introductory mingle: HYGGE

[riverviewmod]

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

hygge

In the days leading up to December 1st, residents new and old will notice preparations beginning, a flurry of activity getting the city ready for the upcoming celebration: Hygge. This holiday is one of Riverview Quarantine's four yearly celebrations of love, this one focused on familial love and found family. The traditions associated with Hygge involve coziness and warmth with loved ones, as snow begins to blanket the Quarantine. Meals comprised of family favorites are shared together most nights of the month of December, and families both biological and found gather together by outdoor fires to drink hot cocoa and other warm drinks, roast marshmallows, and enjoy the beauty of the short-lived winter season on the moon, especially at night, when both the stars and almost unreal aurora borealis light the night sky.

a celebration of familial love and found family

Winter comes to the moon very quickly every year, as the orbit of the Capitol World crosses between its moon and the sun - the temperature drops to just below freezing in the span of only a couple of days, and the trees often don't even change from green to orange. During this short winter, the celebration of Hygge keeps all the residents warm. The main traditions involve comfort and warmth with those people you think of as family - platonic or romantic, though preferably mixed between the two - groups of people gather together to share meals and exchange gifts. The city sets up a series of cabins, each fronted with a fire pit, along the banks of the river, which has been lined with floating logs to interrupt the rushing water and allow the surface to freeze solid and form a series of skating rinks for the public to enjoy. Throughout the month, anyone can head down to the riverbank to make taffy candy in troughs of cold snow and share the various flavors with other families, or toboggan along winding, circuitous courses that range from easygoing to high-speed for the adrenaline junkies. The Town Square has a large, intricate ice sculpture set up, this year in the theme of a castle, that once entered proves to be a maze with a prize at the center for anyone who happens to make it through.

i. beach treats

The cabins that are set up all along both banks of the river are small and cozy, big enough to provide a comfortable lounging area with piles of pillows in front of a small fireplace where gift exchanges can happen, a kitchen to cook in, and a table for groups of people to share a meal at. Much like hotel rooms but without a fee, they're intended to be claimed at the start of the day and used for a while before being tidied and reset for the next group. Each cabin has a fire pit out front where a fire can be set up so groups of people can cook marshmallows for their hot chocolate and share stories or play music together.

Another major feature on the beach are the candy making areas, each big enough to accommodate a couple groups of people, featuring a bank of burners that keep various flavors of thick sugary syrup hot and ready. Once the syrup is at the right temperature, it can be drizzled into the snow packed in troughs to chill, and then rolled onto popsicle sticks to be eaten as a sweet chewy treat. Many families have their own particular flavor combos that are the go-to every year, and new families gather every year to start their own tradition.

ii. winter activities

After all that sugar, everyone's sure to be pepped up for a little activity! Every year, just before the big freeze, crews set up a grid of floating logs to calm the surface of the river along the banks, and when the temperature drops, those areas freeze into a thick layer of ice. As soon as they're safe to be skated on, booths pop up to fit residents with skates so they can skate around with loved ones, participate in ice dances, and play the ice skating version of almost any sport you can think of.

But skating isn't the only type of activity available! The sloping banks of the river have been set up with a variety of tobogganing courses, where people can share various types of sleds to slide down various set winding paths ranging from slow sloped ones to steeper, higher-speed ones that almost resemble bobsled courses.

Finally, for the more competitive, there is a less-gender-divided variation on a Lumberjack Competition, with various physical events that residents can compete in like sawing massive logs, logrolling, speed climbs, and boom runs.

iii. skygazing

After all that sugar and activity, lots of groups of family will settle down around fires either at the cabin or along the beach to enjoy a cup of spiked hot chocolate, coffee, or tea, and look up at the sky. Throughout the cold snap season in December, the sky is almost unnaturally clear and both the stars and the Capitol World are easy to see. Besides that, large swaths of the sky are bathed in beautiful aurora borealis, or Northern Lights, that paint large swaths of bright, beautiful color across the night sky. Curl up with a lover, a friend, a family member, or all of the above to keep warm and enjoy nature's fireworks show.

iv: ice maze

In the city center, residents can find a large, beautiful, intricately carved castle-themed ice sculpture. From the outside, it looks only about as big as a small house, but once residents enter they will find that the inside doesn't quite match the outside - courtesy of some of Gramarye Magic Research's top magic-users, the inside is massive, at least the size of a stadium. While cheery music plays, residents can traverse the complicated ice maze, each wall intricately carved and decorated with greenery, lights, and translucent watercolor paints. The walls are almost opaque, and the maze generally takes a couple of hours to get through for most residents.

Once they reach the center, they will find wrapped gifts arranged on a series of beautifully decorated tables, along with treats and warm drinks. The gifts are tailored to each individual in the maze, having been magically selected from a stockpile of items that have come through the portal, and consist of one small item from each character's home dimension (or, for CRAUs, from their previous game), similar to the "items from home" bonus reward, but without needing to spend points. The item should be small enough to fit in a shoebox, sentimental, and cannot be something intended for another person's character. Alternately, if there are no special items from home that a particular character would want or be attached to, an item of similar size and value that would make the character happy will be inside the box.

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 Hygge, feel free to write it up!

visual inspiration

click on thumbnails for larger view

Credit: image i: Ryan Woodhouse; image ii: Hjalmar Wåhlin; image iii: David Fortin; image iv: Tzuyu Kao

navigation

Comments

Rey || Star Wars: The Force Awakens || OTA

[talentedscavenger]

ii. winter activities

[Rey is in complete awe of the ice and the snow. Yes, she's heard of it. She knew there were planets like Hoth where everything was completely white, but she never thought she'd be able to see the stuff in person. It's colder now, which is fine. She was able to withstand the hotter temperatures, so surely, she should be able to handle the colder temperatures.

There are people doing things on the snowbanks, or walking through the snow itself, their shoes making a strange soft crunch sound. She doesn't know the name of what people are doing exactly, but it looks like enjoyable. For now though, she's fascinated by the snow on the banks, crouching down to scoop up the powdery stuff in her hands, not caring how freezing cold it was. Frozen water--life giving water--all packed away into the form of a ball and it's simply...beautiful. Just as beautiful as coming across a planet filled with so much green that she didn't think could be possible.

For all the things she had running through her mind, perhaps she could allow herself to simply enjoy this moment. A small smile tugs at the corners of her lips. This? This was more than she dreamed.]

iii. Sky gazing

[Rey sat by the cabins with her knees pulled to her chest. In her hands was a cup of warm coco. There were no tiny marshmallows in her drink, not seeing a reason for it. Her eyes watched the different colors cross the skies. She felt a sense of peace come over her. It was beautiful to watch, and she couldn't exactly tear her gaze away. Though she only had cocoa to keep her warm, she didn't mind the color. A few more minutes outside, and then she would go inside and warm up.

Just a few more minutes...another moment or two to enjoy something she had never seen before. A moment more to burn the memory into her mind for something pleasant to look back on. She could feel someone looking at her, getting ready to approach her.] I'll head inside soon, promise. [The words were spoken softly, watching the changing colors.

Perhaps that person should drag her back inside before she was frozen to her spot.]

iv. Ice maze

[Surely this couldn't be too hard to do. A maze had a beginning and then an end. The trick was making sure one continued to stay focus and not get turned around. However, that was easier said than done. Rey felt like she had been going in circles, and was nearly tempted to try and climb one of the walls to get an idea of where she was.]

What am I missing? [It was a puzzle, and she was trying to piece everything together in her mind.]

V. Wildcard

[Want to do something else? Got a different idea? Let's talk it over! PM, plurk (riamix) or discord: starfighter#2298]

[volitaunt]

[ There's something uniquely touching about watching Rey interact with the snow. The way she runs it through her fingers, packs it into snowballs, wanders through it like she can't believe it's real. He gives her a little while on her own before he comes over to join her. ]

Something else, isn't it?

[talentedscavenger]

It is.

[The words are spoken in a soft whisper. It's one thing to play with sand, and have it get everywhere, but the grains slipped through her fingers. This? The snow is something she could mold, pack together, even if it is extremely cold.

There was something akin to snow on Starkiller Base, or perhaps it was snow, but she wasn't going to count that. They were trying to escape and the life there felt...stale. This? This was pure, and light.]

Did you grow up with this? [Surely Poe has to have some experience with this. More so than her.]

[volitaunt]

Nope. Never even saw snow until I was your age.

[ He is wearing gloves, thank, because he is a jungle boy at heart. Still--he strips them off and offers them to Rey. ] Here. You're going to hurt your hands if you don't have something to cover them.

iii.

[brightline]

[Marco isn't a huge fan of the cold. After almost freezing to death about 20 times in succession in Antarctica before he'd gotten his hands on a polar bear morph, Marco could seriously do without too much time in the snow. Still, it's kind of nice, at night, with the pretty stars and the Northern Lights and all.

So he's pretty bundled up as he goes for a walk down by the beach, wearing an oversized parka over his jeans and winter boots, mittened hands shoved in his pockets, the lower half of his face buried in a huge scarf, with a backpack that contains a couple fluffy blankets in case he wants to settle down. As he passes by, he immediately recognizes Rey, and his face lights up a bit as he wanders over.]

Hey, Rey. Pretty wild, huh? The sky?

[talentedscavenger]

[Rey was greatly enjoying the view, though by now she was starting to shiver. She could only take the cold for so long without being bundled up, but she couldn't tear herself away from looking at the sky. It was so beautiful, and at the same time unbelievable.

The brunette didn't notice anyone walking by until she heard her name being called.]

Hey, Marco. [She greeted him with a smile on her face. She noticed how bundled up he was, thinking he may have been over doing it, but considering her lack of a blanket, he had the right idea.]

It's amazing. Nothing that's I've seen before. Did you want to sit with me? [She wouldn't mind, better to have some company and talking would help keep her mind off the cold.]

[brightline]

Yeah totally.

[When she asks if he wants to sit with her, he moves in a bit closer, pulling off his backpack and digging out a couple of blankets and one old picnic tablecloth with a plastic back. Spreading out the cloth first, he then drapes the blankets over it, and gestures to the cozy place to sit he's made.]

Here, come on. You must be totally freezing. I've got a spare blanket in here, you can have it if you want.

[Digging out the last blanket, he folds it up to a manageable size and offers it to her, a crooked little smile on his face.]

iv

[scholiast]

(Lucretia feels quite similarly like she's been chasing her own tail in this ostentatious maze. Everything looks the same and perception isn't helping her one wit; Rey's comment is more than enough reason to shove her hand into the pocket of her coat for her wand.)

Magic, is what. (They've been at this long enough for this not to be considered cheating, correct? Either way, Lucretia casts find the path, and reaches out to touch Rey's elbow to turn her gently to the left. The spell will provide them the directions for ten minutes, so they'd better get going.)

C'mon, this way.

[talentedscavenger]

Magic?

[Rey was more or less talking to herself, but she wasn't expecting someone to answer her. She turned slightly, looking over at the other person, someone she hasn't met before.]

How will magic--[She's stopped in her tracks seeing a wand and then something happening.] Oh. [Did she dare trust this person? Well, she hasn't had much luck, might as well follow them.]

Is this considered cheating? [Using magic and all.]

[scholiast]

Maybe. But I feel like we've put the hard yards in to deserve a little helping hand, don't you?

(She takes the left as prescribed, then another swift right. The spell doesn't verbally tell her where to go, just tugs on her mind a little, just enough to give her a sense of where they should be heading.)

Sorry, for grabbing you like that- you looked just as lost as I felt. I'm Lucretia, it's good to meet you.

ii. snoooooooooooow

[realists]

[ watching rey in the snow is adorable and maybe jyn is a little jealous of the young woman's delight in the chilly, fluffy flakes. she was born on a snow planet, but she'd never really lived anywhere there was snow until she went to prison -- even there the snow was mostly worked into the mud until it vanished.

lah'mu had rain and mist, wrea had rain and cold, she'd never been absurd enough to runaway to a snowy, icy planet considering she oftentimes slept on the streets, that would be ridiculous.

now there is no escaping the cold and snow, but at least she had a coat and gloves with, gasp, fingers. ]

Suppose this is your first snow?

[talentedscavenger]

Sort of.

[Rey releases the snowball from her grip, leaving it on the ground. She supposes she should look into buying a jacket and some gloves. Surely, just a few minutes in the cold wouldn't do her any harm. She had been fine for the most part.]

The last time I was in something close to snow wasn't pleasant. There was a heavy mood in the air.

[They had lost Han and Starkiller Base was set to blow up soon. So trudging through the artificial snow wasn't the best feeling. The snow here, it's...lighter? There's no way to really explain it. It just felt lighter, and as cold as it was, there was still some life to it. Or maybe that was more about the atmosphere than anything else.]

Take it you're used to it?

[realists]

Not really, [ jyn admits with a small shrug. ] I was born on one of the snowy planets, but I don't remember anything about it.

Wobani had snow but. [ another shrug, more expansive, its own answer. ] That was a prison planet.

iii.

[bythehand]

[ Does Finn believe that? Nah. Not at all, really, not with that look on her face.

Rey doesn't look tranquil all that often. Nature of the universe at work. Rey moves and thinks, hard edges and sharp movement. Rey is also stubborn about just about everything, if not always intentionally.

He knows this because he can be the same. Finn also frankly has a bigger soft spot for Rey than he does for anyone in the galaxy, so he doesn't make an instant dive for arguing about it. He just takes off his jacket, drops it around her shoulders, and pulls up a seat right next to her. ]

I hope so. I think I like us better unfrozen.

[talentedscavenger]

[Rey can see Finn out of the corner of her vision. He's here to bring her back inside, or maybe tell her to move inside the cabin they're sharing. She had hoped her words would be enough to convince him. He didn't need to stay outside with her.

Rey couldn't explain it. It was...peaceful. She was in awe of the beauty of the colors. There was a sense of calmness and tranquility, not just within the area..but maybe in the Force? Maybe she was starting to connect with it and could feel its peaceful presence?

Her thoughts are scattered feeling a jacket draped over her shoulders. Looking over, she saw Finn had taken a seat next to her.]

Promise, five more minutes and we can head inside. [She offered her cup of hot cocoa to him as a way to make up for him staying outside with her.]

Have you ever seen anything like this?

iv.

[trashvalkyrie]

Dunno. I'm about to give up and start stabbing ice if I don't figure out where the hell the exit is pretty quick, though.

[Valkyrie's hand is already on the pommel of her sword, restless and itching to start hacking these stupid, endless walls into bits. It wouldn't be hard, even.]

[talentedscavenger]

[Rey had spoken the words to herself, unsure of the other person with her. She looked them over, noting the type of weapon they had. A warrior then. Interesting.]

If you pick at the ice, it could cause parts of it to fall. [A slim chance, but still a possibility.]

Could try to climb the walls to get a better look. [Assuming they could even climb the ice itself. Rey placed her hand on the wall of the ice maze, and tried to clear her thoughts. She stilled herself, listening, waiting...and then she felt it. A slight tug by the Force.]

We need to go left.

iii.

[imperceptus]

[ Rin leans over her, winking, his long braid falling over his shoulder. ]

It's my first time, too, darling.

[ He knows that look, knows why someone might stay out here long past what's reasonable or healthy. He felt the same way, after all. ]

But we were not made for this chill.

[talentedscavenger]

[Rey blinked, unsure of what the winking meant--but she didn't pay it much mind.]

No, we weren't, but five more minutes and I'll head back inside. I won't freeze out here.

[Because she's made of tougher stuff, or at least she thinks she is.]

Go inside, I would hate for Taako to think I turned his boyfriend into a frozen treat.

ii. hi i'm here to ruin everything

[killthepast]

[ He's used to the snow. There's nothing novel about it, nothing magical or whimsical, though Ren will admit that there's a certain beauty when it blankets the earth. Pretty to look at sometimes, but otherwise... It's just wet and cold.

But what he can appreciate about it, right now, is how silent it can be when so much life is dormant under winter's grip. That's what he needs right now, if he wants to keep his most explosive impulses in check. And this place, it's certainly trying him. A walk to somewhere quiet and isolated will allow Ren to clear his head and center himself, reach out to commune with the Dark Side. And this time, he'll find some place where he can truly be alone, not like before, when Poe managed to stumble upon him.

This time, however, it's Ren who comes across somebody without intending to. Rey, marveling at the snow, playing with it, enjoying it so wholly and openly that he can't help but feel something just watching her.

Envy, probably. How long has it been since he's enjoyed anything that much?

The Force must have guided him to her. And now he's standing there, uncharacteristically gawky and awkward, feeling like an intruder into something private and personal.

Normally, he wouldn't care. But then, normally his intrusions are purposeful. Not... this.

WELP, TIME TO TURN AROUND AND LEAVE. ]

Of course

[talentedscavenger]

[ This was a chance for Rey to simply recenter herself. After what happened with Poe and having very few restful nights, she’s tired. This is a small reprieve for her to recharge herself rather than going back to the hospital to check on Poe. The snow, despite seeing it for the first time on Starkiller Base, was pleasant. Magical even. She does have a coat on, but no gloves. She wanted to feel the snow in her hands, simply mold it into a small ball.

Her gloves were in her pockets. She wasn’t going to get frostbite.

There was something tugging at the corner of her mind. Something that gave her pause. The air around her changed and she knew....it was him. Ren. Rey turned, seeing him walking away and without thinking...

She threw her snowball at him, hoping it would connect and land on him.

Its the least he deserves. Better than drawing out a lightsaber. ]

ii.

[evasives]

[cassian likes to walk through the snow, even if he doesn't really go sledding or join in many snowball fights. it's cold but it reminds him of home, or at least his homeworld. he likes watching the way people react to it here too, because it's very easy to notice the people who are familiar with it and those who aren't.]

[rey falls more in the latter category, something he notices after a few seconds of watching her interact with the snow, digging her hands in with an almost wonder.]

[for two seconds he considers throwing a snowball at her, but he has no idea where that urge came from. instead he just steps with a very purposeful crunch on the snow so she can hear him coming and scoops some up a few feet away from her.]

You should build a snowman.

[talentedscavenger]

[Rey does have gloves. Yes, she has gloves that are in her pockets, but she wants to take time to explore the snow and simply enjoy it. Some small comforts of a world she doesn't belong to, but currently living in.

The sound of snow crunching doesn't phase her. It's meant to let her know there's someone approaching. When she hears that familiar voice, she stops to rub her hands together and look up at Cassian.]

I did that once with Cisco. It was fun, but didn't see much of a point to it.

[Cause...why build a man out of snow? She starts to get to her feet, reaching into her coat pockets for her gloves.]

But if you want to build a snow man, we could.

Ice Maze

[angelic_archer]

[Alec's five minutes away from cheating on the maze. He thought he knew the way out but while helping some children who had started panicking over being lost, he'd ended up getting lost. They'd found their way to the middle but Alec had gotten turned around while looking for anyone who couldn't find their way out... he hadn't expected that he'd be one of the ones that got lost. As he walks down another generic corridor, eyeing the walls and considering simply running along the top to find his way out.

When he sees Rey, he smiles, pushing his scarf away from his face, rolling his eyes when he realized that his gloves were covered in glitter. Half his face is probably covered in the stuff.]

I'm not sure. I thought I knew the way out but I got twisted around.

[talentedscavenger]

[Rey turned, surprised to see Alec there. It seemed like others were trying to get a handle on the maze, but were getting tossed around or losing their bearings. She gave him a small smile, glad to see him, but wishing their encounter wasn't one in the cold.]

Same. It's weird. I swore I didn't go down this way, but the walls all look alike after a certain point.