MOD EVENT #001

[oblivium]

A CHAOTIC RESPITE

It isn't rare for the seasons in the Netherworld to be a little erratic, though many days have passed now without much of a hint of its typical mercuriality, a good and a bad omen all at once. This respite is commonly referred to as the proverbial "calm before the storm", but it also marks the beginning of merrier celebrations. The Moons above are gilded silver, the twilight sky edged with faint pink and orange -- a sunrise phantasm, spilling over the horizon. It's an infrequent spectacle, accompanied by a dulcet breeze and light drizzles that seem to encourage growth nearly everywhere. Unfortunately, under its influence, people seem a little on edge, quick to anger, but no matter; around Stygia, Restless have begun hanging decorations and ornaments on trees and windowsills, left to catch the moonlight and give off marigold and ginger glows, warmly lighting up the city. Rather than fish, the smell of freshly ground spices permeates the air in the Harbors, Mirth keeps its doors opened to all, but just before the festivities officially begin, a cacophony of chimes resounds all over, a transmission difficult to ignore.

On the screen of your cellphone, nothing; only a voice, ragged, out of breath...

“The woods... Oakwoods! They've come alive! O-One minute he was complaining about the water seeping into his boots, and the next he was... he was being yanked up into the trees! We didn’t see what happened to him, but we heard... the screams, ohh, the screams. Please! Come to Serene, I beg you. This is our safest sanctuary, and the lan... oh, no... wait, no, please... please... NOOO--”

...and the feed abruptly ends, a dull chirr of static. Will you ignore the stranger's call for help and feast, or venture into the woods?

► I. KNOCK ON WOOD (OH PUCK, HE'S HOT!)

When you cross the gates of Serene, an old woman welcomes you, palm flat against her chest and disquiet in her eyes. Myrtille, her name. Oakwoods loom dense and dark in the distance behind her, groaning low as leaves rustle without wind. The Mourning Lantern was stolen, and malevolence rose in turn, dooming them all.

“It was once kept here, a sacred Artifact crafted from the bones of Serene's first founder, who gave her heart’s blood willingly to the woods in an act of contrition. It's the absence of the lantern that is contributing to the wood’s unusually active malice, and if you lot cannot retrieve it, then we must sacrifice another. Go! Take these torches and go, before Oakwoods swallow us whole.”

So you've decided to be brave. Commendable, or foolish? The wood is dark and shrouded in mist, and the trees crowd around you, an absent wind somehow whispering foul nothings in your ear as dead leaves rustle around your feet. Your Shadow basks in the murmurs, sensing the malign presence in Oakwoods as a faint, garbled scream echoes in the distance. You wander deeper and the canopy thickens, thin streaks of moonlight peppering the woods in deep patches of darkness. Behind you, a creature you can't see hisses, and a fluttering of wings nearby alerts you to the arrival of snickering harpies lurking on branches. “Dead,” they croak, in a sing-song chorus. “Dead as daylight.” Oddly enough, they seem content to just watch and stalk you, perhaps expecting you to die quickly, an easy and effortless meal.

It's a frustrating errand if you've ever known one. You barely know what you're looking for, and your Shadow thrives in the dark, taunting, coaxing. You hear it then; a haunting melody, the silhouette of a boy on a fallen tree trunk, strumming. “Come,” he says, with a voice that shimmers like the sun on moving water. If you remember what that's like. “Rest a while. Forget your troubles.” For anyone familiar, you'll recognize him as a Puck, famous prankster, and from his hand dangles a lantern.

► If you attempt to take the lantern from him, he'll immediately drop it to the ground, causing it to break. You may choose to kill him and offer his blood to the woods, or let him go and bleed in his stead. Myrtille should be able to repair what's left of the lantern once the offering's been made.
► If you politely ask to return it, he promises that he will... if you indulge him for the night.

No matter what you choose, you will come across camps, either on your way in or on your way back: pitched tents, most moth-eaten, and some containing vestiges of prior expeditions such as putrid corpses or rotten food. You've been wandering for a while, and sleep sounds terribly inviting. Unfortunately, a wind finally picks up, and leaves begin to blow around you. A nick, then a cut, then a slash reveal the leaves to have razor sharp edges. Sleep well yet? If you've spared the Puck, he'll encourage you to sit with him around a campfire, where he'll sing and tell stories. Or are they. Perhaps you've heard of Bloody Mary before. Slenderman? The Devil that'll make you dance until you die? While the lantern remains in stranger hands, the thread between reality and fiction narrows; protagonists from the Puck's legends come to life, and the only way to rid of them is by quenching the flames of the fire.

Your journey unfortunately doesn't end there. The Puck has a riddle for you: I am a word that is hardly there. Remove my start, and I'm an herbal flair. What am I?

If you fail to answer correctly, he'll vanish before you, and you can bid the lantern goodbye. You'll be forced to gather the bones from the corpses scattered across the woods, and feed it your blood -- or a friend's -- before you escape and return to the woman. The offering will leave you drained and exhausted, weak on your legs. If, on the other hand, you do answer correctly, the lantern is yours, and you'll be teleported out of the woods with a boon in your pocket: a piece of parchment invites you to visit your home in the Shadowlands. There, you'll find an object (or a pet) that belonged to you in your world.

the answer to the riddle is sparsely! it's up to you whether you'd like your character to fail.
legends told around the campfire can be any of the ones mentioned above or any other that might strike your fancy! go wild, have fun!
remember that if you pick an item from your character's world as their boon, it'll eventually disintegrate unless reforged with a soul.

.

► II. GO BIG OR GOURD HOME

Welcome to the Frightful Harvest, a festival that marks the beginning of the Respite, a temporary period of tranquility between seasons. It acknowledges the blessings offered and the role that both good and evil play in the Netherworld. It is a time to give thanks, but more importantly, it is a time of reflection and warding. Warding against not only the darkness of the next seasons to come, but of the nefarious creatures and struggles that will undoubtedly follow.

Carved pumpkins and straw bales are placed everywhere around the city, and streamers and banners are hung from every home and storefront. Decadent cakes, candies, and pastries are made in over-abundance in order to accommodate everyone, and from the lush gardens of Radiance, an elderly, dark-robed man addresses the Netherwork. You'll learn by eavesdropping on nearby Restless that his name is Doran, the oldest among you and loved by all. His smile stretches kind, and while not an official member of the Hierarchy, it's clear he has certain privileges -- well-deserved, or so you hear.

“Let us gather, feast, dance and celebrate. Let us hold our glasses high for those who heroically perished, for goodness, and for the Ascended. May their journey inspire us to change our lives and the lives of others, to resist evil, and to triumph. To you, dear friends!”

And without further ado, let the festivities begin!

► BARDIC BLITZ
The bardic blitz is a friendly competition that pits talented musicians against one another in an attempt to win over the affection of the crowd through festive melodies or personal compositions. Although it can be hosted just about anywhere, the bardic blitz is normally held in a large canvas tent directly in the heart of Mirth, though smaller crowds also gather in Serene and the Harbors around bonfires.

► FEAST
Although all cultures around Stygia bring their own tastes and specific flair to the celebrations, there are a few staple trade goods that you can find at nearly any celebration of the holiday throughout the city. Many producing the various cakes, beverages, and cookies also use the time to test and perfect their recipes, teaching others or using them as guinea pigs.

► Firstdawn Tea: This revitalizing crimson tea soothes the mind and body and is brewed from the roots of the dawn flower, which only sprouts during the Respite.
► Grablenuts: These fist-sized brown nuts have a hard, stippled outer shell and soft, delicious spicy centers. A single bite will slightly lower your inhibitions, and you may find yourself seeking proximity and warmth.
► Elysium: A nonalcoholic beverage that smells and looks as bad as it tastes. Only those with the strongest will manage to gulp it down. Once drunk, the person experiences true bliss, which seems to last for hours; in reality, it's only a few minutes.
► Will-o-the-Whiskey: Whisky with minor hallucinatory effects, visual and auditory.
► Sundrop: A pound cake coated in a sugary lemon drizzle. No side-effects, just delicious!
► Shadowfell Candy: Chewing on this candy will grant the character a deep and rejuvenating sleep, during which they will appear dead to anyone.

. ► HARVEST HUNT
The harvest hunt happens in a corn maze located in Mirth's amusement park, specifically created for the occasion. Because of the labyrinthian horrors dwelling in the Tempest, some find the terror-free replica a little inappropriate, yet participants still abound every time. A favorite seasonal game of the exuberant and athletic, characters take on the role of either hunter or prey, racing through the maze to either corner their quarry or escape the hands of their pursuer. As long as Shadows behave, it's a relatively safe activity. Friendly spars sometimes occur, picnics, and star-gazing.

► THE PARADE
The parade is the activity most looked forward to by younger Restless. Citizens clad in colorful costumes walk the streets to the rhythm of festive music, and according to tradition, it helps ward away any lingering evil that might try to hide in the community. For reasons unknown, incidents where Restless unwillingly swap bodies sometimes occur.

► III. WAYWARD SUN

The Warding Ritual is a private affair, a behind-the-scene execution on the last day of the festival as you dance and feast and frolic, blissfully unaware. Something goes awry. First, a shriek in the distance, and soon, birds flying away in apparent surprise as the landscape rustles with the sounds of creatures and Restless alike fleeing. A vague sense of dread knocks the air out of your lungs, an iron grip around your throat. And you see it then, a headless figure shrouded in a black veil of cloth, sword in one hand and a bright flaming pumpkin in the other. Its head. It thunders through the night on its skeletal horse, its blade flashing in the moonlight in search of prey. Heads fall. You might get injured during the chase -- collateral damage. 10 members of the Hierarchy won't ever rise again, and the rider eventually charges into the Tempest, leaving behind bloody puddles and a slather of confusion. If you opt to help clean up the mess, you might come across stained sheets of paper on the ground, a painting of a white scorpion in the middle. Otherwise, it's time for you to go home.

---

ooc note

► Welcome to Nightfell's first event! If you'd like additional, more casual prompts, the Notice Board is right here! New prompts will be added next month, if you've already had your fun with them!
► You'll find some answered questions here, but if you'd like to ask something else, please comment below!
► For a little spooky ambience in the woods.

Comments

sweats in HOW DID I FORGET ABOUT THIS TAG

[nagano]

It's an unfortunate coincidence. I wouldn't want anyone to suffer like I do.

[ A soft laugh. He carves the rest of the kernels out before tossing the ear away and tumbling into a similar seated position across from her. ]

How long have you been dealing with it? I've had this for... most of my life? Since I was a child.

[ Since I lost my mother, he doesn't add. ]

IT'S OKAY FR

[telepathy]

As long as I can remember.

[ she chews the thought over. plucks at the fibers of the corn husk, a familiar and soothing fidget. few cultivated corn in the wilds, but that did not stop it growing wild in some of the wetter parts of the desert. ]

It wasn't as bad, before. [ she shuts her eyes, trying to remember life before exile. ] There weren't many of us in my clan. Maybe a hundred ... Not like here.

[ and then, of course, there were the nearly twenty years of silence in between. lack of exposure, and she was too sensitive to it now. would she have ever been able to return to the clan like this, she wonders. ]

[zauneyete]

[ Man, where's your thirst for danger? ]

That's for the best, I wouldn't haul you out of here.

[ He said with a shrug. It wasn't all that important to him at the moment -- he wasn't going to be able to cook shimmer here, and didn't have a reason to pursue it, yet.

He turned back to the papers, and shuffled them one more time, looked through them, before he sighed, and rearranged the books as they were before, down to the slip of paper returned to where it'd rested. ]

Dead end. To be expected, but I'd rather exhaust the easy possibilities first.

[coherer]

(embarrassed about being caught, but still glad something's been said, jonas, flushed, raises his elbow against ichigo's nudge to return the physical gesture.) No, I—you're good. I've just—I'm super rusty at this. Actually, I think I was born rusty.

Which is good, because now we match.

(he motions to ichigo's hair, letting that terrible joke sink in before clearing his throat.

real friends. wild.)

I've been by on jogs and stuff. The first couple of weeks after we got here, I just wandered around a lot. Up here in Serene, out to the Barrens... The academy is pretty cool. They must have insanely smart people in there. You live long enough and you know pretty much everything, right?

[coherer]

(jonas inhales in the silence as though he might speak, thankful when d continues. while he's used to filling voids in conversation, it's nice to be privileged enough to listen to the stories someone has to share with him.

his own seem played out, and maybe he only feels that way because he's tired.

how must d feel?)

So, do you have a stronger attachment to your human side than your vampire side? I know I'm asking you a billion questions, but I'm... I'm curious. Like, is that why you help us and not vampires?

[coherer]

(the moment sasuke sits down, jonas is sinking lower and lower until he's entered a maximum chill slouch with his chin against his chest. silence grows between them until it becomes overlarge.)

... I learned that these merchants are absolute criminals who won't take "no" for an answer. I cut a deal with them, though, and got a direction Sakura went in. They saw a guy with one arm and strange eyes come through here almost an hour ago.

(he sighs out, playing with the ends of his new scarf, and peers over curiously at sasuke. though sakura's face has been drawn into a thin look of severity that isn't easy for him to read, jonas decides that, contextually, sasuke doesn't look too good.)

Look, I know I probably don't know Sakura as well as you do, but I've got a feeling she'll come back here if we wait long enough. This is, like... a safe space for her, I think.

[zangetsu]

（ the hair's a bit of a sore spot. not because he's ashamed of it or anything — after all, he gets it from his mother's side, the kurosaki bloodline so impossibly intermingled with quincy heritage. more that it's gotten him into more than one fistfight at school. the nail that sticks out...

he sighs, and sort of shuffles a hand through his hair a bit. he's sure that sort of thing isn't something an american kid would pick up on anyway, so he just lets it go. jonas really doesn't seem the sort who's going to be a jackass on purpose right after declaring friendship.

rusty is right. ）

I don't know about that. I've met more than a few old assholes who think that being old makes them special even when they don't know shit.

（ stares directly at yhwach. stares! at him! ）

[damnpire]

[If D is pestered by the questions, he doesn't show it. Truthfully, he isn't in the slightest, not when it's Jonas, not when it's a curious human who wouldn't know anything else.

Even so, he's typically not very forthcoming about himself. It's better that way (he thinks). It's better the vampires don't have anything to use against him, and it's better especially for the humans who are always left behind with his nomadic life.

But he's had some nuts unfortunately, and Jonas is being honest.]

I'm impressed by what vampires managed to create for themselves, but little else, [he finally says.] I don't think I have an answer that would satisfy you.

Only that... helping humans is what feels right to me.

LOL "Your chest is heavy" I'm dying! cw: bullying, also csa

[pissoffbook]

[They would have more in common than he even knows, the body he now resides in has been bullied, beaten, and stripped by the other kids from the Aerie in order for them to "find out if this freak is a man or a woman." That was when she met Grandma and Grandma showed those bullies a thing or two. She can still picture Dimo getting hit with the rock right between the eyes.

He will see his own face light up in surprise as Kainé tries to fathom what he just said. Of course there's something there to loathe! She hates her body, but that doesn't mean she doesn't want it back.]

But... I'm a freak...

[Her voice is quiet as she looks away. How can he not see that? Though she blinks when he comments on her chest, the observation momentarily distracting her and she snorts. She doesn't know it, but Devola had said she was "put together in all the right places." so Laurent, that's what a grade A chest feels like.]

[fallingsand]

W-wait, what, you wouldn't? [ Bruno turned to look Silco's way quickly, clearly surprised by the thought that someone, someone! Might leave him behind! Wow! ] Is that a... joke... or...

[ No, no, that was absolutely serious. Uh, hm. Bruno seemed to realize that all on his own as he trailed off on that 'or' and after a series of conflicted expressions, he settled on simply asking this instead: ]

Right, so, what are the hard possibilities when all the easy ones are gone?

Sorry for being a snail!

[pissoffbook]

[Kainé grits her teeth, fighting the urge to just throw herself in and take the lantern. If Aspen has another way, then she'll hear him out.

Still, she summons her blades to her sides, holding them there in an almost warning. If that creature even so much as moves wrong towards Aspen...]

Fine. Get it to give up the goddamn lantern then.

he's stupid lol

[wrists]

[ comfort does not come easily to him — or at all, really. it is not something that has been given to him in years. auguste was the last person who offered him kindness, affection, protection, and since his passing, his life has been devoid of all of these things. so looking at kaine now, knowing what she needs, he finds himself also knowing that he is unable to give it.

it's disconcerting to see such a forlorn, hurt expression on his own face when he spends so much time masking the truth of what he feels. ]

You're rude and irritating. That's hardly enough to make you a freak. It just makes you unpleasant to be around. [ pot, meet kettle. ] Your body is strong and sufficient for combat. Anything else is not required.

[zauneyete]

[ Silco's single eye closed, the other still stared at Bruno, as he shook his head, that burning ember locked on the other man.

At least he'd figured out that Silco was serious. What, did Silco seem the type to joke? Especially about that?

Mind, maybe his opinion will change when there's something Bruno can offer him... ]

Well, first I'll start looking through public records, and then keep an eye on any businesses linked to them...

If that bears no fruit, then I'll be looking into casing those businesses, maybe I'll start lifting from the Hierarchy itself...

We're a far way off from breaking and entering headquarters, but it's certainly a possibility.

[fallingsand]

Huh...

[ Well, that made sense, he figured. Start small, work through to the top, but for what? It was clear Silco had no trust for the Hierarchy and, frankly, Bruno wasn't too sure about them, either, only... ]

And what are you going to do if you do find what you're looking for? I don't think they have any reason to be afraid of little guys who've been here for, like, a few weeks, I think?

[ Not that time seemed to matter here. Everyone seemed to mark things by weather rather than day. ]

[zauneyete]

Of course not.

[ It's blunt. He made a step out of the office, and indicated for Bruno to follow. ] Some of us won't be newcomers for long, though. I don't intend to be an idle restless.

[ A soft snort, at the thought. ]

I'll use it how I see fit. If they don't reform... [ And really, what authority force would reform? Silco couldn't imagine it in concept. ] Well. We'll cross that bridge eventually, won't we?

[ It should be no surprise, that Silco would be gunning for them, the Hierarchy. ]

LOL! Sorry I'm slow!

[pissoffbook]

[Come on Kainé, suck it up! She knows now isn't the time to be like this, but having someone find out her secret is quite jarring.

Luckily, he uses her harsher side to bring her back to her senses and her expression immediately turns indignant.]

Well, you're a real piece of fucking work yourself. [She snorts.] I'll show you how sufficient it is for combat when I kick your ass once I get it back!

Sorry I'm slow in return!

[pissoffbook]

And how many others do you have right now that you don't need a goddamn human soul to keep from disappearing?

[Not to mention, Kainé grew up poor, so what one shirt could be to one person was like gold to her.]

Then concentrate on that. I'll be fine. Just let me know when you're ready to go.

What should we have happen? If you have an idea, go with it!

[pissoffbook]

Punish me? Then I'll deal with it. If you really wanna stay, suit yourself.

[She then slices the corpse's wrist lengthwise and allows the blood to soak the lantern. As it's dripping, she turns back again to Arrakis.]

'think that's enough? Or should we try the other one too?

[fallingsand]

[ Bruno turned to follow, softly shutting the door behind him once he'd stepped out of the office after Silco. ]

Uh, right. Good luck with that, I guess? Since you sound like you definitely have... actual plans instead of just, y'know, wandering around.

[ Something Bruno could feel a tinge of envy for. He had no plans, no idea of what he wanted to do with this afterlife, and here Silco was, plotting to do... something, anything other than being idle. ]

[zauneyete]

Well, I don't want to be bored...

[ It's idle, and a little derisive. Silco hasn't known a day of peace in his entire life, let's be real. He started to move for the entrance, his feet quiet on the ground, almost like he knew precisely how to skulk about. ]

Besides, isn't it better to stay busy, than... I don't know, just be the restful restless?

[fallingsand]

Restful restless... oh, ha, very funny.

[ Bruno sounded like no, he didn't find it funny, but he wouldn't let it slide by unnoted. As for him, he didn't even have to try to be quiet. Same as how he'd simply appeared at Silco's side back at the festival, he moved without even a creak from the floorboards.

If they had anything truly in common, it must have been that, some high level of skulking about unseen. ]

Let's just get out of here before anyone else wanders by, yeah?

[zauneyete]

Right. I'm sure you'll want to enjoy the rest of the festival anyway, hm? Maybe more of that tea?

[ Before this guy got even more anxious, right? He stepped his way to the door, and locked it behind him, with a few twists of the kit. ]

[chokuto]

[Looking at Jonas in that position makes his back hurt.

... The words, though, are clearly meant to be a comfort. He is beginning to wonder if Jonas is more invested in Sakura's well-being than first suggested. But if that were the case, why would Jonas care to reassure him now? It must be for the sake of Sakura's body.

That information is a good lead. It is all he has — so, inevitably, he'll cling to it. The thought of wandering around in this foreign body with its strange, uncomfortable pressure of chakra is almost unbearable. Stay where Sakura is certain to return; it is a decent strategy.]

Then I'll wait here. [Pale green eyes slip off of Jonas.] You don't have to stay too. You did enough.

[fallingsand]

Well, I don't know...

[ Now that he knew there was potentially a whole bunch of mysterious powders in it, it seemed less like a great idea. Only, on the other hand, it kept him calm and god knew he needed that so, so badly. ]

Maybe? I mean, it. It's not like it's hurt me yet or anything.

[zauneyete]

I doubt it's going to, or they wouldn't sell it out in the open.

[ Silco suspected that the Hierarchy wouldn't allow them to.

He gestured to the street, before them. ] If it harms you, just complain to the powers that be, right?