♥ 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

[iustaegis]

[ Annoying is putting it mildly.

In any case, there is a sigh from her as she reaches over to pat his hand in hers, as if to say there, there. ] I hope it wasn't too terrible for you.

[carbungle]

[He pauses, and when he lowers his hand a moment later his expression is conflicted, but thoughtful.]

It wasn't... terrible, I guess. Could have been worse.

[Could have been some horrid fight between two people who already suck at this. His brain-to-mouth filter is incredibly important, because he is sometimes a tactless ass.]

Any regrets on your end?

[iustaegis]

[ ...............

.................................


Okay finally she answers honestly, because she doesn't feel like dodging questions right now. ] ....It's.... as you've guessed. I confessed my love. '

[ Multiple times.........!! ]

[carbungle]

[There is another pause, as he quietly weighs the pros and cons of asking. Brain to mouth filter. Very important.

Does not always work.]

Was it Somnus? You gotta tell me if it was.

[Because! It's weird! But also he's pretty sure they live together or something??]

1/2

[iustaegis]

[ ! ]

[iustaegis]

...Please understand, [ She says with a flush. ] I... won't be naming anyone.

[ The two youths she had confessed to.... they had seemed somewhat shaken by her words, as if they couldn't accept it. She knows not to just go around telling people she loves them regardless, but the tea had made her feel like blurting this out. If she tells Noct about them now, that might lead him to have more questions!

For their sake, she'd rather keep their names anonymous. ]

[carbungle]

[....oh. Oh, geez. He was going for awkward teasing, but that actually sounds serious.]

Are you okay?

[Does he need to punch somebody? Because even if it's Somnus he'll still do it. Apparently that's a thing to do these days.]

[iustaegis]

[ Time for her to bring her free hand to her face! Just thinking back about drinking the tea makes her flustered. She dodged multiple bullets on telling truths on other things, she should be thankful. ] N-no, I’m fine. I’m fine.

[ Deep. Breath. ] Only embarrassed.

[ She lowers her hand from covering her face to her cheek. There’s another sigh, but it does nothing to help how red she is. ]

[carbungle]

[Well, she looks... mostly fine, and he can relate to the fluster for sure. But if her goal was to wave off his suddenly piqued curiosity she is woefully unsuccessful.]

I hope it, uh. At least went okay.

[He has never actually done a confession, in as many words, but it sounds horribly scary and not getting a happy result infinitely moreso. He at least knows that much, considering how that one conversation with Luna could have gone.]

[iustaegis]

....My feelings... were not returned.

[ Saying this, she appears nothing but understanding. A short laugh even escapes her, wistful. ] But it's alright. [ Pyra brings her free hand to her chest, the look in her eyes immeasurably soft. ] I do not mind loving from afar.

[carbungle]

...Oh.

[AWK...WARD...

He's bad at this, so after an uncomfortable pause he lifts his free hand to wave it dismissively, visibly disapproving.]

Well- whatever, their loss, then! You're awesome without 'em.

[How dare they, honestly! He doesn't roll with any scrubs, his friends are incredibly dateable.]

1/2

[iustaegis]

[ Awesome... without.... them...?

Hol' up. ]

[iustaegis]

I--... I think we're having a misunderstanding here.

[ She laughs. ]

[carbungle]

[His brows furrow, confused now.]

What?

[iustaegis]

I... confessed love to two people.

[ How embarrassing! ]

Two strangers, not romantic love.

[ This... kind of admits that she holds love for many, anyone and everyone. But she is fine if Noctis knows this. ]

[carbungle]

[....

Pyra...

Okay, now he can't help smiling, trying not to laugh. It's not! At her misfortune! But seriously...]

No wonder you keep asking me about it. It comes that easily to you, huh?

[iustaegis]

[ Her fingers twitch in his hand. But without missing a beat: ]

Loving others, yes.

[ Telling them? The truth had to be forced from her. ]

[carbungle]

I can see why somebody would be put off by that, yeah.

[As someone who can't even spit it out when the hones-tea's got its grip on him... yeah, that's pretty weird.]

I'm sure it'll be fine if you talk it out with them later, though.

[iustaegis]

[ Then, of course, she will not say it to Noctis either. Not yet. He has others who may say that they love him, adore him, want the world for him, to him. Compared to hers, their words may mean so much more than if she said them. She would only diminish their value.

And so, she shifts the subject. ]

Has anyone told you here, that they love you as well?

[carbungle]

Here? Nah.

[He lifts his shoulders in a slight shrug, not especially bothered by it.]

Be kind of weird to just say it out of the blue, I figure.

[iustaegis]

[ She glances at him, curiously. ] Because... [ She starts slowly, as if trying to decipher his thoughts. ]

You would not believe it?

[carbungle]

No, nothing like that. [A beat, and then-] Well, maybe. Depends on the who and the why.

[If Prompto tried seriously confessing his love he'd wonder what potion the poor guy'd been fed. Or Somnus. Gods, Somnus, yeah. That'd be a strange one.

Under the right circumstances, though... maybe a few.]

I guess it's that I don't need to hear it. Don't actions matter more, or something like that?

[iustaegis]

[ Actions speak louder than words. She had learned this from Somnus, actually: the importance of showing rather than just telling, more so than just the old adage. Just recently, Pyra had conveyed some of her sentiments via action to him, so she knows what Noctis here is trying to say, the impact it can have. ]

Noctis.... It took you all this time just to embrace three people. [ She says this half chiding, half jokingly. He's not good at conveying his love in that sense, either. Unless he means protecting them, but that's another matter. ]

I understand it can be difficult, but words, too, may be important. [ While there is still time. ]

[carbungle]

[That's... okay, fair, and it forces him to look down, hastily avoiding her gaze. Even if she's partly teasing him, the scolding hits home. These, too, are important words of which he occasionally needs reminding.]

I... I know that. But it's not something I can just fix overnight, either.

[He's pretty aware of his failings, but he also knows where they came from. Accepting an outstretched hand is one thing. Offering it first? That's a different kind of courage, and it's always running away from him.]

Believe it or not, I'm trying...

[iustaegis]

[ She's noted, at least, that she is always the one to initiate contact between them... But on this she will not relent, so long as he is willing. The stakes are too high to ignore the reason they've been supposedly called to this world.

But she will say this once more, softly: ]

Those who have your love are very lucky, I think. [ To hear those words from him, or to feel his arms around them in an embrace would probably motivate them for years to come. Such is the impact of love. ] This... might not be what you want to hear, but they may not be here for you to love them anymore, when they vanish from this city.

[ The network is rife with missing-person posts. ]