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hugtopiamods ([personal profile] hugtopiamods) wrote in [community profile] hugtopia_logs2019-11-14 11:44 pm

♥ November Event Log

a gloved hand places a brick in place on a wall
November (Malom) Event Log

The chaos of Lasohm's invasion is still fresh in the mind, but it's over. The ugly scar of the hole in Havenwell's wall is a jarring reminder that this world is dying and nothing goes quietly into that dark night. The phantom is gone as Malom overtakes Lasohm, the weather turning colder and chillier with each passing day. Still, the city of Havenwell has all of you offworlders to thank for its survival, and the fearful citizens make sure you know just how much they appreciate you by stopping you on the street to say their thanks. Your new home still needs your help to recover from their ordeal though, so will you lend them your strength once more?



PROMPT I: Rebuilding Effort
a stone wall with a large collapsed hole in the center

The magic barrier over the hole that unknown monster punched through Havenwell's wall is repaired, stopping the onslaught and encouraging any other nightmares that lurk outside to move on and away, but the hole itself remains. Throughout the month of Malom, robot natives are working tirelessly to gather bricks and stone and patch the breach, but they could use some help. Work together with other offworlders and natives alike to repair the wall and be rewarded with a handsome bump to the Dora in your bank account. They need all sorts of help, from clearing away the dead bodies of the spider-like creatures for cremation, to retrieving and hauling stone for the wall, to actually slotting the heavy blocks into place to cement them back together.

Outside the barrier, now clearly visible through the hole, a storm rages on, obscuring the view of the world beyond it. Gray and black clouds whip against the invisible barrier, and occasional debris slams into it, causing the impact site to light up with silver, pink, blue, or white hues before it fades away again. It seems even without monsters, the world outside is as inhospitable as was rumored.

Work together or take a break along the base of the wall and get to know your fellow offworlders a little better. It's going to take a while before this mess is cleaned up.


PROMPT II: Air Sickness
Those who worked at or were near the breach in the wall for any extended period of time will notice that, over time, it gets harder to breathe. Then they begin to feel feverish, even if they don't have flesh bodies or are immune to disease. Their bodies ache and groan and it gets harder to move about without help. Once the natives notice, they set up a recovery area away from where the breach occurred: a giant tent with cots and pillows, thick rugs and blankets to keep the chill away. Unfortunately, they don't have medicines available to treat flesh bodied people, so they're at a loss of what to do otherwise. The priests gather anyone who is ill and brings them here...which is when a curious thing occurs.

While conventional medicines and healing spells seem to have no effect on the illness, staying in contact with another person alleviates the symptoms. After a period of contact with another person or persons, the fever breaks and it's like you were never sick at all.

Return to the wall, however, and you'll notice your symptoms coming back with a vengeance after a few days. It seems that making regular trips between the wall and this recovery tent is the only way to keep working. At least it's an easy fix so long as you're not a germaphobe.


PROMPT III: A Tasty(?) Reward
a collage of different foods on display: salads, meats, and pasta

Toward the end of the month as the hole in the wall is completely repaired and the risk of illness declines, a message is sent to all the offworlders' communication devices. Those who choose to open it will find a very official looking message from The Havenwell Council that reads:

Greetings, Saviours of Havenwell!
We of the Havenwell Council greet you and wish to express our eternal gratitude for your valiant efforts to keep our wonderful home safe. Without you, we would not have survived this terrible onslaught. As such, we wish to express our gratitude in a more concrete form. Your emissary, Magolor, has been in contact with this venerable Council and has brought to our attention that your greatest concern is for the food available. We apologize that due to our inability to taste we have been unable to supply you with satisfactory meals.

To that end, we invite you to work with our scientists to improve upon the taste of currently available offerings from our replicators. Please come to the Northern Research Tower (map included) at any time this month to sample what our replicators can produce and give us feedback on their flavour and textures. We ask that you be as specific as possible in your criticisms so we may improve upon your general quality of life. Please feel free to bring as many friends as you wish.
May the Gods Protect You,
Havenwell Council, Community Liaisons


Those who take the invitation will arrive at the Northern Research Tower and be taken directly to the 40th floor, where a large banquet hall has been laid out. Five rectangular tables, over 5 meters long each, stretch down the room, creating aisles for people to walk down. At the far end are several high round tables, covered in white cloth, and high round stools for those who wish them. The tables are overflowing with food, much like the welcome dinner, but at each table and scattered throughout the room are scientist robots with arm bands that read "Experiment 73" in that peculiar Aellyn script you saw during your time at the Archives. They invite you to taste the foods - both raw and cooked - and to give your very honest opinions.

Enjoy the food, help them improve the flavours, and walk the room to talk with the others who have come. Those who participate will receive a small synthetic fruit basket to take home with them on their first visit. Feel free to come back as often as you like, however! Each time, they'll be changing and adjusting the food available so your first and last visit may be very different. Perhaps that strawberry actually even tastes sweet, finally.


PROMPT IV: A Virtual Spa
a spa/water park with large open pools, an enclosed building, a bridge, and a water slide in the background

The VR cafes are uncharacteristically quiet while the rebuilding effort goes on, but there are still those who come to plug in to unwind after a day of intensive labor. And what better way to unwind than with a hot bath, right? Since the people of Havenwell can't actually submerge themselves in water, they're doing the next best thing: going to a virtual hot spring. There are several types to choose from and despite being digital, their calming and soothing effects on the body seem very real. Choose from:
  • The Classic Outdoors: a rock lined hot spring with natural rock floors and steamy mineral infused waters nestled in the mountains. All around you is beautiful greenery like a sweeping pine and low fragrant bushes. The serene air and the calm forest is only occasionally broken by the sound of a wooden pipe thudding hollowly against a rock at a steady interval or the sound of birdsong off in the trees. The relaxing atmosphere is enough to set even the tightest wound nerves at ease.

  • The Marbled Columns: white and painted marble columns lead to a series of different shaped baths with statues of the gods pouring water into them. Each bath has a different healing property, which is clearly marked with a plaque at the rim of each: good for your circulation, your bones, your aches and pains, even acne and metabolic rate. The columns support a beautiful open ceiling that shows the perfectly blue sky overhead dotted with the occasional cloud.

  • The Steamy Sauna: though seemingly austere in their white tile and deep blue bath basins, the air here is thick and steamy and the baths are deep with hand-rails leading down steps to help you enter. All around the basins are stone or wooden benches with towels laid down for those who wish to simply sit and let the warm air open their lungs. If you get too hot? Grab a bucketful of cold water from one of the freestanding tubs and douse yourself to get a shock and cool off.

  • The Milk-and-Honey: a beautifully tiled bath with a large shallow rectangular basin. The surrounding walls and ceilings have blue, white, and gold geometric designs laid out with loving care in pleasant designs that ease the mind. The bath water here is filled with a concoction of milk and honey to soothe and smooth the skin, filling the air with a pleasing sweet scent. The effects of these baths on a person's skin is said to make them glow from the inside out for at least a day after bathing.

  • The Theme Park: the first thing to greet you is the comically oversized bottle of red wine tipped to pour a continuous stream of red liquid into the large crystalline bath basin. The smell of wine is heavy but pleasant in the air and the crystalline basin is round and shaped like a wine glass. Climb up the glass steps and give yourself a good old soak in the red water. You might even find that taking a dip here gives you a heady happiness that lasts all day. And if it feels like you're a little drunk while there? That has to be your imagination! ...Maybe.

Hot springs are great to experience with friends to deepen that feeling of skinship you have with each other, and several Havenwell natives are doing just that. But what about those who don't have a friend to log in with? Don't worry! The game will randomly select another player from this or another facility and match you together. Isn't that nice? We're sure it is! Who doesn't want to talk to someone else while naked, right?




This event will run from November 14th to the 31st. 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 here.
hedgehogsdilemma: (Hercules and his gifts)

[personal profile] hedgehogsdilemma 2019-11-28 08:35 pm (UTC)(link)
He has a point.

"Kind of how it always goes here, huh?"

Getting close and personal has been a good cure-all so far. That's... probably been a big factor for this sickness. That's unsurprising.

"I'd be able to do that much for you, at least."
whenyouneedme: (048)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme 2019-11-28 09:13 pm (UTC)(link)
Kai smirked at him a little bit. "I appreciate that you're willing to sit on me." There was a wonder about how much of this was divine intervention, but it wasn't one that Kai was willing to have right now.

"I guess that's kinda what's happening right now, too." Just more limbs draped on each other rather than sitting.
hedgehogsdilemma: (Then I kept pretending)

[personal profile] hedgehogsdilemma 2019-11-28 09:37 pm (UTC)(link)
"You know what I mean."

Probably less sitting on and more sitting with, but. You know.

"Much cozier than being on the ground, isn't it?"

And no hauling involved. How terribly convenient.
whenyouneedme: toniii (086)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme 2019-11-30 12:32 am (UTC)(link)
He already did the hauling though.

"Mm, I'll give you that. You're cozier than being on the ground."
hedgehogsdilemma: (There's no happy ending)

[personal profile] hedgehogsdilemma 2019-11-30 05:11 am (UTC)(link)
Guess he did technically kind of haul himself here along with Shinji.

That's very high praise you're giving him, what a goal for him to reach. He's gotta be good for something, and This is It. He exhales softly - it's only faintly similar to Kai's Not Laughs, but there's still a certain note of amusement in the action. "Glad I can do that much, then."
whenyouneedme: Oh look it is the return of me iconing EVERYTHING TONI DRAWS (050)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme 2019-11-30 10:01 pm (UTC)(link)
That got another chuckle out of Kai. This one was notably unaccompanied by any coughs! Whoa!

"Hey. I actively choose to sit on the ground, you know." This was a fact, actually. "That puts you like way up there."
hedgehogsdilemma: (Any way the wind blows)

[personal profile] hedgehogsdilemma 2019-12-01 03:09 am (UTC)(link)
Amazing...!!

"I'm sure it helps if it's making you feel better, too."

Comfier. Healthier. Lucrative. How could all of that not be appealing?
whenyouneedme: (054)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme 2019-12-01 04:11 am (UTC)(link)
Those were all really cool bonuses, it was true.

"Yeah, yeah." It wasn't even just that though, was it? Even without the bells and whistles, Kai had found it was just kinda... nice. Being able to just quietly exist with someone else was still kind of novel, and even if it was maybe a little dangerous he couldn't help but think he actually liked it.

Wild!

"Good job being a comfy guy, I guess."
hedgehogsdilemma: (I'm finally at peace)

[personal profile] hedgehogsdilemma 2019-12-01 09:13 pm (UTC)(link)
So wild!

Really, though, it is nice. Shockingly nice. Dangerously nice. It's really hard to think too much on how bad it might be to let this kind of comfortable closeness continue long term while the benefits, touch-magic aligned and otherwise, of enjoying the company are so immediate. Surely nobody but themselves would blame them for being indulgent for a little while, and surely helping Kai out was a good enough reason to let it continue.

"Never thought that's something I'd be any good for." What a totally silly notion. Ridiculous enough that, with how disarming this current line of conversation has been, is enough to pull a tiny smile out of him. Fancy that!
whenyouneedme: toniii (075)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme 2019-12-02 03:01 am (UTC)(link)
Oh...! Smile number two.

What a pleasant sight that was. It was a lot easier to take it in without the fear of chasing it away when they were actually face to face like this, so Kai let himself enjoy this one. It was kinda... cute? Kai wasn't sure where that thought came from. It didn't quite make sense in the way that calling Magolor cute was just obvious. It was true though, it was kinda cute. So. Whatever!

Kai just smiled back.

"Surprise. Real cozy. I'm sure you've got some other hidden talents in there too."
hedgehogsdilemma: (Is this serious?)

[personal profile] hedgehogsdilemma 2019-12-02 05:15 am (UTC)(link)
2 of 2, directed Kai's way. He's running a monopoly on those Shinji smiles so far, dang. This one's a little less fleeting than before, too, so he can enjoy it that much longer...!

"Hm, if they're hidden, then who knows." That sure is a spot of faith you're putting in him there, and for something he's not even sure he could pay off? He wouldn't be optimistic about it, but saying as much sure would be a downer for this conversation, so he's gonna be polite enough to keep that thought to himself. "You're pretty comfy yourself, though."

For sharing bed space and just... in general. Kai's presence is nice and comfy.
whenyouneedme: toniii (084)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme 2019-12-02 06:01 am (UTC)(link)
Blessed be this day. This extra bit of time was just enough to cement the idea that it'd be nice if Shinji got the chance to smile a little more. There wasn't anything wrong with not smiling, of course, he'd already told someone they didn't have to smile if they didn't want to. It'd be nice if he got the chance to want to, though, wouldn't it? Maybe that was a dangerous thought too.

"I'll have to take your word on that one," Kai murmured warmly. "I'm not well known for my comfortable properties."
hedgehogsdilemma: (Seek it out)

[personal profile] hedgehogsdilemma 2019-12-02 07:47 pm (UTC)(link)
Being able to rescue a pleasant feeling out of a well of depression is always nice. He wouldn't fault Kai for thinking that being able to do it more often would be even nicer.

For now, that smile ebbs into something a little more thoughtful. "Really..." That's almost surprising, if he doesn't take a step back to really think about why someone so tough looking like Kaito "Smash A Motorcyclist's Visor In With A Rock" Lastname might not be turned to for his cozier qualities. The thought of, 'Maybe I'm just lucky, then,' flashes through Shinji's mind before he quickly subdues and puts that notion under a tight lock - that is absolutely a dangerous thought right there, not one to voice.

"Well, it's true." He means it! "You're very comfortable to be around."
whenyouneedme: (146)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme 2019-12-02 08:59 pm (UTC)(link)
"Hmm."

It was almost as surprising as the notion that Shinji liked being around him in the first place, but at least he didn't get stunned this time. How people kept getting this idea was kind of confusing but Kai was starting to clue in that people didn't particularly like being corrected. Wouldn't it be funny if they were right though? Ha ha. Crazy.

All these touchy-feely moments were doing what they were supposed to, so Kai didn't feel dizzy at all when he propped himself up on his elbow to gaze down at Shinji with a similar kind of thoughtfulness.

"You're a real encouraging guy, y'know?"
hedgehogsdilemma: (You can tell everybody)

[personal profile] hedgehogsdilemma 2019-12-02 09:47 pm (UTC)(link)
Just totally wild, right?

It's Shinji's turn to be mildly puzzled now. That, uh. Huh. That's a little unexpected to hear. What, just because it's easier to look out for everyone else's self-interests than it is your own? That's really all he's doing, isn't it?

"You think so?"

He sounds, possibly, unconvinced, but is doing his best to not show it on his face.
whenyouneedme: (145)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme 2019-12-02 10:29 pm (UTC)(link)
"Yup."

No need to beat around the bush about it. Whether or not Shinji agreed... well, Kai could understand either way. "Feels that way to me, at least."
hedgehogsdilemma: (Hercules and his gifts)

[personal profile] hedgehogsdilemma 2019-12-03 05:14 am (UTC)(link)
He's not sure he sees it, but he could probably say the same thing about Kai, honestly. Mr. 'Hidden Talents' and what have you.

"Huh." Is that how Kai sees him...? That could be worse, he figures, 'encouraging' is safe enough. "You could just be really easy to cheer for."
whenyouneedme: Toniii ~<3 (057)

[personal profile] whenyouneedme 2019-12-03 05:50 am (UTC)(link)
When you had exactly zero sources of positive reinforcement, suddenly having even this much was. A Lot? It was kind of a lot, and sometimes it made a funny warm feeling in his chest that he couldn't figure out. (Was it happiness or a weird, gentle heartburn. Who knew.)

Kai snorted a little at that. "That might be pushing it a little," he said softly, knowing there was absolutely nothing to cheer him on in. "S'nice of you to say though. I guess that's kinda what I mean."
hedgehogsdilemma: (Then I kept pretending)

[personal profile] hedgehogsdilemma 2019-12-03 02:34 pm (UTC)(link)
It's all right, Kai, maybe you will get more used to it some day. There will, hopefully, be plenty of time for it.

Shinji isn't really just saying it to be nice, though he gets the impression that he may be getting a little close to toeing the line of acceptable. He understands not quite agreeing, too, so perhaps it's best to leave that particular thread of the conversation where it is now.

"Hmmm," similarly, Kai still hasn't won him over, but he's also not going to fight it. "Maybe."