OPEN LOG: A beach party.

[bouchonne]

WHO: Everyone.
WHAT: A beach party.
WHEN: On a very hot day. At some point during the month.
WHERE: A beach just outside of Kirkwall.
NOTES: It is a beach party.

During a particularly hot and oppressive week in Kingsway, the Diplomacy division announces it will be diverting some of its funds to organize a party on a nearby beach. Kirkwallers are invited as well - a relationship-building sort of effort - but the party is mostly intended for morale boosting for Riftwatch itself.

The party features the following:

• Transportation to this lovely beach from the Gallows and from Kirkwall.


• Sunbathing and swimming in skimpy (or non-skimpy, if you're a fuckin square) bathing suits.


• Live music and dancing.


• Delectable grilled meats (and some vegetables, if you're a fuckin square).


• Rum drinks served in hollowed-out fruits.


• A sandcastle-building competition.


• A swim race.


• A few fun little sailboats bobbing around out on the water.

Does all that sound too wholesome? Great! There's also a cave system in the cliffs next to the beach. These little grottos are full of nooks and crannies and are perfect for a bit of sinful action after dark; in one cavern, there'll be some gambling games where some of Kirkwall's citizens are losing money; in another, you're likely to run into people making out.

Have fun! Soak up sun! Don't get in trouble! Or do, whatever, it's a beach party.

Comments

vanadi | open

[highborn]

i. eyes emoji

[ Vanadi is a man with a lot of brooding to do, especially lately... but he can't just not attend a beach party. Missing it would go against the whole core of his being. He'll simply brood at the beach party, is the initial thought.

These people are making it very difficult, though. Vanadi himself has dressed for the day in limbs-covering black (with at least fewer layers than usual, as his one concession to "beach party"), and planted himself out of the way in some pool of shade, but... there's just so much very attractive skin on display all around him.

It's very, very difficult to keep his eyes to himself. Frankly, sometimes he doesn't even try. He's not particularly apologetic if caught, and most frequently there's a quick smirk and a quicker wink, because one never entirely forgets one's fuckboy roots. ]

ii: water's edge

[ He's not typically one for getting absolutely shitfaced, but there's a time and a place for everything. So of course he's on his fourth — fifth? — of some fruity thing someone's been providing, and weaving a little on his feet as he stands just at the tide's current furthest extension. Waves wash temptingly over his toes. Swimming with a drink in hand doesn't sound like a good idea. Swimming drunk also doesn't sound like a good idea. Swimming fully clothed is lower on the do not list, but it makes it regardless.

And yet. ]

ii

[muckspout]

Edgard's been drinking a little too. He walks over to Vanadi and claps him on the back.

"You're not in a tree this time! Good job."

[highborn]

Vanadi stumbles forward under that clap, sloshing a little of his drink out of its mug. Irritation is there and then gone again though, faded into an obligatory smile for the man who had, quite distinctly, saved his life.

"And you're not face down in the muck," he says cheerily, with the careful enunciation of someone making a conscious effort not to slur his words, and recovers with as much dignity as he can manage. "It's an improvement to the entire facial area, really."

[muckspout]

If there is one thing Edgard has strong opinions about, it is mud.

“If my face is improved,” At this Edgard gestures wildly. Maybe it is, he doesn’t know. “the muck definitely had something to do with it.”

At this he raises a flask to Vanadi’s cup as if to cheers.

[highborn]

Sure, he'll take that cheers, and mirrors it with a huff of amusement.

"I've heard of that," he says thoughtfully. "Mud baths, good for the skin. I figured I might start giving them a shot around ... oh, age 400 or so?"

I

[altusimperius]

[Benedict has been hard at work at the grill, but when he catches the elf's gaze, he gives his shiny black hair a little toss and a smirk.
If he's going to be working, he might as well be a proper cabana boy about it.]

[highborn]

[ Ah, the grilltender, an especially nice shape to appreciate. Vanadi recognizes him, of course, and has to admit the loss of a shirt sometime between their first meeting and now has been quite an improvement.

He doesn't especially want to leave his pool of shade, but that smirking toss of hair is difficult to turn down. In a few moments, with a sigh, he climbs to his feet and calls a pause to the brooding officially.

As soon as he's near enough: ] Have you been conscripted to this job, or do you have a passion for grilling?

[altusimperius]

Never done it before.

[He goes down a row, turning some manner of meat patty with utmost precision.]

I'm the ambassador's assistant, and someone was needed for the task.

[He's not especially excited about it, but he's not angry either.]

[highborn]

How thrilling, congratulations on your station.

[ Meat isn't exactly his passion in life, but ... cooking is, unfortunately. The grill holds his restrained attention for a few seconds, until he sighs and -- ]

You haven't just the meat here, have you? Any oils, spices?

ii

[windyvoice]

[ Jenny Lou appears, like an ill omen on the salt tinged breeze, grinning manically and intoxicated. She also has a two coconuts. They've not been made into drinks, she just has them.

[Error: Irreparable invalid markup ('<s/small>') in entry. Owner must fix manually. Raw contents below.]

[<small> Jenny Lou appears, like an ill omen on the salt tinged breeze, grinning manically and intoxicated. She also has a two coconuts. They've not been made into drinks, she just has them.<s/small> ]

Dude. Coconut toss.

[highborn]

[ Who let this child drink? Vanadi eyes her warily, feeling too drunk himself to try and contain any particular chaos. Maybe she'll go easy on him today. ]

Do you mean just ... throwing them? Into what, the sea?

[windyvoice]

[ She let herself drink. ]

Yessss.

[ She lifts the coconuts over her head for emphasis. ]

[highborn]

[ Well. That does seem relatively harmless. He holds his free hand out to demand coconut. ]

Ladies first, my dear.

i. eyebrow waggle

[sulahnan]

[ Now this is unusual. Not unwelcome, just...atypical. Athessa with her attractive skin on display, does not usually catch the eye of other elves, or if she does she doesn't notice in return.

She even lowers her sunglasses to peer over the top of them at Vanadi's wink. ]

What's this? No schmoozing?

[ An affable greeting, of sorts. Not as affable as the joint she plucks from her lips to offer down to him, though. ]

[highborn]

[ Ah, good, am amiable answer to the wink. That doesn't always go over well. (A lesson never really taken to heart.) He reaches to accept the joint, and answers only after a deep and slow in and exhale. ]

I didn't realize that was in the beach contract. What an embarrassing oversight.

[sulahnan]

[ She seats herself beside him, stretching her legs out before her and leaning back on her hands. ]

Almost as embarrassing as arriving to a party underdressed. Or...well.

[ Overdressed, as the case may be. She raises an eyebrow at his sleeves. ]

[highborn]

[ Her pointed glance draws a sigh out of him, as he hands the joint back. His tone goes a little tight, irritated. ]

I recently had to have roots pulled out of my shoulder. It's not the best look to share on a beach, you see.

eyes emoji right back

[forwardmomentum]

[ miles does not get leered at invitingly. usually he gets stared at, glared at, and leered at very uninvitingly. he isn't exactly showing off skin, either; swim trunks that dip down towards his knees (cinched as tight as they'll go around his waist) and a light t-shirt to protect his decidedly pale skin. it doesn't do more than the bare minimum to mask the crooked twist to his spine, but that, he's at least less self-conscious of than he used to.

miles catches whatever look vanadi is directing at him and casts it right back with a roll of his eyes. vanadi isn't as irritating as byerly, but he can occasionally give the ambassador a run for his money. ]

Aren't you boiling in all that black?

[highborn]

[ That roll of the eyes is rather along the lines of what he's used to. Vanadi takes it with a smile, and a nod of his head invites Miles nearer. He has a nice shady patch here, and he's willing to share. Even with this guy. ]

I'm certain I've had worse. And anyway, there's a breeze. [ so like, case closed. ]

[forwardmomentum]

[ miles contemplates waving him off and seeking some other conversation, but vanadi is usually at least as entertaining as he is annoying, and miles could stand to get out of the sun. he's fresh out of the water, and when he shakes his wet hair he's not too careful about where the droplets of water go. ]

You came all the way to the beach, and you're not even going to go in the water? Seems like a bit of a waste.

[highborn]

[ Ugh, thanks. He waves a hand vaguely over his arm and shoulder where the droplets have landed, as if brushing away the air. The droplets dry nearly instantly. A safe move, he figures, as they're mostly invisible on the black sleeve. ]

There are sharks in the water, no? You're all taking your life into your hands for, as far as I can tell, really very minimal reward.

[ It's kind of a joke. He mostly just doesn't wanna get his hair wet. ]

ii

[tender]

[ As Vanadi waffles on the idea of swimming fully clothed, Derrica comes paddling forward, eventually finding her footing and standing upright to wade towards the beach. Her trajectory alters when she recognizes Vanadi, veering to stand beside him and wring some of the water from her braid. ]

Your swimsuit is interesting.

[ A little teasing, knocking his elbow with her own. ]

Are you having a good time?

[highborn]

[ Vanadi pulls on a small smile to recognize Derrica in turn, and greets her with a wave of his drink. ]

Thank you. It's perfect for refusing to recognize any snaking, tangling horrors in the surf. [ He accepts the elbow bump gracefully, with only a slight spillage of alcohol into the sea. ] And yes, certainly. The views are spectacularly good today.

[ He refers, of course, to the scantily clad bodies. Every day should be beach day. ]

[tender]

Any views in particular?

[ Water splashes as Derrica wades to a stop beside him, glancing around the beach with interest. She knows who she's admired, but it's always interesting to get a sense of a friend's taste. ]

[highborn]

The one before me now is quite breathtaking.

[ He isn't lewd, he doesn't pair the statement with a once-over of any kind — but it does come with steady, unmistakable eye contact. His smile quirks a little higher, and he nods without looking toward the ocean laid out before them. ]

Nothing quite like a horizon of water and air, hmm?