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

[smokedout]

Dodger blinks slowly at him, but it's clear he's ruffled. And the closer Ivar gets to him, the more uncomfortable he is. It's been far from long enough for him to forget what Ivar's willing to do just to make him uncomfortable.

"Fuck do you want, freak?"

The lack of weapons means nothing to Dodger; Ivar has proven time and time again that he's dangerous and more insane than even Dodger is, and Dodger knows better than most that being unarmed means nothing if you're creative enough - not to mention they're surrounded by a few alcohol bottles, a weapon of choice for people in Dodger's past.

[ragnarsson]

"Tsk. That's not a very nice thing to say someone who might possibly be your soulmate." Better to play it off then take it too seriously. That would have been just asking for trouble.

He tugs on the string connecting their fingers together. "Seems like someone's idea of a bad joke." Not only was Dodger's personality repugnant, he looked like he desperately needed a bath, a shave, and some new clothes to make him look halfway decent. Ivar was going to have to do something about that before anyone figured out the connection between them.

[smokedout]

And Dodger, who had earlier that day soaked in a bath as well as trimming his beard meticulously and picking out some of his favorite clothes just to have that small bit of good in his day, would be very offended to hear that. As if the worst thing Ivar's done to him is question his hygiene.

The tug on the string pulls his hand toward Ivar, and his fingers set ablaze to try and burn it off. Which doesn't work, and he lets out a while growl. The cripple's right, he wouldn't be surprised if this is some cruel joke... but more likely it's another mishap from the shitty otherworldly technology around the city malfunctioning again.

"Trust me, you're not my soulmate." He wrinkles his nose. "You're about twenty years too young, for one."

[ragnarsson]

Ivar can and will continue to torment Dodger as much as he can. He's become rather fond of their cat and mouse game, brutally seeing how many of their rounds he can win. Right now, he's wondering how he can turn this situation to his advantage.

Ivar snorts at Dodger's words. Were he inclined to argue the point, he'd point out once again that he was considered an adult back home, and had been for some time. "Wow, father issues in addition to mother issues. I am not the least bit surprised." Of course, that was the pot calling the kettle black.

He continued on, looking quite smug. "Besides, mentally, I'm years ahead of where you're at."

[smokedout]

"Really?"

He snorts at that. He'll admit the kid is smart, but he's not any older mentally. Just a little kid with a lot of fancy toys, just like any psychopath.

Ignoring the string for now, he takes his drink and drains it before slamming it on the table, tossing some loose bills down beside it and getting up. He raises his arms in a sign of silent confrontation, welcoming Ivar to do whatever he came to do.

"Gonna try and get in my pants again, then? Let's go, you shouldn't have too much trouble sucking my cock from the ground."

He's nervous, that much is obvious. He's not shaking or sweating, he isn't glancing around. But it's obvious on a more subtle level, like a smell in the air or a slight change in chemistry. Some hint in the exact momentum of his movements. He's not on equal footing with the kid at this rate - he's a prey animal puffing up to appear dangerous.

[ragnarsson]

Ivar smiles at Dodger, looking up at him from under his hooded blue eyes. He's a predator through and through, quick to sense any weakness presented before him. He's sensing that Dodger isn't nearly as threatening as he's presenting himself to be.

"What's the matter? Did you enjoy what happened last time enough to want a repeat performance?" Calling Dodger's bluff, he reaches forward, quick as a flash. One hand curls like an iron band around wrist, holding him in place. The other pulls out a knife, running it with infintismal delicacy along the wrappings of Dodger's arm.

"How about I make my mark and add another scar to your arm, hmm?" He's practically purring at the thought of it.

[smokedout]

That smile. God, he hates that fucking smile. It sends chills through him, and it makes him flinch when Ivar grabs hold of his wrist. And of course there's a fucking knife in his hand now - he was right, this boy is just made of knives. Ninety-nine knives in a trenchcoat.

"Back off, Speed Racer." He snaps, his arm becoming dangerously hot as he yanks it away - it barely bothers him that that means letting the knife slide through his bandages, knicking his skin but slicing the gauze clean off and laying his wrist bare. "Aren't you smart enough not to play with fire when you got a daughter at home?"

It's less of a threat and more of a reminder. He can't say he understands quite where Ivar's home life is at, but from one surprise father to another he assumes there's some understanding of not wanting either of their daughters to be orphans. Maybe.

[ragnarsson]

Ivar's liking this game. It's like playing hnefatafl back home. No matter how the odds were stacked against a player when he began, there was always a way to turn the tide. That's what Dodger had failed to keep in mind when he started this feud between them. Ivar was crazy and without fear, which led him to make reckless, high-risk decisions that produced great rewards for him.

He runs his tongue over his teeth and then across his lips as he jerks his hand back. He's not willing to damage his hands when they're his greatest asset. Then Dodger mentions Winter and suddenly the game has gotten a lot more serious. All Ivar sees is a threat to the only person he loves in the entire Quarantine.

Ivar's eyes go hard and icy, his voice flat with anger as he points the knife at Dodger's empty eye socket. "Mention my daughter again and you're dead. You won't even see it coming. You'll just hit the floor bleeding out."

[smokedout]

"I don't want to fight, you dumb piece of shit, haven't you figured that out?"

Still, he takes two steps back as he presses a hand to the new cut on his forearm, and Brink moves between his legs to take up a guarding position. Everything about him is defensive, just trying to show Ivar that he'll fight if he has to, and fight hard. But that's the last resort.

"Listen, kid, I got a daughter at home too. Alright? I don't want my daughter to lose her father, you don't want yours to. So just back off and leave me alone, alright, I'm done. You win."

Whatever he has to say to get out of this... he came here to drink and cool down, not to be cornered by this damn half-functioning psychopath.

[ragnarsson]

The fact that Dodger apparently has a daughter registers with Ivar as some surprise. That's something he hadn't seen coming. What's more surprising is to see Dodger on the retreat. Vikings don't do that. In a battle, there is only winning or losing. There's no defensive strategy, a consignment that one side is weaker than the other.

So, normally, Dodger's talk of a truce wouldn't register with Ivar. But he is right about one thing. Ivar has a daughter. Winter is the most precious thing in the world to him, and if he dies, she'll be left alone. It makes Ivar sit back and think, examining things from every angle in a matter of seconds. Then he comes to a decision. "You should have thought of that a long time ago. Everyone always thinks the same thing, that I'm just a poor cripple, someone to be pitied, someone who's nothing."

But Ivar has more than proven his worth, both to himself and to the scarred man before him. "I've killed most of the people who've thought the way you did. You've learned differently the hard way. And one day, when you stop looking over your shoulder in fear, you might start thinking that coming after me is a good idea. That maybe you stand a chance because you've got powers or because you think you're smarter than me."

He throws the knife in one fluid movement, and for a moment, it seems that he missed. But Ivar doesn't miss. It goes just close enough to Dodger's blind side to scrape his temple, causing a light cut that drips just a few drops of blood. "If you ever think that, remember that you're the one who chose your own death."

[smokedout]

He flinches when the blade nicks the skin of his temple, that general unease showing through more than ever. It's hard to convince Dodger that he's in over his head, but it's been plainly proven to him and he has no choice but to accept defeat.

He hates how cocky that makes the kid, though. So he walks closer, then, Brink staying obediently between his legs.

"You're wasting your breath, Speed Racer."

His eyes are sharp, calculating - a little closer to the man that first came to Riverview, before the lack of direction bled him dry. He's still afraid, but he's definitely more in his element.

"The easiest way to win against someone is to make them think you lost. Braggarts always fall first - so try not to let it go to your head, alright?"

Normally he'd leave after that, but... there's still the matter of the red string tying them together. And that makes his brow twitch as he glances down at it. Alright, looks like he has one more point to make before he goes.

"When you grow up enough to be a graceful winner, maybe I'll sleep with you. Until then, you're shit out of luck for a soul mate."

And with that, he's turning to leave before he has to put himself through any more stress. Brink keeps glancing back between them, unsure of what to do.