2018 Matadero Christmas

[Delahada]

Introduction

For the fifth year in a row, Salvador Delahada is hosting a small gathering at his place of residence on Christmas for family and friends, and those people he has met and likes whom he knows otherwise have no family to spend the holidays with. This event takes place December 25, 2018, actually on Christmas day. Since we are all well aware that nobody is actually going to be role-playing that day, and due to the fact that it is likely relatively impossible to get us all together for one large RP event, we have opted to make this a forum play-by-post sort of thing.


The Rules Both In and Out

• 1. Characters participating in this event are by invitation only. Was your character invited? If your character was a participant in years past, their invitation still stands and they are welcome to attend again this year. If you are uncertain, here is a handy dandy guest list. There are some new additions this year, and for those please assume Salvador extended an invitation somehow. Apologies to anyone I missed. Please message me if there is any question.
  
  • Crispin Ashwood, Josiah Aubrey, Sabine Aubrey-Gabrielle, Evelyn Augusta Bell, Salvador Delahada, Canaan Devillier, Sheridan Driscol, Aoife Duggan, Nehivena Erede, Penny Escobar, Sinjin Fai, Rekah Illyriana, Eri Maeda, Mallory Maeda, Mesteno, Lucy Mitford, Eden Parker, Benjamin Piers, Olaf, Jewell Ravenlock, Faye Random, Patrick Richie, Melanie Rostol, Skid, Taneth, Cassandra Tyra, Suliss’urn Xukuth
  2. Please note that if your character was not invited to this event that it is absolutely impossible for your character to enter the grounds of Matadero. There are layers upon layers of protections in place on the property that keep out anyone Salvador does not wish to be there. Any posts to this thread made by anyone not on the guest list will be removed, and subject to public ridicule. Therefore it is suggested that if you want your character to have brought a date along, it might be a good idea to get Salvador’s permission first. Just saying.
  
  3. In the past guests were asked to prepare a single dish that reminded them of home and bring it along to share with the other guests during a grand feast. Should your character decide to follow tradition and bring a dish to add to the potluck, it is suggested you post pictures and include a recipe in any potential descriptions.
  
  4. Additional story bits such as collaborated writings, edited live play logs, or personal character reflections of the event are strongly encouraged to be posted to this thread.
  
  5. Images and hyperlinks to videos or other relative imagery that you think might additionally reflect interactions at this event are also encouraged to be posted to this thread.
  
  6. Did your character bring any gifts for anyone? Feel free to post about that here too! Bear in mind that gift giving or exchanging while not frowned upon is never expected nor required.
  
  7. If you do not post something to this thread, we will assume your character was not present for this event. A placeholder post stating something as simple as “my character was there” is acceptable, so long as you pinky swear promise to edit it at a later date into something more substantial.
  
  8. There is no deadline to post, though it is suggested that you post something before the end of the year. Characters are likely to talk about who was and was not present for this event in follow-up live play and collaborative writing sessions.

The Setting

Just like every year before, this dinner party thingamagjig will be taking place at Salvador’s apartment on the second floor of the Matadero Meat Company’s main facility on the outskirts of the city through the east gate. A wordy description of the place can be found HERE AT THIS LINK with an additional description of the rooftop paradise that will be open to guests that was designed and built by Sal's good friend Thorn directly above it. Further information on the Grounds of Matadero themselves can be found in our locations thread labeled “All the Dens!” There's also a direct link right here in the previous sentence. If that doesn't do it for you...

Here is an amazing image Sabine's player whipped up for me five years ago that is still pretty much entirely accurate to this day. A few new details of interest may include the enormous sunken tub in the middle of the guest bath on the main floor and the fact that the first guest room is unoccupied.



The tree this year is again a live, potted evergreen that is sparsely decorated only with biodegradable bits and baubles. The garland is made of real popcorn threaded on a string, for old time’s sake, and because it’s edible. Living vines of ivy line the catwalks, threading in through the cracked open upper windows on the second level. The whole of the apartment smells like fresh foliage, life, and growth, with just that extra bite of first of winter chill.

These rules and other storyline information are subject to change at any time.

[Delahada]

This year, Salvador chose to be extra lazy and didn’t even bother getting dressed, at least not in anything fancy. Remain calm. He threw on some pants, charcoal gray sweatpants to be precise. His color scheme was very monotone because his t-shirt was gray too, but it was also festive. Like the year before, because it was his house he didn’t bother putting on any shoes. Instead, he could be seen roaming around in a pair of comfortable slippers.



Through most of the day and evening, he manned the kitchen. As a tribute back to the first year he began hosting, Salvador prepared a Pasta Fresca de Espinacas con Queso de Cabra y Pasas, or loosely translated as a spinach pasta in a goat cheese sauce. For his Cajun, he brought back the complimentary dish of lobster tails with garlic lemon butter. Of course he also prepared a large ensalada mixta, enough to eat alone or with the main meal. Additional side dishes include a large amount of his favorite escalivada and roasted potatoes.






There was plenty of drink to go around thanks to guests who brought their own. Sal also has a fully stocked liquor cabinet, wine cabinet, and a fridge full of various beers, most especially Silvermark and Badsider brands. The kitchen island is arrayed with glassware and dinnerware, set up buffet style for guests to help themselves to anything they like, including those dishes they brought themselves.

Salvador himself was, as usual, averse to mingling. However, he did greet each of his guests in one way or another. It’s quite possible, as in years past, that he covertly engaged his guests in a communal game of chess, if they were paying attention to the board and happened to notice how a piece had moved any time he chanced to wander by.

There may have been an ominous sense of otherwise being watched throughout the evening, for Salvador’s pet dryad, Dama, was watching, unseen, from the sidelines. She’s a shy creature and would have vanished the moment any heads turned to try to catch a glimpse of her peering in through the wide windows or down the darkened hall. And every so often a strange, half mechanical catlike creature might have been seen darting between legs and under furniture. Salvador was certain to shoo it from the main room whenever he caught sight of it.

Of course he gave no physical gifts, citing that his gift was his company, fine friends and good food. All were welcome to stay the evening, if they wished. One spare bedroom with a double bed was available. The u-shaped couch had enough space for three to five people to sprawl across it and pass out. An abundance of hand knit and crocheted blankets were available. Salvador even offered up his own king-sized bed on the second level. When he retired for the evening himself, it was to the roof and the hammock in the company of his Cajun, just like the year before.

[JewellRavenlock]

The Empress was present and accounted for in a comfortable sweater, jeans, and a santa hat. She abandoned her heels when she got there, and it was unclear if she ever found them again.

She did not bring food, reminding her friends that they really probably didn't want her to even think about cooking. Instead, she brought several six-packs of Mad Fairy Ale including a special one with a note on it, "For Sal <3 Cane". That one was guaranteed to have a live wish fairy inside each bottle.

She also brought a game to play: Utter Nonsense. The game encouraged everyone to say funny phrases with different accents like "orgasm" and "pooping", and Jewell tried to get several rounds of the game going with whoever was interested (and maybe even those who weren't... except Sal; she didn't try to force him to play unless he wanted to).

The faerie also took lots of selfies with everyone, including an attempt to get young Patrick to throw up duck face/scissor hands with her when he arrived.

[Lucy Mitford]

Having grown up primarily celebrating Christmas at the annual Huntington Charity Ball, Lucy's memories of home involved lavish catered affairs rather than cozy Christmas dinners. She could not, for the life of her, think of a food dish that reminded her of home. As it was, the whole notion of home was rapidly evolving for her. That, combined with her generally undeveloped kitchen skills, meant she was agonizing over what to bring. Determined not to come empty-handed, she relied on her housekeeper, Martta, to help her prepare her contribution to the Matadero meal. Which really meant Martta did all the preparation.

Her contribution was a traditional holiday glazed ham and a side of winter salad with brussels sprouts and citrus.



She called Cane from the gate to ask for some help carrying her items in. The ham was still hot from the oven and carefully bundled in a covered roasting pan, wrapped in kitchen towels. She demurred anytime someone made a comment about the food she brought, trying not to own up to the fact that she had zero hand in making any of it.

She did, however, have a hand in picking the two bottles of Cava she brought for the host.

And while she drank a lot and visited with as many guests as she could, she tried very hard not to get sucked into Jewell's game, eventually departing before the evening grew too late.

[Canaan]

Compared to seasons past, our Cajun is considerably under dressed for the occasion, choosing comfort over vanity in the form of a simple holiday patterned sweatshirt that was paired with jeans and a festive santa hat that went missing halfway through the party. He prowled around the apartment in his socks, excepting for his brief trek to the out-of-doors where he’d been called to (happily) help Lucy bring her accoutrements inside. At times he was found wearing a variety of other accessories, like beard ornaments (courtesy of Taneth), an albino python he introduced as Pretty Princess, and on the occasions he wandered into the kitchen, a seasonally appropriate apron.



Like the year before, his contribution to dinner was negligible--as in he only helped Sal stir or flip things if needed. He played helpful host by taking coats and refilling drinks when necessary, and when he wasn’t helping, he was sitting on the counter talking to Sal and whoever else happened to be in the kitchen. After dinner, he manned a deep fryer and served up freshly made beignets for anyone who wanted some.



All throughout the day, Canaan entertained Matadero’s visitors with music. As in years past, he played a variety of holiday (and non) themed songs on his piano, guitar, and violin. He took requests from anyone and everyone, and was sure to fit his two favorite Carol of the Bells arrangements somewhere into the evening in both guitar and piano form. By the time the dinner portion of the evening was finished, Cane was well into his cups and more than happy to supplement the music with his voice. He took anyone who was willing for a dance or two around the living room, joyfully and obnoxiously took part in Jewell’s party game--taking great pleasure in watching Patrick’s face turn several shades of red--and lounged all over his favorite people until it came time to retire to the roof with Salvador.

[Josiah Aubrey]

Typically, Jed would have left selecting his attire for a gathering at Matadero to Sabine. This time, he embraced the need to not worry if he was acceptable to those he kept hearing his mind say were “Sabine’s friends.” That separation was still there, even now, in his head. That he had stolen away time again to his workshop when other gatherings had occurred over the last several months hadn’t helped him get past that either. Well, not this time. With dungarees on and a simple black sweater, he felt suited to go. There was one thing to be certain of with the party: the food was going to be good, and he was going to indulge.

Sabine was battling nerves of her own. Things hadn’t been the same for awhile and likely never would be. In some ways this was good and in some ways it was bad. The Coterie were her family and sometimes families didn’t get along. She knew this and so that is why she also knew that families forgive and move on. An invitation to the family Christmas gathering spoke volumes and should have been enough to put her mind at ease. Regardless, sometimes her adopted family felt like strangers these days. There was the comfort of knowing that when they were all together, little had really changed. They could pick up where they left off and at least for one evening everything would be right again.

She was on her eighth outfit change. Her hair was nearly standing on end from the static created by drawing sweater after sweater up over her head. “Nobody cares what you wear,” she mumbled to her reflection. She had worn pajamas one year. Remembering that she decided to just put something on. Being there was more important than what she wore.

As if Jed had read her mind, he called out, “Nobody cares what you wear. They just want you to be there.” He took some time with their dog, Lou, and doing his best to keep dog fur off his sweater.

A red off the shoulder sweater, a black pleated mini skirt, red woolen over the knee socks, and her combat boots. It was comfortable and festive enough.

Her hair had grown long again and hung to her waist in soft waves of her natural brown color. She wouldn’t bother doing anything to it but did top her head with a reindeer antler headband. Static be damned.

“I think I’m ready,” she called out to Josiah before dashing down the stairs from their room to the hall. It felt weird to be at home. So much of their time was spent traveling these days. When they were home Sabine was working at Baroness Beauty and Josiah was crafting away in the workshop.

With one final pat to Lou’s side, he moved to Sabine and gave the antler headband a light tap. “Nice touch. Leave it to you to have just the right accessory.” With a brush of his lips to her forehead, he moved on to collect the food and presents that sat on the dining room table waiting to go with them.

Sabine had made beef empanadas and potato and corn empanadas (Note: a vegan dough was used and there is no egg). There was also a fruit salad with a sweet citrus dressing (Note: Sabine used condensed coconut cream not milk. The entire dish is vegan).

Josiah had helped recreate a beer and barley bread that was traditional from his home land.

The gifts were individually wrapped crystals from Josiah’s home. When the crystal is unwrapped it would become attuned to the owner. When held in their closed hand it will play either a melody or sound that only they can hear. This might be the laughter of a lossed loved one, a lullaby from childhood, a beloved song, or another cherished sound or phrase. The crystal will also glow softly, its color reflecting the warmth or happiness of the sounds it plays. There are also leather or wire wraps if you wish to be able to wear the crystal. The crystal cannot attune to more than one person. There are enough crystals for all and if there are extras some persons can help themselves to another for a new sound.


——————

Sabine hadn’t been to Matadero since last Christmas. Coming through the gates felt like coming home.

Upon entering she let out a cheery “Feliz Navidad!” And helped Josiah unload the food and gifts.

In addition to eating way too much food (especially Sal’s because she loved his cooking,) she would spend her evening singing with Cane as much as possible, dancing with anyone who’d have her (and sometimes alone.) She also took part in Jewell’s game, loving that she could still shock Josiah and make him blush. The best though was when he turned the table on her with a shocking answer or two. She met and made new friends and caught up with some she hadn’t seen for some time.

At some point she drifted off with Rekah to enjoy some twirling which was perfect for a no-pants party. Her own red undies were flashed a time or two with the words “Hoe Hoe Hoe” (NOT ho ho ho) written across the bum. Then she went to the roof to see Nikki and maybe toss a meat treat or two saved from dinner. When she came back she was ready for some stronger drinks and was happy to indulge. Given the chance she’d also scritch the weird Dead-Cat.

Eventually she’d pass out in a random spot and was carried by Josiah to snuggle up with him for the night. Despite a wicked hangover she was up early to sit on her favorite spot on the catwalk to watch the sunrise through the wall of glass. She’d linger for a while in hopes that Sal would make her most favorite breakfast of hot chocolate and churros.

----------
While at the party, Jed did his best to do as he typically did: eat food and get others to eat food. There was a mix of dancing with others and catching up on the latest news about town. He spoke little, except when he thought he could shock Sabine a time or two with some unexpected stories. He believed he was lousy at the game, but apparently part of the fun was explaining the accents to him before he complete bashed them. He was fine with laughter at his expense and went the extra mile to keep laughs going.

As the festivities dwindled down, he found old habits of taking up watch return. He didn’t pace, but his eyes roamed to see if anyone needed anything before bundling Sabine up to snuggle and sleep.


(Players can decide the sound and color of their crystal. It will not do any harm or play any scary or sad sounds. If for some reason a crystal cannot attune to your character then they just get a pretty crystal from a far-away land.)

[Rekah Illyriana]

Rekah had been mostly living at Matadero the past few months. So, she was fully aware of the Christmas gathering. She was also not changing any of her habits just because there were guests present. Her at home demeanor tended to be a little more chaotic and outlandish. She'd been banned from the kitchen since the last sentient bread incident so her contribution to the food was a bag of candies. Mostly an assortment of hard candies and candy canes.

Her outfit wasn't much of an outfit at all. She had on a shirt, festive Rudolph underwear and light up antlers. Rekah absolutely refused to wear clothes at home and this was as dressed as she was going to get.

As the night wore on her mood would grow sullen and she would eventually retreat to her bedroom.The door would remain open if anyone wanted to pop in they would definitely be subjected to some sort of magical adventure or a lot of cuddling.
The holiday always made her a little sad inside.

[JewellRavenlock]

Jewell happily sang along to the music provided by Canaan and was more than willing to dance after a few drinks.

At some point later in the evening, she made her way to Rekah's room because a partially open door was a clear invitation. "Let's be friends. Am I allowed to wear pants in this room? No? Okay. You are lucky I wore underpants this year. Sometimes jeans are uncomfortable without them. They say naughty across the butt, isn't that dumb?"

The faerie paid the no-pants price in order to go on adventures with Rekah before cuddles!

[Skid]

'Twas the Nightmare of Christmas, and there at the door
There were monstrous stirrings, and presents galore

Yes, an ancient curse Skid had been stricken by decades or even centuries ago had reared its head in its entirety, and the Nightmare was clad in a crimson suit and jacket, plush, fitted, and furry, ringed and trimmed with rabbit's fur as soft and white as newly fallen snow. White sheepskin gloves that were not made for claws had burst at the ends of the fingers, and elkskin boots had been shredded into something like half chaps. A matching santa hat was speared onto a horn, and a matching sack that never seemed to get smaller was tied tightly 'round his wrist by drawstrings capped with poofy white pompoms. Bells of purest silver fastened to his ankles jungled merrily as he moved, much to his dismay.

As his compulsion to bequeath gifts commanded, he'd spent a great deal of time and effort breaking into homes and leaving presents for unsuspecting families. These gifts, of course, were karmically magical in nature and would provide the recipient with something that would brighten their holidays, regardless of form or function.

And so, in these gifts, he'd found a perfect loophole allowing him to remain at the gathering.

When he presented Salvador with his gift reciprocity superceded whatever intuition the sack possessed, and he received the gift of Skid's company. All present were given gifts as well, and those unsociable or skittish had theirs left by the tree.

The festooned Nightmare spent the remainder of the day in pleasantly high spirits, dancing, playing, or feasting as friends dictated, and spending as much time as desired with anyone he's particularly fond of. He kept Salvador company throughout most of the cooking.

Sometime after midnight, his festive garb could be found shredded and hanging off of an upstairs catwalk, gift sack empty for another year.

He spent the night out on the grounds, among the trees, easy enough to find should anyone want to do so.

[Patrick]

It came as something of a shock to Patrick when he received the invitation from Sal, which, thankfully, had come in the form of a text. Because talking on the phone is terrible. With the Spaniard’s permission, he then invited Penny to join him...and boy was he glad for the company.

To say Patrick was out of his element would be an understatement. An introvert by nature, he would have been fairly reserved regardless, but found himself immersed in an intimate family-type gathering full of relative strangers--some of whom weren’t even fully dressed! Oh, he was polite, and may have even smiled (albeit nervously, most of the time), but he was more than happy to remain an observer for the most part. Except where Jewell was concerned. He avoided her without making a scene or a fuss, and politely extricated himself from her attempts to rope him into a selfie, oft retreating into the safety and comfort of Penny's orbit.

After dinner, Sal managed to get him to loosen up enough to drink a beer and play a couple games of chess. While he didn’t participate in Jewell’s party game, he thoroughly enjoyed listening to everyone else, even when his senses were mildly offended. He danced with Penny to some of Cane’s piano music to get her mind off the emotional suckerpunch that had come with Sabine and Josiah’s gift, his own crystal tucked safely away to be investigated at a later date, chatted with Lucy a bit before she left, curious how she knew Sal and co., and even managed to not completely freak out when Santa Skid cornered him to foist a present upon him.

He left in good spirits and his girlfriend’s company, thanking the host for his generous invitation and the games of chess.

[JewellRavenlock]

((Warning: This post touches upon the loss of Jewell’s children.))

After copious cuddles and delightful adventures with Rekah, Jewell emerged from her room, pulling her pants back on. Curiosity had been nagging at her all evening, and she could no longer resist. She retrieved one of the crystals Josiah and Sabine had brought as gifts and retreated to a private corner (likely the downstairs closet) where she could be alone to listen.

And weep quietly.

The crystal conjured not one but seven voices lost from the world, each whispering in turn a final affirmation that she so very much needed to hear -- “I love you mommy.”

She didn’t need to see their faces, struggling to recall them at times already, to recognize each of their voices: Amanda, Moradin, Raven, Oz, Eva-Jade, and finally Devyn and Kerrick. Jewell touched the crystal to the black, multi-pointed star scar over her heart. The wound she had earned for them in a way. Even though a new heart beat beneath that scar, it was still her heart, and it still loved them all.

The faerie sat with the crystal a very long time, finally uncurling from her spot on the floor after midnight. She wrapped the crystal against her wrist in the leather provided and then prowled outside, barefoot (having misplaced her high heels) to lurk in the woods with her favorite Nightmare for a spell.

In the morning, before she left, she grabbed one of the remaining crystals. This one brought an immediate smile to her face when it spoke to her in Ishmerai’s warm tones: “Do not worry, Mira. Everything will be okay in the end, and I shall return to you once more. This I promise.”

[Benjamin Piers]

Benjamin arrived riding Star, the big black vanner stallion jingling under the gorgeous bridle and chest piece Lucy had given the horse, and clearly enjoying the noise he was making. Benjamin left the animal comfortably in shelter before making his way in, unloading a few boxes and bringing them inside with him.

As sunshine sleek and sexy as ever, the actor shed a buckskin coat to show a haphazardly buttoned blue silk shirt, a gray thermals under that, jeans, and boots. He brought a few appetizers along...

Raspberry and chocolate petit fours,

cactus macarons, in various flavors.

and, the one he made himself:

Elk and mushroom bites.

He left a gift for the house, as well:

An elk hide blanket.

He was easily drawn into games, and cheerfully would egg Lucy into playing as well. Just as easily drawn into singing or dancing, as well. Good humored and delighted to see those he hadn't seen in far too long.

Taking up one of the crystal's Josiah brought along, he opened one and tilted his head as he regarded the shimmering of spring green as bright as his eyes. His voice caught in a soft croon of delight as he heard music, voices dear to his heart, singing some ancient song of tramping the wild world over. A few tears found their way down his cheeks, and he didn't care a bit.