Chapter Idea: After Sunset (KIller, Survivor, Perks)

snickerz34

(This image from deviantart does the Dullahan justice, since I can’t draw lol; link down below, all credit goes to the original artist BlizzardHelen)

CHAPTER: AFTER SUNSET

(Saint Patrick’s Day Release)

THE DULLAHAN

Darkness takes many forms and the Dullahan is one of them. During the reign of High King Tigernmas, human sacrifices were common practice in medieval Ireland; the favored method being decapitation. Such sacrifices were said to sate the dreaded fertility god known as Crom Cruach, and helped to ensure bountiful harvests of grain and high yields of milk for the coming year. By the end of the sixth century, however, following the death of the high king, the practice was condemned and put to an end by the arrival of Christian missionaries. It is said that Crom Cruach became vengeful, taking matters into his own hands once sacrificial religion lost influence and cultish practices waned. Assuming the form of a headless rider, he scourged the lands, taking souls as compensation for what he’d been denied. Locals who glimpsed him referred to him as the Dullahan, and he was feared as the embodiment of death itself. But as time passed, the world began to develop and change. In modern times, the Dullahan is dismissed as nothing more than folklore and superstition. Starving in a world of light and technology, the Dullahan yearned for the ancient ways, for old traditions bathed in blood. The Entity is always in need of new killers and sacrifices. It offered death a new home in a place devoid of escape, one reminiscent of a prosperous and dark forgotten era. Whisked away into the Entity’s realm, the Dullahan found refuge in the shadows and gleefully waits.

KILLER - THE FAERIE

His perks PRYING EYES, MARKED FOR DEATH, and ALL DOORS OPEN will provide the killer with the advantage of sight both near and far. It makes it difficult for survivors to immerse and hide within the environment, supporting a more active style of gameplay while discouraging acts of altruism.

Notes: If the killer’s name release was teased to be “The Faerie”, I think players/viewers would be in for a terrifying surprise >:)

POWER – SUPERNATURAL SIGHT

The Dullahan is a bringer of death. He is feared for his ability to transcend barriers and locate victims.

The Faerie is able to shift between sight and attack. When lifting his head, he is able to utilize it almost like a compass. His sight can extend to 40 meters, but he will lack aura visualization of survivors. Instead, his head’s teeth will chatter, growing stronger the closer he is to survivors and depending on the direction he is facing (when this happens, the controller will vibrate accordingly). This makes it useful for him to detect survivors hiding within the environment but consequently gives survivors an advantage from a distance (as he holds up his glowing, grinning head). When in this mode, the killer’s terror radius is completely eliminated, but it is not possible to attack/wound survivors.

Press the ability button to switch between Supernatural Sight and Spinal Whip

WEAPON – SPINAL WHIP

When in Spinal Whip mode, the Dullahan will utilize a weapon made of spinal column. When attacking, the whip will strike in a straight line towards it’s intended target. Aim is very important. However, if there are multiple survivors lined up, it makes for a deadly assault. The spinal whip is a chargeable weapon, the longer the charge the further the strike. Any survivors in the whips path will be damaged.

Notes: I think it would be interesting to have a charged weapon (sort of similar to how the Nurse does blinks that range from near to far or how the Plague charges a vomit attack). This would allow the killer to hit targets further away, GRANTED they must be accurate with the aim and charging the weapon would take a little bit of time (good for pallets, kind of like the Huntress). Since the whip only shoots out in a straight line. Survivors can round the corner or dodge if quick enough. A unique aspect about the whip is the ability to hit multiple survivors if they are lined up. This is especially useful against survivors who try to altruistically body block.

PERKS

PRYING EYES

When hooking a survivor:

• All survivors within a 20/25/30 meter radius are revealed to you for 3/4/5 seconds.

“It punishes those who watch.” – unknown

MARKED FOR DEATH

Obsession: At the beginning of a match, one survivor is marked for death.

While active:

• Survivor’s aura will be revealed if they are within a 20/25/30 radius of the killer, including lockers and through structures.

ALL DOORS OPEN (HEX PERK)

When the conditions are met, no survivors can hide. All survivors within the killer’s terror radius are forced out or prevented from entering lockers. (Lockers transition to an opened state)

Conditions:

• You must hook a survivor for this perk to work on the respective survivor. This perk will not apply to survivors who have not been hooked. Killer must additionally move 25 meters away from the hooked survivor in order to receive a token. (You can have up to 4 different tokens, each one corresponding to a different hooked survivor).
• You will not visualize the survivors forced out of lockers; however, you will be able to hear an audible grunt if you are close enough to hear them get forced out of a locker.
• Once the survivors are out of the killer’s radius, they may reenter lockers

MORI IDEA (for funzies):

Scene shows the survivor trying to run/stumble away only for the Dullahan to strike out with his whip which wraps around the survivor’s neck. The survivors forward movement coupled with the Dullahan’s backwards yank allows for decapitation (with the survivor’s body falling forwards headless while the head falls and rolls to the side.

Notes: Gory I know, but hey we have vomiting in the game now :D

SURVIVOR – FINN COLLINS

LORE

Finnegan Collins II: 22-year-old native of Cavan, Ireland.

Finnegan Collins II was never one to be easily discouraged. As the middle son in a large family of sheep farmers, Finn was always struggling to distinguish himself amongst his siblings. Slender and wiry, he had a difficult time competing with his two older brothers in all physical matters, be it sheep shearing, farm labor or boxing. Finn found solace in the stories of his grandparents; each tale and ghost story leaving him with a feeling of dread and wonder. Set to start high school, Finn decided to shift his energy and focus towards academics. Towards the end of his senior year, Finn engaged in an enlightening discussion with the school counselor, allowing him to realize his untapped potential. Instilled with a newfound confidence, Finn enrolled himself at a local university, becoming the first in his family to pursue a college education. Rejoiced in his decision, Finn was disappointed when his family did not share in his enthusiasm. As he walked across the graduation stage, Finn’s nerves were especially peaked. He understood the changes he and his family were faced with but was determined to continue moving forward with this exciting new avenue in his life. When he turned to receive his diploma, he found no familiar faces in the crowd. Needless to say, this created distance within the Collins household and Finn rarely called or visited, limiting his interactions to family gatherings.

On St. Patrick’s Day, he headed for his grandparents’ estate out in the rural outskirts of Cavan for a family get-together. Despite the tension between his parents and a few of his siblings, most of it died down when the drinking began. Around 9 pm, sick of all the back and forth banter, Finn decided to head home for the night, only to be stopped at the door by his frantic grandmother. She pleaded with him not to leave and warned him about the dangers of going out after sunset on an Irish feast day. And about the old Dullahan. Dismissing her worries as nothing more than an old-wives tale, Finn kissed her good-bye and went on his way, but not before reluctantly accepting a golden watch that belonged to his deceased great-great grandfather as a protective charm and gift.

As he walked the forested trail from the family home to his car, Finn noticed that the path seemed different. It felt darker. Dangerous. Silent. A foreboding sense of panic flooded his system and he quickened his pace, his grandmother’s warning racing through his mind. To his horror, the misty path had no end in sight and soon he lost all sense of where he was. The next morning, as the Collins family departed for their cars beyond the trees, they discovered a perturbing sight. Parked at the edge of the dirt-path outside the grove of trees was Finn’s vehicle still locked and positioned as it was the day before.

PERKS

TOUCH OF GOLD

Once per match, when a survivor takes an item from a chest, it will close and be refilled with a new item. Higher leveled perk will yield better items with potential add-ons.

- “Woah, that’s luck fer ya!”- Finnegan Collins

REVERSAL

By successfully stalking the killer, a bar will be filled up. Once full, the killer’s aura will be revealed to all survivors for 2/4/6 seconds. Recharge 60 sec/ 65sec/70 sec. The survivor must be crouched, within the killer’s terror radius, and able to visualize the killer. Charging stops if the killer spots the survivor (chase sequence started).

“Now the stalker is the stalked, haha.”- Finnegan Collins

ONE FOR THE ROAD

By successfully stunning a killer (pallet or blinding [ex: flashlight, firecracker]) three times, the survivor is granted an additional hit before going into the dying state. This can only be used once per trial.

“That’s one way to take a shot!”- Finnegan Collins

Notes: This kind of survivor build rewards bold gameplay that is centered on chase, stunning, stealth, and looting.

“The young man with the golden watch. He trudges forward with unyielding tenacity. And a startling sense of humor. He walks a fine line between bravery and foolishness, but always with a smirk. There is a fighter in him and he always seems to have a comeback for every taunt or challenge. But I can see it in his trembling hands. The lad clearly feels fear, yet he stares down this darkness with a stubborn fire in his eyes, a trembling candle in the void.”

-         Unknown

Final Notes: Love the game! Got inspired from a childhood nightmare, the headless horseman (thanks Disney). Wanting to understand my fear better, I decided to look it up on the web. Low and behold, this legend goes straight back to Irish folklore. I personally think that the Irish version is scarier :P

Feel free to comment or give feedback or whatever :) But seriously, I’m open to suggestions regarding edits to the perks (cooldown, conditions, etc.)

SOURCES:

https://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/ACalend/Dullahan.html

https://dullahan.com/

https://www.theirishplace.com/heritage/the-dullahan/

http://www.irelandseye.com/paddy3/monstatxti.htm

https://www.deviantart.com/blizzardhelen/art/Dullahan-788088843