RP:A Sinister Samhain

Summary: Lanara, the woodland witch, throws a Halloween party in Xalious, and things take a deadly turn. Kanna, Niix, and Mallory's lives are forever changed, as they now join the world of the undead. Gevurah and Lanlan remove the corpse that seems to be behind the atrocities, and wonder if their investigation will prove that this was Caluss' doing.

Part of the The God of Undeath Arc

Part of the Magic, Madness, and Mayhem Arc

Location: Derelict Cabin in Xalious.

Lanara :: It’s the eve before Halloween, and the trek through Xalious is filled with spooky thrills as those dressed in costume leap out from behind trees, shadows creep closer, and travelers have the sinking suspicion that they are being followed. Owl eyes glow from the deeper recess of the forest, their echoing hoots a welcome reprieve from the dread that consumes ones senses. At long last, flickering embers appear in the distance, guiding ones way to where the party would be held. Expertly carved jack o’ lanterns and a ‘Happy Halloween’ sign greets all that wish to enter the area beyond, as the festive ambience in the air chases away any prior feelings of dread. A slender walkway has been rid of any debris, and tall torches have been spaced evenly apart, lighting the path with a serene golden glare. The shoddy cabin still remains where it’s been structured; however a shimmering portal has been magically placed where the decaying doors once stood. In single file, partygoers breeze through the enchanted gateway and they emerge in a magnificent clearing at the center of the forest, the area so spacious that it can comfortably cater hundreds of guests. In the middle is a massive bonfire, bringing warmth and comfort to the area, as well as adding to the autumnal ambience. Banquet tables line the left area and offer the finest foods from all over the realm, and a viennese-style dessert table has been provided courtesy of the Ginger Snapped Bakery and Sweetshop. An open bar is near the dessert table and a menu listing themed beverages is upon the magically chilled counter, though any other drink requests would be honored, as well. To the right of the clearing a sturdy stage had been erected, and a plethora of musical instruments are ready, to showcase those that have been hired to perform and entertain the guests. The grassy area beyond the stage is the designated dance floor, for those that wish to bust a move or woo their significant others with a waltz. Several seasonal stations have been set up such as, bobbing for apples, pumpkin carving, and throwing wishes into a cauldron, should one not desire to mingle or dance. All of the trees that circle the clearing have been decorated with orange ribbons, bat cutouts, and spider webs, as though all attendees needed a reminder that this is a festive affair.

Caelan :: Footsteps can be heard as the floorboards creak and groan beneath footsteps a figure clad and draped in dark withered robes. A withered dark cape flows softly behind him as a fog seems to flow from his robes. From beneath hood a dark, featureless mask of wrappings enshrouds the hooded figures head, and adorned upon this faceless black mask. The sockets of the mask sport stained red glass, and yet no glow rises from behind them. The figure’s silence as he moves into the room, and air in which he moves, draw only mystery from the observer, or a solemn ignore.

Niix had heard about this strange house in the middle of nowhere. It had cropped up out of nowhere and Pen thought it would be a good idea to go check it out. Tonight of all nights. Niix, usually well kept, didn't bother with a costume or mask. Her hair was a wild tangled mess as it was and green eyes usually bright had dulled behind unruly bangs. Niix is dirty, probably smelly, and the pendant she calls Pen hangs around a neck that's way too skinny to be healthy. Walking to the cabin, she's greeted by a portal rather than a door and the girl makes herself small, hunching her shoulders and clutching the corrupted pendant that whispered constantly now. It didn't let her sleep! Or eat or anything. Dull green eyes dart back and forth watching the people going into that portal and she follows them, going with the flow and all because it's just easier to do. To find, on the otherside a clearing dressed up for a party. The little thief finds a place to be out of the way though her fingers itch to pluck something from a pocket or two.

Kanna is ever the entertainer, even at a terrifying place such as this. She is dressed head to toe in golden fabrics that shimmer under the light. It looks more akin to a dancer’s getup than a ballgown, given how the fabric is tightly wrapped in some places to show off her assets. The edges of the chiffon sleeves and the bottom of the skirt dip into a reddish color to symbolize her costume inspiration’s fire breath attack. A pair of golden horns sits atop her head, just before the fringe of her chestnut hair that falls just above her cornflower eyes. There is a hint of muscle beneath her slightly pudgy frame. She is certainly no Lanara, but dressed like this, she’s certainly a runner up! “A golden dragon can be just as terrifying as an undead creature, if you’re an evildoer!” The human bardess winks at anyone who asks, her glittering gold lips curling up into a flirtatious smile. The hired entertainment for today’s event, she sits upon the stage sans her usual furry companion. Air runes are embedded into her bracelets so that a dry fog with a similar golden-red color follows her as she performs. “I’m taking requests, if anyone is so inclined! Otherwise, I’ll be playing my newest song!”

Valrae doesn’t know how she was conned into being a part of this costume, honestly. Technically, she was in two costumes. Glamoured as Grace, Val has stuffed herself into one half of a particularly bad horse costume. It was made of cheap fluffy brown material and had big, google eyes that were poorly aligned on it’s over stuffed head. The whole situation was less than ideal, honestly. The only saving grace, ha, to the whole outfit was that she had gotten to call dibs on being the head and NOT the butt of the operation, thank you very much Lanlan. Also, the illusion mages had come up with a clever little trick of a headless rider. The horse bit might have been hastily sewn together by her aunt Belinda, but the rest of the costume was going to be pretty cool. Her and her costume partner arrived late. The fall air wasn’t cool enough to really help with the heat of two bodies trapped underneath a horse costume though. Valrae struggled to see around the nose of the horse head as they entered the party. If she’d had a better look she might have oohed and ahhed at the excellent decor. “How are you hanging back there?” She whispered to her butt.

Lanlan arrives immediately after Sara, unbeknownst to everyone else. He was close enough to be her shadow, no! Close enough to be her ass. And wearing the perfect disguise. His costume was mostly a pair of equine legs made of white felt. It was hard, but he did his best to shadow her footsteps so the seam of their costume wouldn't prematurely separate. To help this they also had a bright red 'saddle' (picnic blanket) draped over the middle of both halves of the costume. And yes the headless rider was very scary, a suit of black armor with a burning jack-o-lantern sitting on top. "Rehehehehehe!" Lanlan tells Valrae angrily, reminding her to stay in character.

Kasyr || The stranger is amongst those who continue to slip in through the portal, a red splash against the throng of newcomers. At a glance, his costume looks simple enough, being Pantaloons and a tunic of a sanguine shade of red. But there's an added detail to the shirt, an uncanny bit of stitch work which seems to etch out the semblance of ribs along the front, providing a somewhat sinister and gaunt appearance to the wearer. An effect which pairs rather well with the skeletal mask he sports. With it in place, his face is all but obscured save for the the hint of his murky green eyes. That said, the most discreet touch is perhaps the most morbid, with what looks to be a thin wound painted unevenly across the pale flesh of his throat. It takes a few moments for him to free himself from the press of passerbys, but when he does,he simply uses that time to stop and sway in place- drinking in the sound of the festivities, before he begins to press onwards.

Lanara ascends the steps of the stage and fixes those that catch her gaze with a warm smile, masking any uncertainties she feels about hosting the event. The witch was facing charges of heinous crimes and her trial was currently in deliberation. Would she be burned at the stake? Banished from Lithrydel? Proven innocent and be free to live the rest of her days? So much was uncertain, but the Magical Oversight Committee of Enchantment thought it was best for the witch to host the annual Halloween Ball, so that she had a chance to integrate with society, as she’d been out of the public eye for nearly a year. Lanara is strikingly beautiful in a mermaid style crimson gown, the fine fabric clinging to her slender frame and accentuating her curves. Beneath the dress she wears a pair of silver heels, along with the ankle monitor which silences her magical abilities, as part of the agreement with the courts. Chestnut locks have been elegantly pinned in a dramatic updo, and a few strands fall free, curled to perfection and framing her fair face. Lush lips are painted a shade lighter than her dress, so as not to appear clownish, and her dark eyes have been framed in a black liner with a double coat of mascara to enhance their length. The reason for going somewhat heavy on the makeup is so that her flesh looks pale in comparison, to give her the sexy, but in-need-of-drinking-blood appearance. On the left side of her throat rests two small crimson rhinestones, mimicking the puncture of a vampire’s bite, and a trickle of red glitter trails from the stones towards her cleavage. Black diamond studs, in the shape of tiny spiders are worn on the lobes of her slightly tapered ears, and a matching bracelet is worn on each wrist. Lana waits for the crowd to give her their undivided attention and she smiles, revealing a unique mouthpiece that covers her teeth and gives faux-fangs to complete her ensemble as a vampiress. (She’s low key throwing shade at Larewen and her ex-fiancé Elioyahazer!) “Good evening, and welcome to the annual Samhain celebration! You all look incredible and I hope you enjoy the activities and entertainment that’s been carefully planned for tonight. Later in the evening I will announce the winners of the costume contest, but I just wanted to send Samhain blessings to everyone. So, please, join me in a toast!” Nick, the Backstreet Bard, appears at Lana’s side and hands her a glass of champagne. The witch lifts it before the crowd, “Raise your glass, the veil is thin. Toast to the ancestors, let the magic begin!” There is a chorus of applause as everyone clinks their glasses and takes a sip of bubbly, while Lanara gives Kanna a nod to tell her to start performing so the party can truly begin!

Caelan shifts slowly towards the drinks a pause of course to glance around the room at those who had strolled in, from the platoon of partygoers to the costumed horse, and to the walking dead, whether dressed or not, a black gloved right hand reaches for a goblet and pours a glass of bloodwine, and brings it towards his mask, and by some means sips from it, his gaze with the turn of his head locking with the hostess, but not turning aside, not until she did, after some time, as he continued to do with the other ladies.

Kanna sits on the edge of the stage while the other musical performers play a generally unsettling song. Her eyes catch onto the stained-glass mask who stands nearby and an eyebrow raises in time with a smile. If the night went well, perhaps she could play a trick and walk off with a treat on top of her payment for playing here tonight. She leans forward slightly, her curls falling over her shoulder. "How about you, dear? Any requests?" Elsewhere in Xalious, a cranky catgirl dressed as a vampire noble complains about having to patrol the area outside of the cabin.

Valrae , behind her mask, rolls her illusioned baby blues. “Oh right,” She hisses back, adding, “Neigh. Neigh.” Leading the whole operation, the witch steers them toward the refreshments. Lan’s no human talk policy working in her favor. The pair hadn’t quite made it yet when Lanara makes her grand entrance. Valrae pushes her fake horse head to the side to get a good look at her, ‘ooo’ing at her striking crimson vampire costume. With nothing to join in with during the toast, she simply nods her head and echoes the applause. She adds a droll, “Neigh,” for the sake of Lan.

Niix isn't hungry or thirsty. But the lady making the announcements sure looks fancy and those diamonds would catch a pretty piece of gold or three. "Ssh, I'm trying to think," she hisses to no one anyone else can see.

Lanlan realized the hardest part of his job was staying in sync. If she stopped, he stopped after, and bumped her. Then when she started, he had to catch up before the gap between horse parts became too pronounced. The knight on top noticed nothing however, and only occasionally belched fire close to some partygoers. Lanlan stomped his foot and scraped dirt behind him impatiently. The refreshments weren't so they could toast? They were so he could live.

Kanna looks at Caelan up and down as he says so. No, the frame isn’t right to be who she hopes it to be. “Just what I had in mind.” The smile she returns is a bit sad. As Lanara motions to her, she raises up and sits upon a stool in the center of the stage, a guitar propped into her lap. The dry fog accumulates around her and spills out into the crowd, carrying with it the scent of wildflowers. On her cue, the band behind her joins in after the first chord, playing a bittersweet melody on the piano. “Sometimes it seems I stopped being myself, and turned into someone else. But you see right through me. The frozen white noise static snow that is your memory, full of wishes wants dreams and desires for a life of conceit and deceit. You'd fit perfectly to me, we'd end our loneliness. And I know I was wrong when I said it was true, that I could be a flower in the desert without water, without you. But I watch you like I'm made of stone, as you walk away. I'm coming to find you if it takes me all night, a witch hunt for another glance. For always and ever is always for you, your trust was the most gorgeously stupid thing I ever cut in the world.”

Kasyr ||The stranger would seem almost at home in the ruckus of the party, if not for his demeanor, then simply the shambling steps which takes him through the chaotic swirl of party. There are even moments where his moments may even arouse the attention of a passerby, in those moments where the sway of his body turns precarious. More than once, the man in red relies upon the benevolence of a fellow party goer to stay up- His chill touch lingering long after in the hands which have reached out to him, or the shoulders that have borne his weight.

Lanara spies the invisible man, those crimson sockets boring into her skull, until she’s forced to look away. She’s used to being ogled, by men in particular, but there’s something unsettling about it all. Shuffling through the crowd she greets everyone with a shoulder squeeze, smile, or peck on the cheek if one is a close friend. For now, she needed something stronger than a glass of champagne. It was her –first- formal event in nearly a year and she’s stressed to the max. Thankfully, thus far, everything is going according to plan and everyone seems to be enjoying themselves. At the drink table, Lana nearly falls over the ass end of a horse, and she mutters an apology, “I’m so sorry!” Awkwardly, she pats the rear and collects her drink, merely lingering by the banquet tables and surveying the crowd.

Mallory comes into the gathering with a friend by her side. Her friend is blonde and bubbly and dressed as some sort of dog while Mallory is dressed as Elma from Rooby Roo and the Mysterious Team. An orange tight, ribbed sweater is worn. She wears orange tight pants and a orange beret and glasses. Yes, everyone, Mallory is an ordinary, basic half elf from Cenril who works at an inn. Either way the two basic ones make their way giggling to get drinks. It is not long before the blonde girl runs off to go talk to strange men and Mallory is left to stuff her face with food.

Caelan without so much of movement, neither the lifting of his goblet nor transition from where he stands listens as the musician plays their song, and words sinking in. Taking in the words and melody and pondering the whole of the song. Every beat echoing in his head, to the tune of precise time. "Complex, and well delivered." His left gloved hand sinking into the sleeve of his robe and producing a gold coin, and placing it where Kanna would be able to add tips. A small lean forward in a subtle bow, and the being moved across the floor to mingle with the crowd.

Niix finally forces herself away from the safety of the hidey-hole she'd created and meanders among the party-goers. A few might be leaving a little lighter in the pockets than they'd come but hopefully they'd chalk it up to being drunk and spending it. The stranger in red is an interesting fellow but something tells the theif he is not a particularly good mark. Maybe it was Pen still trying to worm his way in and whisper terrible things that gave her nightmares. Without realizing it, Niix is muttering to herself, offering the occasional 'pardon me's when she bumps into someone and comes away with a prize.

Valrae finally managed to find a drink and snaked her arm out of her ridiculously hot half of a horse costume to snag a glass of what she hoped was white wine. It was nearly impossible to not spill the sticky, cold liquid down the front of her trying to drink around the overstuffed head. Signing in frustration, she passed a drink back to her ass. “Neigh, neigh,” She said by way of warning. When Lana trips over the back end of them, Valrae perks up. “Hey!” She chirps, before remembering that she is Grace and not herself tonight. Also, she was hidden behind a kinda creepy horse head. “Uh, great party!” She amends quickly, a sadness settling over her. The witch would have loved to have been able to talk to Lanara as herself. The enchanted headless rider that sat atop their basket guffaws and continues to throw the illusions of fire at other party goers, cutting close to the mysterious stranger that was tottering around in red. Bored, a little sad, and thristy, Val decides it’s time for part two of her and Lan’s tricks. “Psst, hey!” She whispers behind her, “It’s time. I’m gonna just-” She wiggles to sling an arm around Lan’s neck. “Climb you so it looks like we are rearing or something and,” The witch doesn’t even wait for his answer, she just pushes her weight onto him and kicks her feet out, horse head bobbing wildly with the movement. In the chaos of movement, the headless rider tumbles off of his basket perch. In a fit of rage, he draws his sword and swipes it at the pair now wrestling in the horse costume.

Kanna smiles as the coin is placed in her tip jar. The interlude concludes, and she continues her song with the next verse. “A nightmare of you, of death in the pool wakes me up at a quarter to three. I'm lying on the floor of the night before, with a stranger lying next to me. And I cried, for I did not think it could be true, but it grows dark, it goes darker still. Like a destiny written in the stars, inescapable fate, oh, it's out of my hands. This ugliness, this cruelty, this repulsiveness, it will all die out. And now, I cry for all that is beautiful. Won’t you let me explain? And I know I was wrong when I said it was true, that I could be a flower in the desert without water, without you. Won’t you let me explain?” She finishes with a flourish.

Caelan movement through the crowd is slow and methodical, predicting where shoulders collide and bodies lie in the path, a careful movement of shifting through the crowd avoiding being touched or pressed up against. It is then that headless rider tumbles off his basket perch and draws his sword, to strike at the horse costumed twosome. A hand is raised a small burst of energy unseen, and the movements of the rider might have slowed, giving a few seconds for the twosome to presume safety. If safety was to be afforded to them, he would soon depart from the horse, he tried, he didn't care if it succeeded.

Kasyr || Whilst the figure in red may not have been a priority for Niix, she'll nonetheless find herself subjected to his proximity as he presses past her, leaving behind the distinctly unpleasent feeling of a having someone tread upon their grave. That, and a corona of illusiary fire bubbling down the back of his head. Really, It's only upon spotting Kanna that any semblance of grace seems to enter the Strangers gait, his steps growing more deliberate as he approached. Perhaps he recognizes her from prior work, or simply means to pay respect to a member of the entertainment for this evening- but whatever the case, the stranger pauses a few feet from her. There's a hoarse noise akin to a throat being cleared, before his pallid fingers slip to the inside of his vest. The flourish is almost clumsy, but what's held between the figures digits is a rose, nigh translucent as though it were crafted from ice, save for the lick of blue flames which seems to dance in the petals. It's this object which is ever so courteously extended to bard.

Lanlan can't see very far in front or behind, but feels his butt get touched and the shock causes a slight buck. "Who was that? Also...neigh." He puts his hand out through the bottom of the horse's navel area, and waves his forearm, trying to connect with Valrae to get his beverage at last. As the horse waddles, his hand droops and sways and dangles. Finally he gets the drink, "Neigh," he says graciously. But he barely has time to swallow even a sip of whatever backwash Sarah gave him before she gets a terrible idea. "What? Nay," he says firmly. But she doesn't listen. Was he not clear? He's forced to a knee as she wrangles his neck down. "Nay! Nay!" She hops on his shoulders, and he teeters with nothing close to grace. Seconds later they all fall, and the horseman is enraged. He unsheaths a giant sword and slams it between both halves of the horse. Enormous pressurized sprinklers of blood erupt from the bisected horse and douse the entire party in fake, illusionary blood.

Kanna gives a bow, being sure to offer smiles to the partygoers in attendance. The smile she gives, however, is somewhat of a bittersweet one. The amusing sight of the horse duo elicits a giggle from her, her sad smile resuming that of one of the entertainer. Cornflower eyes flicker to the man who has stumbled up to her and produced the rose. There is a hitch in her breath as she looks at the familiar flower. ‘Fine additions to my collection. Yes, a frost fire rose. A special variety with some quaint name I can't recall.’ The memory replays in her head as she reaches out. ‘This is unimportant. Memories. A catalyst.’ Her fingers look up at the green eyes of the strangers as she takes the rose. “How did you know...?” But before she can ask much else, the stranger has disappeared back into the crowd. Her fingers tighten around the rose ever so carefully as to not lose it, uncaring that the thorn has pricked her thumb.

Lanara smiles as the horse head speaks, “Thanks! I hope you enjoy yourselves!” It –was- a great party, and she’s secretly pleased that it’s going so smoothly. She had been hoping for a bigger turn out, of course, but given her reputation these days… She was lucky there were this many in attendance! Lana’s standing there, drinking her margarita and about to engage in some polite chitchat with Mallory when the horse costume rears on its legs and sends the haunted horsemen flying off it’s back. A sword is brandished, and he’s angrily slashing at those in the costume and the air, nearly hacking one of the banquet tables down the center. Lanara screams and gently pushes Mallory to the side, and out of harm’s way. If only she were able to use her magic, perhaps she could dispel the enchantment? She’s utterly useless with the ankle monitor on! “You look lovely…” She states to the startled woman in orange, before she attends other hostess duties. Hopefully, the horse sorted itself out!

Caelan movement through the crowd returns to the buffet table, a slight turn of the head towards the half elf, and gaze to lock should there's meet, and then with a gloved hand he reach for one of spoons and spoon out some candy corn into his now empty goblet. "A good choice." He would say to her, briefly, and again move around the table towards the fire, and staring into it, the opposite view of him through the fire creating a hellish impression.

Valrae curses as they fall, her elbow connecting with something solid that she assumed was attached to Lanlan but had trouble mustering any feelings of apology for. Caelan’s attempt to help them would be for naught. “You dropped me!” The witch says, her half of the costume covered in the fake blood that was still gushing between them and the drink that was now spilled. They were “dead” already, so Val pulled the stifling horse head mask off of her head. It had been hot and humid under there. Her hair was a mass of tumbling, tangled dark curls. Her illusioned cheeks were flushed from the heat and dusted with magical freckles and blood. Her mascara had ran. She might have been a little more scary than the horse costume had been. “That was not part of the plan!” She exclaims, brushing off her “horse leg” pants. The blood didn’t move. Their illusioned, headless rider had taken off, running through the party to cause mayhem and general annoyance for the rest of the guests.

Kanna swallows thickly, moving away from the festivities.

Lanara reappears on stage, giving Kanna a short break so she can rest her voice and fingertips, to continue giving them a fabulous performance. The witch smiles at the crowd of costumed individuals and waits for everyone to quiet down before she speaks, “As promised, I will now announce the best dressed of the evening and present them with a unique prize! In holidays past I’ve always given a companion to the winners, but for this evening I’m come across something truly special!” Lifting her hands, she shows two matching gris-gris pouches, attached to a woven rope chain. The aura emanating from the small bags is so powerful that the witch can feel the pulsing in her palms, “The wearer of these talismans will be invisible to the Undead, which is truly a gift in itself!” It’s not a secret, Lana loathed vampires, and she wasn’t too keen on zombies and the like, either. “You’ll be free to loot graveyards, roam about Vailkrin, avoid any undead that you may dislike, etcetera, and do it all unseen! Isn’t that awesome?! Plus… These were crafted by the Circle of the Hidden Grove, a coven of powerful witches to offer the two winners the assurance of protection!” Inside of the bags was some grave dirt, the nails of a man buried alive, and the finger of a zombie. Still, they were stylish and useful against the undead. “The winners of the best dressed contest is the couple that makes up the horse costume! Congratulations! Please, come to the stage and collect your prize!”Once Sara and Lanlan arrive at the stage, which takes them quite some time in their getup, the witch would hand them their prize.

Mallory does, in fact, want to eat. Mysterious salads, meats, fruits and cheeses scattered her plate as she is attempted to sit. Clouded eyes move throughout the room at all the strangers. There was a sense of dread that scratched at her back when she sees the horse spewing illusionary blood, but a gentle hand takes the feeling of dread away. A strange woman is by her side and a small smile forms on her plump painted lips. “Thank you. Same to you,” the fear is gone. Mallory was not into gore especially when her feelings were always heightened. The girl then looks at the man who speaks to her and who caused chaos to begin with. “I’ll give it a try…” She squints and her voice is slower while she speaks to him and grabs the spoon after him to sprinkle candy corns on her plate that land on a savory salad. The desert elf pivots and moves to another location to find her blonde friend, Tessa, flirting with a dude carving a pumpkin. The woman walks briskly over there, sits down across from the two and eats while they do their flirting thing.

Niix startles and spins about to see what it was behind her but all she sees is that red clad figure passing by. Nothing to be alarmed by, surely. So, why Niix have a sense of forbidding?

Valrae feels genuine shock roll through her to be announced winner of the costume contest. She looks at Lan and then back down to the googly eyed mess of a head still gripped in her hands before throwing her head back to laugh and laugh. It did take a moment for her to find her way up to the stage and join Lanara there. She accepted her gift gratefully, truly pleased to have won such a prize despite the wreck of an outfit her joint effort costume had come to be. Standing on stage covered in fake blood and wine, it didn’t seem possible. “Thank you,” Val says one last time, slipping the gris-gris over her head before slipping back into the bustle of the party.

Mallory gives Kasyr a blank stare when his hand is placed on her shoulder, however, it was for avoidance, so surely she brushes it off and continues on with her night.

Lanlan feels Val elbow drop him just under his ribs and loses all his breath. He rolls over and clambers to hands and knees while endless torrents of fake horse blood continue to gush from his face/horse's midsection. He pushes himself up to his feet, finally having some breath. "Dropped you!? I wasn't ready! Didn't you hear me say 'Nay, Nay, Nay'!?" He shakes his head grumpily and moves over the refreshments table as his illusion subsides. Then he hears his name called! He won? Silly surfacers. Don't they know when they're being made fun of?

Caelan listens eyeing the partygoers and the woman who he had spoken with briefly resume a different location. The hostes commemorating the winners and of course giving out a prize that Caelan knew all to well that would have been simply redundant for him anyway. Small joy at not getting it, and just hanging it somewhere. Lifting his goblet beneath his hood and soon munching on a few bits of candy corn, he watched as the winners went up the to the stage.

Kasyr || The stranger isn't a Kasyr. That'd probably have been a far more preferable outcome. Also, very likely a cheaper outfit. We're talking, tablesheet ghost levels of lazy.

Kanna twirls the rose between her fingers as she walks backstage behind the curtains. The announcement and festivities are now lost on her as she wonders how it is the stranger obtained such a thing. Surely, it didn't have to do with the disappearance? Quintessa was nearby, surely she would be able to find the man to interrogate him...

Lanlan wiped his mouth and waddled up to Lanara to receive his prize. Now his horselegs were bunched up around his ankles, hanging by suspenders. "Thank you."

Valrae resumes glaring at Lan when they’ve both made it back to party level. “Nay? As is NEIGH, as in what I’ve been saying all night because we are a-” She pauses dramatically, waving the horse head into his face. It’s eyes chattered and jingled wildly. The whole look was bizarre. “HORSE.”

Niix joins in a round of golf claps for the winning costume pair

Mallory eyes deceived her. What is even a Kasyr? The half elf definitely saw a lazy weirdo with a skeletal-face.

Kasyr || There's a different performance that's long overdue, the man in red having since settled against one of the trees which encircled the clearing, his attention resting on the stage. And it takes little more for the snap of his fingers to set it in motion, as the foulness that had been carried in his touch, as well as malign gift imparted on Kanna, begin formenting in the guts of those unfortunate souls who'd crossed his path. It's a swiftly creeping curse, corroding mortal tissue into living death- mundane appetites that might have been curbed giving way to more unnatural hungers that are apt to need slaking, such as the voracious pall which spreads out from Niix. And just how many there had the stranger imparted that twisted blessing unto- whose flesh would be running colder with every passing moment, just as Mallorys is? There are no answers to be found from the man in red, the now discarded vessel crumpling off to the side, the darkly divine essence which had kept the corpse together now absent. For the second time in that evening, the uneven gash on the man in red's throat begins to seep.

Kanna has moved to behind the stage with her gift, lost in her memory. “And I know I was wrong.” She sings quietly to herself as she touches the petals with a delicate finger. ‘The trick to life is learning to hold on to what is important, and what is not.’ Something changes within her almost within the blink of an eye. A final exhale is given onto the petals as her heart stops, and yet she does not collapse. Her skin slowly loses color, turning a sickly pale. Her chestnut hair pales as well, losing its brunette luster and turning something closer to a grayed-seafoam. None of this seems to faze the bard, though. All she can tell is that… she’s hungry. So much so that she drops the rose to clutch at her stomach. “Haah…”

Mallory had walked away a bit ago from the hand touching her shoulder. The woman could almost still feel the touch when she sat down and started eating the salad on her plate with the candy-corned pieces she threw on top. The elf may have been a girly girl, but she ate like a legit monster. Honestly, her eating can be the scariest thing of the night. Either way, the woman is slowing down her chewing as she feels a chill. “Jinkies!” She touches her shoulder where the stranger had placed his hand. “It’s cold in here, right?” Tessa lifts her head and pauses her massive giggling. “Honey, go stand by the fire then,” Tessa seems sort of bitter that Mallory interrupted her man’s joke. “No, I’ll just suffer through it. We are probably just near like a crack somewhere.” Her heart stops, but she is still breathing. The woman feels strange and she is starving. “Tess… I… something isn’t right,” by this time… Tessa sort of looks worried for the half elf. The blonde stands up and comes around to sit next to Mallory and wrap an arm around her. That was what best friends do, right?

Caelan’s breath was shallow through his mask, but even he felt his heart slow to a stop. A hunger growing in him and realized that this wasn't natural something was playing at this, and so he summoned the power of his God, to halt any potential progression of his mind, as he may have yet need of it in the time to come.

Valrae can feel the crawl of dark, twisted magic roll over her hot skin and a shiver runs through her body. The glare she’d worn for Lan drops from her face in an instant, her glamoured eyes, now wide and blue as lakes, scan the party around them quickly. Where was the power coming from? A sense of danger trickles down her spine. She looks back at Lanlan, watching him closely to see if he had sensed anything, just as the music stops. Valrae takes a step toward the stage and toward Kanna but stalls. Her grip on the overstuffed horse head loosens and it falls to the ground uselessly. Despite still being trapped underneath the shawl like part of her horse costume the witch felt cold. “Something is happening,” She mutters to Lan, wiggling out of the poncho to reveal her own horse leg suspenders over a thin white tunic shirt. The air was cool on her sweat damp skin. “We should help,” Valrae starts toward Kanna.

Lanara smiles as the bard twirls the rose and steps behind the stage, as she had performed so beautifully and she wanted to congratulate her, firsthand. As she’s crossing the distance between stage forefront and rear, she sees a petal of the rose fluttering in the breeze. Had she dropped it? There is a strange pulsing in the air fueled with darkness, the pumpkinhead horsemen is still slashing at anyone that gets in his way, and there’s blood oozing from a strangers throat. What the actual frak was going on?! Heels click against the steps as Lana darts behind the curtain to lock eyes with Kanna, the once beautiful golden dragon, the entertainer of the night. “Oh. My. Goddess. Kanna?! Are you alright? Wh-What happened?” Lana’s voice shakes and she takes a step back, tilting her head to peer behind her and remain aware of her surroundings at all angles. If a spell was placed on the area, she didn’t want to be tied to any of this. It was bad enough she was facing charges of arson, murder, and animal abuse, none of which were even her fault! This wouldn’t bode well in Enchantment, she’s sure of it. “I’ll go get help…” She assures Kanna, before lifting the hem of her dress and running in the opposite direction. “I need a skilled healer!” Lanara was a healer, but she wasn’t any good without her magic.

Niix was in the process of exiting the clearing, pockets and purse full of pilfered coin when she comes to a sudden and painful halt. One last gasp of breath, scrawny arms wrap around a narrow waist and the young woman is suddenly not alive but not dead either. Hunching over, she gives a shudder and slowly stands, pale green eyes turned snow white as they peered over the bodies present. She could see waves of energy rolling off them and suddenly, Niix was very hungry.

Arlyeon strides in through the portal, and then pauses for a second and shuffles backwards. It's not that she feels drastically outmatched by the costuming prowess of the other people there. No, the fox was rather happy with the bit of blasphemin' she'd managed with her outfit, both having commissioned (read: Swindled) a fairly form fitting Kosode in her size, alongside a red Hakama. No, it's just that she entirely lacks any sense of peril in the moment, and is currently fascinated by the transition of swapping back and forth through the portal. "Wait. Is there a riska this closin' while I'm in the middle. Where'd the middle bit go?" A beat. "Where'd the other two halves of me go." Okay, yeah, she's just going to shimmy over to the party side of things and stay put.

Gevurah arrives late to the surfacer Hollow's Eve shindig in pursuit of a hunch and a sinister motive. For a costume she wears the scariest thing she could think of - drow matron. Spider-embroidered burgundy-on-black corset, full black skirt, dark jewels on her neck, arms, and hands. Instead of her usual, heavy piwafwi she dons a gossamer silver shawl that's reminiscent of a wraith. She arrived just as Lanlan and that woman she recognizes from the peculiarity of her aura. Her heart stops at the sight of them. How do they know each other? Is this the new arrangement now with Lanlan so far from Trist'oth? She avoids her lover and the aura-mutated girl. Her recent days have been full of disappoints, and she's too focused on her agenda to worry about matters as weak as those of the heart. That's when the red man makes his move. One by one party guests succumb to an invisible plague. Two women and the bard at least, possibly a few more victims. Gevurah whispers her aura-reading spell and confirms her suspicion. The red man's victims have leapt from the realm of the living to that of the unliving with paying respects at the death altar of her god. A rare emotion courses through the drow's veins and accelerates her heart: fear. Only one entity is capable of this, and he is here tonight. Or he was. She disappears into the crowd in search of the red man's dumped corpse.

Kanna stumbles, trying to make her way back to the buffet table. When was the last time she had eaten? Her foot catches on something and she throws her hands out, ripping the curtain walling off the back of the stage down with her. With a pained gasp, Kanna turns to see a figure lying on the ground. The spotlights from the stage are on her and other musicians have rushed to her side to assist her to her feet and attend to the prone figure whose wound bleeds out onto the stage, but she can’t take her eyes off the figure. It smells like nothing else she knows, and she’s just… SO HUNGRY. A hoarse scream escapes the bardess as she pushes the others aside and descends on the corpse. Her teeth gnash as she rips flesh from the arm like a crazed animal.

Caelan focused arcing the Gods power first through his mind, reverberating it to its more active state, and then twisting it through his heart to restart it, first second, no response, second response, the heart pounded. Eyes aware, he strode towards the one who was needing healing. "I am skilled, symptoms, I am guessing heart stop, sudden hunger?"

Gevurah leaps out of the way as Kanna dives for the same corpse she was about to investigate. "Away!" she barks in her accented common. She shoves the bard away from the corpse, yanking the flesh out from between the human's teeth. If Kanna resists, a blast of dark force erupts from the matron's hand strong enough to buffet a human away but not strong enough to do any sustaining damage beyond a bruise.

Mallory :: “You’re freezing, duck! Are you okay?” Tessa is a little surprised. The air is warm in here. Nothing should be wrong. “I don’t know, Tess…” The room is elevating with anxiety which makes the desert elf grip the table. “I think we need to leave,” her voice is low with fear and her hand clutches her chest. The half elf slowly looks at the blonde next to her. Tessa springs into action and grabs the half elf’s hand to tug her up. They are marching across the room when Mallory stops to look at the skeletal man with the open neck wound. Hunger is here.

Valrae is not a skilled healer. Nor was Sara Grace, the alias she operated under. But she was crossing the stage quickly regardless, moving swiftly toward Lanara and Kanna with concern on her glamoured face. “What is happening?” She asks Lana as she nears. And then all hell breaks loose. Kanna stumbles away, takes the curtain with her and reveals a corpse. Before ‘Gace’ can even comprehend what she’s seeing the bard has descended onto the dead. The noises that follow have the witch’s belly rolling with nausea. “What the-” Gevurah’s appearance turns her blood to ice. The witch scowls, sickness forgotten, and fishes her ash wand from the waistband of her horse costume. Valrae runs to Kanna’s side, tangled dark hair flying, but does not point her want her wand at the drowess… Yet. “What have you done now?!” She hisses.

Arlyeon || The man in red may not have won the costume party. But man, he seems pretty irresistible in death. Is this what they mean by live fast, die young, leave a pretty corpse? ... Probably not.

Lanlan barely has time to put the strange and stinky potpourri around his neck before he feels a vaguely familiar pressure in the air. It seems to sit on his heart and soul. His only instinct is to hide, but he doesn't know where he should go. He scans the party for signs of something he should fear, and sees Gevurah. Was she doing this to him? No, she didn't seem to be very aware of him. "Something is, isn't it?" He says to Valrae as he slides out of his suspenders and makes his way away from the stage. That's when he begins to notice some of the costumed people apparently falling ill. Poisoned? Something they drank? Being the butt of a horse didn't let him find familiarity in any of these faces, so he couldn't know who to trust. Except Sara and Gevurah. "Someone knows what's happening," he says to Sarah, then he wades through the crowd until he meets the matron. "What are you doing here?" he asks, genuinely perplexed. He doubted she was here for the party.

Kanna looks up as she comes back to her senses, her stomach now full of human flesh. Her skin seems to have regained some of its color, at least what skin can be seen under the blood splattered onto her. There is no heartbeat within her chest, and yet she can imagine it pounding in horror as she looks back down to the desecrated corpse beneath her. The costumed horns have fallen off her head and lay in a puddle of spilled blood on either side of the corpse. She is no vampire, nor is she an ordinary resurrected corpse. “What… did I do…” She looks back up at Lanara, at Caelan. A stranger appears and pushes her away, ripping a chunk from between her teeth, her unsullied hand wiping away the blood from her lips as she does so. The skin under her painted and bloodied lips is a grayed purple, one of the telling marks of an undead. Yet, when Lanara had seen her hours before, surely she had been a human.

Mallory :: Eating a man this strange is not something she wants to do. Hunger consumes her and her hands run through her dark hair. Her heart is not beating fast. She no longer can control her heart beat from the feelings of dread. Tears, actual tears begin to fill her eyes. “What is happening?” The little duck is scared. Gore was not her thing, remember? Her eyes slowly shift and the tears go away. The woman is emotionless for only a moment. “I’m so sorry, Tess…” And in one beat Mallory tugs her best friend in to tear flesh from the woman’s neck. A shrilling scream is heard and Mallory cannot control herself. A. Monster. Has. Formed.

Gevurah scowls at Sara Grace with a malevolence that can only be read as personal. Gevurah does not know that Sara Grace attempted to assassinate her in the final battle against the Razurath. Gevurah only knows two things about Sara Grace: she has a mutated, bizarre aura, and she was on stage with Lanlan after sharing a costume with him. One of these upsets her, the other does not. "You don't know what you're dealing with," she snaps at Sara Grace. Then Lanlan joins Sara's side and questions her in a tone akin to Lanara's. In his surprise she reads an admission of guilt and sends him a withering glare. She does not answer Lanlan directly. Instead she addresses Lanara, Kanna, and Sara Grace, "I came here for this. Stay out of my way. Go back to your party." Her hand hovers above the corpse as she whispers an incantation as her gaze scans the women to see if any of them dare interfere with her operation.

Caelan pulls back his hood revealing the mask and bandages wrapped around his head, moving towards the (zombieKanna), and then seeing the woman Mallory, who was now biting into her friend. "Another Hallows eve, typical." He moved towards the corpse, observing, "We could burn it, but then the guests will just go after the living, like the half elf over there, or we could let the drow here handle it, they seem to have reputation in handling these sorts of things, with remarkable skill. I think I may just consider helping myself to the bar then."

Lanlan flicks his wrist and a glass wand zips out of his sleeve to his fingers, and he holds it against Sarah's in case she would try to raise it against Gevurah. The costume party may have been dumb fun, but it was over. "This was something else," Lanlan tells Sara, then looks at Gevurah. "Wasn't it?" He's almost afraid of the answer. He knew in his heart what was causing this, but he silently begged for it not to be.

Valrae is already sure of Gevurah’s guilt. Something dark was happening and it could only be her doing. She just needed to figure out what. It was concerning that the drowess was unphased with her glamour, clearly recognizing her immediately from whatever oddity her aura seemed to be emanating. The witch didn’t know what it could mean for her disguise and didn’t like that feeling. It was only more reason to dislike the dark priestess. She looks away from Kanna to look at Lanlan again, surprised to find that he addresses her with familiarity, and she frowns at him. “Obviously she’s done something!” She says to him, impatient. When the bard pulls flesh from her teeth, ‘Grace’ feels another wave of nausea slam into her. “Oh no,” Gevurah’s tone touches a nerve with the witch. “I remain unimpressed,” She bites back, finally pointing her wand at the drowess. “You’ve no authority here,” Valrae answers darkly. “Step away from the corpse.”

Arlyeon is at least starting to get the hint now. Panicked screams are pretty hard to miss, and there's enough incidents occuring to incite a fair degree of panic, strife and other bits of suitably festive outcries. "Maybe. ...Maybe not aim for fashionably late, next time, yeah?" She nods to herself a little, arms folding up across her chest as she begins to chew at her thumb nail. "Ch'yeah. -But-. D'ya think?" She side eyes the glow of the portal, mindful of her own distance of it, and then looks over the unease rippling through the crowd. "Well, opportunity knocks." She cups her pale hands over her mouth long enough to call out a quick, "Oi! If any 'a ya happen to be a bit too out of it 'n need an escort outta here, happy ta help. " ...myself to ya wallets. When it's a race to the bottom, you can definitely count on the kitsune to contribute. Anyways, that said, the twin-tailed fox is just gonna casually sit along the sidelines, and play the role of the good Samaritan, at least so long as things don't escalate further.

Lanlan knows whatever Gevurah wants with the corpse is important enough to fight for. As soon as she needs it, he crosses to Gevurah's side, and flicks his wand across the ground between them and Valrae, Kanna, and Lanara. A bright blue wall of flame instantly comes to life separating them. It was mostly a threat, if he wanted to the flames could appear to burn and sizzle their flesh. "Actually we do have authority. It just so happens that we're this corpses next of kin."

Lanara arrives back at Kanna’s side at the same time as Lanlan and Sara Grace, and she places her hands on her hips and studies Gevurah as Caelan is attempting to assess the situation of the newly undead entertainer. The witch is struggling not to vomit as Kanna pulls a chunk of human flesh from her teeth, and she forces her gaze to remain on the drow matron. “How the frak can we –party- when the guests are turning into abominations!? Can this be undone?” Lana knows the answer to that question and her heart drops as Kanna tearfully asks her what’s happened, but she can’t bear to look at the woman or she will risk retching all over the crime scene. “That’s what we’re trying to find out…” There’s another scream as Mallory is gnawing on her best friends neck, and the witch is torn with wanting to help –both- woman, but how can one reverse such a thing?! Without the aid of magic, no less?! Lanara waits for any further instruction on how she can help, and when there is none, she heads to the voice enhancer mechanism and speaks clearly, trying to remain calm. “Thank you all for coming! We hope you enjoyed the festivities, but sadly we’re going to call this an early night as a few people have come down with, um, a rare form of food poisoning. It’s not the goods from the Ginger Snapped Bakery! It’s from the candy corn! Supposedly, someone thought a ‘trick’ would be more fun than a boring old treat! Thank you to those that were in costume or part of the, uh, undead performance! You –killed it!” How could she make a sick joke at a time like this?! She’s trying to keep a straight face without sobbing, and she knows this could sway the jury to a guilty verdict. “So, um, Blessed Samhain! Everyone leave! And please, get home safely!” Lanara feels terrible for lying about the food, or calling the undead actors, but this had to be contained in some way! Otherwise… Even more chaos would follow!

Niix screeches like a banshee and leaps at the nearest body. Her fingers turn to hooked claws wrapped in skin and the rest of her looks like a stringy hag moving faster than any hag has the right to when her victim is caught and is mummified from the wight's consuming of that life force.

Gevurah watches the way Lanlan places his wand over Sara Grace's and feels a chill course through her heart. That nauseates her more than any ghoulish appetite Kanna may have. She clenches her jaw to steel herself against the sight of Lanlan and Sara Grace. The matron's hand abandons the spell she was casting over the corpse and opens, palm-forward, toward Sara Grace's wand to counter the threat. But then, mercifully, Lanlan joins her side and that chill in her heart is replaced with relief. With Lanlan protecting her interests, she kneels beside the corpse and reaches into her bottomless satchel to retrieve an owl wing. Dusting the corpse with the wing, she recites a spell. Slowly the corpse begins to levitate as she lifts the wing so that the corpse is always in contact with the wing, even as it lifts to the height of Gevurah's hips.

Caelan as the crowds were likely departing he came back with a bit of the wine, "Let’s see, 1/5 chances this is a curse, 1/5 chances this the act of spiteful god, 1/5 chances this is bad candy corn, 1/5 chances this is unusually strong spontaneous desire for human flesh, 1/5 well that for the unknown." He knelt beside the corpse, just out of the way of drow, "We could turn back the time table on the individual and expel the curse, or we could just call it a loss and move on, preferences anyone?"

Kanna pries herself away from Lanara and Valrae, moving back until her back is against the wall. She doesn't understand what's happening and that terrifies her. Why did she do such a monstrous thing? Her eyes scan the floor for some kind of saving grace, and she finds it in the form of the fallen rose. She mumbles something that no one else quite catches onto, a name perhaps? With unnatural speed for an ordinary human, she crosses the threshold and retrieves the unusual frost fire rose. With it safe between her bloody hands, she looks back at the corpse of the man who had bestowed the gift upon her. She is none the wiser that whoever that person used to be was not the person who bestowed the curse upon her. Frantic to escape, she makes her way towards the exit, praying no one notices the bloody bardess as she does so.

Gevurah shouted at Caelan, "I'll make a corpse out of you if you don't back off."

Caelan shouted at Gevurah, "I will freeze you in time and space if you respond to me like that again, in the meantime I am making observations of the situtation, now!"

Mallory drains Tessa completely and drops down with her on the floor. The half elf’s mouth is smeared with blood and she silently sobs. “I’m so sorry,” she cradles her dead friend. Everything is a blur and the girl does not know why she had done such a thing and how she could not stop herself. Either way, it saves for an awkward long-life apology. A hand runs over her friend’s eyes to peacefully close them before the vampire shimmies her way from beneath Tessa to stand. Words are fuzzy in her ears from the initial shock and she sways over to the group arguing over the dead corpse. Elma from the Mysterious Team just ate Rooby Roo! What was the mystery tonight? “What… what’s happening to me…?” Right now she is next to Lanara.

Gevurah balks at Caelan's assertion that he will freeze her in space-time. He's insane. It's clear to her now why he'd dare defy her. He's not all there. Well, the corpse is now hovering mid-air beneath her owl's wing. She pays him no more mind, unless her forces her hand.

Valrae watches Lan move to Gevurah’s side and summon a wall of flame. She curses and calls him something that doesn’t need repeating. Her wand doesn’t lower. Distantly, she can hear Lana trying to salvage the end of the night and usher people away before the undead cause anymore very real bloodshed. “Next of kin my ass,” The witch retorts bitterly. The flames dance darkly in Valrae’s glamoured eyes. She watches Lan across the wall of flame as the drowess does her work. For a long while, she says nothing and makes no attempt to move. Finally, she lowers her wand. Without a word, she turns heel and trots off of the stage, kicking the stuffed horse head as she goes. “This isn’t over Gevurah,” The witch calls, a promise thrown bitterly over her shoulder as she disappears into the crowd of exiting party goers.

Arlyeon, considering that Niix had been edging towards the exit- is a bit too close for comfort to the newly christened wight when she decides it's mealtime. There's nothing like a fast moving piece of screeching jerky to motivate someone to stop what they're doing and move. Which, is -really- unfortunate, because Ina had been actually doing a half good job of directing someone towards the portal. But then, it really is true what they say about not needing to be able to outrun a bear, as long as you can outrun your friends. "Alas, poor. ...Mm. Umm? ... does your pouch have some sorta identification in it." Just, you know. over by the safety of the portal. Like, right beside. "Actually. heck with it. Rest in peace. You." There's a brief salute, the fox watching things continue to disintegrate into chaos, "...I woulda thought there'd been more security. Wait." She checks her pocket for a moment, before plucking out a few stones, "But if there isn't. Maybe folks need someone." Which is about the point her voice picks up again, "And mayhaps some folks here present would like to buy some genuine stone plucked free from the altar of Larkets nearly favorite diety, Cyris. Come purchase some freedom & Independance from the imminent threat of the undead." Look. Look. Any time is a good time for a con.

Lanlan calls the illusion of the headless knight to his side, who was at this time still having fun frightening guests who -really- did not need his help being scared. "We're taking this corpse," Lanlan responds to Caelan, "the rest of you are going to have to 'call it a loss', as you said." Once Gevurah has the corpse levitated, Lanlan puts himself between it and the witches while keeping his wand ready. Without looking, he pushes the body by the shoe away from the confrontation and it drifts easily maintaining a manageable height.

Lanlan can't help himself. "I'm a-a what?" Pettiness flows out of his chest, through his arm, and out of his hand in the form of an annoying and short-lived curse. It smacks Sarah in the mouth and every time she opens it to speak, instead of her voice its a donkey heeing and hawing.

Gevurah walks out of the enchanted, haunted cabin with the corpse and Lanlan, glaring at anyone who would dare oppose her. Outside waits her giant spider mount which is large enough for Gevurah and Lanlan to share. She hands the wing to Lanlan so that he can manipulate the corpse. "Don't drop it. Will it with your mind." Her voice is unkind and she doesn't look at Lanlan with the affection she normally reserves just for him. Nonetheless he may share her mount. She drives the spider towards Trist'oth, using a route that is infrequently used by the drow. Partway through, she asks Lanlan to disguise his face until they reach the privacy of her home. He is still unwelcome in the city of the drow.

Valrae doesn’t see Lan’s petty curse coming. It hits her in the mouth like a slap and stings more than just her pride. Turned heel again, ready to scream at him, “What the frack did you just do?!” But instead all that can be heard are the sounds of a donkey braying. Ooo boy, she was going to repay him for that one.

Arlyeon raises a hand, all but ready to make her pitch- but there's something about the look and demeanour that exudes from Gevurah that makes the foxkin think twice about pressing her luck. With her, anyways. Lanlan is 100% getting the pitch. "Iffun ya need protection from the undead, for the low cost of 25 gold, I'm selling these blessed charms of Olrics shrine." I mean, they're maybe blessed? All considering, given it's cobblestone, it seems fairly likely that a priest stepped across this at some point during their existence, right. Totally blessed. "Works like a charm, I haven't been mauled yet."

Lanara turns to peer at Mallory, her fair face covered in the crimson gore of her recently deceased best friend. “Oh. Um. I. You.” Not quite knowing what else to do, Lana awkwardly places an arm around the young woman and ushers her over to an area where several healers are now treating the injured. “They will get you cleaned up, okay? And… When I know more? I promise to come and tell you what’s happened. Maybe we can fix this?” The witch can’t do any better than that at this moment, sadly, but she makes certain that Mallory would at least get the therapy she’d be needing after this ordeal. As well as having her face washed. Lanara walks around the clearing as now that the levitated corpse has left the area, things seem to be calming down. Safe for the forever altered lives of Kanna, Niix, and Mallory. She wanted answers, and she knew that Gevurah held them. She’d be damned if she’d allow the drow matron or –anyone- to destroy another event she’s hosting. Exchanging a ‘look’ with Sara Grace and Kanna, she vows to protect those that were harmed this Samhain. If only she is given an innocent verdict, of course.