epidemiology | EVENT ★ WINTER WONDERLAND

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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.

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[ What with having to do things like move and work and generally function in a state beyond immaterial spirit cloud, Lancer eventually goes looking for food. Not the greatest sustenance, but it'd do for now, and all it really meant was a quick detour into the kitchen where the festival food was being prepared.

What he doesn't seem to catch is that the window he's suddenly vaulting through (doors, who needs 'em—) has an innocuous bud of mistletoe sprouting along the sill. Secondly, he's not expecting someone to be on the other side.

Much less someone like Archer. Whether or not he accidentally kicks him in 'greeting,' Lancer lands with a brow inched up incredulously. ]

What're you doing here?

[ Lancer's heel catches him right in the face.

Normally, he could have and would have dodged, but preoccupied as he is with preparations, he missed it.

The accidental hit knocks him off kilter for a moment, but the scowl on his face is almost...uncharacteristically annoyed. Looks like someone got interrupted in the middle of making cookies. ]

What does it look like, you numbskull?

[ Achievement unlocked: Genuinely Irritated Archer. And over cookies, no less. Good job, Lancer. ]

There's a reason there's a door.

[ See, had it much of anyone else, he would look apologetic right now, help brush them off and get them back on their feet. Unfortunately, for Archer this is just karmic justice. And he should be able to dodge a kick or two!! Lancer is wholly unrepentant, he's done nothing wrong.

It's interesting to see what actually gets under Archer's skin, though. Lancer'd almost killed him before and it still felt like he was the more irritable of the two then. Weak spot discovered: cooking perfectionism...? ]

I thought this would make a more dramatic entrance.

[ His tone's dry, slightly distracted by all the warm sugar and vanilla in the air. ]

Are you...?

[ dare he say it, baking ]

[ Cooking perfectionism is Serious Business, okay. There is to be no messing around in the kitchen!!

Archer brushes himself off irritably and slides his endangered cookie dough out of harm's way. At least only one pan ended up on the floor. ]

You have eyes, don't you?

[ Of course, he is baking. You know his true name, why are you even surprised?! ]

Don't touch anything.

[ Wow, yes, tell him to keep his hands out of the cookie jar. That'll show him. They may all have their fun little treaties right now, but all's fair in matters of the heart and stomach.

The mistletoe seems generous enough to let him move forward at least (they did technically need to get close—), and so he's by Archer's side in a flash. And one of the cookie mounds now has a nice divot where Lancer's swiped at it.

He licks the dough off his finger, breaking into a grin against it. ]

Hey, this is pretty good—!

[ The compliment's genuine, as is the obnoxious glint in his eye. ]

[ Genuine compliments aren't worth very much when you're doing exactly what he told you not to, bruh.

Archer slaps the offending hand (with a fair amount of force, too), much like a parent would having caught their child's hand in the cookie jar. He doesn't look amused. ]

Do that again, and I'll cut your hand off.

[ No, really. He means it.

He's also about to shove the other away from his cookie dough when all of a sudden he notices a little green bow sprouting over both of them. He grimaces. ]

This is your fault, isn't it?

[ E-Rank Luck strikes again?? ]

[ Wow, don't be a pissant, if he were made of frailer stuff that might've bruised. As it stands, Lancer simply shakes his hand away and into a flippant gesture, dismissing the idea entirely. His expression sours, mouth cracking into a scowl. ]

You think I did this? [ he's not the only E-ranker today, asshole ] You're the last person I'd want to get stuck with.

[ That might not be hyperbole, sorry. It's hard to say what's worse: being trapped together, or what has to happen to escape. ] Besides, it's your kitchen, you probably set it up.

[ he wouldn't be surprised.... archer seems like a weird, lonely bastard ]

[ He knows you're not a baby. Stop whining, Lancer.

And yes, he does think you did this. Everything was perfectly fine until you arrived so of course he's going to blame it on you.

Archer frowns deeply for a moment (no, he's not offended by that slight because the feeling is honestly mutual) and glances once more at the mistletoe. He could set it on fire, but he doubts that would help so... ]

It's not my kitchen.

[ He's just been working in it for hours on end. Sharp grey eyes settle on Lancer's face. He may not have started this, but he sure as hell will finish it. ]

Try not to choke on it.

[ At which moment, Archer grabs Lancer by the chin and delivers a rough, decidedly not affectionate kiss, square on the mouth. He won't even give the man time to process it before he's dragging him by the ear towards the window he came in by.

He most certainly is going to throw him out. ]

[ And there it is. This is probably better than sitting around and sniping at each other for the entire rest of the day, but not by much. And to Lancer's credit, he doesn't flinch or startle; the proximity and act of kissing in and of itself is nothing to bluster over, and some people (that aren't him) might even get past Archer's personality enough to find this nice.

But god, it's like—getting punched in the mouth with another mouth. Unromantic and gruff and completely devoid of any kind of chemistry. Lancer's not sure what offends him more: the fact that he's wasting even a second of his life on a kiss this shitty, or that it's with the king of emotional constipation.

He's already scowling when they part, staring flatly at Archer as he digs his heels in and cants his head to avoid getting his ear ripped off, ow. ]

...I can see myself out, thanks. [ why get thrown out of a window when he can just jump, geesh ] Who'd wanna stick around after that anyway? You're a god-awful kisser.

[ Whatever, Lancer. Go cry about it to someone who cares.

Archer scoffs. ]

If you wanted one with effort, you should have said so.

[ He'll gripe all he wants, you're not the boss of him, Archer. He scoffs right back, adding to the ante with a quick eye-roll. ]

Trust me, I didn't. [ THERE'S NO WINNING HERE... Anyway, Lancer plucks a consolation prize off the table—a scone—and waves it at him with an unimpressed look. ] I'm not gonna say anything about this, actually—let's just keep it to ourselves.

[ Surely they can agree on that much. ]

[ There is definitely no winning. He could lay into Lancer over nabbing a scone, but at this point, he just wants the other Servant gone.

He frown deepens, but actually...he doesn't disagree. ]

Get out, and we'll never speak of this again.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

EVENT ★ WINTER WONDERLAND

cue the least romantic thread ever ; iii

disgruntled 12-year-old boy thread ahoy

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