victory_road | THE CONTEST SPOOKTACULAR!

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THE CONTEST SPOOKTACULAR!

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.

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***;

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Having no idea what pretty much anyone is actually dressed as, Marik at least recognizes who it is and shuffles over to him, Usi and Chen following after their trainer.]

Hey, Harry!

[As he draws closer, he notices the bruise and winces. Sorry, Harry. He's going to make you think about the chase.]

.... Oh. Are you alright? That looks like it hurt...

Oh hey Marik! Oh the bruise on my nose. Well, I just hurt my nose from trying walk up to a brick wall. Wild time to explore a basement while chasing a Misdreavous.

(Violet is visibly worried for her Trainer following the encounter with the Misdreavous. With her now evolved as an Espeon, she has become more vulnerable against Ghost type moves and Pokémon than when she was an Eevee. In addition she couldn’t fight efficiently at night at all the time.)

Eifie, Fie-Fie…

That... does indeed sound wild. What in oblivion made you chase after it though?

[Chenzira floats over to Violet and attempts to give her some encouraging words. Ghosts can be very scary but he's sure that even if Harry ended up getting hurt, he's still in better shape than he might be if she hadn't of been with him so she was able to give him some protection!]

Do you want to check out the kitchen to see if they have an ice pack or something? It might help with the bruising.

I was just checking out the basement when the Misdreavous began to follow after me. So I went to go after it through plenty of trick walls before it phased through the end of the hallway where the brick wall was. I think that it wanted me play a game with it at the time.

Fie...

(Violet looks up at Chenzira upon hearing him speaking to her. She is still bummed out for having gained a type weakness, but she does at least get some hope that she wistfully nods in agreement. She still can fight despite her newfound weakness and Harry still cares for her dearly too.)

Yeah, we should check the kitchen and find an ice pack for me to use. Hopefully the kitchen staff won’t mind us looking for it in there.

I guess I can't fault you there. I'm just sorry you got hurt from it.

[Chenzira smiles and gives her a thumbs up. Or as best one can with only 3 fingers.]

Worse comes to worse, we just ask the staff themselves so we don't get in the way. You wanna go get that now or rest for a bit first?

Maybe we can go into the kitchen first so we can try to ask and get the ice pack without disturbing the staff while they’re working. That would save us the hassle of getting an ice pack from them.

Fie, fie, fie. Decidueye, eye.

Alright. I'm... not entirely sure of the layout of this place but it probably won't be hard to find.

[Marik leads them out of the ballroom and down the hallway, looking around for where the kitchen might be. The only two places he properly looked in were the ballroom and the library. Would the dining room be near the kitchen? Usi toddles after him, not at all helping with their search, Chen now riding on the Gengar's head instead of his trainer.]

You're from... The United Kingdom, right? [Based on Harry's accent, of course.] Is this similar to how you celebrate Halloween back home? The festival, I mean, not the ghost tricks.

Yep, that’s correct. The funny thing about Halloween in the UK though is that we don’t celebrate it as much as compared to other parts in the world, let’s say, the United States. I don’t think that I could remember kids go on trick or treating trips that often nor do we decorate our homes for the holiday as extensively, but we do celebrate it, it is just not as flashy. We do celebrate Bonfire Night often every 5th of November though.

In my old school at Scotland, we have a lot of Halloween feasts where we get to eat plenty of candies at the Great Gall, but we still have school lessons happening earlier in the day.

Huh... that's interesting. We usually had the Haker Feast of Osiris going on about this time but it wasn't at all like Halloween. It was to plant crops and honor the dead.

[A shrug. His siblings were more invested in the holidays anyways. Marik is a casual Kemetic follower mostly out of spite.]

I was talking with someone at the beginning of the month about the holiday. It got me curious about how the different countries celebrated it. This place seems to fit what I've been told about the way America celebrates it.

[He stops by a door and decides to check what's inside. Nope. Not the kitchen. On to the next one.]

Uh... Discounting your accident, did you find anything good at least?

That sounds really intriguing. I did learned that Halloween did have some roots in Celtic traditions, namely Samhain, but I honestly never thought that other cultures and nations have similar, if not the same, connotations as Halloween/Samhain. I guess people have different ways and reasons to celebrate it.

(Rowan pokes his head on another room to find the kitchen but he didn’t have any luck either, so he closes the door with his left talon in defeat.)

I did got some sweets for my team: some pistachio Poké Puffs, some rare candies, a sleeve of Pokéblocks, and even a Toxic Orb. And I also found this as well after the Misdreavous left.

(Harry then takes out a tarnished silver mirror with Unknow script on the edges to show to Marik. It looks really beautiful in spite of the current tarnished state, it has left Harry wondering where did that Misdreavous found it in the first place.)

It's fascinating how so many places can have such different cultures and beliefs but still celebrate the same things.

[Marik stops walking so he can look over the mirror more closely, his eyes moving along the script. He'd recognize that writing anywhere now.]

Truth is found... within one's reflection. Hn.

[He can't sense anything coming from the mirror. A pity that particular sensitivity was taken away from him when he arrived. With all of his dealings with ghosts, it would come in quite handy.]

It goes without saying you should avoid looking into it unless it's fully polished. Even then, I'd avoid it. If Unown are involved, you might get cursed with something... idiotic.

Whoa, wait a minute, did you just said cursed and the Unown? I have no idea that curses exist in here. And what are the Unown by the way?

(Harry didn’t expect to encounter curses and cursed objects in a world of magical sentient creatures until now. Rowan is also stunned to hear that as he walks towards his Trainer to see the Unown script on the mirror a little closer, being a Ghost type these days.)

Decidueye…

It's an ancient artifact. Those and curses generally go hand-in-hand.

[Speaking from personal experience.]

With it as tarnished as it is, I imagine if you cleaned it properly it might remove any curse that might be on it.

[Usi steps over to look at the mirror, amused by the fact that they're being so cautious with the object. Chen, being the timid little ghost that he is, floats off to continue looking for the kitchen.]

Unown are a type of pokémon in the shape of the English alphabet. I have... no idea why. They've been around for a very long time though. Have you been to the Ruins of Alph outside of Violet? There's a bunch there.

[There's a soft voice coming from down the hallway, Chenzira waving his arms at the group to get their attention. Marik looks up.]

I think Chen's found the kitchen.

So they tend to be cursed when tarnished and not yet cleaned up? Well, that is really interesting.

(Back in his world, cursed items usually have some sort of dark magic placed onto them and how they get cursed can get very nasty.)

Ah, they are Pokémon that look like the letters of the English alphabet. They sure sound like an intriguing species to run into. And, um, I haven’t been to the Ruins just yet, but I did visited Violet before, so I might want to visit them the next time I decided to head over there.

Oh thank Merlin that Chen’s able to find the kitchen. Let’s go in and ask for some ice packs for my nose.

Eh, not all of them but a lot of ancient relics hold the energies of those who created them. Sort of a "need good vibes" kind of thing, if that makes sense. It's similar to how you take care of deceased ones. You pay your respects and preserve the body in some way or another or return it to the earth. If you were to desecrate the body, the spirit may come back to haunt or curse you.

[He heads over to his Yamask, pushing the door open for them all. Inside is indeed the kitchen, some of the staff looking up from their duties but none seem to stop them.]

It's an interesting place. Just... kind of gimmicky. If you're used to visiting tourists traps it probably won't bother you.

[Chen hops back on to his spot on Marik's shoulder as he maneuvers through the kitchen, keeping an eye out for a walk in freezer or something. They come across a industrialized sized refrigerator and the blonde rumages through it until he finds a frozen bag of vegetables.]

Not an ice pack but it should still help. This work for you, Harry?

So all they actually need is to get cleaned up and be treated with respect like the dead? That’s understandable enough, I just don’t want o get cursed in a horrible way. But I appreciate the insight a lot, Marik.

(Once they reach the kitchen and approach the refrigerator, Harry did checked around to find an ice pack when Marik passes to him a frozen bag of vegetables as an impromptu ice pack. It’s not much, but it is better than nothing at all as he gingerly receives it and places it on top of his nose.)

Well, it is not an ice pack, but I can use it over my nose until the bruising gets lightened up. Better than nothing at all.

Decidu-eye, eye. Eifie, fie, fie. Fie!

I mean, it's not a guarantee but if it is cursed, that should help.

[He shifts around the fridge a bit more before finding nothing else suitable. Ah well.]

Yeah, not a problem. Guess my weird knowledge comes in handy from time to time.

[A shrug before he looks around the kitchen.]

We should probably leave before we bother the staff anymore. You want to go watch the contest or do something else?

I got some friends from my world who are competing at the contest this yeat. So I would love to watch their performances at the ballroom and support them from the audience sight lines.

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?

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.

[A vague description for both. Marik blinks.]

What's their names, if you don't mind me asking?

Oh their names? I should have done so earlier, but their names are Hermione Granger and Luna Lovegood.

Oh! Hermione. We've spoken a couple of times.

[He smiles.]

She's actually the first person I bought eggs from and she's helped give me a lot of information on ghost-types. I can see why you listed her intelligence as a trait. Her research is really fascinating.

I haven't met Luna though. Are both she and Hermione from your world?

Yep, that is her: she is definitely one of the smartest people I have ever known in my world. She has probably done more research and reading than I can do, although I’m trying my best to do my reading on Pokémon to make her proud of me.

Yes, me, Hermione, and Luna hailed from the same world. So we have known each other for a long time as we went to the same school together.

That's really cool that you've got people from your world here that you've known for a while. I'm sure Hermione appreciates any effort you make to try and learn more.

[They get back to the main room and Marik scouts out some empty seats for them.]

Looks like the contest hasn't started just yet so we made good time. Did you want me to grab anything before it starts?

THE CONTEST SPOOKTACULAR!

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