October Event Log

[kaisoumods]

October Event
Dominant Element: Earth
Waning Element: Water

※
Autumn is in full swing throughout Kaisou. The winds of September have settled down, leaving behind picturesque chilly autumn weather. During the month, the trees will be in full autumn glory, giving everyone a beautiful show of bright yellows, reds and oranges. At night, the atmosphere is perfect for a spooky Halloween night, with the moon showing brightly as you walk through crumpled leaves that skitter across the ground.

A Spoopy Time of Year

With the arrival of October, the city switches into full Halloween mode. You can't go anywhere in the city without finding some kind of Halloween decoration, whether it be jack-o-lanterns, paper ghosts, fake skeletons, or orange and black coloring. Restaurants and coffee shops are selling Halloween-themed refreshments, while there's a Spirit Halloween opening up in just about every empty building in the city for those looking to get yourselves a costume. Where did they come from? How did they pop up so fast? No one knows.

With school entering it's second month, students are finally getting used to the new daily routine. As they do that, maybe it's time to look into getting more involved. The Student Council are holding their elections, and there's auditions for the fall music concert. Meanwhile the clubs and sports are starting to gear up at both high school and the university as well. There's a wide variety, from high school baking club to the swim teams to the university anime club - or you can make your own club! There's lots of ways to be involved with your peers.

For those looking to get into the spirit of the holiday, there's plenty of things to do! The pumpkins are ready to be harvested in the farms of Stardew Valley, so you're welcome to visit a patch and pick out one for jack-o-lantern carving! There's also costume contests being held in the shopping center, with winners getting gift certificates to various businesses. Kami State Park are offering horse-pulled hay rides through the forest in the evening, for anyone wanting a fun date or family activity that's low on the scares. For those who want more of a thrill, the Gold Saucer has set up a ghost hotel experience. You can either do a basic tour that showcases all the typical things a haunted house has (creepy props, jump-scares, costumed folks, moogles in ghost costumes, etc), or for the truly brave, you can opt to stay the whole night in the hotel. The rooms are decked out to the macabre extreme complete with some creepy sounds occasionally occurring throughout the night. But hey, if that's what you're into - no shame!

The Halloween festivities aren't restricted to just the normal parts of town. In Undertown, plenty of merchants are getting into the spirit and selling Halloween items such as cauldrons (great for potion brewing), witches hats (enchanted to always be pointy), and witch brooms (enchanted to...just hover. No real flying). Meanwhile more traditional shops will focus more on protective wards and items meant to appease spirits, sometimes grumbling about the commercialization blinding people to the real dangers of this time of year. Enki Education Center meanwhile will offer plenty of classes about the history of Halloween and other related topics.

Samhain: The Lifting of the Veil

Those involved with the paranormal will be familiar with the idea of the veil between this world and the Spirit Realm thinning somewhat during this time of year. It's been a long known fact, and why so many holidays occur this time of year. However most years, the thinning of the veil results in nothing more than it being easier to conjure powerful spells, or an increase of supernatural sightings from normal people - some real, some fake, some from folks who have indulged a little too much in the Halloween spirit. Overall though, it's nothing to be too concerned about.

This year though? Between the already unusual activity from the Spirit Vein and recent damage done to the barrier by the man-made portal? The annual thinning of the veil couldn't come at a worse time. Instead of an mild increase in supernatural sightings? Normal people around the city find themselves bewildered as they become capable of perceiving all things supernatural. Your inhuman features? Your weird hair color? Those weapons you've been carrying around? The people can see them for what they are, and they have a lot of questions and concerns. The app users will be routinely dealing with the chaos that comes from those who once were oblivious now noticing what has been going around them all this time. Do your best to navigate the questions or escape if it gets to be too much.

Unfortunately, the problems from the thinning don't end just there. Throughout the month, tears, or smaller gates, will continuously pop up around the city. Each of these gates will lead to smaller labyrinths that looks like different versions of hell - complete with demons ready consume on any poor souls that happen to go near these gates. The surefire way to deal with these gates is to kill or exorcise the master demon of the labyrinth (which is a demon that's tougher than the other ones). This will cause the labyrinth to collapse and everyone inside will be safely teleported out. Do your best to patrol the city and ensure that no civilians fall prey to these tears.

The Disappearances

It starts slow, at first it's just one or two people from the app who go missing. Those who have the Libra app might suddenly find that they can't get a hold of their friend. For some, they might rationalize an explanation: it's October and some people are getting really busy with school or work as the big holiday season is right around the corner. Nothing to get too worried about, right? But for others, such rationalizations doesn't sit right. Not when a person they live with doesn't come home, or fails to show up to work when they've never been known to skip out.

Investigating these disappearances don't yield much at first. In most of the cases, there's no signs of a struggle. Though for a couple, especially with people who tend to be difficult normally, there's some signs that maybe something occurred - but there's no trail, no fingerprints. If you submit a missing persons report to the police, they won't have much in the way of leads. Zodiac too seems concerned, saying they'll look into it but not having more details to share at this time.

By the second week of October, things have escalated to the point that not even the most laidback of people can rationalize things away. Several people, all on the app, have gone missing and no one has been able to contact them at all or locate them by any means, magical or mundane. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to who's taken or when they were taken, just that they were likely alone when they vanished.

Just where then, is everyone going? Will you be next?

A Gate to Hell

It's not until October 13th does a lead finally get found. Zodiac will send a message through the app, it's signal blaring as usual.

ALERT: SHIFTING GATE LOCATED AT KAISOU HIGH SCHOOL.
Element Classification: Earth
Danger Level: High
Designation: The Qliphoth
A large gate has been detected at Kaisou High School. We have received information that this gate is connected to the disappearances of app users. Some locals have approached our agents with information on this realm. They have also requested assistance in stopping the demons within and saving the hostages. This realm is HIGHLY DANGEROUS, please only go near it if you're prepared. Please visit the Zodiac Office if you need any questions answered or equipment. And whatever you do, do NOT make any deals with demons.

Visiting the Zodiac Office, they will find that the atmosphere is once more very serious. There are Zodiac employees rushing around, trying to get a handle on the multiple crisis going on. Professor Willow looks rather pale and like he hasn't slept in a week. When asked about his condition, he'll just explain that he just pulled an all-nighter researching. Though when the TV in the office shows another news story of someone reporting a supernatural sighting of some kind, he seems to pale even further.

But before you can focus too much on the Professor, the Zodiac attendants usher you over to the group that requested assistance. It seems to be a mix of people that hang around the Underground and ....yeah, ok, that's a 7 foot tall demon with horns with them. Before you can brandish any weapons, the humans with them insist they're a good demon. They explain that within the realm of the Qlipoth, a demon lord by the name of Zoray is attempting to harvest power with human sacrifices - the folks who had been kidnapped. As such, they need help in putting an ends to the plans.

Once you're ready to go, the gate can be found on the football field at Kaisou High School. It's completely overtaken one of the endzones, a massive and twisted monolith that just reeks of evil as you approach. The grass around is turning brown and quickly dying off as red light from the gate itself reflects on. Needless to say, the homecoming game has been cancelled until further notice.

It becomes incredibly apparent, as soon as you step through, that the situation is much worse than what Zodiac was expecting. Before your eyes lays what looks to be once a normal city, not unlike Kaisou itself. However, its days of being a normal city are long gone. The sky bleeds between bright reds and blues, often mixing into an odd but eerily clear sunset, and two major landmarks greet the eyes amongst the urban ruins. Nearby, an old castle looms with impeccable stature, while in the distance lies a horrid and twisted tree.

One of the most prominent things to note, then, is the slight scent of copper wherever you go. It lingers on the tongue as something familiar, but you can't quite name it as to what. For folks with enhanced smell, however, they can tell exactly what that copper is– blood. The entire gate reeks of it. Even worse is how there is an oppressive air constantly around, one that feels heavy and has weight to it overall. The flora and fauna have too many eyes, too many teeth, and many look like if you mistreat them, they'll bite off your fingers or worse.

What a way of greeting the incoming help, huh?

Kidnapped: Face Yourselves

As for those who were kidnapped, let's rewind a moment to what happened. They had been in Kaisou when they were approached by a stranger, pleading to help someone who had been trapped within the Spirit Realm. Those who were reluctant to go were offered rewards of various sorts. Anyone who agreed to follow the stranger would've found themselves quickly nabbed by demons before everything went dark. As for those who resisted all attempts to lure them - well, the stranger had enough and called on their demon friends to jump you anyway.

Those who were taken will wake up and find themselves in caverns below grown, beneath a massive tree far bigger than any tree or really any building you'd find on Earth. Any weapons on your persons has been taken from you, and the phone can't get a signal - not even to Libra, thanks to the magic radiating from the tree roots. No one is being tied down or anything, as the demons are sure there's no way you could ever get out from beneath the tree. Listening in on their conversations, it sounds like they plan to sacrifice you. Those who are able to sense magical energy will be able to tell that even now, the tree is slowly siphoning their energy just by being here.

If you want to try, however, and perhaps avoid the fate of being sacrificed, you can attempt to escape. The kidnapped victims are in the root system of the tree, so they'll have to use their best judgement to navigate through the roots without getting caught. Though getting out is easier said and done to actually, as the root system is a maze, with twists and turns and dead ends and the occasional gap that must be traversed. Anyone who attempts to escape using magic will find their way blocked.

There are small mercies, as you don't seem to get hungry or thirsty while trapped in here. However after a few days, the tree's roots will absorb enough of your energy to create demonic doppelgangers of the captured. These demonic doppelgangers appear as twisted versions of the person they're copying, and worse - they reflect every inner demon within oneself and magnified. Someone prone to jealousy would have a demon that flies into jealous rages, while the demon of someone greedy will not stop until they have everything. These demons are their literal inner demons made manifest, and they were created to make sure you do not escape. Some will try to kill, while others aim to break you mentally by making you face your worst features. Do you face them head on and defeat your inner demons? Do you try and befriend them? Or do you just run the other way and hope they can't catch you?

Meanwhile, Back with the Rescuers

Returning to the rescuers, there are two avenues in which a person can assist. For those who aren't quite suited for or willing to do a marathon of battle, you can head to the castle. Meanwhile those who brought weapons and an itch to fight? Well, you're directed to head to the tree.

Route A: Raising Spirits at the Castle

The path to the castle is a straightforward one. The stronghold itself seems out of place, an old castle that's in a pristine state amongst modern buildings in ruins. As you approach, you may being to spot the residents of this castle. Demons of every shape and size fly, flit, scamper, and walk around the area with no malice or ill intent. They aren't the only ones here, as there's humans mingling among the demons as well. It's not until a group of these residents, the human kind, come forward that you may realize that this isn't a place of terror or horrors, but a refuge from what is happening outside.

Once they notice you, you're ushered towards the fortress. The group explains that long ago, this was a normal city, but one day that demonic tree appeared along with an army of demons. The humans that remained now are part of a witch coven, descendants of the citizens who lived here once. Their duty these days is to keep the balance within this realm in check, and stop the demonic legion from spreading further. While some demons have learned to live in peace with the coven over the years, there are many more that still seek to wreck havoc and conquer. Recently, the evil demons have grown fiercer, thanks to their leader Zoray's plan to harvest a fruit that'll boost their power and allow for them to push their army into the next realm over - Kaisou. The only way for the fruit to be produced? Sacrifices, and lots of them. They were particularly keen on folks with high spirit energy, like the app users that got nabbed. The coven is doing what they can, but they need help in both places, and in more ways than just fighting.

That's where you come in.

While many wish to go to the tree and save those who were kidnapped or even assist those who go, there's another way to help out. One thing that serves to weaken the force of the demonic army? Positive energy. Being a safe haven for demons doesn't exactly make it a place that one would consider happy or positive, and it shows. As the plans to take on the demons and Zoray are laid out, the group admits that having enough good energy back at the castle will help take off the edge of the demons at the tree.

Seeing as there's plenty of people who can help bring in some positive energy, they've begun preparations for a Halloween celebration, roping anyone into it that chooses to stay behind. Lights need to be hung, streamers need to be unrolled and placed, food needs to be prepared, events need to be broken down and planned so things run smoothly. Demons and humans alike will split the work, though watch out for some of the smaller demons, as they like to be mischievous and have fun when people are doing their job. Once things are all set up, then the fun begins. Games have been set up to entertain everyone there, including bobbing for apples, telling spooky stories, dancing, even a costume contest to keep spirits high, and have things last for a long while.

Route B: Speedrun Attempt

Of course, some may not care to scale the tree. For those who want a more direct approach to saving their friend, you hear rumors around the castle that the kidnapped victims are being stored away in the roots of the tree. Those who pursue those rumors and look around the roots of the tree (all while avoiding patrolling demons) will find a stash of items that were taken from the kidnapped victims. Take care of the demons guarding the stash, grab anything you recognize as belonging to your friend, and carry on. Eventually, the search will pay off and you'll find an opening that leads into the root system where the captives are being held. (note: if a character attempts to STEAL any items to keep for themselves, they must obtain permission from the player who the items belong to.)

Or at least, what seemed like an opening. As once you go inside? The roots will move and seal you within the roots. Just like the kidnapped victims, you're trapped within and subjected to the same torments the kidnapped victims must deal with. Whoops! But on the upside, you have weapons! Those will probably come in handy.

Route C: Battle at the Qliphoth (cw: trypophobia)

For the group that decides to head to the tree? Hell is about to get up close and personal.

Finding the path towards the tree isn't too difficult, but the further the group ventures in, more and more of the city they approach begins to show how devastating the tree has been to the environment. Debris lines the streets, buildings have crumbled and parts lay strewn across roads, and the smell of blood grows stronger. Perhaps the worst thing of all is the sheer amount of (cw: major trypophobia) husks left along the way, mostly in the shapes of people in complete and utter terror. Eventually the group will come across the witches assigned to watch the tree, still focused on keeping the tree's evil from spreading. A quick exchange of information from them fills you in on any missing notes– namely, that Zoray has gathered his minions and has gotten exceptionally protective of the layers of the tree. The higher you go, the stronger and greater amount of demons you'll encounter.

For those who try to bypass all of the obstacles given by the tree and its residents by teleporting or flying, they'll find a barrier forms less than halfway up the tree, with a phantasmal hand that shoos them away from going any further. Time to start climbing.

The Lower and Middle Levels

On the (cw: trypophobia) outside of the tree's tough skin, plenty of small fry (and not so small fry) will greet you enthusiastically and maliciously. Demons here more often than not don't speak in human tongue, they'll simply acknowledge your presence with a roar and bound after you. And where there's one, more are sure to follow. As if that wasn't bad enough, roots from the tree itself lash out every often, hoping to catch anyone who passes through unaware and impale them to the floor. Getting caught by one is going to have to use some quick thinking– either stab the root or shoot it, and the thing will let go. It sure won't be happy about losing its meal though, so be careful.

Far into the middle of the tree lies twisted paths and corroded edges, some of them almost looking more like a path of an elongated spine than the bark of a tree. Tougher demons lie in wait here, some even being commanded by others, and you may even come across spaces where the way forward is blocked by red spiderwebs that refuse to budge unless all demons are defeated. Finish them off, the webs will shatter, and you can move on your way.

The High Arena

Up at the top lies the demon lord responsible for this entire mess. Zoray watches over the rest of the realm, smug in his assumptions of claiming the Fruit once it ripens. The arrival of outsiders such as yourself is not something he expects, and it shows– he'll do everything in his power to keep you busy and unable to reach the Fruit, as he's standing beside it. It will take a lot of teamwork and cooperation to take out not only the demons serving Zoray, but the demon lord himself must be destroyed as well. Thankfully, the positive energy being created at the castle does help make his blows hit much less harder, and offer occasional protection to those who get struck. Everything is on the line, so bring your best to fight for the safety of the realm.

When the dust settles and Zoray is no more, most demons inside the tree will scamper, unable to handle the loss of their leader and not knowing what to do without orders. Make sure to destroy the fruit (which thankfully has yet to ripen) before you go. The trip down will be safer, and the coven will greatly thank you for your help once you return. Not only that, but the roots of the tree will pull back enough to allow openings for the kidnapped victims (and their would be rescuers) to make their escape and reunite with everyone. Any doppelganger demons that are remaining will need to be dealt with...or left to their own devices, never to be seen from again.

Aftermath

With the main threat dealt with, the city returns to....well, okay. Not fully normal, but a little bit calmer. Tears become less frequent, though still continue to be a problem thanks to the time as year. Normal people will still continue to notice more things than usual, but some of the more oblivious ones will stop noticing things. The coven witches, thankful for the help, will send everyone jack-o-lantern buckets that will refill with your favorite candies through October. Any items that were taken from the kidnapped victims by the demons will be returned to them if they weren't already. The staff at Zodiac will begin to relax, offering monetary compensation for samples of the tree and feeling hopeful that once they get past Samhain, things will return things to normal.

Except, that's not what happens. In the final weeks of October, after the Qliphoth has been dealt with, the days will get progressively shorter. Much shorter than what's normal for this time of year. Daylight will go from lasting half the day to only a couple scant hours. It will culminate on October 31st, Halloween, when the sun does not rise at all - leaving the city in perpetual darkness.

Going to Zodiac will yield little answers, as they have no explanation at all. Clergy at the church will inform you that the Black Order is looking into it as well. As for POKEGO, well strangely....Professor Willow is nowhere to be found. In fact, no one has seen him since the days have begun to shorten.

That's probably a coincidence, right?

OOC Notes

The dominant element this month is Earth! Anyone with an affinity to the earth element will find themselves boosted throughout the month. This could mean a boost to their power, having more energy, feeling more inspired with creativity, having better luck on different attempts -- the boost can manifest in all sorts of different ways. By contrast, anyone with an affinity for Water will be experiencing the opposite. Perhaps their powers will be weaker, they have less energy, they're having a creative block or general worse luck - again it can manifest in all sorts of way and players are free to play with this mechanic as they'd like.

Player are still allowed to sign up to be kidnapped! Just head to this comment and sign up! Sign-ups for kidnappees will close on October 13th.

The original OOC plotting post for this event can be found here. Another Zodiac Post will be going up October 15th to serve as an intro post for new characters and allow characters to react to developments over the network.

Comments

[fionnuisce]

[i; but i know a hero will come]

[What seemed a lifetime ago, a monster beyond mortal comprehension had arisen in a river running through a city, unleashing its horrors to run unchecked along the water's edge. Abominations against nature, malformed life that was not quite aquatic and not quite insectoid, compound eyes lining squirming tentacles, useless twitching segmented legs--]

[He never learned the name of the Master who had been left for dead in the underground workshop, or the Caster who had been responsible. He didn't want to know. All that mattered was the deep scars it had left, and the one thing he hated above all else—the needless sacrifice of children meeting a bloody and violent end. Not again, he’d promised himself, not so long as he was able to stop it.]

[That night on the Mion River ended in a burning sky and shattered earth, and ten years of sleepless nights and irrational fears later Waver Velvet could safely say it was the second worst night of his life. If he had his way, that tree would burn all the same before long.]

['Can you fight', a woman had asked him that night, surrounded by horrors and a golden airship streaking overhead. Back then, the question had been laughable; he was nineteen, terrified, and barely able to cast more than a weak Gandr. But things were different now. The one who helped protect him then was someone whose magecraft he could now command in however limited a form.]

Shape ist leben!

[Thin wire uncoiled from his arm with a silvery glow, the end shaping itself into a sparrow-sized bird that darted and circled around the nearest demon--tangling insectoid legs and wings, pulling tightly to immobilize it and then tighter still to cut through flesh and bone. The demon dropped to the ground in a pool of blood, wireframe bird circling back around its caster.]

[One down.]

[ii; and the night will be torn apart]

[He wasn't going to be able to do this forever; that would have been a fact even if he had been a powerful archmage who had a normal amount of magical energy. But he wasn't, and he didn't. Even stronger than he used to be, Waver was still only human and a half-baked mage besides that. Eventually, his best efforts were going to start slipping. Worn out and well past being on his last nerve, Waver staggered behind the ruins of a building and pressed his back to a wall to catch his breath. A hand pressed to his right leg glowed with the flickering light of healing magic, and after a moment he stood a little more steadily. It would have to be good enough for now, because he had to keep going. He couldn't let himself back down and hide when the city was going straight to hell.]

[A wish to save every single person was blind foolishness, he knew that. Even heroes couldn't protect everyone, even knights and kings and demigods were fallible. A world where no one had to suffer and die needlessly was nothing more than a dream.]

[Not everyone could be saved. But some could be. The world would never be perfect. But it could still be better.]

[If striving for that small thing ended up killing him someday, then so be it. He was damn well still going to try, and this world was no exception.]

[Staggering around nearby, three tall malformed demons holding wide, serrated scythes took notice of what no doubt seemed like easy prey. Just his luck, honestly. Waver took a breath to collect himself and withdrew a small glass vial from his pocket, flashing a harsh and rebellious smile. Well, if he was probably going to meet a sudden violent death, no reason to make it easy.]

Really, ganging up on someone that can't get away? I'm almost insulted.

[Cornered with certain death approaching in a city gone straight to hell--how nostalgic.]

[iii; and i know we won’t fight alone]

un: silverrose

[The voice message is sharp and to the point, interspersed with what sounds remarkably like the sounds of combat. Probably fine.]

If you’re wounded or otherwise stuck somewhere, speak up with your location. If not, go seek out those who are. Don’t overextend yourself and don’t get caught out alone.

[oh but it’s okay when you do it?]

And whoever else is going to that godforsaken tree? Don’t do anything stupid.

[iv; a darkness will block out the sun]

[wildcard for anything else/aftermath/what have you]

Rose | FFXIV | OTA

[poisontippedcure]

[Tear in My Heart]

[Rose never thought she’d long for the days she was mistaken for a “cosplayer,” but here she is. It turns out that the only thing worse than having the citizenry think you’re in a costume is having the citizenry ask why you’re a catgirl. Constantly, and repeatedly.]

[After a particularly frustrating encounter, Rose tells a citizen off, causing them to run. They’re in the corner of her eye when she sees it; it’s a tear, and it’s about to swallow the citizen whole.]

Seven hells, are you kidding me?

[After a long moment of deliberation, she takes out her scythe, and runs after them. She might be mean, but even she would feel a little guilty if something were to happen. Still, demons are strong, and it might help if anybody nearby offers their aid.]

[Between a Branch and a Hard Place]

[Rose knows better than to offer to help. Rose knows better than to listen to a sob story.]

[And yet, here she is, trapped. Even she couldn’t overpower the demons that surrounded her. Her conjury may be weak here, but she can still feel the tree slowly drawing at her aether. After an extremely long bout of complaining, and cursing, and futile attempts to kick the trees roots, she recognizes there’s only one option: escape.]

[She goes up to the first other person she sees. Normally, she’d prefer to fight on her own, but without a weapon she’s powerless. She’s also scared, but she’s doing her best not to let it show.]

Let’s get out of here. Nothing good can come if we stay.

[The Root of the Problem]

[It turns out Rose is very bad at directions, but that’s the least of her problems currently. They’ve stayed in the tree too long, and she knows, because the tree has somehow managed to conjure a doppelgänger of her.]

[At first, she was mildly annoyed, but it was when it started speaking that she realized just how much trouble she was in.]

[Some people face their problems head on. Rose is not one of those people. She’s done her best to run from her problems throughout the years, and now she is running, quite literally, from her inner demons. She’s managed to find a rather thick tree root to hide behind, but her doppelgänger isn’t far, and seems intent on drawing her out.]

Poor Ahna, you’ve never been quiet good at this, have you? Perhaps that’s why people keep dying around you.

[It’s clear that something needs to happen, but it’s probably not going to without some sort of intervention. Or, the doppelgänger is going to get to Rose first.]

[Misc]

[Wanna do something not listed? Reach out to me at bronnichiwa#1383 on discord!]

Ruggie Bucchi | TWST | OTA

[laughwithme]

Hyena-napped! Part One: The Nappening

[One minute Ruggie was telling some obvious scammer to buzz off, the next he's waking up in the dirt under a massive root system. This is fine.

He gets up and dusts himself off before he starts to take a look around and get his bearings. Nothing about this looks good, but it's not the worst thing he's seen. Or dealt with.

So yeah, there is one hyenaboy poking around the root system and occasionally blasting it with raw magic just to see what happens.]

Hyena-napped! Part Two: Mirrored

[Marking the roots in hopes of not getting turned around? Easy. Probably pointless, but easy.

But now Ruggie is staring down a scrawnier, more obviously sketchy version of himself that looks every inch the "scavenger hyena" stereotype and boy is he utterly unamused.]

Seriously? This is the best this thing can do?

[Please. He's probably faster than it...]

Aftermath

[When all is said and done, Ruggie will be...going around places and mostly helping people clean up but he is also absolutely snagging anything that looks valuable or interesting as he does. Nothing super obvious! But if he sees unattended, obviously "lost in the confusion" stuff lying around he is absolutely taking it. His now.

Or maybe he's found a grill or something in one of the parks, has gotten meat form...somewhere don't ask, and is letting his trio of rat chefs make lunch!]

[arrowtotheheal]

A: Medic on Standby [Network - Voice; UN: will_solace]

[Will's voice is calm and steady as he makes a general announcement.]

Hey, all, this is Will Solace. I'm setting up a medic tent outside of the gate. Anyone with a background in medicine and or healing, you can make this a rally point to grab some medical supplies and meet up with your team, if you have one, before you head into the gate. Anyone not heading inside, please stay out here and be ready to receive the injured and the rescued hostages.

[Gods, he really hopes there aren't any healers planning on going in there alone.]

Anyone wanting to volunteer to help out here, I've got jobs I can assign for you to help us with. I'll also take any donation of medical supplies, just in case.

Everyone else going in, if you're too injured to keep fighting, make your way out here and we'll patch you up. Try to keep the heroic sacrifices to a minimum, please! There are lots of people out here who will be extremely upset if you went and died on us!

If you need a healer to come to you ASAP, contact me and I'll either come myself or get someone to you!

[He leaves it at that for now.]

B: The Medic Tent Boogie

[Will is doing what he can to get this tent set up, but it's a lot of organized chaos. He's putting together first aid kits, making sure all the tools he needs for stitching are kept in a sterile and easy to reach place, and ensuring that there are places for the injured to lie down on that are also as sterile as he can get it. Being outside, complete sterility is not an option, so he's just working with what he's got.

It's definitely a sight to see a 15-year-old directing it all like a trained soldier. Anyone who approaches Will is going to get as much of his attention as they need. Likewise, anyone who wants to volunteer can drop by to ask him where they can help. He definitely has need of more hands in this initial setup phase.]

C: Wildcard!

[If you need Will for any reason, feel free to drag him off with a prompt of your own! Or get him to literally not overwork himself because he will actually stay at the tent until every single person is at least stabilized or on their way to the hospital for further treatment.]

[beathollow]

a. phony

( halloween is... very special in america, it seems. but it's been years since mafuyu had celebrated last- and even then, it's not quite like this. another thing to file under culture shock. second years are called juniors in america and their high school is four years rather than three- another adjustment, but easy enough. trying to navigate her way through the school to go to classes is... a little difficult though. but she'll manage.

picking her own classes had been an embarrassing trial. electives especially... but soon enough she'd settled on music. so that was going for her at least. mostly, however, mafuyu's just trying to adjust. it's so strange, not being the dependable ace of the school though. people aren't asking her for help. students aren't talking about her as she goes by like she's some sort of celebrity. when she sits down to eat lunch, people don't crowd her for favors or study tips or anything else.

... it's kind of nice.

but she really is getting lost a lot actually. help. )

Which way was it...?

b. otome dissection

( to mafuyu's credit, she tried to say no when she'd been asked for help- she's a normal girl with no experience with this sort of thing- she'd just get herself and whoever she's trying to help killed and she thinks she should really be praised for showing some sense of self-preservation all things considered? but in the end it was for naught. which is where we find her now. she has two phones and they're both useless- she can't even flee to the empty sekai- and her plain backpack because of course she got nabbed on her way back to her apartment and mostly her head just kind of stings- she thinks there's some scrapes on her arms but she doesn't care to check at the moment.

time feels unreal and she spends hours- a couple days even- wandering through the roots, trying to climb where she can or checking on people as she comes across them. (she'd wanted to help, once upon a time. this seed still lies within her heart.) it's only when she realizes how tired she is that she understands that the captives are here for the long haul, at which point she tries to at least make someplace comfortable to sleep among the roots.

it's the third day that turns out to be the continuation of the nightmare of her labyrinth- as she walks through the tunnels, pushing dangling roots out of the way, she finds... herself. a terrible, awful version of herself dolled up like the prettiest treasure, dangling from strings that have no end. and as mafuyu stares, the marionette slowly looks over at her and she feels sick. )

... Do you really think anyone will save you?

( the marionette's voice is just as soft and cold as mafuyu's true voice. and she knows deep down that it- she- whatever- doesn't mean from the tree itself. )

wildcard.

( aftermath threads will happen, but i wanna see how things shake out first! )

Danny Fenton | Danny Phantom | OTA

[schrodingersghost]

Happy Halloween:
This was Danny's first Halloween as a ghost. Or part-ghost at least. And he very quickly decides that if this was what his life was now, he was going to lean into it.

A trips to the nearest Halloween store nets him a small collection of t-shirts with awful ghost puns on them, that he proudly wears to school in hopes of getting at least one groan out of friends in the know. He makes a trip to the haunted hotel.... and cheerfully helps the spookiness along in a few places.

And then of course there was his Halloween costume. Danny borrows a white sheet from the closet, and purposefully cut a few clumsy holes in it for his eyes. And he had it, the most cliche ghost costume of that all.

He was absolutely running with it this year.

The Ghost Boy?
Over the last few months Danny had taken to going to the park in the evenings to practice his abilities. Now that he could fly (or something resembling it), this had become even more a part of his routine.

He wasn't exactly expecting to be noticed. But with the lifting of the veil, the presence of a glowing boy flying through the sky (and sometimes wearing a bedsheet ghost Halloween costume), doesn't exactly avoid notice.

It doesn't take long for an urban legend to start spreading about the Ghost Boy.

Dealing with Tears:
Danny was standing at the sidewalk looking at a tear in midair with a worried frown.

"Well, that's not good. We can't just leave it like this, right?"

Although he wasn't entirely sure how you went about closing one of these.

Yoosung Kim | Mystic Messenger | Normal Modern AU | OTA

[blurrier]

A.

[One of Yoosung's biggest fears is having someone he loves get taken from him, dragged into the Spirit Realm. It's somewhat (not at all) funny then that it happens to him. He had barely thought twice about helping the stranger, so he really was an easy target.

When he awakens in the root system of the tree, and hears the demons talk about sacrificing them, he has to try hard to fight off his immediate, growing panic.]

Th-this... This can't be happening... We have to... We have to get out of here, we have to find a way out!

B.

[Later, once he's gotten over the initial panic (and failed to find a way out), he realizes there are a lot of other people who have been kidnapped too, he tries to help and comfort them. It's good as a distraction, and he likes to be helpful anyway.

He makes a little ball of light, just a little glowing orb that can be held in the palm, and offers it to someone else with a kind smile.]

How are you feeling?

C.

[While they may not have been tied down, by the time the tree has enough energy to create their doppelgangers, Yoosung's twin demon seems intent on keeping a tight hold on him, clinging to his arms or his back and just generally being absolutely smothering. He's also, unfortunately, emotionally volatile and extremely possessive, as anyone who comes near Yoosung will get yelled at by his crying demon doppelganger.]

He can't talk to you!! He can only talk to me! He can only look at me!!

[Yoosung himself also has tears in his eyes, and he's shaking with fear even as he occasionally struggles with his doppelganger.]

Let me go!! Leave me alone! S-someone help, please...?

D. (Network Post)

[Near the end of the month after the demon boss is defeated and things have settled down, Yoosung realizes that someone is still missing. He's been taking Pokemon classes (technically all animals/creatures.of the Spirit Realm, but Yoosung has a particular interest in Pokemon) taught by Professor Willow at Enki Educational Center and there haven't been classes in a while. Yoosung had assumed this was a Fall Break thing at first, but...

He decides to ask around on the Libra app:]

The lack of sunlight is kinda upsetting but what's worrying me most is, um... Well, has anyone seen or heard from Professor Willow recently???

Wildcard

[OOC: if there's anything else you wanna do, like more calm/normal Halloween stuff or anything, feel free to toss another prompt at me or poke me via PM or on plurk at favors]

Moana | Moana | OTA

[findingways]

School Days

[ October generally tends to get busy for Moana already, since the swim season starts at the end of the month. There's practice for those still on the team from last year, as well as try outs for new members. Coordinating schedules and checking budgets, there was already a lot that needed to be done before the season starts.

But this year in particular somehow gets even more chaotic. She doesn't entirely know who had done it, but Moana eventually learns that someone had thrown her name into the election for student government. Not just one, but two positions.

And she thinks that maybe she could handle one, and considers dropping out of the other. But...no. No, she can't.

Not after seeing her competition. ]

Lifting of the Veil

[ Unfortunately, all the school-related activity seem to be sapping a lot of Moana's strength. Most days she wakes up still feeling exhausted, as if she hadn't even gotten any sleep. She tries to keep her focus in school, but doesn't have much left for other things.

Which starts to become a problem when everyone in the city start seeing supernatural things. And not being able to concentrate as much means that she has a more difficulty keeping her transformations under control.

And she knows that something's wrong when she sees people staring at her as she's walking down the street. It could be a tail, or it could be some scales covering her skin, or fins, or even her eyes, but she knows that they're seeing something. And she has to hurry to get out of sight, unless they decide that they need to do something about her. ]

Tears

[ Despite feeling so run down, and having to hide in when she feels some of her more unusual features pop up, Moana is still around town looking for any of those tears that might appear in the city. She isn't entirely sure what she'll be able to do about them, since her other abilities seem to be low as well. But she knows that she has to do something.

She just hopes she can. ]

Wildcard

(( Have something else you want to do? Go for it, or hit me up at usamichan13 to plan something! Moana can also be around to help rescue people if anyone likes! ))

August Villareal | OC | Mostly OTA

[drewthetower]

Patrolling | OTA

[Nothing about those tears feels right to August, who takes to patrolling around Kaisou and going in the smaller ones by himself to handle the problem. The monsters in the back all fall easily enough, but damn if this isn't getting exhausting.

He finds a bench nearby after the latest one and just sort of sits, not even really paying attention to things around him.]

Personal Hell | Closed to Katsuki

[August isn't sure who's number he just hit, he just turns the phone around so whoever's on the other side can see that tear in his fucking yard.]

Please tell me I called someone who can come with me to do something about this shit, fuck. Unless I called Nox, because someone needs to stay in town and it ain't gonna be me right now.

Aftermath | OTA

[In the aftermath of it all, August...is not alone. Sure, he went in to help get the kidnapped victims, obviously, but that entire time he seemed a bit distracted. And the presence of a older woman at his side who, except for the hair and nose, looks a lot like August might go a long way to explaining just what has him so distracted.]

Monkey D Luffy | One Piece | This is Halloween

[couldntsaveone]

A. This is Halloween

Luffy's never heard of Halloween before coming to this world. It's not something they really experience or celebrate in his world. The closest experience he's had was a wild adventure on an enemy ship called Thriller Bark.

All of this is new and exciting and so much fun to him! There are so many cool decorations out, people are already buying costumes and getting ready for early Halloween parties. To him, this is all so fascinating. He keeps ending up wandering after various people, into new areas, only to be in awe over everything all over again.

This is all so cool! I want to check out everything!


B. Mad World

Having friends kidnapped so soon after he's arrived here is disconcerting, to say the least. He eagerly ends up volunteering to help in a bunch of different rescue missions. He'll do anything to help his new friends, but he'll definitely need help, because no one has really seen him fight before.

Oh, sure, he kind of fought with the dinosaurs but he was clearly still having fun. This won't be like that. This is him pushing himself to his limit, again and again and again and again, passing it until the point where it's legitimately concerning. To the point where he will likely be collapsing and still wanting to push himself past even those limits. He doesn't know what a "healthy" fight style is.


C. Aftermath

If you thought things were bad watching him fight, stumbling across the aftermath is worse in a way. He's all smiles and laughter but he's clearly well past his limits. He literally can't defend or take care of himself.

i. Gear 2nd - He's collapsed, unable to move. He won't be able to move for at least five minutes. He is completely defenseless, unable to even lift his arms to shield himself. After it wears off, if there are still enemies, he'll suck it up and keep fighting. But the second the fight is over, he'll collapse again and be clearly weak.

ii. Gear 3rd - even more concerning, he's shrunk to the size of a child. A smaller than average child, at that. He is unable to fight or defend himself in this form, obviously. He is able to move around and is very good at hiding and stealth while small, although he's by no means an expert. Again, he'll be in this form for five minutes before resuming his former size. This one has less physical draw backs, with him bouncing back quicker, but is much more dangerous.


D. Party Planning

August's birthday is coming up and he somehow got wind of it. He's now requesting all his friends to help him create a potluck style party!

ooc; This is the party planning stage only. He will be setting up a separate post for the actual party later this month.

Cale Henituse | Trash of the Count's Family | OTA

[alwaysbeentrash]

i. Kidnapped


Really.

[Great. Just great. Really, what had he done to deserve this? A sudden app appeared to have installed itself on his phone and everything seems to have gone downhill since then.

He felt foolish. He wasn't usually the helpful type. Why had he let that person, that suspicious stranger, play him like a fiddle? Talking about younger siblings had him reluctantly agreeing to follow them. Just for reconnaissance, he'd been firm. He wasn't a fighter. And yet, when he'd gone near the tear, the stranger had forcefully herded him inside, despite his potests. That had led to this situation, with him now at the mercy of the demons who had jumped him, dragged him away to-- who knows where. He didn't remember. He'd ended up blacking out shortly after they grabbed him.

Having woken up here, listening to weird looking demon creatures talk about sacrifices and what not, had not been comforting in the least. Some of the others around him had panicked and either tried to fight their captors or flee. Some made it, some did not. Some seemed to escape, as they never came back, but who really knows? Cale wasn't stupid. Even if he tried to escape, he wouldn't get far. He felt weaker than usual just being here, had no clue where here was, so there was no way he'd be able to find his way back, wasn't able to fight, not really. He wouldn't be able to defend himself if something more nasty came after him out there.

His best bet was to bide his time and plan an escape that would lead him straight to somewhere safe. Where he could either call for help or wait for a rescue. He sighs again.]

This'll teach me. I'm never helping anyone with a sob story again.



ii. Doppleganger


[It's been a few days since his arrival. A few of the ones that seemed to have escaped either came back on their own, claiming to have gotten lost in the maze of root systems, or were herded back by other demons. Some still remaining missing, so there's still hope that there's a chance of escape, although it seems slimmer now.

It's stranger here, though. No one has seemed to have gotten hungry or thirsty since being here. They haven't needed food, or water. Sleep was more of an escape than a huge necessity as well. But maybe all of this is driving them crazy because now, strange and twisted versions, copies of themselves are showing up. Cale stares impassively as someone with his own face, in a much fancier and slightly older fashioned outfit comes out of the root system. The others have been struggling with their worst traits but he already knows his own--]

How boring. When can we leave here. Although it's nice that we don't need to do anything and can just laze around for a bit.

[Things have gotten decidedly more annoying, that's for sure.]



iii. raising spirits


[After finally being rescued, Cale is relieved to be free. Both of that horrid place and of his double. However, he isn't ready to head back to safety just yet. He follows his savior quite a ways away before pointing to an area, a castle, that seems to have both humans and demons.]

What's that?

[Upon hearing the explanation, he frowns slightly. It doesn't sit right with him to simply be rescued without doing anything in return. But realistically, he can't fight. This, however, is something he can do.]

I'll go there. I can help with positive energy. You can go back, see if you can save others or help with other fights. I'll be fine.



iv. hello darkness my old friend


[The days have been getting shorter, which is ideal for Cale. He thrives best in the darkness. But they've also been getting impossibly short, as well. It's something he doesn't mind but he knows not everyone is a fan of it. So, he starts offering to help out.

First, volunteering to help the elementary kids walk home, since they get off between twilight and dark now, despite it being midday. Then, offering to help people get around after dark. His enhanced vision at night is definitely coming in handy. It's not superhuman yet but definitely well above average.

And finally, he starts volunteering to help anyone afraid of the dark adjust. It has to be hard, getting used to living with your fear all around you.]



v. Bonus; School Elections


[Cale nominated himself for one of the school official positions. He's going to try very hard, in hopes that he can get it. It'll be good experience for his resume, for one. And, despite his attitude, he does want to help out a bit. But will anyone actually vote for him?]

Tsunayoshi Sawada | Katekyou Hitman Reborn | Normal AU

[theskyaccepts]

[Just a Normal Day at School]

[To be perfectly honest, Tsuna is not a big fan of this time of year. He's a weenie, an absolutely coward, and spooky stuff is something he'd rather avoid. So he deals with it the way he usually does, with keeping his head down.

It's harder this year though. He's always been aware of the weird stuff in Kaisou, but now it seems to be fully on display. And he can't say that he likes it. It makes it hard to focus, and really all he'd like to do is stay home and cower under his blankets. Maybe go over to his cousin's.

He's standing by the door as lunch comes to a close, debating if he should leave or not. It's not unusual for him to be seen here.]

[Happy Birthday?]

[Tsuna's birthday occurs on October 14th. He doesn't really draw attention to it but he definitely skips school on that day. One can find him at the arcade.

Or feel free to text him. But he doesn't expect anyone to remember either.

He goes missing a few days after his birthday.]


[Tree Time, Baby!]

[It is not a great time to be Tsuna right now.

The last thing he really remembers is someone clocking him over the head while he'd tried to run away. There would be no spirit world dealings for him, thank you. Except for the part where, obviously, there are now.

He's currently in a cell, to paralyzed by fear to really do anything. He's heard the talk about sacrifice but also the guards laughing about how people get lost down here. There's really no escape and so, he's stuck. He really, truly, doesn't know what to do.

Pathetic says the Tsuna on the outside. This Tsuna is different from the Tsuna who cowers in the cell. This one stands taller, is dressed in a formal suit and bears a colder expression. There's an orange flame in his forehead but it seems harsh, angry somehow. Nothing like the brilliant light of Tsuna's normal flame. How can you even stand yourself? Cowering like that?]

...go away...


[Wildcard]

[Want a different scenario? want to plot? urbaninja or PM to accomplish that.]

Jun Nightroad | Tokyo Xanadu | OTA

[whiteshroud]

I. Spirit Halloween
[Unsurprisingly, Halloween was just about Jun's favorite holiday. You wear costumes, you tell spooky stories, you eat lots of sweet things - what is there not to love? As soon as Halloween season was upon, he was all ready to get into the spirit.

And so unsurprisingly, he can be found browsing the aisles of Spirit Halloween. He's taking this time to look at every costume and prop there is, assessing them for their potential value. ]

II. Captured
[He had been suspicious when someone approached him, even doing his best to try to back away. But he hadn't expected a demon to grab him from behind. Everything went black, and next thing he knew he woke up in this root system - unable to teleport out.

He'll summon his shroud, to cover up his face. He doesn't want to betray the fact he was a kid that was terrified right now. This reminded him too much of horrible things he rather forget.

He then starts to wander, trying either to find a way out or just keep himself moving. He doesn't initiate conversation with anyone, he's too introverted for that, but hey a guy in a white knight uniform is sure bound to stick out, right?]

III. Deadly Doppelganger
[As the days pass, maybe you're getting used to the strange hooded figure with you. Unfortunately, that might be a real problem when Jun's demon appears - donning the same uniform that conceals its face.

Those observant might notice the crosses on the cloak have been inverted, and the silver cross on his belt loop is missing. And those who can sense things to be off with the power reading.

But those easy to miss signs are the only warnings you get as it turns to approach you. It doesn't respond verbally, instead as soon as it's close enough? It'll go for an attack, swinging a shadowy manifested long blade, conjuring arrows made of demonic energy, or just using its strength to try to rip you apart.

There's no hesitation in its movements, yet no real emotions in it's attack either. Just sheer determination to carry out its attacks and kill whoever it finds, as per its mission.

Do what needs to be done to complete the mission.]

IV. Wildcard
[Got another prompt for me? Hit me up!]

Fern | Adventure Time | OU | OTA

[laminae]

Kidnapped

[With the sudden fear and hostility Fern is faced with this month, of course he'd jump at the chance to help someone out. He doesn't hesitate to follow the person, and thus doesn't expect it when said person turns out to be a bunch of demons.

So there he is, stuck with a bunch of randos in some big tree maze. At first he isn't worried - it isn't the first time he's been kidnapped, honestly - but at time goes on and he realizes how impossible this system of roots is, his anger gets the better of him.

He can be found slicing away at some roots with a green sword. Where the heck did he get it when the demons took away everyone else's weapons? Who knows. He doesn't seem to be doing very much - he's destroying that one root, but there's over a dozen more of them in front of him.

He is looking a little more demonic than usual, too. His eyes have taken on a glowy-catlike appearance and his teeth look strangely sharp and jagged.]

Stupid - flippin' - thing!

Doppleganger

[Fern's doppleganger barely even looks like Fern.

It's got the green, sure, but this thing is ten feet tall, covered in spikes and armour, and more closely resembles a bug than a person. His doppleganger doesn't speak, either - any attempts to converse with it will be ignored. At most you might get some very inhuman hissing out of it, and that's less communication and more creepy, angry noises.

That thing, as soon as it spies some movement, is going to launch itself at the offender, to bring its massive arm-blade down on them. Fern won't be much help, because as soon as he sees what was a form he had deliberately avoided shapeshifting into during his entire time in Kaisou (bad memories, terrible memories) he's freezing up.]

Aftermath

[Fern isn't having a great month. People are seeing his grass body and are terrified of him, he came face-to-face with a form of himself that he never wanted to see again after Gumbald's abandonment, he had to be rescued like some damsel in distress, and the progressively shorter days have been wreaking havoc on his health. He needs sunlight, since he can't eat food like a normal person his only option is to photosynthesize sunlight, water and carbon dioxide, and without one of those ingredients to work with it feels like he's starving.

He can be found throughout the parks, trying to find what would normally be a sunny patch, flailing his arms around. Other parkgoers are giving him a wide berth. His grass is looking a little less green than normal, a bit more faded.]

C'mon, c'mon!

Varian | Tangled | OTA

[droptheious]

A Spoopy Time of Year

Varian has never celebrated Halloween before. As such, he finds everything going on in the city pretty fascinating. He's not a big party person, Corona's endless celebrations tend to grate on him, but everything here is new and worth exploring! So he can be found around the city, peering curiously at everything around them.

Or more annoying are the normies who would normally ignore his tail starting to stare at it. Some more obnoxious kids even come to pull at it when his back is turned. He quickly stumbles away, probably into you as he tries to keep away from them.

"Ooof- sorry. I miss it when they didn't notice the thing. This is obnoxious."

Battle at the Qliphoth

Varian very quickly noticed Fern was missing. They were dating and lived together. And as adventurous as his boyfriend was, he always came home at night. Varian had been looking for him for half the night when he'd heard about the tree, about the latest insanity that happened to them. He went back home to pack a bag with all the alchemy he could and headed right off to help. He's not exactly the best when it comes to blood, and the horror of the city the nearer he gets to the tree is extremely disturbing. But he pushes it all down, determined to get to Fern and get him out.

Small and unassuming he might be, Varian is pretty damn angry about the whole kidnapping thing. He can be found on the lower and middle levels, making good use of his monkey tail to clamber up the tree. He faces the demons that attack with a savagery that might be surprising to most- except perhaps those who know about his sordid past and exactly what he's capable of. He hucks glass balls full of various chemicals at the encroaching demons- some get stuck to where they stand- trapped in a magenta goop, unable to move. Some get encased in ice. Some...well, some get hit by a bright green goop and those ones explode, screaming, in green fire.

When he runs out of alchemy, limited supply that he has, he relies on his Kaisou-given abilities. Using the boost to earth elemental abilities this month, he grows sharp thorned vines of his own from the tree, whipping out to attack the demons coming too close. He grabs a few metal nails from his bag, and with a wave of his hand, they become projectiles against those that come too close. Despite all of this though, he's still just one (pretty small) teenager. Eventually, he'll get caught out and cornered, surrounded by a few nasty-looking demons- he could probably use some help here.

Aftermath

Varian's lived here long enough to be used to things going back to normal once the spirit gate stops...doing whatever it's gonna do this month. This time it doesn't though. The boost to his earth abilities in the fight has become a pretty bad downfall now the sun has gone away. Because as much as he can eat regular food, he can't use it for energy without the sun. Photosynthesis is still his main method of getting energy since that particular ability was bestowed on him. So he can be found looking pretty exhausted as the nights lengthen. He can even be caught napping in school - an absolute no-no for him. If someone could...gently wake him up as he snores lightly, open-mouthed and drooling slightly on his textbook he'd be pretty grateful!

[[OOC: hit me up on teeff if you wanna plot something else. Will match style!]]

Bruno Madrigal | Encanto | OTA

[wedonttalkabout]

Kidnapped

Bruno's never been kidnapped before. Most of the time, back home, people wanted the opposite of that. They actively kept AWAY from him. But here he is, stuck under a tree, looking considerably stressed out about it. He vanished for a decade once, will his family think he's abandoned them again? Will anyone even bother to come look for him? He wouldn't come looking for him if he had the choice. Still, he's not alone, and he's not sure if he should be upset or glad about that. Either way, he wanders over to a fellow kidnapee, raising a hand awkwardly.

"Ironically, I did not see this one coming. Ha ha...seer joke."

Yeah, being kidnapped has not made his people skills any more existent. What a shocker.

Face Yourselves

Bruno's doppelganger is a much taller version of himself- a sadistic, nasty smile on his face. If you spend enough time having people tell you that you're a nasty monster who delights in hurting people with your visions, a part of you starts to believe them, and this is what this copy represents. His copy can be found laughing at people's misfortunes- either from being kidnapped or from would-be rescuers getting caught by the roots of the tree. The REAL Bruno avoids his doppelganger as much as he can, curling into a tight ball into a dark corner of the roots. He's definitely a runner and a hider, thanks. He might need to be...convinced to deal with the thing.

Aftermath

Once it's all over, Bruno goes back to his usual routine of mostly hiding in the house or going to work. But as terrible as the experience was, he is a little...happier after it. A lot of people came to rescue him- a lot of people found he was missing and cared that he had. That's...pretty much the opposite of his experience back home and he's not sure how to deal with it. But he does know it's a good thing.

He's definitely not magically got better at dealing with people overnight. But he sure manages a smile more often after he's back, even sometimes actually greeting people. In his own...awkward way.

"Wow. It's sure getting dark early, huh? Sure hope that's not ominous or anything!"

[[OOC: hit me up on teeff if you wanna plot something else. Will match style!]]

Luisa Madrigal | Encanto | OTA

[neverbreaks]

Lifting of the Veil (10th onward)

[ Even after the usual week of constant hunger, then sleeping for three days, Luisa couldn't help feeling a little off. A lot of that had to do with her mood, she knew: even though she was glad to see Isabela and Dolores again, she was still hurting after Mirabel's disappearance.

It didn't help seeing all the costumes in stores for Halloween, just thinking of how her younger sister might have liked the idea of dressing up. Mirabel probably would have even made her own costume, or offered to make costumes for her family, like she had done for the convention earlier that year. Thinking about that made the hole in her heart ache all the more.

And as hard as she tried to keep herself busy as she usually did, trying to keep herself distracted, she just couldn't stop thinking about her younger sister. Which turned out to be a problem, especially while walking down the city streets. The familiar sensation of grief creeping up time and again as she passed by buildings and shops often resulted in shattering glass, and even broken items displayed in storefronts.

Which usually got people's attention, and several eyes looking in her direction. ]

Battle at the Qliphoth

[ As if things couldn't get any worse, people getting kidnapped brought with it all sorts of bad memories for Luisa. But when her tío had been one of those had been taken, Luisa hadn't hesitated to head into the Spirit World to help rescue him and the others.

It wouldn't turn out the same this time. She wouldn't let it. She was stronger this time, she could do this.

But anyone traveling and fighting with her might notice Luisa doesn't seem...quite herself. Her temper seems a bit shorter than usual, though she tries her best not to snap at other people (with varying degrees of success). Oddly enough, she also looks a little different. It's possible that it might be the lighting of the area, but her hair appears to be getting darker, and if she moves just right a rainbow almost seems to shimmer in her hair. But her nails and teeth looking sharper couldn't really be explained that way.

Neither could the way her eyes seem to turn almost yellow - less human, and more animal-like - and almost reflect in the dark. ]

Aftermath

[ Luisa doesn't really pay much attention to what's happening in the rest of the city. Even though she still tries to keep busy during the day (and not realizing how short the days seem), any time she's not in class or at the restaurant she's usually found in her room in Casita. And while it wasn't quite the same as earlier that month, when she had slept straight through three days, she does seem to sleep a lot more than usual, whenever she doesn't have somewhere else to be.

...It's probably fine. ]

Wildcard

(( Have something else you want to do? Go for it, or hit me up at usamichan13 to plan something! ))

Mal Durrish | Star Wars Legends OC

[once_reborn]

Lifting of the Veil

She's got some of her abilities back. She's got her lightsaber working. So what else is a Jedi to do except charge into ever tear she can find, to rescue who she can? Though she's not entirely sure what she's facing is...real. Not until the third tear, anyway. By then, her energy flagging, one of her saber strokes is a little higher than it ought to be, and one of the demons lands a solid blow to her ribs.

She makes it out, she finishes the mission - she always finishes the mission. But the woman who emerges from the collapsing tear is shaky at best, hand covering her side and clearly in pain.

And, ultimately, stumbling onto a sidewalk, definitely in need of assistance.

Facing Yourself

She awakes only slowly, eyes focusing with reluctance. She sees, held by the roots of the mad, huge tree - her lightsaber, encased in vines. She tries to move her hands, to call it to her, and finds she can't move. She barely remembers what happens, but panic floods through her - whatever did this has her at their or its mercy, and that is not somewhere she'd ever wanted to be again.

"Hey, sleepy," comes a voice. And her blood runs cold as she realizes it's her own. She knows what she'll see when she looks over, and sees...who she once was. When she'd been plucked by the Empire Reborn from being a pilot of a Stormtrooper Transport, they'd promised they would make her into a weapon of terrible strength. It was the only thing they hadn't lied about.

She recognizes the dark blue bodysuit, the blood red tunic and hood. And her own face, smiling back at her. The doppleganger pushes back the hood, cackling, revealing a shaved head, still bereft of the scar that had nearly claimed her - but eyes that glowed with unnatural glee and fire. Because she'd enjoyed the power, the sudden freedom. To be the one with the power of life and death in her hands.

The doppleganger is powerful in the Force - but it has weaknesses. It likes to talk, to taunt, to hurt with words as much as the red-bladed lightsaber it carries - but it has none of Mal's restraint, none of her skill at defending as a Jedi. It is all ruthless attack, her worst fears magnified into an engine of destruction.

Not that she herself realizes it, just weeping with gritted teeth. All she can do is try to convince herself: I'm not her I'm not her I'm not her I'm not her I'm not her.

Aftermath

The time afterwards is...difficult. She wants to help comfort those she knew that went through things, but...has only a limited capacity to do that. Seeing your terrible ghost again will do that.

Her usual routine collapses. Going to classes, helping out like some sort of vagabond knight-errant, that all becomes sporadic.

Currently, she is sitting in her barely furnished apartment, staring at the half-consumed bottle of alcohol in front of her. Not a recommended option, for a Jedi - but she's on her own here, isn't she? And contemplating more to dull the edge.

[OOC: Happy to do other things, and eager as ever to meet new people. Contact me through journal or c_for_characters if you want to plot!]

Luz Noceda | The Owl House |OTA

[a_cute_batata]

Spoopy Time of Year!

Luz had not had the greatest month. Between starting to feel the lingering guilt of having aided Bellos in making the Boiling Isles the besieged place it seemed to be now, there was the incident with Fern and then Varian that weighed heavy on her mind. Without meaning to she managed rto make them both angry with her, and that led Luz to doing her best to try and put a little mire brightness in her step.

So when the opportunity came to go out at school? She threw herself into it. She joined the anime club and soaked up their recommendations. She caught up with her missing work. As October starts in, she picks out a pumpkin and shows Amity how to carve a Jack O Lantern, and helps Eda tidy the shop. You can catch Luz eagerly cleaning up the Owlery, or maybe you've found her in the Ghost Hotel! She's got a backpack of energy drinks and a packet of glyphs, so in case any real ghosts (not Danny) make themselves known, she'll be ready to go on the offensive!

Never mind if they become noncorporeal and her attacks fail!

Route A: Spirit Raising

Luz was an aspiring witch. She had glyphs, she had been paying attention to all of the poor students who were kidnapped. Her instinct was to go blazing toward the tree and attempt to force it to give back the people it had stolen.

But then she was told about the other way to fight off the influence of the demons: positivity. It was something Luz could absolutely use these days but knew how to give it to other people! Once she'd been told to try and keep spirits up with the celebration, Luz knew immediately this was the thing she needed to be doing. There were likely going to be plenty of fighters, but they'd need someone to keep the mood good too.

Luz didn't realize it yet, but she was actually in DESPERATE need of doing something like this. It helped morale, even hers, and she was beginning to realize that her guilt and frustration had started to seep into things she normally enjoyed.

So Luz embodied October as best as she could! She took part in bobbing for apples, took turns reading stories for the kids, and could be seen hanging up Halloween decorations. Obviously, Luz had to dress up in her classic otter costume, offering to help in a silly voice, or even leading several of the dances, showing some of the less dance inclined how to move their feet!

Eda Clawthorne | The Owl House | OTA

[traaaaaash]

1. The Owlery

[ You didn't think a shop selling strange and occult items would not go all out during this time of year, did you? Eda makes sure to deck the store out to the nines: pumpkins, candles, skeletons, spiderwebs (they're fake... or are they), you name it. She makes sure to build a display with her most seasonal items front and center. Some of them are definitely acquired from Undertown. The sewing station is also still up for those seeking to work on their costumes. ]

The Undertown

[ As people disappear and the gate to hell is discovered, Eda makes her way through the Undertown, hoping her usual contacts might have further intel.

She definitely does not spend half her time there at Void Denny's. ]

The Rescue

[ As things get more dire, Eda designs to join the rescue mission -- mostly because she hasn't heard from Raine, and she'd be lying if she said she wasn't worried they might be among those kidnapped. Not that she'll talk about it unless pressed, though.

Either way, helping out is also the right thing to do, so she tells the kids to stay put and goes in.

Now, she is a shopkeeper, not a fighter, and her magic powers aren't too strong. She does have a mean right hook, but that's hardly gonna hold water against actual demons.

But Eda knows what she has to do. When they are all but surrounded, Eda reaches into her hair (she is eagerly making use of its fairly new hammerspace abilities - so practical!), takes out a vuvuzela, and blows.

HONK. ]

Eve | Black Cat | OTA

[playtag]

[Kidnapped]

[Eve had been more than willing to help out when approached by the stranger. With some of her power restored, it hadn't even struck her as odd that someone would ask a child such as herself. What a mistake.]

[She jolts awake, remembering the last time she had been unexpectedly jumped. Yet so far she does not appear to be harmed. Pulls herself off of the ground, looking around at the huge roots and distant monsters.]

[Demons.]

[If anything Torneo told her about them was true, they were in trouble. Keeping an eye on the demons, the young girl makes her way towards the others nearby.]

Are you hurt?

[Killer Double]

[As it turns out, Torneo had told her one bit of truth: Demons hunt humans.]

[Eve tried to be proactive with dealing with her own demon once the doppelganger emerged. She really did. However, her twin quickly realized that fighting directly was nowhere near as effective at keeping Eve in one place... then attacking others.]

[So you might be approached by another Eve, dressed in a much more simple black dress. Her eyes hollow and expression blank. She asks slowly.]

Hello. Do you want to play tag?

Ghaleon | Lunar series (CRAU) | OTA

[four_quarts]

I - Spirited Away

[From the beginning, Ghaleon makes trouble for the demons attempting to take him, first clocking the stranger as suspicious, then putting up enough of a fight that when he wakes in what appears to be the roots of a giant tree, he at least feels the satistaction of knowing there's a demon out there nursing teeth marks.

And overhearing the demons planning on using him and the others as sacrifices? Well, that gets a dark laugh.]

So, they want to sacrifice us, hm? The fools. They've bitten off more than they can chew, and I intend to make them choke.


II - I am the Shadow, the True Self

[Even from the moment it first appears, it's obvious which is the doppleganger and which is the true Ghaleon. Oh, the outfit is certainly one thing, considering the bodysuit, white cloak, and massive pauldrons are a far cry from the simple dress he's spent the last several days in. But the true giveaway is that sections of purple across his skin are absent, and in their place is a smile devoid of warmth or kindness.

While the double doesn't initiate any violence, they do spend time mocking the efforts of anyone they spot, all the while peppering in comments about how, perhaps, just perhaps, they might do better if they left at least a few sacrifices as a distraction. And wouldn't Ghaleon be perfect for that? Oh, if only they knew the things that one had done, surely he would not be missed. And of course it says that. It's a veneer of nastiness over a mass of abandonment issues and despair.

In defiance of the doppleganger, Ghaleon mostly leaves it be, opting instead to try and find a way out, and watching for any foolish do-gooder that tries to argue with the damn thing.]

((ooc: Fair warning on this one, it's probably gonna be heavy and/or violent. I'll put warnings in for specifics as they crop up.))


III - Aftermath

[In the quiet after everything, Ghaleon takes to spending time up at Moghome. It's not exactly where they truly want to be, but the floating island is close enough for the sake of gaining clarity.

If one feels up to braving the moogles, one would be most likely to find them sitting near (but not dangerously close to) the edge of the island, staring out across the city and towards the distant horizon.]

Made your way all the way up here to see me, hm? And to what do I owe the pleasure?


IV - Wildcard

[Got your own idea? Go ham!]

[goldenherd]

I. Facing Yourself

Claude's doppelganger doesn't make an appearance right away. If Claude had to guess, he'd figure he was being kept in suspense - allowed to see what everyone else was suffering with theirs and left to speculate wildly on just what could be waiting for him, lurking in the darkest parts of him. That's what he'd do, at least, if he were some kind of demonic mirror-being. As it is, he does sort of have some suspicions, having to suppress a wry smile as it occurs to him that nosiness is likely foremost among his worst traits - after all, he probably could've figured out what was going on with a lot less eavesdropping on other people and their respective demons than he's doing right now. He crosses his arms and leans against one of the massive roots of the tree that towers over them, pretending very hard that he's not listening in on the conversation going on nearby.

What else, though? Shiftiness, dishonesty, ruthlessness, a little bit of pretension. Claude likes to think of himself as a person acutely aware of his own flaws. Planning is much easier, after all, if you know all the weaknesses in play. Oh, and ambition, of course. Arguably, literally, his fatal flaw, in some ways.

It's at around this point that he hears footsteps behind him, and, looking up, finds himself face to face with his double. He's... not quite what he expects. He'd sort of built him up in his mind as someone dressed in the regalia of the Duke of Leicester or even the King of Almyra, but instead he's wearing the exact same clothes and looking at him with... disappointment?

"Surprised?" asks the doppelganger, resting a hand on his own hip. "Gotta say, I am too. Who ever thought you of all people would just give up like this?"

Claude blinks, taken aback. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me. What was the first thing you looked up when you got here?" The system of governance for the country and for those surrounding it, but Claude doesn't say that, just watching warily. The doppelganger sighs. "You found out that they elect their leaders from the general public here. And then you didn't do anything about it. This place is a lot better than home about a lot of things, but it's not perfect. You know that. And what have you been doing? Taking care of horses and teaching kids how to shoot."

"So, what, you want me to run for office?"

The doppelganger shakes his head. "No. You're going to stay here, and fulfill your purpose. But me? I'm going to get out of here. And when I do, I'm going to make a difference, like you used to think you were meant to."

II. Wildcard

[ OOC: Need Claude for something else? Feel free to ping me on Discord at quodVide#2951 or at questionableveracity and I'll write up an extra prompt OR just hop in with your own! ]

takame kesi | ffxiv oc | ota

[hoshikiri]

i. gaslight gatekeep gunblade

[Takame didn’t think Rhel exaggerated about death gods and dinosaurs, but seeing something as horrid as The Qliphoth make its way here just gave him more proof. Here he was, listening to the words of the civilians and this demon only slightly taller than him and pushing forward into the range of the gate, barely batting an eye at the aura of death that permeated throughout the place.

Some of the people saw him with his large stature, horns, spiked tail and sword that looked like it had a gun trigger on it and made their escape, thinking him another one of the demons. Had he not been solely focused on keeping people away… no, it didn’t matter. What mattered was keeping everyone safe.]

So long as they retreat. [Said half to himself, half to whomever might be around him. He drew his blade, moving to load a cartridge by habit before remembering that he lacked them. With a click of his teeth he entered his fighting stance.]

If you are going as well, stay behind me.

ii. landscaping

[Having stubbornly made his way to the lower levels of this tree of death, Takame fought tooth and nail to see that anyone safe had a clear shot at escape. Lightning shots came out from his Gunblade at any vines that entangled people. He’s not often watching his own feet, but he doesn’t seem to register any pain and some of the attacks seemingly bounce off of a barely visible barrier around him.]

Go now!

[As larger demons come to approach him or as he heads into the middle level, his technique becomes considerably less defensive and he seems intent on doing nothing but ripping its head off its shoulders. Even less likely to watch his back and potentially in need of a reminder to do so. No mechanics exist during his burst window, you see.]

iii. wildcard/aftermath

(( ooc: Takame doesn’t have his one small healing skill yet, but being a tank he is probably a little bit on the injured side and may need some healing. Beyond that he’s just going to do what he can to clear out any stragglers or find anyone else that may be still trapped or hurt. But if you have something else in mind to interact w/ him feel free to throw it at me or poke me on discord Bon#5666!))

[codenametesla]

i. the scariest thing of all: newness
If Althea had known all the weirdness going on would have included turning her into goddamn Archangel all of a sudden, she might have asked around for a way to stop it. If that was even possible.

As it was, though it took a couple days to get the courage to do so, she eventually found a jacket large enough to mostly cover her new, strange wings, and went out late in the evening to the nearby park to try and test them out. It would be a lie to say there wasn't some small part of her that was excited by the possibilities, as long as she didn't think about everything else.

Which is how some people might spot weirdly blue glowing winged figure flailingflying in small circles above the trees where she was at least mostly hidden.

ii. electric boogaloo
At least she'd managed to regain some of her normal level of electrical attacks, however. As things got worse, she worried less about the weird wings being spotted, even as people seemed more observant than ever, and instead found herself running around everywhere, trying to help where she could.

Hit and run tactics, covering fire with lightning, scouting around with her newfound speed and aerial abilities, even draggingescorting people to the medical tent or other areas of safety: she was willing to throw herself into whatever people needed in order to be helpful.

Which definitely wasn't going to result in running out of steam at the worst time or anything, surely not.

iii. shopping montage!
Between the need for something not stressful, and her own interests, Althea was finding herself popping into different random, interesting looking shops at all sorts of odd hours. Whether they looked like electronics shops, seasonal shops, or the 'anything-and-everything' sorts of shops, she found herself popping in and looking around.

She didn't have the most money to throw around, but she could make occasional purchases at least, since housing was fine and she was looking for odd jobs when things calmed down. More importantly, she could plan for things she wanted to get later, however, whenever she could start creating and inventing like she wanted to again.

iv. wildcard for anything else, if people want to ping me with ideas!

Note: the wings aren't that large, and look like... relatively normal angel/bird wings when not in use, but it's the closest sort of aesthetic I can find on short time to get the point across, and with no artistic talent of my own, sorry!