Quests & Challenges

THIS IS FINE THIS IS FINE THIS IS COMPLETELY FINE IM FINE

[center][b]Day 105[/b] [item=Fortification Agate][/center] Her morning never changed. First the dull ache in her arm that had slowly spread with the passage of time. Then the building pressure in her skull that only subsided after an initial retching of vile-tasting black sludge into the nearby trash can. Then there was the shortness of breath, a normally five minute symptom that took what felt like an eternity to pass. She knew everything was normal when the itching began, never disappearing fully until she lay her head to rest at night. Such was Clancy’s life now. Out of the infirmary she was back at ‘home’ in her own room, dragging herself awake to meander through what pointless work Saile assigned her that morning. What had started as an almost dream job for the Pearlcatcher was now an inescapable waking nightmare. One where she suffered day in and day out in a place she never wanted to be surrounded by dragons who stared back with eyes filled with fear and distrust. Dragging herself out of bed, she didn’t care that she had slept in once again. The staff nor her coworkers would harp on her or tell the professor. What once was routine no longer mattered. After Thorne’s death, she fled the manor, looking for an escape. Not wishing to remain in the wicked grasp of her employer, she sought doctors to treat her arm, and a new clan to call home. But in mere days she felt the pull. The sap on her strength and magic. She fell ill and weak, no longer fit for the surgery to escape her cursed limb. And as she grew too weak to make the journey back to the manor, she became a victim. Rachael had intended to use her as a bargaining chip of sorts. At least, that’s what her foggy memory could recall. Everything she knew after her abduction had to be told to her through her coworkers. Reunion was silent after her rescue. No visits save Malakhim and her generous amounts of kindness, and Zylen’s and his lackluster apology she returned with bitter acceptance and promise. Spitting another viscous glob of black fluid into the trash, she prepared herself for another day in the manor. One where she’d spend most of it hardly doing much of anything. Maybe she’d finally finish compiling the notes she’d taken on an ancient mural that was supposedly part of one of the oldest Wildclaw Clans in Sornieth. Or the ones from an ancient Dragonhome facade. Or one of the other half-dozen half-finished studies she had laying around. Nothing caught her attention anymore with the knowledge she was trapped. However, there was one highlight to her daily existence in the form of Corinna. The Guardian had been nothing but supportive of the Pearlcatcher, her office laying right next to Clancy’s own. Unsure if it was the lack of care towards the manor’s mysteries or how new she was to the entire place and her coworkers, but Corinna treated her more like a normal dragon than anyone else. Well, anyone else besides Malakhim, the young Imperial too naive for her own good. Hearing her approach, the archaeologist opened the door to her office, peeking her head out. She gave a slow smile, “Looks like someone finally woke up. Work that easy around here for you?” Meant as a joke, Clancy sighed at the act, “If only. I know I’m out of the infirmary, but I still need time to recover.” It was a lie, but she was in no mood to expose that sort of information on a colleague, nevermind one who seemed sympathetic to her situation. “Well, if it’s any news you may want to hear, Tulu was released this morning. He’s resting now, but I know you mentioned you wanted to say thanks for him helping save your life.” “I’ll be sure to find him tonight. I have work to do for now.” “Alright, I’ll leave you to it. Remember, if you need a second opinion, I’m here. Gabriel can keep you company as well if you’d like. He seems quite fond of you.” “Thanks for the offer Corrina,” She found herself smiling, “Want to meet up for a late lunch or dinner? It’d be nice to not eat alone for once.” “Of course. I’ll see if Khim can join us as well.” So began another day of forced work. Surprisingly, Clancy managed to accomplish more than expected, finishing a couple analysis papers and their involved references and handing them off for delivery. Of course her day was mostly spent wandering around, both inside and outside of the manor. She even pondered exploring the hidden area located within the second basement, revealed to her by Elanor in their most recent conversation. Instead, she walked around outside, through the many paths and gardens and fields of grass surrounding the main mansion. She kept her distance from Howl when she spotted the Tundra, and kept an eye out for Malakhim as she passed by the observatory. Her eagerness to see the Imperial was overshadowed by the guilt of what had become of Thorne however. The greenhouses now sat abandoned, the remaining plants moved in the days after his passing to those that could care for them. Zylen was right about the other Fae’s demise. In her grief and frustrations and loss she had caved to her mounting paranoia and aggression. What started as a threat turned into unintended murder and she ran away from it. From the relief and joy that filled her body watching the botanist quiver helplessly in terror. The mounting anticipation feeling his neck between her claws. The… “Clancy!” A voice called, disrupting her thoughts. Turning to face it, she found Malakhim bounding towards her, worry plastered on her face. “What’s wrong?” She called, tensing up, her mind already began to panic, and she held back the urge to run off and confront a source of danger she knew nothing of. The large dragon was holding back tears as she approached, “Clancy, Jeremiah is back. It’s Zylen. He’s….He’s….” “Gone.” The word escaped her mouth without a second thought. -------------- @Galehaut @TrashMomma @Spectator @moonlitknots @Jetdrana @CirrusAscending @Tynethyne @Drachenschwinge @nekopallet @MisterMylez @Venusian So, after a [i]lot[/i] of back and forth on this, I decided to take a step back from all the digging that's been done in terms of manor things for now. I want to try and take the story into Clancy's perspective because I think it'll be interesting. She has different relations and viewpoints on everything, and honestly may lead to me getting into material I have been waiting on. Honestly depends from how things go now. That said, this is me attempting to get an idea of how her day-to-day life works. At least, the mundane portions of it. I'll try and stick to making it more interesting going forth since Clancy certainly doesn't work every day anymore. I'm also sorry for being a little out of it tonight. I was lacking a bit of motivation after the first couple paragraphs. Hopefully things will be better tomorrow. Edit: Heck I forgot another week had passed with this post being made. Here's a word count/page update! [img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/537779856474243072/945887113205907456/Screen_Shot_2022-02-22_at_10.36.30_PM.png[/img]

@Galehaut @TrashMomma @Spectator @moonlitknots @Jetdrana @CirrusAscending @Tynethyne @Drachenschwinge @nekopallet @MisterMylez @Venusian

Okay, so I've gotten back to back meat food items, and I have no energy to deal with Pinkerlocke battles. It's not to risk deaths or anything like that. I simply don't have the mental capacity and motivation to deal with 40 battles with a randomly generated team. I've barely had the energy to fest grind.

I'll try and post something tomorrow after D&D. Hopefully I'll have the energy then.

@Galehaut @TrashMomma @Spectator @moonlitknots @Jetdrana @CirrusAscending @Tynethyne @Drachenschwinge @nekopallet @MisterMylez @Venusian

Okay so I've once again lost all energy and motivation to write for this. I've been facing a lot of creative burnout lately and this is suffering for it and I'm sorry. I am going to try and get my inspiration back and the current plan is to possibly work on bios for my planned NPCs. I can't promise when I'll be back on this.

Seriously I want to write for this especially with Clancy as my new POV character, but I am always in a fog the instant I go to write or do anything for this.

[center][b]Day 106[/b] [item=Glass Cicada][/center] Clancy sat amongst the many shelves and files of the archives, glaring down Elanor as she poured tea for the two of them. The Tundra wore her gentle facade as she was joined by the Pearlcatcher. The false softness in her eyes and expression remained as she pushed her guest’s tea towards her. “I’m glad you’ve joined me today, Clancy. Why don’t you take a seat so we can chat?” Eyeing the archivist up and down, the Pearlcatcher let out a sigh before pulling up a chair. As she poured sugar into her tea, she abruptly paused as oily bile filled her mouth. As if on cue, she was handed a trashcan, spitting the black substance into it for nearly a minute. After recovering, she returned to her tea, slightly ashamed. She attempted to draw attention away from herself, “Why the facade today? Afraid Jeremiah will come in and not see his sweet Elanor isn’t nearly as kind as he believes her to be?” “No,” the Tundra sipped from her cup, “Between your rocky return and now Zylen’s passing, my being harsh is unwanted, even by those who know. I don’t think anyone’s going to admit it, but he was the anchor to this group. Someone who was here since the beginning and willing to share information. Not to mention a damn good researcher, and, while you probably won’t admit it, well-liked by almost everyone here. Which reminds me,” her expression suddenly dulled, “You may want to give Howl some space. He’s taking this worse than the rest of us.” “Understood,” her response was blunt. She’d been trying to not linger on the Fae’s death. As soon as the two of them had finally decided to try and set aside their differences, he was gone. And once again she felt at a loss as she found herself alone in her plight. What happened wasn’t her fault, but Zylen’s death still weighed on her heavily. “So, what did you call me here for?” Elanor looked her up and down before frowning. Looking behind her, she sifted through a box at her feet before pulling out a file and handing it over to Clancy. “I want you to help me.” Accepting the file, she didn’t look down, continuing to stare at the dragon who handed it to her. “Don’t you have Jeremiah and Apollyon for such things? What can I do better than them?” “For one, you’re more present. Jeremiah is regularly sent out on Saile’s tasks, and Apollyon is so wrapped up in his organization of the Reliquary Room that he rarely has time to listen to what I have to say. You have the burden of neither of those things, and don’t think we don’t already know you use the portal far more often than the rest of us. You’re exactly the pair of claws I need for what I’m looking into.” “And what of my work? I can’t exactly stop my necessary work that keeps me here.” Clancy retorted, instinctively grabbing her metallic arm as a surge of pain ran through it. Elanor returned a knowing smile, “I know you’ve only been doing the bare minimum since you got back. I’m sure doing a little extra so you can be out a couple days on my behalf wouldn’t be all that difficult.” “And what’s in it for me?” Clancy half-snarled, attempting to intimidate the archivist. Unphased, she simply took another sip of tea, “Clancy, you know better than to try such things. I was hoping the offer alone was enough reward. You clearly don’t like being here, the work assigned to you, and your employer. I don’t know why you stay, but I’m trying to let you spread your wings while you still technically work for Saile through me.” Her smile returned, a bit wider this time, “After all, you don’t have to accept this. I’m offering you an opportunity, but it’s up to you to accept or decline. I’m not forcing you to decide.” There was no denying the offer was beyond tantalizing to the Pearlcatcher. She wanted to leave the manor, and had done so in the past, back when her and Eowyn started to ‘map’ their destinations in a more in-depth fashion than what the book detailed. That was, until Eowyn was severely injured. And since the Coatl’s passing, she never touched them except when shopping for herself. The Tundra was also correct about her feelings towards their mysterious employer. She had no desire in serving him unless it pertained to whatever curse she was currently afflicted with. Even then, she hoped to find her own solution to the condition that would remove him from the equation entirely. Not being included in a task was the best news she could hear those days. She considered the offer again, “And what is it I’ll be looking for?” “Follow up on past files,” stated plainly, Elanor took another sip from the teacup. “There’s a lot of information that wasn’t obtained or has since been lost, so I’m attempting to preserve what I can. Most of these are far too old for us to dig up anything useful, so we usually organize by date and move on. Some files are recent enough to possibly recover such information. Whether it be a location, files from elsewhere, or testimony from still-living dragons. Should you accept, the first task I have for you is right there.” “How can you be certain that this information can still be obtained? What if these individuals don’t want to speak on such things? That is, if we can even find them.” She began to slide the file back, “I’m not in any mood for wild goose chases across Sornieth all for a little bit of missing information. Who says any of this information is even vital for your record keeping?” Elanor said nothing, only gesturing to the file again before finishing her tea. Scoffing, Clancy opened the file to view its contents. Skimming the pages inside, she found a couple things. What looked to be some sort of written statement that regarded what appeared to be some sort of weapon. There were also two photographs attached of two different spears annotated as possibly being involved. Neither were located in the Reliquary Room of the manor nor the artefact storage of the Corvus Institute based on what appeared to be Elanor’s writing. Some further loose pages discussed locations of others involved, as well as what appeared to be a death certificate. She remained unconvinced, “Okay, I don’t see what vital information is missing other than whatever this weapon might be. Why would I need to talk to any of the involved individuals any further? What makes the weapon so important to track down to us? How can we even know the weapon’s current location?” “Because unlike myself and Jeremiah, you didn’t look at the file fully.” Beginning to pour another cup of tea, she continued to speak, “The one thing you didn’t pick up on is that there’s a certain someone who should sound familiar to you. To save you the trouble of recalling, Irene Evergreen was the one who supposedly dug up the weapon in question. And I know where she’s currently working. I’ve managed to track down her current digsite, and if there’s anyone who would have information on this, it’s her. And unfortunately for us, that’s been lost.” “So you want me to talk with her because we know each other?” Clancy frowned. “Yes actually. She’ll be far more likely to talk with you. All I need is her word on what happened. Whether that ends in a dead end or a quick resolution doesn’t matter.” Elanor gave a sly smile, “That said, don’t act like you haven’t been debating my offer this entire time. I know this is exactly the kind of thing you want.” Huffing in defeat, she finally picked up the file for herself, “You’re right. I need a distraction from everything here. And if you’re not going to throw me into direct danger with zero warning, that makes you better than our employer by a long shot.” “So, we have a deal?” Finally relaxing, Clancy took a sip of her own tea, “We have a deal.” ------------- @Galehaut @TrashMomma @Spectator @moonlitknots @Jetdrana @CirrusAscending @Tynethyne @Drachenschwinge @nekopallet @MisterMylez @Venusian Okay, after finishing [i]more[/i] olm stuff, and a lot of thinking on where I want to take things, I think I'm satisfied. This probably could have turned out better, but I'm happy with the setup. Team roll today was Clancy, Micah, and Ardolen, with Ardolen reaching level 6 as well as Micah gaining a level! As for the story, while I'll still be running the cycle of quests, they're going to take a bit of a backseat for now while I have Clancy as a focal point. Especially since there's a lot of the world I haven't gotten around to developing in terms of the story. Clancy will still hear about what these tasks are from Elanor, especially if there's immediate followup to be done. I haven't been able to introduce a fair number of potential characters since I've been almost exclusively relying on rolls for that. Sorry if this explanation is a bit poor. My brain is in a bit of a fog tonight. I promise I'm going somewhere with this in the upcoming days. I'll also hopefully get back into regularly updating this. Fingers crossed.

@Galehaut @TrashMomma @Spectator @moonlitknots @Jetdrana @CirrusAscending @Tynethyne @Drachenschwinge @nekopallet @MisterMylez @Venusian

-collapses-
Okay so I've been trying to write but due to a poor day at work that wrecked my thoughts, and my body being completely against me, I can't stay focused enough to finish today's pull. I'll try and do two tomorrow since I do have about half an entry done as it stands. At the very least I'll try and finish writing for what happened today, especially since it is a food pull.

[center][b]Day 107[/b] [item=Fragile Moth Wings][/center] Breakfast was uneventful. Clancy wasn’t sure she’d ever get used to the high quality food served to her, but otherwise, it was as usual. Between bites she’d share a quip or two with coworkers, usually aimed at Corrina. As more dragons entered the dining room, she became aware of the cautionary glances cast her way, which she returned with a steely glare. She only remained after finishing her food to hear what task was inevitably going to be read out. It wasn’t hard for her to spot the letter in the courier’s claws as they passed it off to another member of staff. The Pearlcatcher didn’t stick around much longer after hearing she wasn’t to join Jeremiah. Sounded like more notes from another esteemed academy or personal collection or whatnot. Likely following up whatever the Banescale gathered from the last task. If she were to start helping Elanor, there was no need to hear whatever Saile had to say unless it directly involved her. And in order for her to get started, there was work to be done here first. After a few minutes packing for the later trip, she returned to her office. Begrudgingly, she dug into her work there, knocking off two mostly finished pieces within the first hour. Driven by spite and the promise of outside explorations, she completed almost all the half-finished projects cluttering her office not long after lunch, and even started a couple new ones. Did she put in as much effort as normal? [i]Hell[/i] no, but finished work she could turn in over the course of a week helped her look busy while carrying out Elanor’s requests. Returning to the archives, Clancy nearly ran into Jeremiah, the Banescale finishing packing his own supplies. He gave a brief apology before making for the stairs, likely falling behind when he wanted to be gone by. Apollyon also worked around his own personal desk, the Spiral sifting through some files as though he had made some revelation earlier. Not caring if the energy was due to his breed or some breakthrough, she continued towards the Tundra’s office. After knocking on the large nested door, Clancy opened to find the Tundra in the middle of her own work. A frown on her face, her eyes darted through dozens of papers, frustration apparent in her expression. The Pearlcatcher cleared her throat to draw the archivist’s attention, prompting a response, “One second Clancy. I’ve made a vital connection and don’t want to lose it.” She watched the Tundra pull a half sheet of paper and begin scribbling some sort of note before messily taping it to one file, doing the same to the other papers. Once finished, she returned the papers into a mostly neat stack before looking back at the historian. “So, I take it you’re ready?” “All I need is a location. After that I can be on my way.” Not wanting to interrupt the Tundra’s work further, she was quick and to the point. “Of course,” Elanor scrawled down another small note, handing it over. “Anything else you need before you leave?” “Well, actually, something crossed my mind earlier that I forgot to ask about. Do you mind?” “Go ahead,” Elanor pulled out another piece of paper, “I’m ready to write.” “What did you do with the stuff from Zylen’s room? I know he had some stuff in there I’ve never seen before so I’m curious.” Clancy wished she was lying, but when she looked at what Micah had pulled from the secret cubby in the Fae’s former room, she was a bit shocked. She’d never seen the map, and what appeared to be an [i]old[/i] large claw from a Wildclaw. While certainly interesting, she was more worried about why he had it. “Micah moved the objects to his office. I didn’t want my assistants messing with them. They looked important to some extent. I’m not having them lost in the Reliquary Room or possibly disclosed to absolute strangers.” She huffed, taking a moment to relax, “I promise they’re safe, and Micah and I are looking into the objects in our spare time. As we’re the least likely to be sent out on tasks, that means the likelihood of information leaks is lower.” “Will you ever tell me anything you find?” Clancy decided to press her luck some. “Only time will tell. I want to see if Saile is eager to send you out anymore after your ‘rescue’. Now, if that’s all, I’d like to go back to my work.” She bowed her head in a farewell, “Of course. Thanks for the help and I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Leaving the archives, she read over the paper handed to her. Reading off the name Deepvine Ruins, she quickly recognized her destination. Well, at least the general area. The ruins were home to many ancient Wildclaw clans, their architecture preserved in some of the Behemoth’s roots, both above and below ground. One of the portals was even preserved near the main site, believed to once be used as a central hub or meeting place between various high-ranking Wildclaw clans. Clancy had also done plenty of work studying the bits and pieces recovered from any new ruins that were uncovered. Once given a piece, photos, and documentation, she was to help in identifying the details of the ancient inhabitants. Anything outside of architecture may have left her comfort zone, but she took great pride in dissecting old murals and statue displays commonly on display in those ruins. She also knew that with the time of day it was that leaving now would be pointless. Whatever digsite was being worked on, the crew was gone for the night. And if the distance between the site and the clan housing them was too far, she could wind up stranded in the dark. Knowing the area meant it was unlikely the site was close, as Deepvine Ruins had been excavated slowly for decades now. The last thing the Pearlcatcher wanted was her mind to slip in the middle of the Shrieking Wilds. As if on cue, there was a sudden spike of awareness tugging at her brain. The one that filled her mind with unreasonable conclusions that always seemed to convince her they were true. Leaning against a wall for support, she did her best to not suddenly flee towards the panic room as the flood of thoughts rolled in. Eventually staggering upright, she took a moment to remind herself that no one in the manor was after her. That the secrets she knew existed but not their contents were not about her and the state she was in. That her arm, despite the shape it was in, was not going to be the end of her, even as it pulsed with pain. That she was safe, and the trouble with her past was behind her. They were still wary, but her coworkers were back on reasonable terms with her. Each and every one was a lie. But Clancy was open to anything to keep her sane and sleeping well at night. -------- @Galehaut @TrashMomma @Spectator @moonlitknots @Jetdrana @CirrusAscending @Tynethyne @Drachenschwinge @nekopallet @MisterMylez @Venusian First off, team was Elanor, Rhenine, and Corrina. At first this was scary because Rhen was still level 1 and I was going into the Delta, but then I remembered I gave Elanor an Ambush. This meant I didn't have to worry about Dunerunners going first and wrecking my team, and that I could essentially pick my starting mob pack. A blessing in disguise that let me get Rhen to level 6 and Corrina to level 7! As for today's writing, I had to break through a major creative wall that slammed in my face, so sorry I wasn't able to get more than one day out. I will say starting off Clancy's personal stuff is also a bit slow since I have to get used to writing as her. She's far different from Zylen in how she behaves and what she does, and writing those differences after writing as Zylen for so long is difficult. Not to mention what she does in the story. Here's hoping that after this first little 'cycle' with Clancy writing will become easier. I want to focus more on characters than object/location mysteries for as long as she's my focal point character.

@Galehaut @TrashMomma @Spectator @moonlitknots @Jetdrana @CirrusAscending @Tynethyne @Drachenschwinge @nekopallet @MisterMylez @Venusian

Okay so I was informed that I never sent out this little update and I'm sorry about that.

Long story short, another unintended hiatus cause I hit a creative wall so hard I'm still picking my teeth up off the ground. I'm taking a break to regain that, but I have no idea how long that'll take. I've been really out of it as of recent and don't know why and I'd like for it to return sooner rather than later. I do have plans but getting the motivation/drive to put them to paper has been nonexistent.

I'll hopefully be back sooner rather than later. I don't intend on another three month hiatus if I can avoid it.

[center][b]Day 108[/b] [item=Fortification Agate][/center] “Well if it isn’t Clancy! To what do I owe the visit?” Irene was as energetic as before, darting right up to the Pearlcatcher as the two locked eyes. “I can tell you Saile’s not involved this time,” she smiled, happy to see someone who was unaware of everything taking place at the manor and with her coworkers. “This time our archivist has asked me to help her with some of her work. I had time and little work of my own, so I thought I’d help.” “Of course of course,” the archaeologist nodded quickly. She gestured towards the exposed root her group focused their work on, “You can tell me along the way.” Wincing slightly as pain shot up her arm, Clancy did her best to not show it by spitting into a patch of grass. The aging Spiral waited for her to catch up, wearing mild worry. If there were any extreme concerns she didn’t speak about them. “Right. So, this is about one of your earlier excavations. Not sure how long ago, but it may relate back to the dagger we retrieved on a prior mission. Do you recall anything about a spear that resulted in the death of the one who dug it up?” There was an instant of recognition followed by sudden fear, “Yes, but it’s not something I like to talk about. Many more lives would’ve been lost if I hadn’t stepped in that day.” Clancy took the words at face value. She was not about to press about Irene potentially being the one to kill the one who found the weapon. “I understand. The situation must have been stressful on everyone. You weren’t the only one there at the time, and as the one in charge, everything fell onto you as your responsibility. I can’t imagine what you went through.” “Thank you Clancy,” she gave a nervous smile, “If not about the death, I assume you’re here asking about the halberd?” “Halberd? I thought the weapon was a spear.” Puzzled, she waited for an explanation from the Spiral. “Don’t worry, we thought it was a simple spear at first too. While we never found the blade portion at the burial site, there were notches in the staff portion to hold a blade. Based on the body found with it, it's safe to assume the dragon was a casualty of some sort of conflict, buried with the weapon they fought with.” “I suppose that explains the photos and descriptions provided misidentifying it.” Clancy came to the mental conclusion that Darryn, the previous archivist, likely didn’t have someone such as Corrina to rely on for proper identification. “That leaves the Greattusk in the room. What happened to it after the incident?” “That,” Irene let out an exasperated sigh, “is the part I was afraid you were going to ask about.” Clancy rolled her eyes instinctively, “Look you don’t have to tell me about what made your group have to kill the wielder. Elanor simply wants to know where it went. The documents stated it was slated to be tracked down and recovered, but it never was. You were there so do you know its whereabouts?” There was a new sudden fear in the head archaeologist’s eyes as the Pearlcatcher spoke. Her gaze drifted behind her, focused intensely on something she couldn’t see. Claws firmly gripped her non-metal arm as she turned to face what had caught her gaze, “Don’t turn around. Not yet.” “Why?” “Promise me you won’t utter a word of this to him. I’ll explain in private later, away from the digsite. I don’t want him to overhear a single thing.” As if on cue, there was a new voice joining theirs, “Care to introduce me to our guest Irene?” [center][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/537779856474243072/984632248940761148/Dirty_Gem_Man.png[/img][/center] Turning to face the newcomer, Clancy was greeted with the soft green eyes of another of her kind. He wasn’t much larger than herself, sporting a shimmering coat of scales that glistened in the sun like jewels. He rested his weight on a large spade as he spoke to the two of them, the head of the tool burying itself partially into the soft soil beneath. Drawing attention to his half-spread wings, they too gleamed with reflected light, albeit only partially as the uncommon sight of their insect-like appearance tinted his shadow in a dirty yellow. Clancy held out a claw, enamored by the stranger’s appearance, “Clancy Aureal. I work at Magpie Manor as an extension of the Corvus Institute.” He took her claws in his, grip so tight that she wished to have used her artificial one instead. There was a bitterness in both his eyes and voice now, “Julian Carter. I know your employers and I can’t say I’m happy to see you poking your nose in my business.” “[i]Your[/i] business?” Clancy replied, her own nerves struck, “Last I recall Irene was in charge of this site.” “She is, but I’m the one who got her the permissions and means by which to dig here. Now I’d watch that tongue of yours before I have to cut it off. What do your precious employers and archives have their sights on now?” Still glaring, and not wanting her blood to boil further, she gave a curt, lying response, “The Manor’s archivist is looking for testimonies in regards to some past events. Namely following up on the dagger we were tasked with retrieving on a prior task, as well as an old mosaic discovered in the sands of Fishspine Reef.” “So you aren’t here to take more of what doesn’t belong to you?” “If that wording satisfies your own selfish desires, yes.” She spat in the dirt, feeling the oily bile rise to her throat with her anger beforehand. “Then it does. I’ll leave you two to talk,” without another word, the other archaeologist turned and left, headed towards a different sectioned off area where a Guardian took to moving large rocks and mounds of removed soil. Ushered into a tent, she watched as Irene finally relaxed, “Thanks. You’ve saved both of us from a world of trouble.” “Who [i]was[/i] that guy?” “I’ll explain with everything else. I know he’ll be too busy in his personal area. He always is when he believes no one else is around.” She began to coil herself into knots, nerves getting the better of her. “Look, I’ve said enough for now. Come back to the edge of my camp roughly two hours after the sky is completely dark. I’ll tell you the rest then. Promise me you’ll leave for the manor immediately afterwards. I’m not taking any further risks with you overstaying your welcome.” Hearing the genuine concern in the archaeologist’s words, Clancy took the warning to heart. “Anything else I need to know?” “Nothing that can’t wait. Now, go.” -------- There was an eerie silence over the camp as Clancy approached later that night. The ambient sounds of nocturnal birds and the humming of bugs died out into absolute silence as she stepped closer. Even then, only the occasional snore or rustling of sleeping dragons disrupted it. The night was also pitch black, save for the glowing embers of dead fires and the distant light of what she assumed was where Julian toiled away. The light of a small dancing lantern drew her to Irene. Lamp clutched firmly in her mouth, she looked around frantically in terror as the Pearlcatcher caught a glimpse of a box clutched close to her body. She jumped as she spotted Clancy, slitted eyes widening slightly as she relaxed. Placing both the box and lamp down, she looked back a final time in search of an uninvited guest. Her voice was low and filled with fear, “Before I tell you anything, promise me only the information about the halberd is given to the Corvus Institute. Everything else is too dangerous and will put both our lives on the line. Do you understand?” “Clear as crystal. I know Elanor will keep your word.” “Good,” Irene once again looked back, this time in the direction of the dim light in the distance, “I checked and we have plenty of time to discuss the matters at hand and part ways without Julian knowing. Even double-checked to make sure he hadn’t caught onto us and was simply pretending to be busy.” “What is his deal anyways?” “Well, first of all, he’s the reason the halberd went missing.” There was a moment of silence as the revelation set in. “He’s the reason almost all of my strange discoveries go missing. Someone gets hurt or dies or falls victim to some damn hallucination and he always finds a way to take what’s caused it and act as though such things never existed.” “[i]Almost[/i] always,” Clancy corrected, “We got that dagger and clearly you’re handing me something he’d be taking from you otherwise.” “Right, the box. I’ll get to that in a moment.” Irene once again looked at the dim light in the distance, “Sorry, after he caught me doing this before I’m paranoid he’ll do it again. I don’t…I don’t…” She began to hyperventilate, recalling some sort of terrible memory. “Irene you need to focus. What does this have to do with me?” “Right…Right,” She paused to take some deep breaths, calming herself. As her body stopped shaking, she continued, “The Manor and Institute are the one thing getting in the way. You’re lucky he wasn’t around when you took the dagger. That site wasn’t one he tasked me with excavating but I knew he’d show up eventually. Every time either one of yours or one of the Institute’s shows up, he gets in a sour mood. It’s why I trust you guys. I know what you do with these things, and I know they’re in the right claws.” “That leads to the box.” Clancy interrupted. The assumption held true. “I can’t get you the halberd, but I can give you this. We found it yesterday and immediately took note of how out of place it was. When we noticed the one who dug it up didn’t look ‘correct’ to those who knew him well, I set it aside. I do so hoping one of you will show up and take it. Save it from whatever he has planned. So take it. Take it and run.” “Before I do, can you tell me what it is?” Clancy knew it may cause more harm than good if she were to attempt looking at the box’s contents. Apollyon’s words regarding the reliquary room were more than enough warning for her as to why. “You know how this area is home to almost exclusively Wildclaw relics and remains?” She watched Clancy nod, “There’s a mask belonging to a [i]Spiral[/i] in there. I normally would dismiss finding such a thing in a Wildclaw home due to how some families decorate their homes with spoils of conflicts, but there’s much more to this.” “Can you go in-depth or will that have to wait?” Irene’s ears twitched, causing her to instinctively look back once again in search of the Pearlcatcher she deeply feared. Swallowing and staring longer than before, the Spiral eased back into her coiled form once more. “Y-Yes we’re still safe. Simply a false alarm.” Clancy only took note of the lack of night guards now, “Don’t you have others to watch your backs in case of intruders? Someone who could make sure to get a warning out to you before Julian were to show up?” “Yes, and no. At least, not to that extent. They know I’m out, but they also won’t tell him a damn thing. None of us like him enough to call out behavior like this. Everyone’s also wise enough to avoid getting on his bad side as well though, which means no one will come to defend me if I get caught.” “Got it. Feel free to continue so you can get back to the safety of your own tent.” “Yeah, the mask. We found a body with it. The four of us thought maybe it was some sort of morbid trophy from an adversary deserving of it. But as we uncovered more and more we realized that wasn’t the case. Our assumption then shifted to maybe this individual did something to warrant the home we found them in. Maybe they had saved an heir to a clan or maybe even the entire clan by bringing some sort of warning. But as I looked closer in-depth with what was around them, the conclusion I came to made no sense.” She stared directly at Clancy as the next words rang out in the silence of the jungle, “Clancy, that Spiral was treated like a Wildclaw. Not in some sort of metaphorical way. Everything else they owned, whether it was clothes, weapons, tools, even day to day decor was made for a [i]Wildclaw[/i]. I don’t know how, and I don’t want to know why, but that mask is to blame. I know it.” Picking up the box, she practically shoved it into Clancy’s claws, “Take it. Take it and [i]run[/i]. That….That [i]monster[/i] doesn’t deserve it. He’s taken so much that can harm others. I don’t need him taking [i]this[/i] if I can allow it.” In the distance, Clancy watched as a silhouette of a dragon moved over the dim light of Julian’s work area. A moment later, the snap of a branch echoed out into the night, breaking the tension in the air. The two had little time. Irene’s words shook with terror as she snuffed her lantern’s light, “Go. Run and don’t stop. I’ll survive whatever he has in store for me. You won’t.” “Why?” the words escaped her mouth before she had a chance to think them over. “Because he’s not done with me. Not by a long shot.” As Clancy tore through the jungle that night, those final words from Irene dug into her very being. If not for the aching in her metallic arm that now clutched her precious cargo reminding her otherwise, it was deeper than any wound she could fathom. That night she had made an enemy. And enemies of the Manor were not to be trifled with. -------- @Galehaut @TrashMomma @Spectator @moonlitknots @Jetdrana @CirrusAscending @Tynethyne @Drachenschwinge @nekopallet @MisterMylez @Venusian Hi guess who hit another three month hiatus due to work and being dragged through a creative trench every time she tried to pick this back up? It's meeeeeeee I wish I could say more with this for now, but I'm actually posting this as I'm about to go out to take care of some stuff so I don't have much more time to write for this. Know that I have found a new story approach I want to use with Clancy but that approach means I no longer am rolling for tasks. The good part about this approach I'm taking is that I'll be able to introduce a lot more characters, which is something I've wanted to do more of but haven't had good opportunities to. In the meantime, enjoy this entry, and since I used the item from the last pull I did before the hiatus, that means I'll try and get one out for today's pull if I can. No promises but I'm on a roll tonight and want to keep it.

[center][b]Day 109[/b] [item=Ice Crystal][/center] Clancy wanted to be in and out of Elanor’s office that morning. She still had the box from the night prior, safely stashed away behind the hidden cubby in her room. It remained unopened, taking Irene’s warnings to heart. As she went through her painful routine however, new thoughts overwhelmed her. She was aware of the flood that followed, but this time they compelled her. The others would not know. They shouldn’t. She needed to put it somewhere the others had no chance of retrieving it. In the wave of panic and paranoia, the Pearlcatcher stashed the box in her bag, making a beeline for the panic room. There it would be safe. Out of the hands of another. Micah and Elanor and Apollyon all would look at it. Become subject to whatever influence the mask may hold over them. They’d become someone else. Someone she’d no longer know or recognize. That’s what happened to the Spiral who wore it. What was to say it wouldn’t happen to them? Handing over the mask wasn’t worth the risk. So she hid it away. The panic room was already only accessible to her. No one else knew all the codes to get inside. Much like herself, the mask would be safe in there. That wasn’t enough though. It would be noticeable in the open. And that would lead to questions and questions would lead to prying and prying would lead to an untimely discovery. Then it would all be for nothing. The box was put aside others like it she had hid in one of the storage compartments. There it blended in, and with it placed towards the back, no one could ever go looking for it on purpose. She’d know information was leaked if she ever found it missing. Of course she’d check the location regularly to ensure it hadn’t been stolen. If anyone questioned her, all she had to say was that she was needing the rest. To be more normal. Clancy wasn’t sure when she was feeling herself again. After retching into the panic room’s sink and collapsing on the sofa, she stared up at the ceiling trying to piece together what she’d done. Yet even as she recalled the box’s hiding spot and the prior panic, she felt at ease with the decision. No one except her could be a potential target now. Apollyon wouldn’t become a victim while trying to put it away. Elanor and Micah wouldn’t be burdened with the work of filling out a form on the object, taking pictures and prying answers out of her. Hell, even she no longer had to worry about telling Elanor what happened in that regard. Spirits high, she entered the archivist’s office. All she was asked about was the spear and what happened to it. That’s all she had to tell Elanor. That Darryn, or some other previous archivist, had misinterpreted the weapon. That there was a halberd and there was a potentially dangerous individual involved with its disappearance. And she knew who that individual was and had a description. Hell, if Elanor felt like it, she could relay the information to Saile and the institute. If Julian was as much a threat as he sounded, they could certainly do something about him. Sitting rather disgruntled at the desk, the Tundra clearly wasn’t sharing her energy. As usual, multiple folders lay open or in stacks, Elanor chewing on a pen between scribbling notes. She barely regarded Clancy as she took a seat, wrapped up in her work. Scrawling on more loose pages of paper, the furred dragon closed and set aside the folders, sighing heavily as she was forced to regard the coworker who had joined you. “So?” she asked, beckoning her to answer about her results. “The spear you had me looking for is actually a halberd.” Clancy’s response was dry, lacking the substance she wanted to give it. Another huff, and more writing as Elanor prepared to take notes, “You can go more in-depth.” “The halberd was broken on discovery. Asking Irene about it, she never found the blade, but whoever found it had clear murderous intent. They were killed before they could fatally harm anyone else. While she knows where it went, she was adamant that we would be unable to retrieve it, and I’m inclined to believe her.” “And why is that?” “I’m not sure if he’s a patron or employer or what in her line of work, but a Mister Julian Carter is to blame.” Speaking his name left a bad taste in her mouth as she said it aloud. “And based on my interactions with him, we’re not going to ever get along.” “Oh?” The Tundra’s attention suddenly focused in on her, “How so?” “This isn’t the first time he’s dealt with us. Or rather, those who work here or with the Corvus Institute in some fashion. When we were tasked with picking up that dagger, we did it before he could arrive and take it for himself. Irene is normally forced to hand such artifacts over to him for unknown use. On occasion, we’re sent out instead, and she does her best to hand them off to be in our care.” “Do you have the answer as to why for that?” The events of the night before came flooding back, “Julian has some sort of terrible grip on Irene. He doesn’t tell her what happens to the artifacts, and if she questions it or spills information to one such as myself, she’s punished. She holds a great deal of fear towards him and he’s traumatized her to an extent. As such, we’re far more trustworthy than him.” Assuming the silence that followed was a cue to leave, Clancy stood from her seat, preparing to leave. Only to be stopped by another question, “Did Irene or her team uncover anything she wanted to give us?” Despite the clueless look the Tundra gave her, she felt her stomach turn knots. Taking the moment to feign retching into the wastebin (which, unfortunately, became real), she steadied herself. Only after she felt stable again did she answer with her lie, “Sorry, that’s why I was trying to get out of here. I hate others having to witness seeing that. To answer the question, no. At least, nothing she could give us. Either she’d yet to uncover what Julian had been hoping to take for himself, or they had dug up something and he’d already taken claim to it.” “Understandable. If he was there in the flesh, unlike our last meeting with Irene, less could pass by without his knowing.” She looked up from the paper as she finished the notes, “If I find no figure in my records matching his name with a descriptor, care to give me one?” “I could give you one now you know. Not that I have nothing else to do today.” “Alright, I’ll be sure to get one from you then. That leaves only one more question.” “Shoot.” “Why did you return to the manor at such a late hour last night?” The fear came flooding back, “I wasn’t supposed to stay the night at the camp. I found out the hard way.” “Care to elaborate?” “No,” she answered truthfully, “I don’t think I will.” --------- @Galehaut @TrashMomma @Spectator @moonlitknots @Jetdrana @CirrusAscending @Tynethyne @Drachenschwinge @nekopallet @MisterMylez @Venusian Okay, settled down to write this and I'll try and parse out my future plans for this for real now. Firstly, as I stated briefly before, Clancy's role in the story is not going to revolve around the tasks too often. Instead, I'm having her help Elanor out, which means I'll have a bit more control over where I want things to go. I am still doing at least elemental rolls so there's a bit of randomness to this, but with so many planned characters to introduce and flesh out, this is the best way to get around to it. There is still stuff going on in the background, and I'm going to try and save it for Clancy's "off" days. Basically, the days where she's spending a good portion of her day catching up on work before helping Elanor further. Unfortunately her schedule still doesn't line up well with the nocturnal members so they'll still be more absent than the others (I'm sorry Tulu), but I'll find a way around it somehow. The second major thing is that I'm most likely not going to be keeping up the discussion thread anymore. At least, not in any major fashion. I'll still be happy to post art (when I do any) and ask questions there (and here honestly), but I honestly don't like trying to keep track of a ton of stuff. I at least plan on tracking NPC appearances and attempting to update dragon descriptions, but I'm not going to track the books, letter, relics, and so on anymore. I think that covers basically everything? I'll probably add Julian to the NPC list either after this post or in the morning. I guess as a final note, work still beats me up sometimes and the summer months drain me more than most so I apologize if workdays leave me too exhausted to post. I promise it's not because my head's completely empty like it has been for the past three months. Quick Edit: Forgot to mention I'm doing the rule of if I'm motivated for more than one "day" of writing, I'm now implementing the rule that I go to Crim and use the first item she asks for as the second "pull".