- « INTRO ⇢ WINTERBALL.EXE » OVERFLOW

[poised]

Who: everyone, literally everyone
When: ooc: 04/25-04/26; ic: 12/26
Where: the Gardens
What: overflow of intro log + winter ball!
Rating/Warning: PG-13 | possibly nsfw (please let me know if you need this rating changed, or you are welcome to continue any naughty shenanigans in a private log)

//winterball.EXE Pimp My Party -- Royalty Style A few weeks prior to December 26th, an invitation went out to all whom already reside in Cerealia. In delicate, curling script, it read: You are cordially invited by Natalia L.K. Lanvaldear to a Winter Ball to be held on the Eve of December 26th in the Gardens. Dress in your best attire and enjoy a magical evening of dance and fine cuisine. What do you mean we should fuss about worlds being destroyed? Get into the holiday spirit, you scrooge! And in regards to the new-comers: whether you have been wandering Cerealia over the course of the past few days and managed to receive one of the later waves of invitations or have simply suddenly appeared in the gardens with nothing but the (hopefully…. appropriate….) clothes on your back, welcome. The gardens have been transformed through the work of slave labor condoned by royalty incredibly talented volunteers. A buffet line possibly a mile long, a sprawling dance floor with temporary wood placement to cover the grass, a lovely orchestra with scheduled interruptions of magic shows on the stage, and the entire thing lit gently with lights stretch the span of the main area of the garden. Not too far off, there are ponds and pathways that take you elsewhere into the foliage, but why would you go that way? The party’s right here! "Good evening, everyone!! Whether you are new to Tellus or old, I hope to find you in good spirits. Mind you, I do not intend to ignore the blunders of CERES nor the grave situation that new-comers have found themselves faced with. However I assure you that at this time, surrounded by these people, you are in good company. Please, dine and be merry - I believe some worlds celebrated a holiday yesterday! Get to know one another so we may strengthen our ties and stand firm against whatever this world may throw against us! Also try the salmon, it's absolutely divine. . . . How do I turn this off...? Should I just walk away?"

//SCENARIOS.EXE PHASE I [ xxxx ] Like any respectable ball, your entrance is announced as you walk right into the party! What do you mean you wanted to slip in unnoticed? That simply won’t do. Natalia managed to rope in someone – is that a Tellus native? – to do the honor of acknowledging your character as they make their debut to the ball. This guy is under strict orders to not miss a single soul. If your character doesn’t give him a name and title ahead of time, then he’ll just make something up. Think along the lines of Broseidon McSnootyname, Duke of Erectile Dysfunction-- What do you mean that’s not your name? PHASE II [ xxxx ] Absolutely no expense was spared when it came to making sure that the food here was the best that money could buy (or threats could extort). Guests can select from a menagerie of main dishes from all sorts of cultures, adorable desserts that look like woodland creatures alongside towering cakes, and even those fruity drinks with the little umbrellas on them. Pig out, you animals – but there’s also a wide selection of fine wine if your tastes and curiosities wander off in that direction…. What even is the drinking age in Tellus? Remember, folks, drink (ir)responsibly. PHASE III [ xxxx ] Well, it is a ball. If you’re interested in proper, classical styles of dance, there’s certainly an orchestra that’s dominating most of the night. One of their songs may or may not sound familiar. Spin around in your flurry of skirts and do the fairy tale thing if that’s what you came here for. Romance, or whatever. Waltz your heart out and don’t forget to point your toes! … that said, there’s also a separate sound system not too far, prepared in case the orchestra might want a break. It’s also not being watched too closely. Maybe put on something to liven up the dance floor? Or did someone ruin your fantasy by putting on something unbearably inappropriate? PHASE IV [ xxxx ] The gardens really are beautiful. Spread throughout the area and more toward the outskirts of the party, there are plenty of beautiful fountains with glittering, crystal clear water. In fact, it’s so clear that you can spot the occasional alien life form flitting through it amidst the lily pads and gently sweeping foliage. It’s so graceful, what beauty! Look at how it rises to the water and gently opens its mouth into a yawn and—tries to chomp anything within range right off with razor sharp teeth what the fuck, whatthefuck. It would appear that's not all, though. Whether you're ready to fight the creature or run screaming, you feel something slowly slide and curl around your arm or your ankle. Look on in horror as you turn your head and realize that it seems that the nearby tree has grown rather fond of you very quickly, to the extent that it will reach out and lovingly wrap its hentai tentacles around you.... Brings a whole 'nother meaning to 'tree hugger', doesn't it? BONUS [ whyo'clock ] Are you lost? Did you try to catch your breath away from the party and start to wander off despite all the cautioning not to? Or maybe you were trying to leave and took a wrong turn? Either way, you seem to have only found yourself deeper in the gardens now. Try not to breathe too deeply or… at all. If you can’t manage that though, it appears that you’ve stumbled upon the hallucinogenic plants of the garden. You start to see things that aren’t there – though whether you suddenly find yourself in a den of cougars lions or think that the person standing next to you is the biggest, cuddliest pile of adorable puppies in the world depends on the person. Hope you have a good trip, bruh. [ Remember to apply proper warnings on threads with trigger-y or inappropriate material and do let me know (through FAQ comment or PM preferably!) if your thread careens off into maiming or canoodling so I can lock the log. ]

//RUN.EXE Welcome to CEREALIA's latest intro post overflow! It's a bit early but just to make sure the transition for everyone over here was captcha-free. This one is player-run and all the basics have been laid out for you here. Absolutely feel free to come up with your own prompts and post new intros! For your convenience, I whole-heartedly welcome questions and inquiries being directed to my attention here and I'll answer them to the best of my ability! Have a ball! Enjoy!!

Comments

[faithfulflame]

It was Onmyodo. Spirit magic.

[Rei waits patiently.]

And I don't know if that qualifies as shrubbery or an aggressive hedge maze...

[redcinemareel]

Are you some sort of witch?

[She stores the weapon beneath her dress, where there is a holder attached to her upper leg, along with a dagger.]

As long as it stays there, I couldn't care less!

[faithfulflame]

[Rei's eyes sharpen, growing dark and steely for a moment.]

No. [A few years ago that would have enraged her or sent her into a fit of depression. But that was before Usagi. Before she'd had...friends.]

I'm a priest.

[redcinemareel]

[The look she gives Grell doesn't phase her in the least. What else was she supposed to think?]

A priestess, you mean? [She nods in understanding, though.] Definitely not an English one.

[faithfulflame]

No, do I look English to you?

[...Really Grell?]

I'm Japanese.

[redcinemareel]

How you look can have little relation to being English, you know. I was referring to your methods.

[Really, Rei? Asians can be from England, too! It happens!]

[faithfulflame]

[A snort. She knows she has an accent, and has never left Japan except to go to the moon. And the north pole. And the center of the galaxy...]

Well, I'm not. And no, I am not affiliated with the Anglican church. I'm catholic.

[redcinemareel]

[Accent or not, she could still be an immigrant. Plus, Grell isn't always the type to judge a book by its cover.

Her response is rather unexpected. It makes Grell raise an eyebrow.

I'm...not certain why you're bringing religion into this.

[faithfulflame]

...Because you were referring to my methods not being English. Doesn't a priestess need to practice a religion to use it's methods?

[Grell, what?]

[redcinemareel]

Perhaps...

[She isn't very religious, so she would only know the bare necessities.]

I don't believe Catholicism would use...onomias or whatever they're called to banish spirits.

[faithfulflame]

Catholicism and Shinto are not mutually exclusive.

[Rei's folding up the papers and saunters towards the door, hand on her hip.]

[redcinemareel]

[She folds her arms across her chest.]

They're not mutually alike, either.

[Is Rei walking away? Did Grell insult her somehow? Or are they taking this conversation indoors? In any case, Grell walks beside her, since being outside is not the best spot to discuss such a matter.]

Most Catholic priest would be toting a bible or a crucifix. Or both.

[faithfulflame]

[Oh, she's just heading towards the inside to get away from any more possible plants. She's not upset or angry. More amused than anything.]

No, but remember that Shinto is as much a way of life as it is a religious belief. [She jingles her wrist, freeing a small crucifix.] I carry a crucifix, as well. Unfortunately CERES left my bible at home. And I've generally found Onmyoudo works better against certain things. Like that plant creature, for instance.

[redcinemareel]

I'd remember if I knew anything about Shinto. [Japan is definitely one of those countries that's pretty mysterious to most of the world during her time.]

I had no idea that Catholicism has traveled so far. What other ways of life are there in Japan?

[faithfulflame]

A little too numerous to count. But Buddhism is common, as is agnosticism.

[A shrug.]

But our traditional festivals and practices are almost all rooted in Shinto in some way. Suffice to say, it's flexible.

[redcinemareel]

So there isn't a predominant religion? [It all seemed a little strange that certain festivals were steeped in one religion.]

[faithfulflame]

No, it's all blended, and it's easy for them to mix together. I...think it was once said that we take the best of everything, and leave what we don't like.

[redcinemareel]

You sure are a picky bunch.

[It's not a bad philosophy, but it also seems unrealistic. Not everything can be rosy.]

[faithfulflame]

It's our nature...

[A shrug.]

What is your name, miss?

[redcinemareel]

Grell Sutcliff. Yourself?

[faithfulflame]

Rei Hino. A pleasure, Sutcliff-san.