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
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"You always need to know people's names before you drink with them? Must be a very friendly person at a bar," he jokes.
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Jyn huffed out an amused little breath and shrugged in response. "Usually, I don't care enough to ask. But then, usually, when I drink, I drink alone. I thought it was only polite."
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"Of course, not for me, not back home," he admits, that damned truth spilling out. "But better to be sober and alive than well-drank and dead."
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She glanced back up, a flicker of understanding lighting up her face. "Better to live to fight another day."
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"It's very quiet, here," is his opinion, with a shrug like it's not such a bad thing, but he hasn't entirely decided if that's what he's going to stick with.
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It's very quiet, he'd said, and Jyn hardly knew if she should feel relieved or unnerved to hear it. "Quiet. I almost don't know what that's like."
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"How? How will you escape?" he demands, not very gentle in his question, but when he wants answers, he's not very charming.
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She was hardly startled by the change in tone, and didn't appear very rattled at the suddenness of it. It was just hard to articulate plans that she hadn't seriously made yet, and hard to say if those plans would ever even come to pass. "I don't know yet, but there's got to be a way. There's always a way."
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"Well, when you find one, I want to know," he insists. "It's not that I want to go and abandon Buffy, but I'm also not so good with being responsible and it's good to know when and where I could run to." Not so great to admit, possibly, but he's being honest.
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Her eyebrow raised just a little higher, although she couldn't help in feeling some sort of kinship in sharing that thought. "I've always been best at looking after myself first and foremost. But if I learn anything, I'll pass it on."
Best to try to help out where she could, right?
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It makes him sound bad, after all. "I do appreciate it. Not sure I want to leave, but good to know how I could, if it ever turns bad."
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"Can't hurt to make contingency plans, in my experience."
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Grimacing, he's glad for the alcohol, since he really doesn't want to be saying this out loud.
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"And here we are", she replied, nodding gently. "As alive and well as we might ever truly be."