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

[honeybadgerer]

[ her eyes narrow and she is a little annoyed now. ]

It's never simple. It's never easy.

But that's a pathetic excuse for never trying.

[levelshift]

[He doesn't argue with her there.]

How about 'it wouldn't make up for anything'? Because that's true, nothing I can do now or in the future can make up for the shit I've done in the past.

[...... Not that he isn't trying, he's just got a lot of self-loathing to work through.]

[honeybadgerer]

Of course it's not going to.

You don't do it because it'll make up for the things you done. You do it because you don't want those same things to happen again.

[levelshift]

I can make sure it won't happen again and still be a shitty person. Those two things aren't in opposition to each other.

[honeybadgerer]

You're not shitty, you're just emotionally dumb.

[levelshift]

Nothing stopping me from being both.

[honeybadgerer]

It's insulting to actual shitty people.

Like, you're super low tier.

[levelshift]

How the fuck is that insulting?

[honeybadgerer]

It's insulting because real shitty people don't do that. They see what they do and never think it's wrong.

You just want to feel bad about it.

[levelshift]

[.... He can't really argue with her there, even though he's exasperated. Goddamnit, just let him feel like a monster in peace!!]

I don't want to feel bad about it, I do feel bad about it. That doesn't make me a good person.

[honeybadgerer]

Of course it doesn't. Where did I say that?

But it's not helpful to them or you. It's just dumb.

[levelshift]

[He sighs.]

Then I'm dumb. [He's saying that matter-of-factly, like he already knows this.] You done?