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

Exactly... even more so when they are the type to use the line's magic to... discourage even a thought of disobedience.

[He shakes his head a little then shifts his stance so he can wrap his arms around his boyfriend. He doesn't even realize he's calling the magic up but there is warmth rolling off of him, thick and possibly uncomfortable for Will but it's the only thing that protects against even the memory of that chill.]

When the cold isn't merely their countenance.

.....

[Will curls into Cor's arms without fuss, reaching up to wind his arms around the man's neck in return. He's always preferred warmth, himself, always had a tendency to get easily chilled. Even so, this..... It's warmer than he would have chosen. He can feel a beads of sweat gathering under his long sleeves and high collar, slowly but surely.

It's worth it, though. No worse than when Arche wants to cuddle in bed in the summer, and..... And he could swear he feels a phantom chill himself in spite of it, licking at his skin and trying to penetrate deeper still, insidious and violating.

It mingles almost seamlessly with the icy rush of anger flooding his veins and tightly gripping his heart. Mors had best be thankful he's already dead; however he might have met his end, Will is of a mind to top it right now.]

[He's grateful for how willing Will is to sink into his arms, to let him hold the younger man as though he can protect him from a ghost he'll never meet. Nors had always let his displeasure be known, not through actions or words but through the sharp, biting chill that seeped into the bones of those around him when things didn't go his way. Especially when his rebellions son was.... well... being rebellious.

For a moment he merely holds Will, clinging to him almost. Then he leans back slightly, bumping his nose lightly against Will's. Not a kiss but an affectionate nuzzle.]

I'm sorry, I've already laid too many burdens upon you, you don't need all of this as well.

[It's harder than it should be, trying to let go of that anger, even when he hasn't been personally wronged. It was hard for that dream Lucii, and it's hard for the mere thought of Mors.

Still..... It's something Cor needs more than he probably would want to admit to, that unfaltering support, that determined happiness. Will makes himself smile, nuzzling in return.]

You don't have anything to apologize for.

[Will tries to swallow down his anger, to smile for him, and Cor watches his face intently. He frowns slowly, fingers reaching up to brush along the line of Will's lips.]

Will... Your smiles are only beautiful when you mean them.

[He uses the touch of his fingers to guide the next kiss, gentle and light, hopeful in a way.]

You don't need to be anything for me but yourself. Even when things are... worse than we'd both like.

[Will can't help a sheepish little laugh at that, little more than a warm huff against Cor's lips. Busted.....]

I am what I need to be.

[It's light and dismissive, amused--but it's still the truth Rawna wants to hear.]

[Will laughs and Cor chases it briefly with his lips. But that dismissive comment only makes him shake his head once more. If that's all Will wants to say, once again insisting that bright and humorous is all there is to see there, even though Cor's been learning to catch the gaps in that cheerful mask. But he will not press for more than Will is offering.]

As long as you know I don't expect you to...

[A frown, a flinch, tipping his head so he can press a kiss to the younger man's forehead.]

I don't want or need perfection. I'm not...

[like Him.]

[A warm press of lips, against his and his forehead; Will's smile turns distinctly apologetic. He'd never mean to imply that Cor is like Mors.....]

I know..... and even if you did, nobody is perfect. Not even you or me!

[Another laugh, though his expression does soften, faintly nostalgic.]

You can get pretty close, though. My partner and I, we talked about it a lot. There was always something to refine just a little more.

[Of course he hadn't but the burden of expectation is one he knows far too well. He tilts his head a little, humming curiously at the mention of a partner. Did he mean one of the girls? Was it someone else? There were so many ways that one word could be interpreted.]

Close to perfect? But how would you even know what perfect is?

[It could mean different things for so many different people.]

Easy! It's was the ideal outcome, the best possible way to do whatever we needed to do. If I wanted to take something perfectly, I had to figure out how to get in, grab it, and get out before anyone even realized I was there. If I wanted to battle perfectly, I had to figure out how to overwhelm my opponent completely before they could hurt me. If I wanted to be a perfect boss, I had to figure out the right attitude and behavior to inspire as much loyalty and zeal as possible in my subordinates.

[Silly Cor. Who needs some high-flown philosophical idea of perfection when you could just make it (and you) practical and modular? All you need is a pile of scripts and a whole lot of trial and error to polish them up, then you can shuffle between them as much as you need.]

[Cor frowns, shaking his head.]

That's... that's acting, Will. Or conning depending on the situation. If none of it's real it's as far from perfect as it's possible to get, isn't it?

It takes real strategy and skill to perfect acting and conning. But..... if you think about it that way, yes. We might not have been good people, but we were very good at our job.

[And their job, of course, was acting and conning. What else?]

[Cor goes quiet for a long moment, just watching Will. This isn't what he meant and it's a little strange for Will to be so insistent about it. But Will also does his best not to talk about his past. Slowly Cor puts a little more space between them so he can really look at Will.]

That's... not what I meant, you know.

[Perfection on the job was not the same thing as trying to be perfect for another person. To be whatever someone needs. It's not healthy.]

I've no doubt you were, and still are, brilliant. Perfecting your skills is admirable, dulcissime, but I don't want you to try to be perfect for me.

[Isn't it the same thing, though? Perfection for a person..... isn't it just being good at all the little unspoken jobs they need you to do, to maintain that relationship? You can train yourself to be a good listener. You can practice comforting people. You can dissect social cues, memorize scripts, study what makes individual people and people in general happy.

It's easy to be perfect for people, if you put together the skills and knowledge to do so. He's done it for his whole life. So why..... why is it harder to do in Havenwell? Why does it feel incompatible now, when it used to be so seamless?]

What do you want, then?

[Not more cuddles, apparently. It can't just be him, because Cor already has him, right? He's right here. All Cor has to do is reach back out.]

Only you...

[The answer comes easily, readily to his lips. He draws Will's hand up to brush his lips across the younger man's knuckles.]

But I mean that. Only you. Not what you think I want and not only the happy parts.

I... [He hesitates for a moment, scared and uncertain in a way he hasn't been often in his life.] I love you, Will... I don't want you to feel like you need to hide things from me.

Easy for you to say..... I'll figure it out.

[Cor answers so quickly and easily, like he knows what that means. But could he explain it, if he had to? Could he show him the lines in the sand, the hard and fast boundaries that define him and only him? Can Cor tell him who he is, not who he's supposed to be, in a way that doesn't just boil down to "being himself" and acting "naturally"? It doesn't feel natural, attempting to separate himself from other people, or their wants and expectations.....

But if it makes Cor happy, if that's what he really wants--for him, not just from him--, then he'll do his best to feel his way through it..... But how can he focus on something like that, when he's being distracted by gentle lips and sweet words? He can't help but draw closer again, leaning back into the lingering warmth that Cor radiates. He'd said it in passing before, making a point, but.....

Like this? Pointedly, deliberately? He hadn't actually expected to feel even the slightest flicker of shyness.]

I know..... I love you, too. I--whatever you ask, I'll do my best to answer, okay?

[Even with Rawna's encouragement, it's still hard, trying to just..... volunteer things like this, especially when he'd rather not even think about them. But..... he is trying to be more open. If Cor wants to know things, he'll try to talk.]

[To an extent he knows how hard it can be to open up, if Will were anyone else he'd have had just as much trouble. The nature of his powers leaves things feeling imbalanced, he knows all there is to know about Cor while Cor feels like he knows hardly anything in return.

So much so that Cor doesn't even know where to start. What to ask? About his partner? His past?

Cor lets his fingers twine with Will's, quiet for a long moment, contemplative.]

I don't... know what to ask. I, honestly, think it'll come on it's own as long as you don't stop yourself from saying it for my sake.

[He doesn't really even know what to say beyond that. He doesn't want to force Will to say things he's not comfortable with but...]

As long as you remember who you belong to now, alright?

[His other hand lifts to trace a finger along the edge of his mask. Then Cor's expression shifts, head tilting curiously, a small pleased smile tugging at his lips. He raises their hands, pressing his palm against Will's, stretching his fingers out for a moment and letting fire flicker over his finger tips, letting the heat play softly against Will's fingers as well.]

Or maybe to both of us. He can share it, you know. With those he chooses to, those sworn to their King. If you'd like a different sort of reminder.

I guess I'm not making it very easy on you, am I? I'm sorry.

[Even Will has to laugh a little at that, caught between apologetic and just exasperated at himself. It's such a difficult imbalance to address, when correcting it feels so unnatural. He's used to being known by what he does and how he acts, not..... not who he is. He's supposed to be a larger than life stage presence--the sort of active friend you do things with, more than you really talk to. He's supposed to know much more about other people than they'll ever know about him, because it's just not something most people care about, let alone need to know. People are supposed to think he's incredibly open, feel like he shares a lot, and maybe never realize they barely know anything at all.

Most of the time, it works incredibly well. Maybe a little too well, if Cor doesn't even know what he wants to know. It's really not fair to him, is it? Cor's sharing his heart with him, and in return, he just.....

Will closes his eyes and dismisses that train of thought as well as he can, shivering a little under the soft brush of a finger along skin that's hardly ever touched, the almost uncomfortable heat licking at his own fingers. It's impossible not to feel hopelessly small and fragile like this--Cor is so much taller and more strongly built, his hands are so much bigger, his magic is so powerful..... How could he ever forget who he belongs to now?]

You..... But that--doesn't that put a strain on him?

[Cor wants to share him? But why, when he struggled with that idea so much? And from what he remembers of Cor talking about it, he draws his magic from Regis directly, right? He doesn't want to overburden him.....]

[Cor doesn't really think of it as sharing. He belongs to Regis, body mind and soul. If Will belongs to Cor then he also belongs to Regis. Anything that Cor owns also belongs to his King. It's not sharing, it's simply fact.]

In a way... [Cor nods slightly, free hand coming up to tug at the top buttons of his shirt, baring his shoulder and the delicate web of scars there. Something Will is familiar with.] The magic feeds on the life force of the one wielding it. Every mark I have earned Regis has also earned a portion of.

But in the future he puts his life in the hands of others. An entire army of men and women he entrusts to protect his kingdom. One small addition, for someone dear to him, would be no great burden.

[Regis wouldn't dream of denying someone for no reason beyond his own comfort.]

.....

[He remembers seeing those scars--on Cor, and to a lesser extent, on Regis. He hadn't understood the significance of them then, but now..... now, it makes his heart hurt a little, thinking of how it must have eaten at him to earn them. He raises his free hand to trail soft fingertips over the fine lines, an uncertain feather-light caress. How could one man stand to support a whole army, if it eroded them like this? He can barely even fathom the toll it must have taken--will take?--on Reggie. But if he's capable of something like that, then.....]

If you're sure.....

I am sure there is no harm in speaking to him of it.

[Cor lets one hand settle over Will's, pressing his touch more firmly to the marred skin of his shoulder, showing Will that there is no discomfort or pain and he needn't be so careful.]

And I am sure he would be honored that you would call him your King.

[It may not be a show of ownership from Cor, in so many words, but it would be a bond they share. It would make Will one of them and, what's more, it would give him a tie to them, a constant reminder humming beneath his skin that at their sides is where he belongs.]

I guess it can't hurt to talk about it..... I don't come from a kingdom, though. I'm not really sure how much a claim like that is worth.

[Will lets his hand flatten over Cor's shoulder as the older man guides him, thoughtful. He doesn't know how Regis would feel about something like this, especially since he's from another world entirely. He doesn't have a royal line he's renouncing fealty to--and even if he did, what about when they all have to go home?

(Isn't it close enough, though? Between The Masked Man and Giovanni..... It may not have been a legitimate kingdom, but it had been an empire of sorts all the same.)

Even so, that kind of connection..... It sounds nice, even if he never used the power. Even if they're separated, in the end.]

I think it means more than you know. Because you have no reason to have that sort of loyalty.

[Cor's not thinking about the inevitability of their return. He has every intention of finding ways to ensure the future is far better before he even thinks about returning. Returning also means saying farewell to his King again and he's not sure he has the strength to do that.]

If you want to take some time to think about it, though....

No reason, hmmm? I think you know exactly the reason I should.

[Because Regis is..... Amazing, honestly. Brilliant, strong, dutiful, driven, commanding, charismatic, compassionate, warm, kind..... In a word, everything a true king should be.

It would be hard not to love him, even if they both weren't used to giving their loyalty to someone so..... Implacable.]

If you think he would like the idea.... I'd be honored.

An employer is not the same as a monarch... but yes, I suppose you're right.

[He doesn't mean to make light of what that man asked of Will, not at all. But it is slightly different too. Choosing to swear fealty to Regis is far different than taking a job.]

Still, I think he would. Even more so if he knew about...

[Ah... Cor doesn't even know said employer's name.]

Team Rocket.

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