The Spooky Night Scare Celebration

[de_lux]

Warnings: SPOOPY. Also potential violence and/or drinking.

Location: Various locations in Freesia, especially the Park and Cathedral.

Characters: Anyone and everyone and Lux.

When: Night of September 9

Summary: Most of Freesia is celebrating tonight. Ward off the darkness with lanterns and masks and maybe chat with the local light god.

In a change from their usual behavior, the citizens of Freesia are out and about during the night in order to celebrate another festival.

Called “Spooky Night,” the atmosphere of this holiday may seem familiar to some of Freesia's outsiders. Lanterns patterned after all manner of monsters and other creepy things are visible everywhere, resting on doorsteps, hung from trees, placed in windows, and there are smaller ones strung between buildings and across streets.

Equally creepy masks abound as well. They're mostly worn by the children, but some adults can be seen indulging as well, the eyes and mouths of their masks glowing like jack o' lanterns.

Most of the citizens seem to be enjoying themselves, chatting and laughing with one another, jumping around and trying to scare each other, drinking and buying snacks from opportunistic vendors. Many of the festive citizens have gathered at a bonfire in the park, but groups of people can be found just about anywhere tonight.

But despite the party atmosphere, you may want to pay close attention to the city tonight...

A: The masks and lanterns mentioned earlier aren't going to be hard to find. The lanterns are visible everywhere of course, and more can be found for sale in the shops and stalls, alongside a wide variety of masks. Most of the designs are generic monsters, such as ghost or skeletons or werewolves, but if you look around, well... Whatever you're afraid of, if it's something you can put a face or likeness to, you'll run into a mask or lantern of it eventually. Creepy as that might be though, anyone who dares carry or wear their fears will be rewarded with an extra bright glow emanating from it, something that may come in handy if they run into any of the Nox tonight.

B: If you head down to the park tonight, but stray away from the bonfire, you'll notice that the cathedral is active for once. A very small group of citizens has gathered there, primarily consisting of the elderly- and at least one person you may find familiar. There isn't any laughing or drinking going on in this part of town, and everyone in the cathedral is either silent or speaking to each other in hushed tones. As far as can be observed, they've gathered here to place candles and flowers everywhere.

C: Autumn isn't quite here yet, but the nights have been getting longer lately, the shadows deeper. Don't wander too far tonight and if you do, take care to bring some light with you. The Nox are especially active tonight and will happily attack anyone who wander into the shadows, local or not, not to mention breaking anything they can get their shadowy hands on. A few of the bolder groups will even stray to the edges of the festival in order to knock down the decorations. They're in a vicious mood tonight, but if you thought to pick up an especially spooky lantern or mask before confronting them, their viciousness will evaporate and you'll have them running scared instead.

Comments

[exuviiated]

"I wouldn't worry." He could hear the trepidation in her voice. "Time slows down here. Kinda. I guess. You... you get used to it."

[barb_notbabs]

"How long did it take you?"

Barb was pretty adaptable. She knew she'd get over this, too. Still.

[exuviiated]

"...some time. But I did." He sighed. "Where do you live, by the way? In one of those high rises?"

[barb_notbabs]

"Hey, if they're going to offer me housing..." It was a little different than what she was used to, mind, but she needed a place to stay. Close to her team mate.

[exuviiated]

"If you take what they give you, you owe them." He manages to look both severely disapproving and intensely bitter while staring down at his coffee.

[barb_notbabs]

"I'm pretty sure kidnapping outranks free food and board," she quipped back.

"So how are you affording all this?"

[exuviiated]

"Uh. I took on a bunch of odd jobs, and I haven't gotten anything regarding taxes yet but if I do I'll deal with it, and I've just kinda been buying food whenever I need it. Picked up some stuff half-price at the flea market, got the shelves for free from an old dude because he was moving and I helped him carry them out 'n he didn't want them, just-- I've been getting along." He shrugged. Living hand-to-mouth wasn't new for him.