EVENT: SCAVENGER HUNT

[asgardmods]

It's that time! The riddles are up and your characters can get to ICly figuring them out and bringing in the items. Regardless of whether your character "won" a question or not, or whether you even submitted an answer, or even if you submitted a wrong one -- you can have your characters figure out or not figure out whatever you want in the log. The wins only count for who figures it out first.

Found items should be brought to the altar in the yard of each Welcome Hall. When one of the "winners" (a.k.a. the first person from each house to guess right) brings an item to an altar, a light in the colour of their house will pop up. It's just a hovering ball of light and any touches will pass through it. After that, there's no effect in bringing the same item to the same altar, but people are welcome to do so as much as they wish. Characters are welcome to keep any of the items they find, or leave them at the altar, in which case they'll disappear.

And now for the correct answers:

ODIN: A crown. Very pretty, sparkly crowns can be found in various places throughout Odin's district -- hanging from trees, sitting on benches, just about anywhere! Some of them are cheap wire and glass beads, but some of them are true gold or silver and jewels. Either counts for the scavenger hunt, but the real ones are worth more if you keep them!

THOR: A plasma lamp/lightning ball. You'll find these plugged in inside a lot of various shops and public buildings in Thor district, with postits saying "free!" stuck to them. No one will complain if you take them, so have at! They're also in all different shapes, sizes, and colours, so feel free to imagine!

LOKI: A vial of snake's venom, similar to that said to drip on the face of the imprisoned Loki in Earth's myths. These can be found lying around Loki district, attached to silver chains (so it can be worn as a necklace). If the vial is opened and the venom is touched, it'll burn the skin like an acid, leaving blisters that'll take a few days to heal. All of the vials contain no more than an ounce of venom, so no one will be finding big bottles!

SIGYN: Golden apples! These will actually be in the form of small potted plants -- tiny bonsai-sized apple trees, even! They'll mostly be found in green areas, beside other full-sized trees. The apples are about grape-sized and golden-skinned but they are edible, and in fact taste like the best apples you've ever eaten! They're seedless too, and new apples will grow about once a week if the tree is kept and watered properly!

HEL: Plastic/rubber bats! They'll be hanging in groups of ten or so from trees or the eaves of buildings, and they'll seem like boring rubber -- until you grab the string that they're hanging from. Once you do that, they'll suddenly "wake up" and start to fly! They're still rubber, but they seem to be alive anyway. Maybe if you can hold onto the string long enough to get it to the altar, it'll decide to stick around as a pet?

HEIMDALL: Golden teeth, a famous trait of the original Norse Heimdall! There are sets of gold teeth (some plastic like a kid's toy, some real "grill" jewelry) just lying here and there in places where they'd catch the sun. There may even be some of those wind-up walking tooth toys! Any quality of "teeth" will apply for the scavenger hunt!

FREYR: A pig (a live one. Really, Allen. You'll make Freyr cry.) His pet pig gullinbursti to be specific, but it isn't a special boar you'll be finding. Instead, there are pigs of all sizes and breeds both possible and impossible (from giant wild boars to tiny potbellies that'll fit in your hand) loose around the district. They'll run if you try to catch them, so good luck herding one to the altar! You could even try riding the big ones if you're a brave soul.

FREYA: A necklace. Specifically Brisinger/Brisingamen, the necklace that, in the original myths, she had to bed several dwarves to obtain and which ended in quite a mess for her! Our Freya hasn't has such an adventure, but the beautiful necklace is still the item for this district. Both fake and real golden necklaces will be found around the necks of various statuary throughout the district.

BALDR: Mistletoe. Plenty of the plant that was this god's demise in the Norse myths has sprouted in Gefion park. Break or cut off a twig and bring it to the altar to win this district's hunt. To make it a worthy prize, a sprig of mistletoe kept can be sold to any NPC-run apothecary for quite a high price, as it normally doesn't grow in the city.


And as for the winners, here's the list of who "won" each question, sorted by house! This means that the characters listed under "ODIN" are members of Odin house. The houses listed with the names are the questions they were awarded. Therefore, Hanbei Takenaka is in Odin house and "won" Baldr's question. We gave some wins for "close enough" answers when no one else in the house got that question right. :) People are listed in chronological order within their house.

ODIN:
Hanbei Takenaka: BALDR
Iceland: FREYA
Tony Stark: ODIN
Nathan Drake: HEIMDALL
Arion Rosemariné: THOR

THOR:
Chie Satonaka: BALDR
Varon: THOR

LOKI:
L: FREYA
Hazama: HEIMDALL
Mami Futami: LOKI
Lucille: FREYR
Harry Flynn: BALDR
Near: THOR

SIGYN:
Merlin: LOKI
Hibiki: FREYR
Laurent: SIGYN
Gau Meguro: BALDR
Shion: ODIN
Aether Brandier: FREYA

HEL:
Ramirez: ODIN
Conan Edogawa: BALDR
Reiichirou Shiba: THOR
Enma Kozato: HEL

HEIMDALL:
Disciple: BALDR
Castiel: LOKI
Minato Arisato: SIGYN
Cloud Strife: HEIMDALL
Spike: HEL
Alibaba: FREYR
Cheriour: ODIN

FREYR:
Ayumi Shinozaki: BALDR
Takane Shijou: FREYR
Apple Bloom: FREYA

FREYA:
Rikku: FREYA
Freyjadour Falenas: BALDR

BALDR:
Gilgamesh: BALDR
Norway: LOKI
Germany: HEIMDALL

NOW! As you can see, not one house "won" every single question. However, since Heimdall House was the closest, they'll be awarded the big prize! Starting on Feb 4, the Welcome Hall will have a big spiral slide inside, next to the elevator shaft! There are openings on every floor, so characters can hop in and slide right down to wherever they want to go! They'll also find a new room on the main floor, containing, wait for it... a giant ball pit with climbable netting on the walls and ceiling! Still, since no one really won and everyone put in a big effort, every single house will have the slides installed. ;) Have fun with those!

In addition everyone who "won" a question will recieve a cute gift certificate for a free child's entree at a chain pizza restaurant that has a location somewhere in each district. Edit for clarification: This certificate will appear on the character's person when they cause the light to come on, so they'll get it immediately! Clearly, this is a very grown-up event!

Now that the "winners" and answers have been announced, let's have fun! Please wait for the mods to get a thread up for each district, then reply and mingle and do whatever you'd like. Threads don't have to stay in the district they start in, so feel free to have whatever kinds of shenanigans you'd like, and thanks for playing!

Comments

[poisonfeathers]

These guys don't take us seriously enough, it looks like. [He pauses at that.] Who knows what they really think of it, but it looks to me like they don't really think about how it's like for the ones here--- just what it's like for them.

They could be thinking this is a form of being nice too.

[whatagoodgirl]

Like we want to be distracted? [She sighs.] I guess some people might. Everyone says I'm too serious. But I'm not playing games for their amusement and fighting in their war.

[poisonfeathers]

With guys like these, it's better to just see where they're going with things rather than oppose it always. We don't know what they're thinking, but if we let everything get to us--- it's our loss, not theirs.

1/2

[whatagoodgirl]

So I should just - [She starts to steam up again, then deflates just as quickly. He's right. If she wastes all her energy being angry, she'll have none left for training and helping.]

2/2

[whatagoodgirl]

I just want them to be honest. To tell us things. I'm tired of fighting wars based on lies and half-truths and outright omissions. I'm tired of being fooled into this.

[poisonfeathers]

There ain't nothing wrong with wanting that. I don't like it when people keep stuff from me either, especially when I'm a part of it. [Like how Rikuo just keeps on leaving him behind. He even had to sneak into his ship just to be a part of it.]

It ain't right, but that's why you gotta learn to be smarter than them. If you let them get to you, then there's no way you can win at all. [A pause.] You don't need to just lay over and let them do what they want, though, that's even worse.

[whatagoodgirl]

I don't want to win against them, either. [A frustrated noise.] I - I just want -

[What does she want? To go back to being dead? To give up all of the friends she's made here because things have gotten tough? What does she really want?]

- I guess I want things to go back the way they were. Just a new life, a new home, a job, friends... things I missed from home, but just enough to get by here. But sitting around and wishing for that won't get me anywhere.

[poisonfeathers]

Then if that's the case, wouldn't it be better for you to fight for that instead? If you don't think you can trust these gods, then trust the things you want to keep.

[whatagoodgirl]

I will. I'll give everything I can to protect this world, even if it's not true that our own worlds are connected to it, because no world should be allowed to disappear. [With a deep pain in her voice.] I just... once it's all over... everyone will leave, and I don't know if I can go home with them.

[poisonfeathers]

Oi, oi. You don't know what the future might bring just yet. Instead of thinking the worst of it, just do the best you can right now. Either way, you have the time to get to know them here, right?

[whatagoodgirl]

Doesn't that just make it worse, though? Harder to let them go?

[A sigh.] I was used to the idea of never seeing any of my friends again. Of being gone. Sometimes... I know it's a gift, but sometimes it just feels more painful being brought back.

[poisonfeathers]

Of course it does, but I dunno about you--- for me, I think it'd be worth it if I saw everyone again even just briefly. It's gonna suck, but it keeps you going.

'Course, not everyone thinks the same way.

[whatagoodgirl]

I don't know. [A sigh.] I think I'm just - complaining, because you asked what's wrong. I'm not used to people asking what's wrong. Usually I just deal with all of this.

But complaining doesn't do anyone any good. [She looks annoyed with herself, and stands up to get back to work on her miso soup. She's not closing off the conversation, though.]

[poisonfeathers]

There's nothing wrong with saying what's on your mind--- be it a complaint or what. What matters is what you do about it.

Heck, if everyone can keep their frustrations in always, then I can guarantee everyone's walking on eggshells everyday.

[whatagoodgirl]

You never get it. [She sighs, shaking her head.] You can't just go around - yelling or whining at people all the time. You have to be strong. You have to learn to cope.

[poisonfeathers]

Never said anything about doing it all the time either. There are times you gotta keep quiet and deal with it, and there are moments you just gotta say these things out loud. You just gotta learn how to balance the two out.

[whatagoodgirl]

You wouldn't understand.

[It sounds dangerously close to sulking, but not quite there. It's true - he wouldn't understand how she always had to be twice as good as everyone else just to get the smallest scrap of respect.]

[poisonfeathers]

You're right, I wouldn't. [He says bluntly, deciding this was a good time to get some tea. He wanted sake, but he doubted she'd appreciate him drinking right now.] Not when I don't really know your whole background.

[whatagoodgirl]

[Another sigh, and she decides she can spare the bare minimum of explanation as she chops some tofu.]

My mom and me, back home... we weren't really that well liked. Respected, I mean. My mom didn't care, she just went about her business, but... I couldn't be that strong. I had to work twice as hard all the time just to get people to think I wasn't... bad, deep down bad. And most of the time, even that didn't work.

[poisonfeathers]

... Was there a reason for that though? The lack of respect I mean. [He sounds more genuinely concerned than anything, if that helps at all.]

[whatagoodgirl]

[She's silent for a long time. She's told a few people, but they've been friends, people who clearly cared about her - she's not sure if she trusts Zen that much yet.]

I'd - rather not say.

[poisonfeathers]

[A pause, before he nods at that.] Well, a doctor's got no business nosing around their patients' private lives.