monthly mingle: FLOWER FESTIVAL

[riverviewmod]

who: everyone in Riverview!
what: monthly mingle: flower festival
when: The month of April.
where: Anywhere around the city.
warnings: please put any necessary warnings in the subject lines

flower festival

In the days leading up to April 1st, residents new and old will notice preparations beginning, a flurry of activity getting the city ready for the upcoming celebration: The Flower Festival. Celebrating springtime, beauty, joy, and togetherness, the festival heavily features floral themes and dancing. The advertising mentions that on April 9th, a paid holiday, there will be a Blossom Picnic, as well as lists of various public dances at clubs or other open venues, the River Spirit Procession, and Flower Exchange.

a celebration of spring

The Flower Festival's main event is the Blossom Picnic on April 9th, but it also features traditions of sharing food and drink, and dancing that span over the course of the whole two weeks. There are a large variety of events going on throughout the city, from dancing lessons in any wide variety of traditional dances, to old-fashioned sock hops, to adult raves complete with mild party drugs. Feel free to use the prompts below or create your own event at any point during the festival, and if your character creates an event and hosts it in a top-level, you can submit that thread for extra bonus points.

i. blossom picnic

The main event that kicks off the second week of the Flower Festival is the Blossom Picnic on April 9th. A relaxed and low-key event, it draws several thousand people every year to the spacious Riverview Central Park, where there is a generous lawn lined with various blossoming trees, and families, found families, lovers, and groups of friends are encouraged to lay out a picnic blanket and share food. There will be live bands playing (but not loudly enough to distract from conversation and peacefully watching the petals flutter in the wind), a variety of demonstrations of traditional cultural dances from many different realities and planets, and a ton of ice cream vendors. This is an excellent festival not only for celebrating togetherness with the people who are already important, but for mingling and making new friends.

Characters may either pack their own lunches or they can purchase pre-packed Blossom Festival lunches. Stores and street markets are carrying a wide variety of specialty food that is only available at this time of year - predominantly pastries, an assortment of types of candies, and ice cream treats all in various floral flavors, as well as a sort of ambrosia salad based around a sweet rose-flavored cream and a native fruit that is bright green and tastes like a combination of peach and citrus.

ii. dancing lessons and dances

Starting on April 2nd, there will be dancing lessons offered almost everywhere you look! From partner dances to group dances to line dances; sexy and sensual or innocent and childlike - almost any type of dance you can imagine is represented, from any reality or planet that has people in Riverview Quarantine.

Additionally, the Riverview Central Community Center has multiple rooms blocked off so anyone who knows a dance from home can teach it to others in their community - sharing is caring, after all. Characters are welcome to block off one of these rooms and offer lessons in any dance they happen to know from home (and these sorts of thread starters would be eligible for the mingle AC Point bonus)!

As for the Flower Festival dances, they're pretty straightforward - in almost every club, community center, or other public space, there will be dancing at almost all hours of the day or night, formal and informal. Musicians bring out their instruments and play in the street for demonstrations of cultural dances and music at the same time as clubs are offering VIP cover charges for exclusive dances, and you can find anything in between.

Grab a partner, a group of friends, or just cruise and mingle the various dancing events.

Characters may also notice that most of the street markets and clothing shops are offering clothing that features floral patterns, flowers as accessories, and that show a lot of skin - for men, women, and anyone in between!

iii. flower exchange

During this year, there's been an influx of people from a dying reality consisting mostly of living plant people, and they've really taken the Flower Festival as a great opportunity to introduce one of their most honored traditions to the people of their new adopted world. The tradition involves sharing various types of flowers with strangers, with each type of flower having a different meaning and effect on both the giver and receiver - the bond of the exchange can spark emotion as well as physical responses that function in a unique way that affects almost everyone that participates, whether animal, plant, or even android.

Any characters exchanging the flowers with other characters, whether friends or strangers, will experience emotional/psychological effects, physical effects, or both once the exchange is complete. Effects can last for as short or long a time as the players involved want, and are as follows:

● Baby Blue Eyes - Trust/Healing the Inner Child
Emotional Effect: Either an inexplicable trust in the person the flower was exchanged with, or a generalized paranoia.
Physical Effect: De-aging. Characters can become a younger version of themselves, physically, mentally, or both. Whether or not their normal selves are of age, de-aged characters may not participate in adult prompts unless they're de-aged to something above 18.

● Chamomile - Peace & Harmony/Animal Support
Emotional Effect: A desire to make peace with one's enemies, or an inexplicable urge to push away loved ones.
Physical Effect: Both participants in the exchange will wake up the next morning with an animal companion that represents their soul/personality. Whether the companion can speak is up to player discretion.
NOTE: Animal companions from this event can be kept for a total of 300 Points. If you wish to keep them, just submit a request under your name on the Activity Bonus Rewards Page. For new players ONLY (players apping/reapping their first character in April) who wish to keep the animal companion but do not yet have points, feel free to submit and I will credit 300 points to be submitted once you have them.

● Rose - Friendship/Beauty
Emotional Effect: Openness and a desire to make new friends, or excessive competitiveness.
Physical Effect: A temporary glamor that makes both participants in the exchange appear as the most beautiful possible version of themselves, and improves their charisma.

● Crepe Myrtle: - Inspiration/Enduring Partnerships
Emotional Effect: New and creative ideas to solve life issues, or finding oneself averse to change.
Physical Effect: As soon as the exchange is complete, the two characters involved will be bound by an invisible tether that keeps them within three feet of each other. The tether won't affect anyone but the characters involved (no, you can't clothesline your enemies with it).

● Valerian: - Relaxation/Heart-Opening
Emotional Effect: A near-complete erasure of anxiety and stress, or a dramatic inexplicable increase in it.
Physical Effect: Forced honesty. Both affected characters become incapable of lying. Whether they're compelled to blurt the truth or if they can keep their mouths shut or talk around the truth is up to player discretion.

[Flower meanings used in this prompt come from this site.]

iv. river spirit procession

The River Spirit Procession is a yearly tradition in the Quarantine where a (usually small) contingent of people walk along the edges of the river carrying candles and dressed as river spirits, and offer sweets and blossoms or petals by tossing them into the river. The offerings are intended to appease the river spirits and guarantee safety from flooding, storms, and to ensure a good growing season. With the flooding that's still affecting the river, the turn out this year is much greater than usual, with a large number of residents entering the processions that happen throughout the month, usually on weekends.

During the processions, residents dress as river spirits, which is a relatively broad description and can be taken in a wide variety of ways and leaves a lot up to interpretation. They enter the procession at the place where the river enters the walls and follow the banks of it carrying candles, and often whispering or quietly speaking their gratitude for the river's plenty and their wishes for the year to come. Many residents also bring baskets of young blossoms or petals from flowers, and small sweets such as candy or tiny pastries and throw them into the river to appease the spirits. They carry along the river for as long as they wish to.

ACTION PROMPT: This year, with the flooding, the monsters, and the heavy turnout, the river spirit procession is a little more dangerous an undertaking than usual. After the first procession on April 1st resulted in several residents being swept away in the rising flood waters, and several others being attacked by a loose crocodile, the trouble becomes painfully evident. The Perimeter Guard will be sending out extra detachments and calling in reserve members to help keep the processions safe, and any extra hands to protect those who choose to participate will be more than welcome.

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 Flower Festival, feel free to write it up!

visual inspiration

click on thumbnails for larger view

Credit: image i: unknown, found on pinterest; image ii: Steven Kent Lomtong; iii: Ryan Talbot; iv: Toru Nishimura

navigation

Comments

Misty Day | AHS Coven | OTA

[mistyday]

ii. dancing
Neither classrooms nor anything formal have ever appealed to Misty, so she won’t be found in the rooms at the community center, but she is out in the parks and the streets, soaking up all the different and strange music and swirling among the other dancers. With her wild blonde hair and bohemian style, she looks like she’d fit right in at Coachella or (she could only dream!) Woodstock. Whether she knows you or not, she’ll reach for your hand and exclaim, “Dance with me!”

iii. flower exchange
Misty is happily sitting in a park on a blanket, humming to herself as she works to make crowns out of chamomile flowers. She already has a crown of her own perched upon her head, so she’s set up a makeshift cardboard sign, offering to make anyone a flower crown or bracelet or necklace, whatever they’d like! All free of charge, of course - more than anything, she just wants an opportunity to talk and to meet new people. The magic of the flowers only enhances her peaceful feeling, such a relief after the months and years of loneliness and danger haunting her every move. Participate in enough exchanges however, and she might find herself with an unexpected surprise!

v. roommates; floor 14 communal housing
Misty is taking the whole communal living thing at face value - all the food in the fridge and the cabinets is free for the taking, right? And she eats like a woman starved, shovelling down bagels and fruit and whatever else she can find like there’s no tomorrow. Maybe you simply forgot to label your food or maybe you naively assumed no one would think to touch it, but either way, your new roommate is now chowing down on your food.

i.

[11calls]

Alex has been all about letting the mood of the dancing take her along where it went, but she was a little surprised to see the woman grasp her hand. Despite the shock, Alex just let up a quick peel of laughter before she nodded. She too moved like she belonged at Coachella, more festival than ballroom, and the brunette just kept holding onto the other woman's hand as she spun in time with the music.

[mistyday]

Misty laughs too, delighted with how quickly her offer is taken up. She twirls, skirts billowing out around her, and tugs her new friend closer to where the band is playing. Finally, when the musicians stop for a break she turns, flushed and grinning, and says in her soft New Orleans accent, "That was great! There's so much good music here!"

[11calls]

"It's the spring festival! They have one sort of big and huge event each month, so this is the one for this one. Most of the time, they're a good party." Or a sex orgy, but Alex doesn't say that. Instead she just grins at the blond quickly, offering her hand for an introduction this time, rather than for simply a dance. "Welcome! I'm Alex!" She's going to assume that the other woman is new, it sort of saves time that way!

[mistyday]

Yeah best save the sex orgies for later when she's a little more... adjusted. She shakes Alex's hand with enthusiasm. Everyone's so friendly here! "My name's Misty!"

[11calls]

"Nice to meet you, Misty! It's nice to see someone enjoying things during their first day." Alex hadn't been, not at all, because well, she seriously wasn't supposed to be here, but that was another point. She'd been here so long that she'd gotten used to it.

[mistyday]

For Misty, it's a relief to be here, to be among people who want her here, people who don't fear her or see her as a means to an end or a challenge. She can just be. "You kidding? I think this place is amazing!"

[11calls]

Alex is just going to grin at Misty, because it's lovely to be around someone that's just so happy for once. It's not that she doesn't surround herself with happy people, but there's something about Misty's joy that is almost contagious. "It really can be! I mean so many people from so many different worlds. It's certainly something else!"

[mistyday]

"Yeah one of my roommates is a robot! Never thought I'd see the day, not until I was real old at least."

[ v ]

[sentiences]

[ Dorian doesn't have a lot of stuff. Having stuff is still something he's getting used to, but he is appreciating the ability to buy clothes and having the chance to wear different kinds of clothing. It's a small thing but it fills his heart.

So when he comes back and watches Misty check out the cabinets, he clears his throat politely behind her. ]

Sorry. I think that one's mine?

[mistyday]

[Misty turns with half a bagel hanging out of her mouth. For a second, she considers her options, then decides that she might as well finish chewing what she's already bitten off. Seeing as it's a bagel, that takes a awkwardly long moment, but then she smiles apologetically as she puts the rest of it down on the counter.]

I didn't... I thought they were for everybody?

[sentiences]

[ He nods. ]

They are, but we get one per person. Yours is probably around somewhere.

[mistyday]

[Judging by the plates and wrappers everywhere, that "somewhere" is probably her stomach.]

I'm sorry! I promise I'll pay you back!

I have a job.

[This last she says somewhat incredulously. It's weird, not only to have a job, but also one that she's excited to start.]

[sentiences]

[ Dorian blinks, a little baffled. ]

There's no need for that. I don't eat.

[mistyday]

What? What d'you mean, you don't eat!?

[sentiences]

I'm a robot.

I don't eat.

[mistyday]

No shit!

[She laughs, delighted. First a dragon, now a robot! This place is so much better than home.]

I ain't ever met a robot before! Well, one like you anyway.

iii.

[inafadingcrown]

This was a good time for Galadriel to arrive, truly, because even she can't help but feel a little more relaxed in the peaceful atmosphere of the festival. She smiled just a little more often, laughed just a little more easily- and was just a little more prone to nostalgia.

So, of course she couldn't just pass by Misty making flower crowns.

"May I join you? It's been quite a while, but I was once a rather deft hand at flower crowns myself."

[mistyday]

Even if a certain person wasn't one of Middle Earth's most powerful telepaths, Misty isn't exactly the hardest person to get a read on. When Galadriel walks up, she can't help but stare in wonder. Not only is this woman the most beautiful person she's ever seen (sorry Stevie), the immense power flowing from her is overwhelming and far more ancient than anything she's ever felt before. Nor is it tainted with evil like Fiona's magic was. No, this is something good and wonderful and amazing.

For a moment, all she can think is holy shit before she gathers herself together and manages a smile. "Sure! There's plenty of room!"

[inafadingcrown]

"Thank you."

Galadriel seats herself beside Misty, chuckling a little as she reaches for a couple of flowers to weave together.

"I have not done this since my granddaughter was young. Her hair is dark, and the blossoms did always look so lovely set against it."

[mistyday]

It's nice, getting to do this with and for other people, even if she is a bit overwhelmed by the other woman's presence. As she sits, Misty sees now that her ears are different, pointed like a fairy's or an elf's. Not that she's ever seen either in real life before, just pictures.

"How old's your granddaughter now?"

[inafadingcrown]

Misty may be a bit overwhelmed, but she's doing a wonderful job of pushing past it, which Galadriel appreciates immensly. It's useful at times, to have such a powerful effect on people, and she would not trade her gifts for the world. But it can also be frustrating, and isolating, when it makes people feel they must keep her at a distance, even when she is reaching out.

"Oh, she is a woman full grown and has been for some time now." She pauses and hums thoughtfully. "I would have to think for a time to find the exact figure, but offhand, I would say she's a few centuries shy of three thousand."

[mistyday]

On the contrary, Galadriel's aura, her entire being only draws Misty in. She instinctively wants to know this woman better. And well... she certainly knows a thing or two about being isolated, feared even, on account of her powers, even if hers aren't as obvious on first meeting.

"Three thousand!" She felt Galadriel was ancient, but somehow hearing it said out loud really drives it home (and that number is only for her granddaughter!). "Guess I can't blame you for not knowin' the exact number at that point huh?"

[inafadingcrown]

"After the first few thousand years, it truly makes little difference."

Galadriel has to laugh a little, not so much at Misty, but at herself for not immediatly realizing the sort of reaction that answer was going to get. She's so used to being around elves (or those who are familiar with elves) that it didn't even occur to her that not everyone just knew about these things.

"I gather, then, that I am the first elf you have met?"

[mistyday]

"We have stories about elves but I've never seen one." But she accepts the reality of them reality of them easily enough. After all, if there are witches and ghosts and zombies, why not elves? Plenty of people think Misty's a fairy tale too.

"I knew a couple of immortal humans but they paid a terrible price for that." She stops weaving her flowers to stare at Galadriel intensely. "But I can tell you're not like them, not at all. You're Good."