hugtopiamods: (Default)
hugtopiamods ([personal profile] hugtopiamods) wrote in [community profile] hugtopia_logs2020-08-13 10:51 pm

♥ August (Achtom) Event Log

image of a single large sunflower growing with a sun high in the air and other sunflowers in the distance
August (Achtom) Event Log

Ah, summer. That lovely time of year where the bright sun in the clear blue sky makes you want to head to the beach, catch a tan (hopefully), and relax with a good book. While there may not be a beach in Havenwell (other than in the VR simulators!), the summer sun is definitely out in full force by Achtom as Diacht's power begins to wane. The crystal clear skies do seem to encourage people to go out and the locals, who can't feel the temperature, seem to be bustling about as they continue to clean and improve the newly opened areas. All this activity might be a bit much for the offworlders, however, because as the month turns from Lasdia to Achtom, the temperatures start to rise and rise and don't seem to be stopping anytime soon.



PROMPT I: Staying Cool in the Neighborhood
a thermometer showing high temperatures against an orange city backdrop and sun

A massive heatwave that comes and goes throughout the month seems to have gripped Havenwell! While they themselves cannot feel the heat, the natives can observe the effects it has on the offworlders and are quick to find methods to help them beat the heat. Scientists out of the research centers throughout the city develop and then begin promoting cooling drinks and cool packs that they sell at the temples, city centers, entertainment districts, outside their research centers, and other areas where offworlders tend to gather. These drinks and packs do seem to work well in beating the heat thankfully, and either imbibing the drinks or using the cool packs quickly help you ward off the rising temperatures. You're welcome to try and cool off on your own terms, but the unnatural heat will likely leave you lethargic and gross, if not outright sick, if you go too long without some outside support. There seems to be very little long-term relief to be found.

Unfortunately, for some people, they find that these drinks and packs are working too well. Weird quirks and side effects pop up and fade out at random, sometimes even compiling on top of each other! They never seem to last for very long, thankfully, but it can be a bit inconvenient when the following happens to you:
  • You've beaten the heat and feel a cooling rush of relief as the heat escapes your body. But then the heat gives way to cold and that cold leaves your teeth chattering as you realize you can no longer regulate your body temperature and your body is quickly reaching wintery levels! Better find someone to help you warm up because you'll need to share body heat until this effect wears off in order to keep your lips from turning blue!
  • Ah, that sweet sweet cooling relief radiates out from your core, pushing the heat out from the inside. It feels great to be this pleasantly cool while the summer heat beats down on you - until you touch something and it bursts into flame. Apparently the only way to get rid of all that heat is through transferring it to something else! Any inanimate object you touch (no people or animals!) starts to smoke and burn when your hands come into contact with it. Metals start to melt, your ice cold drink starts to boil, that nice little teddy bear you got starts to blacken and burn - it's a bit insane! Thankfully, your clothes and accessories you're wearing at the time the side effect takes hold don't seem to be subject to this inconvenience. You'll need some help to get about your day until the effect fades - which thankfully isn't that long! At most it lasts an hour, but an hour can seem very very long when you can't get your morning coffee in you.
  • Do you know how your body naturally cools itself? Through sweat! And you're certainly sweating a lot now that the summer heat has taken its toll. After taking the scientists' concoctions, however, you might notice that, while you're definitely noticeable cooler, you've also ramped up the amount of sweat you're producing - to almost insane levels. Your hands are slippery, your feet are slippery, and even if you're wearing shoes, it seems to be leaking through, absolutely robbing you of any and all friction as you slip and slide around the city! Better have someone who can grab onto you and help you get about until the sweating abates or you'll find yourself careening around and into things willy-nilly.


This prompt was based on a player's suggestion! If you have a suggestion for a future event or prompt, please post them to us at the Mod Contact page or via PM to [personal profile] hugtopiamods.


PROMPT II: Unlicensed Squashables
image of four humanoid character dolls

The trend of offworlder goods being popular among the locals seems to be continuing with a new and weird trend in the entertainment district markets. Huggably cute, teddy-bear sized stuffed plushies in the offworlders' likenesses are being sold at various stores, but no one seems to know where they're coming from (or are just completely unwilling to give up their sources). These little pushies are insanely popular with the locals, with some special edition ones with various limited edition costumes going for a premium in Dora and getting traded among collectors. For those familiar, think of the old Beanie Baby craze, and you'll know just how dogged some of the collectors can be as they try to complete their offworlder sets. Of course, the locals aren't the only ones buying up these adorable little dolls and offworlders can find likenesses of themselves and their friends who are still in the city being sold at stores quite easily.

While it may be a weird diversion for some offworlders, for others, they may find something else that raises their hackles about this new toy trend. On occasion, people may start to feel phantom hugs, the feeling of someone giving them a lovely little squeeze, as they go about their day. While this doesn't count for contact, it's certainly weird to be alone and then suddenly feel someone you can't see hug you. Observant people might realize that this all started with the introduction of these plushies to the market, and through trial and error realize that they have some sort of connection to some plushies that share their likeness. If having phantom hugs isn't your thing, then it's time to go find whoever has your connected plushie and either get it back from them or sever the connection somehow! Thankfully only positive contact can be communicated through the plushie, so any damage or violence (why would you??) done to it isn't reflected via the connection.

But how does one sever the connection? Well, that's a bit of a problem because the merchants are absolutely baffled by this phenomenon. Any dolls they've sold to locals don't seem to be experiencing this issue - only ones sold to other offworlders. The plushies do seem to give a clue themselves, however, as they light up with a soft hue in the color of the character's god in the areas where they were last given positive physical contact. Maybe if you mimicked this contact on the plush or on the owner of the plush, it'd do something? It certainly seems like the gods are interfering in your lives again after all. The only places the plush will not light up is anywhere that consent would be needed to touch.

Alternatively, you could pull a plush heist and just steal it from its unsuspecting(?) owner. How you want to deal with this is up to you!


PROMPT III: The Factory Tour
image of a blacksmithing factory with machinery and an anvil front and center

After concerted efforts to clean and repair the Factory, it seems it's finally open for business. Mostly. Through the efforts of the locals and the offworlders, the Factory machinery is back up and running, and the locals are thoroughly charmed by just how old it all is. As in, super old. They had stopped using this smelting and refining technology centuries ago for a very important reason: most of the machinery requires touch between two or more participants in order to work. This unique method of operation will require some tutoring to get used to, however, so anyone interested in learning must sign up with the de facto owners of the Factory in order to learn. It isn't easy to be both the power source AND the operator, but with enough practice, they're sure you can learn to master this age-old technique!

There are two types of classes running for those interested: Forging Basics, where you learn how to power and heat the forge to melt and create simple metal objects at first like spoons and rods, and Smelting Basics, where you learn how to power and smelt common ore like copper and iron into useable metals for the forge. For the Forge Classes, characters will need to stay in contact with each other to power the heat in the forge - which is a strange rainbow-colored fire. The longer they're in contact with one another, the longer the fire will stay lit, and the hotter the flame will get. Characters should keep one hand on the handles outside the forge, and their other hand on each other. For example, 15 minutes of contact in this method would translate to 30 minutes of continuous forge power. The characters can adjust the flame intensity by squeezing the handles in unison, a lighter touch will lower the intensity and a harder touch will increase it. Learning to get this touch and the timing down for the correct forging of metals is one of the hardest parts of the lessons and what the classes will primarily focus on. For the Smelting Classes, characters will need to learn how to power the smelting machinery through a method similar to the Forging Classes - one hand on each other and the other one the machinery handles. This time, however, the finesse and focus of the class is in learning how to use sensitive touch in unison to add the correct amounts of each ore and other materials to result in the purest form of metal ingot in the end.

You will need a partner to sign up for either class, but partners can also be randomly assigned. If you're interested, please sign up! (for those who missed out on the first round of assignments, do so ASAP!) The lessons themselves are largely handwaved, but in order to use the Factory equipment in the future, you must perform a thread between yourself and at least one other person where you learn the basics via these classes. The classes will be running from now on as an ongoing prompt for any interested.

For Class Sign-ups:
Character Name: Your character's name and journal
Class: Which class you're taking
Partner(s): Write your partner(s)'s names or request a random assignment




Additionally, throughout the month at rare and random times, people who are within or in the immediate proximity of the Factory can feel the ground tremor and bump. The movement isn't large enough to knock anything over or cause any damage, and could easily be dismissed as something large passing by - except that there are no trucks that rumble in the streets. Locals are just as baffled about this phenomenon, but attribute it to perhaps the clunky old machinery thumping too loudly. Those within the Factory and near the mineshaft can on occasion hear a rumbling noise from deep within the mineshaft entrance beyond the barrier which throws a bit of doubt on the idea of the machinery being the cause.

This event will run from August 13 to 30th. Click on each prompt's title to see the text. If you have any questions, feel free to direct them to the FAQ or to the Mod Question thread.
whenyouneedme: (152)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme 2020-08-27 03:31 am (UTC)(link)
"That makes sense," he said after another thoughtful moment.

They'd just had different experiences, different associations. It was one he wanted to try and understand better for her, because it was readily apparent that these differences had every potential to lead to hiccups. "I guess... you usually see it as a couple thing, but I usually don't see it at all. So it's just... something else, y'know? It's nice to experience it a bit while I can."

He shrugged a little before turning a little smile towards her. "At least it's just me. Thanks for putting up with it."
daikonrose: (213)

[personal profile] daikonrose 2020-08-27 05:27 pm (UTC)(link)
He usually didn't see it at all? What did he mean by that? And what did he mean by 'just' him and 'putting up with it,' too? Kyoko frowned, tipping her head to the side. What kinds of wrong impressions was she giving him?

"I mean... it's not like I've ever seen it all that much, outside of my imagination and TV. But I'm sure the reason I can even do this much, right now, is because it's with you. So, I should be the one to say... thanks for bearing with me, you know?"
whenyouneedme: toniii (108)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme 2020-08-27 06:00 pm (UTC)(link)
Zero wrong impressions here, as far as he knew. Everything was coming together in a perfectly understandable way. In this one case, things were fine! It was fine because it was with him. Sure, he could see where she was coming from with it being a couple thing, but the mere idea that that would ever apply to him in any context just did not exist.

So he just nodded along with a pleasant hum. "Not like it's hard." It was actually pretty rewarding. "But it's what I'm here for, so if there's anything hard to deal with on your own, you can call me. Okay?"
daikonrose: (119)

[personal profile] daikonrose 2020-08-29 09:23 pm (UTC)(link)
"What you're here for..." It was time to pull back a bit and squint at him again. What was that supposed to mean exactly? "I mean, technically, even I'm supposed to be here for 'this' if you look at it plainly.... Are you really that serious about being a savior, to say it like that?"
whenyouneedme: (009)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme 2020-08-29 09:45 pm (UTC)(link)
"Sounds weird when you put it that way," Kai said with a huff. "I mean I'm here for you, though. Whether its "bearing with you" or something like this."

He tilt his head back against the couch, looking up as if the ceiling was very interesting right now. "Just wanna be some kind of useful to people I care about, is all." Since that was the key to staying relevant. "If it happens to help anything else, that's just a bonus."
daikonrose: (157)

[personal profile] daikonrose 2020-08-29 09:58 pm (UTC)(link)
She... could understand that kind of thinking pretty well, but hearing it from Kaito instead of inside her own head didn't sit well. Kyoko frowned. "It's fine even if you're not useful, though."

Gently, being careful not to mess up their blanket situation, Kyoko nudged her shoulder against his side. Don't mind her settling in a tiny bit closer, don't mention it. "Jeez, if you're gonna say stuff like that, I'd rather get scolded. I should just be more careful not to get caught up in these things."
whenyouneedme: toniii (086)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme 2020-08-29 10:27 pm (UTC)(link)
He wouldn't mention it as long as she didn't mention him moving his arm to make sure she was all nice and snug. All very unmentionable.

It felt a little like he was missing something though. Why would she rather get scolded? He didn't feel like he'd said anything that would have warranted that kind of reaction? Hmm.

"If they catch you anyway, though, you're good. Or if you just feel like being bold and holing up with a friend like this without anything weird going on. S'all good with me if it is with you."
daikonrose: (282)

[personal profile] daikonrose 2020-08-29 10:41 pm (UTC)(link)
Even if she wanted to mention it, what would she say? That he didn't have to do that? He would surely know that much. That it was really warm in his arms, despite everything? Even more obvious.

She could only frown some more as she mumbled, "Didn't I already tell you... it's fine in a situation like this one, but ordinarily, with a friend, I wouldn't...."
whenyouneedme: (145)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme 2020-08-29 11:00 pm (UTC)(link)
"You did." Very strongly. "I'm just making sure you know that if you changed your mind and you wanted to, I would too. I'm gonna leave that up to you."

He glanced at her. "How are you feeling though?"
daikonrose: (43)

[personal profile] daikonrose 2020-08-29 11:18 pm (UTC)(link)
What the heck. What did they even have that conversation for? "I'm... not gonna change my mind, I don't think," Kyoko said delicately, because what was she supposed to do with a guy like this? Why would he think her mind was going to change? Or was he that desperate to keep his cuddling options open? Jeez.

There was a pause. How was she... feeling? Oh! "It's... not so cold anymore!" Really quite cozy! Amazing! "What about you?"
whenyouneedme: (152)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme 2020-08-29 11:45 pm (UTC)(link)
As far as he could tell he was just doing his part to be very upfront. Because if they talked about it then they would know what page each other was on, and now he had a much better idea! It had felt very productive on his end! He was just leaving that door open since that's what he did. It wasn't like he was actually expecting anything.

"Way better," he confirmed. "S'just kinda chilly now, instead of freezing my butt off."
daikonrose: (229)

[personal profile] daikonrose 2020-08-30 12:53 am (UTC)(link)
"Good! Then it's mutual!" Everything was going as planned and they didn't have to talk about future cuddles! "Ah, I guess I'm pretty lucky you decided to come by today, huh? Come to think of it, I didn't properly thank you yet."
whenyouneedme: toniii (084)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme 2020-08-30 01:31 am (UTC)(link)
Future cuddles could be discussed as they became present cuddles, which were very different from the actual present cuddles of now. "Ah, well..." Only now when the conversation was about the most mundane of things did Kai looked a little bit more flustered than Usual. Not any of the snuggle talk. Just here, being thanked for little things.

"I had just figured maybe you were getting low on some ingredients. I'm glad I did."
daikonrose: (99)

[personal profile] daikonrose 2020-08-30 01:47 am (UTC)(link)
Kaito's fluster was much easier to deal with than her own, due to it not being, uh, her own. When it was other people, it was pretty cute! So Kyoko's grin eased into something more natural.

"I was, just a little bit! I still have some apples. But I was gonna wait another day or two before I came to swap with you and Shinji-san. --Oh, what are you two short on, now that I think about it?"
whenyouneedme: (019)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme 2020-08-30 02:01 am (UTC)(link)
"Um," he said.

"I didn't actually look," he said.
daikonrose: (119)

[personal profile] daikonrose 2020-08-30 02:06 am (UTC)(link)
She paused, and gave him a flat look that was not Disappointed. She wasn't disappointed in him. Where would he get that idea.

"That's no good," she said mercilessly. "I'd better give you some of everything, in that case."
whenyouneedme: (154)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme 2020-08-30 02:16 am (UTC)(link)
See that was a look he was used to seeing. Ah, just like home.

"That seems like it could be too much," Kai went on. "I'll have to go back and take stock." There was a very slight curve to the corner of his mouth there. "It'd really be more responsible to make another trip."
daikonrose: (216)

[personal profile] daikonrose 2020-08-30 02:23 am (UTC)(link)
"... That's sensible. I can't argue," she sighed, though she wasn't ready to accept a total defeat. "I have to send you back with a little something, though. I know you and Shinji-san have salmon, but do you like mackerel? I just got it added to mine."
whenyouneedme: (018)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme 2020-08-30 02:37 am (UTC)(link)
"Ohh. I wouldn't say no."

He gave her a little nudge, that hint of a grin becoming more apparent. "I'm keeping the options for coming to bother you or having you drop by open."
daikonrose: (207)

[personal profile] daikonrose 2020-08-30 02:43 am (UTC)(link)
Well sure, she'd got that. At this point, Kyoko doubted they hadn't realized her food deliveries were really about visiting them, with any food swaps just serving as a nice little bonus. Did it even need to be said when they had such a nice thing going.

So she nudged back, something like a pout tugging at her mouth. "I know, but! I definitely can't send you back empty-handed. I wouldn't be able to bear it."
whenyouneedme: (159)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme 2020-08-30 03:02 am (UTC)(link)
"You definitely could just send me back," Kai protested gently, but there wasn't any real emphasis on it. They'd already pretty well established that Kyoko would insist regardless.

"Ah, oh! I got it. You should just come over for dinner then. You've got a soup problem we could help you with, right?"
Edited 2020-08-30 03:03 (UTC)
daikonrose: (138)

[personal profile] daikonrose 2020-08-30 03:12 am (UTC)(link)
"Oh..." That... was an idea! Kyoko blinked, expression clearing over. "You wouldn't mind eating it?"
whenyouneedme: (160)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme 2020-08-30 03:39 am (UTC)(link)
"Hm? Of course not. I bet it's real tasty."
daikonrose: (135)

[personal profile] daikonrose 2020-08-30 03:43 am (UTC)(link)
"It just feels like feeding you leftovers," she fussed. "Even though I did just make it today...." Her friends deserved fresh food! She didn't want to be a bad guest!
whenyouneedme: (121)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme 2020-08-30 03:55 am (UTC)(link)
"Then it's not leftovers yet. Even if they were, it'd be good to keep you from drowning in a week of soup."

(no subject)

[personal profile] daikonrose - 2020-08-30 04:03 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme - 2020-08-30 04:13 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] daikonrose - 2020-08-30 04:19 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme - 2020-08-30 04:36 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] daikonrose - 2020-08-30 04:51 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme - 2020-08-30 05:14 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] daikonrose - 2020-08-30 05:22 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme - 2020-08-30 16:39 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] daikonrose - 2020-08-30 19:25 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme - 2020-08-30 19:45 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] daikonrose - 2020-08-30 21:29 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme - 2020-08-30 22:01 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] daikonrose - 2020-08-30 23:19 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme - 2020-08-30 23:43 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] daikonrose - 2020-08-31 01:20 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme - 2020-08-31 02:02 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] daikonrose - 2020-08-31 03:52 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme - 2020-08-31 04:33 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] daikonrose - 2020-08-31 19:44 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme - 2020-08-31 22:03 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] daikonrose - 2020-09-01 03:54 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme - 2020-09-01 04:11 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] daikonrose - 2020-09-02 18:42 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme - 2020-09-03 00:37 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] daikonrose - 2020-09-04 19:15 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme - 2020-09-06 02:26 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] daikonrose - 2020-09-06 02:45 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme - 2020-09-06 03:32 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] daikonrose - 2020-09-06 04:02 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme - 2020-09-06 04:52 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] daikonrose - 2020-09-06 19:46 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme - 2020-09-06 20:38 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] daikonrose - 2020-09-06 21:54 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme - 2020-09-07 01:46 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] daikonrose - 2020-09-07 02:49 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme - 2020-09-07 03:27 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] daikonrose - 2020-09-07 04:16 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme - 2020-09-07 18:50 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] daikonrose - 2020-09-07 19:07 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme - 2020-09-07 23:31 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] daikonrose - 2020-09-08 00:05 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme - 2020-09-08 00:13 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] daikonrose - 2020-09-08 02:51 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme - 2020-09-08 03:04 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] daikonrose - 2020-09-08 03:19 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme - 2020-09-08 03:33 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] daikonrose - 2020-09-08 03:38 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme - 2020-09-08 04:08 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] daikonrose - 2020-09-09 03:15 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme - 2020-09-10 02:36 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] daikonrose - 2020-09-10 18:43 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme - 2020-09-13 04:18 (UTC) - Expand

ehehehe

[personal profile] daikonrose - 2020-09-13 18:23 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme - 2020-09-13 23:56 (UTC) - Expand

we ready to wrap?

[personal profile] daikonrose - 2020-09-14 18:14 (UTC) - Expand