realmofstories | Opening Log: Welcome to the Index + Halloween Festival

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Opening Log: Welcome to the Index + Halloween Festival

Opening Intro Log: October 2018—

§ instructions.
Greetings and welcome to the first intro log for Forgotten Tales! There are no hard and fast rules here. Just include your Character, canon, and essence in the subject line and post away! Network prompts are allowed in the intro log, so feel free to put one in.

In terms of timeline, the intro log can span over several days, so don't feel as if everything has to happen all at once. You are also free to post your own logs at any time, and can even take these prompts for them!

For more information, refer to the accompanying Game Notes.

§ greetings from the storyteller.

It's no surprise that everyone who first enters the Realm of Stories will feel disoriented, especially when their soul is basically fused with that of another. Fortunately, there is someone who is more than willing to explain things—just not physically. Once the initial dizziness and confusion passes, be it through the pages of the journal glowing in their hands or through telepathy, the same "voice" who sought them out and pleaded for their aid will speak.

Greetings, Aspect, for that is what you are now. We thank you for your agreement in helping fight against the Story Eater. For those whom we had to bring in for your own safety—forgive us. Once we have enough power we will return you to your worlds should you so choose.

All of you have been gifted with the essence of a powerful character from one of the many stories now lost to the Story Eater. We did not choose it—it chose you. If you touch the medallion hanging on your journal, its name will be revealed to you and you are welcome to browse through the Grand Library to read their stories.

But time is of the essence. Even now we feel the loss of yet another Book and many more will follow. We will contemplate and decide on a Draft to send you to, so in the meantime, please explore the city and learn what you can. You should have been given everything you will need for your temporary stay here in the Index, and the city residents have been informed of your coming.

Keep your journal close—we will reach out to you again.

The message will remain within the first few pages of the journal, and past it are other informative passages that the newly arrived may find useful. Information such as how to use the journal, local maps of the Index, notable businesses, where they may find their own unique residence, even names of other Aspects who have arrived. And despite the seemingly endless blank pages when rifling through, the journal itself remains thin and light when closed.

So for now, all they can do is wait and learn more about themselves and each other.

§ prompts.

¶ I. Getting to Know Your "New Character." Even after being told by the Storyteller about everything, there's still a lot to learn. There's also the satchel and journal to investigate and figuring out where they live. In any case, firsthand experience and experimentation is the best way to figure things out.

A. Brushing Up on the Lore. Perhaps a trip to the Grand Library to read up on the essence's stories wouldn't be such a bad idea. It might help give the Aspect some ideas as to what they can do. But you know, it would be their luck to have a large tome dedicated to their stories way high up on a top shelf. And the ladder is rusty. Might need some help.
B. Magic Journals. For those of the modern era, needing to write is going to be an interesting exercise. But after reading the instructions, maybe they want to reach out, see who else is out there. Or troll people with dumb doodles.
C. Watch What You're Doing! Testing out a new spell or weapon? Great! Just be mindful of the surroundings—this is all new and no one has thought to create a special training area for everyone (yet). And while most of the locals are happy and hopeful about their potential heroes, broken windows or almost burning one of them won't go over too well.

¶ II. A Halloween Festival. Despite the threat of the Story Eater always looming somewhere outside in the Void, the residents are preparing for the Halloween season. With so many stories either fostering or born from the traditions, it's no surprise that survivors of said ghastly, sometimes fun tales are throwing their all to keep the spirit of their stories alive, especially with help now arriving. What better way to meet the residents than participating and helping out? Might learn a few things about their new abilities, too, and can even put on a different costume.

A. Batty Books. A few well meaning young wizards and witches in training had hoped to spice up the Grand Library with a few flying books. Unfortunately, they were a bit overzealous with their wandwork and now there are hoards of flying books overrunning and ransacking the place. Even worse, books of violent content are attacking, spitting out pages or clamping down on hapless victims. Hard covers are the worst, and watch out for all those paper cuts! Help capture these rogue books so the reverse spell can be cast, but be careful! They are still precious books and can't be damaged! If they are, well... There will be more than a few librarians wailing in mourning and will need to be taken care of.
B. Wild Jack o'Lanterns. Can't have Halloween without those scary pumpkins! Or silly ones if that's your preference. However, a few residents have gotten a little overzealous in their creations. From pumpkins bursting with fire like volcanoes to giant golems bumbling through the streets to some sprouting bat wings and flying all over the place dumping their pumpkin innards or candy corn on unsuspecting victims. Things are definitely getting out of hand, so either find some way to turn the pumpkins back to normal or just outright destroy them. Bonus points if the leftover pieces are collected to make pumpkin pie so nothing is wasted!
C. Beyond the Grave...? What's spookier than haunted graveyards? Graves that actually are haunted. Storybook characters of the skeletal and ghoulish nature have opened their neighborhood for a Fright Night Challenge, happy to use their homes to spook those who dare to tread near. And there are a few openings for volunteers for that night's haunting. Perhaps an Aspect could fit in? Or perhaps they'd like to go through the challenge instead. Just remember everyone is supposed to be friendly so try not to hurt them. Of course, some of the nastier residents might take this an opportunity, in which case anyone is free to bury them.
E. A Haunted Feast. During the evening hours, everyone is invited out to one of the larger plazas of the city for a chance to eat delicious meals prepared by a number of different businesses and volunteers. This is the perfect chance to unwind, mingle with everyone...until some sneaky young ghosts pilfer all the good food and desserts. They even have the gall to steal right off the plate! Try to stop them—or maybe one of the Aspects is among the thieves. If not, there may be a food fight on the horizon.

¶ III. Recreate Some Stories. The main reason the Aspects are in the Realm of Stories is to help restore and recreate the lost books. But it would be good if they got a little practice in how they can do that. While there isn't much to restore here in the Index, there are still plenty of opportunities to get the feel of "acting out" certain roles and scenes in the city. And who knows—maybe these little stories and plays will be written down and filed away in the Grand Library.

A. Make Your Own Horror Story. What's more fitting for Halloween then recreating or even creating frightfully scary stories? From nightmareish to silly, there are a number of storybook characters doing their best to relive their lost stories and could use a few volunteers.

» Roles: 1) ghoulish monsters, 2) unfortunate victims, 3) bloody murderers, 4) the last hero.
» Scenes: a) chasing, b) fighting, c) saving, d) the final blow.

It doesn't matter how the combinations work. Monsters could be fighting murderers to save the hero; heroes could be monsters; monsters could be victims; murderers could be the anti-hero; etc. The scenes can also be either be based on actual stories (perhaps the Aspect's) or just something random. Have fun with it!
B. The Adventures of the Little Scarecrow. In one of the many parks, a few older residents are recounting the favorite children's tale, "The Adventures of the Little Scarecrow," a tale of a little boy scarecrow who leaves his cornfield to explore the world beyond. Small puppets are being used, but it looks like they could have some help. These are elderly folk and their hands aren't what they used to be. Just follow their narration, shouldn't be a problem. Or for those feeling a bit more daring, they can act out the roles instead, even mixing with the puppets for stand-ins.

» Roles: 1) the little boy scarecrow, 2) the scary wolf, 3) the friendly crow, 4) the lost pig.
» Scenes: a) a battle of wit with the crow; b) running from the wolf; c) helping the pig (crow aid optional); d) getting lost with pig and crow; e) return of the wolf; f) back home to the fields (did the others survive??)

There are a lot of variations of how the story can go, just keep in mind it's supposed to be kid friendly.

¶ IV. Exploring the Index. The Index is a large, vast city inhabited by a large variety of characters from numerous stories. Because of this there is no uniform style to the city. One street could look like a normal street plucked out of a Victorian, English fairy tale and then the very next is made of candy. It makes for an interesting mishmash of cultures that somehow manages to get along. Most of the time, at least.

A. House Hunting. Among the items found in the satchel is a set of keys. These keys will magically lead their new owner to the house they will be living in for as long as they are in the Realm of Stories. The home will be styled to fit the essence and the location will also be fitting of that essence. It could be within the main city of the Index, outside of town, underwater, in the air—anywhere! Now if only the keys didn't take their own through...interesting, winding routes. Like through a random bakery or down someone's chimney. Have fun!
B. Decoration Wars. There is one particular section of the city that houses many of the more "ghoulish" storybook characters, and for this Halloween festival they've taken to their storybook roots to pull out the creepiest, ghastliest, and sometimes silliest decorations and themes possible. The thing is, they've become so overzealous that some of those decorations aren't just for show. With everyone on the block already high in competitive spirit, it's a bit of a war zone straight from a horror story as hanging skeletons and floating ghosts fight against one another via throwing pumpkins, rotten eggs, toilet paper, and stale candy to prove they have the scariest house. They may even pull one of the Aspects to try and win points.
C. Pumpkin Carriage Rides. All the taxi and transportation carriages have been changed to fit the season, so there are giant pumpkin carriages drawn through the streets. The horses vary from skeletal, ghostly, and even headless, and while some are genuine, others are just painted to look the part. They still enjoy apples, carrots, and a good scratch on the neck as thanks! Now the insides of the pumpkins are usually clean and look almost like a real carriage, but a few may still have raw pumpkin or giant seeds stuck to the inside. And if someone says the phrase, "Bippity Boppity Boo" they run the risk of the carriage shrinking, expanding, or even changing into something else entirely. Of course, how would they even know of such a phra—oh look at that, someone carved the words in small print on the walls...
D. Shopping Around. Everyone is arriving in a new set of clothes, and some may want to buy something more fitting of their own sense of style. Unfortunately they're going to have to wear something still in line with their essence's style, so compromises will need to be made. But hey, better to have multiple sets of clothes instead of wearing the same one all the time, right? It's not like this is a video game or something.
E. To the Edge. Those who wish to venture out of the city to travel to the edge of the world are free to do so. They may even see remnants of the last Segment pathways that once connected the Index to a lost Book, letters of the destination scratched through. And within the Void they will see scattered, torn pages floating in the far distance, some actually disintegrating into the darkness right before their eyes.

¶ V. Wildcard. Make up your own prompt! Especially in regards to the festival, anything can really happen.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ i. at the library]
[Shizuo had been surprised but also a bit happy to actually have something ask for his help. Of course he had been very skeptical, but given what was appearing in his world, he figured if it was a prank he'd just beat them up and forget about it. Now that he was here and everything seems to be true (if unbelievable), he's made his way to the library to try and learn more about the essence he had inherited. Discovering that he had become the host of sorts for Frankenstein's monster had not been the......greatest feeling in the world, especially with how he feels about himself. But he admittedly only knew of the character from what he had seen in movies and common story caricatures, so it only seemed right that he tried to read up and see why this essence chose him.]

[ 1A: no yelling in the library ]
[He was actually sitting in an old leather chair off in a corner reading a copy of the original story. He hadn't had a lot of time to read much back home, let alone go to a library, so he found the peace and quiet of the area actually very calming and comfortable. He could get used to this. But in the middle of reading, he could hear some other people whispering very loudly. Now, he knew that people could talk quietly in libraries so long as they weren't being a disturbance, so at first he ignored it. But then he heard the chatter grow louder and louder and—well he couldn't take it anymore.]

HEY! This is a library, dammit, so shut up or go somewhere else!

[Welp. Now he's the one yelling and causing a disturbance, and with how the lights around him are flickering as small bursts of static crackle around him, he makes for quite the imposing figure.]

-------
[ 2B: batty books ]
[After being scolded earlier for his outburst, Shizuo had moved to a different corner of the library to try and stay out of trouble. Unfortunately, he just wasn't going to have that kind luck. First it was just a little flap by his ear, and he just idly swatted his hand thinking ita fly or something. But when a book actually falls on top of his head?]

Who the hell is—!? [SMACK! A large hard cover book slams right into his face. But rather than hurting him, it seems his face left a large indentation on the cover, and it's not a very happy expression.

If anyone hears a loud yell and crash in a distant corner of the library and choose to investigate, they will find a man raising up a giant book shelf, a swarm of flying books around him. And he will be swinging said bookshelf around, slamming it into the books.....and other bookshelves.]

-------
[ 1Ab: cleaning up ]
[...Yeeeah he's going to be busy cleaning up the library. Putting the bookshelves up, shelving the books. He's not going to complain though—if anything he is regretting his actions and is a bit gloomy thinking it's his first day and he's already causing such a mess. Guess the essence is fitting after all, sigh.

If someone happens to wander in, he'll look down from the high ladder he's standing on.]

Aah, sorry, but this area is closed off for now. Looking for something?

[ ii. around town ]
[After taking care of the mess in the library, going out to explore the city and enjoy the festival might help clear his head a little bit. As crazy as everything seems and feeling like he just walked into some weird movie or video game, it is pretty fun and his mood has definitely lifted. Hopefully nothing happens to set him off again.]

[ 3A: let's make a spooky story ]
[Okay. Acting is his brother's job, not his, so he's a bit awkward and uncertain when he's pulled in to try and help act out something.]

Uh... [Yes, great start. Let's see what's the script again??? He's cast as— ...An unfortunate victim? Well that's a twist, but it's better than being a monster. Anyway, it would seem he got struck by something so... ... ...] Ah. I've been hit. [Complete with awkward arm movement over his stomach.]

[That is the stiffest, poorest, and most robotic delivery of a line in the history of acting. HOPEFULLY HIS ACTING BUDDY WILL BE BETTER. (choose whichever role! or be an audience critic)]

----
[ 2C: haunted graveyard ]
[All right, maybe his acting skills will be better in the Fright Night Challenge. It seems some folks recognized him as Frankenstein's monster and rather than be afraid they were all too eager to rope him in to play a part that there's no way he could fail: the groundskeeper. With a shovel in hand, all he had to do was stay in one spot, dig this empty grave, and when people come by scare them a bit, even chase them if he feels like it. At first he was a little uncertain—it's not like he wants to scare people—but since this is supposed to be fun and it looked like they really wanted his help... So here he is in position, idly "digging" away. It's not so bad—he's actually able to chat with some of the locals housed nearby during lulls (it was very strange at first, but he got used to it).]

[ a: BOO. ]
[Are you trying the challenge? As soon as he sees someone approaching, he waits until the designated time to slowly turn and face them. With the dim lighting and spooky fog, really just the glare he gives could be scary enough. But then he'll raise that shovel and give a—]

Graaaaahhh!!

[—waving it threateningly. Cue the creepy lighting to reveal his suture marks and patched up appearance. With ghoulish voices warning of how the grave is meant for them, he'll then start approaching with menacing, lumbering steps before giving chase if they choose to run. (Okay, this is kind of fun, he'll later admit.)]

-------
[ b: not part of the script ]
[At some point Shizuo will hear a ruckus being caused by one of the rowdier residents, and since no one was coming by his place yet, he decides to deal with it.

"Dealing with it" involves slamming his shovel against the head of a zombie and making its head snap down in a way that's definitely not right. ...Whoops? But before he can apologize, the zombie makes a grab for him so—

Anyone who passes by will bear witness to a guy slamming his shovel against a zombie, angrily yelling at it as he tries to beat it into the earth. Literally.]

Just because you're undead doesn't mean you can be an ass to other people just tryin' to have fun! SO! STAY! DEAD!!

[...You know, Shizuo would be good for zombie apocalypses. Anyway, either just pass by or stop him because the zombie might be getting the point by now.]

[ iii. wildcard ]
[Open for any other ideas or prompt mashups! Feel free to contact me at

laenavesse or Discord.]

[Pearl has always considered literature to be one of humankind's greatest achievements. Gems don't have books that aren't strictly educational and informative, after all. She's read several of the classics, but never any of Carroll's works. She's heard of them, yes - she's familiar enough to know that the name "Alice" probably leads to "in Wonderland", in this case.

Now is clearly the best time to change that, and she's sitting at a table, perched elegantly on a stool, as she reads. Except... Nothing in this story makes sense, and the talk of others is making it very hard to focus on an already baffling work. She's finally ready to say something about that when another beats her to it.]

Yes, thank you.

[An aggravated sigh as she looks over to Shizuo, not seeming all that phased by the static and such. In fact, her look of annoyance shifts into an appreciative smile.]

[He's actually a little surprised when he hears someone thank him for once rather than get mad or run away, so a lot of his anger instantly cools so that there's only a soft flickering of light. But there's some mild annoyance still leftover, and when he sits back in his chair it's a heavy thud and creak of old wood and leather.]

T'ch, damn kids. [And then a more awkward glance over at the other woman.] But sorry for disturbin' you, too. [Since. He does recognize he kind of yelled, too.]

[Pearl nods lightly, her focus already half-returned to the book she was reading.]

We can all only take so much aggravation, though I do appreciate the apology.

[She reads a few more lines before deciding she can not take another moment of this ridiculous tea party scene, and looks back over to him.]

Have you found the proper story for you, yet?

[He had thought she was going to return to her book and that would be the end of their little interaction, so he's again surprised when she actually asks him another question. ...He's going to have to stop being so surprised that someone will actually want to talk to him here.]

Huh? Oh...yeah. [He holds up the heavy leather covered book with the face of Frankenstein on the cover.] It's hard to read though—haven't read anything this dense since high school. Wish I had cliff notes or somethin' instead.

[Because...yeah. It's so damn wordy. He can appreciate that it's clearly a classic and all that, but still.]

[Pearl smiles. Now there's a book she'd consider a proper classic.]

Mary Shelley's famous novel! I haven't read it recently, but I may be able to help you get the idea of it down, if you're finding the book's length daunting.

[She doesn't mean to be condescending. Really.]

[Fortunately he doesn't take it that way, having it rare to be offered help for anything.]

Really? [There's a moment where he actually considers her offer before he looks uncertain.] Wouldn't want to be a bother to you, though.

[But actually tempted.]

[A little laugh.]

Oh, it wouldn't be a bother, so long as you're willing to listen.

[She loves teaching any "properly" behaved student, after all. And with her crystal-clear memory, the time that's passed since she last read the book shouldn't be any issue.]

Mm... Well...

[He still looks a little uncomfortable, but when he looks back down at the page he was on—

YEAH OKAY.

So he'll get up so that he can sit across from her rather than at the small distance from where he originally was.]

Still don't want to interrupt your own reading, though, and I should probably try to figure this out myself... I'm still on the first chapter, anyway. [Not like he could have read too far with all that ruckus and all that.] But if I come across something I'll ask.

[There. Compromise.]

[She smiles and nods.]

That sounds like a good idea. The best way to learn is by doing, after all... Even if in this case, reading is the doing.

Mm. [A nod of agreement before he opens the heavy book, flipping through the pages to find where he had left off.]

Ah...my name is Heiwajima Shizuo. [Might as well formally introduce himself otherwise just going, "Hey, uh...you..." will be really awkward.]

Oh, of course. It's a pleasure, Mr. Heiwajima. [She's assuming that's right; the name sounds distinctly Eastern.] I'm Pearl.

[With proper introductions out of the way, she looks back down to her own book, and is soon scowling at the pages. Aspects of this book make sense - there's wordplay and other comedy she can understand - but most of it seems troublingly pointless.]

[Ooh she did get it right. He just nods in return. After all, they need to hit the books!

It's not even ten minutes later that there's a low grinding sound from Shizuo's teeth and a flurry of pages turning as he tries to skim over the passages. He knows this book is supposed to be a classic, but—it's so dense and the early chapters are all about Victor. Which isn't so bad for any other time, but he's trying to figure out about his Essence. It probably doesn't help that little does he know some of the aggravation he feels stems from the Essence itself.]

Shizuo Heiwajima | Durarara!! | Frankenstein's Monster

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3A

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