Event Log: The Hope of a Child

[hadrielmods]

Who: All characters participating in the event
What: The event log for the The Hope of a Child event
Where: All over the city!
When: January 23rd-Feb 1st
Warnings: Youths

By now, the gods have probably done enough weird crap to you while you're asleep for you to be a little suspicious- but it's not like you can just not sleep, especially when there are a few supernatural forces making your eyes droopy and your body feel heavy.

And now, when you fall asleep, you'll wake up somewhere else and you'll likely have quite a different temperament- you'll be younger, maybe a little more naive and innocent, and you won't exactly remember all the wild stuff that's happened to your adult self. Maybe now you'll be a little more trusting and emotional, hm? The gods could definitely use a little boost in power, and what better way to do it than to harness the power of overemotional kiddos!

Or maybe you aren't affected at all and find yourself surrounded by youths. What are you going to do when your best friend doesn't know how to cook for themselves? Or your bitter rival is throwing a temper tantrum because they broke their favorite toy? Nobody asked for this kind of responsibility, but think about what would happen if nobody was around to take care of these babies...

► This log covers January 23rd-Feb 1st.
► Feel free to make your own logs as well!
► Please tag headers of threads with content warnings where they apply
► Please put your character's name and open/closed in the subject line of your starters!
► If you trip over a kid and die, please let us know here.

Comments

merle | ota

[weedbgon]

[ NO TINY VERSION HERE, FOLKS. Or I mean, if there is one... I have no idea where the hell it goes. That's classified Merle information. High-tier cryptid. Does Merle Highchurch is the void?

If he is, he's the opposite of the void in his waking hours. Merle puts his itchy feet to use and does a hell of a lot of wandering. There are kids coming out of their ears here! Some of whom he knows and cares about! He's not about to let a bunch of kids wander around unattended only to shrivel to death under the suns. Merle's got his flaws, a list of them as long as several arms, probably, but he is a father and he does have it in him to be concerned about the well-being of strangers.

He's basically here to roll in on his heelies with a backwards cap like hey how's it hangin, if you translate "roll in on his heelies" to either walking up to them or flying in on a broomstick like it's a surfboard.

Look idk he's set to wandering and that's what matters. Kids who are upset or look lost or like they have nowhere to go, he absolutely approaches. Kids he maybe recognizes, he's trying to be there. IT'S THE HIPPIE WEED DAD-SLASH-GRANDPA OF YOUR DREAMS...

step one: refuse to let himself think about how bad he could fuck this up, because it's probably just a god thing and it can't last forever. Right? ]

Heya, kiddo! Whatcha up to?

[ He'll also be doling out either directions to Hope's temple, where there might be some kind of shoddy handmade 'merle's kids this way' sign barely stuck in place, or directly offering broomstick rides to it. If anyone would rather just be hangin' there, eating some lunch or whatever.

Rude to crash a temple with a bunch of random-ass children who??? Merle doesn't know, he can't read suddenly, and this is (in his opinion) the nicest temple. God I'm sorry about him. You too, literal god, Hope. ]

[restinglichface]

[The promise of free food is honestly enough.

Even as wily as the twins are, it doesn't take much for Merle to catch Lup's attention just by leaving a sandwich under a box and waiting for her to come get it. She's content to sit out in front of one of Hope's temple, skinny legs stretched out in front of her, munching away while watching Merle with a curious expression.]

I dunno. What're you up to?

[weedbgon]

[ Look at this little precious shit elf. Awwwwww. Merle pulls up a seat on the ground in her general vicinity. ]

Oh, I'm just hangin' out. Tellin' people they can come hang out, too! It's a pretty nice place if you don't try and tear it down or anything. Y- not everyone shows up, but it's a roof! Gotta make sure I get the word out somehow!

[restinglichface]

[Lup is a gremlin and somehow manages to eat more disgustingly messy than her adult counterpart, just ripping straight into her sandwich, crumbs gathering in her lap while she stares at Merle and chews. Open-mouthed, for sure.]

What word? I hear you fine.

[weedbgon]

[ God, that's almost exactly how Mookie chews. Holy shit. ]

Well sure, you do. You're here! But y'know, I just figure, it's a big place. Big city. Probably a big planet. And I think people should know they can come here if they need a place to go. Come have a cool hangout! Don't sit out in the suns until you shrivel up, just-- come hang in Hope's place, come have a snack and chill out!

[restinglichface]

[Merle likes to collect weird children, clearly.

Lup stuffs the last corner of her sandwich into her mouth before finally answering through her chewing, sharp eyes already darting around for something else to eat. Unfortunately, they land on his wooden arm instead.] Why's your arm so weird? Are you a dryad or somethin'?

[weedbgon]

[ For a second there I thought Lup was thinking of voring Merle's arm and I was like NO, enough of his dumb adopted children have vored part of his arm. It was one and that was enough. ]

Hoooo, I wish I was, kid! I wish I was! Get a buncha cool nature shit. [ wait ] Stuff, I mean. Nature stuff. Nah, this is just a gift from Pan! The god Pan. We've been known to be pretty buddy-buddy! Me 'n my buddy, Pan.

[ Lucas, somewhere, in a nerdlord voice: I, I helped too. ]

[restinglichface]

[Lup hasn't caught a taste for vore quite yet. Give it a few more decades before the elf makes frightening emote faces in chat.

Merle tries to backtrack over his cursing, but Lup's already laughing as he does, pointing a tiny hand his way like the dwarf just got caught with his wooden hand in the cookie jar.] I heard that! You said shit! Nature shit! [It would be easy to blame the kid's cackling laughter on her age, but let's be real, adult Lup would be laughing her ass off too.]

How d'you know Pan? Doesn't he live up in the clouds or at the north pole or somethin'? Seems weird he'd wanna be friends with an old dwarf.

i'm very sorry

[unweaving]

[ One day, Aranea will be a mercenary, and then a military leader, and then a genuine hero who will save a great many lives.

Right now, she is a little shit. A little shit who has been filling the front pocket of the shapeless hoodie she's wearing with snacks that, in her ignorance of how things work here, she thinks she stole. So at the sound of his voice she jumps slightly, and then turns to him with a stinkeye that could make someone having a low self-esteem day burst into flames, her hands protectively plunged into her pocket full of purloined goods. Her hair is in two braids, demonstrating an effort that did not, apparently, extend to brushing it first, and a bruise on her face that is entirely her own fault but a sickly shade of green-yellow that indicates that particular screwup at least happened a while ago. She sniffs, and then speaks. ]

What's it to you, Grandpa?

[ This one's charisma stat is in the toilet, I'm afraid. ]

this is gr8 i love it

[weedbgon]

[ Oh damn, she mad.

A mad, mad, absolute mess, no less. Merle looks taken aback for a couple of moments, which is the cost of gunning it on the conversation without really... knowing what you expect to happen.

He guesses he's made friends with people who've killed him after this long, though. Could be worse. ]

I dunno. Just askin', I guess! We got a lotta people running around and I pretty much have no idea what anybody is trying to do at this point.

<3

[unweaving]

[ Like all teenagers, Aranea knows with absolute conviction that adults don't know anything.

What she's less used to is adults who know or are even fleetingly prepared to admit that. She makes a face like she's sucking her teeth and watches him for a moment, her expression moving away from open hostility into something more like wary curiosity. ]

Huh. 'least you admit it. Place is full of people who look like they don't know their own asshole from breakfast.

[ One more brief moment of contemplation, because he's not quite close enough for her to be able to tell if he smells of patchouli, but he sure looks like he does, and then - ]

Are you holding?

[weedbgon]

[ He feels like he passed a secret test. Excellent. This is gonna be great practice for when Mavis starts going full teen, maybe. Merle laughs. ]

Kid, if you don't admit when you're lost, you sure don't get found! [ So wise. Such merle. wow. ] Am I holdin' what?

700 yrs later

[knockthemdead]

[Kravitz isn't subscribing to the whole "Merle's kids" deal, but he heard there was free food and a safe place to chill- so here is, ankles neatly crossed and attempting to find a way to eat from can without utensils while still looking dainty.

It's a task. He's struggling.]

Aren't there any forks in this entire place!

HERE COMES A SPECIAL BOY

[weedbgon]

[ God but this wacky emotion lich god thing shenaniganry has been turning out some real charmers. It has been, Merle can say with absolute certainty, fascinating to watch unfold.

Also kinda hilarious. Just look at this one go.

What really, truly matters the most is that word has gotten out, even just to a couple of them. Sometimes you can't do much bet get it out there that there's somewhere safe to go. ]

I mean, it's a temple, y'know? We're not exactly set up like a country buffet in here! [ Says the adult. ] Coulda swore I had some, but.

[ But on the other hand, there are a hell of a lot of tiny thieves running around these days.

Ah shit, are they doing a thieve's guild? Is that a thing now? ]

[knockthemdead]

[Kravitz doesn't seem impressed by the response, and pouts up at Merle with narrowed eyes.]

I think maybe you aren't telling the truth about that. About having some, I mean. Just tell me the truth, okay.

[WHERE ARE YOUR SECRET FORKS. HE DEMANDS TO KNOW.]

[weedbgon]

[ THE JIG'S UP BOYS HE KNOWS ABOUT THE SECRET FORKS.

Merle tries to actively remember for once in his goddamn life, anything that is a detail, just to be sure that the truth is the truth as far as he can tell.

Kids, man.

Never know what you're gonna get. ]

Yeah, fine, ya got me. No forks. What, you don't dig finger food?

[knockthemdead]

[He screws up his nose and makes a retching sound. It's very dramatic.]

Finger food? Ew!! I don't wanna eat any fingers! That's disgusting!

[The can has hit the floor before he's even finished speaking.]

[weedbgon]

[ From a logistical point of view, at this juncture, give Merle a minute.

He's losing his shit laughing and it's very important. ]

just shows up really late

[pocketspa]

[You sure you're prepared to deal with this, Merle? Because sure, he'd show up for food, but he wants that broom. He wants that broom so badly. Sure, Taako's not keen on approaching a random-ass adult, but seeing as he's jetted down nearby, there's very little he can do short of just taking it from him.

So he'll just go the direct route.]

Show me how it works! How did you make it fly??

im love

[weedbgon]

[ Awww look at that dumb lil face. It's what the hip kids call a familiar face. Probably. Hell if Merle's completely sure anymore. He's going with the flow and hoping for the best.

Shoutout to you, Hope, Merle's got your back even if he's not trying to. ]

Oh, you like it, huh? Yeah, I- a witch kissed me one time and pulled it from behind my ear. Y'know, magic.

u can handle mookie but can u handle THIS

[pocketspa]

[C'mon Merle, you know two of these faces, you should at least be able to guess it's one of those. Regardless, Taako scrunches his face up a bit, like he's just tasted something bad.]

That's not how magic works, dummy. It's like, spells and words and stuff. I know two of em.

[Cantrips. He knows two cantrips. But none of them are flying, and he absolutely wants to do that. Hand it over, dwarf man, you're not that much bigger than him if at all.]

[weedbgon]

[ If he has to recognize faces because he's known them for over a literal century, he'll face Pan and walk backwards into hell. But nah it's cool. He loves his shitty elf kids and his less shitty human kids. ]

Two spells is a good start! Yeah, you got me. I got it from work. You gotta say the magic words and then make sure you don't fall off. Takes a little practice to make it look as good as I do!

[pocketspa]

[Damnit Merle, you messy, messy man.]

Tell me what it is! I wanna try it.

[His big plan is he's going to steal it. This is not going to work very well, because this is probably very, very obvious.]

[weedbgon]

[ He's kinda like, should he just let this happen? Let this miniature shitty elf take the broom and maybe eat shit?

Because god, there's appeal to be found.

No one ever called him Lawful Good. ]

Hmmm, I dunnooo. It's pretty dangerous stuff! Not everyone's meant to be airborne! You gotta have the goods. You gotta, you gotta have the guts!

[pocketspa]

[At this age, Taako does his best not to look like a child. If he’s going to be taken seriously, usually as a con artist, he tries to look as adult as possible (unless it’s advantageous to have people take his pity). Here, though, here he wants to be The Most Adult. So he puffs up his chest and folds his arms.]

I’m tough! And intense! I can already do magic so I can make it do what I want. Tell me what the spell is!

[He’s also typically less straightforward, but. Sometimes. Give him the goods, ya goobus.]