introductory mingle: DRAGOSTA

[riverviewmod]

who: everyone in Riverview!
what: Introductory Log and Dragosta celebration
when: The month of September.
where: Anywhere around the city.
warnings: please put any necessary warnings in the subject lines

dragosta

In the days leading up to September 1st, residents new and old will notice preparations beginning, a flurry of activity getting the city ready for the upcoming celebration: Dragosta. This holiday is in celebration of romantic love, and seen as a time of the year for Quarantine residents to try to find someone special to cuddle up with in preparation for the cold winter months. Romantic love is highly valued in Riverview Quarantine, as it can foster an incredible sense of wellness and belonging, and is often the cornerstone of found families as well as biological ones. While there are no official city-sponsored parties, there are various holiday traditions and a paid day off on September 8th so anyone who wants to indulge in them with their loved one can do so.

a celebration of romantic love

Rather than anything structured and organized by the city, Dragosta is a celebration usually left up to the citizens of the city to organize for themselves - there are a few traditions that many businesses (obviously) capitalize on, mainly the tradition of special date nights with small gifts exchanged for people who've already matched up or want to. There are also various singles dances intended to help people without partners find someone to share the special holiday with, and a tradition among the various magic users in the city of preparing soul mate potions and spells intended to help people find the person they're meant to be with.

i. soulmates

Almost as soon as it hits midnight on August 31st, booths and street corner vendors are popping up all around the city offering various magical potions and spells in little rows of bottles. The number of types are overwhelming, with a different concoction available for every type of magic that exists across thousands of different worlds. But the purpose of every single bottle and its contents is exactly the same: to help you find love. Specifically, these are the traditional magics that promise to give anyone who uses them the ability to find or identify their soulmate.

These little bits of magic can have various effects on the person using them (reminiscent of the soulmate trope in fiction), depending on the type of magic and the person who prepared them, and the options are almost endless. There are a few comfortable standbys, though, that pop up pretty much every year:

● Rainbow Potion: Tiny bottles of a soft rainbow-colored potion that affects the vision. Once drunk, the potion will remove the partaker's ability to see in color until the first time they meet their soulmate after ingestion, then all the colors will come flooding back.
● Time Spell: Purchasing a time spell will get you a little vial of liquid with a tiny hourglass inside. Pouring out the liquid and turning the tiny hourglass will result in the appearance of a timer counting down on the partaker's skin somewhere - like a moving tattoo, it will count down the days, hours, minutes, and even seconds until the person will meet their soulmate for the first time after the spell is initiated.
● Red Thread: Some residents might've heard of the legend of the red thread of fate, a red thread that is tied between the ankles or little fingers of two people destined to fall in love. Tiny jars with a delicate red thread attached to a note (the contents of which are unreadable) are sold to invoke this legend. Once opened, the user should tie the red thread around their smallest finger on the left side and a red thread only that person and their soulmate can see will appear, tying them together. It may stretch or tangle, but will never break.
● Ink Potion: Small vials of a mysterious black liquid are one of the more common offerings - this liquid, once carefully spread on a portion of the partaker's skin, will result in a tattoo-like marking in a particular shape, that matches the marking that magically appeared on their soulmate!

While these are the most common types, there are almost infinite numbers of other types of potions, spells, and magics intended to help people find their soulmates, of varying type and quality.

A Few OOC Guidelines:
● Soulmate potions/spells can be used multiple times with different partners, and the effect can last as long (or as briefly) as you want it to.
● Since there is a wide variation of different types of potions/spells, they can vary in effectiveness. Feel free to use this prompt for either serious shipping or silly pairings for comedic effect.
● There is no compulsion involved in this prompt. The potions/spells will only show the character who their supposed soulmate is, not compel them to fall in love with the other character.
● Because there is no compulsion or alteration of behavior involved, and all effects are temporary and mildly annoying at most, characters ARE allowed to use them on other characters without asking. If your character wouldn't take one of the potions/spells, one of their friends can definitely spike their drink with a potion or use a spell on their behalf. Also, only one party has to use the potion/spell in order for it to work, both parties do not have to partake, though it is up to player discretion how heavily affected the person who did not partake is.
● A long list of trope ideas and variations can be found here. I've only included specific potions/spells for the most common ones I've seen, but please go as wild as you'd like with the types of potions and effects they have, so long as everyone involved is on the same page.
● Mod questions and plotting regarding this prompt can be found here.

ii. singles dances

All around the city, various businesses are hosting and sponsoring singles dances. These dances are an ancient tradition of Dragosta, originating from the reality of a very early group of displaced arrivals. Observed since the founding of Riverview Quarantine, the events have grown and changed with the times, still serving the interests of the modern citizen. The dances will be advertised throughout the city and range in quality, size, and tone, but they will always have the same objective and methodology: to match people up based on chemistry on the dance floor.

All singles or polyamorous pairings/groups looking to add additional members will sign in at the dance of their choice, and attach nametags or stickers to their clothing - pink, blue, or purple to indicate their preferences in partner (female, male, or any), and a "P" or "D" for "poly" or "duo" to indicate their preference for a polyamorous match-up or only one partner. Once they've indicated these preferences, they head out onto the dance floor, where they can either seek out someone they're interested in or wait for someone to come to them. As the dance goes on, and one person approaches another (or a group or pair), the person (or people) approached can either accept or reject the advances, and after finding someone with chemistry, the happy couple (or triad, etc.) can leave the floor together.

Every person who attends and participates will receive vouchers for free dinners and discounts or gift cards for various places in the city to have a nice dinner and get a present for a new paramour, or two or three...!

iii. date nights

This one is pretty simple: restaurants, clubs, hotels, movie theatres, and anything else in the city that might even vaguely be construed as a date location will be offering romantic date night packages, discounts, and other promotions to the lovebirds of the city. There are a few highly-anticipated special events that crop up every year, though.

One of the most popular are the movies in the park, hosted on almost every night of the month, these are romantic comedies and other good date movies from dozens of realities featuring romantic stories in a multitude of different configurations. Lovers are encouraged to bring a picnic blanket and settle on the grass for a nice relaxed show, or tickets can be bought for special experiences such as the mini-deck, with romantic table settings, wine, and catering with a waiter, or the cuddlebug, where a comfortable couch is set up with popcorn and blankets for the lucky lovebirds to curl up on together. The variations are endless!

Another popular option is a retro-futuristic drive-in experience, where any type of vehicle can be driven up to a temporary drive-in diner for a meal, and then pull up to a temporary outdoor theatre. Once parked, the lovebirds can "park" - that is, cuddle and neck in the car to their hearts' content, probably instead of actually watching the movie.

For this prompt, any type of date night discount is cool to assume, or make a mingle top-level with a special event of your own imagining and earn bonus activity points!

iv. kiss and tell

Something a little different is happening during Dragosta this year - one of the magic researchers at Gramarye, who was recently married and only just returned from her honeymoon, got hit with a confusion spell by accident. A little muddled and love-drunk, she acted on her intense desire to make everyone in the city feel just as happy as her, and shared the love by whipping up a potent spell to do so. As a result, residents will see bright little glowing 'fairy lights' floating around the city throughout the entire month of September. What do the fairy lights do, though?

Two or more characters walking under one of these glowing, floating lights will get stuck for one hour, trapped inside an invisible enclosure with an approximate three foot radius. The only options are to either wait out the hour, or to kiss! Characters will know they're meant to kiss, because part of the magic spell is the sudden and intense knowledge that they should kiss in order to break free. There is no compulsion to kiss, just the knowledge that that's how to get free. What the characters won't immediately know is that any kind of kiss will work - a hand, forehead, cheek, or butterfly kiss will work just as well as a kiss on the mouth, but that will require some experimentation to find out.

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 Dragosta, feel free to write it up!

visual inspiration

click on thumbnails for larger view

Credit: image i: Anya Goo; image ii & iv: unknown; image iii: Raphael Grimm

navigation

Comments

[jedies]

[ Obi-Wan lets that sink it, his expression thoughtful. ]

"A game". Why do you think that?

[advanced]

[Oh no. No no no no.]

I didn't ask for analysis.

[He knows that expression from Will.]

[jedies]

I don't think anyone asked for this.

[ But Obi-Wan isn't the pushy sort. And Bucky isn't Anakin. ]

But I do think I have a right to ask since you seem to be intent on making me dangle to your string.

[advanced]

[That's not exactly unfair, but it still doesn't sit right with Bucky and his expression closes off completely.]

I don't know you at all, and I sure as hell owe you nothing.

[The distrust and paranoia coming off him is so strong that even people without the Force could probably sense it.]

[jedies]

[ Obi-Wan resists the urge to massage his head. He's used to the negativity of battlefields, but he doesn't like it in close quarters. With a quiet sigh, he expels into the Force. ]

Then let us start there. My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi. I am a Jedi Master and a general of the Republic.

[advanced]

[Weird name, but he's getting used to people having names and being from places he's literally never heard of before.]

Means nothing to me.

[Jedi Master, Republic, sounds kind of like a cult.]

[jedies]

It is not meant to. It is merely an introduction. A place to start.

[ His voice is calm and firm. He's not trying to start a fight. For a moment, he thinks of Maul. This situation has none of that savagery, but it hits close all the time. ]

I do not believe in owing and being owed. I believe in choices and I am making one to try to at least let you know me. I have nothing to lose from it.

What you do is, of course, up to you.

[advanced]

[Believing in choices... it's a good phrase to use, though Obi-Wan might not know that this is what gets him to relax minutely. He's been behaving badly, worse than normal, it's just the reaction to fear of being caught in someone else's trap again.]

Sorry.

[He shrugs slightly, the very soft sound of metal shifting coming from his covered left arm.]

I'm Aaron, from Earth.

[jedies]

[ It's a lie, but Obi-Wan smiles brightly all the same. Not the same as the situation in Mandalore and Obi-Wan was . . . grateful.

That sound though. Obi-Wan was painfully familiar with it and a rush of wistfulness enters his expression but leaves quickly. ]

Well-met, Aaron. Though I wish it was under better circumstances. Does Earth have space travel yet? I'm afraid I don't know much about it.

[advanced]

[The change in expression is odd - maybe he knew an Aaron somewhere else? - but the question is even more so.]

We sent men to the moon in the sixties, but nothing like here.

[Of course, there's also now aliens like Chitauri knocking around, but he never offers more information than he has to.]

I guess the Republic is some kind of space army?

[Since he mentioned he was a general, that's a rank that only comes with the military.]

[jedies]

[ Obi-Wan nods. There are planets with limited space travel. Certainly the Dathomiri rarely leaves the confines of their planet. ]

Some kind, yes. Meant to serve the Galactic Republic. It's not a rank I'm particularly fond of, but I'm stuck with it all the same.

[ He runs a hand through his beard. ]

We are in the middle of a war before I found myself here. Sometimes I forget what I take for granted means very little in this place. It's not a situation I've ever been in.

[advanced]

[He's naturally warier around military men, but Obi-Wan seems odd somehow, calming even though Bucky is usually very alert around strangers.]

Don't think many people have been in this sort of situation before.

[He shrugs.]

Makes it hard to spot the enemies.

[jedies]

I have an advantage many do not. And my enemies . . . well, they've never been subtle.

[ More akin to a wrecking ball. How many people has Obi-Wan loved and died? How many more will? Yoda's words continue to ring through his mind. A bad feeling has persisted all through the war. ]

Have you ever fought before?

[advanced]

[His eyes narrow a little. An advantage? What sort of advantage? Something that could prove a detriment to him?

The question takes him out of left field while he's wondering about that and he answers without thinking, too honest, sort of weary.]

It's all I've done.

[It's what he is, a weapon, whether he wants it or not.]

[jedies]

My padawan — my student has an arm like yours. Which is why I asked.

[ A pause as Obi-Wan looks truly regretful. ]

I'm sorry.

[advanced]

[There's instant hostility on his face. Someone else with excellent hearing like Clark? Some other ability? This advantage he was talking about?]

How the hell did you know?

[jedies]

[ Obi-Wan blinks, surprised by that reaction. ]

Because I heard it. And I'm familiar with the sound of a metal arm, as I said. My student lost his during the war.

[advanced]

[That doesn't make him any more comfortable and the gloved fingers of that hand ball into a loose fist.]

How about you keep your observations to yourself.

[jedies]

[ Obi-Wan nods, contrite. ]

My apologies for overstepping. It was not my intent to upset you.

[advanced]

[What is with this guy? He doesn't seem to have any sort of temper at all, and Bucky is being pretty damn rude, he knows it.]

I keep it hidden for a reason.

[jedies]

So does he.

[ Again, Obi-Wan can't help the quiet tone of regret. If he had been faster, a better master to Anakin, perhaps Anakin wouldn't have lost his arm. Wouldn't have lost so much. As always, Obi-Wan moves far too slow with the Force. ]

[advanced]

[He shifts uncomfortably, not quite knowing what to say to that, especially because of the expression on Obi-Wan's face.]

War takes things from everyone, better an arm than a life.

[jedies]

[ His lips twitch, recognizing it as a form of comfort. ]

Yes. But I feel responsible for it, all the same. I doubt I'll ever stop, no matter how old he gets.

[advanced]

Unless you cut it off yourself, not your responsibility.

[As if it's ever that cut and dry, when he knows Steve feels that responsibility for all that happened to him after he fell.]

[jedies]

You're right, of course. But it rarely feels that way.

[ It's also attachment. By rights, Obi-Wan should not feel guilty. He should move on from it. But Obi-Wan has never been able to look past this flaw. Especially when it came to Anakin. ]

At least I can try to make sure it doesn't happen again.