EVENT: HATCH ME IF YOU CAN.

[cuddlemods]

EVENT: HATCH ME IF YOU CAN.

Much to the disappointment of Doris Delatante and the Concerned Citizens, the sudden spell of forced wholesomeness has faded away much like the memory of life before wi-fi… or overly spray-tanned politicians. In its wake, the city seems to have breathed a sigh of relief. Where before only wall-to-wall frozen yogurt machines spun merrily away, vendors of all types are now producing their varied and assorted goods with a fervor never seen before. Half-off bagels when you buy a dozen? Free upgrades to a super-deluxe ultra-large coffee when you order a small? Extra butter on your movie theatre popcorn? Call it what you will, but it’s definitely a welcome change of pace from all that “whole” foods garbage. Of course, that’s not the only thing new and different in the city. By mid-month, the traditional rites of spring have begun to take hold in the parks and forests and lakes around town — the soft cries of baby birds have begun to echo from nests hidden well within the canopies of the southern forest and the tree lines in the city parks, and plenty of infant animals of all shapes and sizes can be spotted foraging for food anywhere they might find it. Those with a keen ear might even spot the clicking sounds of young bats learning to fly at night, practicing their echolocation skills as they search the grounds for flowers just recently blossomed. However, it’s not just the city’s parks and forests that have attracted those animals with a maternal instinct. On the morning of the 21st, an all-call message is broadcast out onto the city’s network, delivered by an face that’s unfamiliar to all but a select number of residents. Those that participated in the recent Match Meetings and were sent to Nahtazu for a day of wild fun might remember the rugged jawline of Warden Wilson, but for everyone else… well, his words might speak best for themselves: Good afternoon, Cadellians. My name is Warden Wilson, and I am the chief animal care specialist for Nahtazu Animal Reserve. Today, I must call upon you for the most urgent crisis our reserve has ever faced. Last night, our horticulture team discovered a dashed nest, one filled with dozens of oversized, iridescent eggs. They are unlike any specimen we have ever seen, and wholly unrecognizable to any of the seasoned experts we have consulted with thus far. It appears as well that the mother bird has not returned, and we fear she may not for some time, or at all. Citizens, while we would traditionally incubate such nests ourselves in our animal care centers, there are simply too many of them to incubate in one place. This is why we need your help: we need volunteers for brooding, for feeding once the eggs hatch, for general care and husbandry efforts. Should you be willing to help, we will meet a boarding party at the station in town tomorrow morning at ten sharp. Warden, out! His words aren’t the only thing the message contains. There are photos, too, of brilliantly colored eggs of all shapes and sizes — some no bigger than a thimble, speckled in robin’s egg blue and the faintest hint of gray amongst the cream of the shell, while others are the size of basketballs and watermelons, decorated with splashes of black and gold and purple all glittering in the sunlight. There’s no telling what kind of animal would lay such varieties of eggs, but one thing’s for sure: these eggs certainly won’t hatch themselves. For those that agree to meet Warden Wilson and his team at the North Station for an early morning ride, the journey in will luckily be a painless one. The city’s been kind enough to clear aside an entire train for the reserve’s volunteer forces, so there’ll be plenty of space to sit and get comfortable during the hour-long commute, and those that have taken the journey may remember the experience comes complete with thematically appropriate drinks and snacks — from chocolate-and-cream cakes affectionately referred to as “zebra domes” to piping hot pours of faintly green-hued “black forest tea”, there’s certainly opportunity to fill any grumbling bellies before getting to work. Upon arrival, volunteers will be sorted into groups. They’re mostly random, but volunteers are welcome to request a particular task or area if they feel more comfortable or experienced; the wardens are glad to have the help however it comes and won’t be too fussy one way or the other. The important thing is that these creatures are cared for while they nest and hatch, after all, so get to work! While tasks for volunteers can and do vary, those that opt to tag along may experience any (or all, if they feel particularly motivated) of the below: ▸ In the incubation room, row after row of gently humming incubation machines keep a variety of eggs toasty warm under glowing red lights. However, each egg requires the reassurance of touch, so volunteers will be asked to envelop their assigned egg in a soft ring of pressure, just enough so that the growing creature inside might feel the weight of its carer without any fear of cracking the delicate shell. In laymen’s terms? Hug it. Not too hard, not too soft… just right. ▸ Oh? What’s this? In the hatching room, eggs that have begun to breach their variant-colored shells are brought to pillow-lined tabletops where they can rock and wreck havoc on their captivity without risk of falling or rolling away. Volunteers are tasked with the delicate job of sweeping aside the abandoned shell pieces, and when absolutely necessary, assisting a baby creature with pulling off any particularly stubborn pieces. (Bonus: any volunteers who help a hatchling fully escape their shell prison are also eligible to help name it… even though, officially, it’ll just be referred to by its identification number. These are wild animals, after all, not pets.) ▸ Wasn’t that exciting? Now, in the learning rooms, newly hatched creatures big and small will have the opportunity to be greeted by their first sets of watchful eyes and ears. Volunteers in these rooms will be asked to guide new babies through the most important steps of life: feeding, nesting, and even playtime. Of course, seeing as how these baby creatures are still new to the world, patience and understanding are incredibly important. (Especially since the rumor mill has been saying some of these creatures can spit a lot more than just saliva… ) ▸ And, of course, there’s the reserve itself. Once the newest residents of the reserve have been successfully hatched and taught their first life lessons, and have proven they’re ready for life unassisted, the wardens will open up the reserve to them completely. Volunteers who wish to help guide the animals out will be given a few suggestions for suitable locations — chosen, of course, based on the biological needs presented by the animal during its first few hours or even days of life — and a pack of supplies. (While not a requirement, per se, those with more experience on what animals themselves need in the wild are certainly encouraged to volunteer for this particularly special assignment.) It’s a wild opportunity, to be sure, but it's not just a one-time-only opportunity. Though the reserve operates as a primarily hands-off experience, the wardens would like to learn more about these unique animals, so they’ll be bringing them in to the animal care centers periodically throughout the spring and summer to observe them a little more. In addition, many of these creatures simply won’t be ready for release right away, so volunteers are always welcome to help provide care and companionship in the coming weeks! And, of course, the wardens wouldn’t want anyone to come all that way for nothing. Though it’s not in Nahtazu’s budget to pay for all those helping hands, they are happy to extend complimentary membership to any volunteers who complete a day’s work in the reserve. Feel free to come back any time, whether to volunteer or simply to explore, and greet your new friends in their newfound wild habitats. Who knows, you might even find that elusive baby hippo… we hear he’s pretty cute! Whatever you do, remember this: a wilderness explorer is a friend to all, be it plant or fish or tiny mole! Surprise! As a spring treat, this special event introduces a much-requested animal group to the city: Pokémon! While characters won’t have the opportunity to potentially burn down their houses with a pet Charmander or electrocute their neighbors with a friendly Pikachu, they will have the ability to help raise and nurture these strange creatures from eggs to full-grown adults over at the animal reserve. Of course, there’s more to raising a magical creature than just hugging eggs and bottle feeding. Players should feel free to explore the practical or silly side of things — if your character wants to have a relay race with a team of Magikarp or practice fire-breathing with a Growlithe, go for it! The reserve is filled with plenty of places that are safe for experimental animal husbandry, so as long as the character’s actions wouldn’t cause undue harm to themselves, the reserve, or the animal in question, they’d be given a green light. In addition, players can absolutely continue to utilize this location and its new inhabitants from this point forward. If your character would like to continue volunteering or perhaps explore the job opportunities available at the reserve in order to get a better chance to work more closely with these animals, please don’t hesitate to chat with us to work out any ideas or to get any questions answered. If you have any further questions specific to this event, we encourage you to ask away on our QUESTIONS COMMENT here in this post. 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. Peace out, cuddle scouts, and remember: the wilderness must be explored!