introductory mingle: SAMPREMI

[riverviewmod]

who: everyone in Riverview!
what: Introductory Log and Sampremi Celebration
when: March 8th - March 15th
where: In several different locations in the downtown area of the Inhabited City.
warnings: please put any necessary warnings in the subject lines

sampremi celebration

In the days leading up to March 8th, new residents may notice advertising around the city, everywhere from digital screens to paper flyers pasted on blank walls, featuring the name of the spring holiday in celebration of new beginnings, new love, and lust: Sampremi. The advertising mentions that there will be street festivals set up at various locations throughout the week and lists where the market will be set up on each day.

street market

The main draw of the holiday is a roaming street market that features special treats and street food that can only be found during Sampremi, a bustling bargain market with any kind of goods you can think of, and fair games that allow a person to win a prize for that special someone.

i. street food

One of the major draws of the festival is the special street food that can only be obtained this time of year. Almost everything you can buy at the Sampremi Festival is meant to be shared - whether it's one piece of meat on two sticks or desserts baked with a narrow part in the middle for convenient tearing, everything is built in twos. The stalls sell everything from cups of soup, sandwiches, roasted or fried meat, deep-fried vegetables and cakes, dumplings, donuts, bagels, turnovers, and anything else you can think of.

Many of the savory dishes are based on the meat of a particular fowl native to the moon Riverview is situated on that has a taste and texture halfway between chicken and duck, cooked to be spicy (ranging from very mild to throat-burning). Many of the desserts are based around a fruit native to the moon that is spherical, red-orange, and has a light sweet taste that is similar to a combination of mango, pineapple, and strawberry. Both ingredients are considered to be aphrodisiacs. Of course, the foods aren't actually aphrodisiacs and any effect is purely placebo.

ii. fair games

The festival features an entire row of fair games ranging from very high-tech games featuring virtual reality and neon holograms to extremely old-fashioned games with darts and balloons or balls and glasses. The games all have prizes in various shapes and sizes, with the standard stuffed animals, but also with goods and special items donated by any business in the city; ranging from tiny prizes to huge and expensive ones.

Due to the nature of the holiday, many of the stalls are set up to cater to winning a prize for your partner, and due to the nature of the Quarantine, a lot of them involve aiming or other aspects of pretending to fight.

iii. shopping

Originally, the part of the street festival that involved an actual market, with stalls and booths set up with goods, was aimed primarily at romantic trinkets like flowers or jewelry, gifts intended to be purchased for a loved one. As time has gone by, however, this aspect of the market has increased, with many businesses participating, though the emphasis is still on small businesses and anything relating to local culture rather than booths for any of the larger more corporate businesses.

There is still plenty of jewelry to be found, for sure, mostly handmade and artisan, but the scope of the Market has widened immeasurably. The Sampremi Market is an excellent place to find specialty foods, clothing, jewelry, art, or other goods that were originally native to cultures on other planets in this reality, or other realities altogether. Many residents in the city use the market to share their unique cultural goods and traditional dress with others.

iv. adult

In a side alley of the Sampremi Market on any day, one can find an area roped off with a red silken cord, attended by members of the Perimeter Guard in casual dress who will ID anyone entering to make sure they are 18+. Once characters are permitted entry, they will find all of the adult offerings that the market has to offer.

Since Sampremi is, historically, a celebration of lust and physical love, the adult offerings are all set up to cater to two or more people of any sex or gender configuration. One can find an adult or sexualized version of almost anything that's featured in the main market, from fair games to adult goods to street food laced with actual aphrodisiacs (there are always warnings for food spiked in this way to avoid accidental consumption).

v. 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 at the Sampremi Festival, feel free to write it up!

visual inspiration

click on thumbnails for larger view

Credit (left to right): Theo Prins, andreasrocha @ tumblr, hrormir @ deviantart, nkabuto @ deviantart

navigation

Comments

[usandthedead]

[ It isn't easy for Rick either, to give in to the lighter side of things. This place and the people in it, they seem so normal-ish, not a threat. But it all still feels new enough to make any sort of relaxation difficult. Rick questions everything out of sheer survival.

Really, it's for Carl that he wants to find something fun to do. But then, most everything is for Carl. He vaguely wishes Michonne were here. She's always been better at making Carl relax a bit.

He can't really say Carl's wrong about him. He's always had a moral code, which is sometimes harder to maintain than others in a world gone wrong. The line that he's willing to cross is always moving depending on what it takes to keep his family alive. Rick has a weight on his shoulders that never really goes away. He has a lot of guilt over things he wasn't able to do, people he wasn't able to save. But he's still that guy sitting in a cop car joking with and confiding in his partner and best friend. ]

I guess there are worse things to be. [ He finally says.

Rick points to a ring toss game where it's possible some of the rings are too small to fit over the pegs. But it'll be fun anyway, he thinks. They get in line and he considers what would be best for Carl. ]

You're right. But also, right now we're good on food. We can start settin' aside some stockpiles in our rooms. School might be good for you too, seein' other people your age. And if you try it - I mean really give it a try - and you don't like it after that, you can always choose the alternative.

[carltoaction]

[He bobs his head in agreement to that. A cop was about as good as anything his dad could be in the situation since he honestly couldn't picture him in any other light than some sort of law figure.

In line, he's curious if it's possible to get the rings over the pegs and tilts his head sideways to watch people try. And, not surprisingly, fail. That makes him feel a little better about how he's probably not going to do well already.

He turns his head back to Rick when he speaks up about his thoughts about school for him. He still wasn't really behind the idea, but he sighs to himself, resigning himself to the fact it probably was always headed that direction since it makes sense.]

Okay. I'll try it. But if I don't like it or if we don't stay good on food, can I drop it?

[usandthedead]

[ Rick catches that sigh and can understand it. Again, Carl is more adult sometimes than many adults he comes across here. His son has grown up fast, made tough decisions, and had to learn right from wrong on an ever-changing curve that most people don't have to deal with. Sometimes it's so easy to forget that Carl is still a kid.

But at the end of the day, that's what he is. And if it's on the table, then Rick thinks they should take up the offer. However, he won't say no if it just doesn't work out. No one needs book smarts anymore. They need to know how to survive. Carl is set up for life on that front. ]

Yeah, you can drop it if it comes to that. [ He agrees, just happy that Carl is going to give it a try, if nothing else.

He shrugs lightly, thumbs hooked in his belted holster at his hips. ] Maybe they'll teach you some of the history of this place, more in depth. Give us a better handle on it. It'll be like research - helpful.

[carltoaction]

[The last thing he wants to do is disappoint or not try something his dad wants him to do so he is going to do it like he promised. He sighs again this time a lot more accepting of the fact and bobbing his head to agreement. He'll only drop school if he doesn't like it or trouble turns the corner again.]

Okay. I'll tell them that tomorrow and sign up. [It feels weird saying that because now he's thinking about about he'll need. He recalls the paper and pencils and even the little basic things provided to him in Alexandria his first short day in school there. Would it be the same as that?]

History. [He repeats, letting the world soak in. What was that even supposed to be like when up until now history was lost to them?] You think they would teach that here? [Yes, Carl. Why wouldn't thy?] ...I guess whatever it is like, it'd be like research.

[He is still doubtful he'll like it but he is starting to see how using it for research might help them.]

[usandthedead]

[ It's really sad all the little things they've lost. Lori used to take Carl school shopping every year. When Rick would get home from work, Carl would show him everything he got. Right now, it doesn't even occur to Rick that Carl might need something aside from basic necessities needed to survive. All of that feels several lifetimes and worlds away.

If Michonne were here, she could help. She thinks about things like that. He misses Michonne. She's only one of the reasons why he wants to get everyone here. But he'd be lying if he didn't say she was a big part of it.

Knowing more about this place through whatever means possible is a good thing. He's glad that Carl can see the pros of it. ] Usin' it in our favor don't mean you can't quit if it doesn't feel right though. That's still on the table whenever you feel like you need it. [ Honestly, he's just glad Carl is going to give it a try.

They're at the front of the line now and they're given six rings to toss. Rick nods at Carl, a small grin playing on his lips. ] Well, let's see what you've got.

[carltoaction]

[If Michonne were here, and Carl does wish she was here too, there would definitely be shopping involved. And snacks. Loads of snacks. She definitely would help him ease on up with the transition they were going to have to make being here. Help them both realize more of what they have to do.

But it was just them for now. They had to make do with each other. Something he was unfortunately used to just as well. But he'll mention the school supplies later.]

Okay. If it doesn't feel right, I'll tell you. [That pretty much goes without saying though.

Turning his attention to the six rings when they receive them, he places his hands over them and divides them, sliding three over for Rick to take.] You too, Dad. Show me what you got. [Because they always share, right? And he's not showing how bad he is at this by himself either.]

[usandthedead]

[ It's a loss that Rick feels deeply, one of his main reasons for wanting to get their group here, all of them, but mainly Michonne. She helps to steady him, helps him to set goals and keep to them, she's a safe place where he can sometimes actually sleep. Yeah, things would be easier with her here. But she isn't, and Rick is still trying. Hopefully that counts for something.

In any case, he's glad that Carl is here with him and willing to give the schooling a try at least. He wouldn't be so keen on staying and making it work if it weren't for that. Of course, in the end he won't be keen on staying if they can't get anyone or maybe everyone here either. ]

Well, alright. Let's see. [ There's everything going on in his mind, which is always busy, and then there's what's going on right now, something normal and potentially fun with his son. In a way, they're both out of practice for normal and fun.

Rick picks up one of the rings and aims a few times, swinging it forward and backward, before he tosses. The edge tops the peg and topples off the side. ] Yeah, close isn't a bullseye. Your turn.

[carltoaction]

[It counts for a lot. To be honest, Carl would feel lost if there was no one he knew here. That it happens just to be his dad though centers him more than he even knows. And whatever Rick decides, Carl will try his best to get behind it. Staying or going.

They are definitely a little out of practice for normal and fun. He breathes out feeling relief that he doesn't have to go first and perks up to watch Rick throw a ring. When it misses its mark, he even smiles a little almost like there is laughter in the lines. But when he's told it's his turn, his expression sobers up, eyeing his dad and then turning towards the rings.]

Okay. Yeah. [Picking up one, he follows the example set out for him: look at the target, take time to aim, swing to and fro, then toss it. But he overestimates how far he needs to throw and it flies further than the one he was aiming for and hits the backboard before disappearing out of sight. He clicks his tongue with disappoint, corners of his lips tugging down. Though now he looks determined to get it in his next two tries.] Didn't get a bullseye either. Go again?