Celebrated at the end of every October and beginning of November, Morgeis' Walk is a sacred festival for residents of the Mandalus world. It is a holiday that is treated seriously by every citizen of the city, regardless if they are on the side of the Honored Guests or support the Cult. For Mandalus, Morgeis' Walk is the time where lost spirits pass to the afterlife.
At least, that is what it was supposed to be.
Times and customs have changed in Mandalus. The holiday once seen to say goodbye to loved ones is now a time of terror. Citizens still hope that their loved ones cross to the next realm, but do everything they can to please the angered spirits of those who have died in the ongoing war.
Lore of Morgeis
The Demi-God Morgeis was born to the Goddess Enrilem and a mortal man. His natural body was cursed to be that of skeletal features, causing him to wear a mask that shrouded his face. Punished by the others for his own nature, Morgeis was charged to ferry the souls of the dead to the afterlife. Once every year, for two weeks, Morgeis would come to the land of the living to show the wayward spirits the way to their eternal rest. Those who did not meet Morgeis would wait another year. The original name of the holiday was "The Time Morgeis Walked Among Us", but has been shortened to "Morgeis' Walk" in modern Mandalus times.
The actual day of Morgeis walking through Mandalus would traditionally be November 5th/6th.
Morgeis would then fall in love with the Goddess Messis, creating a union between the seasonal passings. Lore has it that Morgeis was devoured by the Serpent God, Mes'Klou, which could explain the appearance the god has when seen in Mandalus.
What To Expect
• Decorations: will be in every single district of the city. Homes, businesses and public areas are decorated in colors of red, black and grey to represent the Legend of Morgeis. Lanterns will be placed outside of every building in hopes of guiding departed spirits to the afterlife. These lanterns, if followed, would guide anyone to the waters outside the Venetian and Old Town Districts.
• Citizens: will be covering their faces in public areas with masks. These masks are of any type, size, and kind. They do this in respect for not only Morgeis, but in hopes to hide their faces from vengeful spirits.
NOTE: Due to the Cult being in power, citizens will also be fearful of most Honored Guests in the time of Morgeis' Walk. While they will interact with them, they will seem skittish or even paranoid of the Guests.
• Weather: A thick fog is rolling into the city of Mandalus. It will hover low to the ground at night, and during the day stay in the air. It will not burn off.
• October 31st, Halloween: How will your character spend Halloween? This is entirely up to you! Mandalus has no importance of the exact day, but you are welcome to host parties, Trick-Or-Treat or do whatever you feel your character would do in the spirit of the event.
➡ HEADS WILL ROLL
Unlike our previous Morgeis' Walk, this year will have a narrative element that ties into our current ongoing event The Cult Rises. The sacred holiday will act as a stage ground for Madam Morris's next stage of her plan to bring about the goal of her god, Mes'Klou. This means that Mandalus will be faced with a haunting villain that will ride through the streets to pave way for the ultimate goal; under Morris's direction of course.
The Headless Horseman.
The Headless Horseman that will be galloping through the world of Mandalus is a bit different than the character seen in in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving. While we are keeping most of the story for a reveal by the C'Meni? Here is the lore that Honored Guests will be able to hear from the local residents.
The Headless General
In the times when Mandalus was a great Empire, there was a man by the name of Prince Aurim Shordi Trevintis, General of Mandalus' forces. As the Crown Prince, Trevintis was loved his people and saw them as infallible.
Prince Trevintis was then sent out to conquer foreign lands. While what happened is up to those who tell the legend, the Prince-General returned with a burning hatred for everything that his family, his people, and his empire stood for. He turned his back on everything he had been raised to do and joined the ranks of those who followed Mes'Klou. Within time he became the General of the Cult of Mes'Klou and laid siege to the very people he had once loved. As he steeped deeper into the dark magic, he became a powerful necromancer and began to summon those who had fallen under him back from death.
The Royal Family eventually captured their wayward son and found him guilty of treason. Fearing his necromancy, they had the Prince-General cursed to the very land of Mandalus itself. They hoped that sealing his spirit to his body, and burying the body would keep his soul from passing to the afterlife. As found guilty, Prince Trevintis was beheaded and his head sealed separately from his body.
Why does Madam Morris want the once infamous general returned when she alone heads the Cult? Those reasons are to be revealed as the event draws to a close. For now, Mandalus will be haunted by its literal past.
➡ THE EVENT
This event isn't all narrative. There will be plenty of spooky ways for Honored Guests to enjoy - or not enjoy - the Halloween spirit. Keep in mind that, like all of our holiday events, these are optional for your character to experience. But, as they are effecting the world around your character, they cannot be oblivious to it.
The Monster Mash
With the rise of the Headless General, monsters will be flooding into the streets of Mandalus through the thick fog. Mes'Klou has bestowed the power over the multiverse monsters upon his General, a power he took from The Mother when he devoured her.
• Clickers: From The Last Of Us. Clickers are mutated human beings, infected with the disease that effectively turns them into zombies. Clickers in Mandalus will claw, bite and scratch at any who come near them. If bitten? Your character will simply get sicker and sicker in the next few weeks. This will tie into our next plot point.
• Heartless: From Kingdom Hearts. Those who lose their heart to the darkness eventually become darkness and are called Heartless. The only way to release the heart is to defeat the embodiment. Perhaps releasing these hearts will release the souls under The Headless General's control.
• Cactuar: From Final Fantasy. Hidden away in the corners of the fog in Mandalus, Cactuars are skittish monsters that will spray needles at anyone who walks by. We need some humor in these events!
• Vengeful Ghosts: Those who have died in the previous conflicts of the war in Mandalus are not settled. Their spirits will be walking through the city, striking against the living and aiming to bring them to the same deadly misery they find themselves in. They are not under control of the Headless General--for now.
The Head Hunt
The Headless General will be looking for his head--as Headless Horsemen do. As such he will be available to strike, fight, and potentially kill any Honored Guests he comes across. Under his command are members of the Cult and even the monsters listed above. You are free to use any of these to torment your characters how you wish. Just make sure he doesn't talk. He doesn't have a head!
Will he find his head? Well, you'll all need to wait and see.
➡ THE EVENT TIMELINE
October 23rd Morgeis' Walk starts. A post from the Mandalus News Network will announce the beginning of the holiday event. Monsters will begin appearing when the thick fog rolls in that night.
October 25th The Headless General rides. A Flash Event post will open the narrating of this event. From this point on, Honored Guests can encounter him in the thick fog at night. Monsters continue to appear.
October 30th The C'Meni will address the Network with greater information concerning the Headless General and how to ward him off. Monsters continue to appear.
November 5th Morgeis' Walk ends. The fog rolls away as does the monsters, but the Headless General will oddly remain...