deercountry | TANABATA ⟶ July Sanctuary Log

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TANABATA ⟶ July Sanctuary Log

Sanctuary - TANABATA

"SEE YOU AGAIN, MOM"

The "star festival", celebrating the one time of the year when star-crossed lovers could cross over a sea of stars to meet again. One based on hopes, wishes, and the fervent desire to see each other again. Following the departure of Amaterasu back to the sea, wolf momgod of all who is responsible for the Guardian Saplings including the one Sanctuary has been founded around, Sanctuary is hosting the best approximation to a Tanabata celebration as the Trench will allow. Why? Because hope keeps the trees alive and strong, and Tanabata is about people having hope -- and would have been happening around the same time.

And because people miss dogmom and she would have liked it.

The festival is taking place at Sanctuary, but all Guardian Saplings can be paid visits. Paper for wishes and decorations have been set up at each/given to the other caretakers.

A Sea of Stars
The main hall has been transformed into a living night sky, with jars of hope from the moonlit butterflies back in April hung with care high up, each repacked with a single orb of hope per small vial with care, creating a river of starlike glowing lights overhead. The windows have been covered to aid with the nighttime effect, in addition to helping to keep out the light of the Beast Moon after dark. The gentle glow, as they are literally the tactile hopes and dreams of people, provides a small purifying, uplifting effect to everyone underneath. The light ebbs and flows calmly. The hall is cool as well, thanks to the pale/cold bloodstone cooling system that glows like moonstone along the walls and keeps the indoor areas regulated.

In the evening, as the sun sets, the new choir bell will ring out as well, cleansing corruption entirely from all who hear it. The lights gently pulse in time with it.

Wishes and the Guardian Sapling
The sapling is no longer in bloom, but despite the sweltering heat in full glory. Paper wishes are hung in its branches, along with origami streamers in colorful paper of cranes and other shapes. A bustle of activity is in the cloisters around it in particular, with most tables set up there to keep the courtyard itself clear. Origami streamers are hung in all the doorways leading out to it as well, creating the effect of string curtains, and there are paper lanterns as well.

A life-size stone statue of a wolf bearing a striking resemblance to Amaterasu has been erected next to the sapling, with her most radiantly happy canine expression she could sometimes get. There is room to place offerings for her, and people are encouraged that she would like "all the foods."

Colorful strips of paper (tanzaku) have been cut and placed out on a table in the cloisters surrounding the courtyard, where one can write their wishes for the next year down on them and hang them on the guardian sapling. They come in the following colors with a helpful, but... somewhat hard to read note with arcane handwritten note:

Red will help with wishes relating to ancestors and family, and giving thanks.
Yellow is the color of friendship and is the best choice for wishes about relationships.
White is the color for determination and responsibility, and for making personal resolutions.
Blue represents tranquility and trust and will aid wishes aimed at self-improvement.
Purple is the color to choose if you want to improve your brainpower and skills.

Food and Activities
Following all of the best creative recreation methods available to them in Trench, the cooks in the kitchens have been trained by Megumi Fushiguro, among others, on how to best serve culturally appropriate dishes. These foods are served free at little vendor booths in the main hall (with people encouraged to help out and help serve!) and include pawprint mochi (the inside is either chocolate or strawberry), pickled sakura mochi, mitarashi and tricolor dango, chilled somen with a yuzu-soy dipping sauce, various types of filled onigiri, and cut watermelon in a variety of shapes including stars, sunbursts, and pawprints. Many have been made with small amounts of the Paleblood jam from June and have mild corruption cleansing effects as well. Various kinds of tea made from the dried or pickled cherry blossoms and/or leaves of the guardian sapling are being served as well, and they have a corruption-cleansing effect and have been noted as tasting "heavenly". Some of the jams have been cut with fruit juice/lemonade and frozen into popsicles as well... you're welcome, CorruptionPops are now a thing.

Various demonstration and activity tables have been set up including origami, with... questionably penned instructions from Palamedes in an arcane style for several shapes including cranes, sunbursts, stars, and wolves. Various Sleepers familiar with the practice have also been encouraged to set up there and help teach people how, and everyone is encouraged to hang their completed crafts in the guardian sapling. Most of the paper is red, white, pink, and gold. Paper lanterns have been made as well and light up various parts of the whole festivities.

A few vendor booths are set up, including one "selling" white yukata, trimmed in red and gold and bearing a distinctive star pattern on the back of it and intricate embroidery. Most Sanctuary members would receive one for free if they expressed interest, and anyone else can receive one for volunteering their time and helping out. People are encouraged to wear them for the celebration if they didn't have their own; these are styled in honor of Amaterasu.

Koz Orphanage has been specially invited as well, and children from it can be found running around during much of the event and given various activities to do or items to play with.

Sparklers are available for individuals as well, also courtesy of Viktor. Perhaps there might even be glowsticks from someone... :)

Fireworks and Closing Celebrations
On the final night, all the wishes will be gathered from the trees and collected in a ceremonial firepit. The wishes are burnt in order to release them to the heavens to be heard—and perhaps by Amaterasu still at sea—and will be ignited by several Sleepers with fire abilities (Shouto Todoroki, Megumi Fushiguro).

As they're burnt a fireworks display will begin overhead, launched from the steeple up high, courtesy of Viktor and anyone else assisting him in the matter. Anyone outside watching them in the courtyard will have the effects of the Beast Moon diminished by the blessing in effect from Moon Presence. The choir bell will toll a final time at the end, to clear the effects of any lingering corruption, and signal an end to the festivities.

WHAT

Sanctuary is about humane beast purification efforts and corruption relief. Renovations began in May 2022 and room clearing and rebuilding is still in progress. Beast patrol efforts and purification started more in earnest in June-July.

All roles are volunteer on an as-you-can basis up to full time, with time reimbursed by food, shelter, care, and community support. And because it's run by people who BLEED SENTIMENTALITY EVERYWHERE in addition to being founded on discovery of a Guardian Sapling, it's hosting a Tanabata celebration in conjunction with honoring the memory of Amaterasu.

WHEN

Starting July 7, ending after a few days in a final celebration and ceremonial burning of the wishes.

THINGS OF NOTE

Tanabata
➢ Please feel free to presume your character could have helped out with setup if they have any ties to Sanctuary or characters here! If they would provide a food, service, or game they are free to have a table set up.

➢ This event is open to the whole of Trench and would have been freely advertised as such, including as a safe place to treat effects from the Beast Moon and corruption.

General / Member Update
➢ Sanctuary has been blessed by Moon Presence for the month of July, thanks to the efforts of Luna and Sansa. All negative effects of July and the Beast Moon are lessened within its walls, and anyone meaning Sanctuary or the people in it will be physically repelled. Lunar flowers have begun growing up the sides of the monastery in earnest like morning glories as a result.

➢ as of June, coordinated efforts to patrol Trench on their own and save Beasts and people both have begun. Members will be on a group chat in order to coordinate with each other and reach out to purification Sleepers when encountering Beasts. Everyone is encouraged to work in teams, especially to partner with someone who can purify Beasts or corruption.

➢ a training facility has opened up, with currently self-defense hand-to-hand combat classes being taught by Jason and others willing to train others encouraged to come forward. Fighters on patrol and wardens will be contacted to let them know about open sparring times so members can coordinate better in fights. There is an indoor room with training dummies (that fight back courtesy of Viktor) that opens up into an outdoor space between two of the long halls that can also be used.

➢ with the hidden archives now unlocked, scholarly members of Sanctuary are encouraged to help study them and uncover other artifacts—and especially the strange new locked door discovered within.

➢ there is a family of batcat kittens old enough to be crawling everywhere throughout the building now. They might still be learning manners and latch onto you in an overexcitement to taste your blood from time to time.

➢ the large communal baths have been cleared out and renovated, thank god. They run on being open to male-identifying characters for one set of hours, female-identifying for another, and the rest of the time operate on "nobody cares". Privacy screens are hung between the tubs though—one side is regularly cooled down with ice for the hot months.

➢ with more people needing safe harbor during the Beast Moon and rising violence from natives during July, more actual rooms have been cleared out and are free to use for anyone who will also help work to maintain the place (chores, grounds keeping, etc.). There are always spare beds in the infirmary wing as well.

➢ members who patrol or purify beasts/fight in some way now have access to various relic items that have been donated for use for when they are actively on patrol. These will eventually be tracked in the member spreadsheet... eventually. Just give them back when you're done.

➢ Viktor and K's efforts have resulted in the lunar generator coming online and bringing lunar lighting and cooling throughout the building via a cold-pale bloodstone network. Rejoice!

➢ There is now a small, hidden stash of coffee bartered from Dabi. Someone might have to pry it from Viktor's jittery fingers.

This log is WIDE OPEN for Tanabata festivities and serves as the general log for Sanctuary for the month. Go wild and do whatever you want, have fun with your top levels, etc. :)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

She gives Jason a small smile, the only outward hint of tension being the firm set of her shoulders. And, yes. She could guess. And felt terribly for her friend that he was trapped, being so sensitive to something which should bring some kind of joy.

But it's not like the planners of this festival could guess that fireworks wouldn't be appreciated by everyone.

"It is. A little too noisy for my taste. Do you want to go elsewhere and try to find a cup of tea somewhere? Coffee's probably asking too much."

Actually, coffee doesn't sound too bad to him. But she's right: it's not a good idea when they're both already a little on edge.

"Let's poke in the kitchen. I think we got some tea in there." And it will take them a little farther away from the fireworks.

Yes, the last thing they both need is for their reactions to the fireworks amplified by coffee setting them on edge. But, tea. Tea is nice and civilized and she figured finding it and making some would distract them both.

"All right. And no need to worry, I've gotten quite good at electric teapots. I may have burned the first one beyond repair, though," and she checks to make sure he's coming along on the way to the kitchen.

He shoots her an amused look before going along with her to the kitchen. The place is quiet, since most people are out enjoying the fireworks. Jason knows his way around and starts going through the cupboards. He gets all the required tools and even a few snacks.

"How's the month treatin' you so far, Rose? You been doin' all right?"

Light, friendly conversation while snacking and having tea seems like the right way to go.

She smiles back a little sheepishly. Goodness knew she still had trouble with some of the local tech and by some we mean most. When she was from, the telegraph was state of the art and most houses hadn't been retrofitted for electricity yet. That was one of the Titanic's big selling points, electricity on command for all decks, even Steerage.

"Oh, it's been...a month. I still find myself going all topsy-turvy over whether I'm going to be good or not. I'm feeling fine today, so I decided to risk going out. And you?"

Yes, she likes Jason very much and counts him as a good friend, someone she's willing to be a little more open with.

Rose is a good kid, very kind. Jason likes knowing she's doing well in this place.

"Other than the heat? I'm all right," he answers her. "Keepin' busy on patrol most days. I drop by the Sanctuary to teach self-defense and combat if anyone's interested." He puts some of the snacks on a plate so they can share them.

"You're welcome to come in if you wanted to learn," he offers.

She's doing as well as she can, considering the near constant winds of change and the whims of the Pthumerians.

"Really? Like martial arts or boxing or something similar?" And she's glad that he's gotten enough snacks for both of them, even though she's really not sure what she thinks of the pickled sakura mochi. At least she thinks that's what it was called?

"I suppose it would be better to know even more, to have another tutor. What times are your classes?"

Jason has never really been picky when it comes to food, so he nibbles on the mochi without worrying how it might taste. He snorts a bit at Rose's question.

"Nah, nothin' like that. More simple shit, like how to throw a proper punch or how to get away if someone tries to grab you. There's weapon training, too, but I lean more on getting people away to safety rather than stickin' around for a fight. Leave that to us Hunters."

Jason goes on to give the times for his classes and goes on to add, "Allen's got a room set aside for us. My buddy Viktor made a training dummy we use."

She'd had lavender cookies and assumed that normal sakura blossoms would be much the same way, but pickled? In a dessert? No, thank you.

"Still, it sounds like it would be worth learning. I know that I'm still relatively weak compared to others. My paleblood abilities have yet to begin when I actually want them to, so that's a disadvantage," she says with a slightly self-deprecating smile. But the nature of her powers seem so very personal.

Oh? I know Viktor as well but I can't say that I've met anyone named Allen. Is he nice?"

"Everyone should learn it," Jason agrees. Even if they didn't live in the Trench, he would say that self-defense was a useful tool.

"Not sure how much I can help with your powers," Jason muses, "but I can try. I at least got the thought radio figured out." That's what he's calling his power of hearing thoughts these days. "Yeah, Allen's all right. He started this place and is throwin' this party." They maybe skipping out on some of it, but overall it's been a good thing for the people.

"I agree, especially in a place like this. This is...beyond unusual and one never knows when the Pthumerians turn a friend into a foe, just because they can." Such a thing would've been unheard of for a lady of her time and class. Wasn't that what men were for?

"I'd be grateful. But, thought radio? I'm not entirely sure what that is." She didn't have a radio back home, so the idea was entirely foreign. Sometimes, she cursed 1912 for being so backwards in comparison with everywhere else. "I can't say that I've met him, though--oh!"

An orange tabby batkitten had latched itself onto her neck, purring as he fed.

Right, she's from really far back in the past. He tries to think of how best to describe a radio to her. Before he can really put it into words the batkitten flies in and decides to have a snack.

"Hey." Jason tries to wave it off. "Get off there. She ain't your food."

Horrifying far in the past. She had to have things like microwaves explained to her and even then, it wasn't all of the details. As she learned when she tried to microwave some tin foil covered salmon in it. She may have screamed as though she was afraid it was possessed.

And Rose chuckles, "It's all right. In fact...this little one's presence may be absolutely providential. As long as Melody agrees." And her Omen, a bright yellow canary flutters over to the batkitten, eyeing it carefully. Then releases a positive chirp. "I don't suppose I can make off with this little beastie hidden in my courier bag?"

Jason frowns at the batkitten. But if Rose's Omen doesn't seem to mind, then it's probably fine. He even snorts a bit when Rose debates on taking the thing home.

"Better make sure with Allen or somebody," he judges. "Those things could have a nest here or somethin'."

Her cottage is a lonely one with just her and Melody. She'd considered advertising for a roommate since she had two free bedrooms, but was a little leery of doing so, she'd developed her own habits and patterns and wondered if a roommate would shake them up too much.

"I will, I will. But I'll make sure to be especially pleading when I do."

If it makes her happy, he won't shame her for it. The kittens are not to his taste, but then again he has some pretty bad memories of bat-like creatures that suck blood. Jason gets up to pour them cups of tea, taking a slow sip of his own.

"I usually drink this iced," he confesses, "with enough sugar to make your teeth fall out."

It does make her happy, especially since it's such a lovely shade of orange with a little milky chin and chest. She felt like she was settled enough to be able to take care of a batkitten. And those little bent-over ears were just too precious! But, she wouldn't deny others the rights to have their own experiences kept in mind. And she takes the tea gratefully, taking a long sip.

"Really? In England, that would be a crime against the crown. Most people didn't even bother with a single sugar cube, unless that sugar cube was meant to give a treat to their race horses." She rolls her eyes, showing what she thinks of the stuffy British aristocracy.

That makes him chuckle. "Good thing I've never been to England, then. It's on the bucket list, though. Big Ben, the London Eye, the Globe Theater... Would be pretty amazing to visit." At the moment, London feels even more out of reach than it would've been were he back home.

"I've seen them all," she replies with a note of longing in her voice. Longing for the days when Mother was satisfied. Longing for the days when Cal presented himself as a gallant suitor instead of a demanding fiancé. If all had been equal, if they'd sent themselves home immediately, maybe they would have stayed that way. And maybe Jack would have lived without her to keep an eye on. She considers herself his greatest curse.

In the meantime, she gently scritches between the ears of the batkitten who's planted himself on her neck. "He really is extraordinary. It doesn't hurt a bit."

That gets him to smile again. To travel for pleasure rather than because of a war... It's a nice idea. He takes another sip of tea, chewing on one of the snacks and watching Rose play with her new batkitten.

"Don't let it drink too much from ya," he cautions.

She wants to see the world. The Pyramids in Egypt, the Great Wall in China, Kyoto and Venice in general. She has no idea how she'll afford those overseas excursions, but she knows she wants to make it happen, no matter what. She owes it to Jack and even more importantly, she owes it to herself.

And she's cooing to the batkitten, "What shall I name you? Marmalade obviously won't work. Jason, do you have any ideas? Anything Dracula-related is a no right from the start."

"And I won't. He's still a baby, he doesn't need all that much."

"Uh." Jason thinks for a moment. He ended up naming his omen for the strange star-looking spots on her fur, so he studies the batkitten looking for any distinguishing characteristics. Then starts weighing names that might fit this little creature.

"Citrus?" he suggests. "Because he's orange?"

And she'd named Melody for how beautifully she sang. She was like Rose herself, a beautiful bird being released from a golden cage. But a batkitten was another matter altogether.

"Maybe? I must admit, when I think of vampire cats, I think of black. Not pretty orange tabbies who wouldn't be out of place in my former home's kitchen." She considers. "...muffin?"

He's not sure why they're spit-balling so many food-related names. That last one makes Jason snort a little. It's such a common, normal name that would be given to any house cat back home.

"Muffin," he repeats out loud. "Sure, why not? What do you think, little fella?" He addresses the batkitten directly. "How you feel about being 'Muffin'?"

Because they're cute, especially when applied to a kitten who needed blood? It could be a stealthy batkitten, one with a normal cat name? She could say "this is my cat, Muffin," and then he'd roll back over revealing batcat wings and fangs?

And Muffin the batkitten miaows in approval, showing his fangs but seemingly content with what he'd fed on from Rose. He butts his head against Rose's cheek, nipping at one of her curls, golden eyes wide and guileless. "I think he likes it. So," she turns her face to look at Muffin, "you're going to be Muffin. You're as soft as a muffin, after all." At that, the batkitten started purring loudly.

TANABATA ⟶ July Sanctuary Log

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