crescentview | mar event.

mar event.

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.

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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!

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Evaded! Evaded! Evaded!

Syrlya's tone causes Trahearne to bristle, and the sideways glance comes across a bit sharper than he intends. A side effect of using Adelis's face, perhaps.

Maybe he doesn't know the ins and outs. But the time difference between Syrlya initially telling him about it and one week ago is still pretty long. Even if it wasn't often, it surely had to have occurred once or twice, no? The thought doesn't bother him anymore. ]

I understand that. You have told me repeatedly that he does not enjoy it, despite how he needs it.

[ He turns to face Syrlya again, releasing a hand to touch his wrist again. It's surprising how little he hears about what Syrlya enjoys, what Syrlya needs. ]

Regardless, you still care for him in other ways, and there is no doubt in my mind that he appreciates both your friendship and your affection.

Of course I care about him as a friend. [Syrlya's shoulders square up, defensive.] But what does that have to do with the purely necessary kiss due to his curse, which he no longer needs from me?

[He purses his lips.] What, do you just want to hear me say I liked it?

Edited 2023-03-09 22:26 (UTC)

There is nothing wrong with it if you did.

[ Trahearne's frown deepens. Despite the eerie silence, he's thankful that he's able to stay level-headed here without the feedback of emotion between them. ]

It has everything to do with the love and support both you and Mishka show him. Being him is not easy, and I have immense respect for him surviving in spite of it all. And I have only been in his shoes for one day--like I said, he is lucky to have you both.

[ The fingers on Syrlya's wrist gently curl around him in a reassuring hold. ]

I was wrong to react the way I did.

[That last admission throws Syrlya off before he can pull his arm free (though he raises it in ready to), stalling his frustration for just a moment as he stares at Trahearne.]

... He would detest hearing you pity him so. [That's just facts.]

Do not mistake understanding for pity.

[ Trahearne's voice is firm, or he attempts to make it so--it's not the firstborn tone he wants to use, as it is not his voice, but he tries.

Syrlya tries to pull his hand away; but when he stops, Trahearne tries to coax it back down. His eyes never leave him, regardless of where Syrlya is looking. ]

Listen to me, Syrlya. [ His voice is still firm, but softer. ] I was wrong. I was wrong to doubt your motivations. I was wrong to doubt our bond. [ At last, his expression softens, too. The warmth from Syrlya's wrist faintly begins to seep into his skin, and he relaxes. ] And it is okay to fancy another. That does not change us.

[ He gently runs a thumb over Syrlya's hand, encouraging him to look at him. ]

I love you, Syrlya. No matter what. All right?

Edited 2023-03-09 23:23 (UTC)

[All right, now this is really testing his mental fortitude to separate the two. He knows this is Trahearne. And yet that's Adelis' face. And Adelis' voice.

This time he moves to pry his hand free.] Where did this come from?

[He hadn't even said anything else about the distance he'd put between them, to get over feelings Trahearne is suddenly bringing up.] ... You don't really believe me when I tell you the kiss was not based on... those affections, do you?

[ Trahearne lets go, suddenly aware of the absence of contact.

So he rests his hand on the mug again. ]

I do. I do believe you.

[ He definitely did at first, and he'd no reason to doubt that trust anyway. He feels silly. ]

This comes from a lot of thinking, observation, and speaking with others. [ He frowns again, but doesn't look up. ] The hurt on your face when I expressed my doubts stuck with me for a long time. I never want to be the cause of that look ever again.

[ He's thankful Syrlya can't feel the pain in his chest from that. He keeps messing everything up, doesn't he? He thinks it's almost a miracle Syrlya agreed to a relationship in the first place. ]

I just...wish I'd heard the truth from you, not from an enchanted magnifying glass.

[Syrlya, too, looks away, deciding he doesn't want to see Trahearne's (Adelis') face if he decides to look back over.]

What good did it do? The first thing you wondered was whether it meant that I was cheating. I... felt your betrayal, when you were talking to him.

[It's hard for him to imagine it going any other way when the concern was his loyalty, first, feelings second. It hurt Trahearne. And for all he says he was wrong... will he not just have the same reaction again? To holding hands?]

I do not want to have feelings for him. It is not something I have been fueling.

[They had always been something he held carefully out of mind, as acknowledging them too long was uncomfortable. He wishes he could have carried this secret to his grave.]

I know. And I trust you.

[ Trahearne only stares at Syrlya for a moment. He wants to reiterate over and over that he knows he was wrong, but he feels like he's only going to send them on a circular conversation, that very same disbelief coming back to bite him.

That doesn't change the fact that he'd wished it had been Syrlya that was the one to tell him, though. ]

We don't have to talk about this anymore. [ His expression softens again. ] But if you ever do want to talk about it, I'm ready to listen.

[ And he won't unravel like he used to. That, he's almost certain of.

He scoots himself and his cocoon closer to Syrlya, and peers up at his face, trying to get his eye contact. ]

I want to know your true heart, too, Syrlya. It is not fair that I am to lay myself bare, yet you elect to shroud yourself in mystery.

Edited 2023-03-10 07:55 (UTC)

You know my heart. [He does not lift his gaze.] I have always been genuine with you. You just... do not seem to believe in what you see.

[Syrlya isn't really sure what to do about that. Every user to being the problem solver, nothing he does with this seems to work.]

I asked Adelis for some space to get over my feelings. I do not want them, and I do not want to have you questioning me about them again.

I do believe you. [ Trahearne frowns again as he insists. How many times is he going to have to say this for Syrlya to believe him? ] I was wrong, and I admit that.

[ He gives a little sigh as he stares up at Syrlya, his hands holding his mug a bit firmer. ]

You don't have to get over them. But if that is your choice...

Please don't ruin your friendship with him because of me. [ That's not what he wants. ]

Edited 2023-03-10 08:56 (UTC)

[Well. It's probably a bit late now that he's gone and admitted his feelings. He's already put an awkward wedge.]

If you believe me, then please stop making my crush on Adelis a bigger thing than it actually is. [He sighs, shoulders sinking.] Even if you say it was wrong, and I don't think it was... I don't want to cause that kind of heartache again. I don't--it has been more than once and I don't want to cross yet another line that leaves you questioning if you will trust me.

You have been extremely focused on my feelings for him. It is obviously still weighing on you.

[ Trahearne just watches him speak.

Is it still weighing on him? In a sense. He feels no more betrayal here, no more like Syrlya is slipping away. But he has been thinking about it, the way Syrlya deflated in his arms left him with a guilt he found hard to shake. And so he worked on it, and has found some semblance of acceptance.

But maybe this is something to be revisited at another time. Not now. Syrlya clearly isn't having it, despite how much Trahearne wants to show it is okay. That he wants to show that he trusts him unconditionally, and that it was a poor lapse in judgment on his part.

Because, well. ]

...All right.

[ He purses his lips, brings his tea to his lips. Is he any warmer? It's hard to tell. ]

I am in his body, Syrlya. My thoughts are occupied with Adelis, whether I like it or not.

[ Is there a cookie left? He's going to reach for one. ]

But I will endeavour not to bring it up again. [ For...however long this is going to last. Or ever, really.

Syrlya is not responding :( so he scoots back to his spot to work on his cookie, stare absently at the blurry fire. ]

Edited 2023-03-10 09:18 (UTC)

I'm aware. [Which really makes this conversation all the worse, his feelings agitated all over again so much he can't even bear to look up at him. Doesn't want to see Adelis looking at him with love.

Instead he gulps down his tea.] Soon as you're done we'll go back for his glasses and hair pin.

[ Trahearne eats his cookie. Is he not allowed to tell Syrlya he loves him, then? Or ask for his hand to warm up?

He doesn't want to rely on Mishka for this. He really, really doesn't.

Idle disappointment swirls in him as the loud sound of the crunching of the cookie fills his mind. Thank the Pale Mother, he thinks, that Syrlya can't feel this.

Needless to say, he doesn't respond. Nor does he feel all that much warmer.

Well. He looks at Adelis's blurred reflection in his cup. He doesn't know what his face looks like right now. Maybe it's for the best. ]

[It isn't a long silence, between one cookie and half a cup of tea. Syrlya is the one to get up first, to claim the empty plate and Trahearne's mug.] Make sure to put your shoes back on, you don't want to be walking in the snow barefoot.

[Nag nag... but with that he goes to leave the dishes in the kitchen.]

[ Once again, Trahearne just watches as Syrlya takes the plate and his mug when they're done with, only turning his attention down to his hands once he's out of sight.

He sighs. Is this walk back going to be an awkward one?

After a moment of letting the negative feelings wash over him, he gets to his feet and pads over to where he left the heeled boots, lying on their side by the door. He plops down on the ground again and extends his legs past the threshold of the blanket, and carefully pulls them on, like a young child. Watch how awkwardly he laces up these boots... Why in the Pale Tree's good name does Adelis have such long nails. It makes doing anything so difficult. ]

[Syrlya does watch Trahearne lace up those boots when he comes back around... and ultimately decides not to embarrass him further by asking to just do it for him. He's a big boy... he can handle this...

Once Trahearne is ready to go he pushes open the door to let him exit first. Embrace the cold.]

[ Trahearne doesn't even think of asking for help, though he would not have said no.

It takes him a moment to get to his feet, leaning against the wall for stability, readjusting the blankets as they threaten to slip off him. The blast from the cold air outside is a shock, and he shivers in place, watching the snow come down for a moment.

Time for the walk back...

Trahearne's steps in the heels are unsteady, made worse by the uneven ground and the blanket of snow. His pace is agonizingly slow as he tries not to trip over himself or twist his ankle, and he stops at every suggestion of a gust of wind to make sure he stays upright, and to make sure no errant wisps get inside his cocoon.

Sorry, Syrlya. Your husband (? wife (?)) is miserable. ]

[... After about the third nearly trip, Syrlya reaches to grab Trahearne's bicep through his blankets to hold him stable while he trips about.] Are those shoes really that difficult?

[ Trahearne's gaze snaps to Syrlya when the other rights him, a hint of gratitude behind the wry smile. ]

I can count on one hand the times I ever bothered to grow my own shoes, Syrlya. [ He shivers for a second before taking another step forward. ] To be lifted from the ground is even further disorienting.

[ And it hurts his legs. ]

Maybe you should trade those out for his work boots when we get there. [Of course Syrlya knows Adelis wears specific Work Boots.]

[ There's visible relief that crosses his face at that. ]

That would be a huge help. [ Why didn't Mishka tell him... Is it because he likes to watch him suffer... ] Would you know where they are?

[ He feels. guilty rummaging through Adelis's things, so he hasn't. ]

Mm, not specifically but I'm sure we can find them. Maybe a closet since there's little farming to do while it snows? [He brings a hand to his chin.] Or they might be by the barn, where the animals are.

Then I will leave the outdoor searching to you. It will be much quicker for me to move around without shoes on.

[ Surely Adelis will understand if a thing or two is out of place... ]

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