Quests & Challenges

Deep in the Tangled Woods, three dragons answer the summons from a mysterious Professor Saile. The wealthy patron promises a large, comfortable home and plenty of pay in exchange for their help. Too old to research on his own, the professor has asked the three, along with any other future applicants, to investigate areas of interest. What constitutes interest varies wildly, and the locations of these areas cover all of Sornieth. The goal is to search the area, make a report, and bring back any noteworthy or valuable objects found.

So, with a massive mansion to call their own, the three begin to get to work. Unbeknownst to them, they’ve opened themselves to a world of horrors. Whatever awaits them, it can’t be good.

Welcome to my Pinkerlocke! After it's run for a few months now, I've been updating this opening post. Changes happen here so don't be surprised if you see anything out of place or missing.

A few things of note:

• This Pinkerlocke takes inspiration and elements from The Magnus Archives, a horror podcast. As such, there may be minor spoilers from that show, and expect some slightly graphic and disturbing content.
• I will once again state this. This is horror based. While I'll be doing my best to stay within site rules, you've been warned. Content warnings will be placed where needed.
• Continuing from that, if I fail to put warnings where needed, please tell me. Same goes with material that may be too mature for FR.

That said and done, welcome to Magpie Manor. Enjoy your stay.

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Update: As of July 26th, 2021, there is now a discussion thread for the Pinkerlocke! You can check it out here. Enjoy discussing past and future events, characters, and the like there!

First things first, the basic rules of a Pinkerlocke! Due to some personal changes, some areas are crossed out, and I’ll discuss how they are changed in the sections following this. [quote=Pinkerlocke rules] [b][b]Basic rules:[/b][/b] A death in the coliseum = that dragon must be exalted. This is the most essential rule of a nuzlocke. All loot obtained in the coliseum is irrelevant, as is the loot obtained from gathering. There are no restrictions about applying apparel to your dragons. Do whatever makes sense to you. Same goes for familiars. And, most crucially, all nuzlocke activity corresponds with the loot you obtain daily from Pinkerton's plundered pile! [i][b]Optional sentimental rule:[/b][/i] [s]If a dragon reaches level 25 it "retires". It can join the ranks of your main lair.[/s] [i][b]Drops of Fate:[/b][/i] [b]Food:[/b] Coliseum time! [center][b]Plants:[/b] 10-20 matches [b]Insects: [/b]20-30 matches [b]Seafood:[/b] 30-40 matches [b]Meat:[/b] 40-50 matches [/center] Choose from one of these two rules: Hardmode: You must select coliseum challengers in your lair using a random number generator. Then, select the coliseum arena that corresponds to the highest level dragon of that group [i][b][u](For a 'medium' mode, select the venue that is one tier down from that of highest level dragon).[/u][/b][/i] If your dragons level up while in an area, you can still stay there for the whole day. You can quit your battle streak at any time to regen health, and flee from battles if it is appropriate. Don't try do 50 matches in a row unless you want a wiped-out dragon! OR Easymode: Choose whichever team and venue you want and go for it. Running from battles, using health pots, and ending the battle streak is fine, as I explained above. [b]Materials and trinkets:[/b] Flex your creative muscles! Note that there is currently a glitch in which Pinkerton mislabels materials as trinkets. If you obtain a "trinket" from Pinkerton, double check to make sure it's not actually a material! [b]Materials:[/b] Do some writing for your nuzlocke. How does your new nuzlocke clan change and develop? What are your dragons like personality-wise? How do they get along? How do they die? Is there an antagonist in this nuzlocke, or are they merely struggling against the forces of nature? Write dragon bios! Make a blog, or a thread for your challenge in the creative forums! Write short stories or paragraphs, or add to one big one adventure! [s]Trinkets: Do some art for your nuzlocke! Digital or traditional, use whatever medium feels best for you. Draw deaths. Draw dragons. Draw humanized versions of your dragons (if that's your sort of thing). Draw familiars and dragons together. It doesn't have to be that good or elaborate. If you make a nuzlocke thread, post your art there. Obviously, you might not have time in your day to do something creative. If that's the case, don't worry about it. This challenge is meant to be fun and heartwrenching, not a chore.[/s] [u]Rare drops:[/u] Wildcards [b]Familiars: [/b]Buy the cheapest dragon in the auction house of a specific breed. Use a random number generator (between 1-17) to determine which breed you will get! (Optionally: attach the familiar to the new dragon.) [LIST=1] [*]Fae [*]Guardian [*]Mirror [*]Pearlcatcher [*]Ridgeback [*]Tundra [*]Spiral [*]Imperial [*]Snapper [*]Wildclaw [*]Nocturne [*]Coatl [*]Skydancer [*]Bogsneak [*]Gaoler [*]Banescale [*]Veilspun [*]Obelisk [*]Aberration [/LIST] [s]Apparel: Breed two of your dragons. The dragons you pick are up to you. You can also change one of the genes on a dragon, or use a scatterscroll if you are rich and crazy. Note: You must flip a coin for each hatchling once they hatch. If tails, the dragon is dead and you must exalt it. This is in keeping with the original Nuzlocke thread's rule, because I really like it.[/s] [b]Battle items:[/b] Uh-oh!!! Flip a coin. Heads = DEATH STREAK Tails = Nothing happens DEATH STREAK rules: Randomly select three dragons using a random number generator. Fight in the coliseum using the "food" rules 10 rounds consecutively (ie. you cannot leave that arena), quitting midway if a dragon dies. If you are using the easymode rules, switch to the hardmode rules for battlestones. [/quote] [quote=The Changes] [b]Retirement -[/b] The retirement level of a dragon is level 20. Due to the sheer amount of exp needed to get from level 20-25, I choose this level as an ending point. [u]Update:[/u] Dragons that reach level 20 are immune to deaths in the coliseum, but can still participate in battles. Once level 25 is reached they will no longer participate in the coliseum at all. These dragons can still die to marks, and are not immune to dying in the story. [b]Familiars -[/b] With the exception of nesting, all dragons will be bought as adults. This is for lore reasons as these are supposed to be adults entering into the mansion, not hatchlings. [b]Trinkets -[/b] To be discussed in the next section. Basically, I don’t want to draw art for dragons I probably won’t be keeping, and since I’d be doing this traditionally, I also feel like it would be a waste of paper. It’s been replaced with a new rule for this Pinkerlocke. [b]Apparel -[/b] Apparel will serve a purpose beyond breeding. For its breeding use, I will only breed dragons if the pair has chemistry where it would be reasonable that they would have a nest. For its secondary function, it will come up in the next section. [/quote] [quote=Fearful Influences] Now, this is where the rules inspired by concepts in TMA come in! Throughout my Pinkerlocke the dragons will be dealing with the [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/lair/98625/1421076?name=&type=undefined]fear Entities[/url] and their influence on Sornieth and its inhabitants. The following are how I’m incorporating them into my Pinkerlocke setting. [b]Trinkets - Marked[/b] Any time I pull a trinket, there is a chance that any dragon from my cast will be targeted by one of the Entities. First I roll a d20 (or just use a Random Number Generator) to determine if one of the fears does get rolled (there’s five “safe” spots). Once picked, I then use RNG to determine who gets marked by that fear. From that point on, the dragon has been marked by that fear. There is no way to remove marks. However…… [b]Apparel - Immunity[/b] If an apparel item is pulled the day before a trinket, a random dragon in the group is immune to being marked that day. This is the only time a dragon can be immune. So, what does it mean to be marked? Well…. [b]Meet Your Marker[/b] Dragons can be marked by a fear more than once. While nothing happens the first two times a dragon is touched by the same fear, the third time is where things get really interesting. On the third mark from a fear, I flip a coin for the dragon. [u]Heads -[/u] The dragon dies, another victim to the fear that had targeted them. [u]Tails -[/u] The dragon becomes an Avatar of the fear. They survive, but at what cost? [b]An Avatar’s Undoing[/b] When a dragon becomes an Avatar, a couple things happen. The first is that they can no longer be killed by normal means. Yes, Avatars cannot die in the coli by any regular attack thrown at them. [i][b]Instead, the dragon has to be defeated by an elemental attack that is strong against them when their health is below half.[/b][/i] Any other attack, or something such as the bleed damage from shred, cannot kill them. The second, and more story-relevant effect, is that the dragons are no longer the same they once were. They can still be “marked” by fears, but encounters will go differently now, especially in regards to the fear they are an Avatar for now. As for what happens for when they encounter that fear? That’s something I’m not going to reveal here. Stick around for it to (hopefully) be revealed through story progression. [u]Below are rules that has been added as a result of Pinkerlocke activity[/u] [b]Dare to Delve[/b] At the end of a quest, there is a chance that one of the dragons on the quest will get marked by a fear. This is largely lore based, as some missions lend themselves to have this happen more likely than others. Only dragons that participate in the quest can be effected, and rolls for what fear targets them (if any) remain the same. [b]Truly Terrifying[/b] Sometimes, a fear entity etches itself more deeply into a dragon, resulting in two marks. This can come about in one of three ways. [u]Rolls [/u]- Anytime a dragon gets marked by a fear via a Trinket, I roll twice. If I get the same number twice (not counting "Nothing" results), they are critically marked instead. [u]Lore [/u]- Depending on the severity of a fear's influence and the trauma a dragon experiences during a job, there is a chance they get critically marked. This is largely lore based, with some dragons lending themselves more easily to different fears based on personalities, fears, hobbies, etc. Sometimes a dragon is plain unlucky however. [u]Death Streaks [/u]- This is situational. In the event that I have a team in a round where I know someone is going to die, and I essentially have to pick who that is, instead of dying, that dragon is critically marked. This is to prevent Death Streaks from being ruined by me being unable to do anything to make it through a round unscathed. It stops making the Death Streak the anxiety-inducing fun that it should be for me when this happens and I want to have fun, not pick my least favorite dragon to die. [u]Doubly Disastrous[/u] In the event that I wish to write more than one entry in a day, I may visit Crim to get a second (or even third) pull. The pull is determined by the first item Crim asks me for. This is to help me with catching up on potential missed days, as well as if I'm feeling extra inspired but don't want to be held back by Pinkerton's single pull a day function. [/quote]

Current Cast: Dragons can all be found in [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/lair/98625/1420315?name=&type=undefined]this tab[/url]! To view full bios, click on the dragon images. All bios have been moved to save space, minus NPCs. [columns] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/65864552][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/658646/65864552.png[/img][/url] [nextcol] [u]Zylen Myst - Shadow - Level 13[/u] Librarian [/columns] [columns] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/56957891][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/643983441683284009/792856965901713448/Slaye.png[/img][/url] [nextcol] [u]Slaye - Light - Level 4[/u] Scribe [/columns] [columns] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/56957891][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/643983441683284009/836801552278224916/65864541.png[/img][/url] [nextcol] [u]Jaxon - Nature - Level 10[/u] Groundskeeper [/columns] [columns] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/56957891][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/643983441683284009/800212021673066546/Meir_n.png[/img][/url] [nextcol] [u]Meir - Ice - Level 9[/u] Researcher [/columns] [columns] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/56957891][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/643983441683284009/849508563197100052/65786472.png[/img][/url] [nextcol] [u]Eowyn - Shadow - Level 9[/u] Arcane Appraiser [/columns] [columns] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/66081082][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/660811/66081082.png[/img][/url] [nextcol] [u]Clancy Aureal - Earth - Level 12[/u] Historian [/columns] [columns] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/65901807][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/659019/65901807.png[/img][/url] [nextcol] [u]Elanor Sykion - Lightning - Level 10[/u] Archivist [/columns] [columns] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/66435529][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/664356/66435529.png[/img][/url] [nextcol] [u]Howl - Shadow - Level 9[/u] Patrolling Guard [/columns] [columns] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/66553871][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/643983441683284009/800573272882151504/Jerry.png[/img][/url] [nextcol] [u]Jeremiah - Shadow - Level 12[/u] Archival Assistant [/columns] [columns] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/66572881][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/665729/66572881.png[/img][/url] [nextcol] [u]Apollyon - Plague - Level 11[/u] Relic Keeper [/columns] [columns] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/56957891][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/643983441683284009/837174400876281856/68830654.png[/img][/url][nextcol] [u]Mariela Thairn - Lightning - Level 7[/u] Doctor [/columns] [columns] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/67766192][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/643983441683284009/836400735469043792/67766192_350.png[/img][/url] [nextcol] [u]Micah - Arcane - Level 12[/u] Scribe [/columns] [columns] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/56957891][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/643983441683284009/872686495033622548/Old_man.png[/img][/url] [nextcol] [u]Thorn Icthen - Plague - Level 10[/u] Botanist [/columns] [columns] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/68294495][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/643983441683284009/876689673790038056/CooCoo_for_Cocoa_Warrior.png[/img][/url] [nextcol] [u]Tulukaruk - Ice - Level 9[/u] Night Guard [/columns] [columns] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/72561281][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/643983441683284009/893344642840555550/Precious_Bean_2.0.png[/img][/url] [nextcol] [u]Malakhim - Shadow - Level 8[/u] Astronomer [/columns] [columns] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/72527811][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/643983441683284009/897177648223121468/Cozy_Boi.png[/img][/url] [nextcol] [u]Rhenine - Plague - Level 6[/u] Researcher [/columns] [columns] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/74355893][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/643983441683284009/930689831271546880/DIRT_LESBIAN_LETS_GOOOO.png[/img][/url] [nextcol] [u]Corinna Daute - Arcane - Level 7[/u] Archaeologist [/columns] [columns] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/75370064][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/643983441683284009/938297040604119080/Fish_Doctor.png[/img][/url] [nextcol] [u]Ardolen Iabla - Lightning - Level 6[/u] Aquarist [/columns] ------ NPCs: [columns] [img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/643983441683284009/792133621657501737/Tobias.png[/img] [nextcol] [u]Tobias Holland - Ice[/u] Introduction - [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720#post_45793370]Day 2[/url] A member of the Holland family, a major patron of the institute Professor Saile works for. Family owns a portal in the Southern Icefield, and co-owns another in the Sea of a Thousand Currents. He seems friendly enough at a surface level, willing to chat with the others, but something is off about him. What that is remains unknown. [/columns] [columns] [img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/643983441683284009/795745624272142397/Rachael.png[/img] [nextcol] [u]Rachael Wandermoon - Wind[/u] Introduction - [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/2#post_45919656]Day 12[/url] A mysterious dragon, Rachael holds malevolent interest in those employed by Saile. She takes pleasure in whatever the employees suffer through, and knows a lot more than she's willing to tell them. It is currently unknown how she knows the professor, nor if she will interfere with his assistants' work in the future. [/columns] [columns] [img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/643983441683284009/799860230895697990/Maria.png[/img] [nextcol] [u]Maria Holland - Ice[/u] Introduction - [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/4#post_46073862]Day 23[/url] (though first mentioned in Days [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/3#post_45994383]17[/url]/[url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/3#post_46001680]18[/url]) A young member of the Holland family, Maria greets those visiting the residence. She puts up a front of a pleasant and cheerful guide, but deep down, she hates visitors to her home. It is currently unknown why this is. After a fight with Zylen, she has been shown to create mist, even using it to make an illusory version of herself. [/columns] [columns] [img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/643983441683284009/801306819594682388/spoopy.png[/img] [nextcol] [u]Unknown - Lightning[/u] Introduction - [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/5#post_46124137]Day 27[/url] A strange individual who appeared before Zylen in the mansion's graveyard. Name is currently unknown, and despite their sinister looks, they do not appear to be outwardly malicious. [/columns] [columns] [img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/643983441683284009/811381738953244672/scry.png[/img] [nextcol] [u]Issac Olivine - Arcane[/u] Introduction - [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/7#post_46482045]Day 40[/url] A friend of Clair's, Issac knows some of what was happening at the mansion while Darryn was alive. States he has memory problems, and despite a neat hand, all writing he produces is strangely warped. He also has knowledge of codes, both in solving and creating them. [/columns] [columns] [img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/643983441683284009/869329747962900530/totally_not_cursed.png[/img] [nextcol] [u]Samantha - Earth[/u] Introduction - [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/7#post_46560982]Day 42[/url] Plagued by nightmares, Samantha was escorted to the manor and later taken in by the institute to receive help. Claimed her nightmares were brought forth after touching a strange black rock, and all nightmares appeared to cease after being taken in to the manor. She currently resides in the Corvus Institute's care, seeking a way to permanently be rid of the nightmares. [/columns] [columns] [img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/643983441683284009/836411423339839569/No_Buggy_Bits.png[/img] [nextcol] [u]Unknown - Plague aligned[/u] Introduction - [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/8#post_47253527]Day 47[/url] The pest. Currently infesting the manor, hiding in the walls. Has been noted to be an unknown creature inhabiting a doll that went missing from the Reliquary Room prior to the infestation. The doll itself holds anomalous properties, but those have yet to be revealed by Apollyon, the only individual who knows of them. As of Day 96 (Part 2), the pest is deceased, killed by Zylen. [/columns] [columns] [img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/643983441683284009/836405036371804160/The_Face_No_One_Remembers.png[/img] [nextcol] [u]Indria Sykes - Plague[/u] Introduction - [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/9#post_47340790]Day 51[/url] The sole surviving member of a family in a dwindling clan found in the middle of the Scarred Wasteland. After it became known she was the sole survivor, photos of her family began to shift into dragons impossible to be related to her. She still was able to recall who was in each photo, even as the image shifted before her and the members of the manor present. She refuses to leave home to start a family as she wishes to maintain and repair the home. [/columns] [columns] [img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/643983441683284009/877016604565725244/Sorry_Placeholder.png[/img] [nextcol] [u]Rolt Wander - Lightning[/u] Introduction - [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/9#post_47340790]Day 74[/url] An individual Elanor is currently looking into. A cast-out architect, Rolt was once known for well-made office buildings. However, his side projects included highly unstable shapes and constructs that resulted in inevitable deaths. However, his appearances in statements from not only the archivist before Darryn, but also Darryn's time has Elanor concerned and looking farther into him. [/columns] [columns] [img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/643983441683284009/929172504491216936/Watchful_Ally.png[/img] [nextcol] [u]Mr. Fulgrin - Lightning[/u] Introduction - [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/14#post_48818718]Day 77[/url] (mentioned); [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/18#post_49997191]Day 96 - Part 3[/url] (physical appearance) A Pearlcatcher Elanor encountered while on a personal mission for answers Professor Saile refused to give her and her coworkers. He has since made himself known to the manor in full, acting as an ally and informant from the Corvus Institute. While he works under Saile, he appears to hold those employed there with more respect than his employer. [/columns] [columns] [img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/643983441683284009/892270546602049577/Stop_Believing.png[/img] [nextcol] [u]Unknown - Unknown[/u] Introduction - [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/16#post_49113331]Day 89[/url] A leader of a group believed to be tied to a cult. Believes in some sort of moon goddess. Started performing a ceremony involving a strange bowl and requiring Sornieth's second moon, addressed as Echo in a speech prior to the ceremony's performance. Was able to detect Zylen through his Shadow magic concealment, and can move without making a sound. Name and other abilities are currently unknown. [/columns]

[quote=Daily Catalogue] A * denotes a death. ^ denotes a mark. Note: Marks will almost always come with content warnings. Deaths will not always come with them. [center] [columns] [size=3] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720#post_45781852]Day 1[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/1#post_45793370]Day 2[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/1#post_45799784]Day 3[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/1#post_45813669]Day 4[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/1#post_45822234]Day 5[/url]* [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/2#post_45834924]Day 6[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/2#post_45851583]Day 7[/url]^ [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/2#post_45863652]Day 8[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/2#post_45885228]Day 9[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/2#post_45890703]Day 10[/url]^ [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/2#post_45905170]Day 11[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/2#post_45919656]Day 12[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/3#post_45930663]Day 13[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/3#post_45943580]Day 14[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/3#post_45969631]Day 15[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/3#post_45982130]Day 16[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/3#post_45994383]Day 17[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/3#post_46001680]Day 18[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/3#post_46006339]Day 19[/url]^ [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/4#post_46019946]Day 20[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/4#post_46047324]Day 21[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/4#post_46061872]Day 22[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/4#post_46073862]Day 23[/url]^ [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/4#post_46086210]Day 24[/url]* [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/4#post_46098409]Day 25[/url] [/size] [nextcol] | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | [nextcol] [size=3] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/4#post_46110847]Day 26[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/5#post_46124137]Day 27[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/5#post_46149393]Day 28[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/5#post_46161762]Day 29[/url]^ [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/5#post_46186015]Day 30[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/6#post_46198197]Day 31[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/6#post_46226114]Day 32[/url]^ [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/6#post_46239932]Day 33[/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2950720/6#post_46278292]Day 34[/url] 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193 Day 194 Day 195 Day 196 Day 197 Day 198 Day 199 Day 200 [nextcol] [/size] [/columns] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/56957891]End[/url] catalogue deaths as they occur. These contain the final description the dragon has, as well as a small image of what they looked like. Deaths will be listed in order. [/quote]

[quote=pinglist] @Galehaut @TrashMomma @Spectator @moonlitknots @Jetdrana @CirrusAscending @Tynethyne @Drachenschwinge @nekopallet @MisterMylez @Venusian [/quote]

[center][b]Day 1[/b] [item=Bluefin Charger Fin][/center] “The application wasn’t lying about the size of this place,” Zylen muttered as he peered down one of the enormous building’s many hallways. If the note he had received with his application approval lacked the instructions on where to find the dining hall he and two others were to meet in, he’d be hopelessly lost in its interior. The size made sense to hold larger dragon breeds, but as a Fae, he couldn’t help but feel intimidated by the vast empty spaces surrounding him. The dining room was no different as he fluttered inside. Tables and chairs to hold breeds both big and small decorated the interior, but other than for himself, only two Guardians and a Skydancer populated the space. As he drew close to the others, he noticed a significantly smaller chair set aside for him at the Skydancer’s side. Once seated, the Skydancer greeted him, then addressed the room. “As the applicants assigned to help those of us already employed here, I extend the warmest welcome I can to all of you. As you may have realized, this place is large, even to the standards of breeds such as yourselves,” she gestured to the two Guardians opposite of Zylen. “We understand that it can be easy to get lost, and that is part of why I, as well as the others are here for. Until you adjust to the layout, we will be happy to guide you wherever you need.” “Speaking of guides, that’s what I am here for,” the Skydancer now stood up from the table, motioning for Zylen and the others to follow, “I am to guide you through the most important rooms for you to know, both as individuals and as a collective. Leave your luggage here. Other members of staff will be by shortly to carry it off to the rooms you will be staying in.” Having finished, the Skydancer took to the air, gracefully moving out into the nearby hallway before waiting on the others to follow. The Fae sighed, but didn’t say anything. He hadn’t been ready for a tour quite yet, expecting to be taken to his room to unpack and unwind beforehand. This would have to do for now. Everything went as expected, starting with basics such as the main kitchen, staircases both to the upstairs quarters and the basement below, an example of private offices should they want to work outside their rooms, one of the many exits outside into the yard, so on and so forth. It was certainly a lot to take in, and an equal amount of flying about on his behalf, but nothing out of place for a location such as this. Once the basics were down, the Skydancer moved to the rooms specific for each of them. The first Guardian, named Slaye, was shown a room full of parchments, ink, books, writing utensils, and many desks, informed of its purpose as a supply room for him. The room next to it was a large workspace, filled with all sorts of writing desks and tools that Zylen had seen before, some familiar from his time as a librarian’s assistant. He was next on the tour, being taken to a personal library much larger than the one he had previously worked in. Upon entering, the Fae knew he was staring at more than one lifetime’s collection of written works. Professor Saile had either inherited the collection, or it was part of the collection used by wherever he worked. Even from where he stood, the Fae recognized a few works that were well over a century old based on the material of their binding and the condition they were in. He was briefly taken through the multiple levels of the library before he was guided to the corner where he would be set up. He was briefly informed that while his task was that of a librarian, for the time being he would also have to serve as researcher when needed. The comment left him confused, but he didn’t question as the tour continued. Their last “personal” stop took them outside, to a large shed that had been set up close to the mansion itself. The shed could probably house a family of Imperials on its own, and was filled with all sorts of materials for gardening, from seeds to tools to decorations. The second Guardian, Jaxon, was in charge of maintaining the grounds, and as such, would require the tools inside to do so. He was also the only one of the three who had assistants, smaller breeds to take care of the more delicate work. Zylen wanted to be upset at his and Slaye’s lack of aid from others in the mansion, but their tasks required more than simple physical labor to perform properly. The Fae had thought that the end of their tour was to follow once they had all been introduced to their places of work. Instead, he was shocked as their guide stopped in front of an abnormally ornate doorway they had passed by more than once. “This,” she began, “Will be where you will go whenever the Professor tasks you with a job.” With a turn of the handle and a bit of effort, she opened the doorway, the motion setting off some kind of magical switch that illuminated the room within. The room itself was carved from ancient stone, the mansion likely having been built around the location. Paler stone used for renovation work stood out from the darker hue of the original’s, making the more damaged areas all the more obvious. Off to the far right stood a large stone ring, almost entirely composed of the original stone. Symbols of all eleven elements were etched around the ring in regular increments, starting with Earth and ending in Arcane. A small stone path extended from the center of the floor in front of the ring, terminating in a large pedestal. Placed upon the pedestal was a note, which the guide picked up to reveal an intricately-carved pattern beneath. As she handed the note to Slaye to read, Zylen spotted a tome on a nearby desk decorated with similar patterns, certain to be a reprint of what originally complemented the pedestal. Any attention Zylen had to the room around him was pulled towards the large grey dragon as he began to read aloud the note he had been handed. “To my newest assistants, I thank you for coming here. As you undoubtedly noticed, the room I had this note laid in is no ordinary room. For countless generations, this has served as a portal room, allowing any dragon to travel across all of Sornieth almost instantaneously. Few of these portals remain intact, but I can assure that the institution I work for has managed and maintained one in each elemental territory for centuries specifically for dragons such as yourselves.” “There is a book nearby that will help with use of the portal. Some personal writings have been placed alongside it as well. I suggest sticking traveling between the portals listed among them unless I state otherwise for a job. These are in areas that know of this location will be welcoming. Others are either out of our control or in areas that we have not been able to gain access to build around. It is unknown how you will be treated at these locations, and I’d like you to not lose your lives over a little ‘experimentation’.” “At the conclusion of this note, you will be taken to your rooms to unpack for the night. I have a job planned for the three of you already, but requested that it wait until tomorrow. Get some well-deserved rest and I look forward to reading the report here in a couple days. Sincerely, Professor Walter Saile” “Well, this is certainly a lot to take in,” Zylen spoke up, turning to their guide, “There will be time for us to go through these notes over the portal, correct?” A curt nod, “Of course. The Professor made sure your first task would be a short one. I’m sure it’s so you learn to use the portal system safely. Now, let me show you to the rooms you’ll be residing in for the duration of your employment.” Zylen wasn’t surprised to be the last to be taken to his room. Two flights of stairs and a right turn down an ensuing hallway later, and he was greeted with a much smaller door denoting a room for a Spiral, Fae, or, recently, Veilspun. He had attempted to ask his guide questions once the two of them were alone, but he got the same response of, “Please, wait until tomorrow” from her. He assumed that the professor had given orders about their first day and questioning, but that didn’t stop him from growing frustrated at his lack of answers. It didn’t take long for him to unpack and put away his belongings and contemplate sleep. With no answers and no way to know where to begin with searching the library for any, there was nothing he could do in his current predicament. At least if he slept now, he’d get to tomorrow faster. Curiosity eating away at him, Zylen turned off his room’s lights and slipped into bed. Sleep was quick and effortless. ------- @Galehaut @TrashMomma @Spectator So, this was a lot more than intended. I wanted to continue onto discussing the first job, but at the length the first day was, I held off. Zylen was the focus for today, but he likely won't be for the entirety of this. Then again, it may be best to stick to one dragon for perspective up until said dragon dies. May prevent confusion with viewpoints, but at the same time, sticking to one dragon will effect how I present dragons getting marked with fears, so it's up in the air. Regardless, I'm happy to get this started, and can't wait to continue tomorrow!

[center][b]Day 2[/b] [item=Sticky Webbing][/center] Zylen poured over the pages of the book he spotted yesterday. He met little resistance from the guiding Skydancer when he asked about it, only receiving a warning that it was best to wait on the others. If they were to use the portal room, all three of them should know how to. Still, she didn’t try to stop him, and after a few minutes, the Fae was beginning to understand. Leaving the book open to its current page, he turned his attention to Saile’s notes next, wondering what advice the professor had left the trio. He made it less than halfway through the second page of notes when Slaye entered. The Guardian’s gaze quickly pulled towards the open pages of the book, and Zylen took the moment to speak up, “If you may, can you put that on the pedestal? I believe there’s an indent on the top of it for the book.” “So much for introductions,” the Guardian responded before moving the tome, using a claw to keep its current page, “Why the rush?” Zylen flared his fans out a little in frustration, “We were indirectly introduced to each other yesterday. We’ve still no time for formalities, even now.” He used his tail to point at the pedestal, “The job note is there, which was why I asked you to move the book. Thought you would read it while you were up there. If you want a synopsis, we are to get this portal working and transport ourselves to another located in the Tangled Wood. There is to be someone waiting there for us upon our arrival.” Slaye sighed, “You really want to get this over with, huh?” He paused, as if to gather his thoughts, also taking the moment to adjust his scarf, “Something the matter?” “Yeah. This place is the matter.” Zylen didn’t elaborate, returning to the notes in front of him, “You know, judging by the size and style of this writing, I can tell that Saile is either a Skydancer or a Wildclaw. I guess it makes sense considering the general customs of each breed, but….” “You’re evading my questions. Why?” The Fae glared up from the notes, “I want to know more about this place. You will be of no help with answers right now, and the staff deflects any questions I ask. If I...if we are to get any answers about this place and what these “jobs” will be, we need to get the portal up and working. Whether….” “Is everything alright?” Jaxon suddenly interrupted, slowly walking into the room as he spoke, “We only have to get the portal up and working, and after the report is written, we’re free to do as we please, right? This is unlikely to take all day, and the sun only rose an hour ago.” Zylen huffed, flaring his fins out further before diving back into the notes. If the other two wanted to take their sweet time, they could go right on ahead. The Fae would get this portal up and running on his own if he had to. His eyes raced across the pages as the two Guardians continued discussion, zoning out easily. That was, until the portal roared to life, echoing loudly in the large room. Magic crackled in the air briefly before dissipating, and as the Fae fearfully looked up, Jaxon walked back from the opening and to the pedestal, where Slaye read from the book. Frantically stacking the loose notes, Zylen took to the air, watching what the other two had been up to from behind Slaye’s shoulder. He knew these first two steps from the book. Trace the “start” patterns in the proper order on the pedestal with magic to activate the portal for its intended use. In this case, two-way regional travel, but if Saile required them to go across other territories, the pattern differed based on the range required. The next step required an element to be selected by tracing the corresponding runestone on the portal. Afterwards, the portal would open, but.... “Stop!” the Fae called to Jaxon as he approached the portal once more, “You need to trace a new pattern to match the destination portal. One wrong stroke and we could be thrown somewhere completely random and not come back.” Slaye chuckled, “Told you starting it would summon him. Now,” he looked over his shoulder at the much smaller dragon above him, “Care to use what you learned from your notes?” He gestured to the pedestal, handing it over to the Fae. Zylen’s fins dropped as he narrowed his eyes, “Of course. But you could ask next time instead of doing something potentially dangerous.” He fluttered back over to the professor’s writings, grabbing the page he needed for the portal they were to connect to. Hard to distinguish among the others due to how similar they looked at a glance, he confirmed he had the right pattern by reading the professor’s writing. Soon enough, the page’s pattern had been replicated on the pedestal, and the portal’s color changed from pale grey to light purple and the air around the trio began to stir. “Well, since you were so eager before, care to try and enter now Jaxon?” the Fae waved towards the portal as if encouraging the Guardian. “I can also enter myself since you two suddenly feel inclined to have me help.” “Now, now, no need to be harsh,” Slaye approached the portal, looking it up and down, “You told us you wanted to get this up and running. I figured by the time we read how to set it up, you’d have found our destination in the notes.” He frowned, “Believe it or not, you’re not the only one wanting answers here. I’m also suspicious of this place, but my job has taught me a bit in the way of patience.” The Fae’s frills raised with delight, “Should we all go together then?” “Of course. We arrived here together, and I’d hate for us to arrive separately.” Perching cautiously on Jaxon’s head, Zylen looked on at the portal as the three entered. It was a strange indescribably sensation as the Fae found himself temporarily in two places at once, and once through to the other side, he felt dizzy and nauseous. Jaxon wobbled slightly as well, meaning that all of them witnessed similar aftereffects to portal travel. There was little time for the trio to get their bearings as a voice spoke to them, “Ah, so you must Saile’s new assistants!” [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/dgen/dressing-room/scry?sdid=1226242&skin=0&apparel=19637,6029,6028,20558,20557&xt=dressing.png[/img] Before them, an older Pearlcatcher stood in greeting. He was dressed warmly, which Zylen noted as odd, but dismissed as he took note of the Ice eyes the new dragon possessed. Their host must be one of the element who prefer to keep themselves cool. The Fae wasn’t able to take in more as he continued, “My name is Tobias Holland. My family has been a patron of Saile’s place of work for generations. This specific portal location is not the one my family privately owns, but when the professor asked to help new assistants, I came here.” “So, what information do you have for us?” Zylen inquired, “Certainly you didn’t agree to show up solely to greet us?” The Pearlcatcher chuckled, “Oh I wish I were that lucky.” Zylen swore he caught something in the older dragon’s eyes as he spoke this. Something brought discomfort, but the feeling was gone before he could make out what. “I’m afraid the professor has left me to elaborate on some of what you’ll be doing alongside your employed positions.” He cleared his throat before continuing, “First, the mansion. Yes, it’s big by most standards. I’m certain there’s some secrets to it, but I’m not sure Saile even knows all of them. The place is far older than he is after all. I’d be sure to catalogue anything you find inside since I’m sure he’d enjoy learning more about it. Second, the jobs you’ll be receiving from him. How it works for you is simple. You send in a job report, starting with today’s, and Saile will respond in kind. It may take a day or two before you get a new job, but….” Zylen butted in, “This doesn’t answer what these ‘jobs’ are. What of the nature of these ‘jobs’? What…” “Patience little one,” the Pearlcatcher sipped, sighing before continuing, “To answer your question, the tasks are easy to follow. Saile will send you information on a location that has caught his interest for one reason or another. You are to find these locations, observe what you find within, recover what you can, if anything, and return home to write a report. Sound simple enough for you?” With a quiet nod from the Fae, Tobias continued, “Saile will address who is to go on each job. It may be only one of you, or he may require more than you three. Of course, this addresses new additions to the mansion. You are to expect other assistants as Saile approves of more applications. The staff already present are largely there for maintenance work, so Saile has been seeking more specialized positions.” The Pearlcatcher muttered something under his breath that Zylen couldn’t make out, but his expression shifted to Jaxon while he did so. After a pause, he turned his attention back to the group as a whole, “So, do you have any questions for me? I don’t have all the answers, but I may be of some help.” The Fae had many questions, but none were for Tobias. Something about the Pearlcatcher struck a wrong chord, leaving Zylen not wanting to share them. He lowered his fans some, “I have none, but if either of you two have any, go ahead.” It was only when he finished his statement that Zylen took in his surroundings. Unlike where they had come from, they were at the end of an elaborate hallway, doors open to the area outside. For a room that was giving an appearance of a public place for others to use, there was no one about, not even in the adjoining hallway leading into this room. It was only them and Tobias. He couldn’t make out the sounds of activity either. Perhaps it was still too early for others to be about? A round of rather mundane questions later, and the trio was feeling satisfied. They would be paid after every job report sent out, as well as for any noteworthy objects or information they might bring back. Now that they knew how the portal functioned, the staff would be more open to them, the reason Tobias hadn’t been informed of. Tobias also disclosed his family’s portal being in the Southern Icefield, as well as a second one in the Sea of a Thousand Currents they partially owned due to paying for a majority of the construction of the building housing it. The entire time, Zylen couldn’t shake the feeling of unease the Pearlcatcher gave him, as if Tobias didn’t want them there and they were beginning to test his patience, but his expression never reflected this. Outside of his eyes. There was something almost...distant about them. As they finished, his farewell was rather blunt, and as soon as he was out of sight, Zylen suddenly picked up on the sounds of commotion. How long had others been about and he had not noticed? The three were approached soon after by a confused Wildclaw, carrying a stack of books with various loose papers wedged in their pages, “Excuse me, but have you been helped?” “Yes,” Slaye responded, “Tobias gave us the information we were here for. We were getting ready to leave now.” “Tobias? He was here?” “Yeah, he just left. Couldn’t have missed him with the direction you came in from.” “Huh,” the Wildclaw looked behind her, confusion remaining, “I’ll leave you two be then if you’ve been helped. I take it we’ll be seeing you around in the future?” Slaye nodded, “Professor Saile will hopefully send a notice before we arrive, but if you could, can you inform the correct parties of us? I’d hate for us to cause an unwanted alarm with future appearance.” A rushed nod in confirmation and the Wildclaw was off, presumably to get someone to take note of the trio. The rest of Zylen’s day was both eventful and boring. He was happy to finally find time to explore the massive library he was put in charge of, but that’s all he had time to do. By the time he had gotten an idea of where everything generally was, it was suppertime, and after that he had to prepare his office for tomorrow’s work. Slaye stopped by briefly to inform him of the finished report being sent out, but otherwise the Fae was left alone. Sleep didn’t come as easily that night. The encounter with Tobias ate up his thoughts, and every time he began to feel himself slip into unconsciousness, something would drag the Pearlcatcher back. He had appeared friendly enough, so why did he make Zylen feel so uneasy? Perhaps the other two felt the same way and didn’t say anything. That would have to wait for the morning. ------- @Galehaut @TrashMomma @Spectator @megara17 I'm so sorry this is so long again. Hopefully now that the first "job" is done and exposition is over, these won't get to be five pages long in my compilation document. Anyways, our first NPC! Tobias Holland (and relatives) will be making appearances from time to time in this Pinkerlocke, so keep an eye out for that from now on. I'm excited to introduce more NPCs as time goes on, but that's dependent on what RNG says since it requires specific situations to unfold. I was very surprised this one happened so early, so I'm happy I got to introduce NPCs at the start instead of weeks down the road. In other news, please for the love of the Eleven, I love you Zylen, but don't become one of the like four things I don't want you to become right now. It's bad enough I only just realized that you're my "main" focal point and also green and I both love and hate this so much.

[center][b]Day 3[/b] [item=Strangler][/center] Zylen was frustrated once again as he flipped through filing cabinets. Most were empty, but of those that weren’t the papers within were completely unorganized, often from multiple different documents. Yet even among those, there was nothing he sought written on them. He was certain he wasn’t the first librarian to grace the mansion with their presence, but looking at what was found, it had to have been years since the last one. All he had wanted was some sort of catalogue in regards to books being added or removed from the collection. There had to be one somewhere for one this large if dragons came and went carrying them. At the very least, there would be requisition papers if the books weren’t allowed to leave the library. But the Fae found nothing as he flipped through drawer after drawer. When he returned to his office for some rest and to gather his thoughts, he expected peace. Instead, a knock rang out not even five minutes in. Zylen wasted little time darting to the door, pulling it open with more force that he wanted. “What do you want?” He half-shouted, fins spread in anger. “Well aren’t we just peachy today?” Sarcasm filled the voice of the Pearlcatcher that met his gaze. It was one of the mansion’s staff Zylen had seen about before, but he was not the one that pulled the Fae’s attention. [img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/537779856474243072/800212076617793556/65911633_350.png[/img] Still eyeing the towering shelves around them stood a dark-colored Mirror, eyes shining brightly as they passed over the books housed within them. The four eyes were marked with the rare trait of goat pupils, the cool blue of Ice. Whoever this was, they were far from home, meaning that it was likely the newest applicant that had been accepted to enter the mansion. Zylen pushed up his glasses, “So, I take it they’re why you’re here?” he questioned, motioning to the guest. Maybe the answer he got prevented further questioning, but he doubted he’d be that lucky. “Yes. Saile approved of him yesterday and told us to take him to you when he arrived.” A curt response, as expected, “Has he been shown around the mansion?” “The usual tour. Main areas, where his room will be, and finally, here. You’re in charge of showing him around here as well as teaching him how to use the portal.” No time for more questioning, the Pearlcatcher called the Mirror over and left, leaving the two to talk. “So, who do I owe the pleasure of meeting?” the Fae asked, all four fins spread out in joyful greeting. “My name’s Meir, Mister….” “Myst, but please, just call me Zylen. I avoid formalities where I can.” The detailed carving on the filet the Mirror wore distracted him briefly before he continued, “What are you here for?” Meir’s eyes grew wide with excitement, “I filled out an application to be a researcher here! I don’t have much experience, but I’ve received a lot of praise over the work I have done if that counts for anything to you.” He turned his attention back to the books, “I’ve never seen such an extensive library before and I can’t wait to start working in it.” Whereas Zylen became overwhelmed upon seeing so much knowledge gathered in one place, the Mirror was enthusiastic and itching to get started on exploring it. It struck the Fae as odd, but as long as he was enjoying being there, “I take it as part of your job you are to help me?” “We are to help each other, but yes, I am here to help you. If you need information, I’m here to get it so you don’t have to! If I need to find specific books or books relating to a topic, you are to help me find them in the library. I’ll also be frequenting the document archives…..” “Wait, did you say archives?” Zylen interrupted. He shook his head after realizing what this meant, “Of course why didn’t I think of looking for one of those.” An awkward pause, “Sorry, you can continue.” “As I was saying, the document archives should have all sorts of information about past residents and assistants as well as their activities. Those will help me cross reference previous “facts” for validation, as well as potentially give me more potential leads. That work as a general idea?” The Fae nodded, “It was plenty. Now,” the Fae gestured outwards at the rows of shelves that appeared to stretch on forever, “Would you like a tour?” “Of course!” “Then follow me.” ----- @Galehaut @TrashMomma @Spectator @megara17 @Jetdrana @CirrusAscending RNG said Merry Christmas have a murderpup. Also, I hope this is the length my posts start lingering towards from now on since exposition dump is over. That said, welcome Meir! He'll be a researcher for the group going forth. This can be helping figure out where the location of interest is, to researching mundane backgrounds, to past individuals, to anything they find at the job locations and so on. He is very eager to dig into the library's extensive library, but he does understand the job he applied for has priority. Let's hope he doesn't get scarred too easily

[center][b]Day 4[/b] [item=Gilded Tetras][/center] “Meir, any luck?” Zylen called, fluttering up to the next shelf of the bookcase he was looking over. “Not over here,” the Mirror responded in turn, before he pulled off a book to open and briefly skim its pages, “Are you sure this is best place to start? I’m sure there’s an entire section here somewhere dedicated to maps, if not a cartography room somewhere in the mansion.” “With the information Saile provided, I thought this may be faster.” The Fae read cover after cover in search of anything hinting towards the Shifting Expanse and Carrion Canyon. The group received a note from the professor earlier that morning, detailing the first location that he found interesting enough for them to investigate. Along the edges of Carrion Canyon, there had been reports of graveyards being disturbed. A string of grave robberies had been suspected at first, but no valuables had been taken from the bodies. There were two things of note from these disturbances that drew his attention. The first being that only graves disturbed were that of Wildclaws and Ridgebacks. The second, only the large claws sported by both breeds had been stolen. No other bones or buried possessions were taken, and the bodies themselves were left untouched minus the removals. What had led Zylen to his current academic search was the brief descriptions of the areas around Carrion Canyon where these robberies occurred. A map may have easier with locating the sites of the graveyards, sure, but the professor, and now him, had taken note that the graveyards lie near an important location to the dragons of Lightning. A set of rolling hills lie nearby, with a legend that within those hills lay the remains of countless dragons. How so many dragons came to die in one spot depended on who you ask, with some believing it to be an ancient battleground, others determining the hills to be where those by a powerful disease were piled, and even more believing the hills to hold the bones of those who were against the Stormcatcher himself. Zylen was skeptical towards the hills holding the bones of dragons for any reason, but it was great for figuring out the exact location they were headed to. The problem was that Saile provided no name for the hilly region, nor any of the graveyards minus one old Cracked Earth Cemetery. Without names, the Fae believed a general map would be useless, instead looking into geography and local legends/histories as a start. The hills were clearly important to the history of the area, so they likely began to be labeled and written about. In the middle of scanning more titles, the Fae was interrupted by another voice, “You wanted to see me Zylen?” Jaxon sat a few shelves away from the Fae and his new Mirror assistant, the Guardian carrying a pair of shears. Looking at them, Zylen could tell they had yet to be used that day. Noting his spot, the Fae floated down to the deep purple dragon, “Yes, but I’d like to talk about it outside.” He spotted Meir look up at him inquisitively, “Don’t worry, this has nothing to do with you, nor were you a part of it.” “Would the dining room work better?” Jaxon offered, “I was about to go there for lunch and I don’t think you have eaten yet either.” The Fae nodded, “That sounds perfect.” He took a moment to perch on the much larger dragon’s head, “Lead the way.” ------ The two sat in silence while waiting on their food, Zylen not wanting to talk until he was certain they were alone and would be left that way. Jaxon tried to bring up other topics, but the Fae refused to contribute, not wanting to lose his focus. Still, the Guardian did speak about his day, and of how he planned to trim some of the entrance topiaries once the two finished eating. The one-sided conversation was pleasant, and Zylen was happy that his companion hadn’t stressed for him to contribute his own commentary. Being served a platter of snails, seasoned ants, and lightly fried centipedes and left to eat, the Fae finally relaxed a little. He took a moment to eat a little while the food was warm, finally speaking up soon after. “Jaxon, you remember our meeting with Tobias right?” “Yeah. Quite the friendly fellow despite not wanting to be there,” Jaxon took a bite of his own food, consisting of a large fish of some kind with plenty of vegetables off to the side. He continued afterwards, “What did you want to talk about in regards to that?” “Did you notice anything odd while we were chatting?” The Fae didn’t elaborate, waiting on Jaxon’s response. “I suppose the room was a fair bit quiet while we talked, but nothing in regards to Tobias himself if that’s what you mean.” He paused, “I had assumed that the silence was due to us being in the portal room. If it was like ours, only certain dragons would be allowed access to it.” “But it isn’t like ours,” The Fae started, “You saw that the doors had been open from the moment we arrived.” “I suppose so, but I don’t get why you’re lingering so much on this.” Jaxon cast a worried glance his way, “It was still early, so I wouldn’t be surprised if not many dragons were awake at the time. What’s bothering you so much?” “It’s that there’s something about Tobias I don’t like, but I can’t figure out what. Between the silence suddenly breaking the moment he was out of our sight, and something in his eyes I find it hard to trust him. He may be a member of a respected family and patron to this institution Saile works for, but….I don’t know. Maybe I’m looking too much into our meeting.” He took another nervous bite of his lunch. Perhaps his habit of trying to get a read off of new dragons he meets was messing with him more than usual. “You’re fine,” Jaxon responded, “It’s easy to be worried about a place like this, especially those that may be connected to it. We still don’t know much about the mansion after all, and with how you’ve been so far, something tells me you don’t like when you can’t get answers.” Zylen lowered his fins some, “You’re right about that. As a librarian’s assistant before this, I’m used to easily getting answers, whether from others I worked with or from books I’d find. I’m not an avid reader, but if something starts eating at my thoughts, I look into it so that it stops.” He sighed, “Since we’ve gotten here I feel like I’ve only been handed more questions with any answer I’m given. It’s not the first time, sure, but this is the first time where finding answers has been this difficult. The size of the library doesn’t help either, especially without a good catalogue of books to go off of.” “Well, focus on our current job for the time being. I’m sure you’ll have free time soon enough to start going through your library more thoroughly. We’ve only started working here a couple days ago.” Zylen’s fans raised some, “Thanks Jaxon. Maybe I do need to take a step back and focus on the task at hand first. I’ll have plenty of time later, especially if I plan on keeping this job.” “Glad to knock some sense into you,” Jaxon smiled, “Now, let’s finish lunch so we can get back to work.” ----- A small stack of books as well as a couple maps lay on a table as Zylen reentered the library. Meir was already at work flipping through the pages of a rather large book regarding the Carrion Canyon’s past, the Mirror’s free claw messing with the chains to the filet on his head. He didn’t appear to notice the Fae’s arrival, only looking up when he spoke, “Thanks for finding those. I’ll join you here momentarily.” “Oh, it’s no problem!” the Mirror replied cheerfully, “Once I found the first book it wasn’t long until I found others like it. I went on ahead and grabbed a couple maps of Carrion Canyon as well if you don’t mind. Might be helpful once we find some potential names for the location.” “That’s quite thoughtful of you. Thanks again,” Zylen started off to his office, “I’ve got to take care of something real quick.” Meir nodded in acknowledgement, returning to his book. Once inside, Zylen looked at his cluttered desk, huffing in frustration. He hadn’t had time to clean it up, and he didn’t want it getting any worse if he could help it. With Meir helping out, he had finally found a moment to reorganize everything on it. Setting aside the loose papers, he made quick work of the ink, quills, and a couple cups that had found their way to his desk after taking them in and forgetting to take them back to the kitchen. Something that waited until later, once he finished helping Meir. As he looked through the stack of papers, one caught his eye that he hadn’t noticed before, stuck behind one of the acquisition documents he had found in one of the filing cabinets. The book’s title and author was strangely missing, appearing to have been purposefully crossed out, but all other information had remained intact. He set the paper aside for the time being, organizing the others into neat stacks and sticking them into their respective drawers in his desk or one in one of the filing cabinets. Instead of looking into the mysteries of the mansion, perhaps it would be good to look at what interesting and strange books the library held instead. The rest of day remained largely uneventful as Zylen and Meir tackled the task at hand, stopping only to eat supper with the other two and some of the staff. They had gone through nearly a dozen books and half a dozen maps before they had finally found something of use, returning to other sections of the library for further research until they had finally settled on where they’d go. The name of the location? Known as the Cumulus Hills for their largely smooth peaks and rocky summits, they held a much darker nickname by the local clans. As the Coldstone Cairns, the name fit the many stories as to the origins of the hills, and what lay beneath. The name did little to phase Zylen, and it didn’t bother Meir either, the Mirror enjoying their literary journey to find the location and what he learned from the texts. They would head out tomorrow. The sun had set long ago, and Zylen was unaware of how long he and Meir had been reading by candles and magically lit lights for. The two took a little extra time to put away the material they had read from, aside a relevant map Zylen would take into the territory. They soon said their farewells and parted ways to their rooms, and soon, the Fae was in bed. He drifted off quickly, his mind at ease. --------- @Galehaut @TrashMomma @Spectator @megara17 @Jetdrana @CirrusAscending Finally got some battles in! Jaxon, Meir, and Zylen are all level 4 now! Had a close call with Zylen getting critted twice in a row in the first couple battles, but thankfully he lived through it. Anyways, new job get! I'm excited to start writing these. Zylen's also finally got to vent his worries and be told to chill. This is literally his fourth day in the mansion. He'll figure things out eventually. You know, if he doesn't die horribly. By the way help I love Meir too much. He's such a good Mirror and I love writing him being so eager to help out Zylen. My little four-eyed bookworm. God I hope he lives decently long without horrific things happening to him.

[center][b]Day 5[/b] [item=Glow Mushroom][/center] Clutching a map tight in his claws, Zylen looked around where the portal had taken him, Slaye, and Jaxon. The note had asked for the three of them to partake in this job as Meir had yet to join them at the time it was written. All the Fae knew about the location they would wind up at is it’s placement at the edge of one of the territory’s many lightning farms. Hopefully they’d be meeting someone a bit more….normal this time. The room they exited into was like the previous ones, carved from ancient stone that had been slowly repaired over the years. Unlike the others, bundles of wires draped from every wall and ceiling, and the air hummed with the sound of machines. A dim blue glow encapsulated the room as the portal closed, the source a collection of generators that pulsed with Lightning magic. A Ridgeback at a console greeted them with a nod before gesturing to a pair of Mirrors on the other side of the room. After an exchange of introductions, the trio was being guided through the halls of one Alcor Industries, specifically the administration portion. The buildings and factories lay around the spire the company owned in the Lightning Farms. The institute Saile worked for had been given permission to use the portal in exchange for paying a portion of the costs of maintaining their company. Friendly, but strict, the Mirrors guided the trio to rooms set aside for guests such as themselves. The interior was clean with minimal decoration, and looking around, it became clear that it was meant as a temporary residence. Unfolding the map, Zylen looked around for their location, measuring the distance to Cumulus Hills. He breathed a sigh of relief as luck was on his side today. The portal took them within a day’s flight of the area, meaning that if they paced themselves right, they would be in the area by nightfall. He conveyed this to the other two, suggesting they begin gathering their supplies now to leave as soon as they could. For once, the Fae’s idea wasn’t contested, and the three began to look around for supplies. As with the room, what they found was the bare minimum required for a day’s travel, leaving Zylen with some questions, but nothing he didn’t feel like digging into. The answers were likely to do with the tech filling the portal room, and he wasn’t in the mood to listen to technological jargon. One of the Mirrors was eager to guide them out of company building, advising that they ask for one of the portal staff on return. Apparently without company badges of any kind, the three of them wouldn’t be allowed access inside, and without a certified escort, they’d be kicked out. With well wishes of a safe journey, the trio was left alone once again. After getting comfortable in one of the pockets of Jaxon’s bag, Zylen gave them all the okay to take off. The day’s travel remained as uneventful as Zylen expected. The weather around the Shifting Expanse may be one that commonly lay under a thick cover of dark clouds, but lightning more often jumped between those clouds than between them and the ground. As such, their journey was only hindered by the wind, grounding them more than once when it became too strong. Walking may have slowed the ground they covered, but as expected, the progress they made by air was more than enough to ensure they made it by nightfall. So, arriving at the edge of the hills, the three set up camp. Zylen had brought up the idea of sleeping in shifts, but the other two assured that they weren’t likely to be disturbed. They hadn’t brought along anything valuable, and it wasn’t like any of them were noteworthy enough to warrant something akin to kidnapping. Jaxon even joked that none of them were dead or a Wildclaw or Ridgeback so whoever was stealing their claws wouldn’t be after them. Worries quelled, the Fae laid down, slipping into sleep. Sadly, he didn’t stay that way. The sounds of something sliding across the sandy earth woke him. It was large, so out of concern, he opened his eyes and began looking around. It didn’t take him long to spot Slaye, awake with his back turned to the others. “Something bothering you?” the Fae spoke, fans lowered. The Guardian didn’t physically move in acknowledgement, but answered, “I can see something out there. It’s dim, but I can see it.” “......you aren’t planning on checking it out are you?” The Guardian paused, “I feel the pull Zylen. I don’t think I have a choice.” There was more silence, “Unlike Jaxon, I don’t have a Charge of my own.” “But the application…” the Fae started, his lower pair of fans rising. “I knew the risk I was taking. I’m happy it’s here and now rather than later,” Slaye turned to face the Fae, pale eyes glowing faintly in the dark, “It looks close. I’ll be back by morning. There is no need to worry so much.” Zylen didn’t say a word, only watching the Guardian stand up and begin walking into the hills towards something unseen. He couldn’t shake the unease in his body as he watched his companion wander further and further away. Something in him shouted to tell Slaye to come back, to wait until morning when they could all go together, but he remained silent. As he watched the ground open up beneath the Guardian, swallowing the massive dragon beneath the earth, he wished he hadn’t. He didn’t sleep the rest of the night. He wasn’t sure he could. --------- @Galehaut @TrashMomma @Spectator @megara17 @Jetdrana @CirrusAscending So, uh, hecking mimics amiright? Seriously, they go before my team since they're faster and then proceed to crit Slaye to death. At least Meir and Jaxon are level 5 now. I didn't put any warnings since the death is very quick, vague, and observed from a distance by Zylen and not the victim. If I should put something, let me know. I am a bit sad Slaye died because I had planned to write job reports by him that I'd post here, but RNG is a cruel god to play with. The conclusion of this job will come tomorrow! Sometimes a death in the middle of a job will cause the dragons to go back and gather their thoughts/resources before tackling it again. Since it's the first job the group has, I don't want to do that yet, and this thankfully has a simple solution to keep it going to its conclusion. If anyone would like Slaye, let me know. I'm usually fine letting dragons go to new homes instead of exalting them right away.