Happy Naberus! [Party post]

[labrathor]

There's a chill in the air and a distant howl, and the sun is nowhere to be seen. On the outskirts of the Plaza, grinning faces carved into squashes tempt passersby to follow their lighted path, leading visitors down twists and turns through darkened streets, fog swirling around their feet. Did you already pass this way before? Are you going in circles, lost forever? Doubling back on yourself will lead to much the same result. And you don't remember when or how, but your clothes have somehow become a costume - whether funny, horrific, or downright bizarre.

Eventually, you find yourself in a small street carnival, tucked away far beyond the beaten path. Lights and lanterns run the length of a darkened street, the smells of fried and baked treats in the air, a light haze of smoke gathering under the awnings of food stalls. Beyond the food stalls, a haunted house beckons the brave to venture into its dark, cramped corridors, the sounds of distant screams coming from deep within. To the other side, a mountain of pumpkins waits to be carved, scoops and wicked-looking knives laid out on a tall table. Further still, wooden washtubs full of dark red wine host a small flotilla of apples to be bobbed, leaving all participants with deep red stains running down their necks from trying.

But before you can investigate the many wonders this strange little celebration has to offer, you must first be confronted by the host.

What looks for all the world like a fleshy flower writhes in the entryway to the festival, already towering over most visitors at fifteen feet high. But then that flower opens, unfolding into the form of an even larger young woman, bloody handprints painted on her exposed skin and shards of glass seemingly jammed directly into her head, and papercraft severed limbs hang in a necklace around her throat. She grins at you with unrestrained glee. "Couldn't resist, right? This is the happiest time of the entire year! Happy Naberus! You do know what that is? The Orokin festival of death, darkness, and deviance." She peers down at those in her presence. "We're all equal on Naberus night now, under our masks. Who's to know who's powerful and who isn't?"

She straightens up and laughs, waving her arms towards the carnival behind her. "Don't say I didn't warn you!"



[ooc: Happy Naberus, Nexus-goers! This is a party post, so feel free to tag around under the activity tags or just with each other! And remember, everyone must have a costume to participate! You can make it as mundane or as terrifying as you like. If you are open to spooky and/or horrifying events happening to your character, please also contact me through DMs here or to Ael on Discord so we can plan it together beforehand. The horror side of this event is opt-in, and threads containing such content should be tagged in the subject line.]

Comments

[iwillcatchup]

Faint whispers and no one in sight? Yah.... Peter is not a fan. He turns at the sound of the foot dragging against wood.

"Not good. Not good. Remember all your video game training, Pete ol boy. Don't get freaked." He tries to keep himself calm. His heart going faster than normal (for him), which is pretty darn fast.

Not sure what the glint of light could be, Peter decided to venture forth.

[labrathor]

The shadows seem to press in on him as he moves to the left, cold fog tickling at any exposed flesh. The hallway seems to stretch forever, but as Peter forges forward, the glint becomes just a little brighter. And a little brighter.

A single candle, placed on a small crystal pedestal, burning with a purple fire.

Its light is small, weak, but enough to illuminate the area within several feet. It brings no warmth, only a harsh light that deepens the edges of the shadows it casts, flickering on its wick. The fog swirls at the bounds of its light, seemingly held at bay, and in the darkness just beyond, a hundred glinting eyes seem to blink at Peter.

At the edge of his hearing, he can hear a low growl, deep and rumbling and promising sharp teeth.

[iwillcatchup]

Peter looks over the candle, wondering if he could find a way to carry it, without it burning down quickly. Perhaps the small crystal pedestal is light enough to carry?

He glances over at his shoulder, and shivers at the hundred glinting eyes.

And the low growl makes him gulp in his throat.

"Can't run my way out of here, since I can't see well.... just have to be quick."

He will pick up the small pedestal, if he can. And if he can't, he will just pick up the candle. "Going to need light..."

[labrathor]

The pedestal is a little too unwieldy to carry, but the candle fits in his hand neatly, shedding its flickering purple light around as he moves. It flares a little at his touch, illuminating slick writhing legs crawling all over the ceiling, tendrils that begin to surge his way like a million spiders, clicking and chittering.

"The light, the light, THE LIGHT, THE LIGHT...!!!"

A sound like a door creaking open echoes down the corridor opposite of the rapidly-approaching mass. A potential escape route, or something new? Choose quickly, Peter!

[iwillcatchup]

If there is one thing Peter can do... it is choose and move quickly. The sound of the door creaking open seems like the best bet to him now.

He activates his super speed to get to the door, leaving the weird tendrils that seemed attracted to the light of the candle behind.

The candle still in his hand, because he didn't want to drop what he just acquired.

He slides into the creaking open door, and glances around to see where his decision has landed him this time.

[labrathor]

Grasping tendrils lash out too late, Peter slipping easily past the gauntlet of reaching tentacles, though one brushes against his shoulder as he runs. The candle's flame flickers wildly but does not go out, and casts its light on the room on the other side of the door.

An emaciated figure crouches in the middle of an empty room, its back turned toward Peter, hunched over something unseen. Gnawing and scraping noises accompany its jerky movements, and something thick and wet spatters on the floor at its feet.

Fragile limbs unfold as it stiffens and turns, looking over its shoulder, empty eye sockets burning with the same purple flame held cradled against Peter's chest. Dark red liquid streaks down its chin, an unrecognizable heap of meat in its clutches.

[iwillcatchup]

This room is not any better from the hallway then the others. He stands still for a long moment at the sight of the figure crouched in the middle of the empty room (which in a feat is difficult for the speedster to do).

He does not want to know what that creature is eating.

And Peter takes a worried breath, when the creature looks at his direction. Maybe he can deceive his way out of this? He holds the candle near his face, so it appears that he has the same purple flame as the creature does in those creepy eyes.

And carefully, slowly than he ever imagined he could move, Peter starts to inch against the wall, looking for another exit. Another clue of where to go.

[labrathor]

The spindly creature takes a lurching step closer, and then halts as the flame obscures Peter's eyes. Ragged breathing drags in... out...

It doesn't move.

Those burning eyes stay locked on Peter, the ragged creature frozen in its pose, tracking his movements without pursuit.

Behind Peter, the wall seems to continue on forever, just long enough for him to begin to wonder if he's trapped here in this horrific stalemate. But then the texture of the wall changes - giving way to a soft, clothlike texture. A draped tapestry hung over a hole in the wall, large enough to fit a man. As Peter backs through it, the flame in his hands flares up and roars into an impassible wall, and when it fades, the creature is gone. Only a dark stain on the floor remains as proof that it was there.

The candle in Peter's hands is now unlit, its flame expended.

The passageway behind the tapestry lies open, dim light glowing at its other end. This seems to lead into a labyrinth of some kind, hallways full of twists and turns. And somewhere in those halls, something not unlike a minotaur...