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ph_logs2025-09-20 10:27 am
pumpkinhollow) wrote in ph_logs2025-09-20 10:27 am
Entry tags:
September Event - Guest Appearances
GUEST APPEARANCES
Ignition
September 20th is the Autumnal Equinox. Many places across the world of Concorde celebrate the first day of fall. While various nations and regions have their own cultural practices surrounding it, nature is god everywhere. And so the inception of Mother Autumn’s domain is universally recognized, even if the names change from place to place. But on a little island named Marrow, in a little town called Pumpkin Hollow, there is another reason to celebrate.
The birth of Dahlia Leeds is not so important an event that it supersedes Celestine herself, and neither Dahlia nor anyone in town is foolhardy enough to claim as much. In fact, after the events on this very same day last year, one might argue that perhaps her birth at least started out as a bad thing. But she is certainly the wealthiest person in town. It is through the combination of substantial wealth and a generous heart, two things that are very seldom found in the same place, that we end up with a soiree where the birthday girl would rather spoil everyone else on her day than herself.
The doors to Leeds Estate, which presides proudly over the town upon its throne at the crest of Founder’s Hill, are flung wide open. Large sums of Brass are paid to caterers, florists, and seamstresses to make sure this place is decorated to the nines. Some businesses labor all year, just to prepare for the handsome payoff they’ll get from this event alone. And you, dear neighbor, are invited. Not only are you invited, but you are dressed for the event in whatever your heart desires, completely at the birthday girl’s expense. Dahlia ensures no cost nor conflict stands in between anyone in town and a much-needed break. She is determined for this birthday of hers to be a good night.
Or else.
The birth of Dahlia Leeds is not so important an event that it supersedes Celestine herself, and neither Dahlia nor anyone in town is foolhardy enough to claim as much. In fact, after the events on this very same day last year, one might argue that perhaps her birth at least started out as a bad thing. But she is certainly the wealthiest person in town. It is through the combination of substantial wealth and a generous heart, two things that are very seldom found in the same place, that we end up with a soiree where the birthday girl would rather spoil everyone else on her day than herself.
The doors to Leeds Estate, which presides proudly over the town upon its throne at the crest of Founder’s Hill, are flung wide open. Large sums of Brass are paid to caterers, florists, and seamstresses to make sure this place is decorated to the nines. Some businesses labor all year, just to prepare for the handsome payoff they’ll get from this event alone. And you, dear neighbor, are invited. Not only are you invited, but you are dressed for the event in whatever your heart desires, completely at the birthday girl’s expense. Dahlia ensures no cost nor conflict stands in between anyone in town and a much-needed break. She is determined for this birthday of hers to be a good night.
Or else.
Incipience
{ The timeframe between ignition and the peak of burning, where a small, contained fire spreads and grows gradually into an established flame. All it takes is a spark. }
The whole town is abuzz as preparations for the gala begin. From the moment people begin to wake up for the day, the air throughout Pumpkin Hollow just feels electric with excitement. After August, people have been needing this lift in morale, and after how last year’s gala went… well, there’s a lot riding on this one. And Dahlia seems much more in control now.Speaking of being in control, the whole lead-up process has been incredibly organized. You wake up to a delivery--- your outfit, perfectly tailored and completely paid for. Accessories are included. She truly thought of everything.
It’s noteworthy that Dahlia’s invitations this time included another name beneath her own. “Suzanne Marie Dyneax,” it said. Most people don’t know the name, but gossip gets around in a small town like this. It’s not hard to pick up on the fact that this probably refers to Susie, one of the teenagers that Dahlia recently moved into her home, whose own birthday was ruined by Seemingly’s attack. Gift baskets have been delivered to others whose days were in proximity to the disaster--- Zivia, Capochin, even CT. Wine, fruit, and sweets, along with a birthday card. Dahlia has said in the past, “my birthday is your birthday,” but never has that felt more true.
With businesses mostly closed for the celebration, you are left with the majority of the day to prepare in relative peace. For many of the women in Dahlia’s inner circle, there is even a pre-party group dressing room set up on the third floor of her home. Only those who received her special invitation (Susie, Noelle, Fever, Cassandra, Anya, Alice, Patty, Melanie, Basira, Elsie) are permitted to join, but any friends or partners are gladly invited to wait at the bottom of the stairs for the girls to make their grand entrance.
The food is laid out, flowers placed, dresses laced and buttoned. The clock strikes 6pm, and the fun begins.
FLASHOVER
{ The moment when a blaze reaches its maximum size and heat, and the radiant heat in the space is such that all combustible materials ignite at once, allowing the flame to steadily and freely burn for the rest of the night. }
By the time it reaches 6:15, the ballroom is already flooded with eager dancers and hungry dinner guests. After all, the whole town is invited, and everyone’s excited to see Dahlia’s beautiful new ballroom and take a load off.The music is elegant, played by a rotating cast of musicians who join the party when their act is over. The food is extravagant--- Dahlia and two of her partners are some of the biggest foodies in town, so this is expected. There is talking and laughing and the swirling of ballgowns, and all is well.
But there is a guest you do not recognize in the corner of the ballroom. An older man with white hair, strong features, and a dour expression. You can see Dahlia eyeing him, then flitting over to him, then talking to him. Her expression shifts from anxious, to annoyed, to resigned, before at last she sighs heavily and leaves him to it. Whatever it is that’s going on, clearly it’s something Dahlia is willing to begrudgingly tolerate in order to get back to having fun.
The reason for the disturbance becomes clear in short order, but by the grace of Celestine (and perhaps Eligos), it isn’t a reality bending nightmare or an attack by some monstrous beings. It is simply more guests.
A lot more, in fact.
Those who were on the island in September of the previous year will recall the Visitor’s Center, which appeared briefly just past the beach and served as temporary living and meeting quarters for visitors from the homeworlds of current residents. It would seem that this is a repeat incident. For the night of the gala, one to two “plus ones” have been invited for the vast majority of offworld residents. Most of them are friends or family who are happy to see their guests--- but this is ultimately a working of Eligos, so naturally, this is not always the case.
At the very least, Eligos seems to have been generous with his own granddaughter. As she turns away from him, she very nearly runs into someone much shorter than her. A dark haired human man with dwarfism. He laughs at the accident, grinning up at her as she stares back at him, utterly baffled. Then, petticoats billowing out, Dahlia sinks to the floor and embraces him as tight as she can, head pressed to his chest with little regard for her carefully-styled hair. Even those across the room can hear her shout his name. ”Jonah!”
Within the hour, the ballroom is packed with nearly double the people originally expected, turning the party livelier than it’s ever been. Tearful reunions, laughter, dancing, mischief, romance, sparring, cruelty, and even proper, righteous violence. Truly, this Leeds Gala will be one for the books!
[ OOC reminders: each apped-in player character is entitled to one or two guests from their homeworld. This can be former selves, family, friends, enemies, and they do not have to be from the character’s exact canonpoint. They can be from the past or the future. You may play them yourself, ask another member player to do it, or recruit a non-member player to do so with moderator approval. Non-member players are permitted to join the Discord server while they’re active in this event! Threads you write for your own guests are eligible for AC for the character they’re there with, and threads you write for someone else’s guest can be used on the AC of a character of your choice. Just make sure to mark them as guest threads. After the gala, guests will be allowed to move freely about town, stay the night on Saturday and go home Sunday, or leave right after the gala if preferred. And last but not least, characters played in the gala can be apped directly from this event, rather than going through the normal arrival process. Let a mod know if you have questions, and have fun! ]
Smoldering
{ The decay of a flame as available heat, oxygen, and burning material gradually diminish. Eventually, the flames will recede entirely into glowing embers, glittering like orange starlight amid the ashes of what once was. }
The party rages well into the night. It’s not typical for residents of Pumpkin Hollow to stay out this late, with everything around here that goes bump in the night, but eventually party-goers begin to find their way out. They move in small groups, huddled around lanterns, may they ever stay lit. Perhaps the surprising bit is that their guests can go with them. There are even reservations made for board overnight at the Oak & Iron, all under the name “E. Rex”.But alas, these reservations are only booked for one night. And by the time the sun begins to set on the darker half of the year for the first time, an unfamiliar black boat is moored at Jack's Marina. One that the guests will recognize as the vessel on which they arrived. They must leave by the time it becomes dark.
Or must they? Perhaps for a select few, they will fail to feel the call which draws them home. It is unclear why. There are many that Mortanne would have allowed residency for, if she could. But for some reason, all but a small few feel the pull. Perhaps Eligos has simply abandoned them here. (Or maybe none at all end up marooned and everyone goes home? That all depends on you, dear reader.)
When the sky goes dark, the aptly named Heavy Heart shoves off, with only her crimson sails hanging suspended seemingly in midair in the moonlight. The black ship is otherwise consumed by the night. And soon, even those flashes of red vanish into the distance.
Moments recede into memories, like a dying fire settles gently into glowing embers at the bottom of a hearth. The festivities are over, and the guests are gone. Life in Pumpkin Hollow resumes as before. But maybe just a little warmer and brighter.
“My birthday is your birthday,” as Dahlia often says.
Happy birthday.
References to the appearance of Leeds Estate can be found here!
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Gwen cracks up again, she can't help it, clapping Dess on the shoulder with slightly more strength than you'd expect from her on a glance alone but friendly, teasing energy behind every bit of it. "And here I thought I could be too obvious about it."
It's been nice to be, though. It's been a long time since she had to worry about what it'd mean to get clocked.
"But yeah, no, I went all in. Gwendolyn Maxine Stacy."
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And a cute face."Yo, your ass has three first names, it doesn't get any fancier than that," Dess jokes, grinning. "But for real, it's cute! You got good taste. I got mine 'cause my family's super obsessed with Christmas--- hey, do you wanna dance while we talk? I can do a like super basic waltz."
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"—damn my ass does have three first names," if she sounds like she's realising this for the first time, it's because she is. Nearly five years with this name without noticing, Spiders truly are only observant at random. "Okay, yeah, dancing—if we're gonna be out here chatting we should play the part."
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There's a subtle flicker of— something, hard to really say what it is. Prom probably wouldn't be a loaded reference if the one school dance she had been too hadn't been what it was. Dumbass traumas. "I can manage a super basic waltz."
She steps in to match Dess, perfectly happy to let her take the leading position.
"Okay now see, the Christmas thing makes sense, 'cuz usually people give their kids, like, April or May or June or something if they're gonna go for month names." December seemed unusual but y'know, asking that can be rude.
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"Yeah, no, my dad's name is Rudolph and my mom's name is Carol and our last name is Holiday. I also have a little sister named Noelle, she's who I'm here for."
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Gwen might actually remember less about this than she thought, it has been a long long time since she did any partnered dance at all—but the unnaturally enhanced grace helps paper over the gaps until she catches up.
"Oh, right, her name's Noelle! Uh— I know Kris's crew but I haven't actually, like, met Noelle." Didn't get the chance before they moved out of the dorms and just hasn't since. "Man that really is dedication to the holiday. I don't think me and my dad did more than exchange a card and like, maybe two presents each year in the last decade."
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Proud big sister, that's cute. It must be nice for Noelle to see her again (thinks the girl with no idea the layers to that sentiment).
"Ah, well, I'll have to remember that cheat code. One of my old bandmates was a bit of a horror buff so there's some stuff in the old memory banks. Probably." It's been a minute. "She named her cat Murderface. Almost named the band that too but the school would've had conniptions. You'd think the fancy arts school would encourage creative self-expression buuuut..."
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"The Mary Janes. After our vocalist, Mary Jane," she deadpans, then snorts and shakes her head. "So, y'know, not the most out there option but it worked. And Em Jay was a good vocalist and lead guitarist."
The last time there were visitors she got a very stark reminder from a friend of a friend about how much she must have scared the absolute shit out of her bandmates by behaving the way she did. And then vanishing like she did. But there's not much she can do about it until she can travel again.
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"In our or her slight defence, we were like, thirteen when we named the band," man that feels so long ago now, "but also you're not wrong, if I started another band these days I'd be heading toward a seven car pile-up all the way. Though I'd probably be equally at risk of going full spider-pun, which is a whole other kind of tragedy."
Says the girl who's spider theming has thus far been rather subdued this conversation...
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"Bitten by a radioactive spider," Gwen confirms with a nod. "Which would be just as fun a punk band theme as a superhero theme, actually. ...right that's literally just Hobie. That's straight up just Hobie."
She snort-laughs and glances over her shoulder briefly, not actually spotting where he's got to right now but knowing he's out there somewhere.
"Does combining Christmas and Spiders balance it out, you think, or does that just make a really cold spider?"
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This is gonna be so smooth, Dess can feel it.
"There's an old legend in Eastern Europe about a family that was too poor to decorate their Christmas tree. But what they didn't know is that there was a spider living inside of it, and on Christmas Eve while everyone was asleep, the spider came out and spun a web all over the whole tree, like garlands. And then when the sun rose on Christmas morning, it turned all the spider silk into gold and silver. The family celebrated on Christmas morning, and then they were able to sell the precious metal threads and use the money to get back on their feet! It's one of my favorite 'Christmas miracle' stories. I actually made this golden spider ornament for the tree when I was younger--- Spiders and Christmas go hand in hand already!"
Okay actually it was dorky but hopefully Dess being SO EXCITED about the connection sells it anyway.
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Okay, so, rambling like that is actually adorable and she had no idea just how good of an opening she'd just planted. (Does she get any credit for that? She's not, like, used to this. She has had so little practice.)
"That's— actually amazing. Wow." She grins, she couldn't help if it she tried. "Who'd've thought—I mean, you, obviously, but— Christmas and Spiders, perfect match!"
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Yeah her undertones are definitely getting pinker. Truly embarrassing time to have even the subtlest of in-built mood ring effects.
She has to try and sound at least a little smooth to counteract it, but really it comes out a little too much on the excited side to really count. "I guess it does. Be a shame to let that synergy go to waste."
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That pink undertone to Gwen's entire palette becomes infinitely more obvious in a flash. "Yeah, well— you're— cuter. Why am I speaking like this is a competition."
She hasn't got a lot of flirting experience, okay.