dec event.

[crescentviewmods]

prologue

You awake to find yourself in a bed that creaks with your every movement, motes of dust flitting about the sparsely lit room. Whether you wake alone or with another by your side, you exit the worn-down building to find yourself on an old, abandoned farm. It isn’t long before a familiar voice lilts in your ears, carried to you on the breeze—

“Hurry over to the town square. Chop chop!”

Whether you go willingly or find your feet inexplicably compelled to trudge into town makes no difference. Once you arrive, you find yourself surrounded by a small ocean of new faces— some confused, some angered, and others quite chipper. At the center of the crowd is a bright-eyed woman with an otherworldly allure, her white hair tied up neatly in a bun, pamphlets and assorted papers tucked in her grasp.

“Welcome to Crescentview, farmers!”

Spreading her arms out wide — as much as she can without her papers blowing away — she eagerly regales the crowd with some fun facts about the island and the town while also reminding everyone of one very important fact:

“Remember, you’ve been brought here to tend the earth, fall in love, and begin your new lives together. You’re not leaving until you do. It will be quite the experience for you, I’m sure.”

Complain, grouse, or rejoice if you like, but don’t expect the Goddess to budge. Oh, right, there’s that too: she, the Harvest Goddess, is the one presiding over this land. Don’t get on my bad side, she gently warns as she stuffs pamphlets into the hands of Crescentview’s aspiring farmers.

spring breeze

While you’re here, you may as well check out the pamphlet the Goddess insistently pressed into your hands. Within it, you’ll find a handy infographic on each of your neighbors detailing their likes, dislikes, and... ideal dates? Even the Goddess’ profile is there. How invasive! Each farmer’s picture is hand-drawn by crayon into simple stick figures with the only difference being how the hair looks on top of their heads… if it can be called hair with the mess of crayons, that is. Every single stick figure is smiling. In front of each personalized pamphlet, there’s a stick figure on the cover with the same style as the photo. It’s definitely yours with how the hair color seamlessly matches yours. For the ones who have multicolor hair, you might notice the goddess seems a little more huffy with you.

The pamphlet also includes a map of Crescentview and lists the services available in town. There aren’t many on this small, remote island. Learning how to fend for yourself seems like the best course of action. Finally, a hand-printed bingo card has been made up for each new island resident. The Goddess must have spent quite a bit of time making these...

The Goddess gives her new questionably loyal followers a chance to mingle and mix before speaking up with another announcement. A small group of haggard-looking fairies appear at her feet, and clapping her hands, a notice board springs into existence. When the fairies fail to react, she gives one a nudge with her foot, prompting them all to burst into the world’s smallest round of applause. It’s a little... pathetic.

“Ta-da! Behold: the task board. Every season, I’ll give you new tasks to complete, and in exchange, you’ll be richly blessed by me, the Harvest Goddess. Spring is the season of new beginnings, so let’s take a look at what we’ve got cooking, hm?”

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 December 1st to January 1st 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.

1. Greet your neighbors. For every person you meet, you will be given a random bag of spring seeds. Potato, cabbage, turnip, strawberry, and cucumber seeds are available at this time. Alternatively, random mushroom spores are also available. These include morel, matsutake, and common white mushroom spores. This task can be completed a total of 10 times for rewards. Please specify how much of each you would like when submitting your threads, i.e. “I’d like 5 random spring seed bags and 5 random mushroom bags, please!”

2. Exchange names. Start learning some names and faces: you’ll be seeing a lot of these folks! For each name you learn, you’ll earn a random bag of spring flower seeds. Daffodil, tulip, forget-me-not, primrose, and hyacinth are available this season. This task can be completed a total of 10 times for rewards, and yes, you can cheat the system and introduce yourself to someone you already know, but the Goddess won’t like it.

3. Check out your new farm. Take a look around and settle in! After a bit of wandering, you’ll notice a small cat or dog following you around and looking up at you with them big ol’ eyes. Looks like it wants to stay with you, but will you adopt it? This task can be completed once.

4. Till your field and begin planting. Find the beat up farming tools in your beat up house and begin beating your farmland into submission. Plant some seeds and be rewarded by the Goddess with a single chicken or rabbit to keep in your coop. This task can be completed once.

5. Visit another farm. Pay one of your neighbors a visit to receive a stationary set blessed by the Goddess herself. There are no cell phones or Internet on the island, so get used to sending all your “LOL”s and “XDDDD”s by hand. This task can be completed once.

6. Make a new friend. Isn’t friendship wonderful? For each person you proclaim to be your friend, you will receive two random gacha items. This task can be completed 3 times.

7. Pray to the Goddess. Whether you do so grudgingly or willingly doesn’t matter much to her so long as you’re doing it! Clasp your hands together and bow your head or throw an offering into her pond— she’ll hear you either way. Praying to the Goddess will net you a barn animal of your choosing: a cow, sheep, alpaca, or goat. This task may be completed once.

Caution: throwing certain items into her pond may have consequences. Choose your offerings wisely.

mod notes

⬥ Welcome to the game's opening and our first event!
⬥ A second event post will go up in mid-Dec.
⬥ Please plot over at the Dec Plotting Post.
⬥ As a reminder, please keep all plotting on the OOC post as not everyone has Discord or Plurk.
⬥ Please submit your completed tasks at the top-level below.
⬥ Have fun!

navigation

Comments

[flamenova]

🔥 encounters

[ she almost doesn't recognize the tiny stick figure of herself, at first — but she doubts that she would really be able to do much better, if she were to try, herself. so there's a meek little bow as she takes the pamphlet and rustles through...though it's clear that she's...not entirely sure what to do with any of this? and let's not get started on the bingo card--

even as people clamor about and mingle around, it's clear that the tiny red girl nestled near the task board is not too keen on inserting herself into any one conversation. it's not her intention to be standoffish, of course — and the look on her face is pretty neutral (or even sports a ghost of a smile), as she soaks in all of the excitement and the energy of their farming group...

but the reality of the situation becomes quickly apparent the moment someone approaches, though — the jitters couldn't be any more apparent on her face if she were to try, as she stammers out a response. she hasn't had a conversation with anyone in...gosh, how many years has it been..? how do you even start these off, again? ]

O-oh, um...hello?

[ right, that's step one... ]

🔥 tagalong

[ it doesn't take too long roaming about before pyra feels a sudden weight tug at on one of the ends of her draping scarf — apparently, a stray cat caught a glimpse of it swishing about, and took the chance to pounce! and despite the surprise...well, something about those ears makes something in her chest stir. ]

Are you a little lost, too?

[ she crouches down at the knees and puts out a hand, imploring the cat to approach... ]

Maybe we can help you get back where you belong...

[ before december ends, anyone wanna admit they own this little guy? ]

🔥 flora heals an aching soul

[ pyra's never so much as touched a hoe before, but she has an idea of how this whole thing works, in theory. you have to prep the land before you start laying down your seeds, right? she's not dressed for the occasion at all, working on her hands and knees in her ridiculous clothes, but she's working the field pretty diligently, if nothing else: breaking up stones, pulling the weeds, making sure no stray roots get in the way of her farming area...

but if she keeps things up at this pace, she'll be at it until nightfall, and beyond. she's very much taking her time, pulling up weeds by hand one by one — diligent, but methodical to a fault. maybe a little help would make the work go quicker? ]

🔥 closed to childe

[ come evening, there's a rich aroma that fills the air of the whole farmhouse: the unmistakable scent of beef stock and vegetables, turnips and carrots and onions, left simmering in a pot for hours. the dish on the stove is cooking low and slow, and there's not a trace of fat that's found its way to the top — the whole thing's been skimmed very carefully, just to make sure all of the flavors come through. the ingredients in it may be simple, but truth be told, pot-au-feu is a fairly labor-intensive dish to make: something that comes with a long time commitment, as the cartilage breaks down over the hours, and the meat hits the point where it melts in one's mouth...

but then, this is a pretty special circumstance. and that aside, pot-au-feu is her specialty: she wants to make a good first impression on her housemate, and a warm, comforting meal is...probably not the worst way to do that, is it? ]

encounters

[associative]

[ Gaku is usually content to stick to himself rather than seeking out wallflowers, but they are encouraged to go out and meet people... so, he takes the initiative and approaches the girl, offering a polite smile. ]

Hey. What's your name?

[flamenova]

[ well, he isn't looking at her like she has three heads or anything. that's certainly a start, if nothing else. as long as they keep things simple, this shouldn't go too badly, right? ]

Ah, it's...Pyra. I'm Pyra.

[ her smile is only getting more bashful... ]

I'm assuming you're, um...Gaku Yaotome, right? [ she thumbs through the pamphlet... ] You look a bit like your picture, here.

[ does she mean the crayon drawing-- ]

[associative]

[ Should he be offended? Probably a little, but it's fine. Instead, he just laughs. ]

Yeah, I do. The hair is pretty accurate, right?

[ For the most part... ]

It's nice meeting you, Pyra.

[sluice]

[ Nothing's subtle about the way Childe strides in, late into the evening: rapping on the door to announce his arrival as he plunks his boots down by the doorstep, dirt lining the soles. He took his sweet time coming back, apparently; the odor's inundating the air, sharp in the sinuses, by the time he's halfway down the hallway. Stopping before the kitchen, he's privy to the sight of that dish on the stove. Naturally, it prompts the obvious. ]

Aha. So it was your doing! I thought I something smelled delicious in here. I take it that you're quite the chef, huh?

[ Admiration's lining his voice, hardly kept in check as he ventures further inside. ]

Need a helping hand?

[ Although, by the looks of it... perhaps he's missed his window of opportunity? Alas. ]

[flamenova]

Oh, no, there's no need. It just needs a little more time over the fire, and we should be just about finished...

[ though the fact that he offered at all puts a sincere smile on her face. truth be told, she probably wouldn't let him lift a finger at all, even if there was work to be done: he's been out late, so she imagines he's been busy — no need to put more on his plate, when there's already so much. ]

I've picked up just a couple of recipes, but I'm definitely no chef. It's...more of a hobby than anything, I suppose? You should just make yourself comfortable in the meantime. ...Or, as comfortable as you can, I suppose...

[ this place can definitely use a bit of sprucing...but that's a task for tomorrow, really. ]

[sluice]

Modest as well, I see. [ Perhaps overly so, which is a shame. Even he can tell how diligently she's worked today. ] Will we be sharing the meal together? I'd be delighted to give it a try.

[ Nonchalantly, Childe gestures at the dining table. Please, sit! He'll go ahead and take a seat at the table afterwards, studying her more carefully. Rather than taken aback, the figure he strikes is languid, perhaps too composed for the situation. Nothing like perturbation or shyness is dwelling in him. ]

... Pyra, right? [ Did he say that correctly? Pronunciation wasn't included in the pamphlet. ] Call me Tartaglia. I also go by Childe.

[ So there won't be any confusion in the future, should strangers come around asking for one or the other. ]

I look forward to getting to know you better. Let's get along!

tagalong

[accredit]

[ initially, when she speaks, he almost thinks she's talking to him?? there's a pause as he seems to ponder on her words. it's probably the gentleness in her voice that makes him unable to refute them... or even respond immediately. ] Were you planning to take care of me, miss? [ this is truly embarrassing...

a horrible misunderstanding...

little does he know his cat who actually doesn't seem to fond of him has somehow ran off, and is now tugging on this woman's scarf. he only seems to pause, when he realizes she's not squatting???? he stares for a few seconds, before....


it finally clicks, but now he's just awkward and speechless, before he yells towards the cat: ] You!

[flamenova]

H-huh?

[ she's just as perplexed, when he responds to her: she honestly didn't even notice him there, too focused on her new feline friend to catch sight of anyone else there. but when he starts to shout, it all falls into place — this playful rascal must be... ]

Have you two...already been acquainted, then?

[ clearly there's some kind of history between him and this cat. she gingerly scoops the little one up in her arms, with a bit of trepidation: as though she's afraid that she'll break it, if she holds him for too long, or too closely. ]

I was just trying to help him find his way, is all...

[accredit]

[ at least, it doesn't seem like she's all too offended or ... weirded out by his prior misstep. it's both a relief and another matter to take up with his cat, atalanta. (naturally, if the person it was named after had ever known, she'd likely only view the whole thing with a sense of chagrin or displeasure, but... listen, he is free here).

which, he does: ] You really are a troublemaker. I almost feel like you're trying to make things awkward on purpose. [ he says as he notices the way, the cat obviously seems to prefer being in this stranger than him. that said: ]

Sorry about that. She's more fickle than she looks, I guess. [ he reaches out, but the cat seems to firmly make it a point to ignore him.

he half-wonders where was the cat that seemed to follow him around when he first arrived. ]

flora

[framestory]

[ Ellis is here and there to visit other farms, but Pyra really stands out due to her clothes. He'll try to be as tactful as he can about it, but he first needs to get her attention so he tries to stand near her and waves.

He'll try harder if that doesn't get her attention right away. ]

[flamenova]

[ thankfully, she's not so focused that she doesn't notice him: she's been known to get pretty fixated on a task, but it's hard to miss a young boy standing in her peripheral waving about. the field is pretty barren, so just about anyone would stand out, really... ]

H, hello there.

[ her wave, in contrast, is far more sheepish: a gentle little thing, shy. ]

I take it we're neighbors now, then? I'm sorry, I probably should have went around introducing myself, first...

[ that's the neighborly thing to do, isn't it..? or, at least, she's assuming — she's never actually had neighbors... ]

[framestory]

[ Ellis waves his hand as if to say that it's not a big deal and smiles. He's never had neighbors either, but he'll try to be friendly anyway.

Oh, but he tries to gesture to her clothes with a concerned look on his face. You good?? ]

encounters

[breweries]

[ the more people wallflower in this certain event, the more they'll be easily noticed. at least that's according to shylock. so when the girl imparts a shaky greeting to him, shylock merely takes it in stride and with a soft, easy smile. ]

Hello to you, too. My, there are plenty of us here, aren't there?

[flamenova]

It would seem that way, yes...though, I, um, I guess that would make sense.

[ not that a lot of this exactly makes sense, but... ]

If we're all expected to tend the fields, it's better to have more people than less, isn't it? We can have a better harvest with more hands...I think.

[ it checks out to her, at least. ...somewhat. ]

[breweries]

That is true. And they'd usually cap this off with a harvest festival in some towns as well. Doesn't that sound fun?

[ a festival...! ]

But it is unavoidable that certain people wouldn't be up to the task at all. Are you?

flora

[archivists]

[ As if he's in a position to judge Pyra's ridiculous outfit when he's wearing a pair of white trousers, at least he's left the coat back at his farmhouse. Despite working so hard, there are so many weeds left still, so even though they don't know each other, Noé steps in closer. ]

Maybe I could help? Either with the weeds or the stones. I even have my own hammer.

[ Why is he walking around carrying it? This is a mystery of a farmer's life. ]

[flamenova]

[ oh poor thing, he's going to be a mess... ]

Oh...a hammer would be a big help, actually, if you wouldn't mind. It would be much easier to break these rocks if I had my sword...

[ but for some reason, she can't call it here. it's probably the work of the goddess, she reasons...and truth be told, she doesn't blame her for taking it. ]

I can help handle the weeds on your farm in exchange, if you need it. That's only fair, isn't it?

[archivists]

Of course I wouldn't mind! [ The hammer he holds up to show off is absolutely terrible, it looks like it might break at any second. ] Are you, by any chance... a knight?

[ He's read a lot of stories and knights definitely were very prominent in them. This would also explain why she's wearing armor... kind of, at least. ]

That would be great, but are you sure? There are so many things to do around here.

[ Bingo cards, task board... the Goddess made sure that they won't get bored. ]

encounter

[passthrough]

[He'd been taking a few steps back to remove himself from the crowds for a moment, blowing out a breath as he tries to thumb through his own pamphlet. He doesn't seem to realize the girl that stands next to him until she speaks up, and he starts a bit by reflex.]

Oh... [He gives a nervous but apologetic laugh, barely a breath of a sound.] Oh, hey. Sorry about that.

You're pretty far out here. Not a fan of the crowd?

[flamenova]

Ah, it's...well, not really. It's not...crowds, or this crowd in particular, but...

[ really more just...people. though there's no real way of putting that into words without sounding strange, is there? ]

It's just...been a long time, since I've seen this many people in one place.

[passthrough]

[Ah. Maybe someone that's just spent a lot of time alone. He can relate, but it's a little hard to figure out how to talk about it. Still, his smile stays easy and his voice quiet.]

Mn... I guess it must be a little overwhelming, then, huh?

[He'll turn his gaze out to the minglers, to people starting arguments or shoving bingo cards in each other's faces or just engaging in small talk.]

Even if there's no malice behind anyone's intentions, it's still kind of a lot to take in if it's not something you're used to. It's hard to pin the feeling down when you're in the middle of it.

...

...Or, you know... maybe something different. [His smile grows apologetic as he shrugs.] It's a guess.

encounters

[tot]

[ fortunately of the people here that she could strike a conversation with (or make an attempt at striking a conversation), uta would be a solid choice given that she notices the nervousness and immediately offers her a warm smile. ]

It's a little scary suddenly waking up somewhere different from where you remember last, isn't it? But at least everyone here seems nice.

[ even if some people are grumpy about the whole "suddenly here" part. uta's going to ignore that part of the whole experience and focus on the positives. ]

I'm Uta.

[flamenova]

It...certainly is. Compared to where I went to sleep, it's definitely a change of scenery...

[ she imagines that's true if everyone, but she has a feeling she's the only one here who was resting on the ocean floor. she can't exactly bring that up gracefully, though... ]

But I'm glad, at least. That everyone is friendly, I mean. ...My name is Pyra.

[ she brings a hand to her chest, and dips her body in a gracious curtsy. ]

It's good to meet you, Uta.

[tot]

The same with me. It was shocking to wake up with someone else in the same room as me, but at least he was nice.

[ well, uta was certainly someone who was not resting on the ocean floor but waking up in a run down farm house was about as far of a departure from where she did fall asleep to be just as bewildering. ]

It's nice to meet you as well, Pyra. [ she'll return the gesture. ] I hope we can become friends while we're here.

[ since it looks like she could use some of that reassurance. ]