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

[carrotkeeper]

[That answers one question on her mind-this is for the town and not for his own loved ones. At least she doesn't feel like her presence is such an intrusion anymore, especially with that offer. Like she would say no to that. ]

You bet! I'm your lantern guard now so I couldn't leave you with my charge anyway.

[Iris holds up the lantern to be eye-level, like it's a real super special thing.]

You're gonna put it with the others, right?

[heavyhead]

[Yeah, he's saving moping over his own lanterns for a nice, private area later. Like that'll ever work for him - privacy. A dream.]

Nope. [He gestures at the rest of the lanterns, hung in the lower branches of this lovely tree.] You're gonna take care of that, lantern guard.

[Is he lazy or trying? Both.] Need a boost?

[carrotkeeper]

[This errand mission is fine with her. Any time spent with Noct makes for a great day. At least she doesn't have to wait for him to wake up in a hotel lobby all morning this go around.]

Looks like it. We need to give this last one the perfect spot and it's-

[And up she points a little above the rest.]

Right there! Then it'll be mission complete.

[heavyhead]

[Next time, he'll sleep for ten hours before rolling out for socializing. Gotta make it feel like home.

For now, this lantern. Noctis shuffles a bit under this tree, to get to the Best spot for climb boosting.]

Alright, you first, then the lantern. [are you ready to step on him, Iris]

[carrotkeeper]

[She's been ready for this and pumps her fists just to show how ready she is. Let her prove she's tough enough to go on roadtrips with everyone by throwing her into the tree.]

Got it!

[No one can ever say Iris Amicitia doesn't take orders. Until he's completely ready, she stands nearby and waits for the crown prince's order to step on him.]

I won't let you down. I'll get it perfect on the first try.

[heavyhead]

[This is the best idea ever conceived. No one will make Iris stay behind after this, surely.

Noct looks up at the tree branch again, then at Iris, gauging how much he has to crouch before holding his hands out folded together, the ideal stepping prince.]

Give it a shot. And watch out for the other ones, while you're up there.

[carrotkeeper]

[Ten years from now, she's going to wake up in the middle of the night and remember this as a defining point of her life.

With the boosting preparations complete, she takes a step into his hands and keeps the lantern close to her side. Until she's up in that tree, she's going to protect it. Amicitia honor is at stake.]

And away we go!

[heavyhead]

Alright. Don't miss!

[Truly an historic moment: the young crown prince bracing himself to all but literally throw his chosen Shield's little sister up into a tree with a mourning lantern. This is one for the legends.

He doesn't think she's going to topple out of the tree, but he'll still stand there with his arms raised to catch her just in case.]

[carrotkeeper]

[Good prince, best prince!

Since this is her second time in a tree this week, she manages to keep her balance, using her non-lantern hand for to hold onto a branch.]

Alright, enjoy your new home.

[Even lanterns need pep talks. After Iris ties it up, she surveys her work and gives it a little shake to make sure it won't fall off. Seems okay!]

How does it look? Fit for a lantern king?

[heavyhead]

[Look at her go, a natural at unnecessary stunts. Why won't Gladio let her join the party, again??

Noctis, for his part, looks up at the lantern and nods critically, like he's an expert on lantern placement.]

Looks great. Need a hand down?

[just fucking drop on him, it's fine, this is how the royal family gives back]

[carrotkeeper]

Now you don't miss, okay?

[Because there will be Repercussions. Except not, because Noctis can do no wrong in her eyes. Look at all this faith she has to freefall from a tree into his arms.

Anyway, down she comes.]

[heavyhead]

Me, miss? How long have you known me?

[He's coordinated! And Gladio would genuinely murder him if he let Iris fall out of a tree. Thankfully no murder is necessary: not only does Noct catch her, bridal style, but he even gives a little half-spin in place before he deposits her back on her feet. Very stylish.

Tada!!]

[carrotkeeper]

Wow, still a charmer.

[Will she be replaying that moment in her mind for the rest of her life? Absolutely.

She takes a few steps back and shields her eyes with her hand to gaze up at their (mostly his) handiwork.]

Looks like mission complete! Good job, Noct.

[heavyhead]

Ha... yeah. [Anyway...] Looks good. Let me go tell the old man it's done.

[Stay right here while he makes a little detour back into the old man's house for a few minutes, to share the success of their good deed. Said little old man can even be seen peering out the window for a bit before he vanishes again. Noct'll come back with his phone out, waving it a little as he returns.]

He gave me a couple credits, or whatever. Want to grab a snack?

[Noctis wants a snack. He wants, like, eight snacks. Come with him.]