Relief Log #2

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I. In The Aftermath

After the mission is complete, the new recruits are invited back to Central Command for a patch-up and celebration to let loose and socialize a little bit.

The first order of business is the patching up. Anyone who was injured is welcome to go to the Hospital, if the injuries are more serious. Everyone else, those with smaller injuries like scrapes and bruises, minor cuts or burns or abrasions, are welcome to come to the Infirmary in Central Command. There will also be attendants that tell returning new recruits that if they'd like to learn a little first aid and tend to their comrades, they can also head to the Infirmary.

In the Infirmary, anyone who's not injured but shows up will be instructed in basic first aid so they can tend to their teammates and friends. Nurses will be rotating around to check in on people and make sure nothing is more serious than it looks, but generally, the new recruits will be encouraged to tend to their teammates in order to encourage group bonding.

II. A Fine Meal

On an evening a few days after the mission is complete, all the extra-universal new arrivals will be summoned to one of the large meeting rooms in the Central Command for a feast. When they arrive in the room, it is decorated with orange and brown streamers and fall iconography - bundles of twigs and dried flowers, bundles of fragrant herbs, dried pumpkins with faces and fall scenes carved into them, and other decorations. In the center of the room there is a large table laden with delicious-looking fall foods - poultry birds so large they had to have been roasted on a spit, huge roasted portobello-style mushrooms, mashed tubers, gravy, stuffing, bean casserole, candied yams, mooncakes, boiled spicy crayfish, roast herring, various types of stews ranging from traditional stew to fish stew to mushroom stew, and tons of desserts like tarte tatin, ice cream, apple crumble, pumpkin pie, and almost any other fall food you can think of.

Characters will be invited to sit around the table and feast together, while quiet music plays in the background, facilitating conversation. Some of the rebels have volunteered to keep restocking the table as people wander in and out to sit at the table and eat in rough shifts, and these volunteers will encourage characters to share things they're thankful for, things that make their lives better. All of those things that make life worth living, that make the fight worth fighting.

On a table near the door to the room, there is a stack of beautifully cloth-wrapped bento-style boxes that characters are invited to take with them. They are told by volunteers that these boxes aren't just leftovers for later, but a necessary component of the night's test of courage. They encourage characters to take one and participate, as it's a particularly bright feather in the cap of anyone who undertakes it.

III. The Skyclad Light Show

Once the feasting throughout the late afternoon and early evening is about complete, characters will be invited out into the courtyard of the Central Command for the evening's entertainment. The courtyard is essentially a small but beautiful park, with benches, patches of grass, a few ornamental trees and gardens, and plenty of places to spread out a blanket (provided by friendly volunteers!) and watch the show. And what a show it is!

Every year around this time the Skyclad take magical lights that trail behind them, and put on a spectacular light show in the sky. Streaks of vibrant color follow each hoverboard as those riding them in the sky flip, twirl, dive, and perform other feats of hoverboard artistry for the crowd below. The show goes on for about 45 minutes, with the Skyclad twisting and twirling, drawing beautiful designs against the evening sky.

Characters who really bonded with their hoverboards and took to tricks and flips and kicks after the mission would have been invited to participate, especially if they were interested in joining the Skyclad. The Skydance, as they call it, is quite highly choreographed to avoid midair collisions, all with the goal of producing something truly beautiful and ephemeral. Try not to choke!

IV. Night of Remembrance

The final tradition of the evening is a solemn remembrance of the warriors who have fallen in the fight against the Sylphid. After the Skydance, volunteers would have set up another table of those bento boxes from earlier as well as little bags containing 5 mandarin oranges, and would brief the people in small groups about the traditional Night of Remembrance. The Night of Remembrance is a really big deal among the Witches, and is a great opportunity to prove yourself if you're looking to gain respect and rise up the ranks, as it's also partially a test of courage. The tradition involves taking leftover food from the feast to the shrine at the cemetery in the Mages Sector in order to 'prepare a feast' for the dead and honor those who have fallen, and offering oranges to the fallen along the way. The food must still be at least a little warm when it's presented to the spirits. Sounds simple, right?

Once characters who wish to participate find their way to the cemetery, they will discover a couple more volunteers with a variety of lanterns. For some reason, nothing electric, battery-powered, or at all technological will work in the cemetery, and they haven't for as long as anyone can remember. Any light source must be either very old-school or magical in nature, and texting someone for help would be completely impossible. But why would you need to call someone for help?

Well, it wouldn't be a test of courage without a little danger, right? On this night, every year, the spirits in the cemetery are stirred up and come back into the land of the living. Yes, ghosts do really exist. The ghosts have a variety of temperaments - some of the ghosts are very pleasant and will chat with people for a while before accepting their orange, some are playful and mischievous and will play pranks on people coming into the cemetery (these pranks are sometimes harmless and sometimes very not-harmless), and others are angry and resentful at being dead and won't hesitate to viciously attack interlopers. Some of the more unfriendly ghosts can be calmed down with pleasantries and shows of respect, but others cannot be and will continue to attack interlopers until offered one of the oranges that they've brought.

There are two types of lanterns available: traditional lamps that are simply a candle in a glass bell that can be easily carried with a ring on the top, and magic lamps that attract spirits and appear as a glowing blue-green orb floating in a glass bell fitted with a ring for portability. People carrying traditional lamps are seen as quite brave, but those who take a magical lamp are absolute legends.

Participants will need to take a bento, some oranges, and a lantern of either variety, present the oranges to various ghosts as they make their way to a shrine on the other side of the cemetery, where they will set out the food from the bento as beautifully as possible...and don't let that food get cold, or your offering will be worthless - who wants congealed gravy and soggy stuffing?! At the shrine, they will find an assortment of delicate beaded charms attached to the branches of a large weeping willow tree. These are protected by magic, and can only be taken by someone who's completed the tradition. They will light up a different color depending on what kind of lantern the participant is carrying. These charms will provide a one-time magical boon to whoever takes them.

Characters carrying traditional lanterns will find their charms lighting up orange and these charms will, when used through the calling of a keyword by either Heba or Tian characters, summon the spirits of the dead in an area with a radius of around 50 feet to attack an enemy or group of enemies. The keyword can be set simply by speaking it to the charm. This charm can be offered to another person as a gift or kept for the character's own use, and can be used only once. If the charm has been gifted to someone, it will turn red, but will still be functional.

Characters carrying magical lanterns will find their charms lighting up blue and these charms will, when carried on a character's person, provide one resurrection from death without the loss of memory that usually comes as a side effect of resurrections. This charm can be offered to another person as a gift or kept for the character's own use, and can be used only once. If the charm has been gifted to someone, it will turn purple, but will still be functional.

Regardless of which charms are given, characters are encouraged to show them off as evidence of having participated in the Night of Remembrance. Anyone who is gifted one of these charms should be grateful, they are regarded as high-value gifts to be given only to someone you care about a great deal. Many people, regardless of whether they've earned the charms themselves or been gifted them, will attach them to their network devices to show them off.

NAVIGATION

Comments

[jedied]

She reaches out to lay a hand on his arm -- perhaps the first friendly gesture she's taken out of something besides her own emotional wreckage. But things have shifted; she understands him now in a way she hadn't wanted to before, and it's hard to remember why she'd held herself apart so insistently.

"They were wrong. You deserved to know, and you didn't deserve what Luke did."

She wouldn't hold it against the one here, especially now that she had more insight into his thoughts and feelings thanks to the tether, but she'd never think he made the right call then.

[forcecalls]

They were wrong. Simple words that he nonetheless hadn't expected to hear from her, even though he knew she didn't approve of what his uncle had done to him. His face clearly shows pleasant surprise... just before it turns to a flicker of something else.

He's used to disguising any weakness he might be feeling, so the sudden wave of nausea and dizziness (a sensation becoming frustratingly common as of late) wouldn't be noticeable to most people. But she's her, and she's touching him, and the chances of her not noticing are next to zero.

Still, he's not going to draw attention to it. "We both deserved better than we got."

[jedied]

A small hum of agreement is the only response his comment gets, because she's noticed that sensation and frowns at him in fresh concern. Her hand on his arm grasps a bit more firmly to provide some extra steadiness.

"Are you sure you're all right?"

The ghosts hadn't been that vicious, but he might've gotten hit in the head or had some ghost magic done to him. It's nothing she couldn't at least try to heal before they walked all the way back, if he'd let her.

[forcecalls]

Of course she would ask. By now, she likely won't be too surprised that her question is followed both by a moment of Kylo being grumpy with himself and the sense of dizziness getting a bit worse. Hard to tell which of those stirred the other.

"I'll be fine, just give it a minute." He's had these spells before just now. They've always passed pretty quickly.

[jedied]

She isn't reassured. It's not an answer that gives any insight into what's caused the discomfort to begin with, though she's got a short list in mind.

"At least come sit a minute. We're not in any hurry."

Without letting go of his arm, she starts for a bench slightly ahead of them, next to a street lamp. She's not taking no for an answer, and the stubborn set to her features makes it fairly clear that she's not going to let the matter drop easily.

[forcecalls]

He might have argued, but it's easy enough to conclude that doing so would be pointless. There's no harm in sitting, anyway. She's right that they're not in a hurry.

He follows, settling onto the bench she leads him to. "I really am fine." See, whatever that was is already easing up. Even if the underlying cause isn't gone, it's manageable.

[jedied]

"Ben."

This is her unimpressed face.

"If you were fine I'd never have noticed."

They might not be blocking each other out with any real intent, but he'd have tried to hide any sign of weakness, the same as she would've, until they were back to camp at the very least. And it's dawned on her that she hasn't heard any news of him having tethered.

"Are you still being stubborn about tethering?"

[forcecalls]

Her having noticed is a fault of chance. She just happened to be in a position to sense that without him really having the opportunity to cover it. Though there is more underneath it that he has been masking more successfully, so maybe she does have a point. Maybe.

"I'm not tethered." He's not going to call that stubborn, himself. As far as he's concerned, he has perfectly good reasons.

[jedied]

"Don't you think it's time you were?"

Even if the effects so far are manageable, it seems foolish to test them unnecessarily. They've only been here a few months, so he's not at immediate risk of dying -- but that doesn't mean being at all weakened in the middle of a war was a good plan.

"I asked you to tell me if you started feeling ill."

So she could give him exactly this lecture, yes. But also so she could help him find someone to tether with.

[forcecalls]

The element of weakness does worry him, though whatever he's dealing with now, it's not as much of a disadvantage as those first battles when he still had his chip.

"I wanted to see if it would pass. It does." Of course, the simple fact of that statement proves that it hasn't in any long term sense. These spells of feeling unwell just keep happening. "...for a while."

He hears himself, and there's an edge of shame in his voice as he adds that last part. Trying to deny that tethering is the likely solution to this issue is foolish at this point, isn't it? Much as a passing illness would be a far more convenient answer.

He huffs a small, frustrated sigh. "I'll consider it."

[jedied]

She'd been prepared for him to put up more of a fight. She relaxes considerably at even this much agreement, which in itself is a testimony to how concerned she'd been.

"Good. Even if they were exaggerating and it won't kill you -- you don't need to take the risk. There must be someone correctly aligned that you'd consider."

A quick rundown in her head produces Obi-Wan and Luke, the latter of which is obviously out. A few other people she'd met, but no one else she knows well enough to recommend. But she doesn't know everyone here yet, and it'll still be a while yet before he's risking actual lasting harm. There's not a rush to tether to someone immediately -- though she'll still feel better once she knows he's chosen someone.

[forcecalls]

He notices that relief. Somehow, he never fails to find her concern for him surprising.

"I've met a few people aligned with Tian." Rokuro had all but directly offered, back when they'd all been forced to join that tethering app. Kylo stands by what he had said there, even now, but that makes him an option, if needed. Of course, there's someone else he would rather choose. He isn't certain how he feels about his grandfather having access to his thoughts, either, especially when he doesn't have any idea how to control a tether the way he can the Force, but it's a much more palatable idea than it would be with most other people.

He turns to Rey curiously. "You've been tethered for a while. How does that connection work?" Much as he has no desire to learn new things about his shockingly young uncle, he would like information on the tether itself.

[jedied]

She sent herself to him in a cargo container to get him away from Snoke; even angry with him, she's always going to be concerned.

She's equally reluctant to talk about her connection to Luke, but there's no need to mention anything specific. She hesitates briefly, trying to be careful with her words.

"It's not so different from our Force bond, minus the part where we appear to each other. Tethers don't seem to work that way."

Little does she know that her Heba gift will in fact work that way.

"It's nothing bad, honestly. You can tell if they're feeling a particularly strong emotion. Pick up thoughts here and there. I haven't worked out how to shield myself from it like I did with the Force, but it's been fine so far. We try to respect each other's privacy."

She's grateful for that. Luke had waited for her to reach out after picking up on her breakdown over her bloodline. He'd been concerned, but gave her space. She's not sure it'll be harmonious forever, but so far she appreciates the extra sense of being connected to someone.

[forcecalls]

"Hm." Particularly strong emotions and thoughts here and there are things he's used to picking up from people on a daily basis, though in most cases, he's not used to that being a two way street. And not being able to shield at all, having no choice in what thoughts get shared, is concerning.

"What sort of thoughts?" There are different layers, some loud and on the surface, easy for a Force user to pick up, and others that take more digging. He'd like to know whether this tether bond restricts itself to the former or not. "Can you communicate through it intentionally?"

[jedied]

Rey shrugs, not having sat down and discussed all of this at length with Luke yet. They were still getting to know one another; prying into tether-acquired knowledge didn't seem kind unless it was something urgent.

"So far it's only particularly intense, immediate things. And we can tell where the other person is -- though I'm not clear on whether that's because of our tether or because we're both Force-sensitive, or if one makes the other easier. We haven't tried to communicate intentionally yet."

She's been reluctant not least because her bond with Kylo was already plenty to deal with, though she supposes it would be worth testing just to see. If one of them got into real trouble on a mission they'd want a way to communicate, after all.

[forcecalls]

It's a little frustrating that she hasn't tried to test it more, though he already knows she's not as inclined to that as he is. What she says at least gives him a bit to think about.

"Have you noticed anything you don't think you would have just through the Force?" So far, what she's said seems typical of what either of them might pick up on naturally.

[jedied]

She considers it, taking into account that she's been intentionally allowing some distance between herself and Luke.

"I think it's just easier? Less intentional. I don't have to be trying. It's not quite as immediate as ours, but I'm not as sure of how to block it."

She's been trying to shield her thoughts when she thinks they're too loud, but it's not the Force. She's not used to this world's magic yet.

She's curious about what a tether between the two of them would change, if anything, but it's not something she wants to voice aloud when things are still uncertain between them.