metalogs | HARVEST MOON

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HARVEST MOON

November is a month of transition. As fall slips by and winter begins extending its icy hand, it feels like a good time to let go of the burdens accumulated in the last year. The Willow Bough Harvest Festival is the ideal time to do just that.

Overnight, the town is transformed. A carnival pops up along the leylines that cross the city, with the center being an altar to the Willow Maiden. Metahumans and humans alike can give small offerings in the hopes that it will sway her dreams for the future.

While this is a festival for metahumans, there are a great number of regular humans in attendance as well. They seem more here for the celebration than any actual worship or tribute to the Goddess herself. For metahumans, it seems to be something… more. Deeper. Strengthening their connection with each other, with the world, and the Goddess who grants them all strength.

While one might think that a celebration of a sleeping Goddess would involve the sharing of dreams with the Gods, this is more a celebration of connection. There are bonfires settled in the woods, with logs set around as a space to share stories of all that you’ve experienced. There are rides to hop on, thrills to seek, and games to play.

This might be the only festival in Sunset Falls that isn’t vaguely associated with ancient murders. In fact, it’s guaranteed you won’t be killed here. Today, Sunset Falls is under the protection of the Willow Maiden. And just this once, for this one week of the year in the town of Sunset Falls - everybody lives.

This is the only time any travelling carnival feels safe setting up in the most cursed city in all the country. The carnival is filled to the brim with things to do. Festival booths sell sugary sweets, savory goods, and some locals are selling something they call ethically sourced zombie fingers... it's not recommended to eat those. There are sneakily rigged carnival games as far as the eye can see, and tricky metas are rewarded for their cleverness in discovering the games.

There are also rides, rides, and more rides! Ferris Wheels, Gravitons, fun houses, impossible roller coasters that run the length of the whole town - if you can think of it, it’s here. Including a small inflatable pool filled with balls. The rides are magically imbued and the carnies can be convinced into creating new ones to match whatever you may need, though they're taking some... interesting short cuts. A Tunnel of Love can go through a sewer, right?

These rides are perfectly safe. Seriously. Thoroughly magicked against destruction and tampering for as long as the festival is active... you might want to get off of them as things come to a close, though. Things will start to fall apart as the Willow Maiden drifts into a deep slumber.

The festival offers a whole host of other attractions for metas and humans alike, however the Starfallen are treated to some.. extras in these festivities.

➢ EMPATHY LINKS

Every attendee is given a small stone pendant called the Willow Seed. These pendants prevent any attendee from using their abilities to cause harm to any other wearing a pendant, a holdover from the days where metahuman conflict ran rampant.

These are magical items meant to help you commune with the Willow Maiden. Wearing it will make you feel stronger than you ever had - both literally and figuratively - and ready to face anything.

You will also feel your connection to the Willow Maiden, her deep and genuine love for you and all you are, all you aren't, and all you could be.

It will also connect you to your fellow Starfallen. While metahumans native to this world are unaffected, the Starfallen will find themselves suddenly feeling each other’s, well, feelings.

➢ MEMORY SHARE

Along with emotions, you may be able to send memories through the link as well. Given the positive energy, positive memories are easier to call forth than negative ones.

➢ THE WILLOW VINES

As this festival is all about connection, the chaotic energies of Sunset Falls try to get involved in the form of trying to force people to form new connections.. in the form of vines snapping two people together by the wrist as they walk by. If you co-operate and get to know this new person the vines will let go on their own after about thirty minutes.

Attempting to resist the connection will make them last longer... much.. much longer.

These will not let go until you connect with this other person - but luckily for you, you recluse, it doesn't require the connection to be positive. A fight - physical or verbal - is as much a connection as a candid conversation. All the vines ask for is some emotional honesty. The easiest way to get free is to make a new friend... or enemy. Connections don't have to be positive.

Attempting to speak with the Willow Maiden will be met with silence. Her Dream Guard will tell any Starfallen who ask that she expended a great amount of power recently to aid them. She will wake in the New Year and will be ready to guide them on what comes next then. WILDCARD.

Metaheroes takes inspiration from all walks of comics. Take a look at the CITIES to get an idea as to what day to day life is like in the other cities. Perhaps you've encountered a supervillain (or hero) who needs to be thwarted, or a metahuman with unusual powers creating bizarre effects.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I mean, you could've said something really dumb. Like "let's try and tough it out," or "find the people insisting we take the stupid necklaces and really fuck them up."

[He's actually speeding up a little.]

... Though I guess that second one isn't that dumb, when I think about it.

Pff, and keep tormenting the both of us? Hard pass. But as much as a bit of violence doesn't seem completely unfounded, I doubt that it would be taken kindly to considering that these things are meant to keep the peace and offer some connection with that goddess for whatever reason.

...I don't know about you but I'm kind of tired of all this deity interference though.

[Peace sucks.]

I'm an atheist. I've never wanted any gods in my life.

Aaand yet here we are with them suddenly all on our cases just because we exist.

...there's some irony in that.

[He sighs, a fresh wave of exhaustion for an entirely different reason seeping through that emotional connection.]

Anyway, just glad that whole mess is over with.

[Urgh, it's true and he doesn't want to spend the energy thinking about it. Especially not when he's hit with Donnie's exhaustion. He's tired a lot of the time, so it's familiar, but it makes his own more pronounced.]

If it is.

[He doesn't believe for a second that it is. His turn to sigh!]

I need a goddamn nap.

[There's a slight grimace there, a spike of bitterness tempered in a strange range of emotions from fear to anger to tired victory. Briefly the face of a woman might come through as that last moment pops up in Donnie's mind, the memory always so fresh; haloed in divine light through his goggles, rage and shock in her face as he-

He shakes the memory off, squeezing his eyes shut before he sighs again, letting his shoulders sag.]

Ugh, yeah. Nap sounds great. Unless that's all coming from you. I can't tell anymore.

[That's... quite an unusual mix of emotions, especially coming from Donnie. Accelerator pauses, glancing over.]

It's probably me. [He's saying that absently, staring.] What was that?

[That particular blend hadn't been the most fun. Donnie blinks at the esper.]

-what was what?

Those - [Ugh, maybe he should drop it. It's feelings, those are personal, and he's terrible at talking about them.

He's a little reluctant as he continues.]

... That was a lot of fucking confusing emotions. That was from you, right?

O-oh. Yeah.

[Another small wave of annoyance at the connection.]

Sorry that slipped. I just thought about that last fight.

Ah. [Right. Makes sense, given their conversation.] It didn't go great for you, I'm guessing.

Could have been better but could have been so much worse. I...guess I kind of bit off a bit more than I could chew, but then Leo came, and this lady- Storm? I think?

...

But I did it.

[He's still not quite sure how he feels about that. It's a confusing knot in itself.]

[Accelerator inclines his head a little. He has no idea who this 'Storm' person is - but then, he's the least social person ever, so that isn't surprising.]

You don't sound happy about that.

[To be fair, Donnie hadn't known who she was either until then, but he's certainly not denying how cool she was and how fortunate they'd been to have her help clear out clones.

Accelerator's observation however makes him flinch a little.]

...I'm not sure what to feel. It...was a lot. And I know the lady we were fighting wasn't exactly the Shining God herself but she was still part of her then, and if we didn't do anything then I don't know what would have happened.

Not going to lie here, it felt good to finish it. [To take down a god, even just part of one? He's sure that must have just been some power high, and it had been exhausting in general, but it's been long enough now and he still can't pick apart those feelings. He hasn't tried terribly hard though, feelings are more Mikey's domain.]

[His features remain steady, even when Donnie flinches. His focus had been on Kathryn rather than the Shining God and her avatar, so he hadn't been paying any attention to what happened there.]

It must've been. If the Shining God had been allowed to go through with her fucking plans we would've all been screwed.

[So... Donnie should at least feel good he did something about that.]

Anyone would think you're a hero for taking her on.

[Donnie nods. There really had been no question about it- they couldn't let the Shining God have her way. Accelerator's probably the last person to be seeking approval of for killing anyone but it still makes Donnie feel better, ironing out that tiny little wrinkle of doubt he's been trying to rub flat.

He snorts at the hero comment, betrayed only by a faint ripple of pride.]

Honestly though... I'm just glad things worked out. You got through to Chaos Gate, right?

[Accelerator catches that flicker of pride and maybe it's wrong to encourage that kind of thing, but he also doesn't think someone like Donnie deserves to feel like he does. Maybe 'hero' is a strong word, but he did do the right thing. He took out scum who needed to be taken out.

He did a good thing, even if killing people isn't good.

Accelerator inhales slowly, trying to push down those feelings of discomfort.]

... Yeah, I think so.

[It's hard, when Donnie is asking about Kathryn. Everything with her is complicated - he's angry, guilty. Tired.]

She was really regretful.

[It's annoyingly hard to mask feelings in this situation but Donnie tries to ignore anything he might pick up, which really isn't easy. It doesn't get any better once the subject of Kathryn is broached, and he inwardly scolds himself for bringing it up.]

...I guess that's no surprise. She's...okay though right?

[Or as okay as a anyone can be after something like that.]

Goddamnit, I'm not the person to ask.

[There's even more guilt now, as he remembers what Katherine had said to him. I'll make it up to you. As if he deserved that kind of treatment.

He sighs.]

She seems happy being normal, though. So I guess she is.

You were there for her. I think that counts towards a lot.

[He can't help but respond to that guilt. But if there's anything Donnie knows is important, it's that having someone be there for them makes all the difference. Being there for each other is what their father had taught them, after all.]

But that's good. Things worked out somehow.

...... [From the way his face twists downwards and the flare of self-loathing in his head, he does not agree with what statement.]

She fixed things. That's all.

[The sensation is almost painful, so uncomfortable as it makes Donnie feel. His shoulders hunch up a his hands burrow deep into his pockets again. That is not an emotion he knows how to deal with and it only makes him feel bad that he'd prompted it. Why?]

...she might not have. [His voice is quiet, uncertain, like he's not sure he trusts what he says anymore.] Not if you hadn't been there. Or Diana. Or anyone else who went in. But you knew her the most, and that might have made all the difference.

[Unfortunately for Donnie, that feeling only grows. And with it comes a lot of anger, the feeling of being a total failure, worthlessness.

All he did was talk to her, something other people did. If he did anything, it was make Katherine feel guilty towards him when she shouldn't. It hadn't been his intention, but it happened anyways and it makes him feel disgusting.

A growl is entering his voice, though that hostility is towards himself rather than Donnie.]

I fucking doubt it. I'm not the kind of person that makes a difference, not like how you mean. So drop it.

Sorry.

[It might not be directed at him but it's hard to tell, and it effectively shuts Donnie up. They're almost to the festival's exit, so maybe they can finally get rid of these dumb stones.]

....

[He clicks his tongue, those emotions fading a little - replaced with guilt and irritation at himself.]

Let's just get out of here.

[He's getting his amulet out of pocket, as they approach the exit.]

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