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

[ used to, yeah. unfortunately, yes. happy with? no. not by a long shot. all she can do is have faith that he'll come back. he will, right? he said he would. he said [REDACTED].

that look sets her on edge. turns out she has every reason to be on edge, too. try something? try what?? can't he TELL her first?!

there is some unnerved staring while she tries to guess what he's going to do. she makes a surprised squeak of a sound once he grabs her legs and starts to go KIND OF REALLY RED. ]

U-um. O, okay?! [ WHAT IS HE GOING TO DO LORD HAVE MERCY

why won't he tell her? oh, uh, right. ]

I, I promise... not to flail or kick you...

[ or at least do her BEST not to ]

Okay, good. Now just hold still a minute...

[Of course he will! He's a man of his word, right? ....actually, don't answer that.

Well, the first thought he had was to try his dreamotion sword on the webbing. But given his lack of control over the ability, that seemed a touch too risky for what is clearly a delicate procedure. This is something that'll take skill and finesse. A careful understanding of the materials at hand and a deft touch to solve it.

Clearly, right?

WRONG.

All at once Yato leans in right up against Hiyori's leg, face smooshed against it so he can open his mouth as wide as possible and start biting down on the webbing, gnawing away like a beaver. Much snarfing is heard as he devours the licorice webbing, taking it down to mere threads in under a minute.

Yum!]

[ yato may not be a man of his word, but hiyori sure as hell is. she's made a point to be a LADY of her word.

so she starts to count back from sixty. he said a minute. hold still for a minute. a minute!! that's all he gets. ]

[ hooboyhowdy, does he need it. with something like terror on her face, like she's watching a car wreck or something equally destructive and calamitous, hiyori gawks as yato GETS RIGHT UP ON HER LEG. it takes all her willpower and then some not to KICK HIM IN THE FACE. promise!! remember the promise!!! ]

WHAJKDHGD.

[ HE OPENS HIS FUCKING MOUTH. like, UNHINGES HIS JAW and starts eating the webbing. he's

eating

it

why is he eating it

why is this working ]

[ she doesn't know what to do. it's unprecedented. yato has done some pretty QUESTIONABLE things in her time of knowing him but this.

this is close to topping her list of what the frick frack paddy wack yato

even when he finishes she just sits there and stares at him. ]

...

[ NO

WORDS ]

[With the webbing now a thing of the past, Yato sits up to flash Hiyori a luminous grin, except he can't help a single, loud burp from escaping first.

Icon, baby!]

See? Toldja I'd handle it for ya!

[He says with a single strand of licorice still dangling from his mouth.]

[ GROSSLDKGJLKS!!!

he did handle it for her. he sure... did. yato is a promise keeper for today, that's for sure.

can she kick him yet? she's staring at that strand.

some part of her would have rather just remained trapped forever. ]

You have. Some on your-- [ she makes a vague gesture at her mouth. ]

Hmm? Ah--

[At her gesture he slurps the remaining strand up, chewing it down until there's nothing left. At which point he beams at her like that wasn't one of the weirdest things he's ever had to do in his extraordinarily long life.

He's just happy she's safe and sound~

Springing back to his feet, he dusts himself off and glances towards their destination.]

Oh, look! There's the exit!

[ maybe

maybe she should just. pretend this never happened. while memories are very precious to her, this one... this one she could do without. maybe?? for her sanity. else she might really lose it and kick him back INTO consciousness instead of the other way around.

hiyori is much slower to get to her feet after him and stares towards the exit.

WOW, CONVENIENT. THANKS, LABYRINTH.

time to get out of here!! they make their escape out of the maze and into the open air some distance from the fairgrounds and the carnival proper. hiyori is glad to have the ordeal behind her and sighs heavily. ]

Ah! Your leg. [ nope, still covered in candy stuffs.

... ]

Um. [ she is making SUCH a face. nose wrinkling and brows upturning. ] Do you think... that can be... eaten away too?

[Not really seeing what the big deal was about what just transpired in the eating department, Yato also lets out a huge sigh of relief to be free of the labyrinth and outside again, free of weird candy monsters and endless paths. He's not one to get claustrophobic, but damn if that place wasn't starting to get to him after being in there for so long.

It may or may not have something to do with certain memories he saw a little over a year ago...

But! Whatever! They're free! They're free!

Yato all but starts skipping, if somewhat lopsidedly due to his leg until Hiyori points it out to him, causing him to pause.]

Hmm? Oh yeah...

[At her suggestion he flops down on the ground, raises his leg to his mouth and bites down on it... resulting in a resounding crack. If he wasn't a god he would've chipped a tooth.]

.........nope.

WAI--

[ he's already trying to bite into it before she can stop him. hiyori winces, emphatically, at the painful sound his teeth make as they meet impossibly hard candy. ]

Why are you so quick to eat questionable things?! That came out of the golem's mouth!! THE WEBBING, TOO. THAT CAME OUT OF A SPIDER. AND YOU ATE IT OFF MY LEG?!

[ here it is. the belated freakout. ]

[Rubbing at his jaw, Yato drops his leg back down with a solid thud and an even heavier sigh. That REALLY smarts... He should've taken it a bit easier when it came to tasting it. Maybe like, licking it first?]

Well~ I knew the spider webbing was licorice since they got me earlier and that's how I had to get free. As for this... I kinda forgot it came from the golem's mouth.

[His face visibly pales at that thought, like bleeeegh, man! Why'd she have to go and bring it up??]

Weren't we going to the bathhouse to wash it off?

YOU--!!

[ he. he forgot.

yato....... how do you.....

it's as if he took all the air out of her freakout sail. all the frantic searching and running around is finally catching up with her. suddenly, she doesn't have the energy for this. how ludicrous it all is. ]

H, huh? Oh. Yes. We are. [ she turns and starts trudging her way to the carnival as if in a daze. ]

[He got wrapped up in all the excitement, okay?? Just like she's now having a an abrupt candy crash, he was a touch preoccupied with everything else.

Although her sudden onset of tiredness comes as a bit of a surprise to Yato; she'd just been brimming with energy not moments before. It's so like what he experienced during the fight his that his protective instincts are immediately aroused, leading to him hurrying over to take her gently by the arm.]

Hiyori-- Are you okay? Did that monster get you too?

[He leans this way and that, looking for any signs of candy goop, fretting.]

[ in a way?

though startled by her arm suddenly being taken, she doesn't smack yato away or pull herself out of his grip. it's been a long day of a lot at once and hiyori has never been good with being overwhelmed. she wants a moment where things are normal. she wants to have fun at the carnival and eat some good food. she wants to be in her body. she wants yato to have a candy-free leg.

yato gets a wan smile. ]

He didn't get me. [ she tries to reassure, pausing next to him. ] It's just... [ chews her lip, chews her words. ] Ever since I arrived here it's been a lot. There's so much going on. I met another goddess. Two goddesses. One finger-gunned me. There were a lot of mirrors at this one place... and in one, I saw that you and I and Yukine-kun were together. I was-- [ she sighs shakily. ] Um, I'd prefer it if we didn't go to House of Mirrors.

[As they stop walking towards the carnival, Yato listens without speaking. He's more of a man of action, it's true, but he knows there are times when just talking is the best medicine and that sometime people just need to get stuff off their back.

And it quickly becomes obvious what the issue is. So much has happened in a short span of time that Hiyori's likely become burnt out; just plain exhausted. Normally this would be when they could head home to rest. But here... they can't get back just yet. She needs a break. Some time to calm down and relax.

Maintaining his careful hold of her, he nods.]

A couple of goddesses, huh? A finger-gunning one? I wouldn't mind meeting these other deities, that's for sure. [He tries to offer her a small smile.] But yeah, the mirrors are a pain, aren't they? I got trapped in one earlier, so I'm with you on avoiding them. Here-- hang on.

[Spying an apple-bobbing station, he leads them over so he can dunk his candied leg into the water. After some swirling around the coating begins to flake off, finally revealing his pants beneath. Free at last...!]

There...! One problem solved.

[ the reason she says anything at all is because yato once made a big deal out of her venting her woes. he wanted to know what ailed her so he could fix it. the sentiment was sweet, but at the time? she was having none of it.

talking about it helps her a little, too. yato's hand at her arm is bracing. she snorts quietly. he WOULD want to meet some finger-gunning goddesses. one is in a bikini, though.

... well, whatever!! ] Ah! It worked!! [ a bit of life returns to hiyori with this one thing going right. thank god. finally.

now for the other problem of her missing body, yeah. ]

What a relief! I nearly thought we'd have to chisel you out of it. Are you feeling better?

[And for that he's so grateful she's decided to confide in him. It makes him feel closer to her and more useful than just a god who can't fulfill the one wish to fix her body. Besides, he can't help if he doesn't know what's bothering her. Certainly knowing for sure is better than him stumbling around in the dark, guessing.

He grins more fully at her enthusiasm coming back, relieved to see her acting a bit more like her normal self.]

Sure did! T-Though I gotta say I'm glad we didn't have to resort to such drastic measures. [He can just imagine Hiyori coming at him with a pickax and it's an unnerving thought.] Honestly? Much better. Like I've been cleansed of blight, if I'm being honest. That stuff sure was powerful.

[ no, no, not a pickaxe. one of those more dainty chiseling tools. practice for when she's a doctor. ~~playing doctor...~~

hearing that he feels much better is another huge weight off her shoulders. maybe it was from talking about it or maybe it's yato being happier that makes her happy. whatever it is, she does feel more like herself. see? it isn't JUST other humans that can save humans. ]

I'm glad we didn't have to go all the way to the bathhouse. That was quick thinking to use the apple-bobbing tub, Yato! [ sorry, apple-bobbing people. candy in your water now. and yato boot. hiyori peers down at his freed leg but deems the threat completely passed. something else he said earlier caught her attention. ]

You got trapped in a mirror, too...?

[Oh well, that wouldn't have been so bad, then. ~~She can play doctor with him anytime~~~

Well... He's never been able to save anybody when it counts so maybe she shouldn't count her chickens just yet... Who knows what this day has yet to bring down upon them. Though there is no denying that he does feel immensely better now that he's not being drained by some candy coating.]

Me too, I've heard some rumors about that place that makes my blood run cold. [It's sounds an awful lot like Yomi, if he's being honest.] Hehe~ Sometimes I have moments like those. [Shaking out his leg, he pulls his now damn boot off in order to dump the water out, staring at his sock morosely. That's gonna feel so gross.]

Huh? Ah-- Yeah, some weird doppelganger of mine yanked me in and escaped to cause havoc around the fair. If it wasn't for this nice guy I likely would still be trapped there.

[ ~~is it time to break in minishrine~~

rumors...? as much as she wants to ask, that dreadful expression on his face says enough. if even yato is wary of such a place, she has every reason to be just as wary herself. curiosity killed the half-phantom.

aah, wet socks. the worst. hiyori shoots him a look of sympathy and pity, which morphs into mild shock. that's exactly what happened to ereshkigal.

... was there an "ishtar" like yato running around? how did she not stumble upon him before? maybe the smell was different. wrong, somehow. ]

A nice guy. You didn't get his name?

[ hiyori you're literally the only one polite enough to ask names ]

~~Almost probably haha~~

It's one place he won't let Hiyori get near, that's for sure. Not unless she has express reason for exploring the place. Even if it's a only a pale imitation of Yomi, it still could be dangerous.

Peeling off said sock, he wrings it out before pulling it back on, cringing. Bleeeeeh.

Though now that he's thinking about it, he's glad Hiyori didn't catch him at his worst, going around harassing people and making a nuisance of himself, to put it mildly.]

Joshua. He was willing to help me out even after my double badgered him and wrecked his stuff.

[He does have some honor when it comes to those who he owes favors.]

[ wow, she's not the only one.

poor joshua. although she doesn't know him, she likes him. that's a noble guy right there. yato can be a serious nuisance on his own, too, but it's usually in a lighthearted way. not a wrecking way. just an overwhelming way. although hiyori has since realized it's just one of yato's ways of showing he cares.

a small smile tugs at her lips. ]

He really does sound like a nice guy. [ how apt ]

I'm surprised, though. Don't people normally have a hard time seeing you?

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1/4

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wait 3/5

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5/5 i can't

i'm crying

yato holy shit LMFALKJDLKGSD

one more wish delivered safe and sound!

WHOSE???? WISH??????

H...ERS?

SIR SHE DID NOT WISH TO BE GNAWED AT

SHE WISHED TO BE FREE THO, RIGHT

FREE HER FROM THIS MORTAL COIL

GRABS HER BY THE CORD

GAZES AT!!!!!!!!!

STARES BACK 0w0

[palpatine voice] do it

noooo~

damn

fufu

her poor wish will never be granted :(

it will be...! someday! :'D

HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM