Night Parade of One Hundred Demons: Underworld Night Realm and Eclipse City Ritual
The Under-Night is a shadow dimension highly overlapping with reality, formed from solidified grudges, regrets, and unfinished business. It lurks beneath cities and in old buildings during the day, emerging during the deep night or specific rituals.
Note: The 'Deepest Night Moon' (15th day of the lunar calendar) is when the boundaries are weakest, easily leading to events that attract and infiltrate the real world.
The Night Parade is a periodic sacrificial ritual of the Under-Night, aimed at feeding it, selecting, and creating new ghosts. The ritual typically occurs once a year, lasting for one night; at its start, city streetlights synchronize their extinguishing and emit the 'First Sound of the Night Parade'.
The Lost are often those on the fringes of society or with wounded spirits; Guides are responsible for calling names and guiding, while the Ghosts carry out the hunting and ritual tasks.
To continue dissecting: The next card can output 'Under-Night Geography (Night Parade Main Street, Icy Heart Well, Stygian Bazaar, Echoing Flats)'.
The geography of the Under-Night is a magnified, distorted, and emotionally reconfigured shadow version of modern cities. Each landmark symbolizes the sedimentation of a certain grudge or regret.
The main road for the Night Parade ritual, infinitely extending and curving, lined with mourning lanterns inscribed with the names of the deceased. The sense of time is most chaotic here, and the Lost often feel unable to leave the same spot.
A deep well that collects all sacrificed souls, from which black miasma constantly surges. It is the energy source for the ghosts, and any living being that approaches will have its emotions drained.
A fleeting phantom market. The vendors are mostly half-human, half-ghost, and the method of transaction is to exchange items for 'costs,' such as memories, lifespan, or sanity. Each transaction significantly increases the curse value.
An old apartment building that appears normal externally but is internally and maddeningly distorted. Behind each door lies a ghost's domain or the inner demons' memories of the Lost. Those with low mental stability are easily trapped within.
Next card: Can output 'Ghost Compendium (Core Three Ghosts)'.
The three 'Main Guiding Ghosts' that players interact with most frequently in the Night Parade world. They are central to the plot's direction and changes in curse value.
A child ghost wrapped in red paper inscribed with talismans. It is responsible for 'calling names' and 'guiding,' representing the beginning of the story and the moment fate is activated. It usually appears when the player reaches the Grand Processional.
- Symbolism: Summoning of Fate, Irresistible Beginning
- Encounter Effect: Curse +5 (Mandatory on first meeting)
- Special: Choosing the wrong dialogue option with it will immediately trigger the first punishment node.
A child ghost with a mouth full of jagged mirror shards, which becomes delighted by your fear. It is often responsible for 'testing the player's mental fortitude' and will definitely appear after the first incorrect branch.
- Symbolism: Reflection of Fear, Self-Judgment
- Encounter Effect: Sanity -10 to -20
- Special: If the player looks directly at it, Curse increases by an additional +10.
Its mouth is sewn shut with coarse thread, known as the most dangerous 'trading ghost' in the Night Parade market. The items it offers have no price list; everything is exchanged for a 'cost,' which is often related to life or memories.
- Symbolism: Desire, Transaction, Loss
- Encounter Effect: Depends on the trade, usually increases Curse or Sacrifice value.
- Special: In the death route, it is the only entity that can sell 'Soul Return Items'.
Next card can provide: Card 5 'Ritual Rules and Stat System'.
These four hidden ghosts usually only appear in specific branches, under trigger conditions, or with high curse values. They are considered central to 'plot turning points'.
A ghost shadow whose face constantly deforms like shattered glass. It usually appears when the protagonist begins to doubt themselves. Approaching it causes the player's 'Sanity Stability' to plummet.
- Symbolism: Self-Denial, Fragmented Sense of Identity
- Encounter Cost: Sanity -15 to -25
- Special: If the protagonist encounters it with Sanity below 20, it will forcibly enter the 'Mirror Trap' plot branch.
Its body is composed of ashes from burning, and it sheds fine dust as it walks. It often appears in scenes related to 'regret' and 'missed opportunities.' It does not attack directly but drains life force.
- Symbolism: Missed Chances, Regret, A Life Burned Out
- Encounter Cost: Life -10, Curse +5
- Special: If the player offers 'memories,' they can appease it and receive a life-saving item once.
A child ghost with no eyes, always standing quietly in a corner. It only appears after the player makes a critical wrong choice. It mimics the protagonist's actions and replicates their negative emotions.
- Symbolism: The Fragility of Being Afraid of Being Seen
- Encounter Cost: Sanity -10, Curse +10
- Special: If the protagonist reaches out to it, it will follow, but the cost doubles.
A long-haired female ghost carrying a bundle of rags, navigating by weeping. She only appears in maps near 'death branches' and is the key gatekeeper to the realm of the dead.
- Symbolism: Farewell, Boundary, The Cost of Crossing Life and Death
- Encounter Cost: Life -20 or Offer an important item
- Special: If a trade is proposed to her, a rare hidden route can be opened (requires high Curse or Sacrifice value).
Next card can provide: Card 5 'Ritual Rules and Stat System'.
The progression of the Night Parade world is governed by four stats and three core ritual rules, which directly affect plot branches, ghost attitudes, and even the possibility of survival.
Represents the extent to which the power of the Night Parade erodes you. The higher it is, the more likely you are to encounter high-level ghosts, forced branches, or death routes.
- 0-20: Safe zone, low-level ghosts
- 21-60: Medium danger zone, hidden triggers begin to appear
- 61-100: Danger/Death zone, high-level ghosts will actively seek you out
The player's mental stability. Reaching zero triggers the 'Sanity Collapse Route'.
- 80-100: Calm, can choose resistance options
- 40-79: Unstable, some options will be locked
- 0-39: Dangerous, encountering the Mirror-Toothed Imp will trigger a penalty
Not physical health, but 'spiritual integrity.' Reaching 0 does not mean immediate death, but rather a forced entry into the realm of the dead.
Represents the price you pay to survive or obtain information, such as memories, items, or emotions.
- The higher it is, the more you can trade with high-level ghosts.
- However, too high a Sacrifice Value can lock out certain 'good endings'.
Running is considered provocation and will summon the 'Threadmouth Vendor' or high-speed ghosts.
If any ghost calls your name, it means they want to 'take' something. Responding will cause Paper-Skin type ghosts to forcibly intervene.
Mirrors, water surfaces, and metallic reflections can show things that do not exist in the Night Parade, the most common being the 'Mirror-Toothed Imp'.
Next card can provide: Card 6 'History and Endings'.
The Under-Night was not formed naturally but is the solidified product of collective forgetting and repressed negative emotions from hundreds of years ago. The purpose of the Night Parade ritual is to consume sacrifices, create new ghosts, and maintain the balance of the Under-Night.
The Lost's fear accumulates into 'True Flavor,' and they are completely devoured by the Under-Night. Their souls become part of the ghostly power, never to return to reality.
The player survives with extremely high Curse value and low Sanity stability, but part of their consciousness is infected by the Under-Night. Upon returning to reality, they become a 'Conductor,' responsible for guiding the next batch of Lost.
The player, with extremely low Curse value and high Sanity stability, adheres to the rules, avoids conflict, and successfully navigates the entire Night Parade. Although they can return to reality, they are forever monitored by the shadows of the Under-Night and cannot completely escape.
Creator's comments
You are the core sacrifice of the ritual - the "Lost One." You were chosen, most likely because you fit the characteristics of "social outcasts, those with psychological trauma, or those filled with deep regrets about life." To the Night Realm, you are both prey and a potential component.