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

[batteryacid]

"Maybe she'll finally cool it once she gets a load of John's present," Eddie says, with an apologetic smile. He shows off the wooden box inscribed with 'Bobbin's Loot' and the cloths that John provided to act as loot.

And then Eddie hands over Sam and Lou's presents. For Lou, a cute little green and white pajama set, with a frog in soft and fuzzy green fabric appliqued on the front. For Sam, a heavy-duty lockbox that no chicken will be able to break into.

"I figure you'd need this the most, since she seems to have a particular interest in your stuff."

[300kgbackpack]

Sam laughs a little, looking at the box and its engraving. "Yeah and then you start finding all my nails in there instead," he jokes, and shifts Lou to rest in the crook of his arm a little more securely, picking up the pajama top for her to see the frog on it. He'd have to pack it away to take home, but Lou already looks fascinated by the fabric frog. He doesn't let her grab it with her sticky fingers, but he would change her into them later that evening to tuck in and stay warm.

The lockbox gets an appreciative nod, and Sam shifts to dig a hand awkwardly into an inner pocket of his jacket to retrieve a small paper-wrapped bundle that rattles just a little. The little metal bell inside is very carefully engraved with a pattern akin to a spiderweb, with little knots at the intersections.

"For you guys at the farm."

[batteryacid]

"Oh!" Eddie turns the little bell over in his hands a few times, examining the engraving. "It's lovely. Is it an inside decoration or an outside one?"

He also can't resist giving it a little shake to hear the sound it makes.

[300kgbackpack]

"I mean, I'd usually hang it off my pack. It's a ward charm," he explains. "Back home, I'd keep it on me so I wouldn't get attacked by BTs. Here...I'unno, maybe it'll protect the farm from some'a the weirdness that's been creepin' in around the edges."

[batteryacid]

"Hmm... maybe I'll put it near the main door. Sort of like a windchime.... it would look nice there."

Eddie smiles, "And I'll be reminded of a good friend every time I go out to feed the chickens."

[300kgbackpack]

"Good plan. I'm gonna put up a couple like it around the cabin now it's done. Couple'a weather charms too. Just coverin' my bases, makin' sure shit can't go too sideways."

He laughs a little at a thought. "Maybe I should get one made for the chicken hutch. Let em entertain themselves peckin' on it."