riverviewlogs | introductory mingle: DRAGOSTA

Entry tags:

introductory mingle: DRAGOSTA

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

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He is so. She started it. Everything is her fault.]

And she wastes good blood, too. Why am I not surprised?

[ she shouldn't allow him to provoke her like this. jessica should know better by now, and she was exercising considerable restraint too. however, enough is enough. she can't tolerate anymore, and truthfully, she's far too impulsive for her own good. with her uninjured hand, she abruptly swings a fist, aiming for his jaw. ]

[It connects, his head turning sharply, other cheek hitting the bubble. He tastes blood, and this time it's his own, and he laughs, turning his face back towards her.]

Changed your mind on that rough and tumble, love?

[ there's no verbal response. she's tired of using words when it comes to him, not when they're meaningless. instead, fueled by anger, she shifts forward to advance. swinging her hand back yet again, jessica attempts to strike him once more. ]

[He's quick. Quicker than her. He grabs the incoming hand and uses it to jerk her towards him, trying to tumble her into his lap.]

[ she's not quite as swift as him, and spike prevails in pulling her into his lap. an irritated grunt escapes from her mouth. jess isn't about to sit still for long; whatever he's planning, it can't be pleasant, and she has no intention of letting him bite her again. even as he holds jessica against him, she struggles with her strength every step of the way. ]

[He tries to catch her arms, pinning them to her sides as he swoops down towards her, a crooked smile on his face as he darts in and crushes his mouth against hers.

The golden bubble around them dissipates and Spike moves to push her away, wanting to get up to his feet.]

I think I'll finish what I was starting before you came along and ruined everything. And now, Lamb, I know what you taste like.

[He stepped away from her quickly, not wanting her to try to take a swipe at him. His fingers lifted to his lips and he licked them, her blood smeared over them from where she'd bled on him when he'd grabbed her.]

In more ways than one.

[ it all happens so quickly, there's hardly time to register what occurred. spike holds her in place, his grip unyielding, before he steals a kiss. once he pulls away, she glares at him in disgust, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. ]

Taste this.

[ stepping forward, she tries to close the distance he's created between them and reach out to grab his collar. if possible, she'll throw a punch at him as well. there's no way in hell she's letting him escape after that. ]

[He should have known well enough she wasn't the type to just let him prance off and continue his night. She was vindictive -- much like himself. That was part of the fun of prodding at her so much.

He feels his collar yanked and there's a sudden pain in his side as he's pushed violently in that direction, Spike hitting a wall and turning to laugh at her.]

Not done yet, eh? What, you in the mood for a full on workout, love?

[ she may very well die right now. as powerful as jessica is, he matches her strength and speed. one wrong move, and spike could drain the life from her. too bad she's never cared much about self-preservation. ]

If it ends with a stake in your heart, sure.

You so sure that's what'll do me in? Lot of myths out there, pet. Maybe it's decapitation? Or silver. Or all of the above. Besides, I don't see you carrying one around, non-Slayer.

[He pushes off from the wall, flicking his jacket properly into place.]

Face it, lamb. You're just miffed you lost one move in a series of them. You were being a right bitch and I had no plan on being stuck in there with you. You want someone to blame for how you feel? Go wail at a mirror. I've got pints to down.

Or maybe it's sunlight. Let's find out.

[ she steps forward, unwilling to let him slip away just yet. ]

What's the matter, sparkles? Too chickenshit for another round?

Depends on what round we're talking about here. You that hard up for someone to get their hands on you? All you have to do is ask nicely, pet.

[ she arches her brow, inching closer towards him. once jess is only a few feet away, she lifts her uninjured hand to brush lightly against his chest. ]

Yeah? That's it?

[Oh, he knew this was a ploy. She was too bitchy and aggressive for this to be anything else. He knew that. And yet...

Spike was a man. Well, male vampire. And she was attractive, even though he wanted to smack the smirk off her face. Frankly, he'd probably go for either a fight or a fuck, but he had a feeling she wanted the former.]

And maybe buy me a drink, since you're so bloody stingy.

[ of course it's a ploy, and she suspects that spike knows as much. he's not delusional, after all. but whatever it takes to get within range, she'll give it a shot. ]

I've got a better idea.

[ the edges of her mouth curl into a harsh smirk, as her hand clenches. jess pulls her fist back, aiming for his jawline. as soon as she spots a point of weakness, she kicks out one of her legs, attempting to place her boot squarely on his stomach to push him against the ground. ]

[He was expecting the blow, and that smile told him he was right to, so he was able to get his arm up to block it, but he hadn't been watching her feet, and that well-placed boot caught him in the stomach. He went down, but he rolled quickly up to his feet again, laughing as he bounced on his toes, preparing for an actual fight.]

Want me on the ground so you can be on top? Yeah, I picture you as a rider.

[Jessica was strong, yes, but he'd been fighting Buffy for years, and while Buffy couldn't match Jessica in strength, she'd had training that Jessica didn't. Hell, if the woman took some lessons, she'd be a force to be reckoned with, but as it stood, it seemed she relied more on all-out strength than any finesse. Spike had a century of fighting behind him in all manner of styles and happened to like the rush of a fight. For him, this was as good as foreplay.]

Tell you what, I'll let you have a go if you give me another taste. You might be a bitch, but you're a tasty one.

[ her gaze narrows, annoyed that she wasn't able to pin him down. ]

Eat shit.

[ after that eloquent response, jess charges forward, as determined as ever to put up a fight. what she lacks in skill, she possesses in sheer force, though it's likely not enough against an opponent with both. she's too stubborn to back down, however. ]

Rather eat you -- might be the same, though.

[He steps to the side, moving to try to aim an elbow at her back. If she wanted a little rough and tumble when she was already bleeding, he was happy to give it to her. Spike didn't back down from much, and strong or not, he wasn't going to back down from a woman who'd been nothing but a pain in his ass since he'd met her.]

Bit of a sucker for punishment, yeah? Bleeding twice isn't enough for you?

[ his elbow connects, and she stumbles for a moment before picking herself back up. that goddamn asshole. her wounded hand still stings, even if it's healing. she's at a clear disadvantage here. good job, jones.

oh, screw it. she's in too deep now. ]

Been through worse.

[ and that's the truth. she stands there, catching her breath as she plots her next move. either that or wait for his. ]

Haven't we all. So, lamb, what now? A fight to the death? Or are you just wanting to work up a good sweat before the fun stuff, eh?

[He could smell blood, smell her, and the notion of fresh blood from someone as tasty as her was its own siren call. He was a predator. She could be prey. Not his fault if she kept throwing herself at him.]

Whatever it takes to shut you up.

[ not to the death, no. she doesn't want to kill him, regardless of how much of an asshole he is. and frankly, she's not sure if she could, anyway. not without plenty of dumb luck on her part. ]

Sex would work. So would a nip. You up for either.

[He leered at her, intentionally antagonizing her into doing what he expected -- which would be coming at him again.]

[ her glare sharpens, though she stands her ground for the moment. she's not as dumb as she may look. ]

I'm up for snapping your neck.

Sorry, pet. Wouldn't kill me. Hurts like a bitch, yeah, but more like a bit of a nap.

[Undead had its advantages.]

introductory mingle: DRAGOSTA

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