you want to hear it? well —

[happyheartsstaff]

ONLY, MY SECRET'S MINE, AND I WON'T TELL

The garden may no longer be available upon return to the hotel, but there is still a bustle of energy. How fortunate all the Oysters are, to reside in such a renowned place! It's a great honor for those in Wonderland to be granted opportunity to teach their skills or ply their trade here, and the Queen permits only the best. Hotel staff themselves seem to delight in the presence of the traveling merchants. Many trade teas or favors for enchanted items, and will eagerly discuss their purchases. "Oh, it happens regularly enough," they will say if asked, "but you never know if the merchant you liked or the item you eyed will be back next time!"

The talk lingers after the guest instructors and merchants have departed, but it isn't the only thing left behind. Glimmers of green may catch your eye, tucked away in hidden places that seem almost impossible to reach without drawing attention to yourself. Those who manage it will find a scrap of heavy paper with a drawing of a stylized caterpillar, a series of numbers, and the words call a friend.

Are you curious enough to input the numbers into your Empathy? It will ring, if you do, until an answering machine picks up and asks a single question — How doth the little crocodile improve his shining tail? Do you dare leave a message? What will it be? Whatever you decide, the call will disconnect after a few minutes. It seems the only thing you can do now is wait for a call back.

But of course, the hotel is not in the habit of allowing such a thing as idle waiting. Her Royal Highness has noticed that some of her beloved Oysters seem quite reluctant to partake of the many splendors that the hotel provides, and she will be offering a special treat — indulgence.

QUEEN'S GAMES

8/12 - 8/22

What's more fun to indulge in than a little healthy competition? It's time for the Queen's Games, a truly dazzling spectacle. Competitors come from all over Wonderland, and this year for the first time ever, Oysters are invited to join! Announcements for the games schedule will be posted all throughout the hotel, along with directions on how to register to join.

The games will be held in either the pool area or the gym, which seems to have expanded to accommodate the number of spectators. Available games include:

• archery
• chess
• croquet
• artistic swimming
• diving
• gymnastics
• flamingo flying
• ice skating
• ice sculptures

Of course, even the games that Oysters are familiar with may not be quite the same. Chess in Wonderland is a team sport, for example, with each member of the team filling a role as a chess piece and a coach as a strategist directing the plays. Attempting to capture one of the other team's pieces includes having to successfully win a fight against them. Gymnastics and diving competitors include growing and shrinking in size to their routines, ice sculptures come to life when they've been completed, artistic swimmers and ice skaters change costumes and swap partners in the blink of an eye.

If they're lucky, Oysters may find one of the competitors willing to show them the ropes. If they're even luckier, or more persistent, there may be a spot or two open on one of the teams that Oysters can slot themselves into. For the most part, team members will be delighted to have Oysters there.

"You all just feel so much," one may say, sounding a little awed.

"Show off those emotions, it'll get us points," another will add.

Although competitors are friendly, with Osyters and with each other, it's clear that most of them are here to win. Rivalries may flare up throughout the month, ex-lovers may be reunited and broken up again, infighting may spark among the teams — all things that can be soothed or exacerbated, for Oysters who may have inclinations towards utilizing such things to increase their chances of winning.

Or to fan the flames of drama for its own sake.

THE CALL

8/16

Starting in the early morning hours and continuing late into the night, any who left a message will get a call back.

Those who completed the poem will be greeted immediately by a friendly male voice, with an apology for the delay. "Ugh, our lines are backed up like crazy," the caller will say. "Where are you reporting in from?"

Those who somehow identified themselves as an Oyster, as residing in the hotel, from off world, being held by the Queen, or otherwise potentially against the Queen, will have their call returned by a cold female voice, guarded and wary.

"Show me your Oyster mark," the caller will request. "We can't risk giving you anything without proof."

Regardless of which caller contacts them, anyone who cooperates will receive similar information.

The friendly caller will readily provide assurances that the resistance base was not found, despite Mad March and the Order's attempt at reconnaissance in the old kingdom.

"Can't say much more than that over these channels, you know, but worry not! Everyone is safe. We have a follow up from the last mission — sorry about the air conditioning, you know, couldn't be helped — you ready for this? Keycodes. Access keycodes. Didn't get more than a handful, of course, and the intel is vague about what they access. Are we glad to get your call! How about it, you ready to try one out and see what information you can get?"

The guarded caller will allude to the Order not being able to find what they wanted out in the ruins.

"Did you think they took you out there to show you the sights? They're looking for us, obviously. No I'm not going to tell you more than that — just because you're an Oyster doesn't mean we can completely trust you. All right, look. Last time we broke into the hotel, we recovered a few access codes. We had to get out of there before we could find out what they accessed. How about a trade? We give you the code, you call us back and tell us what you find."

INDULGENCE

8/13 - 8/23

Throughout the event, there will be a number of activities available alongside the games designed to encourage unwinding. A concert set up in the hotel lobby will kick off the start of the games, at which indulgence teas will be made available for the first time. They will continue to be served readily at all hours of the day. Enhanced spa facilities will be made available as well — dazzling pedicures and manicures with nail polish that can do anything from change colors based on your mood to emit light so bright it can function as a flashlight; makeup that gives you a kiss that will literally stun the recipient; aromatherapy that will cure any kind of hangover; oils that double as aphrodisiacs, for those interested; healing massages that will take away your aches and pains, wiping away any bruises or injuries with no questions asked. A clean slate, ready to indulge again.

Then, of course, there are the less official activities. Whispers will begin to spread about another kind of competition being run after hours, when all good competitors should be sleeping. No one quite knows who's running it — one person heard it was the coach of one of the chess teams, eager to get her players extra practice; another heard it was one of the chess players themselves; still another will say it is an ice skater, a flamingo pilot, a gymnast. After all, it hardly matters, does it, as long as it runs, and there is a fight every night? Oysters are welcomed into this competition as well, where the only rule is not to kill your opponent. Teas of all kinds exchange hands as bets are placed on the fights, and the champion is rumored to receive a truly spectacular prize.

If fighting is not to your speed, fear not. All of the competitors seem to have different ways to unwind after the games are completed for the day, and all are happy to allow Oysters to indulge in attending the various get-togethers and parties they host. The knight on one of the chess teams has the most renowned wine collection, and he's brought some of his finest with him to be enjoyed alongside cheeses and poetry. One of the swimmers is a passionate musician, and has recruited anyone who can play an instrument to discuss musical theory and play together. A croquet player is known for hosting the wildest parties, with free-flowing moonshine and sips of ecstacy tea readily available. There is a flamingo pilot with a book club, an archer who is a fabulous chef, a diver who is a skilled debater with a wicked tongue — whatever you like to indulge in, chances are, someone's throwing a party for it.

The games will end on the 23rd, with a roaring celebration of all who participated in the competition. The pool area will be taken over for the farewell party, with music, food, alcohol, and dancing available. It is here that the winners of the competitions will be announced, and prizes will be awarded.

If you have any questions, please leave them over here! Results for the access code sign ups and the distractions will go out on the 14th, so players have until then to sign up. Characters can use the keycodes to access areas and cause distractions from the 16th through the 23rd — and beyond, but after the final party they may no longer have an easy excuse. If you wish to have your character compete in one of the competitions for the prizes, you can sign up here! Winners will be RNGed.

PREMISE RULES FAQ TAKEN RESERVES APPLICATION MOD CONTACT HIATUS & DROPS WORLD INFO NPCS CALENDAR AC REWARDS PLAYER CONTACT

© tessisamess

Comments

[billowing]

I appreciate the concern, but my injuries are manageable.

[ That, and, he's used to a lot worse. He is a cultivator, after all. And, even without the fancy in-world magic that makes them all jump and flip with ease as if flying, he still sort of manages to pull off the look because that's just kind of baseline at home. ]

And I do not trust the spa.

[stargazed]

In what way? If we're discussing exclusively the aspect of healing, then they gain nothing from leaving people injured. [Granted, she's not sure how he'd explain away the injuries and there's always the risk that would lead to some kind of problem. But then, she highly doubts the fight club is as secret as it's claimed to be, either.]

Though I'd consider they might slip you some of that tea they're so desperate to push on us for this little celebration of theirs, if they had the opportunity.

[billowing]

As of late, the oils that the spa is releasing for use is... a heavy aphrodisiac.

And the staff here have little scruples over what to give guests.

[ Particularly if they specifically ask for not that thing. ]

[stargazed]

Ah, I did hear them mention that. That was the one thing they didn't try to press on me, for what it's worth, though there were some other odd things available.

[While she can, on one hand, understand why someone wouldn't want that effect unexpectedly, it does make her tilt her head a bit.] I was told you had a husband-to-be here, though. Do you just prefer to do your...ah, personal activities with a clear head?

[There's a note of teasing in her voice, as there ever is when she encounters topics of love, but she does sound legitimately curious, like it's not really something she'd know herself.]

[billowing]

[ Man oh man is he definitely not the kind of guy who wants to casually talk about his sex life with a stranger, even if he sees her around a lot because it's kind of hard to miss the hair. Sorry Mikumo. ]

Do you not?

[ Deflecting and countering when he doesn't want to answer a question, honestly a classic move for him, also sorry. ]

[stargazed]

I wouldn't know. It's never something I've thought about before besides when I had to sing about sexual topics, since I never had a reason to be interested.

[She wasn't designed to care about that sort of thing, and while she's seen people in love and teased them to a certain extent, the only couple she worked closely with who were the right age had one half of it die. And then the remaining person had a chronic case of not being able to spit it out with the other person she was interested in.]

So despite how it may seem, it is a genuine question. [Her innate knowledge is extremely outdated and socially she's ended up with some extremely mixed messages between her work and her music.]

[billowing]

[ He is very confused why she would sing about something she didn't know about. He would never sing of sexual experiences, but certainly not before he had any. ]

No. I do not wish for any methods in which to assist my husband and I gain desires.

[ There, that was easy. ]

It is a dangerous product.

[stargazed]

[Mikumo hums slightly, as if she catches the logic when he puts it like that.] Love and desire are quite powerful forces, aren't they? I hear I have a tea that inspires lust, but I notice it hasn't been one of the ones they typically pass around on trays.

[Wei Wuxian helped her identify it last month, which is the only reason she knows what it is.] Perhaps even they have some kind of scruples around it. There is a certain sanctity around those feelings in most places I've been to, so it may well apply here too.

[billowing]

I doubt it.

As something like that, I believe, would cause a lot of other strong feelings that they might want.

[ Also he just doesn't trust these people further than he can throw them, and with his powers missing, that isn't as far as it usually is. ]

[stargazed]

Something that extreme would present a risk of making the people involved useless for positive emotions, though. I understand distrusting them, but speaking pragmatically, there's no benefit to them potentially damaging someone. Emotionally, at least.

[Considering how all that field tripping business went, physically damaging people doesn't seem to be off the table.] I'm led to believe lust teas have existed since we arrived, yet I've never seen them among the ones handed out liberally at times like this, so I do have at least some reason to think they treat it differently.