This just in: water is wet. You already knew that, though, didn't you? So smart, so wise — and yet, here you are, in a city that's somehow managed to displace an entire group of people with one tiny drop of a shovel. One might assume that flooding a set of recently inhabited buildings and stopping a brand new construction project would be enough damage done for one accidental swing of a shovel, but you know what they say about making assumptions. The fact is, there's always more to the story... and it has been raining quite a bit lately. In fact, it's been raining nonstop for the past few days.
If you've been wondering why, wonder no longer. At precisely noon, a chime can be heard all around the city. Its tinny vibrations are impossible to miss, and those who have been around the block might recognize it from a long-ago treasure hunt — it's an all-call, a broadcast sent simultaneously over local television & radio stations as well as citizens' personal CuddlePhones, containing a message from Volunteer Coordinators Flora & Cornelius.
Like your favorite weather reporters, they've come out to the center of the action to report live on the recent happenings within the city — most notably the curiously shimmering rainfall and its potential impact on those who are exposed to it. It's Flora who delivers the bulk of the message, clearly reading off of a teleprompter in her slight twang, and looking quite confused by the entire ordeal. Also, she's drenched, the rain pouring down on her which she tries desperately to smile through, undeterred.
"The city's scientific community, after much research, has concluded that the pipes affected by the — er, puncture under the building site were filled with water typically filtered by the Energem. Due to the recent, totally innocuous, tooootally nothing to be concerned about fissure — oopsie-daisy, I wasn't supposed to say that — it appears that some of the Energem's magic has also leeched into the water during the fil-ter-ing pro-cess.
While the flooding has now thankfully subsided and the standing water has receded back into the underground reservoirs, it appears the affected water has at least partially been absorbed into the atmosphere, where it is being released in particularly ... enthusiastic rain showers. The rain itself seems to be affecting those who come into contact with it, making them less resistant to unfiltered communication or confessions. Did y'all know that I'm not a natural blonde? It's true! Ahem. Anyways! The current hy-po-thesis, while not yet confirmed by the city administration — well that's silly, we're the city administration! — is the Energem's intention to foster intimate connections has imbued the rain with, um, encouraging properties."
Finally done, Flora offers an friendly, reassuring smile. A voice can be heard clearly from behind the camera, male, and most definitely Cornelius: "Good job, darling! Except you sounded terrible. — I mean! I didn't mean that! I don't know why I said that. Hey, Flora? Do you think we maybe should've brought umbrellas before we —" And then the feed cuts off abruptly. Huh. What did she say about a fissure again? Could that have been a result of the recent earthquake?
Before anyone has too much time to overthink, the chime once again echoes out into the city. This time, it's a text bulletin from an account simply named THE CITY OF CADELLE. Fancy.
The city administration and local scientific community have advised that it may be in your best interest to remain indoor until this weather pattern subsides.
Naturally, such an advisory might make it difficult to attempt moving back in to the recently re-opened Welcome District, so hotel accommodations will be extended for the time being. In addition, complimentary umbrellas, raincoats, wellies, and galoshes will be available for pick-up at City Hall, should you have a need to venture out in this weather.
What will you do? Among the many, there are a few options to consider:
▸ You could decide to continue on, business as usual. It's just rain, isn't it? A little water never hurt anyone, and besides, you've got nothing to hide. If the Energem wants honesty, well, by golly, that's what it's going to get.
▸ You might prefer to be prepared — gather your umbrella and your wellies and trudge on, soldier. Try as you might to stay dry, a few drops might hit you here and there, but you're not panicked. You shower, you brush your teeth; what's a few raindrops on top of that?
▸ You might want to investigate! Collect samples of rainwater, and try your best not to be exposed to it too much in the process. The University's chemistry and life sciences departments are paying handsomely for well-preserved samples of this unique weather event, and while you'll have to battle the elements to get there, the monetary reward might be worth it for you. Or the satisfaction of contributing to scientific exploration, if that's more your thing. Either way!
▸ You may, however, not want a thing to do with it. Stay home — or in your new home-away-from-home, if that's where you're at — and more importantly, stay dry.
The city hopes that all of its citizens do try their best to stay dry and therefore unaffected by any unintended effects of this quite unseasonal rainfall.
Isn't this fun? Characters splashing about in shining, shimmering splendor puddles, getting soaked to the bone with magical rain that makes people want to spill all their secrets? Or perhaps avoiding it all by staying inside with a warm cup of hot chocolate and their favorite book. Of course, it's one thing to have rain that makes you truthful... but quite another to assume the rain just disappears. Any fourth grader will tell you that's not quite how things work.
You see, there's this fancy thing called the water cycle, where rainfall finds its way into groundwater sources, which are then filtered and utilized for city water supplies, which then feeds into all sorts of water-dependent utilities inside. Places like a shower, or perhaps a sink where people brush their teeth, or the tap water used to make coffee in the morning or to boil on the stove... the sky is the metaphorical limit here.
Feel free to get creative — maybe your character doesn't want to heed the city's warning, and continues on business as usual. Maybe they've already been exposed to enough rainwater to feel particularly chatty. Maybe they hole themselves up inside their room, but continued exposure to water via their daily two-hour bath or excessive showering habits (hey, we're not judging, maybe they're part mermaid) has lent its magic anyway.
Of course, you always have the ability to opt-out of any event, including this one. While the rain's effects are certainly encouraging, no one is ever forced to tell the truth — resistance might give someone a bit of a headache, or a queasy stomach, but characters will not drop dead or find themselves grievously ill unless you particularly want them to! (Please don't kill your character.)
Citizens may also respond to Flora and Cornelius's network post! Yes, it's true, we've got Cuddle City NPCs out and ready for action at long last. While they may wait until they return to the office to respond, feel free to speak with them via text, video, or audio and they'll be happy to chat. Simply respond to THIS COMMENT for a little interaction from Cuddle City's favorite (and only) Volunteer Representatives!
As always, your mod team is here for you with answers to any questions you might have, whether related specifically to this event or the game in general. 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.
We hope you have fun out there — good, old fashioned, honest fun! |
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cuddlecity2017-11-18 01:00 pm
scott mccall | ota.
it's after the dog is dried off and put away that scott finally has a chance to dry himself off again. to get changed and collect his things from his locker. hoodie on and (borrowed) rain mac in place, he finally has the opportunity to check his phone. and that's when he sees it. when he finally discovers--
...ah.
one horrifying admission of how deep his concerns lie for a certain werecoyote who could very well be trapped out there in this (no it isn't puppy love, stop calling it that, mrs murphy) and a goodbye later, and scott is finally out of the door. and hating every moment of it. if he's honest (which is a little harder to contend with than normal right now) he knows that he should really just head back to the hotel and lock himself in his room. if all of this is true, there's a lot he really shouldn't be talking to anybody about right now. hiding what he is, hiding what he's thinking about each time he talks to one of the (far too attractive) people in this city is hard enough as it is. having that barrier weakened is only going to make it that much harder.
which is why, when he marches his way from the shelter and to the grocery store, he keeps his head down. why his lips are pressed tightly closed and his earbuds are in. with the music up loud, it's easier to ignore the people around him.
or at least it would be if--]
...people really need to wash their hands after they jerk off.
[...because it stinks. and...he really didn't mean to say that out loud. or, later in the grocery store--]
Chocolates won't work, so...maybe steak?
[or later still--]
Seriously. How are they all so hot?!
[ooc: i'm currently still on holiday right now, so don't expect any replies until the end of the month. just a heads up.]
no subject
After she gets dressed and makes her way across town, she starts to notice how forthcoming people are being. And how she's being a little more blunt than usual. And that she's saying things she normally wouldn't say at all. And that's when she starts to panic. Normally Malia isn't a girl with that many secrets - she thinks it, she says it, that is her way - but she's currently harboring a fairly large secret from Scott. One that she's pretty sure he's gonna hate her for.
(It's a dumb reason to hate her, and maybe a Malia once upon a time, would have told him as much, but Malia once upon a time isn't Malia now, who has so many unsaid things to say to Scott, and now of all times isn't the time to spill them.)
So she books it home, hoping that she might make it there without running into him but low and behold, blocking the entrance to the stairs is Scott McCall, in all his puppy faced glory, and while she tries to be casual, she fails and says the blunt thing instead:]
I can't talk to you right now.
no subject
if only it was that simple.]
Hey, are you...
[okay? well, clearly not. but it's obvious he's concerned. even without the rain, without knowing her, he'd feel that way.]
Did I do something wrong? Cause whatever it is, I can fix it. I promise.
no subject
[Her words are slow, determined and trying not to let any accidental secrets slip through. She tries to force down what the rain actually wants to say, but as much as she wants to suppress this, the rain is going to have it's way, whether it wants her or not.
Besides, trying to fake a filter when you don't actually have one is never going to work. Eventually it explodes out of her, in a rush of words that she can't stop.]
But I got drenched in the rain and I didn't want to accidentally blurt out that Peter is my dad.
[But that's what happened anyway.]
no subject
when he finally manages to move again, scott's voice is a lot quieter. as much as he wants to ignore that revelation, he knows he can't. it may not change a thing about malia herself, but it's harder to set that connection aside than he'd like. he trusts her. (trusted?) had believed her when she'd called them friends. pack. but now, knowing that her father is the same man who ruined his life by biting him...]
I think I need to leave before I tell you how angry I am right now. Peter ruined everything, and I don't know how to deal with knowing that he's your dad when I care about you as much as I do.
[they're words that're accompanied by a growl and a barely restrained fist to the wall. no, he needs to stay calm. he can't afford not to.]
no subject
She honestly can't blame this Scott for the way he feels about Peter but it hurts all the same - that he can't see past her father and the rest of the Hale family she was never even really apart of.
Still, she doesn't want to see him angry with her either, so after a very dejected look, despite the fact that she knew the rejection was coming, she does try and turn to go, but whatever it is about the rain won't let her leave without some more truth as though it might try and help.]
He didn't raise me. He didn't even know I existed until after you found me.
[Which is the other part of this that hurts - because she knows he's referring to the bite.]
If he never bit you, we wouldn't have met. I get why you're angry about it, and trust me, I don't trust Peter any more than you do, but ... I'm not angry at him for that.
a million years later...
You need to stay away from me. We're done.
[the words may not be entirely audible, given the fangs currently muffling his voice. but the warning is there. the intent clear in the air. he wants to hit something, and if it wasn't for the reps, he knows that malia would be his prime target.
so instead, there's a frustrated growl, a set of claw marks in the wall, and then scott is on the move, pushing past malia so he can head back outside. back into the the rain and open air. he needs to put some distance between the two of them, and staying cooped up inside where her scent is the strongest is the worst thing he could do.]
no subject
But at least if it seems like she's avoiding him, then she wouldn't be here.
She turns and heads back towards the stairwell, ready to make her way up to the second floor. She'll give it time, and maybe she can still fix it.
It feels like a false hope, almost as soon as she thinks it, but it doesn't keep her from holding on to it anyway. /scene]