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LOVE AT FROST BITE

I. COLD HANDS, WARM HEART

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'

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

*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.

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 ✨

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Pressing their hands (and both crystals) together, Hibiki exhales a steady puff of white, her heels subtly bobbing as she tries not to shiver. Tilting her head, she looks for a sign that what they're doing is working.

Nope, no glow. Maybe they have to hold one in each hand..? ]

Hm?

[ Blinking owlishly at the redhead before offering him a stretched smile, she tries to laugh it off. ]

Ahaha, I'm fr-freezing. [ It's too cold for her to hide it. ]

It does-n't get this c-cold where I'm from.

[ And technically she's avian-adjacent. Thanks for the lack of temperature control, dad. ]

You really are...

[ sylvain's a little concerned for her health? though, she doesn't seem to have any other symptoms of a cold (no fever or cough or sniffles)... he frowns and curls his hands a little tighter around hers, hoping it'll help generate some heat.

that said, he's been feeling the chill here as well. and he was practically raised on an icecap. ]

If t makes you feel any better [ spoken with the full knowledge it probably won't ], it doesn't seem like anyone's been faring well against the weather here...

[ he gives her another concerned look. ] Should we try going inside somewhere?

[ there are plenty of establishments around mirth to visit, at least. ]

[ She really is.

Large hands cupping over hers, the small blonde hunkers down, trying to think warm thoughts. Mind over matter. She doesn't have to be cold; temperature is just an illusion that people subscribe to, so if she ignores it, then maybe it will just go away. Easy.

Only it's not, as a frigid breezes forces her to shudder and move a little closer. This guy's a beanpole, he can block for her. ]

Y-yeah, I thought... they said Hell w-was supposed to be hot!

[ Hibiki nods enthusiastically at his suggestion, there's got to be somewhere they can camp out to thaw. But that also requires her to take her hands back, and she's not sure she's done leeching warmth off this kind stranger just yet. ]

[ he laughs, though it's accompanied by a shiver. ]

I wouldn't mind some "eternal flames" myself...

[ sylvain hates hot weather actually but he could use some right now. this is simply unsustainable... ]

...How about over there?

[ he points to a nearby diner, one neon sign out of many. and it's okay, no need to take her hands back! sylvain will continue to hold them as they walk towards shelter. as an aside, ]

First the weird sickness [ he means the hanahaki, though he's only been mildly affected ], now this... This place really has it out for us.

Everybody says that until they see the size of the pokers they need to keep them going strong!

[ What?

It's hilarious because she has no misconception that an actual Hell exists. She should probably keep her mind open, but a fiery realm run by some guy in red feels incredibly unrealistic. But things like reincarnation are fine.

Walking toward the diner while maintaining contact is a little awkward at first, especially with how long his strides are. But she manages, keeping up somehow--even if she's avoiding making eye contact with anyone here. A fan of PDA she is not. ]

You can say th-that again, it's like this place is actually trying to kill us. [ Hibiki pauses as she reaches out to try to open the diner door. ] Are you okay? You aren't hacking up any poinsettia or mistletoe, are you?

[ She does a lot of worrying about other people despite being the one trembling due to the cold. ]

[ ...what???

sylvain just smiles, amused. but fire and pokers aside, she raises a valid point. ]

Seems kind of unfair when we're already dead.

[ 'no rest for the wicked' and all that, but this young woman seems perfectly nice? he's met plenty of other decent folk here, too... as for her question, ]

Thankfully, no. [ it's an intermittent cough, a few petals here and there, but nothing so drastic. he knows others who aren't doing so well, though, and for a moment there's a flash of concern across his expression, though it quickly subsides.

he smiles at her wryly but appreciatively. ]

Besides, shouldn't you be worrying about yourself?