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meadowlarklogs2019-09-08 12:26 pm
- !event log,
- dceu: diana prince,
- dogs b&c: nill,
- kingdom hearts: riku,
- kingdom hearts: roxas,
- kingdom hearts: sora,
- mcu: daisy johnson,
- overwatch: soldier 76 (jack morrison),
- persona: goro akechi,
- riordan mythos: silena beauregard,
- star wars: cassian andor,
- star wars: jyn erso,
- the 100: clarke griffin,
- the man from uncle: gaby teller,
- the man from uncle: illya kuryakin,
- the vampire diaries: caroline forbes
EVENT #006 AFTERMATH LOG
WHERE: New Amsterdam
WHEN: December 19th to the end of the month.
WHAT: Event aftermath, Winter Solstice, Christmas.
NOTES OR WARNINGS: Character death, self-sacrifice, drug use. Further notes at end of log.
Zerzura's demise is a very near miss. Three out of four of the bombs detonate, with numerous Mycenaean guards' lives taken as a result of the assault. It's probable—even likely—that numerous Displaced were injured as a result of this attack. Just as the last bomb seemed likely to go off, everything stopped. As in: the scene ended, shifting, putting all of the Displaced to sleep. Zerzura won't end. Or will it?
The return from Zerzura will feel like waking up from a long nap. Instead of anyone waking up in their beds, they will find themselves on the ground beside the man-made river that runs down the center of New Amsterdam. The ground beneath them will be moist with recent rainfall. Anyone who was still in the throes of a fantasy and believing themselves to be a part of Zerzura will find themselves tossed out of that existence. Anyone who died at the precipice of the spear will still recall their actions vividly: their mind and body hitting a point in which it was finite, slipping away. There may be some room for doubt regarding their deaths. After all, they're very much alive now.
There are two constants among the Displaced when they observe themselves and others: that all of their chests are glowing with that familiar blue glow, and they'll all experience a feeling of serenity. This feeling won't come from any of the Displaced themselves. Much like the intrusion of the empathy bond, it will feel as if it's coming from elsewhere. The problem is that it's always there: there is no way of disconnecting, at least for now. The good news is that the serenity will begin to fade within the next day, and with it, the blue glow will go away as well.
All of the Displaced can't remain at the riverside. If they linger too long, it will begin to rain again. The rain itself will only be a light misting against their faces at first, before turning into a heavier downfall. If they're wary of returning to their lives initially because of the blue glow, they'll soon find that the people of New Amsterdam seem to look away from them as they trot through the city to return to their lives. This is a temporary sensation, seeming to have overtaken the city's citizens for the time being. Within a day or two, the blue glow will be met with the same paranoia that was fostered by the UN following the abduction of Kurt Fischer.
What can they do now? Aside from the feeling of serenity, little will have immediately changed for the Displaced. The best thing they can do is try to return to their lives as if Zerzura never happened.
Some things to check in with, though?
WORK. Upon realizing that the Displaced disappeared yet again, El worked overtime to make sure that all of the Displaced wouldn't lose their jobs. After all, that would mean they'd likely have to give up their housing, and Morningstar would need to financially step in to help. Not all of the places of employment will accept these excuses, especially since El can't put together a doctor's note without it promptly being verified as falsified. It's ultimately up to anyone's discretion over whether their character lost their job.
CHANGES. Some of the changes will appear out of nowhere: a dream that's shared, or a memory that's passed on rather unwillingly. It's time to explore what's happened, and even theorize as to why this has happened. And those objects that were the core of remembering who they were, back in Zerzura? They're permanent fixtures from now on. And what about those Union Attacks? For now, they may have an interesting place in the fighting rings. Time to convince the people running those shows to start including doubles matches.
PLANT LIFE. All around New Amsterdam, plants will begin to grow. These plants are varied, and they'll make an appearance anywhere that they might be allowed to grow. Is that a sink that's frequently full of water? Now it's mysteriously stopped up by a plant that's growing through the pipes. While all this plant life may seem like a miracle, having plants growing in every part of the city will quickly prove to be a problem.
HOLIDAY SEASON. The good news about everyone's trip to Zerzura is that they didn't miss Christmas—or rather, the December 25th edition of it. The city is still covered in Christmas trees and ornamentation. The stadium is still hosting a holiday market.
In the days leading up to the Winter Solstice, there will be an uptick of paintings around New Amsterdam hinting as to where this year's party will be held: Sunpeak Garden. While there won't be any official notice, anyone interested or curious is free to visit this location on the day of the Solstice (December 21st) to see what's going on, and it will go on for the next three days, ending on the morning of the 24th. As they draw closer to the location itself, they'll find the botanical garden secured by a large, overarching tent, preventing rainfall from getting into the garden itself. On the air, there will be the scent of something being smoked—which they'll soon learn is a set of goats that seem to have been acquired by whoever put on this shindig.
Unlike many other events around New Amsterdam, this seems to be more private in nature. There is an unspoken understanding that beyond the paintings, there will be no social media posts. Inside of the garden, there will be a lot of plants and decorations carefully molded into sacred geometric shapes. Despite the unofficial nature, whoever put this event together definitely spent their time doing it. This Solstice party isn't a spontaneous thing, and anyone who goes will hear about the previous parties and how the proprietor does his best to make everyone happy.
Anyone who went to the Harvest Festival or Insomniac's Ball will see a lot of the same people working it, complete with some familiar tattoos. They'll be eager to welcome in any of the Displaced, especially any of the ones who tend to be featured in the shrines around the city.
Once everyone's here, they're welcome to enjoy themselves. Under some of the canopies of trees, there will be beds and futons, giving people places to rest. Some of these will be claimed, so anyone who's eager to stick around for a few days might want to get dibs. Otherwise? It's time to enjoy what's been put together:
FEAST. There will be a feast for the next three days. Aside from the smoked goats, there will be a lot of goat cheese and vegetables. These are the people who put on the harvest festival, after all. There will be a lot of pickled vegetables out on tables, salads, and everything else. Aside from cheese for snacking, anyone can partake in some delicious berries (strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries) and nuts (walnuts, pecans, peanuts, and almonds—despite the difficulty in getting most of these in New Amsterdam). There will also be figs, because of course there are figs.
FLOWER CROWNS. To go with the more laidback flair of this event, there will be flower crowns available for everyone. They will look more Christmas-like in spirit, like small little wreaths to go on everyone's heads.
ALCOHOL. Of course, what kind of Solstice or Yule event would it be without alcohol to imbibe? There will be mulled wine available, as well as the delicious apple-flavored beverage of wassail. It seems as if these two things never run out. For anyone avoiding alcohol, there will also be some sparkling grape juice and apple juice.
PSYCHEDELICS. Undoubtedly also inspired by Yule celebrations of old, anyone can partake in some species-specific (and at a safe dosage) amanita. Primarily available as a tea, anyone can drink this pleasant beverage and have a good time together.
MISTLETOE. There will be spots all around the botanical garden where the decorators took good care to make the mistletoe stand out. Surrounded by little lights, no one will be able to miss them. That means they can be easily avoided, if that's what someone would prefer!
BALL PROPRIETOR. While he's not hiding that he put this on, he's just as mysterious as before. If anyone wants to catch his eye at this event, they can. They'll need to stand out to get him to talk to them. To do this, reply below! Ball will definitely be interested in any Displaced trying to catch his eye, but it's still up to them to go through the motions.
As the Solstice party comes to an end, it'll be time to focus on Christmas itself. Around New Amsterdam, this is a deeply commercial holiday. Since most of New Amsterdam's citizens prefer to celebrate Sinterklaas, the day of Christmas itself largely emphasizes purchasing access to Christmas movies and giving gifts to anyone who had been forgotten earlier in the month. For new couples, Christmas Eve acts as a romantic occasion, giving them the chance to spend some time alone. Restaurants around the city will have Christmas Eve and Christmas Day specials and feasts—though these will be very expensive to enjoy.
Once reports start to hit the news about the rapidly healing atmosphere, a strange cypher begins to appear in the replies of people's posts on Cooltalk. This misfire appears at random and without a pattern. While some of the Displaced will get hit on their Cooltalks, they won't be among the majority by any means. How to get ahold of 100342? A reply might do the trick, or it might not. Drop a message in the questions thread with ideas!
Then again, this message more of a simple response to a slight than anything else, most likely recognizable to the displaced, who are familiar with the cipher's formula:
200805 02011414051819 1506 200805 11091407 1506 08051212 04180123 031215190518
200805 02011414051819 1506 200805 11091407 1506 08051212 04180123 031215190518
200805 02011414051819 1506 200805 11091407 1506 08051212 04180123 031215190518
200805 02011414051819 1506 200805 11091407 1506 08051212 04180123 031215190518
200805 02011414051819 1506 200805 11091407 1506 08051212 04180123 031215190518
200805 02011414051819 1506 200805 11091407 1506 08051212 04180123 031215190518
200805 02011414051819 1506 200805 11091407 1506 08051212 04180123 031215190518
200805 02011414051819 1506 200805 11091407 1506 08051212 04180123 031215190518
200805 02011414051819 1506 200805 11091407 1506 08051212 04180123 031215190518
Welcome back to the world of New Amsterdam proper, Larkers! This will act as the mingle log for the month of September since we didn't receive any applications this month. In order to plot out some aftermath, please head over to the CR Meme for the month of September! Our September calendar and Event #006 Aftermath are also up for perusing.
If you'd like to get your character in touch with Ball, please reply to the comment below with how they'd like to stand out! Ball, like all of our NPCs, will act as a means to an end to uncover plot details. With the gates excursion on the horizon, we wanted to make him available for all of the playerbase. Due to time constraints, this means that Gaby won't be available for this log.
If you have any questions about event aftermath, please hit the thread on the Aftermath Post here. If you have any questions about this log, go to the questions thread on this post!
no subject
the mattress slots awkwardly, re-angling itself and sort of flopping to the side as it slides into the bedroom -- inasmuch as it can be called that. the ceiling is low enough on one side that it keeps the mattress from flopping fully that way, which winds up nudging it in the other direction by sheer virtue of gravity. the space is too narrow, even once the mattress is all the way inside, for it to lie flat. rey, at least, has only laid out some containers to prop it on -- open cubbies, so she can store things beneath it. it will keep the low ceiling from bothering her, at least.
so there it flops. just barely unwilling to make the difference and settle flat in the room. ]
If you'd give up your excuse to touch me right now, I might actually be able to help you.
no subject
[ and because they'll be more than making up for this moment later. but to be able to do that, they need to get the mattress settled first. no small task judging by the way the thing tips but doesn't quite fall.
once rey is settled back on the ground he'll wave a hand in the direction of the karking thing. ]
Well?
no subject
[ a little wave of her hands dismisses him in the doorway. which is fine, really, because the foot of the mattress just about reaches that doorway. she slips under the elevated side of the mattress and starts picking up the other side gradually, trying to wiggle it into place.
with rey under it solidly on one side, trying to level out the awkward tilt, she says -- ]
Okay, push down the other side. [ she points to the higher tipped side. he's tall. it'll be fine. ] We just have to level it out and then ... [ it'll fall right into place. right? ]
no subject
so he tries it again, firmer this time, and while it moves another inch it stubbornly refuses to settle properly. a curse, low but vehement, beneath his breath, followed by him throwing his whole weight into the thing. ]
no subject
[ she's wiggling the mattress and pushing upward as he pushes down, trying to get it to level out by applying pressure to both sides. basic engineering, really. but then he's pushing down hard just as it settles into place and the whole thing starts to drop on rey -- fast.
it would be a really embarrassing way for the last jedi to go out, but here she is, crawling out from under the mattress anyway and shooting him a sour look. ]
Watch it. [ she navigates between his legs to get into the hall and the mattress settles very precariously onto the storage containers she had set up for it. sure, it occupies almost all the space in the room, but it's in. she gets to her feet, dusts herself off, puts her hands on her hips and proudly declares: ] I told you it'd fit.
no subject
that mattress doesn't look like it'd be capable of bearing the weight of one of them much less two — much less doing the sort of thing they generally do when left alone in bed together. )
You did. ( he doesn't want to kill her buzz, particularly knowing how much she seems to need this to work, so he leaves it at that, slinging an arm across her shoulders. )
no subject
That's the worst of it.
no subject
( and while thoroughly stress-testing that mattress is certainly on the cards, he's thinking of something a little more immediately satisfying: dinner. or is it still lunch? )
Once you've finished unpacking, of course.
no subject
[ there's a pitch in her height, under his arm, as she rolls up a little onto the balls of her feet. that little bob says celebrate now. it's unclear, of yet, which drive is stronger: dinner or sex. ]
no subject
( granted, she hadn't had much to bring with her. he'd snuck a few things from his own apartment into the packing crates ㅡ small things like snack foods and sachets of some of the less mushroom-y teas ㅡ but even then the mattress was probably the most involved thing she had to deal with. )
There's meant to be some good food out this way. ( food trucks, as well, if the sex carnival from months ago was any indication. )
no subject
[ she dismisses it that easily, but some of the lascivious insistence of her furrowed brows lightens up, smoothing the lines of her forehead, as she recognizes and accepts his focus on food. she bites down on her lip and hums thoughtfully, running a search on her implant for the food trucks nearby.
there are a few. mostly, though, there are stands -- little hole-in-the-wall food bars scattered throughout the red light district for a quick and easy meal. all the food options seem designed for visitors who don't actually live in the area, aside from a single bodega where much of the block picks up their groceries. ]
It would barely take any time to pick something up.
no subject
( allowing himself the illusion of setting rules, like they aren't absolutely going to wind up sprawled across that mattress as soon as they make it back.
it occurs to him that he's never really asked rey what her preferred meal is. negligent, but then rey's always enjoyed whatever has been placed in front of her. )
What's closest?
no subject
that grin drops when she notices -- ]
Stinky tofu. [ rey eats a lot of food -- loves a lot of food. not that. ] Maybe we could go down to the corner for the falafel place.
no subject
he inclines his head. )
Falafel it is, then. ( nevermind that he has no idea what falafel actually is. )
wrap here?
[ she twists around to head back into her little closet, crouching to rifle through one of the outward-facing bins that the mattress is stacked on. she comes up with his leather jacket, which swallows her as soon as her arms are through the holes. technically, he'd never given it to her with any permanency. it has become hers anyway. still a scavenger.
then she's at his hip and on her way to the door, wearing a steady and certain expression. this is good. it's going to be good -- for the both of them. ]