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

[ BRC continues to fight, but she's backing up as she does it - the steam is having a bigger effect on her, and now she has to avoid anything wet as well. She cries out a few times in shock, starting to get worn down. ]

Ugh...! I'm getting softer by the second... to think I'd long for the oven again...

(Realizing that BRC is in need of help, Pooka escapes from Anya’s arms and races towards the little cookie so she can ride on him like a horse. He then barks to her to get on top of him and tries to inform that he wouldn’t try to eat her while Anya is shocked to find Pooka has gone under her watch.

Sadly she can’t get back right away or risk getting harassed by the ghosts again.)

Huh? A... cakehound?

[ But without the cake! Normally she would fight creatures such as this... but... it doesn't appear to be attacking? She's got little choice but to trust it for now.

She backs up, then gets a running start to jump onto its head. ]

Run, as fast as you can!

Bark, bark, bark!

(Pooka dutifully does what he sets out to do and runs off with BRC on his back, avoiding the ghosts as swiftly as his legs can carry them both. The little dog acts as a makeshift noble steed: running, jumping and sprinting with all he has got.

Meanwhile Anya and Mashka are doing their best to hide from the ghosts, hoping that Pooka and Black Raisin Cookie will arrive to them so they can all get out of this cursed place.)

[ As any ghosts try to attack Pooka, BRC will fight them off, assisted by a Black Raisin Crow every now and then. But her relief is palpable as they get closer to Anya - and to an escape! ]

We're almost there, keep going! Don't stop until Earthbread is under our feet once more!

[ ... er, she means ground. it can be discussed later. ]

(Pooka runs faster and faster, he has no time to rest easy until he can get to his master and hopefully escape the crazy place. Anya soon hears barks and bird noises that she turns around to find Pooka and BRC escaping the ghosts. Much to her relief, she is able to find a good escape route out of the haunted ryokan.

She then sends a signal by waving her free hand at them, letting them know that freedom is much closer than expected and that she has found the exit!)

[ One.. two... three... and they're out! By the skin of their teeth - or the frosting of their dough. Once she feels the wind on her face, she's so relieved she winds up sitting down on the dog. ]

Phew... that was too close for comfort... I really thought I might crumble away for a moment there.

No kidding. I honestly thought that I was going to be stuck in the haunted place for a very long time with no way to get out. I never thought that a place like that can be this terrifying.

(Pooka whimpers in agreement as he tries to look at the ryokan but he just can’t simply bring himself to do so. The spirits were just that horrifying and scary to deal with. Mashka scurries into Anya’s arms without question, being just as scared as everyone else. This was certainly a close call indeed.)

[ After she catches her breath, she stands up right, trying to look Anya up and down. ]

Aside from having the icing scared off of you... are you all right? Are you hurt in any way?

Thankfully I didn’t got hurt while in the haunted inn. Neither did Pooka and Mashka as well, so we’re alright in spite of what had happened in there. It was rough but it didn’t got us hurt in the end.

Yes, that is what matters most. We're fortunate to have come out unscathed... and, I suppose I owe your beasts a thanks as well, for aiding in my escape.

... I am Black Raisin Cookie.

(Pooka barks in agreement while Mashka nods politely in return. He would have given BRC a lick to the cheeks but he decides not to do that as not to wet her even more than what they just went through.)

Certainly. They’re just glad that they can help out in any situation whenever they get involved.

Nice to meet you as well, Black Raisin Cookie. My name is Anya and these two beasts of mine are called Pooka and Mashka.

[ Not Anya Cookie... yes, that's going to be difficult to adjust to. ]

Is this place always so dangerous? I'll need to be more prepared the next time this happens.

Not necessarily dangerous most of the time, but I think that the spirits and monsters inside are overdoing on the scare factor all the time. I don’t see that many noticeable dangers in that haunted house attraction when I first got inside.

Scare factor? Haunted house? What are you talking about?

I was talking about the haunted house we’re inside earlier. It is what humans called attractions, places that are meant to get people to go inside and explore every nook and cranny the building.

Haunted houses are essentially this, but you just add in the monsters, spirits and scary stuff to get people scared and let them try to leave the place as quickly as they can. Do you have something similar like this in your world?

... I don't have much experience of Earthbread outside of my own village, but I can barely imagine doing something like that for fun. Is that really why you were inside?

Yes, that is correct. I was actually there to see what kinds of surprises that are in the house attraction this year and how different it is compared to the last time I went there.

And as it turns out, the way the spirits behave and go about things were way more than I can bargain for. They felt so real.

I'm pretty sure they WERE real! Please tell me you're not going to go back in there!

After that, there is no way that I would be wanting to go back to that house, I mean, that inn for the foreseeable future. Especially after they tried to scare the living lights out of Pooka and Mashka: the poor rabbit of mine had suffered a lot of anxiety from those spirit encounters.

[ She lets out a sigh of relief, before going back to her usual stoicism. ]

Good. For now, let's make sure we get away from this place... as far away as possible.

Good idea. I was hoping to get out of that place eventually. We should probably go somewhere away from that place as far as we can and enjoy the rest of the carnival.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

{ halloween }

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