Tunnel Spooktober 2017

[Morty]

Karen takes a half-step back upon the appearance of the ghost shark. Though she reminds herself a moment later that it's part of the decoration, it's better spookiness than she'd been expecting.

"Treasure! What else do you want in a dungeon?" Prisoners to rescue, a quiet place to work, just a sense of adventure...but no, a dungeon had best have a big treasure chest somewhere.

"Ah, of course. Many treasures await here... if you can grab them. Are you willing to face puzzles and riddles, little one?" the shark asks.

[Ashen Lilies]

A figure of fire and magic appears... or, well. Someone with a pretty good costume of one. Fayyaad came dressed as an ifrit, a fire spirit. He's wrapped in a red toga of sorts, exposing part of his chest. Along his arms run a pair of bright orange ribbons, with stylised flames attached. On the back, there's a pair of brightly-painted flames, made of cloth and mounted on golden filigree. His sandals have a slightly magical paint on them that seems to simmer like embers. All this is very impressive, but does require him to be careful, or else it'll get tangled up in something.

Having wandered in, Fayyaad spots Electra quickly, and waves. But she seems busy playing, so perhaps it's best if he doesn't bother her... but is that Cassandra over there? The tiefling heads towards the music stage anyway.

Electra smiles at Fayyaad, but goes on playing, finishing up a song, before starting another, inspired somewhat by his costume. She did notice Cassandra standing near the stage, and noted that she seemed to be taking the music in, much to Electra's own delight, though it's hard to tell with the way she moves around while she plays. She probably won't have much of a chance to talk to anyone for awhile yet, though perhaps later she might be able to take a short break.

Cassandra doesn't notice that she's been noticed, and doesn't acknowledge Fayyaad as he approaches - there's too much music going on! If he was looking to get her attention, he might have to try being blatant about it.

[Felandria]

When the "lobster" enters the tunnels, she'll encounter a green, glowing ghost of a shark floating in the air. It's actually one of Rilla's holograms, but clearly someone is operating them from hiding.

"What do you seek here in the dungeon, young one?"



""

"He's a minotaur, but I'm not sure what he'll be dressed as," Iknika says. "And you're dressed as... I'm not actually sure either. I think I've seen this outfit somewhere."

Diana Of Themyscira, better known as Wonder Woman.

She's my half sister, we share a dad.

[WarKitty]

Khannie seems quite pleased with the feline's answer!

"Oh, good. Cats that used to be people are weird because sometimes they get offended if you pet them 'cuz they think they're too good for petting. Can I pet you?" she rambles, hand already hovering closer to the cat in the event she says yes.

Because come on.

You can't be confronted by a cat and not pet them.

That just isn't how things work.

In other news, Khannie wrinkles her nose at the 'little girl'. It looks rather silly, considering how her face is put together.

"But you're supposed to be dressed up as something! Like, I dressed up as a monk! See, I've got the silly hair and everything," she explains, pointing at the ring-shaped wig she's wearing. "You can't just come as you. That's cheating! You can't cheat at costumes on Halloween."

The little girl grins as Khannie asks about her costume. She takes the time to scoop some soup with beef floating in it, carefully scooping up as many pieces of beef as possible. She sets the bowl in front of cat. Still smiling like the cat that caught a canary, she clasps her hands behind her replies. "Hello I'm Chailyn. And I am a little girl." She seems extremely happy with this answer, almost bursting out laughing, but holding it in hoping she gets to deliver her punch line.

"Petting is allowed, but please stay away from the tail." Xun mentions, trying not to look too pleased and giving a flick of her tail that sends the "flames" dancing. "Mind the horns too, they're delicate." She purrs slightly and accepts the soup.

[Recaiden]

"Ah, of course. Many treasures await here... if you can grab them. Are you willing to face puzzles and riddles, little one?" the shark asks.

"Of course!" replies the lobster. "I'm smart, bring on the puzzles!"
Very bold little sea creature.

[Rebonack]

A normal mind would throw it off 75% of the time?

Well...

Khannie is nine years old. She doesn't fall under the category of a normal adult mind.

As such, her expression briefly flashes a look of surprise before settling into a sort of mental lethargy.

"Oh... that's really cool," she says, sounding completely enamored by the whole idea. Someone pretending to be a little girl when they aren't? That's just the coolest thing she has ever heard EVER.

Obviously she should be friends with this not-girl.

And trust everything she says implicitly.

This is clearly a really great idea.

Khannie seems too distracted waiting to hear what the not-girl wants to do to pet the kitty.

Hopefully this doesn't offend said cat too much.

[Earl of Purple]

Hearing the music, Jack the Hagraven (though quite a bit younger than they typically appear, and it's only a costume) will head over to the stage, where she will listen and stand slightly awkwardly to one side, as she doesn't recognise anyone and doesn't fancy dancing alone. Jack looks very different to normal, and nowhere near as androgynous as her usual style. She's adopted a form halfway between human and bird, and feathers dot her short black hair. She's barefoot, with a corvid's clawed talons in place of her usual feet, and she's wearing a leather vest and a loincloth with a long, feathered breech-cloth hanging from the front and back. She's wearing long, black talons stuck to her fingernails, and charms hang from her neck and arms, many bearing small bones, feathers or glass beads.

Meanwhile, Natalie walks over to one of the tunnels and peers inside, a little cautious about entering when she doesn't know what to expect. She's a fourteen-year-old girl, with short black hair hanging just to her shoulders, and wearing a knee-length green dress, plastic fairy wings. She's barefoot, and carrying a slender willow wand. Accompanying her are a pair of real fairies, tiny things a few inches tall, with large wings and a slight glow, wearing similar dresses.

[Deathkeeper]

Natalie could find Sam and Sherrel talking down the side tunnel, dressed in their Ganon and Zelda costumes (a few posts down from the OP). Sam isn't looking down for prospective guests like he should be, and would be easily snuck up on. The large bag of triforce cookies between the pair is quite obvious...

[Morty]

Cassandra doesn't notice that she's been noticed, and doesn't acknowledge Fayyaad as he approaches - there's too much music going on! If he was looking to get her attention, he might have to try being blatant about it.

"Hey, Cassandra," the tiefling says, as he approaches. "Enjoying the music? Electra does know how to set the atmosphere."

Diana Of Themyscira, better known as Wonder Woman.

She's my half sister, we share a dad.

Wheels spin in Iknika's head for a moment. She's heard of Wonder Woman, having done extensive research on warrior women.

"Does that mean your dad is Zeus? The big... bearded man with all the lightning?"

"Of course!" replies the lobster. "I'm smart, bring on the puzzles!"
Very bold little sea creature.

"Answer me this riddle first, young one: what gets wetter the more it dries?"

[McBish]

Chailyn gives the cat a few long strokes down the back. Just a few to be nice, but she is too excited about how well her costume worked. She knew it was a good idea when Chailyn told her mom and she had laughed and laughed at the idea. To Chailyn her moms laughter is the most beautiful thing in the world.

"It is cool isn't it. I thought it was a pretty cool idea. I think I should really do all the things a "little girl" should do at a party. We have snacks covered obviously, so now... Maybe dancing or getting jewelry?" Right about then is when any possibility of Chailyn being an actual monster disguised. She seems unsure about what to do next and may be confusing a party with a dungeon crawl. Though the setting seems to promise treasure.

[Felandria]

"Hey, Cassandra," the tiefling says, as he approaches. "Enjoying the music? Electra does know how to set the atmosphere."



Wheels spin in Iknika's head for a moment. She's heard of Wonder Woman, having done extensive research on warrior women.

"Does that mean your dad is Zeus? The big... bearded man with all the lightning?"

Yep, that's my dad.

I only found out a couple years ago myself.

[Recaiden]

The lobster thinks, tilting her head back and forth in a way that sends the antennae waving wildly.
"Is it the air? Because that's where the water goes when something dries off in-"
"No, a towel!"

[Rebonack]

Khannie blinks sloooowly as she process those suggestions. Dancing and getting jewelry? Wow, those both sound like the best ideas that she has ever heard EVER. She couldn't possibly decide between them. She'll just have to let her new best friend forever make the choice for her. "Those both sound great. Which one do you want to do?" she asks, her tone dreamy.

Poor Khannie.

You really need to work on improving your Wisdom save a bit.

Meanwhile!

Some guy arrives! And man, is he ever a guy. On the tallish side, athletic build, dressed in a pretty good rendition of the Skyrim iron armor complete with the goofy rams horns helmet. He's got a replica Steel Sword in a scabbard at his hip and a large sack full of cabbages (and other random stuff) flung over his shoulder. Because what kind of adventurer would he be if he didn't have a large bag full of food, brooms, buckets, skulls, and random monster bits? A pretty lousy adventurer, that's what kind.

He glances around the room, pulls out a sweet roll, and takes a large bite from it.

"Well. This place is pretty great," he observes. "Just gotta follow those quest markers I guess." That said, he'll head over to Jack the Hagraven, fish around in his sack for a while, and come up with a large plastic V quest marker. He examines it for a moment or two, nods, then offers it to Jack. "There you go. Don't happen to have the pommel stone of Mehrune's Razor on you? Because marching all the way to Dead Crone Rock is a real pain."

This is likely a joke.

Hopefully.

[Earl of Purple]

Legend of Cookies

Natalie sees the large four-armed Ganondorf and Techno-Zelda, as she thinks of them (she hasn't met them, so doesn't know their names) and starts to sneak closer. She's quite good at being silent, and her bare feet help a lot in the endeavour. What doesn't help is the pair of glowing fairies trailing along behind her, though their flight is silent, they do give off small amounts of light, and since Natalie's travelling from shadow-to-shadow, they are particularly obvious. Natalie told them to stay behind, but they're disobeying and following anyway.

Meanwhile, by the Music

Jack takes the quest marker with a slightly bemused expression. "Um, no? But I could spare one of these charms. Even make it lucky, if you wanted." Jack has never played a computer game, and based her costume on a real Hagraven she once met at a Rooftop Market in Inside. She would put the plastic into her satchel, but she didn't bring her bag with her. She wasn't expecting to receive gifts, and it didn't match the rest of her costume, either.

Her player, however, greatly appreciates the entire reference, and is picturing the V to have a little circle between the arms, and be made of white plastic.

[Rebonack]

It is in fact made of white plastic, complete with all the proper trappings. When Jack takes it, she'll likely feel many small something shifting around inside.

Mostly because the thing is full of candy.

"Really? Are you sure?" the guy asks, sounding a bit let down. "Wrong quest, maybe? Let's see... What about Nettlebane? Creepy looking dagger for sacrificing spriggans?"

He's going to see this joke through to the end, confound it all! And if he's going to see it through then he'll need a proper reference to follow through on!

Though if nothing else, Jack got a goofy prop full of candy for humoring this guy.

[Halae]

[Legend of Cookies]

Thankfully for Sam, Sherrel is considerably more alert (mostly thanks to the auspex in her cybernetic left eye, wouldn't you know it), and though she might have missed the rather silent child, she does notice the fairies, and those lead her to seeing Natalie as well. Sherrel grins, and pokes Sam, before standing up to play her part.

"Oh brave hero! Come, defeat the evil Ganon, and claim your reward!"

[Deathkeeper]

[Legend of Cookies]

It's important to note that Sam is Ganon, not Ganondorf. He'd have to lose a few hundred pounds and reshape his face to not be half nose to dress as a dark-skinned desert warlord.
"Fool! No one has defeated the dreaded Ganon!" he thunders, hefting his pitchfork and his cardboard box of soft foam dodgeballs at our heroine.

[Earl of Purple]

Legend of Cookies

The only Zelda games I've played are Phantom Hourglass (where I got stuck) and Twilight Princess, which is one of the very few games I've actually completed. But I haven't played either in ages, so mistakes are likely. Oh, and I unlocked everyone but Jigglypuff on Super Smash Bros. Brawl, but I don't know if that counts.

"I think Link did, didn't he? I haven't completed my Zelda game, so I don't know if the bad guy wins." She also can't remember what game it is, so her player doesn't have to state which one. "I'm not dressed as Link, though. So I guess a faerie will do." Natalie gestures, and one of her accompanying fey zips forward to hover just in front of Sam's face, and blow a raspberry at him. Natalie counts on that to distract Sam long enough for her to get closer and snag a biscuit. Possibly Sherrel, too, if Zelda wants rescuing.

Meanwhile, By the Music

"I have a set of knuckles. Is this what you mean?" Jack reaches into a pocket under the breech-cloth and pulls out a set of brass knuckles, those these are made of black steel. "I haven't used it to sacrifice spriggans, though."

[Morty]

Yep, that's my dad.

I only found out a couple years ago myself.

Iknika's ears twitch.

"You make it sound so normal."

The lobster thinks, tilting her head back and forth in a way that sends the antennae waving wildly.
"Is it the air? Because that's where the water goes when something dries off in-"
"No, a towel!"

"You are clever, young one. Go on, and you'll face another puzzle."

The "ghost" of the shark floats into a wall.

[Rebonack]

The guy heaves a sigh. "No, they don't even HAVE fist weapons in Skyrim, which is honestly a huge shame. There's always the next installment I guess? Assuming it ever comes out. Okay... hmm what else..." he mutters looking thoughtful now. "What were the other quests with hagravens? Orphan Rock with Nettlebane... Dead Crone Rock with the pommel stone... Hmmm... OH! A Night to Remember! Haha, who could forget that one, am I right?" he laughs, gesturing at Jack in a fashion that suggests she should, without question, remember that one. "That's got to be it. Unless we're talking one of the 'you must defeat a hagraven' quests, which this obviously isn't."

Obviously.

Bopping people with realistic looking foam rubber swords might be frowned upon!

Someone might think the guy is actually assaulting someone.

"Okay. A Night to Remember. So... a ring. Do you have a ring on you? Please say you do. Because after the temple and the goat and the giant I'm already at my wits end."

If someone isn't familiar with these references, there's a good chance they might be really confused.

Which makes it all the more hilarious.

[Earl of Purple]

"I can honestly say I haven't forgotten a Night to Remember?" Because she has no idea what this person is talking about. "I, uh, might have a ring. If you'd look away briefly..." Jack pops off her fake talons and grabs one of her charms, quickly tying it into a circle and tightening it so it could fit around somebody's finger. "Here we go, a ring. Hope it's the one the giant goat wants." It's certainly a ring! It's round and would fit. It's also made from a leather twist, with several glass beads entwined amidst the repeated strand. It's pretty nice, if simple and not one's usual definition of 'jewellery'. Jack blows on it before she hands it over, too. "Here, one lucky ring-charm."

The luck may, or may not, actually be a thing. That's the thing with luck; it's hard to detect. Jack, needless to say, is very confused.

[Felandria]

Iknika's ears twitch.

"You make it sound so normal."

Honestly, for me, the concept of normal is becoming increasingly distant.

Hard to tell what normal even is these days.

Anyway, what kind of fun we have going around here?

[Rebonack]

In the end, it probably depends on the sort of luck we're talking about. If we're talking about little immaterial, invisible fae spirits that get offended really easily when people break the rules to their games (such as by walking under a ladder) and react by visiting misfortune on their endeavors? Well! Then maybe luck DOES exist? Assuming said fae spirits do. It's kind of hard to definitively confirm or deny the existence of invisible, immaterial beings who refuse to pay taxes.

But in the Nexus?

Who knows!

Maybe there are little fae exactly like that following people around who have good luck charms to aid them.

Regardless!

That guy has acquired a ring! "Huh, close enough I guess. Not really what I would of expected for a wedding band sold by some trader in Whiterun. Thanks!" He stows it away in his giant sack full of random junk. That went easier than expected. And he didn't even need to slay the hagraven to get the ring! At about this time he finally manages to notice the complete befuddlement written on Jack's features and it slowly begins to dawn on him that maybe they aren't getting the joke? "Oh... oh no. I'm not going to have to explain the joke, am I? You know jokes are like user interfaces. If you have to explain them they aren't very good ones. Familiar with Skyrim at all?"

Upon the likely result of being met with a blank face-

"Okay, it's a good thing I downloaded Skyrim for pocket toasters then," he says, once again reaching into his bag. This time around he pulls out a weird looking little device slightly larger than a slice of bread with a slot on the top and a touchscreen on one face. He fiddles with it a bit, and before long a rather famous opening song begins gradually building to crescendo. He hands it to Jack. "Here you go. Have fun wasting a few hours."

Or days.

Or years.

[Recaiden]

"You are clever, young one. Go on, and you'll face another puzzle."

The "ghost" of the shark floats into a wall.

Karen is quite proud of herself cleverly figuring that one out.
But before proceeding onward, she stares a moment at the place where the shark disappeared. Was that a real ghost? You don't see those everyday.

[Earl of Purple]

I have well over seven hundred hours of Skyrim, though I've not completed the game. So, yeah, days or even years looks likely.

"Uh, thank you. How long does the battery last, and how do I recharge it? My hometown's pretty primitive, by... Just about everyone's standards, really. My costume is based on a woman I met at a Roof Market. She was looking for magical reagents, of a decidedly unpleasant sort. Really creeped me out, which inspired the costume." Which also means Jack has very little idea what a 'user interface' is, too. She turns the device over in her hands several times, fascinated with the technology.

[Ashen Lilies]

"Hey, Cassandra," the tiefling says, as he approaches. "Enjoying the music? Electra does know how to set the atmosphere."

Cassandra opens her eyes, smiling as she sees Fayyaad, though that smile tightens very slightly as he mentions the music. "Yes, I suppose. She is quite talented."

[Morty]

Honestly, for me, the concept of normal is becoming increasingly distant.

Hard to tell what normal even is these days.

Anyway, what kind of fun we have going around here?

"There's puzzles and such in the tunnels. Seems to be a thing for kids, though," Iknika says. "The MERC people seem to be providing them."

Cassandra opens her eyes, smiling as she sees Fayyaad, though that smile tightens very slightly as he mentions the music. "Yes, I suppose. She is quite talented."

"Ah, yes. You two met, didn't you? I suggested that she talk to you. How did that go?" Fayyaad asks. "She did decide to stay in MERC, so I'm guessing it went well."

[Ashen Lilies]

Cassandra shrugs.

"I just gave my honest opinion. You'd have to ask her if that's what convinced her or not." She glances up at the stage again, briefly.

[Morty]

"Whatever it is, I'm glad. I rather enjoy having her around. Music aside, her costume is... impressive, wouldn't you say?" He looks up at Electra, before returning his eyes to Cassandra. "So is yours, too. Did you dye your hair for it?"

[Nova_Eclipse]

The presence of more people surrounding the stage gives Electra some renewed energy, and the number of people increasing means she should try and give the music a bit more spooky of an air. She starts off with a relatively quick number, then slows it down some for the next couple of songs, before picking things back up again. She grins at both Cassandra and Fayyaad when they look up to her, but others will probably note the grin persisting. Clearly, she's enjoying herself, and that energy is conveyed through the music as she plays.