Baymod Helpers (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
bayhelpers) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
bottlecaplogs2025-12-15 10:02 am
bayhelpers) wrote in bottlecaplogs2025-12-15 10:02 am
Entry tags:
DECEMBER 2025 EVENT LOG
⋆✩ A HOLLY, JOLLY… ✩⋆
The snow is constant, but gentle now. It drifts more than it falls, gently gathering on the boughs of trees and the rooftops of houses. As the days pass, with the sight of the sun rarer and rarer, one could be forgiven for feeling morose - even lonely - in these coming winter days. Yet the energy of the Pokemon in both Bottlecap Bay and Skull Town convey something else; a sense of quiet excitement, and even camaraderie.
Pokemon are beginning to gather at each other’s homes for quiet visits with hot drinks. They’re having snowball fights in the lingering hours of light, and warm moments inside near a fire.
It feels like, despite the cold, things will be just fine.
YOU BETTER NOT CRY
It begins with a rumble. For a brief moment, a few Pokemon ask themselves if that avalanche from a week or so ago might not have been a warning of more to come. If maybe all the work to clear that snow is going to be undone. As the rumble increases however, it becomes clear that it isn’t the same as a collapse of snow. It sounds like something else. Like feet. Like…
”WE ARE HERE!”
Pokemon feet!
Despite sounding akin to an army of Pokemon, a total of only five soon make themselves known in the main square at Bottlecap Bay. They come charging with a practiced display, each one lining up proudly as they strike a pose - Scolipede, stamping the ground and throwing their horns. Incineroar, belching flames as they flex. Noivern, spreading great wide wings…
And tossed onto the shoulder of their companion, the teensy tiny Treecko, on Obstagoon’s shoulders!
“S!” “I!” “N!” “T!” “O!”
“SINTO IS HERE!!”
Proudly displaying themselves for all of Bottlecap, everyone quickly realizes that what’s most amazing about this oddball team isn’t just their noise level, but something even more interesting entirely; all of them are strange combinations of red, green, and white! It seems the team responsible for the mysterious request at the start of December has finally revealed itself…but why? As soon as anyone asks, the Obstagoon happily steps forward to answer.
“Why? It’s our mission of course! We’re here to deliver presents!!”
”WE ARE HERE!”
Pokemon feet!
Despite sounding akin to an army of Pokemon, a total of only five soon make themselves known in the main square at Bottlecap Bay. They come charging with a practiced display, each one lining up proudly as they strike a pose - Scolipede, stamping the ground and throwing their horns. Incineroar, belching flames as they flex. Noivern, spreading great wide wings…
And tossed onto the shoulder of their companion, the teensy tiny Treecko, on Obstagoon’s shoulders!
“S!” “I!” “N!” “T!” “O!”
“SINTO IS HERE!!”
Proudly displaying themselves for all of Bottlecap, everyone quickly realizes that what’s most amazing about this oddball team isn’t just their noise level, but something even more interesting entirely; all of them are strange combinations of red, green, and white! It seems the team responsible for the mysterious request at the start of December has finally revealed itself…but why? As soon as anyone asks, the Obstagoon happily steps forward to answer.
“Why? It’s our mission of course! We’re here to deliver presents!!”
LONGEST NIGHT
Some Bottlecap Bay Pokemon may have already started on preparation for the holiday early, but after the guilds get involved with quests is when it truly kicks into high gear. Glittering decorations start appearing everywhere! Pokemon native to this world seem to favor decorations to do with the moon, sun, snow, and ice, but - with the exception of a few real traditionalists - they’re intrigued and enthusiastic about anything the transformed Pokemon contribute. As long as you’re matching the spirit of the season by participating, can any decorations truly be wrong?
What is the spirit of the season, you ask? Local Pokemon are happy to explain, though it’s more of a fairytale than proper history. Longest Night is coming up! The story goes that many, many years ago, perhaps so long ago that humans didn’t exist yet, it was just the longest night of the year. In the dead of winter, with no sunlight, it was also the worst night of the year for all but a rare few Pokemon who enjoyed both the cold and dark. Everyone else would hide away and wait for daylight, and even those Pokemon quickly grew to hate the night out of loneliness.
So, finally, one of those Pokemon - what Pokemon it was changes between each storyteller - proposed something. To make Longest Night less lonely, all of the ice- and darkness-loving Pokemon would swear not to hunt on that specific night… and would protect anyone who emerged from being preyed upon. As time passed, more Pokemon began -
“But if you’re still hungry for meat,” Veluza interjects out of nowhere, busting in on the story, “I have you covered! I can Fillet Away as much as you’d like -”
Veluza is quickly shooed away by Mightyena, who is insistent that this isn’t in the spirit of the night! And besides, even native Pokemon who are otherwise entirely unconcerned about the cycle of nature seem a little weirded out by Veluza’s enthusiasm.
(Unfortunately, the story keeps getting interrupted by Veluza before anyone can ask where the gifts come into it…)
What is the spirit of the season, you ask? Local Pokemon are happy to explain, though it’s more of a fairytale than proper history. Longest Night is coming up! The story goes that many, many years ago, perhaps so long ago that humans didn’t exist yet, it was just the longest night of the year. In the dead of winter, with no sunlight, it was also the worst night of the year for all but a rare few Pokemon who enjoyed both the cold and dark. Everyone else would hide away and wait for daylight, and even those Pokemon quickly grew to hate the night out of loneliness.
So, finally, one of those Pokemon - what Pokemon it was changes between each storyteller - proposed something. To make Longest Night less lonely, all of the ice- and darkness-loving Pokemon would swear not to hunt on that specific night… and would protect anyone who emerged from being preyed upon. As time passed, more Pokemon began -
“But if you’re still hungry for meat,” Veluza interjects out of nowhere, busting in on the story, “I have you covered! I can Fillet Away as much as you’d like -”
Veluza is quickly shooed away by Mightyena, who is insistent that this isn’t in the spirit of the night! And besides, even native Pokemon who are otherwise entirely unconcerned about the cycle of nature seem a little weirded out by Veluza’s enthusiasm.
(Unfortunately, the story keeps getting interrupted by Veluza before anyone can ask where the gifts come into it…)
ENJOY THE FEASTIVITIES
As the dawn sun rises after the longest night, so comes the Shortest Day. While more accurately, the day prior was probably the shortest day…the celebrations lean heavily toward after the longest night, and it doesn’t take long to understand why.
The Shortest Day is celebrated with a feast, after all. It’s a feast that much of the day is spent putting together, and one hosted to everyone within the Bay at that - though Skull Town, it seems, is hosting their own meal for the sake of travel considerations. Not everyone is a cook though, and for that matter not everyone needs to work. It’s still a holiday, you know!
And that apparently means pre-meal gifts. Pokemon all over the Bay begin handing one another wrapped gifts they’ve spent days, even weeks preparing. Small things like winter clothes, or toys for little Pokemon to play with indoors. Gifts filled with meaning, and love - and some of them are even for their newfound companions from other worlds.
By the time gifts have all been exchanged, everyone is called toward the Archives for the promised meal. The final tradition, as many scholars will share if asked, comes from what followed those Longest Nights of the old past. Winter is a harsh season; for many Pokemon, even one evening to abstain from hunting could take its toll. The frigid conditions made it difficult for even the herbivorous of their number as well, and it soon became a tradition to do more than simply huddle close in those long hours.
It became tradition to look after each other in the short hours of daylight that followed.
As folklore holds that it was the kindhearted Blissey who began this tradition of delivering the gift of well cooked eggs to tide over the Pokemon of the bay, the feast that is prepared for everyone reflects this. A fully meat-less affair, there are salads carefully arranged with lush greens and sliced vegetables; massive servings of eggs, some hard-boiled with their insides churned into a seasoned mash, still others steaming and warm in the shell. Freshly baked breads fill numerous baskets, and countless jams, ready to spread, sit waiting. The feast is here - and from what can be heard, it’ll last well beyond the start of the second longest night, too!
“This is amazing,” an old Purrugly comments. “My compliments to the chefs.”
“This is better than I’ve ever seen it!” says yet another Pokemon, the Electrode in question bouncing up and down.
“Hey, is Treecko…glowing?”
With wide eyes, all Pokemon at the feast turn to the red-tailed Treecko from team SINTO. Hands still buried in the bread basket, the little one pauses to look themselves over as the glow increases. It covers their whole body, until it becomes too much to look at - until gleaming, rainbow lights stream out and around. For an instant, no one can see…but then!
“Oh!!”
“Treecko, you…”
While others stare, Obstagoon throws a much larger Pokemon than was there before into the air. “YOU FINALLY EVOLVED!!”
It’s a Shortest Day Miracle!
The Shortest Day is celebrated with a feast, after all. It’s a feast that much of the day is spent putting together, and one hosted to everyone within the Bay at that - though Skull Town, it seems, is hosting their own meal for the sake of travel considerations. Not everyone is a cook though, and for that matter not everyone needs to work. It’s still a holiday, you know!
And that apparently means pre-meal gifts. Pokemon all over the Bay begin handing one another wrapped gifts they’ve spent days, even weeks preparing. Small things like winter clothes, or toys for little Pokemon to play with indoors. Gifts filled with meaning, and love - and some of them are even for their newfound companions from other worlds.
By the time gifts have all been exchanged, everyone is called toward the Archives for the promised meal. The final tradition, as many scholars will share if asked, comes from what followed those Longest Nights of the old past. Winter is a harsh season; for many Pokemon, even one evening to abstain from hunting could take its toll. The frigid conditions made it difficult for even the herbivorous of their number as well, and it soon became a tradition to do more than simply huddle close in those long hours.
It became tradition to look after each other in the short hours of daylight that followed.
As folklore holds that it was the kindhearted Blissey who began this tradition of delivering the gift of well cooked eggs to tide over the Pokemon of the bay, the feast that is prepared for everyone reflects this. A fully meat-less affair, there are salads carefully arranged with lush greens and sliced vegetables; massive servings of eggs, some hard-boiled with their insides churned into a seasoned mash, still others steaming and warm in the shell. Freshly baked breads fill numerous baskets, and countless jams, ready to spread, sit waiting. The feast is here - and from what can be heard, it’ll last well beyond the start of the second longest night, too!
“This is amazing,” an old Purrugly comments. “My compliments to the chefs.”
“This is better than I’ve ever seen it!” says yet another Pokemon, the Electrode in question bouncing up and down.
“Hey, is Treecko…glowing?”
With wide eyes, all Pokemon at the feast turn to the red-tailed Treecko from team SINTO. Hands still buried in the bread basket, the little one pauses to look themselves over as the glow increases. It covers their whole body, until it becomes too much to look at - until gleaming, rainbow lights stream out and around. For an instant, no one can see…but then!
“Oh!!”
“Treecko, you…”
While others stare, Obstagoon throws a much larger Pokemon than was there before into the air. “YOU FINALLY EVOLVED!!”
It’s a Shortest Day Miracle!
iii. TO ANOTHER FINE YEAR…
A FINAL DASH OF HOLIDAY
At the end of the feast, the members of SINTO (or… or are they SINGO now?) do one final round to bestow every participant in their quest with an extra helping of especially sparkly festive glitter - and an announcement to each of those Pokemon that they’ve proven themselves worthy of the “power of Longest Night”. While they seem to intend this just for those that helped them out… in fact, enough Pokemon did that the glitter just ends up everywhere. If you were in the room at all, expect glitter on your paws for at least a couple of days.
Then the team vanishes as abruptly as they arrived, with Obstagoon leading the charge off into the night.
But after all that food, is anyone really in a state to worry about this? Some Pokemon may linger for a while longer, for quieter socializing and hot drinks. For most, though, it’s time to head back to their rooms and get some much-anticipated rest - perhaps wrapped in a cozy new gift!
At dawn the following morning, Pokemon will notice sleigh tracks cutting through the center of both Bottlecap Bay and Skull Town. Did Scolipede really have a sleigh all along? In addition, several Pokemon in Skull Town remark that they heard bells during the quietest hour of the night, muffled by snow. Opinions differ on whether they sounded cheery or welcoming, but nobody who will admit to making the sounds can be found…
Then the team vanishes as abruptly as they arrived, with Obstagoon leading the charge off into the night.
But after all that food, is anyone really in a state to worry about this? Some Pokemon may linger for a while longer, for quieter socializing and hot drinks. For most, though, it’s time to head back to their rooms and get some much-anticipated rest - perhaps wrapped in a cozy new gift!
At dawn the following morning, Pokemon will notice sleigh tracks cutting through the center of both Bottlecap Bay and Skull Town. Did Scolipede really have a sleigh all along? In addition, several Pokemon in Skull Town remark that they heard bells during the quietest hour of the night, muffled by snow. Opinions differ on whether they sounded cheery or welcoming, but nobody who will admit to making the sounds can be found…
✩ OOC NOTES.
⟡ CWS: Aside from Veluza, there are no CWs!
⟡ As always, while all Quests must be submitted by the 30th of the month, Players may submit their own Player Quests at any time before that point! (Though we recommend saving Player Quests for the next month if it is after the 25th)
⟡ For those who participated in the Secret Santa this month, don't forget to submit your presents before the 30th!
⟡ Have any questions related to the event? Ask them here! If your question is more general for the game, please make sure to direct it to the FAQ page instead. Thank you, and happy threading!
⟡ As always, while all Quests must be submitted by the 30th of the month, Players may submit their own Player Quests at any time before that point! (Though we recommend saving Player Quests for the next month if it is after the 25th)
⟡ For those who participated in the Secret Santa this month, don't forget to submit your presents before the 30th!
⟡ Have any questions related to the event? Ask them here! If your question is more general for the game, please make sure to direct it to the FAQ page instead. Thank you, and happy threading!
Emporio Alniño | JJBA: Stone Ocean | OTA
Emporio is somewhat infamous across the town for being an odd cubone. Not an odd outsider, not an odd newcomer, but an odd cubone. The locals tend to forget the other two points you see. But, as it stands, he refuses to acknowledge his helmet as anything emotionally relevant to him, and so aside from fieldwork keeps it strapped to his back instead of on his head.
Which, by the by, probably explains why his entire face is absolutely radiant now.
"D...do you think it'll wash off easy..?"
It's a miracle the glitter isn't in his eyes, frankly, but good gracious.
-longest night
[THE LONGEST NIGHT]
As decorations start to go up in one place or another for the big night, Emporio seems to be genuinely enjoying himself. He's had his 'holiday' experiences in his former world, sure, but this is different. He's not limited to one room, he's not hiding for his life, it's a big, big world full of entirely new traditions and experiences...
It puts a constant smile on his face, and naturally, that means it also has him constantly rambling.
"It's really interesting how even in another reality, we have a solstice tradition. It does make sense though. The turning of the year from the darkest point toward new light would probably be important to plenty of Pokemon," he considers as he talks.
"Even in my own world, a lot of different cultures had solstice traditions...though, in the current day, a lot of them kind of got amalgamated into Christmas. It makes it a little awkward I think... ...especially by the time I came here, it was a hard call to say if it belonged more to retail or religion..."
Ah, but that's depressing, so moving on!!! "A-anyway. A lot of parts from that 'holiday' have their origins in different solstice practices from across Europe. Even gift exchanging! It came from a tradition called 'Saturnalia', which was also known for feasting, partying..."
A thought has occurred to him.
"....Is all of this more like 'Yuletide', or Saturnalia, I wonder..."
Mysteries...
[THE SHORTEST DAY]
With so much food on the tables, it's clear no one is going to be going hungry this evening. Emporio looks around with relative wonder at the display- carved apple Pokemon, salad towers as big as his head...
And more notably, a devilled egg the size of his entire being.
"I hope I can finish this..." he starts, but the thought soon cuts short as Treecko, a few seats down, glows and becomes...not? Treecko??
...Emporio stares. "U...Uh..."
That's evolution? Glowing? Doubling in size without warning?? "Is...is that what will really happen..? Is...would I just turn into an adult..!?"
For all that other Pokemon near him are quick to offer a plethora of reassurances, he looks plenty anxious.
[A FINAL DASH - PEARL VIDEO - CW: HUMAN REMAINS]
It's the ideal 'Christmas' scene, inside Emporio's house. Anasui's decorated tree gleams, and presents sit under the tree. But there's something else under there, something that everyone is getting their attention drawn to thanks to the loud yell that bursts through the pearl-
"AAAAAAAAAAAH-!!!"
One could be worried. One probably IS worried, except-
"My mom!!! It's my mom!!!!"
....Emporio, those are a Bones!
(And they're covered in glitter, at that!!!)
Final Dash! (CW for Human Remains)
"Damn, your Mom is a really pretty skeleton. Need help getting the glitter off?"
ngl its tempting to make `clean the bones` a player quest for january
Though, Emporio does seem a little bit bashful, if only because 'pretty' is not a reaction most people (which to be fair was a pool of five) have had to the full set.
"Th-thanks...When I was little, I cleaned them the best I could, but they still acidified a bit..."
Not important though. Emporio brightens at the offer. "That'd be great! I think it would have to wait until we're sure the holiday is over to be safe, but if it's anything like what hit me in the face earlier this month, I'll need all the help I can get.
That would be such an epic player quest :o I hope you do that one big time
With all things considering, Catrina was pretty impressed with the cleaning Emporio did with the bone cleaning process. Normally Catrina would've made a trip to the rainforest and have the ants clean it.
"Damn, you did pretty good with the cleaning. I'd definitely would say to use something gentle like a kabuki brush to remove the glitter safely from the bones. I wouldn't recommend bathing it though, soaps and such could potentially stripe the bone a bit."
Catrina offers a nod the best a little candle could give, "Also a good point, definitely would want to wait till after Wormsmas is over with before going in for the touch up."
hehehee I'll have to think of a good write up
"T-thanks...I didn't really know what I was doing, and...well, it wasn't really something I was happy about at the time, so..."
What with the whole, 'didn't know death was even a thing until then', it was honestly fairly traumatic.
But that was then, and this is now, and 'now' means he's just happy he has her remains!
"Back then all I could really do was use water and cloth...it's nice to have options now! Did you work with bones before coming here?"
He'll ask about 'wormsmas' later. Maybe. Probably.
Excellent >:3c I'm definitely looking forward to that one
Catrina for once was being completely normal and casual about actual mortal remains, she'd probably would treat the whole prison thing as a normal conversation too...Catrina no.
Oh that brighten the awful candle up a bit upon getting asked that question though, good times at magical college learning necromancy from an underpaid Lich King!
"I sure did, we had to clean our own bones for the Necromancy course I'm in back where I came from. You should see the ones my dinosaur of a grandfather has, they're about as pristine as they come."
Do you really want to know what Wormsmas is, Emporio?
briefly misread it as grandfather -having- dinosaur bones and went THATS SICKKKKKKK-
Considering how Ghost rooms worked, not a lot of things could actually get into the room to facilitate the decomposition process.
(He might want to know! Might.)
Anyway, one thing sticks out here- "Necromancy was something you could do in your world?? Neat! Did it work on other remains, like animals..?"
If only ;_; Upside, instead of dinosaur bones, Cat's Grandpa does have a Mercury Dragon Skeleton
Catrina had the luxury of living on the river in a rainforest for a smooth decomposition when wanting to get a nice, clean skeleton.
(Catrina would be thrilled to explain about Wormsmas and the Woozel Worm...oh no..)
Here comes Catrina perking up at that, "It sure is, even have a job field for the Royal family where I'm from. Yeah, we can reanimate animal remains, people, or even cooler, my Gramps has a mercury dragon skeleton. There's even a special clay made of ground up bone that is used for making familiars with as well."
a final dash (video)
Em... That's a skeleton. Those are bones.
[Human bones, no less! Serebii confirmed.]
[shoka voice] THIS IS A BONES!!!
Y-yeah. I, uh.
They're what's left, so.
I didn't think I'd see them again given everything though...and when I came here I didn't even have her sacrum anymore...
[For the scientifically inclined, that is the tailbone. For people like Shoka, who cares, that's presumably A Bone.]
no subject
[Gross. Wait...]
Kinda like a Cubone?
no subject
I'm not going to wear or weaponize her bones..!
...and I kept the sacrum with me. It was the most durable one so it wouldn't get broken if it was in my pocket, and having her with me helped me keep focused, [he mutters more quietly.]
no subject
[Those moments when people are so much the Pokémon they became are just interesting, is all. Weaponized or not, he's still carrying his mother's bones with him, and that's a certified Cubone Moment™ in her book.
On that note: yikes! What does she even say to that? It's seriously weird, in her opinion, but it's not like it's hurting anyone.]
... Guess it's good you got her back, then?
the shortest day
"What the hell? How come the Treecko got to do it?" Is it even 'Treecko' anymore?
no subject
Look how big they are though...and those leaves...and...
"...Do you think you'll change a lot if you evolve too?"
He's not realized that Flowey needs a rock. Supposedly.
A rock that isn't doing its darn job.
1/2
Wow, he can't wait to evolve! Although...
2/2
"... wait, so you just grow up all at once? Are you mentally the same? How long after evolution do you 'evolve' into a corpse?"