THE CONTEST SPOOKTACULAR!

[indigo_league]

You arrive before the sun sets over the shining sea, a little before 5 o’clock. A fleet of Corviknight taxis descend near the entrance of the castle, slowly setting their passengers on the ground and allowing them to depart. The golden rays of sunshine illuminate the edges of the castle, casting long shadows and making it take on a rather ominous appearance. Better hop to it–you wouldn’t want to miss the Halloween party, now would you?




WELCOME TO THE HALLOWEEN FRIGHTFEST!

Riegfried and Soy greet you at the entrance of the castle. Riegfried is dressed as a Zubat, toting a blue-and-purple cape, a cute hat with giant ears, and plastic fangs. Soy is dressed as a midnight Lycanroc, wearing a dark red suit and wielding a pair of fuzzy white paw gloves. They welcome you warmly, assuring them that they’ll be well taken care of here. Perhaps you’d like to get something to eat, first? Or maybe you’d like to look around at what games and delights they have to offer! Or, perhaps you’re here to perform in the Contest Spooktacular. The choice is yours!

(If asked about the previous attendants of the castle, Shieldbert and Sordward, Riegfried and Soy will exchange looks and explain that they had been…well, very politely asked to leave and not to come back to Kanto, under threat of legal action.)

EXPLORING THE FESTIVAL The Ball Room The old castle ballroom has been outfitted with spooky decorations and all manner of electrical equipment--all the necessary things to put on a good contest! Most of the furniture has been cleared away, save for a central stage for people to perform. At the beginning of the night, before the actual contest takes place, a costume catwalk will take place! Costumed guests will be encouraged to get up on there and strut their stuff. Don’t have a costume? Don’t worry! The attendants will usher you to a very big walk-in closet for you to pick out an utterly fabulous get-up. All from Riegfried and Soy’s personal collections, of course. They wouldn’t want someone to miss out on a chance to show the crowd what they’re made of! This is also the time for characters to register for the contest. After a few hours or so, an announcement is made informing people that the contest spooktacular will be taking place shortly, and for people to make their way to the ball room. The lights dim and a distant, pre-recorded bone-chilling cackle is heard. Who knows what sort of spooky scary things you’ll be seeing tonight? The Outer Courtyard For those wishing to get a breath of fresh air away from the festivities or to explore the activities the festival has to offer, look no further than the courtyard. Nestled safely within castle walls, a large fountain (certainly too new to have belonged to the original castle) stands at the center of the courtyard, the water gently cascading down over the marble figures of two nondescript and crowned humans, one holding a sword, the other a shield; wide-open doors welcome characters further into the castle. There are a plethora of spooky carnival games that have been set up along the perimeter of the courtyard. They’re definitely rigged, but maybe if you’re lucky, you’ll win that giant Mareep plush. One booth seems to be garnering quite a bit of attention–Bobbing for Applins. If you manage to grab an Applin with your teeth, you get to keep it! Just be careful you don’t bite too hard…. The Stables To the west lie the stables, with a sign posted that reads “HAUNTED HAYRIDE!”. The comforting smell of hay and wood hangs in the air. Instead of the Galarian Ponytas and Rapidashes that previously graced this area, there are a bunch of Mudsdales lounging, waiting for their turn to pull the cart. Outside, there is a scrawny bearded man perched on top of a Mudsdale, patting it on the neck and giving it reassuring words. A nearby cart filled with hay bale seats lies vacant, ready to be pulled alone. Fancy a little ride around the outside of the castle to see the sights? You can watch the sunset over the ocean, and maybe spot a few rare Pokémon! Heck, if it’s dark enough, you could even be so bold as to hold hands with someone else on the ride! Who knows what you’ll find out there? Of course, you could always just hang out with the horses. Nobody’s gonna stop you. The Kitchens To the east lie the kitchens, and what kitchens they are! Characters will be able to smell the delicious aroma of a variety of sumptuous courses being prepared for the festival. Officially, the guests are asked not to enter the kitchen, as to not to disturb the many cooks working there. Unofficially, there are not exactly any guards, so if you really wanted to sneak in, you probably won’t get stopped. The Dining Room Adjacent to the kitchens awaits a large dining room. Tables have been set up in long rows with plenty of room for all with some to spare, and once someone sits down, almost as if by magic, they will soon find one of the waitstaff at their side, presenting them with an extensive menu. Order as much (or as little) as you like! The chefs will have it ready for you in a flash. Many of the menu items seem to be…well, puns. Perhaps you’ll be interested in some Crobat Monsieur, a croque monsieur decorated like a Crobat? Or perhaps a spot of Pumpkaboo Pie? Perhaps a nice cup of Coffee-grigus would do the trick. (Rest assured, no Pokémon have been harmed in the making of any of these delicious selections.) The Inner Courtyard The Inner Courtyard looks…well, different. All the plants seem to have been temporarily removed from this area (as evident by the dozens if not hundreds of potted plants along the outside), and it’s quickly obvious as to why. A haunted house has been set up inside of the courtyard, the temporary walls obscuring the horrors that lie within. The door to enter is slightly ajar, and you hear strange and eerie noises inside. Was that howl from a person, or from a Pokémon? And what about that clanking, shuffling sound? The hairs on the back of your neck begin to stand up. Dare you enter? Fright and fun both await you. Feel free to make up what terrifying attractions are inside the haunted house. At the end, an attendant will present you with a photograph of you and your friends inside the haunted house. Ahhh, treasured memories. The Library It looks like the books were removed from the library with the departure of Sordward and Shieldbert. Perhaps they couldn’t be without their personal collection. Nevertheless, it seems that someone else has taken an interest in this room. A woman with frazzled, gray hair and gigantic spectacles stands near the entrance, a slightly unhinged grin on her face as she welcomes you inside. You see, her name is Dr. Espa–she’s a paranormal investigator, and she needs your help to study ghosts! No, no, not Ghost Pokémon–she wants to track down Bill’s great-great-great-uncle, and any other ghosts that live within these halls! The doctor–if she can even be called that–has a wide variety of pseudo-scientific equipment on hand, including spirit boxes, dot projectors, EMF readers, temperature gauges, and more. Your task, should you choose to accept it, is to wander into the deepest, most haunted sections of the castle and report back to her on whatever you find! If you weren’t already motivated by the pursuit of knowledge, she’ll also offer you a reward of 2000P for any evidence that you find. She’ll…accept any evidence, really. Is she a staff member, or just a regular woman with a keen enthusiasm for ghosts? It’s hard to tell. Riegfried and Soy certainly don’t know who she is. The Tower Not all of the towers have undergone restoration, but the grandest, largest of them has. It will take some real stamina to climb all these stairs, but if they do, characters will be rewarded with a stunning sight. From the tower’s high vantage point, it seems the entire Kanto region is on display in the incredible view. The ocean stretches out along the horizon, but closer to home, characters will be able to behold wild forests and cliffs, the green lush routes of Cerulean Cape itself and millions and millions of stars twinkling up overhead. The Rocky Beach The main attraction outside of the castle is a small stretch of rocky shoreline accessible just outside the main courtyard and down a surprisingly sturdy set of stone stairs. It looks like a group of people have set up a nice, warm bonfire on what little strip of sand they can find--perfect to stave away the chilly waterfront breeze. Why don’t you help yourself to a cup of warm cider and sit by the fire for a bit? If you’re done making your clothes smell like smoke, you could also comb the beach for interesting trinkets. Shells, whole or broken, peek out between smooth pebbles and the rare piece of sea glass, and at low tide clumps of seaweed lay draped over the craggy outcroppings. Nothing is stopping you from fishing or poking around in the shallows for Pokemon, but you're more likely to find an interesting souvenir than a new friend... And all the rest... Beyond those sparkling rooms and done up corridors lies... the rest of the castle. The parts of the castle not quite done with their renovations are roped off, but nothing is stopping guests from exploring if they so wish - especially if they are interested in finding those rumored lost treasures or traps. While the rest of the castle shines, these parts of the castle feel almost haunted. Dust and derelict dominates the rooms, old broken furniture covered in dingy white sheets and creaking doors adding to the atmosphere. Did the eyes of that painting just move? Why is there a weird draft coming from that wall? What was that strange ominous creak coming from behind you? Are there any dungeons? Wait, did you just hear someone crying in a far off room? Jeez, no wonder they say this place is haunted.

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AVAILABLE POKEMON Naturally, this wouldn't be a Pokemon Prom without some Pokemon to catch! All catchable Pokemon range between the levels of 10 to 30. The Pokemon in the castle mostly haunt the unfinished section, but feel free to have the occasional encounter in the renovated sections too! Castle Impidimp; Gastly; Haunter; Litwick; Lampent; Duskull; Shuppet; Sinistea; Misdreavus; Yamask; Dreepy; Honedge; Doublade**; Dusclops**; Mimikyu**; Polteageist***; Gengar***; Courtyard Venonat; Venomoth; Drifloon; Phantump; Pumpkaboo; Murkrow; Rookidee; Zubat; Hoothoot; Woobat*; Noibat*; Rocky Shore Galarian Corsola; Binacle; Staryu; Wimpod; Frillish; Krabby; Relicanth*; Wimpod*; Kingler**; Jellicent**; Slowking***;

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TRICK OR TREAT! Near the entrance of the castle is an old man dressed in dark, heavy wool clothes with a mysterious gleam in his eyes. He holds an oil lamp in his hand, waiting for those to approach. If you get close enough to speak to him, he’ll ask you a question. ”Halloween’s not over ‘til you’ve got yourself a good haul of candy. How do you feel about a little bit of…trick or treat?” He’ll regale you with an old tale about the castle grounds. You see, the castle was built by a relative of Bill (you know, the Pokemon storage system inventor?), but no one has lived in it for years and years because it is haunted. Though previously only haunted by the ghost of Bill’s great-great-great-uncle, the recent human activity in the area has caused droves of Ghost and Dark-type Pokémon to flock towards the area and take advantage of this newfound source of fun. Those who attended Prom 2020 would remember that trainers were allowed to search for hidden treasures among the secret passages and strange traps. This year, however, the search will be a…little different! Instead of trying to find treasures, your characters will be exploring the labyrinthian hallways and secret passages to find tricks…or treats. Feel free to explore those abandoned halls and ruins for these supposed long-lost treasures. Better check for hidden rooms and passages behind old bookcases, trap doors covered by thick dust-riddled carpets, and perhaps even a hidden vault or two in the castle basements. Players are free to go absolutely wild in coming up with secret passages and hidden secrets for their characters to find. Let us know in your comment where your character will be looking! As characters explore, they will have a 50/50 chance of encountering either tricks or treats! A character that rolls a treat will have a generally positive encounter with a Pokémon, who will likely lead you to great treasure and sweets! Conversely, a character that rolls a trick will probably be pranked by a Pokémon. Characters will not be able to catch the Pokémon they encounter, unfortunately–they’ve gotta scare the other guests, too! In both cases, characters will stumble upon a random assortment of sweets and ghost-related items, including but not limited to rare candies, Alcremie pastries, poffins, and other consumables! Characters may also find a rare, unique item that may be sold for about 5000-6000P or kept as a memento. In order to allow for an element of surprise, every character that wants to participate in trick or treating is allowed to comment once to a special RNG comment to find out exactly what they will encounter. Each treasure will consist of somewhere between two and four items, the exact number of which will be left up to chance. For any questions, please refer back to the previous OOC post.

Comments

[shiningkindness]

[ Yeah, she definitely can't act the part. But oh well. ]

Oh thank you! This is actually similar to how I dressed when I went to see one of my new favorite bands back home.

I like your costume too.

[shiningkindness]

[ She can't help a smile at their offer, and nods a little. ]

Really? If you wouldn't mind, I'd really appreciate it. I should be okay going on the ride with some others.

[crystalmaster]

I've learned some tricks. I could try to get it for you.

[He smiles.]

[grandtrashking]

[Seeing the duskull not only be unbothered by, but even inviting the greyer mimikyu, Tooru lets a sigh of relief out. As well as lets his other mimikyu, yūrei, join in the singing. She, however, is far less shy and even dances a little as mattsun tries to sing more, occasionally singing with to nudge her companion to dance as well.

It's a cute sight, and when addressed, Tooru gives a smile to Min and nods.]

I can see that. I'm glad Yūrei-chan isn't encouraging chaos like she usually does. Those duskull yours?

[logical_lioness]

[Hermione gives Harry a strange look.]

Of course Harry, why wouldn't I? Don't tell me you're scared? It's the same as riding the carriages at school...although perhaps not quite as comfortable. And trust me, I've had plenty of experiences with ghost pokemon.

[A tiny Sinistea peeks out from behind a hay bale. Apparently, after meeting Hermione in the secret tea party room earlier, the Sinistea had taken a liking to Hermione and decided to follow her around for the rest of the night. Meanwhile, her Mismagius Umbra is somewhere nearby, probably trying to recruit more ghost pokemon into Hermione's party.

[Hermione frowns as she notices the red marks and bruising on Harry's face.]

Harry, what happened to your face?

[logical_lioness]

[Hermione pats her face dry with one of the cloths next to the Applin bobbing game as Radley talks.]

Oh? You know how to get past them? I'd love for you to show me how - I don't really play those kinds of games as I know they're a complete rip-off. I'd love to know how to beat them if only to teach those kinds of vendors a lesson.

[She glances back at the Applin bobbing game and lets out a laugh.]

As amusing as it is, I don't think I'm succeeding in this particular game, but that's okay - this one was more to have fun rather than win anything.

[logical_lioness]

Same! I mean, the way that books and movies always depict it, it's like sitting on wool or something.

They never mention the fact that it's dry and crunchy and sticks into you.

[Hermione blinks, realising she's being very rude.]

I'm so sorry, I haven't introduced myself - I'm Hermione Granger.

[crystalmaster]

[Radley smirks.]

Sure, I'd be glad to!

[He only goes after ones that have prizes he actually wants, but he still does it partially to show the vendors up.]

I wonder if anyone succeeds at Applin Bobbing.

[Isla peeks in now and reaches in a paw to splash around. Radley has to laugh.]

Isla ...

[He moves to lift her up with his other arm.]

[logical_lioness]

[Hermione grins at the antics of Radley's Eevees. They're all so dang cute, even as the Applin are bobbing away from the splashing Isla.]

Probably only if an Applin wants to be caught, I'm betting.

Which games are the easiest to beat despite the obvious manipulations of game mechanics?

[Hermione only really knows of the problems, rather than the solutions - she's heard about anything involving a gun having a bent barrel, the ladder climb one being almost impossible due to the need to maintain a centre of gravity at all times with only 2 points of stability, and baskets and so on being too small for the balls that you have to throw at them.]

[phoenixwiz]

Deci, Decidueye.

(Rowan can see the Sinistea and Umbra is taking notice of him while Violet is understandably staying him behind, worrying that her newfound weakness against anything Ghost type can get her in trouble.)

Oh no, I’m not that scared to take on carriage rides. I mean, I was able to evolve Rowan just in time for Halloween.

(Then Harry could hear her remarking how badly injured he got in the face from his run in with the Misdreavous and the brick wall. Yeah, tonight isn’t exactly looking up to be a great night for his nose/face and there is no hiding it.)

Um, the bruising on my nose? I accidentally hit my nose against a brick wall while chasing a Misdreavous earlier in the basement. And I honestly thought that Peeves’ pranks back at home were that bad.

[ripetuto]

And here I thought your ability to play bag-tetris was lost when you got Sticky Fingers.

Ballroom

[brokencode]

[Likewise dressed up (as a devil, no less), Angel has also been struggling with the crowd chiding her to get up on stage. After turning down another attempt, she sidles up close to Fluttershy without really thinking, trying to make herself look small against someone is clearlycapable of rejecting such offers.

At least, she's dressed like she is. And what else matters!]

They are rather relentless, aren't they?

[lectus_thermae_et_ultra]

[Lucius makes a quick grimace.]

I only just got there before the party honestly. There was one trail leading from the town I started in to there, and I ended up getting led off it by a small-but-insistent bird.

[He sighs before continuing.]

If there were just roads it would have been clear what was a thoroughfare and what wasn't but, sadly, it seems that aspect of Roman society is not shared here.

[thetombkeeper]

... You followed the Corvisquire? It was just there to delivery the letter.

[He blinks.]

So you... spent a whole week lost on the route?

[thetombkeeper]

I figured since they were probably more familiar with the holiday, Usi or Chen would have a better idea of what I should wear.

[Another glare to his Gengar before he takes his seat next to Fluttershy. Usi sits next to Marik and scoops Chenzira off of his shoulder so the two can focus on each other.

He's going to have some words with his pokémon later. None of this.... whatever it is.

Usi just winks and goes to feeding Chen some candy.

Marik turns his attention to Shy.]

... How did your move go?

[thetombkeeper]

Like some legendary pokémon? That would make sense. They're sort of like... deities of different aspects of this world. One's domain might be storms and the sea.

[He keeps Oba in his ball for the time being. This place is too unexplored, dangerous, and too many spirits roam to have him be zooming around everywhere.]

Heheh. Look at the outer courtyard. There's so many lights... and the different colors from all the stalls! You wanna try some of the games later?

[epitaffio]

Oh... Thanks. It's just a regular old vampire costume, though.

[He... wasn't really sure what to go for. But the Boss seemed to approve of this one??]

[indigo_league]

As Corrin explores the beach, something whistles by his head, tousling his hair. What was that? The dark, spooky night reveals nothing--until he hears another whistling noise and feels something grab onto his clothes. As he looks down, he'll lock eyes with a mischievous Dreepy.

That's about as much as a heads up Corrin gets before suddenly, all at once, he's under assault by dozens of Dreepy. They seem to come out of nowhere, swarming to their fellow dragon friend and nibbling at his shoes and the edges of his clothes. Eek! As Corrin tries to get rid of them, he'll hear a deep laugh coming from off shore. A pair of narrowed, glowing yellow eyes indicates the presence of a Dragapult, clearly pleased with the mischief it's pulled.

For Corrin's trouble, he'll find five rare candies, a Shalour Sable, a jar of Pokébeans, and a Dragon Fang. Additionally, as the Dreepy finally leave Corrin in peace, one of them will give him a small bracelet made out of lapis lazuli. Cool!

[indigo_league]

As Kirisima and his Sinistea poke around in the kitchens, he'll hear a "pssst!" behind him. As he turns to look towards the source, he'll spot a rather small Alolan Rattata with a chef hat. They gesture for Kirishima to come into the small side room. As he enters, he's greeted with a marvelous sight--a table with roasted chicken, pumpkin pie, apple crumble, squash salad, and more! A full course meal, just for him! A Lampent hovers near the table, illuminating the room. The Alolan Rattata takes a moment to adjust its chef hat, then squeaks something towards him. It seems like this little rat is the companion to the head chef here, and it wants Kirishima to be the first to try its recipes.

(And it certainly is the most delicious meal you've ever had!)

Kirishima will get six rare candies, a Honey Cake, a Lava Cookie, and a Tart Apple Hopefully, he isn't too full after that meal. Additionally, he'll get a nice, hand-carved wooden spoon with a floral design along the handle. Perfect for stews and other hearty dishes!

[crystalmaster]

["Eeveeee!" Isla chirps.]

In that case, it doesn't look like they do.

[He ponders, looking at the available games.]

I've figured out just how to throw the balls so the bottles will fall over. And how to throw the weighted sacks so they'll go through their holes. I'm also pretty good at darts. Once you figure out the tricks, they're pretty easy.

[indigo_league]

As Ulaz explores the unfinished area of the castle, he'll see something moving out of the corner of his eye. It looks like a Galarian Yamask is wandering the halls back here, drifting silently along. It makes eye contact with Ulaz before continuing towards a nearby wall and...lifting a tapestry aside and disappearing? What's going on? If Ulaz follows the Yamask and lifts the fading tapestry on the wall, he'll find a hidden tunnel behind it. The Yamask floats at the end of the tunnel, waiting for Ulaz to crawl through.

As Ulaz makes his way out of the tunnel, he'll come face-to-face with a pile of gold and gemstones in this hidden room. Woah! Looks like he found a hidden cache! The Yamask looks pleased with itself as it gestures towards a nearby chest for Ulaz to inspect.

Ulaz will find seven rare candies, a Rage Candy Bar, a Candy Truffle, and an Amulet Coin. Additionally, he'll be able to take a chunk of jade that fits in the palm of his hand that has been carved into a Celebi.

[indigo_league]

Huh! Looks like someone built a bunch of sandcastles along the shore, isn't that nice?

...Hey, Romelle. You know what you don't want to feel when you're walking around the beach? Something wet and slimy grabbing your leg. Looks like a Sandygast is trying to swallow her foot, staring up at her with blank eyes. As she pulls herself away, she'll find herself stumbling towards the sandcastle she passed by earlier. It suddenly begins to move, creating a sandy vortex and burying her halfway in sand! How rude! The Palossand and Sandygast let out strange laughs, watching as she tries to dig herself out.

Eventually, when she's freed herself, Romelle will be given six rare candies, a bag of Pewter Crunchies, an Old Gateaux, and some Soft Sand. Additionally, she'll find a large shell lined with mother-of-pearl, the surface having been carved to depict a scene between Lugia and the legendary birds. Perfect for a trinket!

The Outer Courtyard

[crystalmaster]

[Radley sees Lucius and goes over with a smile.]

Hey! I haven't seen you around lately. How have you been?

Wildcard/Dining Room

[crystalmaster]

[Well, Radley can't resist a cute Eevee costume, and neither can his Eevees, so they go over to say Hi.

"Eevee-vee!" Evie exclaims, looking up at Gabi.

Radley chuckles.]

Hi there.

[outofsynth]

[The Duskull are decidedly not angry. They still seem concerned, but more with Min's sudden flare of temper than over the piano now. One hangs out by Riz, seemingly to try and make sure he's okay, while the other two try to calm Min.

He doesn't want to calm down, though. Part of the issue is he's had to be nice and polite for near enough two months now, barring situations he wasn't comfortable being in in the first place. He's had scary criminals putting pressure on him from one side, and helpful people being extremely kind to him on the other. Neither good options for taking out his frustrations on. Riz is just unlucky in having given him a valid reason to finally snap.

On the other hand, Min really doesn't want to risk upsetting his new Duskull friends. He looks slowly between the two hovering around his shoulders, then uses his sleeve the scrub away a few angry tears that had been threatening to spill. He takes a deep breath, sitting himself stiffly back in front of the piano. There's something almost mechanical about the way he taps out notes now. There's no tune being formed, or even any consistency. Just the occasional press of the keys. Something for his fingers to do.]

It doesn't have to be mine. It still deserves to be shown respect.