riverviewlogs | introductory mingle: MEMORIA

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introductory mingle: MEMORIA

who: everyone in Riverview!
what: Introductory Log and Memoria Commemoration
when: May 1st - May 8th
where: Anywhere around the city.
warnings: please put any necessary warnings in the subject lines

memoria

In the days leading up to May 1st, residents new and old will notice preparations beginning, a flurry of activity getting the city ready for the upcoming celebration: Memoria. A more solemn celebration than Sampremi or the Flower Festival, Memoria is a week-long time of remembrance for those lost in the Great War and the epidemic that decimated Riverview Quarantine's population 10 years ago. Memoria traditions include lighting lanterns for the dead, telling stories about lost loved ones or lost homes, eating meals with loved ones, and a special gathering to send floating lanterns down the river in honor of those lost.

a solemn commemoration of those lost

While the main city-wide event associated with Memoria is the floating of lanterns down the river on the evening of May 8th, the holiday is generally seen as a time of reflection on and appreciation of things that have been lost - people, homes, cultures, and planets. It is also a celebration of the things that remain. Many locally-owned shops will host displays of culturally-significant food, and will hand out informational flyers sharing the unique customs of their own homeworlds. There is a heavy emphasis on sharing time with family, friends, and lovers, and anyone who is able to will cook meals or treats for loved ones, or at least purchase them something good to eat.

i. hanging lanterns

Throughout the entire week of Memoria, residents will be hanging lanterns around the city. Lanterns are generally placed in greater number in places of passage - streets, bridges, and all alongside the train lines are particularly well-decorated, as are any trees alongside paths, and most homes and businesses have a profusion of lanterns around their doors and windows. This tradition is twofold; some people believe that the lanterns are hung in these places in order to guide the spirits of the dead back to those who still love them, other people believe that the lanterns are to give light for living loved ones to find their doors in times of darkness...many people believe both.

No matter what your character might believe, you can be sure they will find themselves offered a lantern for free from various businesses or friendly citizens passing by, and invited to hang it before the sun sets, or they may be handed a bundle of lanterns and asked to help share them with others.

ii. sharing life

Throughout the city, characters will find groups of people gathering to share hot drinks and talk about their loved ones lost, their homes and planets, or their experiences during the Great War and the epidemic. Anyone who has lost someone, who has fought to survive, who is feeling cut off and homesick, is welcome to sit and share their story. If your character chooses to sit and to share their story, they will find that people will gather to listen, will generally be respectful of the telling, and may share their own similar experiences in return. This is an excellent time to air grief in an environment where most people understand and respect grief, and a good time to deepen the connections to others around you, to understand them better.

There is also a very large focus on cooking or purchasing meals or treats for loved ones during Memoria, with many people taking meals with everyone they care about during the week of the holiday. Some go the extra mile and will hand out baked goods (usually chocolate or cinnamon), packets of candy, or other little treats to acquaintances, especially if they would like to form a closer bond with them. This is a great time for characters to reach out to someone they would like to get to know better with a surprise treat!

iii. floating of the lanterns

On the evening of May 8th, just before sundown, many of the city's residents will head toward the banks of the river, where they will light lanterns in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colors, in honor of their dead loved ones. The types of lanterns vary wildly, based on personality (either of the person floating it or the person they are honoring), culture, and many other factors. Some lanterns are very simple, others are incredibly complex, but the one common feature they all have is that people write on the shades of them - they write about their feelings for their loved ones, their wishes for their relationships and friendships, a memory from childhood or home, or even just lines of poetry or lyrics from songs that express something they miss, or something that hurts them.

Once those emotions are written on the lanterns, the lanterns are set free, floating down the river in the darkening evening, in a cathartic gesture shared by most residents of the city. Waves of lantern floating will start around 7 pm and continue until the sun rises on the morning of May 9th.

iv. roommates or wildcard

Feel free to use this prompt to set up headers for a communal floor, or threads open to roommates for the purpose of getting to know each other. Or if you have an idea for a prompt that isn't in this list, set during Memoria, feel free to write it up!

visual inspiration

click on thumbnails for larger view

Credit: image i: glowconcepts, image ii: by trenchmaker, image iv: cherryorange; image iii: found uncredited on Pinterest - please let the mod know if you find credit!

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[ Clark only smiles warmly at her. ]

It's always a good view. [ The idea occurs to him immediately after he speaks. Clark adds: ] Would you like to come with me? As a friend.

Is there a way that's not quite friendly?

[ she's teasing. he always seems so terribly honest, so keen on being entirely straightforward. peggy, quite used to the opposite, uses this difference for her own ends.

the part of her that's grounded and professional wants to politely refuse, say she's happy with her feet where there are. there's another, smaller side, however; a little girl who always played the brave hero rather than the princess, chasing adventures. ]

That's a yes, by the way.

[ He ducks his head at her teasing. Peggy likes to jab at him but she means well. She's always playful about it. Clark hasn't had that in his life from many people.

He appreciates it from someone he respects. ]

Whenever you're ready, Miss Carter.

[ He holds out his hand to her. ]

I do hope my shoes will survive this little venture. Let me warn you, you'd be the one looking for them in the river, if ones happen to fall.

[ she looks down at her feet and on second thought, removes her heels, pushing them beneath one of the chairs.

it's a good thing she insists on stockings. ]

Right then.

[ practical, to-the-point, she takes his hand. ]

How shall we go about this?

You won't lose your shoes, I promise.

[ It's good that he does as she puts them under the chair. Now there'll be no need to fish anything out of the river. ]

You can put your arm around my shoulder or I could carry you. What's more comfortable?

[ she arches an eyebrow. there are some things peggy carter simply doesn't do. being carried seems to be one of them.

she takes a step forward, moves an arm over his shoulder. hardly as strong but certainly sure. ]

Most people would consider this a dance.

[ the posture is seemingly telling. ]

Alright then.

[ Being carried is easiest for Clark because he can secure someone with both hands. It's not everyone's preference. ]

I am an alien.

[ He can claim ignorance or refusal to some Earth ways.

Clark puts his arm around her carefully. ]

Ready for takeoff?

I don't think that excuse would do it, not quite.

[ implying that when most people think of 'aliens', this is not quite the image that might come to mind.

what. she might be married to her job but she's hardly blind. ]

I am going to pretend I didn't hear that.

[ but she's grinning, just a bit. ]

Go on.

[ Clark knows he can never use that excuse seriously.

He bends his knees and they're up, up, and away. The wind whips through Peggy's hair.

He slows down and drifts over the city. ]

What do you think?

[ this is going to wreck havoc on her curls. already some of them are coming undone by the rush of wind but for once, she doesn't care one bit. ]

Well.

[ for once, this strict professional seems a bit speechless. ]

I can't imagine why you'd care to walk it all.

[ He's secretly pleased at her reaction. This festival, although good for unburdening themselves, hasn't been an occasion to smile. She's from 1947 and a crack shot with a Walther. Clark knows his history and what she might have done before she was with the phone company. World War Two is still one of the worst things to happen on Earth.

It's beautiful up here. Clark drifts so she can see the whole city spread out like a carpet under them. ]

Is there anywhere you'd like to go?

From up here it almost look like any other city. If one didn't know the story, one would surely never guess it.

[ a city in healing, supposedly. her gaze is drawn to the river, to the little fleet of flowing lanterns. ]

--- I was skeptic about the whole thing. Sharing grief, lighting lanterns, all seemed like nonsense. It is a sight, I'll admit as much.

[ that's as much as an answer to the question, indirect as it is. ]

[ Then, towards the river. Clark can see the writing whether it's all over the lanterns or in a small corner hoping to be unnoticed. He stays quiet, letting Peggy take in the whole scene. When he speaks, it's to ask a question as gently as he can. ]

Did it help?

[ this bittersweet scene makes for quite a view. a little fleet of lights gliding peacefully on the water. she can see how the very sight would bring comfort.

though, perhaps she is somewhat biased. She does have quite the view.

his question gives her pause. anyone else would have received a bit of a look and steely silence. she is quiet for a moment or two. ]

I don't know.

[ it's as honest as she dares be. ]

[ He didn't see or hear her talking anywhere. That she didn't say "I'm fine" is a surprise. Clark realises now she's from the same time period as Bucky. They both have some expectations of their own behavior that has changed in Clark's time.

He might have suggested a professional listening ear, but he's not sure who in the city offers that. Every individual comes from a totally different world. While there's some parallels, they're not the same.

(He's not sure who Peggy'd want to talk to, either.)

Clark offers her his own honesty. ]

It feels like it'll be there forever.

We don't really do these things where I'm from. After the war, there were ceremonies and speeches and grand gestures but never something this personal.

[ so busy they were, celebrating the victory and Peggy, well. Peggy always kept her grief close to her chest. ]

In all honesty, I'm glad it's nearly over and done with.

Yeah, our understanding of what happens to those in a war zone has progressed.

[ She doesn't need any reassurance, but Clark knows she'd think about the wars in her future. She's probably heard all about them by now, especially Vietnam.

It's never really over. ]

Hey, if [ He hesitates, unsure of himself, and not wanting to push her too hard. ] you ever need a distraction from your thoughts. I wouldn't mind doing this again.

Really.

[ eager to chase away something grim and melancholy, she turns to smile at him. ]

I'm not heavy at all?

[ Clark smiles back. ]

Light as a feather.

Now I know you must be lying.

[ and she reaches out and, the very nerve, pulls on his ear. ]

Nasty habit, that.

Ow! [ This is for show. He felt the pressure of her fingers, not pain. ] I am not.

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introductory mingle: MEMORIA

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