Forums » Fantasy Roleplay » Trick or Treat: In Preparation for the New Moon

Thursday October 31, 2024.
Waning Crescent Moon.
Clear Skies.
Seasonally Moderate Temperatures.
The Perfect Halloween
________

Autumn, the close of summer and start of harvest time celebrations. People are preparing for the approach of winter’s chill. It’s almost a new moon. And, almost the day of Saints and Souls, and celebrating our loved ones passed on.

It's a nostalgic & special time for many!
The moon is just a sliver tonight, but the sky is clear. The stars are somehow more stunning than usual. Perhaps it's simply an especially beautiful evening for the sake of childhood nostalgia.

Some say the Veil between the shores of the land of the dead and the field of the land of the living is especially thin on nights like this one.
All hallow’s eve.

Walking alone on this dark Appalachian road; one might begin to think this the best place to ponder what exactly does go bump in the night... But, in Laurel Hill Springs, West Virginia one thing is for sure, it's never just What. It's usually, more specifically, Who.
And it's not necessarily a big deal.
Most of the time. Just ask Larry and Dan. They're fine!

Thankfully, this special town is less like a stop to avoid on a road trip and more like the most important stop you might ever happen to make. Your route proceeds up a short rise in the road where you quickly note many trails or little bumbling clusters of lights in the distance, almost like groups of tittering lightning bugs!
The joyous sounds of sugar-fiending trick-r-treaters travel far and wide in the pleasant after-dark festivities. There is nothing wrong here.

You pass a very silly mailbox at the end of the long gravel drive. It's a giant metal rooster.
If you happen to be magically sensitive, you might detect a glimmer somewhere just out of sight while crossing the property boundary; even all the way out here.

Those 'in the know' may appreciate what seems to be several layers of interwoven sigils which glow all along the edges of the property.
There's no influence in it, necessarily... No one is trying to convince you. Yet, the sensation is pleasant anyway. It's almost like an invisible sign that Declares You are very specifically welcome.

Facing East at the top of this low-hilled property is an enormous white Queen Anne Victorian. It has a high-rising turret tower and a single-story covered wrap-around porch. All the windows glow with a warm light. And, even here down at the lowest part of the drive you can smell the makings of good food. Several groups of delighted children, all in costume with their bags full of candy, chatter excitedly as they depart with their chaperones.

________

If you're from Laurel Hill Springs, you probably know who lives in that big ol' house anyhow!

"Buncha witches!" -Probly your Gran’ Deddy

And you probly know as long as they're around with the Guardian... well, it's all gonna work out just fine.
That house has been there, ‘Longer’n' my deddy an' his deddy too, probly. They was youngins runnin’ with them back when!’ - Probably something your peepaw would say...
He doesn't know much about what the witches do, but he does know what they stand for. And he does still talk about that one time he took their Grammy Edith to a school dance. And then she slapped his cheek for being too fresh! He says he 'probly deserved it though', and then he tells you the story of how he met your meemaw later on… She always liked them too. She even shared her best dessert recipes with them.

________


Victoria McQueen relaxes on the porch with a frosty mug of root beer, it has a silly straw that looks like a glow in the dark skeleton holding on. She sits awaiting the approach of more candy-questers in their costumes. Hers is a bright purple robe and a ridiculous matching wizard hat, all in panne velvet.

She offers a bright smile and nods to apprehensive small ones while holding out some candies for them to choose (Instead of reaching into that cauldron with its very intense overflow of dry ice vapor).

✝️⛪️🔔🏡🌾🧑‍🌾👩‍🌾👨‍🌾🫏🐏🐂🌲🌲🌲🌲🐺🐇

Sure, sure, let's agree to take a flight across the country with a brand for a deal only for it to fall through and now he's way out of his way, nowhere near home, road tripping in an empty uhaul (ironically cheaper than getting a rental car, what's with that?), taking a break for the holiday.

Halloween's a fan favorite for the novice medium, even before he got hit with the spooky power beam, and JV's happy to pick up a cheap mask and bump elbows with teenagers also on boards, pass out caramel apple suckers to kids in costume and feel the festive cheer rolling him along until he ends up gawping pretty obviously at the big ol' Victorian. Welcoming indeed, alrightio, pardon moi little kiddos gotta see what the fuss is here. Skater pops board into a hand and weaves his way through groups with bops of his head and more suckers when stopped, pushing mask up to turn into a bill of a plastic party city hat over his forehead as he leans back and takes in the house.

He feels a buzz in his limbs that isn't just the vibrations of asphalt still lingering from boarding all this way from where he's parked the truck for the night, and it's deeper than the welcoming tug coaxing him up towards the wizard. "Ah. Hey-lo! This is - mm - quite the place." Juliano comments between groups of kids, not wanting to ruin their fun, twisting arms to rearrange his hold on things so he can angle the gas station plastic bag he's using for treats. "Trick or Treat?" Fully ready to get laughed at for trying, and not making any attempts at being subtle about twisting or twitching as whispers tickle the hair curling at his nape. Whispers he's used to ignoring, but somehow stronger tonight. At least they're friendly while on this particular porch.

Vik offers the candy cauldron. It has the choicest mix! Her smile is cut short as a yelp of surprise comes out of her mouth! A short blonde woman and a shaggy handsome lad burst out the front door laughing and shouting chaotically. A little older copy of that blonde woman, but grandma-esque, appears in the doorway and smiles at the new comer. Vik regains herself here as well. “Ha. Sorry. Busy place! Welcome to the Witch House. You new to Laurel Hill?”

The two women briefly appraise Juliano, openly, and seem satisfied as they offer warm greetings. Clocking his awareness or.. sensitivity?, they don’t seem alarmed. Interested in a “shared line of work?” kind of way. The abuela-aged version of that blonde takes a seat on a large custom-built swinging bench. She relaxes there while waiting for the coming groups of trick-r-treaters.

Vik holds the bucket in one arm at her side, canting her head of dark, wild curls while sort of side-eyeing Juliano. “You… uh.. referred here?” Nodding in the directions of whispers, Vik smiles a bit knowingly.

Picking out a few choice pieces without making it a greedy sort, definitely going for more sour patch kids over the more basic crunch bars, Juliano glances up as he's eyed by women coming from the house, a quick jerk of head to get bangs out of his own eyeline to offer them all a smile. Totally harmless, of course, yes Ma'am. "Passing through, sort of. Trip back home got me letting myself wander back, no time crunch, sort of thing." West Coast playful swing to his words, 100% skater boy goodness, offering Vik a grin directly now.

The side eye doesn't even phase him, and the medium uses teeth to break right into one of those little fun sized pouches of candy, skittles dumped to clack quiet against teeth and enjoyed while she mentions him being referred here. "Ah. Sort...of?" Wide eyed blink, delayed in realizing that perhaps, possibly, the wild haired lady might be talking about something he really doesn't mention to anyone. Aha. Rather not be called crazy, y'know? "Bit of a draw, bit of a chatter, it's like...I couldn't exactly ignore the chance to see what all the fuss was about." Spirits tug at his shirt, pinch and pull at pant pockets as if trying to rummage in them, but he's doing his best to stand there and look mostly normal, if a bit haggard at the fringes, not too unlike an overworked parent carrying toddlers along. "Never thought a house would make a difference." Juliano murmurs, under his breath, poorly done at lowering his voice.

The sour fruity candy scent of click-clacking skittles is nostalgic…
Almost in unison, The abuela and her not-identical grand-daughter cant their heads as Juliano so charmingly offers a casual sort of wanderlust-y reply. Vague, breezy, free…
Next, they look at each other with smiles. He sure was cute! Just something about hearing the way other people speak.

Edith, the elder, waves him over and pats the seat next to her on the swing, all the while it seems she’s admiring the true physical, visible, representations of the spirits that seem to be prodding or seeking or… urging the young man.
“Well, come have a seat! Can’t be crazier than the rest of us.” She laughs, grabbing a glass of likely killer sweet tea while watching him. She doesn’t force him.

Leaning on a porch column, Vik forgets her silly costume and juts out a hand whether he sits or not. “Vik McQueen. And Edith.”
The little grandma pipes up, curiously. “What’re they tellin’ ya?”

Two fluffy cats chirp & chitter, gleefully chasing each other around the porch until they notice the newcomer… they are very invested in sniffing and getting chin scratches. And eventually, a very fancy-feather-pants chicken struts up to investigate, deeply disappointed no one is offering her pets or treats! Rude.