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🎃 Everyone hail to the pumpkin song 🎵
Nothing but frights in these festive nights!
It's noticeable — the coming autumn nights are growing dimmer, bats start circling the skies more often, and a lone wolf howling at every occasion towards the moon's appearance. An inexplicable sense of dread permeates your being as you begin to feel the hairs rise on your skin, and you might just chalk it up to only the chilly fall wind passing by. But some take to believing these are signs pointing that the night of Halloween is drawing near. A chance for ghouls and goblins to come out and play, and maybe earn a sweet treat or two along the way.
Somewhere around the outskirts of a small country town, its people gather around to set up shop and open their annual Halloween Fair to all. While they mostly bring in people from neighboring towns to join in the celebration, unbeknownst to the townsfolk their event is about to get a little more festive with the sudden influx of visitors from beyond their borders. And perhaps from beyond the grave as well...?
This is just an open RP post with a sandbox-like setting. While there's some scenarios premade for your roleplaying needs, you can mess around with it as much or as little as you want. Feel free to use it for voicetesting, create cross-canon shenanigans, or develop a ship even further. You can carry the story over to your musebox if you'd like too. And you can re-use this post as many times as you'd like (until it hits the comment limit.) So bring your blorbos, your originals, your AUs, your friends and your friends' friends along for the fun!
- Comment with your character's name and series in the subject.
- Follow it up with a starter, and state your preferences too.
- Label any warnings when necessary.
- Reply to other characters!
- Most importantly, just don't worry and have fun!
Arriving at the fairgrounds, you'll find the whole place heavily decorated with an assortment of spooky-themed ornaments: glowing jack o' lanterns, paper bats lined on garlands, plastic skeletons in comical poses, bedsheet ghosts hanging on a wire, a statue of a famous movie monster or two looming over you menacingly, and so much more. The sounds of whimsical theremins and sinister pipe organs could be heard playing in the background. All the stalls have even installed fake cobwebs to match the vibe. And some of the townsfolk, even the visitors too, have taken to dressing up in costumes for the festivities.
It's fortunate that the fair doesn't charge you for admission. So like a ghost hovering and lost, you can haunt around the grounds as much as you please. Grab a candy apple, try your luck at a pie-eating contest, get lost in the cornfield maze, or maybe go trick-or-treating while you're at it. There's plenty of things to do for you to have a scary good time!
While it isn't required for everyone to wear a costume for the event, you're definitely encouraged to dress up while exploring the fairgrounds. Besides, wouldn't it be more fun to stalk the grounds as the grim reaper? And you get bonus discounts from food stalls for being in the spirit of it all!
If you were convinced enough to do so, you were then directed to the costume rental store under a large tent and try something from there. No doubt the store has a wide array of costumes in all shapes and sizes from the mundane, to the grotesque, to the avant-garde. You can dress up as a doctor, a zombie, a legally distinct superhero, or even a giant avocado. There's even matching costumes for you and your partner to wear together for laughs. There's no rhyme or reason why some of these costumes are made really, this is all in good fun.
But once you've made your choice, you start to gain this strange unconscious urge to act out as the costume you're wearing. And soon enough your mind is absent, instead fully entranced to play the role as long as the mask stays on. Though not all hope is lost — if you have enough willpower you can break its spell. Having a friend pull it off is a viable option as well, but it won't be easy with how firmly it's stuck to you.
Like any town fair, there's no shortage of finding entertainment while you're here. After all, the spooky season isn't only just for scares. Sometimes a little laughter and enjoyment goes a long way. If you're feeling competitive, how about you try your hand at Apple Bobbing, or the Pie-Eating Contest if you have a big enough appetite to do it. The Halloween-flavored Ring Toss game is also a good one, where you toss rings around some witch hat shaped pegs instead. Or how about some Haunted BoOoOoOwling!! and find out if you can strike all ten ghostly pins in one go. Winning in any of these games will reward you with an assortment of prizes (plush toys, novelty items, a huge pumpkin, etc.), so it's definitely worth playing them!
But if you prefer something more chill, then show your creativity and carve a funny face onto a pumpkin of your choice over at the Pumpkin Carving corner. Your creation will be featured alongside many others like an art piece in an exhibit. You'll also be rewarded if your pumpkin is the most presentable of the bunch, so you don't get to leave empty-handed.
A couple of rides are built for the Halloween Fair as well. The Drop Tower is a favorite amongst fair-goers looking for thrills, Or the simpler Ferris Wheel if you'd like to view the whole fairground and the cornfields surrounding it from above. They even have a huge Inflatable Bouncy Haunted Mansion for everyone to hop into and embrace their inner child. Yes, it even comes with a ballpit!
There's likely more that hasn't been mentioned — as there are other horror-themed games and rides you can try. So at least nothing will keep you bored while being here.
If you aren't up for gaming excitement, or you just happen to have more to spare in your wallet, then there's plenty of shops to check out in the Fairground Market.
Much of them sell local produce from this town and neighboring communities — apples, pears, carrots, corn, the like. And each of them come with their own unique varieties too. But you can also grab a cup of Bewitching Pumpkin Spice Latte or a slice of Monstrous Pumpkin Pie, or even some Scarily Spicy Pumpkin Glazed Donuts if you're feeling peckish. Of course, if you're not the biggest gourd gourmet, there's always the usual savory fairground treats like corndogs and burgers you can find along the way. Food carts are pretty much scattered everywhere, so you are spoiled for choice.
Food isn't the only thing the fair has to offer. There's an assortment of trinkets and oddities on sale if you look around, it's not too dissimilar to that of a flea market. There's a tent selling secondhand clothing of the retro and modern kind, while another showcases curios from around the world if you fancy spotting some forgotten family treasure or a cursed relic from a distant past. You'll even find a stall featuring spellbooks and occult paraphernalia that would spark curiosity. There is just about everything here you can find in the market area. Why not buy a rare novelty or two to take home with as something to remember by?
It might not sound like the most thrilling attraction in the fair, but getting lost in a corn maze can be quite harrowing especially for the directionally-challenged out there. At every side all you'll find is towering cornstalks that spread as far as your eye could see. Corn here, corn there, corn everywhere. You'd soon realize how hard it is to discern which way to go when the maze is surrounded by... well, maize. Luckily there are a few distinguishing markers that will help you on your way such as a jack-o'lantern or a scarecrow, just as long as you keep your feet on the trail that's laid out for you to traverse.
While normally it's best played during the day, no one is stopping you from going through the maze at the darkest hours of the night however. Unless you have a flashlight with you, it isn't the most ideal way to do it. But whether you were dared to or just felt like it, the pathways still remain open for you to explore.
"Be careful." the owner eyes over you, "Strange things lurk in the night y'know."
According to the owner, apparently there's a local legend about creatures that skulk in the fields at night, preying at the undiscerning and appear to them in the form of their worst fears imaginable. You may get a sense that the old farmer is just trying to persuade you to think it over and visit the maze while the sun is back up, however the choice to pursue this challenge is ultimately left up to you.
Maybe you're the type who just wanted to get away from all of that cheer, and decided to make your hauntings around somewhere quiet, and perhaps a little bit somber. The town's cemetery is a little ways off from the fairgrounds, but it's worth visiting if you're not in the mood to partake in the festivities. Surely you'll find yourself at peace just like those who lay six feet under your feet.
However the dead think otherwise.
Much to your surprise (or not), there is in fact a morbidly grand party being held here of all places. Apparitions of lives once lived are seen dancing, communing, rough-housing, having a ball of a time. Some of them are playing music, using their precious strings and brass they carried with them to the afterlife. It's like death never bothered them. Or perhaps the unbridled joy of having to be on this plane of existence again is just a distraction from that. Who's to say? What is certain is that they seem unbothered by your presence. In fact, one of them even welcomes and persuades you to join in the fun.
It's not too crowded though, some take to floating above instead to leave more space for others. Many of them are former townsfolk who knew each other from long ago. Old friends, distant relatives, long lost rivals, all reunite in the spirit of the season. There's no buffet table around if you're looking for something to snack on, but there had been some weeks-old food lying on graves that only the spirits could enjoy. A few would be willing to share, but there's no guarantee they would be edible.
And then something catches your eye — a certain someone you know who shouldn't be around, or alive at all. Maybe that frightens you, whether they be friend or foe, to see them among the lively dead. And to what reason they have for being here, you'll just have to be brave and ask.
If the fair itself is too much for you and prefer something that's a tad simpler, then there's always the old classic Halloween tradition of putting on a fun costume, knocking on strangers' doors, and hope for some sugary delights to fall in your hands as a reward. And if they don't hand the sweets over... Well that's where the "Trick" comes in, doesn't it?
Although don't expect everyone offering candy as you stand on their doorstep. Some neighbors would rather treat visitors with granola bars, bags of chips, jars of play-doh, toys, or even packs of Pokémon cards instead. Maybe a kindly old woman offers you some freshly-baked muffins or chocolate chip cookies just for stopping by. If it's not to your liking, you better take your complaints to them. Though they'll probably slam their doors in your face as a result.
Then again, you don't always have to follow tradition to a T. You could loiter around in the streets, watch the Halloween parade and marvel at everyone's costumes, or gaze at whatever stars you can make out in the inky darkness above you. Maybe you can disregard the "Treat" part entirely and jump into the "Trick" at full-force — pulling pranks like a livestreamer causing mayhem around the neighborhood. You might get arrested for that, but it's worth it if you're in it for the thrill of it all, or just enjoy being a complete jackass during this night of all frights.
If you're not feeling any of these prompts, or have some other ideas in mind, then go wild!
You can mix and match scenarios or come up with your own. Swap roles where you play the villain and your partner would be the hero or the other way around. You can even expand the setting with new locations, or AU it up and rebuild it into your own version of the setting if you'd like. There's no limits to what your imagination can create. It's free real estate here, and the world is your oyster!
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Do you think there's any merit to the rumors about the maze here, or do you think it's just a joke for the theme? [ Is it her imagination or did the scarecrow look like it watching - were they even getting any closer? All this corn looked alike. ]
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[Why would they have this maze open to the public if it were actually dangerous, after all?]
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[ It would be crazy if it were real! Though sadly Agnès has been exposed to a lot of 'crazy' so she was keeping an eye out all the same. ]
..hm. I feel like we passed this turn previously.. maybe I'm imagining things? Although that scarecrow really doesn't look like it's gotten any closer.
[ Let's not let our imagination run away with us Agnès! Although in this case it may not be imagination... ]
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I guess this turn does look a little familiar... Ugh, it's even harder to tell now that it's getting dark, though.
[She shivers. It's getting cold now too with the sun going down. (And hopefully that's the only reason she's getting the chills.)]
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like a techy flip phonethough when she held it up the shine from the Xipha flickered weakly, to her surprise. ]That's.. strange, it should be stronger than that. It's not going to be very helpful if it gets much darker. We should probably hurry.
[ For many reasons. Is that a growl? That scuff of irregular footsteps was just the wind right? Ugh she definitely did not dress for cold weather in this costume
or even her regular outfit. ]no subject
Did you...hear that?
[She kinda hopes not, but.]
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I think so.. it could just be other people lost in the maze, but... [ But that wouldn't explain the growl. It was definitely starting to get a little foggy too, as the sun got lower in the sky. She really hoped it was just someone playing a prank, or perhaps... ]
I was hoping that my imagination was running away with me given what we were told, but.. I'm beginning to think that's not the case.
[ Especially when that sound of growling was certainly getting louder, big red eyes gleaming in between stalks of corn. ]
...!
[ OKAY there is a chance that that is not real or it might be a prank but do they REALLY want to gamble on that chance? ]
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Let's go!
[She'll grab Agnes' arm and take off running if Agnes will let her.]
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[ She took a slow step backwards, but Cheria responded quicker- Agnès let out a squeak of surprise and stumble at first, though broke into a run with Cheria, throwing a glance behind her in time to see a pair of unpleasant looking werewolf-like creatures burst out of the corn. She immediately regretted looking, hoping they could outrun the beasts. ]
I-I think the path turns left up here! [ She called to Cheria - hoping, really really hoping she had remembered the path accurately or they would be in even more trouble! ]
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As directed, she takes the first left she sees. She quickly glimpses a second path on the right some distance ahead of where she makes the initial turn, but she has no preference on their route beyond getting tf away from things out to murder her and others.]
Where to next?
[She's hoping Agnes knows the maze better than she does.]
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Left! .. n-no, right..!
[ Quick to correct herself as she struggled to remember the path - was it left, right, left, left right? Left, Right, Right, Left? Calm down, Calm down - what was it Van always told her? Usually it was him she followed in dangerous situations but he wasn't here - she didn't want to pick the wrong path and get Cheria or herself in more trouble. If they could just get far enough away to get a breather they could form a better plan...! ]
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Do you — do you think we should cut through the corn?
[Even as she says it she's skeptical. The monsters came out of the corn, after all. And what if they could track the girls by smell or whatever?]
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Um... [ Augh, decide, decide - she was awful at that - ]
Yes, let's try through there. We might be able to get closer to the center of the maze.
[ They can't linger in one spot for too long, lest the brief reprieve they got they end up losing again. They'd have to try not to leave any tracks too -- easier said than done. Oh! She leaned down, gathering a few small rocks, offering a few to Cheria. Maybe they could use them as distractions if the beasts got close.
..failing that, maybe they could crack one in the head. ]
Let's go quietly.. [ Even if she wanted to sprint into the maize, that would just be like waving the white flag and calling the things their way. ]
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Still, her apprehension is high stepping into the towering stalks. Every bit of greenery she has to move out of her way seems to protest loudly no matter how carefully she tries to do it. The one saving grace is that there is some moonlight to see by — although it's nowhere near bright enough to illuminate, say, stray branches on the ground that might accidentally broadcast their location via an ill-placed foot, the moon's position in the sky does provide a means of partially gaining some bearings again.
Thanks to ideal viewing angles, the silhouette of the scarecrow is currently just barely visible against the moon's lower half. But are they getting any nearer to it...?]
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We've been walking towards that scarecrow a really long time... [ And did it always have that grin? It almost seemed menacing, or even mocking. She started to take a step forward - stopped short again and backed up, keeping her voice low. ]
I think I see something just ahead, but they're blocking the way forward. [ She couldn't tell if it was helpful people looking for them, or ..not so helpful ones, looking to tear two girls limb from limb. ]
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Cheria carefully peers through the corn to see what Agnes is looking at. There's something there, for sure, perhaps more than one something, but the exact details are unclear.]
I can't get a good look... It's too dark. [She kneels a little to hopefully get a better angle. As she repositions her hands to balance herself, she's reminded of something.] Do you think...maybe we can use one of our rocks to distract whatever it is?
[They can cause a small commotion in the opposite direction for the mystery figure(s) to investigate, which if all goes to plan means that the path forward will be clear and then the girls can hopefully sneak past without being noticed. At the very least, they'd have a better idea of what they're dealing with.]
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Good idea - I'll throw one over to the right. [ Maybe the creatures would think that their 'prey' were sneaking on two different paths and split up. HOPEFULLY they split up, at least. She really wished the moonlight was stronger, they'd be able to get a better look for sure, but there was only just enough to silhouette the shapes and make them more...spooky.
Van and Aaron would definitely laugh at her for being so spooked. ]
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[Which she does, and it has its intended effect, drawing one of the creatures and towards the left. It remains rather shadowed even as it passes by where the girls are hiding, but it does become apparent enough that, whatever it is, it's something different than what had been chasing them before (more humanoid for one, with something hanging from their outstretched arms — ribbons? no, bandages).
What in the world is going on with this corn maze?!]
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[ Plan set, when Cheria tossed hers, Agnes made her throw a few seconds afterward. Thankfully the creatures weren't the brightest, and immediately darted off in the direction of the sounds, assuming it to be their prey. Agnes gave a quick nod to Cheria, holding her breath and crossed into the next section of maze. Almost there! That scarecrow was definitely nearer and.... a lot scarier now. It was almost welcoming them, taunting them to get closer. Menacingly.
She officially hates corn mazes. ]
I think if we cross to the next section we'll be able to reach the scarecrow. [ She whispered over to the other woman. ]