expiationlogs | {Mini Event} Day of Devotion

DAY OF DEVOTION

This is an entirely opt-in very casual event that has nothing to do with overarching storyline and is just an additional introductory log, and a means for characters to meet. We hope you've all had a very happy Valentine's Day week however you've chosen to spend it!

SCARVES OF LOVE

The season of affection and love of all kinds falls upon Aldrip in the wake of their festivities for Those Who Were There. As part of the celebration, what's referred to as the 'Day of Devotion,' local merchants carry a variety of wares, but none so coveted as their multicoloured scarves available in a variety of prints, designs, and fabrics. Perhaps consider picking one up and giving it to someone who's important to you. No money? No problem! Whilst Aldrip doesn't exactly work on a layaway system or akin to, you'll find the mercantile business owners are quite open to trades and other means of bartering. Maybe they'll give out a scarf or two in agreement for running some errands...

Lucky recipients of these very fashionable scarves will find themselves suspiciously open to sharing positive, warm and fuzzy, or perhaps downright amorous feelings toward the person who gifted them the scarf to begin with, regardless of whether you've known them for years or even just a couple of weeks. But don't worry—the feelings are temporary! Once the Day of Devotion comes to a natural conclusion, your feelings will return to something like normalcy and you'll still wind up with a new fashion accessory. Of course, if you've always been amorous with that special someone, you likely won't notice any sort of change.

Take the opportunity to embrace the celebration, maybe embrace one another a little bit, too, and begin forming some potentially everlasting bonds with others.

BRING PROTECTION

Not everyone is choosing to celebrate the Day of Devotion in the same way. Due to the heightened popularity of the pretty scarves, some of Aldrip's jewellers have been bitten by the green bug of jealousy. In an attempt to compete with the sales of scarves, jewellers are advertising pendants, brooches, and other assorted charms that are meant to serve as warding and protective trinkets. What are they protecting one from? It's difficult to say and the merchants aren't inclined to give a straight answer. But whether you need protection from love, personal feelings, or perhaps something more physical, they've got you covered!

If you choose to give these amulets to others, recipients of them and their related will be compelled to share their true feelings with those around them in addition to the person who gave them the protective charms. This sounds like it could be a good thing, however, that means it covers the array of positive, negative, and every shade in between, without a filter in place. Consider these accessories a potential test of friendships, familial relationships, and more.

Like the scarves, this need and desire to be truthful with your feelings will be temporary, lasting until the Day of Devotion celebration is over. But at least you'll be protected. From something. Maybe. Probably. Or not!

FLOWERS FOR ALDRIP

By now, you may be well familiar with Aldrip's variety of fields that are filled with vegetables and fruits that grace the dinner tables of the town and local cuisine. During the Day of Devotion and weeks leading up to it, you'll find that they're clearing another field and preparing the soil. What for, you won't find out until the actual day of the celebration. Once it arrives, there's a collection of simple carts filled with flowering plants. Locals and newly-arrived alike are welcome to lend a hand in planting them along the neatly tilled rows.

You may find plants that resemble or are identical to plants from your home world. You may find plants that you've never seen in your life. They come in a variety of colours and are accompanied by a lightly pleasing scent that shouldn't be too overpowering, though may still disturb those with allergies.

All who help out with the planting, watering, and other tending, will be rewarded with a bouquet of flowers that can be passed onto others to show your appreciation and other forms of affection. You may even find yourself making a good and lasting impression on the locals by offering some assistance.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

If your armor is strong enough, it might keep the weather out.

[ He affects a thoughtful look, his focus apparently on the decorations as he watches the merchant out the corners of his eyes. Really, there's no need to mess with them too badly, but with an apparent willing co-conspirator Zhou Zishu can't help but amuse himself further. ]

Or perhaps different designs have different effects?

[ If he were a different man, he might start to feel a little bad for the poor merchant. But then again, he's not the one trying to sell supposed protection. ]

[That gets a chuckle out of him.]

Maybe you could get a full helmet to keep your head dry, too. But then what do you do if it gets hot?

[Not that he knows much about that, but hey, other people might care. Besides, the merchant seems to be working himself into knots trying to figure out how to explain all of this away. He gestures at a piece with a flower motif.]

If different designs do different things...is this one good for gardening?

[He really seems to think he's being clever, my god.]

Protection from allergies, surely.

[ Though that one might actually be useful, if it worked. Zhou Zishu has his doubts. He makes a show of flicking one last glance over the assorted trinkets before eying the man next to him again. ]

Does the young master have anything he particularly needs?

[ They can probably only torment the poor merchant so long before he passes out from blood rushing to his head. ]

[Useful as it may be, that one is so unexpected that Alphen breaks character long enough to chuckle.]

Of course. That makes more sense.

[Unfortunately, now that he's broken character once, it's bound to happen again...and no matter how skeptical he is of this merchant, the title of "young master" is so unexpected for someone like him that it throws him for a loop. He looks back and forth between the merchant and Zhou Zishu, blinking.]

Young master? I don't think that's necessary.

[ It's a surprising enough reaction that Zhou Zishu pauses for a second to give him a searching look, the merchant all but forgotten. But there's only so much he can guess at for a man he's just met, and the intense expression melts back into something more genial within a heartbeat. ]

I meant no offense.

[ He even bows his head just slightly as he says it. Politeness doesn't hurt, but neither does testing to see if he'll get a similar reaction again. ]

What would you prefer?

[That might have been a little bit of an extreme reaction, Alphen realizes after the fact. But there's something about the relationship between titles and status and hierarchy that makes him a little uncomfortable...maybe chalk it up to being Dahnan. Either way, he shakes his head, waving off the bow with a small but sincere smile.]

None taken. Don't worry about it.

[Maybe there's something lost in translation in the interaction. They all come from wildly different places...so maybe something that feels strange to him is just considered polite somewhere else. Either way, it doesn't stop him from just being the way he is.]

Just Alphen is fine with me. I'm not much of a titles person, I guess.

Alphen, then. [ There's only a hint of something doubtful in his voice, more bemused by something that would speak to a much closer relationship than anything. But if that's what he wants, who is Zhou Zishu to argue?

He can't quite shake the manners that have been drilled into him enough to offer the same, but he does smile faintly. ]

I am Zhou Zishu.

[ His eyes dart back briefly to the merchant who already seems to have moved on from both of them, though he is apparently being a little more circumspect with his sales pitches. Zhou Zishu can't help but give an amused huff. ]

Did you need anything?

Nice to meet you. And thanks for your help. [He gestures at the merchant.] I'm not used to merchants being so pushy with sales.

[To be fair, as a Dahnan, most of them never gave him a second look. Even when they were traveling as a group, as soon as a merchant realized a Renan was with them, they immediately started talking just to Shionne or Dohalim. On one hand, it was a frustrating reminder of the cultural disparity...and on the other hand, it usually allowed him the freedom to learn about things without having the scrutiny of someone's attention.

He pauses at the question, and then shakes his head.]

I was just looking, for the moment. It's good to know what people sell, just in case you find a need for it later, right?

[ 'Help' might not exactly be the right word, but Zhou Zishu just makes a thoughtful sound rather than arguing the point. He hadn't found the sales pitches too overbearing, other than being blatantly ridiculous, but he supposes many things might be different in other worlds.

And he can mostly see the point in wanting to be aware of things. Zhou Zishu always wants to be aware of everything, but he's both chronically and professionally nosy ]

I can't imagine any of those things would do anyone much good.

[ Which hasn't stopped them from being sold. Go figure. ]

[It's a fair point. Alphen would be lying if he said he wasn't just a little bit disappointed by the offerings, especially after what crafters seemed to be capable of on Dahna. But he's trying to be fair about it all -- it's not these peoples' fault they're not focused on bridging their weaknesses for battles, after all.]

I was hoping they would be more useful, to be honest.

[Strength-increasing charms, anyone? Or defense? Hello???]

But I guess if I suddenly need a charm to protect against... [checks notes] Uncontrollable sneezing? [???] I'll know where to find one.

[ There's something to the way he says it, as if it would make sense to expect an actual useful talisman, that has Zhou Zishu studying him for a moment. But the searching look vanishes again quickly enough in favor of a faint smile. ]

Maybe you could find an unexpected use for one.

[ Likely? No. But always possible. ]

And now we know what to expect from the merchants.

[Unfortunately, Alphen's world works under video game mechanics, so he really was hoping for something useful. If nothing else, a healing item would have been nice, or something to protect against burns...but maybe that's too specific to hope for. Besides, if the claims on these charms are so shaky, who's to say they even work? He chuckles.]

No promises, but I'll try. If they even do what they say, that is.

[As if a charm could ever make you stop sneezing.]

Let me know what you find.

[ Curious about the things but not curious enough to do anything with them himself? Absolutely. As far as Zhou Zishu is concerned it's all bullshit anyway, and even being thrown into another world is going to require actual evidence.

But when has that ever stopped him from being obnoxious? ]

I'd be interested to hear an expert opinion.

An expert? [Okay, that makes him laugh.] I'm not sure I'd go that far, but I'll keep you updated.

[He pauses, looking back over the charms one last time, a little skeptical but also somewhat thoroughly. You never know when you might find something useful hidden under a piece of junk, right? Maybe that's not a bad metaphor for him, either. ... Not that now's the time to be working out poetry about his journey or anything like that.]

If I can ever find something more useful than protection from leaky pipes, that is.

{Mini Event} Day of Devotion

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