Winter has Come (Open)

[frozen_witch]

Who: You! (This post is meant to be a weather-related event that anyone can use. Elsa herself will have a top level.)
What: The first and last snows of a new winter fall in the month of March. It's quite heavy and very cold. Elsa's still working on her control. Might as well have some fun?
When: March 7-20, the beginning of spring.
Where: All around, though there's patches of warmth for those who don't feel like dealing with this sort of thing.
Warnings: If players choose to include it, feelings of melancholy are amplified during the snows. Please include warnings if you do anything rough in the scene. But otherwise, it's just snow and ice.

After about a week and the return of "her" priesthood, Elsa had finally felt the power of winter fully under her control. A few scattered flurries had fallen to herald the return of a god of winter. Now, however, she had been asked to exert her power and show the world that winter had, indeed, returned in force. The goal of this snow was to be cold enough to ensure that bugs in the spring wouldn't be too strong and that the spring would be a welcome reprieve.

But, between the fact that she had only just now returned and was still very worried about her sister and being trapped in this place, things weren't going according to plan. Heavy snowfalls began to land on the 7th and a bitter, fierce cold covered the land through to the end of winter. Thankfully, the throne of spring had been claimed, but for the remaining weeks of winter, the land would be covered in a heavy blanket of snow. The whole of the waters around the city froze over and nearly a foot of snow fell. Everything, however, had a dirty feel because of the air quality and the brown, brackish waters that were feeling.

With it, the whole environment just felt a bit depressing. Winter had come, and it would freeze deep into the soil. It was going to end soon, hopefully, but it wasn't necessarily the most pleasant of sights.

So, what's happening?
-A foot of snow or more falls and stays through from the 7th until the 20th. It will melt with the official start of spring and temperatures will abruptly begin to warm once again.
-Temperatures are well below freezing in town, the waters near town are frozen entirely, but because there is no water deity or air deity, the snows and ice are very dirty and the air quality is still poor.
-Melancholy is easier to feel (though not everyone will feel it if you'd rather not), and it is very easy to feel the season is a bit more depressing than normal.

Options:
Hey, it's a winter thread. Want to make slightly dirty snowmen? Snow angels? Snowball fights? Drink hot cocoa to get past the weather? Come complain to Elsa in the temple of winter? Go ice skating on frozen, muddy waters? Go nuts. The world is your oyster. Feel free to do a starting post with your own prompts and bring your friends. I'll have a top level for Elsa and can happily join yours too. She will be a little mopey because this doesn't go quite as well as she'd hoped.

Comments

[frozen_witch]

"I should be better than this though. I already have these powers, after all." Yes, but she didn't exactly have complete, absolute control over them yet now did she? However, when the explanation came there was an obvious look of relief in Elsa's features. So, there was someone on the throne of Spring?

"That is wonderful news, and yes. I had thought much the same. I should really contact summer and autumn soon for the same reason." She breathed out a sigh that she'd been holding in for a moment. The accent wasn't too hard to get through. It was similar enough to the sort a guest might have had in her own court that she could keep up. "I do not know exactly how we will be working together, other than that in a few weeks I will pass the torch to you, as it were."

"Still, it seems good for the four of us to be in touch." And at the very least not competing. That would lead to disaster.

[reluctantaccessory]

"You already have them?" Marie tilts her head slightly but there isn't any judgment in her eyes when she asks that question - only a little bit of confusion and a little bit of curiosity but she decides against trying to pry further, "Um, I bet that's personal, so um, well, maybe things work differently here?"

Marie knows that it is not her place to pry further even if she was curious, so she instead chooses to just listen.

Eventually, she tries to give a smile as she shrugs.

"I don't know if it's wonderful news that I took the throne or not and I suppose I was jumping ahead of myself for a moment, but, I'm not exactly sure how things are supposed to work here. If it's up to how we want to do things or not, but maybe we could try to come up with something. Even if it's just some sort of, um, agreement on how to handle switching seasons, stepping in if someone isn't listening to people?"

Her words trail off before her next idea and eventually, Marie manages to nod in agreement. Nothing good would result from everyone competing against each other. Being in touch would at least be something. She seems a little surprised at herself by her pitching of ideas and turns pink again.

Then she voices that agreement to Elsa, "It wouldn't hurt to be in touch. That way, we at least know who we're turning the reigns, I think that's the expression, over to when the season switches?"

[frozen_witch]

"I have had power over cold and ice for as long as I can recall. But yes. I believe you are correct. There is a pool of power I feel in this place. It is hard to describe, but it feels almost without limit, though I do not have control over it all yet." And it terrified her a little to think of having that kind of control really.

The proposal got a nod. She was thinking about it for a moment, tapping her lips with a gloved hand as she considered how best to approach. "Yes. I think we could agree on the time when the seasons should change, and try to avoid one of us having too long at the helm, if you will. The seasons have to flow naturally, after all. Winter, for one, should come to an end in about two weeks, should it not? I hope I will have these snows under control before then so it can properly melt."

[reluctantaccessory]

"That's... oh, this is going to sound rude, but that's actually really amazing," Marie looks a little impressed but then she looks more concerned at the rest of the explanation and changes gears, "Is it really that powerful? The pool of power? Could that be why there are thrones and we can just sit in them and thinks work?"

However, in order to answer Elsa's question, Marie nods, she nods a lot. Then she taps her chin a few times.

"I think that's when winter is supposed to end," Marie then nods one final time as she tries to find the correct date for the first day of spring in her own world, "I'm not sure how this place is different if it even is, but I think where I'm from it's supposed to end then too. It would be pretty safe to go with that date for when we should switch over."

"Yes, exactly. It would be easier for everyone if we kept the seasons flowing and tried..." Marie then finds her thought disappearing before she can finish it and she instead finds herself saying, "I guess winter and seasons aren't ever an exact science, though. Sometimes it does snow in late March. It's doesn't have to be perfect... just as long as we don't end up in a heat wave when it should be winter and it's not snowing in summer. A little overlap. Gradual warming from that first day on would be okay, I think? If we can manage it, but maybe we all could if we helped each other out?"

Marie just couldn't figure out how, at least she couldn't figure out enough to voice any ideas. She was guessing and going by hunches.

[frozen_witch]

"My sister would agree, though my gifts have not always been such a happy thing," she admitted, shaking her head. Her voice was a bit sober when she said it. "But I do believe that the thrones are indeed powerful. I can't say how it works, though it feels as if I have a certain absolute control that even at home I never had."

She listened quietly to Marie's explanation and considered it. Yes, that was exactly what she was thinking. Her eyes closed and she nodded to herself before sighing. "I think that we have the same goal in mind. It will be halting this year, hard while we just begin to gain control over this power. But perhaps by next year it will be better, if I do not find a successor before then." She made sure that her priest wasn't in earshot when she said that. She would help in this world, but she did not intend to remain forever. She wanted to find a successor. Perhaps a 'demigod.'

"I will tell some of the people who come here to send offerings to spring, to help continue the flow of power, so that it will be easier for you to keep the seasons flowing. We should have the goal of the seasons being cleanly transitioned. Do you know the others?"

[reluctantaccessory]

"I wonder why that is. Maybe it's because it's a... oh, the word, a conduit? Is that it? Something that can be used to direct power?"

Then she pauses before she can start to ramble and quickly begins to apologize, "Oh, I'm sorry. I'm probably speculating on things that I shouldn't be, but I can't help myself. I tend to find myself feeling curious and... well, I can't control myself at all. It's just a really bad habit of mine. But, I think I heard of that term in a book I read a long time ago, so that may not even be right."

Her curiosity about things involving people was worse than just a "bad habit" if she was being honest with herself that way of describing it was nothing but an understatement. It was part of the reason why she had found herself in serious trouble in her own world.

"It sounds as if we do then," Marie nods but then her eyebrow raises and she glances around before finding herself nearly mouthing, "A successor? I mean, I suppose we all should want to go home, I suppose..." Before she could continue her thought, Marie hears Elsa's idea and then she changes her words over to, "Wait, are you sure about that? You really don't have to ask for people to send offerings."

This is more out of not having an understanding of why she would need to have them. The bay, in her mind, was already providing more than enough, more than what she felt she deserved. They were giving her shelter and a way to protect herself. That was more than she deserved, especially without having any idea of what she was doing as a goddess, or acting goddess. She also feels guilty about her using the situation for her own ends and only wants to make sure she can give back what she can and then some.

Then Marie realizes that she had been asked another question and shakes her head. "I'm afraid not. I think the person who is on the throne for Summer is another woman, though."

[frozen_witch]

"Most likely, but also a reservoir. Not all have power like mine to begin with, after all." Elsa wondered if her gifts and magic helped her in the control of that conduit and the powers it granted to her. She suspected strongly that it did, though it was still a great deal to wield at any time, and it would take her practice to truly master it. "I certainly do not think it is bad to speculate. We have before us a very strange situation, and erring could have dire consequences, could it not? Trying to understand it is important."

She smiled over at her warmly and shook her head. "A successor. I have a kingdom to rule and guard, a sister to watch grow old and marry when she is not being besotten by the idea of love at first sight," she said, managing a small laugh. "And my powers protect those people. I will help, but I cannot remain here forever. We must work to find souls who can take our place when we are gone."

"And please, think nothing of it. I believe that, if the people wish the seasons to be strong, they will need to support all of them, not simply one. You, this young lady and whoever serves in autumn all need support. If it was this difficult for me, perhaps the support will help somewhat?" She was not actually sure of it, but she could hope. "Well, that and practice perhaps."