songerein | { halloween }

Entry tags:

{ halloween }

HALLOWEEN

Another Halloween has arrived in Reverein, and the Nightmare Troupe returns from their mysterious origins to help transform the carnival grounds to fit the season. They've added a new feature attraction: The Labyrinth, where everyone just runs around to fight spooky baddies for candy, prizes, and flex one's combat abilities in dreamotion. It's all in good fun, of course!

More details on everything can be found here. As a reminder, events double as our TDMs and information can be found here. Any outside characters participating in the log are canonly logged as appearing in Songerein in October and will remain in Songerein from the IC date of October 25th, just before the event ICly begins. TDM only characters can only thread within this log. Anyone who apps in and is accepted will have their character count October as their first time in the game without any disruption, so all content will carry over. Those who do not apply will disappear which should not seem too unusual, however players in game can choose to retcon and pretend a character was never there to begin with if it would be easier; or even think their presence was just a dream.

IMPORTANT! All outside characters MUST have "TDM" in their subject line, even if you might not app. This will help people differentiate those who are already in the game and those who are not.

TDM threads are required for samples. Refer to the Game Info for general information and feel free to toss any questions here. Reserves will open October 25th and Applications will open on November 1st. Our application cycles are bi-monthly so the next cycle after won't be until January.

TDM Toplevel Link Directory (click to view)

Bokurano - Jun Ushiro
Cookie Run Kingdom - Black Raisin Cookie
Dead by Daylight - Zarina Kassir
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves - Edgin Darvis
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves - Xenk Yendar
Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core - Genesis Rhapsodos
Final Fantasy XIV - Emet-Selch
Final Fantasy XIV - Hermes
Final Fantasy XV - Somnus Lucis Caelum
Full Metal Alchemist - Alphonse Elric
Genshin Impact - Ei
Genshin Impact - Nahida
Great Ace Attorney, The - Iris Wilson
Hey Arnold! - Helga G. Pataki
Hi-Fi Rush - Chai
Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword - Zelda
Noragami - Yato
Original - Astralin Turnont
Touhou - Maribel Hearn

We will request any thread submissions for certain prompts during AC and TDM threads will count. For more information, refer to the Game Notes.

I. CARNIVAL

II. LABYRINTH

COMMENTS

I. CARNIVAL

While the carnival grounds still have the standard fare of attractions themed up for Halloween, there are a few new ones popping up thanks to the Nightmare Troupe. Some are similar to what appeared last year, but with a different look to them. Some, perhaps, more terrifying than before.

A. Personalized Costumes. All throughout Reverein boutiques and tailors are in full swing to create costumes for those who wish to wear, either by renting or buying. However, for those who are a bit adverse, the fairy godmothers are out and about ready to employ their fashion magic to grant anyone and everyone a special Halloween costume, just for them! There might be the slight side effect that the wearer may behave like the costume itself, but it's just a temporary phase.

B. Vampring Frights. The vamprings are still out and about, nibbling on nightmares. But now they are also appearing outside of dreams, deciding that a bit of fear could make as good of a snack or meal as any other. Only the ones that are truly hungry will appear, so a little purple blob will bounce and latch onto any part of their target's body they can reach (though they particularly like the top of the head). Those who are bitten in this manner won't try to bite others, fortunately. Instead, they will become something like a "Vampring minion" and try to invoke fear and scare others. (For more information and use the original version of the Vampring, read here.)

C. Monster Swaps. Small monsters will roam the carnival grounds and will swap bodies with random people to go around pulling pranks and tricks in the person's body. The person is now trapped in the monster's body, but has access to the monster's trickster, spooky abilities as well (ie, players can make this up). To return to normal, they must find their original body and bite it. Otherwise, they will have to wait for the monster to get bored and return to switch them back.

D. Carnival Fare. Here are a few of the general games and attractions available for carnival goers to enjoy.

🔫 Zombie Shooter. Ride through a rickety car through a building and shoot the "zombies" that pop up with bright green paintball guns. While most are cardboard, there are a few volunteers that dress for the occasion. Don't mind their pain as they get hit, they're fine.
👻 Spooky Stories. Instead of a fire, there is a boiling cauldron set up where people can gather around and try to conjure up their spookiest story. The steam over the cauldron will change and twist to try and illustrate the story as it goes, and should it proof particularly scary, a manifestation of the terror will crawl out of it to terrorize everyone for a little bit before disappearing.
🍏 Poisoned Apples. Special caramel covered green apples are handed out throughout the carnival. One bite will inflict one or more of the following effects: floating, dizzy, sugar rush, creepy, frightful. (Players are free to be creative and come up with additional effects!)
🧹 Broom Carousel. The horses have been replaced with different styles of witch brooms, letting everyone have a safe experience of flying on a broom. Until the brooms suddenly fly out of the carousel and into the carnival. Hang on or stop that broom!
🎃 Pumpkin Carving Challenge. Pumpkins can be found all over the grounds, and there is a challenge to carve them with dreamotion and light a special candle in them. Doing so will bring the pumpkin to life and behave like whatever expression or drawing carved on them. Whether they behave nicely is a different matter. Blowing out the candle will stop the pumpkin.

E. House of Mirrors. The House of Mirrors will have new mirrors installed that have new special effects…many making everyone inside feel not quite themselves.

🎭 Jekyll and Hyde. A black framed mirror where the opposite version of the viewer appears to taunt them.
💅 Narcissism. A gold framed mirror where one will see the best version of themselves and will stand stuck in front of it admiring themselves. They will need to be forcibly dragged away…else they may get stuck on the mirror.
🛌 Dream or Nightmare? A silver framed mirror that will reflect either a good dream or a nightmare that's on the viewer's mind. It will be a strong image, so strong that the viewer may be tempted to dreamwalk into the mirror, either to be a part of it or to destroy it. Some help may be required to help them either accomplish their goal or pull them out.
🪞 Mirror Version. Sometimes, a "mirror version" of the viewer may reach out to switch places, trapping the original inside the mirror while the mirror version goes out to cause some chaos. The trapped person can only traverse through mirrors, and can only be freed if the mirrored version is shoved back into any mirror. One way to tell a mirror version apart is that they will randomly reflect things off their body.

F. Haunted Ryokan. A haunted Japanese styled inn is the theme for this year's "haunted house." On the outside, it looks invitingly eerie, with life-sized traditional Japanese dolls as their hosts and guides. They hope their new patrons will enjoy their stay…forever.

🏮 Peony Lantern. At first a beautiful woman will appear holding a lantern and take a person's hand to lead them through the narrow halls lit by floating lanterns. But whenever they pass under a lantern, the woman's form changes into a skeleton. Once they are noticed, they will screech and chase them through the hallways and rooms to the next location, but if left alone it will quietly lead them without issue.
🛁 Bathhouse. Somehow they get to the bathing area where the steam rises thick around them. Without warning a ghostly figure of a long-haired drowned woman will crawl out and chase with a bloody knife. Fish spirits will also fly out to impede them, but they could be used to smack the woman instead. Should someone slip in the water, they'll feel hands grab at them, trying to pull them under…
🪦 Graveyard. Past the courtyard is a graveyard where all manner of Japanese inspired ghosts and demons roam. A special paper talisman is available, and once powered with positive dreamotion it will create a shikigami that will help ward off and defend against the ghosts. But it must have constant dreamotion poured into it, so should it ever go out, the ghosts and demons will suddenly rush into chase.
🐕 Shiba Statues. Should anyone be having a truly terrible time, special little shiba inu statues will trot in to dispel the "evils" and give the visitor some much needed comfort and respite. They will even guide them to the exit if needed. Those who manage to pass through on their own will also meet the shiba inu statues and have a chance to play with them as if in congratulations.

II. LABYRINTH

A big structure now occupies the area just beyond the Fairgrounds. Towering stone walls hide complex pathways inside, and it turns out its express purpose is not to get people lost, but for a little bit of exploration. There is no entrance/exit, just a special circular teleportation pad that will take them inside and there is no end goal. It's not difficult to get out once inside, but the winding paths encourage visitors to check behind corners for treats because there's a lot of treats AND tricks!

A. Halloween Creatures. The labyrinth is populated with silly creatures held together by ~~craft glue and duct tape~~ both dreamotion and nightmare. These creatures will attack on sight, but subdue them and reap the rewards: candy and silly toys! It's all for fun, after all.

🦴 Skeletons. Their bones are made of rubber and most physical attacks will bounce off them. Have to get in close to blast with dreamotion!
🕷 Glow-In-The-Dark Plastic Spiders. Will shoot sticky licorice webbing that will trip up and trap any caught in it. Have to eat through it to get out, and the flavor could either be red or black.
🔺 Candy Corn Golems. Chuck giant pieces of candy corn that are delicious, but hurt! Golems will melt under intense heat.

B. Mysterious Doors. Sometimes, you may find a door at one of the dead ends. Knock, and most of the time a kindly old lady (where did she come from? Don't worry about it–) will present you with special trick-or-treat bags. The other times, a swarm of genuinely sinister nightmare creatures will come pouring out. Oops! Try again next time! Here are some of the items the old lady will give and their effects (they can be taken home after the event):

🧙 Witch's Hat. The hat will automatically fly on top of the person's head and will allow them to cast silly hexes of misfortune on their targets.
🧹 Witch's Broom. Can fly at fast speeds for a few minutes at a time. Only goes up to three feet in the air.
🤓 Plastic Fangs. These fangs will fit themselves in the person's mouth and will allow them to bite any candy corn golem or sticky spider licorice webbing with ease. And normal foods, too.
🕸 Spray Can of Licorice Webbing. Releases a spray of licorice webbing similar to the ones used by the plastic spiders.
🧻 Roll of Toilet Paper. Exactly as it says.
🍫 Nougat Center. A delicious treat that will temporarily boost one's ~~stats~~ dreamotion abilities.

C. Beware of Steve. If you're very unlucky, you may hear an ominous clatter in the distance... The low rumble of a revving chainsaw... Those who spend lots of time in the labyrinth will know soon enough–those are noises that mean you need to run. Because STEVE, THE 20-FOOT-TALL CHAINSAW-WIELDING SKELETON, takes no hostages, and he's out for blood!!! He will continue chasing people until fought, and anything goes with this foe. While dreamotion attacks will work, using the items given by the old lady in the doors will inflict greater damage. Anyone who is "killed" by Steve will be knocked out of the Labyrinth unharmed.

D. Grand High Viscount of Candy Corn. On the other end of giant "horrors" is a giant golem made of candy corn with a large top hat that may appear out of one of the doors. Its main attack, besides trying to punch and pummel, is spewing sticky candy goop that will trap anyone caught in it. It'll wear off, but until then, any caught in it will at first feel very energetic and attack more quickly before becoming sluggish and unable to do much, as if they suffered an extreme sugar crash.

I. CARNIVAL

II. LABYRINTH

COMMENTS

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

[ There is something he can distract her with... Especially given the kind of costume he is wearing right this moment. But how can she say it? T-That's so embarrassing to speak of!!

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Deep breath. Surely he'll understand her meaning. He's not clueless like his evil friend. ]

Y-You can probably distract her with yourself...

[ ... Ishtar is just that kind of person. Could any less be expected from the one ruling over love and fertility? U-Ugh, she's so ashamed to have a sister who is that shameless!!! This keeps confirming her idea for a Halloween costume was on point but still... ]

Do I hear a huuuuuuman~?

[ That? Is the approaching voice of "Ishtar" as she floats closer and closer to his position. Confrontation appears to be inevitable. ]

[ ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

R-Right, the way out. She absolutely knows it, she is a goddess after all. How could she not know it? It's not like she had been lost when the spirit took her in the mirror. It's not like she has no idea how to leave this place. Perish the thought. ]

O-Of course...!

[ She tries(?) to look confident and turns in a random direction, hoping with all of her heart it is the right one. Surely her luck stat won't be E-rank any longer after what she's just been through! ]

Please follow me.

[ She looks a lot more comfortable than her socializing in spite of the similar predicament... She has to wonder if she's not just trying to be kind by telling her this?

Though she also knows different gods react differently to different situations. She probably should take her at her word. ]

You are correct...

[ And lo: the sparkles return. There's still no explanation for them and based on her own lack of reaction, Ereshkigal herself is unaware of them. Maybe that's just one of her divine trait. ]

I must admit I am unsure what to do with the freedom given to us by this place... But it is a truly unique chance offered to us.

[ Similar though their predicaments may be, it is not exactly the same. Where Ereshkigal worries about social anxiety, Nahida worries about this: incompetence. Once, she had been deemed unfit for her position and locked up for five hundred years. It's something she'd never like to experience again.

The crux of their worry is the same, however—that their actions and behaviour differ from that of which humanity believes they should be. That which they hope gods are.

But here... ]

Is there anything you've always wanted to do? No matter how big or small, or improper for beings such as us—this is but a dream, and dreams are where our deepest wishes can come true.

Including mine, [he mutters loud enough for her to hear. Seriously...

Well, whatever. He holds out his free hand for the creature. Apparently she wants to get rid of it or something? He doesn't mind taking a few bites for the team, anyway. He's sturdy! And he can even use healing magic for real now, if need be! (Don't mind the hero complex.)]

Here, give it to me.

Still... this is hardly something a child should go through. It's clear that whatever this place is, it has no standards when it comes to whoever and whatever it abducts.

[ She finally seems to put her knife away... or at least puts her arm under her cloak so it's no longer visible. ]

If I'm truly to be stranded here, there's much I'll have to learn in order to survive.

[ Her crows had managed to catch her when she leapt-kicked, and now gracefully put her down on the ground again. She sighs, a mixture of relief and exhaustion. Taking down such a large creature really wore her out... ]

... Come. I'll escort you out of here, to ensure this doesn't happen again. Whatever happens, don't look back.

[ She gives the girl a once-over look, to make sure she's not injured, and begins to walk on. ]

[He feels her gaze roam over him like a spotlight, and his stomach clenches with how small it makes him feel in that fleeting moment, as though the shadows he has cloaked himself in have been burned away by the morning sun and made him once again a girl child peering through a window pane and finding someone peering back.

He keeps his eyes resolutely, religiously forward after that, greater focus spared towards navigating the winding corridors of the labyrinth. The corners of his lips twitch with her commentary, her tender steps as they dance around and around each other alighting so gently upon the truths he does not wish to acknowledge. His voice is like a taut rope; he should let it rest. He does not.]

... Her eyes are green. [Are. Were. Will be. All of the above. Tenses seem to lose much of their meaning when it comes to their kind.] The color of rolling fields left to grow wild. She has cut her hair short, as well.

[Petty differences, perhaps. Maybe if she were to ask someone more objective, they would answer her in the affirmative, that the two could be mistaken for sisters instead of ancestor and descendant separated by an unfathomable abyss of time. But he makes note of them nonetheless; it feels... important that he does so, to enforce that which makes them distinct over that which makes them the same.

(Would the Princess of Destiny be able to do the same? It's been years since anyone has seen her face unclouded by illusions and lies. But she remembers her eyes were blue.)

Sheik takes a steadying breath, cleansing those thoughts from his mind before he continues.]

Regardless, she is where she is supposed to be. There is no reason to mourn her for that, and so there is no need for you to apologize.

[And if those words somehow sound like something he's said to himself over and over again in a bid to make it true, well. The situation here is not so different from what he's planned for the Hero of Time when all is said and done. Grieving over things being set back to their proper places would simply be the height of selfishness.]

[A small nod.]

That part is true enough. But due to the nature of this world, most find living here as either a chance to live out their dreams—[Because, well, dream world.]—or a second chance at what they couldn't have. [For various reasons.]

It can be disconcerting, and I don't know how much comfort it is, but you can at least be assured that back in your world, you are still there.

Otherwise... If you have any further questions, I can answer.

Oh, that's a good point... mm, maybe we could do something with magnetic darts? Or something with dreamotion that makes them stick, instead! I've seen something like that for kids, I'm pretty sure.

[Thoughts for later! Aerith releases her friend's arm, putting both hands on her hips and grinning as she gives her her undivided attention.]

Alright! I'm watching! Taking notes, of course. Mental notes. Show me how it's done!

Tactics. Yeah, no. Not his style, really. He was more about flashiness and spontaneity. "I guess? I mean there's stories about stuff like that where I come from, but..." Not like that. Not these specific gods - and not that he knew them, anyway.

"... What's so bad about a casino?" Too many flashing lights?

[ Estinien stares at Emet-Selch, mouth slightly open as he continues to talk, as he mentions the Final Days, the fire raining from the skies as it did over Thavnair and Garlemald... 'Twas if he was also there, if he witnessed the same thing Estinien did upon Etheirys. He's silent for several moments, thinking of how to respond to this man, thinking back on the horrors he experienced in Thavnair and Garlemald, and then in Ultima Thule. And that's when the similarities in their tales stop, because there was no cost here, there was nothing summoned so powerful to avert the Final Days that lives were sacrificed for it. ]

You speak of the Final Days... yet your tale differs from mine.

[ Looking back up at Emet-Selch, he wonders if they truly experienced the same thing. Mayhap he is from one of the tribes they encountered in Ultima Thule, another reflection of their star... ]

Pray continue. Certainly your tale of horrors doesn't stop there.

[Another jab at her jokes. Hrmph. Little twerp wouldn't know comedy if it flew away on his hideous flying beast.]

I suppose it must be convenient, being so... unconcerned about your appearance.

[... which would be a more persuasive jab if she wasn't presently dressed as a zombie against her will. Ugh.]

[Her immediate instinct is to back away, still sputtering at breakneck speed and too disturbed to bother standing up.]

Ohhhhnoyoudon't, Iheardaboutyouandyou'renotwrappingmeup-

[And then it speaks, with actual audible words. She'd know that cadence anywhere, and now that she looks again that arm does look familiar.]

Arnold?

Yeah, yeah, you saved me from some shards and seven years of bad luck, big whoop.

[Hey, at least she acknowledged a rescue was done.]

It's not like I was going to fall in or something.

[Helga's still having trouble believing she's a cookie. The size alone is weird enough, and if she's not from the game then...]

So let me get this straight: You also just walked in here, all two inches of you, and somehow didn't get the memo that this is a Halloween festival? ...In September?

And seriously, what's with the crows?

Doi, that's what happens when you break glass-

Wait, what do you mean "jumped out"? Is this some kind of funhouse trick?

[Surprise, she's confused further anyway.]

[Oh good, more princess comparisons, as if this lady needed any more of them! More importantly, Helga's rubbing her eyes as this is a further reminder she's not in ~~Kansas~~ Hillwood anymore, despite her constant denials the whole time.]

Ugh, how should I know? Apparently I've left school, gone into some wacky Saturday morning cartoon, and am now stumbling through a maze with Miss Fantasyland because I thought this was just a normal, spooky-fun-times corn field! If this is a dream, which it clearly must be, then you'd better wake me up or I will wake up your face with Old Bets-

[And this threat is promptly interrupted by her suddenly faceplanting into the ground. Turns out the remainder of her energy went entirely into that rant.]

... Hmph. I need neither of those. I have no regrets, and my happiness is with my village.

... My only question for now is if there are other monsters like that in these parts.

[ Yes, dogs are still monsters, and always will be, live with it. ]

I am unfamiliar with this holiday... "Halloween"? This is something you all celebrate?

[ The crows seem to be just as embarrassed as her - or at least are copying her expression as they sit on or hover around her. ]

Geeez, I'm telling you, just lemme look at i-

[As the two girls go back and forth, the little monster finally manages to free itself from Gina's grasp. As Pauline once again tries to grab at it, it darts forward and sinks its teeth in to her hand. Pauline smirks and, after a moment, both of the monster and Pauline seem to go still as their eyes glaze over.]

(Oh dear. That explanation didn't went well for her. She was expecting the lady to give her the benefit of the doubt and not go on a rant that would have rivaled her own rant from home when she vented to Mirabel her own struggles but with different topics and circumstances. Now how is she going to escape this maze and avoid that chainsaw wielding skeleton?

Before she could do anything about it first, a loud whirling noise could be heard and Isabela turns around to discover that Steve is coming for them. Better get out of here soon so she picks Helga up from the ground and begins to escort her of this cursed maze before Steve gets to them.)

Another spirit...I didn't even think of that. There are other spirits in here! We don't even know exactly what's in here with us...!

[Somehow not knowing makes it even worse. She does her best to keep an eye out for any signs of the exit.]

I hope you're right...like, the sooner we can ditch this place, the better...!

[ Something she's always wanted...? Being the heroine in a romance novel where the fair princess is rescued from her horrible fate by her destined love... But that answer wouldn't do! As Nahida said, such desires are improper for them and even in this world, she struggles to accept she could try to see them come true.

There is something however she can admit: ]

I have always dreamed of filling the Underworld with flowers...

[ She extends the palm of her hand and materializes three flowers. They're identical save for their colors: red, black and yellow. ]

This is a flower I have been working on with dreamotion. One that can bloom even where life has no place. [It's far from finished. To create a flower that is classified as "dead" yet can grow and prosper is no small feat. And even then, that's not the hardest part.] Most difficult of course is sending it to my self in the waking world. My research so far has shown no precedent of a dreamotion creation being able to cross the veil into our worlds.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Page 80 of 98

{ halloween }

no subject

no subject

no worries at all!

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

1/2 because of course

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject