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

[desirestruth]

[She is...clearly eyeballing the Shuppet. She could translate but...nah. Nah let's take the out given.]

Oh...that would be fun to find. But I'm afraid I just got distracted by my nostalgia and lost.

[She glances very sharply back at the pack of ghost pokemon following her.]

And they're not interested in helping.

[psionicmolotov]

[ Phalar, his Cofagrigus, is doing an excellent job of leering at any ghosts who get a bit too excitable near his trainer and forcing them to back off so far. He floats into view, returning from the corridor he was investigating, and hovers behind Kimmuriel.

He supposes there's no harm in pointing this person the right way...it's not as if he has anything pressing to do. ]

I can guide you to an exit, if you must have a guide.

[desirestruth]

[She starts a little at Cofagrigus--they are frightening pokemon in general, after all--but after a moment nods to the pokemon directly.]

...I'd be in your debt, sir.

[psionicmolotov]

[ Phalar rumbles in a metallic sort of way, more a sound of coins clinking and grinding together than the movement of earth (or vocal chords), eyes flashing as he drifts away from his trainer.

He begins to walk in the direction his Pokemon indicates with not even a backwards glance. ]

Then follow. [ Or don't. It's all the same to him; he is in need of some fresh air regardless, so it's of no huge concern if she decides to linger. ]

[desirestruth]

[She doesn't miss a stride. Phalar is intimidating, but she has asked for help, so she will not complain.

...Unfortunately, as she follows, a bit behind her the entire horde of ghosts follow too. I'm sure this won't cause problems.]

...Has he...been here before, or is he particularly adept at pathfinding?

[It's clear the Pokemon is the one who knows the way, which makes her curious. Certainly, this Mimikyu in her arms could get lost inside a burlap sack, so it's not a skill all pokes possess.]

[psionicmolotov]

He has been exploring, here and there. It is a training exercise of sorts.

[ Since Phalar is one of the first Pokemon he acquired that could not conveniently communicate with him, he had given him the task to train him into better habits, rather than simply wandering off by himself. It had proven quite useful. ] He cannot communicate with me like some of the other creatures here can, but he still has a tendency to wander. We have come to an agreement about it.

[desirestruth]

You can communicate with some, but not others?

[Now that is fascinating. She'd figured it was an all-or-nothing thing, given how people had reacted so far. She glances over at Phalar again, head tilted, as though she's trying to angle ears much larger than the ones she currently posesses.]

Is it because his voice is so quiet?

[psionicmolotov]

[ He shakes his head. ] They can communicate with me - not I with them. They wield powers similar to the ones I lost on my arrival to this plane, and so they can read my thoughts and understand. It is rather rudimentary compared to what I am used to, but I must adapt.

[ He flashes a few rapid hand signals to Phalar, who responds equally quickly with all hands in play - clearly a form of sign language. They have a completely silent back and forth for a moment, before he nods in approval and lowers his hands. ]

He does not possess the power to make contact with me, so we make do in other ways.

You are capable of hearing his voice? [ He regards her with new curiosity.

Phalar's voice is a crackling radio-static whisper, the kind of sound that would not be out of place in the sand-strewn ruins his kind so often calls home. He murmurs softly but constantly, as if committing all he sees and senses to memory. ]

[desirestruth]

I have yet to meet any pokemon I could not.

[A pause.] Aside from the fossil pokemon, but they...might not know how to communicate, I fear.

[Kimmuriel, she hates everything about those creatures. But she does pause to watch Phalar and Kimmuriel, deeply curious. Her trepidation over Phalar's appearance is easing away...]

I believe it is because I was much like a beast, and could speak to them. Though none of my other magic carried with me...it's quite strange, what stays. You said you used to be able to...walk the minds of others?

[Psychic powers are straight up not a thing in her world so that's fascinating.]

[psionicmolotov]

So you had a similar ability that stayed with you, but only that. Interesting.

[ It is a strange way to describe his powers, but then again, who knows the places these folk come from? ]

Through the use of psionics, yes. The power of the mind. You are not familiar? [ It is possible she may just not know about it - psionics is not known to all - but it is entirely possible it may not exist to her, just as the long lives of elves did not match the human-adjacent lifespans of 'elezen'. ]

[desirestruth]

It is unheard of. The closest to it...

[She is thinking that over, for a long few seconds.]

I believe there is a Witch who's domain is over Justice--she is always aware when someone lies. But that isn't the same thing, is it?

[psionicmolotov]

[ This sounds like someone who simply does not know what psionics are at all. He will lean tentatively towards 'might not exist for her'. ]

Certainly I could tell if someone was lying, or otherwise distorting the truth. What someone dwells on within their mind and what they speak aloud can often be at odds with one another, especially if they are conscious of their lie.

But a psionicist is capable of much more than that. We draw from within ourselves to enact changes on the world around us in various ways -whether that is mental or physical. It is quite useful for learning those things which others would prefer we not know or understand.

[desirestruth]

Ah, that's...hm.

[It is different than what she knows, but there are parallels that are...interesting.]

Fascinating. That is the description many would give witches, but it's clearly not the same thing at all...

[She's almost more talking to herself. That magic itself might differ between worlds was something she knew conceptually, but to hear it spoken of is a whole different matter. Is magic even the right thing to call it? Certainly, Kimmuriel seems to make a distinction between the two...]

The changes you could enact--on what scale? Or is that only limited by the user themselves?

[psionicmolotov]

It depends on the psionicist's own power to some degree, but there is only so much power one is capable of holding within their own body. But unlike those who draw on the Weave - wizards and sorcerers and so on - the power of the mind only increases when more of us are brought together, and so we can accomplish great feats. [ He still remembers vividly the power of an entire illithid hivemind, surging and united in purpose. That perfect unity had wrought a kinetic barrier powerful enough to absorb the energy of an entire city's martial and magical efforts. ] Those who use normal magic are certainly capable of group ritual, but it is far more prone to...trial and error.

What is a witch capable of, in your own world? On mine, they are simply magic-users, much like wizards, but you speak of them as if they are different.

[desirestruth]

...I think magic itself may work slightly differently.

[She's considering how to explain this.] Those capable of standard magic are simply called Magi. They tend to be human--it's not impossible for the nightkin, but it is much rarer. A mage draws their power from external power, and thus is limited by what they have the capacity to handle at once. Other than that, there is nothing that limits them--the magic can excel in a single field, or many, depending on their aptitude and willingness to train for it.

[She has always found it fascinating, but she lacks the basic capacity for it, because of her own peculiar nature.]

A Witch...imposes their very will upon reality, and reality conforms to that will. Every witch is born with a singular domain, and their will is enacted through that scope, but reality can and is fundamentally shaped. Human witches are so rare the last known one founded an empire and was exulted unto godhood...but they're really only slightly more common among my people.

[She touches her hair a bit.] The silver hair comes with it. The magic in our bodies bleaches out all other color in hair, and it takes no dye or illusion. But the Queens of the Black Forest have always been witches, with the same domain passed down among us, in order to guard the literal wellspring of magic that dwells there. I've often wondered if the royal line produces the same witch because of the Well, or if it happens because that line demands it.