[EVENT] FESTIVAL OF SHADOW NIGHTS

[khuimods]

Characters: Anyone and everyone!
Date: Throughout October
Location: All over the archipelago
Situation: It's Goth Christmas, Khu Ioduan style baby
Warnings/Rating: Spoops and scares

"The Festival of Shadow Nights is technically only a week long event from October 20th (Kicked off with the Masquerade) until October 27th (ending with the Night Parade). However there is a certain enthusiasm for the holiday that is infectious and many people celebrate it throughout the entirety of the month."



STREET FAIRS

Street Fairs will be incredibly common throughout Aifaran. Business owners take advantage of this holiday season to sell their wares. The Erol'a stalls are particularly lavish as it's mating season for a number of crustaceans, and they have on display a huge variety of beautiful shells and delicious seafood. Gourds of all sorts are also in season (and always in particular abundance) so enjoy a large amount of foods and beverages containing squashes and melons. Games, beer and wine tastings, and artisan candies are also major additions to these street fairs.

GOURD FOLK

One can expect the rather bizarre occurrence of the Gourd Folk. Once believed scions of the Night Parade, these vines that have taken on the size and shape of a small, human child are, in fact, not quite so mysterious. The man behind the curtain was revealed, and it's Daemid mischief at its finest (for a given definition of "finest"). These pesky piskies are moving house and using a bit of their magic to do so. So, if you don't want a room full of acorn squash (and the subsequent invasion of Daemids), punt these pumpkins back into the patch from whence they came.

SPIRIT LANTERNS

A tradition of the Festival of Shadow Nights is the making and lighting of spirit lanterns. These are elaborately decorated lanterns can come in a variety of shapes, sizes and materials, from paper, to glass to seashells. Their candles have particularly unique properties - the flames burn a multitude of colours depending on the wax used. While the spirit lanterns are largely used for decoration, they have another purpose as well - to invite a brief visit from those marching in the Night Parade. Red lanterns repel the dead, and there is a certain taboo around hanging them outside private residences. The logic goes that since any dead that come in cannot actually harm you, you must have a guilty conscience and not want to be reminded of what you might have done to the unwanted spirit.

THE NIGHT PARADE [OCTOBER 27th]

The Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts is the culmination of the week of Shadow Nights. It is a parade no one attends. The streets are emptied before midnight as people go to their homes or take shelter in local pubs and cafes, for tonight the dead walk the earth. They parade through the streets, silent save for the the soft chime of bells that a few may carry. Spirit lanterns are lit and hung in windows or outside doors to welcome the dead inside for a brief visit, though bright red lanterns ward off the dead. These apparitions cannot be touched nor can they speak, at least not in any sound a person can hear, but leave out paper and ink and the stronger spirits can form brief messages or leave small tokens long lost or forgotten. These visits last at most a few hours before these ghosts must return to where they came from.

Comments

OPEN

[ninjainviolet]

I: Street Fairs

Sheena's a sucker for street fairs, so it's no surprise that she can be found wandering through the area slowly, checking out the stalls and their wares. She's also experienced at this, so she's making one pass to see, and then a second round to go to the stalls that truly caught her eye.

One can either find her at one of the food stalls enjoying the food without hesitation or at a couple of the stalls selling seashells, trying to choose between a few particularly large ones.

"Hmmm... I wonder which one Ilda would like as a necklace?"


II: Gourd Folk

Suddenly, Lightning Strikes begin appearing in an orderly fashion--heading away from the Fair and looking like they're walking down the street. And in a way, they are.

At first, Sheena had been enchanted by the creatures as they followed her, but once the masks came off--so to speak, she was less than thrilled. There was no way the piskies were going to take up residence in her new place--now that she had finally moved in. So, after dropping her packages off at her place, she had begun herding them out of the area, using her Lightning Cards to guide them and keep them moving.

Suddenly, one tries to dart away towards a bystander--prompting Sheena to shout.

"Watch out! It's a Daemid!"


III: Spirit Lanterns (Before the Daemids)

Of course she's going to buy one. Or two. It's only natural since Sheena does have connections to certain spirits, after all. And that's who she has in mind as she looks through the colors--skipping the Red for Efreet for obvious reasons. But he's the Fire Elemental, so he's still covered.

True, it's not keeping with the main idea of the Lanterns, but to Sheena, it's a way to honor her Spiritual Comrades.

Right now, she's trying to decide between two Lanterns for Gnome--a squat round yellow one with a flower design that burns a white flame, or a squat round yellow one with a diamond that burns a green one. Spotting someone nearby, she calls out to them.

"Excuse me, but could you help me for a moment?"

IV: Night Parade Preparation

Okay, yes, Sheena believes in ghosts. How can she not? She fought a few of them on her world from time to time, plus there had been that strange vision of Corrine back in Keeliai. She hadn't heard from or seen him since, but she's hoping tonight will be different. That somehow he can break through and contact her again--even if it's just pawprints across the page.

And no, Tomoya won't be the one doing it because he's going to be with her all night to make sure.

Anyone--believer and nonbeliever alike--can find her anytime before midnight either buying the writing supplies she needs or heading home with her new purchases, looking somewhat hopeful.

And uneasy.

[ ooc: Her reaction to the message(s) received will be put out on the network. ]

I

[ilda]

"I think she'll like the one with the pink shell."

Ilda's head pops out of the stall next to the one selling seashells, grinning. She looks as goofy as always, but there's a pinkish tint on her cheeks — clearly, she's pleased that Sheena's bothered to think of her. "Hi, big sis! And thanks, though you really don't have to get me anything!"

[ninjainviolet]

Sheena jumps slightly at the voice. She had been focusing on the shells so much that she hadn't really been paying attention to her surroundings.

Laughing, she shakes her head. "Ilda! You're right, I don't have to get you something; I want to!" She looks down at the shells. "Pink, huh?" She peers at the displays again and waves a hand over the numerous one in different shades.

"Which one do you like? I kinda like this one." And she'll point to a shell that matches Ilda's blush.