rollfordiplomacy: dns (Default)
[Everett Vaughan] ([personal profile] rollfordiplomacy) wrote in [community profile] middaeg2019-12-01 09:49 am

DiplomaTea | Grand Opening! | Mingle Post

Who: Any and all!
When: December 1st.
Where: The Haven.
What: Grand Opening of a new, mirrorbound owned shop!
Warnings: None.


DiplomaTea, a Florist and Tea Shop, is located on a street corner in The Haven. Today is its Grand Opening, complete with festivities to mark the occasion. The shop has a cozy and welcoming atmosphere, though a gothic aesthetic permeates throughout. Skulls, thorns, and lace are in much of the decor.

Above the main entrance hangs a dyed elk skull, decorated with white carnations and tea leaves. Entering leads one to a tidy shop, flower arrangements filling every possible surface. The air within is warm and scented by whichever section one might be in. Even the smells filling the shop are well organized and complimentary.



The floor plan includes plenty of space to walk through and admire the floral displays. Double doors are locked open, leading out to a covered, outdoor porch. Many are sitting to enjoy a cup of tea. The whole shop is pleasantly heated, the porch space a middle ground between the warm interior and cold, rainy streets beyond. A small stage accommodates a single performer with a compact instrument. Live music is playing throughout the opening day. Inside the shop is a long bar to take orders for fresh brewed tea and to make sales.



I. Enchant me by the Mistletoe

Over the door frames and upon the tea tables are a peculiar little plant, wrapped in ribbon. Being near to these cause a certain reaction. It's not so much a compulsion as an idea. An idea to kiss or hold the person nearest to you. Whether platonic or romantically depends on your ideas of them.

If they are a perfect stranger, well, it's likely to fall romantic. The magic is funny like that, keen to fluster!

It is only an idea, lasting so long as one remains near to the mistletoe. Or... until the idea is so indulged. Guests are more than welcome to take the enchanted bundle along with them, the effects should last a couple days. The staff have more on hand to set out in replacement... and magically woven ribbons of their own, which block such ideas from forming in their own minds. They don't need such distractions! It's a busy enough day as it is!

II. Illusory Flowers

A Grand Opening special! Roses and lily flowers with peculiar properties. Everett grows all the flowers stocking the shop himself and his magic mixes with the witch he's bonded to, Sokie. Some of her illusion magic affected this batch, in fun and often times unpredictable ways.

These flowers are still closed, waiting for the right moment to bloom. They are being given away freely, a single flower at a time, both inside and out front of the shop. When they pass hands, the petals open to blossom, and a small illusion springs forth!

Never harmful, but always surprising. Sometimes the illusion is visual, sometimes with a sound or a smell to accompany. Rarely do the aspects seem well matched, fire cracker like eruptions may leave behind the smell of ocean water. Small, ghostly creatures often springing forth, as if born from the flower itself. There's a wide variety that can manifest, even Everett's not sure of all the possibilities.

No matter what it is, it fades from the senses within a minute. All that's left then is a lovely, if ordinary flower.

III. A Springtide Blessing

The shop has much to offer with flower arrangements, but the tea blends are the real centerpiece on display. Everett prides himself on his perfect flavor combinations, which he assures have as much significance to them as any flower. For the grand opening, there are three specialty blends. Blessings of the Springtide, he calls them. All are available for tastings and purchase.




a. Adelheid's Heart

A floral, sweet tea. This is served with lemon and fresh honey, pairing well with tea biscuits. Easy to drink, even for those without a fondness for tea. Refreshing and said to always uplift one's spirits.

b. Enki's Ambition

A sharp, minty tea. Though it is served warm, it leaves a strangely cold feeling when swallowed. Soothing, all the same, and very brisk. Any congestion of the nose or throat is sure to be remedied by a cup of this. The ideal tea when in need of focus and clarity.

c. Ardric's Warmth

This tea is an absolute kick in the teeth. It's harsh and bitter. There's a spice to it that builds on itself, making it more and more difficult to drink in time. The caffeine is highly concentrated, there's no getting to sleep after a cup of this. Everett will reward a free tin of it to anybody who can get down an entire cup in the store. Most people cough or wretch after a single sip, a sure sign that it's been well crafted. It's said to burn out illness and boost one's fortitude against curses.

IV. Warmth in more than Tea

To mark the occasion, there's more than tea blends on offer this day. In two warmed barrels is a bounty of apple cinnamon cider. One with alcohol and one without. The former isn't very high content, just enough to warm the belly and relax with.

This is served throughout the day, but becomes particularly tempting once the sky darkens in the afternoon. Overcast weather settles above the city, then. Rain will begin pattering down over the covered porch come evening, which is bright with lantern light and tea candles set out on the tables.

Grab a seat, if you can, it's the perfect hour to watch people go by or cuddle up with a companion. That or merely pop in to escape the rain, warm up before going the rest of the way home.

All prompts are open to any and all to play around with! The Grand Opening is from morning on the 1st of December well into the night. OOC Questions can be asked on the permanent locations post or Everett can be asked ICly in his TL here. DiplomaTea's permanent open post available through the Location Page is open to anybody who wishes to use the setting in the future. Have fun and tag around!
bloodwit: (to make art)

[personal profile] bloodwit 2020-01-12 08:08 pm (UTC)(link)
[ even if it may come across as flattery, viren will take the compliment in stride; his smile softens before it disappears. overall, he's contented with this conversation - helpful that he always tends to enjoy magic as a topic.

he nods agreement, before adding,
]

And what would the magic of your world be like...?
wiggleon: (to remind you)

[personal profile] wiggleon 2020-01-13 09:04 pm (UTC)(link)
Well...

[He hesitates, as he always does when he's come close to sharing a bit too much of himself. He isn't exactly keeping who he is- what he is a secret, really. Some people already know, like his Bonded. But he's definitely not openly talking about it, not yet, so he's still tiptoeing the line between saying things in an oblique way and actually lying, which he doesn't want to do.]

Miracles, I suppose. Angelic or demonic in nature, a miracle is still a miracle.
bloodwit: (if i forsake you)

[personal profile] bloodwit 2020-01-15 10:13 pm (UTC)(link)
[ although viren catches onto the hesitation, he obviously doesn't ascertain the why to it. his immediate thought is, perhaps, that there's something ... less acceptable, about the magic that would warrant it (with how tight-lipped he can be about dark magic, what with the current political climate).

but miracles, alongside the mention of angelic or demonic natures, has him rethinking that.
]

I see. [..] Then, by calling it a "miracle," it would also be something that's very rare...?
wiggleon: (I think of you always)

[personal profile] wiggleon 2020-01-17 09:45 pm (UTC)(link)
Extremely so. And humans aren't able to do miracles anyway, so I'm not sure it can even be called magic. But it is the closest thing we've got.

There is, of course, a lot of people who pretend to be magic. And even people who truly believe they can do magic, or just read whatever the future holds for them on the stars. Some give themselves titles like yours, but in their case it absolutely isn't warranted.

But humans get into messes so quickly, so intensely and in such weird ways I can't even imagine what they would get up to with magic.
bloodwit: (to get anxious)

[personal profile] bloodwit 2020-01-18 02:23 am (UTC)(link)
[ viren listens, oh he listens (it involves magic, of course he listens). when aziraphale's finished sharing his explanation, parsing through each word, an eyebrow's arched. ]

As I know it, magic is more for the purpose of.. creative solutions.

[ viren looks -- somewhat critical. sardonically, ]

A select few having the capability for it would be worthwhile. Is it inconceivable, that humans would use magic to solve problems, rather than make them with it?
wiggleon: (turn on my charm)

[personal profile] wiggleon 2020-01-18 04:19 pm (UTC)(link)
[Aziraphale shrugs one shoulder. He always hesitates a bit before judging anything the Almighty decided, and that includes not giving humans their own miracles- but he figures having a conversation about it should fine, shouldn't it?]

I suppose the risk was too high, but it was hardly up to me to decide who would be able to perform miracles. And some humans... the power really does get to be too much. They keep wanting more and more, listening to the little demon on their shoulder and making worse and worse decisions until they are in a vicious circle they can't get out off.

Absolute power corrupts absolutely, as they say.
bloodwit: (that the people would)

[personal profile] bloodwit 2020-01-19 12:05 am (UTC)(link)
[ viren's face scrunches with distaste at the explanation. it's not a world he belongs to, nor is it even anything either of them have an effect over, so has to ensure he doesn't become invested. thus, after a moment wherein he recognizes the merit to those words, he reconsiders: ]

Some humans, yes, because "they" are not all the same — it would depend on the individual. They must be driven to use it for good... it would take a strong-willed, responsible person to keep that power in control.

[ his gaze is somewhat cool, now, and he lifts his chin. ]

But as you've said, I cannot fault you for something outside your authority. ... I hope the humans you're familiar with prosper, even with what they've been denied.
wiggleon: (what it means to me)

[personal profile] wiggleon 2020-01-21 09:00 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, they do.

[There’s… something in his voice. Pride, of course. And fascination, he’s admired what humans are capable of until he saw Eve and Adam first look at each other, until he saw the potential in them and how much they grew together. He loves humanity so much, loves every little thing they invent, every little thing they come up with, even with all the hardships both sides of the celestial war send their way.]

It’s fascinating to watch, really. Humans are capable of so much, they have imagination, and that’s something magic will never be able to come close to. You may have all the power in the world but you’re at a loss of what to do with it without imagination.