EVENT #21: SPECTER - IC LOG

[abraxasmods]

Event #21 - Specter

OOC Event Log ⦁ Nocwich

In light of the odd happenings throughout September, it might take a few days or longer for you to notice that yet more is going on. Perhaps you catch your neighbor walking out of their house in a daze at midnight, or the bartender tells you his wife went missing two days ago. Maybe the fisherman claims he found his friend staring into the lake in horror before wading into the water and nearly drowning.

Whether you investigate further or dismiss the stories, you soon find yourself confronting some hauntings of your own.

Participating in the hauntings is optional! For players who wish to opt-out, characters can help others or attend the Eifstide festivities. You may also play with the onset aspects only. The hauntings do not need to escalate beyond the onset stage.

Haunting Echoes

For some of you, the incidents don't stop with your neighbors. They begin to impact you, as well. Indeed, after the eerie effects of the Heralds, you might even think they've returned. However, you realize this appears to go beyond Gods or spells. Instead, it's as if the land itself is crying out...the echoes of which you are absorbing.

How affected you are depends on how vulnerable you might be to such specters, the number of regrets or fears you have, and how much of your past follows you into the world of Abraxas.

Onset

Whether it begins while you're awake or asleep, or both, the effects are subtle at the start. You might shake it off as a lack of sleep or a trick of the light before you understand what's truly going on.

◎ Waking Visions

If awake, you'll notice it first in shadows and reflections. Mirrors and windows are common sources, but it can be anything where you might glimpse yourself in its surface: the blade of your sword, a polished dinner plate, or the side of some steel machinery.

What do you see? Is it the face of a terrible monster? Your own corrupted features? Someone you lost who's returned? It might not be a person at all. You might catch a splatter of blood across the sawblade you're using that isn't there. You may see your eyes bleeding when brushing your hair in the mirror or spiders crawling from the ceiling.

Alternatively, your glimpses might be surprisingly pleasing rather than frightening. As you apply your makeup, you find it looks incredibly nice - a surprise when you normally struggle to like how you appear. Of course, as you walk by a shop window later, you realize, to your confusion, that your lipstick is smeared, as though applied wrong. How could that happen? What's your real image? You may need to ask someone to discern the reality.

None of these tricks will last long. They could be accompanied by whispers or be solely visual.

◎ Lucid Dreams

While dark and frightening imagery can occur in your dreams, other aspects may be involved. For instance:

If you often have trouble sleeping, you'll notice that while you've more easily started falling asleep, you also dream immediately. You may find it difficult to tell when you're awake or not. You "dream" of sitting down to read a book...then discover that the pages are bleeding or the ghost of someone you lost appears over your shoulder. When you jolt awake, you're right where you dozed off on the same couch, book in hand. Everything is normal once more.

If you're prone to nightmares, you might experience something unusual: your dreams begin to take on some oddly cheerful aspects. Bright flowers bloom where you usually dream of corpses, or your stormy skies become sunny. The incongruous images might cause the scene to feel more unsettling. They can either overtake the dream or appear in subtler ways.

Most significantly, regardless of your experiences when asleep, they are strangely vivid. Further, you have to wonder, are you seeing glimpses of someone else's dreams overlapping with yours? Like ink bleeding through a page, the imagery creeping into your dreams could belong to another Summoned and vice versa. As the days continue, you might even see that person for brief periods.

Escalation

As the hauntings grow stronger, the effects equally increase in frequency and intensity.

◎ Whether they're visions or dreams, the brief and unusual flashes grow more frequent, last longer, or increase in intensity. Soon, you begin to see things that aren't there. You start to question reality. You find yourself in places you don't remember traveling to. Perhaps you end up at the market stalls with no memory of how you got there...or somewhere more dangerous, like the ocean or the forest. It may be that you're sleepwalking, or you could simply be following a nonexistent figure without realizing it.

◎ Other Summoned begin to see what you do. Eventually, they become drawn into your visions or dreams - or you into theirs. Your visions start to blend into a surrealist experience and you become trapped in the scene. You realize that danger lurks nearby, but your ability to affect or control your environment is limited. After all, you don't know that this is a dream. It feels so very real, though you may recognize that some of what's happening shouldn't be possible. You'll have to rely on each other and your wits to make it.

When inside a waking vision or lucid dream, characters will not know that it's an illusion regardless of how impossible the scenario or events might be. They'll behave as if the stakes are real.

Players can write the dreams and visions however they wish. The danger can be genuinely serious or something lighthearted that characters treat solemnly. For example, characters could be attacked by a monster or they could be fleeing from a giant chihuahua that's a manifestation of somebody's fear of dogs. The atmosphere of the thread is entirely up to you!

Dispelling

As you navigate the illusion you're trapped in, you eventually stumble across an Arcana sign. By now, you're familiar with the symbols. The one you see depends on what choice you made during the previous event: it may belong to you, it may belong to the person you're with, or it might be that of Justice - the Arcanum of Zorne, the Herald of Last Blood.

It'll appear anywhere: floating in the air, hidden in a vault that needs to be cracked, or held in the mouth of a dangerous animal. Regardless, you understand instinctively that you must retrieve it and that it's the only thing that'll help you. There could be multiple Arcana signs if the others with you manifest their own, but only you can activate yours.

There won't be any doubt which one is yours, either. The symbol's shape will carry an identifying mark somewhere on it or around it that you know inherently belongs to you, such as runes in your native tongue, your family crest, or equivalent.

The moment you reach for it, it begins to heat up until you can hardly stand it. Then it shatters, leaving behind the very thing you need to break free of this vision or dream once and for all.

See the Plotting Post for an OOC explanation of how the dispelling mechanic works and the impact of previous choices.

Eifstide

Although the incidents can be disturbing, the majority of Abraxas is either unaffected or only mildly affected. Most are preoccupied with the upcoming Eifstide celebration. Additionally, Nocwich has opened its doors for the Summoned to enjoy their version of Eifstide. They intend to provide a brief haven for any who want to get away from the troubles of war for a bit.

Of course, this doesn't mean everyone's safe. If you catch your neighbor walking off in a daze, you should probably try to help. You might also hear about a child who's run off and gone missing or somebody operating dangerous magical equipment at the lumber mill.

For aiding locals, players are free to come up with scenarios on their own. Situations may occur in the major three territories or Nocwich. If you have any questions or require further details, just ask!

Eifstide in the Major Territories

Thorne

Throughout THORNE, the cities and towns turn red and orange with decorations befitting the season, with garlands hanging between lampposts and awnings. Carved gourds are placed on windowsills and in entranceways of homes and businesses alike, with the gentle flickering of magical flames inviting family and friends to come in and enjoy a cup of warm cider. Eifstide is a happy fare, a time to gather and share in the company of the people you care about the most and share what you have with strangers.

Children run around in cobbled-together costumes of old clothing and hats, mimicking the university students of Hayle or the scarecrows that now stand as décor throughout the town. This year, though, they may ask for something from you to add to their costume: your trusty hammer, a feathered hat, or your scarf. They'll also Roam from house to shop to market, asking for Blessings in the form of treats and toys from anyone they see. The most popular blessing is the dolls, whose outfits and designs change year to year. Possessing the prettiest or best-made doll is a sure status symbol in the following months.

The spirit of the season peaks during the street fair on the final night. A plethora of seasonal goods like pastries and sugared nuts, jars of preserves and pickled vegetables, and crafts made from natural materials are sold for cheap so that patrons of all classes can enjoy them. Shop to your heart's content! The night concludes with the releasing of the lanterns into the sky, a symbol of carrying the light of summer into the darkness of the incoming winter.

In Nott and Borrel, the festivities are nearly the same as that by Castle Thorne, if with a more nautical flair. There's far more seafood available, and popular costumes include sailors and mermaids. They send their lanterns over the sea, and it's common to give little strands of unsellable pearls as a blessing.

Additionally, Queen Lia is rumored to be visiting Nott this year, but without the usual royal fanfare or her husband. She can be spotted in town, dressed plainly and giving Blessings to the children or encouraging her own children to explore the sights. Nonetheless, as the Queen of Thorne, she's followed by a few guards wherever she goes. While they do their best not to intrude, they're not difficult to pick out.

The Free Cities

In THE FREE CITIES, the weeks leading up to Eifstide provide a boost in local trade and commerce. Even with the unprecedented inflation due to recent conflicts, the markets are full and lively as citizens of every standing buy up all the party supplies that they can. Dark costumes depicting older periods in history are always popular while the grim decorations often contain a touch of humor like smiling skulls or signs that cheekily say "wish you were here" over a tombstone. Despite the dark and mysterious energy, Eifstide is undeniably a celebratory affair in the Free Cities. Locals may ask for assistance in hanging decorations or carrying supplies from the markets and storehouses. Just don't be surprised if a few good-natured pranks happen along the way. Usually, this involves children jumping out of bushes in "frightening" costumes or making scary noises from behind the trees.

Recent incidents aside, local museums continue with their plans to host macabre exhibits and art walks. If you have your own pieces to contribute, donations are highly encouraged. This year also includes a ghost tour in each city. The tour in Cadens follows the final path of a platoon defending the outskirts, Aquila's tour follows the exploits of a charming con man who met his end fleeing from authorities, and the tour in Libertas follows the sad story of a starving artist who famously cut off their drawing hand to force themselves to paint in a new way. Tours are scheduled regularly and can be joined at any time with only a small donation!

Parties held in individual homes are also popular. They frequently spill out into the streets and strangers are usually invited inside - including the Summoned. Laughter can be heard from dusk until dawn. Seances and spirit boards are common. Ironically, the spirit boards are twice as popular this year due to the eerie phenomenon that occurred last month. It seems all the frights and rumors have only made people more eager than ever to try their luck, hoping that it means they'll be able to contact a real ghost for once. You might be asked to join as an observer or direct participant.

Solvunn

In SOLVUNN, Eifstide is a somber occasion. In contrast to the festivities of Thorne and The Free Cities, the end of the harvest is when death walks amongst the living. The lighthearted attitude about getting the work done before noon is almost gone, its residents working harder and longer hours as if a fire was being lit under their feet. Children may take time from lessons to help and any volunteers from the Summoned are welcome and almost expected. Whether it be harvesting crops, turning the earth, delivering goods, or tending to livestock, everyone must do their part before proper preparations can begin.

In the days leading into Eifstide, wreaths of branches and bone are carefully crafted and hung upon the doors and walkways about houses and any buildings where animals sleep. Lines of salt or soot are placed in front of the door and the hearth. The work can be done by any family member or friend but a Summoned's hand is considered blessed, so your involvement would be pivotal to the particularly pious.

Daylight hours are spent in small groups with family and neighbors in quiet contemplation and reverence. The elders ask for Summoned volunteers to assist with warding rituals. You can decline if you wish, but locals will doubtlessly feel more secure seeing you smudge with sage around the Settlements. At night, all stay indoors and don the masks they created the days prior. This is to confuse any gods and spirits should they not be deterred by the wards on the doorways.

On the night of Eifstide, all gather at the center of the Primary Settlement where the Council members perform sacrifices of small animals born the week prior, each doing their ritual for the safety and prosperity of their settlement as well as for those who reside there.

Eifstide in Nocwich

Eifstide isn't as large of a celebration in Nocwich as Wintertide, but the Lunae and Ikorrans still observe a few traditions. For the werewolves of Luna, Eifstide is about hunting, while for the vampires of Ikorr, Eifstide is about memories.

Oleuni Square

Traditions in Oleuni Square are tailored for visitors rather than the culture of either Luna or Ikorr. As a result, you'll find a wide array of treats, drinks, and decorations not unlike what's available in your home territory with the usual Nocwich twist: glowing flowers, decorative bottles of blood wine, and appropriately spooky "dolls" knit from yarn spun using werewolf fur.

Tattoo artists will also offer discount prices for their unique glowing tattoos with set designs themed for the holiday season. If you pass by one of their booths, you'll be coaxed to take a look and consider getting a piece!

Taverns, inns, and gambling dens will also offer themed specially themed cocktails, including a delicious apple cider and spiced wine. All in all, the Square is bustling with tourists eager to leave behind the troubles of war and spend a few days enjoying themselves.

Luna

To prepare for the upcoming winter, hunting is an important part of fall. Thus, Eifstide in Luna has been structured around this need. The werewolves demonstrate their connection to Solvunn by also donning masks made of bone and antler during this period. However, rather than for any ceremonial reason, the masks are worn by hunting parties instead. They're seen as a symbol of good luck.

If you're interested in joining a hunting party, the Lunae will be happy to have you along. You'll be warned that it can be dangerous and that they won't slow down or stop if you fall behind. If you can keep up, though, you'll get the chance to hunt a variety of beasts in several forests around Luna. The most popular animal to hunt is the Fisceime. Wildly populous and destructive to the environment in large numbers, hunting them is an important aspect of maintaining the ecosystem.

Should you not be the hunting type, you can instead visit the Trail of Unseen Eyes. Here, masks from previous hunting parties over the years are displayed along a path that winds around all of Luna. Following this trail will take you to some beautiful views and popular spots in which you can dine or shop.

If you're the collector type, you can obtain a small booklet containing lovely sketches of specific masks and a small hint as to where they might be. Participating shops and inns will stamp your booklet if you can locate the shop displaying the mask matching the one in your booklet. Earn enough stamps and you'll receive a modest gift basket filled with cured meats, cheeses, and jams!

Ikorr

Due to the long-lived nature of vampires, typical concepts of spirits and the dead are not a part of Eifstide. Instead, Ikorrans revisit the past by sharing old memories. Many will use the opportunity to visit a friend they haven't seen recently or recreate an important event in their history. Couples might dine at a restaurant where they had their first date or a group of friends might dress in the same outfits they wore to a memorable party years ago.

Though your memories may not be as from long ago, you're invited to do the same. Why not recreate a fond memory with a friend?

You can also honor old memories by weaving a wreath of flowers using the unique glowing blooms that grow in Ikorr. Use colors and florals that remind you of someone or something important. You're encouraged to describe what you're making. It's considered not only polite to provide an answer when asked, but it's also courteous to ask others in return about what they're making.

Once your wreath is complete, you can take it home or gift it to someone. Those who carry a wreath in Ikorr will receive tokens from shops and stalls they visit. The tokens consist of small samples of desserts, miniature bottles of wine, beautiful colored crystals, and scented candles.

---

Comments

Jack Frost ❄️ The Fool ❄️ Solvunn + Nocwich

[floeing]

((If none of these work for you, we can plot something else! Contact me through PMs, buttercupss, the game server, or the plotting comment.

Now that Jack has been here a couple of weeks, he's wearing this. For the rest of month, he'll also have Solvunn's war paint on his face.))

Aiding The Locals - Solvunn

[floeing]

[There are missing children, and that's enough to send him into a frenzy. He flies through every corner of the settlement, not caring how strong the wind he's surfing on becomes. It shakes the trees and slams the windows, it may even accidentally push your character to the ground, or make them drop whatever they're holding. Sorry about that, but it's an emergency.

Jack yells the kids' names, too, desperation clear in his voice. He knows every name, can attach a face to each of them, remember each smile - and he swore to protect those smiles. He's failing to do so, which makes his current mood even worse. So if someone complains about his yelling in the middle of the night, they'll have to deal with one very frustrated Guardian who won't play nice for a change.

Searching around the town sadly brings no results. Jack lands on top of a roof and looks at the area surrounding the Settlement, frowning as his hand closes into a tight fist, fearing the direction the kids may've taken.]

We need to search the forest! And the swamps! Before--

[Before it's too late. He can't bring himself to say it. Are you coming with him?]

Eifstide - Solvunn + Nocwich

[floeing]

Solvunn

[Jack happily lets the kids decorate his face with dark blue paint, letting different children put their cute little hands on him each day. The swipes are thin and kinda clumsy, but he wouldn't have them any other way. He must admit he misses the more cheerful kind of Halloween celebrations, but he can't be annoyed at all these rituals: if there's something he loves about Solvunn is how much they believe, how they respect the spirits and traditions. There's one thing he will be bothered about, though:

There's salt.

Every freaking where.

If he had veins, one would be popping on his forehead now.

So yes, Jack helps with the rituals and the decorations. Partly because he enjoys it, partly because it's a good way to gently guide everyone into using more soot and less salt. He even adds a little message to the community board, although he doesn't know if the locals pay attention to it.

After an afternoon working on soot lines, Jack stares at the pile of empty jars he's accumulated as if they've betrayed them.]

We're gonna need more soot.

[There's a table with jars of salt right there. Yes, he's seen them. Yes, he's pretending he hasn't. No, don't point it out (please do).]

Nocwich

[Now this is what Jack calls a celebration! He stops at Oleuni Square to get himself some treats and even a little spooky doll. Solvunn mostly pays for favors and goods, so he doesn't have much coin. Thankfully he knows how to solve that: he starts offering ice masks to anyone willing to buy him a treat. Make sure it's sweet, please!

Jack does stop by Ikorr and admires the flower wreaths, which make him think of The Warren. He's a little worried that his frost may kill said flowers, so instead he makes a wreath out of ice flowers that he shapes with his chilly breath and his own very fingers. He ends up putting it on his own head, but if you want one, all you have to do is ask.

With the ice flowers still on his head and the war paint on his face, Jack then takes the Trail of Unseen Eyes. Actually trying to be respectful, he walks instead of flying and bouncing, taking a minute or two to admire every mask. His eyes slightly change when he does this, showing a glimpse of the 300-year-old man inside him.

Once he reaches the wonderful view, a soft smile appears on his face and he immediately crouches to get to work. On the frost appearing under his feet, he starts drawing a bunch of will-o'-the-wisps, then he uses his magic to make them into puppets that come out of the frost and start floating around with the fireflies.

His smile transforms into a playful grin when he also draws a curious little guy. This one also comes out in 3D, but before sending him out, Jack looks at it and chuckles.]

Werewolves, vampires, and bone masks. I bet you would've loved this.

[The little guy joins the others in the air, dancing with the wisps and creating funny shadows as the light from the flowers and the fireflies reflects on the frost. Jack puts up his staff to perch on it and watch the show, calm and quiet for a change. Eventually all the puppets will explode in tiny snowflakes, which are pretty too if you ask him.]

nocwich!

[sophos]

[ annabeth is wandering oleuni square, though she hasn't bought anything significant just yet - she's been taking stock and calculating, especially knowing this festival is supposed to last more than one single day. ]

[ she does allow herself one little treat, a pastry with some kind of strawberry-esque filling. she's munching on it while she watches the boy with the white hair offering what looks like masks made of ice to people, and the question pops out of her before she can really stop it, once he's not mid-conversation. ]

Won't it just melt? I'm not really seeing how it's a fair bargain.

[ she doesn't sound argumentative so much as genuinely curious. ]

[floeing]

[Anabeth, how dare you bring logic into this!

The girl is young - not quite a kid but still enough for Jack to soften in her presence. Besides, she sounds curious, and Jack always likes it when people allow their curiosity to shine. So instead of the sass he would've thrown another person for such a question, Annabeth gets a kind smile and a shake of his head.]

We're in the middle of Fall, and it's made from my own ice. [Which implies it's stronger than the average frozen water.] It'll last you the whole night - that's longer than what the treat will last in my mouth. [He winks, obviously teasing.] But if it does need some touch-ups, you can send me a message and I'll fix it. Or I can make you a new one - as many as you want, in fact. Customization available, but it may cost a little extra.

[It actually makes no difference to him, but he wants those treats.]

[sophos]

[ that's like her whole thing, pal, just wait! ]

[ annabeth is certainly straddling a weird line of childhood, where she is by technicality still a kid, but most of the time she doesn't feel like one anymore. she's a little surprised by his smile, expecting some kind of pushback, but she's not going to let that distract her from an explanation. ]

[ she takes a bite of her pastry as he talks. ]

So it's like, fancy magic ice? [ she thinks of boreas, but it's abraxas, so there's really no telling. ]

I didn't say I'd get you a treat for a mask. Don't you have coins to spend? [ unless he's like percy and simply blows through them all almost as soon as he gets them. ]

[floeing]

Yes! [It's said between chuckles.] Did I not make that part clear?

[A snowflake appears in his hand, and he blows frost on it to make it extra thick and strong before putting it on her hair. She has gray eyes, he realizes, and they remind him of a stormy sky.

When she says she doesn't want to trade, he puts a hand on his chest, pretending to be utterly devastated.]

So you're just poking holes in my business to bring me down! Rude! Heartless! [And yet he answers anyway.] I had a few, already spent it. Solvunn rarely pays work with money, almost everything is done by trade.

nocwich - luna

[inventure]

[ there iris was, trying to enjoy a nice day out in nature, when all of a sudden he happens upon the very same trail that guy is taking.

ugh. ugh!

he thought he really lucked out there, finding himself back in thorne without any traces of that ice dude in sight. looks like his luck can only take him so far...

with a quiet huff of breath, he spins on his heel, intent on simply returning to the trail another time. jack seems pretty invested in the masks, anyway, so it's unlikely he even realized iris was there to begin with. all he has to do is quietly make his leave and that's tha—

or he could stumble right into an entire display of masks. yeah. yeah he could do that too, i guess. ]

Crap!

[floeing]

[Iris is right, Jack's whole attention is on the masks, and he doesn't notice there's someone nearby... until it's too late. He's startled by the noise, but he laughs as soon as he figures out what happened. People often associate Halloween (and its cousin in this world, it seems) with fear and spooky things, but in Jack's experience it always ends up in hilarious shenanigans.

He uses the crook of his staff to help Iris stand up, still snickering.]

I'm preeeeetty sure the masks go on your face, not the other way around.

[inventure]

[ somehow, getting helped up by the guy you're trying to avoid stings even more when said guy doesn't even use his own hands to do it. honestly! the indignity of it all! ]

You know that was an accident.

[ shut up shut up shut upppppp..!

once back on his feet, iris hastily attempts to re-right the fallen masks. he casts a hasty glance around, hoping no one else saw. ]

If you have time to make jokes, you have time to help me. Hurry, before anyone sees—

[floeing]

Do I~?

[It's impossible not to tease when Iris continues to make the best faces - honestly, Jack could spend a whole afternoon poking and pranking him. Although part of him can't help worrying a bit when he remembers their first meeting - no teenager should be that much of a spoilsport. It's the kind of attitude he expects from adults.

Still snickering, he starts helping Iris pick up the masks. No funny business, no floating, just working with the respect the masks deserve. Look at him, actually walking.]

Calm down. You'll get more attention if you act suspicious. I've met hares less skittish than you.

nocwich

[punctually]

[ jack's magic doesn't really faze peter—he's seen bobby mess with it back at the school, and he's hung around wanda enough lately to get used to it. but it's always nice to see it in action, watching the way jack's frosty breath coalesces into something more tangible for him to shape. ]

That's pretty neat, [ he says, around a mouthful of some pastry. ] I know a guy who can kinda do that. Not as cool as you, though.

[ haha, get it? cool? anyway, he doesn't have another sweet to give up, but he does have a bottle of coke (courtesy of wanda), which he offers to jack. ]

It's better when it's cold. But you shouldn't have a problem with that, right?

Hauntings - Solvunn or Nocwich, same for both

[floeing]

[There are horses in the shadows. They're black, they're made of sand, and their glowing eyes make you feel like they can stare into your soul.

They make Jack jumpy.

The bastards won't leave the shadows, but they do stare - teasing, taunting. Soon a whisper comes out of those shadows, too, a creepy voice poking at fears and insecurities. They can affect your character, if you wish. They sure are affecting Jack.

How long do you think you can keep up this charade?

How long until those pesky gods send you back and replace you with someone who will actually fight for their war?

How long until the children get bored with your one party trick?

Don't fool yourself, Jack.

It's just a matter of time before you make a mess here too.

Eventually Jack snaps, yelling in frustration as he shoots an ice bolt at the shadows. The horses disperse in a puff of black sand and the ice hits something else instead: may be a wall, a flower pot... or your poor character, who is just passing by. Jack's eyes widen, guilt taking over as a trembling hand reaches out.]

Are you okay-- [He interrupts himself with a gasp. The hauntings have taken over his senses and when he tries to touch the other person, he thinks his hand is going through them. Horror and despair appear on his eyes, make it hard to talk.] N-no... NO! Not again!




((ooc: The Fool sign that will disperse the hallucination will appear if someone touches Jack in a reassuring way, helping him remember he's visible here. Until that happens, they can fight the horses. Feel free to make the whispers point out your character's fears/insecurities, too.))

nocwich!

[theidlemaiden]

[ Admittedly most of the dreams that Hilda had been pulled into that weren't her own had been serene. Peaceful. Pleasant even. But this is the first one that she's been dropped into that is clearly more of a nightmare from the get go. Not that she thinks this is somehow a figment of her mind or someone else's. Somehow, someway she's ended up here. The darkness that draws over Oleuni Square isn't enough to dictate the unsettling chill that settles in her bones, permeating every inch of her skin although it certainly adds to the atmosphere.

Rather, it's the haunting eyes that peer at her from the impenetrable shadows, and the shadows that seem to breathe as if a creature of its own that coaxes the fear in her. It dances along her exposed skin, raising the flesh but she forces herself to move, and press on to find a way out, to put distance between herself and the voices and the darkness.

Except something comes rocketing at her from the shadows. Caught off guard she tries to dodge out of the way, only to be clipped in the side of her arm. She lets out a cry of pain, a hand going to immediately cover the place it had cut her. She flinches as someone rushes over and someone that she recognizes from earlier who had been creating flowers out of ice in Luna. ]

No, I'm not okay! Someone just threw an ice thing at me -

[ Her complaint is cut short as he suddenly begins to panic and her own eyes widen. ]

Not again? What do you mean - are you okay?

[floeing]

[She covers the wound with her hand, but it's quite obvious what happened: he hurt her. His ice hurt her, because he's--

being nothing but a reckless and ill-mannered weather phenomenon

With someone actually being hurt, what was supposed to be mere taunting is now reality. The horses see the opening and start coming out of the shadows, wanting to feed on all this negative emotions. Soon the smooth but creepy voice mixes with Bunny's, and Jack covers his ears as he remembers one of the worst moments of his very long life: we should've never trusted you. Losing control of himself, the temperature around he and Hilda starts to drop.]

ShutupshutupSHUTUP--!

[He shoots ice again, this time creating a frosty wall between him and the horses. They'll find a way around soon, he knows, but at least it provides a second of clarity. He turns to the lady, guilt embedded in every word as he speaks.]

I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to--

[Wait. She... she just talked directly to him. Jack's eyes widen as well and his hand trembles as he tries to touch her clothes, but it goes through again. He flinches and steps back, feeling as if he was slowly fading away from this world. A feeling that is always dreadful but even so now, because this world has done nothing but loved him and spoiled him. The higher you fly, the more the fall hurts.]

Can- can you hear me? Can you see me?

[theidlemaiden]

[ The sudden temperature drop has her skin pebbling. And while she's clearly ill-dressed for weather that she wasn't expecting for several months still, it's not the temperature that causes her to shiver. Rather it's the chorus of voices throwing cruel accusations towards the young man in front her. It doesn't occur her to that she shouldn't react this way; these voices are unknown to her, the things being said should bounce right off her because they hold no purchase on her conscious. But his fear, Jack's fear, seems to spread out towards her like frost overtaking a plane of glass.

Her eyes are blown wide as she takes a sharp intake of breath at the sudden wall of ice and the shadows that have taken form. The horses breath against the ice walls, whinnying and pawing at the ground at the sudden obstacle in their path. Jack's touch draws her attention sharply back towards him as she feels his touch against her skin. Confusion furrows her brow. ]

Of course I can hear you and see you! But never mind that - don't you think we should figure out how to get away from these creepy looking horses?!

[ He bought them time. And while she would never claim to be a strategist of any sort she knows that they have to go. Now. ]

Do you know the way out?

solvunn

[nomnoms]

[ The shadows have circled Nanaue's little barn-home, where he is currently staring at their horse-like forms while chomping on the leg bone of something large and decidedly not made of shadows, an earlier unfinished meal.

A bolt of ice shoots past him, thudding into the side of his house.

Unbothered, he continues to eat his meal, oblivious to his new friend's plight while he cannot yet see beyond the darkness. ]

[floeing]

[Jack slowly makes his way into the barn, his staff ready in attack position. He's still a little jumpy, so he keeps aiming it at different corners, the wood glowing for a few seconds whenever he thinks he should shoot. The horses are in the shadows, and he's eager to freeze the hell out of them, but there's someone else in the barn, and he wants to make sure they're fine.

Coming a little closer reveals a big and very particular shape that can only belong to one person.]

Nanaue? [You know shit is bad when Jack drops the nicknames. He slowly makes his way toward Nanaue, always keeping an eye on the shadows.] They haven't hurt you, have they? We need to move quickly.

cw: shark eats stuff gore

[nomnoms]

[ Nanaue continues tearing the fleshy bits from his 'drumstick', staring down at Jack with a quizzical look. ]

HURT? NO....

[ Of course, now, the shadow-beasts are circling the barn - making escape more difficult. Not that the manshark seems inclined to move from where he currently stands in the open double doors. Nanaue snorts and his gills flare with the sharp exhale, his posture shifting as his gaze starts to follow the creatures encroaching on his territory. ]

GO AWAY BAD HORSE! [ he shouts at them, hurling the leg bone into the shadows. ]

[divinityfrompain]

[ Julia doesn't sleep so everything has been during waking hours and she's getting rather tired of it. Not sleep tired, but a sort of emotional exhaustion. She was in Solvunn one minute and the next she is looking at these creepy horses who are just staring from the shadows. She's distracted by them until she hears a voice all around her and she spins. Light appears in her hand and her body turns into a white glowlamp, her eyes pure, as she looks for who is playing around now.

When the ice hits her, she goes back to normal, although the white eyes remain, turning toward the person who knocked her a step aside with it. She recognizes him and relaxes, although now she has someone to worry about, glancing toward the shadows. ]

Jack, it's okay.

[ She can't see that he's trying to touch her because she's busy looking for the enemy. ]

Who the hell is that talking?

[floeing]

[The golden glow reminds Jack of Sandy, which should be a fantastic thing. But a golden glow surrounded by the dark horses reminds him of Sandy's death, which messes up Jack's emotions even more. He grabs the back of his head as the fear and the insecurity mix with dread and overwhelming guilt. The shadows sense this and take care of such a perfect opening.

you let him die

He screams in frustration and almost shoots ice again, but at that moment Julia's voice breaks through the dark fog in his mind and the glow becomes something a little more comforting.]

T-the Boogeyman-- [It's an automatic answer, his attention concentrated on trying to see if he hurt Julia or not. It takes him a moment to realize what her speaking to him actually implies.] You-- you can hear him? You can hear me?

[Blue snowflake eyes are silently begging for acknowledgement as if they were asking for mercy.]

[divinityfrompain]

What, seriously?

[ The Boogeyman is a real thing? Then again, why is she surprised? Everything's real in her experience. Everything that goes bump in the night is real, fairies are real, dragons are real, and this place it's the same thing too. So of course that's possible in Jack's world. Which means the creepy voice is attached to someone meant to be creepy.

She glows more white than gold which might differentiate her from Sandy, and she may very well be like a flashlight in the darkness. It's something she does when walking around at night, so people can see her from a distance and not worry. Jack is screaming so she turns her attention back to him, seeing the anxiety on his face now. ]

Yeah I can hear you both. Come closer to me, okay? The shadows aren't stronger than me.

[ She is worried now that she can see how upset he is, her heart softening. ]

Whatever those voices are telling you, Jack, don't listen to them.

[mogger]

[ so jack and yuffie have only spoken once..... and yet, the second she hears what's happening, she's rushing over. she hears about half of the taunting, but as jack snaps, well --- she's snapping too, sliding in front of him protectively ]

Hey, back the hell off, you random monsters! Or I'll make a mess out of you!

[ she has never seen a horse before in her life. aside from half-horse summon monsters, but clearly they don't count. yuffie ducks the ice attack and it ends up hitting the wall behind her -- but more to the point, he seems to be really freaking out. she frowns ]

Are you okay?

[floeing]

[In the middle of his mental fog, Jack can tell that the person that comes to rescue him is young, and this messes with his mind in a whole different level. The last time he encountered this black sand, it was the kids that came through and made it gold again. It's -in a very twisted way- kinda comforting. But at the same time, the voice in the shadows is already taking advantage of this.

Getting rescued by those you swore to protect?

Again?

Not very Guardian of you, now is it?

It's hard to speak while trying to ignore the damn voice, which is pretty good at poking the wounds that hurt the most. Jack awkwardly mumbles apologies until he realizes Yuffie is talking directly to him, which means--]

You can see me? [But it doesn't make sense! His hand... Before he can think too hard about it, he notices the horses coming closer, so now it's his turn to be between Yuffie and the nightmares.] You must run-- now!

[He's not letting a youngster fight for him again. He's supposed to be better than this.]

[mogger]

[ that voice makes her even more defensive, and she grits her teeth and glares at the direction of the voice ]

Get lost!

[ she doesn't know what it's talking about, (and also kind of takes offense at the whole "sworn to protect" implication going on but) but there is no way she is just going to stand there and let this random voice put him down. those horse creatures look particularly unsettling to yuffie, too. but she stands her ground ]

Hell no, unless you're running with me. Let's show these creeps who they're messing with.

[ she pushes her way past him, until she's standing side by side, but that's when the voices start to whisper to her, too ]

[ Put the claws away, boss.... just until we're out of enemy territory. ]