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

iii

[holds_up_walls]

[Lyle had been drafted into helping with rounding up animals as well. Geeze, why did people think this was something he did on a normal basis? He seemed to always get drafted to help with animals.

Sure he'd found a few cats on his shift of searching for strays, but then a familiar face comes over with probably the strangest creature he's ever seen]

Whoa... what is that?

[Also, hello Osomatsu]

[relieable]

[oh... it's Lyle! Osomatsu's been meaning to grab him for coffee, like Aoba suggested, but... when you work around coffee all day, sometimes you don't want to see coffee on your day off. okay, he's just making excuses, but he is glad to see him]

Yo! Lyle! [he wanders over, holding the bleating slug deer mess to his chest. it's getting goo everywhere] This is, uh, Nurumatsu! [HE NAMED IT]

[holds_up_walls]

[To be fair, Lyle had been working a lot and staying inside mostly. Well... maybe that's why he had been volunteered for this. Someone thought that he needed to get out more and do something. So he is glad to see a familiar face.

Lyle studies it more as Osomatsu brings it closer, raising an eyebrow. It was acting like a deer... but slimy like a slug. Weird.

But he couldn't help a faint smile]

You named it?

[relieable]

[a nod] Sure did! I was trying to find its family, but my search turned up nothing! So I’m holding onto it for now.

[holds_up_walls]

Well, I'm sure its family is looking for it. Where did you find it? Maybe they are still around there.

[relieable]

What? No! [he holds onto the deer tighter, causing it to squish in his arms] I’m invested now, man. I’m gonna take it home with me!

[holds_up_walls]

[Lyle chuckles at that] So a rescue turned into an adoption?

[Osomatsu had only mentioned the animal's family so he had thought he was still looking then]

Well then, looks like you have a new friend, Nurumatsu.

[Speaking to the creature Osomatsu was holding]

[relieable]

[the deer trills at Lyle. hopefully that’s a good sound]

It’s super cute! I’m gonna have t’find out what it is... An’ what it eats. But someone here’s gotta know, right?

[holds_up_walls]

[Well, it sounds happy at least. It doesn't seem like it's angry at them]

It is. Yeah, let's see if we can find someone around here who would have some idea what they are.

[relieable]

[yay! Osomatsu starts walking back to where he started, the nearest animal shelter. Someone there will be surely know more about Nurumatsu.

As they are walking, Osomatsu is... thinking... about how to go about asking Lyle out. Just as pals, really! How does he make this sound not weird?]

Sooo... How’ve you been doing?

[holds_up_walls]

[And Lyle is definitely going too. Partially because he's curious about what Nurumatsu is. It's an interesting creature and he needs to know more about it. Well and of course, have the chance to talk to Osomatsu.

He glanced over at the question]

I've been doing fine. How about you?

[relieable]

Oooooh! Things have been... [bad. They’ve been bad. Osomatsu’s smile fades a bit, and he holds the deer closer] Well, they haven’t been good. I’ve been workin’ a lot, yanno? That job is a killer.

[it’s not just the job that is wearing him down, though. Osomatsu was in a fight with Karamatsu, and had been avoiding him for the longest time. But maybe Osomatsu won’t tell Lyle all that. He doesn’t want the guy to think he’s a downer, or something! So he quickly adds]

But, I mean. I can’t complain. I’ve gotta hefty paycheck! And that’s way cool!

[holds_up_walls]

Busy? You said you were a manager at the coffee house right?

[He did remember that at least. It had been a while since they had talked about it, but he seemed to remember that having been said at some point. At least that he had been around pastries and coffee when that spice had been around]

Being in charge can be rough. Money though makes it much more worth it.

[relieable]

Assistant manager! And, yeah. I guess I’m used to bein’ in charge every now and then. And I really do like the money. [a shrug] There’s just so much to do.

[holds_up_walls]

Still good, assistant manager. And a lot of responsibility. The money can definitely make it worth it though sometimes. Hey, you'd have even more responsibility if you owned the place.

[Lyle could definitely appreciate the money aspect of hard work, but he had never really done a job for the money except when he was in university and trying to pay it off. But he'd always done it for a reason. Not like a rebel fighter paid well]

[relieable]

[Osomatsu grins back weakly. he couldn’t imagine being an owner of a place like that... coffee wasn’t his love, after all]

...What kinda jobs have you done before?

[holds_up_walls]

[Lyle wouldn't want to own a coffee shop either and he got the impression that Osomatsu definitely didn't want to]

Jobs I've done... When I went into university, I had to partially pay my way. I worked at a book store for a while. Not exactly the most exciting thing.

Afterwards, I got involved with trying to help with the problems in the Middle East. The governments in my world pretty much didn't care.

[Rewording the fact that he had been involved with a mercenary group]

Then I joined Celestial Being and piloted a Gundam.

[relieable]

From a book store to a Gundam pilot... Guess that means there’s still hope for me, huh? [he tilts his head down to grin at Nurumatsu. they’re near the animal shelter by now] Maybe I’ll become a hero too, someday!

[holds_up_walls]

You can do pretty much anything you want. I say pretty much because if you weren't born with the power to fly, you're probably not going to now.

[Don't mind it. Lyle and his weird sense of humor]

I don't see why you couldn't.

[relieable]

[it’s new to him, to hear someone say that Osomatsu could succeed anywhere. his parents had pretty much given up on him, and his brothers didn’t think Osomatsu had any ambition. and maybe he didn’t, or maybe his laziness was just greater than other people’s. either way, Osomatsu had been given a job when he came to Riverview, and he’d been able to keep it. so, did that mean he would be able to do other things?

he smiles up at Lyle, and by that time, they’ve reached the shelter. Osomatsu enters, still holding the alien animal. time to figure out if this little critter is okay to keep, or not]

[holds_up_walls]

[In a way, Lyle felt like he was living proof anyone could do anything if they tried. He'd spent his childhood rather simply, never really expecting that he'd do anything of major contribution. After his family had been killed, he had continued that path for a while before deciding that he needed to do something else. Now he was responsible for helping to bring peace to the world. Who knew.

Of course when they reached the shelter, Lyle is going to follow him in. Color him curious what this creature is and if it can be kept as a pet]

[relieable]

[Osomatsu is glad that Lyle is joining him on this adventure! that way, they can both listen to the shelter helpers and exchange information. they wait around, since it’s rather busy, with all the volunteers running around, dropping off other animals. Osomatsu is looking to see if he sees any other slug deer things.

finally an alien notices them and comes over to assist them. Osomatsu explains that he and Lyle were volunteering and found this animal, but they wanted to know what it was, and if it was available for adoption.

the alien takes its time in telling them about the creature. it’s called something that Osomatsu doesn’t quite catch in its original language, but in simplified terms, it’s, like, slimy deer. appropriate. they’re also apparently difficult to handle, since they live in special climates, and eat weird foods. definitely not good for a first-time pet owner, which causes Osomatsu to slump. he looks down at the slimy deer in his arms before handing it over to the alien sadly. it’s probably for the best, because Osomatsu has been covered in slime himself. gross]

Well, then, I guess keep Nurumatsu safe, before it can be returned to the wild. Maybe I’ll just... look for a fish, or somethin’.

[holds_up_walls]

[Lyle listened to all of that and frowned. He wasn't very good with animals to begin with so the fact that this little deer required a lot of work was disappointing because Osomatsu seemed to be rather attached to that... Nurumatsu]

Well, there's nothing that says you can't come and visit Nurumatsu during the winter. Who knows... things may change. But at the moment, it seems like that's best.

Besides, you don't have to look at a fish. They aren't generally cuddly. Dogs are usually like to cuddle more.

[Since it seemed like he liked that aspect of it]

[relieable]

[well, a cuddly animal would definitely be better! Osomatsu is lonely. he looks down for a moment, before ifting his head up to grin at Lyle]

I should probably worry about gettin’ a bigger place before looking into a pet, anyway. [could he even take care of a pet? it was a lot of work, and Osomatsu was lazy! he looks down again, at his shirt, and rubs at the slime on it. it’s yucky, but also kind of endearing, in a way. he gives Nurumatsu a wave and then starts walking out of the shelter] Thanks for comin’ with me.

[holds_up_walls]

[At least he didn't look so sad anymore. Osomatsu had seemed to have gotten a little attached to that deer so it was good to see that he was doing a bit better]

Yeah, a bigger place might be better. Especially if you want a larger pet.

[He glances back as Osomatsu waves back at the deer as they walk out]

No problem. It was interesting to find out about them. Also nice to spend time with a friend.