December Event - To All a Good Night

[pumpkinhollow]

To All a Good Night

Givingstide

Winter is hard for everyone, but none more so than the residents of an island that has been isolated by the cruel hands of fate. Where the rest of the Emerald Isles is able to rely on imports from other nations in warmer places, Marrow Isle has no resources but her own. All the while, her mettle continues to be tested against the horrors brought on by the curse.

It is for this reason that among all the holidays celebrated by the Mothers' children, Givingstide is particularly beloved. A warm and cozy festival based around wishing each other prosperity and love in the new year, the lengthening of days, embracing generosity even in the lean times, and celebrating the fact that the darkest part of the year is coming to an end.

The fireplace is lit at the Oak & Iron. A wreath of pine boughs hangs over the merry blaze, paper horses and snowflakes decorate the walls, and a table in the center of the room has been done up to look like a silver sleigh. As people file in, hot food and warm drinks begin coming out of the kitchen and bar, and gifts begin piling up on the sleigh table. (Ultimately, a fair amount of them end up on the floor around it.) Everyone greets each other warmly with hearty handshakes, firm hugs, and wishes of a blessed Givingstide. Perhaps if you have a clever eye, you may even see a horned figure drinking hot cocoa in the corner harmlessly, enjoying the atmosphere of good will and keeping watch over the party to prevent any troublemakers. And for once, just once, for the first time in so long on this frightful, forsaken island, there is true peace.

[ Enter the Tavern. ]

The tavern is warm. Orange firelight flickers, as if dancing with the shadows. Decorations of shimmering silver and hunter green, the colors of Givingstide, adorn the dark wood decor of the Oak & Iron. The stucco and timber walls of the dining hall safeguard those within from the bitter wind and snow. It's no Leeds gala--- the food is simple, but it is beautifully made. Roasted chicken, potatoes, onion soup, and fresh-baked bread. Slices of pumpkin pie are passed around for dessert. Hot cider with or without alcohol, mulled wine, coffee, and spiced tea are served with the meal. It isn't glamorous, but it's made with love and tastes like coming home somehow.

As dinner carries on, music begins to be played from the tavern stage, and Mayor Poe has Yorick assist her in doling out the gifts from the table. They read the tags and summon the recipients to the table to recieve them. You can open yours right there or at your table, and decide for yourself whether you care to announce the name of the giver to the room.

Once the gifts are distributed, the partygoers are left to their own devices, allowed time to laugh with friends, dance to music, drink to their hearts' content, sneak off to while away a private moment in one of the inn's sitting rooms, or head home for an early night. Regardless of your choice, let it be with a loved one. A friend, a partner, a member of your newfound family. Blessed Givingstide, and may your lantern ever stay lit.

gifts and vouchers

Some important information regarding gift-giving and vouchers can be found below.

[ Review. ]

Gifts can be purchased using your own Brass, or via the holiday bazaar vouchers found in our December TDM. If you haven't taken the trivia quiz on the TDM, you still can! You can take it for each character or just once and give all your characters the same voucher.

For simplicity's sake for both our mods and our players, we will allow you to decide for yourselves the prices of your items so long as they are reasonable. You can use other purchase requests in the bank as a reference or simply decide on a price you believe is fair based on your experience. You do not have to list prices. We will trust you to make fair decisions! If you're still unsure how much an item ought to cost, feel free to ask us in the question thread on this post, but in the spirit of the holiday season (both real and fictional) we would rather allow your characters to get gifts for all their loved ones than worry too much about financials. Perhaps your character is simply a very good bargain hunter!

As a slight aside, we would love to thank each and every one of you for being a part of making Pumpkin Hollow amazing this year. We truly could not ask for a better group of players and are extremely grateful to have met all of you delightful, creative, talented, funny, incredible people. We hope you had a great holiday season, whatever that looks like for you, and we're so honored to greet the new year with this fantastic community!

Hand in hand, we put the darkness to our backs and step into the light. Rejoice, spring cometh.

Comments

[thelatechrisfreeman]

"Oh, Snakes, I love it!" Chris exclaims. They immediately pull on one of the knitted gloves -- brown and white colorwork, with a horse prancing on the back of each -- and admire it. When they look back up at Snakes, though, their cheeks are pink with embarrassment. "I didn't think to get you a gift."

And the gift list they came up with was so long, that they ended up using all their voucher money before getting to the last two people.

"If you can wait a little while, I'll get you a belated gift. Promise."

[worstorganplayer]

"Glad you like them," Snakes smiles. "Don't worry about me; it's fine."

[thelatechrisfreeman]

"Too late. I am worrying. See, this is me, deep in contemplation on what present to get you."

Chris pulls on the other glove, then props their chin against one hand and pantomimes thinking hard, including scratching at their head with the other hand. Then they wink at Snakes.

[worstorganplayer]

Snakes laughs. "I'm great with just about anything, really. Even company is a great gift."

[thelatechrisfreeman]

"How about you tell me your favorite kind of dessert and I bring the ingredients over to bake it for you? That way you get my company and a material gift."

[worstorganplayer]

"Hmm. That's a right nice offer," Snakes mused. "But pickin' just one dessert isn't easy. Cheesecake?"

[thelatechrisfreeman]

"I can do cheesecake. And if you think up another dessert, we can arrange another visit."

[worstorganplayer]

Snakes smirks. "Fair enough. When do you wanna plan to come over?"

[thelatechrisfreeman]

"Some time next week? Maybe a day when you're not on patrol," Chris suggests. "Between Bart and First Aid, I'm sure I can arrange not be on call the same day."

[worstorganplayer]

"Sure," Snakes said. He looked at his schedule and named a day and time.

[thelatechrisfreeman]

Chris writes it down on the envelope of the card from Hawkeye, then tucks that into a pocket of their skirt.

"It's a date! Or, you know, whatever the word is for a friendly get-together." Chris grins.

[worstorganplayer]

Snakes smirks. "I'll see you then.

"So, how are you liking this shindig?"

[thelatechrisfreeman]

"It's maybe a little more boozy than I was expecting..." Chris confides, "so I'm glad you're here... to keep order just in case."

[worstorganplayer]

Snakes eyed the beverages. "Yeaaah, it looks like a lot of 'em are goin' for the alcoholic cider. Can't say that surprises me much."