The Celebration (STILL LOOKING FOR STAFF!)

[GreenInkling]

The Celebration

This year's Annual Ball is well on it's way to being the greatest! Let's contribute by putting lots of thought and effort into our room.

The Celebration is the headquarters of those who know celebrating best! So obviously, it has to be a great party! The goddess of the harvest, Demeter, is the originator of celebratory rites and seasonal holidays. Along with Dionysus, the god of wine, our following is responsible for the delicious breads, fruits, and drinks that grace the tables of the immortals.

Your Hosts
Demeter (Ceres) - GreenInkling
Dionysus (Bacchus) - Epcot Illuminations

We're in charge of the room and this planning thread. So track us down if you have any questions or helpful suggestions.

Updates

April 27: Currently, Epcot Illuminations is working on the riddle /amazing race game of the main plot. GreenInkling is brainstorming the choose-your-own-adventure style story.
March 27: The position of Co-host Ariadne has been filled! Congratulations to lilchibiusa!
March 24: Graphics shops linked in Art section.
February 13: Official staff positions for The Celebration rooms open.
January 29: Discussed opening a fund-raising thread.

Intro | Hosts | Plot | Contests | Art | Staff | Fundraising

 

[GreenInkling]

Your Host

Demeter
GreenInkling

Mother: Rhea
Father: Cronus
Brothers: Hades, Zeus, Poseidon
Sisters: Hera, Hestia
Consort: n/a
Children: Persephone, Zagreus, Despoina, Arion, Plutus, Philomelus
Likes: things that grow, soil, hamadryads, rain, open spaces, Tryptoloemus
Dislikes: stone, masonry, military arts, confined, manmade dwellings

Demeter is one of the twelve Olympians, an earth-mother goddess, distributor of grain and bringer of the seasons. She had several children, but Persephone, Demeter's child by her brother Zeus, is the most well known.

The queen of barley is a necessary provider for any party, providing both the means and ends (food) for celebration.

Dionysus
Epcot Illuminations

Mother: Semele
Father: Zeus
Brothers: many half-siblings through Zeus
Sisters: many half-siblings through Zeus
Consort: Ariadne
Children: none
Likes: frivolity, drunkenness, wine, frenzy, fertility, youth, joy, drama, theatre
Dislikes: prudery, disrespect, sobriety, the mundane

As god of wine and revelry, Dionysus is the logical companion of Demeter, though he is much younger. His mortal mother died before she bore him, so his father Zeus sewed the embryonic baby into his thigh until he came to term. For this reason, Dionysus is called "Twice-born."

Intro | Hosts | Plot | Contests | Art | Staff | Fundraising

 

[GreenInkling]

Plot Planning

Your step echoes on the shining floor of an open-air banquet hall, with hundreds of white-washed marble pillars and high, vaulted ceilings. Torches and tall oil lamps blaze between every pillar. In the distance, you see the velvet blue evening sky sprinkled with constellations, figures and heroes who have long left the world. The scent of dark earth and dew drifts on a breeze. Nearer, smells of sweetmeats, dough, and ripe fruits hover like incense from on top of long wooden tables; overflowing with rich foods, wines, and honey, they never seem to diminish.

Beneath a royal purple canopy, at the far end of the banquet table, rest two large wooden chairs. One is draped with exotic furs. The other is smooth-carved and unadorned. Two lamps blaze at either side. This is where the gods sit.

There is a tremor of movement in the distance, carried on the earthy breeze. Some of the stars twinkle and move. As your gaze fixes, you see that the stars are actually torches and lamps, carried by a party of merrymakers. As they approach, the music heightens, ringing with the sound of flutes, harps, and chimes, accented with laughter.

The party draws nearer, and you can now see distinct figures: wild-haired maidens with shreds of leaves still clinging to them, willow-limb dryads chased by homely and stumpy satyrs, and youths bearing goblets of mead and wine.

Among them, two figures stand out. One, youthful and lean, with a crown of curls and ivy. He is draped in furs and carries a shepherd's staff but his skin is tawny and his demeanor princely. The other is a strong-shouldered woman, tall but of substance. She is dressed in rushes. Her eyes are large and brown.

The crowd ascends into the banquet hall, now quieting. Each figure takes his or her place at the table. Dionysus, son of Zeus, and Demeter the Grain-mother are last to enter. They approach the purple canopy in silence. Stand shoulder to shoulder.

The Celebration is beginning . . .

oO0Oo

Our main priority here in The Celebration Planning Room is to develop an exciting yet accessible plot that will bring in the ball-goers and make it an event to remember!

Let's discuss this in the forum below. When we think of important plot points, subplots, themes, or characters we'd like to introduce and incorporate, we will list them up here, so everyone can discuss them.

Intro | Hosts | Plot | Contests | Art | Staff | Fundraising

 

[GreenInkling]

Contests

No Gaia event is complete without contests. Users deserve a chance to win prizes for supporting the Ball; they are also good incentives to get people to the Ball in the first place! ^^ We need contests that fit in with the theme of The Celebration yet that are fairly easy to execute online via the forum. These could include any use of the roll or random number actions, as well as icons, art, words, and plain old participation.

We will keep an account of our contest ideas and developments here.

Intro | Hosts | Plot | Contests | Art | Staff | Fundraising

 

[GreenInkling]

Art

We need room art!

Let's drape The Celebration with cascades of illustrations, fountains of fonts, and plethora of pretty pixels!

Be creative. If you're an artist, or handy with photoshop, this is where you can contribute. We need art of our hosts, setting, guests, icons (such as grapes, wine goblets, wheat shafts, poppies, etc.), and some gorgeous titles and fonts. These last two I need special help with.

I'll post submitted art here. So grab your pencils and mouses!

.....February 13:

Please see below in the NPC post for official staff positions as artists.

.....March 24:

We very much need graphics and design layouts, as currently we have no artists on staff and I lack the basic knowledge necessary.

Here are a few shops that we might hire with our Room's allotted gold; check them out; give us some feedback.

Intro | Hosts | Plot | Contests | Art | Staff | Fundraising

 

[GreenInkling]

Other NPCs

The position of Dionysus is pending, as the powers-that-be have not yet chosen our co-host. But don't feel left out. There are plenty other NPCs that can be developed to assist in The Celebration with Ball guests and plot execution.

Other non-playing characters we may include:
nymphs
dryads
satyrs
maenads
minor gods and spirits
mortals
beasts

If you have an idea for an NPC, please bring it up in here. We'd be happy to brainstorm with you.

.....February 13:

Official staff positions for The Celebration Room are now open! We are in need of volunteers for the following:

Cohost Ariadne - POSITION FILLED!

In mythology, Ariadne was the consort of Dionysus. A princess of Crete, she was taken by Theseus and either abandoned or given to the god of wine and theatre.

The non-playing character Ariadne is to be there to support the flow of plot development and to engage with ball-goers.

Cohost Silenus
A companion and tutor of the young Dionysus, Silenus, a "man of the forest with the ears of a horse and sometimes also the tail and legs of a horse." In Dionysus's adulthood, Silenus is a loyal follower and often drunk.

The non-playing character Silenus's role is to support the flow of plot development and to enage with ball-goers.

Artist 1
The artist's task is to provide illustrations, such as scenery, items, and character portraits, to embellish the Ball Room.

Artist 2
The artist's task is to provide illustrations, such as scenery, items, and character portraits, to embellish the Ball Room.

Art Director
The art director may brainstorm and help with designing the thread. He or she may also be called upon to provide or create tailored font and to seek out and hire artists for pictures to decorate the thread if needed.

Role-players: 2
The role-player designs a simple profile for a character with some relevance to the primary gods and/or the nature of their room. He or she is there to interact with the ball-goers and facilitate role-playing.

If you feel that you could contribute or know someone with a particular skill, please PM GreenInkling, saying which staff position you would like to fill and what particular skills you have that you can bring to the position.

Intro | Hosts | Plot | Contests | Art | Staff | Fundraising

 

[GreenInkling]

Fundraising

The other planning threads for the Ball rooms have a section for fund-raising. We may or may not need funds to elaborate our room, depending on how much help we get here on the home front.

We'll keep this post updated about potential fundraisers and ideas. Let's make The Celebration awesome!

.....January 29:

Sheriff Dustin Epcot Illuminations and I are talking about opening a fund-raising thread in the charity forum in order to raise gold for our room. In order to attract people to our thread and encourage them to donate, we'll need to bribe them with neat favors and giveaways.

It would be great if an artist could volunteer to do some sort of art. Or, if you have another skill that you think people would be willing to pay or donate for, please let us know if you are available.

A link to the fund-raising thread will appear here when it is up. Please visit {The Golden Customer} and support our room!

Intro | Hosts | Plot | Contests | Art | Staff | Fundraising

 

[GreenInkling]

 

[GreenInkling]

 

[GreenInkling]

The Celebration party-planning room is open. You may now post! c:

 

[Slytherin Lord]

Dionysus is actually going to be chosen by the ball host and ball co-host, as that is a host position. Just thought I would share that with you. I am not trying to sound rude. Sorry if I did come accrossed as rude.  

[GreenInkling]

Sheriff Dustin

Dionysus is actually going to be chosen by the ball host and ball co-host, as that is a host position. Just thought I would share that with you. I am not trying to sound rude. Sorry if I did come
accrossed as rude.

Oh no, okay! That's great! I actually PMed Broken to ask her about that very thing. That makes it easier on me. Thanks Dustin. c:

 

[Slytherin Lord]

GreenInkling

Sheriff Dustin

Dionysus is actually going to be chosen by the ball host and ball co-host, as that is a host position. Just thought I would share that with you. I am not trying to sound rude. Sorry if I did come
accrossed as rude.

Oh no, okay! That's great! I actually PMed Broken to ask her about that very thing. That makes it easier on me. Thanks Dustin. c:

Shhh, i am going to say something.....
Sorry if I sounded rude. I didn't mean to. I was just trying to help you understand.

.......Alright i am done talking. you may continue.

 

[GreenInkling]

Sheriff Dustin

GreenInkling

Sheriff Dustin

Dionysus is actually going to be chosen by the ball host and ball co-host, as that is a host position. Just thought I would share that with you. I am not trying to sound rude. Sorry if I did come
accrossed as rude.

Oh no, okay! That's great! I actually PMed Broken to ask her about that very thing. That makes it easier on me. Thanks Dustin. c:

Shhh, i am going to say something.....
Sorry if I sounded rude. I didn't mean to. I was just trying to help you understand.

.......Alright i am done talking. you may continue.

No, not at all, my friend. c:

 

[GreenInkling]

For the plot, I've brainstormed some ideas that I would like feedback on.

I thought that the presence of Dionysus gives us some opportunities to be a little rambunctious and creative. I thought we might actually have some NPCs and ball-goers from The Celebration room invade and create havoc in another room . . . hopefully, we would be able to collaborate with that room, so no one is taken by surprise. For example, Dionysus and the maenads could raid the Dark Room, since Demeter is still upset that her daughter was kidnapped and forced to wed.

Or we could come up with an NPC to be an obvious enemy among us. Someone to through problems and obstacles at the characters and guests and give us some things to role-play off us.

Please share your ideas as well!