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NoTD 2015: Of Bones and Bats

The summer days were cooling into fall, which meant that one of Niami Denmother's favorite holidays was just around the corner. Still, she couldn't muster her usual excitement for the Nights of the Dead celebrations.

"Jus' another sign o' th' passing o' th' years, I suppose," she muttered to one of her carnivorous plants, Audrey. "Still, it will be nice tae see what th' trick or treaters do this year, eh?"

Audrey appeared underwhelmed by the thought, giving a disdainful fluff of her variegated leaves. After all, it had been years since Mum had even allowed the plant to chase a misbehaving trick or treater, much less anything more appetizing (such as unwelcome salesmen)! She was far more interested in the fascinating meaty smells coming from the crate that had just been delivered to the island's dock.

Mum continued on, chattering as she tried to get herself into a mood better suited for decorating for the upcoming event. "Now that I've moved tae this Vale island, I hae a bit more room tae decorate in style. Mayhaps some webbing in some o' th' trees. Mayhaps e'en add some o' those trees wi' eyes that I found frae Qho up in the Fearcreep. An' bats. Hmmm, I need tae find a good source o' bats."

The pint-sized halfling scratched her head, running her fingers through her greying red hair. "I cannae do much wi' live bats, as they'll go where they wish, but mayhaps the mages may know of a way tae fire off an illusion or the like?"

"Anyway, Audrey, I'll actually hae a job frae ye an' Seymour that night." Many might have scoffed at her for talking to a carnivorous plant, no matter how mobile that plant might be. However, the plant certainly reacted to its name, and a darker plant came trundling out of the burrow-house that was now Niami's home. "Och, there ye be, Seymour! Aye, a job frae ye twa!"

Mum waggled a finger at the two plants. "We've nae had troublemakers in a bit, but I expect a couple o' th' older "kids" tae be up tae mischief. If Tilly an' Tad show up, ye twa chase them right off th' island frae me, ye hear?"

Oh, rapture of raptures! Oh happiest of days! Rare were the times that they got to chase prey, and if Mum was distracted enough, they might even be able to bite a time or two as well!

"That's frae later, though. I hae something frae ye twa tae do right now ... well, as soon as I can get this crate open!"

Mum had forgotten to bring a crowbar over to her new place, and she didn't feel like taking a portal to the workshop just to get a tool. One thing would lead to another, and it'd be several hours before she got home again. She did, however, have the next best thing, at least in her eyes!

She took a deep breath, planted her feet solidly, and raised her ironwood rolling pin over her shoulder. She barely noticed the two carnivorous plants scattering as she wound up for a mighty swing.

KERRRRRRRRRRRRTHWAPPPPPPPPPP

First one upper corner of the crate was attacked, then another, until the lid was loose enough for her to tear off. So intent had she been on her work that she didn't even hear her apprentice Agnor come through the portal until he spoke up behind her.

"You know, Mum, you could have asked for me to bring over a crowbar."

"Och! Do nae sneak up on a body like that, lad!" Mum still held the rolling pin in a batter's pose, so the coldain wisely stood back several paces. "Anyway, I did nae think o' it earlier, an' I did nae expect this shipment until tomorrow. I've got it now, but mayhaps ye can help me remember tae get one made frae here?"

"Of course, Mum." He mentally translated her request into "Please remember to get one as Mum will forget" and filed it on his mental to-do list.

The two carnivorous plants edged closer again as Mum set down the rolling pin and lifted the top off the crate. Something smelled really delicious!

"Ye twa, I need ye tae clean the bones. Th' meat is frae ye, th' bones are frae me. Got it? NO eating th' bones!"

The plants were practically quivering by this point, as she tore off one side of the now badly battered crate and let them in. One of the meat- and hide-covered bones contained inside was as long as Niami was tall, and all of the bones combined were a quite hearty feast indeed!"

She grinned at the impassive Coldain as she turned from the crate. "After seeing th' pygmy projects wi' bone, I had an idea or twa I wanted tae try, an' this gi'es th' plants a treat at th' same time."

Agnor nodded, just as glad such experiments would take place on the well-ventilated island, and not in some enclosed shop where curing the bones would be an odiferous project. Then he cleared his throat, "As expected folks are coming up with some interesting recipes for this year's Nights of the Dead celebration. The merchants are getting in on the act, including some rather interesting housepets and plushies. One of them is even a rather clever swarm of bats."

"Bats!" Och!" Without a single word of explanation, Mum was scampering for the dock, and the bell back to Qeynos. Thankfully, Agnor was well used to Niami's quirks and just shrugged ruefully at the plants before heading into Mum's home to drop the rest of his notes on her kitchen table. It looked like he'd have some free time to go visit his ladylove, Gnormajean, after all.

A couple weeks later, Mum's little island was ready for the eager trick-or-treaters. She always went all-out on the homemade treats, making her a huge hit with the kids (and their parents), and the island was festooned with holiday decorations. Audrey and Seymour were also patrolling the island in their own leafy way, only stopping once in a while for a curious sniff.

Mum cooed and oohed appropriately at any of the small children, especially the ones who had homemade costumes instead of purchased illusions, and things seemed to be going smoothly. No sooner had Mum had that thought when she noticed a pair of pygmies glaring at the totem sculpture that Niami had made.

While Niami was known to be on friendly terms with the pygmies, her blue eyes narrowed as she took a second glance before stomping over to the two. She gabbled off a greeting in Gymy, the pygmy language, just to be safe, but when there was no response, she closed in on the pair.

The female spoke up at last, her tone belligerent, "Deino bones sacred. You blaspheme! BAD halfling! You no pygmy friend now!"

To the surprise of the gathered trick or treaters, Mum simply snorted. "Nice try Tilly an' Tad, but I told ye before that ye were nae welcome on my property e'er again after th' damage that ye did last year. What part o' that did ye nae understand? Clearly, ye did nae come tae repay the platinum ye owe me frae th' repairs!"

The male pygmy spoke up, "Don't know dis Tad. You BAD halfling! You give us things to make deino spirits less angry!"

Well, if that's the way they wanted to play it, Mum had a surprise or two in store for them.

She began ticking points off on her fingers as the crowd drew closer, blocking the way back to the docks. "First, ye speak common WORSE than any pygmy that it is my privilege tae know. Second, ANY self-respecting pygmy would recognize that those are nae deino bones - they're actually raptor bones hunted in th' Withered Lands. Third, ye forgot tae hide yuir trick or treat buckets, ye greedy fools!" Mum bent down the fourth finger, so her hand was now forming a fist. "An' fourth, ye forgot that those purchased illusion spells only change yuir look, nae yuir smell!"

Mum gestured to the pair of carnivorous plants that had crept closer while she stalled the pair. "Ye remember Audrey an' Seymour, don't ye?" Mum asked in a sickeningly sweet voice. "They remember ye!"

With that, the pair of fake pygmies shrieked and tried to push through the crowd to flee the pursuing plants. "Och! Such lovely music tae my ears. A failed trick by desctructive troublemakers means such a lovely treat frae me! If, I mean when, they actually make it back tae th' mainland, th' guards want tae hae a ..." she coughed delicately. "... chat wi' 'em aboot numerous break-ins an' thefts in town. Th' plants will make sure they do nae stray in th' meantime."

With that, Mum scooped up the treat pails that the two had left behind. "Ooooh, candy corn! My favorite!"


Nights of the Dead 2015 will run on the non-TLE EQ2 servers from October 8, 2015 through November 2, 2015. (Remember, TLE servers do not get world events.)

What is NOT New

Due to the hectic schedule of prelude events and expansion prep for the team, there are no new quests this year. There are, however, new buyables and new crafting recipes.

New Recipes

These items require a nights of the dead candy (any type of NoTD candy) as well as tier 2 resources and tier 2 fuels. As with the NoTD recipes from past years, the recipe scroll requires a level 2 artisan to scribe. While the recipes can be created at that level, they are difficulty level 29.

Nights of the Dead candies of varying types can be found as body drops on undead and/or "creepy" monsters. To save on space, you can then convert your candies into candy corn at Grabby Gigglegibber who can be found at your home crafting society. Zam has a lovely list of mob types and what type of candy they drop that can be found here.

Nights of the Dead vendors in the crafting areas in all home cities sell a new recipe book this year, Celebrations of the Dead VIII. It contains recipes for the following items:

Autumnal Hanging Tendril
Autumnal Shrub
Blackhearted Chair
Blackhearted Couch
Blackhearted Pillow
Blackhearted Round Pillow
Blackhearted Twin Bed
Eerie Skull Candle
Grouped Melting Candles
Hollowed Bone Arrangement
Hollowed Tree Stump
Large Dangling Skull Collection
Remnants of a Meal
Scattered Bone Pile
Totem Bone Arrangement
Urzarach Wall Trophy
Zombie Wall Trophy

New Buyables

The Nights of the Dead vendors in the crafting areas of all home cities will sell the followingnew items, in addition to returning items from past years:

Aged Obelisk Gravemarker
5 candy corn
Albino Slither
(house pet)
25 candy corn
Bat Swarm Plushie
25 candy corn
Damaged Obelisk Gravestone
5 candy corn
Nights of the Dead
Brokenskull Ghost Costume
(illusion)1s 20c
Nights of the Dead
Dshinn Pygmy Costume
(illusion)
1s 20c
Petamorph Wand:
Diseased Brittlebone Skitterer
5 candy corn
Petamorph Wand:
Torturous Tome
5 candy corn
Rustmonster Plushie
15 candy corn
Tenacious Razorclaw
(housepet)
25 candy corn
Were-Hunter's Pelt
(statless cloak)
30 candy corn
Were-Hunter's Trophy Helm
(no-trade statless helm)
50 candy corn

In addition, there is one new buyable item that cannot be previewed:

Bangle of Specter's Glare
25 candy corn

This item is an attuneable charm with unlimited charges (must be attuned, but does not have to be equipped to be used). It summons a shadowy specter that rises up from the ground behind the player. It rises up, sinks back into the ground, then sinks back into the ground, then rises up again until the 30 second duration has ended. For best effect, do not be mounted when you use it. (When mounted, the specter's "face" will not be visible behind the player's head, as it is when not mounted.)

Bangle of Specter's Glare
25 candy corn

Created: 2015-09-22 05:24:32          
Last Modified By: Niami Denmother          
Last Modified on: 2016-10-25 05:46:02          

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