As you walk towards what is supposed to be a run down village, a faint sound echoes on the breeze. Almost eerily, yet playful the sound. You see red smoke up ahead and can faintly make out tent like buildings where the town is set to be. As you approach, you see the tents are actually one large tent, with a triangular red and black pattern. The music grows louder as you approach, its source within the tent.
On each side of the tent sits two large creatures. A cross between a horse and a giraffe, with red fur and black manes. Each beast has an elegant mask upon its face. They watch you with only their eyes as you pass by to enter.
Upon entering the tent, you see the jovial accordion player, the source of the music you heard, in an entry room of sorts. He is as wide as he is tall, and beneath his jester like attire, you are unable to clearly tell his race. His face is covered in a mask that hides much of his features. All you can see is a toothy grin and cat like eyes.
“Ah, you have arrived! Our master’s joy will not be deprived! For you must go and join the dance! With you must the master prance.” As he spoke, the accordion player never once stopped playing. Behind him, a curtain rose, opening the way to a far larger room.
The room was dark, with no light nor sound nor sign of life. As you enter the center, a loud clang resounds and a bright light spots right on you. Before you, in a burst of red pink flame, a figure appears. He has the stature of a tall and lithe elf, of which you can see long ears from the side of his head. Like the accordion player prior, the rest of his body is covered. He wears an ornate face mask, almost as a skin. His body is covered with a cloak, though underneath he wears an elegant red top and black slacks.
The mystery man bows before you, and you can catch a glimpse of his jagged teeth within his smile. “Welcome! Welcome!” His voice is raspy as he stands back up. “I am master of this troupe! Thank you for joining our show!” He snaps his fingers and the full room lights up. The stands and bleachers that surround you are full of spectral looking people. The spirits of the dead. They cheer and applaud.
“The folks have gathered here at my request.” The man waves an arm around as he indicates the crowd. “The departed unable to fully depart! They must be inspired, and for that… I need you!” The troupe master extends a hand out towards you. “Join me in a visceral dance. In brilliant choreographed battle! The spark of combative flame between us shall ignite their souls! Our ritual will be complete!” He places a hand to his chin. “Of course, if you wish to refuse… I am afraid you’ll have to join the ones in the crowd.”
The man vanishes in the red pink fire and reappears a respectable distance away from you. He bows. “Let our dance commence.”
This prompt is heavily inspired by my current addiction, which is Hollow Knight. My absolute favorite side quest, boss fights, and themes come from the Grimm Troupe free DLC. Here are both boss fights if you want inspiration, though obviously your interpretation to this prompt is of your own choosing:
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This is meant to be a fun exercise, so there aren’t many rules.
Prompts are fun little things meant to inspire. You don’t have to perfectly match the prompt. Just let it inspire a thought.
I’m going to try and post these weekly, sometime between Saturday and Monday probably. Feedback and prompt ideas are welcome, so feel free to post them in the archive thread. Some prompts will be more thought provoking, some more whimsical. Respect your fellow writers.
Disclaimer: I cannot take full credit for every prompt. Some of these I create on my own, some are prompts I’ve seen that I’ve taken a WoW spin to, and some I’ve seen and used in the past, some are ideas spoken in passing between me and coworkers, or guildmates, or some are offered directly from folks on the forums. If I’ve been directly given a prompt from another person, I will credit them unless they do not want to. Otherwise, know some of these are gained through many means.