pumpkinhollow: (Default)
pumpkinhollow ([personal profile] pumpkinhollow) wrote in [community profile] ph_logs2024-06-08 10:59 pm

June Event - Cukey-Scary [The Cucumber Festival]

**Plain text version here.
CUKEY-SCARY
Come one, come all!
The long-awaited festival to enjoy vegetables and welcome in the summer months has finally arrived - and this time, completely uninhibited by curses!

Pumpkin Hollow's streets are bright and bustling, adorned with green ribbons, baskets of flowers, and freshly arranged shop stalls to market their goods to the festival-goers as they mill about the streets surrounding the Festival Green. Cheering crowds watch performers perched upon stages, jaunty music played by thoroughly energized bands fills the air, and the smell of freshly-cut cucumbers is carried on the breeze.

Welcome to the Cucumber Festival, a sorely-missed holiday held exclusively on Marrow Isle. It is a festival begun at the town's inception to encourage the newly-established farming community, which was rapidly embraced from then on. Many smaller-scale gardeners dedicate vast amounts of energy in joining farmers to make the festival possible, and this year is more abundant than ever, thanks to the efforts of the new arrivals taking up the farming mantles. The merriment sprawls all over the Festival Green, and even further into the town.

One question yet remains: where to begin?

Cucumber Celebrations Commence!
Copious Cucumber Cuisine With the cucumber harvest more bountiful this year than it'd ever been, the booths have a wide assortment of offerings - cucumber chips, fried pickles, bowls of salad, breads with chunks of vegetable in them, fritters, among the wide tide of other culinary delights. If you can make it with a cucumber, these people have!

Almost as abundant as the attendees are, the stalls and booths set up with cucumber-centric meals are easily found. much of it is cheap, even free in many cases, and scattered with them are other booths peddling artisan goods.

Challenges of Chance and Cheer As much as Hollowites enjoy their food, there's rarely an opportunity that they pass up to incorporate games or rides into festivities, and the Cucumber Festival has an extremely wide variety to offer!

The Whirling Wyvern is a ride that stands shortly behind a neat arrangement of picnic tables. Rope fences wind around the ride, giving it a safe distance from any bystanders, and the surrounding area is littered with flour bags, densely stuffed to offer padding.

Watching it even briefly makes it very clear why the padding is needed: the platform, raised about two feet off the ground in the middle, begins to spin its seated riders, rotating faster and faster until they topple, roll, and fall off the sides, into the padding below. People can often be heard nearby making bets with friends to see who can stay on the longest. (It's not a recommended ride for anyone who's been drinking!)

Bumpermobiles is another ride, operating on enchantment instead of electricity and a switch, that may look familiar to some of Pumpkin Hollow's residents from more modern times! Though they lack the distinctive roofed building in favor of a section of paved road closed off with wooden beams, the small carts of the bumpermobiles resemble automobiles of the current time, outfitted with wide-edges to brace the impact they'll inevitably have on one-another! Each one seats two, but are able to be driven on their own, if you'd prefer to focus your conversations on heckling your fellow driver.

Hot Air Balloons are set up not on the Green, but just outside of it, taking a spot just off to the side that's unoccupied by booths or frequent foot-traffic. Each ride carries a maximum of three, not counting the operator, and gives any rider an impressive view of marrow isle for thirty minutes.

The Carousel stands in the center of the Festival Green, chiming cheerful music from the pillar in the center. Horses are joined by the addition of shimmering unicorns, beaked pegasi, and colorfully painted pony-drawn carts (which are crafted to be seats, for those who cannot climb on one of the other mounts).

The Wheel of Chance is a vertical wheel, perched between artisan's booths, offering low-stake prizes for a small payment! 5 Brass allows you to spin the wheel, offering one of ten available prizes:

  1. a cucumber, covered in batter and fried, on a stick.
  2. a goldfish in a decorative bowl.
  3. a pair of pants, with several varieties to choose from.
  4. a deck of playing cards.
  5. a fine leather-bound notebook.
  6. a set of six shot glasses.
  7. a bottle of wine.
  8. a basket of assorted fruits.
  9. a glass-blown animal native to Marrow Isle, palm-sized, in assorted species and colors.
  10. 10 Brass. Double your money!
(For any concerned about the wellbeing of the fish: the person operating the wheel assures the health of these goldfish, and that the bowls are simply for festival distribution. They do note, however, that you'll be on the hook, no pun intended, to provide the new home for the fish.)

The Cucumber Festival's Raffle is one of the most coveted opportunities to spend a small sum of brass and win one of the many prizes donated by the community, with all contributions going into community services and upkeep.

Each ticket costs 20 Brass, and each person may purchase up to 5 tickets. There will be three drawings total, granting a small prize, a medium prize, and a grand prize to each winner. One person cannot win more than one prize; if the same person draws a second prize after their first, it will be re-rolled.

To purchase a raffle ticket, please reply to the Pumpkin Hollow mod account comment with RAFFLE TICKETS as the title, also linked here, stating how many tickets your character will be buying. On JUNE 14TH, ticket purchasing will be closed, and the prizes will be rolled!

The prizes are as follows:

  1. 1st (small): a telescope, with elegant engravings in the metal, donated by Elias Coldwood.
  2. 2nd (medium): a set of two enchanted tea puppies, one glass and one metal, donated by Neil West.
  3. 3rd (grand prize): a basket-hilt sword, well-weighted, masterfully crafted, and delightfully ornate, donated by Dahlia Leeds.
Contestants Convene for Competition Of course, what's a festival without a little bit of friendly competition! Over the week of celebrations, the Cucumber Festival hosts the following activities for any and all participants interested in joining in the fun.

The Cucumber Growing Competition is a celebration of the farmers who made all this possible, as well as a flexing of gardening prowess. Each cucumber is measured in weight, length, and color! The prize for the best cucumber in show is simply a ribbon, but among the Pumpkin Hollow farmers, it's quite a statement to have. Career farmers, hobby gardeners, and onlookers alike gather to see the town's farmers' handiwork!

The Cooking Competition follows directly after the Cucumber Growing Competition. While the larger of the vegetables don't make for very good foods, sacrificing flavor for size, the rest of the entries are cut up and used for a variety of dishes. Chefs of all varieties are encouraged to participate to show their culinary prowess!

The Great Turnip Smash-Off is a cheeky jab at the prior year's failed festival. Wielding any tools they like, including but not limited to one's hands themselves, each contestant is allotted three minutes to destroy as many turnips as they possibly can. The prize for the cucumber festival's first annual turnip slayer is a small trophy for bragging rights!

The Water Walk is a fun sport for all ages! Lined up in rows with metal spoons full of water, the participants must walk carefully to the end of the "racetrack" to a small glass of water, with a line denoted on the side at the middle. The first person to fill their glass to or above that mark wins!

The Variety Show occurs throughout the week, offering the stage to many people of assorted talents. The first day is booked up for magicians (sleight of hand, specifically - mages are politely requested to refrain from participation), and on the following Monday, a "feat of strength" competition will showcase the might of those strongest in Pumpkin Hollow! The other days are yet to be filled, and several festival attendants are waiting with clipboards to accept submissions. Many newcomers have talents they've never seen before, so new submissions of the musical, magical, or other remarkable talent alike are not only welcome, but strongly encouraged!

Carnival Complications
Of course, not all things can go entirely peacefully in Pumpkin Hollow's festivities, and the Cucumber Festival has never been exempt from this. Though the prior years' incident was far more disruptive to the festival's celebrations, several things begin to crop up over the span of the week.
Capricious Crashers As the festival goes on, it seems that some poltergeists have seen fit to invite themselves to the party. Two games are affected, with varying results.

The Whack-a-Mole Game, during the first night, becomes the first item to start experiencing a mild haunting. Though the specters only make themselves known when the participant is alone, there's a distinct feeling of guilt that comes with each smack, not unlike stepping on a cat's tail without realizing it. Instead of the triumphant jingle that the machine lets out when the game is complete, a stark silence settles in, as though the entire festival has frozen in time. Only then does a whisper, no louder than a breeze, brush past your ear.

Rolling a D3, the spirits haunting the whack-a-mole machine will tell you the following:

  1. a secret that isn't yours to have about someone in town.
  2. a piece of gossip, a shocking recent happening that may or may not be getting around in whispers.
  3. a lie, carefully crafted to impact the way you see one of your fellow townsfolk.

(Mod Note: the information given is always going to be about someone nearby. When tagging into someone's top-level with the Whack-a-Mole Game who's got secrets or gossip, provide a piece of information about your character that the spirits might've said! Additionally, feel free to request a piece of information about an NPC, major or minor. For a lie, anything goes. Have fun with it!)

The Candle-Shooting Game is the next to become haunted, though the haunting is significantly more straightforward. In an act of simple mischief, the flame will occasionally withstand blasts from the water gun that should have surely snuffed it, or the flame will go out just as you line your shot up. These spirits are aiming to ruin this particular game, but not your night.

Cards and Consequences On the outskirts of the festival, there is a strange building set up. Just a small shack, decorated with celestial trappings and a mysterious air. Above the door, a sign painted black with gold lettering says "HOUSE OF CARDS". Is it a funhouse? A fortune teller? No one's sure who set it up. Perhaps another effort of Captain Tuttle or something.

There is a sign on the double doors that make up the entrance, which reads, "Admission is free, but you must enter in pairs." And true to its word, the doors will not open unless two different people take each door's handle. Otherwise it is definitively locked.

So, choose a companion and go explore! What's the worst that could happen? All you have to do is open the door.

| CONTENT WARNINGS: mild manipulation, unreality, snakes, possible character death. |
pineapplesalmon: (confidence)

[personal profile] pineapplesalmon 2024-06-30 12:07 am (UTC)(link)
That's César in a nutshell.

César goes over what he said, then smiles. "Ah, I wasn't clear enough. The 'she' I meant was my girlfriend's friend, who isn't here but could show up. The two of them would love to have matching teddy bears. My girlfriend's busy until later today, so I'll give her them another time."

He holds out one of the giant teddies.
worstorganplayer: (Default)

[personal profile] worstorganplayer 2024-06-30 12:19 am (UTC)(link)
Snakes suddenly wonders what he's gotten into.

"So we're just supposed to wander around with these for who knows how long, just in case she comes?" he says as he takes the bear.
pineapplesalmon: (all in a day's work)

[personal profile] pineapplesalmon 2024-06-30 12:36 am (UTC)(link)
"Oh, no, no, I... didn't say that I wanted to take these back home really quick, did I?" César looks apologetic. "It's not too far from here, about five minutes away. There's no need to converse if you don't want to."
worstorganplayer: (Default)

[personal profile] worstorganplayer 2024-06-30 12:47 am (UTC)(link)
Snakes relaxes exponentially.

"Oh, nah, that's fine," he says. "We can talk."
pineapplesalmon: (a quick suggestion)

[personal profile] pineapplesalmon 2024-06-30 01:33 am (UTC)(link)
... Whoops. Really should've mentioned that in the first place, but he was trying to think of three things at once again.

"Oh! I haven't introduced myself. I'm César Salazar."
worstorganplayer: (Default)

[personal profile] worstorganplayer 2024-06-30 01:41 am (UTC)(link)
"Snakes Tolliver," Snakes says. "I'm one of the law enforcement people here."
pineapplesalmon: (friendly smile)

[personal profile] pineapplesalmon 2024-06-30 04:07 am (UTC)(link)
"Ah! You work with Cerrit, then. It's a pleasure to meet you." César's expression brightens as he says the name. "I never really did ask what all law enforcement entails around here, now that I think of it."

He begins to walk towards his house, not wanting to delay Snakes for too long.
worstorganplayer: (Default)

[personal profile] worstorganplayer 2024-06-30 06:16 am (UTC)(link)
Snakes nods. He doesn't know Cerrit well, but yeah, Cerrit is there too. "Mostly it's trying to protect people from all the weird stuff ... or it should be. Seems like there's not always much we can do. I keep trying, though."

He walks too.
pineapplesalmon: (general smiling)

[personal profile] pineapplesalmon 2024-07-03 07:27 pm (UTC)(link)
"It made a different when the star monsters were attacking." César's smile softens as he points it out, thinking about how Magne had protected everyone. "It's important you try. Otherwise, the rest of us might give up, too."
worstorganplayer: (Default)

[personal profile] worstorganplayer 2024-07-03 09:04 pm (UTC)(link)
Snakes nods. "Yeah ... that's what I'm thinking. The people who live here, sometimes it seems like they've almost given up, or that they're too desensitized to what happens. I don't want that to happen to me or anyone else who gets brought here."
pineapplesalmon: (a quick suggestion)

[personal profile] pineapplesalmon 2024-07-04 05:38 pm (UTC)(link)
"It's one of the reasons why Mortanne is bringing in 'new blood', I suppose. I forgot how to give up. Not when giving up meant the destruction of my world back home. A lot of the others don't know how to give up, either. My girlfriend for one."

Hard mode: getting César to not mention his girlfriend.
worstorganplayer: (Default)

[personal profile] worstorganplayer 2024-07-04 07:32 pm (UTC)(link)
"Good," Snakes says. "Then you're both what we need here.

"Is your girlfriend from home too or did you meet her here?"
pineapplesalmon: (friendly smile)

[personal profile] pineapplesalmon 2024-07-05 04:06 am (UTC)(link)
"I met her here, but if anyone was going to find love in an alternate dimension, it's me." César laughs warmly, then points down a road just ahead. "We'll be turning right here."
worstorganplayer: (Default)

[personal profile] worstorganplayer 2024-07-05 04:09 am (UTC)(link)
Snakes doubts he could himself, but he had poor luck finding real love back home too. That made him so cynical he hasn't tried since, in any world.

"Okay." He makes the turn. "Are you two planning to stay here if you can?" That might be the only way they'd be able to stay together.
pineapplesalmon: (a quick suggestion)

[personal profile] pineapplesalmon 2024-07-05 11:13 pm (UTC)(link)
César wasn't trying, but Magne found him.

"Yes and no. I can find this place again back home and use interdimensional travel to come back if all goes well. Magne's... probably staying, but I'll be here for hours each day. That's my dream, anyway."
worstorganplayer: (Default)

[personal profile] worstorganplayer 2024-07-06 12:08 am (UTC)(link)
"Really?" Snakes is surprised and intrigued. "You think they'd allow you to come back here if they send you home?"
pineapplesalmon: (a chin touch moment)

[personal profile] pineapplesalmon 2024-07-06 12:45 am (UTC)(link)
"Well, I'll ask to make certain, but I don't see why the goddesses wouldn't. I got a forced mandatory vacation for overworking myself from Mortanne once." César shrugs. "We'll probably be married by the time we're finished, so I'll get to surprise my brother that I suddenly have a wife. And his expression will be hilarious."
worstorganplayer: (Default)

[personal profile] worstorganplayer 2024-07-06 01:22 am (UTC)(link)
"Huh. That's interesting," Snakes says. "Did you like your forced vacation?"

He hopes they really will all be finished someday and be able to choose their futures, and that anyone with loved ones back home can see them again.
pineapplesalmon: (all in a day's work)

[personal profile] pineapplesalmon 2024-07-11 08:23 pm (UTC)(link)
César thinks back to some of the very nice things that happened during his vacation, his expression looking a tad dreamy. "... actually, yeah. It was nice."
worstorganplayer: (Default)

[personal profile] worstorganplayer 2024-07-11 08:28 pm (UTC)(link)
"Huh. Well, that's good then," Snakes says. "Me, I hate bein' forced into anything. That's how I got into a lot of trouble back home, rebelling against being forced."
pineapplesalmon: (a quick suggestion)

[personal profile] pineapplesalmon 2024-07-11 11:46 pm (UTC)(link)
"I would've hated it more if Mortanne hadn't been right. And if I didn't have a girlfriend ready to help me make the best of finally getting some rest." César grins a bit, looking back to Snakes. "My brother has trouble with that, too. Gets into trouble because of it as well."
worstorganplayer: (Default)

[personal profile] worstorganplayer 2024-07-12 03:07 am (UTC)(link)
"Yeah, I guess that could make a difference," Snakes muses. "Who's your brother?" He idly wonders if he knows the guy. There's a lot of people here he hasn't met yet.
pineapplesalmon: (a chin touch moment)

[personal profile] pineapplesalmon 2024-07-12 05:38 am (UTC)(link)
"Rex. He looks a lot like me, sixteen, hair brushed back with a cowlick, an inch shorter. Lovably cocky superhero type with a heart of gold. And he's earned the cockiness, for the record." César very clearly loves his brother, talking about him with pride.
worstorganplayer: (Default)

[personal profile] worstorganplayer 2024-07-12 06:13 am (UTC)(link)
"I don't recollect meeting him yet," Snakes muses. Cockiness always seems to have a way of eventually hurting the person or people involved, but he doesn't comment on that. "What's his job here?"

((OOC: I tried to find out what Rex's job was, since if he's an Enforcer Snakes surely must have met him, but I can't seem to find him....))
pineapplesalmon: (gently smiling)

[personal profile] pineapplesalmon 2024-07-12 02:36 pm (UTC)(link)
César pauses and makes a little "oops" face before shrugging with a light laugh. "Oh, he's... back home. I don't think he can easily get here, anyway. Rex is nearly unkillable. Anyway, just down this street. We're almost to my place."

((OOC: ajdhfhjcjfjfj That would be why you couldn't find him, whoops. César just uses present tense since he's gunning for success, and assumes he can get back to PH by his knowledge of making multiverse portals.))

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