+++ 奇跡国 - Miracle Country +++

[And one morning, it's over. The water starts disappearing as mysteriously and as quickly as it first showed up, retreating into the river and the sea. By the time it's left the main islands' surfaces, and once people have left their shelter, the treehouses disappear as well. All should be back to normal... Except it's clear that there've been some changes.

Some are easy to notice right away: perhaps the most obvious one is that the big hotel buildings have disappeared, leaving behind a series of domed houses for people to live in. They'll find that their belongings have been placed in certain houses. If they were sharing a room before, then those people will get a house together, and others who were alone might find they've been assigned a single house for themselves, or even been paired up to live with others.

Other more blatant changes would be easy to notice, as well. The brand new aquarium, accessed via the east-side of the beach, its massive structure going into the sea itself. Like the housing areas, the aquarium is split into areas that are above ground, and others that go deep underwater. Some areas are built to hold freshwater creatures and look a lot like regular aquariums, but many of its tunnels go deep into the ocean and allow people to watch the different animals straight from the waters surrounding the place. You could even be lucky enough to spot some of the dragons left over from the past events! Among the places on the surface, there's a lounging area with a small giftshop, the more typical fishtanks, and even some open areas where you can pay a small fee to fish (equipment can be rented or bought from the giftshop) or even dive underwater, for the enjoyment of watching the many fish and other creatures, or yet again as a way to fish or hunt for prey. Just remember, the more you stray away from the beach, the more dangerous these waters become.



There's the newly added farm island which means people can ride horses around now, if they wish to, or take care of the new animals in it. A few familiar locations have been moved around, others removed entirely. The forests' caves now hold a mysterious shrine, radiating pure, positive energy.

With an addition of positive energy, comes negative one as well. The Usyagi will be quick to drop notes explaining the existence of certain trees now growing on different areas of Miracle Country, signaling potential monster outbreaks. People's help to contain these outbreaks will be needed, and of course it's not only a matter of helping Kiseki itself out. Should these be left unchecked, there's a risk of a new monster invasion which could hurt or kill those around, so adding a full-time or temporary job as part of the patrols or the guard ready to deal with these monsters might be a very appealing idea.

Overall, there're plenty of new things to see, plenty of things to do, but no one will blame you if, after weeks of dealing with the flood, you simply wish to retire to your new house and sleep for a while.]

[[The Flood Event ends! Further info on these changes to be found here.]]

[The days pass, and the water remains as it is, covering the world people were used to, seeming unlikely to change soon. While some supplies might be running short, there's still plenty of water at the reservoir, and the fish from the expanded sea as well as fruits or vegetables found at the treetops don't seem to be about to run out any moment soon. So, while there're obviously some difficulties, this night could be a peaceful one, to enjoy the unusual view with others for a while, try to manage a fire to gather around, nurse any existing wounds, or simply settle in whichever shelter one's found and try to rest until the following day.



But there's the fog. While the days have so far been clear and rather sunny despite the increasing cold of Fall, tonight there's fog creeping up everywhere, growing thicker and thicker by the hour, coming over from where the most dangerous areas are known to be. With it, comes an unsettling, restless feeling. You might find it difficult to fall asleep. Perhaps you'll be llured by the call of this fog, inexplicably drawn to navigate the dark waters despite the late hour. You might follow this call to the dragons' lair around the reservoir, to find them assigning you a new task, even more difficult now due to the lack of visibility. Perhaps you only end up lost. Or wandering off to areas where an attack might happen... It might be wise to not leave alone, but this fog's influence might strip you of any caution.

If that's the case, well... There's only so many hours until dawn, right?]

[[The Flood Event continues! Go here for any questions!]]

[Nothing seems out of the ordinary at the start. The season has changed with the date, abrupt as ever, bringing with it clear signs of the beginning of Fall, a chilly atmosphere replacing the warmth of summer. However, that isn't the only change today – and to anyone finding themselves near any of the many bodies of water around Miracle Country, the difference will become apparent very quickly.

The ocean, the river, the lake, it all slowly but surely rises and overflows, flooding the surrounding areas more and more every second. Good luck finding shelter, as the water level will continue to rise until the buildings, the forests and part of the caves around the islands are all submerged. The trees will seem to expand underwater, until makeshift bridges form from the tangled growth of branches, surprisingly sturdy. In lieu of the usual places to go, people may notice that clear domes will start to rise out of the water, each with supplies inside like blankets, pillows, and bandages. Be careful not to drop them into the sea! Others may find treehouses above the waters with similar basic supplies, none too cozy otherwise. And in the worst case scenario? There are the usual boats to be found.



Food will be available in the varied amount of fish and other animals to be caught in the water. For those who frequent the river or beach, it'll be clear there's a much higher amount of them, of all sorts of colors and sizes. One thing that doesn't change is the rising danger the closer one gets to the area of the forests, and deeper waters may hold even more frightening enemies, even monsters. More rare fish and other creatures live around these areas, as well. Careful where you fish. For those that can get around, there are a few islands here and there, the most important of which is at the location of the Sakura tree, of course. These hold some large containers for drinkable water, some are full and others empty but refillable.

There's a catch, though. Water dragons will be appearing near the island that usually holds the pure water reservoir, guarding it. Anyone that approaches will find that these dragons telepathically make requests of visitors in exchange for the water. Things like fishing for a rare type of fish, bringing them a specific fruit from the trees in the forests, looking for an item that's lying underwater, maybe seeing a specific type of magic/skill or hearing a story. They can be pretty creative, so it's best to be ready for anything – that is, if you're not too intimidated to approach at all.]

[[Our flood event starts! Go here for any questions.]]

[Here comes a thought…

It’s funny how the mind works, isn’t it? Always working, thoughts constantly coming in and out. Seeing something triggers a memory and a thought along with it, something that might make one smile or sad. Or perhaps it’s the possibility of something happening or whatever weights on your mind as the day pass. They are usually easy to dismiss or even forget by getting distracted by anything else that comes by.

But it’s rude to ignore them, right? So today, instead of them just being locked inside your head, they’ll be everywhere, represented by butterflies of different colors.



Each color might represent what that thought makes you feel, so they might be as generic as blue for a sad one or red for one that makes you happy. Or they could also be colors that make you feel something: if you hate the color green, that might be the one that comes along with your bad thoughts. It all depends on the person and their experiences. After all, thoughts affect everyone in a different way. Which is why the amount of butterflies that follow you around for the day really is up to you and what your mind is usually up to.

You’ll get used to it. Or you should, at least, because they’ll be there, following you, during all day. No shouting or no ignoring them will get them to go away. Have fun with that!]

[A few days after Porthos' birthday party and things are... a little sticky and messy. It's what happens after a party, after all. And don't worry, Porthos has certainly been enlisted to clean up his share of the mess. Mostly because he was Scolded by Snow.

But it seems that there's a clean-up happening throughout Miracle Country today. Or at least, encouragement. Whistle while you work, everyone? Maybe not. But there are birds chirping everywhere and swooping along where the fruit or spilled drinks are. Easy enough to dismiss - birds like fruit, right? And certainly the rodents and woodland creatures are scavenging, not actively cleaning up or anything like that.

Okay, no. The animals are definitely helping to clean. That's... interesting.

What could be the cause of all this? Well, there's a brief video actually showing Snow sweeping the front pathway leading to the new Town Hall Meeting Area, humming to herself. There are a few birds on the awning and the windowsill and they're chirping along with her. She starts singing and the birds start chirping louder, definitely singing along with her. Never forget that you actually know a literal Disney princess, everyone.]


[Feel free to use this as a mingle as you see fit! Or, if you'd like to help Snow clean up some of the mess, you can find her here.]

[It’s that time of year again! Anyone around the last few years will remember that it's a certain someone’s birthday - and time for the birthday tradition. As is typical of a Porthos Birthday Party, there’s food and drinks everywhere. Also lots of fruit. In the past, the party’s mostly been stuck at the park or beach and near the hotels… but not so this year. In fact, it seems that Kiseki wants to get into the party spirit along with Porthos since there are new areas to explore.

As if by magic – funny how that works – there’s suddenly a Town Hall - a new place for everyone to gather and meet for important discussions, or when those pesky events strike. There’s also a new arena for training, expansive and well-suited for all the warriors out there. It's about time you guys got your own place to train, right?

Not that you’d necessarily be able to tell today that these are fancy and sparkling new. There’s food everywhere, after all. And, well, the mess that comes with it. Is that a table full of cakes on the ceiling? Maybe. Anything is possible today when Miracle Country gets in the spirit of celebration. Try not to slip on that puddle of... beer? Well, let's hope that's beer.

You’ve probably been invited to this party, though. Or maybe you’re party-crashing. Or maybe you were trying to find a quiet corner to spend the afternoon and people won't shut up. Miracle Country might even help with that. Not likely to visit the beach today? Well here you are! Maybe you feel compelled to check out those new areas, or try to find where the party’s slowly migrating to. Maybe your foot's gotten stuck in a bridge and some nice party-goers are going to help you out. Everywhere you go, it sounds like there’s music and talking happening, so it might be hard to pinpoint everything down. Also, did we mention the food and drink?

Trying to ignore the party? Good luck, cause it’s lasting all day and well into the night. And just getting progressively louder and louder....

..... Did you just hear gunshots?


[ooc: this is an open log and feel free to jump in however you’d like. If you’d like to interact with Porthos specifically, his top comment is here; otherwise, use this as a mingle as you see fit!]

[This bright summer day in Miracle Country will find your characters over at the sports island. There on their own, encouraged by the ever-present floating bunnies that love pestering people to do things, or inexplicably arriving at the same place despite having headed somewhere else, it doesn't matter. The important thing is that the pool area is ready for use, and... bigger? It certainly seems that way.



People will find that the place looks revamped, with many more dangerous-looking trampolins, long slides leading into the pools, and all sorts of floating toys, beach balls, and other things to play with. You'll even be provided with proper swimwear, should you need it. What a better way to end the week than swimming and playing with others for a while?

If you end up needing to restore some energy, or simply don't feel like joining in on the pool fun, there's plenty of room to hang out. Even a mini-drinks stand! Nothing as fancy as the one at the beach, but good enough for the day. Careful you don't get hit in the face with a flying beachball, and have fun!]

🌸

[Anyone who knows Arthur knows that he tends to get a little... upset at this time of year. Withdrawn, sad, the usual. Well, that's because it's his birthday - a date he'd rather forget about, in the end. Which is why he's rather determined to treat it like it's Just Another Day. Maybe if he ignores it, nobody will bring it up.

Which is why he's working at the flower shop like usual. You're free to visit him there, if you'd like. He'll either be working at the front or fussing over Guinevere's gillyflower (which are, thanks to Sakura's help, growing back just fine).



However, it seems that someone wants Arthur - and everyone else - to celebrate a little. In fact, it might be something your character recognizes when they find it raining flowers.

Depending on the color that falls into your hair, you'll influenced by the color. It's subtle and the effects are light, but undoubtedly there. The effect is very light, so it shouldn’t make your characters behave too much out of the ordinary – just influences general mood. It will last only for a short time before the flower will fall from their hair to the ground, perfectly harmless.

Red will make your character feel flirty & romantic.
Pink will make your character feel timid & shy.
Purple will make your character feel cranky & irritable.
Yellow will make your character feel silly & playful.
Blue will make your character feel gloomy & sad.
White will make your character feel relaxed & dreamy.

Are these some sort of flower-special from the Flower Shop? Is Merlin screwing around with magic again? Or is it just one of those random occurrences on someone's birthday? Hard to say. But the flowers will appear all day around the main island, especially close to the flower shop.]

[General mingle for Arthur's birthday. Arthur's thread is here but otherwise feel free to use this post as you'd like.]

[And just as quickly as it started, it stops.

The last twenty-four hours have been a difficult one – and it likely shows around you. Everyone who was caught up in the attack is tired, injured, and scared after everything. It’s still again, just like before – can you trust it?

The monsters are now gone, and even if you tried to pursue them into the forests, you wouldn’t be able to find them. It’s as if they have simply vanished. But the impact they’ve left on the island is clear – the shopping district is a mess of broken glass and claw marks in the walls and street. The park has a few fallen trees and broken branches. Some of the bridges have gaping holes in them that haven’t been repaired yet. Some Usyagi are floating around, magically repairing things, but some other damages will be left untouched, especially if it’s a character-run business.

And, even though healing is no longer blocked, it’s – delayed. What would normally heal within a day is going to take a couple of weeks to heal properly. Too bad, considering almost everyone was attacked in some way, right? But it’ll be quiet for the next few weeks, so hopefully that’ll give you all time to heal…

And at least it’s a sunny summer day. The sun is shining, there’s a light breeze, and there’s at least some peace. For now.]


🌸

[[The invasion event is over; keep in mind that this log is backdated to a day after the invasion event began.]]

[Things have been pretty calm recently, with time to relax at new places and everything... Which means that when you get ready to sleep tonight, and find yourselves completely unable to, it might feel strange to many who don't currently feel stressed out or worried about anything in particular. As the minutes turn into hours, it's clear any attempts to relax and get some sleep are pointless - no warm beverages or sheep counting will do the trick.



So perhaps you'll opt for embracing the sleeplessness and staying up in your rooms, alone or with whomever shares it. Perhaps you feel like heading down to the common rooms under the hotels and watch a movie, or hang out with others who might've had the same idea. Perhaps you feel like going outside for a walk - it's a good night to do that, with a bright full moon to light your way.

In any case, the following day will be declared a holiday, to account for those who might be exhausted after staying up all night. Never say Miracle Country isn't fair.]