// HOLIDAY PARTY

[eluviomods]

WHO: EVERYONE!
WHERE: The Atrium
WHEN: December 24th
WHAT: Holiday party!
WARNINGS: None (but please mark if there is questionable content!)

// Jingle Mingle_ ➣ Sparkles and Spirits Late the night before, visitors will be asked to leave as the atrium is going to be closed for a few hours. It's completely blocked off from sight. In the morning, it will be open once again and the entire space is covered in a soft padding of snow. With more still falling! It's not entirely clear just where it's coming from or how they rigged it up to not even melt, but it's here. Throughout the day, the snow will keep falling though won't get any higher than one foot. Except for a designated area on the western side of the atrium. There characters will find copious amounts of snow to build forts or snowmen or wage an all out guerilla warfare snowball fight. Stationed throughout the atrium in various places out of the way are buffets and bars to provide everyone with delicious delectables and delightful drinks. These stations are constantly manned and refreshed so that nothing is ever empty or anyone is left wanting. Don't see a food you're dying to have? Ask and one of the workers will be happy to seek it out for you! Late morning to mid afternoon, there will be a gingerbread house contest. Everyone is encouraged to participate and show off their creative skill! All items needed will be provided to create your masterpiece. Various awards will be given out, including Best Use of Gumdrops. Once the magic hour begins, all the lights in the atrium will begin to flicker on. Twinkling lights in the trees and candied garden lights will mark the path appropriately called Candy Cane Lane, which is little more than a means to encourage a more romantic atmosphere with a walk around the atrium itself. ➣ Flannel and Frost Once night falls, the party is still going strong. More food is brought out and the drinks just don't stop flowing. Because what's a party without booze? On the east side of the atrium a large canopy is stationed with a dance floor beneath it just waiting for everyone to cut loose. A DJ will be playing all night with pulsing, hypnotic beats that not one booty can say no to. Invite someone to cut that rug or dance by yourself like no one's watching. It's time to cut loose! While walking through the atrium, be careful! There's enchanted mistletoe that will spring up anywhere at anytime and will trap anyone without restraint. (Did you think we wouldn't have this?) It hovers in the air with a soft green glow, encasing two passersby within an arm's length radius. Get those lips to puckering to get yourselves free! (A kiss anywhere counts, so don't fret!) Tucked away on the north side of the atrium is a large maze. It boasts to be the best activity for the holiday party, but those in charge could be a little biased. It's a mystery as to what goes on beyond the entrance and the only way anyone can find out is to just march right in. The rules of the maze are: 1.) No one goes in alone (max. 2 at a time) and 2.) If you feel too trapped or lost, take off the visor and the experience will be over. Upon entering, everyone will be given a visor and set loose inside. Each group will experience something different should they choose to go into the maze, so please go HERE for a customized maze trip! Everyone is free to stay as long as they wish, but around 3:00 in the morning, workers will begin dismantling things and ushering people out so they can clean. Once everyone is nestled all snug in their beds, they'll be visited by someone to get their holiday gifts! Happy Holidays!

Comments

[straycloud]

[ So far, so good. No one ends up plummeting to the ground in an embarrassing spectacle, and no necks are immediately broken. That's as much as anyone should hope for. ]

See? [ He gestures with his glass and resettles on the branch, placid and comfortable. ]

[ouzel]

[ Cassian laughs. ]

It's a good position. [ For a sniper, anyway. ] What is your name?

[straycloud]

The 30th of China, Koumyou Sanzo.

[ It's a mouthful, but using the whole thing is habit. ]

But that's too much to say when we know each other already. [ He sees no reason to explain this entirely too vague statement, particularly when it's clear his companion wouldn't agree. ]

[ouzel]

The 30th what, exactly? [ And what or where is China, but he isn't going to ask that.

Sanzo's odd comment about knowing each other already gets Cassian to frown at him. ] This is the first time we've met in person.

[straycloud]

I was being nosy. [ Koumyou offers up a hapless little shrug in response, entirely ruining his chance to sound impressively mystical or mysterious.

(The hat did most of the work, though, really.) ]

The 30th Sanzo of China. You could know one from the sutra they wear. [ He gestures vaguely towards the green-edged mantle draped over his shoulders. ]

[ouzel]

[ Cassian lets out a little 'heh' at that. It would seem that most monks he knows are nosy people.

He does consider the other man's clothes for a moment, nodding. ]

I know nothing of China or its customs and monks, I apologize.

[straycloud]

[ Koumyou shakes his head immediately, denying the apology right off. ]

The parts that matter most are natural to all things. The rest? [ He takes a sip of his drink. ] That's just something to do to fill in the spare moments. Ukoku is better at discarding it than me.

[ouzel]

[ Cassian wonders if he's talking about monkhood, living, or the cultures of China but he suspects it's a statement that could be applied to all of the above. ]
That is the other monk you were talking about?

[straycloud]

[ Not entirely coincidentally, Koumyou is not entirely certain either. Frankly, he's still not sure what to make of his fellow Sanzo priest, but they've known each other such a short time. The Captain Andor is an entirely misplaced outlet for these thoughts.

He made it easy, and Koumyou was a naturally social creature. It's almost smooth enough to prevent him from realizing that the flow of information kept going only one way. ]

Ukoku Sanzo. [ A nod, and another sip. ] He's lost the path, but he's hardly the only one here to have done so. It's a disorienting place to find yourself, I've heard.

[ouzel]

Isn't the path part of where you find yourself anyway? [ That seems like something a monk would tell him, anyway.

Sorry he's such a cagey fucker, Sanzo, but he just isn't used to talking about himself and telling the truth! ]

[straycloud]

I have no idea.

[ That's probably the wrong answer, but it's cheerfully delivered. Admitting his ignorance comes entirely too easily to him. ] I've never been good at watching where I'm going.

[ouzel]

...huh.

[ That was probably the least monk-like thing he's ever heard, so Cassian has to laugh a little after a moment. ]

How's that working out for you?

[straycloud]

There's no proof that I'm not precisely where I need to be. If that counts, I'm doing well.

[ He grins lopsidedly of without a hint of the dignity that his station implied. ] If it doesn't, perhaps you could teach me how to watch my step as carefully as you do yours, Captain.

[ouzel]

Oh, no. [ Cassian shakes his head. ] Unfortunate things teach you how to do that.

[straycloud]

Ah, you're right. That means you won't do, not at all. [ Unfortunate things, was it?

His thoughts only briefly stray to what he'd left behind in being brought here, but it shadows his expression only momentarily. Tenkai's death is his own burden to carry. ]

You're clearly too good a man. I'll have to do without.

[ouzel]

[ And Cassian barks out a laugh. ]

We both know better than that, I think.

[straycloud]

Do we? That would be unfortunate, to be so wrong. [ Some people needed their self assessments to be shot down. For all that they've only talked a short time, it's easy to tell that's the case here. ]

You carry the burden of your karma, no man that holds responsibility would do otherwise.

[ouzel]

It may be more than I can handle in one lifetime, [ Cassian points out, because he has done a lot in this one. ]

I still wouldn't say that I am a good man.

[straycloud]

[ The look Cassian earns is patiently amused, as if Koumyou is in on some secret.

Or maybe he's drunk and too sentimental for his own good. ] You'll have to be strong, at least for a while longer. Your next lifetime will come when it's ready to.

[When he realizes he's finished off his drink, he flops on the branch to carelessly sprawl. The motion shakes the tree, dislodging more of those icicles. How they shatter into fine powder when he absentmindedly waves them off would be more impressive if it hasn't been an accident.

Ah, shoot. He is just going to start pretending that didn't happen. ] Ah, I hate the cold.

[ouzel]

So I'm starting to see.

[ Considering he is dead, back home, should be dead here, isn't. Isn't. That's strange too, stranger than the icicles and their reaction - or non-reaction.

Cassian doesn't know what it means, though, and chooses to shrug instead. ] You would think something temperature controlled wouldn't bother with simulating winter.

[straycloud]

[ Excellent, yes, they can blame the strange indoor weather. He wipes some of the quickly melting powdered ice from his face as he answers.]

People have always done weird things for tradition. But this might be going too far.

[ouzel]

What tradition is this?

[ Educate Cassian, please. ]

[straycloud]

Christmas. There are worlds that celebrate a generous god in the winter. [ He's been doing his homework! Shangri-la does not have anything of the sort, but he's asked around and synthesized a fair enough approximation. ]

I think all of this is supposed to invoke him. [ He looks briefly thoughtful. ] There are worse gods to get on the good side of.

[ouzel]

Is Christmas the god or the religion? [ Yes, good, continue to give Cassian semi-accurate information. ]

I suppose. [ Another shrug. Being born and growing up on an ice planet means he's not too fussed about it, it just seems strange. ]

[straycloud]

The god is named Santa, I think. [ Then, with a humorously mournful tone: ] The gods I answer to give nothing at all, besides more work.

[ He brightens almost immediately. ] I'll have to suggest gifts when I speak to them next.