[EVENT] A CITY UNDAUNTED

[khuimods]

Characters: All
Date: Throughout February
Location: Aifaran
Situation: The city is still recovering from the massive storm in December but progress is being made; an important festival is held in defiance of the devastation, to celebrate and to strengthen.
Warnings/Rating: Descriptions of natural disaster damage; please add warnings as appropriate in headers


Ongoing storm recovery continues steadily, with signs of life returning to normal emerging in some areas of the archipelago. Shops slowly begin to open in the least-affected areas of Aifaran, and a good number of people are able to return to their homes, reducing the stress on the shelters and city resources. Mysteries remain, and the city pushes onward.

I. QUESTIONS AND CONSTRUCTION

By February, most of the debris has been cleared from the streets and collected outside the city. These piles are slowly but surely being sorted into piles based on size and material. The archipelago is not an endless bounty of resources, and everything that can be reused or recycled, will be. It is hard, messy work, but there is an air of renewal emerging during this process. Rebuilding and new construction begins in earnest.

More difficult is the effort to return personal items to their owners, or to next of kin. Lost-and-found sites at various shelters and other service centers begin the long and sometimes painful process of cataloging everything that's been brought to them.

There is much debate about what to do with the trees that sprang up in the wake of the storm - much is still unknown over whether or not they may prove a danger to the city as a whole or not. Much of these discussions are happening at the Aisling Tower and there is the occasional open forum in which city folk may give their own input and experiences.

Rather abruptly, the handful of buildings in Aifaran that had remained stubbornly flooded empty of water. The water does not suddenly remember it is subject to gravity and drain out into the streets, however. It simply vanishes. Inside, everything is drenched, but not in the way one would expect after over a month of being completely submerged. Paper is sodden without disintegrating, fabric is undamaged- even food doesn't appear to be spoiled. Here and there, furniture and loose objects will have been moved but overall nothing has been displaced. The smell of sea salt - and, oddly, jasmine - hangs in the air. It only takes about a week for the drowned buildings to fully dry out, leaving residents and owners only that lingering scent and too many unanswered questions. The Sentry declares them safe enough, though researchers delay people from returning for another week while they do some tests.

Though preliminary investigations didn't turn up anything, those who returned to their homes that were flooded have reported unusual lapses in time. They can be inside for what feels like a few hours and go out to find it's still the middle of the day and vice versa. There is also reports of the feeling of a strange presence, objects moving, disorientation and a lack of spatial awareness.

II. TINE'S COMMEMORATION

As a mark of shared determination and camaraderie, the city council announces in early February that Tine's Commemoration will be held despite the lingering effects of Xi Tianlong's claws. In fact, a prominent guild of merchants in Malimo have stepped forward as official sponsors. Tine's Commemoration is a somewhat literal twist on the traditions of many Dreamfolk: rather than featuring a romantic holiday, February is a time dedicated to renewing and recognizing friendships, forgiving past grievances, and recognizing our most important ties through an exchange of intricately tied knots.

In the days leading up to the 14th, the lingering cloud of tension and worry from the storm gives way to tentative hope. There's a lot of talk of renewal and remembrance. Merchants and artisans band together to create pop-up or shared shops featuring knotworks and related crafts, as well as collaborative spaces for the community at large to gather and learn how to tie knots. Many of these spaces become impromptu service and support centers, with people finding ways to help each other and forming new friendships they otherwise would not have.

There are specific knots and knot colors meant to signify different kinds of relationships. Friendship knots come in white and blue. White is for the bond of new friends, blue to recognize the joy of old friends. The blue knots typically are added together in a series, one made for each year of the friendship and tied to each other sequentially. More complicated knots are made when forgiving a grudge or past grievance, or to tell someone that they are considered family. While not a major focus of the exchange, there are also multi-colored knots for romantic relationships.

Knots can be worn as jewelry or braided into hair (or sometimes hair itself gets tied, with one friend attending to the other's hairdo), and it's customary to keep them on your person throughout the month. While they can be given or exchanged all on their own, it isn't uncommon for knots to come with small gifts or trinkets as well. After February comes to a close, it's important to store the knots somewhere safe, often in a special box or bag with numerous pockets.

---

OOC Notes: This is a mingle-log for the entire month of February. Tine's Commemoration is a game-wide event for your characters to participate in (or try and avoid, if they're that type) as much or little as they want to.

Provided below are some starters, but you can make your own too if none of these work for you!

Comments

MELIAS

[khuimods]

Melias remains in Aifaran, regularly conversing with people to learn more detail about the current state of the Alliance and the events of the storm. Any Dreamfolk willing to tell her more about their worlds or curious about the Watchers can visit her for a chat. Now that the most critical disaster response period has passed, Melias requests to spend time at the Opara Core. The engineers and techs there are still quite busy, but she ends up shadowing one of the mid-level directors for over a week. Her two escort ships remain unmoving and unanchored in the harbor.

[OOC note: This header can be used to thread with Melias.]

[redlightgreenlight]

The Watchers had appeared on the heels of the dragon, the storm that had laid waste to the city, and yet only one of them had chosen to present herself to the city, the three ships waiting quietly in the harbor while the citizens of Aifaran tried to recover. The Watchers, cities beyond the barrier protecting the archipelago, people who offered help but no information. Or help that she had seen. Yet the flurry of activity surrounding the ships led Valdis to believe that there was much that many of them didn't know about the world outside the barrier, and until now, she hadn't really cared. Rumor had it that Melias had been spending time at the Opara Core, rumors that appeared to be quite true. Valdis approached the woman as she left the core.

"Melias?" She asked, "I have some questions for you if you have time."

sorry about the wait!

[khuimods]

Melias had clearly been deep in thought, but looked up when she was addressed, smiling brilliantly. "Oh, hello," she said. "You're one of the Dreamfolk, aren't you?"

She glanced back at the Core, and nodded. "I have some time. What do you need?"

Re: MELIAS

[unfavorableinstigation]

With as much of a crash-course as Nita's been taking on the history of Aifaran, Tu Shanshu, and the planes, she's been rather busy. A large part of her still feels like an outsider, though that might fade with time.

All of that to say, that Nita wasn't entirely certain if she should speak with Melias, specifically... but a part of her is still driven to find out more.

They would best meet down in the docks, where Nita is studying what is keeping the boats in place during a quiet moment.

apologies for the wait!

[khuimods]

Melias is returning to her ship when she notices a young woman staring at them thoughtfully. "Hello," she says. "Is there something I can help you with?"

TIFAUT BOOTH - DREAMING BRIDGE

[khuimods]

The Tifaut in particular take this tradition to heart and have areas set up at several of the city's parks and civic centers. Given the Dreamfolk's influence on the development of this tradition, it's no surprise that the Tifaut have set up Knot-tying 101 on the ground floor of the Dreaming Bridge. Two or three Tifauti are in attendance each day at wide tables, ready to teach and engage in conversation with Dreamfolk or anyone who happens to stop by from the street.They teach knot-making and provide materials (with a suggested donation for those who can afford it), or you can bring your own cord! Making knots of recycled material, like old clothing or retired fishing rope, can add special meaning to the creation - some believe that doing so means sharing a part of yourself with the intended recipient.

Nita Callahan OTA

[unfavorableinstigation]

This was one of those traditions that Nita might otherwise have been led to think she was made for. Knots, remembrance, symbols and sharing...

She can be found collecting materials, helping to teach knots (just not any related to enactive rescencions in spell structures!), and otherwise making herself useful as she learns more practical, on-the-ground knowledge of the city and its people.

[zohvin]

Zohvin didn't like asking for help, but even he had to admit that he was getting a little too frustrated. That mattered more than he would ever admit out loud, because it just wasn't the sort of image he wanted to give. This wasn't the place to do a quick bit of meditation, either.

With that in mind, he swallowed his pride and stepped over to Nita with a murmured, "Excuse me." Zohvin is over a foot taller than her, but he's standing a bit stooped, trying to not come off as intimidating. "Do you know anything about this type of knot?"

In his hands is a tangle of black and dark red threads, what started as a knot for mourning now turned into a mess. Perhaps the upper part of it is salvageable, but from there his attempt at forming the intricate knot only continued to get worse.

TO THOSE WHO WERE LOST

[khuimods]

In recognition of this tradition's roots, there is also an ornate tassel knot made for those who have been lost. The color signifies if they have been lost to death (black, often laced with another color like blue for the sea) or the Dreaming (gray). Most have the person's name woven into them, either on a metal disc or a piece of fabric. Rather than being worn, these knots are hung by the door as a waysign: come home; your spirit may rest here.

This year will feature special knots dedicated to those who died during the storm, and those who are still missing. People are encouraged to twine something belonging to the person each knot is meant to represent, or to secure a small scrolled message in it. The locations for tying these particular knots are set apart from the rest. Part vigil and part memorial, they create companionship in grief, for moments both somber and celebratory, and in one case to hold the space entirely in silence.

At the end of the month, there will be a special ceremony held at the Wiosen Botanical Gardens unveiling a monument in remembrance to those who were lost in the storm. The structure is designed to hang the many knots in such a way that, when complete, it will resemble the blooming panicles of hydrangeas.

open

[zohvin]

Zohvin is seated at one of the tables dedicated to tying knots for the dead, working on a black one laced through with strands of dark red. He already had to ask for help with getting this particular color. Zohvin has decided that he doesn't care what the locals might think about what that color represents - it means something much different to him, and it's a concept that would be difficult to explain, even if he cared to try.

Now his only problem was making the damn thing. His fingers weren't nearly as graceful as the rest of him, and the longer he goes on the more his knot looks like a chaotic mass of string. Zohvin's frustration barely makes it to his face, but his shoulders are set and his movements are stiff as he starts unraveling the messy parts of the knot to do over again.

For Pepper

[wrathfulkhan]

The festival of love and friendship coming so close to Pepper losing Bakura was some sort of cruel cosmic joke, but Gene decided that this could perhaps help with healing. He's bought some thread - black, grey, and red - and has returned to the townhouse.

"Pepper? Are you home?"

[lasergrenades]

Pepper has mixed feelings about the Tine's Commemoration this year. She's mostly trying not to look at it too closely, torn between making more knots for her friends and family, and avoiding the deep ache of grief that it brings back to the surface. It means she has cord, but it has sat unused.

Lost in thought about what to do with Bakura's possessions, Gene's voice interrupts her blank staring at their bedroom. "Yeah, upstairs," she calls back, withdrawing into the hallway and heading to the ground floor to give Gene a proper welcome at the door. "Hey, come on in, make yourself at home. Honestly, I should probably give you and Tony keys," she says, smiling tiredly at him. "What's up?"

various closed starters!

[afoolsgold]

(OOC note: these threads, as well as the individual tags, don’t need to be very long! 2-3 tags a piece is totally fine with me!)

(closed to Valdis)

It requires no small amount of courage for the Fool to deliver this particular knot, though he knows the spike of anxiety that he experiences at the thought of doing it makes it all the more important for him to do so. A few carefully worded inquiries to the Sentry, and he is directed to Valdis’s patrol route, and thence he goes, wandering until he catches a glimpse of her.

He steps into view, slender hands folded behind his back for now. “Valdis?”


(closed to Devin)

Locating Devin is far easier, given there is a reasonable guarantee that they will both see each other by the end of the day even if their schedules don’t otherwise cooperate. And so it is when the Fool returns to Devin’s apartment after making a few small deliveries of his wood carvings that he settles in to wait for his partner’s return home, absently fiddling with the artfully rendered bits of twine that he has formed into a knot in his fingers.


(closed to X and Trahearne, respectively)

With some friends, it is far easier to send a text message to figure out where they are. For both X and Trahearne, this is what the Fool does.

To X, he writes:

Are you at the Dreaming Bridge? I have something for you.

And to Trahearne:

Trahearne, are you helping with the recovery efforts? I have something to give you, if you have time.


(closed to Aly)

Fate and luck seem inexorably intertwined in the Fool’s experience; it was whim that had him work the twine into a knot for one of his more recent young friends, and similarly, it seems to be fate’s whim that he should glimpse her wandering the streets of Aifaran one temperate morning. Her expression, preoccupied and lost in thought, is almost enough to discourage him from approaching her. Almost.

He falls lightly into step beside her and smiles a wry greeting. “Should I beg your pardon for disturbing you, or would you mind some company?”

Hi

[redlightgreenlight]

Her patrol route through one of the more damaged areas of the city seemed more like a punishment than an opportunity, but at least they were far enough removed from the storm for repairs to have been started. Still, the roads were under repair, making the path difficult for common people, so maybe she was just paranoid. Valdis turned at the sign of the Fool's voice, unsure of his presence here.

"Fool," she replied, waving her partner to go on ahead, "This area isn't exactly safe for non contractor civilians, what are you doing here?"

[afoolsgold]

"Keeping the Sentry busy, I daresay," he replies with an impish glitter in his eye; his tendency to find himself in the thick of some trouble was borderline pathological. Still, he takes care to ensure he isn't impeding an urgent matter before he walks towards her.

It is only when he comes to a stop that his hands come into view; he holds a small parcel, tidily folded with bits of brightly coloured paper and tinsel. "I have something for you."

[annihilist]

Not unlike last year, Devin has been evading the Tine's festivities. At least this time it's as much about being busy as avoiding the celebration itself. He may be more settled in the city now, less consumed by the events waiting for him in his homeworld, but he is still discomfited by such tangible representations of bonds. The bulk of his past, the specter of life at home, looks at those knots and sees evidence which can be tracked; evidence which lays bare what he would rather hide.

The passage of time has given him some perspective. One year has changed him more than some decades have. Maybe this year, he'll make some knots that don't have to do with apologies. A length of cord is purchased but as yet remains unused.

As ever, Luthien greets him at the door when he enters carrying a small bag of groceries. She herself bears a knot: Leo had given her to him with a blue one as her collar. "Hey," Devin says, a smile emerging when he looks to the Fool on the couch. It is utterly domestic and weirdly wonderful to have his partner here, all problems of Devin's past habits aside. They're personal problems, he knows that. "Have you been back long?"

[afoolsgold]

Luthien predicts Devin's arrival before the door opens, giving the Fool time enough to tuck the knot out of sight. He twists about on the couch to greet his partner with a rather coy smile, draping an arm across the cushions. "Not terribly long," he replies, his tone alone suggesting he's up to something.

Lightly, he gets to his feet and steps around to the other side of the couch, leaning back against it. He crosses one ankle over the other. "I have something for you."

[psituational]

Not today. Where are you? It might be easier for me to come to you.

X is having a very weird month, and while the thought of seeing the Fool is a cheerful one, he'd also feel more comfortable taking that meeting on his own terms. It's not his preferred method of seeing his friends, and it leaves a bitter taste in his mouth, but the alternative is to become a hermit. X likes to think he generally avoids hermit territory.

[afoolsgold]

Let us meet for tea. I have found a tolerable substitute for Die Rosa Tulpe; I shall send you the address now.

Devoting too much mental energy to whether Die Rosa Tulpe will ever open its doors again or not is hardly productive... though he was very fond of his apartment.

Having sent the address for the cafe in question, the Fool makes his way there and slips indoors. It is a cozy place, with its large windows left open to welcome in the temperate afternoon air, and he seats himself at a table while he waits for X to arrive. Resting in front of him is a small wrapped parcel, and the Fool absently toys with the bit of ribbon holding it closed while he waits.

[necrocabbage]

Hello, my friend!

I'm afraid that my usefulness with the recovery efforts has about run its course. Instead, I've been assisting Mr. Ansel with replacing the flooring in the antique shop. The shop's wares were all put in storage before the storm hit, thankfully, but I can't imagine that we'll have many customers even after we're done.

I have something for you as well - would you like to meet me in the Bridge's lounge this evening?

[afoolsgold]

Of course. I shall look forward to it.

At the decided upon time, thither the Fool goes, and he is not without something to occupy himself as he awaits Trahearne's arrival. (He is a bit early.) During his recent visits to the bridge, he has taken to delivering his small wooden carvings to various windowsills that look in need of some decoration; that is what he does now, absently arranging a piece or two to brighten the outdoor vista.

[wolfishflame]

Aly looks up when she's addressed, and then smiles. The Fool has always been kind, and she's happy to see a friendly face. For all that she's determined to see her mission through, the usual doubt and fear have been worming their way through her belly. Hence the walk.

"Company would be nice, I think," she says.

[afoolsgold]

"Excellent," the Fool replies, beaming back at her, and then turns as he meanders along to pluck a small velvet bag out of one of the myriad pockets lining his colourful attire. With a flourish, he offers it out to her. "This is for you."

Given the time of year and the festive spirit in the air, Aly shouldn't be surprised by the Tine's commemorative knot found within; it has been fashioned out of the colours reflecting new friendship, and carved from chestnut wood is an artfully rendered little letter 'A.'

closed to Valdis

[upshore]

Miles figured that he ought to do something for Valdis after she, uh, saved his ass from a fairytale bullshit coma earlier in the month, so he purchased a friendship knot from one of the vendors.

Probably the best place to find her was at her house, he decided. Once he'd bought the thing, he walked to her house and knocked on the door. I hope she'll like it, 'cause I'm gonna feel like an ass if she doesn't.

[redlightgreenlight]

Valdis stirred from her cocoon of blankets, disturbing Anani, who leaped off of her and raced to the door meowing the entire way. It had been a long couple of days, the city doing well in its recovery from the storm, but there was still much to do.

"Coming," she called sleepily. Just because she didn't need to sleep, didn't mean she could put it off forever.

It was Miles, that much she knew, so she pulled on her robe, following her cat to the door.

"Hi, Miles," she said as she opened the door.