Quests & Challenges

day 4.

eternity stretched before a fevered mind, lucidity more and more fleeting with each passing hour.

she had been a fool -- even her dreams told her that, naxor's bright eyes and brighter plumage seeming more and more real each time she fluttered back into unconsciousness. so too did the wildclaw's growls and insistence that she wake up grow louder and more desperate, though with each attempt, meili found it harder and harder to heed that call.

it was easier to sleep -- to dream here, where she had very little to worry about. no sickness plaguing a form she was realizing wasn't well-adapted to using it, and no worries or threats of those serving the icewarden braving such dangerous lands to capture her and drag her back to frigidity and isolation once again.

better to die free than survive as a prisoner, was what she had told naxor when they'd first made plans of escape. words that felt like a slap in the face when you were looking death itself in the face, she supposed, though part of her still felt this the kinder end somehow.

and really, when faceted eyes fluttered closed for the last time... she couldn't help but wonder if she'd at least see nax again, whatever might await beyond everything.

though the plaguebringer had given her a fair shot, it seemed meili herself had overestimated her abilities this time.

meili has succumbed to the plague. FAILURE.

((rip to the first attempt though it was... almost certainly my fault for being a little Too cocky about pressing for just one more battle, whoops. i'm thinking for the next attempt i want to do a five dragon run using crim trades and a little pack of mirrors, though, so i'm going to start brewing to see what dragons i need to buy for that!))

ATTEMPT TWO SET-UP.

brew 1 -- green sludge. UNCOMMON.
brew 2 -- green sludge. UNCOMMON.
brew 3 -- yellow sludge. UNUSUAL.
brew 4 -- orange sludge. RARE.
brew 5 -- purple sludge. MULTIGAZE.


very happy to get a rarer color for at least one pull, and multigaze is fun for sure!

i have to run to work but i'll scour the AH for mirrors later tonight -- might also rng with skewed probability towards plague to see if any come from outside of plague originally and integrate that into the vibes as well.

ELEMENTAL SELECTION--
pretty much rolling a d20 to determine whether a dragon is plague (90% likelihood) or a different element. nat 1 or nat 20 means a d10 is rolled for non-plague element selection for them!

1: 18
2: 12
3: 10
4: 11
5: 1! looks like we have four plaguelings and the multigaze will be an 8 for the rest of the elements alphabetically, so... shadow! time to scour the AH for some new contestants! ))

[size=2][b]THE NEW ROSTER.[/b] ((rng'd a few basic personality traits for each of these but aside from that we're working on the story and vibes ourselves!)) [b]dragon 1. DYMURA.[/b] uncommon eyes. [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/87935926][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/350/879360/87935926_350.png[/img][/url] [i]jealous. judgmental. industrious.[/i] growing up with an identical twin isn't all it's cracked up to be -- dymura isn't sure how abberations manage to coexist so closely. and while her sister, hauku, seems to enjoy their idea of closeness and would be happy doing everything together, dymura just wants to stand out from the crowd one single time. her sister shadowing her even on such an important trial has ruffled the mirror, and she's eager to prove, once and for all, she's the more worthwhile sister, even if it ends up being in the eyes of Mother herself. [b]dragon 2. HAUKU.[/b] uncommon eyes [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/87935927][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/350/879360/87935927_350.png[/img][/url] [i]daring. lively. caring.[/i] a bold and excitable creature, hauku isn't sure why her twin sister seems to always be making strides to set herself apart. if the pair of them worked together rather than competing, they could accomplish more than any one dragon ever could! and while she can't physically aid her sister on these trials or meditations, perhaps even her company will provide some inspiration of strength hauku hates to admit that she's worried, but she's definitely concerned her sister might not make it on her own. [b]dragon 3. DEVARA. unusual eyes[/b] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/87328988][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/350/873290/87328988_350.png[/img][/url] [i]smart. sensible. secretive.[/i] though she hails from the same pack as dymura and hauku, even they don't claim to know much about her. she keeps to herself and doesn't mince many words -- even her friends would say she isn't exactly one for small talk. what is known is how she prepared arduously for this meditative process before they departed for the wyrmwound, eager to reserve her strength for the trials to come. [b]dragon 4. RAT.[/b] rare eyes [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/87896943][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/350/878970/87896943_350.png[/img][/url] [i]temperamental. distrusting. doubts self.[/i] when your parent names you after some pretty useless vermin and leaves you for dead, you know you're in for a rough life, and rat's definitely grown up trusting nobody and nothing. even within the pack, her position was hardly what you'd call prestigious -- perhaps that's why she was so willing to throw herself into dangerous trials for even a smidgen of recognition. though others judge her for being a bit of a runt, her bite is as sharp as any mirror's, and her tongue perhaps sharper than most. she won't back down easily. [b]dragon 5. EYESORE.[/b] multi-gaze [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/46998432][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/350/469985/46998432_350.png[/img][/url] [i]intuitive. helpful. compliant.[/i] one of the few non-plague mirrors in atticus and karmine's pack, he's had a rough time making a name for himself. in fact, when he also expressed interest in the trials, he was ridiculed and laughed at by most, many claiming the plaguebringer would chew such a pitiful shadow dragon up and that his body was more susceptible than the rest of them. showing rare indignation and stubbornness, he insisted, and joined the rest of the group in their journey.

DAY ONE.
((dymura -- rusty pickaxe
hauku -- mysterious relief
devara -- turkey dinner
rat -- potted peacevine
eyesore -- nightsky fuiran hide

UNCOMMON EYE PERK -- swipp check. no dice

nobody is infected today.))

day one CONT.

((swipp has a onyx seraph armpiece tonight!! which means one of our uncommon twins will get their sign, but i think i'll leave it up to rng... looks like hauku really can't let her sister have anything for herself and is the first to pass the first trial!))

[size=2][b]day one. story.[/b] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/86887133][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/350/868872/86887133_350.png[/img][/url] it was uncharacteristic of karmine to worry, and the matriarch didn't allow doubt to register on her features as she paced back and forth between those who had committed to one of the most difficult tasks the plaguelands had to offer. tasks that she herself had considered taking on once upon a time, though too much now laid at stake to consider it personally. too many of her pack relied on her, and would not survive the harsher season approaching without her stalwart guidance. but if any of these five gathered returned from the wyrmwound successful, their clan would only grow stronger from such powerful allies. [b]"are you certain this is what you wish to do? past this point, it will be difficult to turn back,"[/b] karmine questioned in a low, insistent rumble, gaze raking those gathered for any sign of hesitation. near-identical mirrors regarded her the most steadily, impossible to tell apart save for the clawmarks that raked over hauku's eye and muzzle. karmine thought perhaps that she saw hauku trembling -- then again, if her eyes didn't deceive her, it was likely the mirror was trembling with anticipation rather than fear. [i]i hope she knows what she's getting into.[/i] she'd only volunteered for the trial after dymura had stated her intention of going, after all, and if her heart wasn't in it... well, mother's blessing was a difficult one to embrace if you weren't fully committed to it. the forest green mirror near the edge of the pack too sat a little taller, no doubt in her own darkened gaze. karmine reflected that she would miss devara -- though they hadn't spoken for any extended length of time, she know how efficient the other mirror was in everything she did. privately, karmine thought that she had the best chance of any of them. even if she would have rather held such faith in the palest of their ranks standing before her, tiny next to her brethren but holding her head no less high. karmine knew no amount of pressure would dissuade rat from trying something once the idea had gotten in her head -- not even begging would budge the mirror from the course her paws set themselves upon. and then, of course, there was the newcomer... bullied and pushed around by the harsher members of the pack for being a shadow dragon, or perhaps for his multiple eyes... karmine had overheard many snickering that the name eyesore suited him too well. she'd watched with some disdain at the way he'd taken each physical and verbal blood, head bowed and tail tucked like some pitiful pup. almost expecting him to roll over and expose his belly in complete surrender, it'd surprised everyone when he'd insisted upon partaking in the trials. a fool marching to his death, many snickered. or perhaps the plaguebringer wouldn't even humor his attempts.. still, karmine found the newfound burst of confidence curious. she hoped it wouldn't end up killing him. [b]"... may mother grace you quickly, and you conquer her gift with equal swiftness. return to all of us successful, or not at all."[/b] placing her muzzle against the heads of each mirror one by one as they sat bowed before her, karmine watched dymura sprint off first towards the wyrmwound. too quickly for her sister to keep up, even as hauku asked her to wait. privately, karmine wondered if the plaguebringer would indeed find one sister more worthwhile than the other, as dymura had always insisted she was. devara and eyesore too sprinted off, but the last, and the smallest, lingered for just a moment as karmine paused in front of her, rare conflict lingering in red hues. [b]"... you don't have to do this, rat. none here would doubt your place, after everything you've done for us."[/b] she had always considered herself too proud to beg or grovel, but some part of her insisted upon it, if it would keep the dragon she cherished most safe from harm. but even as she spoke, she knew the answer, and rat's impatiently-twitching tail only confirmed it. [b]"you know i have to, kar. not for anyone else -- for me."[/b] standing tall as she could, she butted her head affectionately against karmine's side. [b]"don't look so somber. i'll be back in record time, you'll see, and then you'll feel like an idiot for doubting me at all!"[/b] karmine wished she could reflect the sharp grin flashed her way, but knew doubt wouldn't help anything. [b]"you'd better,"[/b] is all she said, heavier words hanging in the air but left unspoken as she watched rat race away. asking the plaguebringer to be kind was a fool's request, and she knew it -- but asking her to be swift couldn't hurt, karmine conceded.

day one fin.

despite hauku's insistences otherwise, dymura insisted the five of them space out accordingly rather than crowd. this was, after all, meant to be a meditation, and the mirror warned with a snarl in her tone that any interruption would be met with claws and teeth. though hauku seemed particularly injured by this threat, no one protested, and each made their own perimeter around the wyrmwound, all around the same distance as no one seemed to dare tread closer.

and they waited, each with their own amount of patience, though one wouldn't be left waiting for very long at all.

hauku was sensitive enough to feel the beginnings of sickness, and couldn't help the excitement that brewed within her chest. of all those gathered, mother had blessed her first! it was something that dymura undeniably noticed sooner rather than later as well, as sharp as she was, rumbles of discontent sounding as sharp claws ripped at the earth beneath them.

how dare she, when the trials hadn't even been her idea? perhaps mother had simply infected her first to let her die all the quicker. yes, surely that was it, and hauku would either flee or perish before long.

--

as dusk fell, no others displayed any signs of infection yet.

((brewing apparel to figure out what hauku's faith/determination dragons are and then i'll start day two officially, been holding off checking crim too!))

[size=2][b]day two prep.[/b] [b]hauku's faith/determination.[/b] grey slime -- using two fodder i already have for this, a mirror and a fae! [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/22161010][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/350/221611/22161010_350.png[/img][/url] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/87744456][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/350/877445/87744456_350.png[/img][/url] managed to make it to level 2 today, but no passing drops! ))

day two.

nobody else is infected today!))

day three beginning.

((gotta work today, so probably no heavy writing unless i'm inspired after i get home!!

hauku -- trial two
managed to grind all the way to level 4 today which is both nice and a bit terrifying lowkey -- woodland path can be a bit mean and we have to go there tomorrow now. no drops that pass the criteria, and i was feeling confident until a crit contuse from a mouse nearly ko'd hauku. if the last battle with three enemies hadn't been lucky, she might not have made it out, rip.

CRIM TRADES FOR THE DAY (will check swipp for dymura throughout day):
dymura -- zephyr might fragment; no pass
devara -- dead leaf mantis; no pass
rat -- serrated pilco shell; no pass
eyesore -- perdita bee; no pass ))