introductory mingle: MEMORIA

[riverviewmod]

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!

navigation

Comments

[spellslots]

["Cuddly" isn't really a descriptor that fits Taako, most of the time, but he's going for the gold right now.]

I thought this whole thing was fucking stupid. [There's no real heat in it, and Clark probably knows him well enough to know it's a defensive sort of thing, his whole personality chafing against the idea of openly expressing grief.] I don't— I'll make one for Lup.

[It needs to be something just for himself, but:] But if you want help, like, making them or letting them off or whatever. I could do that.

[signifies]

[ Clark's okay with him filling the quota of comfort. He deserves it. ]

I'd appreciate that. Thank you.

[spellslots]

Yeah, well...

[He tries to think of something flippant and dismissive but finds that honestly, he doesn't want to.]

You're welcome. And you know, thanks, for coming. And staying.

[He's been sincere for like an entire minute, which Clark might wanna get used to.

Having his memories of Lup back is going to make him a little less of an asshole.]

[signifies]

[ Clark doesn't need him to change who he is. He knows that Taako cares. Besides, Taako has his own battles to fight without worrying about what people want from him or think of him.

Clark didn't want them to share having lost their world and their family. He's selfishly glad that someone gets it.

He also takes advantage of the sincerity. ]

That's what friends are for.

[spellslots]

Ugh.

[He half laughs-half sniffles, using the sleeve of his shirt to wipe at his eyes.]

You're gonna make me cry, asshole.

[This is clearly all Clark's fault.]

[signifies]

You can blow your nose on my sleeve.

[spellslots]

Annnd we're done.

[But he laughs again, which is nice to do, even as he's (very gently) shoving Clark away, like a cat that's suddenly decided it doesn't want to be petted anymore.

His eyes are red, but he casts prestidigitation to clean himself up, because what's the point of magic if not to stop looking gross.]

Can I show you something?

[signifies]

[ Clark nods as he gives Taako his space. ]

Sure.

[spellslots]

[Without a word, Taako drops the alter self spell he'd had cast; it's not a dramatic change, but he looks... different, a little less bright, a little more tired. He goes from pretty to just plain.]

I gave a lot of shit up in Wonderland. I don't even look like Lup anymore.

[They were identical, even though there were small differences, but this is more than that.

Mostly, though, he's tired of hiding it.]

[signifies]

[ Clark doesn't think of it that way. A change of appearance doesn't alter who Taako really is in his heart.

He's sure saying that out loud will get him rebuffed because they've used up their Moment for the time being and it's important to Taako that he looks like his twin sister. ]

Thank you for telling me.

[spellslots]

We used to swap clothes sometimes to fuck with people, especially Barry.

[He huffs out a breath, sniffles again a little, then casts disguise self to go back to looking the way he's supposed to.]

I cannot believe my stupid brother-in-law is a lich, I'm gonna kick his ass when I get home.

[For being so Dramatic(tm), Lup was a terrible influence.]

[signifies]

[ It looks like Taako's back to feeling more like himself, or pretending to. Clark smiles at him. He'll check in later. ]

I'd like to see that.

[spellslots]

[He feels pretty fucking shitty, but not so shitty that he can't fake it for a little bit.]

If he ever shows up here you'll get front row tickets.

[There was never any tension between him and Barry, Taako got a little jealous sometimes, because he was used to having Lup's full attention and it's not like there was anyone else in the crew he'd date, but most of the time he was glad they'd found something good amongst all the shit.]

If Lucretia shows up you might have to stop me from picking a fight with her.

[He's not sure he could take Lucretia, to be honest, but he knows the minute he sees her again that thought will be long gone.]

[signifies]

I might not.

[ She sounds like she deserves some of it. ]

[spellslots]

[Clark no.]

Might as well make it a even twenty on the death count, I guess.

[signifies]

[ Clark shakes his head. He stands up and squeezes Taako's shoulder again. ]

None of that. Do you want to come downstairs for dinner? I'm making meatloaf.

[spellslots]

[Twenty isn't even that high, Merle's died 68 times.]

Nah, shocking as this is coming from me, I think I could use the time to think. [And grieve.] Just don't, uh, don't panic if I disappear.

[He might go hang out in a pocket dimension for a while.]

[signifies]

Let me know when you're back.

[spellslots]

For sure, bubbale.

[On a bit of a whim, he leans over to give Clark a quick kiss on the cheek. It's just a platonic gesture, but he wants to show some appreciation.]

I know I'm kind of a shitty person sometimes, but thanks for being my friend.

[signifies]

[ Clark enjoys platonic affection. He smiles warmly at Taako. ]

Take care. I'll see you soon.

[spellslots]

Stay outta trouble.

[It hits him that he's going to miss Clark, when they have to go home, but he decides to think about that later.

Right now, once Clark has headed off, he's going to take Lup's umbrella into a pocket dimension and have a good proper cry about it.]