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supereffectivemoonblast · 2 years ago

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In Our Midst

Halloween OneShot 2022

This year for Halloween, I ran a game of D&D as a hidden roles game. Each player did their character creation with me privately, with the possibility that any other player character could be the secret monster that wants to continue killing innocents in secret.

The town of Grimsby has been under the thumb of a secret serial killer for over a decade now. Every year, at least one person dies, and any attempts to find the killer out have resulted in more deaths. In recent months, the killings have escalated tenfold, and Grimsby is under attack by supernatural nightmares and horrible monsters. Is this still the same killer? Or has this sad town attracted a new threat? This is the cause of a town meeting of concerned parties trying to solve the mystery at the town tavern.

The town sheriff, a halfling named Merric, begins the meeting by re-explaining the situation. His stance is that it is all the same monster, but a human Nun named Nia thinks otherwise. The Sheriff then has everyone present introduce themselves, since not all attendees are permanent residents of the village. In addition to the Nun Nia, and the Farmhand Janiel, there are 5 (player character) concerned strangers at the meeting.

Delightful Arno: human court jester working at a circus in town (Barbarian)

Ket Moon: tiefling local bachelor who came into wealth a year prior (Sorceror/Warlock)

Dante Guido Shortfoot: halfling diviner who was just passing through (Wizard)

Dreali Watson: human self professed investigator (Bard)

Lady Antoinette Leroux: human noblewoman who's lived here her whole adult life (Warlock)

Each has secrets they'd rather keep from the others (players even kept their classes from each other), but right now, the safety of the town and themselves is their united goal.

While they're having this meeting, the Sheriff is swallowed up by an aberration bursting from the floor. The group fight off a trio of Gibbering Mouthers, and go to where Merric fell, to find just bones. Very on edge, those remaining leave the tavern to explore the town centre for clues.

Their first point of call is the neighbourhood of Grimsby's oldest families, suspecting foul play by those in power. However the street going towards this area is blocked by a cloud of magical darkness and a colossal statue of a sheep. Various attempts to get past this blockade are unsuccessful, as it seems some magical will does not want them to go that way. They suspiciously retreat and instead head towards the farm, where the town keeps real sheep. A voice in the heads taunts their misfortune.

On the way there, the farmhand Janiel warns them of a monster that has taken up residence near the farm. The owner of the farm was killed by this monstrosity, and his wife was forced to flee town. Wary of this sudden urgency from Janiel, Dante reads his mind, finding that Janiel was for a time comforting the farmer's wife and they developed a intimate relationship, and when she suspected Janiel killed the farmer for his own benefit, he killed her.

Dante throws this information out into the open and the party is split over what to do, and while they argue what to do, a voice in their head taunts them to tear each other apart. They resist, and in the end decide to proceed carefully. But this plan is thwarted when a nobleman and his guard cries out across the field at Dreali, referring to him as Frederik. He says Frederik tricked his wife out of a family heirloom and he must see justice. And then the noise, which had been attracting sheep, gains the attention of a hulking horse-like monster.

The horse monster instantly slays the nobleman and his guard, and rushes toward the party. The sheep huddle in close, and strange glowing eyes push through their wool, shooting beams that cause sleep. The horse monster absorbs the souls of those it slays, and then lashes out with a destructive burst of dark energy. Half the party are instantly unconscious, including Janiel. Nia heals up one of the fallen and attempts to run, but is cut down by the monster. Dreali/Frederik heals the others, and the party scatters, hoping to escape the monsters attention.

Lady Leroux attempts to escape into the city streets, but Dreali and Arno call her out on her way out. She promises she just needs a moment of privacy. Ket is nowhere to be seen, but soon a voice in their heads, different to the previous, announcing itself as Ket, asks the party to come to his property, promising a safe place to rest up and recuperate. Although they are wary, they travel around the edge of the farm towards Ket's manor. Just outside of the manor, a door to a magnificent manor lay open, and Ket welcomes them in. He explains that his real manor has been possessed by the real monster causing all of this misfortune, and if the others come help him, they can put an end to the horrors.

They enter the mansion, see another of the strange sheep, and a new voice in the heads telling them to be careful and not approach the stairs. A fight breaks out, as eye stalks come out of the walls, a rug on the floor comes to life, and the rails of the staircase whip around like tentacles. A hard fight is fought, and underneath where the rug was, is a large circular hole going deep underground.

The new voice reveals to the party that the mansion is the creation of a demon who made a deal with Ket. Ket wanted the wealth and means to make friends and host parties, and the demon, a big fan of this wish, granted it, with the small caveat that it would drain the energy of party guests while they stay. It never kills people, just gives them a huge hangover. The demon then tells the party that the real root of this town's problems is a Beholder. It's lair is beneath Grimsby and one entrance is right here in front of them.

With the demon's magical assistance, they descend into the caverns below. What proceeds is a twisting series of slippery tunnels, traps, ghastly eyes watching them, and... sheep. In several places on the floors, they find playing cards. They are from the deck of many things. One goes in their favour. Another absorbs Dreali into a void. He disappears.

At the end of the tunnels, they come to a wall with a giant eye. Dante, through his divinations, finds that this is where something must be paid, to open the way to the Beholder. Dante chooses this time to reveal he knows who the long time killer of Grimsby is. It is Antoinette Leroux. She is relieved to drop her facade. Her real name is Arabella, and she is a vampire who was turned against her will. Arabella usually only kills for sustenance, but anyone who threatens to reveal her are silenced.

The voice in the head returns, it tells them to kill the vampire. They fall for its taunts. A scrappy fight proceeds where Arabella tires to fight and then escape, but she is outnumbered, and slew.

They offer up her body to the Beholder's door, and the magical cards they find. Dreali is released from the void. As they door falls away, they come face to face with the Beholder, and some sheep, which the party now understand they functioned as the eyes and ears of the Beholder. The final battle is very difficult, but it does not go for long. Powerful attacks from all sides batter the Beholder, and powerful beams fly from all of its eyes to the party as they scatter around the room. Arno is killed.

But the three remaining, Dante, Ket, and Dreali (who's real name is Floyd) kill the Beholder. And the nightmare it has weaved is ended. Ket invites his two new friends to a party at his place.

#drawing #art #digital art #d&d #d&d oc #d&d art #d&d campaign #dungeons and dragons #dungeons and doodles #in our midst #hidden role game #original characters

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ominous-feychild · 4 months ago

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✦ OC Questionnaire Tag 2✦

Following tag from @the-letterbox-archives!

Characters from Sun and Shadow: Freya, Crow, and Daleira Characters from the Arcane Rifts: Gene, Tazin, and Mislav Featuring tAR's children leveled up! They'll be answering at 15, 17, and 17 years old respectively!

Questions: - "What's your relationship with your family like?" - "Do you have any hobbies? if so, what ones?" - "Do you dream often? what about?" - "What is the one thing you would not wish on your greatest adversary?" from @willtheweaver

"What's your relationship with your family like?"

Freya: Well... we don't even know if my dad's alive but... re-regardless, it was rough between us. He was never around, and I just... I missed him. I know it was his job, but I blamed him. It was just me in that house, you know? Like, I mean--sure! I chose that! But the only other choice was to live alone in the city instead, where I had to deal with people trying to suck up to me in order to get money or whatever! So neither was a good choice, yeah??? And--I don't know, okay? I... I hope he's actually alive like the others say. I guess... I'll probably apologize to him, alright? But that still sucked.

Crow: Oh, my father's great, yeah. ... What, you were expecting more of an answer? Daleira: Oh, I love my dad! 😊 ... not enough for you?... okay, fine. Um... it's difficult at times between us. He's busy taking care of Lynsmouth most of the time, so we hardly spend any time together. But, you know--I get that! It's a lot of work to uh--... do whatever it is he does? Honestly I'm not that sure, haha. 😅 But I'm sure it's a lot! So, you know, it's not a big deal that he doesn't spend a lot of time with me. I'm really appreciative of him finding me and taking me in to begin with, and I've really led a great life thanks to him, so! 😊

Gene: I... don't remember my family. Just like I don't remember anything else before I got here. But... (*looks away to think. Will not look in asker's direction again.*) I think Abi was my brother? Older--older brother. He... really helped me a lot. So in that case... good. But... thinking the word "family"... hurts.

Tazin: (*spoken through his teeth*) I don't have a family.

Mislav: (*fakest smile you can imagine and not even trying to hide it; voice falsetto*) Dead, thanks for asking!

Crow: Sike!!! Bet you thought I wasn't going to answer. 😘 How cruel of you to think so lowly of me!!! 😭

I wasn't kidding, my father's great, I love him. He taught me everything I know about--detective work and all, heh! We don't always see each other because he's usually working on cases, but he's given me everything I need to succeed in life and I'm thankful to him for that. So hopefully I'll make him proud on this case with Frey! 😉😊

(tragically, it is not a work I have created if someone's family life is good. But, omfg, until now, I didn't realize SaS was the story of goddamn DADDY ISSUES!!! 🤣🤣🤣)

"Do you have any hobbies? if so, what ones?"

Freya: Oh, um... dammit, I'm not going to get away with a lie, am I? (*Heavy, drawn-out sigh*) Okay, fine. I... like reading. I know this is really weird!!! But, uh, sometimes, while I'm inshore, I've found books in the water. Books! Perfectly fine! Little to no water damage most of the time! I don't know if Dad sent them to me somehow or what, but... most of the time, they're in other languages. Things that don't always line up with those I find in the library. But I've figured a few of them out over the years, and I think it's really fun!

Crow: Psh, nothing as boring as reading. (*Precariously leaning back against a bulging doorway. There's a creak and then--CRASH!!!*) SHIT-- (*Furiously opens the door. An endless pile of books comes falling out. Except... they're all related to their cases? Huh. Is their hobby... working?*) Yep. That's my hobby. Working. Tell my dad that, would ya? 😘 (Oh I think we see something deeper in the closet--) NO!!! DON'T YOU DARE-- (*we zoom in to see countless artistic collages made out of cut-outs from pictures in their books and magazines.*) ... (*Crow, face burning, melts into the shadows and hides in shame.* But??? That's a cool hobby??? WAIT, COME BACK, AZA--)

Daleira: Oh!!! I just love working with magical trinkets! You know, conduits--from gods, mortals, and discovered in the Faewildes! It's amazing figuring out how each of them work and trying to figure out if I can replicate them! Faer and I have gotten good at transferring magic between objects, but gods' conduits are especially hard to work with. Like, come on--can't they share some of their power with the rest of us??? :/

There's a few items from Soren we just can't figure out, though... and he wouldn't tell me where he got them! I mean, that would help immensely in trying to figure out how they work, but we've already broken a few of them and don't want to risk losing all of them! Especially since--... well. An-anyway-- 😅

I gave Freya one when we first met! She was showing clear signs of magical sickness, and I'd already figured out it was a magical restraint you could manipulate the strength of--which is amazing, you know??? So it would be awesome to figure out how it works! But-- (*continues rambling happily*)

Gene: Hobby?... (*Looks away. Will not look back.*) I... like to draw. It's useful. Maps. Nobody else is able to navigate around the sewers, but my maps... they stay right. Even though they change. So it's nice to draw... feel useful. And everyone likes me then. Not just Mislav and Tazin. If... Tazin does. I'm pretty sure he does. (*Shakes his head swiftly, then nods*) Right. He does. Sorry...

(*Anxiously picks at his hands, still avoiding looking anywhere near the asker*) And... I've always liked reading, I think. The real stuff. To learn. It took a while for me to learn Glavni, but I've been able to read by myself for a long time now. I enjoy it. (*Finally looks back to give asker a pained smile*)

Tazin: Does burning buildings count? 😉 No? Okay, fine. How about just plain-old casual arson? 😉 OH, COME ON, HOW COME THESE GUYS'-- (*continues screaming into the camera, but we cut to black*) (*We return to a moody Tazin pouting with his arms crossed... and surrounded in flames.*) Fine. I've always liked stupid stories. You know the ones--knight in shining armor, or the underdog rising up and saving the day--that stuff. And Gene's got me into his stupid fucking "learning" thing, alright? But that's all you're getting out of me, got it, you little-- {REDACTED FOR PROFANE LANGUAGE}

Mislav: Um... not really? I... guess anything that lets me spend more time with Gene? 😅😭

... I really liked it back when I was on the farm. But... it's gone now. And I don't think Adilzhan or Zhrizn would let me do anything like that again. And... (*looks away, voice going below a whisper*) I'm afraid to even try.

(BET YOU THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE ALL HUMOROUS HERE, DIDN'T YOU!?!?! DIDN'T YOU!?!?! YOU FORGOT IT WAS MY!!! MY!!!! STUFF YOU WERE READING!!! *maniacal laugh.mp4*)

"Do you dream often? what about?"

Freya: I think I've had a lot of dreams in my life. Most of them, I've hated, but I... can't remember them honestly. Except... fear. Being afraid of them. So, heh, you know--nightmares. Normal stuff normal people deal with right? Especially kids, I've heard.

... but I've been remembering a bit more of them lately, since I... since I was in the shipwreck. (*Voice goes strained and breathy, like she's struggling to breathe*) And I... I think I'm in the water again. In--in the dreams. And there's something else there--

Crow: Ha, no. Do most people remember their dreams? (They're lying. They remember. Their dreams center around failure. Failure, and a desperation to prove themself.)

Daleira: Um... not really? We faeries aren't like you humans... our "dreams" are... different. Real. I try not to actually sleep because of that. I don't want anyone else getting stuck in them.

Gene: Not anymore. I used to. Usually... nightmares. Monsters and nature and things chasing me. I have a curse. When I sleep... my nightmares find me. I'll wake up surrounded in things. Once... it included the monster. (*He looks away and is silent for a long moment, remembering.*)

... thankfully I don't dream much anymore. The curse is still here, but it's kinder now. Better things come through.

Tazin: No, who's asking? >:/

When I do dream, it's weird stuff. Memories. Wishes. (*waves hand dismissively*) Normal stuff.

(Also lying. Sometimes has nightmares of the people he cares about abandoning him. Stabbing him in the back. Telling him things about himself he knows to be true, but doesn't want to admit. Telling himself to be better... when he knows he won't.)

Mislav: Yes. I remember the night I lost everything. And the ones who took it all from me. (*looks to Gene*)

... almost everything.

"What is the one thing you would not wish on your greatest adversary?"

Freya: To find themself alone. To lose the people they care about... or feel like those people don't care for them back.

Crow: A pointless end. If you have to die, you should die for something. Something meaningful. Something you care about.

Daleira: Whatever happens to what I eat. 😅 (She's not kidding--remember, she's not human.)

Gene: Starvation.

Tazin: ... to be alone. Or... for it to be their fault.

Mislav: What happened to me... what's happening to me.

I regret deciding to do all these characters...

Your questions: - What was the worst day of your life? - What's your worst nightmare? - If a monster asked you your worst nightmare, what would you tell it and why?

Tagging (with no pressure) @darkandstormydolls @yourpenpaldee @honeybewrites @fantasy-things-and-such @themboty @.the-letterbox-archives (avoiding double-tags) and whoever else wants to join!

Divider from @cafekitsune

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