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

[Suddenly she forces the neutral, detached expression again, a familiar contemptuous sneer coming back into her voice.]

You care that deeply about the happiness of people who wanted you dead do you?

[She scoffs.]

And what happens if you're wrong, Avatar? What happens if some people really are just the monster who tried to kill you?

[He sighs at the sneer, the sudden rhetorical question and the turn it represents. But then the rest comes forth and - and he drops all pretense, in that moment. She had, after all, asked.]

I don't think you are a monster, Azula. I think you did a lot of bad things to try and get your father to love you. But your story isn't done yet.

And the fact that you haven't tried to kill me since I got here is all the proof I need.

[Without Ozai, she had been...almost peaceable, after all.]

[Her eyes widen, then just as swiftly narrow at his words, and she visibly bristles- particularly when he mentions Ozai.]

I haven't ruled it out.

[And he merely nods, a very slight smile on his face. Yes, he understood - he could see it now.]

You would have tried by now. Come for me, in the night, while I slept. Something clever. Cleverer than Ozai would have managed.

But you haven't. Why do you think that is, Azula? Do you actually want to hurt me? To hurt anyone?

[... She's not sure which is more vexing- that he so casually called her bluff, or that she hadn't even realized it was a bluff until he said that.

Frustrating. She sighs and glances at one of the mirrors- thankfully free of enchantments, in this case, just an ordinary yet distorted reflection.]

A pity you missed the fun in the summer. I inflicted all the pain I could possibly stomach.

[... she hates how shaky and quiet her voice sounds when she says it.]

[He sees the dodge there, but...there's something else in her voice there. And so the silence drags out as he ponders how to respond to that. Part of him wants to just think that this is typical of her - whatever it was just unleashing her. But...that's not what his instincts say. That's not what they've been screaming for a while here.]

[And so, after a long moment:]

I'm sorry, Azula. Whatever caused it...I don't think you wanted it.

[The silence twists in her gut like a knot, and her jaw clenches when he finally speaks. Pity. He was showing her pity.

She barely keeps the snarl out of her voice when she responds.]

It hardly matters what I wanted. Only what I did. What I am.

[He sighs, shaking his head.]

If that was what you were, you'd still be doing it. I... I see that, now. I couldn't before. Not during everything.

[He looks, if anything, a bit disappointed in himself.]

I don't know if you've ever gotten to do what you actually wanted. After everything, I'm not even sure you know. Because I'm not sure I would. I just wish I'd figured this all out sooner. Maybe I could have done something for you, earlier.

Shut up!

[The shout is punctuated by her slamming a fist through one of the mirrors beside them. She doesn't even seem to register the action, or the sudden rush of tears flooding her eyes, she just continues snapping.]

All I've ever done is hurt people. I reveled in it. And when I finally thought I didn't need to anymore, when I finally tried to-

[She trails off, and in that moment she seems to realize what she just did. She hastily pulls her hand back and stuffs it into her shabby, zombified robes. Her voice is more even, more like the normal sneer she usually presents, but she can't quite seem to meet his eyes anymore.]

I know what I am, Avatar. I know what you really think of me, and I have no use for your pity. It nauseates me.

[The change is shocking enough that he takes a step back, his look something to match. The clatter of glass is the only lingering sound for a moment. How does he even begin to...? How can he possibly...?]

Azula, let me see your hand. Please. You can...you can trust that I don't want you to have nicked an artery!

[He held out both of his, wincing. He can only imagine that pain, in the moment. That she can hold onto it so tightly...tells him even more about her life, her upbringing, than he'd ever known.]

And I...I can't even begin to tell you how wrong you are. About...everything! You don't know me, you know the enemy your father made me.

[His voice may have started tentative, but it grows in confidence as he goes on.]

You might think you're a monster, but I've seen monsters. Real ones! And you're no Koh the Face Stealer! You...

[He's actually upset, in the moment, to his own surprise. Not...at her, but for her. The ugliness of it all. To take your own daughter and craft her on the anvil of life into...into what? A tool. A violent tool! And had Ozai even asked after her, once he was captured? Not that Aang had ever heard! But after a moment, he takes a deep breath, pushing that out and away, closing his eyes.]

What do you think I 'really think' of you?

[She recoils at the sudden concern-on her behalf? Him, of all people?]

... Fine. You don't really think I'm a monster.

[As soon as the concession is made, she follows it up with a sneer.]

Because you're a sentimental fool too.

[... Her hand did hurt. It hurt a lot. She glances down, and sees red beginning to leech out into the fabric of her tunic.

She sighs and thrusts the injured hand out toward him, and she talks more quietly and calmly again.]

When I turned into that... thing... it was the people closest to me that I attacked. The people who I-

[...cared about. Saying it out loud sounded ridiculous.]

...people I had no reason to hurt. What does that make me, if not a monster?

[He rolls his eyes and shakes his head as he starts to examine her hand. After a moment, he reaches down and tears a strip from the hem of his robe, beginning to wrap her hand up.]

You're lucky you got away with surface cuts.

[He works to wrap her up firmly, but gently.]

Sentimental fool, sentimental fool. You repeat that over and again, and yet - what use was all your anger, all your armies? What does all the hard-hearted thinking get you?

[He lets go of her hand, looking at her.]

It makes you someone who was made into something they weren't. Again. I won't deny you've done very bad things, Azula - but the past doesn't guarantee the future.

[She scowls and withdraws her hand a little more roughly than she should once he lets go of it.]

Me being who I am guarantees the future. The fact that you, of all people, are denying that is what makes you a sentimental fool.

[She looks at the shattered mirror, idly reaching out to trace over one of the loose shards hanging from the upper frame.]

There's... someone. He's been... a useful ally to me, ever since I came to this place. And the place I was before, the city. He was-

[She tugs lightly at the shard of glass, angling it so that she can look at her own amber eyes in the reflection.]

He was kind to me. Even when I gave him no reason, he... helped me. When I was hurt. Whenever I needed him. He's the most loyal... friend... I've ever had.

[When she says the word 'friend,' she glances at the ground, hiding her face. She suddenly swipes the shard out of the mirror and lets it fall to the ground, though it's too small to break on impact.]

I broke his leg and tried to kill him. No reason. No gain. No motive.

[She turns back toward Aang, irritably wiping the tears from her eyes in a vain attempt to hide them.]

When I became a Noctaere, that's the first thing I did. I hurt somebody who never once hurt me, who did everything he could to help me, for no reason. With nothing to gain. With no provocation. That's what I am.

[He listens to her, shaking his head.]

Listen to yourself. The answer is in your own words. What you are? But you became something else? You're...

[A slight pause]

Blaming yourself for something that wasn't your fault.

[If she can blame herself then...well. It's not an ability the truly lost have. Ozai wouldn't do it. Most of his enemies couldn't.]

It's...scary, caring about others. Well, it can be. It must be so much worse for you. All the normal worries about them getting hurt - but worrying it'll be your hand that does it, too?

[He'll try, very gently, to put a hand on her shoulder.]

I understand that, Azula. I've been there, too. When I first discovered the Avatar state, I couldn't control the emotions attached to it. I was afraid I'd hurt people, the innocent and...people I cared about. I know your fear, Azula. The fact that you are feeling it at all...that's proof enough that you're wrong about yourself.

[She looks like she wants to argue his point, but she's admittedly distracted by the hand reaching out to her- she shrinks back slightly, but when it lands on her shoulder she stares at it in absolute bewilderment.

It's a long, awkward silence before she finally forces herself to speak.]

There was nothing else. The Noctaere was just me. It-

[She struggles for a moment- as much to grasp at a rebuttal as anything.]

All that changed was that I lost control of-

[... Well, that wasn't quite right, was it?]

You weren't even there, you can't possibly understand!

It doesn't mean I can't come to understand. It doesn't mean I can't listen.

[He doesn't withdraw the hand, either, but holds steady where he is.]

And it doesn't mean...I can't forgive you. For what has happened, between us.

[Because he has to, doesn't he? It's the next step. It's the necessary step. It's...not as hard as he thought it was, now that he's getting to truly see.]

[...what-

Forgive? Forgive? As if- as if she ever asked for his useless forgiveness. As if she had ever reduced herself to-

Her breath catches, and her vision blurs again, staring at him- no longer bewildered, her expression seems to turn to frustration and indignation, as if he'd just insulted her.]

You're an abysmal liar, Avatar.

[He can't help it, he draws a hand down over his face, taking a deep sigh.]

Why. Why would I lie about this, Azula? Please, try and...try and understand: I try not to lie. Ever.

What would be the point of me lying to you about this?

I admit, I can't think of a good reason.

[Her fists clench- her injured hand stings, and she hisses slightly.]

But it still strikes me as far more likely.

[He just sighs so deeply at that, and for a moment she might see the genuine sadness in his expression.]

I still forgive you, Azula. No lie, no secret plan. It is what it is, and what it always will be. If you want to run from that, to say it's all just...some plan you can't guess at?

Then that's your call. I can't make it for you. But you're trying so hard to make yourself into the monster...is it that hard to picture a life where you're not alone?

You. Of all people. You expect me to believe...

[She takes a step back, staring at him- not just confused, but actively bewildered.]

Nobody could-

[And then she clenches her jaw shut, as if she just caught herself admitting something deeply humiliating. She stares at him for a few more moments, caught between confusion and rage, and then she whirls on her heel and starts to stalk off.]

[He won't stop her. It'll ignite a fight if he does, because right now he's pretty sure she's feeling more than a little cornered. But he will call after her.]

Even you can have hope, Azula. You've seen how powerful it can be.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

{ halloween }

2/2

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cw:self-injury, blood

Re: cw:self-injury, blood

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I SWEAR I'M ALIVE.

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