EVENT 031

[sticksandbonesmods]

MA CHÈRE MADEMOISELLE!

BE OUR GUEST, BE OUR GUEST

It starts just before the crack of dawn. The night sky is still pitch dark, still as ice and just as cold and yet the four statues of the Goddesses within the Grove shine brilliantly; two from the courtyard, one in the Moon Shrine and one in the Sun Church. It’s such a bright light, beckoning even those caught in the deepest of slumbers to wake up and come forth. And as more people filter through to the light, there's two playful, downright giddy giggles in the air-

And the Grove finds itself in an orchard of fantastical fruit, a nebula-like sky shining overhead while Beiwe and Ourania stand before you all, grinning.

“We do apologize for how sudden it was…”

“But we decided you deserve a fun fieldtrip for once.”

They gesture around the orchard and uphill you can see what looks to be a mansion of marble and some celestial material you’ve never seen before. Pale silver, gold and blue animals - Stars - can be seen floating through the air, some tending to the orchard and the gardens in the distance while others play. Those who have been injured as of late will find themselves healing rapidly over the course of a few days, with the cost of deep, longer sleeps than usual come time for bed. An entire wing seems to have been built from nothing before your arrival, and it’s entirely dedicated to housing you with whatever you need, from luxury guest rooms to private bathrooms and a large onsen, and while you’re here, not a single want will go unaddressed.

The Goddesses guide the lot of you to the house, encouraging you to explore and play and rest - after all, with the library, the pools and springs, the gardens and the kilns, there’s a lot to do.

PUT OUR SERVICE TO THE TEST

If it’s relaxation and nature you want, Ourania is the one to ask. Her vast gardens hold multiple styles and she welcomes anyone to stroll through the flowers and ponds, or even join her or your own friends on a floating pagoda for tea through a crystalline lake of flowers and radiant pond fish. She has books to read, sights to simply take in, and even walks through a pitch black yet sparkling forest. Her teas bring on a soothing calm, and the snacks served with it are pillowy and light without being too sweet. It’s a refreshing time, every time!

But she’s not just healing; Ourania is also the Wilderness. Which is to say, while she won’t take kindly to you trampling through the flowers, she encourages play no matter the age as well. And if you wish to spice it up, she’ll even grant a minor blessing to heighten agility, the senses, reflexes, speed… and just enough aggression and adrenaline to make things exciting! If not a bit competitive.

She always watches from a seat with a canopy and refreshments for the players, and sometimes celestial animals may join in the fun. Sometimes they simply watch and yell out encouragements, other times the more dextrous of the Stars may give… background music? Regardless, they always return to their own domains laughing joyously.

Beiwe, meanwhile, offers numerous creative pursuits. The kitchens are open for cooking lessons — as she puts it, “some of you are hazards and need a hand”. Numerous, endless ingredients spill out over countertops and kitchen islands, with sharp knives and wooden cutting boards in abundance. Beiwe’s favourite cranberry-orange muffin recipe is pinned to a corkboard for people who had always wanted to learn it — or those who simply crave the taste of autumn in winter. The Goddess is a hands-on teacher, but that means she can only work with one person at a time; for those of you who already know how to cook, perhaps you could assist in the classes? And don’t worry, the kitchens are fireproofed via a wave of Beiwe’s supervising hands. When you’re finished with your lessons, you’ll find her sitting at the dinner table waiting for a sample, with her elbows impolitely on the wood and her chin in her hands.

Aside from cooking, there’s also art — she won’t let you forget that she’s also the Goddess of the Forge. Like back at her church, part of the home contains a large pottery studio with hot kilns and ample supplies. Here, too, Beiwe offers lessons to those who are learning to sculpt with the wheels or simply with their hands. For those who are less inclined toward pots, plates, and sculptures, the adjacent room has easels and paint for free use, though lessons won’t be given there. She’s not much of a canvas girlie.

Out in the courtyard with her twin golden lions sits a single throne, which Beiwe happily plants herself on so that she can watch you duke it out. Craving a fight? You can have any blade you dream of — axes, glaives, rapiers, broadswords, you name it and she’ll conjure it out of a radiant light for use in her outdoor arena. In this space, injuries will not stay for longer than an instant, and your powers will be realised to their fullest without harm to your bodies. Should you wish it, Beiwe herself will join in on the battle, but be warned: the full power of a Goddess is not something she’ll bear against you, no matter how much goading there is.

TIE YOUR NAPKIN 'ROUND YOUR NECK, CHÉRIE, AND WE PROVIDE THE REST

All great vacations must eventually come to an end, but worry not: Your final night involves an extravagant ball thrown in the Goddesses’ ballroom, an event that lasts from afternoon to midnight. Here, everyone is welcome and dressed to the nines — should you need an outfit, the Goddesses will spend the prior day outfitting you. You and your pets, if you would like them to have cute little outfits. The Goddesses themselves will be dressed to the nines too. Ourania waltzes with Beiwe in a silver princessy ball gown, and Beiwe is… wearing a suit with the sleeves ripped off. Sun’s out, guns out.

When they say “everyone” will be there, they do mean everyone. Lady Death dons a trailing mermaid gown in black, flecked with sparkles of green and a glass of wine in her right hand; the Seasons make their first appearance to many of you, dressed in clothing that gives off small cosmetic magical effects — Winter’s snows roll off their sleeves, Autumn’s crisp leaves fall from the ends of their coattails, Summer’s dress colours fluctuate with the sunset and sunrise, and Spring’s suit jacket blooms pink flowers. The Guardians are here as well, though Moder is simply covered in barding made of flowers and leaves, and Callan regularly tries to escape his clothing. Somehow, the Goddesses have managed to cram Aurora into a vest and bowtie, and Sehul is in the armour they used to wear before their prior death. Some Stars, translucent and in various shades of blues and pinks and whites and oranges, make their appearances as well. Some are more animal than man, some more man than animal, all grateful for your efforts to save them despite everything. And though the Lord of the Mountains and Cosmic Serpent couldn’t make it — one of them is trapped, and the other is napping — the Goddesses assure that the two have sent their well-wishes. For those looking for old friends who have since come to live here, they’re here too — all in good health and working hard, of course. …which, yes, does mean that a certain crane hasn’t slept in a week. Nothing ever changes.

All formalities aside, while Ourania loves her formal dances and classic ballroom music, it seems like Beiwe has gotten hold of Sesa’s phone and learnt what EDM is… so halfway through the party, the classic ballroom music will abruptly flip when Beiwe has the orchestra somehow, by some otherworldly miracle, playing fantasy Daft Punk. Did you expect her to not clear the floor for those who don’t want to waltz all night? Come on.

Those with musical talents themselves are encouraged, nay, voluntold to play music for everyone else to groove to. Up on the balcony is ample space for performances of all kinds, though the Goddesses will ask that those who opt to take the mic don’t be too raunchy with their performances. Love songs are beautiful, but let’s keep that love PG-13, okay?

Food and drink will flow in abundance, with the buffet table constantly restocking. Dietary needs have been taken into account, too, and appropriate labels are on every food. No “mystery meats” here! By the end of the night, you’re welcome to take home a little goodie baggie of extras to snack on before the Goddesses send everyone home the next morning, back to the Grove with bright smiles and many, many hugs.

…

Many days later, just as January begins, those of you who look up at the ever-shifting moons may notice that each of them has a gouge in their surfaces, black as pitch and moving, squirming… and that a new celestial object has entered its orbit in a sickly-coloured brown-red.

Spark Notes (Click to Expand)

summary

BE OUR GUEST, BE OUR GUEST: Welcome to your sleepover with the Goddesses! Room and board (and food and everything) is free. All they ask is that you enjoy your vacation.
PUT OUR SERVICE TO THE TEST: The Goddesses have provided numerous activities for you to do around their home, ranging from wildlife walks to full-out PvP. They'll both assist you with whatever you need, too.
TIE YOUR NAPKIN 'ROUND YOUR NECK, CHÉRIE, AND WE PROVIDE THE REST: The party begins! The ballroom is decorated to the nines and so are you. Free food and drink are provided, and so are outfits. The Goddesses encourage performers to get up on the balcony and entertain the partygoers, and the morning after, you'll be returned back to the Grove.

out of character

Welcome to December! This month will be check-in AC, but please remember to post your check-in whenever you're able because we will sweep you otherwise. For now we are also asking players to hold off on creating logs that take place in January, given the end of this event.

updates

Any potential updates, such as characters damaging something important or whatever else, will be put here.

submissions

❖ Questions
❖ December Plotting
❖ Past Life Plotting (Closed to Game Members)
❖ Investigations

code

Comments

[loansharpedo]

[Corbeau sighs...but it's not like he's going to stop just because Urbain is watching him with his orbs.]

Fine. I've already prepared the fish, so you can watch how I put the pieces together. I'm just making Nigiri for right now.

[He'll pick up some more rice, molding it into the usual shape before smearing some wasabi on, grabbing a piece of fish, and pressing it into the top.]

The rice is seasoned with a little bit of rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. The rice was cooked with some seaweed added to the rice cooker. As for the fish...I've been told this is something called "salmon", commonly eaten raw. I tried some before hand and decided it was about the closest approximation to Magikarp you'd find. Or, maybe closer to Arrokuda.

[justacityboy]

[He is Sat (standing) he is Listening.]

"Salmon", huh? [Pronounced Britishly, Galarianly even. saLmon.] Is it good?

[Urbain is... reaching below the counter to grab another rice cooker. Oh boy he's taking cooking lessons seriously, look at him go!]

[loansharpedo]

You're going to make your own?

[Urbain could just use the ingredients he has already prepared, but...he won't stop him, if that's what he wants to do.]

But yes, it's good. Very fresh and clean tasting. Not incredibly fishy, tender...if I had some tobiko I'd make a proper roll.

[justacityboy]

It's a cooking class, girl, yeah I'm gonna try.

[He's a hands-on learner! He has paid attention and now he must be Doing.]

I just have to wait on my rice, but I can prepare the fish while that cooks, right? It's fresh, right, not the frozen stuff? Did you fillet it yourself?

[loansharpedo]

Naturally. It's only going to be the right shape and thickness if you fillet it yourself.

[There's plenty more fish in the fridge for Urbain to grab and use, so once he brings a thawed fillet back to the counter, Corbeau will grab the knife he was using from nearby.]

Here, I'll show you.

[justacityboy]

Floor's all yours. Or should I say, the cutting board?

[And then he laughs at his own dumb little joke. Boy...

He's good at paying attention though, and luckily a pre-cut fillet doesn't need to be deboned — he knows how, it's just kind of a pain in the ass — so all that needs to be done is the choppies. He's realising that cuts of nigiri are thinner than he thinks they are, though.]

[loansharpedo]

[GROANS

Corbeau notices that Urbain's cuts are a little on the thick side, so he'll briefly stop on the last nigiri he just made so he can correct him.]

They need to be thinner than that. See, the knife should start just here-

[He demonstrates with his own knife, showing Urbain where the cut should start as well as the approximate thickness.]

[justacityboy]

Yeah, I was starting to think they were a little chonky.

[That's fucking thin, though! That's like paper but fish! Luckily for both of them, he's quick to pick things up, so one correction is really all it takes to get him focusing. Yes, he's slow, but it's because he's learning and he Cares and he's definitely not a professional.

Chop, chop. :)]

This better?

[loansharpedo]

Much better. Keep cutting at that size and they'll be closer to mine.

[Corbeau, for his part, has already made a decent-sized platter of sushi. Enough for two people to finish easily, for sure.]

And don't add too much of the green paste. It's spicy, but it enhances the flavor.

[justacityboy]

It's wasabi, right? I didn't even realise it went onto sushi like this, so I guess you barely use any.

[Corbeau says "it's spicy" and Urbain mentally goes "pfbfft, how spicy could it BE", and then picks up a bit between his fingertips and eats it raw.

It's spicy.]

So... like, one third of that. [At least he can handle spice because of his curry but hooogh wasabi burn is mildly unpleasant, and quite textured.]

[loansharpedo]

[Bro you just shoved it in your mouth before he even had a chance to say anything...]

Yes, just a little bit will do. You don't want the sushi to be spicy necessarily, unless you're going for that with the sauce. The wasabi enhances the flavor.

These Nigiri you've made aren't half bad, though. For your first time making them, that is.

[justacityboy]

[Look, Urbain learns by touching things and putting food in his mouth and going "oh holy shit, no."]

Yeah? Well, I do cook for Team MZ and all. I'm pretty good with knives!

[Saying this, in a fit of ironic divine intervention (Beiwe had nothing to do with this), he drops the knife in the sink...]

[loansharpedo]

Mmmhm...

[Oh Urbain, you silly boy.

Their sushi completed, Corbeau grabs a few paper towels to dry off his hands, then takes off the apron he'd been wearing and hangs it back up.]

Well, we've made enough sushi for two. We might as well eat it while it's fresh, no? I can have yours, and you can have mine.

[justacityboy]

Sure, but if mine's bad, you have to tell me.

[It's literally fine! Especially for a beginner!]

[loansharpedo]

Well I can promise you it's pretty much impossible for it to taste bad. That part you can't exactly mess up unless you add too much wasabi or vinegar to the rice.

[Which it seems like Urbain didn't do, as he picks up one of the pieces to try.]

And your knife cuts look nice. The one critique I would give is to not use quite so much rice next time. You want the pieces to be bite-sized, you typically aren't finishing off a piece of nigiri in multiple bites.