HARVEST MOON

[metamods]

 

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.

Comments

[purplexing]

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.

[levelshift]

...... [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.

[purplexing]

[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.

[levelshift]

[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.

[purplexing]

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.]

[levelshift]

....

[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.]

[purplexing]

[Those feelings are all muddled with his own and it's harder to separate them when it's just him and Accelerator. Donnie nods, and starts pulling the stone pendant from his own pocket, gasping as he makes a grab when the little pineapple squish goes falling as he pulls his hand out.]

[levelshift]

[He has his amulet in hand when he notices the pineapple in his peripheral vision. Blinking, he glances over in confusion.]

... You kept that stupid thing??

[purplexing]

[Donnie wrinkles his nose, glancing away as he hastily stuffs the pineapple back into his pocket, a little knot of embarrassment breaking up the guilt, if just a tiny bit.]

Yeah, what of it?

[levelshift]

[He's picking up on that embarrassment, and feels a little bad for saying something. Too late to take that back now, though.]

Why?

[purplexing]

....

[It's a good question, and one Donnie isn't really sure how to answer. He pulls the little plush out partway, looking at it as though it'd help explain what he can't quite put into words. It does bring up some interesting emotions, embarrassment still underlying the strange blend of confusion and warmth- a subtle, simple happiness. A memory slips with it, tiny hands happily squishing the pineapple and enjoying a meal, a feeling of being safe despite the strange, kind of scary kid with white hair as they sit in the park.]

-it's just something to keep my hands busy when I get anxious, and it's small so. Yeah.

[levelshift]

[Oh. Oh god, the embarrassment kind of makes sense but what the hell, is Donnie actually happy about the stupid thing? Is he seriously picking up on that? And then he gets that explanation and fucking hell, he's turning and walking over to the nearest carnival employee and jamming the pendant into the hands before making for the exit.

He can't deal with this anymore. He just can't.]

Seemed just like a cheap stuffed thing to me. I would've figured you'd have thrown it out.

[purplexing]

[Donnie ducks his head as Accelerator quickly gets rid of the stone, and he tucks the little plush back into his pocket. He passes off his own pendant, following after the esper.]

I didn't want to.

[levelshift]

[There's a weird kind of reassurance when he hands his pendant off, knowing that the emotions in head are now solely his own, and that he isn't projecting those to anyone else.]

Whatever. I guess it's not too bad that thing isn't ending up in a landfill somewhere.

[purplexing]

[He feels whatever borrowed emotions wicking off of him now that the pendant's gone, but it's hard to forget what he'd already experienced. Still, Donnie's of the same mind as Accelerator. His feelings are his own and no one needs to know he has them. He rolls his shoulders, trying to play off whatever sentiments he'd let slip earlier.]

Yeah, probably not very biodegradable at all. I'm sure the stuffing alone is inorganic.

[levelshift]

[Just going to pretend all that emotional turmoil does not exist, mmyep. Best option!]

It was probably made in some fucking third world factory with a million other pineapple stuffed animals.

[purplexing]

[Clearly! Completely healthy solution. Donnie nods.]

...although can you imagine just diving into a whole bunch of them? That'd be more fun than a ball pit.

[levelshift]

That'd be something I'd skip, thanks.

[Seems kind of childish to him. Last Order would be all over a pit full of pineapple stuffed animals, though.]

[purplexing]

Oh come on, I bet it would be really comfortable. You could nap in it forever.

[levelshift]

Or I could nap on a couch like a normal person.

[purplexing]

That'd imply that you're normal.

[levelshift]

..... [Donnie has a point there.]

I still think it would be uncomfortable.

[purplexing]

[A sloooooow smirk spreads across his face.]

Sounds like it needs to be put to the test.

[levelshift]

[Ohhh, nope. Accelerator scowls.]

How about you try that and let mek now how it goes. [Or, y'know, don't.]

[purplexing]

[Donnie grins almost cheerily at that, it's such a smooth shift it's almost scary.]

All right then.