[Open] Send Shivers Down Your Spine

[tantailizing]

🧙 WHO: Zidane Tribal and You!
⚔️️ WHAT: Catch-all for October feat. Fighting, Quests, and Stealing... not in that order
🕒 WHEN: Throughout October until the next Event
🗺️ WHERE: New Camelot, Ruins of Celliwig, Forest of the Fallen
⚠️ WARNINGS: Violence in fighting, and blood might pop up. Other than that, not going into gory details I don't think.

I. Don't Lose Your Way Head

He knew some people came back to the Ruins that were once Celliwig, and he did too. While mainly to check up on them, make sure they had their own food or supplies if they intended on staying, he would then stay around to help recover bodies or build grave markers before heading back to New Camelot.

However, subsequent visits were... tense to put it mildly.

It's not the first time people had been scattered by the sound of hooves pounding against the dirt, the disembodied laughing, and blocking the Headless Horseman's swing as he attempted to behead one of the many visitors to Celliwig. Zidane's daggers hold and he managed to redirect the swing - at which, the horse reared and carried its rider away, but they'll be circling around. He never left after one clash.

Zidane took that moment to look back.

"Go! Hide!"

II. Bunker Down

From fixing fences to building up bunk beds, he's becoming a pretty efficient at building things. It was always just whatever set they needed before and then those small repairs around the hideout, but hey, he didn't mind this. It's a repetitive task maybe, but it's keeping him busy and they were going to be used. Really, he was happy to be able to help out.

"Alright..." He wiped he forehead with a wide grin. "This one's all ready! Let's get to the next one!"

III. A Quest from Locksley (mingled with Suns Out, Guns Out)

It made sense why the landlord had been tight-lipped about whatever occurred at his house now. Originally, Zidane had dealt with the gang that came to his new home saying he had to pay some 'protection fee'. Well, he said that hadn't been in the contract, had a fight break out, and left them in the dumpster where they belonged. After what happened in Celliwig and Lestari, he'd let refugees move into his home, completely forgetting about the gang before.

Imagine his surprise to see those two-bit wannabe thugs bothering the family he was housing - and then hearing how they did that to the whole neighborhood.

He's not exactly sure about this new gang forming, but at least they wanted to help the refugees. And hell, if it meant killing two birds with one stone - IE, dealing with that cheapass aristocrat that set up this gang for a little illegal tinder on the side, fine with him. Donning a new black cloak and mask, Zidane was gonna see this aristocrat and all his friends deciding to withhold aid were gonna pay their own dues.

[OOC: Open also to people who might be deciding to hustle refugees for protection fees because Zidane's not having that. And people who are Robin Hoods or trying to stop said Robin Hood types, let's go!]

IV. Forest of the Fachan

The once Forest of the Felled was pretty much just as they'd left it after the encounter with the Stone Giant: too quiet save for the small fauna and wind. And seeing the Giant sit in slumber again just reminded him how they failed, but he digressed. They weren't here about that; they were here about removing wards that were now rendered pretty much useless.

All was going pretty well until the sun started to go down... and then things began to change. He felt the fur on his tail and hair on his neck rise, and eventually had to stop with his group.

Wait, group? But there'd been so many people moment's ago. How'd they get separated?

But he brought a hand to his dagger and prepared himself, the rotted stench of decay and death reaching his nose faster than whatever had started talking minutes before.

... The hell was that thing approaching them!?

V. Wildcard

[OOC: Interested in an unlisted prompt or we planned something else entirely? Then wildcard is for you! And if you would like to plot something else, come message me at demidemonLove]

Comments

[tantailizing]

"I know."

But it sounds like they're going to set the Dullahan free. Turning to the tied up body, Zidane will begin undoing the binds with his own kinetic magic, making sure to get the links back to their original shape as close as he can.

[luciing]

When the youth finishes undoing the barbed iron, Somnus offers the Horseman's head to him.

[tantailizing]

Freed, the Horseman stands and takes his head back. If they're expecting him to put it back on his neck, he puts it on his waist instead where it hangs at his side. The horse - which had ridden off during this ordeal - comes charging back, rearing briefly at the two of them until the Rider settles it, but its still snorting and huffing, leering between Zidane and Somnus.

Once mounted back up with reins in hand, the Horseman turns and gallops away, disappearing from sight.

"... Odin, why are horses so terrifying...?" And that one only had four legs.

[luciing]

“Most horses have their heads.”

A dullahan’s horse is strangely headless. Fae are peculiar creatures.

[tantailizing]

"... Chocobos are still better."

But, shaking his head, he turns. "We better go give the all clear, right?"

[luciing]

And so they proceed back to the volunteer refuge.

“You hail from a world with chocobos?”

[tantailizing]

"Yup! Do you have 'em too?"

This was a much better topic to be on than their encounter for now.

[luciing]

"...Aye."

Unfortunately, he's still not a good conversationalist. If at all another might liken him to a stilted statue, they would not be wrong.

"What do you call your Star?"

[tantailizing]

"Haha, he'd already named himself Choco. At least, Mene said his name was Choco."

At least, if he was referring to calling the chocobo 'Star'.

"What about you?"

[luciing]

From the context of the youth not knowing what his own world's name was until another told him, the misunderstanding is obvious. Somnus pauses, then clarifies:

"Nay, 'Star' is interchangeable with 'world'."

An archaic way to refer to a world, anyway. He glances at him pointedly. Same question, then.

[tantailizing]

"Oooh... you know, most people would just call it a planet. A star is something entirely different."

Also, no one has called a world a Star around him... ever.

"I'm pretty sure we're still calling it Gaia."

[luciing]

His head dips some, an acknowledgement of the boy's answer. Then--

"Eos."

--an answer, the name of his Star.

[tantailizing]

"Eos, huh? What's it like there?"

With his way of speaking and how formal he was, he wondered if it was maybe a harsher world.

[luciing]

"According to the masters of Avalon, it is stalled like all the other realms."

It seems he's not willing to talk more about it as they approach the hideout.

[tantailizing]

"Uh huh... Sure, we'll talk about it later."

That's what he takes the lack of information as a sign for. If he didn't want to talk about it, that's cool. They should focus on seeing the volunteers out and recovering bodies again. But...

"... So what did you name your chocobo?"

[luciing]

"Inquire not of such history. Speak of your own, if you must."

It seems he's not willing to speak much about himself. But Zidane is free to talk about his own chocobos, if he wants.

[tantailizing]

"Huh? Is something wrong?"

Seems weird that he wouldn't even wanna share his chocobo's name at least.

[luciing]

He shakes his head once, and then he stops walking in the same direction altogether. He needn’t continue.

“You may return to the volunteers. Farewell.”

[tantailizing]

"Ah... okay. See you later!"

Yup, it's definitely another Eustace, but he might be even harder to crack. Oh well, that's fine.