oblivium: (Default)
nightfell mods ([personal profile] oblivium) wrote in [community profile] logs2022-10-06 01:15 pm

MOD EVENT #001

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.

fallingsand: (33;)

[personal profile] fallingsand 2022-11-01 02:02 am (UTC)(link)
Like... how? Do you mean with magic or...? That's gotta be a magic thing.

[ Was Mikey a dead dude equivalent to his niece?! Of course, Bruno isn't thinking greenhouse since it's a strange idea to him. ]
fallingsand: (26;)

[personal profile] fallingsand 2022-11-01 02:17 am (UTC)(link)
[ Bruno had every plan to do something interesting while the tea's calming effect lasted and this, this was going to be it. Well, there would also be the maze later, but let's not talk about the maze, that was a terrible idea. ]

I mean, I sort of guessed it was going to be... [ This, but he didn't finish. Silco was already leaving, heading on down the street towards the shop itself. Bruno was quick to hurry along after. ] But isn't it going to be locked?
invinciblemikey: (12)

[personal profile] invinciblemikey 2022-11-01 03:11 am (UTC)(link)
Who's saying I do? I'm just asking, man.

(it's not like he can get information about vampires anywhere else, though!!)

Doesn't really sound useful. What's the Frontier?
invinciblemikey: (81)

[personal profile] invinciblemikey 2022-11-01 03:13 am (UTC)(link)
That's what I mean. Things are just how they are.

(there's a moment of ponderation at the question. does he? it's not like he knows anywhere else. he's also untouchable. there are perks, surely.)

I suppose so.
invinciblemikey: (52)

[personal profile] invinciblemikey 2022-11-01 03:15 am (UTC)(link)
... What's with people and magic in this place!! No, it's just modern gardening.

(a whine, but it comes along with a roll of his eyes. no one gets him.)
damnpire: (pic#12094812)

[personal profile] damnpire 2022-11-01 03:38 am (UTC)(link)
[Like an obsidian ghost, D simply haunts the doorway without budging either. He peers at Joonghyuk, then he peers at the room itself... at the fire. Hm.

He looks once again at Joonghyuk pointedly without asking anything.]
Edited 2022-11-01 03:39 (UTC)
damnpire: (pic#12094804)

[personal profile] damnpire 2022-11-01 03:54 am (UTC)(link)
It's a kindness few sometimes afford others. [She is kind when he has lived long enough to meet many who are very unkind, especially to him.] You misunderstand.

[He watches her fix her hair. It feels too intimate for him to help in any way, and besides, he still hasn't stopped thinking of himself as something abhorrent. Even though she has been nice.]

I do appreciate what you've said.
fallingsand: (02; hey grew to live in fear of bruno)

[personal profile] fallingsand 2022-11-01 03:56 am (UTC)(link)
I... hey, I didn't mean to... [ Oh geez, Bruno leans away, suddenly worried he's caused offense. So much for calm, huh? ] It's just one of my nieces could. She could do that, with her gift? Y'know, grow plants? So I thought... maybe...
windsongs: (229)

[personal profile] windsongs 2022-11-01 05:17 am (UTC)(link)
[ She doesn't shy away, but she's still gritting her teeth through the pain. It's fine, this is fine. ]

It didn't say a thing about the offering. I'd remember that.

[ But it isn't working yet, nothing's happening so clearly she's done something wrong. She needs to get them out of this mess, it's her responsibility. ]

Don't think that's enough. Ease up on my arm.
windsongs: (044)

[personal profile] windsongs 2022-11-01 05:23 am (UTC)(link)
[ She hates it. She hates that there's practically nothing she can do for these people. She hates how helpless she feels, especially as the rush of adrenaline starts to bleed off.

He's probably going to kick her ass, but seeing that arm sticking out, she tentatively reaches for it, loop hers through. Her own arm trembles despite her trying to steady it. ]


Sorry. Just give me a minute. At least until we get away from here...
windsongs: (57)

[personal profile] windsongs 2022-11-01 05:27 am (UTC)(link)
[ Hibiki blinks owlishly at the compliment before smiling brightly. ]

Me? No way! More like a disaster. Hurricane Hibiki, at your service! But I guess if you think I am, I might be a little cool.

[ She laughs a bit, before something suddenly comes to mind. ]

Hey, what if sometime I could make you go fast like that without having you hang on to me? That'd be so cool to do with some of your moves. Wire fu'd have nothing on you!
windsongs: (049)

[personal profile] windsongs 2022-11-01 05:31 am (UTC)(link)
[ H̸i̴s̸ ̵m̸i̴g̸h̴t̵ ̶b̶e̷ ̵a̵ ̶p̸a̸i̸n̶ ̷i̸n̴ ̸t̷h̶e̶ ̶a̴s̴s̸,̴ ̷b̸u̵t̸ ̶I̷ ̶t̴h̵i̵n̵k̵ ̶y̴o̸u̴ ̴a̴n̴d̴ ̴I̷'̴v̶e̷ ̴g̸o̴t̸ ̸a̶ ̸g̶o̸o̶d̵ ̶r̸h̴y̷t̷h̷m̸.̵ ̷Y̶o̶u̸ ̸n̷e̵e̴d̷ ̴m̸e̶ ̵a̷n̴d̶ ̷y̸o̴u̴ ̸k̶n̷o̵w̵ ̴i̶t̷.̶

Hibiki looks away pensively, as if trying to delicately find the exact words to say. ]


I'm not worried about it. I'm also not jumping at the chance to be one of the first with one. I can deal with a voice in my head just fine.
janescayre: (014)

[personal profile] janescayre 2022-11-01 05:42 am (UTC)(link)
Wha—

[And out his quarry comes, a frail girl in a half-shredded uniform, stumbling gracelessly back into the open air.]

D-don't touch me! What gives you the...

[She slows. Stares into his face. No, it's not a trick of the shadows. This is the guy who harangued her on the network, she's sure of it.

Suddenly her heart is beating fast for completely different reasons.]


You...y-you would do that for me?
zauneyete: (Trying to listen)

[personal profile] zauneyete 2022-11-01 05:43 am (UTC)(link)
[ There is a scoff at the first statement. It is not dismissive to D's statement, but it is the weary, tired scoff, of someone who had lived it for all-too long. ]

Correct.

I suppose, if enough of us strive to get involved, perhaps something will leak through.

[ A beat, and his mouth twitched, like there was something behind his lips, a beast that fought to uncurl itself and burst forward. ]

If not... we'll talk again. I have experience in this... in rising against the authorities when they abuse their power, and strike at those who'd rise against them.
zauneyete: (He keeps going)

[personal profile] zauneyete 2022-11-01 05:46 am (UTC)(link)
Rather rude of her, isn't it?

[ His tone is snide, and just a touch mocking.

Not of Lottie, but of this situation, and this supposed person. Silco didn't care about whoever this person was, but if he had to think about a way to deal with it? He would have just had them eliminated. If not personally, then he would have sent Jinx, or Sevika their way, to deal with the problem. He had no qualms with dealing with problem people, certainly.
]

Then you have to get a spiritualist involved, and... [ His face twisted, in disgust. ] Well, maybe when we've all left this realm, and ascended, you can rub it in her face, when she ends up here.
zauneyete: (Shifts Eyes right)

[personal profile] zauneyete 2022-11-01 05:52 am (UTC)(link)
[ Silco looked over his shoulder, and he rolled his eyes. ]

No, I'm sure he left it completely open.

[ No, he hadn't gotten the man's key, but he didn't really need it. Sure, things broke fast here, but Silco had been quick to swipe a tool or two from a stall or two throughout the past few days. Enough to get him where he wanted, but he probably had a single use left.

He had been pretty decent at this when he'd been a boy. He was the one with small fingers, and a deft hands.
]

I have my ways.
zauneyete: (kickin people off bridges)

[personal profile] zauneyete 2022-11-01 05:57 am (UTC)(link)
[ He understood that. In Zaun, most would call it hell -- worse than that, perhaps -- but it was wild, and free. It could strangle the weak and support the strong, but it was the kind of place that even the poorest of them, children who worked in the mines, could lie, cheat, and steal their ways up to prominence. What mattered, more than anything, was that one would take.

Silco loved a place like that, so he nodded at Mikey, to understand the implication.
]

Mm. I would choose no other place than my Zaun, even if it would chew up and spit out most that I've met here. I wonder if your world is similar, with its concrete jungle.
paraselenes: (98b)

[personal profile] paraselenes 2022-11-01 06:43 am (UTC)(link)
[ It's strange. Lottie doesn't feel fragile, but the strain from swapping bodies and subsequent mayhem makes all his nerves turn agitated—it's too easy to get winded, and the itchy patches are distracting as anything. If he'd been any more panicked, how bad would it have gotten?

He's scratching idly at one of his arms when she interrupts his thoughts. ]


Excuse me?

[ Well. He did just tell her to put his body to use, but this is somehow still unexpected. He blinks owlishly her way, looking at his most bewildered. It's a mistake. Staring like this, forced to fully take in her face—his face—is a little annoying. Nonsensically, stupidly, he almost wants to reject the idea, just to spite... himself. But the fierce clod of hooves somewhere doesn't leave him any time to argue. ]

...All right.

[ It does make sense, even if it's—frustrating. He doesn't want to be a literal burden; he wants to run against the current of the mob and towards the horseman, he wants to see how far he can push these lungs before they burn, he's worn himself down to the nib training every day so that he could be relied on for this one thing: fighting.

So jumping into someone's arms to flee is both unfamiliar and aggravating. But that's what he does. At least he can say the next thing with confidence—he's used to sprinting across a battlefield in full armor. This should be easy. ]


Run far, and fast.
exilire: <user name="inkonic"> (pic#15877317)

[personal profile] exilire 2022-11-01 07:53 am (UTC)(link)
[ that shake of his head and that long-suffering sigh, are both what fuel her next endeavor where he's concerned.

but to that end: ]


...Come closer.

[ waving him nearer, as she's still lying on her back on the soft bale of hay, and it's literally all she can do not to let slip that blissfully goofy smile while she makes her request. ]

It's not for prying ears, I need to whisper it in yours.
boarwitness: (I try to keep going)

[personal profile] boarwitness 2022-11-01 11:49 am (UTC)(link)
[well. felix does have the good grace that at least a shadow of embarrassment crosses his features.]

Hmph. You might not use a weapon, but you're hardly unarmed.

[he'd rather obfuscate than admit to leaning into the whispers in his brain. still, a little bit of the fight has gone out of him, so rather than sword rattle sakura into landing any more verbal hits on him, he simply crosses his arms again and watches her.]

What other magic can you use?
craters: (Screenshot 2022-09-15 192537)

[personal profile] craters 2022-11-01 01:50 pm (UTC)(link)
she gives him a sidelong look, expression just slightly pinched — but it eases off after a moment. finally,

This is twice you've helped me now, you know? Both times you didn't have to, and it probably would have been easier not to. You're kind too, D.

don't argue, she'll punch you. straight up.
craters: (oentuhoseuh)

[personal profile] craters 2022-11-01 02:07 pm (UTC)(link)
it's the smallest, barest scrap of acknowledgement, and she hates how stupidly flattered she is by it. warmth crawls through her stomach, and she resists the urge to squirm uncomfortably, instead folding her arms. no! she's mad at him! he's being a jerk!!

but like a pokemon KO'd by its elemental weakness, sakura is stupidly vulnerable to anything that doesn't dismiss her as a threat. ɦell ʮeɑɦ, sɦe's ɗɑƞgeɾσus!

she blows out her breath after a moment, faintly exasperated at herself, and him. but mostly him.


Nuh-uh. Not that easy.

sasuke and naruto might be burning things down and using clones every which direction they go in, but she's at least trying to maintain her cover.

But how about I make you a deal? No attacking people for twenty-four hours, and I'll answer one question about what I can do.

clearly, a fair trade.
dreamlords: (8xEm8gR)

[personal profile] dreamlords 2022-11-01 03:49 pm (UTC)(link)
[ that...could be dangerous. he sighs but does as she asks, slipping closer to her and leaning down. he doesn't trust that look on her face, knows that whatever might be coming is going to be something. ]

Tell me.

[ he was right there and while he wasn't expecting much, he's curious enough to want to know. ]
damnpire: (pic#12231838)

[personal profile] damnpire 2022-11-01 03:55 pm (UTC)(link)
[He can't blame Mikey for asking at least.]

Earth. [His assumption is Mikey may know what Earth is, but it's also a gauge to see where in time and space he can try to place Mikey.] The land has been changed by different beings and centuries.

It's now called the Frontier.
damnpire: (pic#15946969)

[personal profile] damnpire 2022-11-01 03:58 pm (UTC)(link)
[Hmm. He peers at Hibiki, and even though the look has a long moment of awkward silence, he doesn't hold any particular expression about what he's thinking. Or considering.]

Because of fortitude, or because of experience?