(no subject)

[oblivium]

LOVE AT FROST BITE

I. COLD HANDS, WARM HEART

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From December through January, high winds gradually rise all across the Netherworld, large flakes of snow causing white-out condition. The wind howls and whistles, blades of icy gusts cutting through your clothes as frost clings to your hair and lashes. No matter where you are, you feel its glacial, bone-chilling force, and no matter what you do, you quickly find that nothing keeps you warm. You're freezing, shivering, teeth chattering. Fire and the proximity of others may offer brief reprieves, so bundle up and find a cuddling partner before you crystalize. If you don't have a Soulmate, now might be the time to search for one.

Unfortunately, when it rains, it pours. Some of you may experience sudden, intense headaches, followed by a sense of panic. Your chest tightens. Your head swims. Your lungs ice over, and you know then: someone's messing with your home in the Shadowlands.

► If you're already in your home, stay alert as light goes out: squint through the dark, and you'll soon be able to distinguish an enormous figure. Krampus.
► If you're anywhere in Stygia and are unable to teleport, crossing the Tempest is particularly perilous on your own, though if you explain what's going on to a Ferryman, they'll oblige.
► Luckily, Krampus doesn't seem extremely interested in your Tethers, but it's entirely possible that he damages a few while being in your home. He's mostly interested in you, and whether you've been a good Restless.

If you feel like your character's done a decent job at silencing their Shadow, Krampus will curse them; every full moons through December and January, they'll be compelled to tell a significant lie. A single lie can be told multiple times to different and/or the same people, and multiple lies can also be told multiple times to different and/or the same people. If, on the other hand, you feel as though they've been struggling -- or worse, enjoying its presence -- Krampus will give them a unique coin: everywhere you go, it'll loudly comment on anyone within 10 feet, giving a brief but accurate description of what your character truly thinks of them. You can't get rid of it, but after its first use, it'll disintegrate within a couple of weeks.

II. DON'T LEAF ME HANGIN'

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Kiss kiss fall in love, it's mistletoe time! And its provenance is a little gruesome: some Restless have been coughing them up due to the floral disease affecting Stygia's citizens, and for reasons unknown, the plant's made itself a home in tree branches, bushes, and ceilings. Having the time of its life, probably! Some sprites have taken a liking to them, and started worshipping them as flowery entities. It's believed among them that kissing underneath the mistletoe is the greatest way to honor said entities, while refusing to is a terrible affront; the sprites will start following you and pranking you in retaliation.

► If you walk under mistletoe along with someone else and refuse to/do not kiss, you'll be followed by a sprite for 24 hours, during which they'll prank (see list below*) and just generally annoy you. Only one sprite at a time will follow you, even if you walk again under mistletoe within the 24 hours time frame.
► If you walk alone under mistletoe, this unnamed creature will stalk you from the shadows, whispering and trying to coax you closer, promising delightful kisses you'll never forget. In truth, it just wants to devour your tongue, a delicacy. It'll give up after 12 hours, and will never follow you inside your home.
► An old woman sells mistletoe berry tarts in the Marketplace, and claims it'll help anyone who suffers from insomnia. She's not wrong! One bite and you'll fall dead asleep within the hour, and only a kiss will be able to awaken you. Sweet dreams, sleeping beauty!
► If you do wind up kissing anyone under the mistletoe, you'll find it easier to deal with your Shadow through the month, a blessing from the sprites! If, on the other hand, you don't partake in kissing endeavors, your Shadow will seem louder than usual.

Additionally, many patrons in Mirth host festive and/or cozy soirées throughout December. If you feel like dancing, singing, drinking eggnog in good company and eating delicious hors d'oeuvres, wear your ugliest festive sweater and have some fun! Just be careful, as mistletoe will 100% find its way inside these venues!

PRANK LIST

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*you can either RNG or choose! all effects disappear within 24 hours. can be pranked multiple times within 24 hours.

► the sprite enchants your clothing to make them colder and colder.
► the sprite swaps your character's voice with someone else's.
► the sprite steals an object that belongs to you and puts it in another character's pocket/room.
► your breathing becomes loud and obnoxious.
► when it snows, you perceive every flake as a human face.
► everything you eat tastes like ashes.
► you feel compelled to scream everything you say.
► you think you are the world's greatest bard, so sing your heart out!
► you gain a forked tongue.
► when breathing out in cold weather, you exhale black smoke instead of white breath.
► anomalous orifices begin appearing on your body, such as mouths, eye sockets, etc.
► you can now hear all heartbeats within 10 feet of you.
► you hallucinate a worm in your chest trying to eat its way out. you can’t feel it, but the skin on your torso ripples as it burrows beneath.
► you feel like your body is slowly melting, like a candle with a too hot flame. it's not.
► your ears constantly hear a repeating brief tune.

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ooc note

► As always, check out the Notice Board if you'd like additional prompts! Older quests from previous months are always available as well. You'll also find the Calendar right here.
► If you have questions, check out the plotting post's thread here, or ask new ones here!
► Cozy ambience for your cozy nights in Mirth!
► HAPPY HOLIDAYS ✨

Comments

ii

[philandery]

[ there are two kinds of femblems. one that lets shigure eat an insomnia pie and the other who's ready to slap it out of his hands. ]

Don't do it—!

[ sylvain's actually been trying to track down the old woman, looking slightly out of breath when he shows up. (she's nowhere in sight now, probably having sensed the presence of a former victim...)

anyway i think shigure should take a bite ]

[ittoryu]

[sweet sylvain

anyway yeah he takes a bite and looks up to give sylvain a ??? look]

[philandery]

[ NO!!!!! ]

Why did you—!

[ he immediately takes a step forward to catch the stranger before he passes out—but the effects take anywhere from a minute to an hour to settle in, so now it just looks like sylvain's up close and personal with shigure for no reason. ]

...

[ he takes a step back. ]

[ittoryu]

[.................]

You're a bold one, aren't you? Hahaha!

[i'm so sorry sylvain]

[philandery]

[ .....................

(he's gonna pretend that never happened.) ]

Those pies are bad news. You should be careful with what you eat around here.

[ ... ]

You got it from that old lady, yeah? With the lantern, cane, and strange necklace...?

[ittoryu]

[eyes his pie and decides if it's worth eating it anyway for the money he spent on it...]

That's the one.

[philandery]

[ HE DOES NOT LOOK NEARLY CONCERNED ENOUGH ABOUT THIS?? then again there's no nutritional label or health warnings attached...

HE SIGHS ANYWAY ]

Okay, so. You're gonna end up falling asleep within the hour. And you're not gonna be able to wake up unless someone kisses you.

[ sylvain putting his hands on his hips like NOT IT! ]

So you'd better get someplace comfortable and phone a friend.

[ittoryu]

Sorry, what?

[HELLO]

[philandery]

[ wao this guy simply doesn't know how to listen... ]

The pie. They're made with mistletoe berries.

[ cursed!! they are CURSED pies. ]

[ittoryu]

Well, yes... but I wasn't aware those had sedative effects.

[the more you know...]

[philandery]

[ now he knows... ]

Yep. I'd get going if I were you.

[ sylvain looks around but... it's not like the marketplace really has anywhere for shigure to pass out?? ]

...You do have someone you can contact, yeah?

[ in the case of an emergency? surely he is not bitchless all alone in this place? ]

[ittoryu]

[






he laughs, carefree because this is how he rolls.]

I really only arrived here recently, so who knows!

[philandery]

[ ...



HELLO???? ]

So........ You really don't have a backup plan.

[ guess sylvain is now the backup plan. :') ]

[ittoryu]

Nope!

[wow........ /// ]

[philandery]

...

[ ...........................goddess help him. ]

Okay. [ that's just! great!!! ] Let's find somewhere to sit.

[ because it is the month of impulsiveness, sylvain will decide, impulsively, that he's gonna help this stranger out.

by help, he means he'll make conversation until shigure conks out, smooch him, and LEAVE ]

[ittoryu]

[WOW KISS AND DITCH I SEE]

Hahaha! I'll follow your lead. Let's hope I make it there.

[philandery]

[ that's what he GETS.

sylvain just shakes his head. he shouldn't have interfered at all... ]

You don't have to sound so happy about it.

[ surely there's a tavern nearby where they can grab a booth. sylvain will order himself a drink, because he needs it. ]

So, you just got here, is it?

[ittoryu]

[shigure wisely does not order a drink, even though he's tempted to.]

A week or so ago, yes. Have you been here long?

[philandery]

A few months. It's hard to keep track in a place like this, though.

[ feels like ages already.

he takes a short sip. nooooo idea when shigure's gonna hit the hay, so he may as well try to make his beverage last. ]

[ittoryu]

Tell me that you're relatively certain it's winter right now and not summer, at least.

[philandery]

[ LORDT, if this were summer they really would just drop dead when actual winter hits. ]

It's definitely gotten colder since I've arrived, there's no doubt of that.

[ittoryu]

That's promising... probably! So we just have to bear with it for another few months, hopefully.

[philandery]

[ he has to smile at that optimism... ]

Let's hope so.

[ it's also possible it could get COLDER... like reverse hell. but sylvain doesn't really think this will be it for them in the netherworld. ]

How're you feeling?

[ this is a very vague question, but sylvain means, is he getting sleepy yet...???? ]

[ittoryu]

Hm... Well, I don't yet feel like I've ingested something potentially dangerous yet...

[waiting for it...]

[philandery]

I suppose it isn't exactly poisonous.

[ though, it's not benign either if it puts you into a cursed sleep.

...

also waiting for it...

...sylvain just sipping his drink staring at shigure... ]