recollecters: (Default)
Recollé Mods ([personal profile] recollecters) wrote in [community profile] recolle2018-12-17 03:59 pm

(no subject)

EVENT
Re:Joice
The city of Recollé...it just doesn't end, does it?

PROLOGUE.
The trials and tribulations of winter seem to know no bounds. Those things in the city can almost pass as fine, with the snowflake portals and Jack Frost abound it's hard for citizens to truly relax during the most "wonderful" time of the year.

The snow seems to have let up just enough that the city is a beautiful winter wonderland rather than an icy, endless tundra. The streets are cleared, the sidewalks aren't as crowded, and on the 14th day of December a loud trumpet seems to blare out of nowhere.

It's one loud note that seems to dissipate immediately. Life moves on, but everywhere you go you seem to be followed by a familiar little tune…

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…

The coos, clucks and warbles of French hens, turtle doves and partridges join the song and as the days count down toward Christmas, these birds can be found on the rooftops of buildings in all districts. Their beady red eyes seem to follow as they chirp along in tune, a constant reminder of the Christmas countdown.

…but that's not so bad, right? They're just birds, after all.
I.
Perhaps you've figured out the pattern by the time the 17th rolls around. Or maybe you just know how the song goes and you've braced yourself for it. But is it truly possibly to prepare for anything that happens in this city? As the days count toward the 12th day of Christmas, several things about the city around you draw your attention.

Calling birds will swoop in on the fourth day, immediately diving for your phone and lifting it away to fly off across the city. These birds will make prank calls and may even update statuses for you on your social media accounts, leaving everyone you know with a lot of questions about you. You may wish to hunt them down quickly.

On the fifth day of Christmas, five golden teleportation rings will appear among the districts, zooming under your feet to send you crashing right into the nearest department store, the middle of the park or even your neighbor's bathtub. The rings have zero limits, but you will find yourself transported anywhere people seem to linger.

This pattern continues as the other lines seemingly come to life and come out of order; golden goose eggs roll down the sidewalk as geese chase after them, new eggs appearing each day as the geese bite anyone who get close enough. Swans begin to flock to all bodies of water including swimming pools, fountains, and your kitchen sinks. Pyramids of milkshakes appear in your way as eight women in skates work hard to keep up with the demand of flavors and distribute drinks whether you want one or not.

At one point in time, you may find yourself walking through town and suddenly pulled right into the middle of a flashmob with nine ladies surrounding you. Sidewalks crumble and chasms appear, forcing citizens to leap over the cracks to get to where they need to go and led on by ten men in each direction. The sound of bagpipes fill the air, transfixing you and everyone around you to follow their lead. Do be careful! They may just lead you somewhere you don't wish to go if you don't learn to break the spell with another song.

Good thing there's dozens of bongos around the city to make up your own tunes, isn't it? The twelve drummers will teach you to play any beat you want to reverse these effects.

The manifestations of this song seemingly won't disappear until you find a way to "receive" and undo the giving of these gifts. You can round up the birds to release them in the wild, stump the milkshake-makers by requesting a flavor they cannot provide, ice over the chasms to prevent people from falling...it seems as though whoever's responsible for this brand of magic is testing you and your ability to think quickly, Retrospecters. Teamwork makes the dream work, after all.
II.
At best the 12 Days of Christmas are a minor inconvenience, and at worst they're outright obnoxious. Christmas carols are perhaps best left on paper but it's easy enough to sidestep the events leading up to Christmas.

On the other hand, it seems as though someone other than Jack Frost is hard at work making sure the holidays are present in your lives.

With the days growing shorter and the nights growing longer, it becomes increasingly obvious that the city's growing quieter as the sound of traffic begins to come to a low din. No longer will citizens hear the roar and rumble of cars on the roads or the honking of angry drivers blocking the way. The bright headlights won't shine through the dark and exhaust won't be released into the air mingling with the chilly fog.

For anyone who ventures out after the sun sets, the city transforms before your eyes as the streets are lit with more lampposts than you remember and the sound of bells jingling can be heard from all directions. Rather than vehicles hustling and bustling along it's the clopping of hooves on paved rows as horse-drawn sleighs make their way slipping and sliding down the roads.

Dashing through the snow, in a one horse open sleigh, up on the sidewalks they go and look you're in the way.

Try as they might, the drivers will find that the sleighs have minds of their own, invisible engines revving as they zip up onto the sidewalks and out of the street jingling intensely at anyone nearby. Perhaps you weren't moving fast enough, or maybe you were just in the way. But these sleighs will make sure you get to where you need to go as they chase after you, mowing you down and volleying you up into the next empty seat. As the sleighs travel, you'll find yourself unable to get up from your seat and surrounded by several people you may or may not know.

But judging by the look the driver gives you and the cheery little whistle, the only way out is to start singing along...

III.
The elves tried to warn you. The elves really, truly tried to warn you about being good for goodness's sake. As they scramble around for last minute preparations, the curious types will find that the elves seem to be pooling right back toward Wiffle-Waffle. The waffle house stands proudly in Tisse featuring their new Christmas-flavored batter, but most importantly of all citizens will notice an extra wing added just to the left of the Retrospec mailbox, right behind the wafflehouse. The scent of sugar cookies and milk waft from the open doors and windows, and as elves dart in and out the scene before you unfurls.

A large, seven-story workshop stands before you despite the fact that from the outside it appears to be all on one floor. Crammed from head to toe with elves building toys, running quality control checks, browsing Amazon and more, they will invite all who have made Santa's nice list inside.

Exploring the floors, you'll find more of the snowglobes that have appeared across the city and more importantly you'll start to come across special toys and gifts from Christmases past. Things you've outgrown or things you've lost or broken will appear, yours for the taking and sharing.

Loitering too much will wind up with fussy elves moving you out of the way. Lingering too much will be taken as an invitation as well and the elves will drag you down, pulling you along and putting you to work in the workshops to sort presents, assemble gifts and more. Of course, you're free to volunteer as well. Maybe you're a giving type who would love to spread some holiday cheer. (Or maybe you just don't have anything better to do.)

For those who are especially antsy, the elves will share secretive looks with one another before they herd you to the middle of the workshop where a large, red and white Christmas-themed dunk tank sits before you. Milk rests at the bottom in the tank, and seated on the chair tied up in tinsel and a too-small elf outfit is one James Barnes. A large sign is plastered to the front of the tank next to a basket of toys and another basket of baseballs.

"Dunk the Tough Cookie for a free gift!"


If asked, they'll only reply that James is on the naughty list before giggling and scampering off. Well. That's weird, but sure.

Most importantly of all, as the days go by, the elves begin to twitter with excitement and on December 21st, the jolly old man in red will appear. Santa will enter the workshop with his sack of toys and a ho-ho-ho, making his rounds through the shop and asking his happy elves (and you, the elf apprentices) what they would like for Christmas.

Be careful what you wish for though…Santa has that gleam in his eye and a bag full of tricks. You never know what you'll truly get.

IV.
Somehow the tree wasn't enough. Somehow the giant tree in Tribunal Terrace wasn't enough and Mayor Mayer takes it upon himself to open a reindeer farm and petting zoo for the city. Though the decorating stations are still open and the tree can be decked out until Christmas Day, a pen full of creatures sits off to the right for all to enjoy.

The reindeer seem content to mingle with strangers, allowing themselves to be pet and adored. But there's something about these reindeer that seems a bit…off. Several of them have a golden glow to their fur and one, the ringleader, has a red tint to his nose. The red-nosed reindeer (Comet, strangely enough) will draw the attention of the other reindeer and nudge you closer, surrounding you as the creatures appraise what to do next.

Non-app citizens will find the behavior strange and remarkable, but for those who possess the Retrospec app, a new message will come to your phone. A map of the city appears and asks you where you'd like to go. Upon selection, however, things get a little hairy.

The reindeer help one another to throw you onto the back of their friends, encouraging brays and noises to each other before it's up, up and away! Soaring over the city, these flying reindeer will take you high into the frosty clouds and low toward the snowy banks. The map will guide them to wherever you wish, but don't encourage them too much…the reindeer were born to fly free, and you may just find yourself stuck in the clouds for a little too long. Give them a job or give them a treat; these methods will help guide you home and send the deer on their merry way.

BONUS.
Do you wanna build a snowman? How unfortunate if you don't. Just when you think you've seen everything this season has to offer, you'll find large snowballs around the city decorated with corncob pipes, a button nose and two eyes made out of coal. When you walk past these fixtures, you'll hear a voice behind you.

"Hey! Down here!"

The snowman's eyes follow you from its place on the ground, expression animated and alive. If that doesn't send you running and screaming, the snowman will ask for your help in recreating its body so it can move and be out of the way of the ever-impending snowplow.

Helping the snowman will earn you a new friend! This snowman will come to life and befriend you, following you for the rest of the month until the winter magic disappears. Perhaps it's best not to bring them inside though. They are still snowmen.

As for those of you who tell the snowman you have no interest in helping them, well, that's maybe not the right answer. Unhappy by the refusal, the snowman's expression will turn angry before the mouth opens wide and begins spitting out icicles. You can try to outrun them, but they will begin to roll and follow you on your way out, only giving up when an icicle makes contact or you outpace them.

Heads up.

NOTES.
Welcome to [community profile] recolle's December event, part 2!

You can claim two freebies on this log!
-Players may claim one freebie for exploring Santa's workshop with another character. This must be at least 5 comments from you.
-Players may claim one freebie by undoing one of the effects of 12 Days of Christmas. This can range from removing swans from bodies of water, beating one of the dancing ladies in a dance-off, figuring out a way to close one of the lords a'leaping chasms or more. Be creative with this one! This thread should be five comments from you for the freebie.

-If you would like to RNG the gift your character gets from Santa, please comment here!

Finally, any questions you have regarding this event may be directed to the mod comment here. Be sure to review the mods' question thread on the plotting post for additional information as well!
psykick: (Default)

Re: IA

[personal profile] psykick 2019-01-08 12:40 am (UTC)(link)

What do you mean Retrospec makes it hard for anything to leave the city?

thisloveisjustice: (Default)

[personal profile] thisloveisjustice 2019-01-08 01:29 am (UTC)(link)

[Tatsuo shrugs. What more does James want, to get punched in the face?]

We did get together despite your interference and I'm not really one for grudges. At least, not for very long.

frostythehitman: (sneering in shadow)

[personal profile] frostythehitman 2019-01-08 06:31 am (UTC)(link)
They brought it on themselves.

[ James certainly doesn't suspect Al of any devious thoughts, and he sure as hell is too restrained to be able to avoid anything he tries. ]
frostythehitman: (hopelessly confused)

[personal profile] frostythehitman 2019-01-08 06:32 am (UTC)(link)
Oh. Okay. Well, then in that case...congratulations?

[ It feels weird to congratulate someone on a relationship they rekindled after James nearly ruined it covertly. ]
blondferret: (wand)

[personal profile] blondferret 2019-01-08 06:46 am (UTC)(link)
[Derek raises his wand at the tank.]

Lets hope no one dies...

[He waves his wand in a slashing manner.]

DIFFINDO!

[The spells leaves Derek's wand and hits hard against the glass. Did it work? Did it cut through?]
frostythehitman: (well god said something)

[personal profile] frostythehitman 2019-01-08 07:35 am (UTC)(link)
[ The glass, once again, is completely unaffected. Whatever kind of magic is holding this thing together, it's stronger than Derek can break.

James can't help but snort in laughter. "Let's hope no one dies," his ass. ]


Guess that's it. I'm trapped in milk jail until the elves decide to free me.

[ Which is not even the weirdest sentence he's ever said, somehow. ]
flametheif40: http://magiicons.tumblr.com/ (disappointed/indiffrent)

This is Sparta!

[personal profile] flametheif40 2019-01-08 10:21 pm (UTC)(link)
Meh, I just laughed at its face and moved on. Sides, it's not like they have all the messed up app shit to deal with.

[Al looked at James, then the tank, then back at James again...yep, fuck it, he was going to get his kicks somehow, and in this case, literally.]

Well, sorry dude, can't blow my cover now.

[Al said in a very lighthearted manner, before kicking his chair and forcing him to go down the tank]
frostythehitman: (and i'm pretty damn sure)

[personal profile] frostythehitman 2019-01-09 05:50 am (UTC)(link)
[ James opens his mouth to say something back, but then he gets kicked into the milk. This is it, this is how he dies. Not with a bang, but with a gurgle.

When he finally manages to resurface, it's with a mouth full of milk that he immediately begins spitting at Al. ]
flametheif40: http://magiicons.tumblr.com/ (happy laugh)

[personal profile] flametheif40 2019-01-09 07:10 am (UTC)(link)
[Al looks down just to make sure James would get up after all, Al just wanted to have some fun, not kill him.

Then covers his face when James spits at him, while laughing.
]

Okay, okay, let's get you back up before the elves get pissed at me too.

[Al tries to get James back up.]
blondferret: (disappointed)

Re: IA

[personal profile] blondferret 2019-01-09 07:50 am (UTC)(link)
Have you tried leaving to city yet to go to like... LA or New York?

I haven't checked in a while, but there have been moment when it is pretty much impossible to leave Recolle.
blondferret: (disappointed)

[personal profile] blondferret 2019-01-09 08:10 am (UTC)(link)
[Derek lets out a sigh, puts his wand back in his pocket, then folds his arms. He was hoping that last spell would work.]

Well, you can't say I didn't try. The elves must have some really strong magic.
keystaff: (My thoughts will)

[personal profile] keystaff 2019-01-09 08:21 am (UTC)(link)
[She bites her lip, only holding up the phone once he gives the okay. Or, at best that she can figure him doing so. Given he was hidden in the bushes and all. But she does catch the movement of him gesturing for her to get closer, which she does, side-stepping nearer to the bushes to help him out more so he could hopefully help her figure holding on to his phone and not also losing that too.

It doesn't take long, for the birds to notice, and one of them swoops down, as Sakura both tries to steel herself and not briefly start when it dives down at her and the phone.]
psykick: (⇒ annoyed)

Re: IA

[personal profile] psykick 2019-01-10 06:03 am (UTC)(link)
I am in high school. When would I have had time to go off on vacation? And for your information, I went to Florida this summer. So there.

[of course, that was before she got the app though]
cardcaptured: <user name=fleeting> | DNS (I know I may be on a downer)

[personal profile] cardcaptured 2019-01-11 04:13 am (UTC)(link)
[The plan was, initially, to trap the bird who had her phone, figuring it would try to make a move before the others did. Stupidly, he hadn't anticipated that the rest of the flock might act first, and he curses under his breath as he spots one of them making a dive for her. He could stick to what he had set out to do and get her phone back... oooor he could toss that out the window and protect the girl he loved, while giving away his element of surprise in the process.

Of course, there wasn't any question over what he'd choose. Gritting his teeth, he yanks out a wind talisman, slamming his sword against it to activate it's effects.]


Obey thy command! Petals of Wind, come forth!

[A powerful gust of wind bursts forth towards the advancing bird, barreling into it and knocking it well off course from her. Maybe it was a little bit overkill? But he didn't want to just sit to the side and watch Sakura get possibly attacked if he could help it.

... although, now the question remains-- what were the other birds (including the culprit) going to do about it?]
frostythehitman: (well it's funny as hell)

[personal profile] frostythehitman 2019-01-11 05:56 am (UTC)(link)
[ Well, now he's gonna be an ass about it. James's arms might be restrained, but his legs are basically free. So as Al tries to reach for him to pull him up, James starts trying to hook his legs around him and pull him into the milk as well. ]
frostythehitman: (if you like)

[personal profile] frostythehitman 2019-01-11 06:21 am (UTC)(link)
That's okay. It's good to know for future reference, anyway. 'Derek Matthews: knows magic, but not enough to defeat an elf.' It'll help for battle strategies.
flametheif40: http://magiicons.tumblr.com/ (Shocked/panic)

[personal profile] flametheif40 2019-01-11 06:57 am (UTC)(link)
WOOO!!

[Al tries to resist, but, alas, he doesn't have the strength to take him on. He does give a good fight, for his slimmer faster build, before being dunked in milk]

Uugggh, God how old IS this milk?!
blondferret: (i got you)

Re: IA

[personal profile] blondferret 2019-01-12 01:03 am (UTC)(link)
Did you go to Florida before or after you got the app?
dejerate: (Stick to)

[personal profile] dejerate 2019-01-12 06:21 am (UTC)(link)
A trap? I dunno. A corner though, maybe....

[The flying makes that kind of more difficult. But Yuu can at least try. He attempts to chase the bird in the direction of a tall building, in trying to corner it.]
frostythehitman: (well it's funny as hell)

[personal profile] frostythehitman 2019-01-12 06:00 pm (UTC)(link)
You tell me. I've been marinating in it so long, I think I'm immune to it now.
flametheif40: http://magiicons.tumblr.com/ (disappointed/indiffrent)

[personal profile] flametheif40 2019-01-12 09:57 pm (UTC)(link)
"marinating"...what sauce goes well with a robot arm?

[Then just for kicks, Al splashes some milk in James' face...

what's he going to do? Throw some back?
]
keystaff: (My thoughts will)

[personal profile] keystaff 2019-01-13 08:55 am (UTC)(link)
[The wind at least knocks it off course, and Sakura manages to shield her face when it approaches her to do so. The other birds notice, when the bird squawks in confusion? Frustration? She isn't sure, but she does note that when she lowers her arm from having instinctively covered her eyes, that she suddenly sees more of them. Probably coming to see what upset their friend.

Including the one with Sakura's phone. She bites her lip, still holding to his phone at this point. If she could just lure the one with her phone closer....

Hence her holding his phone up again, trying to wave it about and call out the bird. ]
psykick: (Default)

Re: IA

[personal profile] psykick 2019-01-14 02:04 am (UTC)(link)

Before. Why?

frostythehitman: (well it's funny as hell)

[personal profile] frostythehitman 2019-01-14 06:50 am (UTC)(link)
[ He gestures down to the milk. ] This one.

[ Then, once he gets splashed, he decides to fight fire with fire. or, milk with milk. James isn't going to throw some back, but instead, he'll try and push down on Al's head to submerge him in the milk fully. Not to drown him, just to really let the milk get a chance to enter all the possible crevices it can. ]
flametheif40: http://magiicons.tumblr.com/ (Default)

[personal profile] flametheif40 2019-01-15 08:43 pm (UTC)(link)
[Al wasn't actually expecting James to do anything, but once James tried to bring Al down...Al was going to make sure to drag James to milky hell with him, or at least try.

Al starts hitting James arm fast as if saying "I NEED AIR!" after spending a bit of time submerged.

As strange as it is, even though Al is hating the feeling of old milk going up his nose and ears, this was probably as close to "normal" as he gets.

No life or death stuff, or being super broody and depressed, just living in the moment.
]

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