♥ December Event Log

[hugtopiamods]

December (Ranir) Event Log
The city of Havenwell is recovering very well thanks to your efforts, offworlders. The hole in the wall is sealed up and, while maybe not looking like new, it certainly looks sturdy and safe. The city itself has removed much of the rubble from the battles you fought, and the people are back to their regularly scheduled lives. They're eternally grateful that you continue to put in the time to rebuild this final bastion of civilization and are pleased to see that you enjoyed their festivals so far. As the weather of Ranir turns colder and the nights longer, some may even see snow dust the cobblestone and paved streets in the morning. The time of Rawna has come and with it...

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❥ PROMPT I: At Least It's Not a Sweater

Normally when a new season belonging to a god rolls around, the temple priests gear up and start with temple festivities. Seeing how this is Rawna's month, however, nothing much of the sort seems to be happening. In fact, it's almost as if Rawna's priests don't even care that their god's season has started. Rawna is, after all, chiefly the god of Apathy, so is it all that surprising?

What might be surprising is the sight of Ainea's priests in pairs out around the city in their stead. Each pair carries with them a single bright silver sash and they alternatively stand in broad daylight or hide in the shadows of the buildings. Walk by on your own and you'll be left alone, but when the priests spot two people walking even remotely near each other, they spring into action.

The two robotic priests zip around you and another person with surprising speed, tying the sash off around you - either around your wrists, your waists, your legs, whatever it takes to tie you to another person. With a triumphant buzz of excitement, they declare "Happy Ranir! Kindness comes in many forms!" and depart to find a new pair of victims patrons. As they leave, one of the pair calls out an additional clue for you: "Be kind to unwind!"

Good luck, everyone, you're now stuck with this other person. You can either wait until the sash naturally falls off in a few hours, or you can take the direction of the priests and be kind to the other person to encourage the magical knot to come undone. Each compliment, word of encouragement, or other act of kindness directed at your new partner seems to loosen the sash a little each time, so get to winning the Niceness War.

Oh, and in case you were thinking of blasting, teleporting, or cutting your way out? No amount of magic or physical force seems capable of cutting or removing the sash. Hopefully you went to the bathroom before they got you.

❥ PROMPT II: A Delicious Delight

After a long hard day of dodging Ainea's priests or just slogging through the colder weather around the city, what could be better than imbibing a seasonally festive drink? Well, the scientists in charge of Experiment 73 certainly think so! They've added a limited edition drink selection to all of the replicators and have some delightfully festive booths spread about the city staffed by a few robots wearing Rawna's colors in their sashes and hats. There are five drinks in total to choose from and you should certainly try them! They're only here until the end of the month and then the scientists say they'll be gone! The best things in life are fleeting, aren't they? The best things in life are also surprises, so when you take a sip of these exquisitely delicious (honest! For once they're good) beverages, prepare yourself for a little trick with your treat.

• Ginger and Honey Tea: A hot, thoroughly warming drink with the bite of ginger and the sweetness of honey. Drink this and you'll be shored up against the cold, but also feel compelled to tell or blurt out the truth. Whether you're asked a question or trying to tell a little white lie, you find you can't say anything but the truth. This effect lasts for up to an hour after drinking the tea.
  
• Strawberry Shortcake Smoothie: A cold sweet treat of vanilla smoothie topped with sweet strawberry pieces and whipped cream. At the bottom, you'll find a layer of sweet sponge cake cut up into pieces. Drink this with its own special thick straw and enjoy the taste of cake; and the effect of a personal miniature snow cloud that appears over your head. The cloud dusts you and your immediate area within a foot of you with beautiful multicolored snow - and that snow leaves splotches of color behind that last for up to an hour after drinking the smoothie.
  
• Hot Cinnamon Apple Cider: A deliciously steamy beverage that tastes of apple and cinnamon and comes with a cinnamon stick stirrer for effect. This beverage smells as delicious as it tastes and the aroma wafts around the area more strongly than the others. Drink this penultimate holiday drink and you'll find yourself heating up so much that you'll want to stay cold by giving your heat away via holding someone else. You'll want to be everyone's personal heater for up to an hour after drinking the cider.
  
• Gingerbread Latte: A nice piping hot latte with the hint of gingerbread threaded through the coffee, topped with whipped cream and dusted with gingerbread spice. Served in a tall red cup that seems to transfer the heat uncannily well through its thin walls, sip this and you'll find yourself painlessly sprouting an animal's appendage at random. You can have one functioning or non-functioning, cosmetic animal appendage like a cat's ears, a dog's tail, a duck's beak or whatever else you can think of for up to an hour after drinking the latte. They can replace your original body part (e.g. your ears become cat ears) or grow superfluously (e.g. you have regular ears AND cat ears). You can move the appendages or talk with them as if they are your own, but they don't confer any special magical powers with them. So you can fly with those griffin wings, sure, but you're going to need to put the effort into it.
  
• Hot Mulled Wine (alcoholic): This one isn't for children - and in fact, under 18 people might find it hard (but not impossible, be industrious, little ones!) to get their hands on this drink. Red wine is heated with spices and citrus fruit over low heat for several hours - or it would if it wasn't all synthetically created. The effect is the same though, a delicious adult beverage that's a nice way to spend an evening with someone special. And you'll want them to be someone special because drinking the hot wine makes you inclined to get a little steamy with people. Kisses, both chaste and passionate, seem to alleviate the urge which you'll be under for up to an hour after drinking the wine.

❥ PROMPT III: Winter (VR) Wonderland

There isn't quite enough snow on the ground to allow it in reality, but in the VR Cafes anything is possible. This month, the VR Cafes are decorated with snowflakes in odd patterns and designs - holograms, naturally - that spin and change shape and color in a timed routine. Plug into the games and you'll find a new selection among the usual offerings: Winter Wonderland.

There are two modes to Winter Wonderland and each are fun in their own ways.

Snow Fight! Head out into the powdery snow where fantastic snow forts await and battle it out with snowballs to claim the most territory or just see who can hit the other side the most. You can choose Team Battle, Solo 1vs1, or Battle Royale. All magic, skills, and cunning are at your disposal. While the snow might not be falling outside, it's definitely going to be raining down on you here, so bundle up and have some fun. You earned it!

Ski Lodge But maybe you don't want to go flinging snow down someone's shirt and would rather cuddle up on a couch in front of a big warm fire, huh? Sure, we understand that. Welcome to the Ski Lodge, a cozy getaway up in the mountains where you can relax with a hot chocolate (or cider, or glass of wine even) and curl up on the couches and experience a lazy afternoon in thick fluffy sweaters. It's even better with a friend, they say, so why not create this private little getaway for the two (or three or four, we're not judging) of you? For people wanting a romantic lean, you can always slip out the back (and out of your clothes if you prefer) into the private jacuzzi on the wooden deck, too.

For people who want to have some fun tearing it up on the mountain-side though, we suggest trying Ski-venture! A year-round game that lets you ski or snowboard your way down the mountain.

❥ PROMPT IV: A Mysterious Gift [REGAIN EVENT]

Toward the end of the month starting from the 20th and on, some people may find themselves drawn to Rawna's temple late at night, when most of the priests are offline or elsewhere. The only native creatures you can see here are the fledgling rainbow dragons which watch you from their various perches all around the sanctum. As you approach the temple's altar, you realize someone else has been drawn here as well. In the quiet, dim lighting, the barest of candles still burning and the watchful eyes of the dragons, you feel compelled to unburden yourself to the other person. Tell your tale of woe or sorrow, relieve yourself of a secret you've kept hidden for too long, and listen to your companion as well. They say a burden shared is a burden halved after all.

Once you've both shared something, a pair of dragonlings crawl up into the altar's clawed hands. They wind around each other until an iridescent light shines from their scales. The light is blinding and you must look away as it reaches its pinnacle and releases a burst of rainbow light. When you look back, the dragonlings are slithering away and in their places are two objects - one familiar to you and one to your partner - so long as both of you have shared. It seems your tithe has been rewarded with something from home.

OOC: These items from home must be approved by a mod. They cannot exceed the Medium Item regain limit. It cannot be a power or other ability. It cannot be something your character did not own or have knowledge of in their canon or their CRAU. Please post your regain request in the Regain Request thread before threading out the receipt of the item.

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This event will run from December 6th to December 31st. Click on each prompt's title to see the text. You are welcome to use this log, or create entries of your own! If you have any questions, feel free to direct them to the FAQ or to the Mod Question thread.

Comments

[scourgingstars]

...Ardyn.

[The smile he gave was very small and a bit crooked, as though he didn't quite remember how to smile in the first place. But there was an effort made, and it was a sincere expression despite its hesitance.]

Ardyn Lucis Caelum. I'm afraid I do not know yours, either.

[iustaegis]

[ His smile, lopsided but sweet, is also unique. It looks ill-practiced, or something of the sort, but no less genuine. She answers with one of her own to accompany her introduction. ] My name is Pyra.

[ She recognizes the Lucis part to his name, at least, but... That's not important. Not now, anyway. ]

So. Ardyn! [ Now there's a tiny bit of a playfulness to her tone, cheeky as if she's trying to lighten the mood further, all the while not intending to hide that intention in the first place. ] Nothing special, you said...? Save for you hair, your eyes, and... your newfound tail.

[scourgingstars]

I-it's nothing, really. These aren't even their original colors.

[He laughed nervously as though realizing he'd said too much, shaking his head.]

The tail is a bit newer than that, however.

[iustaegis]

[ Well that gets a curious tilt of her head... Not their original colors? So, what, magic? Like how Lup can change the color of her hair--

Then he shakes his head and moves onto the tail bit. Still, overall: ]

...The more you talk, [ A giggle escapes her, soft and musical. He's delightful. ] the more magical you sound! [ Jokingly: ] I wouldn't be surprised if you said you had wings at one point!

[scourgingstars]

Wh--m-me? No, it's nothing like that at all.

[If it were possible to flash a neon sign saying I AM NORMAL, Ardyn looked like he would love to do nothing more than that.]

Truly, I'm nothing so special. I'm not sure where you got such an idea.

[iustaegis]

[ At this, she relents her tone, adopting a softer one instead. Straightening, Pyra turns her gaze outward for a moment. ] ....If not for your golden eyes, then for your humility. [ Which is, she is sure, a revered trait of many worlds.

Something occurs to her. ]

...It’s a virtue. [ Praise-worthy. ] Much like... how you are here to help this world. [ As if to suggest she means no harm, she gives his hand a squeeze. ]

[scourgingstars]

...I don't really think I can help much of anything, my dear. But I do appreciate the thought.

[iustaegis]

[ He breathes another denial. He bleeds them so effortlessly, she's suspect something far more insidious than mere humbleness. There's a look of shock, but then her smile returns. ] No...?

[ Setting her own latte down, Pyra brings her other hand to join the other one holding his. With both of hers, she holds his up between them. Slowly, she begins to outstretch his palm, as if lifting his hand in offering. His scar revealed to the heavens, Pyra continues brightly, almost breathlessly, as if she cannot convey all of her thoughts at once.

Clearly if it's just even the barest of hand-holding gestures, she's incredibly impressed with him. And how can she not be? Despite how... hard he seems on himself, still he smiles. Still he persists. Still he holds her hand. He's doing quite a bit already; no wonder he seems so tired. ] Look how much you offer right here, right now!

[scourgingstars]

[Far more insidious, indeed. The more she praised him, the less comfortable with the situation he looked. His hand was kept very still in hers as though he had no clue what to do with it, eyes averted and tail twitching nervously.]

I...don't believe I understand your meaning.

[iustaegis]

[ She lowers their hands, unlinking one of hers so that only one holds his. ] Through touch, I mean.

No matter how small... it's enough.

[scourgingstars]

...I harbor doubts that any deity would seek my help lest it be that they had no other option or ulterior motive. So I doubt my touch does much to aid anyone.

[iustaegis]

[ There it is again, more doubt. This isn't something that can be rationalized with; if she said for what it's worth, it matters to me, it would be meaningless. If she could ask after whoever he's grown to know here and surmise that they, too, appreciate holding hands with him... that might not convince him, either.

His own hands may have scars, but the ones upon his heart appear to run far deeper. ]

Ardyn. May I ask you a question?

[scourgingstars]

I hold no ability to stop you from asking, but neither can I promise you an answer.

[iustaegis]

[ So many questions. She has so many. But she's learned to not pry as much anymore.

Thus she opts for a subject change. ]

What's the name of your favorite constellation?

[scourgingstars]

[While he hadn't known what to expect, that was nowhere in the realm of anything he'd remotely thought might be coming. He faltered at first, glancing off to the side again as he struggled to formulate an answer.]

I...I don't know. I can not quite remember any, and it's been so long that at least some of them must even have different names by now

[iustaegis]

[ So long... that at least some of them must even have different names.

Old, then. Far more than she would have guessed, too. Refraining from inquiry, although she really, really wishes to know more, she continues on this matter. ]

It sounds as if you're overdue for some re-learning. Would you like to go stargazing together, then? [ As if tickled by the idea in of itself, her hand sways gently with his between them. The stars are probably an illusion generated by the barrier (and, obviously, different from those in either of their worlds), but it still is a nice idea to entertain. ]

[scourgingstars]

You, ah...you are quite forward, aren't you?

[he's trying]

[iustaegis]

[ For...ward.... for asking to look at the stars? Holding hands? Giving him compliments? She doesn't quite get it. Regardless-- ]

Well...?

[ Looking at him, it seems she can't quite hide her hopefulness for a positive answer. ]

[scourgingstars]

I-...I don't know, I am not a particularly...'social' sort of person.

[iustaegis]

[ ....Oh. A blink. You know, she hadn't thought about it before, but maybe-- ]

You're.... shy?

[scourgingstars]

I, er...

[Yes, but also no.]

...let's call it that, fine.

1/2

[iustaegis]

[ ....HUH. She blinks at him. ]

[iustaegis]

[ And then she smiles once more. ]

What to hear a secret?

[scourgingstars]

...Very well.

[He has no idea how to handle anything you choose to be, Pyra honey.]

What is it?

[iustaegis]

[ HONEY?? ]

Me, too, actually. [ She brings a hand to her chest, gentle. ] I'm... shy.

[ In the exact same way as "sure, let's call it that". Terrifyingly so. ]

So, it's alright, if you do not wish to.