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logsinthenight2019-10-30 05:46 pm
inthenightmods) wrote in logsinthenight2019-10-30 05:46 pm
EVENT LOG: LOSE YOUR SOUL
EVENT LOG:
LOSE YOUR SOUL
characters: everyone.
location: bonfire square, around town.
date/time: october 30-31.
content: the spirits stage a play! and then the thefts begin...
warnings: none. just mischief.
you're gonna lose your soul tonight, tonight
It's probably something you're used to by now: waking up to some new, strange thing suddenly appearing somewhere around town. This time it's a ramshackle stage sitting prominently in the center of the square. It's complete with benches and a haggard-looking red curtain, and it's clear by the amount of forest spirits milling and fussing around it that they're the ones responsible. For most of the day, the spirits seem concerned only with attracting as many people as possible, trying to herd them into the seats. But as the moon rises, the performance finally begins.
There's an awkward shuffling behind the curtain before it lifts, revealing a very crude set made of actual branches used as trees. Various pieces of junk have been shined up and stuck to the back wall to serve as the night sky. In the midst of it all stand several spirits holding very small torches taken from the Bonfire. Sticks, really, placed inside empty cans with holes punched in them and rusted wires for handles. These spirits wave their "lanterns" about for the benefit of the audience before miming the act of walking across the stage without actually going anywhere. From somewhere above them, a pair of long arms descends to shake the "trees" on either side; seems the Postmaster General wanted to lend their talents to the cause.
The protagonists of this pantomime talk amongst themselves, in the chirps, hoots, and whistles that make up their language. They motion to one another, pointing at things and conferring before finally nodding and, apparently, continuing on whatever "journey" they're supposed to be on. This goes on for a few minutes before another set of players enter the stage— or at least reveal themselves.
Perhaps a few eagle-eyed viewers have spotted them already, but the second group of spirits pops out of the set itself. One detaches itself from a "tree", one drops from the poorly-painted sky, and two more emerge from where they've been hiding behind the foliage. These spirits are holding prop lanterns, too, though theirs are shielded, giving off very little light. But their most notable feature is that they're wearing animal masks; a deer, a fox, a raccoon, and a rabbit for the tallest one. These aren't the masks that make up their faces, they're extras, seemingly tied on over their own.
As the second group jumps up, the first reacts with emphatic shock, and then a brief scuffle ensues. In the chaos, the animal-masked spirits make off with the others' lanterns, dashing away and off the stage. The original few begin to wail, to writhe, to clutch at their throats, and then, ultimately, to fall very over-dramatically to the floor. Other spirits sneak out to drag them out of view, but that isn't quite the end of the performance.
A spirit dressed in a cloak and garish feathers stomps onto the stage with a wooden beak affixed to its face. In one hand it holds a full-sized torch as it waves its fake wing-arms around and tries to squawk. Suddenly, the masked— double masked? spirits arrive again, grabbing the feathered creature, snatching the torch, and tossing the poor feathered spirit to the ground. Victorious, they hoot loudly, and then rush offstage once more. (Probably to return those torches before Rastus has a fit.)
Finally, the Postmaster General, done with their role as the entire set, unfurls a banner from the eaves. Clearly courtesy of the Librarian, it reads, in smeared black paint: BWAR FIRE SNACTHERS!!! with two X-ed out bonfires on either side.
And... that's it, apparently. The forest spirits all gather back on stage to bow before starting to dismantle the set. But their strange cautionary tale isn't over, oh no. It's time for a more personal demonstration. They've got to send home the message. Literally.
Throughout the night and the following day, things start to go missing. Perhaps even out of their owner's hands. Chase the spirits down for your stuff, hold someone else's things for ransom, or just break down and cry in your room because life is unfair— the choice is yours! Just let this be a reminder to heed what the spirits said: beware the Fire Snatchers.
Whatever those are.
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"Someone has taken one of my swords."
He leaves it at that. Yes, pants are missing, yes other things, but the truly infuriating issue right now is that lost sword. His lantern still hangs from the other one but its partner is clearly absent.
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On levels of alarming, stealing a weapon is up there with the threat of worldwide annihilation. How could someone be so dishonorable? Well he knows how but he doesn't approve.
"While you were sleeping? Someone broke into your quarters?" Because he doesn't believe for a second that someone took it from Cao Pi by force.
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He arches an eyebrow at that, "My tablet is missing as well. I thought that perhaps I dropped it and it had fallen through the slats in the floor somehow. But if both of us are missing them that might be something more sinister."
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A quick look around tells him nothing, but he has to ask. "Is there anything else you're missing?"
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"No, just the tablet. But the only weapons I have to steal are these." He pulls one of the many knives off his belt, twirling it between his fingers absently as he thinks. They were all in place as they should be when he got dressed this morning. He doesn't have any other possessions really. The tablet, his clothing, the telescope, and the small origami frog that had been left on his grave. All accounted for.
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Even as he's talking, there's a tug at his waist, and he looks down to find a little forest spirit yanking on his hip-drape, as if trying to figure out how it's attached to him. Cao Pi stops and looks down at it, while it slowly looks up at him, and much like a cat about to knock something off a table, it gives one more yank on the fabric while maintaining eye contact the whole time.
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He steps away from another that has approached and is eyeing him to see if there's anything not tied down. He'd missed the play earlier, so the meaning of this is lost on him, but he does suddenly notice that there's a lot more forest spirits running about.
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His hip drape is very secure, though, and under layers of belts and armor, so it's not exactly easy to pilfer right off his body. The spirit skitters away, waving its spindly arms all derpy-like, leaving Cao Pi to just give Kuai a very what the fuck just happened look. "...do you?"
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"Maybe they are upset we have moved into their home and aren't sharing our resources with them. Though they don't seem .. particularly malicious." In fact they seem to be relatively cheerful as they scamper about picking up anything that's not nailed down.
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"No, they don't seem upset," he muses. "It's as though they're having...fun." Oh boy if this is so-called fun at their expense, he's going to be mad, but a different kind of mad than thinking someone has stolen his sword and is attempting to sabotage their unity and security.
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"It may be fun for them, but I doubt anyone else is enjoying it. Come, lets go see where they are going."
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So much for that plan.
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"If they don't want us to follow, why be so apparent in the theft? It's as if they want us to see them."
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He nods once to Kuai. "If you happen to see my blade, in the hands of any of these rascals, let me know. I value it more than anything."
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"I will keep an eye out."
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Hey that's a high honor to Kuai. He'll take it. Time for him to go stalk around and chase some more spirits back into the forest while trying to figure out where they're going.