Velvet Night

Velvet night, the time when all rings of the Allrest fully align in place to block out the maximum level of light from the Allfire, occur about three times a month. The Mirror Lakes is much darker during those nights than any other, and it has a strange effect on many of the fauna.   There are many superstitions about velvet nights. Many believe it's bad luck to leave the house on a velvet night. Traditionally, all livestock are shut up for the night to protect them from supposed monsters which only venture out when it's most dark. These beliefs aren't entirely unfounded; the lypoa parasite, which possesses large animals, is active only during velvet nights due to its sensitivity to Allfire light.   Lypoas transform their host into a beast that resembles a deformed wolf with traces of whatever it used to be. It is extremely intelligent and hunts sapients for sport. Luckily, it is quite rare in the Teardrop Sea Islands, but nevertheless is the star of many ghost stories and warnings to children not to venture outside on velvet nights. At the end of the velvet night, the lypoa loses its strength and the host reverts to its former body, though incredibly weakened. Many animals can't survive the process.   Another creature affected by velvet nights is the glass octopus. While most of the time it is incredibly difficult to see, glass octopi glow in the dark when it is dark enough. So do several species of jellyfish, and a number of other flying animals.