History Fanfic / TheNightUnfurls

* ConditionedToAcceptHorror:

* CreepyHousekeeper / KindlyHousekeeper: Evetta manages to be ''both'' in spite of the contrary nature between the two archetypes. She is the caretaker of the Hunter's Dream who tends to the Workshop, the gravestones, and her Good Hunter. Her serene and kindhearted nature as a maternal figure, however, is overshadowed by the fact that she is, well, [[UncannyValley a living doll]]. For bonus points, she's also very tall.

*** Shamuhaza is introduced experimenting on the citizens of Rad to produce a legion of BodyHorror EliteMooks via FaceFullOfAlienWingWong. This is complete with a WhamShot of [[spoiler:Luu-Luu as the specimen for his final testing]].

** One can argue that this is a compulsory trait for a ''VideoGame/BloodBorne'' hunter.

*** The mute hunter Hugh is known for his exceptional [[SwordAndGun swordsmanship and marksmanship]]. During the same chapter, he is shown with the ability to pick locks, together with eavesdropping on the Gadsden Gang with Sanakan afterwards.
*** CombatMedic Lily definitely counts. Medical knowledge aside, she is [[TheFace the sociable one]] among Kyril's band of hunters. At one point during the Leaping Lizards Arc, she demonstrates a degree of political savviness by hiding the List of Names, a record for every transaction the Merchant's Guild has made with its associates, from the others in order to avert a potential scandal.

* IgnoreTheFanservice: No, don't expect [[CelibateHero Kyril]] to do the opposite. The strongest reaction he would give to any MsFanservice would be a DeathGlare at best.

* RoyalBrat: Michelle Pantielle fits squarely in the "spoiled rich kid" archetype. [[BlueBlood Blue-blooded]], obnoxious, and [[AdiposeRex has his gut hanging out like he's pregnant]].

* {{Hellfire}}: Not specified as such, but Olga's [[PlayingWithFire flames]] are described as "hotter than hell itself".

* PaperDestructionOfAnger: While paperwork is a task that bothers Kyril, it is in Chapter 13 where he has enough of [[spoiler: a spreading rumour claiming he slept with Maia]] that he crumples a piece of parchment into a ball and throws it into the fireplace.

* BodyHorror: The mutated and deformed {{Mooks}} and [[WasOnceAMan people]] in Rad and Scathlocke thanks to Shamuhaza's experiments. [[AndIMustScream Implied to be aware yet helpless]]. This trope is one of the few reasons why they are considered [[EliteMooks Elite Mooks]] -- anyone who is not the Good Hunter has no experience in facing grotesque enemies like this, so typical [[RedShirt Red Shirts would be so sickened that they get overpowered easily, causing morale to drop]].

** TheHero: Kyril, the Good Hunter and the master of all four apprentices.

** In terms of Kyril himself, this trope is further {{Deconstructed}}. Kyril Sutherland, like any other ''VideoGame/BloodBorne'' PlayerCharacter, has witnessed this trope occur countless times, how many a [[HunterOfMonsters hunter]] goes down the deep end while hunting beasts in Yharnam, gradually and literally becoming as bloodthirsty as the beasts they hunt. The intoxicating effect of the Old Blood, which is used by every hunter to heal and strengthen oneself, exacerbates the process further. Nonetheless, if Kyril wants any slight chance of survival (or rather, '''NOT''' [[ResurrectiveImmortality dying]] [[PrepareToDie again]] [[WhoWantsToLiveForever and]] [[FateWorseThanDeath again]]), escaping the nightmare, and [[MythologyGag transcending the Hunt]], [[ViolenceIsTheOnlyOption blood has to be shed]], and [[IDidWhatIHadToDo it is necessary for him]] to [[BeatThemAtTheirOwnGame be as brutal as his enemies]]. Fast-forward to the [[WarIsHell war against the Black Dogs]], Kyril and his compatriots have seen how far his enemies would go to make their [[AmbitionIsEvil ambitions]] of a [[RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil Sex]] [[SlaveryIsASpecialKindOfEvil Empire]] come true, including but not limited to: their RapePillageAndBurn tendencies; [[TheyWouldCutYouUp sacrificing]] InnocentBystanders [[spoiler:to [[ForScience seek the Eldritch Truth]]]]; and instigating riots to destabilise the regime. Kyril, who understands the importance of committing [[NecessarilyEvil necessary evils]] to protect the people of Eostia from a far worse outcome, would decide that [[MightMakesRight crushing his enemies absolutely is the best course of action]].

* AllGirlsWantBadBoys: The root of [[CelibateHero Kyril's]] UnwantedHarem. [[GenreBlindness For [[LampshadeHanging some]] [[SarcasmMode reason]], women having the hots of an [[AntiHero aloof, brusque]], [[TheStoic stoic]], [[TallDarkAndHandsome handsome]], and mysterious badass is beyond his comprehension. Kinda {{Subverted}} when you get to know him, who is anything but [[SociopathicHero sociopathic]], but he doesn't think the women deserve to be hooked up with a violent, broken HunterOfMonsters like him. More importantly, putting his DarkSecret ([[spoiler:him being a [[HumanoidAbomination humanoid]] [[EldritchAbomination great one]]]]) into account, he also has... many reasons to be concerned. [[spoiler:[[DidYouJustRomanceCthulhu Many]], ''[[GoMadFromTheRevelation many]]'', '''[[FetusTerrible many]]''' reasons.]]

* TrainingFromHell: Training as an apprentice hunter under Kyril is [[{{Downplayed}} strict, but not outright demoralising]]. Best exemplified by how the four plus the Good Hunter spar -- they rarely hold back, and they do get hurt, but the fact that [[spoiler:wounds heal quicker in the Dream]] means that there would be no life-threatening injuries. In particular, Chapter 32 informs that Kyril's apprentices have to face their trials in the Chalice Dungeons to further hone their skills. If the difficulty of the Defiled Chalice Dungeon is of any indication, the readers would understand how strenuous their regime is.

** This seems to be a common trait of [[HumanSubspecies Half-lings]]. Like Luu-Luu, who is also one of them, the half-ling fighters barely stand at [[TallDarkAndHandsome Kyril's]] shoulders, yet they bear that are longer than they are tall.

** In Chapter 29, [[spoiler:Evetta is shown to crush three traitorous guards without lifting a finger. [[{{Understatement}} It seems that the time of being a great one's caretaker has given her quite the attitude]].]]

** MindOverMatter. Yes, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin moving things without lifting a finger]]. In another universe, say, a {{Superhero}} setting or a [[Franchise/StarWars certain]] SciFi setting, this would hardly count as "Lovecraftian"; in ''The Night Unfurls'', a DarkFantasy world of steel and magic, it's a different story: [[spoiler:telekinesis is [[PlayedForHorror portrayed as uncanny]] due to averting JustHitHim, it's not explained in any way regarding its mechanism, and so far, only one person/entity is confirmed to possess this power.]] [[spoiler:No, it's not Kyril.]] [[spoiler:That honour instead goes to Evetta, the Plain Doll herself]].

** MindOverMatter. Yes, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin moving things without lifting a finger]]. In another universe, say, a {{Superhero}} setting or a [[Franchise/StarWars certain]] SciFi setting, this would hardly count as "Lovecraftian"; in ''The Night Unfurls'', a DarkFantasy world of steel and magic, it's a different story: telekinesis is [[PlayedForHorror portrayed as uncanny]] due to averting JustHitHim, it's not explained in any way regarding its mechanism, and so far, only one person/entity is confirmed to possess this power. No, it's not Kyril. That honour instead goes to [[spoiler:Evetta, the Plain Doll herself]].

** Narratively speaking, StarPower is considered to be unnatural. Makes sense, for only those who delve into [[spoiler:the [[ThingsManIsNotMeantToKnow Eldritch Truth]]]] can utilise it. It speaks volumes when even the most skilled of arcane/magic users, like [[LadyOfBlackMagic Olga]], [[{{Seers}} Celestine]], and [[EvilSorcerer Shamuhaza]], are not shown to use this uncanny power. Kyril, from his experience in Yharnam, states that he had seen a few creatures that are able to fire starlight, like the [[MythologyGag Celestial Emissary]]. Therefore, he deduced that something or someone related to the Healing Church's research had somehow ended up here.

* ForceAndFinesse: Chapter 13 of the remastered version reveals that Alicia and Maia attempted to [[InvokedTrope invoke]] this trope during the TrialByCombat against Kyril as showcased in the previous chapter. The strategy is that Alicia, [[MightyGlacier in battle armour, would focus on durability and support]] while wielding [[CoolSword a longsword]]. Maia, [[FragileSpeedster in light leather armour, would focus on speed and agility]] while wielding [[DualWielding twin short swords]]. [[CurbStompBattle Alas]], their opponent is [[LightningBruiser the Good Hunter]].
-->''"[[TemptingFate What fool would willingly face them at the same time]]? Today it seemed they would find out."''

* HopeSpot: [[InvokedTrope Invoked]] by Kyril, Bergen, and their forces. How do they triumph against Grishom and the remaining rebel forces, putting an end to the rebellion at last? ThePlan is that Bergen and his company would create a cordon to surround the cathedral where Grishom and his men are residing in, so as to prevent them from escaping. To lure them out, Soren and the mages would be responsible for [[KillItWithFire setting the cathedral on fire]]. After that, the rebels would be flushed into an escape route, only to be dispatched by Kyril and the heavy-hitters. In the end, the tactic is such a success that [[Literature/TheArtOfWarSunTzu Sun Tzu]] would be proud.

* ActionPrologue / BatmanColdOpen: The first chapter of the remastered version opens up with the Good Hunter wrapping up his hunt for an orc war band, [[OneHitKill killing]] the three remaining ones [[CurbStompBattle with ease]]. This is to show his typical chores for earning income, that is, [[HiredGuns mercenary work]].

* AdaptationalModesty: ''Big time''. With the exception of Maia, the Seven Shields in the remastered version either wear armour or outfits that tone down the heavy {{Fanservice}} present in the ''Kuroinu'' canon.

** The Seven Shields is this as well. We have Celestine, Claudia, Alicia, Prim, Maia, Kaguya, and Luu-Luu.

** It is worth mentioning that although this trope is {{Deconstructed}}, it '''does not''' equate to Celestine suddenly JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope and, say, [[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen razing her city to the ground]]. Clearly, she has not forgotten the principles she held as the High Queen, but at the same time, she realises that she ought to [[TheWomanWearingTheQueenlyMask steel herself]] in an unprecedented situation like this.

** The world of ''Kuroinu'' is [[HarmfulToMinors by no means kind to children]]. Milder cases, like Soren, has to live under threat of bandits or criminals that "own" the streets. The more severe ones, like Sanakan and Hugh, are literally [[StreetUrchin Street Urchins]]. Not to mention the ongoing [[RapePillageAndBurn raids]] and [[WarIsHell warfare]] that leads to much devastation of people's lives. In particular, this fanfic ''does not'' shy away from showing that children are not immune to getting killed or raped when they stumble into any orcs or Black Dogs. Obviously speaking, their living standards ''suck'', yet they are powerless to change it. That, however, changes after they become a hunter under Kyril. For the former, he is officially free from getting beat up by thugs from not paying protection fees; for the latter two, they get food and shelter, simple but invaluable. Not only that, they would eventually be strong enough to hunt down those orcs and Black Dogs that constantly engage in RapePillageAndBurn, essentially making the world a better place. In other words, by becoming a KidHero, they are given the means to improve their lives, and fight back against anything that made their lives like crap in the first place.

* KidHero: Sanakan, Hugh, Soren, and possibly Lily are kids or teenagers who [[TookALevelInBadass fight off]] hordes of orcs, mercs, brutes, soldiers and other monstrosities over the course of the series as skilled hunters. It is [[VagueAge unknown whether they aged]], given how long they have to train in the Hunter's Dream before swooping into the real battlefield.

* OurDemonsAreDifferent / OurGodsAreDifferent: The addition of [[RatMen The Rat]] in the remastered version of the fanfic leaves much room for ambiguity, especially the nature of "demons" and "gods".[[note]]The notions of "demons" and "gods" are almost non-existent in the original version.[[/note]]

* WeHardlyKnewYe: Oliver, one of the rogue Black Dogs joining Kyril's GreatEscape, succumbs to his crossbow bolt wound in the back one chapter after his introduction. Besides showing that the GreatEscape is not a 100% smooth operation, his death serves to fuel conflict between the the whole crew, especially Chloe and Fredrick.

** [[OurElvesAreDifferent High elves and dark elves]] in this story have a long lifespan but do not suffer the effects of old age, a common trait of elven species shown in a fantasy setting. For example, Celestine and Olga are stated to have indirectly fought each other for centuries. Grace has lived for 300 years, with Anna being 20 years her senior.

Now with a [[Fridge/TheNightUnfurls Fridge Page]] and a [[WMG/TheNightUnfurls WMG Page]], covering potential points of confusion that make sense on second thought, as well as fan theories respectively. Any differing opinions, value judgements, and audience reactions can be found in the [[YMMV/TheNightUnfurls YMMV Page]].

** [[spoiler:[[HumanoidAbomination Kyril is secretly a great one in human form]]. Obtaining the Childhood's Beginning ending in the game would do that. Only a glimpse of his true form is subtly shown, that is, a GiantEyeOfDoom.]]

** [[spoiler:Taking the "madman-who-delves-in-the-Eldritch-Truth" archetype to its logical conclusion, Shamuhaza ends up becoming one himself, named "The Inane One". Described as "[[UnskilledButStrong thick with power but with less intelligence]]", [[InsectoidAliens with an insectoid appearance]], the fact that he is even seen residing in a great lake is [[MythologyGag an obvious reference to Rom, the Vacuous Spider]].]]

* EvilSorceror: Though not the BigBad, Shamuhaza is still the ArcVillain of the two [[StoryArc story arcs]] that marks this fanfic's SerialEscalation. He ticks off most of, if not all, the boxes of this trope. Has a legion of mutated EliteMooks with BodyHorror? Check. Tampers with ThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow [[spoiler:(or in this case, the Eldritch Truth)]]? Check. [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity Strives to gain great power at the expense of his sanity and soul]]? Check. Oh, and he also [[spoiler:ends up turning into an EldritchAbomination himself]].

* WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity: Shamuhaza is an EvilSorceror who [[spoiler:attempts to harness the power of the Eldritch Truth, and later turns into an EldritchAbomination himself]]. Of course this happens. [[spoiler:Compare him with his {{foil}}, Kyril Sutherland -- a far more powerful EldritchAbomination [[HumanoidAbomination in human form]], yet with tons more experience and restraint.]]

* DomainHolder: [[spoiler:It is confirmed that upon his ascension, the Hunter's Dream is tied to Kyril's will, and thus, he is the master of the Dream. See EldritchLocation below for more details on what he can do.]]

** A villainous example occurs in Chapter 26, where the rebels under [[SinisterMinister Grishom's]] command hold off the Eostian forces to defend him and his cathedral. From Grishom's narration, he's expecting Mandeville to support him any time soon, but in reality, this scenario would not even be an InstantWinCondition, if one considers that they are fighting against [[ResurrectiveImmortality Sir]] [[OneManArmy Kyril]] [[TheDreaded the Bloody]]. To add insult to injury, Kyril and his company deployed [[HopeSpot a tactic of setting the cathedral aflame to smoke the rebels out, only for them to be trapped within the cordon of Eostian forces]]. It goes without saying that the rebels are pretty much screwed in the end, with no reinforcements to save them.

* HopeSpot: [[InvokedTrope Invoked]] by Kyril, Bergen, and their forces. How do they triumph against Grishom and the remaining rebel forces, putting an end to the rebellion at last? ThePlan is that Bergen and his company would create a cordon to surround the cathedral where Grishom and his men are residing in, so as to prevent them from escaping. To lure them out, Soren and the mages would be responsible for setting the cathedral on fire. After that, the rebels would be flushed into an escape route, only to be dispatched by Kyril and the heavy-hitters. In the end, the tactic is such a success that [[Literature/TheArtOfWarSunTzu Sun Tzu]] would be proud.

* DropTheHammer: The Kirkhammer from ''VideoGame/BloodBorne'' is this. It is also one of Sanakan's [[WeaponOfChoice weapons of choice]] in the original story.

** There's also the {{Irony}} that as a queen, Celestine is sheltered from the [[WarIsHell ugly side of war]], in spite of her experience in ruling over a country subjected to a ForeverWar beforehand, together with the experiences due to her long lifespan as an elf. The reason? Just because she ''knows'' that WarIsHell doesn't mean she has ''seen'' the devastation first-hand, and without that, it is easy for her to become out of touch with reality.
** Chapter 24 is where the {{Deconstruction}} comes in full circle. Celestine, out of her own volition, leaves her palace to see the refugees who have managed to escape from the riots in the streets. To be fair, the affairs in the healer tents are rather tame compared to the fighting itself, but she has to witness how the healers have to work their fingers to the bone tending to the injured, some even collapsing in the process; how the injured, some barely at the age of ten, can do nothing but stare blankly and scream due to their debilitating wounds. At one point, she even tries to lend a hand, to no avail, for the man she and the healers tried to help died anyway after six hours of surgery. Not until Celestine has her first-hand experience of the strife outside the palace did she understand that her city is in the midst of a rebellion, the war will cost everyone dearly, and that she would need to become a harsher ruler than before, if she wants to protect her people from Vault's predations.

* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: Due to his belief that both are NotSoDifferent [[spoiler:in the sense that both had seen the Eldritch Truth]], Shamuhaza looks forward to fighting Kyril, whom he sees as a WorthyOpponent. [[spoiler:[[EvilCannotComprehendGood His inability to comprehend Kyril's decision to]] [[WillfullyWeak limit himself by retaining his humanity]] implies he wants to witness his "unrestrained" side.]] His wish is granted eventually when he faces off against Kyril, Sanakan and Hugh [[spoiler:as an EldritchAbomination, and he ends up getting [[CurbStompBattle curb-stomped]] after [[IAmNotLeftHanded Kyril decides to release a bit of his eldritch might]]. To top it off, he suffers a FateWorseThanDeath.]]

* KidHero: Sanakan, Hugh, Soren, and possibly Lily are kids or teenagers who [[TookALevelInBadass fight off]] hordes of orcs, mercs, brutes, soldiers and other monstrosities over the course of the series as skilled hunters. It is unknown whether they aged, given how long they have to train in the Hunter's Dream before swooping into the real battlefield.

* ThisIsUnforgivable:
** During the Feoh/Ur Arc, Alicia surrendered to the Black Dogs and their army, allowing them to [[RapePillageAndBurn take over the fortresses]]. Among the victims are a number of nuns, including Lily. When the two meet at Chapter 9 and Alicia apologies for her actions, she received a slap in the face from Lily, saying that she will never forgive Alicia for leaving her sisters to their fates.
** Prior to the story, Olga sacrificed a city to the orcs to recruit them and augment her forces to fight Celestine, leading to Grace losing her home and husband. She explicitly states that if she were Sir Kyril, she would not hesitate to kill her, and hopes that he does the same if he knew what happened.

* BirdsOfAFeather: One is a [[HunterOfMonsters hunter of beasts]], the other is a [[CreepyHousekeeper creepy]]/[[KindlyHousekeeper kindly housekeeper]], Kyril and Evetta actually resemble each other a lot despite their different roles. Both are [[TheStoic stoic]], soft-spoken characters with [[TheHermit a preference for peace, quiet, and solitude]]. They are both very dedicated and task-oriented, to the point where Kyril himself notes that she has a stubborn streak that could match his when a task has to be done. Both of them appear to be lifeless, which makes them all the more unsettling when combined with their serenity, yet have the capacity for kindness. Most importantly, they are arguably the only ones that have full knowledge of Yharnam and its secrets. [[spoiler:And there is also the fact that both of them are not human, while possessing tremendous power. To be precise, Kyril is a [[HumanoidAbomination humanoid]]-[[EldritchAbomination great one]], while Evetta is a [[ArtificialHuman living]] [[CreepyDoll doll]] with an "ancient power", whatever that entails...]]

** Chapter 20, [[spoiler:however, [[PlayedStraight plays it straight]]]]. [[spoiler:Tasked with delivering a message to Celestine on behalf of Kyril, the Doll [[StealthHiBye shows up in her personal quarters without warning]], which freaks out Celestine and Claudia hard. By instinct, Claudia moves to arrest her for unauthorised entry, only for her to give a disinterested glance that ''somehow causes Claudia to stop in her tracks, sheath her blade, and back off''. Although nothing out of the ordinary happens during their conversation, Celestine is constantly unnerved. There's also how an ancient power is said to reside in the Doll's vessel, yet [[NothingIsScarier no one, not even the readers, know what exactly it entails]].]]

* RuggedScar: Hugh is an unorthodox example. The terrible scars on his throat are due to a horrific mutilation by a bandit. He miraculously survived, of course, but at the cost of his voice.

* TooDumbToLive: [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] by Soren on how [[SarcasmMode clever]] of the Black Dogs to piss off the Good Hunter. Then again, [[DramaticIrony only the readers know]] about Kyril's ResurrectiveImmortality [[spoiler:as well as his [[EldritchAbomination true nature]]...]]

* TrainingMontage: There's no music due to the [[{{Fanfic}} genre]], but several chapters of the original open with training sessions between Kyril and his apprentices, which is pretty much combat-oriented.

* AlphabeticalThemeNaming: This is the case for the Pantielle family, with all three members (Michael, Mikhail, Michelle) having names that start with "Mi".

* AndShowItToYou: If anyone has the [[{{Pun}} guts]] to face the Good Hunter who is [[TranquilFury silently enraged]] or has eaten some ball wrapped in cloth (it's the Beast Blood Pellet), they better pray that their insides are in one piece. And no, he doesn't even need to stab them in the back, or shoot them with a gun to perform a visceral attack. Give him an opening, and they shall kiss their guts goodbye.

** The Good Hunter is a [[DownplayedTrope downplayed]] variant. There are several instances where he hopes for a greater challenge from his foes. Occasionally, he has thoughts of bloodlust, such as any time he eats a Beast Blood Pellet, or whenever he faces an enemy tougher than most, not to mention that the Old Blood that flows within him has an intoxicating effect. Nevertheless, Kyril neither relishes in bloodshed, nor actively seeks out people or things to kill for the sake of it, [[HomeSweetHome having a preference for peace and quiet]].

* LightningBruiser: Compared with his four apprentices, all of whom are skilled hunters in their own right, Kyril is the closest to an end-game hunter who has successfully mastered the [[AttackAttackAttack ferocious fighting style]] that defines ''VideoGame/BloodBorne'' as a whole. Power-wise, beneath his lean build is an unstoppable [[spoiler:eldritch]] force that overpowers any named fighters (Claudia, Vault, and the like) and one-shots orcs, greenskins who are unreasonably tough for one's blade to cut through. His [[SpellBlade Holy Moonlight]] [[{{BFS}} Sword]] can also deal tons of damage for crowd control, arguably the most potent weapon out of all. Speed-wise, he is faster than any character in the fanfic bar none. Aside from dodges, strafes, and side-steps, he has also shown with the unique ability to FlashStep, though whether this is due to him using the Art of Quickening [[spoiler:or part of his overworldly might]] is unclear. Whenever he fights, there will be at least one instance where his foe is surprised by not only his strength, but also how lightning fast he is. Toughness-wise, he is capable of [[JustAFleshWound enduring punishment that would have made one faint]], as if he [[FeelNoPain feels no pain]]. In case his injuries are serious enough, he always has a Blood Vial ready to heal himself back in tip-top shape. To top it off, all of the above attributes are taken UpToEleven when he eats a Beast Blood Pellet.