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

[stargazed]

"I can only imagine what kind of outcome unlimited alcohol is going to lead to," Mikumo says, taking another sip of her wine with a pointedly arched brow. Something entertaining to watch, no doubt, but possibly less conducive to any peace and quiet being found in the hotel for the next however many days.

"Though they might have some kind of instant sobriety solution. They seem to be healing people at the spa already."

[scaredofdogs]

"mm..Lan Zhan has some stuff that makes that after alcohol non-fun times go away fast." Doesn't necessarily taste great going down but certainly does the trick to keep him from getting sick.

"If the spa does too then that means the party can go on for a long time!" unlimited alcohol and no consequences is a dangerous combination.

[stargazed]

"It's what people are going to do while they're that drunk that I'm worried about, not getting the hangovers you deserve," she clarifies, almost sounding disappointed that he has an easy cure. More because she doesn't particularly want to deal with that level of people being inebriated on the regular.

"I'd say that's what they're encouraging in tandem with what the spa is doing, but as long as they don't slip me anything then I don't plan to be nearly as involved as some of the rest of you will be."

[scaredofdogs]

"I'm sure you are safe! I don't think anyone here wants to push it on anyone who doesn't want it." At least Wei Wuxian isn't a terrible drunk. Perhaps even more talkative then he normally is but still fairly upbeat and even more social.

[stargazed]

"I think there are some things they're not pushing on anyone who doesn't want it. They've slipped us emotion teas without telling us before, though."

She's thinking of the instance with the heatwave, when they were desperate for something to relieve it. If they were willing to take advantage of desperation, she wouldn't be surprised if they take advantage of the current celebrations too.

[scaredofdogs]

"Ahh I suppose that is true. Sometimes they do seem to avoid telling us what it is we are drinking." He tries to avoid the teas at all costs but alcohol he has absolutely no hesitation in drinking.

"How many of the emotion teas have you had to deal with?"

[stargazed]

"Not nearly as many since I started being more cautious in what I take. They do seem to be limited to tea or anything that resembles it with slipping them to people," she admits, raising her wine before she takes another sip to make her point.

"So it's largely been the joy one when I arrived and the ones during that heatwave that made people more irritable. Yourself?"

[scaredofdogs]

"Ah..I've had the lust tea and the fear one. I never drank the one from the heatwave but I saw what it could do. And then I've had whatever it is that they have been giving us this week." That has made him indulge in quite a bit more then he normally would. This one is far better then the others he has had to deal with.

[stargazed]

"I've managed to avoid that one so far, but we'll see if my luck holds out," Mikumo says, apparently considerably less assured that this is a better option where the teas are concerned. The joy one had been offputting enough when she came back to her senses, considering she's not used to being that open.

"Still, I suppose as these setups of theirs go this one hasn't been too bad so far. Perhaps they've had their fill of negativity for a few months."

[scaredofdogs]

"I hope so. I would like to see no more negativity! No more bad people, no more monsters, no more weird hotel tricks where they take or change parts of our bodies.." Says the person who has an ability now that lets him turn into anything he wants to. But he would rather do it on his terms then the hotel's.

"Just fun and good times!" He holds up his glass as if to toast to that.

[stargazed]

"That's awfully optimistic," Mikumo says, raising her glass but with a rather sardonic air, like she doesn't think it's actually going to stay like that for long.

"But we may be lucky for say...two to three months. About the same amount of time they've been working to frustrate us. We'll see how it turns out."

[scaredofdogs]

"That would be nice. It would get us through the wedding with no issues! And my birthday. I would like to celebrate that with everyone too."

He wonders what kind of things people do for birthdays. He would like to enjoy all his favorite foods and drink a lot. Really..he would like to be able to enjoy a party like this.

[stargazed]

"Celebrating a birthday when it's out of time with your own world seems a strange idea," she remarks idly. Her birthday is actually this month and would be taking place over the course of this event, but she's never really celebrated it before and isn't overly interested in starting now.

"Though I suppose if you want an excuse to celebrate, it's as good of one as any. People seem to enjoy birthdays as a reason to come together."

[scaredofdogs]

"Why does it seem strange? We are still getting older on that day even if we aren't at home." He looks genuinely curious about this as he watches her. He hadn't thought about not celebrating it.

"We should enjoy all the excuses to celebrate that we can!"

[stargazed]

"Are you, though? Imagine you arrived here two months after a birthday in your own world, but here it was actually one month before another birthday. Would you still celebrate it?" she asks, apparently unfazed by his curiosity with her opinion. She has odd opinions about a lot of social things, and celebrations are included in that.

"At that point it seems to me it would lose whatever meaning it was intended to have."

[scaredofdogs]

"Ah..that is an interesting way to look at it. I hadn't thought about it that way. But it does seem odd if you look at it that way."

He considers the time he got sent home and time hadn't moved. Time is strange here so perhaps it would be weird to have such celebrations.

"But can't that be said for anything we do here? Even the wedding might be a little odd when you consider we would go home and not be married."

[stargazed]

"I can't claim to understand weddings in the first place. My experiences with love are severely limited, though I'm aware it's a powerful thing," she says, tone slightly wry. Love is the only thing that seems to override her own innate sway over people's emotions, and it's always been quite interesting when she encounters it.

"So to me there's no real difference in having a frivolous ceremony like a wedding here or in your own world. A birthday at least celebrates the concrete date of your birth."

[scaredofdogs]

"So does that mean I can't really be considered a year older this year? Ah..not that I really know how old I am any more anyway." Does it count that he was dead for 13 years? So his birth year doesn't necessarily reflect how many birthdays he has been alive for.

[stargazed]

"I imagine it's less of a concern as you get older. It's the young ones that make a fuss about each year passing," is her assessment of that, though not without a certain level of amusement. It's like she's enjoying some kind of joke to herself.

"I was under the impression most people kept quite close track of their age, though. Have you not?"

[scaredofdogs]

"Ah..well there are a couple reasons why I am not sure. First..I died and was dead for 13 years so I'm not sure i am supposed to count those. Which means I can't really do the same as most people and count each year since they have been born. And when I came back to live I wasn't in my own body..this body belongs to someone else and they gave it up for me. And I'm not entirely sure how old they were when they did it..so I could be a different age then the body..and I don't know which one I would go by."

It's a very very complicated life he has led. So he could either ignore the years he was dead and figure out how old he is or he can go with the age of hte body. Both are probably fairly similar numbers but if he counted the years he was dead then he would be in his thirties.