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Happy Holidays
✖ THE MALL
Ⅰ. THE REASON FOR THE SEASON
Boy, wasn’t November exciting? How about those Black Friday deals, huh? Hope you’ve had fun camping out in furniture stores! You can of course continue to bunk there, but the High Temple is also open to all Travelers again this month if you’d rather sleep there. Don’t forget to stock up on items that could fit inside your Traveler bag - this is the perfect time to get that fancy moisturizer you’ve been missing, some books, or maybe a copy of the hot new video game Bonestorm!
As December rolls in, you’ll notice that there’s even MORE holiday cheer to be found! Pressing in on all sides of you! Suffocating you! Or maybe you’re one of those people who just lives for carols and huge plastic evergreens decked out in tinsel and lights, in which case you’re going to be thrilled!
There are indeed plenty of those aforementioned trees throughout the mall, alongside wire and light reindeer, glowing stars, and oversized novelty gift boxes. If you have keen eyes you’ll notice that hidden throughout the mall are dozens of small, creepy elves with dead vacant eyes. They don’t do anything. They just… watch.
Who on earth could they be reporting to?
Ⅱ. HE SEES YOU WHEN YOU’RE SLEEPING
At the center of the mall concourse there is now a miniature village set up, themed entirely in ice and snow and candy. At the center of this plastic paradise is a lavishly decorated chair, and in front of it a camera. At times marked clearly on a schedule at the village gate you can wait in line behind a red velvet rope for your turn to see him.
Who? Well. That depends.
In many worlds, there is a benevolent figure who appears in December, bearing gifts for all the good children. Santa is the most likely person you’ll find sitting on that big chair, ho-ho-hoing and looking as kind and jolly as any creature possibly could.
Maybe you’re from somewhere without a Santa Claus, but with some other equivalent. In that case, you might see what you’re familiar with instead!
Regardless of his exact form, the figure who beckons you to sit beside him has only one concern: have you been nice?
Niceness is subjective, but if you’ve managed it you will be rewarded. With a twinkle in his eye, the Non-Denominational Mall Figure will reach into his magic bag and pull out a gift, JUST for you! What could it be?!
Oh, and don’t forget to smile for the photo! You may pick it up in half an hour once it is developed.
But if you’ve been naughty, or if you sneak over to that chair during the OFF hours? In that case there will be a cracking noise and the sudden overwhelming scent of rank goat.
“Better luck next year,” the Non-Denominational Mall Figure says sadly, his eyes trained on something over your shoulder. Turn your head and you’ll see that your naughtiness has attracted another holiday staple: Krampus.
Yes, this hairy, horned devil carries chains and bitch rods, the latter of which he uses to whip the everloving shit out of you if he catches you. You’ll have to outrun him long enough that he gets bored, or find some other way to distract him or pay him off. Maybe there’s a German market set up in the mall somewhere where you could get Krampus to do a Smorgasvein with you?
Ⅲ. WINTER WONDERLAND
As you wander through the mall you will notice that amongst all the holiday decorations a large area on the first floor that was closed last month is now lit up and has a welcome sign standing outside. Whatever could it be?
Perhaps a bigger and better Orange Julius?
No silly! It's an indoor ice skating rink. And as if that isn't cool enough - get it? Cool? - it would seem that for the whole month skate rentals are free. So go on, slap on a pair of skates and take a whirl around the ice rink! Show everyone your fancy moves or just try not to fall on your ass.
Don't feel like skating? That's okay, there are dorky performances happening at noon and 5pm where a group of people dressed up as holiday creatures will skate around in formation and do tricks.
If you’re more mature, at 8pm there's a live jazz band that will play music for the skaters.
There’s plenty of beverages and foods to be sampled from the holiday kiosks that have popped up close to the rink.
Ⅳ. ALL I WANT IS YOU
Cheerful generic holiday music fills the hall as the Christmas celebration hits full swing with a slightly panicked glee. The same rotation of a dozen different carols cycles through, one after the other, hour after hour. There are only a few refuges from the mind numbing music through the mall - that one New Age import shop that hasn’t changed its world music CD in a decade, and Spicy Subject which only plays pop punk covers of carols. Even the bathrooms aren’t safe from that rise and fall of notes that let you know a certain diva is going to tell you that you’re all she wants for Christmas.
Just as the hundredth iteration of the song is about to drive you mad, there’s a tremendous crash. A twenty foot tall Christmas tree that had once been suspended in the middle of the food court has crushed the Pizza Corner and taken out the power source for half the Mall’s sound system in one go. A caped figure escapes along the rafters that once supported the tree in a cloud of heavy fragrance. He pauses only once to bow as banner unfurls. Crude letters have been painted over a previous black Friday announcement: You have been warned: The Phantom!
The crowd begins to murmur and huddle in groups, and if you get nosy there are plenty of rumors. A teen from one of the ear piercing boutiques mentions a ghost story about a Luxuriate employee who got in a terrible accident while mixing bath bombs on site that rendered him permanently aromatic and with a permanent splitting headache that would have killed a lesser person. An older man from the Hotdog Hut pipes up that he disappeared into the labyrinth of hidden hallways that allow employees to navigate the mall for restocking and avoiding the overly aggressive salespeople. Every year the Phantom emerges in an attempt to banish the sky high notes of that ever popular Christmas carol, and every year the people who run the mall put it back in rotation.
Even after the incident with the choir.
A mother with two small children who are more puffy coat than person hushes the hotdog seller. It’s all nonsense of course. Some kind of interactive theater to drive up sales before the holidays. The looks that pass between the other employees, and the signs that the poor twenty-something postgrad working at Pizza Corner might have been crushed say otherwise.
So does the pungent waft of multifloral scent that starts to stalk you through the mall. Apparently, someone’s formed a crush, or are you giving him a terrible headache? What is it about you that you do better than anyone that might be appreciated by this deeply eccentric murder? Or what makes you the most annoying? Either way, it might be good to keep your hand at the level of your eyes because you’re about to be whisked away to the depths of the Mall into the Phantom’s lair.
Come on Jessica, come on Tori! Let's go to the mall, you won't be sorry!
Boy, wasn’t November exciting? How about those Black Friday deals, huh? Hope you’ve had fun camping out in furniture stores! You can of course continue to bunk there, but the High Temple is also open to all Travelers again this month if you’d rather sleep there. Don’t forget to stock up on items that could fit inside your Traveler bag - this is the perfect time to get that fancy moisturizer you’ve been missing, some books, or maybe a copy of the hot new video game Bonestorm!
As December rolls in, you’ll notice that there’s even MORE holiday cheer to be found! Pressing in on all sides of you! Suffocating you! Or maybe you’re one of those people who just lives for carols and huge plastic evergreens decked out in tinsel and lights, in which case you’re going to be thrilled!
There are indeed plenty of those aforementioned trees throughout the mall, alongside wire and light reindeer, glowing stars, and oversized novelty gift boxes. If you have keen eyes you’ll notice that hidden throughout the mall are dozens of small, creepy elves with dead vacant eyes. They don’t do anything. They just… watch.
Who on earth could they be reporting to?
Ⅱ. HE SEES YOU WHEN YOU’RE SLEEPING
At the center of the mall concourse there is now a miniature village set up, themed entirely in ice and snow and candy. At the center of this plastic paradise is a lavishly decorated chair, and in front of it a camera. At times marked clearly on a schedule at the village gate you can wait in line behind a red velvet rope for your turn to see him.Who? Well. That depends.
In many worlds, there is a benevolent figure who appears in December, bearing gifts for all the good children. Santa is the most likely person you’ll find sitting on that big chair, ho-ho-hoing and looking as kind and jolly as any creature possibly could.
Maybe you’re from somewhere without a Santa Claus, but with some other equivalent. In that case, you might see what you’re familiar with instead!
Regardless of his exact form, the figure who beckons you to sit beside him has only one concern: have you been nice?
Niceness is subjective, but if you’ve managed it you will be rewarded. With a twinkle in his eye, the Non-Denominational Mall Figure will reach into his magic bag and pull out a gift, JUST for you! What could it be?!
Oh, and don’t forget to smile for the photo! You may pick it up in half an hour once it is developed.
But if you’ve been naughty, or if you sneak over to that chair during the OFF hours? In that case there will be a cracking noise and the sudden overwhelming scent of rank goat.
“Better luck next year,” the Non-Denominational Mall Figure says sadly, his eyes trained on something over your shoulder. Turn your head and you’ll see that your naughtiness has attracted another holiday staple: Krampus.
Yes, this hairy, horned devil carries chains and bitch rods, the latter of which he uses to whip the everloving shit out of you if he catches you. You’ll have to outrun him long enough that he gets bored, or find some other way to distract him or pay him off. Maybe there’s a German market set up in the mall somewhere where you could get Krampus to do a Smorgasvein with you?
Notes:
1. This month if your character has been nice, they may receive ONE special item! They may only receive this gift once - multiple attempts to see the Non-Denominational Mall Figure will result in Krampus appearing instead.
The special item you may pick for your character can be one of the following:
- one animal companion. This animal can travel with your character from island to island from now on. The only stipulation is that it must be able to fit comfortably on the ferryboat. If your animal is too large, your character can instead get a mini version!
- one carriable item from your character’s homeland. In the case of weapons, this must be something that is not game breaking in terms of power level. (ie: yes, you can get a gun, no you can’t get a gun that explodes the sun.)
- a collection of holiday candies, all of which have magical healing properties.
2. You determine if your character’s actions put them on the Naughty or Nice list
Ⅲ. WINTER WONDERLAND
As you wander through the mall you will notice that amongst all the holiday decorations a large area on the first floor that was closed last month is now lit up and has a welcome sign standing outside. Whatever could it be?
Perhaps a bigger and better Orange Julius?
No silly! It's an indoor ice skating rink. And as if that isn't cool enough - get it? Cool? - it would seem that for the whole month skate rentals are free. So go on, slap on a pair of skates and take a whirl around the ice rink! Show everyone your fancy moves or just try not to fall on your ass. Don't feel like skating? That's okay, there are dorky performances happening at noon and 5pm where a group of people dressed up as holiday creatures will skate around in formation and do tricks.
If you’re more mature, at 8pm there's a live jazz band that will play music for the skaters.
There’s plenty of beverages and foods to be sampled from the holiday kiosks that have popped up close to the rink.
Notes:
1. This is a public ice rink so you will have to share space with people, so if you plan on throwing out a triple lutz or whatever then you might want to make sure you don't hit or slice into anyone with your skates.
Ⅳ. ALL I WANT IS YOU
Cheerful generic holiday music fills the hall as the Christmas celebration hits full swing with a slightly panicked glee. The same rotation of a dozen different carols cycles through, one after the other, hour after hour. There are only a few refuges from the mind numbing music through the mall - that one New Age import shop that hasn’t changed its world music CD in a decade, and Spicy Subject which only plays pop punk covers of carols. Even the bathrooms aren’t safe from that rise and fall of notes that let you know a certain diva is going to tell you that you’re all she wants for Christmas.
Just as the hundredth iteration of the song is about to drive you mad, there’s a tremendous crash. A twenty foot tall Christmas tree that had once been suspended in the middle of the food court has crushed the Pizza Corner and taken out the power source for half the Mall’s sound system in one go. A caped figure escapes along the rafters that once supported the tree in a cloud of heavy fragrance. He pauses only once to bow as banner unfurls. Crude letters have been painted over a previous black Friday announcement: You have been warned: The Phantom!The crowd begins to murmur and huddle in groups, and if you get nosy there are plenty of rumors. A teen from one of the ear piercing boutiques mentions a ghost story about a Luxuriate employee who got in a terrible accident while mixing bath bombs on site that rendered him permanently aromatic and with a permanent splitting headache that would have killed a lesser person. An older man from the Hotdog Hut pipes up that he disappeared into the labyrinth of hidden hallways that allow employees to navigate the mall for restocking and avoiding the overly aggressive salespeople. Every year the Phantom emerges in an attempt to banish the sky high notes of that ever popular Christmas carol, and every year the people who run the mall put it back in rotation.
Even after the incident with the choir.
A mother with two small children who are more puffy coat than person hushes the hotdog seller. It’s all nonsense of course. Some kind of interactive theater to drive up sales before the holidays. The looks that pass between the other employees, and the signs that the poor twenty-something postgrad working at Pizza Corner might have been crushed say otherwise.
So does the pungent waft of multifloral scent that starts to stalk you through the mall. Apparently, someone’s formed a crush, or are you giving him a terrible headache? What is it about you that you do better than anyone that might be appreciated by this deeply eccentric murder? Or what makes you the most annoying? Either way, it might be good to keep your hand at the level of your eyes because you’re about to be whisked away to the depths of the Mall into the Phantom’s lair.
Notes:
1. The Phantom is now more archetype than human. Killing him will probably not solve the issue, but it will make you smell like you’ve been eating bath bombs and drinking essential oils until New Year. Which could be fun.
2. Alternatively, if you agree with him about the music, you can always agree to team up to take out the rest of the sound system.
3. The Phantom has an excellent tenor voice. Just, you know, in case you were wondering.
no subject
He laughs a little. "It is, I know. But it's comfort media so I've been rereading it off and on.
"What are YOU reading?"
no subject
He shrugs with his books in hand and offers them out for Kyle to see. A copy of The Brothers Karamazov in one hand and Les Miserables in the other. "Just lookin' for a gift."
no subject
"Oh, yeah? Who for? Maybe I can help.
"I was sort of half assedly doing the same thing. Actually! You might be the guy to ask! I'm trying to get Quentin something."
no subject
Either the question itself of Kyle's realization makes him laugh. "Funny. I was gonna ask you the same thing," he smiles. "You'll probably have better luck than me."
no subject
He shrugs. "Okay, point. Hopefully. Okay, uhm. I'm thinking like, MAYBE some Harlan Ellison? That seems suitably nihilistic for Q. You could get him one of the short story collections, like 'Strange Wine.' Not 'I Have No Mouth,' he might take it as some sort of commentary on our situation."
Kyle looks at the rows of books. "Too bad we can't take em all with us."
no subject
"I usually give him old books," he admits. "Because he hates the classics. But he hates not knowing even more." He chuckles at Kyle's recommendations. They'll all seem incredibly fitting for Quentin. So, maybe he could be a little less irritating with his gifts for once. "What's in Strange Wine? Like. The themes," he asks.
"What would happen... if you stashed some in the High Temple?" he asks, weighing a hardcover copy of Joseph Heller in hand thoughtfully.
no subject
Kyle snorts. "So you troll him on purpose. I KNEW it. Uhm, I can't remember an overarching theme but the stories I remember most are about like... the nature of blame? One of em, this guy who keeps knocking up women and getting them to get abortions descends into the sewers and there's all these weird fetusy creatures? And another one, this woman who is super good goes to hell because in life she took the blame for some crime 'cause the man she loved did it or whatever. So basically because people thought she was guilty, heaven was like, you're guilty. So she goes to hell, but she gets out and the universe starts melting and all these people escape. Ultimately she goes back to hell because the guy who really did the bad shit, she knew he wasn't strong enough to take it."
He shrugs. "I guess it's just morality plays in modern garb, I dunno."
no subject
"Oh c'mon. Pretty tame to be trolling," he says in his defence. But neither does he deny it. He perks up at Kyle's Cole's notes. " Morality plays. That's good. That's what I'm goin' for. Allegories are good for him," he says smugly. "The weirder or more convoluted the better..."
"I'm gonna leave this one in the temple I think," he says, waggling one of those books. "Maybe a couple more. See if they come with us."
no subject
Snort. "It's Quentin - he's easy to annoy, it's not like you have to do anything elaborate. But yeah, Ellison is pretty weird, so that would be cool I think."
Kyle nods. "I think that's a good idea. Maybe I'll do the same with my dumb elf books."
no subject
"Good pick. Thank you. I'll look for that one," he nods. "And he's uh. How's he doin'? Seems... happy to have you around to annoy him," he smirks.
"There's a little spot just between the bunks and the pantries. Sort of... alcove," he makes a little right angle with his hand as he recalls the strange architecture of the place. "If we start stashing books there. Could make a bit of a library."
Of course, he doesn't know if they'll allow that. They being whoever keeps after that place. But it seems worth a try. For the next time they're stuck in some place he'd rather not be.
no subject
Kyle beams. "Q? He's good! He's been like, hanging out with me and Roxy and Carter and David and just being like, not a total prick." Yes, that's considered amazing. "I keep him out of trouble."
He nods. "Dude, yes. That's a perfect place. And it's not like we're trying to hoard anything dangerous. I hope it works." The idea of being able to grab a book when sleep is a long time coming or of they're stuck somewhere boring is so appealing.
no subject
He smiles a little when Kyle seems to take to the idea. "Could be a useful distraction. Could also be a good way to learn a thing or two about the other places travellers come from. Other planets. Dimensions. Whatever. They're bound to have a whole canon we ain't never heard of."
"You gonna put something there you've read? Or something you ain't?" he asks curiously.
no subject
His cheeks stay pink as he shrugs and looks at his book. "Well. I'll try taking this. Comfort media. BUT I think I'll grab some stuff I haven't read too. Like some stuff on philosophy maybe."
He considers Logan's point and nods slowly. "Dude, we should pick up some scifi stuff. I bet a bunch of people will be like, 'this is shit, I lived through this sort of thing.' Like if we get Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Chloe might flip."
no subject
"Philosophy fan, eh? Me too."
Kyle suggestion pulls a chuckle out of him. "You sure that wouldn't creep her the fuck out?"
no subject
He smiles, looking very much his age. "Yeah. But I should read more. If you've got suggestions, I'll take them."
He considers this and nods. "No, you're right. Might hit too close to home from what I've heard."
no subject
"Philosophy suggestions? Hmm," he thinks for a moment and then offers out one of the books he has in hand. The Brothers Karamazov. "Maybe not in the strictest sense but... s'pretty philosophical if you ask me."
"Still a good one though. Get it. Just warn her maybe."
no subject
Kyle nods. "Then I'll read it.
"Yeah. That's probably the best idea." He frowns slightly. "Poor Chloe. It's pretty fucked up how people treated her where she's from. Like an object."
no subject
Quiet as his expressions are he looks glad when Kyle takes him up on that one. "Lemme know which brother you think you are. And which one you think Quentin is," he says.
"Hm," he nods. His lips twisting thoughtfully. "Think that happen when they make a person with a purpose already in mind," he says.
no subject
He snorts. "Oh boy, I'm already scared now."
Kyle's quiet a little while, turning his book over in his hands before looking at Logan thoughtfully. "They did that to you too, huh?"
no subject
"Nah, don't be. They're interesting. Full of understandable contradictions. But uh... sort of heavy on the christianity too, now that I think about it. Sorry 'bout that."
"Sort of," he shrugs. "Probably not the same sorta way. But nearby I suppose." He smiles bleak sort of smile. "Maybe that's why she and I got on."
no subject
He nods. "Maybe. I'm real sorry either of you had to go through that stuff."