SPOOKTOBER 2023: Occult Night at the Oasis

[Rebonack]

[Play Area]

Khannie is all grins and exuberant enthusiasm as the kids file over. "Hey Russell! You ready for an adventure?" she asks in a vaguely deeper ADVENTURE! voice, holding out her arms with elbows crooked down in a BROAD HERO sorta way. "You wanna hold onto Cheasadh's hand, Laurana? It's gunna be kinda dark in the maze but don't worry! It'll be fun!"

But then 'Blue' hides behind her dad. Khannie has heard bits and pieces of the story from the kids. She doesn't know exactly what happened but she knows ENOUGH. Something really scary happened to 'Blue'. She was kidnapped, a fate Khannie has way more experience with than she would like. She's about to say something when all of a sudden her DAD approaches. Maybe to do his determination thing and talk to Mister Frescot?

Stepping out, Khannie sort of falls forward, a wave of liquid dark washing over her right before her front hooves hit the floor. Still in her frumpy wizard costume, the shiny metallic purple unicorn approaches THE DADS.

"You better not be planning on embarrassing me in front of my friends," comes a brief whisper to Jace before she folds her legs under herself and lays down on the floor, offering Blue a kind smile. "The dark won't be scary, not while I'm around. You wanna ride on my back, Blue? I promise it'll be fun."

[Shadowcaller]

[In the Wake of the Bab Swarm]

"I noticed." It was hard not to. But most of her attention had been on her own children.
Or rather, one specific child that just happened to be Laela's second-in-command. Or at least that seemed to be how her siblings were treating her.

Since Laela sure didn't let them decide anything, even when she wasn't there. Or at least that's how the complaints went.
"I don't really feel comfortable letting them go like this though. Remember the spooktober when those ghosts showed up? I can never forget the stories." First the kids getting scared and then the one taking the form of Cora, but giant. She only knew of this second hand yet it was still bizarre to even imagine.

[[brackets lover]]

[Play Area: Outside Maze]

Having returned from a scene of dubious canoncity at the bar, Asami rushes as she catches sight of the group starting to leave the Kidz Zone. She hurries to catch up, demonstrating a somewhat weak gait. Her face was also slightly paler than usual and her corona went out completely. As hung at he tailend of the assembly, she rubbed her temples and looked off to the side. "_{Ugh, my absolute head...}"

[Murkus]

[Play Area]

The kids are absolutely floored by the sight of the unicorns, gaping in dumbstruck youthful awe. Well, except for Russell. Russell just watches. He seems neither afraid of the maze nor terribly interested in this situation... yet when he was asked if he was ready, he did lift his little green fists up. Always with that bland expression. He's currently in a little gunslinger costume, himself, complete with plastic orange-tipped pistol.

The only thing that actually coaxes a glance from Russell is 'Blue's predicament.

Adir isn't quite as overwhelmed as his kids, but he beams at the sight of the kobold, its mount, and Khannie's new form. He is also well versed enough in Nexus weirdness to do the whole 'telepathic talking' thing. It's a bit odd, your internal dialogue becoming external, but quick enough to adapt. Oh. Hi there. I'm sorry, I don't know everybody at GLoG real well. That's more my wife's area. But I think I've heard mention. It's nice to meet you both.

Laurana toddles up to touch the unicorn if possible. Either unicorn. All the unicorns. She looks back at her sister sister, starstruck, but not wanting to leave her behind. "C'mon, it's ok! Really!"

Blue looks from Khannie's new gorgeous form to Jace and up to her dad. Adir puts one of his sasquatch-gloved hands on her head for just a moment. "It's okay. You're perfectly safe here."

Blue hesitates some more. Squirms. Then will slowly toddle out on her little hooves, with everyone's encouragement, to approach Khannie. All unicorns are pretty, but Khannie is least imposing at the moment, being smaller and laying down. Finally, to Khannie's question, she says, "...Yes."

[Keeper]

Zebes puts the back of his hand to forehead.
[The horror! Spurned by a small child in favor of one’s own spawn!]
Shush you.

”There, I’m sure you’ll do just fine.”
”The kids are welcome to take my seat, but you are taller. And according to Khannie, lamer.”
”I am an exceptionally magical creature-slash-sorcerer and that means I cannot be lame.” Jace insists. He is the size of a slender riding pony which means he is larger than Khannie who is still more or less human mass.

[Gold]

[Play Area]

Micah turns around, confused as to why none of the others are moving. "Hey, what's the hold up-oh. We're, uh... inviting the little kids?"

Micah regards the swarm of babies with an unsure expression. He himself generally prefers to avoid interacting with anyone below the age of 8 if he can help it, because small children mostly represent a danger to objects like books and trading cards.

That said, Khannie was... wait. The unicorn talking in Khannie's voice was... no, that was Khannie. "Khannie's a unicorn now?" Micah unthinkingly says out loud. He's definitely going to ask her about that after the haunted maze.

Anyways, unicorn or not, Khannie really seems to know what she's doing here. She and the other unicorn - who Micah overheard was her dad - are working over the few kids who actually seem interested as if they were born for this. And Micah can't shake the feeling that the quietest kid - Blue - reminds him of himself when he was younger.

Alright then, Micah thinks. If the kids are coming with, he may as well make a good first impression.

"Hey, kids! I'm Micah, and I, uh, want you to remember that there's no need to be afraid of the dark... you only need to be scared of what hides in it."

[Morty]

[Dining Floor - Large Men]

"Well, the main ones would be the kind to be performed thanking the spirits and asking them to guide our fallen after a battle. Which is a lot more raucous than it sounds. And there was a traditional one for the height of summer. We'd probably have one for the harvest if we harvested anything." Krayger waves a hand.
"I was cast out so they are hardly my people anymore. They are perhaps still my nephew's. He's always been a bit tight-lipped on how he left things."

"That doesn't sound too distant from what I remember. But then people all over celebrate similar things." But then the topic strays into a much more serious matter. "I am... sorry to hear that. If it's any consolation, I think they've lost quite a man in the doing."

[Keeper]

Dining Floor - Large Men

Krayger waves a hand.
”They exiled me for refusing to take part in raids on any more caravans. My only regret was leaving my nephew behind. And he followed me out. So that makes none. I dropped their name from my own quite of my own volition.”
His clan was not nice. A surname is a worthy price for being able to sleep at night.

[Morty]

[Dining Floor - Large Men]

"Then we have something in common. I had to leave my people when I disagreed with one of their leaders about their future." Askeladd's smile turns fragile and sad. He's not at peace with it the way Krayger is. "I am glad your nephew is here with you, though."

[Keeper]

Dining Floor - Large Men

”Then they lost a great man as well.”
Krayger inclines his head but then smiles, tapping the moose-man on a shoulder.
”But come on, this is no line of questioning for a party. Tell me, does your homeland have festivals like this?”

[Earl of Purple]

Play Area

"Who wants to come with me for this? I can't promise I won't scream." Cheasadh grins, and glances at Asami, hoping it's someone else who chooses to accompany her. (Earl would be happy for it, since Earl likes making his characters uncomfortable.)

[Rebonack]

[Play Area]

Laurana is making the correct choice here. Touching all unicorns is the best possible course of action. Khannie feels quite soft, almost feathery, like the underside of a hen brooding on top of her cute little peeping fluffball children. She doesn't object to any of the kids running their messy children fingers over her. That's one of the hazards of working with children, but she loves them all so it's a sacrifice she's willing to make.

At Blue's consent, Khannie lights her horn with a crown of indigo and violent magic, a similar glow appearing under Blue and gently lifting her onto the unicorn's back right behind her neck. "You hang onto my mane, okay Blue? Don't worry about tugging on it too hard since I'm tough!"

Given that Khannie is a leggy, graceful, frail looking creature her insisted toughness might not sound very convincing. She holds her tail out to Laurana like offering a hand to hold, except the hand is a tail with a pomph of fur at the end. Of course, Laurana is free to take another route to the maze if that's her desire but the offer stands.

Trotting back over to the entrance, she sticks her tongue out at Micha. "Yeah, what of it? I beat the fox thing. My uncle says give it a couple months but he's being a dork."

Then she smiles down at the kiddos. "Micha's right! There's gunna be some spooky things in the dark but it's all just for fun, okay? It's okay to scream but remember to laugh, too! Now let's GO!"

That said, Khannie lights her horn to cast an unearthly glow in the dark and strides forward into-

[The Maze]

So!

Who's going with who on this mystifying adventure?

[[brackets lover]]

[Play Area]

Micah's comment causes Asami to tilt her head, vocalizing her own musings, "You mean she wasn't always a unicorn? Weird..."

Despite her gloominess at the moment, Asami notices Cheasadh glancing and asking for company. Clearly, this is interpreted as Cheasadh inviting Asami over. Asami graciously smiles back at Cheasadh. "Ah, you're saying you want someone to help you feel secure. I'll go with you, since we're friends." Asami heads to Cheasadh's side, playfully ruffling the hair of any young child she brushes up against. Though content to be at Cheasadh's side, Asami suddenly looks worried. "Ah, i'm actually not so good with loud noises. Is it ok to listen to music on my headphones during this?"

[Ironsmith]

Take A Pony, Leave a Pony

Jace and Zebes look at each other before laughing. One is a normal if oddly reptilian sound. The other is well, definitely a horse noise.

”Khannie came into the world via a rather difficult to explain magical incident. Depending on how you look at it, Khannie’s mom is either also Jace, or an embodiment of primordial chaos magic who didn’t even technically exist yet.”

”And from what she’s told us, yes. Either way, we’re very proud of her.”

[Take A Pony, Leave a Pony]

"I see." Left-hand knight chuckles, in a tone that implies he's having to hold back from saying "one of those situations, huh". "That sounds like quite the story, if you aren't averse to sharing it."

Where's the Bloodplunders

"You guys go ahead, I'm old enough to drink and I... I don't scare easy. But I am easily startled. The jump scares will get me, and you'll laugh, which is fair, it'd be funny- the first time anyway. But then it's not the first, second, third, or even tenth time and I'm still getting startled and I'll want to punch someone, or hit them with my axe, and we'll get thrown out." Hope will, at that point, wander off to either find more scenes for Earl or make this one a little less clustered. Either way, it makes things here and now a bit easier.

"I'm always up for exploring, even if I'm not in the Adventure Archaeology classes. History's less interesting when it's just dead people and dates, y'know?" Aigothurz is in several history classes, but they're military history, tactics and strategy, and the magic of logistics. Not tomb robbing. The Wally-clad orc will grin and stride towards the maze, taking Aiko's hand if she dawdles.

[Where's the Bloodplunders?]

Aiko does stop briefly to consult her phone, but Aigothurz's gentle insistence that they go to explore the maze gives her plenty of reason to follow him there. He might note when they arrive at the entrance to the maze that her cheeks are a bit darker than they were when they set out, and she's fidgeting with the edges of the latex around her neck and behind her hood, trying to adjust it for slightly better ventilation.

"Well. No time like the present." She adds hastily, tugging Aigothurz into the maze proper at the first available opportunity.

[Pallid Gals and Galloping Pals]

Reilana gives Dulcie another questioning look, but she'll have to pry later. Though it seems like she's getting some answers already. "No, that's fine. We were just having a look around right now." Admittedly she was getting distracted bantering with Dulcinea, but what else is new? "I'm Reilana, by the way." She adds.

[Pallid Gals and Galloping Pals]

"Absolutely no trouble at all," Dulcinea reinforces, warm as the sunlight glinting off a crisp snowfall. "As my partner said, we weren't up to anything interesting. And besides, I always have time to make new acquaintances. Dulcinea Antoninus Hortensis, though I'm just Dulcinea to most. It's a pleasure to meet you, Saltset Simmer." She offers a hand. The grip is just the right degree of firm and comfortable to feel perfect and trusting, practiced and calculated many times over.

"I must admit, I do quite like 'Salt'. It's very... evocative. Something about appropriating the name of an object and defining it anew, I suppose." Were the words said by any other girl, it might come across as a backhanded compliment. But there's no trace of any such bite. "Is this your first time at Spooktober?"

[Pallid Gals and Galloping Pals]

Salt offers her hoof to Reilana, not seeming to realize at first that it was still caked in dirt, bits of grass, and other such detritus from just walking around... and sort of slowly, awkwardly lowering it back to the ground if the handshake isn't taken.

"It's my first time showing up like this, yes." Salt replies, internally batting around how direct she should be. "I was at last year's celebration, too... but either way, yes, it's all a bit unfamiliar to me. Well... not unfamiliar so much as uncanny, I guess. Close but not quite what one would expect." She shuffles a bit on her hooves as she explains. "We have a holiday like this back home. It's supposed to be a yearly celebration of friendship and-"

clop! Goes Salt's hoof as she facepalms. "That was not meant to come out sounding that... trite."

[Gullara]

[Pallid Gals and Galloping Pals]

"Absolutely no trouble at all," Dulcinea reinforces, warm as the sunlight glinting off a crisp snowfall. "As my partner said, we weren't up to anything interesting. And besides, I always have time to make new acquaintances. Dulcinea Antoninus Hortensis, though I'm just Dulcinea to most. It's a pleasure to meet you, Saltset Simmer." She offers a hand. The grip is just the right degree of firm and comfortable to feel perfect and trusting, practiced and calculated many times over.

"I must admit, I do quite like 'Salt'. It's very... evocative. Something about appropriating the name of an object and defining it anew, I suppose." Were the words said by any other girl, it might come across as a backhanded compliment. But there's no trace of any such bite. "Is this your first time at Spooktober?"

[Pallid Gals and Galloping Pals]

Salt offers her hoof to Reilana, not seeming to realize at first that it was still caked in dirt, bits of grass, and other such detritus from just walking around... and sort of slowly, awkwardly lowering it back to the ground if the handshake isn't taken.

"It's my first time showing up like this, yes." Salt replies, internally batting around how direct she should be. "I was at last year's celebration, too... but either way, yes, it's all a bit unfamiliar to me. Well... not unfamiliar so much as uncanny, I guess. Close but not quite what one would expect." She shuffles a bit on her hooves as she explains. "We have a holiday like this back home. It's supposed to be a yearly celebration friendship and-"

clop! Goes Salt's hoof as she facepalms. "That was not meant to come out sounding that... trite."

[Pallid Gals and Galloping Pals]

Reilana seems uncertain what to make of Salt, though she gives no sign of a negative impression at the very least. "Dulcinea and I both grew up here, so this way of celebrating is all we're really familiar with. It's actually true that this holiday itself isn't native to the Nexus though. It's a sort of amalgamation of different celebrations from different worlds that have some commonality between them. Maybe your home had some influence somewhere down the line." She poses.

[In the Wake of the Bab Swarm]

"I noticed." It was hard not to. But most of her attention had been on her own children.
Or rather, one specific child that just happened to be Laela's second-in-command. Or at least that seemed to be how her siblings were treating her.

Since Laela sure didn't let them decide anything, even when she wasn't there. Or at least that's how the complaints went.
"I don't really feel comfortable letting them go like this though. Remember the spooktober when those ghosts showed up? I can never forget the stories." First the kids getting scared and then the one taking the form of Cora, but giant. She only knew of this second hand yet it was still bizarre to even imagine.

[In the Wake of the Bab Swarm]

"Oh Cessie, you worry too much." Sakura assures cheerily. "There's so many people here with their eyes open. I don't see how anything could happen. You don't have a dedicated kids area without people looking out for your kids."

[Murkus]

[Play Area --> The Maze]

The kids seem generally encouraged and in excellent spirits. Even Blue smiles at Micah, and then giggles uproariously as she's borne through the air to Khannie's back. She almost forgets she's heading into a SPOOKY place. Oh no.

Laurana and Russell will turn their attention on Khannie's dad. They look curiously up at him though. "How do we get on?"

"Do you mind?" Adir asks Zebes and Jace. If they're still fine with it, the deerfather will scoop up his two babies and deposit them on Jace's back. Laurana giggles, the sound nearly identical to Blue's laughter.

"I don't know how we wanna split it up, but I'll stick with you, if you don't mind," Adir says to Khannie, glancing at Blue. He knows of Khannie, and he's reasonably certain Jace can be trusted, at least as far as the maze is concerned. He looks at his son Russell. "Keep an eye on your sister for me, will you?"

The little rose-headed boy gives a little salute, his taciturn, curious expression never changing.

[Meowmai]

Dining Floor

Lia looks a little crestfallen at the knowledge that Tespa doesn't read much literature, but recovers quickly. "Well, nonfiction is still wonderful. It's one of the best ways to accrue knowledge, and that's the most important thing in the world! Next to love, I suppose." A brief pause. "But if you are ever looking for some more fun reading- just let me know." She's trying so hard to be normal about this.

Noticing that Tespa's having some trouble, Lia slows their dance to a more sedate pace, steering towards the edge of the ball so as not to disrupt the other dancers. Slow dancing is really just an excuse to stand very close together while talking, after all.

"It's the bad luck thing, right? Crossing under ladders and such? Well, I can't imagine that's true." The mycoid sighs. "But if it is, I think my luck is already so poor that some extra bad luck will bring it all the way back around into good. Worth a shot, right?"

Dining Floor

Tespa might not be the most empathic person out there, but even she can see how much Lia wants to ramble on about books. And while she may be terrible at reading people, she does know how to say things that others want to hear. She wouldn't get many customers as a fortune teller, after all, if she only dealt in the cryptic truth. "Well, perhaps you can enlighten me on some of your favourite books. I'm sure I can find the free time for one or two."

They move to the side now, Tepsa still following Lia's lead, tilting her head as she listened. "One should not be too hasty to chase bad omens," she croaks in her rasy voice, before realizing she's probably pulling the dramatic fortune teller act at a time it wasn't helpful. "But yes, such superstitions as those are... silly. Real omens and curses alike are never such simple things. Although, given my own history, perhaps there is some truth when regarding black cats." She chuckles, slowly circling as the dance continues. "So it seems we have that in common. Such a strategy is, perhaps, inadvisable, but who knows? Perhaps whichever deities of luck or fates look down upon us will be impressed by the attempt. Or, simply move on. Such things can be fickle."

[Earl of Purple]

Play Area

"Uh... sure." Cheasadh smiles at Asami a little nervously, though 'friends' is not how she'd describe her relationship with the star-girl. "I don't know about the headphones. Theoretically, I think the only loud noises are going to be the ones we make, so it might not be a problem?" Although scared small children might make a lot of noise.

[Earl of Purple]

Where's the Bloodplunders?

Aigothurz grins and lets Aikobaz lead the way, down the first corridor until it splits in three. Aigothurz looks at the three possible routes, before going left. This new passageway is mostly straight, but ends with a turn to the left, with a wardrobe at the end that looks big enough it could hide a passage through, or just be hiding an orc waiting to jump out and say 'boo'.

[Rebonack]

[The Maze]

"I don't mind at all, Mister Frescot," Khannie replies, ever the polite youth. "See? Your daddy's gunna be on the adventure too. It'll be great."

Her presence doesn't invoke the same purity of thought, of determination, that her father's does. She is, after all, a different unicorn. Riding there on Khannie's back, Blue will feel a purity of action! Of innocent adventure and curiosity. Purity of doing. And isn't it so often the desire for a fun adventure and discovery that, in the end, conquers fear?

So, into the maze.

It's spooky in here. The false-walls have been mostly carefully painted with ghosts and ghouls and fun Spooktober icons, cats and bats and pumpkins and spiders and even a few pumpkin spiders! Dark cloth spread over the top of the walls keeps everything dim and gloomy, the perfect ambiance for a fun scare!

Where Aiko had encountered three corridors those following behind them won't find the same thing at all! The branching halls are narrow such that only two people can really squeeze through at a time and there's an orc hiding behind a section of fake wall at the intersection. As people approach he intones in a deep, foreboding voice, "Enter! If you dare... Wuah ha ha ha!" and when someone steps through the LIGHTS GO OUT! When they come back on he's shuffled to a new position, ensuring that the big groups are broken up into more manageable parties.

Khannie, Adir, and Blue will find them shuffled into a hall... FULL OF BATS!

Oh no!

Silly rubber bats are dropping down from the ceiling here and there, some of them whirling around on fans. Khannie gives a theatrical scream when one goes whizzing past her head, then laughs as she bops it aside with her horn.

Jace, Zebes, Laurana, and Russell step into the hallways of SPOOKY FACES! Some are just painted on, faces of skulls or jack-o-lanterns or monsters. Others are enchanted with illusions to go 'BOO!' when someone walks past them.

Pretty spooky!

Cheasadh and Asami are still discussing the logistics of THE MAZE! No doubt they'll get moving when they see everyone else going inside.

That just leaves Brinika and Micah! Are they going to enter THE MAZE together? Or do they have other plans?

[[brackets lover]]

Play Area

"Uh... sure." Cheasadh smiles at Asami a little nervously, though 'friends' is not how she'd describe her relationship with the star-girl. "I don't know about the headphones. Theoretically, I think the only loud noises are going to be the ones we make, so it might not be a problem?" Although scared small children might make a lot of noise.

[Play Area --> The Maze]

Asami frowns at Cheasadh's reaction, teasing, "You don't sound too excited. Are you really that nervous? You can hold my hand if you like." Seeing the others move, Asami offers her hand to Cheasadh and trails behind the others. The sudden darkness earned a wary gaze from Asami, who rose an eyebrow curiously, "Huh? What's with all this... Not-brightness? I've never experienced anything like this before."

[Morty]

[Dining Floor - Large Men]

"Yes, indeed. This is a celebration." And he traveled here to forget about all that. "My people do have something similar. I think many cultures do. As days grow shorter, we try to cheer ourselves up. Some people in a village dress up as ghosts and spirits, with others then asking them to pass messages along to their recently departed or distant ancestors."

[The Maze]

Brinika looks up at Micah and gives him a toothy grin. Those sure are some big and sharp teeth she has.

"Let's get going, we can't stay here while they've all gone in. Makes it look like we're scared."

[Ironsmith]

[Where's the Bloodplunders?

Aigothurz grins and lets Aikobaz lead the way, down the first corridor until it splits in three. Aigothurz looks at the three possible routes, before going left. This new passageway is mostly straight, but ends with a turn to the left, with a wardrobe at the end that looks big enough it could hide a passage through, or just be hiding an orc waiting to jump out and say 'boo'.

Where's the Bloodplunders?]

After about the first five minutes of maze traversal, Aikobaz doesn't really pay attention to it very much anymore. In terms of puzzles to be solved, this one was ridiculously simple; given a single floor and an entrance and exit that were both quite visibly on the outside of the maze, all they would have to do is follow one of the walls and they'd eventually find their way out. This might be engaging for the younger kids behind them, but she and Aigothurz aren't really in much position to be challenged.

Probably.

Fortunately, there are other things in the maze that can occupy her mind.

"...So, Aigothurz.." Aiko clears her throat, giving her fingers a little flair inside his hand.

...Why does she not have an end for that sentence? She knew better than to start it without one. Now she's going to be standing there awkwardly trying to piece one together, under a self-imposed time limit.

"...Would you believe I've never been in one of these before?" She adds, before more than a handful of agonizingly slow seconds elapse.

[Keeper]

Dining Floor - Large Men

"I do not believe that we had such things in my world. But that's quite alright. I didn't get to see all of it anyway so I could be wrong." Though Krayger got to see more of it than most people generally got to.
"From the stories you tell, it sounds like asking if the ancestors ever respond is a valid question." he chuckles.

The Maze

Jace nods and lets Adir put the children on his back. Zebes will make sure they don't fall off.

Once in the maze, Jace is aided by the fact that he doesn't have to try hard to make convincing fear noises as no one here speaks horse anyway. Though he does use his magic voice for the children a little.
"Brave riders, you will have to steer me through this place. Can you do that?" he asks Russel and Laurana. Zebes will show them how to use their feet to steer their MAJESTIC and DEFINITELY NOT LAME steed through the spooky maze.

Take a Pony, Leave a Pony

"Well, I should probably keep from embarrassing her too much without her permission. Needless to say, some very fortunate but embarrassing for everyone involved magic happened and Khannie came into the world in a way she probably wouldn't like having me tell everyone"
It involved lots of trauma and being a pokemon.
"Um, what were your names again?"

[Gold]

[Play Area]

Micah raises his arms defensively in response to Khannie sticking her tongue out at him. "N-nothing! You can be a unicorn if you want, I don't judge! So, uh... congratulations?" he says, since it seems like Khannie views becoming a unicorn as some kind of an achievement. And, hey, maybe it is.

Micah uneasily returns Blue's smile. Mostly, he's just relieved that the kids seem happy and harmless enough in their groups with the others.

[The Maze]

Micah's not particularly put off by any amount of sharp teeth - one could say he even finds them quite endearing.

"Oh! Right, we should get a move on," Micah agrees as he moves towards Brinika and the maze's entrance. "And, y'know, if you do get scared... just remember that we have what the spooky scaries don't. A blaster!" he jokes, gesturing to the toy foam-flinger attached to his waist as part of his costume.

[Shadowcaller]

[In the Wake of the Bab Swarm]

"Oh Cessie, you worry too much." Sakura assures cheerily. "There's so many people here with their eyes open. I don't see how anything could happen. You don't have a dedicated kids area without people looking out for your kids."

[In the Wake of the Bab Swarm]

"I believe it's a parents job to worry." And so was her actual job. "But yes, they're probably safe here. But I doubt any of the older ones are planning to stay around so it's them I'm really worried about." The ghosts had confronted them inside the Frescots own home after all. Now, they hadn't exactly been dangerous the way the children had described them but you never knew.

"But if I didn't believe they'd be fine I wouldn't have let them go." She relents as to not be a worry-wart. She stops to look around. "It seems to be even more kids than usual this year. A lot of older ones too."

[Ironsmith]

Take a Pony, Leave a Pony

"Well, I should probably keep from embarrassing her too much without her permission. Needless to say, some very fortunate but embarrassing for everyone involved magic happened and Khannie came into the world in a way she probably wouldn't like having me tell everyone"
It involved lots of trauma and being a pokemon.
"Um, what were your names again?"

[Take a Pony, Leave a Pony]

"Oh, of course. Pardon my lack of manners. I am Arne of Blekdal, of the house of Skuld." Left-hand knight gives a little bow.

"And I'm, um... apparently, my name is Arthfael." Right-hand knight says, imitating the bow.

"...Wait. Truly?" Arne looks over at his doppelganger. "...Arthfael Ty-Maldwyn?"

"...Yes?"

The knight lets out a bellowing laugh and wraps his arms around his counterpart. "Where in Absae's name have you been, boy? Your sisters, uncle and I have been looking all over for you!"

"...I, um... it's a long story. I don't remember most of it. You know my sister?"

"She was just he-" Arne cuts himself off and facepalms. "Oh, of course..."

[Keeper]

Take a Pony, Leave a Pony

Jace blinks but to his credit recovers quickly.
"Ah. Then we've already met. We spoke when you were working up the nerve to ask out my daughter. I'm sorry about your memories."
Something occurs to him.
"Oh ah, you wouldn't happen to still be in possession of a crystal stone about the size of your palm, dull in color would you? It's...important."

[Rebonack]

[The Maze]

And so Brinika and Micah set out into the mystifyingly spooky, a-maze-ing maze!

Their trek forward will take them through the SHIFTING ENTRANCE and into room of flashing lights and rumbly thunder sounds! The strobbing light causes the room to flicker between creepy illumination and pitch darkness, making it hard for one's eyes to get use to either. The teens will be able to see, in an uncanny stuttering view, several coffins open up and zombies rising from them and moaning for brains!

The zombies are, of course, orcs in costumes.

[Murkus]

[The Maze - Adir and Blue]

The lights go out! Oh no! Well, Blue is definitely being at least subliminally distracted by Khannie's presence and the feelings it elicits. That innocent curiosity and desire for adventure is tainted with fear and the memory of fear, however, and so Blue's better nature wars with worry and the desire to be swiftly borne to safety. She grips Khannie's mane pretty tight, but she doesn't panic.

Then they're in the bat hall. Blue shrieks, but it's more in excitement and in relation to Khannie than anything else. Adir laughs, seemingly pleased. Following Khannie's lead, Blue will reach out and bap a bat. Bap!

[The Maze - Laurana and Russell]

Laurana screams, finding this silly place quite a thrill. She seems to be having the time of her life. Russell doesn't get any further than a widening of the eyes, but he seems to be having... fun? The boy will nod to Jace very seriously, seemingly quick on the uptake.