cuddlecity | EVENT ▸ welcome week

Entry tags:

EVENT ▸ welcome week

EVENT 001: WELCOME WEEK

MOVE-IN DAY

Welcome to Cadelle, cuddlers! The city is — for the most part, at least — very happy with the first wave of volunteers who have chosen to spend time here! To help everyone get settled a little easier, Mayor Drake and her team have put together a series of helpful booths, each staffed by friendly citizen volunteers who are more than ready to answer any questions characters may have.

▸ First things first: visitors will need to visit City Hall to officially enroll as a Cadelle citizen. Once complete, they'll receive their Welcome Packet, which will include all of the most important items for settling in. Characters will find keys to their apartment and associated mail box, their housing assignment, and their pre-activated CuddleCard, ready to go. In addition, the volunteer coordinators have included a newly printed map of the city, as well as contact information for various city-run organizations, just in case!

▸ Due to the influx of energy from all of the new visitors, the city’s computer systems have been experiencing some "minor hiccups". While this is nothing to be concerned about, characters may find themselves mildly inconvenienced — they may have received keys that don’t work in their door, or been issued someone else's room assignment unknowingly!

▸ If they've arrived during regular business hours, characters are, of course, able to visit the maintenance office on the first floor of each building for help switching out their mismatched keys or determining their correct assignment. However, getting settled after hours will require a little extra creative problem solving — like asking a new friend if sharing a bed for the night seems reasonable, sleeping on the couches in the public lounges downstairs, or maybe even roughing it for the night outdoors. (Of course, there's always the frowned-upon methods of breaking and entering... not that you heard it from us!)

▸ As with any move-in day, there’s bound to be lots to see and do. Characters may need help carrying their things, or even just help finding their way around. If they're lucky enough to find their room without problem, they may not be so lucky in their assignment. They may find themselves living underneath someone who's got to be part elephant (who stomps that much at 6 AM?!) or just above someone who insists on burning every batch of popcorn they make! Get out there, meet the neighbors, and see what this city has to offer!

CITY SCAVENGER HUNT

A few days after the big move-in weekend, characters will find an unread message on their CuddlePhone, encouraging them to check out the CuddleTalk network for a very special message from two very special guests. When they do, they’ll find a cute (but admittedly very cheesy) video message from Cadelle’s volunteer coordinators, Flora and Cornelius. The video highlights a few of the most popular destinations in the city — Blaze Pizza, for example, the home of the ninety-second wood-fired pizza, or Dinah’s, where you can enjoy a literal bucket of fries perfect for sharing.

At the end of the video, a link will come up for characters to click if they are so inclined. They’ll be directed to a sign-up page for a city-wide scavenger hunt, with a grand prize promised for the first team to complete the challenge.

Want to participate?

▸ Characters will be able to sign up for the scavenger hunt either on their own or with a friend. (The prizes remain the same regardless of the size of the team, so if your character wants all the money for themselves, they'll either want to race it alone or pick a very generous teammate!)

▸ Among the many delicious dining destinations around Cadelle, characters will discover three venues that the volunteer coordinators have tapped as their current favorites. Somewhere in those three venues, characters will find a beautiful framed photo of Flora and Cornelius.

▸ When characters find the photo, they'll be instructed to take their best selfie, being sure to capture themselves, the framed snapshot, and their teammate (if they chose to bring one along) in the shot.

▸ The first group to send in all three selfies will win the grand prize — one month's stipend worth of extra CuddleBucks! However, all competitors who complete the challenge will be rewarded with a token of appreciation — one week's stipend worth of CuddleBucks, just for playing along!

▸ While characters explore the city, they just might find some "bonus" surprises along the way. Keep your eyes peeled!

Helpful Hint: To find the secret locations (and any hidden bonuses along the way), check out our CITY DIRECTORY for all the amazing destinations your character can explore! Feel free to sort by category on the left, and click your way through your first big adventure in the big city!

Mod Note: For fairness, the "grand prize" winner will be determined by RNG in a drawing on August 4 at 3:00 PM. If your character would like to be eligible to win the grand prize, please be sure to leave us a comment so we can include them in the drawing!

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ If there's one place that Derek will always feel comfortable, no matter where he is, it's anywhere that he can be surrounded by books. At home, that's a book store or the Hale family vault. Here...apparently the library, which is fine. People tend to be quiet in the library and that makes it a little less overwhelming while he's adjusting to being on his own in a crowded place where people actually talk to one another now and again, unsolicited. It's the latter part that's new.

Her dress is hard not to miss. She looks like a fairy princess or something; like maybe she's going to a Halloween party or something. Derek wonders if she's local and if that's exactly what she's getting ready to do soon and it's that time of year or something around here. So when she's closer, he offers her a small smile and nods. ]

Hi there.

[ He's not just going to come out and ask out of nowhere and lead with that; that'd be rude, after all. ]

[The library may not have been her first stop when she was younger, since she often just counted on her charm to get her by. Her charm only got her so far now. There was a lot left to learn about this place- and if she had learned anything from Elphaba, it was that libraries were good places to learn things like that.

Perusing the aisles, she paid no attention to any extra attention- well... Not until she heard someone speak up.

Glancing over, she returns the smile brightly.]

Well hello.

[ When she turns to face him, he can't help noticing that she's sporting a megawatt smile. He's not used to that, yet, but he'll get there. Smiling is not something a whole lot of people he knows have reasons to do back home. Maybe that's more to do with the fact that he's only ever really surrounded himself with people when he needs help or they need protecting. After the fire, it was too hard for years for him to trust people. He's getting better about it; it's still a work in progress.

But the smile? It's a really nice change and Derek returns it in kind. ]

Are you looking for anything in particular or just kind of browsing like I am?

[ He'll introduce himself, but first, he wants to make sure that his presence isn't completely unwanted, because he did start this conversation unsolicited. ]

[It's her "I'm a publicly elected official" / "smile to cover your sadness" smile- and it's by far her default as she continues to settle in here. She laughs a little and shakes her head.]

Mostly browsing... I'm hoping at least one of these has a little more information on the history of the city, though.

[To keep her mind off of the state of things back home and/or the reason why she's even here.]

[ Derek nods a little. That's fair enough. It's actually partially why he's here, too. There's typically no better place to get to know your surroundings than checking the local public library. Whatever archived information he finds here is likely to be a lot more accurate than anything he'll probably find on Google, which will either be spruced up for tourists or dragged down with frustration from grumpy locals. ]

I'll help you look. I'm actually here sort of doing the same kind of thing. You prefer books or newspapers?

[ He pauses, then, and holds out a hand with a smile. ]

I'm Derek, by the way.

It's a pleasure to meet you, Derek. I'm Glinda.

[Glinda accepts that hand, reaching out with her free hand and giving his a squeeze rather than a shake. Her smile softens, yet remains just as warm as he introduces himself and offers to help her.]

That would be splendiforous- I was considering staring with books and working my way from there. Just the basics to start with, perhaps. Unless you think newspapers would provide more insight?

[ Glinda? That name is familiar and it takes him a second to place it. There's no way, though. That movie was shot back in the 1930s and, more importantly, it's a movie. He crinkles his nose and brow a little, just for a second, before smile returns. ]

It's nice to meet you, too, Glinda.

[ A soft, amused huff escapes him at "splendiforous" because he's not sure he's ever heard such a word, but he gets the context. ]

I think the newspapers would provide more raw insight. They would've reported whatever the current happenings were, hopefully with an objective standpoint. It really depends on what you're looking for, I guess. What...are you looking for, exactly?

[The look doesn't go unnoticed- however, Glinda opts not to mention it. Instead, she takes the moment to consider his question. Newspapers would be better for that objective point of view...

She breathes out a soft laugh and shakes her head.]

It sounds ridiculous, but would you believe I'm not really sure? You know, just a healthy dose of curiosity and hoping I can learn a thing or two about what this place is like.

[ Shaking his head, Derek laughs a little with her. ]

I don't actually think that sounds ridiculous at all. I know what you mean. Maybe, in your case, we start with books and move to newspapers, then. With books, you'll get specified subject matter, so you can cherry pick what you want to read. Then once you've got the base knowledge you want, deep dive with newspapers.

That sounds perfect. Is there anything I should keep my eye out for when reading that you're looking to learn?

[After all, with the two of them reading up on the city, they were bound to notice different things. She only turns her attention from him in order to peruse the shelves, fingertips tracing lightly over the bindings of the books.]

Thank goodness these aren't in ancient languages none of us can read.

[ Like the Grimmerie back in her apartment. ]

[ Derek considers her question for a moment before deciding to answer. He could be honest; he's looking for any reports of mysterious "animal attacks" and how they're dealt with. He can read between the lines, by now, when it comes to that sort of thing. Translation: are werewolves native here and are they hunted? In other words, has he made a terrible mistake coming here and he has to continue to hide who and what he really is, or can he be himself for the first time in his life?

He thinks better of asking for it and gives a little facial shrug as he shakes his head. ]

Not really. I'm sort of in the same boat. Not completely sure what I'm looking for, but figuring I'll find it when I find it.

[ He nods in the direction of the historical archives and takes a few steps, willing her to come with him. ]

I saw some things back this way. I don't know yet if they're what you're looking for, since I only saw them in passing, but it's worth checking, right?

[The long pause makes the Good witch pause herself, glancing over at him but not pressing him to answer. There's a kind of a, sort of a, way people have about them when they're considering whether to say something important and close to their hearts. Who is she to demand to know everything from a near stranger right away? Still, her smile is sympathetic and she takes it at face value when he mirrors her own answer- she certainly can't fault him for that.

She takes a few steps after him, fingers lifting the hem of her skirt only enough so that she doesn't trip on it.]

I'd have to agree. Leave no stone unturned and all that. [Her smile brightens a bit from before.] Lead the wa.

[ Derek can tell that she's pulling back from potentially an urge to ask why he took so long; there's something about the look on her face that suggests it and he honestly can't blame her. It's a little sketchy that he waited to answer and he knows that. Derek just appreciates that she's willing to respect his uncertainty by not prodding him for more information. He hopes that the apologetic smile he gives her in return silently illustrates that appreciation.

A small laugh escapes him and he nods as he leads the way toward the archives. ]

I'm starting to wonder if this place is a little too good to be true. It's so chill here and I'm not really...used to that. [ He looks back over at her and lifts his eyebrows in question. ] Where are you from?

[The smile she gets in return says enough- she can only hope that she'll be trusted well enough in the future by him and others, to be privy to more intimate knowledge. It's hard to help people only superficially- though she's no stranger to that.]

Chill? [Slang she's not familiar with, but she's eager to learn.] It does seem too good to be true- perhaps that's why we're here. A little bit of healthy skepticism.

[She picks up her pace so she's not just trailing behind him, but close enough that he doesn't have to look completely over his shoulder to see her.] I'm from Oz... The northernmost quadrant, originally- but I've been living in Emerald City for some time now.

[.... As though that means anything to anyone here.] You?

[ Derek's eyebrows lift a little at the question. It hadn't actually occurred to him that he might come across someone who didn't recognize the slang, if only because Derek doesn't really use slang all that often. Not like the people he used to surround himself with in Beacon Hills did, anyway. They were teenagers, it's what teenagers do. ]

Oh, uh...calm. It means calm, sorry about that. [ He laughs a little at the latter comment, nodding and cocking his eyebrows in a way that can only ever mean he is entirely familiar with requiring "a little bit of healthy skepticism." ] Yeah...probably not a bad idea.

[ Trying to sort of meet Glinda in the middle, Derek slows his step a little, only to stop suddenly at the mention of Oz. He looks sharply over at her. ]

Sorry...Oz? You said Oz?

[ While Derek hears her reciprocating question, he's a little too distracted to answer it. ]

Oh! [ It seems so obvious after he explains it, Glinda can't help but appear at least a little bashful. After all, she couldn't expect everyone to be familiar with Ozian slang.

But the way he looked at her so quickly after she mentioned Oz... She looks back at him with a very soft smile and nod of her head.]

Mmhmm. The northernmost quadrant of it. Are you familiar?

[ She says it so casually, like it's completely normal to tell someone that you're from "the northernmost quadrant" of Oz. He blinks, confused as to how he should approach responding to her question of whether he's familiar. Derek decides to play it safe, because this is entirely new territory, all of a sudden. ]

Uh...kind of. You could say that.

[ This is so trippy... ]

[ What? It's not normal???

She brightens immediately- that was an answer she had never expected to here in her time here. Glinda reaches out to hook her arm with his, only if he allows her, but that doesn't stop her from continuing on about herself (her favorite topic).]

I'm the Good Witch of the North, to be precise. Though... I suppose now I look after Oz as a whole. [A short sigh.] It's a long story...

[ Amused incredulity escapes him in a soft huff as she takes his arm and he grins down at her. Is this what this place is always going to be like? There's no spike in adrenaline coming from her. No uptick in her heartbeat. She isn't lying. She's exactly who she says she is. He's supposed to have relationship energy with these people, but she's a huge chunk of his childhood. He and Laura used to watch the Wizard of Oz all the time when they were kids. He always liked the flying monkeys better than the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion, and the Scarecrow, but still. ]

Yeah, no, I've...yeah. That's cool. What's it really like there?

It's incredibly green... In the Emerald City.

[That should go without saying, but she still can't help but explain it that way.]

And, to be perfectly honest, Oz in all it's splendiforousness, has been through a lot in the past several years. I can only hope that I'm the Witch to help it get back to normal... Get Animals back to talking, help the Munchkins find a new mayor...

Just make like enjoyable for all citizens ones again.

Makes sense.

[ That's simply put and he remembers that much from the movie, anyway. But when she keeps talking, she loses him a little. He's sort of been under the impression that everything was pretty good after Dorothy left. Maybe he'd misunderstood the ending; he'd only been a child, after all. ]

What happened to it?

The previous government official corrupted everything, he'd been doing so for decades. There's so much wrong that I don't even know what all of it is yet.

[Her smile falters briefly- who is she to fix all of this anyways? Elphaba would have been better... if she was still around.]

When something is that corrupted, it takes a while to build back up, I'd think.

[ Nodding, Derek's lips press together into a thin line. He's thought the last several human government officials have been doing that very same thing . He wonders sometimes when the humans will actually do something about it. ]

Yeah, that'll do it... Sounds like you've got your work cut out for you. Is that why you're here? Take a vacation and recharge your batteries before taking all that on?

In a sense, I suppose so.

[More or less, she wants to bring back her only friend, and the better Witch of the two. Oz needs all the help it can get...

And she's hoping that this place will provide more insight in potential ways to help fix Oz... Though the Good Witch likes to talk about herself as much as any self-important person, there are some things she's too scared to share. Parts of herself that she'd rather not admit to- her past, her mistakes. Being anything less than perfect.]

What about you? Where are you from, why did you accept the invitation to be here?

Seems like a good plan to me. The more relaxed and fresh-minded you are, the easier an on-taking that will probably be, I would think, wouldn't you?

[ He feels for her there, really. But from what he gathered in context from the movie, she does a pretty damn good job. The munchkins seemed to adore her enough, anyway. ]

Me? Beacon Hills, California and honestly...there wasn't much left for me there. I won't be missed. I figured I might as well make myself useful somewhere.

[ Plus, the idea of being able to start a new life that would simultaneously guarantee the safety of his only remaining nuclear family unit was too good to pass up. ]

EVENT ▸ welcome week

wildcard; if this doesn't work, I can change it, so lmk

this is more than fine! :D

awesome :)

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