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

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Comments

Cecelia Wynn | ota

[inthemoonlight]

{ i. street food }
Cecelia is easily swayed by the pamphlets to attend the festivities. She has pocket money thanks to her job and has already purchased some new clothes in the style of which she's accustomed. With what little is left until next payday, she heads down to the celebration to try some of this street food. Throughout the days of the celebration, she can be seen with mostly meat (it's the carnivore in her), though sometimes a turnover or doughnut too. Should anyone wish to share, she's more than willing to let them break off a piece. She wanders through the festival in a walking dress and boots, with a pelisse, bonnet, and gloves. It's what she's used to, and she can't fathom giving it all up just yet.


{ ii. fair games }
The holograms delight her, and she watches others play games featuring them. The virtual reality sounds a little too intense for her, so she passes on that. Usually she tries her hand at the old fashioned games, and one day surprises the stall worker by busting all the balloons with the specially blunted dart. So what if she used a little werewolf speed and strength to force the balloon to break?

When asked what prize she wants for her sweetheart, she blushes, but doesn't explain that there is no such person. Instead she points to one of the donated prizes: a set of lotions and perfume samples. That's much better than a giant pink tiger with sunglasses. After that, she walks around with her little gift basket and watches others try their hand at the games, maybe offering a cheer of good luck too.


{ v. roommates/wildcard }
Midway through the festival's run, Cecelia slips out of the communal apartment before sunset and heads straight for the wall. She has a brief conversation with several of the guards before they let her through into the abandoned area. No one will see her until the next morning when she comes up to the wall and asks to be let back through. She's dressed the same as before, though now her hair is down. Quickly, she returns to Floor 2 communal housing and hops into the shower before anyone has a chance to talk to her. But once dressed, she goes to make breakfast, a tired, worn out look to her face.

[ ooc: feel free to talk to Cecelia on her way back to the apartment from the wall, or on floor 2 if you have a roomie character who noticed she was gone all night! my plan is she's not going to be able to hide that she's a werewolf for long. ]

V - Roommates

[threatenwithcuteness]

The annoying thing about a young, energetic, roommate is that there was never a morning Lola didn't look completely ready to take on her day. She woke up early, brushed her hair into its usual state, and was completely awake before she even touched the coffee. So here she bounced into the room, still in her pajamas but otherwise ready to do everything she set her mind to. Except go home.

"Oh!" She wasn't actually expecting anyone else up yet. She didn't remember seeing this roommate at all last night either. Lola was pretty aware of the space given how weird this was. Then again they were in the middle of a festival of love, so she supposed maybe something came up. "Long night?"

[inthemoonlight]

Cecelia looks up from an empty bowl, where she's been contemplating either going to the effort of warming oatmeal in a pot, or just pouring cereal and having it with cold milk. Apparently that is a thing. And she hasn't even touched the microwave yet, so she doesn't know about little packets of microwavable oatmeal.

"Hmm? Oh, good morning, Miss Pacini. I suppose it was." She resists rubbing at the side of her face. The day after a shift is always hard on her. She feels lethargic and not quite there. And she really doesn't know how long she can possibly keep her secret. It was easy at home. They could stay isolated on their estate. But here she's sharing a space. It doesn't even occur to her that her spending all night out during a festival dedicated to love and lust might imply something either.

[threatenwithcuteness]

"Please call me Lola, there's no such person as 'Miss Pacini.'" Lola's relationship with her last name was fine, so long as it made her think of her father. If it brought her mother to mind, for any reason, she wanted none of it. Lola started to work on a kettle for tea, and grabbed some fruits to put on her oatmeal. Which she was going to heat up with the microwave.

It was weird, everyone was older than her on this floor, most by a significant margin. So she wasn't sure what the appropriate conversation was here. But as Lola can't just leave well enough alone, she is going to dive right in with her assumption because there isn't much other option, "When exactly did you get home? Some reason you couldn't just have breakfast with him? Or her? I mean, you don't have to tell me who just you look beat and like you could use an extra hour of sleep. At least."

Smooth, Lola, smooth.

[inthemoonlight]

A crease appears in between Cecelia's eyes. She doesn't feel exactly right calling her by her Christian name, especially since she appears to be around an age when she would be out in society. Yet Cecelia knows that her version of society isn't present here, and she can't expect others to follow the same societal rules as she does.

"Very well," she acquiesces, watching Lola move about the kitchen. She seems far more natural in it than Cecelia, who has always relied on a cook and kitchen maids.

"Breakfast with--" There's a pause as Cecelia works out what this means. In her world, this would be an absolute scandal, but it sounds as though Lola is simply curious. Still, Cecelia places a hand against her chest in shock. "Oh, goodness, no! No, I was not-- I did not spend the night with anyone! No!"

[threatenwithcuteness]

Lola is only ever polite, having her show respect and grace usually involves her at work, or at school. And even then she's told teachers (and customers) to go to hell before. Casual is just so much more comfortable than putting on airs. Or getting scandalized over the idea of sex.

And yes, Lola knows her way around kitchens, it is about the one serviceable skill she has. Well, that and she is quietly making a list of suggestions Cecelia could take up to look a little less tired and a little more rejuvenated. Maybe help make that crease less noticeable.

"No, sorry, just... with the fair and everything being about romance-" Lola paused, mid-thought. She was definitely sure she made a huge mistake, but in the middle of her apology a new thought made itself known, and that thought was annoyingly important. It was a question, a question that Lola had assumed an answer for, but without that answer the question suddenly mattered, "...if you weren't with anyone, where were you?"

Lola's list of reasons to stay out all night started and ended with 'romance and sex.' Hence why Lola found an answer so easily, but now she needed a new answer.

[inthemoonlight]

Oh, dear. This is what Cecelia had been dreading. She had held a sort of naive hope that she would go unnoticed for just one night, but it seems it was not meant to be. Can she keep this secret any longer, especially when asked about it in such a frank manner?

"I had matters that had to be attended to," she begins, hoping that will work. "And now I am ready for breakfast. Do you know how to use that machine?" She nods towards the microwave in an effort to distract Lola from her curiosity. "A microwave, is it?" Only Cecelia puts the emphasis on the wrong syllable, calling it a "my-CRO-wave" instead of a "MY-cro-wave." Look, she's only heard it said once before.

[threatenwithcuteness]

Probably should have let Lola think it was a one night stand.

"Oh, okay." Lola seemed to accept that as an answer. It really wasn't her concern after all. "Sure, I can walk you through it. It isn't that difficult, the big rule is don't put any metal in there. And you'll want to use the regular oven if you're worried about texture. Even if it takes longer." Lola started walking Cecelia through the basics of a microwave and what times and prep were needed for oatmeal, and then...

"What sort of matters? I mean, that aren't a guy and had to be done in the middle of the night?" Look, Lola's a ditz, but her brain keeps wheeling back to questions she hasn't gotten answer to.

street food;

[usandthedead]

She looks like something out of time, and he supposes that's what initially catches his attention. How anyone doesn't do a double-take is beyond him, really. She stands out. She would have stood out back home and she definitely does so in the here and now, a world (or a couple of worlds) away from where and when Rick is from. Maybe the oddity of it is comforting in a way, to see something, or someone, who isn't toeing the line as far as what passes for normal here. Rick likes the perceived abnormality of it, of her, without having even met her.

The food she's trying looks delicious. Rick hasn't tried anything yet since most of it seems too rich or sweet. He's going to have to ease back into the availability of foods like those over time. Otherwise, he just knows that they'll make him sick. He's curious though, about her, about what she thinks of the food she seems so keen to eat. He hasn't really spoken to anyone yet, just standing back and watching, analyzing, learning - which makes him hesitant to speak to her, that is, until she crosses his path with a doughnut.

"It's not too sweet for you?" He asks her, his drawl Southern and Georgian. He's in jeans, boots, a western shirt and wool lined coat. There's a holster belted around his waist with a colt at one hip and a hatchet at the other. Icy blue eyes glance down to the doughnut and back up to her to indicate what he's talking about.

[inthemoonlight]

By now, Cecelia realizes she's certainly in the minority when it comes to standards of dress here. Women wear pants, or very exposing skirts, and men mostly wear long pants which, while worn by men in her time too, were certainly not made of this popular blue material. Pants are intriguing, but she's not sure she could ever expose herself in one of those skirts. If she stands out, she stands out, and truthfully it's good to be out socializing again. She won't fault her late husband for his caution; there was no werewolf pack to fall back on for protection. It had simply been the two of them for a long time, holding society at arm's length but engaging just enough to not be deemed suspicious. Here she can talk to people, learn about their worlds, learn about them. But she's not sure how much to reveal in return. She's already spoken to a woman from a world with no Heaven, where she helps the dead speak. If people are fine with that, could they be fine with a werewolf? She will be outside the walls once a month to keep from hurting anyone. Well, it's early days yet. She has time to decide how open to be.

She stops when addressed and immediately sets one foot behind the other, dropping into a polite curtsy. It's becoming clear to her that her society's rules aren't followed by anyone else, but she's still clinging to them as much as her clothes.

"No, sir. I quite enjoy it. Are you interested in trying it? They are meant for sharing if you do not wish to purchase a whole one." As she speaks, her eyes move from his own, to her doughnut, to the hatchet and gun he carries. She knows of pistols, and was actually handed a gun to help defend the wall not long after arriving, so it's not so strange a thing. Perhaps he's with the Perimeter Guard. Though the hatchet makes her wonder if he's a woodsman. His accent is unusual, but in a way, more familiar to her than Mr Kent's had been. Something about the vowels, she thinks.

[usandthedead]

It's easy enough to empathize with the need to cling to whatever might be familiar or comforting to a person. She's clinging to her dress and certain proprieties from her home. Rick is clinging to his weapons and his skepticism of people in general. There was a time when he wasn't so wary of people. His world doesn't lend itself to the alternative anymore. There's a lot of ways he's changed over time since his world fell apart - and maybe he's clinging to those things too. Needless to say, he understands the need to hold on to certain comforts and won't begrudge her those things.

She curtsies and Rick only responds with a slight dip of his head, a minimal greeting when measured up to her own, and he hopes she isn't offended over it since he isn't sure how to curtsy and a bow just isn't his style. At least that's what he guesses from watching a movie now and then back in the day, women curtsy and men bow. Is that right? Maybe.

"Nah... I better not." Said after a moments thought where he'd truly thought about having a piece of the sugary confection. In the end, he just isn't all that sure about it. "Was I time I had one of those every mornin'. A long time ago." So very cliche, he and Shane used to joke, since they were sheriffs. But they were there for the taking at the station and it became habit to leave with one or two every morning. "Now my eyes and my stomach are disagreein' over the idea of it."

Rick glances to the doughnut again. "Is it the kind that melts in your mouth?"

[inthemoonlight]

Luckily for him, Cecelia is willing to give a little leeway here. She can't expect others to fall in line with her societal norms, as much as she might like them to for greater ease. She would have a better understanding of where she stood with others if they were all on the same footing and following the same rules. But there's nothing for it; she will simply have to accept things as they are. She gets the impression that trying to convert the masses to her form of society wouldn't go well.

"Indeed? I hope the sight of it is not so displeasing?" Because even though she's holding it with a napkin, she doesn't think she can securely wrap it and hide it away in her reticule without making the inside all sticky.

Cecelia smiles a little and shakes her head no. "Not quite. I am sorry to say there is a bit of chewing required. But I am bearing it as best I can." A little joke there. "Oh, I quite forgot. We should really have introductions. I simply do not feel right conversing with a person and not knowing their name. I am Cecelia Wynn."

[usandthedead]

There's a bit of relief that she doesn't seem put out with him, truth be told. This is his first time approaching anyone here instead of just standing back and watching or doing what needs to be done in his new work place. He has to admit to a bit of nerves over the matter given how out of place he feels in anything resembling a normal functioning society now. He's a square trying to fit into a circular hole in this place. He knows it. He feels it. And there's really nothing to be done about it.

"Nah... it smells and looks good enough." He's quick to tell her this so that she doesn't feel obligated to rush through it or get rid of it. Her joke doesn't fall on deaf ears and garners a slight smirk from Rick along with a nod as if he understands the intricacies and different types of doughnuts - which he supposes he did at one time.

Introductions, yeah that's another thing he sometimes forgets. Sometimes there's no time to talk or learn someone's name before they're turning on you. So far, he doesn't foresee that with Cecelia Wynn, as she's said her name is. "Cecelia. I'm Rick Grimes. Been here a few days. First time really gettin' out though. I gotta admit, you stand out from the rest."

[inthemoonlight]

"Ah, I do believe you are correct." She turns her head to take in the venue at large and the many different types of people roaming around. Why, she's even seen people with pointed ears! But there is a distinct lack of bonnets and long dresses here. It does make her feel out of place, yet at the same time, it makes her want to cling all the more to what she knows.

"Perhaps I am the only one here from my part of the world and my year. I suppose that means I have much to learn, would you not say?"

[usandthedead]

Sadly, it only occurs to him belatedly that his comment could possibly be taken as a slight in some way, even if it wasn't intended as such. Once he does think of it, he's quick to both correct and reassure. "Not in a bad way. I mean, I've just never seen anybody dressed like you unless it's in a movie or somethin'. You look just fine, but different. And I guess I probably look different to you too now that I think of it."

Her part of the world and her year. That would explain a lot. Rick gives himself a moment or two to let his mind expand to that new idea, that she's from the distant past and he's from her distant future. It isn't so far a stretch given the nature of this place. But at the same time, Rick has the luxury of time to take new things in in this place.

"Maybe we have a lot to learn from you too." He counters, implying that the learning should go both ways. "What year are you from? And where?"

ii.

[inlaid]

Bryn has been watching people as much as she's been enjoying the festival. It's a matter of habit, really, observing those around her, making sure that everything is going smoothly even if she's not at all in charge. It's the protector in her, the side of her that's driven to see to the safety and others that keeps her looking.

It's while she's watching others that she notices Cecelia with her little gift basket. Most of the prizes here don't appeal to Bryn but the lotions and perfume would be a nice indulgence for her, so she approaches the woman curiously. In her tight pants, boots and jacket, she steps in alongside Cecelia and offers her a friendly smile.

"Can I ask where you got those? Was it one of the stalls with wares for sale or a prize from the game booths?" she asks, certain it must be one of the two.

[inthemoonlight]

The sudden appearance of someone beside her speaking to her draws Cecelia from her inner thoughts and her heart gives a little jolt.

"Oh!" she exclaims in surprise, but is quick to smile just a hint. It's more her fault for being so caught up in the atmosphere than the other woman's fault for appearing suddenly. There are so many people here slipping around each other that of course someone would turn up at her side sooner or later.

"It was a prize from one of the booths back there." She gestures a gloved hand back the way she came. "The one with balloons and darts."

[inlaid]

"I see," she says, giving Cecelia a brief, apologetic smile for startling her. It wasn't her intention but she'd caught sight of the basket and hadn't wanted to miss a chance to ask about it. "I think I saw it a ways back," she replies, remembering vaguely where the booth is.

"Would you mind if I took a closer look at your prize, to see if it's something I want to go win for myself?" she asks, not wanting to keep Cecelia but certainly not wanting to backtrack either to a rigged game for a prize that may not be worth the money or effort.

"I'm Bryn, by the way." Introductions are important, after all, and while she sometimes gets sidetracked from the niceties of civilized society she rarely forgets them outright.

[inthemoonlight]

Cecelia holds out the basket, a hand carefully pushing several bottles apart so the woman can better read the labels.

"Of course! Would you like to take something from it? I do not mind." At the introduction, she dips an automatic curtsy. "Mrs Cecelia Wynn. Pleased to make your acquaintance." Introductions are vital to good society for Cecelia, so she's pleased Bryn took the initiative.

"Might I know your last name, or you insistent on usage of the first?" She'd say 'Christian' name, only she's already met someone who comes from a world with apparently no God or Heaven, so it seems rude to assume.

[inlaid]

Bryn looks at the bottles with curiosity, noting the scents, but what catches her attention is the curtsy. The formal introduction to follow her own. It's interesting to Bryn, who automatically pegs the woman as someone of a background higher than the lower or middle class. As such, she adjusts her own responses and behavior accordingly.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Wynn. My full name is Bryn Zethir, and you're welcome to call me Miss Zethir if you prefer, but I'm comfortable being called by my first name as well," she says, stating no preference outright. She also omits the fact that to the public she's a Lieutenant in Askoupur's sky guard, which is only a cover for the fact that her true name and rank would be Council Agent Bryn Zethir. Such things are either a secret from even her family, or something she's not widely advertising here in Riverview. "As for your offer, it's very generous of you, but I'd hate to break up the set you've fairly won for yourself."

[inthemoonlight]

"As you like, Miss Zethir. I will not press you to." But at least Bryn now has an idea of what's included in the set. Now she just has to beat the vendor at his tricky little game.

"If I may offer advice? The darts are dulled. I find lifting them high and throwing in a sharp, downward motion usually does the trick. Otherwise they bounce off the balloon."

Of course, Cecelia tapped into her werewolf strength to make sure the balloons would break, but she feels this is good advice as well. She doesn't know that it won't work, in any case.

[inlaid]

Bryn's eyes gleam with appreciation at the advice, and if Cecelia is observant enough she won't take the fact that the game is rigged as a deterrent. Rather, it's a challenge, one that Bryn is happy to rise to.

"Darts aren't my forte but I appreciate the tip." No pun intended. "Do you have a lot of experience with fair games or just natural talent?"

She ought to be moving on, and she knows that Cecelia was headed in another direction but the social atmosphere of the event is getting to her, making her more inclined to stop and linger. To converse and get to know people a bit better than she might in passing, or only as necessary for an assignment.

(i)

[signifies]

Clark, too, is intrigued. They're effectively aliens here, wandering around in an alien world. He's allowed to wonder about everything here, and ask away without it being a reflection on his personal dissimilarities with other people.

If he hadn't already met her, Cecilia would have drawn his eye for the confidence and curiosity around her as she walks through the market. Clark approaches her with a smile.

'Enjoying yourself?'

[inthemoonlight]

Immediately, Cecelia drops a curtsy before him, a smile on her face as she comes back up.

"Mr Kent, hello! Yes, I am having a wonderful time. Have you seen the food they have here? It is all so wonderful!" Right now, she has one of the meats on a stick, which she's delicately holding with a paper napkin between gloved fingers. She's been impressed so far with the variety of things available at the fair, and it's becoming clear to her that everyone and everything is coming here from very different cultures. Back in England, a market fair had locally made items for sale. It was so insular, but there really was no need for cheese or flowers from the southern counties. They had everything they needed right there within a few miles of the town, didn't they? But now she sees variety makes things far more interesting.

"And you? Are you enjoying yourself?"

[signifies]

( sorry about the delay! I missed this notification in my inbox. )

Clark read up on what the library had for etiquette in Cecilia's century, and bows lightly in turn. Hopefully that's appropriate, though he thinks Cecilia won't mind that much. She doesn't seem like the kind to take it to heart, and everyone here is dealing with being fishes out of water.

'I'm trying all the food here as well.' He nods to the stick she's holding. 'What's that?'