mar event.

[crescentviewmods]

a quaint winter wonderland

What few leaves remain on Crescentview’s trees have fallen away to return to the soil beneath a blanket of powdery white snow. Winter has arrived and with it comes sweater weather and the occasional snowstorm. Stock up on fire wood to keep your fireplace roaring all winter long and settle in for colder days to come!

While Fall is the season of many festivals on Crescentview Isle, winter is a much quieter time. There is, however, the matter of one very important ceremony: the Sacred Unity ceremony.

What is this ceremony, you ask? If your character is looking to get engaged, married or otherwise promise to share a future together with their partner (or partners!), participating in the Sacred Unity is the only way to have your partnership recognized in the eyes of the townsfolk and the Goddess herself. With winter comes the opportunity to have your bond recognized and richly blessed by the Goddess, but perhaps more importantly, it's an opportunity to throw a grand party and celebrate with everyone you've come to love and care for on the island.

Very few crops can withstand winter's unrelenting chill and consistent snowfall. This is the season to clear out your field and turn the soil in preparation for the upcoming spring.

the sacred unity checklist

The Sacred Unity is, well, sacred! As such, there are customs that must be honored in order to hold a ceremony of your own. Luckily for you, the steps have been neatly outlined by the townsfolk and pinned to the task board for your consideration.

1. Pray to the Goddess to honor your union. You will be granted a pure white feather with which to propose to your partner (or partners) which will then take the form of silver rings.

2. After a successful engagement, partners will be mailed an application to fill and submit by Winter 10th (March 10th OOCly). Through this application, characters and their partner(s) will be able to specify various details of their engagement or marriage party.

3. After submitting your application, you will receive a bundle of invitations to invite your friends and neighbors to your ceremony.

After characters are prepared to go forward with their Sacred Union, players will be assigned an IC day for their ceremony to take place during the final two weeks of winter. OOCly, you may set up your Sacred Union toplevel, log, etc. any time during event 4.5., but please do not set up your posts in advance of our final event.

Submit your applications here.

task board

The task board is located in Town Square and changes from season to season. In real time, a season is one month long. The following tasks are available from March 1st to March 31st and more tasks may be added mid-month.

Certain rewards are only available through event participation, so please keep this in mind when planning your threads. Multiple tasks may be completed within a single thread, but when turning in, please link to the individual tags in which each task was completed.

Finally, rewards are per character, not per farm, so those with housemates may want to coordinate with one another with regard to what animals you’re bringing home to your farm.

---

This month’s task board reflects the rewards you’ll receive for completing the Sacred Unity checklist along with a few more additions. The Sacred Unities themselves will also have their own unique set of tasks to complete, the details of which will be included in event 4.5.

In addition, many farmers are ahead of curb and may have already proposed to their chosen partner(s), so for this event, several of these tasks may be completed retroactively. Just link us the relevant threads or, if need be, provide us a summary.

1. Receive the Goddess’ blessing. Approach her pond with an offering and express your intent to marry or engage. Reward: one pure white feather. This task may be completed retroactively.

2. Formally propose to your partner(s) and present them with the Goddess' feather. Reward: one fairy priest and one fairy ringbearer. This task may be completed retroactively.

3. Submit your Sacred Unity application. Reward: bundle of Sacred Unity invitations.

4. Share news of your engagement with your friends and neighbors. Take the opportunity to hand out those invitations! Reward: a traveling tailor’s coupon for each ceremony attendee invited.

5. Try on your Sacred Unity attire and show it off to your ceremony attendees and friends. Alternatively, present your attendees with their special attire if your Sacred Unity has a dress code. Reward: one gaggle of musical fairies who can be instructed to perform live orchestral arrangements of your favorite tunes during your Sacred Unity.

6. Decide with your partner(s) whether you’ll stay or remain on the island after getting hitched. Reward: those staying will have their homes and farms fully upgraded. Those leaving will be granted a return ticket to return to their previous homes or to that of their partner.

7. Prepare for winter. Chop down wood, clear your farmland, prepare hearty stews! Help out your friends and neighbors by getting ready for colder days to come. Reward: three magical heated blankets that make you feel safe, comfortable, and more honest than usual. Gift one to someone who needs a little help opening up!

8. Build a snowperson. With winter comes snowfall! Grab a few friends and head up to the mountains to build some snowfolks, but don't be surprised if they come to life! Crescentview's soil is humming with magical energy and any snowfolk made with this magic-dense snow will spring to life with a serious attitude problem. Reward: one box of the Goddess' special Lovey Dovey hot chocolate. Consuming even a sip of this hot chocolate will compell you to snuggle up with someone nearby.

finely tailored and freshly prepared

Every winter, a tailor from the mainland arrives on the island to take custom dress and suit orders from islanders looking to engage or marry their sweethearts. This tailor is highly skilled and specializes in crafting attire for Sacred Unions, weddings, and other formal events. Whether you’re looking to have a very specific style of garb made or want to leave your fate in the tailor’s hands, you’re guaranteed to leave with Sacred Unity attire you'll love.

In addition to the tailor is a world-renowned chef that ventures to the island every winter to cater meals for those participating in the Sacred Union. Bring him your own recipes or request that he craft you a feast fit for a king. Either way, with his catering prowess on your side, every guest will be leaving full and satisfied.

local happenings

The Crescentview Times newspaper has chronicled the latest happenings around the island. A physical copy of the paper will arrive on your doorstep early in the morning on Winter 1st.

What pirates remain alive have scurried back off to their ship and departed the island. On the way out, they scream and shout, vowing to return to reclaim what is rightfully theirs... whatever that means.

The end of the year is swiftly approaching! Every year, a massive new year's celebration is thrown in town square. The resident farmers have all been invited to attend and participate in the local favorite: king's game. Leave your shame at the door!

mod notes

⬥ Welcome to winter and the final month of Crescentview! Thank you all for engaging with our little project and making Crescentview the warm, friendly, and active game that it is. We hope that you enjoy plotting out your endgame plans!
⬥ Our final event will go live on March 15th.
⬥ Please plot over at the Event 4.0 Plotting Post.
⬥ As a reminder, please keep all plotting on the OOC post as not everyone uses Discord or Plurk.
⬥ Please submit your completed tasks at the top-level below.
⬥ Have fun!

navigation

Comments

[pactmarshal]

> do you wanna build a--?

[ Winter means snow! It was rare, in his life on Tyria, that Trahearne ever got to spend leisure time in the snow, and he finds himself tempted to slack off on his clearing of the farm to play in it.

That he's actively slacking and playing is. A bit embarrassing. So he finds what he assumes are isolated pockets in the wee hours of the morning to practice his craft, roll snow into perfect spheres. He may be cooing at the snow, offering encouraging words as the sloppily-made snowperson takes form. He thinks he's alone. ]

> a strange pup.

[ There's an odd-looking dog hanging around the town square today.

It is, in fact, a dog made entirely of leaves and vines. How strange... How reminiscent of a certain other resident of the island. It sits patiently by the side of a building, watching people that pass. Its tail might begin to wag if anyone makes eye contact.

Just wait until a thought bubble suddenly appears over its head, text reading: At last. Perhaps I'll get something to eat now. ]

> the bodyswap. (winter 12-14)

[ There's something strange about Adelis.

If you encoutner Crescentview's smallest man during this three-day time period, you may find him looking uncharacteristically perplexed. He walks slowly, with a wobbly gait as he keeps his eyes on his feet. His hair is a frizzy mess, unusually unkempt for the type of person he is. And on the first two days, while it snows, you'll find him cocooned in what seems like every blanket he could have found in his house.

And most importantly, he is often without his glasses.

Perhaps you find him sitting in a bank of snow, dazed and confused, as he stares at the shoes on his feet.

Perhaps you find him at the grocery store, squinting at the label on a packet of food.

Or perhaps you find him just inside the library, shivering under his abnormally large cocoon of blankets.

Either way, something is clearly wrong. And he clearly needs help. ]


>> winter 12, morning. closed to mishka.

[ It's snowing today.

And it feels...cold. Trahearne shifts in his bed, immediately caught off guard by the way fabric rustles around him, loudly in his ears. His hands grope blindly for an exit, and as he does so he is suddenly aware of how clothes...clothes? Clothes cling to him. What sort of prank is this? Did Kaspar think it funny to sneak into his room and put pajamas on him?

He finally untangles himself and sits up in his bed, and...he can't see. The world is a literal blur. A tuft of blond hair--hair!?--falls over his face, and with a bewildered blink, he reaches up to push it out of the way, only to realize that his skin is the color of human flesh.

Oh, no. This isn't right.

What in the Pale Tree's good name is going on? ]

>> winter 13, noon. closed to syrlya.

[ It's cold. And walking is hard.

They don't technically live very far, but. That first day was such a shock, and so full of Trahearne simply trying to exist in this very cold flesh body that by the time he'd found himself back in the rural farmland, it was much too late to visit Syrlya (and he was tired).

The aforementioned reasons make the snowy trek to Syrlya's farm difficult. But he makes it eventually. He's freezing, his ankles feel weird, he can barely see, and he's starving.

There's a knock at Syrlya's door. He pulls his blankets around him even tighter, hoping he answers soon. ]

> wildcard

(( whateva u want bb im here for it! ))

Winter 13

[chronosynthesis]

[So... this is awkward. Just trying to visit Trahearne to talk about the wedding was immediately derailed by it... not being Trahearne. Not really. He'd seen this once before, so after the initial shock he can, at least, wrap his head conceptually around it. Even if Adelis is the most awkward person Trahearne could have possibly swapped bodies with, all things considered. But it is a bit of a slap in the face, having been missing Adelis for the past week and only to have him effectively put on Syrlya's doorstep in the face of the one he has every excuse to touch. But he doesn't.

Well. He very much put a dent in his initial plans, and he ultimately left Adelis to sequester himself to the farm when he seemed overwhelmed by being so... Sylvari.

He should probably check on Trahearne, then, but the awareness Mishka will be there takes some of the edge off the urgency. He can wait a day, so he's prepared to deal with his actual Beloved with the face of the guy he's trying to stop having romantic feelings for.

He doesn't expect Trahearne to find him first, and he certainly doesn't expect to find him like that. Is he even wearing shoes?] By the Pale Three, what happened?

[pactmarshal]

[ He is wearing shoes!

Trahearne-Adelis stands awkwardly, the discomfort from not knowing how to walk in heels causing him to stand lopsided, slouched at the door. Snow clings to his hair--brushed, but still a mess--and he shivers under his blankets.

He angles his head up at Syrlya and blinks. This is...a new angle, actually. He feels a blush creep onto his cheeks. ]

I don't know, I-- I woke up to find myself in Adelis's body, and-- [ He pulls the blankets around him tighter, looking into the house behind him. ] It's Trahearne. I can explain, but I'm f-freezing. Can I come in?

[chronosynthesis]

I--yes, I saw Adelis in... yours, earlier. [He steps aside, pulling the door wide open.] Come in. Doesn't he have a coat?

[pactmarshal]

[ A hint of relief passes over Trahearne's--Adelis's?--face. That he doesn't have to explain too much is a relief.

The moment he steps inside, he crouches down, soon becoming nothing more than a bundle of blankets on the ground. What Syrlya doesn't see is him undoing the shoes so his feet can actually get some relief. ]

He does. [ Trahearne looks up at Syrlya again as he fiddles with the laces. ] But it is not enough. The cold, it--it seeps into the very fiber of my being.

[ this bitch lives like this????

Trahearne steps out of the shoes, and he's...so much shorter than Syrlya. He's. so tall and. looks so. gallant. like this. Don't mind him staring, enamored. ]

[chronosynthesis]

[This is a commundrum. If Adelis hasn't told Trahearne the details of his curses, it isn't really Syrlya's place to explain it. But given they don't know how long this will be, Trahearne probably needs to know how to take care of the body he's been left with.

...] Have you gone back to your farm to see Adelis? I believe he is mostly staying around there right now.

[pactmarshal]

[ Without waiting for an invitation, the bundle of blankets with Adelis's head waddles over to the living room and plops down onto the couch, bringing his feet into his cocoon. ]

I have. Yesterday. [ That was a long walk. ] He told me about his afflictions and-- [ He cranes his head to look at the Syrlya-shaped blur. It's...weird. and uncanny not knowing where he is via his emotions. It's so quiet in here now. ] --I can't believe he lives like this.

[ The man deserves better than this. ]

[chronosynthesis]

[Luckily there is already a fire going to keep the place nice and warm. Syrlya shuts out the cold wind before he follows Trahearne to the living room.

He stops beside the couch.] Well for starters he wears glasses to make it easier. Where are they?

[pactmarshal]

[ The fire is nice, inviting, soothing, and appreciated. He watches the flames crackle and waver, and for a brief moment he contemplates getting up off the couch to sit in front of it, even though he knows it might not be the true way to warm up--

When that thought is interrupted. Trahearne brings a hand to his face, and--right. ]

--Ah. I forgot them.

winter 12

[yourlenore]

( Until Adelis finds some arrangement with the Goddess to render his dreams null, Mishka stays on watch for him at nights, as agreed, and takes some hours of rest in the morning.

Lately, though, for reasons perhaps obvious, Mishka's watch has occupied a place in Adelis's bed, typically holding him affectionate and alert against his chest. He is nearing the end of a sustained period as himself, though, which leaves him closer to exhausted. As the morning errs nearer his attention dozes, letting a fitful Adelis slip from his arms and chill.

Adelis's sudden stir is unusual, and awakens him from his distracted state— which first earns himself his own displeasure, for losing focus at all, before he sees that Adelis appears somehow distressed. )

... Adelis?

( He pushes himself up with one arm (perhaps it's fortunate for Trahearne he can't very well see Mishka's current state of undress), reaching to pull Adelis closer against him. His voice softens with concern. )

What's wrong?

( A nightmare, he's assuming. He doesn't really mind if Adelis is agitated or hairtrigger after waking from any, even if it means Adelis might lash out. The hold and the warmth helps, he finds. )

[pactmarshal]

[ Things are quiet as Trahearne's mind begins to whir, trying to decipher the unfamiliar room, unfamiliar body, why things are so blurry, when a familiar voice breaks his concentration, and an unfortunately familiar hand grabs to pull him into an even more unfortunately familiar chest.

It's at this point things begin to fall into place. ]

M-Mishka?! [ His tone is bewildered, and he feels his face going bright red. He brings a hand up to Mishka's chest (sorry) to try and push him away. ] I-- What?!

[yourlenore]

( Oh, Mishka is distracted for a second, because Adelis doesn't normally make such a cute face??? All his faces are cute (obviously) but this one is fresh. He holds onto this image, not letting Adelis push away from his hold. He's used to his fussy chihuahua trying to squirm free by now, but does he let him? Not anymore. )

And here I was worried you'd had a bad dream. Did you have another kind of dream instead?

( He teases, but he's relieved Adelis seems to be in good enough spirits to blush. That must have been quite a flustering dream, to net a reaction like this.

He cups his cheek with a hand, lifting Adelis's face more fully to his, his touch gentle, and strikingly warm. )

... You look especially cute this morning. It makes me want to eat you up. ( His fingers curl, brushing some hair from Adelis's face. ) Can I?

[pactmarshal]

[ Oh, no. Mishka is bigger and stronger than him When his attempts to push away prove futile, Trahearne cranes his head up to look at him.

Considering how cold he is, it's tempting to give in and let Mishka warm this cursed body up, but Trahearne knows better than that. The hand on his cheek, the brush over his hair, the words cause his blush to deepen, and his eyes to flutter in panic and bewilderment. He is actively perishing rn. ]

No-- Mishka, wait. [ Trahearne pushes a little harder against Mishka's chest, as though emphasizing his point. ] Something's--something's wrong.

[yourlenore]

Oh?

( It's not like he doesn't believe Adelis, but it's hard to believe him when his reactions are so uncharacteristically flustered and cute? If there were reason for dread alarm, Adelis would be by far more irritable, he reasons.

Still, he is listening. He's just distracted by Adelis's expression and silly flustering. He was exhausted a minute ago but now he's energized. Every day he learns something new about how endearing Adelis is... )

And what's that? ( His hand slips from his cheek, fingers coming through Adelis's hair and caressing the back of his neck fondly, in a gesture that is perhaps not unfamiliar to Trahearne. ) I'm listening, I promise.

[pactmarshal]

[ It's hard to think of when the last time Trahearne felt this in danger. Probably not since the paddleboat incident.

He tries desperately not to think about the hand on the back of his neck, or what it means. Instead he directs his attention to his hand as he pulls it from Mishka's chest, concentrating on the flesh-colored blur as he tries to calm himself. ]

I'm...in Adelis's body. [ That much seems obvious at this point, what with the strands of blond that keep coming in and out of his vision. And how awful said vision is (plus being flesh).

After a pause, he looks back up at Mishka. ]

It's me, Trahearne.

[yourlenore]

( How quickly can a person cool?

Quite quickly, as Trahearne learned once at the party, and finds himself facing again. It's not that Mishka dislikes Trahearne (obviously.), but there is a pointed displeasure that ripples through him sharp at the idea that— Adelis is not here, that Adelis is without his own body, that Adelis is somewhere unknown to him and he is not where he's meant to be.

When did this happen? While he'd been dozing? Earlier than that? He needles himself for his own exhaustion, even if there was nothing he could have done to prevent it.

But his expression makes sense, when he looks down at him and maps it to Trahearne's face. (It looks cute on Adelis, too. Would that Adelis would emote similarly and make it authentic.) )

... Where did you go to bed, your farm?

( Surely, if Trahearne is in Adelis's body, Adelis must (hopefully) be in Trahearne's, unless this is a more complex bodyswapping scheme. Without further explanation, he's scooping Trahearne up into a princess carry without much regard for his previous pushing. )

We're going to get you cleaned up, and then we'll find Adelis. All right?

( It's a question, but he doesn't intend to brook any argument. If he didn't care about how Adelis cared about keeping up appearances, he wouldn't be pausing to get Tradelis looking proper at all. He's less upset and more like a dog all put off a stranger is in the house suddenly instead of its person... WHERE adelis...!!!! )

[pactmarshal]

[ Mishka cools, and relief settles over Trahearne. Thoughts bubble in his mind, but he decides not to think about them. For now. There are more important matters to attend to.

For one, he appreciates that Mishka moves straight to business. ]

Yes, I--

[ Except Mishka suddenly scoops Trahearne into his arms, and the flush comes back. His fingers curl into the fabric that is a poor excuse for a shirt, hanging on without trying to make too much physical contact.

He nods. ]

Yes. Thank you, Mishka. I have a feeling I'll need the help. [ He squints, trying to find any definite feature on Mishka's face. ] I can barely see.

pupper

[hearthwarming]

[ Of course she makes eye contact with the strange pup. Who do you think she is?

Once she does, though, she's immediately struck with recognition, and she approaches carefully, untucking one arm from the bundle of flowers she's carrying to reach her hand out. ]

... a sylvari hound...?

[ Oh, wait, there's a convenient speech bubble! ]

Ah! You're hungry! Want to come along with me, furr— leafy friend? I have plenty of snacks at my shop!

[pactmarshal]

[ The dog tilts its head in amusement, tail wagging in the snow. It pushes its head forward to sniff, almost as a courtesy greeting, but doesn't seem to linger. Ori seems to have its trust already.

And name, apparently.

I'm rather famished. Thank you, Ori. I knew I could count on you.

And he gets on all feet, ready to follow! ]

[hearthwarming]

[ Hold it, mister. She recognized that this hound is sylvari, but not necessarily who...!

Which is why she tilts her head to one side when her name pops up in the speech bubble... and then she decides not to worry about it. It's probably fine, right? She whirls on her heel and starts making for her shop, glancing over her shoulder to make sure the leaf doggy is still following her. ]

How long have you been outside waiting like that? You aren't too cold, are you?

[pactmarshal]

[ It's definitely fine!

The fern hound trots beside Ori as they head to her shop. It tilts its head up at her when she speaks, and not long after, another thought bubble forms above it.

Longer than I'd like, in all honesty. The cold doesn't bother me, but I would prefer to get out of the snow.

There doesn't seem to be much of a layer of snow on the dog; either it was good at shaking the snow off, or it hadn't been outside for all that long. It's a wonder where it was before this, and what it was doing... ]

[hearthwarming]

Ah, then it's good that my shop isn't too far away! Still, you look like you held up just fine. I'm glad!

[ Speaking of, here's her shop! Ori fishes the keys out of a pocket of her coat and opens it without further ceremony, pushing the door open but standing aside to permit the hound inside first. ]

Welcome!

[pactmarshal]

[ It is good!

The fern hound trots in through the open door when let in, stops just inside to shake itself from what moisture clings to its fern-fur, then moves aside to let Ori in. Its expression is bright, like it smiles, as it peers up at her.

What sort of snacks do you have? ]

[hearthwarming]

[ What an intelligent doggie!! ]

I have some plain sugar cookies, if that's something you'd like..?

[ She's not sure about sylvari hounds, but she'd like to err on the side of caution and not feed him anything with chocolate...

...Wait. ]

Hold on... Can you understand what I'm saying? Even without my magic...?

[pactmarshal]

[ Plain sugar cookies! Any food at this point is food good enough, but--

The fern hound tilts its head curiously, and blinks a couple of times. Like that is a curious question for her to ask.

I can. I've remained my mental faculties, unlike last time. I'm surprised you can understand my thoughts, however. I thought communicating with others was going to give me a hard time. ]