With the slow but steady growth of the city, the demand for more grows every day — more housing, more retail storefronts available for rent, more space for businesses of every caliber and category. To create said space, the administration has begun the process of clearing a section of forestland on the southern edge of the city's boundaries. Far enough removed from the downtown area and the Welcome District, the sounds of construction should have little impact on the citizens' and volunteers' daily lives... that is, until construction is ground to an unexpected halt with the discovery of a long-forgotten glen in the woods.
The construction project is naturally put on hold while the administration begins to investigate the discovery, but in its inactivity, the space becomes a natural lure for the curious and the questioning alike. What's so special about an abandoned patch of rock and stone, or the nearby pool of softly bubbling water? As with any mystery, rumors abound as quickly as smoke from a fire, twisting and changing with each whisper from person to person. The game of telephone has never been a good way to communicate.
Some say the water is simply an extension of the city's springs and cave pools, nothing more or less than a shallow pool of water trapped by the stone walls that surround it. Others say it is a medieval mock-up of a reservoir, rain waters collected over the years and forgotten amidst tall trees and brush. Still others whisper of magical properties — waters once contained in a glorious wishing well that has since crumbled under the relentless march of time, waters that give impossible things to those that drink of it or that bathe in it or simply cup it in their hands. The rumors, much like those that visit the site, are many and varied; it can be almost impossible to know for sure which are truth and which are simply wishes.
Of course, should the allure of an unsolved mystery appeal to your inner meddling kid, there's plenty of clues to uncover and even more questions left to solve at the site.
▸ In the very center of the clearing, a pool of water gently laps at its stone surrounding. The pool itself is small, barely four feet across, but its waters are kept clean from the dirt of the forest floor by a carefully laid stone barrier, two inches tall, each piece hand cut and carefully laid in place. Though the waters are clean, they are not quite clear — looking in, it is not immediately obvious just how deep the water goes, and though brave souls who climb in will certainly float, those who attempt to dive to the bottom never quite reach their goals before the need for air pulls them back to the surface.
▸ It's clear from the smooth surfaces of the stone that surround the pool that this place was once somewhere of grave importance, though what purpose it may have served is murkier than the depths of the pool itself. Adding to the mystery are the three stone benches, surrounding the water on all but its northern boundaries. They are long and cool to the touch; the surfaces remain smooth even after untold years subjected to the mercy of nature, and still hold weight of those who may choose to sit on them.
▸ At its northern edge, where the water seems to lap most often, there is no bench to sit on. The stones here are well-worn, the faintest hint of footprints left on the surface, as if someone stood upon the surface here more than anywhere else. Just past the stone barrier rests a chest — stone as well, and obviously made with care. Its lid is heavy, though someone with exceptional strength (or a friend) may be able to slide it open, and bears what must have been something important etched on its surface. Time has not been kind here; though the letters were once legible, only a few remain so today: wishing and water being the only full words left to view.
What does it mean? Will you follow the rumors? Will you drink of the pool, or perhaps dive in? Will you, instead, dismiss it as fanciful dreaming? There are no wrong answers here, only possibly more questions to consider... and, of course, the wisdom of a well-known fairytale: be careful, dreamer, what you wish for.
Oooh, spooky! As you may have guessed, this event is our take on the popular wishing well trope. Unlike Snow White's well that offers to grant her dream of a prince who may or may not come, this pool of mystical water isn't quite so straightforward. (Is anything straightforward here?)
The wishing pool is here to grant your wishes. Or, more specifically, to try to grant them. Characters who touch the water and make a wish will find their wish (be it spoken out loud, thought only to themselves, or one lingering in the subconscious mind, unbeknownst even to them) granted within the next 72 hours — though, in most cases, the magic lingering in the water they've touched will be limited to short term effects only.
How your character chooses to engage with the water is entirely up to you! Maybe they'd like to take a hesitant sip, or they're a more brave sort who wants to drink of it until they feel sick! Perhaps they want to simply stick a hand in to test the temperature — cool, surprisingly, but not cold — or they'd like to dive in! There are no lifeguards on duty, though... so swim carefully. Stone and skulls don't often clash with good results.
Of course, we do have to warn: wishes made aren't always granted in the ways one might expect. The wishing pool is quite out of practice, and though it gets a gold star for effort, it's not usually very successful — unless, of course, your wish happens to be remarkably simple to grant! Wishing for something vague, like being happy, might result in wearing the face of a beloved storybook character or a friend of a friend rather than emotional adjustments or a sudden burst of cheer. Similarly, wishing for the knowledge to impress your date might bequeath the wisher with the knowledge of every romantic comedy known to man — while admittedly useful, it's probably not what you were hoping for.
If you have any further questions specific to this event, we encourage you to ask away on our QUESTIONS COMMENT here in this post. We're glad to give suggestions on ways your characters' wishes can come true! If you have general questions, or prefer a more private venue, our GENERAL INBOX (and SCREENED INBOX) is always available for you. In addition, if you've got an idea for a future event, feel free to drop us a line at our EVENTS SUGGESTION POST.
Have fun — we're wishing you all the best! |
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cuddlecity2018-02-17 12:14 pm
Stiles Stilinski, aka Jedi Bubble Boy
[Well, once Stiles heard about the wishing well in the middle of the woods, he decided to go old school. Old school meaning pretty much climbing into Scott's window of his apartment and tempting his BFF to help him find a body in the woods.
A body of water. Get it?
So in the middle of the night, the dynamic duo are indeed walking through the woods with a flashlight to find their way.]
Open to All
[Well, Stiles' wish didn't manifest that night, and he was maybe just a bit disappointed. However, someone ELSE'S wish certainly came true as Stiles woke up and had a weird feeling of floating.
He then tried to turn over and promptly fell out of bed because his body was entirely covered in a suit of bubble-wrap around him like armor. The sound of pop-pop-pop echoed as he hit like someone stepping on the plastic bubblewrap.
It reinflated like magic as he shifted to sit on the ground, the popping and reinflating uncomfortable under his butt. He tries to reach it but his arms won't bend enough to grab any of the bubblewrap, and for a moment he tries to bite at it to get it off, but it won't tear.]
SCOTT!!!!!
[his best friend will probably be able to hear him from across the city with how loud he was yelling as he tries to hurl himself into a standing position because his joints don't bend so well with bubble wrap wrapped around him. As he does so, he goes to topple over and holds his hands out like it will catch him.
And instead he just kinda hovers there, half-toppled. He blinks, and then looks at his hands. Another second, and he feels the energy around him holding him up. How it flows through him. He will focus, and push himself with the energy until he's back on his feet again.]
See, now that's what I'm talking about!
[Yay force powers! He goes to look for his lightsaber because he totally should have one if his wish came true and he's not a Jedi. It's waiting for him on his dresser.
A perfect balloon shaped lightsaber. He pushes in the bubble button and the sword beam deflates with the typical lightsaber noise. Another press, and it reinflates]
You gotta be kidding me. Great, just great.
[Well, he's going to hook his balloon lightsaber to his bubble suit because there's actually a little place for it. Once he's steady, he's going to leave his apartment and find someone to help him get this off. Because it's plastic and hot and he's really hoping there are air holes in this bubblewrap helmet so he doesn't suffocate in a few minutes unless the Force is helping him breathe or something.]
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Dude, if you end up getting bitten by a werefish or something, I'm done.
[because their last late night search in the woods for a body hadn't ended too well for either of them. regardless of how things now stand, years later.]
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[yes, he's shining the flashlight in your face, Scott]
Worse we're going to find is someone "cuddling" in the forest. And not the Netflix and chill kind. Well, it could be depending on their definition of Netflix and chill...
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Maybe not, but that doesn't mean you can't get bit.
[not that he'd ever let that happen.]
And if there's any "cuddling" going on out there, I'm going home. [look, its been a while]
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And seriously? You'll abandon me in the middle of the woods with just a flashlight to protect myself?
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And then she just starts laughing, because he looks ridiculous and Malia doesn't spare feelings when things are funny.
Hi, Stiles.]
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[murdering people is not the answer here. Quoting Han Solo, sure. Murder? no. Death is too nice. No, there will be payback. LOTS of payback]
You good?
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[She's still grinning though as she shakes her head.]
What happened to you?
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[Because while that does sound like him, it also doesn't at the same time?]
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[at which point he will lose grip of the bubble wrap and it will snap back up to cover his face]
If I suffocate in this thing I'm going to kill him.
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Give it time. You might change your mind.
[That being said, she pops her claws as she makes her way closer.]
I can try and cut you a face hole?
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She curls her fingers around it and pulls it off before stepping back.]
How's that?
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[ the relief and gratefulness on his face is short lived as the bubble wrap seems to expand and regrow to fill where it was cut ]
Oh you got the be kidding me!
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I guess you just have to wait it out.
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I really, really hate this.
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[Most of the wishes don't seem to be lasting very long.]
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Gross.
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Can we talk about something else?
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I went down there, but nothing weird happened to me.
[She says, not quite making the connection with all the deer that have been following her around like a Disney princess.]