songerein | { 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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[You can practically see the gears turning in Beat's head as this evidence is presented to him and how he looks from Ryunoske to the monkey then back. Slowly he starts to point to the primate.]

You sayin' that this guy was jus' tryin' to get a towel?

[His brows knit together as he begins craning his neck back to look at the monkey. A pause, then:]

Why didn't you jus' say that, yo?!

[Screeching once again, the animal stands at its full height on Ryunosuke's shoulder as if saying that it was trying to do that.]

[Ryunosuke visibly flinches when the monkey starts screeching right next to his ear again, and laughing nervously as he starts trying to speak up over it:]

YES, well, since this was clearly just a misunderstanding--! Perhaps we can just let this fellow go fetch a towel for himself and let that settle the matter??

Tch, fine, yo. There better not be any funny business.

[The monkey pats Ryunosuke on the head for a job well done because scampering off of his shoulder. Before it runs off, it gives Beat the stink eye, raising the bucket once more as a warning. Beat only responds in kind, cocking his head forward at the creature.

It then heads over to the towels once more, taking one of them from the cubbies and imitating how people wrap the towel around itself. Only for it to fall off as it doesn't seem to understand how to tuck corners in.

With all that square away, Beat finally moves his attention back at Ryunosuke.]

Looks like you's a real monkey whisperer, yo. [He swears that isn't an insult.]

Oh. Um... Thanks?

[It sure SOUNDS like an insult, or... Rather, it's really easy to hear how it could be one if you heard it out of context? He'll just roll with it though.]

Truth be told, that was my first time ever interacting with one. So... I think I simply got lucky.

For real? I thought you was looking real professorial back there.

[Professional. Yeah, that's what he meant.]

Thanks for dealin' with him though. Seriously thought he was gonna 'cause more trouble than that.

[At least because that's what he's been hearing from everyone else.]

Or that it was some kinda pervert, you know. [As proven earlier.]

Edited (I wanted to add more things) 2023-01-15 17:16 (UTC)

Believe me, I'm as relieved as you are. I seriously thought I was going to get my face bitten for a moment there, when he climbed up my shoulder like that.

[He taps his chin lightly, musing a moment.]

Though, I'm pretty sure I've seen a few more polite monkeys such as that wandering around here... Perhaps it's best not to paint them with too broad a brush.

Why'd I wanna paint them, yo? Ain't even got no paints or nothin' for that.

Got a name, by the way? Jus' so I know what to call ya in case there's any more monkey business goin' on. [Heh.] Mine's Beat.

[This guy is… A few grains short of a proper onigiri, isn’t he?

At least he’s got some good puns.]

Oh! Yes, of course– Ryunosuke Naruhodo. It’s a pleasure, um… [He winces in uncertainty.] Mister…? Beat?

[What did you just call him?]

... Mister? Nah, we don't need none a' that, Spike. Jus' call me Beat.

[Cue an increasingly baffled look from Ryunosuke.]

S... Spike??

Yeah. Spike.

[He returns the look with a straight face, completely unfazed. Then he raises a hand and traces Ryunosuke's hairline in the air.]

'Cause, you know.

[Yes, you know.]

[Ah. The hair.]

Ugh... That? Come on, it... It's not that spiky, is it...?

[He scruffs a hand through his hair experimentally. Beat's not the first person to comment on it.]

You sayin' like that it's bad, yo. Seen helluva a lot worse than yours, man.

[Like Neku for example. But it was hard not to call him Phones, all things considers. But now that the monkey has been dealt with and introductions have been made—]

Anyways, I dunno 'bout you, but I think I'mma go an' have me a soak. Wasted enough time dealin' with Bananas back there.

[That is why he'd come here after all.]

Edited (html why) 2023-01-27 18:46 (UTC)

['Seen worse' still doesn't inspire much confidence, but he'll let it slide. Mr. Sholmes was always casually insulting his hair, too.]

Ah... Right, of course. By all means, don't let me keep you.

You should too, yo! Think a' it like a reward for dealin' with the monkey.

[Though they had just met, Beat slings his arm across Ryunosuke's shoulders, maybe a little strong than he might've expected, nudging him towards the water as well. Look, he's grateful, okay?]

[Ryunosuke winces internally, being... Not exactly the biggest fan of casual contact even under the best of circumstances, much less while he's wearing nothing but a towel.

It's hard to say no, though; he was also supposed to be headed for the springs before all of this.]

But I-- Oh, fine. Alright then...

[He lets Beat drag him along, fully expecting to experience some uhh... Interesting conversation from the man, if nothing else. Maybe their monkey friend will come and join them, too.]

{ something steamy }

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puts a cap on this