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Entry tags:
- !event,
- archer: ray gillette,
- archer: sterling archer,
- attack on titan: erwin smith,
- attack on titan: levi ackerman,
- bbc dracula: agatha van helsing,
- dc comics: bruce wayne,
- dceu: diana prince,
- fate/grand order: kiara sessyoin,
- fate/grand order: leonardo da vinci,
- ffxiv: takame kesi,
- good omens: aziraphale,
- good omens: crowley,
- great library: christopher wolfe,
- jjba: okuyasu nijimura,
- kipo: kipo oak,
- marvel comics: miguel o'hara,
- original character: daylight vis lornlit,
- original character: vasiliy y ardankin,
- persona 4: shinjiro aragaki,
- supernatural: dean winchester,
- tangled: cassandra,
- tangled: rapunzel,
- tasm: peter parker,
- the gifted: lorna dane,
- the last of us: ellie,
- the untamed: huaisang nie,
- undertale: papyrus,
- undertale: sans,
- world of warcraft: anduin wrynn,
- world of warcraft: wrathion
DECEMBER 2020 EVENT - PART 1
CHAPTER ONE, PART 1: A HOLLY JOLLY HOLIDAY
Do you hear what I hear?
DECEMBER 5th | A MYSTERIOUS VILLAGE | THE MAYOR HAS INVITED YOU...
DECEMBER 5th
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Don’t you hate to be the last to know? Out of the windows of your brand new homes, you spot families trotting along in their happy, nuclear units. Stores and restaurants have closed early—on main street, where jingle bells hang from every door, the only souls to be seen are heading toward the town hall, where wreaths hang around the stone lions’ necks. A stage, awash in string lighting, has been erected with three chairs sitting empty behind a podium. Policemen with their smiles and baby-blues stand guard before it; they too are not allowed beyond the velvet ropes. Twenty feet tall—near to reaching the tip-top of the clock tower—a mass is hidden by black tarps. This is the most guarded of all, ringed by no less than twelve junior policemen standing vigil around the clock. At sundown, you start to see what’s to come. As the crowd swells, bundled in their coats and scarves, the ladies with silk scarves drawn around their perfectly coiffed hairstyles, three figures take to the stage: |
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Chief of Police, Dale Harding, who must constantly slip away and bend his ear to listen to one of his boys, giving orders with long sighs, firm words, and grumbles as he takes his seat again. Occasionally one sees a flash of silver moving from his lapel up to his lips, but surely that must only be his policeman’s badge that he kisses, because he loves his town so very, very much! The Happy Homes Association—or at least, their junior representative. Her bright and shining pin of office sits hidden behind the tremendous fruit basket poised upon her lap, where green and scarlet cellophane cannot quite hide the fruitcake inside the way it does her name. How does she keep her teeth so white and her lipstick so clean and red? Subscribe to their newsletter and read Cathy’s Cosmetic Can-Dos! column to find out! |
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Mayor Phillip Clarke—well, Phil to his friends. He takes his place at the podium, his top hat inky black, leather gloves oiled and bright, and draws all the town’s breathless attention. He taps the microphone. Once—the crowd inhales—twice—their eyes shine as they look up—three times— “Gooooood evening, Santa Rosita!” The crowd goes wild as Clarke bellows. Eventually, he raises both arms and gestures for them to quiet down. “I want to thank each and every one of you for coming out, especially on a school night!” Like the admonishing parent, he wags a knowing finger at several teens in the crowd. “Believe you me, on a night like this, I know how tempting it is to stay home and curl up on the couch with a good book. And,” he adds with a wink to a woman in the front of the crowd, “maybe some of Margie's famous hot chocolate.” Laughter ripples through the crowd. Again, Clarke patiently waits until they’re finished before continuing, “But that's exactly what makes our little town so special. No matter the time, every day of the week there's always someone out there who will sacrifice something for the better of the community. Be it the energy to get this terrific tree set up—” he gestures to the tree, “—the patience to string twenty yards of lights up—which, I might add, have been generously donated by our pals at Honeybees—or even just time.” Clarke’s tone turns solemn, but his face remains fixed in a winning smile. “Santa Rosita isn't just a town. It's a family. Each and every one of you out here tonight is a valued member. Even all you new faces out there!” He points to several newcomers in the crowd in what might almost be an accusatory manner if not for the smile on his face. “Don't think I can't see you! Tonight, you have become part of that family. Santa Rosita is your home now. It's through our traditions that we endure, and it's my sincerest wish that you, all of you, will join together with us and help us keep them alive for years to come.” The crowd applauds, everyone turning to face the new families. As Harding takes a swig from a flask he pulls out of his pocket and the HHA representative continues to beam at the audience with her too-white smile, Clarke fully turns to the tree and pumps his fist in the air, riling the crowd back up. “And now, without further ado, let's RING. IN. THE HOLIDAYS!” |
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As his words come to a close, at last the tarp is pulled away—revealing twenty feet of pure, polished, brilliant... ...aluminium christmas tree. Quick as the busy bees they are, the Happy Homes Association is there to announce that you can buy both table-sized and home-use duplicates for your own homes! The cost is $8 for the little ones and $18.50 for the big trees—get your wallets ready! As the crowd stampedes toward their own tiny and/or six-foot silver replicas, the three figures on the stage are hurried away. The HHA representative presents their gift basket to the Mayor. He kisses her on both cheeks, rubbing his belly in anticipation of the deliciousness to come, and hurries on. Chief Harding takes the rear, casting back a sour look, and before you have a chance to see if the three could answer any questions, the stage is empty again. ...well, get in line! You want those trees too, don’t you? |
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A MYSTERIOUS VILLAGE
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The days are getting colder and the entire town seems to be getting into the holiday spirit, between the tree lighting ceremony and the decorations your neighbors are putting up. But something seems to want you to get into the Christmas spirit as well—you haven’t done anything out of the ordinary, but when you open the door, you’re met by a burst of frigid air carrying the scents of gingerbread and peppermint on it. Stepping through the door, you are not in Santa Rosita any more. Well, technically, you are; you’re just down by Rose Garden Park, before the Old Growth starts. But it’s not where you thought you were going, and it doesn’t resemble the normal streets of suburbia now. You’ve stepped into a charming Christmas village, packed with all sorts of fun winter activities and sights to see! The ground is covered in pure white snow that never seems to melt into slush, and the sounds of high, sweet jingle bells fill the air as a team of reindeer haul a sleigh past. Maybe that’s Santa’s sleigh they’re pulling? |
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As you walk into the village, a red pole demands your attention, placed in such a way that no one can miss it. A letter is attached to it: The people were smiling; there was nary a frown! They entered my village, all brimming with cheer And knew that quite soon, old St. Nick would be here There's skating and snowmen and light shows galore There's even a place to make wreaths for your door! But somewhere inside there's a mailbox to find And Santa may bring you what's most on your mind… As the letter suggests, the village is full of hustle and bustle. Santa’s elves—Robbies decked out in red and green costumes with matching tights and jingle bell boots—are everywhere, making sure that there’s always plenty of holiday treats available for visitors to eat and drink. The nearby pond is iced over and the elf manning the ice skate exchange station seems to be able to guess your perfect size with a glance, while reindeer racing courses have been set up encircling the village. All of the buildings and many of the trees have been lined with lights, warm and bright, and there are stations set up where visitors can make garlands or wreaths to take back with them to the real world. The real world? Yes, of course—that boring place with work and school and vacuuming! Though the door you initially walked through may have turned into a station for making gingerbread houses, you can hoof it back to your home in Shadyside at any time. The public library is just that way, past the baseball diamond! Any time you open a door, however, you run a risk of finding that it leads back to the village, where the elves are waiting to ensure you enjoy your visit. You can try to close the door and open it again, but who knows if your luck has changed? The organizers of the village seem to be most insistent that you come and enjoy yourself—flyers are all around town, stuffed in your mailbox, and pinned on bulletin boards. Though some signs on lampposts seem as though they’ve been torn down in a huff, you still can spot them on Main Street: “Visit Santa Rosita’s Very Own Christmas Village!” And visit it you will. |
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While the elves are happy to welcome visitors to their village, they also have to work. Christmas toys don’t build themselves, you know! The elves will point out Santa’s Workshop to you, where you can buy freshly made candy canes, charming ornaments for your new aluminum Christmas trees (you did buy one from the Happy Homes Association, didn’t you?), and other sundries and stocking stuffers. There’s even a German-style bar in the back serving hot chocolate and mulled wine—non-alcoholic, of course; this is a family event. Just outside of the workshop’s entrance is a mailbox, its post swirled red and white and wrapped in garlands. A small desk sits next to the mailbox with a stack of stationery, envelopes pre-addressed to Santa Claus at the North Pole, and pens on top. At the top of the stationery, beside cutesy illustrations of hippos and children missing their front teeth, are the words, “What I want most for Christmas is…” Why not write Santa a letter? What have you got to lose? |
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THE MAYOR HAS INVITED YOU...
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...to the annual Christmas gala, beginning at 4:00 pm sharp at Santa Rosita’s stately town hall!
The invitation appears in your mailbox with just enough time for you to gather all your family and go shopping, because you certainly want to look your best. You simply must. The who’s who of the town will be there, all wearing their finest velvet dresses and shined black shoes. Be warned that the dress code will be strictly enforced by the Happy Home Association—only red and green allowed, or else it simply isn’t festive. Men in bright red or green suits - women sporting taffeta skirts in complementing shades - pinned corsages and matching handbags - no detail left untouched! You wouldn’t want to be caught standing out from the crowd, would you? In the Mayor’s presence? That might be a bad idea. |
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But the holidays do get the better of us sometimes, don’t they? The HHA understands, and if on the day of the party you have found yourself without a red or green garment, they have some loaners to wear. If you’ll simply follow Mrs. Jones down to the coat room, she can show you some options.
Tables are laid out with food and drink aplenty. Even the sandwich loaf has made its effort to match the decor, as red poinsettias and holly berries dot the windows (careful children—they’re poisonous) and rich green pines occupy every corner. Move outside of the room and you’ll find nothing more than locked and darkened offices, with the occasional policemen and night guards shaking their fingers at you to go back and enjoy the party. This is a night to be merry and drink some mocktails, not to go through the filing! Up by the fine wood paneling and brilliant metal tree stands the mayor himself. Looking dashing as Santa Claus, a cluster of parents flock nearby beaming as their child gets their photo taken with Mayor Clarke! That’s certainly going in the Christmas newsletter! Each of them has a little present—perfectly wrapped, just see Grandma’s Gift Wrapping Guide in this month’s HHA newsletter—to give to the Mayor for all his hard work this year. You didn’t think that stack of presents by Santa’s chair was for him to pass out, did you? |
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Between music sets (graciously played by the Frederick Loren High School marching band), the Mayor stands—the hall falls silent, all the little cups and plates still in jolly hands. He has a speech to give you all, you fine citizens, faces old and new: “Ho-ho-hi there, Santa Rosita! And how are we enjoying ourselves tonight? I see some of our new families were able to make it out tonight—is that Richard O’Reilly and the missus?” Using a hand to shade his eyes, Clarke squints into the throng of townspeople. “And Jim Astin with Lucy and little Susie! Wow. Isn’t that something?” In the back of the room, Chief Harding pours himself a glass of punch, takes a sip, then reaches into his suit jacket for his flask. |
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“Now, in my house,” Clarke continues, “we have a rule not to open any presents until Christmas Day, but with all the ones I've gotten tonight, it's just too darn tempting.” Reaching down, he takes a box from the pile of gifts at his feet. “I think this one's a tackle box, and I'm pretty sure this—” he reaches down for another smaller box, “—is that electric razor I’ve had my eye on.” He shakes the box, chuckling, as the rest of the crowd joins him. “But let's get serious for a moment.” Clarke’s expression turns thoughtful. “Although getting a truckload of Christmas presents is swell, do you want to know what the greatest gift you've given me is?” He pauses performatively, waiting for an answer from the crowd that never comes. “The greatest gift you've all given me... is letting me serve you.” In the back, Harding ditches the punch cup and just drinks straight from the flask. “I'm honored to be here with you all tonight,” Clarke continues proudly, “just I am honored to be able to wake up every morning, look in the mirror and tell myself that I... am your mayor. Which is why I want to give something back to you. How many of you have already visited Santa's little village?” There’s a round of cheering in the front of the audience from the many children in attendance with their parents. Clarke opens his arms wide. “My idea! I decided that if I can't bring Santa Rosita to the North Pole, I'm going to bring the North Pole to Santa Rosita. Enjoy yourselves! Saint Nick's got a lot of work to do before Christmas. So be good, don’t pout, and for goodness sake—have fun!” The clapping threatens to take down the garlands hung from chandeliers. ”A fine orator!” “Reminds me of the war, when we heard Churchill over the radio. Why, Clarke gives him a run for his money, ha ha ha!” A delightful HHA elf comes to replenish the pickle tree on the appetizer table, and the covers of Bing Crosby carry you away into the night. Remember to stay until 9:00 pm, when the Santa Rosita Children’s Choir will start caroling! |
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OOC INFO
Welcome to the first part of the event! You can use this entry to top-level for the event, but feel free to use the log and network communities as well.
A few things to keep in mind: Firstly, there is no return portal back into town once your character is teleported into the Christmas village. They will have to walk back on foot or get lucky and catch a ride from a helpful citizen.
Secondly, please be mindful of how your character interacts with the setting. While characters are welcome to explore the town and ask questions, Santa Rosita is still a happy little suburb in the 1960s, where appearances matter and acting too out of line from commonly accepted societal norms can come with their own unique consequences. We do not intend to punish players for their curiosity, but be aware that the townsfolk may not be so understanding of wanton disrespect for their ways!
And thirdly, the NPCs will not be available for interactions. At the party, Harding will leave early and Clarke will leave to handle other business. Santa does have a schedule to keep, after all.
Any questions can go in our FAQ thread below. Try to check and see if your question has already been answered on the plotting thread first here.
Remember--Part 2 of this event is coming December 15th!
A few things to keep in mind: Firstly, there is no return portal back into town once your character is teleported into the Christmas village. They will have to walk back on foot or get lucky and catch a ride from a helpful citizen.
Secondly, please be mindful of how your character interacts with the setting. While characters are welcome to explore the town and ask questions, Santa Rosita is still a happy little suburb in the 1960s, where appearances matter and acting too out of line from commonly accepted societal norms can come with their own unique consequences. We do not intend to punish players for their curiosity, but be aware that the townsfolk may not be so understanding of wanton disrespect for their ways!
And thirdly, the NPCs will not be available for interactions. At the party, Harding will leave early and Clarke will leave to handle other business. Santa does have a schedule to keep, after all.
Any questions can go in our FAQ thread below. Try to check and see if your question has already been answered on the plotting thread first here.
Remember--Part 2 of this event is coming December 15th!
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accessorising is good and all but he would prefer if it wasn't near the too creepy folks of this town they're stuck in. ]
Errr... [ he leans closer to erwin and does his best to keep his voice down, his smile bright as he does his best to keep his eyes on the robbies. they're certainly keeping their eyes on them. ] Do you think they’ll ever smile like a normal person? Or stop smiling, at least?
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[Erwin glances at the Robbies watching them, and their vacant smiles. He's been getting used to the sensation of always being watched, but when someone calls his attention to it, it makes his skin crawl all over again.]
They seem harmless enough. Although I can't recommend trying their cooking.
[Erwin will be bold, and strides up to a Robbie.]
Excuse me, may I have a coat for my friend here?
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the person running the stand gives a bigger(?!) smile, nodding enthusiastically while they begin to sort through a collection of similar-looking coats. not a problem at all, buddy! it looks like he came pretty underdressed for the occasion, huh?
daylight smiles in return, a little thin at the edges but he does his best to be polite and friendly. the guy is running the stand and is trying to make small talk. there's no way this can get weird. ] Yeah... Got a little too excited when I learned about the village, I guess. Good thing my friend is helping me out, huh?
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[Erwin watches the whole proceeding with vague fascination; he wasn't aware someone could smile that wide and hard without hurting their face. But they're getting a coat, and that's the important thing.]
Do you have boots as well? And perhaps a hat or two?
[He glances over at Daylight and shrugs.]
I might as well wear one too, don't you think? Although I'll let you have the one with more bells on it.
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-however, he does try to play it cool. let erwin feel like he does have an option in this and not need to do it for daylight's sake. ] If you want to, sure! I think it'll be fun if we're matchies but, like, only if you want to rock a hat.
[ no pressure or anything.
and here we are! you fellas are pretty lucky! still got our most jinglest of our bells in stock. ]
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Ah, yes. Thank you.
[The hats are very jingly indeed, and Erwin chooses the green one. If he's going to do this, he can at least wear his favorite color.]
I'm so used to wearing a uniform back home that looking different from everyone around me feels odd. The hats will help us both blend in.
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[ that gets daylight's attention as he starts putting on the merry red hat, the bells jingling merrily all the way.
he grins, clearly piqued by the casual mention. after checking to make sure the folks weren't paying attention to them - they weren't, thank goodness, it looks like they got distracted by showing off a funky-looking knitted sweater - before he asks, ] What was your position?
I used to have decals to indicate I was the scout for my fireteam. It doesn't look like it but I'm a speedy guy.
in my head, I am referring to Daylight as Sunny
[Erwin's gaze sharpens as he turns his head to look at Daylight more closely, the bells on his hat jingling with the motion.]
I was the commander of the Survey Corps. We're a type of scout ourselves, exploring hostile territory and gathering reconnaissance.
[It's the simplest way to explain it, without getting into details.]
So you were military too, then?
fdfmdf fun fact daylight was almost just outright named sunlight sO
Well- I had military-esque training. It's how I learned the difference between terrain-oriented, force-oriented, and civil-oriented reconnaissance when I got assigned the scout position.
The Lornful Light was an independent, civilian starship after the Great War but a lot- [ a l o t ] -of the crew had military backgrounds. So when it came to structuring... It seemed reasonable for them to continue with what they know.
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[Erwin nods as Daylight describes the various types of reconnaissance, all things he's familiar with, but his eyes light up when Daylight mentions starships. Is this someone else from a world that's mastered space travel?]
You mentioned starships; are you from a world that travels between the stars?
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obnoxiousfestive jingling was drowning out his voice well enough to keep others from hearing his answer: ]Yeah. I've been travelling space since I was a teenager. Was part of a starship that travelled around that focused on the destination and the journey. Went to planets, seen the stars-
[ he stops himself, not wanting to say too much since they're still pretty close to the townsfolk, with one of them giving a funny look with their funny smile.
he smiles back but it's genuine, daylight's eyes twinkling as he remembers his adventures and misadventures. to erwin, on the side, ] Definitely recommend it, if you ever get the chance to travel. It's one of the best choices that I ever did in my life.
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I wish I could.
[His voice has gone bittersweet; finding someone else from a world that travels the stars is amazing, but it drives in how backwards Erwin's world is, and everything he'll never be able to do.]
My world is lagging behind technologically. And I've died there, so...
[Shrug, and a cheery jingle.]
Unless they start sending us to space here, I'm earthbound for now.
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he opens his mouth and says, instead of the expected i’m sorry, ] Holy shit. That fucking sucks.
[ now grateful for the fact his bathrobe has pockets, shallow as they are, he jams his hands in them to keep himself from gesturing in indignation for erwin’s sake. that sucked. that really, really… sucked. ]
... Well. [ he takes a deep breath and then grins a bright and sunny, confident grin at erwin. ] I guess that means I have to drag you to my world for a little bit. When— [ not if. gotta stay positive on that bit. ] —we get out of here, you’re so invited to the Howling Gale for long as you want. The accommodation are, um, pretty big for a human but the view is so worth it, trust me.
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It does. But I did what I had to do to complete the mission.
[If Daylight was a scout, then he likely understands the importance of the mission above all else.]
Thank you. I would enjoy that very much.
[An actual invitation to go to space? Erwin certainly isn't going to turn that down! Although something Daylight said does stand out to him...]
Pretty big for a human? Are you...?
[There's no polite way to ask that, and he trails off.]
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Before I came here, I was over ten feet tall. [ it’s how he quickly clocked to this place being super suspicious. last time he checked, daylight hadn’t done anything to make himself human.
well. fully human. ] And I was obviously half-mechanoid — Alien that looked robotic in appearance. So metallic-looking body, had a funky voice, and stuff like that.
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[Consider Erwin fascinated, and he's very glad Daylight didn't take offense to the question. Especially since it's going to lead to about ten thousand more.]
So in your own world, you were part machine? What powered you? Did you need to eat? Why such a large size?
[And oh yeah, they've got hats now but nothing else.]
There's another booth over there. They may have a coat and some boots for you.
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for a second, it looks like daylight is avoiding the questions but, surprisingly enough, he starts answering them after seemingly thinking about it: ] I was part-mechanoid, yeah. Galateions are from a quadrant of a galaxy that has way stronger gravity than that of Earth's, so it forced begins from there had to be bigger and heavier to compensate for it. That was what I was told at least.
[ here, he can't help but grin, out of mischief and relief to see the next booth has the rest of the clothes he needs. ] Believe or not, I'm considered tiny.
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[Which is a question Erwin never thought he'd be asking, but here they are.]
I'm almost afraid to ask what a normal or large size would be.
[Ah yes, excellent, this booth has all the goods. Erwin takes over, digging through the wares to find some quality socks first, before glancing down at Daylight's feet.]
Do you know your shoe size?
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thankfully, this booth is run by someone more normal. willing to let them browse but clearly hoping they pick something from their impressive selection. ]
I think the size is... an eight? US-wise? [ he thinks. he's glad he won't be, like, growing anytime soon. it's been annoying trying to figure out what human sizes are and what's his, specifically. ] Oh boy— Are those rus pants? Holiday-themed at that?
[ now they're talking!
he really hopes they have jingly elf shoes. because if he's going to commit to the look, he will commit to the look. he has a certain vision in his head while poking through the items. ]
sunny nooooo, none of your new clothes will still fit!
[Erwin is still getting used to clothes having sizes himself. Everything in his world was tailor-made, and buying things off the rack is a new experience.]
[In short order, Erwin finds a thick sweater that looks like it will fit Daylight, and some more festive, holiday-themed socks; he lets Daylight dig through the pants, since that's a more personal item.]
I've found a pair of size eight shoes, but they have bells on them.
1961 New Year's Resolution: Get a new elf outfit!!
by the end of this dressing, he's going to end up as the noisiest attraction in the village and honestly? good. he deserves to be a menace to this village if the village is going to be a menace right back to him. at least this is the only headache he may have from this place,
says the daylight before he's hunted down by murderous reindeer, twice. but that's the future. for now- ]
Hey- Just want to say thanks for the help, man. I really owe you one. I was kind of afraid I'd have to hike all the way back to Loomis drive in my bathrobe or something.
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Of course. I wasn't about to leave you to freeze in the snow.
[When Daylight says Loomis drive, Erwin's eyes widen, and he stops what he's doing, a garish sweater woven with reindeer and twinkling little mirrors held in his hands.]
You live on Loomis drive?
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and, well, the fact erwin's question implies he might live there too. huh! town is a lot smaller than daylight had originally thought. he's not going to complain because it helps keep track of the others plus allows him to pin another friendly face to another area he's starting to view as safe (as this town will allow). ] Yeah- I live on Loomis Drive. I live there over at 101 with my... 'wife', Agatha.
[ if not for the fact he's busy putting on the jingle bell shows- how will he be able to put on pants later? that's a problem for future daylight, perhaps. -daylight would have most certainly made air quotes as he said 'wife.' ]
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Oh, I've met Agatha. [Met her and liked her quite a bit, in fact. Erwin is a little surprised to hear that Daylight is her husband; he knows the assigned relationships here mean very little, but he'd have thought Daylight is closer to being her son than her husband.] I've, ah... also met Sans and Papyrus, who I believe are your neighbors?
[Erwin drops his voice.]
I apologize if the lights and decorations are getting out of control. I may have encouraged both of them.
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after he pulls himself together, he's wiping tears away from his twinkling eyes, his cheeks flushed from not only the cold (it's getting better, now that he's layering up more) but from amusement. ]
I was wondering why the place was looking pretty... [ what's the word? ] festive of the last few days. I was wondering why it still looked like daylight in the evening.
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we can wrap it up here! i love their cr so much, ahhh.