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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

[I WOULD ARGUE SHE HAS TOO MANY OF THEM ALREADY.]

Oh. [There's a beat. Her mouth quirks up at one end.] So, either you h-hate her, or you're in love with her.

[ Maybe it's because he's heard this more times than he can count, but there's such a boring, non-reaction from Dokja. He just sighs into his drink. ]

Have you been reading too many romance novels?

[ That seems like a genre someone her age would like... ]

[What a let down. Her sly smile falls before it can flourish. Sheesh, he really has no shame at all.]

Wh-what's wrong with that? You can never have too much romance in your life. [She juts her chin up in a rare show of pride.] And I sh-should know. I was a best-selling author in the subject.

[ HUH? There's an obvious look of disbelief as he stares at Fukawa because what? ]

I honestly would have never guessed.

[ No offense. ]

Do you have a copy of your work with you here?

[Offense taken anyway. She snaps a hot glare on him as quick as a gunslinger's shot.]

Why? Because ugly girls c-can't know anything about love? Is that it?

[She's heard it all before! Sometimes from other people and a lot from herself.

Nevertheless, she huffs and takes her own mug to her lips, muttering before taking a sip.]

There's s-some of my books at the library, but I took a few for myself. They're upstairs.

[ 🤨 ?????? ]

But you're not ugly?

[ It was more about her age, but wow, he feels the need to clarify this because he doesn't want her to think he thinks she's ugly!! That would be so fucked up, and as a victim of people calling him ugly, he can sympathize... ]

If you don't mind, I'd be interested in reading what you have.

[ Romance isn't really his genre, but stories! Stories built by someone here? He can't pass up on that. ]

Don't lie right to m-my face!

[Why did people keep saying that? It's like three months of opposite day down here.

Anyway let's not dwell on things only rigorous therapy can fix. Fukawa goes silent when he asks after her work. Her eyes dart between his. Assessing. Narrowing.]

Well. If you're so incredibly b-bored... [They have nothing to do now but wait to die a second time, she guesses.] It's not what you think, though. I don't write about sluts with bikini bodies falling in love with millionaires, or b-bodices being ripped, or anything like that! My books are about real people. The underappreciated ones, who never get their dues as empathetic figures. I want to make their b-beauty known. Not keep glorifying people who have it all already.

So, it's not just some lurid fantasy life. Got it? It's real literature.

[ There's a lot to unpack with this description, but Dokja does his part of sitting there quietly and listening to what Fukawa has to say. She's certainly passionate about her work, which he can appreciate, and it gets him thinking about the usual stories he consumes.

Real people, huh? Dokja's always preferred the fantastical, an escape from reality when his own life had been so hellbent on going wrong at every turn. It was easy to lose himself in the perspective of those he wished to be like, the strong, the brave, and the wise.

So real people... It would be different. ]

Got it. [ He at least sounds genuine here. ] You haven't lost my interest.

[To be fair, they are fantasies. Just of a more mundane sort. Such as, say, people finding beauty in ugly things. Love for the unloveable. A humiliating cliche, but one that pulled her through her darkest hours and drew in unprecedented audiences.

For now, Fukawa only surveys him for a tense second. Then at last, she nods.]

F-fine. I'll go get them for you.

[She sets her drink aside and makes to stand.

Except her legs have fallen asleep. With a helpless yelp, Fukawa falls direct on top of Dokja.

There, they're cuddling now.]

[ SPEAKING OF CLICHES...

Dokja doesn't see this coming at all because this isn't supposed to be that kind of story, so when Fukawa falls on him, the speed of his reaction isn't the fastest.

Still, he makes an attempt to catch her (mostly so she doesn't elbow him in the face somehow), one hand trying to make a grab at her shoulder to steady her while his other hand holds the mug out of the way.

... And while some of the hot drink sloshes on his wrist, he can barely feel it because nothing gives him warmth anymore.

...... Except this? This body warmth meme is killing us. ]

―Are you okay?

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how dare you boom me????? kicks your shins

you boomed me back!!!

and then i died, i am not strong like u u_u teach me your ways yuul

it's okay i also died 😔