'Halloween in Hargeon!' is what the grand signs read at the main entrances to the town, which hardly looks like itself. The entire ocean-side location appears to have been put under a witchy spell, completely transforming it into a spooky city even the undead would be proud to call home! A full moon bathes the whole area in eerie brightness that can never quite stave off the darkness, so enchanted candles and lanterns seeming to belong to the grim reaper himself have been given orders to float all around to light the way for the much-anticipated guests, accompanied by exquisitely carved jack-o'-lanterns edging every road and alleyway. Distant shrieks echo from around corners off the beaten path on the way in. Are they from spirits, or children playing pranks? Purple ribbons emblazoned with glittering black bats swag between each ominously flickering street lamp with large bows tied at each post that flutter in a non-existent breeze. All costumed individuals will be admitted by a towering patchwork monster-bouncer with bolts in his neck, and once inside are welcome to partake of the festivities held within... but perhaps only the brave will chance it on his hauntingly magical night.
Along the boardwalk near the piers, Hargeonites have set up the main festivities. More pumpkins grace this area with their warm glows, most carved like the rest on the paths, though some hold the likenesses of the mages kind enough to gather so many on the jobs offered in the days before the grand event. They're stacked into pyramids of various sizes between bleak vendor tents and entertainers set up long the lengthy path. Some sell snacks so good they'll haunt your dreams, while others sell cursed items and magic charms. Ghastly clowns on stilts juggle fireballs and chase any who show fear. A gaunt man with fake blood smeared all over his face swallows swords. Acrobats in skeleton leotards flip and soar, sometimes spitting fire in the process. Zombie-ran stalls are dispersed throughout with creepy games where you try to knock down shrunken heads with apples, or throw axes to decapitate a precariously flailing zombie hanging from a rope. Dare you step up to let a toothless psychic read your palm? Or will you head down an alley to a haunted house? Or maybe petting the adoptable black cats brought in from Mathilda's Feline Shelter is more your speed? If all the hustle and bustle is too much for the introverted souls, head out onto the docks and pick out one of the many ghost ships bobbing in the inky waters and take on more of a spectator's role.
Closer to the bubbling black-water fountain that fills the area with purple mist at the center of the long walkway, a massive stage appearing to be made of bones has been erected, already filled with instruments idly playing themselves to provide some creepy music for the attendee's wicked enjoyment. All around the fountain is clear of tents and other festivities save for a long, narrow tent of black canvas that serves as the bar, serving up perfectly terrifying concoctions to liven up the evening for those who need a little mystical social lubricant. The open, misty space is surrounded by green, purple, and orange lights that dance around as the ghostly announcer soon invites attendees to do the same. Once the night is properly started and the crowds are thick, the instruments playing themselves will suddenly crash to the ground, and the best musicians in all of Earthland will assemble in their best costumes, just to put on one of the most anticipated concerts of the year! Feel free to crowd around the stage to watch, or take to the edges to dance, should the spirit possess you.
One thing's for certain, there are enough thrills and chills for all involved. Hargeon is the place to be this Halloween! They've spared no expense and planned everything to a terrifying T...except for that lingering black fog. It rolls in on its own and provides a little extra chaos to those who fall victim, perhaps conjured by an extra powerful mage or just a natural ghostly phenomenon. One thing's for sure, mages who investigated a black powder last Halloween might find it awfully familiar...