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[OTA] holiday market mingle log!
Who: EVERYONE (open to all)
Where: The Fringes; a diffusion zone 1hr drive outside of Panorama
When: Throughout December
What: A new diffusion zone has popped up with a holiday theme! How timely. Nothing out of the ordinary to see here, right?
Warnings: Large amounts of kissing? Some fighting? Excessive holiday cheer, perhaps.
Where: The Fringes; a diffusion zone 1hr drive outside of Panorama
When: Throughout December
What: A new diffusion zone has popped up with a holiday theme! How timely. Nothing out of the ordinary to see here, right?
Warnings: Large amounts of kissing? Some fighting? Excessive holiday cheer, perhaps.
HOLIDAY MARKET MINGLE
Word gets around about a new diffusion zone that has sprung up about an hour's drive outside of Panorama. Whether it's by word of mouth at the local bakery or gambling den in the city, someone posting excitedly on the Forum, or simply driving by on the way to elsewhere in the Fringes, news spreads about a holiday market diffusion zone with all sorts of winter wonderland cheer to spread around.
And at first glance, it truly does appear to be a winter wonderland. There are lines of stalls and booths selling holiday-related items, and the type of holiday can vary wildly. It could be Christmas, Hanukkah, Yule, winter solstice, but also winter holidays you've never heard of before, with strange or foreign ideas of traditional toys or decorations. Feel free to get creative with it! Either way, it just might be the perfect place to grab something for the toy drive, or just to find a nice gift for a friend.
There are sparkling lights draped across every booth, a near-constant sprinkling of snow that is just enough to be magical without sticking and making things slushy and gross, and even some food and activities to enjoy among the shopping. Who wouldn't want to take a look and soak in the atmosphere? The mistletoe scattered around must be completely normal, right?
And at first glance, it truly does appear to be a winter wonderland. There are lines of stalls and booths selling holiday-related items, and the type of holiday can vary wildly. It could be Christmas, Hanukkah, Yule, winter solstice, but also winter holidays you've never heard of before, with strange or foreign ideas of traditional toys or decorations. Feel free to get creative with it! Either way, it just might be the perfect place to grab something for the toy drive, or just to find a nice gift for a friend.
There are sparkling lights draped across every booth, a near-constant sprinkling of snow that is just enough to be magical without sticking and making things slushy and gross, and even some food and activities to enjoy among the shopping. Who wouldn't want to take a look and soak in the atmosphere? The mistletoe scattered around must be completely normal, right?
PROMPTS
01
HOLIDAY SHOPPING
The main event here is, of course, the joys of holiday-related capitalism. The booths are run by either oddly out of place creatures that some might recognize as matching the description of a Krampus, or a different type of elf than what some of the fluxdrifts might be familiar with. While none of the fluxdrifts will be able to understand the language they speak (the Krampuses just make snarling noises and the elves speak in something that sounds similar to Simlish), it does seem like they can understand any language spoken to them. Therefore, with some creativity, you might be able to communicate well enough to haggle.
Readable, hand-painted signs posted at the booths will explain that bartering is allowed and encouraged when shopping. Fluxdrifts can try to find items in the zone itself to offer (such as rocks, pieces of tinsel, etc.), but they won't get anything too valuable for that. An actual item of worth they happen to have on them (maybe something they got from the gnomes?) might work better. But the signs also explain that a performance or some sort of show of talent is the most preferred form of payment. This could be a dancing a little jig, singing a song, or showing off some other weird or interesting talent! (For the Krampuses, the weirder the better.) And if someone has a power or ability they want to demonstrate (so long as it's non-threatening!), that will do the trick too.
The items for sale are toys or other holiday goods, and they all seem to have been handmade, which means that the quality can differ greatly but the items are all charming in their own way. The elves sell more traditional items, while the ones sold by the Krampuses can be a little off. Again, feel free to use your imagination here.
The main event here is, of course, the joys of holiday-related capitalism. The booths are run by either oddly out of place creatures that some might recognize as matching the description of a Krampus, or a different type of elf than what some of the fluxdrifts might be familiar with. While none of the fluxdrifts will be able to understand the language they speak (the Krampuses just make snarling noises and the elves speak in something that sounds similar to Simlish), it does seem like they can understand any language spoken to them. Therefore, with some creativity, you might be able to communicate well enough to haggle.
Readable, hand-painted signs posted at the booths will explain that bartering is allowed and encouraged when shopping. Fluxdrifts can try to find items in the zone itself to offer (such as rocks, pieces of tinsel, etc.), but they won't get anything too valuable for that. An actual item of worth they happen to have on them (maybe something they got from the gnomes?) might work better. But the signs also explain that a performance or some sort of show of talent is the most preferred form of payment. This could be a dancing a little jig, singing a song, or showing off some other weird or interesting talent! (For the Krampuses, the weirder the better.) And if someone has a power or ability they want to demonstrate (so long as it's non-threatening!), that will do the trick too.
The items for sale are toys or other holiday goods, and they all seem to have been handmade, which means that the quality can differ greatly but the items are all charming in their own way. The elves sell more traditional items, while the ones sold by the Krampuses can be a little off. Again, feel free to use your imagination here.
02
HOLIDAY FOOD & DRINK
Naturally, some of the booths also sell hot food! At first glance, most of the offerings look exactly like what one might expect at a holiday market. There's roasted chestnuts, sausages with sauerkraut, goulash, gingerbread cookies, stroopwafel, the list goes on. However, the odd thing is that something about all the food doesn't taste quite right. The taste or texture isn't quite what one might expect, as if a major ingredient has been swapped out. The food still ultimately tastes good and is well-made, but it will require getting past that initial wrongness.
The one offering that does taste just about perfect is the hot cocoa and hot apple cider sold by one particular booth, run by a Krampus-elf duo! And while some of the drinks are perfectly normal, certain cups might come with a temporary effect. For about one hour after ingesting the drink, the character in question will find that they feel either particularly naughty or nice. Interpret this as you will, but naughty generally means feeling a little more mischievous and wanting to prank people (or maybe a little bit more salacious, as a treat?), whereas for nice, they might be more interested in purchasing a gift for a friend or performing a good deed.
Naturally, some of the booths also sell hot food! At first glance, most of the offerings look exactly like what one might expect at a holiday market. There's roasted chestnuts, sausages with sauerkraut, goulash, gingerbread cookies, stroopwafel, the list goes on. However, the odd thing is that something about all the food doesn't taste quite right. The taste or texture isn't quite what one might expect, as if a major ingredient has been swapped out. The food still ultimately tastes good and is well-made, but it will require getting past that initial wrongness.
The one offering that does taste just about perfect is the hot cocoa and hot apple cider sold by one particular booth, run by a Krampus-elf duo! And while some of the drinks are perfectly normal, certain cups might come with a temporary effect. For about one hour after ingesting the drink, the character in question will find that they feel either particularly naughty or nice. Interpret this as you will, but naughty generally means feeling a little more mischievous and wanting to prank people (or maybe a little bit more salacious, as a treat?), whereas for nice, they might be more interested in purchasing a gift for a friend or performing a good deed.
03
MISTLETOE (OR MISTLEFOE?)
They more or less blend in among all the other decorations, but scattered around the entire diffusion zone are some unassuming sprigs of mistletoe. The problem being, they're not actually as harmless as they seem. If two character end up under a sprig at the same time, they will find that they cannot move out from under the mistletoe unless they kiss.
The nature of the required kiss is entirely up to the two people threading. It can range from a platonic kiss on the cheek or forehead to full-on snogging, depending on what you want to subject your character to!
However, there is a somewhat rarer type of mistletoe that doesn't require a kiss, but some sort of physical fight or altercation. The only thing that differentiates the two is the "mistlefoe" has a slightly red tinge to its leaves, and that the leaves are serrated. This might give a clue as far as what's required to break the spell. Again, this can range from a punch or a shove to a full-out brawl, as preferred! (You can also assume the word spreads fast around the zone regarding the rules for this, so that your characters don't have to figure it out.)
They more or less blend in among all the other decorations, but scattered around the entire diffusion zone are some unassuming sprigs of mistletoe. The problem being, they're not actually as harmless as they seem. If two character end up under a sprig at the same time, they will find that they cannot move out from under the mistletoe unless they kiss.
The nature of the required kiss is entirely up to the two people threading. It can range from a platonic kiss on the cheek or forehead to full-on snogging, depending on what you want to subject your character to!
However, there is a somewhat rarer type of mistletoe that doesn't require a kiss, but some sort of physical fight or altercation. The only thing that differentiates the two is the "mistlefoe" has a slightly red tinge to its leaves, and that the leaves are serrated. This might give a clue as far as what's required to break the spell. Again, this can range from a punch or a shove to a full-out brawl, as preferred! (You can also assume the word spreads fast around the zone regarding the rules for this, so that your characters don't have to figure it out.)
04
WINTERY ACTIVITIES
If all of that wasn't enough fun, there's a couple other activities to enjoy. There's a hill nearby that's been set up for tobogganing, with a set of slides built in. It requires climbing up a staircase each time to get to the top of the hill, but then sliding down on an inner tube or sled makes for a fun time. Some of the sleds can hold two, even three people for max speed (and potential chaos). However, there isn't really anyone maintaining the slides, which means sometimes there's a risk of drifting completely off-course or even hitting the bottom just to slide right into a massive snow-bank. A hot cocoa might help stave off the effects of getting covered in snow.
Lastly, there's a small outdoor ice-skating rink to enjoy! There's a shed next to it where skates and other gear can be borrowed, and a few benches to sit down and lace them up. No one's even charging, but it is a free-for-all to find a pair of stakes that are actually the right size. Also, if the skates aren't returned after they're used, chances are that some outraged fluxdrift will call it out. The whole idea of the holiday spirit is supposed to be about fairness and sharing, after all, so be nice instead of naughty!
If all of that wasn't enough fun, there's a couple other activities to enjoy. There's a hill nearby that's been set up for tobogganing, with a set of slides built in. It requires climbing up a staircase each time to get to the top of the hill, but then sliding down on an inner tube or sled makes for a fun time. Some of the sleds can hold two, even three people for max speed (and potential chaos). However, there isn't really anyone maintaining the slides, which means sometimes there's a risk of drifting completely off-course or even hitting the bottom just to slide right into a massive snow-bank. A hot cocoa might help stave off the effects of getting covered in snow.
Lastly, there's a small outdoor ice-skating rink to enjoy! There's a shed next to it where skates and other gear can be borrowed, and a few benches to sit down and lace them up. No one's even charging, but it is a free-for-all to find a pair of stakes that are actually the right size. Also, if the skates aren't returned after they're used, chances are that some outraged fluxdrift will call it out. The whole idea of the holiday spirit is supposed to be about fairness and sharing, after all, so be nice instead of naughty!