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

[itmeanstruth]

Isamu opened his mouth, about to ask Erik if he’d learned a valuable lesson. But then he closed it again. The man was drunk at the time, and he’d heard enough stories from Tom about what everybody was capable of getting into when they drank.

“More often than anyone would like. We don’t want anyone getting hurt, you know?” Minoru explained. “Lifting and transferring patients is a big part of the job description. I know changing linens, setting up supplies, all of that is important, but helping the patients be more comfortable? That’s the the most important part to me. Patients talk to us and tell us stuff even the nurses don’t know. So we get to fill in a lot of gaps that really help sometimes.”

Erik definitely proved that last part firsthand during his recent cactus-induced hospital stay. It’s easier to talk to the friendly guy in scrubs who holds your hand than it is the nurse who’s poking you with needles or the doctor in the formal lab coat.

[rockandroll_swede]

Even if Isamu did ask Erik if he'd learned a valuable lesson he'd probably end up doing something equally as stupid next time he got drunk. Rock stars did as rock stars wanted, even though Erik didn't know the cactus juice was poisonous.

"Of course not. I bet you're a really nice man-nurse, Minoru."

The Swede liked Minoru's bedside manner and knew his friend did his best when looking after those sick inside the hospital. Isamu probably rolling his eyes at how big of an idiot Erik was that night getting drunk and wanting to try something new.

"How is your research going, Isamu? I hear you try Ivar's gut rot now and then. That's got to be scientific!"

[itmeanscourage]

When trying something new, it’s probably a good idea to find out if it’s liable to kill you. Just a thought. (And one that Isamu would have to tell Minoru too. Though, his brother was surprisingly cognizant of what he ate. It was all the things he DID that were crazy…)

“My associates are still assisting me in gathering data for my study on real-world demonstrations on transient hypofrontality during alternate states of consciousness. A larger sample size is still needed in order to draw meaningful conclusions, and measuring the phenomenon has been more difficult than originally intended.” He reported. “But our paper on Anticoagulants in Vampire Saliva and Histamine Reactions in Humans with Sensitivity to Mosquito Bites did pass review and was recently published. Although I was merely part of a larger team, and not lead researcher, it is still exciting, nonetheless.”

Discussions on his other study, The Effect of Fermentation on the Micronutrient Content of Anthean Vegetation, was probably best left undiscussed in current company.