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kaisou2025-02-03 02:19 pm
February Town Log
February City Log
Dominant Element: Fire
Waning Element: Wind
Full Moon: February 11th - 13th
※
With the arrival of February, the worst of winter is finally past. In the sky, the Spirit Vein will take on the colors of fire, blazing across the sky in hues of red and orange. As such, the temperature will begin to warm to much more bearable weather. While it's still winter, as the month moves on it'll step closer and closer to spring with rising temperature and melting snow. Most of the days are sunny and bright, bringing much needed warmth to the town.
Valentine's DayThe season of love is once again here for Kaisou. Throughout the city, stores and streets are decorated in red and pink hearts along with loads of other romantic themed things. Just about everywhere you turn, there's vendors selling chocolates, flowers, jewelry, as well as mundane items that are trying desperately to be marketed as great Valentine's day gifts. If you're hoping to take your date out to eat for the special holiday, you better make reservations well in advanced- as the nicer restaurants will quickly fill up. But don't worry if you didn't plan ahead, because Papa's Omniria is open with a full Valentine's Day special line up that includes strawberries and pomegranate being added to just about everything - even if it's really questionable if it actually works (strawberry and pomegranate sushi?). Just be careful not to be the first customer of the week, unless you prefer to work through the holiday.
Down in Undertown, the merchants there have also gotten into the holiday spirit. Lots of stores are selling enchanted items used to help keep the spirit of love going: aphrodisiacs, enchanted rose petals, and various potions and enchantments that'll help you in the bedroom. The kitsune have also opened up a shop here, peddling beauty products that they claim will definitely attract a date-- but in reality the only date you'll be making is one to the Urgent Care to clear up a heart-shaped rash, or a date to salon to get the hot-pink dye out of your hair.
Looking for a more romantic getaway? The sparrow clan that live in the El Nido realm can also be found in Undertown, promoting their beach resort. For the small price of delicious birdseed, you'll be welcomed to stay at their beach resort paradise in El Nido. During your stay, you'll be given a 5-star treatment from room service, massages, spas, and a high quality restaurant where you can have a romantic dinner as the sunsets over the ocean. It might be a perfect way to spend a romantic holiday- or simply get away from the winter cold.
As usual, whether you're shopping in Undertown or around the city- you'll find an absence of any kind of true love potions. Those are seen as deeply taboo in paranormal circles. Even than less than moral vendors don't want to risk a visit from the Black Order peddling those.
Speaking of the Black Order, just like every year, there's those people out there who use romantic holiday as an excuse to sell much more dangerous potions. Almost like clockwork, they start to hear reports of some dealing selling "love potions". Sure enough, if you look into it, you find victims who are dealing with the typical array of symptoms: obsessive love, disregards of personal well being, and blind devotion. Though there seems to be something a little bit different from this year's batch, as the victims seem ... more detached from reality than normal. They ramble incoherently more, and any victims that happen to be monsters are acting much more bestial, almost as if they've become feral.
Fortunately, there is an antidote. The Black Order headquarters will send batches of a bitter tasting antidote potion. While normally this clears up symptoms right away, this year? It'll still work, but some of the victims seem to experience symptoms similar to withdrawal over the course of the new few days. Luckily the symptoms will pass within a week, leaving the people back to normal. Still... was someone trying to make these love potions addictive?
Investigations of the source of the love potions will lead to an abandoned warehouse in the Warehouse district. It's a small operation, run by drug pushing thugs that just happen to have some supernatural powers. How they will go about dealing with these guys will be up to the Black Order Guardians. However should they investigate the warehouse, they won't find any sign that the love potion was produced there- it was shipped in from somewhere else.
[OOC: As usual, the results of the Black Order mission will be left up to the Black Order team! Characters not part of the black order can also take part in this plot, though the investigation and the fate of the thugs will be left up to TBO players]
Black Order Mission Results
(As discussed between mods and TBO players)
When the team reaches the warehouse, they are able to apprehend the potion sellers. They will interrogate with legal methods, using a good-cop, bad-cop method. Xie Lian will be a good cop but fail to persuade them. Wriothesley and Ayato will take on the role of bad cop and succeed in scaring the crap out of some of the potion sellers.
From this, they will learn that they heard the potion was devised by a person who goes by the name "H". Unfortunately, they won't get much more information than that, as one of the potion sellers will panic will decide it's better to resist than give up information to the Black Order. He will take a clear potion (the love potions are pink) from his coat pocket and chug it. This causes him to go berserk and fully lose himself to his monster side (which unfortunately, is a flame bear that is now much larger than normal). He will attack the Order, and a few other of the potion sellers will see this chaos as a chance to try to escape -- or to try to fight off the guardians.
When the dust settles, several of the potion sellers are now dead. The rest of them are really freaked out and opt to go quietly into custody. The team will decide to take a few samples of the Love potion to send to the order to analyze, before burning the place down.
Red Strings of LoveAt the start of February, those who are connected to the Greek Pantheon (either by being a member or possessed by one), will be treated to a video message from the mysterious number 696-6969. Should you open it, you'll be treated to a full body video of Cupid in all his naked glory. He is completely unfazed by this as he delivers a quick message:
Hey Fam! Heard a bunch of you had moved to Kaisou, so thought I'd say hi. I'd love to drop in and visit for awhile, but as you know I'm totally swamped this time of year. You know, with the whole holiday about me and everything!
So thanks to Aunt Persie and the others in your town, my staff are back to work and more motivated than ever! Thanks so much with that help. Anyway, they wanted to test a new product and felt that Kaisou would be the PERFECT place to do it. So don't be surprised if you see some strings pop up around town- they're totally harmless, swear! You just gotta be emotionally honest if you want them to go away, so if one of you could let people know that if they start panicking- that'd be great.
I gotta run. Happy Valentine's day! Oh, and mom sends her love too- as always, ha. And Uncle D? Love the new arm candy you got, talk about a 10/10, rawr!
Oh oh, and Polly? I heard you sucked at archery again- you're never gonna hit a poor guy in his heel again at this rate. Never knew you had a thing for fishermen though, Uncle Po-Po would be delighted!
Byeeee! Love to you all!
Everyone else in the city will not receive such a message. Which means you have no warning to what's to come... but also you were spared having to stare at Cupid's dick. So, maybe you're the lucky ones after all.
Sure enough, around the city, if you're spending time with someone, you have a chance to have a string appear on your wrists that will tie the two of you together. The color of the string will depend on your relationship with the person: red (romantic), pink (friendship), white (family), orange (rivalry), or candy stripped for the very complicated relationships.
These strings can not be untied or removed by hand. The only way to get rid of them is to be emotionally honest with your feelings towards the other. If both of you manage to vocalize your true feelings for each other, the string will disappear and you'll be free. However if you try to lie or deny? The strings will both tighten and increase - until you two are virtually tied together.
Looks like it's time to open up about your feelings!
The dominant element this month is Fire! Anyone with an affinity to the water element will find themselves boosted throughout the month. This could mean a boost to their power, having more energy, feeling more inspired with creativity, having better luck on different attempts -- the boost can manifest in all sorts of different ways. By contrast, anyone with an affinity for Wind will be experiencing the opposite. Perhaps their powers will be weaker, they have less energy, they're having a creative block or general worse luck - again it can manifest in all sorts of way and players are free to play with this mechanic as they'd like.
The original OOC plotting post for this event can be found here. There will be a second log about the spirit realm event and a midmonth Zodiac posted on the 15th.
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[From the look on the guy's face, Hermes just assumes they should. Like they missed a memo somewhere - which is entirely likely, given their attention span.]
Oh. Hi. Hermes.
[They try to gesture to themselves but their hands are too tangled in strings.] Nice to meet ya.
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[What with Yugo and himself being candy striped by a very awkward crush that was countered by friendship, he's not yet seen White.
That aside, he does raise his brows.] .........Hermes. Named for? Or are you they?
[Can't help but ask!] I am Noa Kaiba- though on the job I take the name 'Tutu'.
[do not pronounce like the skirt]
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[They kick their feet a bit, trying to loosen the strings there, to no avail. And then sighs. As best they can, they flash a thumbs up.]
Kiiiiiiiinda the real deal? But also me. Hermes and me. It's uh. Complicated, but yeah. Is that a problem?
[They blink. And their smile is a little sheepish, like maybe they somehow forgot they met this person.] Cool! Hi.
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Now. ...I can at least take a guess at what the pink covering you means, which might help more... ...Ah?
[Might. Might.
Anyway, hm. He tilts his head, considering if there might, in fact, be a problem.] ...Hm. No, not a problem at all actually, just interesting. When Mother insisted I do my best to avoid certain pantheons I didn't actually realize that would be hard.
[He doesn't seem too upset about failing step one, but it's one of those 'no take backs' things after all.] I have no idea why she said that, by the way- just that she did. Now.
[Back to the white string!] ...Considering we've still just now met, I'm wondering what options that even leaves us here...
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[They're desperate here. They had a plan to be Normal for Persephone. But look how well that's turned out.]
[They just sigh.] And I'm guessing the whole Greek Gang was on the list? Cause yeah, some of the old Idols were reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeal nasty. Like Ares? Hate that guy.
Seriously, whole family hates Ares.
[Hermes never met the guy, and frankly, they're glad they didn't. That they never will. There's more, but feelings are probably mixed on them.]
Oh! Hey! Maybe it's for new friends?
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[The musing tone fades with the thought though, as he nods.] Right, well. Pink, as it seems, is for Friendship. Each of these no doubt, makes for a different friend you need to tell that.
[Hence the awkwardness on Noa's end when it was candystriped with a red one from him. Always a fun time having to explain a crush you knew was unrequited. Bleuch.
Hmm. New friends though...] Hmmm. Perhaps?
If that's the case though, it should be loosening, not tightening, [he remarks dryly- and indeed, it seems to be crawling up his hand.] The threads I had before this disappeared when we both got it right.
[No he will not clarify,]
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[...]
[It doesn't happen.]
Who?
[There are no bells. Nothing rings. They have absolutely no idea who that is except that it sounds pretty cool.]
Oh hey, cool. That makes sense then! Total sense. [That they have so many friends. They tend to make them like most people make coffee.]
Uhhhh so... hello new friend?
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[Hold on it's been a hot minute since she explained this part-] ...A long time ago. She would be Ra's mother, and apparently not many recall that bit.
[His tone is dry, but it's not upset at least.] Creation and motherhood aside though, she was best known for being a goddess of warfare and weaving after that.
[There's the sense that he likes explaining this, and that he doesn't expect Hermes to actually have had any way of knowing all that though.
But hey, she's cool right? His mom's cool!!!
A smile.] Hello, new friend~ [He likes the idea of new friends at least!]
...The string hasn't done anything. [Hm. Hasn't tightened at least, so clearly nothing's being denied but still.]
...Actually, I wonder how your friendship strings became this tangled at all now. Would anyone you know hesitate to admit that connection? [He's squinting a bit. He's known Hermes for like, 2 minutes and if anything happened to them, he'd probably rampage.
Maybe it's just as simple as 'there's just Too Many Friends' though. Hm.]
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[Suddenly they feel like they're in high school, and they've completely forgotten to study for a test. Is this a test? Is this something they should know? Maybe they need to try and dig into Hermes' memories early? Oh wait, they should be listening. Goddess?]
Oh wait, like. An Idol? Your mom's an Idol?
[Are they onto something? Did they figure it out?]
[They blink. The strings are supposed to do something? (Yes, Hermes, weren't you listening?)]
Uhhhh maybe? I dunno. I don't mind being friends with people though. Pretty much everybody here's been cool.
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[A pause, and he tilts his head as he considers something. Hermes being from- or at least associated, Noa will eventually get there and realize this isn't Quite the Same as Straight Up Gods- Greek pantheon...] Mmm. I suppose the best way to put it would be...The hierarchical equivalent to Zeus, but the domain of Apollo.
[Please know who those are.]
I have a feeling I should ask what you mean by Idol before answering that though... [Mom might get mad.... ...but back to these STRINGS!]
Oh, I've long guessed that whatever is encouraging the tangles isn't on your end. Unless they're particular enough to need you to say everyone by name... [Oooh, that is a thought though...]
...It's not...too constricting in there at least is it? [He. Really actually has no idea what to do if this gets dangerous. Call his boss???
His mom??? MOM!!!!]
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[The record in their head screeches to a stop. Their eyes get very big.]
- Dude. Dude. You're Zeus' brother? [Hermes, no, that's not the conclusion you were supposed to draw here.] For real? Dude that means we're family! Hey! Awesome!
[Well, at least they know who all those people are...] We're Idols! Kinda gods but kinda not? It's weird.
... I don't think I can say everybody's name. There's. A lot. But uhhhhh not really. It's fine. Just kinda weird?
1/2 i'm so glad this is hermes' take away holyshit
To explain Mother Neith however, hearing that definition...I'm fairly certain it's not the same. Most of her pantheon, they are Gods; they can't be here without proper procedure. I...
[...........Hmm. Does Hermes' explanation of an 'idol' make him..? ...Hm. Hmm hmmm.] ...I don't think I count as an Idol so much as a...stand-in, in the same way...Mother Neith adopted me via contract, and it goes from there, so the family connection is-
[wait
back up] ...Z..Zeus.
[HOLD UP]
2/2
No-
No, it's an analogy of Power between him and Ra, for that matter I am incredibly adopted-
[OH GOD WHY IS THE STRING TIGHTENING!?] NYYYAAUR-
[That sound is pretty clearly just Screaming Cat.
He's trying to calm down. He's doing his best to calm down.
He's doing a bad job at calming down.]
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Dude?
[Hermes does not know what's happening. Hermes has absolutely no idea what's happening. They are just concerned. Are they supposed to help? Their hands are kind of tied at the moment. Literally.]
Dude - do - do you need me to call somebody? I can like. Yell really loud for Persephone? Maybe she can help? She's uh. Good at this?
Or like. Duke Wreesey?
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Had a moment. A moment filled with remembering every small thing he's ever heard about Zeus specifically, and everything bad related to it.
But Noa is breathing in! He's breathing deep. This is not their fault, Hermes is just an honestly neat new friend who is covered in yarn. Breaaaaaathe....]
I don't-
...I doubt calling anyone would help, unless they can explain why this...Thing seems to think I might be Zeus' brother, when I'm very much not. Though I suppose another member of the pantheon could clear it up, yes...
[Except, wait, hold up-]
.........Hm.
[Hm. Noa has noticed something.]
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[Or scare the daylights out of someone. It's equal odds.]
I uh. I mean. It's not so bad, right? You get cool people as siblings? Right?
[Like them! And Persephone! And ... uh. Well Aphrodite is cool. Apollo's okay, but he's kind of lame.]
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[He does have to fix a bit of a Look(tm) at Hermes as they continue though.] You're my first actual interaction with Greek Idols and Gods, and I can still tell you that Zeus has a reputation.
...That said, I might have been right.
[He holds up his...slightly mittened hand.] It tightened when I denied any relation.
It did not, however, when I denied being Zeus' brother. That's something.
[He's still Baffled, but it's Something!!! Maybe they can be siblings instead Hermes. That'd be cool.
alas, this is a weird auncle situation if anything]no subject
[And if even Hermes knows...]
... Uh. It's... something? Sure! Sure, it's something!
[There is a long pause. With the wheels in their brain churning away. What could this mean?]
What. Kinda something?
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Exactly! At the very least, this thread thinks we're somehow related!
[.........................................................
Noa's face falls.] .....................That's about as far as I've gotten on that train of thought though.
[So, they're stuck, this is cccccccool.....]
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[They are connecting the two dots.]
So is that. Bad? I mean - we don't have to be like, siblings. I could just be your cool cousin Hermes!
The Idol with style! Or... other stuff!
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[Nope, nothing from the string. Fascinating.
But. Noa does smile-] Hmm. But I can say I don't mind being family. It's...nice. I don't speak to anyone other than Neith in the pantheon, and the impression I have is that this is for the best.
[Neith is pretty 'chill' compared to the others in the pantheon these days, which is saying something when her punishment for not doing contract work is Increasingly Terrible Luck.]
...But I don't really have anyone 'here' so. That would be nice, actually.
[There's a little chunk of his heart that feels like this is a thought he had once before, who knows when, but it was there. Family Good.]
Ah. But the problem is still all of the string. Family is all well and good but I don't think either of us wants to look like something I'd play with.
[Yes he plays with yarn sometimes it's enrichment-]
And this string won't go away until we acknowledge it properly.
[Which is annoying because have you seen those family trees???]
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[Not yet, anyway.]
[Despite their predicament, they look very pleased with themselves at this solution. Look, they've made a friend! Slash family member?]
Yeah it kinda sucks. I mean, I kiiiiinda need to get to work at some point here? So... how do you figure we gotta do it?
Hi, I'm Hermes, your sort of relative?
when you roll a die and get an even 10,
[And that's without getting into syncretici...
wait] Hmhmhm~ And I in turn am Noa, professionally 'Tutu', or 'Tithoes' in Greek, son of Neith.
[And. Hm.] ...Who I suspect was syncretized with someone, AHA! Look!!
[It's loosening!!!! They can be free...] Sort of relative~ I'll take it. Once these strings are actually gone I should show you where I live, that seems like a thing relatives to. Fortunately that's not a cave anymore.
[The way he says 'fortunately', it doesn't seem like 'fortunate' is for Noa.]
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[Oh boy. Their face kind of blanks for a minute. Bless the, they try, but they know already there's not a lot of hope they're going to remember those names very well.]
So... Noa's cool right? Just Noa? [They're trying.]
[A look down, and they grin.] Oh hell yeah dude, tha- wait what.
Cave?
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[Hmhmhmhmhm.... ...Ah? The grin is replaced with innocent- perhaps a bit too innocent, really Noa?- confusion.] Hm?
Ah, yes. I moved here from the west coast, and I'd spent the last number of years with a fairly cozy cave, so I tried the same here... ...I didn't realize the state park was so prone to supernatural weather phenomena at the time though.
So I live in the Crystal Tower now.
[Nothing has been clarified!]
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