♥ November Event Log

[hugtopiamods]

November (Malom) Event Log
The chaos of Lasohm's invasion is still fresh in the mind, but it's over. The ugly scar of the hole in Havenwell's wall is a jarring reminder that this world is dying and nothing goes quietly into that dark night. The phantom is gone as Malom overtakes Lasohm, the weather turning colder and chillier with each passing day. Still, the city of Havenwell has all of you offworlders to thank for its survival, and the fearful citizens make sure you know just how much they appreciate you by stopping you on the street to say their thanks. Your new home still needs your help to recover from their ordeal though, so will you lend them your strength once more?

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❥ PROMPT I: Rebuilding Effort

The magic barrier over the hole that unknown monster punched through Havenwell's wall is repaired, stopping the onslaught and encouraging any other nightmares that lurk outside to move on and away, but the hole itself remains. Throughout the month of Malom, robot natives are working tirelessly to gather bricks and stone and patch the breach, but they could use some help. Work together with other offworlders and natives alike to repair the wall and be rewarded with a handsome bump to the Dora in your bank account. They need all sorts of help, from clearing away the dead bodies of the spider-like creatures for cremation, to retrieving and hauling stone for the wall, to actually slotting the heavy blocks into place to cement them back together.

Outside the barrier, now clearly visible through the hole, a storm rages on, obscuring the view of the world beyond it. Gray and black clouds whip against the invisible barrier, and occasional debris slams into it, causing the impact site to light up with silver, pink, blue, or white hues before it fades away again. It seems even without monsters, the world outside is as inhospitable as was rumored.

Work together or take a break along the base of the wall and get to know your fellow offworlders a little better. It's going to take a while before this mess is cleaned up.

❥ PROMPT II: Air Sickness

Those who worked at or were near the breach in the wall for any extended period of time will notice that, over time, it gets harder to breathe. Then they begin to feel feverish, even if they don't have flesh bodies or are immune to disease. Their bodies ache and groan and it gets harder to move about without help. Once the natives notice, they set up a recovery area away from where the breach occurred: a giant tent with cots and pillows, thick rugs and blankets to keep the chill away. Unfortunately, they don't have medicines available to treat flesh bodied people, so they're at a loss of what to do otherwise. The priests gather anyone who is ill and brings them here...which is when a curious thing occurs.

While conventional medicines and healing spells seem to have no effect on the illness, staying in contact with another person alleviates the symptoms. After a period of contact with another person or persons, the fever breaks and it's like you were never sick at all.

Return to the wall, however, and you'll notice your symptoms coming back with a vengeance after a few days. It seems that making regular trips between the wall and this recovery tent is the only way to keep working. At least it's an easy fix so long as you're not a germaphobe.

❥ PROMPT III: A Tasty(?) Reward

Toward the end of the month as the hole in the wall is completely repaired and the risk of illness declines, a message is sent to all the offworlders' communication devices. Those who choose to open it will find a very official looking message from The Havenwell Council that reads:

Greetings, Saviours of Havenwell!
We of the Havenwell Council greet you and wish to express our eternal gratitude for your valiant efforts to keep our wonderful home safe. Without you, we would not have survived this terrible onslaught. As such, we wish to express our gratitude in a more concrete form. Your emissary, Magolor, has been in contact with this venerable Council and has brought to our attention that your greatest concern is for the food available. We apologize that due to our inability to taste we have been unable to supply you with satisfactory meals.

To that end, we invite you to work with our scientists to improve upon the taste of currently available offerings from our replicators. Please come to the Northern Research Tower (map included) at any time this month to sample what our replicators can produce and give us feedback on their flavour and textures. We ask that you be as specific as possible in your criticisms so we may improve upon your general quality of life. Please feel free to bring as many friends as you wish.

May the Gods Protect You,
Havenwell Council, Community Liaisons

Those who take the invitation will arrive at the Northern Research Tower and be taken directly to the 40th floor, where a large banquet hall has been laid out. Five rectangular tables, over 5 meters long each, stretch down the room, creating aisles for people to walk down. At the far end are several high round tables, covered in white cloth, and high round stools for those who wish them. The tables are overflowing with food, much like the welcome dinner, but at each table and scattered throughout the room are scientist robots with arm bands that read "Experiment 73" in that peculiar Aellyn script you saw during your time at the Archives. They invite you to taste the foods - both raw and cooked - and to give your very honest opinions.

Enjoy the food, help them improve the flavours, and walk the room to talk with the others who have come. Those who participate will receive a small synthetic fruit basket to take home with them on their first visit. Feel free to come back as often as you like, however! Each time, they'll be changing and adjusting the food available so your first and last visit may be very different. Perhaps that strawberry actually even tastes sweet, finally.

❥ PROMPT IV: A Virtual Spa

The VR cafes are uncharacteristically quiet while the rebuilding effort goes on, but there are still those who come to plug in to unwind after a day of intensive labor. And what better way to unwind than with a hot bath, right? Since the people of Havenwell can't actually submerge themselves in water, they're doing the next best thing: going to a virtual hot spring. There are several types to choose from and despite being digital, their calming and soothing effects on the body seem very real. Choose from:

• The Classic Outdoors: a rock lined hot spring with natural rock floors and steamy mineral infused waters nestled in the mountains. All around you is beautiful greenery like a sweeping pine and low fragrant bushes. The serene air and the calm forest is only occasionally broken by the sound of a wooden pipe thudding hollowly against a rock at a steady interval or the sound of birdsong off in the trees. The relaxing atmosphere is enough to set even the tightest wound nerves at ease.
  
  
• The Marbled Columns: white and painted marble columns lead to a series of different shaped baths with statues of the gods pouring water into them. Each bath has a different healing property, which is clearly marked with a plaque at the rim of each: good for your circulation, your bones, your aches and pains, even acne and metabolic rate. The columns support a beautiful open ceiling that shows the perfectly blue sky overhead dotted with the occasional cloud.
  
  
• The Steamy Sauna: though seemingly austere in their white tile and deep blue bath basins, the air here is thick and steamy and the baths are deep with hand-rails leading down steps to help you enter. All around the basins are stone or wooden benches with towels laid down for those who wish to simply sit and let the warm air open their lungs. If you get too hot? Grab a bucketful of cold water from one of the freestanding tubs and douse yourself to get a shock and cool off.
  
  
• The Milk-and-Honey: a beautifully tiled bath with a large shallow rectangular basin. The surrounding walls and ceilings have blue, white, and gold geometric designs laid out with loving care in pleasant designs that ease the mind. The bath water here is filled with a concoction of milk and honey to soothe and smooth the skin, filling the air with a pleasing sweet scent. The effects of these baths on a person's skin is said to make them glow from the inside out for at least a day after bathing.
  
  
• The Theme Park: the first thing to greet you is the comically oversized bottle of red wine tipped to pour a continuous stream of red liquid into the large crystalline bath basin. The smell of wine is heavy but pleasant in the air and the crystalline basin is round and shaped like a wine glass. Climb up the glass steps and give yourself a good old soak in the red water. You might even find that taking a dip here gives you a heady happiness that lasts all day. And if it feels like you're a little drunk while there? That has to be your imagination! ...Maybe.

Hot springs are great to experience with friends to deepen that feeling of skinship you have with each other, and several Havenwell natives are doing just that. But what about those who don't have a friend to log in with? Don't worry! The game will randomly select another player from this or another facility and match you together. Isn't that nice? We're sure it is! Who doesn't want to talk to someone else while naked, right?

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This event will run from November 14th to the 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 here.

Comments

[morality_pet]

[ She smiles at Prompto ]

Hello Lord Prompto! Lord Verstael took good care of Rin!

[ She nods ]

Rin knows! Rin was training with Lady Kaede to help with sick people before Rin came here.

[this_loser]

Oh. No. Just Prompto.

[He looks skeptical of her claim that Verstael had taken care of her, and sets the bowl of soup aside. He ate half of it. That's fine.]

[original_is_best]

So you were training for nursing?

[If she hadn't even been taught to read it couldn't have been very advanced training, but no doubt the less fortunate also found their own methods. So long as she wanted to learn. He leaned forward, tone becoming increasingly eager.]

Then once you've learned to read I can teach you the complete workings of the human body. When you fully understand it you can do many things. You'll be able to perform surgeries, understand how different drugs work, and if you advance enough there's even the possibility of things like cloning and replacing body parts.

[Maybe getting a little ahead of himself, but when didn't he? He waved a hand in Prompto's direction.]

Why don't you check how warm he is? You can compare it to my forehead if you need.

[morality_pet]

Nursing?

[ She considers ]

Rin supposes so. Lady Kaede is the village Miko, and Rin was learning to help her and Lady Kagome.

[ She nudges the glass towards Prompto encouragingly. Drink! ]

Oh no, Rin's just learning how to use the right herbs and things like that.

[ She nods ]

Okay! [ Scrambling up the bed she checks Prompto's temperature with the back of her hand ]

[this_loser]

D-dude! You can't teach her, like, half that!

[The cloning. Why would you teach a kid to clone!? He's tempted to slap his hands over her ears.

Instead he grabs the glass and drinks all of it, angrily.

And lets her check his fever without a fuss. He feels like it's gotten a bit better. The chills have stopped, anyway.]

[original_is_best]

Why not?

[No need to be such a party pooper, Prompto.]

Using herbs is similar to learning about other medicines. We only have a few available to us now, so I could teach you when to and when not to use them and why.

And? Does he feel warm to you?

[He was glad to see her use the back of her hand. Simple as it was, it at least indicated some knowledge.]

[morality_pet]

[ She giggles at the two of them, not really understanding about half of what Verstael suggested but understanding that it has something to do with healing ]

Mister Prompto is feeling less warm! [ She announces cheerfully ]

Rin is always glad to be helpful.

[this_loser]

Why would you?

[He takes a deep breath and tries to keep his voice even. There's a kid present.]

Just Prompto is fine, Rin.

[original_is_best]

If she goes into the medical field, wouldn't it be better for her to be among the best? There's no reason for her to simply be average when she could be making scientific breakthroughs. Just imagine,

[His attention turned from Prompto to Rin as he eagerly continued.]

if a patient that has lost their arm comes to you for help, and you can attach an entirely new arm for them. We have not yet gotten to that point, but...

[He glanced back up at Prompto, gesturing towards him slightly.]

Surely you have noticed the boy and I have an uncanny likeness. If an entire person can be cloned, the ability to make and transplant limbs and organs would not be far off. Isn't that exciting?

[morality_pet]

[ She sits on the bed next to Prompto and gives him a weird look. What's with all these adults and not wanting her to be polite? ]

Oh, like how Lord Sesshoumaru used his youki to regrow his arm when he got strong enough?

[ She looks back at Prompto in confusion ]

But... why did Lord Verstael grow another body? And Mister Prompto isn't the same....

[this_loser]

You don't have to clone people to be a good doctor.

[Reattaching limbs and organs he can kinda get behind. An entire person - no.]

No. Mister Prompto isn't the same. At all.

[original_is_best]

So the... 'youkai' on your world can regenerate limbs? While it takes time, science can do anything magic can do. It's a matter of understanding the world around us and how it works.

[He spoke enthusiastically, still taking a few more notes.]

He was made for a different purpose. I don't have my notes from the time - it occurs in my future - but I can make some guesses. If we were to replace limbs, the process would be similar but modified to grow only specific parts. The technology is there, it need only to be used.

[And, don't think he's not still paying attention to their main purpose.]

You recovered much more quickly. Shortly after eating.

[morality_pet]

Dunno. Lord Sesshoumaru is a dai-youkai. He's really, really, strong! He can do lots of things that other youkai can't. But youkai heal a lot faster than humans do.

[ she nods ] Rin felt a lot better after Lord Verstael helped her with lunch!

Rin likes Mister Prompto despite that you aren't the same! [ she reassures ]

[this_loser]

["Made for a different purpose." That puts him off entirely and he starts scoping the area for his boots, distractedly nodding to Rin.]

Thanks, Rin.

[He shoves the blanket away.]

I should probably get going if I'm better.

[If food is the solution, he should bring a snack or two while he's working.]

[original_is_best]

You don't particularly look better. If your you haven't recovered you'll simply faint again.

[Completely oblivious to Prompto's issue, he carried on as he would any other time.]

We don't need more bodies to drag away. Rin, does he look ready to go to you?

[morality_pet]

[ Rin considers this ]

Mister Prompto is still a bit pale. [ She nods firmly ]

You should rest more! And when Rin was sick, Lord Verstael said Rin should rest lots to make sure Rin got well!

[this_loser]

I'm fine. I can sleep at home.

[Which would have been more believable if his legs didn't turn to jelly as soon as he tried standing. You know that wobbly thing baby deer do when they're first learning to stand? It felt like that.]

[original_is_best]

[He knew a problem when he saw one. As Prompto began to wobble, Verstael stood to grab his arm and hold him up. While he might have been leaving some of the care up to Rin, she was much to small to hold him or catch him.]

There's no need to be so stubborn. Sit. [He nodded towards the the pile of blankets Prompto had been using.]

There isn't a massive amount to be done besides wait for recovery. Rin can keep an eye on you for emergency situations.

[morality_pet]

[ Rin knows what to do in this situation, and promptly crawls into Prompto's lap.

HOLD HER ]

Rin can stay here and help look after Mister Prompto!

[this_loser]

[He would love to be stubborn and just walk out of here. But given how unbalanced he feels from just this, he knows how that will end - face down and dragged back to a bed. So he sits, though he does not look happy about it.

He really has no choice but to hold the child once she's on his lap. Um.]

One condition? Stop the clone talk.

[original_is_best]

[He let go as Prompto sat himself back down, moving back to his own seat instead.

When he responded, genuine curiosity tinted his tone, as if he didn't quite get what the problem was.]

Why?

[At least he didn't have to figure out how to deal with an affectionate child right now. She was your problem now, Prompto.]

[morality_pet]

[ Rin snuggles against Prompto and settles in to rest ]

What's clone, please? [ You keep using this word but she doesn't know it ]

[this_loser]

What do you mean, why? It's not something that needs to be talked about.

[And for that reason, he doesn't answer Rin. He adjusts his hold on her so he can lay back more, and hopes the illness isn't contagious.]

[original_is_best]

It's simply a fact, like hair being blond or eyes being blue.

[He definitely wasn't very sensitive about it. But he leaned forward to eagerly explain to Rin.]

You could consider it an asexual method of reproduction. If you were to take an adult somatic cell and use it to fuse a nucleus-transplant cell to a recipient oocyte, then you could create a viable egg that would produce an organism with the all the genetic information of a singular parent.

[Would Prompto save her or save himself?]

[morality_pet]

[ She is quite happy to snuggle with Prompto - he's warm and seems nice, and Lord Verstael clearly trusts him. She's been left with worse babysitters! coughJakencough.

But all those words make very little sense to her ]

Rin doesn't get it.