Shadowfall at Orktoberfest
As evening falls in Rhydin on Friday, October 13, 2023, a carnival arises from the shadows and twilight in Battlefield Park, fading into view the way a photograph develops in the darkroom. The evening breeze whispers the carnival’s name through the autumn leaves: Shadowfall.
Physically, Shadowfall is situated several hundred yards from the tents and attractions of Orktoberfest. Ghostly, almost mournful music, similar to that of a malfunctioning music box, lures the curious and brave alike to the gates that have sprung up along with the carnival’s rides and tents. The rides are weathered and creak faintly in the wind, but exude an eerie sort of charm that beckons all who enter. The centerpiece of the carnival, a rusted Ferris wheel, rises tall above everything else. Its long shadow seems to spin continually, whether or not the wheel itself does.
Amongst the rides, there is another that stands out: an indoor dark ride called the Ghostlight Gateway. The exterior seems as decrepit and worn as the other rides, with chips in the ghost-filled mural painted on its façade and a veil of shadow so thick it seems to be tangible. Once visitors come inside and settle into the carriages, the air grows cold and dense, and the scent of ancient dust, memories, and dampness cling to their skin. The ride’s path winds through a series of macabre scenes, beginning in a graveyard and ending up in the Underworld. Ghostlights follow along with the riders, their disembodied brightness bobbing and racing along with the carriages and lighting the way.
At the heart of the ride is a chamber that holds a twisted marvel: a portal that flickers, crackles, and hums with dissonant energy, hinting at nightmarish realms that might just be beyond mortal comprehension. This is the feature that gives the ride its name, and the carriages slow to a temporary halt within the chamber, allowing riders the option to disembark and explore, if they desire.
The carnival’s attendants are shrouded in tattered, ethereal garments reminiscent of grave clothes, and they drift through the maze of rides and tents like phantoms. Their eyes gleam with spectral light and seem to hold secrets and age-old truths. Their voices are but whispers on the wind, and yet they guide visitors with assuredness and eerie familiarity, as though each person in attendance is someone they’ve been waiting for, perhaps for a long while. Their presence is both comforting and unsettling, a potent reminder that this carnival is bound to realms beyond the reach of the living.
And what carnival would be complete without food and games? Each of the food stalls seems cloaked in an otherworldly glow and the vendors within offer fare that is both familiar and unexpected. Here guests will find caramel- and candy-dipped apples, flavored popcorn, hot dogs, and turkey legs. But they’ll also find serpent-on-a-stick, chocolate-covered scorpions, and deep-fried dragon. After guests have stuffed themselves to the gills, they are invited to try their hands at a games of axe throwing, skull tossing, mini golf, and at least half a dozen other games. Guests who collect enough tickets from the games can trade them in for a spooky prize!
If games aren’t to certain guests liking, they are invited to check out the Spooktacular Spectacular, the carnival’s nightly show. Over the course of an hour, guests will get to meet Bob the Headless Juggler, who can juggle his own head, plus up to seven of his friends’ heads; watch Sofia Halves be sawed in half by her loving husband, Klaus; and see Shadowfall’s own aerial shroud performers, the Flying Phantoms. The evening concludes with the Dance of the Bog Unicorns, a spectacle not to be missed.
Shadowfall will be in Rhydin until Hallowe’en, October 31st. When the sun rises on November 1st, the carnival and all of its inhabitants—including guests who have lingered a bit too long—will disappear into the twilight. Who knows if they’ll ever be seen again?
(( Shadowfall is a free-range, board-only event this year, running from 10/13–10/31. Please feel free to reply to this thread with bits of story about your characters’ experiences at the carnival, reference it in live play, or utilize the setting for play within the #battlefield-park channel on Rings of Discord.
(( Some characters with the appropriate senses or experience/knowledge might be able to ascertain that the carnival creatures are faerie beings known as the Sluagh.
(( If you have any questions, please reach out to me on Discord at hiraeth_xo. Happy Orktoberfest and Happy Halloween, y’all! ))