hugtopia_logs | ♥ December Event Log

♥ December Event Log

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...

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

a pair of hands holding each other with a red ribbon tied around their wrists

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

a wooden lodge at night, blanketed in snow

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.

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

At least one of us does.

[There's a soft, derisive chuckle with that statement. The response immediate and uncensored. He's not used to having two conversations simultaneously like this. It's... distracting. Especially for a man that spends so much of his time hyperfocusing.

Much safer. As long as I can keep these separate. He actually looks a little sheepish. Ah... Empathic, technically.]

[His hands are rough, calloused; a swordsman's hands, a soldier's hands. Even with how uncertain he might be feeling in the moment, there's something undeniably comforting about hands like that.

She doesn't answer for a moment, just quietly files that information away. Empathic is not the same as psychic, admittedly, and it's a little reassuring. Still something that, perhaps, ought to be shared, but not as invasive at least. She's not mad either way, but the irritation is enough that she'd rather shove that aside. The not knowing is what bothers her.

That isn't what they're here for, though, so she smiles sweetly and reaches for the wine.]

Want a drink? They've got a few on display down the road, and it smells incredible. I don't mind sharing if you don't.

[It takes practice. But I wanted to introduce the concept to you, in case you ever needed a way to safely share information with people.]

[He lets her tangle their fingers together, lets her set the tone for how things are going to go outside of the more important conversation. Her hands are delicate, elegant, reserved for magic and not swordplay. He could hurt her so easily and that's the last thing he wants. So she can do with him what she will.

Practice, of course. I'd like to do more of this in future. ]

I think... a drink would be lovely.

[Please give him something to distract himself with.]

Is that where you got the wine?

Sure is. I was saving it till after you got here, but if it's as good as it smells, I'm going to head over for another glass when we're finished.

[She lifts the glass, giving it a gentle flare of Prestidigitation to warm it up again as it's been cooling in the winter air for a few minutes, and takes a long sip. And it does taste that good, damn, tingling sweetly the whole way down. Licking her lips and looking pleasantly surprised, she offers the glass out to him if he'd like to try it.]

Yeah, totally earns itself a round two. They should sell bottles of this stuff.

[That's... potent. A good kind of potent, but whew. That warmth lingers quite a bit.]

[It's interesting, watching her reaction to the wine. He rather suspected her to continue their conversation but she seems to be a bit too distracted by the pleasant flavor. Not that it matters much, they've lots to discuss.

He's not entirely sure he wants to have alcohol in his system while they're discussing serious matters but it wouldn't hurt to just have a small taste, surely. There's a moment's hesitation before he finally takes the glass from her, breathing it in first, brows lifting curiously.]

It certainly smells delicious.

[Then he finally takes a sip, just enough to get the taste of it, no more. He hums softly, savoring the warmth and spice, something rich and decadent on the tongue that warms him through to his toes.]

Bottles of it, indeed.

[But he returns the glass to her with no more than that single sip, offering a faintly apologetic smile.

But we're here for work and I, for one, do not drink on the job. Even in his mind, though, there's no scolding to his tone. He can hardly blame her, that's delicious. And if fantasy games are anything to go off alcohol doesn't effect elves the same.]

[If that's all he wants, she's fine with it; more for her, heck yeah. She does set it down for a moment and lifts the basket onto the table instead, pulling out the contents one by one. A few bottles of water, nothing fancy, but the rest is a proper (if packaged) meal that could rival something made by Ignis. Delicately spiced cutlets of meat, bread rolls, a medley of cut and peppered vegetables accented by a sweet cheesy sauce. It doesn't even look like it came from the replicator- everything is the right colour and shape, and it's strangely fresh for the food normally available in this world.]

And lunch is served! It isn't much, but I hope you worked up an appetite this morning at least.

[She plucks a chunk of meat with her fork and lifts it as a teasing salute.

How very responsible of you. I've got high tolerance, so you've no fear of me losing my senses. Even if her cheeks are beginning to flush a little, it's likely nothing. Shall we get to work?

A lunch date is a convenient way to get that double conversation going; you can't speak aloud when you're chewing, so you can think more carefully about your words. It's almost like she planned this very specifically...!]

[It is a very well thought out plan, indeed. He can't help giving her a small smile, approval clear in his expression. It's hard to remember how old she is sometimes when she looks as young as she does. More than that he considers her a student. ]

It looks absolutely lovely... and I always do, as you well know.

[And it does, it smells fantastic too. He has to admit he's rather surprised by the quality of the spread. It's been so long since he had a carrot that actually looks like a carrot that he immediately goes for the veggies, popping one into his mouth and savoring the flavor of it with a quiet sigh of contentment.

That's good to know. Yes, it sounds like you received quite a bit of information?]

So I've learned.

[It is with some reluctance that she releases his hand, her attention split between munching on some of the food to keep her mouth busy while she pulls out her communicator and starts tapping at the screen for a moment. She lifts her brow at him, a pointed look, and lightly pats a spot on the table above where she's working. Get your phone, boyo.

I've compiled all the info from the archives that I managed to get from people or find for myself, as well as what Honerva and I witnessed outside the wall. Anything you and yours can add to it would be useful. I also have a proposal or two, but that can wait a bit.]

[There's a shift in his expression and he almost responds aloud. A sigh that he stifles in a roll, and then he's doing his best to keep his expression not just neutral but pleasant.

Outside the wall? Why had no one mentioned this? He needed to track her down once they were done with this conversation.

He reaches for his phone, wrinkling his brow a little when he has to shift, leaning to one side and stretching his leg out to get the pocket of these new slacks to give up his phone. He's really not used to things being this snug but Will insisted they looked good. Usually his phone is in the interior pocket of his uniform jacket.

Once he retrieves it he slides it onto the table for her.

I've a few theories of my own but let us see what the sum of our information is first. ]

[She bumps her communicator against his, touching the screen and swiping upwards in that direction; he will find a file transfer offer awaiting him when he retrieves it, indelicately titled, "Starblaster Porn Collection".

The file itself is definitely not... any of that, though. Should he accept and open it, he will find a copy of Honerva's public report, along with the attached photos embedded and some questions asked by their fellow residents. There are an added collection of Lup's own observations made during their joint trek, ranging from benign (the contents of the deteriorated buildings outside) to kind of alarming (a detailed description of what it feels like to die from the poisoned air beyond the city). It's a limited amount of information, but the details are extensive.

"At least we've got some time for it."

She doesn't mind waiting while he pokes at the info, though she will keep eating and get herself another sip or two of that wine. Is it getting hot here? She'd better not be dehydrated.]

[The file name gets a disapproving brow raise, the kind of look that really needs glasses to look over the rim of to complete it. Too bad he's too stubborn to get reading glasses. It's less of a concern now, younger and sprier than he had been a month ago.

He'd been recovering at the temple when this had been posted, drifting in and out of consciousness and unable to move his left arm at all. Will had stayed with him often but beyond that he hadn't been aware of what was going on in the grand scheme of things. Seeing the volume of information he'd missed only made him frown, scowling at the tablet as he began reading.

By the Six, what were you thinking?

A flickering glance up, those brilliant blue eyes bright with concern. A shake of his head and then he goes back to reading. The information is useful certainly but also incredibly distressing. He doesn't even realize he's doing it at first but his other hand abandons the pretense of eating to instead reach for hers again, fingers curling firmly around hers. Worry radiates off of him in a way that is abundantly clear even without the telepathic bond.]

[Oh, that's a surprise. She glances down at their joined hands, shifting her position slightly to meet him in the middle, fingers entwined. She smiles faintly at both the offer and his mental concern, then spears a chunk of meat on her fork and reaches across the table to offer it out for him to bite- a flirty gesture, for the date, but also something of a peace offering. She's right here, and she's okay.

You get nowhere in a place like this without taking risks. Now promise me you're not going to yell at me, because I got enough of that already.]

[It's enough to distract him from finishing reading over everything, which is probably for the best if she doesn't want to get yelled at.

His expression softens a little when she tangles their fingers together. Still he hesitates a moment, giving her a Look. He does not approve of the "better to ask forgiveness than permission" policy. He finally relents though, leaning across the table to carefully pull that bit of meat off her fork, savoring the rich flavor once more.

Calculated risks, your Grace. Not something so very reckless... for both of you.]

[Hey, it was incredibly calculated. It just turned out we were bad at math that day.

Her tone is gently dismissive through their joined connection. His concern is noted and appreciated, but politely, she does not agree. An opportunity presented itself, and to not take it would be to the detriment of all of them. They have information now, more details, confirmation of the state of the world immediately outside.

At the very least, with her and Honerva going, the risk was much lower compared to people with less durable or expendable bodies. Poison can't kill a lich- not that he knows that.]

[What he does know is that he would rather the people being put at risk not be people he cares for. That's what Shields are for, Lup.

He takes that dismissive tone though and he has to nod. He'd say the exact same thing wouldn't he? Argue that it was for the best, that he was the more expendable of so many other options. A heavy sigh, his free hand moving up to rub at his temple.]

You and I are too much alike, sometimes.

[A wry smile despite himself and there's absolutely no harm in saying that particular piece aloud. It could be something to do with what he's been reading, nothing suspicious about it at all.

Your information would have been useless if you hadn't made it back. At least try to inform someone?]

[Her eyes are bright, both at his words and the smile on his face.]

I'll take that as a compliment. Or maybe you should.

[She is after all a top-notch individual. And sometimes Shields are less durable than they'd like to be; sometimes a mission calls for an undead monster who doesn't need to breathe and has poison immunity.

Maybe someday she'll tell him that. For now, though, she can at least explain a few other things.

Gonna throw Honerva under the bus for that one. She sent me a message to let me know she was going beyond the wall. I had to rush over so she wouldn't be out there by herself- didn't have much time for anything, and didn't have my comm with me either.]

Ah the confidence of youth.

[Of course he knows she's a good deal older than he is but that kind of cocksure attitude is something he relates to someone that is closer to the age she looks. It's amusing nonetheless and it covers the exasperated sigh that follows.

That woman. Frustrated but also laced with a kind of fond exasperation. The both of you need to be more careful, your Grace.

Even so it is some... disturbing information to have.]

[She laughs at that, the sound amused and quietly delighted. Youth, he says. She knows that he knows better, but it's sweet of him.

She takes another sip of her wine, that rich heat flooding her senses again. She ought to hold off, but something about the way it coils through her limbs is just too lovely. She leans in, watching him coyly across the table, her expression a stark contrast to the words she sends.

Disturbing as the world at large itself, I'm sure. But maybe you'll be able to do something with it, and that means it'll be worthwhile.

He's a clever man. She'll continue researching on her own, naturally, but many hands make light the work. And she rather likes his hands, it turns out.]

[Of course he knows, just as he's determined that he was a bit hasty with his assessment of her nobility. But it makes laugh and smile and that makes it worth while. If nothing else Aulea taught him that flattery is always worth it. Especially when she looks at him like that, far too pleased with herself and something almost predatory in her gaze.

He doesn't respond for a long moment, unable to look away from her, his heart rate picking up a little. It's a look he's seen a few times before, when her Majesty was finished with whatever diplomatic meeting was happening and was seconds away from just dragging Regis off to their rooms. He'd had to forcibly wind down budget discussions more than once because of it.

But he'd never been personally subjected to such a look and it made his cheeks flush.

Something... yes, I'm sure.... Are you quite alright?]

[She hums an affirmative, idly brushing her thumb over the rough, experienced skin of his hand; something about the texture of it makes the heat in her body coil, anxious and eager. A part of her certainly wouldn't mind touching a little more of it, were she to be honest. But that's hardly an appropriate use of their time here.

I'm fine, nothing to worry about. Just thinking of how I want to smooch your fucking brains out.

....wait

wait she hadn't meant to send that.

wait she hadn't meant to think that-? Had she-?

Her eyes go wide, openly and visibly caught off guard for probably the first time since they met.]

[The gentle brush of her thumb makes him melt a little, as much as he's trying to stay on task, his smile softening. And then those words float into his mind and his eyes go just as wide as hers, color flooding his face, startled and confused and utterly unsure what to even do with that information.

Wait- You.... what!?

Clearly this must be some sort of joke. Right? It must be. There's absolutely no reason for her to say such a thing and his surprise gradually melts into confusion and... no small amount of hurt. He knows better than to think she honestly means anything of the sort. He withdraws his hand, shaking his head.

Perhaps such jokes are commonplace where you're from but... I don't much appreciate it.]

[Unbidden, she makes a soft sound of protest as he pulls his hand away, keeping her own on the table, half-reaching.]

I-I wasn't...

[Joking...? Surely not. The only joke is that she'd actually said it, or thought it in his direction, at least. Ideas like that are meant for her own mind alone. This is just... business.

Her free hand lifts to cover her mouth, and she cautiously averts her gaze. She'd expect him to be irritated, surprised or dismissive, but why does he look as if she just wounded him...?

Drawing in an unsteady breath, she closes her eyes, trying to regain some semblance of control. Hot... why is it so damn hot?]

...Sorry. I didn't plan that.

[He is surprised but his immediate response, while dismissive, is to assume it is yet another playful ruse to try to force a reaction from The Marshal. What else could it possibly be? A sigh as he reaches for his phone, tucking it back into his pocket. Surely it would be best if he simply left, right? Leave her to her... whatever this is.

But... why? He doesn't really mean to project it, even, it's just the one question tumbling around in his head at the moment, refusing to let go.]

[She scoffs at that, a strained, heated exhale, her hand sliding up to her forehead to press against it. Is she feverish...? Is that why? The wall's been long mended, and she doesn't get sick like normal people, just part of the nature of her constructed form. It doesn't make any sense.

Hell, it makes about as much sense as the words coming out of his- head.

You're a very intelligent man, Cor, but sometimes you haven't got an ounce of sense.

Why, he asks. Sitting there with his handsome stupid face with that lovely serious expression and his beautiful beef body. An absolute imbecile.]

[That gets her a sharp look, a clear warning. If they were in training it's the sort of look that would clearly define whatever her previous action was as an absolutely idiotic thing to do.

I beg to differ. After all she's the one that went off and nearly (or actually?!) got herself killed.

He doesn't want to talk about it, doesn't want to give her the opportunity to see him vulnerable like that, not when he suddenly has to question so much of the respect he thought was mutual. If she truly respected him she wouldn't play these sorts of games, like some foolish cadet that needs to prove how badass she can be.]

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DW stop being a bitch and eating my notifs!

dw don't cockblock me

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