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

scavenger hunt, luna

[theidlemaiden]

[ The coming and going of the hauntings and visions already seems like a distant memory. Hilda's determination to focus on the reality has proven somewhat effective in the sense that she's mostly been able to stay grounded in reality so long as she ignores the flicker of old faces bloodied and war torn that try to get her attention from the corner of her eye and in reflective surfaces of every kind.

Eifstide is a welcome distraction. As Claude and Sylvain occupy themselves, she takes the time to explore herself. And what better way to distract and explore than a scavenger hunt that promises to send them all over Luna?

She's leafing through her own booklet with a bright look in her eyes at the anticipation of it all when she spots a familiar figure. Her lips quirk in amusement recalling their D&D game together in Eddie's domain and how she had taken it so seriously. Hilda slides up to her giving the younger girl a gentle hip bump in greeting like they had always been friends. ]

Fancy seeing you here in the flesh. [ She nods towards to the identical booklet in her hands. ] Are you thinking about going on the scavenger hunt?

[sophos]

[ annabeth is not unused to visions, though they're usually of the dream variety. what's new here is perhaps more the content, the whispers of tartarus that follow her as she tries to enjoy eifstide. and it's not that she isn't - it's not like tartarus haunting her is particularly unusual either, even if the method seems to be shifting. ]

[ she remembers hilda from eddie's dnd campaign, catching her approach out of the corner of her eye before she attempts her hip check. it's a much friendlier corner vision than some of the others she's seen, so annabeth honestly welcomes it. ]

[ she smiles, faintly, friendly, then holds up her little booklet in a little wave for confirmation. ]

Already started. I'm great at this stuff. [ scavenger hunts. she definitely said that a lot about very many other things in the horizon game too. ]

You too then? Did you find any yet?

[theidlemaiden]

[ The attempt at a hip check is a valiant effort considering nearly a foot in height difference between herself and the younger girl. That alone means that she will fail in her attempt and does. What should have been a hip check is...more of a hip to leg check, but the both of them seem content to let Hilda believe that she did it. Really, it's a great sign. Because it means that Hilda likes Annabeth a little more than she already did.

The confidence that she had gave Hilda no small shortage of amusement, though to be clear, she didn't think it was a bad thing. ]

Just one. [ She fans her book out to the page showing her single stamp. ] But I think it was a fluke.

[ In reality, one of the werewolves had thought she was lost. Seeing her very blank stamp book, they had immediately pointed one out to her. And while they were very mistaken since she had started it she wasn't about to turn down the act of kindness. ]

Do you want to team up? I'm not so great at this sort of thing but two sets of eyes are better than one, right?

[sophos]

[ it's the thought and gesture that counts. luckily, annabeth is very familiar with being the tall friend. ]

[ she peers at hilda's stamp, curious as to what they look like, if they all have different logos and patterns, if there are similarities. how does werewolf culture come up with stamp designs?? thoughts she never thought she'd ask herself. ]

I mean, you still got a stamp, whatever the method. I'll say it counts. I've only got two so far, but one looks like yours. [ so, presumably she hit up the same place. ]

I'm assuming each stamp is different for each mask, but I guess we'll find out for sure the more we get. [ that's a confirmation to a team up, though she doesn't quite realize she hasn't been clear about it. but she does gesture at a shop a little ways across the road. ]

I was going there next.

[theidlemaiden]

[ With only one stamp to her name she can't say with any confidence whether or not the stamps are going to be different from one another. But she has to assume that they are. It was a scavenger hunt and it felt half-assed to not follow through to the end without creating different stamps in addition to the different masks. And as someone who had recently completed a scavenger hunt for someone very near and dear to her, Hilda expected a higher level of quality than something just slapped together. And she isn't going to have a problem making that known. ]

They should be. Otherwise what's the point?

[ Her gaze follows Annabeth's gesture towards the storefront and she turns back with a bright smile. Apparently it's confirmation enough for her. And even if it wasn't she would have tagged along anyway. Work smarter, not harder, right? ]

Lead the way! [ And as soon as Annabeth starts moving, Hilda follows right behind. ] You'll have to show me where to get the other one you have. Was it far from here?

[sophos]

Exactly! Like, why wouldn't you get creative with it?

[ now she's just setting herself up for disappointment if she doesn't get differing stamps, perhaps ones that even match the masks they correlate with. there are so many ways to make this scavenger hunt delightful. of course she will think about how to improve it before it's barely even started, against imaginary expectations. some of it's mostly just to be silly - but not all of it. ]

[ with hilda's agreement, annabeth simply starts walking towards the shop. her gaze wanders, occasionally taking in the design of the buildings they pass, the way they fit into the streets. ]

Not at all. I got it pretty close to where they're giving out the booklets, so when we go back for the prizes, we can swing by.

[ because obviously they will get a prize. ]

[theidlemaiden]

[ She knew that her hunch about liking Annabeth at the D&D table had been correct. While the thought of improvement might stem from slightly different sources, it's clear that they both just want a good experience. And if it did turn out that the stamps were the same, what was the harm in making their own?

...On second thought, maybe the two of them combining forces is a bad idea. Alas. ]

I like the way you think.

[ It seems that they aren't the only ones participating in the hunt. Every other person they pass seems to have a booklet in their hands too. And while that isn't interesting in and of itself, what Hilda does notice is that none of them seem to have the vaguely tired look of those that have been kept up by visions and nightmares. It's a good thing of course. But she can't help but wonder if Annabeth had been inflicted with the visions too. ]

So according to this it should be in a store front that sells oddities and the like. But there's a couple of those in this area.

[sophos]

[ little does hilda know that's literally one of the best compliments that can be paid to annabeth. she preens a little bit, smiling because yes, she does think very well. it's one of her best traits, and she'll carry on with the bit. ]

Well, thank you. I do try.

[ she will probably get a little more intense than need be about this scavenger hunt, depending on the process. but for her, that's definitely part of the fun in the experience. ]

I feel like you could make the argument for a lot of these places to be about the oddities. So maybe we look for something that might be more of an oddity to werewolves.

[theidlemaiden]

[ The preening is certainly interesting to note - but in an entirely affectionate way that earns her a sidelong smile. Lysithea had been the same; despite being the youngest out of the Deer she was resolute in her desire to prove herself more than capable of her House and being there with them. It's hard not to be reminded of her friend who she hadn't seen in nearly two years now and for a moment a wave of homesickness washes over her.

Lysithea would probably take to the challenge set before them with a similar intensity too - which worked just fine for Hilda if it meant she could put in a little less effort than she would have had to alone. ]

Well the most opposite of the werewolves the Ikorran. So maybe a shop dedicated to selling some goods from there? I know the history has always been a little spotty but maybe there's a shop that sells things from other territories.

[sophos]

[ as they walk, annabeth peers at the shops they pass, trying to look through the windows to get a sense of the merchandise without being the weirdo pressing her face to the glass. it's a good thing she has a sharp eye. ]

[ she taps a finger to her chin and nods at hilda's suggestion. ]

That's a good idea. Usually when I'm in Luna, I'm more interested in the local wares, so I've never really looked for anything else? I mean, stuff like blood wine would definitely be an oddity to me and I'm not even a werewolf.

[ it's a very odd sentence, and yet somehow, still not strange in the grand scheme of her life. ]

[theidlemaiden]

[ Meanwhile Hilda doesn't have a problem pressing her face up to the glass. Or near to it anyway. Her eyesight is fine but she wants the details. And what better way to get those details than by looking closely? Sure they've got a focus but this is also a prime opportunity to window shop.

And even if it is an odd sentence objectively, Hilda is technically up close and personal with a Summoned vampire who's making their own blood wine so she doesn't even bat an eyelash at that. ]

I've spoken with enough werewolves to know that there's some that do enjoy blood wine. If that's the kind of store we're looking for, I think there's one down this way. [ She nods towards a smaller looking shop. ] A friend of mine told me about it.

[sophos]

[ for closer details they could simply go inside, hilda... ]

[ annabeth nods and moves along towards the shop hilda gestures at. there's a pause, and then she sort of fills the quiet of the walk with ramblings of where her thoughts have been straying, mostly because she doesn't get the sense hilda will mind. ]

It's always interesting what gets turned into an "oddity" from one culture to the next, even ones that share some overlap. Like, they're all in Nocwich here, and some of the Eifstide customs are cleared shared, but the species difference is probably a big part of that too... And you just said you've met some who do like blood wine.

Maybe if they have a mask it'll be vampire themed, to match? If that's the vibe of the oddities...

[theidlemaiden]

[ Of course they could. But the moment they go inside, it's entirely possible that they may never come out. Hilda could lose herself in a good trinket store. But even she knows where their priorities lay and it's with picking the right shops with the right masks. Two birds, one stone! 

As for the rambling? Annabeth's hunch is absolutely right. Hilda loves rambling so long as it isn't boring. And Annabeth doesn't seem like the boring type. Especially when she's doing a lot of the heavy lifting for them. She knew she had chosen correctly.

The dots all seem to line up and she nods enthusiastically. ]

Only one way to find out. [ She leads the way into the shop, the tiny bell above the door jingling out merrily. ] It's a lot darker in here than I expected. They're really keeping up with the theme of the shop, huh? 

[sophos]

[ annabeth is just as prone to distraction as any demigod, but she also can get very tunnel visioned. her tunnel vision right now is on the scavenger hunt, so don't worry hilda, she'll pull them out eventually. ]

[ it's that very same tunnel vision that has annabeth immediately looking around the shop for a mask when they step inside. she idly and halfheartedly says hello to the shopkeep, not out of rudeness so much out as her hunting distraction. see? she's on a mission. fortunately, they seem to notice the girls have the booklets in their hands and don't take ill to it. ]

[ humming, annabeth looks at the picture in the book and mutters under her breath. ]

He seems to know why we're here, so I'm going to also assume there's a mask here. The mask in the picture is pretty dark too - and it looks like there are some teeth along the mouth, so maybe if we just look for the shape of teeth...

[theidlemaiden]

[ At least in this case it's nice to see that their joint tunnel vision and lack of attention span is joining forces and lining up at the same time. It makes for a much more pleasant experience than bickering.

Though that's bound to happen a little when you've thrown two stubborn, prone to silliness people into a hunt together.

Hilda offers her own cheerful greeting too before splitting up down a different small alcove but speaking aloud for Annabeth to hear from the other side. It's easier to look around once her eyes have adjusted to the light. ]

They probably wouldn't keep it in an obvious place, right? But not somewhere that would disrupt the merchandise too much.

[ And that's when she spots it. From the other side of the shelf Annabeth will hear a gasp. There at the end of their respective aisles is a display case with all manner of Ikkor goods. ]

There! I think it's in the display case.

[sophos]

And if I were trying to sell my wares, I'd make people walk through them...

[ she mutters it low enough to carry to hilda but quiet enough to keep it from the shopkeep. don't worry, she's keeping their secrets. ]

[ hilda gasps, and annabeth hurries down the aisle to meet her at the end. she spies the mask almost as soon as it's in view, and her face lights up. she holds up her hand without thinking, for a high-five. ]

Nice find! That's definitely it. [ she peers at the drawing in her book, then at the mask, then nods with her confirmation. she takes a few steps back to put herself in view of the shopkeeper and lifts her arm in a wave. ]

Excuse me! We found the mask!

[theidlemaiden]

[ Almost immediately she picks up what Annabeth is putting down and her voice lowers in turn. ]

You do have to admit that it's a good sales tactic. Especially if you're trying to interest someone that isn't really into this sort of thing.

[ Honestly, participating in a scavenger hunt like this is probably a great way to begin introducing your business because it will inadvertently bring in foot traffic regardless of whether or not their interests align.

And just like those hushed, gossipy voices her eyes light up in delight as she reaches out without any hesitation to high-five Annabeth right back. The shopkeeper motions them over to the counter and Hilda leads the way, holding out both her and Annabeth's stamp book for them to stamp making them the proud owners of freshly inked books. ]

That wasn't too bad. Two down and...several more to go? At this rate we should be done with them before the night is over! Not...that the night ever ends here but you know what I mean.

[sophos]

Oh, it's a great sales tactic. It probably encourages their participation.

[ annabeth can only begin to strategize where she would put a mask in a maze of products. she might take the hunters' feet throughout the whole shop before finding the mask. ]

[ she beams at the stamp in her book, not quite smug but definitely pleased with their success. they thank the shopkeeper, and annabeth throws in a promise to tell some of her friends about the items on display here, before they slink out of the shop. ]

[ she nods at hilda, then flips through the book to look for the next clue. ]

There are places at home that have endless night, but it's only temporary, based on the rotation of the planet in relation to its star, the sun, and the changing of the seasons. The endless night in Nocwich is so strange, and I've always wondered if it's something magical?

[ she squints at the writing of the hint for the next mask, waiting for the letters to stop spinning. it doesn't help that now she is once again thinking about star systems and seasons based on planetary axis alignments, so the distraction certainly makes the dyslexia heavier. ]

Okay, it says the next storefront sells... fools? [ it says tools. ]

[theidlemaiden]

There are places like that in Fódlan too though I haven't been there myself. It's sort of hard to do any kind of traveling in the middle of war but - [ She shrugs as if to say, what can you do about it? Even her tone suggests the same with it being as light and airy as it is. ] I'd like to some day.

Having been here nearly two years now the war and everything that awaited them at home should they ever find a way back is something that she's long since come to terms with. There is nothing they can do while they're here and she has no reason to doubt that things won't resume as they once had been.

Dwelling on that is hardly befitting of the task ahead of them however. She'd been absently holding open the book as they chatted and it's only part way through that she looks over at Annabeth curiously before quickly locating the entry that she's reading. Cheerfully she offers - ]

I think it says tools. We really should ask if they can make the lights a little bit brighter for us non-supernatural folks, huh? Tools isn't very specific though. [ She mulls it over. ] They do cluster some of the various smithies in one area though. We might have more luck if we head there.

[sophos]

Is that your world? Or where you're from? [ she will come back to the war comment in a minute. ]

[ there are so many places at home that she would love to see too, and even though she knows she's objectively young by most standards, there's always that question of whether or not she'll have enough time with all her own wars and demigod life expectancy. ]

[ her expression becomes a little pinched, though not at hilda. ] The light probably doesn't help.

Tools makes more sense. A blacksmith could easily be selling tools for wares. You know the fastest way there?

[ annabeth spends too much time studying the layouts of the town to have figured out the speed of pathways just yet. ]