OPEN - welcome to solvunn!

[respiting]

Who: anyone in solvunn
When: october
Where: ed’s inn & tavern & fine gift shop
What: a mingle meet & greet for all new and old solvunn summoned to hang out and get to know each other!
Warnings: n/a, please mark any warnings in subject titles



[ ooc: this is an open log so please feel free to jump in and make your own top-levels! the official unofficial welcoming committee will be extending invites to as many summoned as possible, so you won’t need any cr with any character to just show up. you can also always assume you’ve heard it through word of mouth, and the locals will be happy to point your character in the right direction, too! there may be random locals that come through, looking for gifts at the gift shop but don’t worry about them. the event will start at 4pm~ and lasts until the very last guests head out or head to bed. ]



i. (don’t) exit through the gift shop ;

Welcome to Ed’s Inn & Tavern & Fine Gift Shop. You’ve likely wandered here due to that invitation in your hand, a word from a fellow Summoned, or because you were simply curious.

The inn itself is situated between the Primary and Secondary settlements, nestled in a nice plot of land with a garden out back, and a pen for the goats. There are little fairy-lights decorated along the eaves of the roof, and candles to set the cozy atmosphere. Inside, you’ll find a front desk with no one currently behind it, or sometimes a three foot tall raccoonoid standing there who will not speak with you until you ring the bell, even if he’s there, because that’s the freakin’ rule. The desk itself has nothing on it save for an empty bowl and the single bell. And afterwards, if you do ring the bell, he’ll demand (okay, ask) whether you’ll be needing a room.

In one corner of the main lobby area, just by the entry door, a small table has been set up with a seemingly random bunch of nick-nacks placed over it, under it, and to the sides of it. A single nail without an actual picture has been pierced into the plaster wall as though holding its place for something to come in the future. If asked, Rocket will explain that it’s a dumping ground for the owner’s stuff, because he’s not dead or anything, he’s just on an extended holiday. (But it can be noted that his voice sounds a little melancholic when he explains as much.)

This will be followed by a quick clearing of the throat and a not-so-subtle, ‘Hey, check out the gift shop while you’re at it. The guy who ran this place collected a lot of weird shit and it’s awesome’ before he follows you right behind. Apparently he mans this station too.

The gift shop itself is actually more of a stand, set up with all manner of odd items, some of them veering towards creepy or weird. Some items may even be haunted, but who knows? It’s all explorable at your own risk, and don’t feel pressured by time. Take as long as you need; just know that you might have to haggle to get the price that you want. Donations for items you want to take off your hands are also accepted, and there is a rather not-so-subtle ‘tip jar’, with a couple of coins already in, set on the side.

If you need any help while exploring your stay at the inn, employees Arthur Hastings and Nanaue will also be present at opportune times to aid you. (Feel free to ask Arthur about the furniture around the place; it had been built by him.)

ii. a feast for all ;

The bar and kitchens will be busy tonight. There are tables set out to encourage more mingling and less opportunity to be anti-social (though a few single tables will be left for those that insist on the wallflower life), with foodstuffs placed like a buffet. This includes a few wheels of Nero’s cheese collection cut into slices and served with preserved meats and crackers to start with, and a few pots of vegetable and meat stews for a proper dinner, courtesy of Himeka, the inn’s chef. Tifa will be at the bar, ready to serve any interested patron a drink.

There is a dart board hanging on the wall to one side, and decks of cards and dice games for when you’ve filled your share of food and want to mingle with something other than alcohol. And for the musically inclined, you’re free to request an instrument from Wanda, however … don’t be too surprised if your instrument is a little out of tune or weirdly misshapen. It’s fine, it still works…ish.

The Official Unofficial Welcoming Committee (made up of Wanda, Himeka, Rocket, and Nebula) will be making their rounds as usual, so feel free flag them down for a quick chat. And if you notice an odd looking small little cat with a white-and-ginger coat lingering around the space (usually found around Wanda or Rocket), feel free to make his acquaintance too.

Each Summoned can take a jar of preserves or jams with them as a kind of welcoming gift, and next to the pyramid of carefully placed delights is a stack of pamphlets, also free for the taking. There’s a lot of Very Important information within, as well as a few expertly crafted doodles to get you better acquainted with your new home.

iii. all in a day’s work ;

The fenced-in area of the yard is relatively neat, but there are spaces where there is clear gardening and other yard work taking place. Some of the older Summoned will say ‘the previous owner liked his flowers, you know,’ like it’s common knowledge, and while one won’t be expected to help, the invitation to pull out weeds or tend to what garden beds and pots that exist will be there.

There are other tools: pitchforks to pick at clumps of hay that the goats wandering in have spread about, shovels to push at larger rocks, watering cans for the drier-looking plants and flowers. Some stone slabs sit on the side of the inn, waiting for the walkways to be planned out and set onto the ground proper. It will come quickly, the understanding that here, in Solvunn, everyone works together to make things happen–as much is true for the Summoned in this territory, too.

Later on, as the day simmers down both in activity and temperature so the sun starts setting behind the rolling fields of Solvunn too. The brook behind the inn sounds louder now, not for its water, but for the animals that start their tunes for the night; the air is brisk and chilly, but plenty of beautiful butterflies and colorful toads can be found amidst the flowers and moist rocks, respectively. Should one not want to tempt fate and catch a cold, there is, instead, the start of preparations for a bonfire on a dry patch of grass. Stools are brought out from the inn, set around the area, and twigs, kindle, and logs need to be brought close for the fire.

And then–warmth, from the roaring fire, as cups with hot apple cider are passed around to those wanting, old and new Summoned open for conversation.

Comments

Feast for All - Cards

[divinityfrompain]

That's giving me divination vibes.

( Julia is there to greet everyone and just have a nice social night. She's been working hard at the orchard since it's the season for it, and she smells of apples and cider as per usual. She isn't a part of the official group but she tries to show up for each of them. There seem to be a lot of new faces this time around which is sort of a shame; for them, at least.

She can spot something witchy a mile away, although sometimes it turns out to be a false assumption. But they're in a world of magic and there's a higher chance of other witches to come through the spell, so she's eager to see if there are more. Her dark hair is plaited and she looks like a petite average human, but there is a lot of supernatural power underneath the surface. )

[magike]

As opposed to?

( her words are cautious, looking up at julia for a moment before gesturing around the bar at the other tables )

There are plenty of others with cards.

[divinityfrompain]

Well I am a witch, so maybe I'm seeing things that aren't there.

[ Julia says it directly without any lead up. She sees no reason to say otherwise, but she's been in this place absolutely dripping with magic for a year now. Magic is everywhere around them and basically every native is a witch. It's very comfortable for her because of it. ]

They have versions of the arcana here, it's kind of wild to be across universes that way. I mean, if you know what that means.

[magike]

( there's the lightest raise of her eyebrows at the admission that the other woman is a witch, and though that's of course of some interest to rowena she's much more cautious about it. witches tend not to like her, though with her history she's done many things for witches to not like her.

but she tips her head back down, casually turning over another card, only pausing briefly as she scans it before turning over one more )

Are you asking if I'm familiar with other universes or if I've been to them?

( or maybe about the arcana )

[divinityfrompain]

I was more curious if you're from earth, although I guess that doesn't really clarify, who knows how many earths there are.

[ Julia's brought her cider with her and she reaches out with her hand to telekinetically bring a chair over to her to sit in. She's not joining Rowena at the table yet as she hasn't been invited, but she might as well chill while she sees if she can crack this nut a little. If not, she'll leave her be though, she wants to be friendly not annoying. The casual use of telekinesis underlines what she said about magic. ]

Have you ever heard of New York City?

[magike]

I have. And I've been there.

( she adds partially for a little detail, partially in anticipation of whether it might be a question. to ask about once place specifically tells rowena that's where this woman is from, or at least last lived )

But even across different universes one named place may appear entirely different depending on the circumstances of that world.

[divinityfrompain]

It's true. There are some people here from New York or somewhere in the US, but none from my particular world.

[ At least as far as she knows. Julia saw Eliot when she first got there but he disappeared soon, leaving her alone in this place. She thinks about Q a lot, she thinks about Kady, but it seems like wanting them to be here is selfish, so she doesn't. She knows that Dean, Castiel, and Michael are all here, and their brother Lucifer, so that's the most people she's met from one place. ]

You know, there is another Scot here, his name is Red. He's from like centuries in the past but he's a mensch.

[ If she's from a place with a New York that accent is probably legit. ]

[magike]

( that statement has rowena pausing, her hands resting on the top of the deck of cards, her head tilting more in julia's direction now. interesting. specific connections, mentions of scotland that are certain to get rowena's attention. and time. that makes rowena wonder exactly how many centuries in the past, whether a time that she would know or perhaps from one even earlier than her )

Though I suppose that depends on what the past is to people.

( though given how this place seemed... part of the settlements felt very much like a time that she'd long since lived past )

[divinityfrompain]

Sorry, in the past from me. I think maybe the late 1600s or early 1700s. I'm from 2018.

[ Time doesn't really factor into Solvunn much as they're farmland, there's very little technology, so they may as well be that far in the past as it is. Magic is the only thing keeping it going. When they go to Nocwich it's slightly more advanced, but she's pretty sure no where is more advanced than the Industrial Revolution time era. Red fits in here better than she does with that in mind. ]

We're from all over the place in our group of Summoned. Different worlds, different times, different species.

[magike]

That much I'm coming to notice.

( she met the shark, anyway, that's... well, it wasn't a surprise to her. she knows a lot about different worlds and creatures, which is why she's saying little about red's time, one that she certainly knows far too well, and one she doesn't want to broach. yet. wrong company )

Considering that we're already in a world that's not our own it's perhaps more likely to meet someone not from a familiar place than to find someone knowing what you do.

[divinityfrompain]

You've met Nanaue the shark and Rocket the raccoon, I'm guessing.

[ They are both here. Very different people but very distinct people. Julia adores them, as most people do, once they get to know them. She tries to remember how it was those first few weeks. The woman seems very calm and in control of herself, something that Julia admires, given that she came out of the spell screaming and trying to fight people. And doing the same for the first week until her magic came back. ]

Someone from my world was here when I got here, but then he was sent back or whatever happens to people when they stop being here.

[ It would have been nice, having someone familiar, even if she wasn't close with Eliot. She has been alone a long time though, she's used to trying to make it on her own now. ]

[magike]

( there's a little sound, a thought. it's convenient if they're able to be sent back, if the wizard that brought them here has that spell... and she certainly has unkind thoughts in mind as to what she'd do to get that spell.

but then no one seems to know and in a world so large and unknown... they could still be here, a god or creature could have killed them... the possibilities were large )

Have you scryed for them?

( in the question of you are a witch )

thanks for your patience!

[divinityfrompain]

Yes, but he was in Thorne, spells don't work that far away here.

[ Even for Julia who should have a much farther grasp than most people, she knows that it cuts off after a certain point. She can't teleport across the planet in the blink of an eye, her power is limited. She can see why though, they wouldn't want people so much more powerful than them here in this world, under their thumbs. Too dangerous. So she's been limited. ]

Apparently you can be sent back home and then taken again, and you remember being here, but you also didn't know about this place while in your timeline. It's a bit of mindfuckery magic-wise.

[ Julia's not met anyone who went through this, so this is more information shared by other parties who have experienced it. She figures that must be weird as hell, having several sets of memories you didn't ask for, kind of like what they all went through earlier this year. She doesn't mention it though because she doesn't want to freak out any of the new people. Though this woman doesn't seem like the easy type to freak out. ]

I'm Julia Wicker. I've been here about a year.