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.

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[There is an irony in the term Pyra settles on, an old, deep significance coiled there that she had not considered for a long while. Sage, was it.

Pyra was indulgent with her evaluations, which she knew from their first meeting. ]

... You make it seem as though it satisfies something within you, to have a designation to confer upon me.

[ A designation, she says.

Pyra shakes her head, only to smile. ] No, no. I'm trying to compliment you.

I'm sorry, was it too much?

[... A compliment. Her ears shift slightly as she considers this, recalling that it is Pyra's way to make such commentary unprompted. It is still unusual for her when anyone does it. ]

... No. Perhaps I had misunderstood your intent. You are... generous, with your words. Very focused upon others.

[ "Very focused on others"....

Indeed, she loves them. ]

Hehe~ Now you're the one focused on me. It's a little bit embarrassing!

You are unused to being questioned in this way?

[ Particularly since she can hardly seem to stop herself from commenting on others. Or does she keep her gaze outward to avoid what is within? Curious. ]

[ She waves a hand. Nope, she's not going to talk about herself. ]

Are you only looking to compliment me in return?

[ Well, not answering her question was as much an answer for that, was it not? ]

We are not bound together for it to be a necessity.

....We must focus on saving this world, yes.

[ Easier to do, than being vulnerable. Or facing those walls. For this, Honerva is far, far stronger than Pyra has ever been. ]

[ That goal of Pyra's at least had always been made apparent, even with the way she still grasps at her elbow. Still, as much as she could make the attempt to pry, she knew very well what it was like, to be unable to allow vulnerability. Coming into contact with her own walls had taught her that much, if anything at all. A journey, and she had endured, and there was little more she could say on that subject to someone who would speak from a window and hide safely within her own tower. ]

It seems you will allow for little else.

[ Honerva is both beautiful with the wise gold of her eyes and the strength of her heart to face those walls. Pyra admires her for that strength... and envies her.

The comment earns Honerva an indecipherable smile. ] Touch will... maybe allow you to return to your homeworld as well, once the gods here see fit. [ Or so she assumes. ]

Don't you have others that remain there, who you wish to see once more?

[ There is an equivocal flash in those gold eyes, as her gaze once more tracks -- or perhaps, in a sense, flees, -- away from Pyra.

There is silence, as much as there is a weight in it. It presses on for so long it seems as though she may not respond at all, for the answer to all of this is tied up and complex and there is no explanation that is not too personal.

Fewer still who knew the weight for what it was. ]

They are already here.

[ She's spoken to others of their homes. Some of them have not seen their lands, their families for three years or more, having been first to another world before this! It is for them, and for the people shy to touch another here who have been brought by the gods, that she fights.

Y'know, besides for this world itself.

The shift in Honerva's eyes does not go unnoticed-- while she cannot be certain, it something like... pain, she imagines. And that is not something she will not pry about at this moment. Besides, the woman says something else that makes Pyra's eyes light up with renewed interest and wonder. ]

Oh--... here? Like family, you mean?

[ In one of her first conversations here, she had heard what it is like to have a family in another world. If Honerva has one like that, this is a much more safer topic. ]

[ There is pain in her eyes and it is immeasurably deep, and that is why she moves her gaze.

Family, is what Pyra says next, and that is another complex word, easily another twisted avenue of pain, if not for the context. The context of the present and where she was wanted, not where she was unwanted. Her family because they'd taught her so much within a year than she had experienced in lifetimes of simply existing. Who offered her so much more than she ever, truly, deserved.

Freedom, from loneliness. Acceptance she could never have hoped to find for how far she had fallen, the role she had played. A chance.

Bonds that could only be formed by being taken away from one's original universe, and here it had happened for them a second time. Fragile but they had not yet been parted. They must persevere in this. ]

... With them, the only way is forward.

[ Safe. Comfortable. Loved. These three things someone had told her, are what make a home. Now, she has a piece from Honerva of what makes a family.

She is aware of many different definitions of what makes a home, a family. She's heard different things before, she's experienced a few of them. Learning of what others may consider a family or home will forever remain fascinating to her; it gives her more with which to go by, it expands her own views.

With them, the only way is forward.

Because they are there with her, she imagines, supporting each other. ] ...Carl... Lup... Taako, and you.

[ She knows they all live together, because she's learned this from Carl. ] Is that your family?

[ Her own views had been very narrow, once. The names that Pyra supplies are not the first that come to mind at the word, family, because that is still a word she is learning to redefine. It was not a term to be used lightly, but it is not a term that has limits.

But to be accepted, to be wanted, to be able to forge such a bond with others, it certainly added meaning and depth to ... the intention of it. Family was more, and with them she had all this and more.

There is a pause before she answers, for all of the weight of things she will not say. Pyra had learned those names from someone else. Someone who may have defined them to her in this way, and... that signaled something too. That she too, could use this word. That... perhaps such a thing was allowed. ]

... Yes, they are.

[ Her smile widens. Brightly, she gives her a little more of a squeeze with their linked arms.

This is a better topic than whatever pain had flitted through her eyes mere moments ago. Would Honerva be the mother to them all, she wonders, or perhaps the older sister? Someone appears to have both the maturity and wisdom to guide the rest...

But then that, too, would be labeling her again. Their situation is far more complex than what conventional terms could describe them. They all help each other-- they all must push each other forward. This is what she believes, her to consider them family. ] I'm, I'm so happy for you-- [ She says breathlessly, as if she cannot contain her joy for her. ] That's... that's incredible, that you have one here.

[ There is a warmth in what Pyra says here, even if she knew not what she had just danced around.

Happy for her, because she truly could not know the sort of woman she would be without their presence. Perhaps not one that would allow someone to stand so close, with arms linked in this way.

To deny that it was not a warranted response would be to deny them, they who had given her so much more, all thanks to her being spirited away from another path in the first place. Without them Honerva knew, she would not be nearly as much person as she could claim to be in this moment.

It is a warmth she can accept, a sentiment she had long hoped to feel. Even past the pain, for there were always layers to this. To be a mother was all she had wanted and all she had been denied and in truth she was but a fledgling in all of this. No labels could suit such complexities.

She lets those words hang for the moment; her composure remains, she does not quite relax but the tension in her features and even in the arm that Pyra holds, lessens.]

... yes. It is incredible.

[ They are incredible. ]

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♥ December Event Log

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