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

[tolight]

It is. [ Her steps lead her further inside the village, until they begin to blend in with the rest of the people. ]

The climate is much warmer in Ylisse; to see snow, we had to travel north. [ Though there's nothing "pretty" about the snow in Regna Ferox, with its impenetrable fortress and the harsh rules surrounding it. Lucina knows that it's not a bad country, and that the people there make up for its first impressions — but she can't help but be thankful of the place she's from.

She steps to the side to let a pair of running children pass ( though it wouldn't have mattered ). ] Aside from that... it doesn't look very different from home.

[moneyballer]

I'm used to snow back home! The weather can get pretty gnarly in the wintertime.

[He hails from the east coast, although to be fair, a rich boy whose family could afford to buy nice winter coats knows nothing of what it's like to truly be cold.

He may not strike some as the observant type, but when Asher really is paying attention, he takes care in remembering the little details. Her face lights up when she talks of that strange place, which he assumes is the name of her homeland. While she is pleased by the sight of the children playing, it bothers him that the moving figures are transparent. Joyous, but ghostly.]

Does this not weird you out, though?

[Asher waves a hand through a woman strolling by.]

Like, who the hell are these people?

[tolight]

Perhaps those that once lived here — at least, their memories. [ It should freak her out, when his hand runs right through the woman, as if they're the apparitions that the town cannot see. Yet it doesn't, and it's not hard to figure out why.

She takes the silence to look properly at the buildings; underneath the brightly lit windows and the comforting lights, she can see the shattered glass, the walls torn down. The next smile that graces her features doesn't have the same joy. Weirding her out — ]

It's not hard to imagine what lays underneath ... this, the liveliness and all. [ If there's a bitter edge to her voice, Lucina she doesn't notice until she realizes exactly what she just said.

A beat, as she straightens, then— ] I apologize, I did not mean to bring down the mood. [ ... Maybe they should go back, now. ]

[moneyballer]

[The blankness in her eyes throws him off, and he immediately closes in, worried for her safety.]

No, no-

[Asher shakes his head to one side and then the other, focusing on her expression. Whatever he's searching for, however, he can't find.]

Don't worry about it.

What happened?

[A beat, and then-]

Are you okay?

[tolight]

Oh—

Oh no, I'm alright, really. [ She's been okay since the timeline she sought to save was... saved. Technically. The danger has passed, after all, and all that's left is moving on ( but then why is she still bitter— ). ] Please, do not worry.

[ She finds a middle ground between the warmth and the bitterness; neutrality, as always, is a safe space to fall back on. At the same time, though, she knows Asher deserves a better answer than the one that she's given. Lucina hasn't even touched "What happened". ]

... If you have time to listen, I'd like to tell you about the world I am from.

[moneyballer]

Of course.

[He answers without little hesitation.

There are times in life where he should listen harder, but times like these? He's all ears.

Tell him your story, Lucina.]

[tolight]

[ Ok this is going be a long tag icki i'm sorry. ] My world ... specifically, the continent of Ylisse, are home to three countries — the Halidom of Ylisse, where I am from, Regna Ferox, and Plegia. There are two ... dragons [ Not gods, as Naga reminded her ] I suppose, that are worshiped by many in the continent. Naga, the Divine Dragon, and Grima, the Fell Dragon. [ Because you know, you can't make this more obvious. ]

... Naga's chosen bloodline acts as the royalty in Ylisse, and for the most part, they are born with her brand on their body. Mine is on my eye, if you've noticed before. [ For reference. ] Naga is the only being that can subdue Grima — aside from itself — and vice versa. By extension, any chosen member of her bloodline, with the help of a ritual named the "Awakening", can subdue Grima as well.

Anyway — a few years after my younger brother was born, father was slain by his best friend, who was born as the vessel of Grima. [ That's where the story begins, kind of. Lucina's voice is measured and even as she tells it now. ] The country was thrown into disarray due to the death of the Exalt, and the Grimleals — the followers of Grima — are able to resurrect Grima, who wants to end the world.

Ylisse does not have a large military force. [ Which is another history lesson on its own — ] We had the Shepherds, a small militia group anyone was free to join, led by my father before he was crowned as Exalt. But aside from that... we were not prepared for Grima's army, the Risen. Undead soldiers, with their numbers growing every time someone fell in battle.

I lost my mother during the war, when she tried to protect Inigo and I. The parents of my friends, the core members of the Shepherds, met the same fate. [ Finally she looks down at the ground, summing up what was almost a decade of her life, summed up — ] We took on our parents' legacy as a resistance force, and tried to gather all the artifacts for the Awakening — but two of the gem stones were lost in battle.

Fortunately, we were sent to the past with Naga's help, to prevent all of this from occuring in every timeline. It took some work, but we succeeded. [ At the cost of being unable to return to her timeline, dooming her world and everything she's known for good ( or so she thinks ). But that's not something she wants to admit so freely. ] That's when I arrived here, in ALASTAIR. After Grima's defeat.

[moneyballer]

[This high level of drama and intensity, this tragic backstory... It warrants a proper reaction.

And sO!!!! ASHER OPENS HIS MOUTH TO SAY SOMETHING-]

H-

[Only to be interrupted by the growling of his stomach.

Sorry, Lucina. Long talks make him hungry.]

[tolight]

[ I mean, it's a proper reaction... just not the one neither of them expected, apparently.

But just like that, the tense, depressing air clears. Maybe it's the surprise of something completely unexpected, or the ridiculous reaction Asher has to this —

Whatever it is, it has Lucina laughing. Small, quiet chuckles at first, before it erupts into full-blown laughter, her head thrown back and everything, as if she can't quite stop ( quite frankly, it probably makes her look a little crazy ).

She does calm down though, after a few moments, her breath coming in short pants as she smiles up at her friend — ] I suppose we should go get something to eat. [ Jokes!!! Or at least, her terrible attempt at one, because it's honestly just commentary. ]

[moneyballer]

[He's horribly embarrassed by that noise, so he blurts out an apology post haste-]

I'm sorry.

[This is the first time he's seen her really laugh, and while he wishes he could enjoy it, shame takes precedence currently.]

I'm just so hungry.

[Still, he's managed to make her feel a little better.

That's something, right?]

[tolight]

No, no it's — [ A stray chuckle here, though that's not really helping anymore. ] It's quite alright.

I apologize for taking so long. [ She had kept him out here telling the story, after all. And while he agreed to listen ... it's not exactly the nicest of stories.

The least she can do is eat with him. ] Let's return to the castle.

[moneyballer]

No, you're okay. It's okay! I swear to god.

[Asher is unbothered by this kind of storytelling, sad or not. She is his friend, which means he simply wants to learn more about her.]

Why don't we do that? We'll talk more when we get there.

[His tone of voice is casual, but sympathetic.]

[tolight]

If you'd like to — it'd be a pleasure. [ Before Asher dies of starvation too, probably.

And then they went up to the castle to have delicious food and talked some more & was generally adorable, the end. ]