introductory mingle: HARVEST FESTIVAL

[riverviewmod]

who: everyone in Riverview!
what: Introductory Log and Harvest Festival celebration
when: The month of November.
where: Anywhere around the city.
warnings: please put any necessary warnings in the subject lines

harvest festival

In the days leading up to November 1st, residents new and old will notice preparations beginning, a flurry of activity getting the city ready for the upcoming celebration: The Harvest Festival. This holiday is in celebration of the harvest season and autumn, as the moon transitions into its winter period, and is characterized by indulging in the plenty that comes with the harvest season with loved ones, cleaning house figuratively and literally, and making sure that those in need don't suffer during the winter. Celebrations tend to focus around food and charity, with citizens enjoying and sharing cultural meals and sharing stories, or participating in any of the wide range of charity projects and events going on during this season.

a celebration of sharing

The biggest traditions of the Harvest Festival are centered around giving and sharing. Charity is central, and the each year the city sets up a large open tent with warm places to rest for anyone who might be homeless and a table capable of sitting over 50 people at any given time, with a round-the-clock catered feast for anyone who wants to sit and have a meal with anyone else who's dropped by. Besides this, there are a wide variety of events benefiting charities in the city, including a karaoke concert, stray animal round up, and the annual "stuff swap" where residents clean their homes and donate anything they don't need to those who might be lacking. There is also a tradition of writing down repressed or bottled up thoughts, feelings, regrets, sins, and other troubles and tossing them into a bonfire to go into winter with a clean soul.

i. harvest feast & stuff swap

For the first few days of November, anyone dropping by the city center will notice a large tent structure being put into place - by November 3rd, as the last of October's ghosts fade into nonexistence, a veritable banquet hall will have been sent up. For a week following the setup, anyone who drops by the hall and steps inside will see a large table laden with food. Bread, stew, fruits and vegetables, soups, roasted meat, and almost anything else one can think of will be on the table, along with plates, silverware, and cups. Anyone is free to take a plate, settle down at the table, and help themselves to a meal.

The Feast is staffed entirely by volunteers, who do the cooking, cleaning, and tidy up the dishes and area afterwards, keeping the constant stream of food coming. Whether your character is heading in to sit beside a stranger and strike up a conversation, or volunteering their time, energy, or cooking skills to the hall, they're more than welcome.

One corner of the hall is entirely dedicated to the yearly "stuff swap." There's a long-standing tradition of fall cleaning in Riverview Quarantine, where residents will thoroughly clean their homes and rid themselves of excess in preparation for the winter. The extra things that aren't needed can be dropped off at the city center where the Feast is set up, and anyone who is in need of a particular item that has been donated can take it free of charge. This is an honor system, so please be kind to others! (Or don't.)

ii. charity karaoke

On the weekend of November 10th and 11th, while the Feast will be cleared away, the tent is being repurposed for a new event - a Karaoke Concert for the needy! Set up as a makeshift bar and lounge area, the space will be fronted by a large stage where singles or groups of people can choose a song and karaoke their hearts out to a crowd of spectators. There's a by-donation cover fee, and guests are encouraged to reward the best (or most hilariously bad) renditions of beloved songs from across the multiverse with digital "tips" that are transferred to the karaoke performer's charity of choice.

Whether you're a spectator tipping a performer, or a performer who's singing their heart out on the stage to benefit a variety of charities from the homeless to the animal shelter to children in need (and almost anything else you can think of), the Karaoke Concert is both hilarious and heartwarming.

iii. stray animal roundup

One of the main charity events that seems to happen every year is the stray roundup. As the seasons turn and it gets colder and colder at night, many residents who have a soft spot for animals band together to round up as many stray animals as possible and take them to shelters where they can be rehabilitated, given a warm bath, fed, and have a safe place to sleep. Volunteers take to the streets with crates and nets or restraining poles as well as generous bags of treats of food to entice the strays with, and capture them safely to be brought back to the various animal shelters around the Quarantine. Any animal who's caught is put up for adoption, and volunteers are encouraged to take home any strays that they bond particularly well with, or are invited to foster animals in their homes.

Whether your character is a die-hard animal lover, looking for a new pet, or just wants some wacky hijinks trying to chase a wily critter around the streets, they'll be suited up with supplies by other volunteers and released into the fray. The most common animals to be found are cats, dogs, and small domesticated foxes, but feel free to assume that your character is rounding up a reptile, rodent, bird, or a domesticated alien critter. Playing a thread with this prompt is a great opportunity to get a cute alien pet for your character without spending AP.

iv. letting go

On the evening of November 15th, a series of large bonfires will be set up all along the beaches of the river, and as the night falls, people begin migrating to the beaches from all over the city carrying slips of paper in a wide variety of colors with words written on them in a wide variety of languages, and throwing them into the fires. This is a way of psychologically and emotionally cleaning house for the residents of the Quarantine, because the papers they bring contain the stories of their pain, poems written about the feelings they bottle up, a venting of their anger and fear and resentment, all to be eaten up by the flames and washed away by the river with the next rain.

No matter where a person comes from, they carry pain and suffering and hurts that they must hide. This is a welcome opportunity for characters to write out their thoughts and feelings and release them. And if the symbolism of burning them isn't enough, there are always other people around the fires who are willing to listen, to hear all those things that people keep locked up inside. Share a story willingly, listen to someone's story, or just get caught holding your deepest darkest secrets on a really vulnerable piece of paper...it's up to you.

v. roommates or wildcard

Feel free to use this prompt to meet new roommates, for the purpose of getting to know each other, or hit up the mod-posted prompt to create a Communal Housing floor mingle. Or, if you have an idea for a prompt that isn't in this list, set during the Harvest Festival, feel free to write it up!

visual inspiration

click on thumbnails for larger view

Credit: image i & iii: Bastien Grivet; image ii & iv: unknown (stock/hobbiton)

navigation

Comments

[shoplifter]

[Lucky him, the idea of heroes isn't too far gone for her. She stops, glancing over at him with a frown. Hesitant.]

My father used to be a hero.

[And of course, the thought of being one makes her look a bit torn.]

But I haven't rescued anyone before. I don't know if I would be good at it.

[yeeeeeeah]

But you won't know until you try, right???

[ He came from a world where everyone wanted to be a hero. There was one thing, especially with being friends with Shouta, that he had learned from it:

You don't actually know until you attempt. You can't rescue anyone with inaction. ]

[shoplifter]

[... Alright, then. She crawls in, not hesitating too much in the motion. If he says so, who is she to say he's wrong? Especially when he's right -- she has to either prove him right, in the moment, or very wrong. She's able to get in there pretty close and the cat hisses. A clawed hand swipes at her, leaving a few little harsh marks on her face as she puts a hand on the little furry thing's back to try and soothe it.]

It's okay.

[That was for him, in case he was worried about that hissing and potential clawing; she doesn't worry about getting hurt, which is both a saving grace and a concern. When she crawls backward a few minutes later, she has a calmer cat hanging in her hands and a little smear of blood on her cheek.]

.........

The cat.

[She holds it out, and it hangs like a wet towel in her grip, expression distrusting.]

[yeeeeeeah]

[ He can hear the hissing and swatting and how calm she is through all this! Jesus Christ, what kind of shit had this kid experienced... ]

Woo, yeeeah!!!

[ He applauds quickly before taking the cat in some attempt to sooth it, but it jumps right out of his hand for the safety of hiding somewhere else. Under a bench it looks like? At least he can't get stuck there.

Mic immediately turns round to hold out a hand to the little pro hero. ]

You got the right stuff for a hero, kid!

[shoplifter]

[... She actually looks kind of proud of herself, smiling faintly. When she rubs the faint line of blood off her cheek, there doesn't appear to be any sort of actual scratch beneath it.]

... I can keep helping.

I like helping the animals; they should have people willing to help.

[yeeeeeeah]

Great! You can be my helper?

[ Since she needed some encouragement? ]

What other talents do you have besides being impooooossibly brave?!

1/2

[shoplifter]

[Well....

She stares at him for a moment, seemingly unsure if she should even say.

It's not a very helpful ability for animal wrangling. Eventually, she holds up her fists--]

[shoplifter]

[AND OOP, blades burst from between her knuckles, two to each little hand.

It looks kind of painful, but she's as straight-faced as ever.]

... I have these.

And I -- have a... good nose.

[yeeeeeeah]

[ WOAH! Neat! But not exactly the most surprising quirk he's ever seen. ]

Fantastic!

[ He turns to lead the way, hands on his hips and surveying the area. ]

Can your good nose pick up on any more animals in danger, Training Hero?

[shoplifter]

[Just call me... The Wolverine. Ha.

She gives a nod, turning to recapture that stingy-ass cat. And putting her claws away with a slightly bloody drip-drop. It heals immediately anyway, so it's really just blood there. When she finally has the cat back in her grip, it isn't quite as eager to flee.]

... There are some scent trails. I can follow it.

The -- 'shelter van' is just around the corner.

[She was staring at everyone else looking ridiculous, trying to catch animals.]

[yeeeeeeah]

Right on!!! [ Two thumbs up! He takes the cat from her and starts to gently pet it and get it to relax. ]

Let's get this guy to safety and then you are leading the way!

[shoplifter]

[She's more than happy to have a purpose for the day -- one that feels more human, and she wanders around the neighborhood, helping Mic out with collecting some of the animals. There are dogs and cats, but also odd ones. She found a strange hedgehog once, and an eight-legged fox at another area. Okay, well, they're not strange to her, but they are kinda strange in general.

Once their work was mostly done, though, she couldn't help but wonder...]

You weren't scared of my claws.

[Just a quick observation, there.]

[yeeeeeeah]

[ So many animals rescued! It was a hard day's work and she deserved to be rewarded. ]

Would your mom or dad get upset if I got you an ice cream?

[ But he's caught off guard by her question and blinks down at her, confused. ]

Hm? Why would I be?? You seem like you've got a good handle on them!

[shoplifter]

[She glances away, chin tucked slightly, expression rather stoic.]

Because I was made to be dangerous. People are afraid sometimes.

[She wipes her slightly bloodied knuckles on her jacket, not bothering with a handkerchief.

Her dark-eyed gaze is curious.]

... They don't like mutants. In my world. We are -- scary.