The YWS Winter Retreat

This holiday season, every member from YWS has been invited to Frostwood Resort, a charming, snow covered hotel tucked away just a mile from the North Pole! The resort is a writer's paradise, offering crackling fireplaces, cozy reading nooks, and windows that frame the sight of softly falling snow.

Upon arrival, you'll be greeted by the scent of freshly baked cookies and the warm glow of holiday lights strung across every hall. Guests are free to explore the resort's cozy rooms, sip endless mugs of hot chocolate topped with whipped cream and sprinkles, and gather around the fireplaces for gift exchanges and holiday cheer.

The Frostwood Resort also offers a variety of seasonal activities, from decorating gingerbread houses in the dining hall to stargazing at the Northern Lights from the snowy terrace!

Whether you're here to simply write or relax, Frostwood Resort offers the perfect winter retreat. So grab a warm blanket, find your favorite nook, and let the fun begin!


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New to Tagbooks? View the spoiler below!

Spoiler

Tagbooks are a special kind of storybook. Instead of making a character profile, the character you write for is yourself - and other members of the site! Your goal is to tag as many users (using the @ symbol and their usernames) as you possibly can in your posts, while also telling a story. In this case, you're telling the story of The YWS Winter Retreat.

Tagbooks are usually wacky, random and filled with memes, puns, and fourth wall breaks. If you're lucky enough to be tagged, or just want to pop in with a post of your own, you're in for a treat!

If you want to see what past tagbooks have been like, here are some examples:

• The Search for the Golden Goose (Tagbook)
• A Pig, Space, and a Lot of Chaos
• Walking in a YWS Wonderland
• Finding Nate the Dragon
• The Haunted Holiday Lodge
• The Great YWS Treasure Hunt
• The S.S.Y.W.S.
• #Classified vs. #LongLiveBigBrother
• The YWS Express

It was a cold, breezy winter morning when the YWS Party Bus arrived at the Frostwood Resort. Everyone was just waking up from their naps, just as the driver pulled to a stop in the frost encrusted parking lot. The first bus piled out one by one, each YWSers face lighting up as they laid eyes upon the holiday decorations sprawled across the estate.

The heavy oak doors of Frostwood Resort swung open, revealing a lobby so festive it could have been pulled straight from a holiday movie. The scent of cinnamon, pine, and freshly baked cookies filled the air. @Snoink stepped in first, pausing in awe, "Okay, I admit it...this was worth braving the snowstorm."

“Worth it?” @alliyah repeated, “This is everything. Look at that fireplace! and it smells like cookies!”

"Oh, I’m definitely calling dibs on that reading nook by the window," @WeepingWisteria declared as her scarf got caught on the door handle. She spun around wildly, much to the amusement of @Obscura, who was still dusting snow out of his coat.

The group filed in, each person amazed at the decor. @winterwolf0100 immediately zeroed in on the hot chocolate bar, their eyes lighting up, "They have candy canes and caramel drizzle? I might never leave."

"Never mind the hot chocolate," said @EllieMae, pointing toward the towering bookshelf that lined the far wall, "That library is calling my name. Look at those ladders--they roll! They roll!"

Meanwhile, @theromanticchemist was admiring the chandelier above, its crystals sparkling like freshly fallen snow, "This place is so extra. It gives Back to December, and I love it!"

"So extra, but so very much needed," @avimoon replied, already wrapped in a ridiculously fluffy blanket they'd found near the entrance.

"I don't know what to do first," @RangerofIthilien said, juggling their suitcase while staring at the massive gingerbread house display in the corner. @Spearmint nudged them, "Simple. We raid the hot chocolate bar and brainstorm holiday roleplays. Priorities."

Over by the hot chocolate bar, @Iggy was piling whipped cream onto their mug, "I feel no shame," she said, as @looseleaf added a tower of marshmallows to their own drink.

"I'm just here for the gift exchange," @TheMythMaster announced, eyeing the massive pile of presents under the tree, "If there's anything remotely epic or mysterious, it's mine."

"Oh, please," @LadyMysterio said, crossing her arms with a smirk, "You'll end up with something practical, like a mug."

"I can work with a mug," @TheMythMaster shot back.

"Mugs are great for tea!" @chrysanthemumcentury added.

@RavenAkuma strolled over, holding a perfectly balanced mug of cocoa, "You'll just end up with socks. Everyone knows the holiday gift exchange curse."

"Don't tempt fate," warned @soundofmind, who was carefully examining the stack of presents like a detective, "The shiny wrapping paper ones are always suspect."

Meanwhile, @JazzicusMaximus was already lounging near the fireplace, "The secret to holiday gift exchanges," they said, "is not caring what you get. That way, socks feel like a win."

At last, @Plume, @SilverNight, @Roxanne, and @NadyaStatham stepped through the doors, shaking snow off their coats, "Did we miss anything?" @Plume asked, eyeing the group, who were now fully settled into the lobby of the resort.

@Elektra turned on the Holiday music just as another of YWSers arrived. She could see them getting off the bus, scrambling to get away from the cold, "Only the start of the best retreat ever!"

"Okay," @AnotherCrowInRow announced the second they hopped off the bus, "I don't know about ya’ll, but I'm going to find someone to borrow my skis from. I have an annoying habit of getting lost at ski resorts and then becoming the local Yeti, so it would be nice if someone joined me…anyone going?”

mint glanced at @AnotherCrowInRow. "Ohhh, so all those myths are about you? What's it like being a celebrity cryptid?"

Before Kay could respond, @JazzicusMaximus strode over, somehow already equipped with skis. "Skis are over there, in the suspicious medieval castle-like building."

To the left of the lodge, beyond where @Snoink was making an army of snow pigs and @Shady was making a navy of snow fish, indeed stood a stone castle. It looked like it'd fit in well in @Messenger's novel, or possibly as the residence of fantasy experts @LadyMysterio and @TheMythMaster. Except it was radiating ominous vibes, kinda like @Obscura's RPs... (*cough* Voidborn *cough*) Before mint could sympathize with her poor character any longer, other ywsers flocked out of the lodge for some outdoor activities. mint thought she spotted legendary roleplayers @winterwolf0100, @WeepingWisteria, @Elektra, and @ScarlettFire, along with @Horisun, @Moonlily, @niteowl, and others.

"Ice sports? How about figure skating?" @Carlito suggested.

"Does running away from a sentient snowman count?" asked @LuminescentAnt. "Because there's one right there."

A snowman had started to sprout out of the ground between the ywsers and the castle. It blinked large coal eyes at them.

@starlitmind gasped. "It's adorable," @Euphory said.

The snowman's large eyes hardened. It pulled itself fully out of the ground, towering about a foot above the ywsers. Sunlight glinted off its fresh carrot nose.

"Er... I retract that statement."

The snowman roared. A wave of air rushed over the gathered ywsers. It smelled oddly like... freshly baked bread? Perhaps @ToastK or @thetaostedwriter had worked some grainy magic.

"Poetry Rangers, unite!" called inspirational poet @alliyah. @Plume and her feathered friends, @milkweed, @Que, @Quillfeather, and @EllieMae ran up.

"Perhaps a tasteful poem on Duo would convince it to let us pass?" Ellie suggested.

@Arcticus pulled out a pen. @soundofmind pulled out a guitar.

"Or an ode to tea," @chrysanthemumcentury suggested, "with a dash of melancholia."

Suddenly, the snowman began to sing.

mint isn't as much of a lyricist as other ywsers, so she'll just say the melody was both wintery and fiery like @IcyFlame, with a hint of a silver lining like @SilverNight and a flurry of leaves and loose leaf paper like @looseleaf. It was quite interesting. Perhaps the vibes were like a parallel universe version of "Parallel Universe" by Smith & Thell (a lovely song recommended by @Areastrixleiell).

Anyways. There was a moment of silence after the snowman warbled out the last notes. @OrabellaAvenue applauded in a burst of butterflies as @Atticus and @Wolfi recorded the event for the Gen Lit archives. @Liminality and @SquillsBot interviewed ywsers for a special Squills article on their reactions to the singing snowman.

The snowman looked vaguely pleased. It bowed, then trudged towards the lodge. @Valkyria, @Avian, @theromanticchemist, and @avimoon watched from a cozy spot by the window. @littlepaige waved.

Huh. Maybe the snowman just wanted an audience. Valid.

With the way now clear, @NadyaStatham, @Roxanne, and @RavenAkuma took the lead towards the castle and skis. @Iggy was about to knock on the heavy wooden doors, but they opened like automatic doors in a grocery store. (Very convenient.)

And lo and behold, there was a flock pod conspiracy family of ywsers inside, along with a multitude of skis! mint spotted more cool roleplayers and writers like @Ljungtroll, @AlienPoetry, @AceassinOfTheMoon, @RangerOfIthilien, @ChieTheWriter, @KocoCoko, @atlast, @Mageheart, @Europa, @yoshi, @Ventomology, and @Carina.

There were food and drinks too, of course, because magic. mint saw @Lovestrike, @SkyVibes, @Kaia, @GengarTheGhost, @momonster, @22Midnight, @redcarnation, and @fatherfig hanging out.

Anndddd there are so many people left to tag but mint's really pushing it with the holiday vibes seeing as school has started for some already and- What was that? Right. Skiing! The whole point of this post!

More ywsers like @Nate, @Hijinks, @BluesClues, @mellifera, @Lael, @Corvid, @goodolnoah, @khushi17bansal, @JamesPeterson, @MapleWay, @keystrings, and @APoltergeist joined and had a wonderful time at the winter retreat :> =P

It was a good thing that the snowman that everyone had gathered around had started singing, because that meant they didn't see the other interesting sentient snowman phenomenon... that Snoink's army of snow pigs were now alive! They wiggled their noses and grunted and dug through the snow so that puffs of powdery snow flew about.

Snoink laughed an evil laugh, then glanced at @Meshugenah, her eyes gleaming wildly. "What shall we do now that we have our snow pigs at our disposal?"

Meshugenah groaned. "Why can't you ever be normal?"

Snoink ignored her remark. "I shall train them to take over YWS! They shall be called my evil minions and spread incoherent reviews all over YWS!!!!"

"You realize that everybody's looking at you because you're too loud, you know?" Meshugenah said.

Snoink looked around and saw @Spearmint, @Elektra, @SilverNight, @Carina, @Obscura, @ScarlettFire, and @WeepingWisteria blinking at her in surprise while @Griffinkeeper only rolled his eyes and muttered, "Typical Snoink. Can't get away from the pigs for a moment."

"Whoops," Snoink muttered, holding out her hands in a futile attempt to hide her pig army. "Just... pretend this didn't happen, okay?"

From the side, @alliyah was taking notes with a devious grin on her face. "I am DEFINITELY going to add this to the next scavenger hunt!"