monthly mingle: RIVER FESTIVAL

[riverviewmod]

who: everyone in Riverview!
what: monthly mingle: the river festival
when: the month of august
where: anywhere around the city
warnings: please put any necessary warnings in the subject lines

river festival

In the days leading up to August 1st, residents new and old will notice preparations beginning, a flurry of activity getting the city ready for the upcoming celebration: The River Festival. This holiday is in celebration of the river and the life that it gives to the city, as well as the heat of summer and forming bonds with friends, family, and romantic partners. The celebrations are marked by a community-wide cleanup of the docks and beaches along the river - particularly important considering the recent flooding that's left the banks of the river littered with debris - as well as beachfront cookouts and parties (both private and city sponsored) and beach sports tournaments happening on either open stretches of beach or in special clothing-optional beaches, all capped off with fireworks displays each weekend in August.

a celebration of the river and togetherness

Following the hedonism of Carnivale, it's time for something a little more low-key and relaxing. The River Festival happens every year in August, and is geared toward community building through cleaning up the beaches and docks along the river and then using all that freshly cleaned beach to gather on. During the month of August, there are various lightly-themed government-sponsored beach cookouts and parties geared toward family, romantic dates, or casual all-ages get-togethers for meeting new friends; there are also a few more racy parties at clothing-optional beaches around the city. Many private residents also take this time to gather together friends and family, and have cookouts on the beach with all the typical trappings of the beach barbecue. There are also various casual sports tournaments sponsored by community centers, gyms, and sports teams in the city, featuring prizes ranging from notoriety to sports equipment to big bucks. Every weekend, there are beautiful fireworks displays and free concerts. This year, the River Festival has been chosen for the unveiling of a new water park in the City, with free or heavily discounted tickets during August!

i. cleaning up

The holiday starts off on a note that is just a bit more sombre than the rest of the season, with the cleanup efforts following the recent flooding blending into the usual tradition of cleaning up beaches and docks along the river. The cleanup is a group effort, with every citizen who is physically able pitching in to comb the beaches, where they pick up fallen tree limbs, garbage, and anything else that's accumulated during the winter and spring, and then raking the beaches to make them clean and ready to use. The cleanup of the docks is similar, with residents sweeping and hosing them down where necessary. This year, there are a lot of repairs to be made to beachfront structures that might've been damaged by flooding and the traffic along the riverbanks from the heroes that participated in the rescue of cult hostages, so if anyone has some carpentry or building skills, those would definitely come in handy.

This is meant to be a community building effort, so many businesses in the area, more well-to-do private citizens, and the government have pitched in funding to provide lunches, cold drinks, coffee or tea, and snacks to anyone who's helping out with the cleanup efforts. All in all, the cleanup has a very friendly, welcoming vibe.

ii. beach activities

The main traditions of the River Festival involve cookouts and beach parties. Each weekend in August, the government as well as various corporations and businesses in the city, will be providing funds for large beach gatherings. On these days, there will be booths set up offering wares and freebies from various businesses around the city that have helped fund the party, large swaths of cleared beach where residents can don a swimsuit and catch some rays or swim in the river, massive barbecue setups to provide partygoers with all the standard barbecue fare, beach sports tournaments, dancing and musical performances, and fireworks displays (see prompts below).

The holiday isn't just about these big parties, though - many residents arrange their own barbecues, cookouts, beach camping trips, beach bonfires, and other riverside gatherings and outings. Many riverfront businesses offer discounts on services such as canoe or kayak rentals to go out paddling on the river, jetski or motorboat rentals for tubing, wakeboarding, or waterskiing, or mounts to take romantic rides in the surf. Additionally, there is an adults-only section of the beach where any of these activities can be done in the nude in a clothing-optional setting, including the big city-sponsored parties.

If your character is good at playing a particular sport that could, conceivably, be played on a beach, chances are that during the month of August, a tournament will be set up for them to participate in. The tournaments are pretty standard, generally sponsored by community centers, sports clubs and teams, gyms, and other organizations and businesses in the city, with various levels of specialization, and levels of skill or competitiveness. The prizes also vary, with everything from plain old bragging rights to sports equipment or passes to gyms and community centers, to large lump sums of cash money. Definitely worth it, for characters with a love for sport. Oh, and a lot of these tournaments are happening on the adults-only clothing-optional beaches, for those grown-up sports fans who like a bit of an extra challenge.

iii. fireworks and music

Each weekend throughout the month of August, there will be evening performances all along the beach. Not as extensive as the musical performances during Carnivale, the performances are geared more toward dancing than true concerts, with areas roped off on both on the regular and adults-only clothing-optional beaches for dancing and mingling (acts will switch off between the two areas so both areas get both performances).

Player-characters who are musical artists, DJs, or otherwise perform are free to set up shop around this party and panhandle or put on free performances for publicity.

After the sun goes down, boats will head out into the water carrying a variety of fireworks, and there will be a beautiful display of exploding color in the sky for residents to watch and enjoy. The fireworks are highly advanced, incorporating old-fashioned gunpowder as well as modern technology that result in really beautiful displays that can take the breath away!

iv. waterpark

This year, there's an extra little bit of fun being thrown into the River Festival - the grand opening of a new waterpark! It's quite the park, set near the river with a scenic view, and featuring all sorts of amazing rides, from waterslides that are catered to all ages and levels of thrill seeking, tube rides that are almost like a rollercoaster on water, a pool where customers can faux-surf, funnel rides, side-by-side racing slides, a lazy river, and almost anything else you can imagine. Besides the rides, there are also a wide variety of swimming pools for kids and adults - wave pools, lap pools, splash pools - and an equally wide variety of hot tubs featuring various minerals (and some aromatherapy) for relaxing, invigoration, and other effects.

Some of the hot tubs are in a clothing-optional adult area, where there are some normal pools and some clearly-labelled pools contain elements that increase arousal or desire, or simply affection to encourage some closer bonding!

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 one of the mod-posted prompts for each Communal Floor. Or if you have an idea for a prompt that isn't in this list, set during the River Festival, feel free to write it up!

visual inspiration

click on thumbnails for larger view

Credit: image i: credit unknown; image ii: Albert Ramon Puig; image iii: Claudio Pilia; image iv: Alan Philips

navigation

Comments

dorian | almost human

[sentiences]

[ i. cleaning up. ]

[ In all honesty?

Dorian loves community work. While he enjoys the thrill of the chase, finding criminals, "beating up bad guys" as John would put it along with applying his own cognitive skills to a strange case and anomaly, this is where Dorian thrives and enjoys the most. The place was a mess and he could see how the devastation was awful, but everyone was helping the other, trying to make a difference, even if it seems meager.

His heart swells at the sight. So he's doing his share or even taking on your share if he sees you're tired and need a break. ]

Why don't you restt? I'll take over.

[ ii. beach activities ]

[ While cookouts were . . . decidedly not for him, Dorian wandered away to watch the sporting events. He even deigned to appear shirtless, wearing a modest black swim trunks as he kicked up sand for fun and even splashed around in the water. However when some salt water goes into his ears, Dorian immediately climbs out, pensive and worried, trying to get it out by tilting his head to the side, blue lines flickering over his face in concern. ]

[ v. wildcard ]

[ Dorian will be spending his time at the music festivals, wandering the beach playing sports or at the police station where he works. ]

ii

[compartmentalise]

[Markus had never been to the beach before and this was as good a time as any to go. As he walked along, he spotted Dorian playing around in the sand. Markus watched for a while, frowning a little when the other seemed distressed]

Are you all right?

[sentiences]

[ Dorian shoots Markus a faint smile, tinged with worry. ]

I think I got some water in my head?

[compartmentalise]

Don't you have a way for it to drain out?

[sentiences]

[ He shakes his head. ]

No, I have no internal mechanism to do that. I'm a little worried, to be honest.

[ Dorian hates brain damage. It has happened twice and each time, it was Rough. ]

i

[breqintopieces]

[She's not tired, exactly.

Or at least, Breq can keep going, she knows she can. It's not even that the work of picking up trash and repairing the beachfront shelters is more strenuous than what she does as a surveyor. It's just that she's been going at it for...

Breq blinks, steps back from the wall she's been repairing, and now painting. Four hours straight.]

Ah. That would be appreciated.

[Her hip aches, but that isn't surprising. Her shoulders do to, and there's a small smear of paint along her forehead, and a scrape along her forearm that's left a light stain of dried blood that she hasn't seemed to notice yet.]

[sentiences]

[ Blood. Dorian can't help staring a little. He knew her body was human, automatically detecting the life signs around him but it's still a strange sight to process. He takes the bags from her gently, ushering her to a seat. ]

I can get you something to drink if you like.

[breqintopieces]

I'll find water later.

[Whether it's cold or hot, something about tea doesn't sit right with her right now. Maybe it's part of being one body among many, working at the same job in harmony, that's reminding her of life as an ancillary.

She does accept the seat, though, pressing one hand against her thigh to try and ease the ache a little as she does.]

The wall needs to be finished, or it will dry patchy.

[sentiences]

It will be finished.

[ Dorian looks back at all the people working on it. ]

This is a nice thing to see. Everyone working together.

i.

[evasives]

[he's not... that tired all things considered, but he can feel his limit approaching. maybe it was approaching sooner than he anticipated, if people can tell from looking at him. cassian is just used to working through being tired, and even though he's now been here a year, that's one habit he hasn't quite broken.]

What, fix the whole thing by yourself? [a joke! he's making a joke! who knew he liked to do that sometimes.]

[sentiences]

[ Dorian grins, all teeth. ]

I wish, but I wouldn't want to deprive anyone else of the opportunity.

[evasives]

And here I thought you were just some kind of construction aficionado.

[he pauses, but slowly takes a few steps backwards to sit down on the nearby bench. he can probably pass this off as just being Tired from the heat and sun and the work.]

I will help again in a few minutes, thank you.

[sentiences]

Take your time. I don't get tired.

[ And Dorian made sure he was all charged up before coming down to help.

i.

[democratically]

[A sense of duty has been something that has been instilled within Padmé since she was a young girl. It is something that her parents made certain that she knew, and from that youthful age, she has carried it on. Time might have diminished some of the activities that she had once been able to do, but she did believe that being a Senator for her planet of Naboo was a good way to continue the work.

It would likely come as no surprise to anyone that knows her to find her here. It is true that she can put on a good air, dressed to the nines in her Senator attire with not a hair out of place, but it is a mask more than anything else. Padmé has never been afraid of getting a little dirty or to hit the streets, so to speak. It is one of the reasons why she had taken on the persona of one of her own handmaidens. It had allowed her a first hand look at the world without having to worry about people trying to shield her.

She has come several days, helping out each time, helping to clean and also meeting new people in the process. A win win, no? Her eyes to flicker up, and there is a soft chuckle.]

Do I truly look that tired?

[Yet it is clear that there is no offence taken by his suggestion. She likely should at least take a break and get a drink of water, yet there seems to be still plenty more to do. She is, unfortunately, a bit of a workaholic.]

[sentiences]

[ Dorian hesitates, considering his answer before he speaks, gentle. ]

No. But I have the ability to measure life signs around me and therefore, notice the level of exhaustion that can occur.

[democratically]

[It is clear that it isn't the answer that Padmé is expecting, not that she exactly had one in mind. Perhaps some jest in turn, which is why she does regard him a little closer. She is well aware that looks can be deceiving, as Jedi themselves come from all different species across the galaxy, but his answer is peculiar enough to warrant another look.

Human? Something other? She has heard a little of witches and wizards, of elves, and even humans that have different technology than the kind that she is familiar with herself. Even enhancements to humans. That is something that exists in her own galaxy, to some extent anyway. Whatever it is, it isn't exactly evident, and in the grand scheme of things, it isn't that important to her. She's never been the type to judge people on their race or species, on their appearance either. Rather, she prefers to measure others by their actions.]

A little break, perhaps, but you really don't need to do anything. I just wanted to get the rest of this section done today.

[sentiences]

I want to. That's all.

And I'm sure it will be.

[ He says that with confidence that isn't prideful but sort of filled with a sense of gratefulness and feeling for the people around him. As if he's honestly touched. ]

i

[partiallysquirrelblood]

It's okay dude, we've got it.

[By we, she apparently means the squirrels, Pachirisu, and Emolga that are swarming around her. They pick up little bits of trash to bag, while she deals with much larger and heavier objects without any appearance of effort whatsoever.]

[sentiences]

[ We??? Squirrels??? We??? ]

Wow. That's . . . That is new.

[partiallysquirrelblood]

Huh?

[Doreen pauses, looking around to see what the man meant.]

Oh, the squirrels! Sorry, I forgot not everyone here knows I can talk to squirrels. Surprise! I can talk to squirrels.

[sentiences]

That's quite a talent.

[ Dorian knows every language on the planet and available to Riverview. Sadly, squirrels doesn't seem to be an option. ]

A very specific talent. Why squirrels?

beach activities

[winscenario]

[ Spotting Dorian by the beach, Jim can't help think the way he's splashing around in the water downright endearing. He grins as he approaches, wearing a pair of short dark blue swimming trunks himself, and he splashes just a bit of water at Dorian's chest. ]

Someone's leaving very little to the imagination these days. I might just swoon...

[sentiences]

[ Dorian rolls his eyes goodnaturedly. ]

Maybe I'll do some fake flexing too.

[winscenario]

[ What!!! It's a genuine compliment! ]

Oh, please do. But only if I get to touch the arms. Get a feel for how firm they are. [ Okay, he may also just be teasing now. ]

[sentiences]

You can't get more firm than metal alloy.

[ He grabs a towel to dry himself out. He doesn't have problems with getting wet but it's an uncomfortable sensation all the same. ]