epidemiology | EVENT ★ WINTER WONDERLAND

HOLIDAY PREPWORK

The sun might still be AWOL, but that doesn't mean it's time for a vacation! The goblin community seems even more motivated to get their holiday preparations together, working tirelessly to brighten up the grim atmosphere.

To that end, they've enlisted the help of the ALASTAIR recruits that've been bumming around. Characters that signed up will be invited or roped into the goblins' various holiday traditions and events. Though they may refuse or fail these tasks, for every one that isn't accomplished, characters will suffer one effect from the curses list for upsetting the holiday balance.

Note that those that didn't sign up can still help with tasks out of the goodness of their hearts, they just won't be assigned anything themselves or suffer any curses. Additionally, though PCs are magically bound to work with some partners, they may team up with others as well.

GREETINGS FROM LLOYD

ALASTAIR sends their holiday tidings! Some characters will find special deliveries addressed to them by name from the mysterious Lloyd of HR. The packaging might be messy and overtaped, and some of the gifts are less nice than others, but it's the thought that counts.

MISTLESNOW

The first snowfall of the year arrives, and though this may not bode well when there's no sun to melt it away, for now it's pristine and beautiful. Flurries and gentle snowstorms continue for days, blanketing all of Chantes and the outskirts.

With it comes a uniquely magical weed epidemic. Mistletoe grows off every surface it can, stems and shrubs of it creeping off of anything it can cling to, including trees, archways, lanterns and buildings. This parasitic plant is a notorious holiday tradition, but in Chantes it packs an extra punch: when two characters step under it together, they'll find themselves magically rooted in place. Mistletoe's spell can only be broken by a kiss, and while chaste exchanges usually work (kisses to the hand, butterfly or eskimo kisses, etc.), more stubborn weeds do exist.

This effect lasts until characters smooch or the weed dies from lack of sustenance, which could be anywhere between several hours to a full day. Mistletoe can be destroyed by a third party in a pinch, but be careful not to get stuck under the plant as well!

As an OOC note, feel free to be creative on the range and strength of the mistletoe, but please respect other players' boundaries! If you would like to break the mistletoe with a hearty handshake or have your character be immune, be our guest.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

All the hustle and bustle aside, the festivities themselves are peaceful and joyous -- and thanks to the ALASTAIR recruits, not punctuated with death or ominous Chimera motifs this time. A large bonfire continues all night with food and mulled wine aplenty. It's time to kick back, make some snow angels, and relax.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ it's not the first time he's seen snow, but it's still something he's not quite used to. Melan isn't bothered by the cold, even in the darkness and with windchill added, and considering that he has a hard time fitting in (sometimes literally) with society at large, he's spending a lot of time simply patrolling the skies above. He's not used to having free time. What's he supposed to be doing if he doesn't have a mission to accomplish...? (Marin would know, he's certain!)

He's on one of these aimless flights when he spots a familiar human on the ground below. Normal enough - except she looks like she's surrounded by an army of... something. Though he's alarmed at first, as he descends, he recognizes them as snowmen, and, fortunately, Melan simply lands nearby instead of decapitating one of her pieces of hard work. ]

Ran. [ that's his way of saying hello. unlike before, he's not wearing his mask this time - not that his face is much more expressive. ] They are not running from you.

[She's only slightly surprised by his sudden arrival before realizing only one person is really able to travel like this, and upon realizing it's Mel she brightens up considerably.]

Running from...? [She looks between him and her snowmen, briefly.] Why would they run, Mel?

I thought they were afraid of people.

[ as if that totally answers the question... he stares at the snowman nearest to him for a few seconds, looking as if he's waiting for something. When is it going to flee for the hills with its brethren? Maybe they're more confident in groups?! ]

They don't...I mean they aren't alive?

[Not yet anyway...

As if to demonstrate she puts her hand against one, then brushes the head off so it falls to the ground and splatters across the ground.]

It's just snow.

[ he jerks back when the snowman's head falls off and explodes just like that, looking startled. Then, hesitantly, he reaches his blade out, poking the remaining midsection of the unfortunate sculpture just barely with the tip of it.

Oh. It is just snow. ]

... I see. [ submaton color's snowmen are very different... ] Sorry. I confused it with something else.

...you've seen snowmen that move around before?

[Behind her, just now...did one of them just move? Or was it his robo-imagination?]

Before, I saw a colony of them living together, [ he replies. Then again, that was Submaton Color. Logic didn't really apply to the life forms there.

The slight movement behind her draws his attention before he can elaborate, though, and he jumps into a more wary pose again, staring at another snowman behind her. ]

-- There!

Huh?

[She turns around on the spot and raises her arms into a fighting stance, but...

...there's just snowpeople. Lifeless, regular snowpeople.]

...what is it, Mel?

[ NO... HE'S NOT CRAZY!! ]

It moved...!

[ and he's not getting out of his ready stance yet, either!! ]

[Er...

No, it'd be too cliche for her to not believe him, right? Besides which she doesn't doubt him anyway, even if that weren't the case. She gives the snowpeople a concerned stare for a moment, then half turns in his direction to wave with her hand reassuringly.]

Okay, okay, I believe you-

[Hm...]

Which one was it?

[ she believes him...?! Nice. He raises his arm cannon to point at the offending snow sculpture, which conveniently doubles as aiming. He doesn't fire. Yet. ]

There. [ his voice is even, but more wary. ] Is it a threat?

Hey, hey, quit your worrying.

[Yeah she just nonchalantly kicks it in its snowy torso, and the whole sculpture is just reduced to a pile of snow. Nothing seems to happen.]

There, see? Even if it was planning somethin', now it's plannin' it in hell.

[And then suddenly she gets jumped by the remaining snowmen all at once.]

A-A TRAP! IT WAS A TRAP! YOU SNEAKY BASTARDS...!!

Ran!

[ SEE HIS WORRYING WAS RIGHT!!! Melan grunts in surprise when she's dogpiled by snowy villains, and his rifle is cocked right away - but if he takes that shot, there's probably a good chance he'd hit her with it, too. And his chances with the sword would be even worse! He freezes up for a moment, not sure how to proceed.

Only for a moment, though. Soon enough, he closes the distance between them (rather clumsily in the snow) and opts to try and hit the snowmen away with his arm cannon rather than blast them away. He's strong, at least...? ]

Hold on...!

EVENT ★ WINTER WONDERLAND

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