Well, expecting moms and dads, there's one less thing to worry about: shopping for most of your baby stuff! That's right, Gaea is hosting a baby shower for everyone!

There will be invitations scattered throughout the house (one in each room of the Master Suite, one in the dinette, one in the formal dining room, and one posted on the ballroom door) that invite all the soon-to-be parents to go to the ballroom on the 21st. Of course, anyone who wants to show up can do so, even if they aren't about to become a parent.

Inside the ballroom, there will be seven piles of gifts, each one addressed to one of the moms-to-be. Nothing to say who the giver is, though. The gifts will include necessities like diapers, layettes, nursing equipment, kids' furniture, clothing, toys, dishes, car seats, childproofing items, etc. for each expected child. Interestingly, there may not seem to be a large quantity of "baby" items, and the stuff will be able to accommodate kids up to about the size of kindergartners. Color and style themes will be different for each child, e.g. items in burgundies and oceanic tones for Dite's twins, bold reds and blacks for Apollo and Mel's twins, traditional baby blues and golds for Erato's son, etc (whatever you feel fits the style for the soon-to-be arriving children).

In the meantime, remember that the births are only about two months away! So, if you haven't already, make sure you're deciding on names, PBs, powers and custody for the next-gens!

Any questions? Just ask. ^_^

Welcome to the Maison, godlings. We hope you enjoy your stay. ^_^ You will all be waking up in your assigned rooms.

For anyone who happens upon them, there is one message blinking on the answering machine. There is also a letter in the mailbox that will give pretty much the same information.

Meanwhile, the Powers Database has been updated with all the new powers. Please make sure you are all familiar with it. Synergies that you should all be aware of include the following (though it is not necessarily a comprehensive list!):

-Aphrodite/Erato/Esther/Ganymede/Lilith/Dionysus (Lust and lower inhibitions)
-Sif/Dionysus/Ganymede (Food and drink)
-Asclepius/Apollo/Sigyn (Healing)
-Aphrodite/Bres/Frigg/Ogma/Tyr/Arthur/Esther/Achilles (Persuasion)
-Ogma/Bres/Achilles/Seth/Athena (Physical strength)
-Apollo/Frigg/Sif/Urania (Psychic abilities)
-Ariadne/Ogma/Urania/Athena (Mental acuity)
-Hades/Poseidon/Seth (Earth and sand control)

Any questions? Let me know!

Well, this event has certainly started with a bang, hasn't it? Remember, attacks can occur anytime through the 21st. On Saturday, September 22nd, Part 2 begins! Once again, I'm giving you this information now so that you can all begin plotting and planning.

( Specs for Part 2 )

Well, godlings, who's up for a little vacation time? Yes, it's scavenger-hunt time again--this time on the INTERNATIONAL level. Hope you've got your passports ready!

Now, despite the filters in Gaia's post, everyone needs to be working together. Send people who know the languages to the necessary countries, have others who can't go perhaps finance the trips, whatever you want to do.

Here's what you're looking for: There are six individual artifacts. At first, they might look simply like broken bits of antiquities: shiny and dark, but under different lighting, other colors will seem to swirl to the top or shoot through it like veins of ore. Something that might mildly interest archaeologists or historians, but won't fit with any known period in history. Yes, they are all at least partially buried. The good news is that each one resonates on a certain frequency that only the godlings can hear, and the closer you get, the louder the "music" becomes.

Oh, and one other thing. It's not just the godlings themselves that need to come together with these. ^_~

Time-wise, you're not technically on any set schedule, but I would like to have all the artifacts recovered before the Fall Equinox on September 22nd.

Any questions, comments or desperate requests for hints? Let me know! ♥

Congratulations, Metempsychosis! We have reached a milestone few games can boast: OUR ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY! And I have all of you to thank for it. ♥♥♥

So! To mark the occasion, starting TODAY the 13th and going through the Summer Solstice (the 20th), each and every godling is going to receive a surprise visitor at some point during the week. These will be taking place almost exclusively on the log community, so, PLEASE, be watching for your characters' names! If you would like to be notified when your turn is up, let me and/or Mod Paul know, and we'll make sure someone gets you a heads-up.

The plot is moving forward, my sweets. Excitement lies ahead. ^_^

Meanwhile, of course, all characters are welcome to keep posting as normal while waiting for their turns with the visits.

To continue with the anniversary celebration, however, a MEME! Yay! And not just any old meme, one that I hope will see a great deal of participation! Yes, it's a drabble meme! Here's how to play:

1) Post a comment with the names of the character(s) you'd like to see involved, and a prompt for them. If you wish, you can include notes requesting a particular rating limit or other specifications.
2) Someone then uses the prompt (and accompanying notes, if any) to write a drabble (any length) in reply. If more than one person wishes to respond, that's OK! The more takes on it, the merrier. Yes, you CAN post anonymously and you can respond to your own prompts, if you wish.

Any questions? Comments? Let us know! ♥

First off, I would like to give a great big round of congratulations to our dear player Ash regarding her wedding over the weekend. ♥

Secondly, Beltane is upon you, godlings! And that means more Weird Stuff Happening. Fear not, it's nothing especially sinister this time. On May 1st, everyone will be receiving an anonymous bouquet delivered to their doorstep. Or, whichever doorstep they happen to be visiting at the time. Each bouquet will be marked saying who it's for, but nothing to indicate who sent it. Here is the list of who gets what:

( The Beltane Bouquets )

As you can probably guess, these aren't just any ordinary bouquets. They're actually messages to the godlings. So what do they mean? Sorry--THAT you'll have to figure out yourselves. Feel free to bug Persephone ICly about it. ^_^

But, I'm not going to leave you completely high and dry. Here are a few sites to look through to give you some ideas:

Language of Flowers Wiki
More on The Language of Flowers
http://www.pioneerthinking.com/home/weddings/floral/flowerlanguage.html
http://www.languageofflowers.com/flowermeaning.htm

Have fun, godlings. ^_^

With the exception of our not-yet-existent Judeo-Christian pantheon, all the objects have now been located, and the clues uncovered.

This means that everyone should have his or her normal identity back, and will return to their normal form otherwise once they leave the hotel. Yes, they will all remember everything that transpired while under the enchantment.

Characters may now leave the hotel whenever they so choose. If anyone wants to linger for a bit to mingle or what have you, that's up to them. Upon leaving the hotel, they will find that only 1 second has passed in the real world since they left.

This also means that we will be having a gloss covering the dates from October 28 through November 27, and real-time will resume on Monday, so use the weekend to try to wrap up event threads and start planning what the characters have been doing over the past month. A gloss post will be put up soon. This does NOT mean that threads will be closing on Monday, of course--they will remain open for as long as it takes to complete them. Backdated threads for events during the gloss of course are welcome at any time--just remember to note the timestamp when they take place.

Any questions? Just let me know!

And the plot thickens!

All right--so here is what you all are looking for. There are six objects (one for each pantheon, yes, even the Judeo-Christian pantheon which has no representation just yet). Each one, once opened (yes, all must be opened/broken open in some fashion) will restore all members of its pantheon to their normal identities, enable them to leave the hotel at will (trying to do so prior to that will result in simply being returned to the lobby as before), and, most importantly, contain a clue to set them on the track of solving the next piece of the puzzle.

But, fear not. I'm not sending you into this blindly. The objects (and their locations) are, as follows:

CELTIC/ARTHURIAN: An Irish shellelagh that contains a hidden flask, located in an umbrella stand in the hotel lobby.

EGYPTIAN: A pyramid formation of bonbons on the ballroom reception table.

GREEK: A Greek amphora vase in the ballroom.

HINDU: An enameled "treasure box" in the shape of an elephant on the concierge desk of the hotel lobby.

JUDEO-CHRISTIAN: A singing fish (e.g. Billy Bass) on the wall in the lobby.

NORSE: A Viking ship in a bottle, located in the hotel bar.

Discuss amongst yourselves who should find/open each of these artifacts, but otherwise have at it. Yes, it IS possible for members of another pantheon to find/open the objects (e.g. a Greek might open the Egyptian pyramid in getting some food), but the effects will only go toward the pantheon the object belongs to (so, in the given example, even if a Greek does it, only the Egyptians benefit). Any questions or comments, don't be shy!

ALSO! This marks Metem's 5-month anniversary! Congratulations, everyone! To celebrate, here's a little character Q&A meme that you are all welcome to participate in, to show everyone the secrets behind the characters.

( Cut for questions )

Hello! And welcome to the Halloween plot! Looking at the latest log you will find that Nigel has been bizzy! You might also recognize the three lovely ladies he's been busy with.

This plot begins today, darlings! As of right now! And will run until November 1st. Now if scenes and stuff need to go longer that's fine. That's what glossing is for.

The Set Up: As before, the next time your character walks through a door they will emerge through the revolving doors of a familiar hotel where they will be met by Nigel at the front desk. Oh and one more thing. Those costumes you told me about? You ARE them. For instance, Aphrodite was planning a Queen Titania costume. Even if she wasn't wearing it at the time she went through a door, she shows up at the hotel wearing it, transformed into Queen Titania. Asclepius was planning on being the big bad wolf to Nimue's Red Riding Hood. He shows up as a wolf in fact. And so on.

Some of you retain your identity so you change into your persona but retain the knowledge of who and what you are. Questions? Bring 'em on!

I will not be setting up a log for arrivals. That got a tad ridiculous in length the last time and fair well gave me twitches keeping track of it. LOL What I am encouraging you to do is set up logs with each other to arrive and Nigel will hit them. For instance, Medusa and Poseidon arrive together. Tyr and Sir, perhaps.

Tomorrow I will put up a log for certain individuals.

Have at! And have fun!

~PBM

Most of you have told me what costumes people will be wearing. Some of you got emails from me pertaining to that. mwahaha More information will be coming to you once the Halloween Plot kicks off, which will be tomorrow and run through Halloween. Longer if necessary, but that's the plan.

FOR THE RECORD: The first solid clue to the homelands will be obtained/available during this plot. And as just a hint of what's to come, the following characters will maintain their awareness of self:

Asclepius
Erato (hasn't the poor girl been through enough?!)
Nimue (because the PBM needs a puppet)

The rest of you, stay tuned. Information will be forthcoming with the kickoff tomorrow.

*insert Boris Karloff laughter*

~PBM

Your friendly neighborhood PBM here. My, but it's been quiet hasn't it?! Things need to be stirred up a little bit. methinks. *insert Vincent Price cackle here*

Halloween! Who doesn't love Halloween? Besides the extreme religious right who call it the devil's holiday when the name "Halloween" is actually representing the Christian holiday of All Hallow's Eve, and we unwashed heathens call it Samhain and consider it our New Year. (Didn't think you'd be getting a history lesson now didja?!) Well, the powers that be like Halloween too, so you can expect something from them.

That's all I'm going to say for right now. *insert Christopher Lee chuckle*

What your beloved and beautiful PBM needs from you is: What costume would/will your character be wearing for Halloween? NO CHEATING! Arthur and Gawain can't say they'll be dressing as knights. Nimue won't be dressing like a witch. If you don't tell me, I get to make it up which would be infinitely worse than anything you could come up with. Trust me.

Reply here with your character's name and costume then hold for futher contact.

*insert Mr. Burns cackle*

~PBM

With the next game day will come something more of a personal encounter. I have one victim character already on the list, another with a plot device, but I need more...yeesssss...MORE! evil cackle*ahem*

I need three more at the most. I could work with less, but a master is never satisfied with less. Do not make me do bad things.

Who wants to volunteer a character or two? C'mon. I don't bite unless you ask nicely! The experience could be good!or bad And I promise nothing will happen to the character without your explicit approval!

~your friendly neighborhood plotbunny mod