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

[scalpelofmarmora]

[Ulaz looked over and raised an eyebrow at the ghost type literally emerging from the ground. He did take a step back... just because.

Irkut was too distracted by horse-y friend to pay attention to the very large ghost behind it. Trunti, being a ghost herself, was more curious and approached cautiously, looking at the Gengar]

I see. I have not seen one of them do that before.

[crystalmaster]

She sure does.

[Evie chirps in pride.]

Well, we're going to see what there is to eat. You wanna join us?

[lectus_thermae_et_ultra]

[Lucius looks over the little rifle, inspecting its parts and sights.]

Despite the tiny size of the ammunition, the fact that this little device is capable of dispensing a repeated magazine of projectiles is very impressive. It reminds me of the Scorpio used by our own Legionaries, but it seems much smoother in its overall operation. Being handheld is incredible in and of itself too.

[He pauses to shoulder the weapon and aim.]

That being said though... [He fires and hits the target dead-on.] ...it seems rather straightforward to operate.

[thetombkeeper]

[Oh, another history lesson. Marik's about to comment about how it's fascinating how Lucius is able to mentally take apart things and understand their inner workings when the man shoots. He flinches a bit then looks over at the Pidgey target.]

How in Oblivion... You got a bullseye!

[These games are supposedly rigged against the players. How did he get a perfect hit right off the bat? Marik just stares slack jawed.]

... Y... You've got... 3 more shots.

[lectus_thermae_et_ultra]

[Lucius looks up from the rifle's sights.]

This devices is quite accurate. It seems to lean a bit to the right, but nothing that would cause the projectile to land inaccurately from this distance.

[Wait a minute.]

Wait. You said three left? But didn't you just need the one hit?

[thetombkeeper]

But to just pick up a gun and immediately shoot it with such precision...!

[WHO'S MANS IS THIS.]

Y-yes! I told you. You have to hit four different targets in a row in order to get a prize. So you still need to get three more bulleyes.

...

Surely you can't... be that good of a shot.

Re: Exploring!

[tempredmental]

[Keith did eventually get the idea that he was being followed. PokéWorld had shut off his ability to sense quintessence, so it was a little easier for people or Pokémon to sneak up on him around here than it was back home. But there was still a little bit of that "I'm being watched" sensation that couldn't be taken away because of his training to be aware of his surroundings.

He paused. Kosmo paused. Keith held up a hand, and then, with a quick motion, signaled for them to turn at the same time.

There was a beat where the three stared at each other, and then Keith started to laugh as Nebula began to bow and yip. Kosmo tilted his head and then yipped back, bouncing on his front paws as he started to wag his tail.]

Okay, okay, you guys.

You should be careful sneaking up on people in a place like this, Nebula. I wouldn't want someone to set their Pokémon on you without realizing your not a Mimikyu or something. [Not that she really looked like one. He knew that. But he wasn't exactly sure of what she was going for here wearing what could easily be considered the Umbreon equivalent of a Mimikyu costume.]

[shiro2hero]

Sorry - Sorry. It... it does that. It really doesn't mean any harm.

[Gengar pulls itself all the way out of the floor, and flips over, doing a hand-stand on one hand. Grinning and wiggling.]

I've had it for years, and it's always been helpful. Kind of weird, but helpful.

[It rummages around in a... sleeve... of some kind. And pulls out a shiny fall leaf to offer to the other ghost.]

[shiro2hero]

[Her tail swishes under that costume as she takes a seat. What few rings on her body that remain visible glow faintly - she's very pleased with herself for sneaking up on Keith and Kosmo, clearly.]

[And then proceeds to casually groom one paw. Come on, Keith, she's level 100. She has nothing to worry about. Besides, her trainer is likely nearby.]

[Once she's satisfied her paw is cleaned, she steps daintily over to sniff at Kosmo. Hello. Who are you?]

[desirestruth]

Where did...what go?

[ma'am? Ma'am.]

Miss, you are soaked through, what happened?

[desirestruth]

"...Well, then it did have a better ending after all."

She won't call a stranger's life happy without knowing, but she has to assume that his freedom from such a society is better?

[brokencode]

[Rest easy, Fluttershy. Angel will gladly wallflower with you, even if she doesn't realize that the other girl is equally as intimidated.]

I agree. My friends seem to have a great time when they participate but... I think I enjoy it more when I can cheer them on.

[epitaffio]

Maybe you'll end up dressing like this more often!

[He laughs. It's not likely... but he does mean it when he says he likes it.]

Hey, are you gonna be in the contest?

Dining Room

[phoenixwiz]

(Huge feasts are also a familiar constant for Harry from his time at Hogwarts too, so he is very used to being in huge banquets with various food choices served to diners. While having a server come in to offer a menu is new to him, he is pretty intrigued by how normal people run these kind of feasts since there is no magic to be found.

He had a bit of a hard time deciding which one to try first, he is also pretty lucky enough to be seated next to Luna to sample the Gengar themed fondue. And it sure looks pretty good too.)

Oh hey. That fondue plate looks really good. I could smell the cheese from here too.

[outofsynth]

[Urgggghhh. He hates accepting apologies over this. He can't even count the number of times it's happened in his life, even from people who should know, but Lucius just seems so sincere.]

It's... I know it's a lot to take in. I get that. I'm just used to people getting my name wrong already, and I don't like that. Please sit down. This was your table first.

[Hopefully he hasn't made him uncomfortable enough he doesn't want to sit together anymore...

Maybe he should try and steer the subject towards something else? He glances towards Lucius' Pokémon. It's not one he's familiar with yet, but it looks like one Lucius like enough to have collected lots of them already.]

These guys exist in your world?

[outofsynth]

[Riz anticipates correctly. Min just looks more confused through his initial explanation, and already has his mouth open to ask further questions before he carries on.

Though in the end it doesn't leave him with any less questions. Like... what is this kid doing with his life? Where are his parents?? How can he talk so casually about something so terrifying?

There are so very many questions, but it's always best to start with the basics.]

You did what now?

[outofsynth]

Maybe.

[He's not sure if that is the issue, but Min's not the most competitive battler in the first place and Blitz's attitude has made him nervous of using him in battles that aren't just against wild Pokémon.

It might be worth trying...]

I'll figure it out. He's supposed to be my responsibility. You shouldn't have to be giving me advice when you're the one he hurt.

[outofsynth]

Uh, that's okay.

[He smiles a little awkwardly at her before she goes off to play. It's not as though he's never experienced non-humans who can talk, but it's definitely not something he's used to with Pokémon.

His shoulders relax a little once she zooms off to play with her team, who all look delighted to have a new playmate.]

Don't worry. She seems sweet. [Pun unintended.] I didn't know there were Pokémon who could talk.

[He's heard about psychic types being able to communicate that way, but speech like this? It's extremely unexpected.]

[outofsynth]

[He will fear them! He's not a fighter, and like... normally someone this tiny would not worry him, but in this case she is weirdly tough. Wtf?]

I'm just a guy! Please don't hit me again.

[thetombkeeper]

Alright. That works for me. I'm curious what kind of stories people thought up.

[He leaves the kitchen, making sure not to walk too fast for Harry, then looks back and forth when they get back out into the hallway.]

Hmm... We came from that direction, I think...

[Marik heads back the way they came, deciding to engage in idle chit-chat while they walk.]

So which of your friends have entered?

[phoenixwiz]

There are two of them who are competing this year. One of them happens to be in this world longer than I do and she knows more about Pokémon than I will ever be. Brown hair, brown eyes, and very intelligent.

The other one is a year younger than me and she came in much later after me. She has blond hair, often seen with a cork necklace and radish earrings, and has a Spindia with her too.

[schachmeister]

I see.

[Actually, learning that about Falco puts a few things he had said to Armin into perspective. It didn't change his opinion of the boy, but it helped explain a few things.]

Well, regardless of how things are like in our world, I do not see why we cannot be friends in this world.

[outofsynth]

[Big points for trying! Even if it doesn't sound exactly like the words the Oricorio is trying to replicate, it still sounds very spooky. Min's clearly enthralled by the story, sitting quietly so he doesn't interrupt the flow of the narration.

His face twists slightly at the reveal, the mental image of just a bloody pair of eyes left there on the floor now in his mind.]

Gross, man. That story was so creepy.

[He glances up at the Oricorio.]

I liked your part, too. Did you practice that?

[outofsynth]

[Pretty!! Echoes is delighted, and utterly enamoured with the leaf he's been given. Haunter is his new favourite friend, and assuming it's happy with it he's going to give it the biggest hug. Or possibly the littlest hug. He is very small. Either way, it's very enthusiastic.

Min's initially distracted by this, but between Shiro's lack of reaction (hopefully this is actually his Pokémon...), and how nice it's being he's happy to turn his attention back to Shiro and the game.]

Doing any better?

[outofsynth]

[The Mudsdale is more than happy to take it while it can. It knows the cart will be ready soon, and the Espurr will be on its way. ]

They sure do. I'm glad someone else will be on it, though. Maybe meeting some new Pokémon will help keep them occupied.

[His Plusle and Noibat aren't badly behaved, but they are still very excitable. He'd been a little worried about whether they'd stay within the confines of the cart without constant supervision.

In fact, maybe he should let them out to introduce themselves while they're waiting... He considers the Mudsdale Irkut is petting. It does seem very relaxed. Maybe it will be okay.]