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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[ Since she sorta has no friends and usually gives a wide berth to fleshy strangers who might want to rope her into doing her duty to the gods of this world, Kyoko's managed to avoid noticing most of the drinks' side effects until caving to that seasonal latte temptation today. Sure, there have been a lot of people walking around with animal parts, but she'd been told on her very first day here not to be shocked by that kind of thing!

So the squirrel ears poking up through her mop of dyed hair were not super anticipated. It's kind of a lot to deal with, even without this weird feathered animal?? but no it's not really an animal though?? getting up in her space. ]

--What?! There really was a mascot for this place!

[Ohhh, cute! Squirrel ears! Magolor isn't great at identifying the ears of a lot of Earth animals, but he does know cute when he sees it; he moves up to hang off of her shoulder and pet one of those ears curiously. At least he's not very heavy, and he's even less so when he's not putting his full weight on her, which he's not. Sorry, newbie, or at least new-to-him-bie.

He also doesn't miss a beat in agreeing.]

That's right, nice to meet you!

[ It's good that he's not too heavy, because that would probably mean extra strain on her neck as she swivels and jerks around, arms reaching up hesitantly. Should... she swat...?? ]

So you're--it was--he said--Megasomething--no--mag--Magneto--Maggotman?? So you were real?!

I'm one hundred percent real, and I have some seriously mixed feelings about what you just called me! It's Magolor, by the way.

[Maggotman?! But the fact that he was mentioned by name by someone at all is extremely flattering! It might have been last month's announcement, but it sounds equally likely it wasn't. And even maggotman publicity is good publicity! Probably.

He stays right where he is unless she does swat him away, though he stops touching the squirrel ear after that tweak.]

[ She'd sort of forgotten about the mascot thing when she realized Havenwell wasn't just a theme park she'd been kidnapped to as part of a scheme to make her hold hands, but it turns out this one thing was actually true!

Ultimately, she settles on clapping her hands defensively over those ears instead of swatting at him, as she tries to turn a little for a better look. ]

Magolor's not very memorable name.... I don't see what the connection to the theme is at all.

[Definitely true! He settles anyway, leaving her ears alone, though he's still kind of half perched on her shoulder. No point pulling away when this is contact, and contact is good, and profitable.]

Heeeey, that's not nice. Tell me your name, we'll see if I remember it!

"Kyoko" might be an unbearably plain and boring name, but at least it makes sense and suits me!

[ She says as if that isn't a huge self-own. Moving on quickly, she gives her shoulder an aggressive shrug. ]

More importantly! Just because you're the mascot doesn't mean you have to represent this place so powerfully!

[He bounces in the air, and in fact plays it up a little, bouncing extra just for fun and to be annoying. But in no way does it loosen his grip. Magolor can be very difficult, if not impossible, to dislodge when he wants to be. He giggles, both in response to the ~fun ride~ and because damn, that was a self-own.]

Magolor suits me perfectly, I'll have you know!

[This is more true than anyone but Magolor knows. His entire name is one big private joke he plays on the world.]

And I can't help my powerfully appealing aura. You really don't like it? That's really sad for me, you know . . .

[ TIME TO swing wildly around in a circle, this will surely make him leave and not impact her badly in any way. ]

I'm saying! not everyone wants! to give the mascot a big hug and smile for the camera!

[Oh surely not! He just swings around with her, letting out a little whoop of joy.]

Geez, you could just ask nicely! I'm not unreasonable!

[ "Why should I be the one asking in this situation?" is what she means to say, but the inconvenient thing about spinning around in a public space is all the rudely placed things, like curbs and street signs--like the ones her foot and arm collide with almost simultaneously. ]

Why shuUHH!

[Whoops! Magolor shifts his weight away and his hands out to steady her; he's small and light, but also stronger than he looks, and he can easily help keep a careless human girl upright. Nothing to be done about any funny-bone smacking, though. But he's gentle about helping keep her on her feet and off the ground—even though he also laughs.]

Hehehe! Whoopsie! Easy there.

[ Being assisted by the enemy. The humiliation. Dizzy and sullen, Kyoko does her best to aim a pout at Magolor. ]

I guess this is pretty fun for you.... Or do you get a bonus for dealing with the difficult prisoners?

Don't I wish.

[He gives her one last steadying brace, pats her shoulder, and politely withdraws. Now he's nice about it.]

All that was just a joke, by the way. I'm not actually the mascot! I'm another otherworlder like you. But I do act as an envoy between us and the natives, and I've been here since they started bringing us in to help, so I know my way around! And I'm obviously even cuter than any mascot they could come up with . . . so, I'll accept this role!

[ Well, this is an improvement, at least. But that is an awful lot of explanation. Kyoko blinks a couple times as he goes through it all, combing her fingers through her hair, rubbing her head a little, scratching those ears for a moment before she realizes and quickly pulls her hand back down in front of her. ]

So, you're not the mascot, but you also... are the mascot? Only starting now? Are you sure that's right? I definitely heard about a mascot named mag-something on my very first day.

Hehehe, who told you that? I'll decide whether to thank them or punish them depending on their intentions! Juuuust kidding. Of course I'm honored to have been thought of!

[He has to wonder whether this mysterious third party is a moron genuinely under that impression or someone making a dig at him. Outwardly, all he does is smile, watching her fuss with those ears. Cute.]

One of your fans, I guess? [ She says it simply, tilting her head with the mildest frown this encounter has seen from her so far. It's a thoughtful look. ] I was asking if there was one.... And now that I've met you, I definitely see why yours was the name to come up. Especially considering you're the envoy and all, you're the most logical person for the job, right?

[The idea of having a dedicated fanbase is at least enough for him to drop any less charitable thoughts about the situation, for now.]

Of course I am. I can't really be offended! It wouldn't even be the first time I've been in that kind of role. I do run amusement parks across the galaxy, and so of course my adorable face is on them.

... What... why would you be offended at all, then? Shouldn't you just expect it? --No, beyond that, as a celebrity, you should be glad.

[ Kyoko Mogami: has apparently already forgotten she called him a maggot 8 tags ago ]

Like I said, it's the intent that matters! What if they meant it in a mean way? "That Magolor is nothing but a mascot character!" Of course I'd be offended . . . I'm an adult with feelings, too.

[Some feelings. Feelings that are harder to hurt than he's pretending.]

[ There's another thoughtful head tilt. ] I guess I can understand that much.... [ She did have some (surprisingly short-lived) reservations about putting on that chicken suit the first time, after all. ] But being a mascot is good, honest work, you know? Mascots are important in their own right! If you're doing well, it's something you can brag about.

I see . . . I thought you were mean, but you support me after all, don't you? I'll work my hardest for fans like you!

[He twirls around to take her hand and shake it merrily, with a cute tilt of his head.]

Eh? [ There's some disconcerted blinking and staring as all this cheerfulness assaults her. Yeah, she's been pretty rude, but Kyoko doesn't really see why she has to be polite to someone who all but bodyslams her and then doesn't even back off? And she's also not sure she was actually being supportive just now? She just respects mascot work, jeez.

But this is surely a better outcome than having him get upset with her, so she nods along uncertainly. ]

Y-yes... keep it up.... I'm sure Kaito is cheering you on too....

Oh, it was him?

[So it was Kaito! That tracks, somehow. Magolor had already forgiven the person responsible, unless of course they'd meant it badly after all, but if it was Kaito, he trusts it wasn't that kind of statement. Still,]

I'll just have to tease him about it a little later! We're friends~.

Oh, I didn't say that already?

[ In hindsight, she just hadn't taken the question very seriously. Magolor was obviously a mascot, so much so that she'd come to the conclusion from the moment she saw him, so did it really matter who'd said it first? ]

Friends~ huh? [ Her delivery is a little weary, there. ] Who knew he kept such important company? Good for him.

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