EVENT LOG: Strangers Waiting

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✦ STONE FESTIVAL SOIRÉE ✦

... And when my good dream came to an end, I woke up more than ready to bend ... Full Game Navigation

Watch on YouTube Who: All player characters What: The Stone Festival Soirée that marks the end of the celebration When: July 4th Where: Krajina Božstiev Rating/Warnings: Warn in subject lines, please i. Arrival Everyone has been preparing for this day, fussing with hair and makeup, obtaining fancy clothes and shoes, and perhaps even finding a way to make their entrance in style. This is the night everyone’s anticipated, and some of the Different may even think it’s the night they’ve earned. Upon entering the grounds of the castle, the Different who are attending the soirée, along with all the others from this universe who are attending, are met by the court jester, who greets them with a tip of his hat. "Good eve to you, good personage, and welcome to the annual Stone Festival Soirée here in Krajina Božstiev! We do hope the amenities and the environment of the party will delight your senses and engage your spirit." With a deep bow, after the jester checks for invitations, he lets the invitee in. There are more performers and entertainers than just the jester here in this courtyard, the Different begin to realize. It practically has the same ambiance as a circus: trained elephants follow their trainers and perform here and there, standing on their back feet; sword-swallowers jeer with fire-swallowers as these entertainers vie for the audience’s attention; acrobats and jugglers perform from small stages at opposite corners of the courtyard. They are obviously proud of their craft, and happy the corruption has ended—their performances are delivered with genuine and grateful smiles. Hats or baskets are set in front of each performance area for tips. And the patrons of the party appear, so far, to have been generous. The baskets are overflowing with bills and coin. At the back of the courtyard, past the entrances to the castle, there is another jester holding court. The jester’s hat isn’t sitting out collecting money, however; no, the jester reaches toward the audience, where he is collecting the semi-precious teardrop-shaped stones that people collected earlier in the week, one by one. With a momentary sleight-of-hand, the jester makes the stone disappear. And should the stars align, the jester will grant them a wish. Between these pronouncements, the jester’s tricks include fireworks, rising into the air and popping with a delightful shower of sparks. The astute will notice that most of the wishes that are being granted are related to the soirée itself—wishes for dance partners, reunions, special treats to be consumed, or an emotional feeling of completion. Should your character truly desire something that would affect the soirée positively, they should choose wisely. Just one wish will be granted per customer. ii. Food It's when the people who have come to the party enter the castle that they find that the ambiance has become more formal and contained. This is the location of a sumptuous feast filled with delightful foods of all kinds; from finger foods fit for a charcuterie plate, to heftier cuts of meat—a boar with an apple in its mouth, a side of beef, goose, lamb, rabbit, and fowl; from fruits such as grapes, apples, oranges, and plums, to nuts, cheeses, and dishes of honey; from basically anything you could possibly think of to anything you could desire. This is the party to end all parties in Krajina Božstiev, after all. In addition to the food, the wine and mead are flowing. Settle in at a table after choosing whatever you want to eat and drink, and the party hosts will keep everything you desire coming to you. Whatever you need to sate your pleasures. iii. Dancing The dance floor is in the next room, and if decorations can be described as ‘sumptuous’ well, that’s what these are. Silken buntings festoon the walls, with dangling ribbons and flowers trailing from each join in between them. Crystal chandeliers dangle from the ceiling with candlelight bouncing in between them as the bodies move on the dance floor. There are many styles of dance represented here, from the more traditional, to the more interpretive, to the casual. And among the beaming faces, characters might see some familiar ones—Nádej and Strach and all the other gods. No one at the party seems to be taking any particular note of them. The gods don’t seem inclined to speak this time around—they just hand your character another of the teardrop-shaped stones and move on. The opportunity to couple up here is constant, and it’s important to plan ahead. Do you want to dance with him during the slow dance, and with her during the faster one? Make sure to choose wisely. iv. End of the Night Things are winding down now. One by one, the candles are being snuffed out, the plates and the glasses are being cleared—even the smiling performers in the courtyard are going home. It seems this is your signal to make your way home. Only one way for that to be done, at least until you make your way to New York City—you have to walk. So join your fellow travellers as they make their way—you might learn something new about them. Points Bonus Participation in this log will grant a special points bonus: Top-leveling: 2 points The first 5 tags in a thread in other character's top-levels: 2 points

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