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

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Najaran looked down when she was bit by a pumpkin. Her eye twitched slightly as she pulled it off her leg and lifted it to face height, standing. "Bite me again and I have pumpkin pie for lunch."

Her stomach growled.

"Now I want pumpkin pie..." she muttered under her breath.

Look, if it was actually alive then it would take the hint and she could appologize and make friends. But if it was just a weird magic thing then she could eat it... right?

[Coming off of his latest pumpkin failure, Yato lets go of another one that starts snapping at his fingers, allowing it to clatter to the ground with a grumble. It doesn't stop there and instead makes a beeline for Najaran like an unruly puppy, nipping at her heels.]

Pumpkin pie sounds like a good idea about now, doesn't it?

[At this point he's ready to help gather them all up for the pot and try again from scratch.]

"Are they actually alive or is this a weird magic thing?" she asked, trying to shake her leg free.

Just a magic thing brought on by the candles inside them. You're not going to do anything morally wrong by eating the damn buggers.

[He sidesteps another attack on his own legs and plants a foot on one of them, threatening it with a little pressure.]

"Okay then!" too small a space for Gargoyle or Knight. Or for Wind Cutter even if she was allowed spells.

But end of the day? They were edible, and she was Najaran. There was a clear and obvious answer.

She set the one she was holding down to give it one last chance, grabbed the one chewing at her leg and...

Took a HUGE BITE.

Of raw animated pumpkin. Then another. And another. Within a few bites she had finished the thing off and was looking for her next.

[To say Yato hadn't been expecting that would be a massive understatement. He watches on in mild horror and amazement as the girl sets herself to devouring the pumpkins not only raw, but whole, wiggly animated bits and all. It's rather like watching an edible train wreck in high speed.]

Uh...

[That sure is one way to take care of them. Saves him the bother, at least??]

She looked around to see if any others chose to bite her. But before one could, she spotted...

A very large uncarved pumpkin, almost as large as she was. Her eyes went wide then she lunged for it, and began ripping it apart with her teeth.

....

[Okay, now that's just a bit much. He raises a hand hesitantly as though to stop her but thinks better of it.]

Now you're going overboard. Those are supposed to be for carving, not eating!

She looked up, pumpkin guts all over her face. Confusion was followed by disappointment as her shoulders slumped.

"Sorry," she mumbled, putting what little was left back on the table. And moved out if the way when it wobbled and fell onto the floor.

[Shaking his head in both disbelief and to apologize, he nudges one of the unruly pumpkins towards her.]

You're welcome to these guys I messed up on. I don't think there's any salvaging them, so they might as well make a meal for you.

She considered, then nodded. "But... maybe I should cut them up to make a yummy stew so we can share?"

Heh, now there's an idea. I'll get a pot if you can wrangle them into submission! [He's pretty sure he saw a cauldron not too far away.]

"Sure! And if we move this outside, Knight can help chop them up too!"

Knight? Who's that? [Or would it be more correct to ask what? He's not sure, to be honest.]

"Knight's my friend! You'll see. He makes really yummy stew!"

Ah, alright. In that case feel free to bring him along!

Najaran gave a bright smile. "Okay! Just like I said, we have to move outside. He's too big to fit in most indoor places, and since we have choices here, I try to only summon him outside."

Sounds like a plan. [He leads the way outside, snagging an unattended cauldron on the way. They'll just be borrowing that, thank you~] Alright, this should be enough room, right?

"Yep!" she said. She stepped aside a bit and reached a hand behind her back - the other holding one of the squirming pumpkin creature things. Several Cards flew out of the pouch at the small of her back, and into the hand behind her back.

She brought it forward and threw the Cards into the air. "We're gonna make yummy stew, everyone!" she called.

The cards burst into light in the air and then resolved themselves into an odd assortment of creatures.

Probably not hard to know which one was Knight given that one was basically a large suit of armor that towered over her. But there was also a creature that was taller yet. There was a rideable flying dinosaur/dragon hybrid looking thing, an upright cat like creature in a cape, and a small furball with limbs and a Gremlin.

Najaran held up the squirmy pumpkin thing to the suit of armor. "We've got lots of these things to cut up! And I checked, they're not really alive, it's just a spell. And they're super yummy! Oh and this is my new friend," she turned to introduce him and stopped. Had... she ever gotten Yato's name?

[Not having been expecting such a flashy show or the resulting creatures, Yato can only stare in awe as they all appear, his gaze going to the tallest being in particular. He's seen some shit but these are pretty damn impressive still.

Gawking a bit, he shakes himself out of his stupor when Najaran goes to introduce him, realizing they hadn't even exchanged names yet.]

--Yato. Delivery God Yato.

"Go... god?" she asked, gasping. Then her eyes went wide and instead of bowing or fawning as one might respect from her shock, she rushed closer. "Culdra.. is she okay? Please!" Desperation in her voice as her creatures loomed close. Possibly to hear the answer. Or possibly as big brothers might when their cute little sister got too close to a guy. It was... really hard to tell given their faces.

[Oookay things are suddenly getting weird, here. He takes a step back, feeling more than a little overwhelmed and outnumbered by all the creatures. A little breathing space, please...!]

I-I'm sorry? I take it Culdra is someone special to you?

[Already he can feel the regret building up. When things like this happen, it only leads to disappointment.]

"The Goddess Culdra... the one who created all other Gods but vanished after the Culdcept shattered. I understand if she doesn't have time to meet with some random Cepter like me... but just to know she's alive and well...." Her eyes were tearing up as though she was talking about a friend not some distant deity.

[How odd... And yet perhaps not; Hiyori, a mere human, is friends with him. It's possible theirs is a similar situation. He tries to smile reassuringly, though shaking his head.]

I'm afraid your god is from a different part of the world than me, so I can speak as to her well-being. But if her survival operates anything like my own, then it's entirely possible she's doing just fine. Gods are made of strong stuff, you know. Just keep having faith in her, okay?

A different part... but Culdra... created all the Gods...

Still, she nodded. Have faith in Culdra... she could do that. She could. She swallowed hard. Backed up. "I'm sorry, I'm probably supposed to be respectful or something..." she looked sheepish now.

She... wasn't terribly good at respectful.

Pumpkin Carving

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