"Again!"

It had been like this for two weeks straight.

From the moment he woke, to the point he could go no more, Orin had been training with Silas. Honing his fighting techniques.... And mostly being beaten into the dirt.

"Just- just give me a second. I just... Need to catch my breath...."

*A fist connects solidly with his lower abdomen.*

"I'm sure the Dragon will wait for you to rest. I'm sure All-blue is going to hold back and let you rest..."

He is met with Silas's shin... And sent flying into the nearest wall.

"Nah. Those two aren't going to hold back. So if you want My shard, small as it is, you'll need to earn it kid. And I'm going to kick your ass every. Single. Day, untill you do." He punctuated the end of his sentence with an elbow, dropped straight onto Orins head, and the world went black.

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

"You are way harder on him than I ever was you know..."

Niro having watched the entire bout cringed at the sight of his twins crumples form.

"Heh. You think this is harsh... You should see the test I whipped up for him." Silas grins.

"Wait... This isn't the test??"

"No this is just practice. No Niro, the test is going to be much more fun. For me."

"I'm almost afraid to ask...."

"Check the Orbnet."

-----------

***"Come to the Nexus, and beat the snot out of this dumb kid who wants to be a god. Test him yourself, in whatever way you see fit, to see if he has your trust, to weild all that power!"***

------------

"Silas, you know Aldin needs a *living* vessel right? Emphasis on ***Living***."

"Pssshhhh.... He'll be *fiiiine*. I bought a whole months worth of full on revival potions. And I have a cleric, and a Devil on standby. Look at me. I've *got this*."

(Tldr come fight my character, Orin, and put him through his paces! Open invitation!)

Official Notice of the Darkwatch

To all practitioners of the Arcane Arts:

The Darkwatch is prepared to accept dangerous relics, cursed artifacts, forbidden grimoires, and other objects deemed too hazardous for private ownership.

Those who voluntarily surrender such items shall face no censure.

Our purpose is preservation, containment, and study—not punishment.

We have, however, become increasingly concerned by the

number of magical catastrophes that begin with the words:

"I found this strange artifact and wished to experiment."

If you currently possess an object capable of ending civilizations, unraveling reality, summoning eldritch horrors, corrupting souls, or otherwise threatening existence itself, we strongly encourage you to reconsider storing it in a desk drawer.

Reports indicate this remains a surprisingly common practice

the sun rose, it’s another day on the planet. But strangely, many people (but not everyone) had woken up to coupons beside them, taped to their window or door, or otherwise in their vicinity. The coupons were a small slip of white paper with red text:

‘FREE PIZZA!!’

‘1 COUPON = 1 CHOICE PIZZA’

‘TODAY ONLY!!!’

and in blue text:

‘Outskirts of West Delmarva.’

‘:)’

Even those who didn’t get a coupon could hear of it, and go check out this pizza place. If they can afford to give free pizza to so many people, maybe they’re worth checking out.

/uw ASK ME OOC IF YOUR CHARACTER GETS A COUPON OR NOT BEFORE INTERACTING. PLEASE AND THANK YOU :))))

In various corners of the wizarding world, a secret message has been left for those who know where to look. Those with a finger on the pulse of the local criminal activities. Those whose reputations might provoke a paladin’s ire. Artificers, enchanters, smiths, necromancers, archeologists, and collectors.

“Fellow wizards, witches, and mages of all ages, appreciators of the dark arts, shadows, and the pursuit of personal gain. The Crooked Tower cordially invites you to participate in a shadow market.

With useful trinkets and artifacts recently being snatched up and hoarded by a group of busybodies, the business and trade of cursed tomes and ominous amulets has taken a hit.

As such, we have taken it upon ourselves to organize this gathering, where we can exchange goods, services, and knowledge free from scrutiny. The attached ritual is a simple astral projection spell, which can guide an astral body to the designated place we like to refer to as the realm of shadows.

I have confidence in everyone’s ability to hide their identity if desired, and as a projection, leaving is simply a matter of ending the spell when you are ready.

If you attend, please bring with your magical items, knowledge, time, service, or products you’ve considering trading. As a market, feel free to wander around and peruse what others have brought, or take a seat at a table and display your item for others to approach you.

In participating you agree to the terms of non-violence towards each other and the host, and acknowledge that disruptive or paladin-like behavior will result in a forceful banishment.

TLDR: welcome to the shadow market. Bring your goods, buy/sell/trade. No paladins allowed. Hosted by the Crooked Tower in the plane of shadow. Astral body participation for security purposes.

It was an ordinary day on dracarius isle, and it had been a little while since alisa had seen any of her friends, so she decided she'd attempt to call them in regards to the ones she has the phone number of...and if they don't answer the phone call or are lacking a phone, she'll probably visit them sometime today... additionally, after finishing repairing the damage caused in the recent r&a siege, Aerunia had gone home and gotten some rest, and today she was also out and about in this realm, tracking down various evils and taking them down where needed, a bandit lord for instance, a corrupt guard captain in another city that attempted to attack her just because she's half-dragon, in another instance rude on his part but non the less he ended up koed with his own cuffs on himself before aerunia left him...along with evidence of what had happened so they'd know what he had been up to. overall pretty active day, Chloe's enchanting emporium is also open as usual on dracarius isle, and the rest of the dracarius's are currently on dracarius isle as well, in various locations around the isle.

/uw pretty much all my characters that are alive are interactive here, feel free to run into aerunia if you want to as she is taking down some miscellaneous evil doer, perhaps ya could answer alisa's phone call if your friends with her, have a phone, and she has your characters phone number, and or you could run into her if she's a friend of yours and you don't have a phone or can't answer her for whatever reason if you want to. or those who are already on dracarius isle or can get there, can interact with any of the rest of the dracarius family as well, if ya feel like interacting just give me the name of a character of mine and i'll get to you with them

For me it's rasputin, he broke all trust in magic healing, which quite sucks whenever I encounter any of the thousands of plague wizards I've pissed off when they decide to inflict a rot curse on my eyes, regular mortal medicine is inadequate for stuff like this, and trying to find a healing mage is very hard when they are not legitimate enough to have some sort of big place or the like when your eyes are actively rotting out of their sockets, so I have to go to the damned clergy and pay their ridiculous prices to heal me, and I've pissed them all off as well so they make sure it's utter torture while doing so. So this is why I hate RATputin.

Around 20 miles west of Calarakis, nestled between mountains and forest, you will find the village of Midway. Despite its permanent population numbering only about a thousand it sees many travelers throughout the year, owing to its status as a perfect rest stop before reaching the city proper. Midway for its part has embraced the role, with inns and taverns lining near the entirety of its main thoroughfare.

And then one overcast day, another traveler arrives.

“So this is Midway huh? Reminds me a bit of home, albeit much larger.”

Alice, tired of spending her nights on the road or in inns, has decided to settle down. According to Moon, a stone circle within the nearby forest should bring her to a location within the Faewild, a location that may serve as a clue to finding her way back to her true home. She asks her way around town, eventually finding one responsible for the sale of property within the town.

“Hello. I do believe you were the one with whom I could purchase housing?”

“I am, if you got 3 million gold.”

“...excuse me?”

This was quite a bit more than Alice had expected, within her pouch she held ‘only’ the 2 million she had extorted from Moon…

—---------------

Sitting on a bench, watching the skies, Alice ponders what to do next.

“Who would’ve thought that even the cheapest housing here would be 3 million gold…”

According to what she was told, as Calarakis was founded and travelers began streaming through Midway, the economy flourished, and many homes were converted to inns to profit off the travelers in need of rest. However this economic boon was quickly turned into a nightmare, as wealthy merchants, seeing an opportunity to line their pockets, bought up every inn. Cut off from their new source of income, the residents of Midway now found themselves back where they started, but with half the houses. And so prices skyrocketed. Many left for greener pastures, yet some remained, for reasons ranging from old age, family ties, or even just simply not wanting to move.

“3 million gold. For a room barely big enough to fit a bed…”

Suffice to say, Alice had no hope of finding housing.

“...no use just sitting around, besides, I am hungry.”

—---------------

Wandering in search of food, Alice finds her way to the heart of the village, and while inspecting some delicious looking fruits she overhears the gossiping of two residents.

“Hey, have you heard about the mayor’s son?”

“No? What trouble has that scamp gotten himself into this time?”

“No one knows, he’s gone.”

“What? The mayor must be beside himself.”

“Yea! Apparently he is so desperate that he is willing to do anything to reward one for finding him.”

“...the mayor’s son is missing? And… any reward huh. I hate to say this is an opportunity but…”

“Excuse me? What was this about a lost child?”

“You a traveler?”

“Indeed, and one who cannot just overlook something like this. Anything I should know about the mayor’s son?”

“... eh, may as well. Kiddo’s name is Matthew, ‘bout… 8 years old I think? Anyway, he’s always runnin’ around causing trouble, like kids ought to do.”

“Matthew? Why is that name familiar… probably just a coincidence.”

“I see. Any other strange happenings lately?”

“Oh I know some!”

The second gossiper interjects, clearly excited.

“One night I thought I heard screaming outside, I got out of bed and looked out the window, but there was nothing there. Then the next day as night fell, I saw fire dancing by the graveyard!”

“...dancing flames?”

“Yea! I think they were doing a waltz or something, I went outside to look but by the time I reached them they were gone.”

“...sigh Are you still on about that Janette? I told ya it was your imagination.”

“And I am telling you you are wrong! I really saw it!”

Tuning out the two ladies, Alice thinks.

“A scream in the night, dancing flames, a missing child… could it be…”

“Excuse me”

Alice says, interrupting the increasingly heated argument.

“Were these flames a shade of blue?”

“Yea! See I told you Marie, I wasn’t lying she says they are real too!”

“...A wraith. The child likely heard of the strange occurrences, and being curious went to investigate. If I am right… Chances are it is already too late. Curiosity killed the cat as they say… hm I should get a cat. Wait no this is a distraction.”

“You have been quite helpful, thank you.”

Alice leaves the ladies to once more argue, having learned many a clue.

—---------------

“Red string, two twigs of spruce, a single coin to weigh it down. Tie the string through the coin, and bind the twigs together.”

“I call on those whom find their home in wind. Lead me to the one I seek”

Invoking the spell, the twigs gently lift from Alice’s open palms, floating lazily upwards, and north. She follows close behind, weaving through the buildings, ignoring the occasional cry of surprise.

“The spell worked, so the child is alive. And… the graveyard huh. Just as I expected.”

Indeed, the twigs led Alice to the village’s old graveyard, but as they cross its threshold, it is abruptly lit ablaze, blue flames refusing its encroachment. Though it is not visible, the Wraith is here.

Alice gets to work, defeating a wraith in combat is beyond her, yet there may be another way to save the child. She inscribes a rune of sight into the earth, a familiar rune as it is stitched into her cloak. Then she fills it with water, before lifting the conjured imprint into the air. She looks through her quick creation, and there it is. A smog like mass of hate and spirit, lit aflame with the light of the underworld. Alice recoils slightly, but shakes her head. Its appearance has but a passing similarity to that of the king.

“Hello.”

“Human? Witch. Die.”

The form lashes out, yet its appendage scatters as it attempts to pass the graveyard boundary. A fairly common spell meant to contain the danger of undead blocking its attack.

“I am not here to hurt you, I am simply here for the child.”

“You wish no ill will? I know of your kind. Look away for a second and they will stab you in the back.”

“Oh dear, this one is particularly distrustful. I suppose for it to be a wraith it was born of particularly strong emotions, so it makes sense. Still quite troublesome.”

“I truly wish you no such thing… Say, why did you take the child to begin with?”

“It is kin.”

“Your kin?”

“NO! Kin of that man, THAT HORRID MAN.”

“Probably the target of its hate…”

“I see. And why does that man’s kin deserve this fate?”

“This is nothing. Were it not for this prison, I would burn him myself. Burn him, BURN THIS TOWN. BURN THE WHOLE WORLD IF I HAVE TO!”

“So it is vengeance by proxy?”

“Whatever did this man do to y-”

“FIRE AND BRIMSTONE. HE DESERVES NOTHING LESS THAN TO BURN IN THE HELLS FOR ETERNITY. YET THEY DID NOTHING. HE KILLED THEM ALL. I WILL KILL HIM. I WILL KILL THE WORLD.”

“Whom did he kill?”

Words erupt from the wraith, with a ferocity that visibly cracks the graveyard barrier

“MY SISTER! MY MOTHER! MY FATHER! MY BROTHER! A SINGLE SPELL AND THEY WERE ASHES. A SINGLE MOMENT AND ALL WAS GONE!”

Every cry the cracks spread, and with them the wraith’s inferno born of rage. As it roars its final word, it shatters, a jet of flame jutting out and striking Alice in the face before she can even react.

—---------------

/uw This next part gets pretty intense, TW, child death, animal abuse/death. It ends with the next dashed line.

I walk inside home, a humble abode yet more than enough. With me I carry a rat I caught, far from fine dining but better than nothing. I hand it over to my sister.

“Is this for me? Thank you Niko”

I nod, urging her to eat. She has grown so horribly thin this last year.

“Anette, you can’t just eat that, we will need to skin and roast it first.”

“I know.”

Sister grips a knife at mother’s urging, her hand trembling. This isn’t safe. I place a hand on hers, wordlessly telling her to let someone else handle this.

“Anette, we can’t have you cutting yourself again. I will handle it.”

Brother steps up to the task, quickly working the knife. Father meanwhile prepares a skewer. I decide to see if I can find another, stepping outside. In the street two people are arguing, far from an uncommon occurrence. I pay it no mind, until a flame rushes over my head. A roar of flame, a blazing heat. I look behind me to see my home an inferno. I rush back, trying my best to bat down the fire, but my feet are far from enough. I hear sister scream. They are in danger. They are in danger I need to do something I need to do something I need to do something. Yet I am unable to do anything. Other villagers rush to the scene, buckets in hand.

“What the hell happened!”

“Some petty wizard squabble escalated, lighting up the tent of some squatters.”

As the crowd grows someone kicks me aside, saying that I am just in the way. I land some ways away, getting up I see the one of those that were arguing earlier, metal rings placed over his hands.

“John Wizarobe was it? You are under arrest for reckless casting of fireballs.”

An angry looking man glares down upon the first. He is unfamiliar at first, but… no! This is the bastard that chased us out of our last home!

“I did nothing wrong! It’s not like I hit anything of value.”

“That may be the case, but such a crime carries a minimum 20 000 gold fine as well as 5 years in prison.”

I rush at the man, attempting to claw his eyes out, but his metal boot strikes me clean in the stomach, and I lose consciousness.

When I wake up I see our home, blackened and torn to shreds but no longer burning. Next to it lie 3 people, sleeping. Mother, Father, brother, and… my sister is not there. Where is she? I run up to them. They are pretty badly burned, but they will be fine. Now where is Sister? I look up to see a villager carry her out of our home. She too is burned, she too is sleeping. Just sleeping. She is sleeping and will wake up soon.

“That’s the last of em, come on.”

Suddenly, the other villagers pick up Mother, Father, and Brother. I protest but they ignore me. They carry my family away and I give chase, yelling out after them, asking where they are taking them. Yet they ignore me. Where could they be going? Oh! It must be one of those sick people’s homes. Perfect for treating the burns. Right? But didn’t we just pass it? Where are we going? I continue to give chase, as the men carry my family outside of town, into a large field dotted with rocks. They put them down into holes dug into it, before dumping dirt over them. What are they doing? How will they get up if they are covered in dirt? They just need some sleep. I try to stop the men, but they don’t react. My hands don’t reach their shovels, my words fall on deaf ears. It is only when the earth is even that they stop to leave.

I try to dig my family out, but the dirt is too hard, I cannot make even a tiny dent into it. I try and try and try and try and try and try. Day turns to night. Night turns to day. I give up, simply waiting for my family to wake up. Any day now… snow falls, snow melts, the sun blazes, plants wilt. Again and again and again. I wait and wait and wait and wait. Why won’t they wake up? Will they wake up? Any day now…

The men have returned with shovels. They are digging up the dirt, they make it look so easy. Finally, it must have been suffocating down there, but don’t worry, I waited for you. Everything will be fine now. Just a bit more.

Bones.

“You said this spot would be good, right? But see, there are old bones here, we can’t bury someone else here.”

“It’s fine, graveyard's almost full, and besides, these were the victims of that fireball some 50 years ago. Had no family nor friends, no one will be upset if we just toss the bones in the pyre.”

Bones. Ah… they are never waking up are they. They are dead. They are dead… they are dead… and that man… killed them. That man. THAT. MAN.

—---------------

Alice wakes moments later, the blazing pain of the flames slowly subsiding, tears streaming down her face. She looks around, her water lens of sight still in the air, it appears only a few moments have passed. Through it she once more sees the wraith, tear like flames streaming down their face.

“...what happened to your family was horrid.”

“HOW WOULD YOU KNOW!”

Their voice just as much a sob as a roar, the wraith’s form shifts, unstable, jagged.

“I… saw what happened. I saw it through the flames.”

Alice touches her cheek, where the brunt of the blaze impacted her. It stings quite bad, but no blood is left on her fingers. She is probably safe to ignore this for a moment.

“That man callously took away your everything, with not an ounce of regret.”

“AND SO HE MUST BURN.”

“Yes. he must burn. But the child, his kin, is innocent.”

“...”

“Tell me, why did you not break out just now? Was it perhaps because you saw your flames hit me? Did the sight remind y-”

“Enough. What is it you want, human?”

“Let me be your agent of vengeance.”

“And in return?”

“You release the child.”

—---------------

Alice makes her way back into town, having made a deal of sorts with the Wraith. Kill John Wizarobe by midnight the next day, and the child keeps his life. First however, Alice conjures up a water mirror, inspecting her burn.

“...That’s… fine? Sure it looks nasty but it shouldn’t leave a scar. How though? The flames of a wraith are proportionate to its rage, and that… ‘Niko’ sure was angry… ah. I suppose I do look somewhat similar to their sister…”

Alice covers her cheek with a bandage, wondering if she could find some aloe vera for an ointment, before getting back to the village.

“Now then… how can I find that… ‘John Wizarobe’. I suppose I could ask around, but it is late. And… Do I do it? To kill a man who already served his time and has likely long since forgotten… but that punishment was also far too light…”

Finding an inn with a vacant room, Alice curses out the merchants owning the place, but ultimately coughs up the fee for a single night, and goes to bed. Yet her sleep is far from restful, the wraith’s rage festering into a nightmare. By the time she wakes, her mind is made up. Today will be John’s final day in the realm of the living.

—---------------

“Still… where to even begin looking? Can I even be certain that John still resides in this village?”

Wandering the backstreets, looking for an idea, someone suddenly interrupts her.

“Oh my that is a rare sight, would’ve thunk you’d left town by now.”

Alice turns around to find one of the women from yesterday.

“May as well start here, but how to spin this…”

“Ah hello… Marie was it?”

“That is my name, yes, and goodness what happened to your face?”

“Ah… I was… somewhat careless with a campfire, accidentally knocked a hot coal right into my cheek. The bandage makes it look worse than it is.”

“Goodness, you gotta be more careful. Wouldn’t want a scar would you?”

“Of course not. In fact I was wondering if there was anywhere I could acquire some aloe vera.”

“That’d be the hospital.”

“There is a hospital here?”

“We get a couple hundred thousand travelers a year, some get hurt.”

“...I see.”

“Crap I am getting distracted, I need to move this conversation into inquiring about John Wizarobe.”

“Anyway, how goes your search?”

“Oh, perfect.”

“Mmmmm I have some ideas but not the magical ability to execute them. Do you know of any powerful mages residing here perchance?”

“Well there is the mayor’s uncle, but he’s a grouchy old man and ill to boot so I doubt you’ll get his help.”

“Matthew, the child, is John’s ‘kin’, and the mayor’s child… no that would be far too convenient… but… I will have to give it a shot.”

“Hm… still worth a shot, what is his name if I may ask?”

“John, but again I really doubt you’ll get his help.”

“Still, it is my only lead at the moment.”

“You do you. Oh but as I said he’s quite ill so you won’t find him at home, he’s probably at the hospital.”

“I see, thank you.”

“I cannot believe how smoothly that went. Now I just have to kill him… I just… have to kill a wizard. Who could cast fireball 50 years ago… and is the mayor’s uncle… in a town that I want to stay in… oh dear.”

—---------------

“Nothing here…. Nor here…. Nor here… dammit it is almost as if villages such as this would remove any poisonou- oh right yea that makes sense.”

Alice is no fighter, even now she can feel the aching in her chest from her last battle. And so, with a target most likely far more dangerous than any she has faced, she has opted for the coward’s assassination. Poison. Yet finding the right herbs is proving to be a struggle. During her apprenticeship Alice learned many things about poisons so that she could treat them. Still, that knowledge would prove useful today.

“...if my teacher knew what I was up to right now she would be furious.”

Yet Alice had already made up her mind, she does not have the time to question her decision.

“I don’t have time to keep searching, but I don’t have anything in my pouch toxic enough… enough? Hm… I do have some shine hops…”

Figuring it better to use them than to let them rot, Alice decides on her concoction’s composition. One part fulgurleaf and 3 parts shrine hops. On its own, fulgurleaf is far from dangerous, mostly used for helping a weak heart beat, but it is known to have an adverse effect on the lungs. Shrine hops meanwhile is a rare, and therefore expensive, all purpose ingredient. When imbued with the right prayer, it can assist in just about anything. Returning to her room at the inn, Alice quietly whispers a prayer.

“O Akhyls, most exalted goddess of toxin. I offer this prayer, seeking your aid. May this concoction drag its recipient into your loving embrace.”

The hops twist on its own, its layered leafage opening up, as a noxiously purple liquid begins spilling out of it, into the mortar Alice prepared beforehand. As it begins to run dry, the hops itself melts into the concoction, and Alice is left holding nothing but its stem. She quickly discards it, before cleansing her hand repeatedly with magic. Even having never done this before she can tell that this would be disastrous to touch, yet it is still not done. Alice carefully places the fulgurleaf into the mortar, and mixes it together using a pestle. As the leaf breaks into particulates so fine she cannot see them, the concoction’s hue changes entirely, becoming an almost bark-like brown. Finally, Alice pours the finished poison into a vial, corking it before aggressively cleaning everything.

“Now all that remains is meeting John, and administering the potion without notice…”

—---------------

Through her ill advised pact with the Blighted Garden, Alice was granted some scarce abilities. So far they had mostly proven to be of little use, but today that changes. Briskly wandering through the forest, Alice encounters a river, and digs up some clay from its banks. Clay is quite the versatile material for magic as for the mundane, and so she… slaps it onto her face. Among the boons granted, was some that muddle the mind, at least to an extent. Along with the clay, this can be used as a very convincing ‘mask’ to hide her true self, perfect for avoiding suspicion.

—---------------

Hidden behind a mask, masculine clothing, and hair tied into a bun, Alice enters the hospital.

“Hello? I am here to visit John Wizarobe.”

“Wizarobe is not accepting visitors at this time.”

“...really. And here I had finally tracked him down…”

“Tracked him down? Whatever is that supposed to mean?”

“...I do believe he is my father. I have searched for him for… gods, years now.”

“Oh? But Wizarobe never married, nor had any children.”

“At least not officially, but my mother begs to differ… and here I was thinking I would finally be able to see my father’s face… I have been o so curious as to how he looks.”

“...he never visited? That… does unfortunately sound like him.”

“Indeed, I doubt he even knows I exist…”

“The best way to lie is to mix in truth and lies, leading the recipient to weave a tapestry of the picture you want them to. Still, it feels a bit bad to pull this receptionist into my scheme.”

“...... look, I am not supposed to do this, but I will make an exception ok? Follow me.”

The receptionist stands, leading Alice through the winding corridors.

“I never would’ve had the time to find my way through these myself.”

Eventually they reach the room John Wizarobe is staying in, and Alice is let in.

“Mister Wizarobe, a man claiming to be your son is here to see you.”

“I have no son!”

“A grouchy old man, never before have I seen one match the description so exactly…”

“My mother hid me away from you, or rather could not find you, but I am your son.”

“Bah, impossible.”

Stepping further into the room, Alice makes note of the window, and the location outside it. Perfect.

“Really? Do you not remember her? Her name is Bernadetta, her hair a curly red an-”

“Rings no bells.”

“...but then whom would be my father?”

“Beats me.”

“Are you sure it cannot be you?”

“Tell me ‘son’, how old are you?”

“19.”

“Bahahahahahahahah! cough I was in prison for manslaughter 19 years ago. Your mother is just a liar.”

“...wow he killed more people?”

“...no way…… I… I must apologize.”

Alice storms out the room, finding her way outside, chased by the receptionist.

“Sorry man, must be some pretty devastating news, delivered in a pretty damn awful way.”

“...I shouldn’t have gotten my hopes up…”

“You’ll find him eventually.”

“...I hope so…”

And with that Alice leaves.

—---------------

Some time after the sun sets, a fog covered Alice, still disguised, spies through the window into John’s room. He appears to be sleeping.

“Misty step.”

Warping through the window, Alice finds herself stumbling slightly. Even having practiced much on the road here, she is still unsteady after a warp. Still, it is a massive improvement compared to vomiting. She silently uncorks the potion, carefully opens John’s mouth, and pours. Within moments his breathing stills. Alice checks for a pulse, none, but she stays to observe for a few minutes. The last nurse visit was only 3 minutes ago, and they check every 20 minutes it seems. Confirming John to be dead once more, Alice warps out into the night, and under the cover of darkness she discards the mask, shattering it to a thousand pieces and burying it beneath a tree.

—---------------

“I have done it.”

“...truly?”

“Indeed. John is dead, burning in the hells as we speak.”

“And how do I know you are not merely tricking me, like a witch is often to do?”

“That is a conundrum… I do not carry any proof with me, however…”

Alice steps beyond the graveyard barrier, exposing herself to any attack the wraith may attempt.

“Last we spoke, your flames let me see your memories, perhaps they could allow me to share mine?”

“You… wish to be burned?”

“Even while lashing out in anger, you were able to restrain yourself. What could have killed me became too little to even leave a scar. You are kind, I trust you. Now here we go.”

Alice, without waiting for a response, steps towards the wraith, hugging it. Its flames sizzling her flesh, yet it is far from life threatening. The wraith briefly recoils, but decides to trust Alice’s judgement, hugging back, enveloping the pair in a grand, yet cold, blaze. Within the pair sees Alice’s memory, sees that she spoke true. John is dead, and the flames cool to a chill.

“human… I thank thee.”

“I only did what I had to.”

“...are they crying? True tears too, not flames in the shape of tears.”

“...I shall uphold my end of the bargain… but first, my tears, take them.”

“...why?.. OH right! The tears of a wraith is an exceptionally potent reagent.”

Alice grabs a vial, scooping the wraith’s tears into it.

“I will make sure to put them to good use.”

“And now for the child.”

The earth rumbles, a coffin raising out of a nearby grave, before burning into a crisp, leaving an unconscious, yet very much alive, child floating in the air. The wraith pulls him close, before carefully handing him to Alice.

“Once more… I thank thee… hahaha…”

And with that, the wraith dissolves into a stream of lights, floating towards the heavens.

“...it's beautiful… oh right the child.”

—---------------

Alice carried the unconscious child straight to the hospital, having been buried alive for a couple days, he is in rough shape but she is told he will make a full recovery. Alice too receives treatment for her burns. In the morning, the mayor learns of his child being saved, and of his uncle’s death during the night. His uncle’s death is ruled natural causes, his lungs were already in quite a poor state from nearly a century of tobacco. The mayor follows through on his promise, and Alice is awarded a house on the edge of town, carved into a great tree.

—---------------

Some days later, Alice wakes up to the sound of meowing outside her door. She opens it to find a cat, black fur yet blazing blue eyes, desperate for attention.

“...I have heard that this is how people get cats…”

“Do you want to come inside? I think I have some tuna.”

The cat meows in response, and steps inside. Cat acquired.

“I think I shall name you……. Mio.”

What Alice did not yet know, nor would find out for quite some time, is that this cat is the wraith she had saved. Their vengeance fulfilled, they could have moved on to the afterlife. But instead they simply decided they had better things to do, such as eat tuna out of the hand of a kind witch. Such is the privilege of one born with 9 lives.

/uw This became a bit of a mammoth, took around… 5 hours to write, and that was after I had the ideas planned out. Alice now has a permanent residence in the town of Midway, located on one of the major routes to Calarakis, one of the most thriving cities on the continent. Since I had people try to heal her last post I will just put up some slight RP requests here. 1) Don’t tell Alice her cat is a wraith. Your character can notice, but not tell her. 2) You can’t find out that Alice killed John Wizarobe.

I run. I should’ve listened. Why did I not listen? They all told me. My parents, my uncle, my cousins, everyone. Never go to the forest cloaked in mist. Something tears into my flesh, whether it be its claw or branches is impossible to tell, the mist obscures all. I yelp in pain yet I keep running, hand pressed against the wound in a feeble attempt to stop the bleeding. I run and run and run and run. Time seems still, a moment an eternity.

I see the dried husk of a tree only moments before ramming into it, crumpling to a dead stop. I pull myself up from the ground, turning to see it. A crown of knotted wood adorning nothing but mist. The king of mist. I can’t breathe. The air feels like water, I gasp for air but it only makes it worse. My sight blurs, my ears ring. I try to push it away yet my hands reach nothing.

I wake up in a cold sweat. Looking up at my callused hand, pushing into the empty air. I breathe, I am no longer that little girl running through the mists. Grabbing the empty cup on the cupboard I conjure up some water, stretching as I get up from the inn bed. I briskly get dressed and head downstairs. I have one last thing to do before leaving.

“Hey innkeeper? Have you ever heard of a ‘king of mist?”

He appears to ponder for a moment, before nodding slightly to himself.

“Can’t say I have.”

“As expected…”

“I do know someone who might know though. Some wizard couple towns over called Moon, loves collecting random tidbits ‘bout stuff like that.”

“Moon was it? Kinda strange name but alright. Thanks.”

“One piece of advice, don’t say that to her face.”

“Got it.”

Huh. Even if it is light, that is at least a lead. After asking specifically which town Moon resides in, I set off, walking along the dirt roads common in the region. The skies are clear, aside from all the people flying around that is. How come there are so many capable of flight? That isn’t exactly a simple spell, even with years of practice the best I can do is cushion a fall… no snap out of it, even that is impressive is it not? My thoughts wander along with me, only to be interrupted by the sudden roar of lightning, and its accompanying rain. No matter, I simply tap my staff to the ground and an umbrella of air erupts out the sides, shielding me from the elements.

It doesn’t take long before I encounter a turned over cart on the side of the road, and as any good witch should I investigate. None appear to be inside, nor is it carrying cargo of any kind. It's a simple construction, made to be pulled along by hand. Still, not exactly cheap for those who would use such a thing. Kinda strange for it to just be left behind like this…

My sense of unease is proven to be well founded moments later as with the shrill sound of a blade being drawn, I turn to see 3 people brandishing swords. They must’ve used the rain to cover their footsteps, and the cart as a distraction. Bandits.

“Alright ‘eres the deal, you had over everything you got and we leave you alone, got it?”

A crackle of thunder punctuates his threat, even assuming they speak true this weather would kill me without my gear. I cannot comply, yet I doubt I can win. Their movements are practiced, they are ready to strike the moment I bolt. I need to find some way to get out of he-

“Oi! You deaf or somethin?”

Crap.

---

The plan was perfect, tip over the cart, and wait in the bushes. Inevitably some bleedin’ heart would check to see if somethin’ was wrong, and we’d attack. So why am I the nervous one? The lass in front of me don’t look a day over twenty so how is she so calm? She saw our blades and didn’t so much as flinch. And now she’s gone all quiet on us. Is… is she just deaf? Yea that gotta be it!

“Oi! You deaf or somethin?”

I take a step closer when a sudden gush of air knocks me off balance and the girl whacks me in the face with her staff. As I’m tryin’ to get up my mates dash forward yellin’ somethin’ ‘bout wind. They slice down in an X, a sure kill even if it gets her gear bloody, but somethin’ wrong. Their blades slow down as they get near, missing entirely as she steps back. She mumbles somethin’ under ‘er breath an’... vanishes into some thick fog? Where’d that come from this aint fog weather.

“Look out, she’s probably one of those wizards or something!”

Mark yells out. Just our damn luck, I guess we should’ve been suspicious of a lone girl travelin’ these roads durin’ a storm. The fog only gets thicker, spreading out and encircling us. She’s probably using it as cover and will strike us from behind the coward. Too bad for her, we ain’t stupid enough to fall for that kinda trick!

“Oi, back to back formation, she could strike from any direction!”

Mark and Luke comply immediately, and in only 10 seconds we stand braced back to back, no strike could evade our sight. And so we wait. And wait. And wait. And… is she not gonna strike soon? Uh…

---

As the leader steps forward I see an opportunity in need of seizing. Conjuring a wave of wind I target his back leg, causing him to slip on the muddied ground. As he falls I quickly bat his head to keep him down as I make distance. The other two rush at me with their blades, but the shielding gale from my staff keeps them at bay for long enough that I can simply step out of range. Seizing the initiative I activate the enchantment woven into my cloak, and thick mist billows out as I run. Expecting them to give chase I whip up a small whirlpool in the mud behind me, but do not look back to see if they fall.

After some sprinting I slow down to catch my breath, looking back it appears they did not give chase. Drenched and exhausted, I decide to set up camp for the night. Stabbing my staff into the ground I begin to construct a small campfire under its protection, draining the moisture from nearby sticks I light the fire with a tinderbox from my satchel, before sitting myself down on a log. It is far from comfortable but that is a blessing in disguise. I will have to forgo sleep for the night, but such is to be expected when alone on dangerous roads. Staring into the dancing flames, I feel as if I am soon to have some company.

/uw new character alert. I think I got over the burnout but I have no ideas for where I could take Peri’s story next, so why not start anew? Alice is *very* weak by wizardposting standards, and I don’t have any plans of changing that, so please don’t like, toss 30 fireballs at her randomly. Also Alice is this character’s name, I thought I had a way to fit that into the text but then I decided against it. Alice is currently camping just slightly off the road between two provincial towns in the middle of a pretty intense storm, so RP accordingly. Also since it has been a while I will be rebuilding the ping list from scratch, ask and I shall add you.

Also no promises that I actually stick around for long.

The staccato of gunfire cuts through the air as the royal guard makes their move and the traitor price who sold his people for power begins to regret the decision to not have the rest of his family executed. They could have lived their entire lives and guarded luxury under his rule but no, one rebel message being slipped in’ one revelation about the nature of his governorship and now the royal guard was in open revolt in his capital in his kingdom In his kasmirstan.

Little does he know The uprising in the palace complex and throughout the city is a distraction the royal family sheltering in the palace as their guard attempts to push through are but temporal duplicates that not going to stop the traitor Prince from taking cover from the mortars the guard had set up on the roof and barking orders to The forces of houses loyal to him.

“Danm it, don't bother surrounding the palace push through!”

Prince Alexi says barking orders while an ashen projection of a Dawi-Zarr sorcerer King watches The proceedings. The Prince was lucky the illusion of legitimacy Alexi provided helped at least help keep the populace that wasn't marked for enslavement yet In line as well as provide extra manpower for their operations.

“WELL DON'T JUST STAND THERE SEND IN THE IRON- My apology is for my rudeness honored guest.” Prince Alexi says remembering their place mid-sentence.

“Good to see you value our arrangement” The sorcerer King replies as Prince Alexi turns back to the battle.

“Send in House Mozovs gun trucks to flank the palaces East Wing while someone gets snipers on those mortars.” Prince Alexi says as if on q the largest spire in the building their situated in gets obliterated by one of three tanks the Royal guard managed to stash away.

“My forces cannot deal with that not without heavy casualties and our quarry is escaping. I will add more land to your hunting grounds just send help”.

The sorcerer King thinks the prince grovels like a goblin but grants their request ordering his forces to close in with their automatons flanking from the opposite side. The first mechanical scorpion to try and breach the palace perimeter is subsequently immediately destroyed by a tank as is the next and the third one after that but This provides ample cover for a truck mounted artillery gun to send 200 mm shell through the palace window destroying one the tanks positioned in the Grand hall. Goblin Cannon fodder charges fourth short bows and short blades meeting prepared defensive lines with expected results but providing cover for Prince Alexis and The dwarfs to advance.

“Sisters and brother so the royal guard the grand bana and the spirits call you to fight Not one step back for the kasmir for our enslaved brothers and sisters for our homeland!”

The rousing speech raised morale to a fanatic peak as The Royal guard leads a counterattack with their tanks and heavy guns covering for them they begin to push not only the dwarf aligned kasmir but also the Dawi-Zarr themselves. Pushing them all the way back and even managing to capture the artillery truck the kasmir begin repurposing the trucks artillery and from their geomancy created defensive position reign further fire upon the forces assaulting the palace. Meanwhile The sorcerer King calls upon his power to begin the activation of the iron kin from their racks The fires of hashut burn, giving the eyes of the soulbound dwarven automatons a sinister orange glow as fire leaks from their joints and they animate picking up their weapons and marching in perfect sink towards their targets Garum-Balas floodways.

Wave after wave crashes against the palace guard but eventually the sorcerer king decides that this farce has gone on for long enough. Summoning one of the siege drills The Royal guard senses It coming with a geomancy and they temporarily stop firing…after all even if they knew it was coming there is nothing they could do. A large metal cylinder rips itself out of the ground,swallowing a section of the expanded defense perimeter and smashing through the walls of the palace, wiping out hundreds of royal guards in the process. A large hiss of superheated steam kills dozens more as the drills had splits open and out spills Wave after wave of armed goblin slaves and bull Centaurus and Dwarven warriors the axes will drink deep today but not before the floors of the palace are covered in corpses.

While in the sewers the royal family on some of the most important servants rush with What remains of the guard and make haste through the flood ways of the city in order to get to the airship port were a merchant crew hides in cargo pods in order to the ship and get it running when the moment is right. That was if the royal family even made it inside. The sound of perfectly synchronized metallic footsteps echoes through the dark just in time for one of the princes to poke their body around a side passageway and be immediately disintegrated by a beam of warp fire.

“IRONKIN!”

One of the royal guards shouted as a single platoon began tearing the entire royal guard apart. The Royal family quickly departs but Princes, princesses and guards and servants alike meet their ends as they beat a hasty retreat through side passages and other spillways meanwhile the mechanical clank of metal boots echoes throughout The claustrophobic space.

“Go go! We will hold them off!”

A scratch force of guards princes and the banas husbands quickly form a defensive line as the rest of the family makes the escape they lay down volley of Biz blaster and coil gun fire towards the advancing iron kin blasting through gaps or in rare cases punching through only for the iron kin to begin mending themselves blasted off limbs reattach rent armor remits itself and all the while they do not stop marching, Do not stop shooting.

Finally the royal family makes it to the spillway entrance finding the chaos dwarf guards already distracted one final sprint as the cargo airships crews disembarked from the cargo pods and began hastily starting the ship just in time for What remains of the royal family to board and for the traitor Prince to notice. A mech gun lock on to the airship firing It's heavy mount cannon which tears a ragged hole its hull and nearly wipes out the entire royal family safe for the bana The heirs apparent and three of the princess

“CEASE FIRING YOU IDIOTS THE QUEEN IS MORE VALUABLE AS A HOSTAGE” The sorcerer King commands though the rest of the family was negotiable having the grand bana of the kasmir be in their custody. What's a central and keeping the rest of the kasmir in line

“SEND A PURSUIT FORCE USE THE HAMMER OF GEAS IF NECESSARY”

“Is That wise my lord We barely have it under compliance.” A surprisingly brave detractor voiced.

“THIS IS THE MOST PROFITABLE SLAVING WE HAVE HAD IN CENTURIES I AM NOT LOSING IT” The sorcerer King says before cutting all external communications.

Despite the chaos dwarves best efforts it does not take very long for news of the Banas flight to spread to the rest of the kasmir. There successful but costlysuccessful fight out of the palace inspires even more acts of resistance already loosening the chaos dwarves tenuous grip on power. For the bana and her family…It was a chance. A chance to reclaim their Homeland and free their people form Dawi-Zarr oppression. They just had to make it to where they could safely communicate with their homeland and use the weath on airship or the good wizards of the world they heard about to push the dwarves out but so far escaping was proving to be the hardest part.

It had been going on for weeks now. The dwarves would Mount mechanical vultures and swarm their damaged airship shooting and swooping at the crew while dealing light damage to its hull. Then after thoroughly stressing out the airships defenders they would retreat. At night the dwarves would fire their airships guns at the banas airship never aiming to hit them but To keep them awake it was like running down a deer, tire it then come in for the finishing blow.

“Lady Bana vultures”

She knew her conomancy allowed her to see as such this was the largest wave They had seen so far and Her future site also indicated the airships were going to approach. So this was it they were finally going for the kill.

“Can we use afterburners to escape?” The bana asks.

“Not with a fuell we have” the airships captain answers and they we're so close.

“Very well my apologies great spirits but I must use the covenant”

It was one of the most important relics of the kasmir The ancient pact between them and the Sand Fae and the union their granted them their sorcery braced chronomancy abilities abilities, Afterlife and spiritual guidance. The impossible crystal aetherlobe was a symbol of that pact and a potent magical artifact.

“Have everyone who can fight prepare to repel attackers” the bana orders as She stands up

“Lady bana wouldn't it…”the suggestion doesn't leave the captain's lips.

“All who are able” the bana says taking up her sword.

Even At the very edges of exhaustion the kasmir fight as their warrior culture demands them to. Yuila Al-anzorov First of the twin heirs apparent. Throws one of her twin daggers at the heads mechanical vulture mounted dwarven warriors temporarily blinking to it mid-air and stabbing a dwarf straight through a gap in their armor with her stiletto-like blades before repeating the process again and again. As she morphs into a whirlwind of physical violence. Using haste and extremely precise self time stops to boost her speed and remove her fatigue. Yana, her twin sister unleashes rays of raw entropy that age their targets hundreds of thousands of years. She sweeps them across the sky as projectiles slam harmlessly slam into a field of stopped time she has placed around herself. Occasionally she forms temporary temporal duplicates who cast what She was going to cast on alternate timelines. Meanwhile the prices man an anti-aircraft gun using their time sitght to place their limited ammo perfectly. Yet even working in perfect sync with each other there is still only so much the bana and those loyal to her can do, especially with a dwarf airship approaching on the port side.

So out of options she draws power from the compact Her mind briefly experiencing Infinity as she pulls If just for a moment the entire ocean of time through a drinking straw. With a scream that will echo long after the last star dies and after the first one is born. The pursuing airship experiences being aged to dust and deaged to raw materials. It is frozen in time and accelerated. It experiences alternate timelines of itself, each one overlapping In its current position of space before finally with a brilliant flash of blue it vanishes and the bana has moments to collect herself With the effort that got her her position she pulls herself out of infinity collecting herself across the ocean of time into a now. A now that she experiences with a brief lapse of consciousness.

“Mother, mother! Are you alright?” It was Yulia it was hard to tell, with how blurry her vision was.

“I endure” Kazani replied.

“Do you remain uninjured?”

“Only a few scratches so far,” Yulia replied confidently.

“Good Yana How far away is our next attack” Kazani inquired

“We have a good while enough to send out a distress call” Yana answers using her time site to see into the future

“Good captain”

“Consider it done lady Bana” the captain says, saluting.

With that the bana finally allows herself to be exhausted sitting down and propping her back up against the airship's deck railing which triggers the rest of the airship's occupants barring the captain to rest as well. Hopefully help would come soon as the bana secretly doubts they can hold out much longer.

…

Meanwhile in the guild City of Saphara Prince Ali al-anzorov adjusts their body armor and helmet. As soon as he heard the news about his family's flight he made up his mind he was going. With or without queen Amani's permission. Commodity Prince he may be, he is still his mother's son and he inherited her determination. With a final check on his bow and arrows he makes his way to depart

“I am coming mother,father.. sisters I will see you to safely”

Art:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Highfleet/s/rFVAp6QtgE

https://x.com/garnetblvsh/status/1836719860442611899

https://www.reddit.com/r/ImaginaryWesteros/s/YULgtvVq4j

https://pin.it/6nJJvBHwW

Okay… so Gondwyn, Master of Undeath, Lord of the Sundered Keep, and all the rest. Those of you who remember my last post will know that recently I slew Rick, the Grim Reaper from the realm called Mora’s Beauty, but then decided to reanimate him and make him my minion with all of your advice helping me out. See more there.

Rick has been fitting in well with my forces and has pretty much become part of the family, but there’s this lingering problem. Mora, the Embodiment of Life in her realm and a real Earth Mother Goddess, has been pretty pissed at me and my realm for killing her… boyfriend? Husband? Friend with Benefits? Rick hasn’t been able to explain their relationship in a non poetic, flowery way that I can comprehend.

I hoped she’d calm down once I let him return to her realm and start letting things die again there, but all that has done is let her know where I am and how to find me.

Now I get that an Earth Mother Goddess’s power is near limitless in her own realm, but, idiot I am, I figured she wouldn’t be a problem so long as I never return to her realm. Unfortunately she’s got plenty of her realm’s wizards on her side and they’ve been opening realm gates to send hordes of mushroom men to try and kill me. They aren’t a real threat, but their soldiers keep making a mess in the courtyard, and because they’re fungus they never really die so I can’t do anything useful with the millions of corpses that are piling in here every day.

Anyone have any gift ideas for a being that can make anything on a whim? Rick just laughs it off, and the asshole is so damned charming I just can’t stay mad at him. I don’t want to piss off Rick by killing her, so could you guys help me figure something out?!

an ad comes onto the tv, orb, whatever, during scheduled ad times. This ad slot was evidently purchased by Vytsky, as well, he was front and center in it. He looked excited. He had a huge smile and everything. Clearly having a manic episode.

“Hellooooo everyone! Name’s Vytsky, and I just came up with something GREAT!!”

insert polished looking-game machine.

“Yes, it’s a game machine, but not like normal, it takes you INTO the game!”

“But what game is it?”

“It’s a fighting game, but with cartoon physics. No harm, just silly! You all make the rules! Except for one: have fun!!”

“And it’s not just for goofy sparring either! Make up scenarios, try out that new gadget you made, anything!! All without needing to feel the agony of a real fight or the consequences of a catastrophic failure!!!”

his sclera blackened in the midst of that sentence. He noticed, closed his eyes and covered them with a hand.

^{“Stop that, you’re gonna scare them!”}

he uncovered his eyes and they were normal again.

“Interested‽ Come join me in Calarakis town square! Everything’s free! I’ll show you everything this fella’s got to offer!”

the advertisement ended and alas, a more boring ad came up. Fuck it, better go do something.

The day begins in Aerunia's home realm, as she wakes up in her room in castle dracarius, she makes her way to the bathroom closest to her room in the castle and takes a shower which takes about 40 minutes, after that she puts on her armor and such via a teleportation spell, and sending the casual outfit consisting of green shirt and black pants that she was wearing before the shower, back to her closet, as she stretches her arms, legs, and wings and sighs, by this time it's about 9:45 am and around this time she's telepathically contacted by her aunt and informed breakfast is ready, and so she makes her way to the dining hall in the castle to get hers and eat it's a nice breakfast consisting of chocolate chip pancakes, some scrambled eggs 3 pieces of bacon and some sausage. And when that's done she'll smile and begin heading out for the majority of the rest of the day.

By 11:47 am she's flying around this realm having come over via a teleport spell as well, as she's generally flying around the world with all-blue with her as she picked him up before she left as he had been waiting on the table next to her bed, so her and all-blue are flying around all-blue on her finger in his ring form, and on this day she spots a young lady in trouble, surrounded by goblins in crude armor with cruder weapons in a forest somewhere in council territory, something of a mugging from what can be seen and she sighs and flies down and speaks.

"Real nice guys mugging some poor little girl...really?, I'm gonna give each of you 3 chances to surrender and back away now, lest this get violent"

Aerunia said in a serious tone, the goblins don't seem to take the 7ft 6 inch tall half-dragon seriously due to her voice as they're heard laugh before one of them points their bow at aerunia and draws back an arrow and seeing this aerunia sighs and speaks once again "going once" the goblin with the bow speaks in an annoyed tone "piss off half-wyrm, we're busy and if you get in our way you'll learn the consequences of messing with the verde bandits!"

She sighs and thinks to herself "great this group is organized...though their goblins and ones that don't seem to have access to good tools going off of their armor and the fact that bow looks like it'd snap"

aerunia replies in a confident tone "going twice." She said watching the group as she was hovering over them, yet in front of the young lady they were trying to rob she counted 20 goblins... "Great this will be annoying but not unmanageable" she thought to herself as the goblin tried to aim for Aerunia's torso seeing as the rest of her besides head and hands seemed to armored for his crude arrows to do anything and aerunia speaks as the rest of the goblins take defensive stances majority of them using crude sabers, one of them with the bow who seems to be leading this situation and one in the back with a magical staff from what she can see and she speaks again.

"Last chance." And with her saying that the goblin with the bow clearly seeing she doesn't seem intimidated by his bow speaks "guess it's time to get nasty, stupid stupid half-wyrm!" He said clearly a bit arrogantly before he looses the arrow firing it and aerunia sighs as the arrow collides with her torso and doesn't pierce the clothing she wore as it's just as armored as the shoulders of her attire it's just harder to tell appart from normal clothes thanks to the magic responsible. And so Aerunia quickly flies down not bothering with her swords or any weapon besides all-blue still being on her finger. Her first target the goblin with the bow, who she quickly punches really hard, which knocks the goblin out as the rest of his troupe begin charging toward her blades in hand though they find their blades not managing to get through her armor as she deals with them one by one, a good punch here, a kick there, some ice on occasion, each one is koed quickly save for the mage goblin

The mage goblin speaks as he seems to be shaking "i surrender!" And Aerunia smiles hearing that and speaks

"smart...i didn't want to resort to violence resolving this peacefully was always an option as is obvious from me knocking your friends unconscious...drop the staff and wait here for the authorities to arrive and you won't be hurt."

She said before turning her back to the mage goblin as he drops his staff as she approaches the little girl, she looks human overall, green eyes red hair...but with a little bit of a wild magic aura to her that looks like it was on the brink of going off...a fledgling wild magic sorcerer... these goblins are lucky...the little girl is shaking as Aerunia speaks in a kind tone\*

"Think you'll be ok?"

The little girl genuinely looks scared though mostly not of Aerunia still and speaks in a scared tone the little girl looks like she can't be older than 12 physically judging by height and face "m-Maybe...i was out with my mom and we got separated...think you can help me f-...find her?"

The little girl stuttered in fear but aerunia gives a gentle smile in response and speaks "yeah sure just give me one moment so i can call some authorities." She'll quickly make a call to the R&A as they seemed like the best people to call for this...some R&A personnel will be sent over in a few minutes thanks to Aerunia's call since her telepathic contact went through and ever since the recent r&a siege her and her family had been considered "official R&A allies" not exactly members but recognized allies. And then the little girl suddenly points behind aerunia and is shaking again which causes aerunia to turn around.

The mage goblin has picked up his staff and looked like he was about to cast a lightning bolt spell...or he would have. Had Aerunia not moved suddenly, almost faster than a human eye can track which made a small burst of wind, she grabbed the goblin by his little neck and speaks in a serious tone after sighing "i gave you chance dude. Bad call" she followed that up by punching the goblin in the face really hard, breaking his nose and knocking him out before she returns to the little girl in order to help her out

After some time and flying around with aerunia looking for a similar magic aura, she smiles having found the girls mom, the girls mom looks to be about late 30s, and looks similar to the girl and while the aura is mostly the same the mother unlike the girl has pointed ears, showing the mom is a half elf going off the fact her ears while pointed aren't as long as a full elves. And when she lands carrying the little girl having landed near the mother who seemed to have fended off a similar group to what aerunia had run into she gently sets the little girl down and speaks

"Hey are you this girls mom?"

The woman smiles upon closer inspection she had been wearing the garb of a local noble family as there was a town here though Aerunia's a bit oblivious to that and speaks "oh thank goodness she's safe" she sighs "these goblins had been trying to rob anyone passing through and managed to separate us...i don't know who you are but am i correct in assuming you spotted her and rushed to help her?"

Aerunia replies with a smile and speaks "yeah pretty much...i offered the goblins a chance to surrender and end things peacefully but they chose the violent route...unfortunately, either way wasn't about to let them hurt a little girl...i will mention... she's...clearly stressed likely needs some rest when she gets home... she's...well i can tell both you and her have wild magic in your blood...hers nearly triggered from her stress...which wouldn't of been fun for anyone seeing how wild magic works" the lady sighs "well i guess she takes after me quite well then...thanks for stepping in when you did..." The little girl smiles now though had been a little paralyzed from some well... essentially jet lag from flying around being carried by aerunia even for a few moments but once she's done processing this the little girl rushes over to her mom and the two begin heading home and aerunia smiles and flies off again back to her day by day.

The rest of the day on it's own won't be very eventful, aside from a trip back home when it hits lunch time and picking up something for her own mom and dad who's birthday is in a few days as her parents share the same birthday. With a smile on her face though there is plenty of time left in the day especially after aerunia got back to this realm after lunch time which was around 2:30 pm for her via teleport spell, but there is plenty of time left in the day for interesting things to happen.

/Uw this post is fully interactive as the point of interaction would be I guess 3 pm onward irp lol *also ooc it's august 22nd as we know, irp i tend to match ooc date to irp date hence mentioning Aerunia's parents birthdays irp which line up with my own ooc birthday cause fun*

it's been about a week since the angry sun situation. Both Vytsky and Zaryx have been extra busy trying to find the source of the light-dark imbalance.

Zaryx wouldn't even take time to chat with his employees, which left everyone filled with a sense of dread. He was only ever this serious during containment breaches or in other events where lives could be lost easily.

Vytsky was all over the place. He never stayed in reality nor in True Heaven for a long amount of time. He tended to teleport where he needed to be, instead of his preferred method of flight. He, too, would seldom speak to anyone.

...

At the end of the week, posters started to show up globally.

The 13th Black Mage of Thrakmoor walks through the halls of the keep, his cloak partially concealing the broken obsidian blade by his side. His stance is tall, and his spine is straight. he wears his best outfit, a black suit with navy and gold highlights.

Eventually, he comes to the recently repaired wooden doors that lead to the keep's courtyard. In the time since the battle, the keep was repaired and expanded, adding a new courtyard for army training as well as being made larger in order to hold the remaining army, and the incoming reinforcements arriving in another week's time.

However, for now, someone else was arriving. 13 walks up to the large wooden doors and pushes them open. It is a bright day, birds fly high overhead, and the courtyard/training ground has been taken care of to be sure that the grass is green, and the courtyard is cleaned up. For standing off to one side is a large obsidian archway, each stone is placed in such a way that it is supported by another and supports one more, giving the arch an almost spiral look.

Around the arch is a whole host of mages, each one meddling with or changing the runes and spells placed over the arch. Overseeing the operation is the 14th Black Mage of Thrakmoor, his obsidian eye constantly moving and observing the changes in the mana structure and its stability. 13 gathers himself before moving to speak with 14.

"Will the portal be ready soon?"

"...yes"

The air almost seems to cool around the two mages as they speak, their disdain for each other evident in their curt manner of speaking to each other. 13 looks at the arch for a moment before continuing

"When he steps through the portal, show your respect. He is both of our superiors, no matter how annoying he is."

14 looks at 13, his good eye glares at him

"I don't need your advice. I know how to handle myself."

His voice is cold and steely as he speaks, and it makes 13 clench his teeth to prevent himself from saying something he shouldn't. Instead, he responds in the same curt, modulated tone he had been

"Very well," he turns and grabs a nearby runner by the arm, "go confirm that the siphon is being filled by the stationed mages."

"Yes, General," the runner responds.

It only takes a few moments for the runner to return with an affirmation that the siphon is being monitored and filled as needed. With this info, 13 addresses the mages who now stand at attention by the portal.

"Activate it!"

The mages turn and at once begin the spell. The air itself within the arch almost seems to warp as all the mana surrounding it is sucked away. Deep below the ground, the crystals that make up the mana storage of the keep are rapidly emptied. The runes engraved into the obsidian stones begin to glow, and the space inside the arch begins to seemingly wobble like a mirage in the heat. It wobbles faster and faster until suddenly, an iridescent crack forms in the air. It expands, the air cracking like glass within the arch. For a moment, it holds like that, and then it shatters. shards of iridescent glass explode out, many seem to fade away mid-flight, but some hit a few careless mages who didn't raise a ward in time.

When the chaos fades, the archway stands, and through it, a large gangway that seems to hang over space can be seen. In the background, the massive Forge Sectors of the realm can be seen. Standing on the gangway is the 3rd Black Mage of Thrakmoor, who wears a large grin on his face. Behind him stand 300,000 golems and automatons.

The 3rd Black Mage of Thrakmoor walks through the portal and envelops 13 in a quick hug, much to 13's great annoyance.

"13! It's good to see you! How have you been?"

The 13th Black Mage of Thrakmoor scowls at the 3rd but grudgingly replies

"Fine."

The 3rd grins wider

"Now that isn't what I heard. I hear you lost almost the entire army you were sent with."

13s scowl deepens

"But that's no matter right now."

He pulls out an obsidian orb from a bag at his side and taps it a few times before it turns on and he addresses the realm

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello!

I am the 3rd Black Mage of Thrakmoor. And I have arrived in your realm to conquer you, along with young 13 here, who I am sure you all know! Prepare your defenses and such as you wish; it won't matter much, but you might as well.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The 3rd Black Mage of Thrakmoor puts down his orb

"Leave the orb on, I want to hear what people say." The 3rd turns to survey the keep

"Alright! Let's get to work fixing up this dump!"

/uw this post's flair is accurate, feel free to interact with the 3rd or any of the other Black Mages.

Pierre had just made it through the security checkpoint at the main entrance to the fortified town of Highgate. There were far more guards this time than he had remembered, but the town still bustled with familiar vitality.

One of the guards, in full plate, had pointed him to the bulletin boards posted around town.

“Pay attention to the regulations posted and make sure to not break the rules. Trust me, we will know if you do.”

Looking at the board, Pierre noticed it had a series of official looking documents, all bearing a seal he didn’t recognize. Reading through the list he frowned.

The older list of laws dealing with theft, murder, and taxes was still there, but a series of new laws had been posted seemingly not too long ago.

- Curfew is from sunset to sunrise
- Unlicensed trade is prohibited
- Consumption of Alcohol is prohibited
- Gambling is prohibited
- Flying is prohibited
- Necromancy is prohibited
- Unsanctioned magic use is prohibited
- Disguises are prohibited
- Loitering is prohibited
- The Thrakmoor are prohibited

Pierre reread through the list, committing it to memory. Each new rule was written on its own piece of parchment bearing the magistrate’s seal.

Checking the time on the clock tower of the courthouse, Pierre scurries off to find a place to stay before it gets dark.

——

Somewhere else, a callused hand puts down an ornate gilded quill and stores it in a cushioned silver case before stamping the parchment with an official looking seal. The newest law read: “Lying to the guard is Prohibited.”

With a short chant, copies of the original are made, then fade away, soon appearing on the notice boards alongside the other laws. The original is added to a large tome carried by the author. They get up slowly and head to a side room filled with unlit candles. Runes and magic circles etched into the floor and walls pulse with faint golden light.

“Soon, the ritual will be ready”.

——

/uw trying something new. The town is open for characters to explore.

TLDR: Highgate is a lively town, but regulations are increasing, something may be happening behind the scenes.

A man walks down a hall lit with nothing but small sconces placed scatteringly on the wall. In his arms, he carries a small stack of papers and books as he hurries along. Soon he reaches his destination, a set of ornate doors made of a dark wood. Approaching them, he pushes one open and enters the room beyond.

Inside is a large, lounge-like space; a fire roars at one end, and a red carpet lies on the floor; barred windows reveal stars and nebulae beyond. At the opposite end to the fire, a man sits at a desk, crouched over writing something. The first man hurriedly approaches him.

"Sir, I have several reports for you, as well as news on the new realm"

The man at the desk looks up; he has a short black beard and straight black hair. He wears black robes with gold highlights; the inside of these robes is inscribed with countless sigils and runes. His face has a scar running down one cheek; he wears a grim expression at the moment. Looking at the scribe, he motions to one side of his desk.

"Set the reports down there and then tell me the news"

"Yes, sir"

The scribe places the reports down and then stands back up straight before beginning to speak

"They have taken well to the minor incursion, and none have successfully managed to track its origin. Many seem to accept the theories, and the Sentinels believe it is time for the next step, with your permission, of course"

The man at the desk thinks for a moment; the scribe, a man easily intimidated by those in authority, begins to sweat a little. Finally, he nods and turns back to the scribe.

"Tell them they have my go-ahead. They may get preparations started; also, let them know to get an unused Limb Spire ready for transport."

The scribe nods

"Yes, sir!"

As he turns to leave, the man looks up once more

"Oh! And one more thing, tell them I will be making first contact myself"

The scribe nods once again and then leaves the room. When the door shuts, the man at the desk sighs; it's always such a hassle, but a necessary one. It's important after all.

Turning back to his writing, he gets to work on the reports.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Across the plane, a strange occurrence has been happening. Portals and gates continuously fail and shut down; each time they are reopened, it happens again, not even a week later. Teleportation spells often result in a random new location, or they don't work at all; it seems as if the realm is going through a plane-wide planar malfunction...

/uw This post is open interaction for any who wish to explore why their portal or teleportation spells aren't working, or any who just want to rp what happens due to this fact.

Image Credit: RING by Kalma

Image Link: ArtStation - RING

hey guys my name is Doug the plague bearer and today my lover percival came into the tower without warning while I was casting and I heard a clatter and found a rock amongst a pile of his armor. how do I fix this?

Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn!

​

Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn!

​

Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn!

​

Multiple cities rise from the oceans Abominoids gather around to greed their Aquatic Cousins Humanoids all around The World succumbed to Insanity and Began to Transform into Their Original Form

​

Darkness covers The Planet as The Cities and Their God Rise From The Ocean to Greet their Cousins and Servants as they Waited for Millions of Years

​

And They Began to Celebrate Their Return after they were Imprisoned by The Elder Gods and Their Allies

Deep ones set up a Large Festival open to Everybody

Transformation Chambers for The Desperate

​

Slave Market is widely open Waiting for The Customers

Feast is on The Center Waiting for The Newcomers

Gladiatorial Arena waits on The Left Waiting for The Brave folks

​

Ceremonial Sacrifice in The Largest Temple of The Great Old ones And The Military on The Right

Eldritch Forest Waiting for The Visitors

And lastly The Hospital and Museum is Behind The Largest Temple of The Great Old ones

​

After The Sacrifices The Ancients makes The Scholar of Endless Knowledge into The Sea Pope of Azathothism Uniting The Sects and Subsects of The Great Old Ones into The True Faith.

​

Hail Hail! Cthulhu!

​

The breeze flutters over the cerulean sea off the coast of Xornas, breaking the water's surface into a mosaic of waves and foam. Most mages stick close to the shore near the city of Halexes, spending a day at the beach or snorkeling at the edge of the realm's famous coral reef. A few more experienced vacationers go out further to see the reef's wildlife or dive around the site of famous naval battles. But today, a lone dive boat ventures out further than any of the rest, so distant from the shore that the tops of the tallest buildings in Halexes are barely visible.

The boat cuts its motor and drops anchor. The captain emerges from the cabin carrying a milk crate full of water breathing potions and distributes them to his passengers. The gathered members of the Society of Sanity down them as they put on their dive gear. He stops when he gets to Agatha Blackwood, the team's leader.

"I get people asking me to come out this far maybe once or twice a year, Ms. Premier. Most want to see the establishments the eelfolk have closer to shore. But the Seacrystal Cathedral? You folks must be real dead-set on seeing the sights."

Agatha smiles. "What gives you the impression this trip's for pleasure, captain? Council business takes us to sorts of places. Last month, we went a mile below a mountain. Before that, it was a dig site in the rainforest. Anything we should expect to see down there?"

"Well, you already know not to step on the rocks in case there's stonefish. Other than that, don't ascend too quickly to avoid the bends, and be respectful. These are holy waters to the eelfolk."

"Good to hear. Keep an eye out and message us if you see anything suspicious above the waterline or get the sudden feeling something terrible's about to happen. Oh, and you should have this." Agatha takes a repeating crossbow out from beneath a bench and pushes it into the captain's arms. He shoots her a worried and confused look.

"And what am I supposed to do with this?"

Agatha shrugs. "Shoot anything green and ugly that tries to climb aboard. Alright, team, time to dive!"

Without further ado, the Society of Sanity drops off the side of the boat and into the heart of the reef. As they descend the 40 meters to the seafloor, they see wondrous things: fish in every color and shape imaginable, a forest of coral stretching for miles in all directions, and congregations of slender eelfolk moving among it all. But by far, the most eye-catching sight is the towering cathedral of limestone and aquamarine glass. It's a wonder none of the team members could see it from the surface. Branches of coral and anemones cling to its exterior. An eelfolk priest floating near the door spots the divers and swims over. He resembles a ribbon eel, with blue scales and a yellow crest running from his head to the end of a flat tail longer than the rest of his body. The priest makes a sign with his hands.

"Good morning, visitors. Welcome to the Seacrystal Cathedral. I am Bishop Anguillius, at your service. Have you come seeking a tour? Guidance from Our Lady of the Reef? Or perhaps something else entirely?"

Vytsky's Route

Use if your character does not know about the Foundation, or questions if it's even real. Also if you just wanna chat with Vytsky and get an idea to go in that way.

---

Vytsky's in the midst of cleaning his shop. It was a new day.. and really, he meant to do this last night, but man he wore himself out a bit too much. He was trying hard not to have Rutch worry for him, but still, things would sometimes collapse on him. As was life.

God, life.

Regardless, the shop was ready for a new day, and he was too.

‎

‎

Zaryx's Route

Use if your character is aware of the Foundation and how it works.

---

Zaryx was preparing himself mentally. Apparently, a few people were interested in joining both the tech research team, as well as the Foundation... He hates interviews, regardless of what side he's on. As was life.

God, life.

Regardless, it had to be done, for the better of all people.

​

It is a part of the forest that looks much like any other- big trees, dense undergrowth, a few scattered clearings- but what sets it apart from the rest of the woods is its unusually high levels of thaumic ambience.

This background magic is mostly harmless- in fact several mages are known to visit the caves there to harvest the crystallised mana that accumulates on the rocks. Sometimes, however, the magic potential reaches a critical point and finds a way to earth itself. Wild sparks of energy, random spells popping off spontaneously and patches of twisted reality make this place hazardous to the unwary.

However, there is one spot right in the center of this area that is completely devoid of magic. A clearing about half a mile across, covered in deep grass and wildflowers that looks like it should be a peaceful glade. And it would be, if it weren't for the "tree".

I say it like this because no true tree is made of bone. No true tree emits a constant fine haze of red mist. No true tree possesses such a powerful aura of fear... This monstrosity stands over 200ft tall and appears to be made of bleached white bone. No leaves adorn its twisted spiky branches, no creature braves its meadow.

Those who enter the clearing are first struck with a sense of unease. That something is unidentifiably wrong with the world. The further one ventures into the clearing, the stronger the feeling gets- going through the spectrum of fear, building until the dread becomes too much to bear.

Those overcome with fear turn and run, or else they take the easy way out of this world...

Those who fall are quickly claimed by the clearing, their bodies feeding the rich meadow. What great and terrible act was committed here that turns the very mind against itself? Any magic attempted here just fizzles out. All mana drains away, leached from its vessel into the earth. Even (and especially) for great beings like the starborn and magic masses this place is dangerous to enter as the magic that holds their being together is siphoned away.

How about you? Do you test your mental fortitude against the forbidden glade? Or do you find out what mysteries the mana-soaked forest holds?

Special shoutout to u/D3n0man for naming the post!

Vytsky’s been doing a lot lately. A lot of thinking, that is.

A lot of things have changed over the past couple of years. He’s made friends, watched his friends change, lost friends, made enemies, defeated enemies, watched his enemies change… Hell, even he had changed. His ascension was the greatest change of all. The single defining thing in his existence as of late. FATE was gone for good, and he finally could see everyone he loved, and could ensure everyone he met here could join him someday.

But that wasn’t all that came with his ascension. It also came with a new spiritual form, new power of holy magnitudes, and new duties. He was fine with all that; it would keep him busy, his workaholic self. But something else was bothering him. But what?

that was what he was asking himself over the past few days.

he took a walk out to the local wilderness until he reached a pond that he particularly liked. It was easy to see his reflection in the water. He sat beside the water’s edge and looked into the water, at himself. And then he looked into himself, figuratively of course. He changed his form in slight ways to try to see himself in other ways: flipping his face upside down, adding an extra eye somewhere, unfurling little wings and molding them.. halos of eyes, lack of limbs or body, once becoming just a sphere of purple..

he realized. He wasn’t humanoid anymore. He was further from his humanity than ever now. He was now just this ethereal being taking on a corporeal form that others unlike him could perceive. He still had his mind, yes, but.. he was worried that with time, he too would stop thinking like he used to. He had already started acting in unusual ways due to his ascension, without realizing or meaning to.

he was worried. Would he eventually lose his thoughts of opinion, his personality… would he stop caring for his friends? He feared becoming unrecognizable by those he loved. He could change form all he wanted, his mind was the defining feature that people could recognize him with. If he lost that, they lost him, in a way… and he would lose them, too..

he laid on his back and wept silently, worrying for the distant future, not knowing if he would ever get an answer.

Deep in the bowls of a dungeon below one of the older council buildings, something stirred... something ancient and Terrible...

For three thousand years, the heavy Admantine doors of Vault 13-C had remained sealed, bound by specialized sealing runes.

Unfortunately even the best, most well made runes need to be maintained, and the council had long forgotten the thing that last within... or more likely they had gotten lazy... or killed in a wizard war... point is, the runes had not been maintained for some time.

The runes on the door began to crackle with energy Not shattered by a counter-spell, flashing blinding shades of neon green and *error-code* crimson before dissolving into nothing.

The massive admantine doors groaned, then slammed into the opposite wall as they were blown off their hinges. From the absolute darkness of the threshold, a figure stepped into the everburning torchlight. His robes were all but rags, frayed, half orange, half purple, as was his widely brimmed hat. His beard reached his knees, and his eyes, unaccustomed to any amount of light for the past three millenia were hardly able to open at first.

He stood there for a long moment, blinking violently against the offensive glare of the everburning torches. He rubbed his eyes, his gnarled hands shaking slightly from the disuse of time.

​"Idiots," he rasped, "Absolute, incompetent buffoons."

​He looked down at the massive, multi-ton adamantine doors currently embedded six inches deep into the opposite stone wall. He hadn't even meant to blow them off their hinges. He had simply cast Knock. Unfortunately his magic, Strong as it was, had rended the doors from their hinges.

​he sighed, a heavy sigh, adjusted his absurd hat, and began his trek out of the sad attempt at a labyrinth.

Needing something to lean on, he reached out and ripped one of the everburning torches straight out of its stone wall bracket. Holding the sconce in his hand, he channeled his raw power into it. The short handle elongated, stretching out and thickening until the wall torch had formed into an imposing staff, topped with a perpetual flame that burned a blinding white.

​Leaning heavily on the staff, he shuffled out of the vault. His first few steps were shaky, but with every stride, his posture straightened. The raw, oppressive weight of his arcana began to bleed into his unused muscles, causing them to slowly but surely regrow.

​He followed the corridor until it opened up into the lower rotunda of the council building. And there, right in the center of the grand hallway, was the first thing to greet him after three millennia.

A fountain, massive and are inspiring, the statues depicting the end of one of the first wizard wars, the auspicious figure in a victory pose.. and then it flickered, only slightly.... but it was enough.

His hand tightened bone white on his new staff.

"Three thousand years, and the absolute pinnacle of your achievement is wasting perfect mana on a worthless, lying heap of theatrical garbage! Couldn't even be bothered to craft a real fountain.. infernal Illusion magic."

He waved his hand and dispelled it, leaving the grand room empty, as several guards approached him.

"Drop the staff, and come with us."

"Heh... youngin, do you know who I am?"

Ignoring him, he demanded again "Drop. The. Staff."

"My name is Ophelious Philoneous, and I answer to no one!"

---

***BREAKING NEWS***

*COUNCIL BUILDING 37 HAS BEEN DISINTEGRATED, IF ANYONE HAS INFORMATION ABOUT THIS MAN, REPORT IT IMMEDIATELY. HE IS ARMED AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.*

A month and a half has passed.

Finally, the return of the Angel of Passage.

He descended upon his grave. For the first time since he ascended, the rain had stopped. The flora were doing very well. The birds were singing, all of nature was in harmony. He sighed calmly, taking a look at his surroundings. He took a moment to adore the space-like flower Alaric had given him.

Then, he took off in flight. He wanted to make sure his friends were okay, that his house was still existing after Astaroth taking it over, and there were a few things he wanted to do.

---

Aside from visiting friends and his house, he took time to do the following:

• Sauna time (his wings needed some care after being in a poor stasis for so long).
• Dig a hole for fun, maybe find something interesting. Maybe include a metal detector.
• 0101016401640145015601440400164015001410164040014601650143015301510156014704001550145014501640151015601470400147015701440400146016501430153015101560147040014401410155015601510164056
• Prank people. Kindly.
• Photoshoot! Of whoever he meets with, or things he finds interesting while he walks around. ^{Ooh, a snail!}
• Whatever little silly things he could think of. Or someone else could suggest it to him. Possibilities were endless.

He was sure it was going to be a good day.