aionlogs | welcome to achamoth

WHO: Kenoma Aions
WHAT: Welcoming party for the new Kenoma!
WHERE: Achamoth
WHEN: May, a few evenings post the TDM
WARNINGS: None for now!

I. 𝙒𝙀𝙇𝘾𝙊𝙈𝙀 𝘼𝙄𝙊𝙉𝙎! 🍸🎉

As per several many (slightly annoying) communion invitations, come a few evenings past the arrivals of the new Kenoma, there’s a party being thrown in a building just outside the Citadel.

And thanks to the combined efforts Misa, Lottie, Gen, Matt, Luo Binghe, Amos, and more, the space is quite inviting. The tables set up are adorned with plenty of vibrant food and decadent drinks, all laid upon gothic, lacy tablecloths. There’s even live music— a small group of Achamite musicians playing the closest thing there is to grunge folk are plucking at strings in the corner.

The hosts for the night, Misa and Lottie, stand in the entryway to usher their fellow Aions in. They’ll be busy accounting for everyone being in attendance for the first hour or so of the party (because they’ll start bothering people through Communion who don’t show up), so characters will be free for a while to peruse what they’ve set up:

The largest table aside from the one that’s supporting all the fancy finger foods has a placard on it that reads “♡GAME TABLE♡”. This long, long table is taken up half way by shot glasses that have been pre-filled with a clear, fruity smelling alcohol. The other half of the table has a message written by Misa and Lottie:

One of the most important missions of tonight is to get to know each other! Learn a thing or two about the people at the party through these games, got it? Or if you know some fun drinking games, teach someone one! By the way, you should also take one of these tally cards and have your partners in your games sign it when you’re done. Everyone who fills it out completely will get a prize 💋

Next to that placard are blank cards with three blank slots, as well as several quills. Getting three people to sign your card seems like it’ll result in you getting a prize! Allegedly.

Next to those cards are explanations that Misa and Lottie have written on how to play 1) truth or dare, 2) never have I ever, and 3) two truths and a lie. They’ve even provided a deck of face down cards that have suggestions for truths and dares on them (because they didn’t want anyone to like, dare someone to burn the place down or something.) The truth and dare questions will be pretty innocent and/or jokingly flirty, think along the lines of “I dare you to tell your partner who you think is the hottest Aion on the Kenoma side.” However, characters are under no obligation to use these, and are free to go wild and make up their own.

The second area of interest is an area with a black curtain pinned up, and an Achamite artist sitting in front of an easel… that’s right, they’ve hired a sketch artist to take people’s (very quick) portraits, thinking that since everyone can’t take selfies, it’d be nice to have some other physical memento of the party. Problem is, with the budget constraints for the party, they can’t afford to pay for everyone to get one alone - characters will need to pair up! There are a number of small miscellaneous accessories they’ve procured (hats, jewelry, etc.) that characters can wear if they wish. The artist seems a little fickle, though, and may keep asking characters to change poses or, you know, get closer so they can both fit in the frame…

Characters who are wallflowers or simply don’t want to participate will be fresh out of luck— Misa and Lottie will be patrolling around the venue after ushering people in to ensure that people are participating. And yes, that means physically pushing two people together that they see sticking to the edges. You are free to handwave that they forced your character into a game or sketch with someone if they wouldn’t willingly participate!

By the way, while characters are increasingly encouraged by Misa and Lottie throughout the evening to play with other characters in order to complete their cards, when they actually turn them in to the hosts, no prize will be immediately offered. You can handwave your character receiving a very non-committal “it’s not here yet,” “I’ll get back to you on this,” or “Wow, good job! Talk to me later, okay?” from either Misa or Lottie if they actually go through the effort to turn their card in.

II. 𝙒𝙊𝙍𝘿𝙎 𝙊𝙁 𝙒𝙄𝙎𝘿𝙊𝙈 🗣🎙

After everyone’s had a chance to have some booze, food, and possibly some embarrassing (or revealing?) moments while playing games, Misa and Lottie will signal for everyone to quiet down, and will step onto a small podium that they’ve brought into the venue. It’s during this time that they’ll finally address the group. Lottie speaks first:

"Hello guys, how are we doing tonight? I'm Lottie Person, one of your hosts for tonight.

Thank you to everyone who came and helped make this event a reality. First, Misa and I really couldn't have done it without everyone who pitched in. Is it cheesy to say it warmed my heart? Maybe.. But it shows that even if we all haven't exactly held hands, we still can come together for the important stuff.

And second, thank you to all the new people who joined us tonight. This really wouldn't have happened without you, and we're happy to see such an amazing turn out with both new and old faces.

As part of tonight's soiree, we've arranged to have some of the best and brightest people come and talk to us about all the things you need to know to better understand what's going on, and how you're involved."

The two of them will introduce each speaker as they come up to the podium and give their spiel. The speeches that take place can be found here. Characters will have the opportunity to ask questions after each speech for clarifications or further details, so long as the speech giver is willing to answer.

Once everyone has had their chance to share their knowledge, Misa will thank the speakers, and raise a glass of the closest thing Horos has to champagne for a toast:

“That pretty much covers everything, doesn’t it? A big, big thanks to everyone for helping explain all that. I know me and Lottie were asking a lot of you, but we really couldn’t do it all by ourselves…! Some of you are way better at that stuff, ahaha.

Anyways, I really hope everyone who came here to Achamoth feels a little more welcome now. I know everything’s been really crazy ever since we all came from those shrines, and it’s been scary, too. We don’t know what happened to where we came from, or what might happen to us… but I don’t feel too afraid. Because in my heart, I really believe in what we’ve all come here to do. And I believe in the Regent’s power.

Let’s all remember one thing going forward. We’re on the same team, so that makes us all friends, okay?”

She raises her glass.

“Together, let’s create an ideal world.”

III. 𝙀𝙎𝘾𝘼𝙋𝙀 𝙁𝙍𝙊𝙈 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝘾𝙄𝙏𝙔 🏃‍♂️💨🎭

Following the close of the serious speech section of the party, there’s still a bit more time to mingle before the party ends. Or, under normal circumstances, there would be.

Shortly after Misa’s closing speech, some of the Achamite workers who have been hired to work at the party will have worked up the courage to approach Aions directly (particularly those with their shards visible.) Newer Aions may not have had a chance to experience this just yet, with their relative newness to the city, but Achamite citizens treat Kenoma Aions with the utmost excitement and religious fervor. It’s common for them to make generous offerings to Kenoma Aions if they are recognized or if their shard is spotted, or treat the Kenoma Aions in general as celebrities.

This can result in your character being badgered with questions and offerings from the few non-Aions in the crowd helping with the party – older Kenoma Aions will recognize this behavior for what it is.

Misa and Lottie will also take notice of this starting to happen, and will mentally communion urge everyone to leave the party ASAP before it turns into a meet and greet for overly enthusiastic onlookers. They’ll do their best to divert the attention of anyone getting too nosy by intercepting, but they won’t be able to keep everyone from experiencing this.

Any lingering questions about the apparent reverence the Achamites hold for the Kenoma Aions will have to be answered by older Aions — preferably while you make a clever escape. Outside the party venue is the rest of Achamoth, with the Citadel stretching high above into the dark night sky above. You can make a quick return back to the Citadel’s familiar dining halls and bedrooms, or perhaps you want to escape to somewhere else in the city.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Again, Gen needs a moment to process things -- even with his sheer bulk and his robust liver working hard, his brain's still lagging by a second or two after all that alcohol. And then, after a hard blink he clarifies: ]

I meant making it so fancy. Booze, party, games, that painter. You could've just made it simple.

[ Because yeah, he gets that some sort of orientation session for the newcomers is a good idea? It's only the fact that Misa and Lottie had put so much effort into it that confuses him.

But more importantly: ]

Xishen? You been talking to her a lot or something?

[ His face crinkles with distaste as he says her name; he's never stopped being angry about her involvement in the ceremony during their arrival here. Gen huffs, grabs one of the final shots left and throws it back; it keeps him from getting mad and also helps her finish cleaning up so two birds with one stone, right? That said, his voice is markedly more slurred when he continues. ]

What kinda trouble was she talkin' about?

I know the kind of people the people in the Kenoma are. If there wasn't something to make everyone talk to each other, they'd just talk business and then leave...

[ Which is all the explanation she offers to him. She's sure some (read: most) of the Kenoma would view as infinitely preferable to the set up that the party had. But in her mind, she feels firm in her belief that it's to all of their benefit if they at least know some things about one another - personal things, that don't relate to the battlefield. She's sure one day someone will thank them for having those portraits as mementos. ]

Besides, she didn't say exactly what, only that it would've been 'ill-advised' for anyone to have not come.

[ That seemed like an obvious enough indicator to her that playing lone wolf might've caused trouble with the Regent. It was Xishen who had told them all to take care of introductions in the first place - perhaps ignoring that call would come off as a snub to the higher ups. Misa shrugs, her expression neutralizing as she watches him throw back that shot, trying her best through her clouded perception to get a read on what prompted such a reaction. ]

I think... well, probably, [ She drunkenly rambles, gesturing abstractly with her hands: ] You'd get reprimanded or something? It wouldn't be as serious as what happened to that Emet-Selch guy. Maybe? That'd be a little too serious, don't you think?

[ He's not sure he'd quite understand what's at stake here even if he weren't so drunk that the room keeps spinning slowly around him. As it is, Gen's left just squinting dubiously at Misa for a moment -- opening his mouth to speak, hesitating, rearranging the words in his head, then finally producing words. ]

Still don't get why it'd be a bad thing if this was more like a bis -- business thing. People who hit it off can go party on their own, can't they? Would've been less trouble for you.

[ Bottom line: he doesn't doesn't quite understand why Misa (and Lottie) would spend all their money when they could have just ... not. Why ever do things for other people at personal cost when it could just be avoided?

But, well.

Gen does sigh afterward, rubbing a hand over his face. Then adds languidly, ]

Guess you did a good job, though, if this is what you were supposed to do? Don't think anyone could've avoided coming here what with all that annoying shit you kept beaming in our heads, and looked like people were getting along well enough so -- good job.

[ It's ... incredibly lackluster as far as praise goes. Delivered at a sleepy, lazy deadpan, complete with shitty word choice and a lack of eye contact because his gaze keeps drifting off towards some point in the middle distance. But it is still praise, and given without any demands in exchange. So hey! It's something. ]

[ And while she was going to argue her point that things were more fun this way, that a little forced time together would probably help down the road, he goes ahead and lands that incredibly lackluster and awkward compliment of her efforts. Paired with the insult regarding her annoying communion broadcasts. All things considered, compared to the praises she receives for trying from her """colleagues" back in Tokyo, or lack thereof, this is practically a glowing review— so there's a sharp bark of laughter from her, before she covers her mouth with a hand at the suddenness of it all. ]

Aww, is that what you really think? So Gen is a total sweetie when he gets drunk... [ Aaaand she's reaching over to poke him in the cheek if he even lets her get that far, and will absolutely teasingly continue to poke him while she talks unless Forcibly Removed From the Premises. ] Maybe you should drink more ofteeen!

[ Any sense of seriousness that Misa had had moments before discussing the topic of Xishen and punishment via the Regent is all but forgotten in favor of annoying Gen on purpose, her smile mischievous and carefree. As usual, she doesn't seem to take much of anything seriously, least of all Gen himself in the moment. ]

Especially 'cuz your face is gonna get stuck like that if you're always frowning, you know. Didn't you have any fun at all tonight?

welcome to achamoth

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