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

I don't see why not. I'm sure plenty of people come to shops like this looking for specific colors.

[He may not understand the point of it, necessarily, but other people must. Otherwise, how could a shop like this even get so popular? And with so many different options to choose from, too?

When Alphen lays eyes on the scarf she accepts, a quick, puzzled look crosses his face and then disappears. Okay, so goldenrod doesn't mean gold. Got it. See? He's learning. Sort of. ... ... ... A bit. At least he knows to be careful and hold still when her hands are so close to his face.]

See? This is exactly the kind of thing I mean. You really know how to pay attention to little details like that. I bet you'd be able to do this for other people, too.

Yes, but people generally know which colors they're interested in when they come near a shop or stall that sells clothes.

[She's very careful as she gets her hand so close to his face. While he might not feel pain, she's not sure if the Dark Astral Energy can't damage his eyes. Even after all this time, she still doesn't know enough about her curse to not be dangerous to those around her.

But, despite that, she does smile at his compliment. It's something she's never really thought about her having as a skill. She just knows.]

I appreciate that, but until I can touch more than just you without hurting them, it'll have to wait. Although... Kisara thinks we might find a solution here that doesn't involve the Renas Alma.

[Alphen finds his attention lingering on her smile, just for a moment. Maybe because it's good to see her finding things she's interested in. As long as they've known each other, their attention has been focused on defeating the five lords and gathering their master cores. Neither one of them has put much thought into what they're going to do after that, and he imagines that figuring out their hobbies is going to be part of that...right?

... But, she's right, and he knows it.]

I guess that's a good point. Getting rid of your thorns will really change things, huh? [... That's when the rest of her words really sink in.]

Wait-- really? How? What kind of solution?

[Shionne's hand seems to slip a bit as he stares at her. She's never seen him look at her like that. She... doesn't pay a lot of attention to him up close. Or, well, she hadn't until this point. And underneath his helmet, there's a handsome man who still has a sense of wonder at the world outside of Calaglia, despite the only memories he has being that of a slave.

It's strange that she's never noticed that. Certainly, there was no way to know when they first met, as his helm covered his whole face, but since the fight with Balseph, she's had ample time to really look at the part of his face that was exposed. She just... hasn't.

She's going to ignore the way that her pulse seems to pick up. She's just flushed from being seen being nice to someone. Yes, that's it. She snatches her hand back and drops the scarf in his hand.]

You should buy that.

[She turns around, putting her hands up to her face to try and get the rush of blood to her skin to go unnoticed and to calm herself down.]

I don't know. I haven't really thought about what to do. I need to... I'm going to talk to Dohalim first.

[There's a moment, just one small moment, when Shionne is looking at him, holding the scarf up near his face, and he wants to...well, he's not quite sure. Take her hand, maybe, but-- even though it wouldn't hurt him, even though her thorns don't bother him, he wouldn't, because he knows they bother her. So he keeps still and steady, and the moment ends, and she's dropping the scarf into his hand.]

... Shionne?

[There's concern in his voice at how suddenly she turns away, at how she seems to cover her face a bit...but he doesn't linger on it, and when she changes the subject, he takes the bait easily.]

Do you think there's some way to use artes in this world that might cure your thorns?

[It takes her longer than she'd like to admit to finally turn around and face him. But even then, she doesn't look up at his visible eye. She's not sure what's going on, but she's not about to behave anymore foolishly than she has already.

And when he allows the subject change, she gives a bit of a sigh of relief under her breath as they continue on with the more important thread of conversation.]

Maybe? The gods of this world obviously have a lot of power, so it does make sense that they'd be able to be used to cut whatever connection it is that makes my thorns so dangerous.

[She's not sure it'll work, but doing something while stuck here is better than doing nothing and waiting for whatever powers that are in play to do something. Patience isn't her strong suit on a good day. Even she has to admit that.]

[The gods, huh? That's a lot to think about, and Alphen takes a moment to let it sink in a bit. Deity worship was never part of everyday life, on Dahna, so he doesn't have a lot of experience with things like this. But...maybe astral energy isn't much different. An intangible force that makes things happen...

Hmm. Yeah, maybe there's something there.]

It sounds like it's worth looking into. Maybe we should do some research on those gods, read up on them a bit. [A faint pang of homesickness; that would be right up Rinwell's alley, he's sure of it.]

We'll want to be careful, though. We still don't know who, or what, brought us here. If those gods are involved, they might have their own agenda.

[There just weren't really gods on Dahna or Rena. The Renans might think they're gods in comparison to the Dahnans, but it's all stupid to Shionne. However, the gods here have powers that are inconceivable to her and frightens her a bit, if she's honest.]

I'd rather not rely on them, if I can help it.

[She has other plans.]

I'm going to start with Dohalim, but there are other healers here, using different kinds of magic. I want to try and see if that'll work first before I resort on powerful unknowns.

[Shionne is too smart to go about this kind of thing without looking at it from all angles...and yet, even knowing that, Alphen still worries just a bit about how it could end up. He already risked plenty by giving an offering to those gods -- the idea of relying on them, even a little...it makes him pretty wary.]

That sounds like as good a starting place as any. Hopefully he'll have some insight. If not, maybe someone else here does.

[And in the meantime, maybe they need to get good at doing research. He pauses, hesitates to add anything else, but knowing he's going to worry over it either way, he eventually decides to add,]

Shionne...if you do decide to work with those deities, let us know first, alright? I want to do everything we can to prepare for the worst, even if we're hoping for the best.

{Mini Event} Day of Devotion

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