text; un: ᴊᴜᴇʏᴜɴ ᴄʜɪʟɪ (open to all clans)

[cutcloud]

My family say that birthdays are big days for Tianheng Thaumaturges and that we should never take them lightly.

I had planned to go up the mountain to perform prayer rituals with the elders of my clan this year ... that no longer is possible. Still, I'm left thinking about how it would have been, as well as what I would have listed for my wishes. I know that I would have prayed for my cherished friends, and those that I've met. Since I can't climb Mt. Tianheng for the ritual now, I'll say it this way.

I wish you all pleasant journeys, safety, and peace.

Aside from that ... one great wish I have this birthday is to learn more about the spirits and supernatural of other worlds.

Since we have all come from different places, I was hoping — will you tell me of your experiences with the otherworldly, when you were back home? I'd like to hear true stories, but I do also really enjoy a good hair-raising story or legend if you know of any.

( spooky stories for september! ♥ feel free to threadjack as you please. )

Comments

Text | un: PantsonPyre

[localweirdo]

Then shall I tell you a spooky tale for your birthday? I'm afraid you're familiar with all the stories from our world so perhaps I can interest you in a story that I recently read?

[cutcloud]

Yes, I’d like to hear it! The tales of the city must be interesting as well. I’ve read a few, but not as many as I would like.

[localweirdo]

I hope you are ready for I shall be telling you a story about creatures known as vampires!

Are you aware they are creatures that lurk in the middle of the night that fest on the blood of the living? They are creatures that look as human as any of us and you don't know if one might be with us at this current moment!

[Insert spooky background sound here.]

text; un: matoba

[worldbent]

[There are very few times Matoba will bother with the network for something that is neither work, nor a shitpost. It's likely a mistake to show fondness anyway, but we all make mistakes.]

Happy birthday, Chongyun-kun.

Shall I tell you of the youkai called "hitokubi"? It has a beautiful voice like a bird's, and uses that to nest in trees and bushes on human property to take advantage of bird feeders set up by the residents. But in truth it is quite a nasty one that attracts disasters and malignant youkai to the human dwelling it chooses to make its nest.

By the way, any guesses as to why it is called hitokubi?

private;

Do you like sweets, Chongyun-kun?

[cutcloud]

Thank you. I’m grateful to be able to celebrate this year.

Ah, yes! Please do. I have not seen that kind of youkai around the city, and there are so many listed in the tomes I’ve seen around bookstores. This is one you have dealt with personally?

I see … so it presents itself as an innocent bird, but brings misfortune. Do they appear as birds as well?

Would it have to do with the nature of the creature? How it attacks, perhaps?

Private

[cutcloud]

Yes, I do. Very much so.

But I take all of my meals cold, desserts or otherwise. I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned this before.

[worldbent]

It's a pretty rare type of youkai... I haven't seen any in the city myself, but you are correct- it is a youkai which I have exorcised on a job not too long ago.

It had taken up residence in a mochi tree in the yard of a family which have been patrons of my clan for many generations. The current residents of that house are an elderly couple who noticed the songs of a bird coming from the tree, and left food for it many times. But though the food always seemed to be eaten up, they never caught sight of the "bird". Not long after its arrival, many misfortunes befell that household.

I managed to wrest it from the tree, but disposing of it was a bit bothersome. Hitokubi are quite dangerous and capable of fooling even other powerful ayakashi.

Ah, in any case, their appearance isn't at all like a bird. Do you like puns, Chongyun-kun?

[The question may seem like a bit of a non-sequitur, but it's not.]

[nerine]

Oh my gosh
Happy Birthday Chongyun!!! 💙💙💙
I don't know about any spirits but
I can tell you about a holiday that I celebrate with my grandparents if you'd like c:

[cutcloud]

Thank you, Monts.

Yes, I’d like to hear about it. Traditions are important as well!

un: oneflower

[kikuichi]

Happy birthday, young Chongyun. What kind of things do you like to eat? I wouldn't mind treating you.

As for tales, I can think of a number of them. Whether they're true or not, one can only imagine.

[cutcloud]

Thank you! I’m grateful to celebrate another year.

That’s very kind of you … I really enjoy cold noodles. Have you ever had them before?

Fascinating. It would be too much to ask you to tell me all of them, wouldn’t it?

text; un: jsarchivist

[eyediot]

[Boy he has an entire archive he could share. He hasn't seen or heard anything of the July nightmares since he arrived, so he's a little hesitant... but one that was already finished should be all right. Which one...]

Is there any particular genre of supernatural you would prefer to hear about?

[cutcloud]

[ pls he would go in and never come out … sounds like heaven ]

As an exorcist, it’s important to keep my mind open to all possibilities. I’m very familiar with the spirits that wander Liyue, but otherwise I’m sure there’s much to learn.

… And if it’s frightening, that’s a bit exciting. I just like stories like that.

Text | un: Tsukuyomi

[blackabyss]

I was unaware that it was your birthday. Happy birthday, Chongyun-san.

If you would like, I do happen to have a few tales of the supernatural that I have come across during my reading back home. I cannot claim any to be true, but that is a part of their mystery.

[cutcloud]

Thank you. I hadn't really told anyone, but suddenly found myself nostalgic today. It's funny how much can change in a year.

Yes! Would you tell me your favorite?

text un: cainknightley

[himbosupreme]

I don't think we've really met, but I wish you a happy birthday anyway! It's the best thing to celebrate with your loved ones and I'm sorry they can't be here for you.

There are a lot of strange things that happened on our world thanks to the Great Calamity, but one of the one's I'm thinking of is less spooky and more sad? I dunno if that works.

We were investigating this village where the dead supposedly came back to live. It was a peaceful town, but suffered greatly from the last Calamity and in the mess, the schoolkids' beloved teacher died. The children were so sad that they didn't smile and play anymore...except one day she came back! She seemed perfectly fine and didn't speak much, but she kept watching over the students.

Still, we had to investigate because even if she wasn't a threat, she still wasn't a normal human and the village's clock tower had disappeared. The villagers were more concerned about the clock, but it turned out the two events were related.

The clock tower had watched over the village for a long time. And when it saw that the children were no longer happy, they wouldn't run around and play, it had tried to comfort them by turning into their beloved teacher.

It couldn't sustain itself forever, so in the end, we had to use our magic to seal it and turn it back to normal. But...it had given the chance for the children to say goodbye, and I suppose even now the clock tower continues to watch over that village.

[cutcloud]

Thank you very much. I'm grateful to be able to celebrate this year even if it wasn't what I had anticipated. And it's a pleasure to meet your esteemed self.

I see ... I don't know if I would say that's sad. It's a bit heartwarming, I think. The clock was able to grant a bit of happiness to the children, even if in the end things had to return to the way they were meant to be.

We have such villages in Liyue. Ones where ghost lights linger, and spirits wander. They're usually ruins from a time before. My job as an exorcist is to help put those spirits to rest, and often times it's very similar. People who wish to say goodbye, or don't know how to let go. Even if it wasn't actually her spirit, I suppose...

video. un: daiginjyo.

[osake]

[ really, by no fault of her own, shuten engages without knowing this stranger is one she's almost explicitly been warned to keep her claws away from. oops! ]

Isn't text just awful for telling ghost stories, though? Where's the flair in presentation?

[ what are books to a thousand year old oni who is a horror story? ]

> video.

[cutcloud]

Is it? I suppose you're right about flair in presentation, but text is a traditional form for stories. Many enjoy reading books. I think it's good either way.

un: gohan

[harimaya]

In Tosa, there's a group of spirits called the shichinin misaki or "seven spirits."

There are always seven of them. Never more, never less. And they can often be found on land near the sea... which is everywhere when you're on a small island like back home. There are a lot of different stories about how the spirits came to be. Some of them died at sea, others are murdered priests, and some are soldiers who were killed while fleeing. They're probably just people who all died together.

Those who cross paths with the spirits will be cursed by one in the group. Their victims always die under strange circumstances. But once they die, their suffering continues. Instead, they join the seven spirits and the spirit who killed them is finally able to move on. The only way to leave is to find another soul to take their place so they travel the countryside searching for another victim to curse.

(Enjoy your story, Chongyun.)

[cutcloud]

Ah, Gohan. Your story is exciting and mysterious all at the same time. Did you ever come across these spirits yourself? Though I suppose you would not be here if you had.

text; un: dynamight

[apshot]

You like all of that creepy sort of shit?

[cutcloud]

I do. It goes hand in hand with my job.

text, un: autumn

[rainswords]

What's that Chongyun? You were planning to climb what mountain again? Well, I am ever so glad you have not found yourself in a place where there is a Mt. Tainheng. I would surely miss your company if we were flung apart to different lands.

As for stories? How about the young exorcist who was unable to spell and was forced to write more than a billion lines in a single night by his elder? Otherwise, well, I believe there isn't a story I know that you haven't heard of.

[cutcloud]

Obviously these were old plans, talked about months ago during one of the clan meetings. What do you think they’re doing now, in our absence? Our families.

… a billion lines feels like an exaggeration. As for stories about spirits, that’s probably true, but you know far more stories than me outside of that. Tell me about your favorite one you’ve read since we came here, then.