EVENT ★ WINTER WONDERLAND, THE RECKONING

[futurologists]

HAPPY (NONDENOMINATIONAL) HOLIDAYS When recruits arrive back at Oska, they'll find the place already full of other ALASTAIR teams visiting Oska, and the castle and grounds entirely decked out in festive cheer. The castle is draped in purple and white finery, with a light dusting of unmelting snow everywhere -- even inside, somehow. Don't worry, the indoor snow has been enchanted to be strangely warm. Dagny has taken it upon herself to add a little plant life in and around the castle: mistletoe, of course. It can be spotted growing in little sprigs out of chinks in castle walls, around from wooden doorframes, or even sprouting out of other, unrelated trees. You're never really safe from mistletoe. And what would the use of mistletoe be without the enchantment? Dagny has made sure that there are enough variant species of the mistletoe to offer something for everyone. Recruits may find themselves stuck under any manner of mistletoe, trapped until they fulfill the mistletoe geas. The Classic: This is the standard magical mistletoe, that traps people in a lightly shimmering sphere until they exchange a kiss. Any kind of kiss will do, just pucker up! The Papilion: This is similar to the classic, but its berries come in brilliant shades of orange and pink. It will only release its catch after a butterfly kiss. Clinging Merriment: This mistletoe is all wrapped up in itself, and climbs whatever surface it's on in twisting spirals. All it wants from its catch is a hug, but make it a good one! The Lively Stepper: This mistletoe seems to shiver in some unfelt breeze, and if you listen closely enough, there's a gentle chime of bells that fades when you lean away from it again. People stuck under this plant will have to dance together, to whatever music they can find or make. Whispering Mary: This mistletoe comes with deep purple leaves and seems to hide within itself. Only after a secret has been shared from each person trapped under it will it flower open and release them. Evening Gown: This mistletoe is a gaudy display, with brilliant green leaves and splendid white blossoms instead of berries. It will only release its catch after they compliment each other -- and the Evening Gown always knows when it hears a genuine compliment, and accepts no substitutions! Catflowers: Dagny didn't put this kind out, and has named them after the suspected perpetrators. She's been trying to take them down when she finds them, but there might be a few she's missed. This thorny sprig of mistletoe will only release its catch after they've punched each other. Sorry about that. THE WINTER BALL Exciting news, passed from recruit to recruit and team to team: the castle will host a ball soon! It's set to be on the second night of team Audentes's arrival in Oska, and it's going to be a truly extravagant affair. Nothing to wear? No fear! The wardrobes in each recruit's room will open upon an enormous display of fancy clothing in a multitude of styles. Once you've settled on one (and somehow, the wardrobe knows the difference between trying on and settling on), the rest of the outfits vanish the next time it's closed. The festivities start as soon as the sun begins to sink. Music filters through the air, growing louder to guide partygoers through the castle and into the dance hall, which was definitely not a room in existence until today. The music flows from no discernable source, sometimes swirling orchestral pieces, sometimes something with a heavier beat, for a different kind of dancing. The selection is as varied as the ALASTAIR teams tend to be. Listen long enough, and you might even hear something from your own home universe. A large glass flower shimmers in the center of the room, under which various recruits have taken to leaving presents for one another. Be sure to stop by and check the brightly wrapped parcels for your name! Team Audentes in particular gets a special gift. The north side of the room is decorated in an unmistakable Christmas theme, complete with an enormous, glittering tree. The care put into these decorations definitely has a personal touch, it might even outshine the rest of the hall's decor. Each member of the team has a lovingly wrapped box complete with a bow under this tree, and upon opening it will find a small, intricately detailed, never-melting ice sculpture of themselves -- very possibly in a ridiculous pose. Those who were acquainted with former teammate Nicholas St. North will find that their sculpture features two figures: themselves, and North himself. And of course, what party would be complete without the food? The kitchen has really outdone itself with its spread of delicious foods, suited to all appetites and palates. From gently steaming roasted bird to strangely colored foreign piles of tiny quivering spheres, there's something for everyone. Including the alcoholics among us: the punch is delicately spiked with that incredibly strong drink of Nalawi, which leaves a pleasantly fruity aftertaste and an immediate alcoholic burn. (Any children partaking will find that their cups have somehow filtered out any alcohol and are strangely juice-only.) ICE MAZE Outside the castle, the courtyard has been transformed. Giant shimmering ice walls have sprung up seemingly overnight, forming endless, winding pathways: an ice maze. Stepping into this beautiful, gleaming maze immediately cuts off all sound from the castle life around, so loud just a moment ago. Inside the maze is only the crunch of light snow underfoot, the sound of one's own breathing, and the echoes that bounce faintly here and there. Throughout the maze one might find bits of warm, inviting clothing. A pair of bright red mittens, a puffy coat that fits perfectly to the wearer, a scarf woven in brightly colored, warm wool. If a maze-goer chooses to ignore and walk past this clothing, they might find that something begins to follow them. It starts as just an unsettling feeling, but put off accepting the clothing for long enough and it may turn into lurking shadows in the corner of an eye, a black shape that's there in one second and vanished in the next. A faint yowl may float down a corridor, vaguely feline if only it weren't so deep. Whatever that came from must have been large. Accepting and wearing just one of the offered clothing chases away this unwanted visitor immediately, and in just five minutes more the ice maze will finally bring you out the other side. Don't take any of its gifts, though, and the maze may just lead you to meet the Yuletide Cat instead. (Which just so happens to be Cherenkov and Crowley sharing a giant cat costume. Don't laugh, they worked hard on it.) THE VILLAGE Far outside the castle, the village has been brought back to warm, glowing life. Or at least, that seems to be the case. Team Hearthstone was recently on a mission to recover an item called the Time Catch, and has used it to temporarily, visually turn time back to a time when the village of Oska was populated and lively. Humanoid villagers, all in various shades of purple and blue, hurry to and fro, talking and laughing in a language that goes untranslated by the magitek jewelry. They don't react to any of the recruits, though, and trying to touch any of them will have your hands passing straight through them. Even the restored village around them is just an illusion. One can walk straight into one of the villager's houses and find the warmth of the fire and aroma of the roasted fowl to be completely believable -- but trying to take a seat at the set table will send you crashing straight to the ground to sit in the illusion-covered rubble. THE SQUIDGE PARK After the festivities wind down, you may want to visit the newest addition to the Oska grounds -- the brand new squidge park. After Audentes's success in its mission on Zeta-12, ALASTAIR has been gifted with a clutch of squidge eggs to look after. Audentes need not worry about the squidges in their absence; there will always be someone in Oska to make sure the jelly-like aliens are being nurtured properly. The squidge park is located off the greenhouses in the courtyard; it's an enclosure containing many artificial habitats so the squidges may interact with different environments to help them grow. Right now, they are just eggs, but with enough love and care, they may "hatch" (read: their amorphous blob selves will grow limbs and enter the larval stage) before Audentes even ships out again. OOC NOTES Blind date assignments for those working to complete the Lonely Hearts Club bounty can be found here. ICly, the match-ups are publicly posted in the ballroom for all to see. The other ALASTAIR teams present consist of everything from humanoids to strange creatures; feel free to handwave them in your threads! The only stipulation is that transferred characters (ex. those who have dropped) are not present. The party lasts for one night, and the following day the rest of the teams will pack up and leave Oska to Audentes. The ghostly village-that-isn't will revert back to ruins at this point, as well. However, all other winter amenities will remain for the holidays! Following the party, characters can expect to be in Oska for several more weeks, with the next mission starting in late January. A more detailed calendar for next month will be up soon! Questions about this log, Oska, or the game in general should be directed to the FAQ. You may submit mission ideas or player plots at any time.

Comments

( Sigma )

[heelies]

[By the time he finds Sigma among the throngs of party goers, the son of Peleus has filled himself nearly to the brim with the potent punch boasted by ALASTAIR's mixing bowls. He is a man who can handle his wine, yet the beer brewed by the cloven-footed Nalawi is not watered down by the careful measures the Achaeans observe, and thus lays low a man's inhibitions all the more swiftly. This manifests itself in Achilles' merry mood, his cheeks flushed and his grin wide, as well as in the trip and tumble of his words. Yet somehow, he still manages to be as eloquent as ever.]

There you are, son of Klim! [Hopefully, Sigma has not just taken a bite out of whatever food burdens his plate, because he now receives quite a sturdy clap upon his shoulder.] Sate yourself upon this splendid bounty, but when you have finished, I have a gift to bestow upon you, with which I shall mark our friendship.

[12inches]

[ By the time he's found by Achilles, Sigma is—in pithier terms—equally smashed. Which comes in handy when the clap comes down on his shoulder and has him biting his tongue in place of his food. And that smarts accordingly, but he's able to swallow and nothing tastes like blood, so he can't be too bothered. Especially when it's the enthusiastic Greek's voice that booms up beside him. ]

What, no shit! [ He swivels to look back at the other man, beaming like a fool, though his brow is quick to furrow at the implication. He's been so caught up in Other Things since arriving back, the thought of presents had completely jumped ship on him. Terrible! ] Jeez, you're gonna make me look ungrateful.

[ Whatever, he'll get the guy back for this sooner or later, that he can swear. For now though, he glances back down at his plate. There's pretty much just one big savory sort of puff pastry left on it. ]

Dude, no— [ He picks it up. ] This stuff'll be here all night, I'm good. [ And almost before he finishes his sentence, he shoves the entire thing shamelessly in his mouth and pushes his plate away. It's equal parts vile and impressive, how he's got it pretty much all the way down by the time he's standing up to better face Achilles with the proper excitement a gift deserves. ] What is it?

[heelies]

[If he is bothered by Sigma's poor table manners, then he shows it not. Nor does he find offense in the utter lack of deference to which he is treated despite having taken up the mantle of teacher on his behalf: they are friends first, after all, and he has long begun to grow accustomed to the idiosyncrasies of the other man. So too, the glut of alcohol that sloshes within his gut and courses through his veins imbues him with the magnanimity to easily overlook such minor missteps. As such, his bright grin does not diminish by a single degree as Sigma stands to join him.]

You shall soon see, once you follow me. Worry not that you haven't any gift to give in return, for only the gods who watch from steep Olympus may demand gifts - I shall wait for the day when you have opportunity to demonstrate your generosity, Sigma.

[So speaking, he turns at once to shepherd Sigma across the room to where stands the great glass flower in opalescent bloom, beneath which resplendent petals waits an array of presents piled there by various members of the crew. Once there, it may be obvious which gift must have been placed there by Achilles: against the colorfully wrapped parcels leans a sheathed sword, the scabbard of which is decorated with elaborate designs cut and branded into its leather. This the son of Peleus lifts and then offers laid flat across his open palms.]

For you, my student - a sword of your own to brandish in battle, such that might fill your heart with pride and fighting strength both.

[12inches]

[ To be fair, over the past month, Sigma's gotten the whole deference thing down pat, but most of it has gone flying out the window with this much alcohol. It's either this overt friendliness, or an extravagant exaggeration of Achilles' mannerisms—all "master"s, bows, thees and thous—that would probably turn into a mockery he didn't intend in the slightest. So tonight, puppy is a far better look on him than pupil, and he follows the older man toward the acting christmas tree with proverbial tail wagging and smirking almost mischievously. ]

It'll be when you least expect it. [ Read: once he... figures out what the guy would even want. ]

[ As soon as they reach the base of it, it's the most spartan (ha ha) gift in the pile that sticks out, but Sigma gives the guy the benefit of the doubt, because there's no way he would—there is absolutely every way he would, who's he kidding. His eyes still widen as Achilles hefts the sword into his hands and passes it to him, which he takes with the reverence the other man had likely missed from him before. ]

Oh my god, [ he mumbles, turning the scabbard over in his hands and marveling at the detail, before popping the hilt out a little. That's live steel alright, and it looks razor sharp (thankfully he's not quite drunk enough to check), not that he'd expect anything less than the real deal from Achilles. The man mentioned pride, and Sigma's already feeling an overwhelming swell of it in his chest just by holding the thing. This is probably the kind of gift little ten-year-olds got for their birthday back in Achilles' culture, it's probably the only sort of thing a guy like him could think to get him for the Obligatory Gift-Giving Season. But to Sigma, this is the kind of shit you get when your master thinks you're damn good and ready for it. And he likes to think he caught on pretty well, so drunk Sigma will take that. ]

[ Grin widening still, he lets off a little hiccup of laughter, a little release of the pressure of emotion building up inside him. ] This is awesome!

[ It's a good thing Achilles is expecting friendship first, studentship second, because so much for reverence. Dropping the sword to one hand, Sigma's flinging the other around his teacher's shoulders in a great big one-armed bear hug. ] Thank you so much!

[heelies]

[He watches the awe unfold across Sigma's countenance, and his heart swells with warmth. Sigma had improved greatly, this was true: the breakthrough had come when Achilles lent him his sword that he may test its weight, and he taught thrusts and parries such that belong to the blade rather than the spear. The spear is an unwieldy weapon to learn, its weight and length cumbersome in the wrong hands, and this Achilles had forgotten, so naturally these skills had come to him when as a boy he first grasped the spear's sturdy haft. The sword is a much better fit in Sigma's hands, and his lessons had since borne a far greater yield of fruits.

Among the war-loving Argives, the sword is regarded as secondary to the spear: a man unsheathes his sword when he has thrown his spear and requires another weapon with which to defend his life. Yet there is no reason, Achilles thinks, that Sigma should not fight in the way that is best to him.

He accepts Sigma's embrace with a hearty laugh knocked from his lips. His strong arms envelop the younger man in a hug that is perhaps closer than he would like, his hands clapping against Sigma's shoulder blades. Do you feel that manly beard tickling at your cheek, son of Klim? Do you?]

When appeared this magnificent blade in my chamber among so many fine gifts from the sons of ALASTAIR, it seemed to me a sign that I ought to focus your studies on the art of the sword, for this is now the weapon with which you shall defend yourself and win honor in the bloody jaws of battle. You have learned much, but still I have more to teach, that upon my tutoring you may sharpen your skills as a blade is made keen upon a whetting stone. I pray only that Chiron, he who taught me the arts of battle in my youth, would look upon me now in pride as I pass these skills onto another man.

[12inches]

[ Really, the true gratefulness here is that Achilles didn't give up on him after his mediocre performance with the spear. The other man had a knack for it, and a lifetime of training to boot, but Sigma just didn't have the mind for the thing in close combat. Plus you never see a spear in action movies, and he's seen a thousand sword fights. He'd like to think that it helped. ]

[ And he's in such a glowing mood, he can't even be flustered when Achilles sees his hug and raises it twofold, rubbing his beard all up in his face and talking away like he always does. About honor and glory in battle, of course, though while that had never been the reason Sigma had pursued Achilles' teachings, he's beginning to realize pretty rapidly on the spot that there's a definite honor of sorts to be gained from what he's achieved. That he's actually working toward becoming competent in the grand scheme of combatants brought together here. Toward not feeling totally average and helpless when the extraordinary arises, such as their last great altercation at Perdition's Rest, one he'd survived intact, and not by running away as he's always forced to. ]

[ Sword still in hand, he does his best to bring his other arm around the man and close the circuit on their hug, another sudden heave of emotion hitting him in the gut as he puts his weight into it. He's not gonna cry in front of the manliest man in ALASTAIR, alcohol be damned, but there's a thickness to his voice when he finally speaks again. ]

Achilles, not gonna lie, you guys? Compared to all you... you warriors and magicians and secret agents and shit, ever since I got here I've felt kinda useless. I didn't even know where to start trying to fix that, but now... I think I'm kinda getting the hang of it, you know? I feel like I can make a difference if I keep this up...

[ And as if an invisible no homo timer's reached zero, spurred on by this sudden knee-jerk outpouring of his heart, Sigma's pulling out of the other man's hug, but at least it seems to be just to look him head-on. ]

So I mean, I'm still here to learn as long as you're still here to teach, dude. I'll make that guy proud of you.

[heelies]

[While Achilles had tried to impart upon Sigma the brutal yet graceful arts of war, he had learned patience from his pupil. Never had he needed to think so hard about that which to him came as naturally as breathing, the weapon but an extension of his limbs. Yet when Sigma struggled to meet his demanding expectations, like a man who must learn to swim as the water rapidly rises around him and the stream bed slips from beneath his feet, Achilles had been challenged to approach that which he knew so well from new angles, that his student might better understand. In the end, for all the times his frustration had flared during lessons, it has been a rewarding experience to see the younger man grow as a warrior under his tutelage. His pride is that which swells a farmer's breast upon seeing the wheat raise its head from the soil in which, months ago, he had laid the hard little seeds.

He withdraws from the embrace, but he leaves his hand there upon Sigma's arm for a moment longer.]

Your words are worthy, stalwart Son of Klim. It is not meet that a man with so fierce a spirit inside his breast should feel like a great useless lump upon the earth while unfold battles he yearns to fight. These hands are capable, and now within your grasp are the skills as well as the tools necessary to carry your pride as a man. Not only shall you make Chiron proud of me, but also you shall make me proud of you, my student.

[So speaking, he squeezes Sigma's arm and then withdraws his hand. His grin continues to shine with sincerity upon his features, yet his words turn to more frivolous matters.]

Come now, how have you thus far enjoyed these festivities? It seems to me that you want not for wine!

[Nor does it seem that Achilles has any such lack...]