♥ 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

[daikonrose]

If she weren't so focused on getting the sash off, Kyoko might have been a little ticked to have all that carefully crafted praise brushed off with an 'okay' but luckily for everyone she's pretty much on the same page as Shinji here. He gets it, he's trying!

Still, she has to flush at that one; hard work is certainly one of her own favorite qualities in a person. "You too!" she hastens to shoot back, but she doesn't think she's just echoing him, not really. "I mean, I guess I don't know you that well yet, but you're two for two on rising to the occasion and being a big help! In my experience!"

[hedgehogsdilemma]

Yeah, he'd probably assume that she wouldn't toss any compliments his way, those of work ethic included, if it weren't for this particular tricky situation they're in. That thought makes it a little easier to not have to confront how sincere they may be, which, uh... yeah, that's probably kind of rude of him, honestly. Maybe they can deal with it after the sash is gone, but ideally they will Never speak of this Again.

Speaking of which, though, the sash! Is even more loose now! Just a little bit more!!

"I think seeing someone working so hard makes people want to work hard, too. It's... kind of inspirational, you know?"

[daikonrose]

Levels of sincerity aside, Kyoko can't help ducking her head a bit and mumbling, "'Inspirational' is way too much...." But regardless of whether she can accept that kind of compliment, their binds ease a little more.

"But--but, even more than being a hard worker, you've been very steady and thoughtful! It's calming, you know? If it hadn't been for your good influence, I'm sure I would be trying to launch a hostile takeover of Ainea's temple right about now."

[hedgehogsdilemma]

You can take a stab at a takeover with a rowdier fight boy!

Oh. Wait.

"That's..." a very interesting piece of praise. He's never really had anyone say anything quite like that to him, and he doesn't quite know what to do with it. It lands a little more meaningfully than the other kind comments have, at any rate. "I'm not sure if my influence is really that good, but... thank you."

It's also enough to finish off that sash, which falls harmlessly to the ground, allowing the two of them to take their own arms back. Success!!

[daikonrose]

Well, it's not like Kyoko is unaware that she can be a little too much sometimes; and she does usually realize when her own ridiculousness is being reined in, even if it's done inadvertently. It's the kind of thing she has to appreciate.

But before she can say any more on the topic, the sash falls away at last. Oh. "... Oh!" Stepping back so they can both get reacquainted with their personal bubbles, Kyoko leans over to look down at the bit of cloth. "Just like that.... Should we leave it here?"

[hedgehogsdilemma]

Freedom from their chains, and freedom from having to endure any more compliments being tossed around! What a true relief.

"I don't know..." The priests might want it back? But on the other hand, that's one more sash to weaponize against the offworlders, if they return it. If... it can even still be used for that. Shinji will be the one to take the chance and crouch down to inspect it, though... it sure looks completely harmless now that it's off them. Even if he picks it up, careful as he may be about it... nothing weird or special happens. "It seems harmless now."

[daikonrose]

Kyoko's eyes are round as she watches Shinji handle the material. Such daring! Is it still hazardous? If they leave it there, will it twine around the next passersby who happen to walk too close to one another? If he picks it up, will it imprison them again? What a risk taker!

But then nothing happens. Oh. Okay. "I guess it's a one-use kind of thing... who knew! Do you wanna keep it? Or maybe we should burn it in tribute to Rawna."

[hedgehogsdilemma]

Thank goodness! It's just a regular piece of fabric now!

He doesn't really know what to do with it, though! The suggestion to burn it in tribute does offer a tiny ripple of amusement, at least. No laughs or smirks to be found of it, be he does respond with a thoughtful "Hmm," as if to lightly entertain the idea.

"Do you think Rawna would even care about something like that?"

Apathy dragon and what have you.

[daikonrose]

"It's not about whether he cares," she shoots back, mildly stern and completely missing any trace of humor. This is serious! "It's symbolic. The triumph of logic and negativity."

[hedgehogsdilemma]

Oh. Okay. He wasn't married to the lighthearted tone, or anything, so having it go unnoticed... that's Okay.

"I... suppose so." That is a valid enough point, he'll give her that much. He takes the sash into both of his hands, pulling it somewhat experimentally between them, as though to kind of test out its properties. Feels like a regular old piece of fabric for now, perhaps it wouldn't be too tough to destroy. With that in mind, he straightens himself back up.

"I'm not really interested in keeping it," so unless she is, and he somehow doubts that, then plan B could, perhaps, be enacted.

[daikonrose]

Kyoko usually is pretty interested in collecting scraps just like this one, in the name of eventually finding a way to repurpose them, but right now it feels like there's a higher calling for this particular piece of fabric. Tilting her head, she taps her chin and gives it some more thought.

"Would we get in trouble for burning something in Rawna's temple? I wouldn't want to do it outside, though, unless it's somewhere like the steps of Ainea's temple.... Oh, and I guess we'd need matches or a lighter, before anything else."

[hedgehogsdilemma]

The nice reminder of the time you were ambushed and tied to another person doesn't really seem like the kind of thing many people would really be interested in recycling, but, who knows?

"Well..." are they really entertaining this notion? Like, for real? Taking a step back, it feels like an almost outlandish solution, but she seems to be pretty serious about it. It's kind of tough to not treat it in kind. "It... wouldn't be dangerous if it was left in something, like, maybe a pot...?" So that, you know, at least it's a contained fire. "And there are candles in the temple, so there are probably matches somewhere."

[daikonrose]

It's a perfectly sensible solution! Sacrificial burning has plenty of precedent across different cultures, right?

Looking at Shinji gravely, Kyoko brings a hand to rest over her heart. "Shinji... I'll say it again, but you really have good ideas. We'll just go back to Rawna's, then! Surely a little smoke won't bother dragons, right?"

[hedgehogsdilemma]

This is a culture neither of them are intimately familiar with, though! It's just a big assumption to make that it's totally reasonable here!

He's not sure if this idea is necessarily as good as the last one, but we appear to be running with it anyway, so he may as well try and make it as good of a plan as possible. "I... would guess not?" Do Rawna's dragons actually breathe fire? He... does not know, actually! "If it is a problem, then making sure the pot has a lid would probably be a smart idea..."

[daikonrose]

Well gosh, maybe the gods should take that kind of thing into account before bringing in people who find sacrificial rituals more intuitive a tribute than snuggles! If they don't want fires set in their temples!

But this plan is apparently a go. Kyoko's already swiveling to head back to the Marshes. "So, a dutch oven or soup pot, right? I have one that should work! No problem!"

[hedgehogsdilemma]

Oh gosh don't let that ruin your kitchenware!

Honestly, though, the longer this goes on, the less it feels like a super wise idea. He can't just... let her do this on her own, right? What if she gets in trouble for it?? He'd feel awful!

"Should we... meet back at the temple once you've got that, then?"

He can, like, hang on to the sacrifice until then, probably.

[daikonrose]

It can't be much worse than, like, flambeeing something, right??

Admittedly, though Kyoko would understand if Shinji decides to duck out, she's kinda assuming he's down for this too. He's contributed so much to the planning! This is his sacrifice too! She turns to flash him a grin and a thumbs up.

"Yeah! I'll sprint both ways! You won't have to wait long!"

Oh look there she goes already.

[hedgehogsdilemma]

Goodbye, Kyoko! We will meet again soon! At least splitting up means they won't be ambushed and tied together again!

But, true to his word and no matter how long she does or does not take, Shinji can be found idling outside of Rawna's temple, the sash still in his hands. There is no turning back or ducking out now, it seems...!

[daikonrose]

Exactly how long does it take for a teenage girl of reasonably robust health and staggering energy to sprint halfway across Havenwell? Shinji might be the first person to learn the answer to this question.

After waiting so patiently through all those minutes, he'll hear a distant yell, one that rapidly grows louder as Kyoko hurtles through the streets toward her destination, her sturdiest soup pot tucked under one arm like a football. Mysteriously, nobody is approaching her to attempt another tie-up. Huh!

As she nears the finish line, she slows, raising the pot above her head. "I found iiiiiit...!"

[hedgehogsdilemma]

Wild how the priests only tie people together when there's more than one person wandering around on together! Huh!

But boy that was an awfully speedy errand! Shinji waves out to her a bit as she approaches, looking suitably impressed with how little time that seemed to take.

"That looks like it could work."

Conceptually... and hopefully in practice, too, if this is definitely happening.

[daikonrose]

Hold on a sec while she sinks to her knees before the temple steps, panting. When she looks up, it's with a proud grin. "Right? It should be big enough for the sash! And if the flames get too high, we can smother them right away!"

As far as she is concerned, this is in fact definitely happening. With a final heave, Kyoko manages to return to normal breathing, her eyes bright. It feels good to have a plan for something even if it's... this. "All that's left is the fire itself. Do you think it would be fastest to just borrow a candle that's already lit?"

[hedgehogsdilemma]

So speedy! Too speedy! Don't run yourself too dry there!!

"It would probably be easiest to just use something already lit, yeah." Don't want to raise too many suspicions or trouble the priests over trying to find a match or... whatever it is that they were using to light those candles. They're not doing anything nefarious! Just! A ritual sacrifice of this sash!

"Should be nice and fast, too." Would you like a hand? To get back on your feet?

[daikonrose]

Shinji's hand gets a look, and a blink. She's taken it before, sure, but... didn't they already talk today about how he isn't super keen on touch either? So maybe it would be kinder to refuse? But then, he would surely know he could get away with not offering her his hand, right? This new habit of overthinking every tiny gesture sure is a drag!

In the end, she does take it, after a heavy pause. They both know where the other stands, and Shinji still offered, so it's probably fine this way. "... Mmhm!" Promptly releasing his hand once she's upright, she dusts off her pants and starts up the steps. At the top, she whirled to hold out the pot. "Go ahead and put the sash in--or did you want to carry the offering yourself? You have a claim on it too, you know!"

[hedgehogsdilemma]

It isn't for his benefit! It's not even for the gods' benefit! Just for her's, he'd feel even worse for not offering that little bit of help, touch-skittish or otherwise. If anything, the pause makes him feel like maybe he's overstepped a little on her comfort, but the transaction is completed with very little fuss otherwise, so... maybe just something to keep in mind for the future.

"It's fine," he doesn't want this to feel too ceremonial for something that ultimately boils down to Setting Fires (Symbolically but also Literally), but he also gets the impression that Kyoko would disagree. The thought remains unsaid for now, and the sash will be neatly placed into the pot with little pomp and/or circumstance. "It can go in like this."

Maybe? A little less suspicious that way? It works, regardless.

[daikonrose]

"Okay! I will bear it then!!" Less suspicious, and also probably less dangerous than lighting it on fire and then trying to put it in. Practicality is important in all rituals! Rawna would surely approve of all the logical thinking happening here.

Kyoko's pretty jazzed as she slinks into the temple, though. It feels good to have something go off without a hitch for once! "Let's see--candles, candles...."