Youkai Festival (Event)

[Royal]

The Great Youkai Festival nears!



Underneath the Twilight Sky the Lord and Ladies of the Great Youkai Trio invite all those supernatural to share in the revelry as they celebrate the end of summer!

Sing, Dance, Drink.. and scare a few visiting mortals while you're at it!

The Festivities begin Sunday, August 23rd and will be lasting from then until Saturday, September 5th!

There's much to do at the Youkai Festival!
From being awarded the blessings of the Great Youkai Trio, being an Emissary of the Mortal Realm, and even joining the Youkai Parade!

The Blessing of the Great Youkai Trio
From their raised platform to the north of the festival do the Great Youkai Trio sit and wait to offer those who partake in the revelry their blessing.These blessings may work for a single moment in time, or last multiple days during the festival!

King Okami, Supreme Youkai King

The Supreme Youkai King sits center stage and greets those wishing for his blessing with an aura almost of disinterest.. though rumors among the youkai of the festival say that should you offer King Okami a weapon or token of fine make he may very well pry his eyes from Lady Kishijoten and reward you with his blessing. Those awarded the Blessing of the Wolf will feel their bodies go beyond mortal limits when it comes to strength and speed.

Kishijoten, Lady of the Serpent Sky

To the right of the Supreme Youkai King sits the Illustrious Queen Youkai. The blessing of Lady Kishijoten is given to those that offer a glimpse of their eyes, where the dragon of the sky can detect those with a true, honorable heart. She will silently beckon with a dip of her head for those to step forward (who have been granted the permission of the Supreme Youkai King himself; the story is that he is quite protective of his love) and receive the Blessing of the Serpent, rendering them invulnerable to harm with the great Lady's protection.

Fuku, Lady of Ill Omens

This small black cat can be found sitting atop her plush purple pillow to the left of King Okami. Lady Fuku is very fond of pranks and enjoys hearing the tales of one done well! Regale the Lady of Ill Omens with your stories of successful trickery and be offered the Blessing of the Prankster.. it will be sure to aid you on your next pranking endeavor!

The Youkai Parade

The biggest part of the festival! Every night at midnight the Youkai parade begins with Fuku, Lady of Ill Omens leading the fun! Post up your finest attire, bang a drum, cheer - shout, and strut your stuff among the Youkai as they march around the festival grounds to celebrate all that is supernatural! From ghouls, ghosts, and even vampires too!

Want to become a spiritual guide?
Start by coming to the festival on the Isle and picking up your very own ghostly companion!

Show them the sights around the city, take them into the dueling rings with you, or offer them some good food and drink! Become an emissary of the mortal realm and be a good example.. or maybe indulge in their trickery wants!
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Awards for being a good Emissary

All those who take on the duty of becoming an Emissary of the Mortal World will be given an icon should they...
► Reply to this thread with a story -or- post a link directing to a forum post related to being a spiritual guide.
► Respond to the thread by stating that they are going to act as a guide for the spirit and duel in regulation Duel of Magic during the festival period.
► Extra! Win 5 Duel of Magic Duels with the spirit at your side and have your wins DOUBLED! Go from 5 wins to 10!
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All those who participate in the Youkai Festival will be given a profile icon to commemorate the event. This isn't just limited to Twilight Isle! There could very well be supernatural antics about the city of RhyDin too! We ask that no harm be done to the festival or the Youkai NPCs. Thank you.

Have fun and try not to get spirited away!

[Max Lager]

No festival would be complete without something festive to eat! Food stands have popped up about the festivities and parade route and there is sure to be something to fill your stomach, spread a smile and celebrate the supernatural!



There are dumplings of all kinds, a variety of dango, freshly grilled meats and seafoods, and even some spicey Tteok-bokki! There’s something for every palate to enjoy!


For those with a sweet tooth, you’ll want to be sure to check out the colorful mooncakes, red bean stuffed taiyakis (often paired with soft serve ice cream in several flavors!), or the much pixie loved honey cakes!



And it wouldn’t be a party without a few special drinks to indulge in! Pictured from left to right is our Spirit Guide which is a citrus yuzu cocktail, the Lovely Lavender Lady which is a lychee and lavender sake spritzer, the Mischief maker which is a sake vodka fizz, and the Supreme High Ball which is a green tea highball made with Japanese whisky, cooled green tea, soda water and garnished with a maple leaf candy.



There are also many open spaces for anyone wishing to sell their own wares!


(Want to host a stall of some kind during the festival? Feel free to post below and help Twilight Isle celebrate all that is Yokai and the Supernatural!)

[Renzo Sforza]

Renzo Sforza will be acting as an Emissary of the Mortal World for this event.

[Haru Jeong]

Haru will also be acting as an emissary of the mortal world

[Regina Wellston]

The musician had heard about the Festival but had yet time to come and see it for herself. Today was her last day hosting at the beach and before she went there she decided to take a pit stop by the Isle and was happy when she did. The first thing she spotted was The Great Youkai Trio, how could she not when it seemed to be the highlight of the festival. She was on her way to observe it closer when she saw the first flash of blue. She might have ignored it if it wasn't for the feeling of something being....off.

The electrical sensation sliding up and down her arms and causing the hair on the back of her neck had her pausing and attention honed in to where that flash had been. "Hello?" Her voice held a bit of trepidation even if she took a few steps in the general direction. Senses alert, she opened her minds eye to possibility. She had heard rumors of spirits that seemed to come alive during the festival but had yet to see one.

Another few steps had the feeling intensify so much that she held out a hand in front of her. That's when she felt it. What it was, she wouldn't be able to say but it did feel like something had just taken a hold of her hand. "Is anyone there?" Much softer now she spoke, as if she were afraid of scaring whatever it was away. Perhaps it was because she didn't jerk her hand back, or maybe because Reggie just seemed to ooze with niceness. Either way, where there was nothing, now were at two little speckles of blue light flickering in and out in tandem.

She sucked in a breath and went very still. "I think I see you..can you see me?" She almost felt foolish but she had to be sure. She didn't know what this was and if it was nothing, well, at least she had given it a try! As if responding to her question a third light and then a fourth joined the first two. This continued until there were a dozen of those blue sparkles all twirling and flashing in the air before her. Laughing she held her hand out and those little lights swirled until they combined into a solid blue orb in her palm. She stared down at it and moved to touch it with the index finger of her other hand. Just when she was close enough they burst into a firework like spectacle all around her. She spun in a circle with a smile trying to watch the different directions they took. "Amazing." She nodded. "Okay. Well, I have to go but if you want, you can come along. As long as you don't cause any trouble!" She waggled a finger in the air in a warning which might have been believable if it hadn't been for the smile she was wearing. Who was she kidding? This was RhyDin after all!

With that, the musician headed towards the portal that lead to the beach, surrounded by a dozen little blue speckles, and if they were good? She'd come back later tonight to show them the kind of magic she could do!

Regina has taken on the task of being a spirit guide it seems! She will be dueling as a spirit guide during regulation hours!

[Rhiannon Brock]

Rhiannon will also be an emissary for the spirits in need of assistance.

[Morgan LaLuna]

While at the beach bash on Tuesday, Morgan found, much to his chagrin, four new little floating blue companions that seemed very interested in how much food he had to offer, however unwillingly. Four almost constantly fat little orbs of light seem to follow the poor acrobat wherever he goes, now!

[Eregor]

Eregor is acting as an Emissary of the Mortal World for a wise spirit.

[Royal]

Yasei, Daughter of the Youkai King and Emissary of the Wolves has been defeated by the team of Ellie Luisante, Rhiannon Brock, Eregor, and Haru!

Each will receive a win over loss added to their record (and a special icon)! Enjoy the Blessing of the Wolf!

Congratulations and keep an eye out for another surprise Youkai Boss Encounter!

[Desdenova VonTombs]

Youkai Parade? Bratchild was so there. He spent a long while admiring the Trinity from afar, his lightless eyes wide. Magnificent and such potential, it rang from them like the heavy reverberations of a brass gong.

A little spark dotted Desdenova's nose with a static zap, and he giggled, grabbing his nose and offering his hand to the little spirit. He was used to them, of course. His mother could sing for them, and gather them in hundreds to dance. Desdenova could sing for them, but usually only gathered a few.

However, he could see and hear them much more clearly than his mother could. He peered at the little spirit.

"Oh, there's a lot of fun things to do around here. We should go to Kabuki Street to start, I love playing there. They call me Samira a lot, too, because of my hair and because um Okay when they are playing scary movies, I like to hide up by the screen..." Desdenova murmured, and soon, was regaling several of the motes of spirits with his pranks and misdeeds.

What the boy didn't notice was that his tales of mischief had caught the delicate ear of the very Mistress of Mischief, and Fuku had flexed an inky paw to bring Desdenova and his little cadre closer to her cushions so she could enjoy hearing his stories.

"--And I summoned up the shoggath, and Mom was SO MAD, because she'd just hung out the laundry, and Dad was laughing but trying not to. Then it went squirming off to the pond, and ... well that's where the giant turtle got it, because a long time ago, someone dumped an alligator snapping turtle into the cemetery pond, and it got pretty big before we finally had to get it out of there..."

Desdenova had lots and lots of tales of mischief to share, and was happily an emissary of spirits of fun and tricks!

[PC]

A Youkai Festival couldn't be missed! Not when Na-rae herself had youkai blood pumping through her veins — along with Izumi's melding with an onryo. The festival celebrated what they were and/or what they had become, and of course their daughter would be walking between the two with both Na-rae and Izumi each holding one of her hands. While they couldn't stay for the parade, as even ten was cutting it close with their daughter having fallen asleep and needing a piggy back ride from Izumi, their time at the festival was a fun one. With listening to music, tasting delicious food, and watching a rather cute puppet show regaling the tale of Lady Fuku and her prank on the God of Storms!

Na-rae made sure to purchase a wolf mask as they began to leave, along with some youkai blessed metals from a festival swordsmith. Perhaps they could be worked into a future weapon or two!

[Nako Iijima]

"So I hung the piece of plastic wrap in the hallway" Nako continued, cupping a hand around her mouth as she related the story gleefully to the Lady Fuku of the Ill Omens. "You should have heard Royal when she ran into it!" The young mage laughed happily. For a night at the yokai festival Nako had repurposed her tanabata yukata, and had a new fox mask around her neck. A pouch bulged with fireworks to enjoy later, slung over her shoulder. "Anyway, when Royal started shouting, I went out to the hall and put up a light spell. But I couldn't get a picture in time cause I had to run for it"

After relating her story, Nako took her place for for the yokai parade, standing on a chair of course so that she could see properly.

[Mairead Harker]

Maggie was often followed by spirits, usually those of children. Having a pair of those that appeared during the Youkai Festival start to follow her along with her other spirit companions was much like dealing with her students at Dragon's Gate Sword School when they were all in a chatty mood. So many questions! They followed her to class and to lunch with the various adults in her life. They accompanied her to her audition for the Shanachie Theater and were fascinated by its resident spirit, the Gray Lady. One of her audition pieces was called"Flashlight" and the Wisps joined in to emulate those lights.

Maggie took them shopping at Jusco and reminded them that thievery wouldn't be tolerated. She did buy a few things to help keep them entertained while she slept. As Keeper of Earth, she spent her evenings and nights in that Tower. The spirits wandered the place while Maggie rested. The teenager learned that some of them liked perching on window sills and watching world go by. To those those that could see her companions, Maggie suddenly resembled the Pied Piper of Hamlin. To those that could not, they might have thought she had become even odder than they already believed her to be. She showed them the planetarium that rested atop the Observatory Complex in Dragon's Gate. They joined her in the ground floor library as she took on her bi-monthly role of storyteller for the children's hour and seemed interested as she read aloud. This experience and her time at Dragon's Gate Sword had added to her desire to be a teacher at one of the many schools in Rhydin. In spending time with these otherworldly beings that didn't always choose to be seen, Maggie realized that she had been preparing for something else.

[Yuzuki Kuwabara]

Given her yokai blood and being the last of her family line, Yuzuki was drawn to the festival on several of the nights of its duration. But on the night that she arrived before the parade she made sure to present herself to the Lady of Ill Omens on her plush pillow, where she regaled Lady Fuku with the tale of prank she'd pulled on her friend Kaho wherein she'd made the fellow delinquent's lunch vanish during a magic show in the Brassband Club Room. Since Yuzuki needed all the fine weapons she possessed, she followed up her storytelling by going to get ready to join the parade.

[Tenrowe]

He’d meant to be out to the festival so much sooner. Why it should always be that the convergence and divergence of multinexial paths come at the worstest, most-busiest possible times, well. That’s the sort of question one should put to their omniscient narrator, and stiffly. But luckily the storm of activity had passed, and with days yet still left of the festivities. And so using the excuse of visiting Reggie at her shift on the Isle to give her the gifts he’d gathered, he had finally made it—and met by the warm lights and rich smells of the Great Youkai, was immediately gladdened he had.

Garbed in a full suit, complete with vest, tie and gloves, all solid black, the only colour he bore was the red-orange amber of a grinning kitsune mask clearly designed in homage to Fuku. Pulling it down to cover his face, he became just another spectre among the throng, and first enjoyed a long walkabout to take in everything there was to see. This journey led to dumplings and grilled skewers, mooncakes, and cakes stuffed with red bean paste and shaped like fish. Wonderful and delicious, all.

He made his way to the north end of the festival, to the raised platform where sat the Great Trio: King Okami, Lady Kishijoten, and the grinning black cat Fuku. For each in turn they received the gesture of a low bow held overlong, and when allowed to approach, for each he left at the base of their pedestals gifts catered to their likings. For the Supreme Youkai King, a large heavy coin pressed with the image of a rampant wolf, its fur decorated with lustrous pearl, its eyes bejeweled with blood-red rubies. At the permission of the Lady of the Serpent Sky, he presented himself in a low kneel and offered her his free and open gaze, at that moment grey and tumultuous. And then moving to stand before the Lady of Ill Omens, he bowed again, and then offered her a haiku:

見つめて
それでも魂は、すべてが平和です。 私は投げる
石、波打つ

<< Gazing upon my
Still soul, all is peace; I throw
A stone, rippling >>

Backing away from the platform, one final bow culminated his visit to the Great Youkai Trio, and after a quick silent prayer he dissolved again into the flow of the crowd. Contented for a while to drift like one of the many other animal spirits in attendance, eventually he let himself be guided toward the beverage booths by the thirst for a yuzu cocktail. All around the festival he spied the hovering blue lights like tiny flames flickering, just like the ones he’d seen all around town; just as before they lingered in scatters and clumps, some drifting like firebugs, others interacting with festival goers and even following around behind them. Ironically the beverage he sought was called a Spirit Guide by the vendor, but he didn’t make the connection between that and the tiny blue lights. Either way it too was delicious, and was followed by two more before midnight struck and the Youkai Parade began its rambunctious path around the island.

He pulled two den-den daikos from one of the suit’s many pockets of holding and began to twirl them into frenzy, their tiny beats melting into a continuous din as he himself melted into the throng, which had begun to dance and sway as it wove among the grounds locked forever in perpetual twilight. It was, in a word, magical. Which is no small word to use in the land where magic is a force akin to gravity. He lost himself in the hum, the beat, the jumping dance, the flashes of mask and banner and fan. Time melted away, and with it all his cares. He found that fleeting moment of peace he spoke of in his Ode to Ill Omen.

And so when the parade began to break, its waving dance fading into the grey, he felt a fullness he hadn’t known for a great long while, and again, he was gladdened he had come to the Great Youkai Festival. With a happy inward breath he turned on his heel and made for home, ready for what would surely be a deep and contented sleep.

So aglow was he still with the delight of the evening, he didn’t notice the little blue light flickering along behind him, clearly intent to follow him wherever he was heading.