Quests & Challenges

[center][b]Day 3[/b] [item=Shadowbinder Onyx Idol][/center] Madeline didn’t join Ennion for breakfast or lunch like she planned the day before. After Mycael left the three of them to their own devices, they came to the quick decision of seeing what the task the professor left them was all about. Opening the letter gave way to a greeting and apology for being absent, followed by similar information to what they’d already been told. He then went on to write about a spot recently uncovered in an area of Reedcleft Ascent that supposedly dropped dragons from the sky like some strange inverted thermal. He then went on to ask Ayaka of all dragons to check it out, the Mirror’s past experiences more useful on a potentially dangerous task such as this. Ayaka of course was furious upon reading this herself. The Mirror once again stated this isn’t what she signed up for, nearly storming off before Madeline managed to stop her. She said none of them agreed to explore outside the estate’s walls, but had all listened to what was told to each of them and a part of the application. All of them would be going out eventually and Ayaka happened to be the first. The Fae didn’t bring up the Mirror’s former complaint about being stuck on the premises, already feeling as though she’d been pulling teeth trying to calm her down. Madeline was left with only Ennion that night for supper. Ayaka left early to get an idea of where the area of interest was, knowing she’d be needing to find it on foot to avoid potential injuries. The two of them talked about hoping the Mirror didn’t abandon them alongside future worries, and the Fae couldn’t help feeling a little unwell by the end of the night. At least she’d finally gotten some work to keep her busy. A knock at her door snapped her out of her train of thoughts. Greeting Ennion at the door, she apologized for not keeping the Tundra company, citing yesterday’s events as to why. The botanist nodded in understanding, pulling the Fae into an unexpected hug. As customary at this point, a smile was plastered to Ennion’s face as she spoke again, “I know these first few days have been a lot. We’ve been thrust into an important role under some frankly bizarre circumstances, but we’ll get used to it. “ “You think Ayaka will too?” Madeline voiced one of her growing concerns, “She hardly sounds like she wants to be here, pay or not.” “It may take a bit longer but I don’t doubt if she’ll get used to this place or not.” “But she got exactly what she complained about and then proceeded to find something else to complain about instead when it came to the mission.” “Probably denial if I had to guess,” the Tundra shrugged, “Looking at all those scars I don’t think she’s used to being handed what she wants. I know I’m not great with faces, but I don’t recall most travelers having many, let alone someone as young as her.” Madeline sighed, “I hope you’re right.” “How’s work going for you by the way?” Ennion changed the topic, “I got a couple more plants to study today so I thought maybe you’d received something similar for your job.” She raised her fins eagerly, “It’s nothing important or outside what I’ve already been working with. Saile asked me to locate some documents in some older sections of the archives to ensure they hadn’t been destroyed or removed. So far everything’s in place.” “Any traces of the old archivist themself?” Madeline shook her head, “All I have is his name. Darryn Sedenta. I haven’t seen any further trace of him, and honestly? Probably for the best. We were told he went mad and I don’t wish to be exposed to exactly what that manifested as.” “I suppose that’s only fair. I’d want to put all this behind me too if I were the institute,” Ennion began to turn around, preparing to leave the office, “Please join for dinner if you can. I enjoy the company.” “Feel free to stop by to make sure if you’d like,” Madeline raised her fins, “It’d be nice to not talk about our jobs for once.” And so the two did when it came time for their last meal of the day. Ennion spun tales of those who stayed in her clan that she could remember, and Madeline talked some about how her clan encouraged her to follow her dreams. Both shared a meal of some sort of small game that’d been prepared on a bed of vegetables for Ennion, Madeline’s personal request being that of a side dish consisting of snails. All went well until the two of them watched Ayaka sprint past the entrance to the dining hall. The two of them felt the rumble of the portal opening briefly to signal her return, but weren’t expecting to watch her dash by as if she found a way to anger one of the gods. Madeline exchanged looks with Ennion before they followed after the Mirror, wanting to make sure she was alright. Eventually, they located her in one of the upstairs rooms, having cast aside her helmet to breathe easier. She’d also set aside the bag she’d brought with her, something Madeline couldn’t make out poking out from an open pouch. “Everything okay?” She began hovering around the Mirror, looking for any signs of injury. “Yeah, I’ll be fine,” still out of breath, and now feeling safe, she rolled on her back. “You would [i]not[/i] believe what I ran into trying to get back here though.” “Try me,” Madeline lowered her fins in doubt, narrowing her eyes. Ayaka gave a grin of disbelief, “How do you feel about eyeless dragons?” --------- @moonlitknots @Kreide @Galehaut @TrashMomma Alright, second entry for tonight! Rolled a single mark from the Eye and got Ayaka, so I guess this is the price to pay for bringing Madeline to none. Will say what Ayaka went through has nothing to do with the mark she got, nor does what she was after. That was an entirely different roll I had to make and rolled high enough to have happen. I didn't want to write the entire series of events on this day, but don't worry, our little archivist will get to hear it again tomorrow.

[center][b]Day 4[/b] [item=Stick Insect][/center] “Alright, tell me about this eyeless dragon. If they’re a threat the professor needs to know.” Madeline hurriedly scrawled into the blanks on the forms she was filling, glancing up at Ayaka while she awaited some sort of response. “Slow down Maddie,” Ayaka retorted, refusing to answer right away, “The professor’s gonna want the whole thing. Not just the highlights.” “I didn’t give you the okay to call me that,” The Fae snapped back. Her bout of anger was short-lived as her fins lowered, “You’re right though. Reading past reports I’ve seen in the archives, context is important.” She watched the Mirror sit down, adjusting her armor, “I’ll try and make it quick at least. Got a patrol to get to before night creeps in, and I’m sure you’d like to wind down as well.” Madeline tapped the pen a few times, looking over what she’d written. Satisfied, she gave the okay, “Ready when you are.” Ayaka thought for a moment before she started, “So, you know the whole portal thing Mychael showed us? Took a little time for me to figure it out, but turns out only one portal remains in the Reedcleft Ascent. Led to a large clan who’d been doing repairs to the thing for years but managed to keep it intact. It was already late when I arrived, so instead of exploring, I asked around about any rumors. Dragons falling straight down mid-flight or struggling to get airborne and whatnot.” “Didn’t get anything until I found a place to stay the night. When I told the dragon in charge of the visitor homes where I was from, she looked at me a little strangely. Guess anyone who does know of the estate thought it was still abandoned. Regardless, good thing I mentioned it because they said they’d forward the bill to the institute like in the past. Completely forgot to bring any funds with me. When she asked what an estate resident was doing back here after so long, I gave a similar explanation to what we got, then told her about my assigned task.” “Turns out, she’d been hearing about travelers coming from the west having struggled with such a thing. Called it Dead Air Drop and they were doing their best to spread what information they could to prevent further casualties. Depending on who talked about it, dragons caught in the still air either fell into the water right away, or struggled to stay in the air. Even magic flight, like the kind you use, were affected.” “So, I went to bed with the info and a general location and took off the following morning. The Ascent is rather difficult to travel through on foot, but I didn’t want to risk death. I minimized flight to short glides between gaps too large to jump across, and I kept an eye out for other dragons above. While I didn’t hope to find this drop through another victim, I couldn’t rule it out.” “I proved to be the unlucky one though. Jumping over another gap it felt as though the sky was sent crashing on me. If not for my training and the fact I jumped, I think I’d have become another victim. Took a while of climbing the cliff I nearly ran face-first into, but I managed to regain my bearings. The pressure from above remained despite my being grounded, and I didn’t dare to attempt flight again. So, I started looking around away from the water.” “I was beginning to think I’d have to climb down to the water somehow by the time I found it. I’m not sure if you’ve seen it, but did you know there’s a sinkhole on this estate? Even so, imagine a big hole in the ground out of seemingly nowhere. This was similar to that. A drop below, only it was filled with what looked like sand. I didn’t quite know what to do or if this was even the source of everything, so I circled around, seeing if I could spot anything in or around the hole.” “Then I saw something glimmering around the center of the sand. Wanting to get a closer look, I knocked down and tied together a few of the bamboo rods growing everywhere. A fool would jump right into such an obvious death trap, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s exactly what I saw. So, carefully riding down on these, I was able to get a clearer look.” “So this is where that stone bust came from,” Madeline interrupted, remembering the item she saw in the bag the night prior. “Well, what remains of it,” Ayaka hefted the shaped stone on the desk. It was only part of a whole, missing everything below the shoulders, the left arm, and bits of the head. It’d been adorned with numerous pieces of jewelry, almost all of them inlaid with onyx gemstones. “Found this fully intact at the center, and what had caught my eyes was the jewelry that covered it. Still relatively sturdy, I began to try and remove the thing, but that’s when I saw them.” “The eyeless dragon?” “Not quite. It was a small group hanging around the lip. Couldn’t quite make out who they were, but I could feel their eyes on me. Knowing the danger I found myself in, I did my best to grab the statue and run, resorting to partially breaking the thing. Intended on preserving the bust, but lost an arm in the process. The strange horns got knocked off as well when I began my run back to the clan. Wish I kept one because there’s no way a Wildclaw could sport such warped horns. Closest thing to it would probably be the horns on a Banescale.” “I was fairly certain I’d lost the group by the time I started making my way back to the clan. By then it was getting late, and my plan was to spend the night at one of the smaller clans I’d passed on my way to that pit. Take it slow and easy and return to the manor in the morning. So, I checked into a vacant den for travelers at the next clan I saw, and prepared to eat dinner and spend the evening resting.” “Only that didn’t happen. I don’t know if it was the group I shook off or someone else, but I picked up on a commotion asking where a dragon that looked like me went. I thought I’d managed to make myself scarce, but that’s when I ran into him. Thought the Guardian was a member of the clan at first with how he seemed to know where he was headed. But that changed when I got his attention.” “I know he had no eyes. I’m aware of the near-black Shadow eyes can get, and of the oozing Primal eyes of the blessed. But this was nothing but a void. Nothing but a black space where eyes should be. In that moment, something clicked that he’d been headed where I was staying, and that I was no longer safe. I didn’t say another word and didn’t return to my temporary dwelling. I already had the bust in my bag and my helmet on.” “I didn’t stop until I reached the large clan and the portal. And the only reason I did was to activate the portal. I’m surprised I recalled Mychael’s written instructions on how to reactivate the portal to send me home, but I’m here now. Didn’t stop until I was certain I was back in the manor.” “Still no idea what either group of dragons were?” Madeline asked at Ayaka finished her story. She shook her head, “Not in the slightest. I do believe they were two separate groups though. The first didn’t follow me for long, and probably had something to do with the statue. This second group was specifically asking for a Magpie Estate resident. I have no idea how they knew about me unless they’d been staying at the same inn I had. So much for enjoying my time out.” “Well, you can bet on me informing Saile about it. Our first task and you were already attacked twice, once by a group who clearly knew about the estate? Something’s off.” “I’m sure that first group was merely guarding whatever this thing is. I highly doubt taking this solved whatever issue is going on near it.” Madeline was ready to dismiss the Mirror when she decided to express her worry towards the Mirror, “I know you got a patrol to get to, but are you going to be okay? You’ve been against this job from the start and I worry nothing but bad first impressions have come your way. Should we worry about you quitting?” To her surprise, Ayaka let out a hearty laugh, “Not in the slightest! I’ve been challenged by and challenging others all my life. Nothing’s changed and I get to spread my wings while I’m here. A complete win if you ask me.” The Fae stared back in disbelief, eyes wide and fins spread in shock, minus one that twitched nervously. “Well, you’ve certainly given the opposite impression in myself and Ennion. I swear you were on the verge of starting a fight with Percy when he showed the guardhouse to you.” Ayaka had put her helmet back on by this point, ready to leave the main room of the archives where they’d been conversing. “Guess you still have a lot to learn about myself and my home then. Much like I have to learn about yours.” Left alone, Madeline finished writing the report, locating a staff member to deliver it and the bust. A bit lost on what to do next, she looked over the strange statue again, remembering what Ayaka had said about the strange horns. The head of the supposed Wildclaw bust looked more dead than alive with its sunken features and lack of feathers, but the Mirror was right. Right before the usual first pair of horns on the breed, there were traces of another, much larger pair. Her unease towards the strange statue went away when a member of staff arrived to pick it up, and she headed to dinner. Ennion said she’d wait until after the report was done, but with the sky fading to the black of night, both her and the Tundra would be thinking of settling down into their respective residential buildings. Thankfully, Madeline spotted the botanist patiently seated near the entrance, gesturing for her to join. Before long, the two were enjoying their late meal in peace, chatting about the day’s activities and what happened to Ayaka. It was a welcome change of pace, and the Fae was happy to wind down in such a way. She spent that night wondering when the Mirror would finally join the two of them. --------- @moonlitknots @Kreide @Galehaut @TrashMomma Not much to say here. The group got to level 6 with one close call from Madeline because I didn't realize the new Dryad enemies had elemental bolts. Nothing I couldn't solve through giving Ennion Shadow Bolt. May write another entry tonight but I have some irl stuff to take care of before I can so we'll see. Story-wise, just usual spooky stuff to see here, move along. Totally no hints at future things or individuals.

[center][b]Day 5[/b] [item=Hallowed Ivy][/center] Convinced by Ennion, Madeline decided to take a day to rest. After a small amount of morning work, the Fae locked up her office and began meandering both the manor and estate. While Percy had given them a basic tour of most of the rooms, he’d only gone in-depth on the ones important to the three of them leaving a lot for her to explore. The labs proved largely uninteresting as any and all materials had been stuffed inside the many, many drawers each held. The infirmary was equally boring, although there was relief in seeing it stocked in case of accidents. Madeline had been to the repository a couple times already for more writing material, and the reliquary room remained locked, off limits until a relic keeper was hired. Then there was the library. The massive room was located in the east wing, and took up nearly all vertical space the manor could provide. Whoever was last in charge left the entirety of the shelves completely disorganized. While anyone was free to browse the shelves anyways, there wouldn’t be until a librarian got hired on that there’d be any easy way to find any books. Still, while there, Madeline managed to locate a book on organizing spellscrolls, something that may prove useful in her job going forward. Book in tow, she moved outside the manor and onto estate grounds, trying to decide where might be best to read. She decided against the aviary for the time being, the structure too far out. By the time she’d reach the structure, it’d already be time for lunch. Keeping that same obstacle in mind, she inevitably settled on the center of the hedge maze. There she’d find benches to lounge in while also being able to distract herself with the decorative foliage and pond that filled the space. To her surprise, she wasn’t the only one who chose to relax in the space. Ennion had also taken a seat on one of the benches, a book open in her paws as she looked at a nearby rosebush. Upon closer inspection of the book, Madeline was surprised to see that what she initially believed was a guide of sorts was instead a personal journal of some kind the Tundra wrote in. Then she realized that not only was Ennion writing on the page, but also working on the drawing that accompanied it. “Never took you as an artist,” She greeted, taking a closer look at the page with a half-finished sketch of one of the nearby roses. Ennion didn’t take kindly to the Fae’s sudden appearance, jumping up with her fur on end, not hesitating to shut the book. It wasn’t until she saw the familiar face of the archivist that she took a deep breath and calmed herself. “Y-Yeah,” her voice trembled slightly as she spoke, “Not the best by any means, but it helps with work.” “Sorry for the surprise,” Madeline took her own spot on a separate branch, opening her own book to browse the chapter guide in search of a good place to start. “Thought I’d announce myself before I joined.” “You’re good,” Ennion swallowed nervously, “I don’t take well to sudden appearances is all.” The Fae raised her fins, “Well, now I know for the future. I’ll try not to do it again.” “T-Thanks.” The botanist now turned her attention to her companion’s book, “What do you have there?” “Oh this?” Madeline raised the book to reveal the title, “I’m reading up on spellscrolls. Haven’t handled many in the past so thought I’d prepare myself for any the manor’s archives may have.” It wasn’t a complete lie, but she didn’t want to reveal she knew nothing on the topic. “Well, if you need help moving any, I can help. I’ve heard moving them with magic is a poor idea unless stored in a scroll case.” “Thanks for the offer Ennion. I’ll be sure to call you over when I stumble across a rogue scroll. Last thing we need is setting an entire section of the archives alight with a rogue Fire spell.” “Speaking of fire, did you know there’s a special section of the graveyard specifically for the ashen remains of Imperials?” “That’s quite a leap in topics there,” Madeline spread her fins out to different lengths to express her confusion, “How’d you learn about that?” “Ayaka told me at breakfast. She’s gotten a bit bored walking the estate multiple times a day, so she’s been taking a closer look at a few things. Focus of today was the graveyard. Apparently went through and read a lot of the older names before noticing the ‘hall of urns’ as she called it. Each Imperial contained there has their own personal space within the weird walls there and everything.” “Did she find anything on the past residents before us?” The archivist perked up, realizing the opportunity for possibly learning some names. “Not yet. Said she’d be looking later. If you catch her for lunch or dinner I’d ask then.” Ennion held up her book again, “Now, how about we enjoy our day off?” “[i]Our[/i] day off?” Madeline playfully jabbed, waving her smaller pair of fins jovially, “Last I checked you were the botanist drawing plants.” “And [i]you’re[/i] the archivist reading up on spellscroll storage.” Ennion retorted, “Like you have room to talk.” -------- @moonlitknots @Kreide @Galehaut @TrashMomma Short entry today. No one died in the ten battles I did as I try and push the team from reaching level 7 and forcing me to the Scorched Forest. Also, man I'm going to miss these early entries once things stop being so straightforward and simple for everyone. There is a small thing on my mind tonight though. I am considering a minor chance to my Apparel rules to make it another way to acquire dragons. I do really like the choosing to add or remove a Mark form a certain fear entity, and being forced to add a Mark if no dragon possesses a Mark from the rolled fear. However, I'm considering a second option of instead of being forced to add a Mark, I instead pick up a dragon that possesses a Mark from said entity. The reason I'm considering it is because it'd be useful for when I don't have a ton of dragons so I don't risk one of the few I have dying on me. It'd also lose viability with more dragons as more entity diversity would be present. My only worry is that this would deter adding a Mark even more than I feel it does. Then again, the Apparel pull was supposed to be an overall 'positive' roll to get for the Pinkerlocke. I'll think on it some over the next couple days. It's still early enough in this story that it won't be effecting too much. Even the one apparel item I've pulled so far wouldn't have resulted in any change. I'll announce if this change occurs or not when I do decide.

[center][b]Day 6[/b] [item=Bluefin Charger][/center] Madeline couldn’t have her lunch in peace today. First was the delivery of Saile’s next task for the three of them. She’d been abruptly pulled from the archives by staff over the topic solely because she was the only one present in the manor. The staff couldn’t easily track down the other two, although the Fae assumed none of them wanted to deal with Ayaka after her reaction to the last one. She couldn’t blame them. Being the only one present meant she got to read the letter in private. This time the professor opened with an apology for Ayaka’s poor experience dealing with the threats of the previous mission, assuring her that it was quite unusual for such an experience to occur. Afterwards, he congratulated the Mirror for a job well done, stating that not only were the location details helpful, but also the statue itself. He planned to send a proper crew to the area at a later date to potentially recover the rest of the statue. For her extra effort recovering the artifact, she’d be given extra pay. Once the Mirror’s trials were covered, Saile moved onto their next task. This one he suggested Madeline take, the area for this task located deep inside the Shattered Plain on one’s way to the Highland Sanctum. The trek would be long, and required both sufficient supplies alongside someone to guide her. The professor believed this was best done with a small breed such as hers, as she’d be less of a resource strain. This meant it’d be more likely for her to find someone to be her guide across the area. He recommended finding someone who knew the area, as once again he was asking them to explore a strange space. He assured this one was less perilous and possibly nonexistent, hence why the estate was handling it. From a couple reports gathered from Rook’s Coven, there was believed to be a space where no matter how long a dragon traveled, no notable progress would be made and the day wouldn’t progress, the sun still in the sky. After one of these sightings supposedly had the writer looking up and stating he no longer saw the clouds that dotted the sky that day, it was recommended the estate look into it. Knowing she’d be leaving later for this task, Madeline decided to go ahead and eat. It gave her time to think about what was asked of her. Of what would cause such a strange occurrence. Her first thought was a group of Veilspun putting the dragon into one of their well-known hypnotic trances, but nothing was being done afterwards. Nothing of value was stolen, no harm was done to the victims, and most importantly, she wasn’t sure Veilspun could cast an illusion that affected one’s perception of the sky to such an extreme extent. She didn’t have time to think past her first idea before Ayaka barged into the front door calling for the Fae. “Maddie? Maddie are you still in your hole?” “Okay one, the archives being downstairs doesn’t make it a hole. Second,” She stopped in her tracks as she rounded the corner to face the entrance. Clutched in one of the Mirror’s claws was a Nocturne. Their face obscured by a well-made cloak designed to disguise one as a patch of leaves or foliage, they’d given up on struggling a while ago based on how slack their body was. Staff had already begun to tentatively circle the Mirror, some clearly wanting to speak up but remaining silent out of fear. Ayaka, entirely unphased by the ordeal, turned to face Madeline, expression hidden behind her helmet, “There you are! Look what I found while making my rounds. Caught him near the entrance. Looked as though he was about to make a break for the trees so I stopped him.” Madeline felt the color drain from her face as her fins dropped in shock. “Ayaka, that Nocturne is probably someone hired here! Let him go!” “But he was making his-” “He was probably running away from you!” Madeline flared her fins out briefly before one of her smaller ones began to twitch with anger. “Fine. Fine.” The Mirror dropped the Nocturne, who immediately took a few steps away from the Mirror and towards the Fae. She quickly closed the gap, looking over the pale yellow dragon, “Are you alright? Ayaka didn’t hurt you much did she?” [center][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/dgen/dressing-room/dragon?did=85383010&skin=0&apparel=27118,26630,15310,15311,47021,37373,28386,27989&xt=dressing.png[/img][/center] “Hardly,” he groaned, stretching his limbs one at a time, “Wing’s will probably be sore for a few days. Your welcome party sure knows how to stop one from taking flight.” “Unfortunately that’s how she is. We’ve been told that staff will pick up new residents,” Madeline paused to glare at Ayaka, “so you didn’t do anything wrong by waiting.” The Nocturne moved to stand upright, supporting himself with his wings. He offered a foreclaw off briefly before bashfully pulling it back as he was reminded of who he was reaching out to. “Name’s Maximilianus Frostbishop,” his voice grew quiet as he spoke his name, “I’d prefer if everyone called me Max.” “Well, it’s nice to meet you Max,” she relaxed her fins, smiling, “I’m Madeline Sykes, and if you want, feel free to join me for lunch. I can catch you up on everything here before I have to leave.” “Leave?” He questioned, “To where?” “That’s best saved for the explanation. It’s something Professor Saile has us do as part of the job.” Max put up his guard as Ayaka took the two talking as her cue to leave them be. He remained tense as he spoke again, “Sounds…..exciting.” A long, long conversation ensued, Max asking far more questions she didn’t have answers to than ones she did. Ennion also joined the two of them at some point, leading to a new conversation that left Madeline lost as the two discussed where their two fields intersected. She was happy to learn the new guest was an ornithologist however, eagerly explaining to him the aviary within the hunting preserve. After convincing the Tundra to guide their new coworker around the estate, Madeline was finally able to begin packing what few things she’d need for her trip. She gathered a map from the library before leaving to her residential building to pack not only funds but also some of the preserved snacks from the kitchenette area. They’d likely taste better than whatever rations may be brought along the trip, and prove useful if it wound up taking longer than a couple days. Finally, she stopped by her office to gather a pen and some paper, ready to document anything noteworthy while traveling. Once in the portal room, she looked over those found within Dragonhome. She let out a sigh of relief as the one nearest to the Sanctum still appeared active, making a return trip unnecessary. She then located another as close to the Shattered Plain as she could get. The first one she attempted was no longer active, with the second continuing to stay lit up. Her destination chosen, she took a moment to double-check her supplies before using her magic to activate the gateway. Flinching at the sudden roar of the portal, Madeline took in a shaky breath. This was her first task after all. And one she’d be taking alone. -------- @moonlitknots @Kreide @Galehaut @TrashMomma @MinxPelt I was just talking to someone about how I've never failed to go a week without getting a new dragon. Everyone say hi to Max, who is a fun concept a friend and I talked about with Nocturnes potentially being able to mimic birds. If they can mimic the voices of other dragons, then birds shouldn't be out of the realm of possibility. I will say for the sake of the locke and somewhat my own sanity that I'll be toning down the severity by which Nocturnes mimic others. The other thing of note on this day I want to bring up is that there won't always be a day gap between missions like before. I may have another task rolled right after the first is completed, or go multiple days without another. I'll also hopefully not stick to the common two day missions that plagued Insight. It was unintentional that happened so often. Still undecided on the apparel rule but I'll likely have a decision by tomorrow so I don't linger too long on this.

[center][b]Day 7[/b] [item=Crowntail Wanderer][/center] “You’re quite the silent one, you know that?” Madeline perked up from the book that had been lent to her. “Sorry, didn’t know you expected a conversation partner. Especially after you gave me this,” she lifted the title up with magic. It wasn’t difficult to find someone willing to take her. Finding herself in a town full of traveling merchants, only a few minutes passed before she caught sight of stalls advertising travel to certain locations. Many wound up being in the opposite direction of her destination, which made sense. The Pillar of the World stood visible on the horizon even from here, and past there were the many archaeological sites located around Cairnstone Rest as well as Greatwyrm’s Breach. Those heading towards the Sanctum would do so for only a handful of reasons, some religious and many to study the magic concentrated there. Eventually she found Elise. The Obelisk had little business in the Sanctum itself, but would meet up with the local Beastclan groups to trade goods. She’d follow a small river branching from the Viridian Labyrinth, making multiple stops along the way. After waiting in one of these spots for an hour, she’d leave, so long as no one approached her. The plan was for this to continue for about a day and a half, where she’d then turn to the expanse of desolate earth that was a majority of the Shattered Plain. “You’re alright,” the large dragon chuckled, “Merely surprised you aren’t asking me much. Scholarly types such as yourself always are in my experience.” Madeline lowered her reading glasses, “Unfortunately my business has nothing to do with the Sanctum. I’m sure I’d be asking plenty of questions if I were.” “Do you mind if I ask questions instead?” Elise paused to look back into the cart where her guest rested, “It’ll pass the time while we wait.” Marking her page, Madeline closed the book, “Ask away.” “First, what’s a Plague dragon such as yourself doing looking for an escort? I understand Faes being small and all that, but don’t you have your own ‘wasteland’ to traverse on the regular?” She rapidly shook her head, “My home clan’s located in the Wandering Contagion. Not even close enough to the Boneyard for us to nurse travelers. I know the basics, but I’m nowhere equipped and experienced enough to make a journey like this.” She took a moment to rummage through her bag, pulling out one of the protein bars she packed, “Still, grabbed a few of these just in case.” “Makes me happy knowing you’ve prepared.” Elise looked the bar up and down curiously, “Say, where’d you get that? Preserved goods aren’t uncommon, but ones wrapped like that certainly are.” “Oh these came from the estate,” she looked over the mostly matte wrapper, branded with the Scarbelly logo she’d long since grown accustomed to. “Nothing out of the norm for me though.” “Right, that estate of yours you mentioned. I’ll get to it in a sec, but I suppose it’s only fitting for those in your home to know how to create food products such as those. Never thought you’d take the time to brand like that however.” “What about you guys here in Earth?” Madeline questioned, “With all the trade done here and the Shattered Plain, don’t you have your own businesses?” “Sure, but our trade routes are quite literally set in stone. Any that don’t run by rivers such as these are marked by various clans who make a living producing and selling food for passerby dragons. Don’t see it much out here since there’s no reason to head this way unless you plan on reaching the Sanctum or cross over into the Labyrinth.” “Fits what I’ve seen. So, what did you want to ask about Magpie Estate?” “Oh trust me, I have plenty to ask.” --- The two’s extensive conversations came to a rest as the two set up for a night of rest. Madeline’s bed consisted of some thrown together blankets on a cushion meant for a dragon much larger than herself. Meanwhile, Elise took up her stoneshape to rest, the dull finish of the slate hidden in the dark and only noticeable if the Fae focused on the sky. The Obelisk hoped to travel longer, but with both moons so early in their phases, only a sliver of light touched onto the parched ground. What should’ve been a restful night ended with the sound of something attempting to make a quiet approach on the cart. Between the clicking of claws the Fae made out mutters and whispers, and before long, she’d been pulled completely out of her sleep. It wasn’t long before Elise had taken notice of the sounds as well, the stoneshape remaining except the eyes, which moved slowly as they tracked the sound the intruders made. As the mutterings continued, Madeline believed briefly that the two of them would be safe. The strangers were a group of wandering nocturnal dragons that happened to stumble on the cart. Only one appeared to consider stealing, the other three voices advising against it for one reason or another. However, this individual managed to convince the others to take a peek, promising to only take food if there was any worth grabbing. Madeline curled up as she heard steps approaching, feigning sleep. The unknown dragon barely got a claw inside the cart before Elise broke her stone guise, startling all those involved. In one fell sweep of the large dragon’s equally massive claws, the intruder was cast away from the two of them, scrambling to his feet. A low hiss escaped his maw moments later, similar growls joining in as the other three joined him. By the time she managed to get a glimpse of the unfolding situation, a tense silence had fallen over the area. Baring her teeth, Elise held out a claw, “Flare,” she growled, “Keep em in the drawer closest to ya.” There was a blur of movement as the group lunged all at once to take on the much larger target. Unable to make out any of what was going on, Madeline hurried to locate the object demanded of her. Eventually she fished out one of the unstruck rods, claws tracing over the fire runes embossed on the cap. Calling the Obelisk’s name as she shook off the last of the group, she tossed the flare. Without hesitation, Elise activated the object, illuminating the area in bright red-orange glow. It didn’t take long for Madeline to watch her escort’s eyes grow wide. “M-Maddie,” she stammered, her voice caught in her throat. Her claws dug deep into the soil as she tensed up at something the Fae couldn’t see. “Maddie, I need you to run.” “What-” “Run! Now!” The Obelisk spat before lunging forward this time. The Fae wasted as little time as she could manage gathering her things. Luckily everything was in her bag, save for her glasses, resting on the book lent to her. Not knowing what to expect once she fled, she grabbed the nearest spellscrolls and manaburst stones to stick in her back as well, ready to throw one of the latter at one of the attackers. Still unsure what her escort had seen, she paused to try and take in her surroundings. This time her heart dropped. Flares lasted hours right? So why was this one already burning so low? ------ @moonlitknots @Kreide @Galehaut @TrashMomma @MinxPelt Man my (secret) rolls are being unkind to this starting group. Hilariously, Madeline wasn't picked for this food item, so she was never at any non-lore risk of death. Max is level 5 while Ayaka and Ennion are level 7. I decided to bless Ayaka with an Eliminate, something I haven't given a Pinkerlocke dragon since my first Pinkerlocke ever. In more stressful news, unless I get a new dragon before the next food item, I am guaranteed to enter the dreaded Scorched Forest. This horrible venue has claimed many past lives of Pinkerlocke dragons so I'm hoping I can get through unscathed with my current dragons. As for what happened to Madeline, don't worry about it :)

I know you're up to some mischief StrawberryAlex, but at least you've been leveling your dragons high and have already got a fourth member. I'm liking the story so far, it's very fascinating.

Also, if Madeline dies (if), will there be a new POV character. I don't think she's going to die yet, but it's a question.

@Aquasparky
I’m surprised I got to use these specific rolls so early. Here in a couple days these rolls won’t be getting used again until nearly a month from now. And yeah! I’ve learned that potions are vital in keeping dragons alive, and I have plenty. I also choose to go for “slower” builds as I know the common Glass Canon setups are called that for a reason. Sure you can wipe the floor with Elims, but that still requires setups, a level 7+ dragon, and sometimes a bit of luck.

Yes, if Madeline dies, the POV character will change. When that happens, I will either pick a new dragon, or roll to see who it is depending on how I feel about the current group. If Madeline were to die now, I think I’d follow Ayaka solely because I love writing her at the moment.

This also has reminded me that I forgot about the tweaking the apparel rule again. I’ll figure that out in a few.

[center][b]Day 8[/b] [item=Monitor Tendril][/center] Madeline didn’t know how she escaped with her life. She fled upstream as ordered, not stopping until her magic reserves were almost entirely drained. Even then, the mustered more distance through flying physically. Spotting a small tree in the inky black of the night, she managed to locate a hollow, hastily evicting whatever creatures were inside without a care. After fending them off briefly, she curled to rest, unsure she’d be able to sleep again. She managed to, however. Hearing nothing of the dragons from before after waiting a while, she fell into a restless sleep. She woke up sore, drained, and alone, but alive and needing to travel. Filling up the bottle of water she brought alongside her rations, she managed to catch some dragonflies for a light breakfast. Nothing like the meals at the estate, but this was common where she lived. She only wished she had a way to toast them. Not wanting to, but knowing it was a necessity if she ever wanted to get home again, she picked up travel on her own. She’d save writing last night’s events for when she got back to the estate. Without the Obelisk to cover large amounts of distance for her, the journey would easily double in length from when she started. Something she didn’t want to prolong further than she had already. Madeline had only been traveling for a couple hours when she was met with an immediate hurdle. She knew she and Elise had met with a number of the Beastclan locals already, but as she looked up at the sign in front of her, she was met with dreadful anticipation. Pointing along the river, the sign noted the direction of a small clan and the start of the Viridian Labyrinth. In another direction, the sign pointed towards the Highland Sanctum, with only a crude trodden path guiding her into the dry expanse that was the Shattered Plain. Without knowing how close the nearby clan was, the Fae was torn with indecision. The clan could potentially provide her with another guide, but it was equally likely for the opposite to happen. She’d be back at this point regardless of the outcome, only knowing of the portal located at the Sanctum. Maybe it was a matter of simply wanting help. Safety in numbers while making what had become an unintentional dangerous trek. Deciding the risk wasn’t worth it, she took a moment to fill her stomach with more insects and water. If she was going to be entering the Plains alone with as little as she had, it’d be best to start strong. She even rested a bit longer to restore her magic and relax with a bit of writing. Aware she was merely postponing the inevitable journey into the dry lands, the Fae reluctantly rose into the air. Sending a prayer to the Plaguebringer to give her strength in surviving what was before her, she took to the air, headed northwest. Madeline thought of her prayer as the sun began to move from its highest point in the sky. Few dragons were openly religious after their deities had gone centuries without so much as a word or sign of activity. Many sent prayers like hers, but none expected them to be answered, more a way of asking for good luck than a boon. She wasn’t like the extremists who insisted the gods were dead and this was the beginning of the end though. The lands still thrived with elemental magic and those who could use it after all. She wasn’t sure when, but as she finally focused on her surroundings again, something was off. The air didn’t feel right, something she could only feel as her magic reached into it. She looked around for any sign of another dragon, only to see the same barren cracked earth in every direction. Not wanting to take a risk, she stopped moving entirely, lowering to the ground. There, she kept herself as concealed as possible, locating a large enough rock to hide most of her body behind. Then she waited. And waited. And waited. Long enough to know exactly what was wrong. She’d walked directly into the place she was after. The sun continued to hang motionless in the sky despite the time that had passed. The constant breeze she’d felt had become absent as well, leaving the stillness she’d sensed earlier. And as she looked up for confirmation, her heart dropped as her eyes frantically searched for any sign of the sparse cloud cover she’d seen prior. “Your response is quite peculiar,” A voice rang out suddenly, its origin unclear. “Who’s there?” Madeline snapped out of her petrified state, flaring up and preparing to take flight again. “No one,” it responded, still sounding as though it came from all around her. “Oh so am I supposed to believe the sky can speak now?” Frantically looking around for a source. “You should,” the voice echoed behind her, far more tangible now. Terrified, Madeline whipped around to face whoever had followed her, only to find nothing. “So you want me to write to the professor that I talked to the sky for a while about-” “What professor?” abruptly cut off, their tone now serious and cold as they asked the question. “What’s it matter to you? Everyone else stuck here already sent reports, so I got sent to investigate. One more shouldn’t be of importance.” In an instant, she watched a form appear in front of her, almost as if dissolving from the sky itself. In a flurry of blues and bits of shine in the light, she watched what looked like a Skydancer appear before her. Despite the decorative headdress hiding most of his expression, there was a very apparent anger burning in his eyes. [center][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/dgen/dressing-room/dragon?did=74855415&skin=0&apparel=25056,7302,25053,6964,31968,23037,20561,6955,7877,474,6976,28397,33707&xt=dressing.png[/img][/center] “What. Professor.” He seethed, wings flaring, “You will tell me now, or I’ll be sure you’ll never be heard from again.” “S-S-Saile, sir,” Madeline’s fins dropped, plastering to her neck. “I knew there was a reason I stopped you,” nothing changed in the Skydancer’s posture, “Never guessed it would be those demons coming back to haunt me.” “W-Wait, you know Saile?” “Yes, as well as his precious estate where you’re from.” “B-But what-” “Enough of your questions!” he spat, “I’ve fallen for that before and I won’t again.” Madeline sat in silence, trembling in fear as the unexpected dragon paced back and forth. Sometimes he’d look skyward and sometimes he took short bursts into the air to flutter about, yet no matter the action, he muttered to himself. The topic of the ramblings were unknown as he either kept a good enough distance or used magic similar to earlier to keep her from eavesdropping. “C-Can I at least have your name?” She barely managed to speak up, aware of his hostile nature. Unexpectedly, the Skydancer looked back at her before bursting into laughter. Eventually he stopped, turning his full attention back upon her small body, “Oh you’re a [i]fresh[/i] one aren’t you? Hardly a month in your body I’d reckon.” “W-What’s wrong with that? I’m supposed to get experience out in the field somehow.” “Names hold [i]power[/i] my dear Fae. Working at the estate will teach you that [i]fast[/i].” He let out another wicked laugh, “Thanks for making my decision all the easier though.” “A decision? About what?” She found herself suddenly whipped airborne. Despite watching the stranger for any sign of an attack, there was nothing to suggest he’d moved or even a surge of magic in the air. Attempting to stabilize herself with magic got her nowhere, and soon she began to panic. It was as if she were falling upwards into the endless blue sky, spiraling out of control as she failed to right herself. “You want to go home, don’t you?” His voice sounded distant once again, surrounding her. “Yes!” She cried out, desperate. “I’ve got what I came for! Let me go!” “Oh I will,” there was a sly bitterness to his tone, “For a price. I think you know what.” “Madeline!” She shrieked, “Madeline Sykes! Archivist for Magpie Estate! Now let me go!” “Very well,” he responded, satisfied, “Enjoy the trip.” And then Madeline fell down. Down into the fathomless blue before her. ------ @moonlitknots @Kreide @Galehaut @TrashMomma @MinxPelt Hey, do y'all want to know what a natural 2 looks like on a lore-based roll? This could have gone [i]far[/i] better for Madeline, but now I've given her 3 Vast Marks and have to roll to see if she lives [s]or becomes an Avatar[/s]. Something you guys won't know until the next day I post. At least you guys can enjoy the NPC appearing out of the blue. Also, did decide on the Apparel rule. That decision is that I can use this to get new dragons in place of being forced to Mark one of my existing dragons. However, I must flip Heads on a coin in order to acquire a dragon. Otherwise I must forcefully Mark a dragon like usual. Dragons obtained in this fashion also start with two Markings by this fear instead of one. Final note, but I may post a second day today. Fridays are another day off for me, but I have D&D so that'll take up a good chunk of my evening. If I do post, it'll likely not be too far from this post unless I decide to wait until after the session.

[center][b]Day 9[/b] [item=Ancient Fungus Spores][/center] Madeline didn’t know how long she’d been falling for. It was pointless trying to spend magical energy staying aloft. She couldn’t see a ground for her to land on. She wasn’t sure she’d call what she could see a sky either. There was nothing but a sky blue in all directions, illuminated by a sun she no longer saw. All the Fae put effort into now was keeping her bag shut tight to prevent anything from falling out. Out of fear of losing the objects inside or figuring out which way was down she didn’t know. The Fae closed her eyes for some time, the black behind her eyelids more welcoming. She didn’t know what she expected from the stranger when she gave out her name so carelessly. Maybe some sort of mercy, and maybe to him, this neverending plummet through the essence of a sky was just that. But where she’d expect a slow agonizing death to the elements abandoned somewhere like the Plains, here she’d be falling until dehydration took her. There was nowhere for her body to break against solid ground after all. Whether it was for hours or for days, the buffeting of the air against her body whipped and stung. A thousand slaps to her body that left her too uncomfortable to fall asleep or even unconscious. She couldn’t call out either, the air rushing so fast it’d fling the words from her mouth before it’d reach anyone. If there were anyone other than her in this place. At least she wasn’t as scared now. The Skydancer hadn’t returned, or at the very least refused to be present if he was with her. The threat he posed paralyzed her more than the freefall, capable of taking control of the situation and forcing her to do as asked. If he didn’t outright kill or break her as he pleased. She wasn’t sure how long the fall lasted when she hit the first cloud. It was cold and left moisture clinging to her body. The sudden chill down her body woke her from her stupor, and she frantically searched for the ground once more. Again she didn’t see the ground, but now she was surrounded by sporadic clouds. Opening her wings to slow her descent briefly, she took in the sight, not wanting to let it go. With nothing to catch her fall however, she soon gave back in, letting her body take the brunt of the whipping winds once more. Again and again this happened. She’d fall for what could easily be hours before a change would occur without her realizing. First it was the clouds and then it was the sky around her changing colors, and then it was the addition of what looked to be stars. The Fae swore she saw the sun at one point, or at least one of Sornieth’s two moons, but either were present, they weren’t anymore. And despite the much needed change of scenery for her eyes, she was no closer to escaping. There was no ground beneath her feet, and no progression of time that gave her an idea of how much time had passed. The gradient horizon now served to be filled with occasional clouds, and sometimes be dotted with starry specks of a sunset sky. When she did see a celestial body however, she grew to wish she hadn’t. With the sky a strange purple, she didn’t know if it was a sun or moon. It was too bright to be a moon, yet it didn’t change to a color that could illuminate the clouds around her like the sun. Still, she watched it for a while, straining her eyes as it slowly moved in an arc around her. Perhaps with its setting the sky would change a final time, giving her ground to fall to. Only it stopped. And then it split. Two glowing celestial bodies circled her in parallel patterns, distance growing between them until they were equidistant from each other. Then, as if it were alive, one stopped, moving in a brand new direction. The second followed suit, and soon enough it was as if both had minds of their own, moving about in no definitive pattern. It left Madeline in terrified awe, wondering which deity held such power over the heavens. It was a question she didn’t want answered, but something must have known she was there. What started with the celestial orbs was followed up by the curtain of stars swirling around her head, taking the sky with them. Much quicker than before, the sky shifted between the blue of midday, the oranges, pinks, and purples of a sunset and sunrise, and the pitch black of night. All while the two orbs continued around their self-determined paths and the stars became a blur of falling lights. The clouds were the last to lose their expected cohesion. They slowly stopped appearing in stutted layers, instead taking on noticeable patterns and too clean shapes. Stairsteps, single slices of white, checkerboards, what the Fae could only describe as a game of marbles. It went on and on until they began to focus on [i]her[/i]. But by then [i]everything[/i] had focused on her. The Fae, in her tiny stature, had disrupted the very heavens. Clouds swirled around her to force her at their center, shoving her through cold damp air over and over until she was shivering wet. The stars stopped moving in playful rings, condensing into clusters of dots that she could only deduce aggressive patterns from. Even the colorful backdrop she’d grown accustomed to was practically ripped into the empty blackness of night. And finally, the two celestial orbs and their all too unnatural patterns slowed, coming together to bore their shining light onto her. She stood on display for all the cosmos to see. An intruder to a place one such as herself would understand. To feel the gaze of space itself bore into her tiny body. A dragon was nothing to the universe, but something about [i]her[/i] made it all stop. Something about [i]her[/i] disrupted the games of the stars, the chase of the suns and moons, and the gentle ebb and flow of the sky. And as the two celestial orbs stared down from above, Madeline never caught onto the fact she’d stopped falling. And as they, and the rest of the world around her blinked, she closed her eyes and wished she were. --- Madeline didn’t expect to come to. Something in that final moment in the sky allowed her to pass out. Whether it was her mounting terror, the dehydration, or some judgment from the sky itself, she fell into a familiar black emptiness of unconsciousness. A feeling for all intents and purposes should have lasted forever. But as her mind swam with a blur of sensations, she found herself very much alive. The first sound she heard was that of…birdsong? Still groggy, she tried to focus, only to feel a pressure on her body forcing her down. A voice called out to her, “Don’t move Madeline.” “What…” she began to ask, her voice lost as a dull pain filled her body, the ache forcing her back onto what she now realized was one of the beds in the infirmary. “Ayaka found you in one of the preserve’s clearings,” focusing, she noticed it was Max talking to her, the Nocturne now sporting far more casual wear than the day she left. “We don’t know how you got there. All we know is you fell far. You’re lucky to be alive.” “So, how bad is it?” Madeline tried to extend her fans to express her playful prod, but found she lacked the energy. There was a sudden nervousness in Max’s eyes, “To the doctor sent to assess you, a miracle. No breaks, no extensive damage. Only some mild bruising and dehydration. Detected something odd with your magic, but couldn’t pinpoint the exact issue. Staff were informed to keep you here until it stabilized.” “Then why are you here? Bird escape into the manor?” she joked, remembering the birdsong from earlier. “Well, all of us have been reasonably worried. My plan tonight was studying nocturnal birds, so I came here after dinner to keep you company.” He gestured to a chair with a book laying on it, “Been reading on local species while waiting for the sun to set.” Madeline flexed various parts of her body, feeling the universal soreness throughout it, “How late is it now?” “Late enough for you to get away with more sleep.” ------ @moonlitknots @Kreide @Galehaut @TrashMomma @MinxPelt Crim had mercy on me and gave me another material, so I'm able to get this out with about 10 minutes to spare before the session. So, first things first, in true D&D dice-rolling fashion, the second Avatar v. Death roll I do turned Madeline into a Vast Avatar. The instant I saw the 90 on the percentile dice I did a heavy sigh of, "Did this really just happen?" The exact number was a 92 and I'll be setting up Maddie's Avatar stats after I post. Guess you guys will get to see both those trackers now. Not sure how often this will occur but oh boy this was definitely unexpected. Guess this is what happens when I introduce 90% more dice into a Pinkerlocke. Wish I had more to say to this but a) have to focus D&D, and b) not much else I can say here. (If there are good content warnings for this, please let me know and I'll add)

Welp Madeline's an avatar now. Let's just see if she can balance it. I didn't think it would happen so soon, but what can I say? Lady luck has a funny way of rolling things.