Prepare for the #LodanRespawn2024 Existing characters may choose to be displace from/have memories of different timelines, thereby allowing returning members the option to retcon their whole character. These changes are the result of the "Unnatural Fog" plot device that is running between now and the Respawn. The plot is simple: no matter where your character is, that place is shrouded in a thick fog that suspends time, but not thoughts or memories, so even if they're repeating the same day over and over again, they continue to remember, so each time feels like a new day. For those retconning OCs; this is where new versions of themselves have the opportunity to replace the old versions. Official lore and tree updates will be announced asap
the Month of Harrowing - Brothers Grimm Masquerade Ball
After having stirred quite the commotion and drawing attention to both himself and Andronikos, Kalum looked up at a familiar voice and sighed. "The deceit! The lies! I can never forgive such betrayal!" This had to be Edelweiss. It looked like her sure enough even with the costume--and he only knew three women within the city to which neither of the three were at all like the other. She was certainly not the woman he was infatuated with and she was certainly not the masked woman who had shown him the city so by process of elimination... it was her.
In utter defeat, the man rose and fixed his mask then nodded to Edelweiss. "They will have to do I suppose..." His voice trailed off as he watched a man try to eat the gumdrop that had destroyed his very dreams only moments ago. "..." He had no words and shook his head. "Your costume looks nice, miss Edelwei-- where did Andronikos go?" He peered about and called to the man, "Mate, the peach cobbler is over here! Where are you going?"
Post by Emelo and Leo Halvorsen on Oct 5, 2015 5:05:10 GMT
Emelo just happened to be turning as the rather colorful man came bounding up to the brothers, "Looks like you have an admirer." Emelo said with a smirk hoping his brother caught the man calling him a cat.
"Kitty?" Leo questioned as he too turned around to see the same masked man running up to them, "Who the hell ya callin' a cat?" Leo said as he looked at the man with a face that was unimpressed. "I'm a lion. Thank you very much." He said as he put an extra bit of emphasis on the lion, making it seem more important than it actually was.
"Oh come now." Emelo said with a smile as he took a step away from his brother and slightly closer to the man, making it seem as though he was on this mans side rather than his brothers, "It's hard to tell the difference." Turning some Emelo faced the colorful man and held out his hand, "Pleasure to met you this fine night. And might I say that is the most color I seen in a long time, very nice and fitting." He said with yet another smile as he turned and stood back next to his brother.
Leo, still giving the same look, stared as the man and looked over his costume, "And what are you supposed to be exactly? Something a rainbow might have coughed up?" Leo asked keeping the same unimpressed look.
Sighing some Emelo raised his left hand and smacked the back of his brothers head, "Play nice." Emelo said as he turned back to the man, "Sorry about him..." He began as he rubbed the back of his neck some, "As you can see I'm a hunter not a lion tamer." He added, trying to make a joke.
"Ow..." Leo said as he rubbed the back of his head, sighing some as his brother made his joke.
Post by Lasair Landevier Lupen on Oct 5, 2015 7:34:16 GMT
Lasair waltzed through the doors, drawing the attention of any who stood near the entrance. He was downed in a suite of firey orange, that kind that leaned towards red but was still a bit orange. On his face was no surprise but the mask of a fox; this one formed to cover his entire face unlike a certain other fox mask. There were holes at the eyes, nose, and mouth that allowed air to travel--the mouth in specific being cut into a grin. Over his head was a hat that sported a pair of fox ears and at the ends of his sleeves were white cuffs while matching white shoes were on his feet. Overall, it was easy to see that he was a fox. The fox in specific was one of the more kinder instances; the story having the name of The Fox and the Horse (<-link).
"Lovely evening, isn't it?" he asked to anyone who would lend him an ear. If no one would approach, then he'd simply wander off to enjoy the festivities.
"...How did Edel know this guy...?" Amon thought, jealousy starting to rise. This thought was enhanced for a second at how Kalum ignored his presence, then quickly dispersed upon hearing the man call for Andronikos.
"...Of all the people here, she had to pick out the pair from EIRAL..." he thought, his visor falling down to cover his stony expression at the exact moment this though occurred. He didn't know whether to be impressed or peeved.
"Well, real or not, at least it's free," he said with a smile, lifting his visor. He then reached for a chocolate covered strawberry, skewering one with a metal claw and popping it in his mouth.
"I will destroy you in the most beautiful way possible! And when I leave, you will finally understand why storms are named after people!" - Taryn, Nerf This
Fawn had managed to wander back to the front gate. The two boys and one smacked the other as though he'd done something really stupid. She'd seen that trick before. Going by she tapped each one lightly on the shoulder but kept walking to appear like she had done nothing. She snickered to herself as she passed a fox who began to speak. Fawna stopped and turned to look. "Indeed it is. And how did such a festive fox as yourself end up here?" She smiled. The fox getup was something she had seen before but she wasn't about to just go on a whim as to who it might be. More fun to just talk to unsuspecting strangers and hope for more clues.
Last Edit: Oct 5, 2015 13:49:42 GMT by Fawna Evans
Post by Thadeus "Thrakazog" Stevenson on Oct 5, 2015 13:11:26 GMT
For whatever reason, the 'old man' who had hailed him had turned away when Thrakazog greeted him in return. But that was okay - Thrak was used to that sort of thing. Plus, it was a party, and there were far more interesting costumes and people than his (or him). Besides, Lorri was offering him a plate of food - real food - and he was only too happy to accept.
Soon, the sounds of delighted munching came from beneath the 'spooky ghost' sheet. Thrakazog had eaten chicken and beef before, but never with such fancy sauces. He'd had bread before, but never so special. He'd had sweets before - rarely - but there were so many he'd never tried. And the imported fruits were positively amazing. Being poor meant eating to survive, not to necessarily enjoy. He was living a dream, and was only too happy to share the experience with his companion.
It was fortunate that he was eating under the sheet, because as he talked, he didn't make any effort to speak wit his mouth closed. "Ohm, nohm... Lorri! Didjoo try dis yellow fruit ting? And dis little mini cake ting? It's like da size ob a cup! And it goes SO good wit dis milk!"
He chattered on amicably about the fare until Lorri stopped him, or until he ran out - whichever came first - and then he used the inside corner of the sheet to wipe his chin. He didn't have awful manners, but he wasn't exactly trained to dine with the elite of society either.
After a polite burp, though, he started looking over to where Lorri had pointed out the trail of breadcrumbs leading deeper into the gardens. It was a curious thing - that trail - and called to him in a primal way, almost asking him to follow it. It wound past a tower with a braid of golden hair leading up to a window, and Thrakazog ooh'd, "Oooh... dat's Rapun... Rapunz... dat's da princess lady, yub?" And somehow, some way, above them rose a beanstalk. The 'ghost' tilted backwards to look up at it, saying, "And dat's Jack and da Beanstalk."
It suddenly dawned on him that the people in costumes were dressed from other fairy tales. "Ooohh... dat's Rumple... Rumplest... da sleepin' guy. And dat's da Glass Coffin." He turned to face Lorri, to line up the eyeholes in his sheet with her, and added, "And youz whut... da Wolf in Sheep's Clothin? Da Three Littul Pigs? Littul Red Ridin Hood? Or da Wolf and Seben Young Kids?"
All of a sudden, he began to feel very, very inadequate. He was in a ghost costume, but couldn't think of a single popular children's tale with a ghost like him. It was an uncomfortable feeling, and made him somewhat self-conscious - like showing up to a formal ball in peasant clothes...
Post by Edelweiss Fjäril on Oct 5, 2015 16:45:56 GMT
Edelweiss just stood there with this mild almost-smiling expression as she watched Kalum exclaiming of deceit and lies. He had no idea what actual deceit is like, if furniture made of fake sweets caused that reaction. "Thank you, and yours looks... interesting." She replied to his compliment on her costume (although it was interrupted by himself), and commented on his. While 'nice' didn't seem like a fitting adjective for that stag mask he's wearing, it was interesting indeed. In an odd sort of way.
Then Kalum got distracted calling Andronikos over, and any chitchatter between him and the redhead ended for the time being. She figured it was a good thing that she had managed to pick out an EIRAL duo first; their simple presence there already implied a few things: 1- There were EIRAL workers amid the party goers, be it infiltrated or out of duty. 2- Keeping that in mind, she should be specially careful in whatever she says while close to anyone she can't recognize under a costume. 3- Amon turns rather steely while around anyone from EIRAL, not just Andronikos (although she couldn't really blame him). Duly noted. 4- The bedsheet ghost was hungry enough to eat the very prop candy Kalum complained about, and the lady in a wolf mask had a very nice laugh.
Meanwhile Amon was busy skewering a strawberry, Edelweiss just picked up a plate and started building a little pyramid of assorted chocolate truffles on it. "I just hope these will last till the party ends... Or that they'll refill the table at some point."
"All power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men." - John Dalberg-Acton
Post by Lorraine Blackmoore on Oct 6, 2015 2:29:37 GMT
Lorraine never seemed to mind how much Thrakazog spoke. In fact, the woman seemed to encourage it by laughing along at what almost seemed like the grown man's childish wonder and nodding along as she ate or answering him when she could. Here and there she would throw in an idle question--nothing of extreme importance, but she watched when they finished how he had used the inside of his ghost sheet to presumably wipe his mouth clean.
They were up again shortly after and on the trail headed for Rapunzel's tower and the bean stalk. "You had it right," she smiled beneath her mask. "Rapunzel the princess with the long hair. She was kidnapped from her parents because her parents made a deal with a witch," she explained and nodded at his correct naming of Jack and the Beanstalk. "It is. I wonder if there is a giant up there," teased the masked woman.
The inquiry of her mask came after and she reached up to gently pull the mask off while dangling the basket from her left arm. "I was Little Red Riding hood but I liked the mask too much to not wear it," came her answer, though truly she simply did not wish to be recognized. A thought occurred to her then as she recalled the man dirtying the inside of his costume earlier and then she extended her mask to him. "Would you like to wear this instead? It doesn't really fit my costume well and I think you would make a better wolf." The nice thing about the mask was that it was not hers and so therefore was larger on her anyway. The awful thing was that it may be a touch small for the ghostly man still.
“Hurry up already! I want to get the social side of this event done so i can go oogle the decorations and the royal garden- oh oh oh- do you think the garden will be decorated too? i hope it is- and fire! i hope there’s a bonfire, and lots of cool themed sweets and candles- and oh man i can’t wait to see all the costumes!”
Needless to say, she’d been like this since they left the manor; a ball of excited energy dressed up in gold and black that could barely sit still the entire ride over. As soon as they were out of sight of the Leland head Vieka was practically bouncing off the walls with the idea of a harrowing event, fidgeting and constantly making costume adjustments and muttering under her breath about the lavish gardens and harrowing decorations that would be up. She was like a kid on christmas!- kalum in a candy store!!- A SIX YEAR OLD’S FIRST TIME IN DISNEYLAND!!!- oh wait, wrong era.
Anyway you get my point- she’s excited, very much so. Dressed to the nines in a golden shimmery dress that was cut in a way that revealed a good portion of her legs when she moved, her face, hands and legs had all been covered in black body paint with gold henna markings sticking out against the dark background. Her mask was a simple black beaked mask that, it too, had golden henna leaking from it’s eyes, but it was the little things that made the outfit. Draped all over the gown were shining beads of varying colours, golden peacock like feathers (with a few extra in her hair), around her neck a golden noose and on her fingers glued on black nails and what appeared to be black tar falling from her lips, most covered in fine, shimmering black glitter. It was an artistic rendition of ‘the Golden bird’, taken a step further by showing how it was the quest for the bird that had the two older brothers fall into greed and excess, and eventually hung for their crimes.
It was a bit of a push, but basically Vieka just didn’t want to go as a bloody princess.
“Your boundless energy is exhausting and embarrassing,” hisses the costumed noble who was speed walking behind the childlike doctor. Stephen was never one to miss an event but he rarely had to accompany someone else. Yet his father felt it was dire that he be Vieka’s chaperon for this masquerade so here he was, chasing after the rambunctious woman like some obnoxious parent. He sighed irritably, glaring at the annoyingly stunning woman bounding ahead of him. “Vieka, really, you must calm down,” he grumbled, reaching up to adjust his mask. How could that creature wear a mask all the time? It was hot and uncomfortable and he only had half a mask on.
What was her deal with this event anyways. She really was going far overboard, going so far as to demand he wear the costume that she presented to him. His outfit mirrored that of the fairy tale creature Puss in Boots: he had a sort of swashbuckling outfit complete with leather gloves and boots as well as a feathered hat. A feline mask hid his features, revealing his grumpy frown for all the world to see.
He glanced around as they walked towards the entrance, taking in the decorations with a reserved look. This was the first time he had really been to the Queen’s Palace so he was trying not to show just how impressed with it all he was. He wondered vaguely what kind of music and food they would serve- A thought struck him and he strode quickly up to cut off Vieka, “No alcohol. None. I see you take a sip of something and I do not care, I will drag you home. I do not want this to be another Jazz Night, got it?”
"Oh don't worry, I'm sure they have enough for you and that stag," Amon replied with a chuckle, grabbing a plate and filling it with half various fruits and half with more sweets for Edel. "So, should we find a place to sit for now, or should we make sure they have enough sweets for you?" he asked, half serious, half teasing.
It was then that he overheard the wolf-lady suggest giving her mask to the sheet ghost. Amon paused. That voice sounded familiar...
"I don't think that's a good idea...gotta keep in dress code you know~" he chimed to Lorrain upon recognizing her voice.
"I will destroy you in the most beautiful way possible! And when I leave, you will finally understand why storms are named after people!" - Taryn, Nerf This
Pausing at the gate, the doctor's expression blanked for a moment, turning to look at the noble with a bland expression to counter her previously over ecstatic one. “I’m not making that mistake again. Although i expect the exact same of you. No alcohol. Ever. I don’t even want to see you looking at the punch in case it’s spiked,” She shuddered, thinking of the catastrophic events that might unfold if either of them were to imbibe some kind of drink again. She didn't have the luxury of avoiding the feline any more so best not to make any more awkward moments for them to regret at a later date…. again.
With that said and out of the way, the woman went straight back to bouncing around like a kangaroo, admiring the lavish decorations scattered everywhere. Vie wasn't one to deny how much she loathed the royal family but dang if they didn't know how to decorate a place to suit the festivities (or they’re decorators did anyway), but hey, if she had that much money she’d probably go all out too. It was the month of harrowing after all, the best month. Ever. Period.
“Do you think they’ll be playing good music? maybe i can find some dance partners. Lassair might be up for it but he needed to smashed last time and then he tripped us both over. I could drag Pyre up there but he’d probably just embarrass me- on second thought, maybe i won’t do any dancing. dancing draws attention anyway. I can just admire the costumes and maybe find some decent food and then bugger off to the gardens and see how well they look after the plants.”
Does she have a stupid grin on her face? i think she has a stupid grin on her face.
"those who know how to think need no teachers." -Mahatma Gandhi
Post by Edelweiss Fjäril on Oct 6, 2015 5:35:46 GMT
"Since the table isn't going to suddenly disappear (unless someone else attempts to eat it again), I can come back for more sweets later." Edelweiss replied with a snicker. She was comtent with only her plate of truffles and whatever sweets Amon picked for her... not to mention the 'little pyramid' of aforementioned truffles was now tall enough to make even the most skilled jenga players fear for dear life.
When the mechanic turned to talk to the woman who was now offering her mask away, the redhead instantly recognized her face. Which... was not good, not for Lorraine if she can also be recognized by people who should not see her. What a difference it made a happy voice and overall content posture in contrast to that stern and tensioned deadly look the ex-soldier had on in the last time Edelweiss met her! But still, Amon was right, with the mask on she was much better disguised.
Talking of familiar sounds though, another pair of voices talking called her attention, and she turned around to see a duo of people she knew close to the party's entrance. That grumpy frown that could be spotted from miles away, and also the woman's face (always) clad in a dark but neat mask. "Stephen, Vieka!" She called them over, raising a hand in a friendly wave while a broad smile formed on her lips. And was Stephen wearing what she thought he was wearing? Puss in Boots costume? Dear skies that tale was just SO perfect for him! And she couldn't imagine him picking it on his own at all. But whoever forced that cat mask on him is a genius and Edelweiss adored them.
Post by Thadeus "Thrakazog" Stevenson on Oct 6, 2015 16:31:53 GMT
Thrakazog was having a wonderful time. Now that he had a full belly (no mean feat!), he was only too happy to wander the grounds and see the sights with Lorri. She was really quite nice, he had to confess - she never spoke down to him, never cut him off, and seemed to listen when he spoke. And if she noticed his difficulty pronouncing the 'big words', she didn't seem to mind it at all.
But when she removed her mask, she apparently got the attention of the man wearing the pot-bellied stove for armor. He cautioned her to keep the mask on, and Thrakazog had to agree. "Yubyub," he said, not understanding the dangers of going open-faced among this crowd. "Dat okie dokie - me nub need a mask in dis outfit. Youz keep it. Youz would make a good Riding Hood, but metinks youz make a bettur wolf, yub."
He was smiling under the sheet, even if nobody could tell. He was positively tickled that she had offered him the mask.
He then reached out to touch the golden hair that dangled from the tower, wondering if it was real hair, or like the artificial gumdrop he'd tried to eat. As he did, he worked hard to repeat the word Lorri had used. "Rap-unz... Rapunz...Rap... punzul..."
His eyeholes seemed to be focused on the hair, but he was actually thinking about something else. "Now dat me here," he spoke fairly quietly, for him, though anyone close could probably hear. "Me gotta be some-one, nub just a 'ghost', yub."
But try as he might, he couldn't think of a single ghostly figure in any Grimm's fairy tale that wasn't a woman, except for a vague recollection of a black knight. But if he was honest with himself, and he usually, was, he figured the pot-bellied armor had a better shot at being a black knight.
But there was one character he remembered from his youth, from a story his mother told him many times. His name was Rübezahl, the mountain spirit, and he was a giant as well. Worried, he asked Lorri, "Youz tink dey would mind if Thrak wuz nub from a story like dis one... or da beanstalk? Me could be Rübezahl." He mispronounced the name, calling him what sounded like, 'Roob-zall'.
Post by Lorraine Blackmoore on Oct 6, 2015 23:52:48 GMT
There was much going on in such short time. Thrakazog and Lorraine had crossed the way to Rapunzel's tower where the armored man had come to offer his warning. She had not even had the thing on for that long and already people could recognize her? Odd, though she supposed it was good that it was this man whom she never caught the name of than a brother from EIRAL.
Thrakazog's words caught her attention next and she offered Amon a warm smile of 'thank you' then nodded to Thrakazog. "Then wolf it is," she claimed and placed the mask back upon her face. "I do not think I ever caught your name," she inquired turning back to Amon before letting her gaze drift to watch Thrakazog touch the hair. The long braid was indeed fake but at least it felt close enough to the real thing. Lorri continued to smile as the large man tried to pronounce the name a couple times before getting it.
"I do not think anyone minds that you are a ghost, Thrakazog. But if you wish to change then we can try and find something for you... who is Roobzall? I've never heard the story before--I sadly do not know all of my stories."
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