Creative Corner

[quote=Info] Welcome to In Shadow of the Gods, my nuzlocke which officially went live the day lair tabs opened... though I'd been running it for months and months prior. [s]This thread is active, and Edan and the crew are all living by 'locke rules! I will periodically be releasing updates to help flesh out current characters, and the particular part of the world they call home.[/s] [b]This nuzlocke has been seen through to the end and is now fully completed and written![/b] This isn't my first nuzlocke! I previously wrote [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/1252396/1]The Arcane Exile[/url]![/quote] [quote=Chapter Index] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/1#post_36351558]Prologue 1: Causation[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/1#post_36484880]Prologue 2: The Unknown[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/1#post_36623030]Prologue 3: The Foundlings [/url][url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/4#post_36669164]Prologue 4: Habituation[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/4#post_36713194] First Hunt[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/4#post_36717477]A Gift[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/5#post_36833030][sub]Mini Update: The Passing of Time[/sub][/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/6#post_36834242]Crossroads[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/7#post_36873467]First Hunt, First Blood[/url]/ [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/8#post_36893444]Meanwhile[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/9#post_36920925]Triage[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/10#post_36935283]Bridges[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/10#post_36954686]Plans[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/11#post_36997585]Choices[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/12#post_37033427]No Promises[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/13#post_37053503]A Discussion[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/14#post_37126110]Our Guest[/url] / [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/14#post_37135560]The Kids Aren't Alright[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/14#post_37164886]Crowded[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/15#post_37208949]Trust[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/15#post_37219045]Family[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/17#post_37263194]Continuing On[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/18#post_37297546]A Deal 1[/url]/ [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/19#post_37338140]2[/url] [sub][url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/21#post_37446090]Mini update: Oncoming Storm[/url][/sub] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/21#post_37462858]In The White[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/24#post_37629029][sub]Mini update: New Arrivals[/sub][/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/25#post_37648170][sub]Vignette: Sympathy, Empathy[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/26#post_37746677]Never Alone[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/26#post_37825554]The Family Home[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/27#post_37876095]Strangers[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/28#post_37911790]Company[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/31#post_38047206][sub]Mini update: The Thaw[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/31#post_38147410]Digging[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/33#post_38964982]Bad Blood[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/34#post_38995777]The Long Way Back[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/35#post_39185798]Homeward[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/36#post_39247985]In Deep[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/37#post_39258159]Uncovered Ancients 1[/url][url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/38#post_39514434]/2[/url] [sub][url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/40#post_39699679]Mini-Update: Growing Pains[/url] [/sub][url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/41#post_39805279]Journeymen[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/43#post_39889646]Similarity[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/43#post_39891997]Familiarity[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/44#post_39968033]Wake Up[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/46#post_40315559]Flurry[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/47#post_40363731]Remnants[/url] [sub][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/47#post_40379734]Mini update: Quell[/url][/sub] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/47#post_40382442]Laid Bare[/url] [sub][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/48#post_40604492]Mini update: The Camp[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/51#post_41149890]Mini update: Frost[/url][/sub] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/52#post_41170159]Ruins[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/52#post_41203958]Firelight[/url] [sub][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/53#post_41481155]Mini-update: Prep[/url][/sub] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/54#post_41912114]Ashfall[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/55#post_41983762]Lost[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/55#post_42005180]Wretch[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/54#post_42164264]Evening[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/55#post_42180912]Bright Spots[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/55#post_42223963]Packed Up[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/57#post_45117578]Greyscale[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/58#post_45827771]Embers[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/58#post_46099400]Seasons[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/59#post_47217322]Ashen[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/60#post_48624501]With Fresh Eyes[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/61#post_49030285]Spoils[/url]

[quote=Rules (Modified)] 1. [b]You can buy a dragon from the AH after you've leveled three dragons to level 25. This means that you can still get rare breeds that are impossible to find scrolls for, it's just extremely difficult.[/b] 2.[s][b] You can only buy one egg a month.[/b][/s] Self-imposed difficulty increase. I can only find eggs. No buying for the 'locke. (Gifts will be accepted, but I'm not expecting that.) [sub](Addendum: I'm allowed to swap nocturne eggs 1:1 for other eggs. Because I don't want a million nocturnes and am kinda sick of buying breed changes for plentifuls lol.)[/sub] 3. [s][b]You can't scatter scroll a dragon until they've reached level 25.[/b][/s] I can scatter a dragon ONCE upon hatching if I deem it necessary. I may not scatter it again until it reaches lv25, at which point I could do it as much as I wish. 4. [b]You can't give a dragon a primary gene until level 10, can't give them a secondary gene until level 15, and can't give them a tertiary gene until level 20.[/b] 5.[b] For every egg you find, whether in the coliseum or by scavenging, you may purchase one breed change for any dragon.[/b] 6. [b]You cannot gather food, you must grind for it in the coli.[/b] [sub](Addendum: I reserve the right to gather food for the rest of my lair, which I am not exalting but instead will be putting in different tabs. If I do, I will do the annoying math needed to make sure I earn enough food in coli for the nuzlocke dragons, as I did in my previous run. Thusfar, I've amazingly been feeding all 190 of my dragons via the nuzlocke team's efforts.)[/sub] 7. [b]If a dragon faints in the coli, it's dead. Exalt.[/b] Nests 1. For every hatchling, flip a coin. 2. If tails, the hatchling died. Exalt. 3. If heads, you have a survivor. 4. My added rule: Dragons must be level 15 or greater to breed, and must have lore reasons for doing so.[/quote] [quote=Before You Ask Me How Nuzlockes Work] [b][url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/frd/1150203/1]Please click here to read the full nuzlocke rules, and an explanation of the challenge.[/url][/b] [sub]I don't mean to be rude, but I've been getting this question multiple times a day and it's a bit hard to keep answering![/sub] If you still have questions about how nuzlockes work afterward, feel free to ask! c: [/quote] [quote=If You Want to Help] [LIST] [*]I kindly ask that you don't donate dragons to me without asking first. I appreciate the gesture but it's very hard to write a new character in, and my last run got quite bogged down because of it. Additionally, I feel terrible when dragons I'm given die. [*]On a similar vein, I'm hoping to primarily focus on developing a small group of characters this time. I LOVE hatching eggs, but note that if you gift me one it might take a very, very long time to be hatched. [*]The absolute best thing to donate would be battle stones, especially [b]rallies[/b], magical/shining might fragments, and eliminates. RIP at the prices. [*]Though, on that note, buying genes would also be amazing because the cost is really piling up for me. Most of them are cheaper than Elims anyway. [*]Consider perusing my [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/baz/2647847/1]lore hatchery[/url]/[url=http://www1.flightrising.com/lair/80484/77410]sales tab[/url], [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/adopt/2190169]adopts[/url], [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/skin/1255503/1]accents[/url], and [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/ibaz/2632284]special shop[/url] if you like! I cannot stress enough that [i]nobody should feel obligated to give me anything![/i] This is part of what makes a nuzlocke hard, and I'm still doing my best to earn my own keep, hah. I just have already seen so much generosity, and I know people do want to help. I thought it would be important to help explain just how would be best, you know? Lastly, If you are reading my work and enjoying it, [i]please[/i] consider leaving a comment and letting me know! I have no way of knowing if people are reading this unless they take the time to let me know! You are, of course, always welcome to leave critique or ask questions as well! I love hearing from readers! [/LIST][/quote] [quote=Additional Info] This nuzlocke is dedicated to the memory of @Kizmetto. [/quote]

[size=7]Pinglist for updates[/size] [quote] [url=https://docs.google.com/document/d/1l8s4DTIZl5cgVTDPcAIaYYz738duIo3_MKpFYT-4MYo/edit?usp=sharing]The pinglist is now kept as a Google document! You may add or remove yourself here,[/url] but if you cannot use Google docs no worries. Just ping me and I'll do it for you. [/quote] [b]Additional reading:[/b][quote][url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2594367]The Postboard[/url] [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2566576]The Fall of Clan Votum[/url] [/quote] [b]Tumblr-based Resources, including anonymous questions:[/b] [quote]Found [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2572512/44#post_39968632]here[/url]![/quote]

[center][sub][b]Our "progen":[/b] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=45216814] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/452169/45216814p.png[/img] [/url] Edan [b]Other members:[/b] [columns][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=47426789] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/474268/47426789p.png[/img] [/url]Ila[nextcol] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=47386058] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/473861/47386058p.png[/img] [/url]Solveig[nextcol] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=47587609] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/475877/47587609p.png[/img] [/url]Rorin[nextcol] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=80484&tab=dragon&did=47693749][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/476938/47693749p.png[/img][/url] Saerun[nextcol] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=80484&tab=dragon&did=47874213][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/478743/47874213p.png[/img][/url] Ciron[nextcol] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=80484&tab=dragon&did=48037896] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/480379/48037896p.png[/img][/url] Angie[/columns] [columns][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=80484&tab=dragon&did=47909682][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/479097/47909682p.png[/img][/url] Marshall[nextcol][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=80484&tab=dragon&did=47909677][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/479097/47909677p.png[/img][/url] Clade[nextcol][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=80484&tab=dragon&did=47909674][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/479097/47909674p.png[/img][/url] Hazel[nextcol][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=80484&tab=dragon&did=47911373][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/479114/47911373p.png[/img][/url] Espen[nextcol] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=80484&tab=dragon&did=48229161][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/482292/48229161p.png[/img][/url] Veldr[nextcol] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&tab=dragon&id=80484&did=43168954][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/431690/43168954p.png[/img][/url] Prazien[/columns] [columns][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=80484&tab=dragon&did=48454857][img]http://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/484549/48454857p.png[/img][/url] Eldin[nextcol][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=80484&tab=dragon&did=48454856][img]http://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/484549/48454856p.png[/img][/url] Niala[nextcol][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=80484&tab=dragon&did=48454855][img]http://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/484549/48454855p.png[/img][/url] Piscpi[nextcol][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=80484&tab=dragon&did=48454854][img]http://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/484549/48454854p.png[/img][/url] Flora[nextcol][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=80484&tab=dragon&did=38420139][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/384202/38420139p.png[/img][/url] Reika[nextcol][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=80484&tab=dragon&did=49591760][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/495918/49591760p.png[/img][/url] Aika[/columns] [sub] ...And many more. Too many to list.

Prologue: Causation


How dare he.
Edan fumed as he glared down at his reflection, which warped with each motion he made to wash the blood from his talons.

Did he think I wouldn’t fight back? he snarled. That I’d just sit there and take it?
Stepping out of the pond, he shook the water from his hide and turned to inspect the mess just metres from his home.

Another dragon for the first time in months and all that came of it were wounds to dress and a body to drag off before any predators caught wind of it.

“Gods damn it,” Edan sighed, looking over the fallen pearlcatcher and grimacing before stripping the backpack and satchels from the other male’s body.

“Do you at least have anything worth taking?” he mumbled, stifling his disgust as he rifled through each bag.

Bandages…good, he needed those. Some gold, a few potions, and some putrid-smelling dried leaves… nothing particularly noteworthy. A wicked-looking carving knife he’d most certainly be taking for himself, and…

The mirror’s breath caught in his throat when he opened the main compartment of the backpack. With his next sharp inhalation came a flood of guilt as he reached out to touch the very warm, very alive pair of eggs that had been carefully nestled in cloth within.

“Oh gods,” the mirror breathed, holding his head and backing away. He had kids? he thought, panicked. Should I have tried harder to - no. No. I tried to reason with him. I did.

The mirror bit his lip, gingerly gathering the bundle into his arms before hurrying inside.

---

Maybe he stole them, Edan thought to himself. He turned each egg over in his hands, inspecting the gently luminescing shells for any sign of crack or flaw.

He could only guess at what to do, but they seemed fine. And as he moved to wrap them up once more, he was certain he could feel something shift inside of the second.

Outside, night had long since fallen. He had managed to bury his attacker far from home, and he'd cleaned the blood outside as well as he could manage. The distant keening of wildlife that roamed after dark told him he had done well enough. Otherwise they would have been much closer by now.

Edan carefully set the eggs near his hearth and made a mental note to check that they weren’t too hot by the time he’d go to sleep. Assured he'd dnoe all he could for them, he stepped away to gut the fish he’d caught before everything went to hell earlier.

He didn’t know what he’d tell them once they were old enough to ask about where they came from, or who their parents were. But he figured he had a lot of time to figure it out.

Hell, maybe they wouldn’t ask at all. After all, any other dragons were days of flight away.

…Living ones, anyway.

Prologue: The Unknown


Edan liked to be prepared.

Rather, he had to be.

Life on the frontier was at once merciless and tedious. A childhood of close calls, near misses, and hurried goodbyes had drilled that lesson into him.

He’d grown meticulous, always covering his tracks and checking over his gear each night before he rested. He kept two weeks’ worth of dried food for himself should he be unable to go out and hunt - and it had already paid off in the past.

But he still couldn’t predict everything.

He never saw his attacker coming, and he certainly never saw a future looking after two hatchlings.

And worst of all, he couldn’t predict what they would eat.

The mirror had been making countless excursions in the days since the attack, trying to stockpile a bit of everything that could be preserved just in case. He was used to salting fish and meats, and plants weren’t too difficult to dry or jar.

Bugs were beyond him. He’d even journeyed to the postboard far from his home just to ask if any travelers had advice for their preparation.

Looking over at the two eggs warming by his hearth, Edan tried to wrap his head around the reality of it all. It was a strange thing to think that soon they would both hatch into living, breathing dragons. It was strange to think he’d have company after so many years alone.

He really didn’t know how long it had been.

Setting down his - frankly, disgusting - attempt at a sort of larva-based jerky, the mirror rose and paced over to the two eggs. He took a moment to turn each one, checking them over for any signs of developing cracks before giving a gentle pat to each luminous shell.

He hoped they weren’t insectivores.



<sub>Here's more prologue/hints at Edan's backstory for y'all! I don't know how much I'll write before the actual "start" of the 'locke, but we'll see!

@Gloomyvibes @Dovalore @Valishtu</sub>

Prologue: The Foundlings


Now that was new.

That was definitely new.

Edan crouched low to the ground, keeping cover in the underbrush as he slowly crept toward the bizarre structure.

It was clearly supposed to be a tent of some sort, but with how ramshackle and threadbare it looked, the mirror couldn’t help but marvel at the fact it was standing at all.

He’d last hunted in this area only days before, and in that short amount of time someone had moved in.

Longnecks, maybe? It seemed the right size for a scouting troupe.

Edan continued forward. He wasn’t the sort to pick fights, but it would be better to nip this in the bud should his new neighbors prove to be hostile.

But, as he got close enough to peer into the tent, his suspicion shifted to bemusement and then concern. There were two figures huddled within the tent, and they weren’t beastfolk.

“This is no place for children,” he remarked - trying not to sound frightening, but clearly failing as the two hatchlings jumped to their feet and bolted with a shared shriek of terror.

They didn’t get far - one of the two ran into the side of the tent, causing its immediate collapse on top of both its panicked occupants. The screaming worsened as the two struggled to free themselves.

“Whoa, hey,” Edan stammered, taking a few steps back and scanning the area. “Easy, easy, I’m not going to hurt you. But you need to calm down before you attract anything that will.”

They did seem to calm somewhat, their cries easing into stifled sniffles and sobs.

Edan scanned the area once more, his heat vision showing no other large bodies around them. He let out a sigh.
“My name is Edan. Who are you? And where’s your clan? Your parents?”

A small, scruffy pearlcatcher fought their way out of the mess of cloth and branches. They looked up at him nervously, tail curled between its legs.
“I’m Solveig,” they pointed a shaking talon at the other lump still working its way free from the tent. “And that’s Ila.”

“Why are you alone?” Edan pressed, looking over the second hatchling - a nocturne - as she finally surfaced.

“We, uh,” Solveig began, rubbing their arm and looking down. “They said they didn’t have enough food for all of us, and we couldn’t hunt, so they brought us here. Gave us some clothes. Then they left.”

“We made our house outta them,” Ila chimed in. “They were too big for us anyway.”

Edan frowned, gritting his teeth as he looked over the shredded bits of cloth on the ground. “So… you were abandoned.”

Solveig flinched at his words, then nodded.

“Okay, so,” Edan sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he thought. “I… I think you both should come with me. I have a house and… well, I’m looking after my own nest right now, so I’m gonna be dealing with kids for a while anyway."

He looked over the two wide-eyed hatchlings, shifting his weight from one foreclaw to the other.
“I know you don’t really have a reason to trust me, but you won’t survive long in the forest - nobody does. I’ll keep you safe - as long as, when you’re older, you help earn your keep.”

“You’ll teach us how?” Ila asked, “to hunt, and stuff?”

“To hunt, cook,” Edan looked over the mess of the tent one last time. “How to build properly. Take the biggest scraps of cloth and we’ll go.”

_{@Dovalore @Valishtu @Gloomyvibes}

Please add me to your ping list! I had lurked for a while reading your arcane exile locke and LOVE your writeing style! Read what luttle bits you have now for this 1 and im really excited to see how this 1 plays out! @Kaial

@Kaial
This is interesting so far! I really like Edan.

Please add me to the pinglist!