(open mingle | purramid cafe)

[fulgency]

Who: Anyone (including fourth wallers!)
When: Throughout the month
Where: Purramid Cafe (Entertainment District)
What: Mingle post
Warnings: None!

grab a meowcha latte
Perhaps you came here intentionally. You need a spot to meet a friend, somewhere to study magic, or you just want to spend some time rolling around on the floor with some cats. Or it's entirely possible that you simply wandered in upon seeing the divine beasts loafing in the window and curiosity got the better of you. Regardless of how or why you ended up here, you've found yourself in this cafe. Now what?

While that's entirely up to you, it's definitely recommended that you order something to drink or to eat. (The menu is entirely cat- and Egyptian-based puns, but anything you might order is of quality and worth purchasing, promise!) Maybe you're wanting to sample everything on the menu at least once or you're developing a favorite. The counter is also where you are able to purchase catmint and treats if you wish to spoil the sphinxes (or if you've got a feline at home).

Otherwise, make yourself comfortable. There's plenty of seating with small tables or pillows to cushion you as you sit on the floor. Play with the sphinx kittens or see how many you can coax onto you. Or suffer when one decides to hop into your lap at the precise moment you're about to stand and leave and only a horrible person would ever disturb its impending slumber.


study group/monsters nights (alternating wednesdays)
Let's be honest, the transition from everyone's world to this one is a bit of a rough one. There's a lot to adjust to and some have it a little more intense than others. Everyone could likely use a little help trying to figure things out. That's why every other Wednesday night for this month is either Study Night or Monsters Night.

During Study Night, individuals with proficiency or deficits in the various schools of magic in Aefenglom can convene with one another to practice spells, discuss magical theory and research, or otherwise troubleshoot difficulties/challenges together. Guests are not allowed to test their magic directly on the sphinxes, but if it can essentially create some play with the cubs, that's allowed. Successful mastery of a spell while at study group will earn one a free drink for either that same night or during their next visit!

Monsters Night, however, is more of a Monsters only event, including for the staff. (Even Ozymandias stays out of the cafe after the event begins.) The night is intended to provide Monsters with the opportunity to have their own space to discuss their challenges and successes with adapting to their changes, or other concerns they might be experiencing. It may also be a place to discuss some of the concerns that are often raised about Bonds, especially from those who have heard about or witnessed Dorchacht. All Monsters receive a discount on their first purchase of food or drink and pay regular prices for all subsequent purchases!


board & card game night (every friday)
To also promote the cafe for its first full month of business, Friday nights are reserved for board & card games. The cafe provides its own selection of games that one could find for purchase in the city itself and provide rule explanations for those who might need them. Customers are also free to bring their own copies of these games or, if they've taken the time to make it themselves, games from their own worlds! (Ozymandias, for example, has provided the cafe with a few Senet game boxes if one is feeling adventurous enough to try what is essentially ancient Egyptian backgammon.) Tabletop nerds are also welcome to bring their character sheets and get rolling and storytelling. For games where it might be appropriate, customers are free to get a little competitive and create their own mini-tournaments if desired, or keep it completely casual. Play with strangers or with friends! Just be careful not to get locked into a several hours long friendship-ruining real estate-based game because you decided use house rules instead...

Customers should be warned that the sphinx cubs are not going anywhere though! There may be a few disruptions as there is attempted thievery of game pieces or someone decides a board looks like a good place to lay down. Or maybe you decide to team up with a sphinx cub and they provide you with terrible financial advice in the aforementioned real state game. (Note: Sphinxes don't talk and they definitely have not been educated on real estate, so please don't seek that sort of advice from them.)

Drinks are also discounted the entire night. So, maybe be a little careful about getting too much of a caffeine high, but otherwise, have fun!

((ooc: this is an entirely open mingle post for everyone, including fourth wallers! the sphinx kittens behave more or less like cats, so go wild with whatever goofy cat nonsense you want to get into. if you'd like more information about the cafe or are interested in having your character work/volunteer there, please see the info post. you will also see there are opportunities for business partnerships or posting fliers there as well! feel free to ask any questions on that post or hmu via PM!))

Comments

ozymandias | witch | ota

[fulgency]

i. meowcha latte

[Ozymandias is not as frequent of a visitor to his own cafe as one might anticipate, but at the ned of the day, he doesn't feel the particular need to hover over his staff and make sure they're doing their jobs. Nepotism with those he considers as his own children aside, he wouldn't allow them to set foot through those doors and be in charge of customers or his precious sphinx cubs if they were not capable of such responsibilities.]

[Still, Ozymandias must be there early on Sunday every morning to resummon the kittens and he tends to stay awhile afterward. He's not entirely fatigued using that much magic at once, but not rushing off to the next thing immediately helps a bit. Sometimes he stays talking with staff behind the counter or he takes to sitting on the floor and figuratively enchanting 2-3 sphinxes with a worm on a string, slowly moving the string across the floor as each cub begins to do calibration wiggles.]

[And it's not that uncommon for Ozymandias to be there in the evenings after a long day with Council or Parliament meetings. Sometimes he sits with his legs stretched out, occupied by celestial loaves all the way down to his feet with a cup of tea nearby. (If his legs are falling asleep at any point, Ozymandias will never let it be known.) Sometimes, he has a bit of a harder time letting the previous conversations go and continues to flip through papers he carried back with him in his bag, seated and hunched over at a table. Like that, he may not look like he would necessarily welcome a disruption, but he could probably use it.]

[It's also not entirely out of the realm of possibility he intends to meet someone there, too. He hasn't forgotten the advice to not work so hard all the time, to make space for the people who bring him comfort.]

ii. board game night

Don't expect me to take it easy on you simply because you're a beginner.

[Ozymandias is in the process of resetting the Senet board after his explanation of how to play. So far tonight, he's managed to remain undefeated. The throwing sticks may add an element of luck, but Ozymandias is clearly blessed by the gods and a skilled player. Even if he never actually found his way to the correct afterlife when it really matters, he keeps making it there before his opponents. He's quite confident this will be no different.]

But I am fine playing at your pace.

[The rules were quite complex and until one had good familiarity with them and the board, a slower pace would likely be needed to give his opponent a fighting chance. And despite Ozymandias' arrogance, he would actually prefer that his opponent have even the smallest potential to defeat him. How else are they to improve?]

You may go first.

[He slides the throwing sticks across the table and sits back in his seat, scratching beneath the chin of the kitten that has taken occupancy in his lap with little half-purrs. He clearly thinks of himself as incredibly generous.]

iii. wildcard

((if neither of these tickles your fancy, feel free to go off script and riff on one of the above prompts, make up your own prompt entirely or request something specific! in addition to the above, you may feel free to assume that ozy is available to discuss business partnerships or potential employment. if you've got questions or wanna run something by me, hmu via PM or on plurk at rebreather))

i

[beariot]

[ Speaking of people that bring him comfort...

She's not exactly snuggled against him, but still pressed shoulder to shoulder, letting herself rest slightly against him, though more of her weight was on the backrest. It was an improvement in how much public affection she'd been showing without him moving first, all in all. And considering all that they'd been through the month prior, even this little bit was just... good. It was good, felt good, and helped her soul start to let its blossoms see the sunlight again.

And it helped that the coffee was pretty nice, too. ]

It looks like things are going well.

[fulgency]

[Ramesses hums his agreement with her assessment.]

I don't believe it shall be long before I am able to fully recoup on expenses for opening.

[Not if he's able to keep a steady stream of patrons like this, which seems entirely possible so far. The sphinx cubs are a draw, of course. Even people who are not particularly fond of cats can't help but be a little curious about the creatures. And Giorno's sensibilities about coffee allows for the cafe portion to offer something that competitors simply can't replicate.]

[As he continues scratching along the cub's back in his lap, the cub begins to stretch and flatten itself out further. It starts resting one paw on Chariot's lap. She is now also officially trapped possibly forever.]

I imagine I shall begin seeing profits within the next month or so. Especially if Giorno is able to have any success with his machine.

[Granted, Giorno has been acting like a goblin or some equivalent monster about it, but Ramesses sees that similarly paying off in the long run. And it keeps Giorno out of trouble.]

[beariot]

[ If it's a trap, it's one she fell in willingly, and will gladly meet her fate. The cat got some scritches from her, too, as a reward for its cunning ploy. ]

I don't get the impression you were that worried about the money. That seems more like a bonus than anything else, right?

[fulgency]

[With the addition of scritches from Chariot, the cub officially starts a half-purr. Right here is clearly its definition of paradise. At least for the moment as it is still a cat, which as the essence of its very being is always going to be perpetually fickle.]

[Ramesses huffs a laugh.]

I am a man who enjoyed a great deal of wealth throughout his lifetime, but I've never lost sight of what truly enriches one's life.

[He presses a kiss to her temple just in case what he implies is somehow lost.]

I have the beginnings of plans for the profits, but I hope this place might become a source of comfort and community for the Mirrorbound.

[beariot]

[ He didn't need to punctuate with that kiss, but she melted into it all the same, becoming not unlike the cat in his lap, just happily puddling against him. If she could purr, she definitely would be. A wonder she could do something like this in public, but... Cats had that effect on people, she supposed. ]

My students are going to get jealous of you, with me spending so much time here on break... [ A small laugh. ]

[fulgency]

[He smiles at the subtle shift of her weight moving from the backrest to against him, not minding it in the least. Ramesses gifts her with another kiss to the top of her head.]

I suppose it shall not be long until they follow you in here then to see for themselves what has you so fascinated and then it will truly be chaos in here. [No doubt it might be difficult to pry children away from the creatures, especially with the cubs being so playful and at all times curious.] But if it will afford me time with you, then I welcome such unruliness.

[beariot]

I'll try to keep them on their best behavior, when that happens. [ A giggle, just... soaking up those kisses. All of this, this closeness, this tenderness, felt like medicine she needed after the last several months. She still remembered that dream they shared, how much it made her want to cling to him more...

That desire definitely pushed past her usually guarded, public persona. But it was okay, because... cat. And coffee. ]

ii. 1/2

[foundfamilies]

[Leslie is someone who will actually agree with that assessment of his generosity, but her response is to nod very seriously.]

Thank you. I don't think it would be fair if you didn't play your best.

[She...assumes. She's never actually played competitive games before??? But if it's a competition, then it must be to judge who is better, which would mean that comparing her best to what is not her best would be unfair to him, right?]

2/2

[foundfamilies]

[Picking up the sticks, she tosses them...kind of more vigorously than she probably should. She's been starting to build any muscle whatsoever and she's not expecting them to go quite that high. It's still Leslie, though, so it's not so high that they go flying everywhere. They all initially land on the table, but one hits it at a weird angle and bounces off onto the floor.]

I'm sorry!

[It's basically a reflex at this point.]

That's, um. Two black, one coloured.... [She ducks her head under the table to check the one that is now under the table.] Um, two coloured.

this precious angel...

[fulgency]

[Leslie's reflexive apology is entirely unnecessary, but Ozymandias is quick to bend down and pick it up once she's seen which side it landed on. A stick is the perfect sort of thing for a kitten to make off with if one is not careful after all. As he sets the stick down with the rest that managed to remain, he asks,]

Which means you move how many?

[If his opponent were an adult, Ozymandias wouldn't bother with asking. He would only say something if they were making a mistake and offer a gentle correction. It's not so much that he doubts Leslie's ability to retain the information, but children do learn best with repetition. The more she has to recall it, the more likely she will retain the rules and be able to focus more on strategy.]

[And besides, Leslie always seems to settle a little bit more when she's provided an opportunity to review information. He'd rather she not remain too flustered about accidentally tossing the sticks with a little too much gusto.]

a beacon of goodness in these trying times

[foundfamilies]

[He has learned well about what makes her tick. The question has the desired reaction to distract her from her fluster.]

Two black and two coloured sticks means that I can move one of my pieces two squares, but I can't do anything else after that until my next turn.

[She gathers up the three sticks that did remain on the table and holds them out to Ozymandias. She doesn't have to think about strategy yet since all of the pieces are in the same place right now.]

we don't deserve her

[fulgency]

[He smiles, pleased both with her correct answer and that she has settled down. Ozymandias nods as he takes the remaining sticks from her.]

Very good! [With his free hand, Ozymandias gestures to the board.] Now, which of your pieces can you move?

but she deserves us loving her

[foundfamilies]

[oops I missed that it starts out with the pieces on the first row She looks over the pieces.]

The last one is the only one that can get anywhere, because all of the other pieces would just swap with my own pieces. Right?

it's true. protecc leslie 2kforever

[fulgency]

[Ozymandias nods and beams with pride.]

I'm sure you will be an expert at this game in little time at all.

ii. board game night

[towards_okeanos]

I'm not exactly a beginner.

[Iskandar scratches his beard observing as Ozymandias sets up the board. He's grateful the great pharaoh is willing to explain the rules to him. He remembers none of it. It's been a long time since he played Senet.]

Truly, I haven't played it in ages. [Literally.] Let's see how my luck fares. [Iskandar throws the sticks with a wide grin. He'd been blessed by his gods once too.]

[fulgency]

[Iskandar's first toss of the sticks give him three light and one dark. No second throw, but not inherently a terrible start either.]

It will take more than luck to best me in this, [Ozymandias says, scritching beneath the chin of the kitten that's currently occupying his lap. With a laugh, he continues,] Although you should be grateful to find me as your opponent. Were you against my beloved Nefertari, you would find yourself in merciless and crushing defeat before you truly had a chance to play!

[Truly she is Hathor incarnate with such a nurturing demeanor, but indomitable skill in this game.]

[towards_okeanos]

[Iskandar remembers enough to tell this throw is not ideal. Still, luck can turn in his favour later. For they have just started.]

I rarely count only on luck, King of Kings.

[He nods. Hearing Ozymandias lay such lavish praise on his absent wife makes him wonder. It is a bit sad. The great pharaoh must miss her dearly.]

Then indeed I do consider myself blessed. Though they say that in the presence of beauty even defeat tastes sweet. [He grins.] Were we playing chess and you had my beloved Roxana as your opponent, I'd assure you, you'd have felt equally in trouble. [Two can play this game.]

[fulgency]

[One would not likely be able to tell the depths to which Ozymandias misses his beloved. At least if they were merely taking him at face value, in any case. But Iskandar is wise enough to know that the higher regard in which Ozymandias speaks, the more affection there is, the greater the longing to be reunited is. Such bliss, it seems, must always come coupled with such sadness.]

I should expect nothing less! I could not imagine any woman capable of capturing your affections to be dimly witted and not possess her own cunning.

[towards_okeanos]

Truly, she is not. The gods must have really loved the Bactrians that they made them so beautiful and yet her mind surpasses even her beauty.

[A gem of her people, she was exceptionally cunning, being able to gain love even of those that initially fiercely opposed the very idea of Iskandar marrying her. Not a day passes that he does not miss her.]
But it helps none to dwell on loss and sadness. So instead, Iskandar makes his move.

I believe it is your turn now, King of Kings.

[fulgency]

[Ozymandias accepts the throwing sticks to take his turn, and it appears his luck is not much better than Iskandar's as he's only given two steps before his turn is over. He huffs a laugh at this before making his move.]

This is to be a slow game if we continue having turns like this!

ii. Late with non-competitive Starbucks

[long_live_the_queen]

[His opponent this time may be a bit of a surprise. Kaede was seated on the opposite side of the game table, gangly legs neatly folded under herself. She'd taken up a seat on the floor on the other end of the low table, her tail curled like a lazy obstacle on the ground behind her--and a sphinx kitten took immediate interest in the Chimera's bright feathers. New toy? New toy!!

Outwardly, Kaede didn't react much as it pounced and mushed its starry little face into them in lieu of biting the eye spots. Occasionally, some of them twitched to keep the cub's interest--or on rare occasions where the kicks got too enthusiastic and started to hurt. She kept her attention on Ozymandias' explanation, though, even as her feathers swished out of the kitten's grasp and left the little thing looking baffled as to why playtime had stopped.

But! It was not so easily deterred! And now it had changed targets, having noticed the drop ornament of little beads hanging from one antler. The kitten gathered itself with a little anticipatory wiggle in its haunches--and launched itself up her back. Its tiny claws snagged and scrabbled in the fabric of her vest and shawl as it clambered up to the Chimera's shoulder.

Kaede didn't flinch, though an ear turned back. And she kept a straight face the entire time.]

Go over the stick things again? I was distracted.

[Her only acknowledgement of the chaos happening behind her.]

[fulgency]

[Ozymandias is not one to pay particular mind to the antics of his sphinx cubs. Much in the way that tasks could not be accomplished if one dropped everything every single time a toddler made noise, one cannot be derailed by the sphinxes playing. They are more instinct than anything else, after all. But there is a limit to which he can ignore them, too. Were Kaede more reactive to their antics, it's likely that Ozymandias might have paused to give her a moment to attend to the cub either by removing it or making minor adjustments to its play. So long as she seems fine with the cub's behavior, Ozymandias will continue to ignore it himself.]

Of course.

[Ozymandias moves the board aside a moment to lay out the sticks. He picks one up, turning it to the side he mentions as he begins the explanation once more.]

How many you are able to move and if your turn is at its end is determined by the number of light or dark sides that are facing up after you throw them. [Ozymandias pauses a moment as he sets the stick down, so all four dark sides are face up.] To start, this allows you to take five steps and you will throw again. But its opposite only allows for four steps and an extra turn.

[long_live_the_queen]

[Kaede watched and listened to his explanation, still loudly ignoring the cub's mischief. Its little needle-claws were...unpleasant, sometimes, but she had something else to focus on.

It took a few tries for the little sphinx to clamber up there, but! It did! It had ascended to the Chimera's shoulder! It seemed quite proud of this achievement. Or at least stopped wiggling, which Kaede was much more thankful for. It settled on its paws like a loaf of divine beast, its attention diverted to the game board instead of the dangly shiny thing in her antlers.

Kaede reached a gangly arm up to give it a little scratch behind the ears. Yes, you are a very good kitty. Now stay still.]

Right. You care which side I pick?

[fulgency]

It makes no difference to me which stones you choose as your pieces, [Ozymandias says with a shake of his head. He spares a glance at the kitten as it looks toward the board, moving the set back toward the center of the table and pushing the sticks toward Kaede to allow her the first turn. Ozymandias sits back in his seat.] Whenever the two of you are ready to begin...