Creative Corner

Now open to comments and questions! ----- [center][i]In Starfall Isles, everything is magic. In Stilted Spires, magic is everything.[/i][/center] ----- [center]Written by BoatBud, Lore by HailForTheStorm[/center] ----- “Hey – wake up, I think we’ve finally made it.” The guardian grumbled at the fae resting his eyes on his back. “Wh- Oh!” Moonstone exclaimed, stretching his wings and flying up to examine the sign closer. “Welcome to Stilted Spires” a floating sign greeted the newcomers to the city. He couldn’t believe it. The duo had been travelling for the Arcanist knows how long – even though he’d spent most of the time on Starseeker’s back, he as still exshausted from such a long flight. But it would be worth it. He floated gently on the top of his friend and gave him a couple pats. “Are you nervous?” “A little.” The guardian replied. It was hard not to be; with the city of magic laying in front of them. They’d finally made it, thank the gods. “I’m more excited, I think.” He said, lowering his voice before continuing. “You know… to be Starseeker.” He liked the way the name came out of his mouth. It had taken the duo a couple weeks to decide on something that was both related to Moonstone, and felt correct. “I know buddy, I know.” The fae replied. Gently petting the guardian’s chin with his tail. “Considering our lives before… How bad could this be?” he let out a humorless chuckle. “Go on, let’s not keep our future waiting any longer.” The guardian released the breath he was holding, and stepped into the city grounds. Magical fireworks announced their presence to the rest of the city as two tundras came into view. “Hey, you two!” a cheery voice greeted the newcomers, the tundra with brown wings tapping his notebook. “Welcome to Stilted Spires...” He pointed at the tundra with black fur and a less friendly expression on her face. “…My partner and I have a couple of questions for you, then we will search you in case you have anything dangerous – and you’re free to enjoy all that our city has to offer after that, sounds good?” “Uh, sure, alright.” Starseeker replied, greeting them with a nod of his head. “What is your name?” “Starseeker.” ----- [center][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/91232326][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/350/912324/91232326_350.png[/img][/url][/center]

[center][i]The Outskirts[/i][/center] ----- “I think that concludes this interview. I will notify Bloodwing – our architect – to see where we can place you guys. For now, you can leave your luggage with FullEclipse and I and enjoy the city.” The other tundra grumbled an incantation and Starseeker felt the weight of his bags leave his back – and watched as the bags floated behind the tundras as they made their way back into a building. “…Wow.” He could feel the magic in the air; moreso than a couple steps back, when he was outside the city limits. He’d never been especially sensitive to elemental energy, but even to him it was clear that within the city, Arcane energy was more condense than anywhere else. He raised a claw to his chin and imagined a beard like he’d done many times before. Long, luscious and curly. As he pulled his hand away, the magic all around him bended to his command, creating the guardian’s signature beard. He hoped that he would be able to grow it without the magic one day. Well, that was one of the reasons why he’d found himself in the outskirts of the City of Magic. The duo walked in relative silence for a while, observing the city and taking it all in. Some dens were placed on smaller islands nearby, some hatchlings were running around and slamming their little bodies onto equally small floating rocks, riding them as they chased each other. A skydancer was knocking on an imperial-sized den’s door, an obelisk was painting a tundra – who was tending to a garden. A blue tundra flew by them at a dizzying speed, landing next to an obelisk with an imposing presence, excitedly whispering to their ear as he kept looking back at the duo. The obelisk seemed mostly indifferent to whatever he said, but under the mask, their mouth was curled up in a smile as they listened. “Great. Just as I’ve prophecised.” They replied to the tundra, before turning towards Starseeker and Moonstone. “Well hello, dear friends.” They spoke with a low tone, unhurried words left their mouth with confidence. “I was expecting your arrival.” ----- [center][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/86614022][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/350/866141/86614022_350.png[/img][/url][/center]

[center][i]The Docks[/i][/center] ----- The duo didn’t spend much time on the outskirts after their encounter with the weird obelisk, mostly due to Starseeker’s insistence. “All this prophecy talk makes me uncomfortable, y’know.” He said to Moonstone once they were out of earshot. “The future changes with every decision that we make, and then some obelisk comes along and says they know our future. Yeah, right.” He grumbled as they made their way to an area with a lot of traffic. Dragons of all breeds flew in and out of the designated areas, some stood by makeshift stalls, trying to sell their goods before they returned to the road. “I don’t think they’re that bad.” Moonstone replied. “Wouldn’t it be nice to know what’s to come, so that you can prepare for it? Sure, I wouldn’t believe everyone that says they can see the future but…” his thought process was interrupted by the arrival of a giant airship, the sound of its horn, followed by a loud cackle that made Starseeker stop and turn. As the ship lowered to the station, Starseeker couldn’t help but step closer, despite how hard its wind made moving. A ridgeback stepped out of the ship, clearly in a celebratory mood. “Ah!” she exclaimed, eyes scanning the crowd for someone “There really is no place like home, eh?” a distant cheer from within the ship replied, and she turned back to address her crew. “Well, we’re here for the week. ‘Horn and Spring’ll help carry your lot. I’ll be restin’ in the lower deck. Y’all are dismissed.” She then opened her wings and took off to the platforms below, as a blue-maned gaoler and an equally blue winged aether walked past them, humming a song as they walked into the ship. “Hey – Hey Starseeker.” Moonstone gently pat his friend’s head. “We’re kinda in the way.” He chuckled softly, excited for the golden opportunity to tease his friend. “Look, I know the big-strong-pirate lady is like, straight out of your favorite books, but we should probably get moving.” He didn’t want to alarm his friend, but ever since they stepped to the docks, he could feel that someone or something was watching them. “H-hey! I wasn’t staring!” Stargaze grumbled as he hastened his steps. So what if he was entranced by the ridgeback lady, she was very cool! He… He might’ve gotten a new crush, sure, but hey, so what! They planned on starting a life here anyway, so what would be the harm of getting closer with the locals? “I never said you were staring – oh gods, are you blushing?” Moonstone cackled. His friend was so easy to tease. He would’ve loved to continue too, had they not gotten close to a blacksmith’s shop. He closed his ears with his claws to block out the constant clank, clank, clank of the hammer hitting the metal and leaned down to get closer to Starseeker’s ear. “DO YOU WANT TO GO AND CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THIS “LOWER DECKS” Starseeker get out a mock-offended grumble as he opened his wings and flew away from the source of the noise. “I hate you, so, so much.” He said with no venom behind those words. Moonstone chuckled, feeling the weight in his stomach lessen as they flew away from the docks. Before they began to descend, he locked eyes with a big, blue imperial. Her eyes glowed with pink, arcane magic and a loneliness that he felt in his very soul. He had no doubt that those were the same eyes that were watching them. ----- [center][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/87620195][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/350/876202/87620195_350.png[/img][/url][/center]

[center][i]Lower Decks[/i][/center] ----- The lower deck had a very similar feeling to the docks, being stationed right under it. Although, it definitely had a calmer air about it. There were still shops and clubs for various activities that a dragon may be interested in – but it lacked the feeling of urgency of the docks. Clearly, this was a place of relaxation. The duo quietly walked through the walkway, quickly walking past a bright yellow dragon who was advertising her magic club. In the relative silence of the lower decks, her words of divination magic found their way into Moonstone’s ears, and he decided to check that out for himself at the first opportunity. They spent some time looking through the various shops and services when an excitable white-and-blue aether approached them. “Hello!” Brightfur greeted them with a big smile on his face. “I’m Brightfur – are you two new here? I haven’t seen you guys around before! Did you travel a long time to get here? Are you tired? Would you like a massage? ‘Resting Wings’ is the perfect place to – well – rest your wings after a long flight!” “Woah there buddy, breathe a little!” Moonstone joked, unsure which question to answer first. “I’m Moonstone and this is Starseeker. Yes we are new and yes, Starseeker flew all the way here, so I’m sure he’d appreciate a massage.” Well, he wasn’t expecting the opportunity to present itself this quickly, but he wasn’t going to turn it down. “I was lucky enough to be a tiny fae that he carried me on his back, so its only fair that I pay him back by paying for his massage, right?” Well, Starseeker was kind of tired after all that flying. “Sure – free massage, why not?” He nodded to Brightfur, before turning to Moonstone “Will you be alright on your own?” He wasn’t worried – despite his size, Moonstone was a very capable dragon. Its just that… He couldn’t help but shake the feeling that something bad would happen if the two were to separate. He didn’t know why he felt that way and he wasn’t about to voice his empty concerns and make his friend worry too. “Well, come pick me up when you’re done window shopping then – we can go and find the leader after that.” Moonstone watched as Starseeker followed Brightfur, who walked into the building with a cheery “Oliver will be with you in a moment!” He made sure to wait until the door was shut before turning around and making his way back to the magic-club-skydancer. The crowd around her had dissipated by the time he returned – In fact, she was in the company of only one other dragon: The blue imperial with pink eyes that watched him through the docks. “Oh, hello. We were just talking about you.” … Moonstone felt sick. He needed to find Starseeker. He would help. Starseeker would know what to do. He flapped his little wings as fast as he could, trying to calm his thoughts down, and yet his heart continued to beat faster than it should. He stopped and leaned on a wall, few stores away from ‘Resting Wings’ and tried to even his breathing. It… Wasn’t going to be an easy conversation – especially after their encounter with the obelisk today. He closed and opened his claws and tried to match his breaths to the movement. By the Arcanist what was he meant to do? The skydancer seemed very certain of her doomsday prophecy – and she was equally certain that unless he joined them in their efforts to prevent it; they would all die. StarSeeker would never believe him. He would tell him to ignore the skydancer – he would probably even suggest moving to somewhere else – and sure, that would be a solution, but… He looked around, to the peaceful street. In the distance, he could see the newly constructed buildings in the Outskirts. Leaving could mean dooming all of these to destruction. He couldn’t take that chance ----- [center][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/86807325][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/350/868074/86807325_350.png[/img][/url][/center]

[center][i]The Den[/i][/center] ----- Now reunited, the duo made their way through the Den’s streets. The shops there seemed to be aimed more towards the needs of the residents, rather than the visitors. An apothecary, an alchemist, a doctor’s office, a bakery and much more filled the streets leading to the Base, where the dragons who shopped in the Den presumably lived. Starseeker felt much more relaxed after the massage, softly wagging his tail as he walked. He paid close attention to every store, trying to memorize where things were, so that he would have an easier time when they actually moved into the city proper. Moonstone was on the opposite end of the relaxedness spectrum. He had pretty much ran away from the “Magic Club”s little “gathering” without giving them an answer, and that fact weighed on his shoulders as much as it weighed on theirs. While Starseeker was distracted by the shops, Moonstone paid attention to the residents of the city. They seemed happy. Most of them didn’t seem to know about the prophecy concerning the lands – and those that knew… He could feel their eyes on him. In the case of the pearlcatcher that had been watching him for the past few minutes; he could feel their eyes on him; even though they were covered. He let Starseeker walk into a shop and be properly distracted before rushing over to the pearlcatcher. “Gods be d*mned, you are with them, aren’t you?” he hissed, checking if anyone was in earshot before continuing “The ‘Magic Club’, right? Yes, well, tell them I accept.” He whispered in a hushed tone. “Very well.” The cloaked figure replied, a satisfied smirk on his lips. “We shall see you tonight, Moonstone.” ----- [center][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/86973066][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/350/869731/86973066_350.png[/img][/url][/center]

[center][i]The Base[/i][/center] ----- Architecturally, The Base was the most impressive place yet. Each and every house seemed to be designed according to the resident’s taste, and they made their personalities very clear. And yet, despite the wide range of dragons they’d encountered that day – the city looked cohesive. Someone had clearly put a lot of effort into the residency area. The duo made their way towards the big building – dubbed “The Heart” by the residents – according to Brightfur’s instructions. They were supposed to find “The pink mirror with a bunch of scars” and tell him that they wanted to become permanent residents. Brightfur had said that sometimes it would take months for a newcomer to move into their home in the Base – Starseeker had found that absurd, but seeing the city; it made sense. He thought about his own place, and how he would like it to be… It would need to be close to Moonstone’s, of course, just because they were settled, he wouldn’t be moving too far from his friend. Just as he was about to ask Moonstone how he wanted his house to be, they arrived at the Heart’s gate, guarded by two guardians in uniform. ----- [center][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/86832952][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/350/868330/86832952_350.png[/img][/url][/center]

[center][i]The Heart[/i][/center] ----- “State your business.” “We’re looking for Paleheart” “The reason you’re seeking an audience with Paleheart?” “We… Would like to stay here? Permanently.” “Very well. This way.” The silver guardian lead them down a path, pointing towards the third room on the left. “That is Paleheart’s room. He’s the guy you’ll go to for all your problems until you’re settled in the city.” Starseeker thanked the fellow guardian before approaching the door. “Ready?” he asked Moonstone before taking a deep breath and knocking. “Come in!” The mirror sat behind a bunch of blocks, mirroring the silhouette of the inner city. He was adding another piece to the top of a “building” – the bakery, Starseeker remembered – as they walked inside. Finally, Paleheart removed his eyes from his creations and raised his head to face Starseeker. “Hello.” He said, a friendly wave accompanying his words. “You two must be the newcomers, then?” “Yes, we-“ Moonstone started, but he was quickly interrupted by the excitable mirror. “And a little birdie told me that you would like to stay here! Welcome to the family then, my sweetlings, I’m Paleheart, - but you may call me Pa-ha, like papa - I deal with the Stilted Spires’s business with the outside.” He gave them a playful little bow before continuing “For the first three months, I will be responsible for you dears. You will be placed in a den in the outskirts, until we can build you your own place.” He pointed to the window, where the unique view of the Base was visible. “You must’ve noticed that each house is built for the individual living within – We encourage everyone to be as themselves as they can be in the Spires – You will be working with FuzzyCrest to come up with a design for your house, then, Bloodwing and I will make sure it gets built right and after that, you’re expected to make the move from the outskirts to the Base within the week. Got that?” taking the duo’s brief nods as approval, he continued to talk in his excitable pace “As you wait for your place to be built, please make sure to participate in as many activities as possible – or make up your own! If you see something in the city that you think can be improved upon, visit me again and tell me about it. Many of the rich collection of jobs in the city were started by the residents!” He moved towards his desk, pulling out some papers from a drawer. “New Resident Papers – here they are! Fill those for me sweetlings, and then you’ll take ‘em to my beautiful wife, Sandsea. She’s the one with the vision for the city, you see – she handles internal affairs – and I just realize her vision. Her room is to the right down the hall, and while you’re there, be little dearies and tell her that I love her, will ya?” ----- [center][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/85902077][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/350/859021/85902077_350.png[/img][/url][/center]

[center][i]The Sanctum[/i][/center] ----- “That…” Moonstone whispered in Starseeker’s ear as they stepped out of the room, “…was a lot of energy.” Eliciting a chuckle from his buddy. “Really though – there must be some spiral blood in his family.” He quickly filled in the paperwork on Starseeker’s back for the both of them. “Do you think his wife’s going to be the same kind of excitable as well? By the Arcanist, I would hope not.” The hall is a long one – its walls are decorated with paintings; of the city, of various landscapes – and Starseeker could swear that he recognized some dragons on them – the residents of the city. There are many doors as well, with different labels on top of them; the names of all the shops and organizations they’d seen, and some they haven’t – even the Resting Wings seem to have a room! Finally, the hall ends with an arch, the label on top of it reading ‘The Sanctum’. The Heart is reminiscent of the city itself, in this way; it has many layers, the outer layers concerning outsiders and their businesses, and the innermost layers concerning the residents’. The door opened before Starseeker could knock, revealing a young wildclaw with her head turned back to them. “See you later mom!” she cheered before turning around and jumping back a little. “Oh! You must be here to see mom! You scared me!” she chuckled, quickly moving to the side and past Starseeker. It appeared that she’d inherited her father’s manner of speech. “Come in, you two.” SandSea invited them inside with a tone that didn’t demand respect, but commanded it. “Welcome to the city. I am SandSea, for all intents and purposes, I am the leader and founder of Stilted Spires. Now, what can I do for you?” Unlike her other family members’, her words were spoken in a calm, unhurried manner – but not to the point of boring – each carefully selected word was under her control, and Moonstone found himself quietly handing the papers over to her as Starseeker introduced them. “Newcomers then… I should have known, I can see the we-just-met-Paleheart-for-the-firsttime expression on your faces. Well, Starseeker, Moonstone, what do you think of our city?” “I… Think its glorious, ma’am.” Said Starseeker, bowing his head respectfully. “We both come from harsh houses, places that neve quite felt like home… But I believe we will have a future here.” SandSea gave him a soft smile as she read over their paperwork, a curious gleam in her eyes. “Are you two intending to stay together?” This time, it was Moonstone’s turn to answer “Oh, no, ma’am. Starseeker is like a brother to me, except our bond was forged by our experiences, rather than blood. We would enjoy living close to each other, but not close enough that we live in the same house.” “Understood.” SandSea nodded, making sure to note that in their papers as well. “In that case, I believe Paleheart has explained everything to you?” She waited as they nodded in unison, “Then make yourselves at home. Pick up anything you would like from CandyCloud’s bakery on your way, tell her its my treat.” “Thank you, ma’am.” Starseeker and Moonstone said in unison as they stepped out of the room, ready to close the door – Until Starseeker remembered something, pushing his neck through the half-opened door one last time. “Uhh, Pa-ha told us to tell you that he loves you, ma’am.” ----- [center][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/85902076][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/350/859021/85902076_350.png[/img][/url][/center]

[center][i]In Stilted Spires, magic is everything.[/i][/center] ----- There weren’t many things MoonStone was thankful to his parents for, but as the cold night breeze shook his flimsy wings in the lower decks, he found that he was thankful to them for choosing to mate under the Shadowbinder’s domain. Thanks to his eyes, it hadn’t been hard to find his way to the Magic Club’s gathering place, even without the light of the moon to illuminate his way. He could see the stand from where he stood – a single green lamp cast light upon five figures – if he meant to give up and run away, he would have to do so now, before they saw him too. He could be brave – he had to be. The skydancer had told him that they were expecting him – that he would be a key part in preventing the prophecy – he had to be brave, so he could ensure he and Starseeker could have a future in the city. With tentative steps he approached the group, their faces becoming clearer as he got closer. He already knew the skydancer – ElectricCurrent – and the blue imperial -Bluestalker, was it?- and of course, the creepy pearlcatcher under the mask. Two new figures were among the familiar ones, an aberration with a sickly green tint to their wings and another fae from the Shadowbinder’s land. He quietly made his way into one of the cushions, hoping that they would explain what his role in all of this was supposed to be. ElectricCurrent cleared her throat to gather all her allies’ attention, before announcing “Welcome to the Magic Club’s Weekly meeting!” Her eyes scanned through the club members, meeting MoonStone’s with a smile. “This week we first meet our new member, MoonStone, and then we will go right back to our regularly scheduled discussion about the prophecy, and what we plan to do to stop it.” She offered a hand to Moonstone, showing him off to the group. “Go on, MoonStone, tell us about yourself! We’re all in this together after all!” ----- [center][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/91301687][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/350/913017/91301687_350.png[/img][/url][/center]