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[ACTIVITY] The Mycenaissance - Revitalized [CLOSED]

Dove Crow

Hi, just wondering if there is a specific way I should be writing October’s prompt. Like in a third person god-like way (He walked through the woods at night) or as if they are telling a story (“It was a cold dark night….”)

Posted 10/06/16

Jenny151618
There is no specific way you should be writing your entry for this month - it’s entirely up to you! :)

Posted 10/07/16
Nothing is so frightening as what’s behind the closed door. The audience holds its breath along with the protagonist as she/he (more often she) approaches that door. The protagonist throws it open, and there is a ten-foot-tall bug. The audience screams, but this particular scream has an oddly relieved sound to it. ‘A bug ten feet tall is pretty horrible’, the audience thinks, ‘but I can deal with a ten-foot-tall bug. I was afraid it might be a hundred feet tall Stephen King

This is by Bruce

I walked down this long path that cut through dense wood. Trees toward over me and blocked the setting sun from view. It was getting darker by the second. I answered an ad for a cleaning job and the address was just down that road. It was already giving my shivers, and it wasn’t from the cold wind blowing either.

I knocked on the door and took a look at my surroundings. The house was in need of a repair and could use a good coat of paint. The stairs creaked as you walked them. Soon the door opened, and a voice called me inside. 
I entered the house and gasped. The inside was nothing like the outside. Where the outside looked old and dull, the inside looked bright and clean. The bright light illuminated the hardwood floors just right. The voice I heard came from a man standing just to the side of the door. He moved around me and shut the door before leading me into the living room. He explained to me the job and led me around the house. There were 7 rooms in total. My bedroom, his bedroom, an entertainment room, a kitchen, a dining room, a bathroom, and his study.

“Do not ever go into my bedroom.” He told me with a pointed stare. I agreed and we decided I was to stay and cook and clean for him. I would have the weekends off to leave as I please. It sounded like a good job to me.
~ For a few weeks, everything was fine. I cooked and cleaned and had time to pick up a hobby. But the door to his bedroom as ways intrigued me. What could possibly be in there he doesn’t want me to see? I hadn’t yet opened the door but I could feel every part of me wanting too. He was always home.

One night, as I was getting ready for bed, I thought I heard the sound of something sawing. The next day I asked him about it and he said, “Do not pay any attention to noises you hear. The house is old, you know.” I nodded and accepted the answer.
~ He must have come to trust me over the months that I worked for him. He was starting to leave me alone at the house. Usually, he would send me away on an errand, or he would ask me to not return until a certain time if he planned to go out. I still resisted the call to unlock his bedroom for that moment.

About a month after he started to leave me alone, and about 5 months after I started working, I couldn’t hold it back anymore. I waited until I knew he wasn’t coming back for anything before I went to the bedroom. The door was unlocked. I looked around, even though I knew no one was there, and opened the door.

The room was perfect! Nothing was out of place and I didn’t even see a speck of dust anywhere. I sighed. This was a waste of time. Why would he tell me not to come into a perfectly normal room? I was about to leave when I looked at the closet door. I noticed something dark red spilling out from under the door. What could he possibly have in there?

I opened the door and a scream stuck in my throat. A body! Well, body pieces. It didn’t smell, the back of my mind noticed, but my stomach still clenched. There were arms and legs piled up at the back and a torso hanging from the ceiling. The head was on a shelf pointed toward the door. It had long red hair flowing down around the head and off the edge of the shelf. The eyes were glued opened and lifeless green eyes stared at me. The mouth was turned up into a smile.

I felt my food trying to come up. I had to get out of here! I stumbled backward and slammed the closet door shut. How long was he doing this? Was he planning to hurt me later? I had to leave! I had to get some sort of the authority!

I left the bedroom and shut the door behind me like I could close the evil within. As I turned to leave, I noticed the front door was already open. I heard soft footsteps coming from the kitchen behind me. I tensed and refused to turn around.
“I told you not to go in that room.” I heard right behind me before everything went black.

Posted 10/17/16, edited 10/24/16
I hope its ok if I decided to do a more campfire-style story! My Entry!
Posted 10/21/16, edited 10/21/16

My October entry featuring my Blue Morpho butterfly Ninn <3 https://www.mycenacave.com/profile/pet/7162

“A ghost story, eh?”  Ninn looked around at the group of young Ineki, Kelph and Drasilis peering up at her on the doorstep.  “Are you sure?”

The kids bumped one another, the older ones eager for the thrill, the smaller ones looking around at the older ones for reasurance as they nodded along.  “Yes please!” said the oldest girl, glitter fell from her pink tiara in enthusiasm. 

“Alright”  Ninn settled on her top step. “It was a long time ago, in those woods right over there.”  She pointed to the trees at the edge of the lane.  “I’d just purchased my goodies from Darcy at the Bakery and was coming home through the lane from Town.  The trees and forest don’t look so tame as they are now.” 

The three youngest Ineki drew their breath in sharply and drew closer to one another.  The older Kelph, Dras and Ineki began to still.  The girl with the pink tiara began to fidget nervously with her tutu.

Ninn continued, “We had things that ran freely in the woods back then.  And even the trees were fiercer.” 

“HA!  How lame!!”  blurted one Drasilis boy with a big grin.  “A tree that…”  then he faltered at the withering look from Ninn.  He stood with his mouth hung open.

“Yes, actually the trees themselves were fiercer.  There were many an Ineki that showed up missing bits of fur, or a Kelph or Drasilis that had notches taken from their ears.”  Ninn continued.  The littlest ones blanched.  “But it wasn’t just the trees that were the problem.  As I said, we had things that roamed too.”

“As I went down the pathway, I dodged the trees with their snatching limbs, but couldn’t help but feel like something was following me.”  The fur began to stand up on Ninn’s forearms as she remembered.  “It wouldn’t stand still to be seen of course, and with the night coming, it was hard to see, but I began to see snatches of shadow following me.  When I would turn my head to look, it would fade away completely!”

Ninn shook her head. “This went on for most of the path.  Finally I could see my front door.”  She indicated the trees just behind the kids.  “It was right over there, just next to those big oaks..” 

A little Fox Ineki kit screamed.  The other two youngest clung tightly around her.  Even the older ones were now stood closer, the whole group in a knot for safety, their heads all turned, staring at the trees. 

“I began to hurry since I could see my home, and then ~”  Ninn paused for dramatic affect “She stepped out right in front of me!  A tall figure appeared black as night and”  Ninn faltered.  This would ruin the affect, but ...sigh well, it’s simply the colour she saw “and deep pink, well maybe more of a pinkish red.” 

The oldest boy made a choking sound, the same one as before, but this time his bugging eyes made it clear his sound was from fright.  Ninn continued.

“I thought it was a vampire!  She was right in my path, and as close to me as you are now.”  Several of the Ineki blinked, as they were only a paw’s touch away. 

“I thought she meant to hurt me, so quick as a wink, I dove my paw into the Bakery bag and….”  the youngsters leaned in closer…“I shoved the biggest pastry I had right in her mouth!”  Ninn nodded in triumph. 

Then she blurted out laughing.  “It was my friend Tilly!!!  It actually turned out the ‘Vampire’ that was following me was my good friend Tilly in her Snowkissed cape!  She was trying to catch up with me, to walk home with me, but I kept eluding her.  Not only that,  but she could smell the goodies in my bag!  She was happy she’d finally caught up with me, and here I was shoving a pastry in her mouth so she wouldn’t bite me:” 

“Still, even Tilly thought that was a very good idea.”  Ninn nodded.  “So as you go back on your pathways tonight, be sure to have your candy bags at the ready.  You never know when a bit of sweetness might save you.”  She nodded sagely. 

[/spoiiler]

Posted 10/22/16

My October entry can be found here. It’s something of a continuation from last month’s, but can be read on its own.
I tried for different kind of horror. Comes with a warning because of bad abuse.

Features Alex and Will

Posted 10/24/16

“The night was dark…”


“The cave was silent…”


“His claws glinted in the moonlight…”


“It’s heavy breath was heard in the caverns…”


Rebell had heard many stories since she joined the little clan and their companion Nyhkan. Each unique in their own way, but with the same chilling atmosphere than caused her fur to stand on end. When 3 new members by the names of Spiderstripe, Shyspirit, and Chiaki joined, Rebell knew it was time for her to join in on telling these spooky stories, especially so close to the holiday meant for scares. Though maybe she’d tell hers a little differently…


“She trotted through the forest one night… Crickets chirped and a pale moonlight dotted the ground through the trees…” The fox Ineki’s voice was soft, yet heard easily. The listeners had already gathered, settling down to listen, and letting their imagination create a scene in their minds.


It was a peaceful night. The fox that trotted through the trees looked unconcerned, perhaps this was a path she took often, or at least often enough for her to be comfortable in the soft darkness. Her three tails swayed just above the leaf litter, making no sounds other than her soft paw steps.


It wasn’t long until she heard a branch snap behind her. Her ears turned, listening behind her. For a moment she thought all was quiet, that she imagined it. Then she heard steps, ones that weren’t her own and were almost muffled. She stopped, moving to sit down and wash her face with one paw. She wondered who would be out here so late, it was rare she met someone else on this path. Not so rare that she’d be concerned, however. She thought she could wait for them and they could walk together perhaps.


The creature that emerged however, was unlike one she had seen before. He was tall, and much larger than her. Yet when his feet fell onto the forest floor, he made hardly any sound. His coat was black, 2 long golden antlers curling forward. His tail was wrapped in thorns and ending in a large flower. She almost thought he was beautiful, until she saw exposed ribs, leaves and vines somehow coming from inside the creature. Skulls from 2 small animals decorated the vines on and in his body.


She frowned and stood up, taking a few steps backwards before she shook her head. Who was she to judge this other person. After all, he had every right to be on this path, just like her. She forced a smile onto her face as the other towered over her, looking down at her expectantly. Her tails quivered lightly as she asked him if she could help him with something.


“He simply replied by saying, it is time, you know.” Rebell spoke softly, the looks from her onlookers skeptical but curious. “And she asked, time for what? She wasn’t expecting what he said next.” He voice dropped lower, coming out in almost a growl. “Death comes for everyone.” Their eyes grew wide in front of her. “Not knowing what to do, the fox stumbled back, turning to run. Her feet kicked up leaf litter as she fled from this creature.”


“She couldn’t hear him over the sound her own feet made, but she knew he was there and her fur stood on end. She thought she could hide, and when she saw a cave, she knew he’d never find her.” That’s when Rebell paused, licked her paw and drawing it over one ear slowly.


Spiderstripe huffed and jumped to his feet. “Well? Did she escape?”


The fox let out a soft chuckle, “You remember what he said, don’t you? Death comes for everyone, and ever since the fox ran into this cave, it’s said you’ll hear her heavy footsteps, still trying to outrun death, just before he comes for you.”


Shyspirit and Chiaki exchanged a look as Spiderstripe snorted, obviously not believing it. Then they heard something, starting out quiet, but growing louder. Someone was running. Hard. Heading towards where they all had gathered. Spiderstripe slowly stepped closer to the two girls as he squinted at the cavern the sound came from.


Then a figure burst out of the darkness, black furred with golden horns. The three shrieked out, the girls scrambling to their feet, and they all turned to flee out the other exit of the caves. Rebell and a few of the others began to laugh. After all, many of the ones that had lived here, knew who Reaper was, so when Rebell described him, they had started to guess what was happening. The fox grinned, curling her tails around the Death’s Embrace Kelph as he plopped down beside her with a panting grin.


“Perfect timing, I knew I could count on you.”


“Of course. That was great!” Reaper panted out and nuzzled his friend.

Posted 10/26/16

“Where’d you even find this thing?” Xion asked, her nose wrinkling in disgust. She’d never been the kind of girl that was super interest in dolls, even when she’d been very young. Exploring had always sounded much more fun. But Rowan had handed her the thing, and she couldn’t deny she was a little bit curious. And she couldn’t deny that the doll was beautiful, in an old-fashioned kind of way. The body seemed to be made of cloth stuffed with either fabric or sawdust, but the face and limbs were porcelain. Her face was painted on, with delicately pretty features, and her dress was like that of a victorian-era child. The lace edging her sleeves and the hem of her skirt was surprisingly soft. Overall, under other circumstances, Xion would have been enchanted with something so pretty. However…

Rowan shrugged awkwardly. “It was brought into the shop. They said it’d been in the family for a long time but it made them feel ‘weird in the pit of their stomach’— that’s a direct quote, by the way, so they weren’t sure what to do with it. I guess they thought a witch’s shop was the best solution?”

“You know, I think I’ve watched this movie,” Xion muttered, but it was more or less under her breath. She didn’t want to offend Rowan; none of this was her fault. Besides, Xion didn’t feel anything. And she was holding the doll cradled in her arms like a baby; she figured that if the doll was going to magically come to life and eat her face, now would be the opportune time. She gave it another few seconds, then concluded that nothing was gonna happen, at least for the moment.

Nothing happened that night, either, for all that Xion left the doll seated in the middle of her table, in the dark. She’d even poked it once or twice, but there seemed to be no reaction at all. Xion resolved to put it out of her mind.

It was almost a week later that anything happened. She’d almost been lulled into a sense of security, thinking that her first impression had been wrong and there was after all nothing at all unusual about the doll. Maybe she’d just watched entirely too many horror movies. And really, she couldn’t be sure. The first movements were small and subtle, barely movement at all. Nothing more than shifts that could have been just the result of gravity on porcelain limbs. It still didn’t stop Xion from eyeing it suspiciously. Way too many horror movies.

Still, to be sure, she put a chalk outline around where the doll was seated, carefully tracing around her limbs and the folds of her skirts to get as accurate a measure as possible. Her efforts were rewarded a couple mornings later. If it had just been movements in the skirts, she would have guessed it because the wind had moved them, but one porcelain leg was fully an inch to the side of where it had been, and Xion had renewed the chalk line just before going to bed. Hands on hips, she looked down at the doll with a deep frown. In spite of all those movies, she’d never really believed anything like this could happen.

But it just kept happening. Other small movements, and flickering lights, scratching sounds within the walls. It was getting increasingly uncomfortable, but all Xion knew to do was to burn sage and hope for the best. An exorcism seemed rather excessive and in any case she had no idea where she would even find someone to perform one. The one thing she was very careful not to do was to taunt the doll; she had sense enough for that. Not that this seemed to make the slightest bit of difference. The doll made more and more dramatic proofs of an intelligence and will. For the life of her, Xion had no idea what the doll even wanted and she couldn’t think of a way to ask without provoking it to more troublesome depths. Already she was beginning to find the doll off the table and in increasingly odd places.

But it was only when she woke up one morning and rolled over to find the doll sitting on the pillow next to her that she was really startled. Sitting straight up amongst the sheets, she stared wordlessly at the doll for a moment before letting out a strenuous declaration of, “NOPE.”

Through a network of acquaintances and friends of friends, that morning, she got in touch with a voodoo priest who was willing to take the damn thing off her hands. She didn’t know what he intended to do with it, and frankly she didn’t care. Not her business, and frankly she wished him the best of luck.

Once the thing was out of her house, everything went back to normal.

***

“That,” Keme said in disgust, “was the most anticlimactic ending to a ghost story I’ve ever heard. That’s not how these things are meant to go!”

Michel glared at him from where he’d been laying a fresh load of wood onto the fire. “I didn’t say it was a good story, I said this is what I heard happened. Don’t whine at me, it’s not like I had anything to do with it!”

“Fine, but the next one better be worth hearing.”

Posted 10/26/16
Reminder: All Mycenaissance entries for October must be received by 23:59 tonight!

Any submissions made after this deadline will not be included in the raffle, eligible for spotlight, nor will they receive any review or comments.

Posted 10/28/16

Bismuth never cared much for telling stories. They once cared to hear them, before the winter, listening as raptly as any child, but would conveniently disappear when asked to share. Since being carved, they avoided hearing them, too; the wonders of exploring the cave, so new to them, outweighed any fantasy.

Being an adult now, they couldn’t turn down telling stories without giving it a proper go. They finally accepted in the fall, agreeing to share a spooky story to suit the season. They’d seen many fascinating things since being carved—magic they never could have dreamed of, whole caverns filled with Mycenian statues, flowers blooming into existence from sheer love—and those were stories that ought to be heard, all magnificent happenings. Terrifying, given the right storyteller.

They still had some time to decide which to share, but they should test the waters with something easier, something… lighter. Typical.

Ignatius suggested a ghost story earlier. It sounded so very boring, and Bismuth wasn’t sure if they could even pull it off. Playing about with their newfound magic while thinking gave them the perfect idea.

Now confident, Bismuth could properly prepare a wondrous story with the perfect effects. They grinned, making ethereal ghosts dance about with subtle movements of their claws. Their friends were in for quite the surprise.

((Edit: I just want to mention that the art is completely original for this event, I just decided to also use the version without ghosts on Bismuth’s profile because then it’s not seasonal.))

Posted 10/28/16, edited 10/28/16

I decided to try something a bit out of my comfort zone this time - charcoal! *dramatic violins* This drawing features Faye, telling an innocent tale with shadow puppets - but his fleeting creations may be more sinister than they seem….


I created a dA specifically to upload this.

To see it in a higher resolution, you may want to open the image in a new tab. I’ve edited the BBCode for the picture so that it links to its original size.

Posted 10/28/16, edited 10/28/16

I am so sorry for how long my entries end up running OTL

Here is my October entry! It features Sen and Amatsuki.

Posted 10/28/16
October’s prompt is now closed!

Comments will be posted and the raffle will be drawn on the 1st of November! :)

Posted 10/29/16
October is Oct-over!

Thank you to everyone who entered October’s Mycenaissance! We had a great time reading your campfire stories! :D

Crow’s comments:

Jenny151618- Ooh, how spooky! Classic curiousity killed the cat situation - or dog ineki, in this case, haha. This may seem morbid, but I really like how you described the body. :D I imagine stumbling over something so horrific would be pretty terrifying!
thewordeater- Haha, this was cute! I really like how the story misdirects the reader into thinking the entire town will be eaten, right before the punchline. Mirror is a great storyteller, haha.
OregonCoast- I really like how you described the spooky forest! I don’t blame Ninn for being a bit frightened - it can be pretty scary to be followed, even if it turns out to be a misunderstanding!

Dove’s comments:

Hyasynthetic - Oh my - the scariest stories are often wound up in reality. Poor Alex - I could tell how much he pined for his brother’s approval and recognition. It must be hard for Will to swallow. The bonds of family are difficult to break free from, even when such darkness is involved!
Nyhkan - Ahhh, I love the spooky comparison of a death’s embrace kelph to Death itself! Having a friend with such a ‘creepy’ appearance would certainly help during ghost stories… I would have probably fainted if the terror from a story showed up in front of me like that! This was a fun read, thanks for sharing!
Losty - Dolls are so creepy, there’s no way I’d accept an old one like that from a friend! I loved the idea of drawing chalk around the doll each night, and then so quickly finding a solution to get the doll out once it showed up on her pillow. Logic rarely found in the movies, certainly, and it seems to have paid off!

Meru’s comments:

Vely- I really like how you used the ghost story prompt to create a character vignette for Bismuth! Taking the magic they’ve learned in their travels in the cave to make their ghost story more exciting for their audience and for themselves is a really sweet conclusion, and a very nice bit of character development.
[@Unspoken]- Experimenting with new mediums is always fun! I think the charcoal works great here in giving it a nice shadowy feel. :D Those teeth are a bit concerning, however - when was the last time Faye trimmed his nails…?
Azurrys- What a cute story! Sen and Amatsuki’s relationship dynamic is really great - their love for eachother feels geniune, perhaps built on a strong foundation of sass. I love that the story was so gripping to Amatsuki up until the (anti) climax, where he realizes the whole tale was Sen proving his point all along.

The Raffle:

We had 9 qualifying entries this month, which means we will be drawing our standard four winners. Each will receive a random Cave Capsule!

1. jenny151618
2. thewordeater
3. OregonCoast
4. Hyasynthetic
5. Nyhkan
6. Losty
7. Vely
8. Unspoken
9. azurrys

Congratulations to Vely, Hyasynthetic, [@Unspoken], and Losty! Each of you will be receiving a random Cave Capsule shortly, and participation prizes will also be distributed ASAP!

The Spotlight:

This month’s spotlight is awarded to azurrys’ submission. Azurrys, please let us know which of October’s OotS items (Faerie Chimes or Midsummer Fantasia) you would like to receive as your prize!

The full submission is quoted below, but you may also read it in its original post here

“To this day, I still don’t understand why humans like ghost stories.”

Sen’s tone was amused, as it always was when he spoke of humans. Amatsuki laughed, sidling a little closer to lay his hand over Sen’s. The campfire crackled merrily at their feet, scattering bright embers across the night. Whatever Sen said, it was the perfect night for a ghost story. “It’s the thrill,” Amatsuki answered. “The fear of the unknown. Humans don’t know anything about ghosts—or if they exist—and that’s what make ghost stories so fun. At least, that’s how it was for me.”

“That doesn’t make sense, Amatsuki. You know ghosts exist now; we’ve met a few. Where’s the element of the unknown for you, hmm?”

Amatsuki poked Sen lightly. “Quiet. You promised. Now tell me your ghost story. You’re a demon—you must have better ghost stories than humans.”

Sen sighed exaggeratedly, but from the deep breath he drew afterwards, he was ready to begin. Amatsuki sat up a little straighter, focusing his full attention on him. “This story is an old one. You may have said that demons have better stories, but I actually first heard this from a human, though a demon gave me a much more detailed account later on.” Sen glanced over, as though to make sure Amatsuki was still listening. “It starts in a mountain temple, far from civilisation. There was only one village nearby at the base of the mountain, and after a temple was built within the village proper, the mountain temple barely ever saw a visitor. The temple was tended by a lone monk who dedicated his life and soul to its upkeep. Some say he was the most pious of all; that no other monk in the region, or maybe even the country, could hold a candle to his devotion.

“But eventually, the man’s faith was defeated by time. And with his passing, the temple fell to ruin.”

Sen was now staring steadily ahead, his gaze fixed on the campfire. With the bright glow picking out the colours in Sen’s inhumanly pale features, he almost looked human himself. Amatsuki could barely bear to take his eyes off him. “It was then that the rumours started. While the temple itself was no longer a place of worship, travellers through the mountain range often took shelter beneath its roof. Not all was well, however, for these travellers emerged with strange and fantastic tales of their experience.”

Sen paused, seemingly lost in memory. Amatsuki gave him a moment or two before his curiosity got the better of him. “What did they say?” he asked.

“Most of the stories had common elements. The first was that travellers didn’t realise it was abandoned until later. Some said that when they came across the temple, they saw lit candles within. The altars were tended to, with fresh fruit and burning incense laid out as offerings. Nobody appeared to greet them, of course, but they simply assumed that the monk had stepped out.

“As for where the stories differed, that would depend on the traveller. Some would bed down in the temple without disturbing the altars, and though the candles were burnt out the next morning, everything was always otherwise undisturbed when they went on their way. Those travellers never had good stories to share, beyond being mildly unnerved that the temple had appeared occupied when it was, in fact, abandoned. It was when travellers were disrespectful that the stories became interesting.”

Sen stopped again, infuriatingly. Amatsuki realised that he must have drawn closer somewhere along the way; Sen’s hand now rested on the small of his back, and their thighs were almost touching. “And then?” Amatsuki pressed, sure that Sen was waiting on all the dramatic moments just to frustrate him. From the faint smirk that Sen gave him, he was right.

“Well, where do I start? Let’s give a hypothetical name to this pair I’ll be talking about… let’s say the Chang brothers. They were hiking across the mountains together for sport, and like so many others, they decided to spend the night at the temple.

“Unfortunately, they were also woefully uncivilised. Upon realising that the monk was out, they decided to help themselves to what little the temple had to provide. The first thing they did was pick out the best fruits from the offering dishes for their meal. The fruits looked much more appetising than their dried rations, after all. When they had eaten their fill, they began to lay out their bedding for the night, but the younger brother noted that the temple floor was dirty—dusty, scuffed, and with the evidence of numerous animal visits upon it. To that end, the brother suggested they make their beds on a much cleaner place: the altars.”

“…You can’t be serious. Did they believe in another religion?” Amatsuki paused, frowned and shook his head. “Never mind. Even if they did, that was just rude.”

Sen laughed, reaching up to ruffle his hair. Amatsuki was about to launch a protest when Sen picked up the story again, and the words lodged in his mouth. “Well, whether or not they were believers, the Chang brothers agreed this was a wonderful idea. They removed the idols, dusted the altars off, and settled in for a good night’s sleep… or so they hoped.”

Sen glanced over at Amatsuki, and he must have been satisfied with what he saw, since he began again without a delay. “No human truly knows what went down that night. The next day, a villager hiking up the mountain met them halfway along the path—but they were barely recognisable. According to this man, the brothers were stark, raving mad. They scrambled down the mountain path as though demons were on their tail, screaming unintelligibly and shoving at each other as if the other was but an obstacle to escape. The villager barely got out of the way in time, and watched in disbelief as they simply stampeded past him, completely heedless of his calls. It was as though they no longer heard or understood human words.

Several paces down the path was a narrow pass, just barely the width of one person. Travellers knew to traverse the pass with caution, for a single wrong move could cause one to plummet down the cliffside to certain death. The villager called out a warning to the brothers, but it was again unheeded. He watched in horror as the two brothers’ desperate struggle reached its peak—and together, they both tumbled down the sheer cliff face, never to be seen again.”

Sen fell silent after that, and Amatsuki let out a breath that he hadn’t realised he was holding. For a long moment, the only break in the silence was the sound of the crackling fire. It almost came as a shock to Amatsuki when Sen spoke again, his voice quiet. “The villager was greatly shaken by what he had witnessed, but he nevertheless decided to press on to the temple to gather his nerves before returning to the village. It was there that he saw what the Chang brothers had done to the temple, and he began to put the pieces together. He had lived in the village for many years, since before the monk of the mountain temple had passed on and the temple fell to ruin. What, then, could it be but the dedicated monk continuing his life’s work even after his death and punishing those who dared to be wantonly disrespectful?

“The man carefully set the temple to rights again. He removed the Chang brothers’ bedding, replaced the idols, and from his own store he set out fresh offerings of fruit. After lighting the incense, the man left the temple to return to the village, eager to share his tale.

“The stories spread far and wide from there. Soon, the haunted temple and the would-be ghost of the monk that resided there became famous. The village saw more and more travellers passing through, all eager to see the temple for themselves. Before long, though, some villagers began to grow concerned. While most of the travellers returned unscathed, several were never heard from again. Once, two travellers set off together and only one came back, stammering out a terrified account about how his friend had accidentally knocked over an offering bowl and the ghost had visited his wrath upon them. The villagers feared that eventually, the old monk’s ghost would start to harm innocents.”

Sen cast another sidelong glance at Amatsuki, a faint smile teasing at his lips. “And that’s where I come in. Like I said, I first heard the story from a human: one of the villagers. I was still actively working as an exorcist then, and they were quite relieved when I happened to visit the village. They begged me to visit the temple and set the monk’s spirit to rest, so that all travellers would be safe. I had actually lodged at the temple myself on several previous occasions, so the tale concerned me personally. Of course I agreed, and set out to check on the temple the next day…”

Amatsuki could see the hint of a smirk at Sen’s lips. It had him wondering what manner of creature was behind the story, to put that expression on his face. Sen was right—the ghost stories had been more fun when he was an unknowing human, and the creatures had been far more fantastical. They’d been out of reach and all the more terrifying for that.

Now that he was with Sen and the spirit world had opened itself up to him, there was a different kind of thrill to it. It had changed from mystique to merely mystery. But well… that wasn’t all bad.

“And? What did you find?” he asked.

Sen shrugged, leaning back and bracing himself on the log. “Nothing.”

Amatsuki stared at him disbelievingly, but Sen didn’t bother meeting his gaze. When another beat went by, he leaned over to glare straight at him, their noses almost brushing. “Sen! Stop playing with me. Tell me what you found.”

Sen laughed, hooking Amatsuki a little closer. “I’m not joking. There was absolutely nothing, and that’s what I told the villagers. But do you remember that I said that a demon gave me a more complete account?”

“Yes. Please tell me that account has more of a climax.”

“Oh, well… that depends on how you look at it. But I’d say it does.” Sen was still smirking a little when he settled back to continue his story. Amatsuki was half-inclined to poke his cheek to make him stop. “I didn’t dismiss the temple as having nothing immediately. What the villagers had told me did indicate that there was a demon or spirit of some sort living there. When nothing presented itself, I thought to ask another demon—one who lived in the mountain—to come and spend the night there with me…”

“Wait, let me get this straight,” Amatsuki interrupted. “When you say ‘spend the night’, do you mean that you ‘spent the night’ with that demon… investigating?”

Sen’s laugh sounded a little too amused. “We investigated. That’s all I’ll say. Why, are you jealous?”

Amatsuki rolled his eyes, jabbing Sen in the chest. “I would have no time left to do anything else if I worried about your past conquests. You’ve slept with gods. I asked because I was trying to figure out if you were being deliberately disrespectful to lure out the spirit.”

“For the record, he was a guardian spirit. But really, you see right through me.” Sen’s tone was affectionate. “Yes, that was the intention, but we actually never got around to the deed. You see, the demon enlightened me as to the true nature of the spirit before we did.”

Amatsuki sat up straight at that. “Really? So what was it?”

“Be patient. You’re the one that wanted a good story.” Sen reached over to tweak his nose, making Amatsuki wrinkle it. “Anyway, you recall that I’d visited the temple and stayed there before?”

“Yes, and?”

“Nothing out of the ordinary happened on most of those visits, except one. I usually slept in the rafters when I visited, as the floor wasn’t much to sleep on. On this visit I speak of, I was half-asleep when two travellers came in—brothers.”

Sen had absently started stroking Amatsuki’s hair while he told the tale. He barely seemed to notice he was doing it, and Amatsuki couldn’t exactly say he minded. “I left them alone at first. They weren’t bothering me, so I wasn’t going to bother them. I dozed a little until their banging and clanging woke me up, and that was when I looked down and realised what they’d done. They were removing the idols from the altars—”

“Okay, wait.” Amatsuki knew he probably shouldn’t be interrupting at this point, but he was starting to get an inkling of what Sen was building up to. “This is all sounding eerily familiar.”

“Just listen, dearest.” Sen grunted when Amatsuki jabbed him hard in retaliation at the pet name, but continued anyway. “Anyway, the brothers removed the idols and spread their bedding out on the altars. I realised that they’d also helped themselves to the offerings—which, by the way, I had set out. I decided I wasn’t going to let that slide, so I determined to teach them a lesson…”

“By driving them mad until they fell off a mountain path?” Amatsuki finished dryly.

“Please, no. I just, ah… well, let’s just say that most humans are very sensitive to invisible touches. All I did was hide my presence and drop some feathers on them from the rafters.” Sen shrugged. “They were both cowards. I got them all worked up, and before I knew it they were blaming each other for going along with the plan to sleep on the altars. The next thing I knew they were grappling, so I just gave them a little extra push with a few ominous noises that humans think are ghost-like, and finished off by toppling a loose beam from the rafters. Then they shrieked like babies and scurried out of the temple, and I settled back in to finish off my night’s sleep while congratulating myself on a job well-done. I thought to set the temple to rights when I awoke, but by the time I did, someone else had already done so.” Finallly noticing Amatsuki’s pointed gaze, Sen protested, “Hey, how was I supposed to know that they would fall off the path?”

“Oh, god.” Amatsuki dropped his head against Sen’s chest. “No, Sen. This is not a fitting climax. I wanted a ghost, not—not you.”

“You asked me for the story. This was the best I could come up with, and I’m a demon. You can’t say the supernatural wasn’t involved.”

“Fine… but wait. So did you light the candles all those other times?”

“Ah, yes. About that.” Sen smiled. “It was actually Aiyu that did that—I mean the demon that lives in the mountain. The one I asked to spend the night with me. She knew that I visited the temple sometimes, so if she heard someone coming up the mountain, she would light the candles and burn incense so I would know she was there. But it so happens that after she started the habit, the next time I visited was at the behest of the villagers. I hid my presence the first night to make sure no spirits would notice me, and the next night I asked her for her help before I went, which was when she explained everything to me. That was when I made the connection between the brothers I’d scared off and the apparently-mad duo as well.”

“What about the traveller who accidentally knocked over the offering dish?”

Sen raised his hands in surrender. “I have no idea about that. My best guess is that they knocked over the dish, panicked, and fell to their death while trying to make their way back to the village. A tragic accident, but nothing to do with me.”

Amatsuki made a face into Sen’s robes. “I have a feeling you told me this story just to prove to me how uninteresting ghost stories are now that I’m no longer the innocent human.”

“Are you calling me a bad storyteller?” Sen teased. “You seemed intrigued for most of it. I would say that I delivered on my promise.”

Amatsuki lifted his head at that, regarding Sen thoughtfully. Eventually, he breathed out a sigh, unable to fully stop the smile tugging at his lips. “Alright, you win. No more ghost stories. The explanations feel so much more mundane now that I know that the terrifying crane demon behind all of this is actually just an overdramatic, ridiculous, silly—”

“Alright, you don’t need to say it all.”

“—idiot that I love.”

Sen was clearly caught off-guard by the finish, and Amatsuki smiled in satisfaction. Sen had spent all that time setting up his plot twist, but he was still so easy to catch unawares. “I’ll count your promise as delivered… on one condition.”

“Which is?” Sen asked in interest.

“That you’ll show me what kind of ‘investigating’ you intended to do with Aiyu that night.”

A slow smirk suffused Sen’s face. “I can certainly do that.”

Ghost stories were the last thing on Amatsuki’s mind after that.

azurrys
Time for November!

This month, we’re doing something a little different! In lieu of a provided prompt, we are asking you guys to submit prompt ideas that you would potentially like to see run! At the end of the month, we will select six of the submitted prompt ideas to use in the upcoming months (we will be alternating between player-submitted prompts and our own prompts every other month).

Since this is a bit of a shift from the norm, we have a few guidelines for you to keep in mind:

  • All prompts should be submitted in the format provided below.
  • Each player may submit as many prompts as they would like. However, we will only be choosing up to one prompt from each player.
  • Please keep all of your prompt submissions in a single post!
  • Prompts may be serious, silly, or somewhere in between! Likewise, they may be either art-only, writing-only, or mixed media. (Keep in mind that art or writing only prompts tend to be less popular - they can dissuade players who are not very strong in the selected medium from entering!)
The Prizes:
  • Each player who has one of their prompts chosen for future usage will be awarded a random Cave Capsule
  • Players whose prompts are chosen will be offered the opportunity to be our guest judge during the month that their prompt is run. This is optional. If you do not feel comfortable or do not think you’ll have the time to be a guest judge, that is totally okay!
  • Each player who submits at least one prompt suggestion will receive their 1 gem participation prize
The Form:

All prompts must be submitted in the following format in order for us to accept them. If your prompt is chosen and any tweaks need to be made before the month it goes up, we will be happy to work with you!

Prompt Title: (Title of prompt)
Prompt Type: (Mixed media, art-only, or writing-only)
(body of prompt goes here - this is typically a little bit of flavor text that sets the stage for the prompt! The prompt itself is typically explained at the end along with any specific instructions, but you may format this as you see fit!)
If chosen, would you like to guest judge? (Yes or No)

[quote][b][u]Prompt Title:[/b][/u] (Title of prompt)
[b][u]Prompt Type:[/b][/u] (Mixed media, art-only, or writing-only)
(body of prompt goes here - this is typically a little bit of flavor text that sets the stage for the prompt! The prompt itself is typically explained at the end along with any specific instructions, but you may format this as you see fit!)
[b][u]If chosen, would you like to guest judge?[/b][/u] (Yes or No)[/quote]
Posted 11/01/16, edited 11/02/16

.....Oooooohhh!!!!  *scribbles down an idea .... 

Congratulations to this month’s winners!!!  Crow  thank you so much for the feedback <3

My entry for November c=

Prompt Title: Your Dream Getaway
Prompt Type: Mixed media
Does your Ineki daydream of the warm sand squished between its toes, basking on the beach of a sunny island instead of shovelling snow?  Does your Kelph long to roll and play in deep powdery snow whilst sweltering in the Summer sun?  Tell us your pets’ ideal dream getaway.
If chosen, would you like to guest judge? No thank you

Posted 11/01/16, edited 11/01/16
Ooh, thanks for the cave capsule and the comments!
Posted 11/01/16

MERU I AM LAUGHING SO HARD AT YOUR COMMENT (but seriously, thanks for the feedback!)

Congratulations to all the other winners!

Posted 11/01/16

I have no idea what my life is going to look like months from now, so I just marked no on the guest judge. I included code in spoilers just because I could. :D

1.

Prompt Title: A Little Rebellion Never Hurt (or did it…)
Prompt Type: Mixed media
We all have that rebel in us that tells us to do the things we know we shouldn’t. Whether it’s sneaking an extra piece of candy from the jar at the office, or calling in sick to go shopping, everyone has their rebellious moments. Tell us about a time your character rebelled against the system. How did they get away with it, or why didn’t they?
If chosen, would you like to guest judge? No

[quote][b][u]Prompt Title:[/b][/u] A Little Rebellion Never Hurt (or did it...)
[b][u]Prompt Type:[/b][/u] Mixed media
We all have that rebel in us that tells us to do the things we know we shouldn't. Whether it's sneaking an extra piece of candy from the jar at the office, or calling in sick to go shopping, everyone has their rebellious moments. Tell us about a time your character rebelled against the system. How did they get away with it, or why didn't they?[/quote]


2.

Prompt Title: Love at First Sight
Prompt Type: Mixed Media
Have you ever walked down the street and seen someone and thought to yourself ‘wow, they’re hot’. No? What about your characters? Tell us about a time one of your characters ‘fell in love’. What attracted them? Did they pursue it? Were they rejected, or did it work out?
If chosen, would you like to guest judge?No

[code]

Prompt Title: Love at First Sight
Prompt Type: Mixed Media
Have you ever walked down the street and seen someone and thought to yourself ‘wow, they’re hot’. No? What about your characters? Tell us about a time one of your characters ‘fell in love’. What attracted them? Did they pursue it? Were they rejected, or did it work out?

Posted 11/01/16

Prompt Title: Irrational Fears
Prompt Type: Mixed Media
Afraid of Spiders or Snakes? At least those are common. What about moths, ladybugs… water? Everyone has one of those fears they’re unsure what to do with. What about your character? What kind of fear or phobia do they have to deal with and how do they cope?
If chosen, would you like to guest judge? No

Prompt Title: To Give is to Receive
Prompt Type: Mixed Media
The season of gift giving is coming soon. Do you have a character that enjoys giving gifts, or just receiving? Write about gifts your character has given!
If chosen, would you like to guest judge? No

Posted 11/01/16, edited 11/20/16
Crow I don’t seem to have received a comment despite qualifying for this month… Is there some reason for this?
Posted 11/02/16

Eep, thank you for the spotlight and to Meru for the kind comment! <3

Crow I would like a Faerie Chimes, please c:

Posted 11/02/16

Hyasynthetic
Apologies, I copy/pasted wrong when I was compiling the post. It’s been fixed!

Azurrys
Will do! :D

Posted 11/02/16

That’s a really interesting idea! I’ll probably come back later to put more prompts here! :)

Prompt Title: I Think I Heard Something
Prompt Type: Mixed Media
When we are all alone at home, any little noise is reason to stay alert and make our worst fears go through our head. What is the worst fear of your character? Spiders or other horrible insects? Maybe that awful monster of the movie they saw last weekend? Using the kind of art you prefer, tell us what is the worst fear of your character. Not limit yourself to the examples given, your character can have fear of something silly (and maybe be laughed because of that) or of something deeper, like the fear of losing a loved one. Remember that some of our users do have phobias, so you if you have an drawing of some insect or spiders (or any other thing that can make people uncomfortable), remember to put it under a spoiler tag!
If chosen, would you like to guest judge? No, thank you!

Prompt Title: The Flowers Are Blooming!]
Prompt Type: Mixed Media
Ah, Spring is coming! The season of beautiful flowers and…Achoo! The season of itching noses! What does your character thing about Spring? Do they love all the beautiful new flowers that come back to life at this time? Do they hate it because (Achoo!) they can’t even breath with so much pollen? Using any media you want, tell us how your character react at the start of Sping.
If chosen, would you like to guest judge? Yes, please

Prompt Title: What Is That Smell?
Prompt Type: Mixed Media
The time of giving is coming and what it all kinds of delicious food. Do your character comemorate any festivity at the end of the year? If they do, how is the food? What do they usually eat? Do they look forward to any kind of food? Or maybe they look forward to make their family-famous dessert? If they don’t comemorate anything, what do they think about all of that festivity food?Do they eat these delicious food anyway? Or do they belive it’s just a bunch of nonsense? Using the media you prefer, tell us about how your character react to all the delicious food from the end of year festivities!
If chosen, would you like to guest judge? Yes, please

Posted 11/02/16, edited 11/02/16

Prompt Title: All Work and No Play…
Prompt Type: Mixed media
Your character had a long day doing the daily grind. Maybe their coworker was being unbearably irritating, or their current task is needlessly difficult. Either way, when they return home, they are met with the unnecessary need to unwind. Maybe they’ll pick up that abandoned hobby, or just stare at a wall.
Use any medium to show how your character spends their free time, however that may be.
If chosen, would you like to guest judge?No, thanks.

Posted 11/02/16, edited 11/21/16

Prompt Title: Remembering Lost Ones
Prompt Type: Mixed Media
Everyone experiences loss at one point or another. The emotions brought forth from such an experience can be tremendously powerful in both positive and negative ways, and have the potential to change someone’s life forever. Has your character ever experienced such a loss? Who was it, and how did they react emotionally? If they haven’t lost anyone, who are they most afraid of losing in the future? Abstract pieces are welcome.
If chosen, would you like to guest judge? Yes, I would love to be! :D

This is the first month I’ve been here for this, and it looks like such fun! :D I can’t wait to write something for December!

Posted 11/02/16, edited 11/02/16

Dove Thank you for the comments! That’s one thing that always gets me in horror movies, how dumb the charas are about whatever it is going down.

Prompt Title:The Greatest Gift
Prompt Type: Mixed media
Some gifts are tangible, some intangible. What is the best present your character has ever gotten, from a friend or from family, or perhaps the universe in general? How did it affect them emotionally? Did it change their life in some way, large or small? Tell us about the experience and what came after it
If chosen, would you like to guest judge? Yes Please!

Prompt Title: Ties that Bind
Prompt Type: Writing Only
Everyone has that person or people in their life that is with them to the end. Whether it’s a relative or a close friend, whether you want them to be there or not, they are unshakeable. Does your character appreciate having them by their side? What is their relationship like?
If chosen, would you like to guest judge?Yes please!

Crow If I come back with more (which I certainly hope to) do you guys have a preference as to whether I edit this post or make another one?

Posted 11/03/16, edited 11/27/16

Losty
Edit them all into one post, please! :D It will make compiling everything much easier.

Posted 11/04/16

Prompt Title: Memory Loss
Prompt Type: Mixed media
Your character has somehow lost their memories! It’s up to you to decide how it happened. How do they, and their closest friends, react? What would they do to jog their memories? How would they feel about forgetting what they know?
If chosen, would you like to guest judge? Yes, please ^_^

Myth: No matter where you go in life, always keep an eye out for Cade, the tackling Alzheimer’s ineki.
Gage: Who?
Barricade: (flies in from nowhere, tackles Gage through a door) WHO AM I?
(okay so that’s not quite how they met but you get the idea. Barricade is a bit like Johnny the Tackling Alzheimer’s Patient from Scrubs)

[quote][b][u]Prompt Title:[/b][/u] Memory Loss
[b][u]Prompt Type:[/b][/u] Mixed media
Your character has somehow lost their memories! It's up to you to decide how it happened. How do they, and their closest friends, react? What would they do to jog their memories? How would they feel about forgetting what they know?
[b][u]If chosen, would you like to guest judge?[/b][/u] Yes, please ^_^[/quote]

Prompt Title: Markings
Prompt Type: Mixed media
Everyone bears marks that they get throughout their lives. Sometimes they carry a deeper meaning or a memory best left forgotten. What’s the story of your character’s markings? Their scars, tattoos, the symbol they always wear. What does it mean to them? How did it happen? What do others think of these marks and do they know the real story behind them?
If chosen, would you like to guest judge? Yes, please!

Drum: You told me you got that scar in a fight against bandits.
Fell: Yeah, sorry. I was just trying to impress you. I kinda smacked myself in the face with a notebook and got one heck of a papercut…

[quote][b][u]Prompt Title:[/b][/u] Markings
[b][u]Prompt Type:[/b][/u] Mixed media
Everyone bears marks that they get throughout their lives. Sometimes they carry a deeper meaning or a memory best left forgotten. What's the story of your character's markings? Their scars, tattoos, the symbol they always wear. What does it mean to them? How did it happen? What do others think of these marks and do they know the real story behind them?
[b][u]If chosen, would you like to guest judge?[/b][/u] Yes, please![/quote]
Posted 11/06/16, edited 11/06/16

Prompt Title: A Second Chance
Prompt Type: Mixed Media
Most people have regrets in their lives. Whether it’s one minute or one decade later, they look back at something and wish they could have done things differently. Is there something your character did that they regret? Did they pass up a chance to do something that they now wish they had done? Is there still a way to make things right—and would it be worth it?
If chosen, would you like to guest judge? No

 

Prompt Title: Furry Friends
Prompt Type: Mixed Media
Hopper isn’t the only one in the cave who likes animals! Share your character’s experience with them. Have they ever had a pet? Befriended a stray creature? Do they have a more magical companion, one they might call a familiar? Or do they want nothing to do with animals?
If chosen, would you like to guest judge? No

Posted 11/11/16

Prompt Title: The Mycenian Job
Prompt Type: Mixed Media
Your character is poised to perform the heist of the century, to steal the impossible! What is it? Shimmering jewels, stacks of cash, or something else? Does your character choose to work alone or with others? What part does your character play in the heist? Are they the hacker, the getaway driver, the muscle, or someone else?
If chosen, would you like to guest judge? Yes, please!

Prompt Title: World War MC
Prompt Type: Mixed Media
Oh no! The apocalypse has occurred and the Cave has dissolved into chaos! Your character and their brave band of adventurers must find a way to survive. Who does your character chose as their allies? What are they facing off against? Hordes of the undead? Natural disaster? Or something else? Everyone in the stalwart band has their own role- what’s your character’s? The healer, the fighter, or someone else? Choose carefully… The fate of your band may rest in your paws!
If chosen, would you like to guest judge? Yes, please!

Posted 11/11/16
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