ioduanlogs | [EVENT] THE TIES THAT BIND US

Characters: Everyone!
Date: February 14-28
Location: All around Aifaran
Situation: The last two weeks of February celebrate Tine's Commemoration, a celebration of renewing friendships and signaling forgiveness.
Warnings/Rating: Shouldn't need any, but add to subject lines as needed!

During the last week of February, the mood shifts around the city. The tension over the missing Kin'nal girl eases some, and there's a lot of talk of renewal and remembrance. In the days leading up to the 14th, some shopkeepers begin reorganizing to make space to feature knotworks and related crafts, and photos on Xa Xa feature knots in process, some made by special artisans. If asked, they will say that all of this is in preparation for Tine's Commemoration, two weeks that are dedicated to renewing and recognizing friendships, forgiving past grievances, and recognizing our most important ties through an exchange of intricately tied knots.

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.

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.

Shops around the city sell these knots, but there are also ample opportunities to tie your own! The Tifaut in particular take this tradition to heart and have areas set up at several of the city's parks and civic centers, including one at the Dreaming Bridge. 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.

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.

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OOC Notes: This is an open, 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. New Dreamfolk are always popular integrations of these kinds of festivals in the city, so you can write yours attracting lots of positive attention if you'd like.

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

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Nobody at first. The air is devoid of sparkle effects, for one thing.

Yet, the closer they get, the more a bit of an altercation can be heard. Someone with a rather deep voice is not having a good day. ]

--plenty on debit! I can have a cash sum prepared at your leisure, or write a check! Is none of those suitable?!

[ The imps take turns bouncing up and down and squeaking. Oh boy oh boy oh boy

They found her they found her they found her-- ]

[Uh. Well. The Fool supposes he's found their master.]

I hate to interrupt, [he begins, while clearly interrupting, and sidles nearer with both imps held out in plain view,] but I think these might belong to you?

[The 'you' in question he supposes to be the one with silver hair.]

A fault in your card reader the day of a festival is an intolera---

[ Oh, she's being addressed. Hibiki turns and is promptly SQUEAKED AT. She blinks, not expecting to have been confronted with her imps at this juncture. ]

They may. You finished already?

[ This was to the imps, who are now trying to hide the knot behind their backs to make it a surprise. They nod eagerly, SUPER EXCITED. ]

[Throughout this exchange, the Fool continues to hold the imps in his grasp, shifting his amber gaze with amused incredulity between Hibiki and the imps.] They required a bit of guidance, [he tells her wryly,] but seem well pleased with their work.

[ Hibiki is momentarily distracted by the cart owner getting their card reader to work and, as such, passing her a cup of tea. ] Their work?

[ The imps can, at least, recognize a cue when they hear one, and - whip the knot out from behind them! With such force that one of them falls over, and that leaves the other one holding the knot, which it wasn't expecting, so it falls over too. But, from their prone position, they prop the knot up.

TA-DA!

The cup falls out of Hibiki's hand. Despite being paper, it manages somehow to split in half when it hits the ground. ]

[Well, that definitely was not what the Fool was expecting.

He takes a nimble step backwards to avoid any of the tea splattering onto the hem of his clothes, careful to make sure he doesn't drop the imps or their knot as he does so, then looks back at Hibiki in clear alarm.]

...Was that an accident, or spilt on purpose?

....An occupational hazard.

[ Hibiki does not seem inclined to elaborate on that particular point. She is too busy looking rather grey over the imps. ]

They................made a knot.

[ Both imps puff out their chests. YES! THEY MADE A KNOT!

Then, they offer it to Hibiki. And the knot is for Master!

Hibiki, involuntarily, flinches back. ]

So they did.

[The Fool regards her askance. His gaze flicks down to the imps, still proudly displaying the knot they'd worked on for her, then back to Hibiki.] ...aren't you going to take it?

That was beside the point of their task.

[ The imps look at each other. It...was? They were not...supposed to make the knot? Not....knot? Not....knot....

As one, light dawns, and they both make surprised squeaking noises. That's right! They were only supposed to look at things, and tell her about them!!

Wow. One learns something new every moment. ]

[It seems a kind of callousness not to accept the knot, given how hard the pair of little imps worked to make it. The Fool looks to Hibiki again with an entreating smile.] It seemed a difficult task for them to complete, [he points out, giving her an askance look.] Yet they did so. Won't you take it anyway?

[ Grk. Why is this stranger looking at her like that?! Hibiki is alarmed. ]

Why should I reward a lack of comprehension?

[ When she looks at the knot, however, she doesn't look like an upset imp controller. She looks afraid. And self-conscious.

After all, these knots stand for frie......for....for fr.....

Hibiki has really weird trauma, okay. ]

[he may be a Fool, but Fool or no, he isn't an idiot. The Fool can tell when he's overstepped a boundary, intentional or otherwise.]

Here, let's take this for now, [he tells the imps and tries to pluck the knot away from them. He searches for a flat surface to place them on next, and elects for a table that looks as though there isn't too much there for them to get into trouble with. Coaxing them off his palm, he looks back to Hibiki and frowns.]

My apologies, [he says,] you don't look well.

...A momentary shock. The echoes will fade.

[ Just as soon as she's done covering her entire face with her hand. Because that is what people do when they are okay.

The imps happily hop down onto the table and spread out their knot so it looks pretty. There! Now, whenever Master is ready for it, it's prepa---

One of them trips on the fringe and falls over, squeaking. ]

[In this particular moment, the Fool is not certain who he should be monitoring--Hibiki, who looks terribly overwrought for being the recipient of a gift, or the imps. He shifts his attention between both, frowning.

At last, to Hibiki, he suggests,] Would it be better if you sat down?

I'm all right.

[ Hibiki breathes, and tries to look over at what's become of her imps.

The imps stare up hopefully. Even the one flat on its tummy. And there. Is the knot.

Hibiki has to look away, sweating a little. ]

[EVENT] THE TIES THAT BIND US

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