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

1.

[selfimage]

Something akin to anachronism, I'm sure. Though I'm counting the minutes until they break out Dazzler. Fond memories, you could say. [ says a smooth, easy voice from behind her, almost poetic in delivery. unaffected by the chill, Loki's all crisp corners and dark colors, black on black as he comes up behind her, shuffling along like this was something he was born to.

he wasn't, actually, but he was raised in it. he can almost feel the icy glare of his mother on his back when he acts all too casual, however there was enough defiance welling within him to brush it off (he'd stick out his tongue for good measure). ]

Are you new? [ adjusting the sleeve of his jacket, he raises a dark brow at her. like this, he almost looks mortal. ]

[brooches]

I'm not too familiar... It sounds fascinating, whatever it is. [ There's a bit of sheepishness in her voice before she turns her head to look at the voice speaking to her. She screams newcomer by the way her eyes dart across the room like a child in a candy store, but as her attention refocuses on him, a meek smile follows. - But there's an informal shrug of her shoulders. ] Er - is it that easy to tell?

[selfimage]

Like an elf among trolls. [ so, yes. ] Though we do all have to make our grand entrance in one way or another.

[ there's a little swagger in his step as he closes the gap between them, offering her an arm as if he were offering her a box to stand on. ]

Loki of Asgard. You wouldn't mind an escort for a while, would you? A team should get to know one another.

[ a charming, good-for-nothing looking escort. ]

[brooches]

[ Cue her nose crinkling up and her throat making an unhappy tone. She wants to try and blend in, especially when there's a job to do - to get back to her time. Liz isn't entirely sure the customs here or what proper etiquette may be, but she is totally trying to fly under the radar. ]

I doubt anything is grander than being ripped from my universe and brought here, no starry-eyed look will overdo that.

[ But, he does offer his arm and it would be rude to decline the man. She's hesitant, hooking herself against him. Whether it was his intention, she does follow up with impeccable manners. ]

Elizabeth. [ She'll ask about Asgard later - she read about that in books before, after all... ] It's a pleasure - I wouldn't mind, no. I haven't a friend here and you're right...

[ A "team" sounds so stray to someone who lived their life alone, after all. ]

[selfimage]

[ the bit that Loki doesn't mention is that he's been here long enough to spot a new face. he may be a sorcerer and a god, but he's far from omniscient. making an impression on the new recruits was something that he prided himself in (good or bad, really, he was a creature of action and reaction). ]

Well met. [ comes the reply as he sweeps her off into the ballroom. ] Despite taking a trip through an inter-dimensional tear and emerging from the other end into the eclectic mix of reality's melting pot, you seem to be taking this whole timeline thing rather well.

[ there's a polite lean to drown out the rest of the noise. just because he put it upon himself to be rude most of the time didn't mean he couldn't play along. ]

[brooches]

[ An interesting strategy to get allies... or cannon fodder, is it not? Loki may be able to actively spot a starry-eyed girl brought here between worlds, but Elizabeth is a conundrum. She speaks so casually as if this was a truly normal occurrence for her. It wasn't, but there's something hidden among the dazzling blues that peer around the room.

Loki escorts her inside, per his word, but her feet stop when he mentions the timelines. ]

I have some experience in such things. [ She says hesitantly. Her powers were both curse and blessing, something that's denied her of freedom her entire life despite giving her the ability to go anywhere she wants to go. ] I'm aware of the many infinite possibilities that compile the universe - er.. multiverse. It's... it's a long story. A boring one, I'm sure.

[selfimage]

[ he's about to take another step when he stops as she does. ]

Perhaps I'm a tad presumptuous when I say I'm not certain how anything that has to do with the infinite possibilities that compile the multiverse can be boring. [ there's a pause, and then he adds: ] From experience, of course.

[ Loki's had his own share of flitting through the outer rim of the multiverse, searching for a friend that his friends at lost. it had been trying (horrible, if we're to be honest), but not without merit. ]

[brooches]

You'd be surprised, mister.

[ But, he does definitely catch her attention. His mention of experience implies he has some tie to a multiverse. Elizabeth had never met anyone like her - that can tear space like a piece of fabric and pass through. She was beginning to feel strange on the subject, knowing that while her powers once grew... they were not substantially weaker. ]

Have you - .. hm. Have you ever heard of the story of Rapunzel? The concept of it, I mean.

[ Girl in a tower due to her own attributes by a monster of a parent. It was cliche and sadly, one Elizabeth was succumbing to. She wants to keep it vague for now, not commenting on her own memories - so she associates it with a simple story. ]

[selfimage]

I'm familiar.

[ those uniquely intimate with the multiverse on some level other than "theory" were difficult to come by. there were some universes where it was proven, and those that occupied that universe knew it as fact. in others, they traveled through it, much like America Chavez, who lingers at the edges of his thoughts as he converses. ]

Please, continue.

[brooches]

Er - right then.

[ She feels a flash of her own life replay so vividly in her mind, dancing like a scene from a silent picture. Elizabeth isn't sure that her own well-being was at risk, but she does want to ensure that she isn't speaking so openly. ]

Why would anyone hide away a girl, mister? Sure, there are monsters that stalk more than just the shadows and fiends so vile, but... like Rapunzel, keeping a girl locked away benefits not only the captor, but the girl herself.

[ Once upon a time, she believed she was protected. With age came bitterness, resentment, and soon the realization that she was a prisoner. But, soon, Loki can see Elizabeth rock on her heels a bit more eagerly - looking among the crowd. ]

To protect the girl was some... ah... way to keep something safe. Power.

[ Elizabeth fears saying much more, but she's naive - very impressionable and willing to latch onto anything she can for friends or even allies. He seems [!] harmless. ]

When I arrived here, I thought I was the one who caused this - the rift that brought me between universes and outside of time. ...It - um - wouldn't be the first time...

[selfimage]

Loki, please. [ the way she said mister made him think of a fellow in a stuffy suit. ] We are team members now. [ he says it in the sort of way that implies let's not be strangers before he lets her continue.

his eyes watch her as much as he listens to her story. there are quirks here and there, nervous little rolls of her feet and glances off into the mingle of people in the ball room. when she finishes, he ushers her over to the punch to give her something to wash the words from her mouth. ]

You're saying you were hidden away by someone who meant to keep you safe from your own reality-bending abilities? Or, rather, that those reality-bending abilities proved ill for those that were in your vicinity? You don't really have enough hair to pull of Rapunzel.

[ he's curious as he fetches his own punch. ]

[brooches]

Loki. [ It's a curt, but good-intention response. She didn't mean to but when manners were involved, she's raised to follow them. He can see the mention of being team members wash over her face. It's somber, as if she never heard those words before. ] You're right.

[ And right he was. He nearly reads her bluff entirely even if her hand was obviously showing. Elizabeth notices a few people watching and in her nervousness, sweeps his arm towards her. She stays close, ushering him towards the punch as well. ]

More - More or less, yes. [ Her father, apparently. ] I wouldn't say it caused any illness or misfortune... ... It was for his own gain - my powers, I mean.

[ And he does see her cheeks puff out a bit at the Rapunzel comment. He takes things quite literally. ]

[selfimage]

[ he prides himself in being a little cheeky. ]

Someone thought it well to use you. [ it's said like he hears it all the time, like it was somehow a reflection of his own life in some way. in a way it was, his mother had used his future to suit that of Asgardia, chaining him to the inevitable role of villainy.

stories for another time. ] That's rather discouraging. You broke free from this metaphorical tower prison, I assume?

[brooches]

With someone's help, right.

[ Elizabeth turns away from him a bit, trying to hide the way her lips turned downward. She feigns it with reaching for an appetizer. She doesn't know what to really say - it's as if her whole story was some grand adventure on the pages of a book. But, it's surreal in the worst way possible. ]

Free is a subjective term. I was out of the cage, but a bird who has never known what freedom is... it was a bit terrifying. I don't know where I'd be if ALASTAIR hadn't pulled me through.

[selfimage]

[ when the gods of Asgard got their freedom from the horrors of Ragnarok, they found themselves at a loss. they were used to having an ending to the story, something of comfort to assure them through the dark days and long nights. they took axes to one another, became restless with uncertainty. they wanted back in the box of their story, instead of writing their own futures for themselves.

the transition between captivity and freedom was never an easy progression. ]

A free future is never an easy thing. Owning something of your own comes with some responsibility for it.