Creative Corner

[img]https://i.imgur.com/xCkuJIK.png[/img] [center][i]Across Sornieth, the ground cracks and quakes as lightning cuts through the sky. Trees tremble and split, the wasteland boils and bursts. The flow of rivers are thrown into chaos and fires dim into darkness as wind tears the land apart and ice lashes the coast. Light turns to shadow and shadow turns to a deeper, viler darkness. Magic boils and writhes, calling to its inexhaustible source.[/i][/center] ----------- [columns] [color=transparent]XXXXXXXXX[/color][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/25781.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/51985.png[/img] [nextcol] [size=5][b]Lore[/b][/size] [nextcol] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/36326.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/52014.png[/img] [/columns] ----------- The land has been thrown into chaos, as [b]a sudden tide of powerful magic[/b] washes across Sornieth. The cause of such an upheaval is yet unknown, but one thing has become clear: [b]Sornieth's past has returned to haunt it[/b]. Bygone dungeons and hidden ruins have been uncovered by the magical surge, along with the ancient breeds of dragons first created by the deities. [b]While the secrets of the Second Age may now be unlocked[/b], the foul dangers will inevitably bring countless clans to ruins--and all the while, conflict between the flights continues to rage. Among this chaos, the [b]Ashen Striders[/b] emerged. Formed from the friendship between a delinquent Shadeseeker and a deserter of the Magmablood Rebellion, this small band of mercenaries seeks to carve their way through darkness and blood to forge a new life. ----------- [columns] [color=transparent]XXXXXX[/color][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/52015.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/21556.png[/img] [nextcol] [size=5][b]Summary[/b][/size] [nextcol] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/10221.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/21366.png[/img] [/columns] ----------- Hello! My name is [b]Pyrouge[/b]. After eight years of playing Flight Rising, I decided it was time for a change. I wanted to do a Pinkerlocke to help me re-engage with the site and my lore, so when the time comes I can return to my older dragons with fresh eyes. I'm [b]putting my own twist on some of the traditional Pinkerlocke rules[/b], so feel free to head down to the rules sheet for the full details! [b]Please feel free to engage with me and my lore in this thread[/b] as I post, if you're interested! Alternatively, you can head to the [b]table of contents or the lore overview[/b] to jump around the thread. [center][pinglist=30088] [pinglist=30089][/center] ----------- [columns] [color=transparent]XX[/color][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/51988.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/19260.png[/img] [nextcol] [size=5][b]Table of Contents[/b][/size] [nextcol] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/16445.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/8830.png[/img] [/columns] ----------- [center][size=4][b][u] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/3339371/1#post_56845903]Rules[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/3339371/1#post_56845998]Council Roles[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/3339371/1#post_56846106]Lore Index[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/3339371/1#post_56846160]The Graveyard[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/3339371/1#post_56846162]Current Location[/url] [/u][/b][/size][/center]

----------- [columns] [color=transparent]XXXXXXXXX[/color][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/23859.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/23872.png[/img] [nextcol] [size=5][b]Rules[/b][/size] [nextcol] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/19259.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/26283.png[/img] [/columns] ----------- [quote=Disclaimer]While these rules mostly follow traditional Pinkerlocke rules, there are a number of changes made for my own personal fun. If some of these rules look different to what you're expecting, then that's why. You can find the original rules [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/1904162/1#post_1904162]here[/url].[/quote] [center][b][u]Basic Rules[/u][/b][/center] [LIST] [*] Any death in the Coliseum is one death marker on the dragon. At three death markers, the dragon is dead and must be exalted. [*] Loot that isn't a Pinkerton drop is not relevant to the Pinkerlocke. You may dress your dragons in anything you like. [*] Coliseum matches do not have to be consecutive. [*] Refreshing the page to regain health and flee battle is not allowed. The default fleeing option is allowed. [*] Certain site activities are locked until a dragon holds the corresponding role on the Council. For more specific Council rules, see Council Roles. [*] The Pinkerlocke ends when a dragon has reached level 25, and is lost if all dragons are dead. [/LIST] [center][b][u]Drop Rules[/u][/b][/center] [center][b]Food[/b][/center] Enter the coliseum, and perform the required amount of battles. However, coliseum battles can be performed outside of required matches for the purposes of item gathering, etc. These battles do not have to be consecutive. [LIST] [*] [b]Plants:[/b] 5-10 matches [*] [b]Insects:[/b] 10-15 matches [*] [b]Seafood:[/b] 15-20 matches [*] [b]Meat:[/b] 20-25 matches [/LIST] [quote=Disclaimer]Due physical issues with my dominant wrist that can sometimes make coliseum grinding painful, these numbers are halved from the original amounts.[/quote] [center][b]Materials[/b][/center] Write some lore for your clan, about 500-1,000 words worth. In this instance, these days will further the story of the Ashen Striders in more detail than the lore snippets that accompany the regular daily posts. Dragon biographies will be updated and written separately from these lore posts and do not count as completing the task for the day. [center][b]Trinkets[/b][/center] Create some art for your dragons. Note: creating art is slow for me, and there will likely be other projects I'd like to prioritize with that time. So trinket days may be replaced with more writing instead. [center][b]Familiars[/b][/center] Buy one dragon to recruit to the clan. Roll a random number generator to determine the breed. This dragon can be any dragon on the AH, provided they meet the breed requirement. [b]1.[/b] Fae [b]2.[/b] Guardian [b]3.[/b] Mirror [b]4.[/b] Pearlcatcher [b]5.[/b] Ridgeback [b]6.[/b] Tundra [b]7.[/b] Spiral [b]8.[/b] Imperial [b]9.[/b] Snapper [b]10.[/b] Wildclaw [b]11.[/b] Nocturne [b]12. [/b]Coatl [b]13.[/b] Skydancer [b]14.[/b] Bogsneak [b]15.[/b] Obelisk [quote=Disclaimer]Ancients are obtained in a different way primarily because of the way they are handled in my lore.[/quote] [center][b]Apparel[/b][/center] Breed two of your dragons. If you can't, you may queue this for when it's possible and roll 1-4 for one of the food options. Alternatively, you may purchase a hatchling off the AH. When nests hatch, flip a coin for every hatchling. Every tails means a dead hatchling that must be exalted. [center][b]Battle Items[/b][/center] Flip a coin; if heads, an ancient dragon appears to join your ranks and reveal secrets of the past. [b]1.[/b] Aberration [b]2.[/b] Aether [b]3.[/b] Auraboa [b]4.[/b] Banescale [b]5.[/b] Dusthide [b]6.[/b] Gaoler [b]7.[/b] Sandsurge [b]8.[/b] Undertide [b]9.[/b] Veilspun If tails, a death streak occurs. Three dragons must be chosen through a random generator and go through a Coliseum area corresponding to the highest level in the party. 10 rounds must be completed consecutively; if a party is entirely knocked out, the death streak is over. Each dragon takes a death marker, and the remaining rounds may be completed non-consecutively with regular coliseum rules.

----------- [columns] [color=transparent]XXXX[/color][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/23519.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/23808.png[/img] [nextcol] [size=5][b]Council Roles[/b][/size] [nextcol] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/23853.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/23820.png[/img] [/columns] ----------- [quote=Disclaimer]Council roles were an idea I had to make the early stages of a Pinkerlocke more intense and add additional value to dragons who might be at risk of dying (although I am NOT using my own hard mode rules). You're welcome to use these rules for yourself, add or remove roles, or take inspiration from this part of the system. If you do use this part of the system, I'd appreciate credit, but it's not necessary![/quote] [center][b][u]Council Rules[/u][/b][/center] [LIST] [*] If a site mechanic is locked behind a Council role, then that role must be fulfilled by an adult dragon in order for that site mechanic to be accessed. [*] Council roles can be fulfilled at any time so long as there's an eligible dragon that can be moved into that role, and the role's tier is unlocked. [*] Dragons can only hold one Council role at a time. Once a dragon is placed within a role, it cannot be moved out of the role unless that dragon dies. [*] [i][b]EXCEPTION:[/b] a dragon on the Council can be moved to the Leader role, ONLY IF no other eligible dragon not already on the Council is available.[/i] [*] Two council roles must be filled in each prior tier in order to unlock the next tier. [*] [i][b]OPTIONAL HARD MODE:[/b] All roles must be filled in the prior tier to unlock the next tier.[/i] [/LIST] [center][size=4][b]TIER 0[/b][/size][/center] [center][color=grey]- - - - - - -[/color]|[emoji=coliseum team size=1]|[color=grey]- - - - - - -[/color][/center] [columns] [color=transparent]XXXXXXXXX[/color][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/16448.png[/img] [color=transparent]XXXXXXXXX[/color][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/51985.png[/img] [nextcol] [color=transparent]XXX[/color][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/95143551][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/951436/95143551p.png[/img][/url] [color=transparent]XXXX[/color][b]LEADER[/b] [color=transparent]XXX [/color][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/95143551]WYRUTHE[/url] ------------- [size=2][i]Lead your clan.[/i] Unlocks the ability to add new dragons to the lair.[/size] [nextcol] [color=transparent]XXX[/color][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/95143761][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/951438/95143761p.png[/img][/url] [color=transparent]XX[/color][b]COMMANDER[/b] [color=transparent]XXXXX[/color][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/95143551]VOSS[/url] ------------- [size=2][i]Command your troops.[/i] Unlocks dragon abilities and stats in the coliseum.[/size] [nextcol] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/16445.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/51983.png[/img] [/columns] [center][color=grey]- - - - - - -[/color]|[emoji=coliseum team size=1]|[color=grey]- - - - - - -[/color][/center] [center][size=4][b]TIER 1[/b][/size][/center] [center][color=grey]- - - - - - -[/color]|[emoji=plant size=1]|[color=grey]- - - - - - -[/color][/center] [columns] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/food/33342.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/food/24492.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/food/11287.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/food/52028.png[/img] [nextcol] [color=transparent]XXX[/color][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/95143551][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/949443/94944241p.png[/img][/url] [color=transparent]XXXX[/color][b]HUNTER[/b] [color=transparent]XXXXX[/color][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/95143551]NAME[/url] ------------- [size=2][i]Stalk your prey.[/i] Unlocks the 'Hunting' ability in daily gathering.[/size] [color=transparent]XXX[/color][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/95143551][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/949443/94944241p.png[/img][/url] [color=transparent]XXX[/color][b]FORAGER[/b] [color=transparent]XXXXX[/color][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/95143551]NAME[/url] ------------- [size=2][i]Know your plants.[/i] Unlocks the 'Foraging' ability in daily gathering.[/size] [nextcol] [color=transparent]XXX[/color][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/95143551][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/949443/94944241p.png[/img][/url] [color=transparent]XXXX[/color][b]ANGLER[/b] [color=transparent]XXXXX[/color][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/95143551]NAME[/url] ------------- [size=2][i]Cast your nets.[/i] Unlocks the 'Fishing' ability in daily gathering.[/size] [color=transparent]XXX[/color][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/93164249][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/931643/93164249p.png[/img][/url] [color=transparent]XXXXX[/color][b]MINER[/b] [color=transparent]XXXXX[/color][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/93164249]TYTHA[/url] ------------- [size=2][i]Reveal your fortune.[/i] Unlocks the 'Digging' ability in daily gathering.[/size] [nextcol] [color=transparent]XXXX[/color][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/94944241][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/949443/94944241p.png[/img][/url] [color=transparent]XXXX[/color][b]GATHERER[/b] [color=transparent]XXXXXX[/color][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/94944241]NAME[/url] ------------- [size=2][i]Seek your rations.[/i] Unlocks the 'Insect Gathering' ability in daily gathering.[/size] [color=transparent]XXXX[/color][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/92008667][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/920087/92008667p.png[/img][/url] [color=transparent]XXX[/color][b]SCAVENGER[/b] [color=transparent]XXXXX[/color][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/92008667]NAITHYE[/url] ------------- [size=2][i]Find your past.[/i] Unlocks the 'Scavenging' ability in daily gathering.[/size] [nextcol] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/food/33341.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/food/24491.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/food/11288.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/food/52029.png[/img] [/columns] [center][color=grey]- - - - - - -[/color]|[emoji=plant size=1]|[color=grey]- - - - - - -[/color][/center] [center][size=4][b]TIER 2[/b][/size][/center] [center][color=grey]- - - - - - -[/color]|[emoji=rainbow star 1 size=1]|[color=grey]- - - - - - -[/color][/center] [columns] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/10220.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/31215.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/52030.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/21367.png[/img] [nextcol] [color=transparent]XXX[/color][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/95143551][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/949443/94944241p.png[/img][/url] [color=transparent]XXX[/color][b]MERCHANT[/b] [color=transparent]XXXXX[/color][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/95143551]NAME[/url] ------------- [size=2][i]Earn your coin.[/i] Unlocks the Auction House & Trading Post.[/size] [color=transparent]XXX[/color][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/95143551][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/949443/94944241p.png[/img][/url] [color=transparent]XXXX[/color][b]MINDER[/b] [color=transparent]XXXXX[/color][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/95143551]NAME[/url] ------------- [size=2][i]Protect your offspring.[/i] Nestlings always survive. The dragon in this role may no longer participate in battle, and is excluded from Death Streaks.[/size] [nextcol] [color=transparent]XXX[/color][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/95143551][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/949443/94944241p.png[/img][/url] [color=transparent]XXXX[/color][b]KEEPER[/b] [color=transparent]XXXXX[/color][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/95143551]NAME[/url] ------------- [size=2][i]Tame your creatures.[/i] Unlocks familiar bonding.[/size] [color=transparent]XXX[/color][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/95143551][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/949443/94944241p.png[/img][/url] [color=transparent]XXXX[/color][b]MENTOR[/b] [color=transparent]XXXXX[/color][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/95143551]NAME[/url] ------------- [size=2][i]Provide your skill.[/i] The mentor replaces the lowest-leveled dragon in a Death Streak. The mentor has two death saves.[/size] [nextcol] [color=transparent]XXX[/color][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/95143551][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/949443/94944241p.png[/img][/url] [color=transparent]XXX[/color][b]ALCHEMIST[/b] [color=transparent]XXXXX[/color][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/95143551]NAME[/url] ------------- [size=2][i]Create your desires.[/i] Unlocks 'Baldwin's Bubbling Brew'.[/size] [color=transparent]XXX[/color][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/95143551][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/949443/94944241p.png[/img][/url] [color=transparent]XXXXX[/color][b]MEDIC[/b] [color=transparent]XXXXX[/color][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/95143551]NAME[/url] ------------- [size=2][i]Save yourself.[/i] Once every thirty days, remove one death marker from every dragon in your lair. The medic has one death save.[/size] [nextcol] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/10221.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/31216.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/52031.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/21366.png[/img] [/columns] [center][color=grey]- - - - - - -[/color]|[emoji=rainbow star 1 size=1]|[color=grey]- - - - - - -[/color][/center]

----------- [columns] [color=transparent]XXXXXX[/color][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/11512.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/51962.png[/img] [nextcol] [size=5][b]Lore Index[/b][/size] [nextcol] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/23815.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/3677.png[/img] [/columns] ----------- [center]Use this catalog to find all of the Pinkerlocke posts made so far. While all posts aim to further the story told by this Pinkerlocke, longer lore posts are tagged for easier reading.[/center] [columns] [Size=2] [b][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/3339371#post_56854941]The Beginning - Writing[/url][/b] [b][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/3339371/1#post_56855421]Day One - Writing[/url][/b][color=transparent]XX[/color] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/3339371/1#post_56860427]Day Two[/url] [b][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/3339371/2#post_56871564]Day Three - Art[/url][/b] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/3339371/2#post_56874545]Day Four[/url] [b][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/3339371/2#post_56883189]Day Five - Writing[/url][/b] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/3339371/2#post_56885718]Day Six[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/3339371/2#post_56896273]Day Seven[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/3339371/2#post_56908347]Day Eight[/url] [b][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/3339371/3#post_56914756]Day Nine -- Writing[/url][/b] [b][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/3339371/3#post_56921153]Day Ten -- Art[/url][/b] [/size] [nextcol] [Size=2] [color=transparent]XX[/color][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/3339371/3#post_56922916]Day Eleven[/url] [color=transparent]XX[/color][b][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/3339371/3#post_56932583]Day Twelve -- Dragon[/url][/b] [color=transparent]XX[/color][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/3339371/4#post_56970038]Day Thirteen[/url] [color=transparent]XX[/color][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/3339371/4#post_57111181][b]Day Fourteen -- Dragons[/b][/url] [color=transparent]XX[/color][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/3339371/4#post_57117273]Day Fifteen[/url] [color=transparent]XX[/color][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/3339371/4#post_57427816][b]Day Sixteen -- Lore[/b][/url] [/size] [nextcol] [Size=2] [/size] [/columns]

----------- [columns] [color=transparent]XXXX[/color][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/25763.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/18921.png[/img] [nextcol] [size=5][b]The Graveyard[/b][/size] [nextcol] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/21386.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/21407.png[/img] [/columns] ----------- [center][i]The final resting place of all those who traveled alongside the Ashen Striders, be their journey long or short...[/i][/center] [columns] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/94944241][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/949443/94944241.png[/img][/url] [nextcol] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/94944241][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/949443/94944241.png[/img][/url] [nextcol] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/94944241][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/949443/94944241.png[/img][/url] [nextcol] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/94944241][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/949443/94944241.png[/img][/url] [nextcol] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/94944241][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/949443/94944241.png[/img][/url] [/columns] ------------------------ [center][size=4][b]Hatchlings[/b][/size][/center] [i]The tears shed for these young lives forever outpace the length of their short lives...[/i] [columns] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/94944241][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/949443/94944241.png[/img][/url] [nextcol] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/94944241][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/949443/94944241.png[/img][/url] [nextcol] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/94944241][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/949443/94944241.png[/img][/url] [nextcol] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/94944241][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/949443/94944241.png[/img][/url] [nextcol] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/94944241][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/949443/94944241.png[/img][/url] [/columns]

----------- [columns] [color=transparent]XX[/color][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/263.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/12945.png[/img] [nextcol] [size=5][b]Current Location[/b][/size] [nextcol] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/14446.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/26283.png[/img] [/columns] ----------- [map x=2896 y=1744 view=land width=480 height=240]Current Location of the Ashfall Striders[/map]

----------- [columns] [color=transparent]XXXXXXX[/color][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/25781.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/51985.png[/img] [nextcol] [size=5][b]Reserved[/b][/size] [nextcol] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/36326.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/52014.png[/img] [/columns] -----------

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/HmPtzzp.png[/img][/center] --------------- [columns] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/95143761][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/951438/95143761p.png[/img][/url] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/16490.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/19260.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/51983.png[/img] [Nextcol] --------------- [b]Voss[/b] pulled himself from the water, panting. This wasn't the plan. [i]Nothing[/i] about this was the plan. In a better life he would've stayed in the Great Furnace, studying under his forgemaster until he graduated as an apprentice. He would've been able to open his own forge, and prove himself as a master smith. In a better life, he would've turned his claws to crafting machinery, not weapons. He turned to look over his shoulder. In the distance, smoke still billowed from Flotsam Town. Distant winged figures circled the clouds. Voss shuddered and dragged himself forward. Gradually, the shallow water gave way to a thin, sandy beach. Rivulets of clean water emerged from the thickets of reeds and trees before him to enter the sea, crossing over and between large piles of rotting driftwood. Voss collapsed before one of the streams, thirst giving way to caution. The water tasted of black earth and old wood, the silt coating his tongue. Biting flies swarmed him as he drank, swirling into the air whenever he turned to swat them away. Finally having a chance to rest, he considered the forest itself. Of the three northern coasts that bordered the Sea of a Thousand Currents, the Driftwood Drag was likely the safest place to land. Little news had come from the Tangled Wood as of late, but there was still a slim chance he could find a clan sympathetic to his plight here. If not, at least the woods would provide cover from the dangers still in the sky. [i]That is,[/i] Voss thought as he watched a group of strange dragons step out of the woods, [i]if they don't kill me first.[/i] --------------- [/columns] [columns] [b]Wyruthe[/b] considered the stranger in front of her. The timing was so good she couldn't help but feel suspicious. Where had this stranger come from? If it hadn't been for the smoke billowing across the sea, she would've thought that he was placed there deliberately, a test from Matriarch Skyvia to trap her and Sister Lydia in their lies. The mirror seemed harmless, though-- at least as harmless as an outsider could be in these times. The walked the obscure, winding path through the woods that threaded the edges of the surrounding clans' territories. There was no need to blindfold the intruder. Even if he had been able to escape four Shadeseekers, there was no way he'd be able to safely navigate the woods by himself. She thought about how he might react to her and Lydia's plan. The mirror was roughly the same age as her, she thought, and surely he didn't want to die. He lagged behind the pace of the leader of the group, but that could just as easily be due to exhaustion as it was reluctance. If he was indeed a kindred spirit, equally as curious as the world around them as she was, then perhaps Sister Lydia's plan might work after all. They soon emerged into the main Shadeseeker encampment, where other justiciars were organizing supplies and setting up temporary shelters. Wyruthe noted a few unfamiliar faces in the crowd-- it looked like some reinforcements were sent alongside the supplies. The mirror was led off towards an iron-wrought cage, already thick with thorns slowly creeping their way up the bars. Careful of any eyes on her, she slipped towards the armory to shed her weaponry, and then approached from the brambles behind the prison as soon as the mirror was left alone. "If you want to live, listen closely." She hissed. "Neither of us have much time." --------------- [nextcol] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/95143551][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/951436/95143551p.png[/img][/url] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/51985.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/14555.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/34824.png[/img] [/columns] [columns] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/95143761][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/951438/95143761p.png[/img][/url] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/8099.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/18449.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/253.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/3451.png[/img] [Nextcol] [b]He[/b] tried not to flinch as the young guardian from his escort materialized out of the bushes behind the make-shift cage he had been locked in. Voss' already meager belongings had been swiftly confiscated prior to his march to this mysterious encampment, and now he was truly helpless. "Please-- I don't want to hurt anyone. I'm just passing through, I--" "Then be silent and [i]listen.[/i]" The guardian snapped. "You're in an encampment of Shadeseekers. We've been called upon by the Shadowbinder Herself to reinforce our borders and put any intruders to the sword, lest they carry with themselves some taint of the Shade." A chill ran through Voss' spine. It was well known that the Tangled Woods had shut their borders for several months now, even the ancient ports and caravan routes. But he had heard no such rumors of bloodshed before he had left the Furnace. "Then what can I do? I can't die here, I--" "Matriarch Skyvia has devised a test she claims will reveal whether you are tainted by the Shade or not. If you're untainted, then you will be allowed to stay in the Woods until the borders are re-opened. If not, then you will be purged. Of course, nobody has managed to pass the test so far." "One of the other Justiciars thinks she's devised a way to disrupt the test, and hopefully reveal Skyvia's dishonesty. You [i]must[/i] be cooperative with Matriarch Skyvia. If we are to prove to the rest of the clan that her ways are nothing but lies, any resistance will be taken as opportunity to kill you regardless of her test." "How am I supposed to pass a test I know nothing about?" "It's a meaningless ceremony. Sister Lydia will prove that. All you have to do is cooperate." "And if this plan of your doesn't work?" "Then we'll all be the victims of baseless fears." --------------- [/columns] [columns] [b]They[/b] gathered in the twilight, the sacred part of the day, when there was still enough light to cast the shadows long and deep into the forest. Flickering torches were lit with darklight, the blue fire dancing in the thick, humid air of the swamp. The bioluminescent glow of the fungi life emerged, accompanied by the sounds of the night insects warming up their chorus. A brief meal was held in the center of camp, and after everyone was gathered, Matriarch Skyvia took her place on the stone dias they had built their camp around. Against the dim light, the nocturne cut an imposing figure despite her relatively small size. "My fellow Justiciars," She began. "An outsider has reached our shores. Once more, we are called upon by the Shadowbinder Herself to perform the sacred duty she has tasked to us-- the protection of Her lands, our sanctuary." Whispering broke out as the mirror was marched to the forefront of the area. This would be their third execution in as many weeks, and not even the oldest warriors could remember a time when such measures had ever been needed. Wyruthe smiled grimly. Even though they could not stop the prior executions, perhaps tonight would make those sacrifices not in vain. "Tonight, under the benevolent eyes of our Lady, I reveal an ancient fragment of the Shade before you. If this intruder is indeed free of this calamity, then he shall be free to live amongst us until our borders are once again able to be traveled freely. If he is corrupted by the Shade, then he shall be swiftly put to death." Another Justiciar handed Matriarch Skyvia a small, ornately carven wooden box with a thick sturdy lock on it. Revealing a key from behind her robes, she opened the box with a quiet click. "As with all magics in this world, like calls to like. Let the corruption of this world reveal itself, so that we may purge it with magic and claw." To his credit, the mirror recoiled but did not fight when the scale was revealed. The shattered piece of scale was just large enough for Skyvia to wrap both sets of claws around, but its effect was instantaneous. Wryuthe's skull begin to pound, her surroundings beginning to swim, nausea sweeping her body. Elsewhere, another Justiciar wretched. Matriarch Skyvia swayed for a moment before setting her stance and approaching the mirror. He writhed and frothed on the ground, pinned in place by the force of the Shade fragment, tipping over onto his side and twitching as Skyvia came closer to him. Wryuthe stood, terror rising as she watched the scene unfold. Just as she thought the mirror would die before she could intervene, a clear voice cut through the noise. [i]"Stop!"[/i] --------------- [nextcol] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/95143551][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/951436/95143551p.png[/img][/url] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/9840.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/25781.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/6343.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/36326.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/15587.png[/img] [/columns] [columns] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/95143761][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/951438/95143761p.png[/img][/url] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/192.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/1065.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/189.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/191.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/197.png[/img] [Nextcol] [b]Voss'[/b] head swam as he drunkenly stumbled to his feet. In front of him were two guardian dragons, each with their wings spread protectively to shield him from whatever [i]thing[/i] their leader had exposed him to. The larger one on the left was standing tall, confidently, even baring her teeth in open challenge at the Matriarch-- she must have been the other Justiciar his potential savior spoke to him about earlier. The smaller one on the right, his secret ally, seemed less confident. She kept looking between him, her friend, and their leader. Their Matriarch was clearly livid, hissing and spitting at each of them as another Justiciar bundled the foul artifact away. "You dare challenge the orders given to us by our god, the one who created our home and brought us into Her grace?" The nocturne screamed. "You all are vile filth who will be purged from the face of this land!" "I do not challenge our Lady's will!" The larger guardian snarled, rearing up even higher. "I challenge the will of a liar and a thief, one who has abused her position for her own status at the expense of our true service to the Shadowbinder!" "I will cut out that lying tongue of yours and offer it to our Lady myself." The matriarch hissed. Justiciars were slowly edging towards the fight, clearly waiting for one opponent to show weakness and to pounce, whichever way the winds turned. "This entire show is a sham. The relic affects us all, no matter how much you pretend otherwise. Each time you reveal that shard, you put us in danger, and what do we have to show for it? Three innocent dragons dead. I will no longer stand by as you drag our clan into ruin. We are supposed to embrace the shielding comfort of darkness, not become the monsters we find within it." For a moment, the matriarch hesitated. Then a booming echo rattled the trees. As one, the clan turned towards the sound. The forest stilled in the flickering light. then, like rushing water, bats poured out from between the trees. They broke the hypnotic silence as the clan broke into panicked shouting, some of them rushing to support their Matriarch, others frantically seizing torches in an attempt to ward off the bats. None of it mattered. Soon the source of the panic and dread made itself known. A massive, unnatural head rose high above the trees, dim eyes reflecting a deeper, unknown darkness. Then two heads rose behind the first. The Emperor roared, and the forest came crashing down around them. Voss stumbled as another wave of nausea rushed over him, raw fear curling in his gut as he realized what was about to happen. "Like calls to like," the young guardian said, trembling in fear. "Matriarch... you've doomed us all." --------------- [/columns] [columns] [b]Once[/b] it began, it was all over terrifyingly quickly. Her clan was gone. Matriarch Skyvia was dead. Sister Lydia had been crushed in front of her by the Emperor's uncaring claw. Wyruthe watched helplessly as the friends she trained alongside were killed or scattered into the woods. Rain began to fall, the world lashed by rain and wind alongside the Emperor's wrath. She rand blindly through the camp, ignoring weaponry and supplies as she went-- it was no use to do anything but run. As she came around the beast's side, the Emperor's tail lashed out, striking a whole stand of trees, sending them crashing down around her in a ceaseless wall of noise and wood. Wryuthe watched, frozen, as the woods she loved her whole life came down on top of her. Then, everything went dark. "Get up!" A desperate voice brought her back to her senses, the horrible night swimming back into focus. "You need to get up now!" It took her a moment to realize who was in front of her. It was the mirror from the coast, again. He shook her again. "We need to go!" There was the Emperor again, crashing through the forest. It called hauntingly in a deep, harmonious scream. She shuddered, painfully trying to push herself to her feet from underneath the branches that had pinned her down. With the help of the mirror, she scrambled out. "Let's go!" The mirror turned into the forest, noisily pushing through the brush. When Wyruthe hesitated, he turned back desperately. "Come on! If you stay here, we'll both die!" Shaking herself out of her stupor, she finally turned away from her old life, and plunged into the unknown. --------------- [nextcol] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/95143551][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/951436/95143551p.png[/img][/url] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/16448.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/24501.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/21387.png[/img] [/columns] [columns] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/95143761][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/951438/95143761p.png[/img][/url] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/25762.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/16445.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/16446.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/51988.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/24503.png[/img] [Nextcol] [b]They[/b] trekked through the forest, weary and injured, until early morning broke upon the Driftwood Drag. The sunlight didn't seem to ease his companion's spirits, and Voss found that he was less joyful at the arrival of the day than he expected. It was hard to be grateful to the Emperor for saving him from his fate, when he saw what it did to the other dragons. Finally, as the sun began to turn towards the late afternoon, the guardian stopped. They were in a small, shaded clearing with a small brook carving through it. Mushrooms covered the ground. They were each silent for a moment as they looked at one another. "I don't hear it anymore." She said, slowly sitting down on the ground. "The Emperor. We should rest here, while we can." "If I'm being honest, I'm not sure how much further I can travel. I haven't had a chance to rest since I left Flotsam Town." Voss laid on the ground, sighing as he finally got the chance to rest his aching legs. They rested there for a moment in the hesitant sunlight, each pretending that they weren't looking at one another. "Why did you save me?" The guardian finally asked. Voss blinked at her, roused from his exhausted dozing. "Hm?" "Why did you save me? Back in the woods. You could have left me there." "Oh." Voss crossed his claws hesitantly. "Well-- You saved me life, or at least tried to. If it weren't for the Emperor, I think you might have even succeeded. I don't think it would've been right to leave you there... And, well, I don't know how to navigate the Tangled Woods on my own." "I see." The guardian said, and then closed her eyes and tilted her face to the sunlight. Voss awkwardly looked away from her private moment of grief. "My name is Wryuthe." The guardian finally spoke again. "I am Voss." [i]There, in that small clearing in the woods, a silent pact was made-- whether they would live or die, they were now tied together.[/i] --------------- [/columns]

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/0SI5l6f.png[/img][/center] --------------- [center][size=4][b]Daily Drop[/b][/size][/center] [columns] [item=Malleable Graybricks] [nextcol] [i][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/95143551]Wyruthe[/url] finds a broken piece of brick deep in the woods, likely a piece of the dias that was destroyed when the Emperor attacked. She takes it with her. Voss does not question it.[/i] [/columns] --------------- [center] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/193.png[/img] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/95143551][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/951436/95143551p.png[/img][/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/95143761][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/951438/95143761p.png[/img][/url] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/194.png[/img] [/center] --------------- [center][size=6][b]Through the Shadows[/b][/size][/center] [columns] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/95143551][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/951436/95143551p.png[/img][/url] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/16447.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/21387.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/1046.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/2256.png[/img] [Nextcol] --------------- [b]They[/b] traveled slowly, days through the woods. They foraged for food when they could find it, but without any tools or weapons it was difficult to obtain what they needed. If there were other survivors in the woods, they didn't stumble upon them. They saw no sign of the Emperor, either. Until they found the trail. It was a chasm through the earth, a thick scar cut straight through the woods. Already young, green plants were starting to take advantage of the newly exposed sunlight. Wyruthe tried to take heart in this obvious symbol of rebirth, but mostly she could only see the loss left in the wake of the Emperor. How many clan territories had it rampaged through before it had reached them? How long would it wander before it was stopped? Voss climbed onto a broken tree trunk, hanging over the broken path to look out over the open area. He sniffed the air, looking back and forth critically at the carnage. "Where do you think it came from?" He asked, following the distant trail towards the horizon. "The Emperor? Likely from the east, if this path can be trusted. Most of the trees seem to have been pushed from that direction. But it really could've come from anywhere-- without following the path all the way to its origin, we can't make assumptions about where it came from." "I heard rumors that there's an Emperor roaming the Sunbeam Ruins-- could that be true? Could this be the same individual?" "It's been stalking those lands for nearly a year without leaving now. When it first appeared, many of the Shadeseekers wanted to organize and hunt it down. But flight politics prevented us from crossing the border, and soon after the order came down to shut our own borders down entirely." Wruthe sighed. "Now it doesn't matter. We should have done more." --------------- [/columns] [columns] [b]"What's[/b] done is done-- there's nothing you could do to change that." Voss felt the words were hardly adequate for what had happened, but there was little else he could think to say. "We need to think about what we're going to do next, if we're going to survive long enough to mourn." Wyruthe looked at him strangely. "You didn't strike me as so unfeeling." "I'm not," Voss insisted. "It's just-- I've lost people, too. I left a lot of others behind to get this far. If I don't do what I left to do in the first place, then all of that will be pointless." "What were you doing along the coast, anyways? Our scouts saw you swimming in from a boat towards the shore." "...It's a long story." Voss sighed. "Flotsam Town was attacked. It was no longer safe there, so I fled. I tried to leave with a group on a boat, and got most of the way towards the shore, but I was forced to leave before the ship could get to shore. " Wryuthe looked at him a bit strangely, but didn't press the subject. He was grateful for it. "Alright, then. So where were you trying to go in the first place?" "I don't know. First I had to get away from the Ashfall Waste. But I believe what I'm looking for is somewhere in Dragonhome-- I'm not sure, though." "You're trying to get somewhere and you don't even know where it is?" "It's not a specific place-- it's a person. I was told they would be able to help. But I'm not sure who I'm looking for, or how they can help." Voss was tempted to tell her the whole thing, that he was probably just on a wild chase for someone who didn't exist. But instead he turned away, looking down the Emperor's path. "Should we follow it?" He finally asked. "No. We should leave this place." With that, they plunged once more into the Tangled Woods. --------------- [nextcol] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/95143761][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/951438/95143761p.png[/img][/url] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/258.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/253.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/18977.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/10205.png[/img] [/columns] [center][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/21406.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/9840.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/36326.png[/img][/center] [center][b]Rounds Fought:[/b] 0 | [b]Venue:[/b] N/A | [b]Death Markers Earned:[/b] 0 | [b]Final Deaths:[/b] 0[/center] ---------------

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/4oiLQWI.png[/img][/center] --------------- [center][size=4][b]Daily Drop[/b][/size][/center] [columns] [item=Ashmane Cat] [nextcol] [i]"There's good prey in this part of the woods," [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/95143761]Voss[/url] says. "It'd be worth the time to secure more provisions." He seems comforted by the ever-increasing amount of sunlight filtering through the swamp. Wyruthe seems more wary.[/i] [/columns] --------------- [center] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/22379.png[/img] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/95143551][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/951436/95143551p.png[/img][/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/95143761][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/portraits/951438/95143761p.png[/img][/url] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/22378.png[/img] [/center] --------------- [center][size=6][b]A Good Day's Hunt[/b][/size][/center] --------------- The vibrant wildlife of the Driftwood Drag slowly returned after the passing of the Emperor, providing an easy hunt for the two new companions. The food not only helped to restore their strength, but also strengthen their abilities as warriors. Wyruthe's training as a Shadeseeker made her an invaluable shield, while Voss' agility and strength helped him strike true. Made more confident by the experience, the two made camp deep in the wild center of the Driftwood Drag, trading stories over a full meal. [center][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/food/2413.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/food/8106.png[/img] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/food/3084.png[/img][/center] [center][b]Rounds Fought:[/b] 25 | [b]Venue:[/b] Training Fields | [b]Death Markers Earned:[/b] 0 | [b]Final Deaths:[/b] 0[/center] [quote=Notable Drops] [center] [item=Leafy Pack] [/center] [/quote] ---------------