(december catch-all) LEGGY KRAMPUS IS COMING TO TOWN

[vestigemods]

DECEMBER CATCH-ALL

► YOU WANT SNOW? WE GOT SNOW

To all who've endured the last couple of dismal months, congratulations - you've broken through the windy rains of October and damp, depressing ones of November to an inexplicable peace falling over the containment zone. Untouched snow covers the ground, a veritable winter wonderland. It's almost idyllic, even if not quite in the same way that the early weeks of summer may have been. The air is brisk and chilly, but at least you can see the sun again. In fact, the heat of it on your skin is almost enough to make up for the chill, at least when the sun is at its peak.

Make snowmen! Have a snowball fight! Perhaps even skate on the frozen lake - Foodland seems to be stocking brand new sets of ice skates in various sizes, their colors obtuse enough to make sure you'll be spotted even if it starts to snow. And... consider showing a little pity on the local wildlife if they come a-scritching at your door? If you're cold, they're cold, et cetera.

BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE

But December has a little bit more misfortune in store than just a little bit of nippy weather. On the 16th + 17th, you might start to feel... a little strange. Maybe you've come inside from a rousing snowball war to park by the fire, but instead of warming up, you just... keep getting colder. In fact, your temperature keeps on dropping no matter what you try - blankets, a hot bath, none of it seems to do more than slow down the speed at which you're cooling.

Or maybe you're not cold at all... but oh, you're starting to wish you were. Because your temperature only keeps rising, like a hot flash from hell no matter what you do to cool down, with sweat beading on your forehead and dripping down your neck. You may even find yourself desperate enough to strip down to your underclothes and lie in the snow, if only for some sort of relief. Don't worry, though - whether you're too hot or too cold, it'll go away on its own eventually. Let's hope it's before the hypothermia gets too bad or you go delirious with fever.


Then, throughout the couple of days before Christmas, the snow kicks up to a flurry. According to the children's books in Foodland, this is a telltale sign that a magical gift-bearing man called Santa Claus is on his way. But kids' books never do tell the full story, do they?

True to form, there's a pitter-patter up on the rooftop. Is it reindeer paws? Since when do reindeer have paws, anyway? Then the fire in your fireplace, if lit, goes out with a magical puff of air... but what comes down your chimney is quite a bit worse than the stories. His Naughty List is filled with those who have yet to satisfy the elder gods with their horrible death, and rather than bringing gifts and cheer, this particular Santa has come to collect.

Two clawed hands wrap around each side of the fireplace, eyes pale as the snow, the beard around his gaping mouth tinged with the red of blood. But there are more hands now, so many hands, so many too-long arms, peeling himself from your fireplace to attack. He moves quickly, almost uncannily so, with an agility one might not expect from one with such gangly arm-legs. His hands are sharply clawed, perfect for swiping and drawing blood - but that's not what he's trying to do. No, his goal is to drag those who've been Naughty back up the chimney from whence he came, hauling them off through the flurry of snow and disappearing from sight if you try to pursue. But it's fine. Being choked to death by Leggy Krampus's obscenely long prehensile tongue isn't... the worst death, at least?

► MOD NOTES

• This is the December Catch-All Log, for any action top-levels throughout the month. Large gatherings (parties, meetings, etc) are still encouraged to post their own logs for organizational purposes!
  
• Refer to the bottom half of the November + December Bulletin for any December-specific info to potentially include in your prompt, as well as more specifics regarding the events.
  
• Because this is a catch-all for everywhere + all month, try to remember to label your top-levels with identifying information like the IC date and location of each prompt (whether in the subject or in the prompt title within the comment). Also consider mentioning if any of your prompts are event prompts!
  
• December's specific resources can be found in the Not-Bulletin.
  
• Any questions can be directed to this top-level or, for a quicker response, to Trace on discord/plurk.

Comments

[toosmall]

[Vivi hears the voice and glances over his shoulder seeing someone standing at the shoreline. Awkwardly he manages to spin himself around on the ice to face the familiar man.

He'll wave before trying to stand up.]

Hi Jiang!

[Annnnd he almost makes it to his feet before ending up splayed out like weird little starfish on his stomach.]

Oof-! I-Im okay!

[This is fine. Eventually he decides that kneeling on the ice is just fine, fixing his hat some.]

The lake is iced over, but I'm not sure how thick it is, so I made more ice on top to make sure it's definitely not gonna break!

[Or maybe that would make it too heavy and- let's not think about it. Vivi holds his mittened hands out at the ice, casting a small ice spell. It casts out a light layer on top of the ice already there. Shiny and clear enough to see through. Clearly not natural.]

Maybe it would have been better to use water spells and let that ice up on its own... hm.

[legbreakings]

[ Clearly not natural indeed, and something which Jiang Cheng hasn't seen before. He has heard of Gilia's water powers, which are already baffling enough, but he hadn't realized... ]

I didn't know there are other people besides Gilia who have water magic. I'm sure it could be useful for other things than icing over the lake for playing.

[ An useful skill, for sure, he will have to file it away for reference.

But right now he steps closer, stepping onto the ice though only at the edge, a little suspicious still. ]

I come from a land of lakes, but these usually don't ice over. Does this happen a lot at home?

[toosmall]

Oh, Ms. St. Loe! She's a really nice lady. Hm, lots of people can use magic where I'm from, but not every can do the same kind of magic.

[And he knows, his magic probably shouldn't be used this way, but... sometimes it's nice to have some fun.]

Mhm, if it gets cold enough. The cold makes the water freeze up and get hard like this. Then you can walk on it, if it's thick enough.

[Science and stuff.]

[legbreakings]

[ He gives a nod, though he still looks a little dubious at the concept of actually walking around on the frozen lake. ]

That sounds reasonable enough. If you're sure that the ice won't break. We have no frozen lakes in Yunmeng but I do know that it's dangerous to fall into cold water.

[ But he won't be called a coward, either, so he tentatively puts a foot onto the ice, testing it for firmness. ]

[toosmall]

It won't, I promise, Jiang!

[Pinkie swear! He watches the young man cautiously test the ice and pushes himself up to stand, carefully shuffling along towards him, arms out to help with his balance.]

Just go slow and you'll be okay. Even if you fall it's not so bad. A little cold, but it's still fun.

[legbreakings]

Hrmpf.

[ Along with that indignant noise comes a very pointed, very dubious look but he does comply and step properly onto the ice. Then takes a couple of steps and lets himself slide forward on the slippery surface, glad for his good sense of balance which prevents the risk of faceplanting. ]

Fine. Maybe this isn't awful.

[toosmall]

[Vivi claps when Jiang joins him, having to to catch himself from falling.]

Hehe, so you've never played in the snow before? I really haven't either so it's nice that even though this place is bad there's some good.

[Then Vivi thinks of something, holding his hands out and casting a small ice spell to push him back along the frozen lake. It... actually works a little. Don't mind him just scooting along this way giggling.]

[legbreakings]

[ Jiang Cheng gets himself all ready to explain his experiences with snow when suddenly, Vivi is reaching out and then he finds himself moving, his feet sliding across the ice as if he were being pushed by actual hands.

He waves his arms to keep himself stabilized and has to fight not to fight against the movement. His eyes are startled, wide. ]

How are you doing that?!

[toosmall]

Magic!

[Vivi giggles, he's glad Jiang isn't mad. It's okay to have a little fun!]

Here, watch!

[Using his ice magic he'll make a little ramp and then give himself a push with said magic and-- whoosh! Over he goes on the ramp and sliding down quite fast. A little too fast...!

Oof. Right into the snow bank.]

[legbreakings]

[ Jiang Cheng watches in what should count as benevolent exasperation by his standards (there is no berating, nor any threat of legs being broken.) ]

If you're going to get yourself buried in that snowbank I'm not digging you out [ he snipes, though there is hardly any danger of that.

He does look around once more to make sure nobody else is seeing him be less than dignified sect leader, before taking some quick steps and letting himself slide forward on the ice. He may even be laughing, nobody tell on him. ]

[toosmall]

[Vivi flops out of the snow onto the ice again and spit out some of said snow.]

I'm okay!

[And there's no promises he won't tell anyone about the laughing. He doesn't realize that Jiang Cheng is supposed to be a big scary person!]

See isn't it fun?

[He'll fumble a bit, but end up back on his feet again. Time for more scooting around on the ice!]