22 - Harvest Moon Viewing

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone!
What: Harvest Moon Viewing
When: September 10, 6 PM
Where: The Meeting Hall grounds
Summary: The Heavens are throwing a moon-viewing party!







Party Games

Children are dashing all over the moon-viewing grounds in the early evening, flying kites or playing tag and other games. Many of them are wearing cute seasonal rabbit masks made of paper, or sporting ink curlicues and scribbles drawn over their faces, if they've lost too many games.

Card games and spinning top battles, a few practice archery butts towards the edge of the park, poetry-composing competitions, and even badminton: there's something for everyone, and anyone who doesn't look too busy may find themselves offered a rabbit mask and a game to play. Or perhaps you'd like to try your hand at drawing people into your own game?

Moon Viewing

The moon rises not long after sunset, looming over the garden in hazy golden and red splendor thanks to the volcanic fumes in the atmosphere. The games are winding down as darkness falls, and the faint scent of burning incense fills the air as people settle to view the moon rise. Shinki in their festival best, adorned with Amaterasu's golden chrysanthemum, are serving the guests. They set out trays of fresh seasonal fruit (Japanese pears, persimmons, and chestnuts) and plates of mochi, serve sake, and light portable grills to cook sweet potatoes and skewers of meat.

Mazed & Confused

Part of the grounds have been rearranged into a hedge-maze made of tall, plumed grasses packed close together. A sign at the entrance reads, "Bring back my ribbon from the center of the maze,
and I'll give you a special prize!"

Unfortunately, that's harder than it sounds. The maze is full of dead ends, confusing turns, and twisty little passages, which all look alike. It's almost magical how easy it is to lose your way inside, and the tufted grass will prove to have painfully sharp edges if anyone tries to cheat by pushing their way through the "walls" of the maze.

Those who successfully find their way to the center will find a white ribbon fluttering from the top of a tall pole. If they can climb the pole, pull the ribbon free, and make it back to the entrance, they will hear the sound of a child's laughter, and the ribbon in their hand will disappear to be replaced by a round cake of mochi. Enjoy the prize!

Wild Moon

One of the children participating most energetically in the games of tag and dashing around the party is wearing an oversized gray hoodie with the hood pulled up right to the edges of his happy rabbit mask. He's not being very careful, either: he keeps bumping into other party attendees and barely taking the time to mutter an apology before he sprints away.

Although nothing noticeable happens at the time, anyone who's been tagged or bumped into by that particular child will begin to feel more emotional, quicker to react, and less self-controlled as the night wears on. Those who he only brushed by won't be too powerfully affected, but the more times that he has run into someone, the stronger the effect will grow.

(Note: This won't cause anyone to have emotions that they wouldn't feel otherwise, but both ongoing moods and temporary reactions could be amplified.)

In Summary:

• Play party games
• Relax with snacks
• Try to solve the hedge maze
• Go wild
• Have fun~

Comments

A

[replicatedform]

[He regrets entering this maze. He's pretty sure he's lost at some point? If he could retrace his steps, he should get his bearings again and mentally map the place...

Only to find himself being shaken by someone after turning around a corner?!]

What—Oi! Let go!

[museumship]

[ NEVER.

That only makes her cling harder. ] You-- you must know the way out! You have to show me!

[ She's practically rabid. ]

[replicatedform]

[HELP.

He raise his hand to try and pry her off him. How strong is her grip?!]

Know the way out? I don't know and let go already!

[museumship]

[ At last she lets go, if only reluctantly. ]

Wha--.... ya mean to say that we're [ Pause for dramatic effect! ] both lost?!

[ Oh no. Oh no. It's like that one movie, isn't it? The one being trapped on that mountain and one will have to eat the other to survive this is horrible-- ] I'm too young to die....! [ Note: as a shinki, she doesn't even know what age she is. ]

[replicatedform]

[Ugh, finally. He won't comments on her age, but he can comment on...]

Sorry, but I'm already dead.

[Because he's a shinki. Ahem,
anyway.]

Look, I'm just trying to get my bearings. You can come with me if you want.

[museumship]

Okay, okay, I'm comin'!

[ Scrambling to step up beside him. Hi there. ] So d'you know the way out? Like, if there is an entrance, there has to be an exit. That's how these things work.

[ She literally has radar equipped.... Looks like it's slipped her mind to use it. ]

[replicatedform]

[Not like this guy would know anything about that. Sword, yes, technology = ?????]

Not yet. I'm trying to retrace my steps, so I know my way around. It'd be easier if I can make a map...

[Who brings a pencil and paper along into a maze?]

[museumship]

[ Smart people bring pencil and paper into mazes, apparently. ]

Well if we find bread, we ain't, like, gonna make a bread crumb trail outta that, I can tell ya that.

[ She'd eat it all. Sigh. ]

[replicatedform]

That'd be a waste of a bread. Use something else if we have to leave a trail.

[He starts to walk! He looks around, before pausing and glancing back at Iowa.]

Standing around's not getting us anywhere. Let's try retracing our steps first.

[museumship]

I'm comin', I'm comin'...! [ She trails after him, stretching her arms behind her head. ]

Retracing our steps would be easier to do if I remembered the way I came.

[replicatedform]

["Probably because you're panicking." Except he keep that to himself.]

Yeah. I lost track around... a little after I entered. Right now, I think I remember my last couple of turns.

[He eyes the grassy "walls" as they walk, as if it's taunting them from escaping.]