songerein | { something steamy }

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{ something steamy }

SOMETHING STEAMY

This log is open to everyone and doubles as a "Character Intro" for new characters who were just accepted this round. As a reminder, new characters are welcome to carry over their TDM threads backdated to the last week of October (25-31) so that they're not really "new" if players wish to do so! Starting fresh is also acceptable.

I. REVEREIN HOTPOT

With the temperatures cooling down, some locals have decided to throw a huge hotpot party along the riverbank for no real reason other than to try and cook up some good food and meet new faces. While participating restaurants and farmers are happy to provide some surplus ingredients, others are welcome to bring their own. There are plenty of grills and pots to go around, but with so many people and…unique ingredients coming in, there's bound to be a little chaos. (Thanks to Mich for the idea!)

A. Hunt for the "Legendary" Ingredient. To spice things up, a challenge has been posted before the day of the party for those who want to add some unique flavor to the meal.

Golden Truffles. There are special truffles found deep in the swamps hidden within the Wildlands that are said to taste so divine that just a small bite would make one feel as if they are floating to heaven. No it's not poisonous!! While not exactly rare in number, they are notoriously hard to find and require special pigs to sniff and dig them out. Some truffle hunters have agreed to let anyone daring to look for the truffles to borrow said pigs for the hunt. However, they can be ornery and will only cooperate if you sing a happy song to them. The swamps themselves can be filled with some mild dangers, but the pigs should guide you. Probably.
Mandragora Leaves. There is a marked field where the mandragora have taken residence. They will give up their leaves if asked nicely, but if too rough or without showing respect, they will scream and attack instead. Even then you have to take care in clipping the leaves.
Rainbow Speckled Eggs. Some wild hens that live out in the Wildlands lay rainbow speckled eggs at this time of year and they are huge! Can't miss them. They are duds and won't hatch, so they are perfect for eating. The hens themselves won't mind them taken, but the roosters that guard them are a different story. Get past them and collect the egg!

B. Food Thieves. Attracted by the delicious smell and it being time to start gathering for the winter, a few critters and even some small fae try to sneak in and snatch a few pieces for themselves. Squirrels and chipmunks in particular like to swipe any chestnuts some people are trying to roast, and the birds are diving in for any free morsel. There are a few ways to handle this, from chasing them off to trying to create a designated "food try" for the animals to take to avoid them bothering everyone else.

C. Communal Pot Surprise. While there are smaller, individual pots available for more private use, there is a larger pot that suspiciously looks like a cauldron set near the center where anyone can dump in whatever ingredient they desire—even inedible items—and produce questionable yet somehow edible results. Here are some various effects that occur:

Anything green: Chances of turning into a frog—25%. The remaining chance is just having one's hair turn green.
Sour fruit: Everything will taste like lemons for ten minutes. No amount of sugar will help until it wears off.
Candy: Everything will taste super sweet for ten minutes and 50% chance of getting a sugar rush.
Alcohol: TIME TO SING A RAUNCHY SONG WITH GREAT FERVOR but think of the children or don't.
Inedible Objects: Why would anyone throw a shoe or sock in there—the soup will turn black and empty itself so now everyone has to start over.

This is not an exhaustive list or this prompt would go on forever—so feel free to come up with other effects with whatever item your character tosses in!

D. General Mingling. There are plenty of tables and places to sit, so grab some ingredients, find a spot, and start cooking! Just remember to share and greet everyone around! Be mindful of the pots and grills as well as they can be sensitive to emotions. Get too animated and the water or fire might shoot up in temperature. But dreamotion could also help enrich flavors, so everyone is encouraged to play around. There will also be a few spicy and garnish noodle dragons flying around to help season things. Just make sure they don't get too overzealous.

II. DRAGON ISLAND

The Hot Air Balloon Station set just outside some open fields beyond town are bustling with activity as the Dragon Island (name pending) has finally opened its borders and allow outside visitors to come in and visit the island. Its main attraction of course is the hot springs resort, "Draken Springs," where everyone has received a one time free voucher to test its amenities. There are other places guests can visit near the hot springs, and by helping the nearby towns and villages, favorability will increase as well as earn extra vouchers for the hot springs. For more details on the island in general, refer to the Mod Notes.

A. Dragon Riders. There's already a task written up on the Dream Board from farmers requesting help for harvest, but there is another request to help deal with some aggressive animals that have scared off some livestock and then corral the ones that have gotten loose. The beasts are a tough, armored, armadillo-like bear whose hide is resistant to dragon flame and can be tough to fight. Dreamotion works better to strengthen physical and magical attacks. The young adolescents are giving non-dragons the privilege of riding on their backs to fly around to help first find and deal with the bears, and then herd the livestock back to their respective farms and ranches.

B. Dragon Nursery. One of the neighboring villages is taking care of many of the new hatchlings that were recovered from the previous "raid" on Reverein. Despite a month passing, some dragons are still trying to figure out who the parents are, and there is a strong suspicion that some of the eggs were never originally from the island at all, leaving many orphaned. The dragons have a very strong communal instinct when it comes to raising their young, so some have been adopted but others are still waiting to be taken as arrangements are still being made. Thus in the meantime, help is requested to do one simple task: play and help feed the young hatchlings. They are basically toddlers so it might be quite the challenge for those unprepared, especially as their own magic is still wild and out of control. Calm dreamotion will help as well as using opposing elements to help balance the magic.

C. Hot Springs: Testing the Waters. Everyone has a chance to grab a towel and test both the indoor and outdoor public springs. For more private rooms, they will need to pay up as the voucher only covers the public springs. But they will still be provided with complimentary drinks, snacks, towels, and use of the showers to clean up before and after using the springs. As for whether it's mixed, separated, covered, or bare it all…well hopefully visitors are able to decipher the signs. There are also the saunas, just be mindful of how hot it can get.

D. Hot Springs: Special Snacks. There are some unique foods that the town and resort offers for anyone to try that can be only found on the island.

Dragon's breath peppers are hot, but these won't kill anyone (the dragons are too considerate for that). This particular species is safe to consume but as the name implies, will give one fiery breath for a while. Anyone who had the kebabs from the festival might recall a similar effect.
A spiked fruit that suspiciously looks like durian has a notable stench that will carry for quite a ways, but anyone daring enough to get past it will find the fruit sweet and seeds edible once boiled and the skin peeled away. It even has a bit of a rejuvenating effect.
Dragon fruits are a nice palette cleanser especially with yogurt or ice cream. Anyone who eats it will be able to relax more easily.

E. Hot Springs: Recreation Room. There is a sizeable recreational room where any guest is free to relax and lounge in. They offer a small snack bar, some board and card games, yoga mats, billiards table, and a ping pong table. The ping pong table in particular is set a little ways from the rest as the competition can get a little heated—literally. They even had to erect magical barriers to prevent wildly charged balls from hitting others outside of the containment area.

F. Hot Springs: Peeping Toms. Even the hot springs on Dragon Island are vulnerable to unsavory characters. Although rare, there are some unwelcome guests who try to peep into the springs, and while there are security personnel and magic devices that try to catch them, some still manage to sneak in. Especially the monkeys. Descending from the higher peaks, most wild monkeys use the other pools outside of the resort for their own use, but some are attracted to the food and other amenities and make their way into the resort pools instead. Some of them are respectful and can make for great bathing company. But others are clearly not and need to be kicked out without remorse. So whether it's an uninvited or unruly guest, or a wild monkey, if caught in the act either report or feel free to handle it. Remember, even if thrown off the mountain, they will not fall to their doom, and in this case will be caught by the magic security devices.

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[ Huh. Maybe Satan was in a better spirit today and didn't want to totally destroy him? Maybe this match will be fun after all! With a smile, Mammon hits the ball a little faster, aiming to the other side of the table from where Satan was standing. ]

[ What's better than this, just guys bein' dudes... ]

An interesting premise...so you mean to say that no matter how a human may behave, anything they do is human nature simply because they are human.

[ Is it truly that simple? Even though it's mostly a fun(??) philosophical exercise, this is something that Albedo has reflected upon...quite a lot in his life, especially since arriving in Mondstadt. It wasn't until then that he truly realized just how unlike other humans he was, but does he even qualify as a human himself? Are his tendencies human nature, too?

Perhaps at his age it isn't something he should concern himself with anymore, but it is yet another question he has never found a satisfactory answer for. ]

Is it merely culture, then, that decides what is and isn't acceptable for a person to do? There's no inherent bad or good, as there's nothing inherently natural or unnatural?

[ rly makes u think ]

[ JUST GUYS BEIN' DUDES.. ]

That is exactly what I am saying, yes. How can anything at all be anything beyond its own nature? Not only humans, but anything that lives.

[ there might always be strange people scattered in with the norm, but the same is true of all natural life. some clovers grow four leaves, instead of three. some owls are born with alternative feathers. even genetically identical trees, if grown apart, will develop differently. changes, strangeness, mutations - these are all naturally occurring things in all living beings, not only humans, or other sentient life.

even in fabricated life. though kaeya knows nothing of albedo's background, yet. ]

Mm, well, whether or not there is "bad" or "good" is a separate topic, I think.. I'm only arguing that "badness" is just as natural as "goodness." Someone born "evil" isn't unnatural. How can they be? How can anything in the world possibly be unnatural? Nothing unnatural can exist, for everything is a product of nature.

[ he laughs, light and airy. ]

Not a conversation I was expecting to have while relaxing in a hot spring.

Yeah, I could like, definitely use another helping.

[She stands along with him and starts approaching the kettle.]

Maybe if we're lucky, with all the stuff everyone's putting in, we'll hit on a really good flavor combo!

[Maybe even something no one's tasted before. She's probably more excited about the idea than most people would be.]

[Even the smallest bit of support is something that Aether appreciates immensely. His path is not easy, he knows, but having his companions by his side means a lot. It drives away loneliness and motivates him to keep on going, instead of dwelling on the sadness that sneaks into his life.

Even in this strange dreamworld, Aether is grateful to have his companions, to have Kaeya's support. And he's thankful he can spend time with him like this, too, relaxing in the hot springs with no dangers on the horizon.

Still, when asked the question he needs a moment to think.]

Hm... I've been here five months? Almost six.

[Now that he thinks about it, a lot of time has passed since the day he woke up here. There's many people he misses, many places that he wishes he could go to, but at the same time he knows everyone back home is just continuing on with their life while his dream self is here.]

G'raha had been helping out wherever the dragons needed him, leading him to place to place until they had decided that he had done enough. A trip to the boy springs sounded relaxing after running around all day. He hadn't necessarily had a particular spring in mind, showing up at one that had other company already.

Giving her a chuckle, "Fancy seeing you here. Do you mind if I join you?" As if he even had to ask.

Oh yes. You definitely have a point. I suppose that a break is in order and forget all the worries of the world once in a while.

(She nods in agreement with what Mammon said. She knew that a life of a perfectionist was never in the cards for her despite being pushed into that corner so long.)

Admittedly, there was only so much soaking he could handle before 'relaxation' turned to discomfort and light-headedness- so he'd taken a break from the springs to explore what other recreational options there were. The soft clak of billiard balls caught his attention...

And he stepped into the room to find a familiar face. "Somehow, I didn't have you for a billiards player. Mind if I join, or is this a single-player game?"

[While he doesn't like doing too much work, this particular task sounds interesting enough for Norimune. Which eventually got him with this young lady.

Norimune blinks when she hold out the chicken to him. And he reaches out to carefully take it.]

What do I need it for, young lady?

[ Okay. Well. If that's how she's going to respond, then it's clear to Trahearne that this goes beyond simple irritation. But if she says she's fine, and she'd rather do that over enjoying her food, then who is he to argue? He doesn't even know her name.

He simply eyes Azula warily for a second, watching her turn her back to him. Right. It seems this conversation is over. ]

All right.

[ He says this flatly, quietly, mostly to himself, and turns his attention back to the hot pot. As he reaches to fill his bowl with more broth and whatever morsels he manages to catch, he makes a mental note to keep an eye on her. ]

"...and that's your plan?"

By this point, the drink was shaking and spilling over in his twitching grip; the cool autumn air suddenly felt warm and desert-dry, and the foamed milk in his beverage looked like it was starting to caramelize.

"You're going to take all these people with violent anger issues, put them in the same room, give them demonic weapons, and hope that they somehow balance each other out?!"

"It has, but... well, we all came here from hell, but you and I still came from a different place.

Besides, you saw what happened the Radio Demon; he seemed fine, too, right up until he wasn't."

He crossed his arms as he leaned against the golf club, letting loose a heavy sigh.

"I hope he gets better. I want him to get better. But I'm sick of having us foot the bill for his therapy.

...metaphorically. You know, picking up the--you get what I mean."

PFFT-- what a fucking dipshit. If killing your wife was enough to make you Satan, half the sinners in hell would be the new king of Wrath. Like over half of the fucking morons in Hell showed up because they brained their cheating spouse or drowned their kids or some shit.

[He cackles just at the thought of it, way to dream small, humans!]

Nah, most of the "big name" demons are just privileged dicks, then there's the rest of us born in hell.

[Percy feels kind of bad for the poor guy this time, honestly. he watches the cyclops come a little bit more forward, and when there's more distance between Rob and the mandragora, he closes his eyes for half a second. he feels his stomach lurch and when he opens his eyes again, he watches a small geyser shooting up to cut off Rob from his attackers.

he smirks a bit, looking at him.]

Guess it's a good thing you weren't standing there, huh?

[it doesn't occur to him that being underwater this long is strange until he feels the tap on his shoulder. he lets out some air bubbles, more for show than anything, before resurfacing. he grins up at her when he sees who it is, and runs a hand through his hair.]

Oh hey! I didn't see you there. What's up?

[he's not even winded, completely normal.]

Thanks.

[he's not going to say he feels like he's in a Disney movie right now or anything, but he follows the pig and listens to her sing.

that is, until the pig stops and starts snuffling at some truffles.]

Oh hey! He actually found something!

[aaaand he's going to be picking some of them up now...]

Whoa!

[it's Percy's turn to exclaim, and he steps out of the way as he watches the ball and paddle in astonishment.]

How'd you do that??

[you know, he could totally make up some of his own rules, but he's not gonna.

not this time, anyway.]

So you hit the ball with this. [a quick flourish of the paddle] And then let it bounce on your side once before you hit it back. And then I gotta let it bounce once on my side before sending it back to you. If you miss or it runs into the net or something, it gives me a point. Get it?

[ Pig seat acquired! The pig seems a little annoyed... but not in pain. After a grunt, it keeps walking on with its passenger. ]

See? Now you can add "pig tamer" to your resume.

[In truth, Beatrix is trying very hard to not think of the romantic implications that could come with such a venture. Not that she has anything against romance. Mostly. (Maybe a little.) The thought continues to linger, however, somewhere in the back of her mind.

...Would Dohalim like something of this sort? Possibly. Almost a wonder she didn't ask him to accompany her. Although it would have been less asking and more commanding. She is, after all, not a woman who asks for things. Usually.]

I would agree with that. I like my baths hot. Not that this is really a bath. Close enough. Heat tends to be a good way to alleviate one's distress. For humans, that is. I can imagine this experience must be very different for someone like you, Trahearne.

Madhuri tried to move her lips, position her tongue to speak but the mental image hit her. A snort.

Again, positioning and moving. Image again. She bit her lips to stifle.

In resignation, she put her face in her hands and had just about the hardest laugh in her life. Never in her years of life had she ever had someone described so succinctly-!

"Yes, yes that's him," she managed to squeak before she corpsed again.

Wow! The pig is able to find a couple of them. That is amazing.

(Yes, her singing has definitely given the pig the motivation to sniff out the truffles at last and Pooka happily barks in delight too. And it is now time to get some of those delicious truffles.)

Great job, pig. You did a wonderful job finding the truffles.

Bark, bark, bark!

[ He manages a faint smile. ] Yeah, I had been considering trying it before as well. It smells all right, but...

[ But there are socks in it. ]

[ He chuckles a little as he watches Pooka. He has no idea if the soup is good for dogs, but he deserves something warm too. ]

It's also nice seeing people all contributing to it in some way. It really brings everyone together as a community.

[ Dorian nods a little, knowing it be a bit risky if they were both invisible. So having some other opinions certainly couldn't hurt. ]

All right. I have some weapons and spells as well, but I'm hoping we won't need them. [ He thinks for a moment. ] I could try turning myself invisible and try to take one of the eggs, and you can stay here and keep an eye if something goes wrong?

[ He pauses, glancing at Sumire. It certainly is easier to talk to people when they were working towards a common goal, and he didn't have a chance to focus on feeling awkward. ] Unless you'd prefer the roles reversed?

[ He'd rather be the one to head into potential danger if he can help it, but he wouldn't begrudge her if she wanted to do it instead. ]

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{ something steamy }

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It's okay! It be like that sometimes

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