"I'll... take your word for it. Means a lot."

[hedgehogsdilemma]

He can tell that's not an easy thing to accept hearing, and Shinji can understand. The fact that he's not going to push away that bit of praise, much like Shinji hadn't set aside Kai's judgement, means just as much to Shinji.

He nods again, untangling one of this hands from Kai's shirt and finally pulling himself away enough that he can wipe at his eyes with the heel of his palm with a sniffle.

"Thank you." For taking his word. "I mean it, I really do."

[whenyouneedme]

Kai watched Shinji as he pulled back with a soft thoughtfulness. As much as that kind of gratitude still felt like too much, right here it was... good. From Shinji, it was a whole lot easier to accept.

He waited until Shinji was done wiping his eyes to reach out, cupping one of those damp cheeks very gently in his hand. "S'what I'm supposed to say," he said softly, tracing a thumb over the smudged memory of a tear. "Couldn't do much if you didn't trust me."

[hedgehogsdilemma]

Even when he's sure he looks about as pathetic as he feels, Kai's going to go ahead and do something that soft to him, huh? He leans slightly into that hand, because even as embarrassing of a position as this honestly is to be in, it feels... really safe with Kai. Everything else has so far, though, so it's no real surprise that this isn't any different.

"I do trust you," he assures him, bringing up that free hand to hold Kai's that much closer to his cheek, nice and warm to fend off any chill from the air hitting that dampness. "You've never made that feel like a mistake."

[whenyouneedme]

Well, making sure Shinji felt safe and appreciated was Kai's job now. He'd been trying to do that before anyway, but now it was official. A very boyfriend thing to do, as far as he could tell.

A faint smile crossed Kai's face. "Good," he breathed out, bolstered by all the warmth cradling his hand from both sides. "So no matter what memories might follow you, don't worry. I'm right where I wanna be."

[hedgehogsdilemma]

Very boyfriendish of you indeed, good job good job.

Gosh, though, that sure is an incredibly warm feeling to be blooming through his chest as Shinji tries to shake himself free of some of that residual despair. What an incredible job Kai is doing, has been doing, of making him feel wanted and cared about. He truly is too good for Shinji, it's a thought that quietly floats trough his mind, but not one he voices. He's too stubbornly selfish to take back what they've already decided, even if he doesn't deserve it.

"Me too," he opts to say instead, a tiny hint of a smile creeping over his expression despite the sniffling and shaky breaths only just now starting to trail off. There's nowhere he'd rather be at this very moment. "No matter what happens, I'll be here for you too."

[whenyouneedme]

What Shinji didn't know was that he was also doing a very good job of these very same things. Who know being wanted was such a liberating experience. It was a good thing Shinji was selfish, because Kai was equally as greedy to stay right there. Turning back would in all likelihood probably end up just as disastrous for both of them, if it wasn't just because it wasn't working out.

Nobody needed that right now.

Kai grinned a little more, heartened by that peep of a smile amongst the tail end of all those sniffles. "Mhmm." As long as they could. Just like this. Kai tilt his head a bit, pressing a kiss just there at the safe zone of Shinji's temple. "Thanks," he whispered against that spot.

[hedgehogsdilemma]

Who could have imagined that bouncing back from seeing such raw, upsetting memories would be actually feasible with this kind of support? Even that little kiss, planted in a very safe spot indeed, comes as not a stifling gesture in the least, but incredibly reassuring. Just... incredible.

Thank you, Kai.

As he brings his other hand back around, letting it come to an easy rest at Kai's shoulder, Shinji finally has the realization hit him that, ah, he was, you know, crying into his shirt quite a bit, huh? That's. Uh. Hm. "Sorry," he offers, "I kind of... got your shirt dirty."

[whenyouneedme]

"Mm?" He got his shirt dirty...? Kai blinked. It took a moment for him to realize that Shinji meant from all the tears and what have you. Aha. Yes. It was pretty damp down there.

"S'fine," Kai assured him, shrugging. "You could blow your nose in it if you needed."

[hedgehogsdilemma]

"I'm not going to do that."

Kai, please.

"I can go grab you a clean one if you want, though."

So you don't have to go about the rest of the day with a kind of gross damp spot on your chest. Sounds uncomfortable.

[whenyouneedme]

But like if he needed to. It wasn't a problem. Don't hold back!

Kai grinned though, lifting his other hand back to Shinji's hair to give it a fond little ruffle. He did not, in fact, need Shinji to get him another clean shirt. He could totally get another one with his own two hands.

"Sure, if you want. S'all good with me."

[hedgehogsdilemma]

He's not in that dire of a need to blow his nose!! Jeez.

The ruffle gets a very muted, but probably still much desired squeak of surprise. If Kai keeps doing stuff like that to him, there's gonna be payback at some point - don't be so surprised yourself when Shinji's hands are suddenly at Kai's cheeks, steadying himself to plant a quick, mildly flustered kiss at his forehead. Take that.

"I'll get one," it's like, literally the least he could do. So, yeah, he wants to. "Let you get back to what you were doing in here."

[whenyouneedme]

But what if he is surprised though. That double cheek motion achieved wide eyes, and that quick affection pulled out a surprised "oh" of wonder. Whoa! Whoa there.

"Yeah," he blurted, cheeks warm under Shinji's hands, "Okay."

... What even had he been doing in here again?

[hedgehogsdilemma]

Then that's all on you, buddy. How the turn tables, etc.

To be fair, though, Shinji's cheeks are definitely a little extra red as well, even outside of however cry-rudded they might have been in the first place. At least that spot of boldness on his part was repaid with a very charming little reaction.

"Okay," he echoes before carefully pulling himself away and up to his feet, letting one of his hands slide down to one of Kai's in the process. Let him help you up to your feet, Kai, so that you can go back to ?getting a snack? ?conducting a culinary experiment? your business.

[whenyouneedme]

It looked a lot cuter on you though, Shinji.

But yes. Good. Okay. Kai gave that helpful hand a squeeze, using his other to help push himself up off the floor. Up we go. Maybe his original kitchen purpose had been thoroughly rattled out of his brain, but there were other things that could be doing.

"You want some apple slices?" Cuz he was gonna get some apple slices.

[hedgehogsdilemma]

Debatable.

Apples he can agree too, though! He's not entirely sure he has much of an appetite after all of that, but something that light and refreshing might not be so hard to manage.

"Apple slices sound really nice," he says, offering one more little appreciative squeeze to Kai's hand. "Thank you."

[whenyouneedme]

Known fact.

Don't worry though, Kai wasn't about to go too hog wild with the snacks. Kai nodded. "I'll slice up a few then. A little snack and a fresh shirt sounds like a plan."

A plan to be put to action! Kai gingerly pulled away from Shinji's hand, giving him a nod.

[hedgehogsdilemma]

(unsure)

"Sounds good." Goodbye for now, hand holds, you will be achieved again soon, probably. Until then, hands will instead be used for more practical purposes. "I'll be right back, then."

Purposes such as taking Shinji off into the bathroom to wash his face up nice and quickly, and then retrieve a clean shirt from Kai's wardrobe to bring back into the kitchen. No tears, definitely no snot. All refreshed, and ready to recover from those particularly tumultuous couple of memories.

"Here you go."