event pt 1 | full moon & litha

[moustre]

Event Log: June, A Midsummer Night's Dream

I. IUNERIL 17TH - THE FULL MOONS The days leading up to the full moons are the same as last month: Monsters are a little itchier and a little easier to agitate, whether they mean to be or not, which becomes increasingly noticeable the day before the full moons. But of particular note is that this may be the second full moons that some arrivals have experienced, and with that comes greater risks, greater agitation, and further reminders to take care of themselves. Weather fair, despite the worries of the city, Monsters will find that the Sisters aren't blocked away by clouds this night. The moons cast their light down on the city, and the pull is strong for even the veteran natives that call the city home. The Coven is offering potions and charms, in an attempt to encourage those without a Bond to ensure that they will be able to keep their wits about them throughout the entire stretch of the Sisters' time in the sky at their fullest. They're always allowed to reject the offer, but it's with a warning: if they let their newfound instincts overtake them, then they might find themselves back in the Coven under worse conditions. But the Sisters rise framed in stark red skies, even as evening falls across Aefenglom, much to the discontent of the city. Streets that are rarely dim are lit up even moreso, now, in the face of this omen, lanterns and candles leading all the way to the Harbor District. Their colors flicker with shades of blue, green, violet - anything to offset the red. Boats that come and go along the river also carry a lantern or two with the same intent, and ships in the harbor are decorated with magical faerylights, strung across hulls, masts, the works. There's no place in the Harbor District untouched by light, with nary a sign of red in the midst of their goods. Tensions are already high, between the humans and Monsters of Aefenglom. It's especially noticeable on this night: full moons already cause everyone to be a little jumpy, but with the red tidings for Litha, they're more on edge than ever. Some blame the new arrivals, though never directly to their face, especially when they don't know who, or what, someone might be. It's always a there-and-gone whisper, it seems like. Gossip. Distrust. Unease. It doesn't lend well to the full moons, but there are still those that want to help. Many will notice that there's already activities and decorations up for Litha, some of them still under construction despite the fast approaching festival. The most notable of all are the hedge mazes that have been constructed, both by hand and with magic to encourage their growth. Behind the festival organizers' backs, a group of people - both man and beast - are offering Monsters a chance to burn off some of their energy by embracing their instincts in a more... constructive manner, with native Witches and Monsters alike prepared to intervene if things get a little too violent. In a sort of mockery of Litha's traditions, they're partnering Monsters up with a willing participant to run the mazes, with a variety of options that they will list. The partner - or partners, if there is a party looking to go in together - can be either Witch or Monster, and the people organizing this won't judge as they inform the interested individuals of their options: a. A-HUNTING WE WILL GO, allowing the Monster to either hunt a small livestock or game animal (a piglet, fowls, rabbits, the like) or to hunt down their partner through the maze they've chosen. This need not end violently, and can become more of a game of hide and seek meets tag. b. EVERYBODY WAS FIGHTING, where one maze in particular has been devoted to a makeshift fight ring at the very heart of it. The organizers hope, somewhat, that by making the Monster(s) in question run the maze first they'll be a little tired out already when reaching the ring. c. UNDER THE PALE MOONLIGHT, because instincts don't always call for violence, the organizers offer a more intimate experience here, whether it's sexual or nonsexual. Maybe you just want a good cuddle..? The organizers emphasize the idea of consent, and will not force anyone against their will into the hedge mazes, no matter which one it is. They also want to make sure that they will step in to help if called upon, in case someone gets a little too overeager. Witches looking to use magic this night will, peculiarly, find that their magic is a little less... cooperative. Many of the Coven Witches speak of how they specifically wait to cast powerful spells on the night of the full moons, to ensure that they have the greatest chances of success with the help of the Sisters. However, Witches of the new arrival persuasion are much weaker on full moons. Their magic is still there, and they can still draw upon it for spells, but they'll have to put greater effort if they want to cast a spell with any significant amount of power. Overexerting oneself while doing this is entirely possible, so it's best to try and find some sort of balance, lest you find yourself exhausted and without a means to defend yourself. We ask that any and all NSFW threads be marked accordingly, or otherwise moved to a locked post on the log community or an entry/inbox on a character journal. Remember to please be excellent to each other, and respect all limits that your threadmates might have, if you explore the more sexual or violent aspects of the offered prompts. If things get OOCly out of hand, please let us know; if things get ICly out of hand, please let Nessie and Mhairi know.

II. LITHA - IUNERIL 21ST TO 23RD Despite what chaos there might have been on the night of the full moons, and the subsequent day after as things began to calm, Litha still arrives as scheduled on Iuneril 21st, as the sun begins to set. The summer solstice reaches its peak the following night, and the festivities wind down the third dusk. While certainly still lively, it isn't as completely festive as Boaltinn, most certainly because of the red skies, and the natives are obviously trying to make the best they can of what they perceive as a poor situation. To say that the natives are on edge would certainly be an understatement. Whatever happened in those hedge mazes is untraceable, now, and everything looks pristine. Faerylights decorate every awning, overhang, and eave, magical and twinkling with colors to offset the red skies. There are no bonfires, this go around, but much like the fires it seems that the lights all lead to the primary area of celebration: in contrast to Boaltinn, Litha is celebrated in the Entertainment, Shopping, and Harbor Districts. Doors to businesses are wide open (with many even having large signs indicating VAMPIRES WELCOME HERE - those that don't make a clear statement), and stalls offering wares and foods and activities alike are set up at nearly every corner alongside preestablished businesses in the market. The harbor is especially lively, with many sailors coming and going as they prepare for setting sail. While ships themselves are always coming and going in the port, Litha is an important time for the more longterm voyages and those meant to carry some significance, and each ship departing is bid farewell with equal fanfare. Fireworks and celebration that is, at least in some part, genuine, but does carry a certain level of enthusiasm that borders on force of will. a. ASKING FOR A LITTLE COMPANY Though all businesses in the Entertainment District open their doors for the festivals of Aefenglom, the brothels of the city in particular are offering a warm welcome this Litha to anyone who might be interested in spending some time with someone - or, multiple someones. They have open rooms for mingling, lounges with floor pillows and low tables where customers can partake in spiced and unspiced drinks alike, where the unspiced are lacking in the potions and near-aphrodisiacs of the spiced drinks. Private rooms are also available for those seeking a more... intimate experience, however one may take that to mean. The brothel workers are more than happy to attend to any interested parties, but also aren't against randomly pairing individuals up, based on their specifications. And, after a little misunderstanding regarding their classes, the Head Madame of the guild has decided that they will be offering chances for individuals to perform at their establishments. She was rather charmed by the mishap, bless your souls, as were the rest of the guild, so the new arrivals have endeared themselves to the brothel workers. Dances, conversation, assorted busking - whatever skills that their quest-takers learned, whether it be of the more sexual nature or not, they'll provide whatever they might need to put on a show and attract or entertain clientele. b. I'M WISHING FOR THE ONE I LOVE Anyone interested in making their way into the Shopping District will find just as many open doors, as well as numerous stalls interspersed where they weren't before. Vendors hawking their wares and goods like always call out with Litha specials, and businesses set up temporary stalls to draw attention to themselves, with promise of greater bargains and products to be found at their main establishment. There are many that sell spiced foods and drinks, with varying degrees of strength depending on how one wants to feel. Others are selling candles and lanterns, offering a magitech version of a lighter at a steal, depending on how much you purchase otherwise. The largest stalls, and the biggest displays at storefronts, are the flowers though. Every single flower shop in Aefenglom has come out full force, practically painting the district in a myriad of non-red colors as they put their stock on full display. They offer deals for those who wish to buy bouquets for a sweetheart or someone they admire, as well as anyone wanting to make flower crowns for those they care for. Each of the seven largest shops are also handing out a single flower for those partaking in festivities to place under their pillow to dream of future partners, the flower they're typically most well known for; this varies from shop to shop, but the up and coming Rose Bush certainly isn't going to let superstition stop them, and are handing out red roses. It's a bold move, but one that causes the tizzy that they were intending it to. And if one is feeling particularly whimsical, they can go to any well at night, looking into the depths in a bid to see their future spouse and true love within. Perhaps making an offering of a flower would bring good luck..? Just don't linger for too long, as there's a rumor that someone is pushing unfamiliar faces into the well, likely targeting those they think are new arrivals. c. GET LOST WITH ME Though the Harbor District has some bleedover from the Shopping District in terms of festivities, their streets and warehouses are where the most room is available for the hedge mazes. Some are sprawling as they fill the streets and alleys, spilling into the towering buildings that have been empty to load the contents onto waiting ships. They create their own environments, with flowers from the flower shops blooming in the rows and creating archways at entrances and exits. Some are enchanted to seem neverending, although there always is an exit, if one can only figure out the puzzle. Each maze has a different method to its madness, and arrangements that those running them have decided on. (Some faces may seem familiar, to those that encountered them on the full moons; they'll feign otherwise, focused only on the now and refusing to draw attention to any recognition.) Some mazes send in the partners together, randomly selected and tasked with figuring out how to reach the end of the maze together. Others will send the partners in from different ends, with the instructions to find one another, whether in the center of the maze or in its winding path. Another variety offers something reminiscent of the hide and seek meets tag game, tasking one as the hunter and the other as the hunted, a game of pursuit meant to replicate the "playing hard to get" variety of courtship. There's no restrictions on how many times one can enter the maze, as it allows one to forge many bonds - and possibly Bonds - and replicates the process of finding your true love. Or, loves; no one here is going to judge anyone. They certainly won't judge, either, if participants opt to take a swig of something for luck in love before they go in. However, some mazes have been tampered with: rather than opening out into somewhere safe on the street or in a building, they empty out unaware participants into the port itself. Hopefully you know how to swim. Once again, we ask that if any threads take on a NSFW nature that they be marked as such, or otherwise moved to a locked post in the log community or an entry/inbox in a character journal.

Welcome to the event log, part I! While mingling on the log itself is highly encouraged, feel free to make your own logs; take the prompts offered and go wild, go crazy, go stupid, have fun. As ever, if your character is getting into any Shenanigans, let the mods know, and if you have any questions about the log, ask them here!

Comments

[oceanschild]

Paris smiles shyly at the shopkeeper, and then looks back at Justine with a nod. "Mm. That sounds like fun." He's made flower crowns before... he's sure doing it with Justine would be really nice. And there are so many flowers around, they should do something with them.

[ishisstrength]

"Let's do it."

The shop keeper smiles in delight and beckons them to a small table where he begins to gather flowers both red and white for them to use in their crown making. "Let me know if you need more."

Justine mumbled a soft thankyou and took a seat at the table. She remembers making flower chains as a child though this seems a little more intensive than that. "I'm going to use this flower for the center of your crown." She held up the red rose that she had tapped against his cheek, her smile warm and bright as she begins to fold and tuck a few flowers together.

[oceanschild]

Paris sits down next to her, looking at the wide array of flowers in front of them. There are so many to choose from...

He takes a moment, before selecting a red flower with white streaks, showing it to her. "Do you like this one...?" He wants to make sure before he makes it the centerpiece of hers, but it thinks it would look very pretty on her. It looks a bit to him like it could be the center of a tiara.

[ishisstrength]

Justine's mouth stretched into a warm grin. "I think it's perfect but you know-" She leaned forward and lowered her voice to whisper in his ear. "I'd like anything that you made for me Paris." She pressed a kiss just below his ear before sitting back in her seat.

She watched as his face flushed before going back to weaving a few more white and red flowers together in a lovely crown. She focuses on alternating between red roses, carnations and what looked like a red daffodil. Around them are small white bell like flowers and one or two small daisy's.

It's starting to look very lovely.

[oceanschild]

Paris is definitely flushed after that, but he's smiling, happily winding together the crown for her. He's largely doing red flowers for her around the crown, with every three or so being a flourishing white flower with elaborate ruffled petals. Both of their crowns are starting to look quite nice; they're different enough to be distinct, and yet somehow still look like a matching pair.

[ishisstrength]

Her dark eyes glanced over that Paris's efforts every few seconds before adding another flower bud or another leaf to his crown. At the end, they did certainly match but his had more sprigs of green making the crown appear more masculine. Justine was surprised by how much she liked the outcome.

She leaned forward and placed the crown on his head, hesitating only briefly as their faces drew close together. She wanted to kiss him again, even without the Bond that they had once shared and after a lingering second of hesitation, she caved to her desires and lightly pressed her lips against his.

[oceanschild]

Paris ducks his head down to make it easier on her and is pleasantly surprised when she leans in for a little. He returns it, light and simple, but with the experiences they've had together there's still that lingering sense of more between them, something deeper. When he pulls back, there's a blush on his face, but he's smiling.

"Here," he says softly, taking her finished crown and placing it on her head-- and then leaning in to give her a kiss of his own.

[ishisstrength]

Justine smiled as the crown was lightly placed atop her head and eagerly returned his kiss. The shop keeper cleared his throat next to their seats and Justine nearly laughed at the rudeness of it all. They should have paid before they started their crown construction.

"We should pay and maybe continue this somewhere else." She met Paris's eyes and gave him another quick kiss before continuing. "Have you ever had ice cream before?"

[oceanschild]

Paris immediately bright red and apologizes, ducking his head so he doesn't have to look at the shop keeper. He's so embarrassed...

But Justine can coax him back up, and he gives her a shy smile. "Um... no, I don't think so."

[ishisstrength]

Justine placed the money on the table before taking Paris's hand. She knew that he'd been feeling uncomfortable and sought to place as much distance between them and the flower stand as possible.

"Would you like to try some?" She asked as she stepped into his arms. "I could feed you. It's sweet and cold. It's perfect on a warm night like this and if any melts we can lick it up." She manages to tilt her words just enough to make it sound like it'd be an entirely too sensual experience.

"They have different flavors too. We can try and find your favorite." Of course, Justine's was strawberry.

[oceanschild]

Of course she makes it sounds sensual. Paris is kind of not sure at this point which modern things he doesn't know about are actually supposed to be sexy and which things are her just being very good at making them sound that way. He's not sure he really minded, though.

"That sounds nice," he says, flushing a little with her pressed so close but giving her a little squeeze, "Where should we go...?"

[ishisstrength]

"This way." Justine intertwined her fingers with his and lead him towards the ice cream stand. She already knew where it was and had been planning to eventually stop by when she'd run across Paris. It was a happy accident that he was here now. "What flavor would you like? I think they just have the basic flavors: chocolate, strawberry and vanilla."

She pulled him to a stop in front of the ice cream stand which thankfully didn't have a line.

[oceanschild]

Honestly, it's probably good that there are so few flavors for their first time, since even these are a little overwhelming for Paris. He's seen chocolate elsewhere around the city (especially in the bakery) and he's enjoyed the tastes of it he's had, but this is very, very new, so... "...Vanilla?" Is this a good answer??

[ishisstrength]

"Okay." Justine would be happy with any answer.

She ordered them one cone and quickly paid before Paris could protest. Money wasn't one of those things that Justine spent a great deal of time thinking about, unless she was in need of clothes, then she often lament its loss.

"I hope you don't mind sharing." Her tongue flicked out and slowly dragged up the side of the ice cream cone while keeping her gaze focused on Paris. Anyone who says that ice cream wasn't sexy hasn't seen Justine eat it.

[oceanschild]

Oh no. Paris flushes furiously when he watches Justine take the first lick of the ice cream. Ok. He... definitely sees where she's going with this now.

"N-No, I don't mind at all..." Obviously. This is more than fine. ...But he doesn't want to take it from her so he's not sure how this will work...

[ishisstrength]

Justine laughed when Paris seemed to hesitate. It was cute when he had no idea what to do and she savored the moment before offering a solution to his confusion.

There were many ways that they could do this but Justine decided to make it a little more hands-on than she had originally intended. She dipped her finger in the cold sweet desert and held it before Paris's lips. "Here, taste."

[oceanschild]

Paris is pretty sure that's now how one is supposed to normally share ice cream, but... it's not like he has a better idea. Cheeks still red, he leans in to close the distance before wrapping his lips gently around the tip, licking off the cold cream. It surprises him a little, his eyes widening. "Oh-- it's very sweet." But very good.

[ishisstrength]

It is not the best way to share ice cream but Justine didn't care. His lips were warm and soft, encasing her finger as his tongue flicked the creamy substance from its tip. The entire gesture took only seconds but it sent pleasant little shivers down her spine.

"Does that mean you like it?" It was sweet and without Paris's help she probably wouldn't finish the single scoop they had gotten.

"Do you want more?"

[oceanschild]

Paris smiles, nodding a little. "Mm, yes. I do. It's... really different." It's probably a good thing they started with vanilla for him honestly.

And he does want more, but he's, uh. Not sure if this is how they're going to eat the whole thing or not.

[ishisstrength]

Justine didn't plan for them to eat the entire ice cream cone. She suspected that they'd get distracted with other activities or they'd end up covering one or both of them in the sticky sweet liquid and need a bath.

"Here." She placed the ice cream out for him to take a lick of his own. After he did she booped him on the nose, smearing the tip of it with ice cream. A second passed and then Justine was leaning forward to lick it from his nose.

She was just impossible to take anywhere.

[oceanschild]

They're almost certainly going to get distracted, by one thing or another. Paris leans in, taking a lick of the treat and savoring the taste of it. Of course, almost immediately after there's some on his nose and there's barely time for it to register before Justine is licking it off.

His face is scarlet again, and he looks up at her with an expression that's almost a pout. (But a playful one, there's an edge of a smile trying to creep its way in.) "Is that how you're supposed to eat it?" he asks.

[ishisstrength]

Justine bit her lower lip to stop herself from smiling. "No but you looked so delicious, I wanted to taste you."

She kept the ice cream in front of him as she leaned forward and pressed her lips to the shell of his ear. "I like the way you taste and I bet the rest of you tastes just as delicious." Her teeth lightly tease the shell of his ear and then his earlobe, sucking gently as she pressed her hips against his.

She's all but forgotten that she's holding ice cream...

[oceanschild]

How does she always do this to him... Paris shivers, nearly melting himself under her attention. "I, um... do I?" he asks, trying not to sound as flustered as he feels.

He spots the ice cream in her hand and take it, bumping it lightly against her cheek before licking off the mess left himself. What? She shouldn't be the only one who gets to do that...

[ishisstrength]

Cold touched her cheek followed by the wet heat of Paris's tongue as it glided against her skin. Justine shivered and then smiled with delight.

It was fun making Paris flustered but it was even more fun when he tried to get back at her. It defied expectation and was daring enough to rise a little color to her cheeks. Justine didn't say anything in response but turned her head and captured his mouth in a soft, slightly cold and sweet, kiss.

[oceanschild]

Paris can handle flirtation as long as he knows where it's going, what's expected of him, and right now Justine has made it rather obvious. He leans into the kiss, smiling a little as well as he rests his hand on the curve of her waist, pulling her a little closer. Even if it's hot out, he likes the warmth of her against him.