Xianxia Dressing Room

The days have been becoming shorter as the end of the year approaches. On the horizon is the knowledge that soon the sun will be returning... but on the last day before daylight lengthens again, something unexpected happens: the sun doesn't shine at all. Sure, the ball of light rises in the sky, but the world around remains dark. It's as if it's no brighter than the moon, providing only the faint illumination of nighttime even though it's most certainly the day.

But like the cycle of the year, it doesn't need to be dark forever. Those who happen to witness any tangyuan made around this time will immediately notice that the balls are bright enough that they're glowing. Eating one restores one's perception of the brightness of the sun back to normal for several hours; if the tangyuan is shared with one's family, it'll brighten things for the entirety of the remaining hours of daylight. Only this one day seems to be affected, as the next day the sun rises again, bright as usual.

Feel free to play with any or all of this as you wish!

It's the season for mooncakes!

Under the cool light of the moon, it's time to partake in these delightful treats as one enjoys the lanterns glowing around them! Although upon further inspection, the lanterns don't seem to be the only thing glowing. Eating a mooncake might reveal a glowing mark somewhere upon one's body. It might be small or large, obvious or subtle, and could take any number of shapes. Some people might even find themselves with more than one!

These marks will fade with time, but don't go and simply forget about them: someone out there has a matching mark, and it's up to you to find them! Who knows what will happen if you eat mooncakes together with that special someone? Perhaps the two of you may find yourselves... over the moon?

Feel free to play with any or all of this as you wish!

(Thank you for your patience during our hiatus! We apologize that this event is slightly belated for the season.)

Despite the warm summer evening, a chilly wind blows. With the setting of the sun, things suddenly seem a bit more... crowded.

Tonight the world is filled with ghosts and specters of all sorts, as the dead have returned to walk among the world of the living once more. Though not quite so solid they're certainly visible, and can even interact a bit if they have strong enough feelings. They'll haunt those familiar and unknown alike, perhaps to reminisce, perhaps to wreak havoc. Perhaps they simply want some offerings of food or money before they return to their own world.

How will you treat these visitors? Or are you perhaps one of the dead yourself? Whatever business you have, don't dawdle; the door back to the ghost realm closes soon...

Feel free to play with any or all of this as you wish!

There's been a mysterious force at work recently. That person that you've been meaning to see recently--perhaps a customer, a friend, family, or someone even closer to you than that--keeps missing your connections. Maybe you agreed to convene at a tea house, but one of you showed up late while the other had to leave early. Maybe there was a fire in the forest between your towns. Maybe it was as innocent-seeming as simply misunderstanding the meeting place. Maybe it was as strange as a sudden fog that whisked you far away from where you were supposed to be, without any explanation to be found. Whatever it is, you've been completely unable to see them, and it's been several days by this point!

That all changes one morning, when the two of you are suddenly side-by-side--perhaps even uncomfortably close. As if making up for lost time, this day, unlike all the others, the two of you seem utterly unable to separate! Maybe the door out of the room is jammed. Maybe there's a dangerous creature keeping you inside together. Maybe you set off in different directions, only to find yourselves passing on the road over and over again. Who can say whether it's the same force playing an opposite trick or a different one trying to overcompensate... All that's certain is that for now, there's no getting away no matter what you try!

Feel free to play with any or all of this as you wish!

With the weather heating up, some travelers from the north have brought a refreshing treat to help cool you off! Sushan is a dish made of ice with butter dripped on top of it, and the travelers have mentioned that you can even add a few fruits for an extra bit of sweetness. But beware, there's something a bit odd about the mixture...

Those who add jujubes to their sushan may find that no matter what they do, they always feel hot and can't seem to cool off. On the other hand, those who add calabash may find the opposite: no matter what they do, they always feel cold!
Adding melons might cause one to laugh at the smallest things, even things that might not even be funny... or adding pears might cause tears at even the slightest thing disappointing or sad!
Those who add plums might feel suddenly overly bold, adventurous, or even reckless, while anyone who adds bayberries might feel inexplicably timid and clingy!
If one adds peaches, they might find themselves unable to lie and often blurting out whatever is on their mind without any sort of filter. Alternatively, adding apricots might make one unable to tell a single truth, no matter what they want to say!

Feel free to play with any or all of this as you wish!

Despite summer's approaching warmth, there's a chill on the wind as the sun goes down. Seemingly without warning, a number of figures appear throughout the area. One may even recognize some of them: a poor man who drowned last week, a unfortunate woman ambushed by wolves a month ago, a child who died of fever half a year back, even an elder who passed peacefully nearly a year ago. Regardless of who it is, this person tries to beckon anyone they can--by coaxing, seduction, even force--to come with them. All of them are returning to a single village, and if one follows to that village, the mystery begins to unravel. Those of weaker constitutions, spiritual power, or a vulnerability to yin energy might find their very life forces being drained away once they approach, so don't dawdle.

The culprit is a tree that seems to have appeared almost overnight within the village graveyard. It has enslaved the spirits of all those laid to rest around its roots, and it's attempting to further grow in power. These figures are all ghosts, dragged back to the land of the living by the tree's wicked power as it tries to amass more strength. Those tempted to the village have their life forces stolen, and those then buried also give up their spirits. To free the spirits one must subdue the demonic tree, but the battle will not be an easy one.

Feel free to play with any or all of this as you wish!

The time has come for the great dragon boat races! Whether you and your team are participating or whether you're watching from the banks with your friends, everyone can have the chance to celebrate and worship the dragon gods alike! Groups speed along the river in their quest for victory, hoping to win luck and good health in the coming year. Be especially sure not to lose face for the dragons you're representing; you never know when one might be attending the festivities in disguise!

For those watching from the sides, the boats aren't the only entertainment. Plenty of people are selling zongzi, or even made it themselves, celebrating the winter harvests. Realgar wine abounds, fending off disease and driving away evil spirits. Festival-goers are welcome to indulge heartily in both meal and atmosphere!

Feel free to play with any or all of this as you wish!

Is that the faint sound of crying that one can hear on the whistling wind? Or perhaps... no, laughter? The laughter of a child?

Suddenly a wave of qi washes over the listener, disrupting their natural balance. And with this disruption, they're no longer able to retain their original form... instead, their body has been reverted to that of a child's!

Some retain their memories of adulthood; some do not. Maybe this isn't even the first time they've been returned to their childhood body. Either way they'll probably find themselves rather restricted compared to before. Hopefully it won't be too troublesome... but what's childhood for if not getting into a bit of trouble?

Feel free to play with any or all of this as you wish!

With spring starting to transition into summer, a particular phenomenon has begun to occur: moonglow flowers are in full bloom! As their name suggests, moonglow flowers release a faint glow under the light of the moon. When they're gathered in large fields, it can be quite a sight! Even when plucked and carried home, they continue to glow in moonlight until they finally wilt.

But should you choose to procure some or spend time nearby, beware: moonglow flowers tend to arouse allergies in all sorts of creatures, including humans! While the sneezing is nothing to... well, sneeze at, it's the aftereffects that you really need to watch out for. A good sneeze induced by moonglow flower pollen can cause all sorts of odd changes! Hair, eyes, or even skin can change to all sorts of colors. One might find that the sneeze causes an eruption of petals from all over their body, even with no obvious source. You might even realize you no longer need to eat, now instead drawn to stand in the sunlight and only drink water for sustenance. Moonglow flowers make those allergic to them a little more flower-like, but like the glow of the flowers under the moon, the effects will disappear before too long has passed.

Feel free to play with any or all of this as you wish!

With the weather warming up, people might find themselves eager to take a dip in the plentiful rivers, lakes, or perhaps even the ocean for those on the coast. But for some, the water isn't simply an indulgence, but a compulsion.

A number of people have been finding themselves afflicted with an odd transformation. The details maybe different, but the overall idea is the same: some part of them changes to be much more fish-like. Perhaps it's their lower body, some webbing between fingers and toes, or even their main bodies transforming while leaving limbs intact! Though the symptoms are different there is something they all have in common: an unusual amount of regret or despair in their lives.

But it's not just the transformation that's gathering attention right now. A large number of pearls have been appearing in the marketplace recently, and those affected by the odd changes might soon find out why. There's a group seeking out newly-transformed merfolk, capturing, and doing whatever they can to make them shed tears. These tears transform into the very pearls that are now soaring in popularity, spelling danger for anyone afflicted. Those who aren't affected can protect those who are, or even break free those already captured. Or perhaps you're one of the ones making them cry for your own profit?

Feel free to play with any or all of this as you wish!

Have you heard? There's a new type of tea on the market, and it's soaring in popularity!

Lily Heart Tea has recently been imported from a far-away yet ambiguous origin. It's unclear exactly how so much of it arrived at once, but it seems as if every teahouse and restaurant is now offering it! It's even available in the market for people to take home for themselves. When brewed, it releases a fragrance of fresh-cut lilies that's not too overwhelming, and the taste makes one think of a well-maintained garden nestled against a backdrop of mountains.

Drinking tea is meant to relax one's mind, and drinking Lily Heart Tea may perhaps be the most relaxing of all: one relaxes so much that they don't even think to lie or hide the truth about what they're currently thinking! Why, with enough tea, one might even simply blurt out whatever comes to mind! But that's not an issue, right? After all, you're so very relaxed!

Feel free to play with any or all of this as you wish!

As the new moon arrives, leaving the night sky lit only by faint speckles of starlight, a pulse of energy spreads outward from a certain location. Those sensitive to the demonic, curses, or disruptive qi might be able to feel it as it rushes across the land, occasionally leaving behind a bit of itself here or there.

Then for some, the night goes completely black. For others, completely silent. One might no longer feel the chilly breeze on their skin, or the scent of evening dew might evaporate before its source does. Perhaps there's no notice until the morning, when a warm breakfast no longer delights the tongue.

A curse has been cast, and its victims lose one of their senses in response. Those with strong spiritual affinity might notice a bright red or black mark somewhere on the body of those afflicted. It can be removed with some effort, though it might be painful, and afterwards the sense will be regained with time... but to end the curse for everyone, the array responsible for casting it needs to be located and reversed.

Feel free to play with any or all of this as you wish!