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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cuddlemods) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
cuddlecity2018-02-17 12:14 pm
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except, well, kimberly's roommate isn't exactly reasonable. she's impulsive and romantic and prone to flights of fancy — traits that remind her more of a disney princess than an actual human being sometimes, if she's totally honest — and diving headfirst into a mysterious woodland space to find some hyped up magical wishing well is exactly the kind of thing she expects clary fray to do.
so, yeah, she comes to find her. of course she does. she'd be a shit friend not to, after all. but she doesn't exactly know what she's up against until she happens to stumble upon said magical pool... and the five foot something mermaid currently flapping her bluegreen tail like an irritated dolphin waiting for its meal at the local aquarium. )
... Clary?
( also: ) What the — are you seriously a fucking mermaid, or am I on a shitton of drugs I didn't know about?
no subject
( Her tail moves irritably, and Clary lifts a hand - arm still crossed over her chest to preserve what little dignity she has - to push her wet hair from her eyes. There's something pinched about her expression, whether that's the tail or the nakedness or the weirdness she doesn't know.
It could be because she really wants to get into the water again, but no. Nope. She's not accepting this absolute shitshow. Her fins splash again, sending ripples along the edge of the pool. ) You know, Ariel seemed so much cooler when I was a kid. I'm regretting my choice of Disney Princess now.
( She's going to lose her mind any second now. She can feel it. )
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( that's a stupid question. kimberly realizes it's a stupid question, too, the second the words come out of her mouth. of course clary hasn't always been a mermaid. that would be ridiculous. not that this entire scenario itself isn't ridiculous, but. points to be made another day. right now, she has to figure out how to align mermaid clary and roommate clary, because if she remembers anything about the disney version, it's that mermaids are supposed to be in the water, not flapping about irritably beside it. )
Do you want me to, I don't know, carry you back? ( she looks so miserable, it's almost funny. kimberly's really doing her best here not to crack a smile as she watches clary's mouth press together angrily, what's likely to be a pissed off diatribe about fins and flapping and body language miraculously pushed down and away from the air between them. she's grateful for that, at least. ) Should I hose you down or something?
I think mermaids are supposed to stay wet, anyway.
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( Presumably because she's not in water. It would be much easier to move it then. But she doesn't think it's wise for Kimberly to try and lift her right now anyway. What would she do? Sling Clary over her back, drag her back like a sack to the city?
Her friend is right though, Clary's skin feels prickly and uncomfortable the more she sits on the rocks, something inside of her itching to sink back into the cool depths. ) I don't know. ( She huffs, then glances Kimberly's way. ) Sorry about this. ( The this means no longer covering her boobs so she can put her hands on the stone and push her body back to the edge of the stone. The minute her tail is covered in water again is the minute her irritation starts to lift, the relief strong. Clary takes a deep breath because the solution is pretty obvious, heaving one last time to splash into the pool, the wave of her movement crashing over her head.
She's gone for a minute, two, longer than she should be probably. But eventually she breaks through the surface again, water against her shoulders as she seeks out her friend. ) Oh my god, Kimberly! I'm a freaking mermaid.
( At least she feels better now. )
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but the whole concept of clary coming up to the surface glistening like a damn swimwear model, with a goddamn tail flipping to and fro under the surface to top it off? yeah, that part's a little weird, and so kimberly can't help but stare in her general direction, blinking every few seconds as she tries her best to come up with something to say. )
Yeaaaaaah. ( that's not her best effort. ) You sure are a mermaid, aren't you?
( she's in shock. forgive her. )
What the fuck, am I supposed to throw you fish or something? This isn't Sea World, Clary, I don't have buckets of fish just hanging around!
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Does the sushi place deliver? ( Wait no, for one she'd have to accept living in this pool forever. For another, what if they think she's some kind of seafood delicacy. Mermaid tail anyone? No can do. ) There has to be a way to fix this. I can't --. I'm from Brooklyn, I can swim but it's not how I'm supposed to be!
( The pool isn't even that wide. It is deep though, and so Clary flips like a goddamn dolphin and plunges down for a second. This is a mess. )
I'm dreaming right now. Tell me I'm dreaming.
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( but even if they do deliver, they're probably not going to deliver to a weird glen in the middle of the woods way out past the city center. and by probably not, she think it's about as likely as hell freezing over. so, basically, not at all. )
We have to get you out of the pool, though. You can't just live in here. ( enjoy that mental image. ) We could get you a kiddie pool for the backyard? Maybe put one on wheels, so you can get around town if you need to?
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Except not really, she's just feeling overly dramatic. ) I don't know how to get back to the house. I felt really bad when I was out of the water. Like my skin was all itchy and tight. ( Drying out, god that's a terrifying thought. ) I don't know if I could make it that far. I don't think my runes are working.
( Which reminds her. ) You should take my stele. Give it to Jace. I don't want to lose it.
( She lifts a wet hand so Kimberly can see where she's left her clothes and the little silver wand. )
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( she's teasing. a little. clary is acting a little melodramatic, though, so she kind of deserves it. )
We're going to have to get you out. Maybe a wheelbarrow or something. I'll have to ask around, see if anybody has any ideas. ( kimberly peers down at the screen of her phone, as if it'll summon a message to come from the world beyond. ) If Baby would text me back, I'd ask him if we could fill up his trunk.
I don't know what his deal is. He hasn't texted me all day.
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( Though him being missing does worry her. He'd tell them if he was going home, wouldn't he? )
Has anything weird happened on the network?
( She should get her phone, but she's half worried about dropping it. Surely Cadelle has water resistant communicators. )