Quests & Challenges

[rule] [columns][item=turkey dinner] [nextcol][b]Coliseum time![/b] Meat: 40-50 matches[/columns] [rule] [size=2]"Just awful what happened with Cal and San ain't it?" Quill hummed, their voice trembling between the two different singular ones, as if they were struggling to separate the thought between them. It was a common occurence, and Elysia and Acorn had grown used to it. "Never liked em much, anyway, if I'm being honest." Acorn said, as they small group worked on their various tasks while settled around the early evening campfire. Their little encampment looking a little more bedraggled than usual, and each of them trying to do something to clean it up. "No one asked." Elysia snorted back, not looking up from her sewing. "Seriously." Quill huffed, their voice leaning deeper for a moment as they scowled. Acorn shrugged, "Just saying my piece." "Could say the same about you, y'know." Elysia muttered. Quill glanced between the two of them, voice returning to their usual confusing warble between higher and lower tones. "C'mon guys, we wouldn't have got this far without them, Sanguine especially." "Speak for yourself." [rule]

[rule] [columns][item=clown charger fin] [nextcol][b]19. Nature's Gambit.[/b] Take two dragons in coli and level them up once under quest rules and flip a coin: [LIST] [*][b]HEADS:[/b] You find wandering dragons on your quest. Purchase two dragons from the auction house to join your kingdom. [/LIST][/columns] [rule] [center][b][size=2]CW: dementia (?), memory loss, came back wrong[/b][/center] [size=2]Another day, another tea time. This time at Chamomile's house. Anwar, Phantom, Valmur, and Taphrin sat in the garden. The kids quietly chatting while Anwar listened, nodding slowly here and there. Phantom seemed to be teaching the kids something, though neither Chamomile nor his companion could hear them from where they sat on the porch. "Have you seen any more improvement?" he was concerned at how little Anwar seemed to have recovered past those first few weeks. [i]None.[/i] He nodded, not quite frowning. "Its not always like this, is it?" [i]Some come back better than others and... It takes time and training I never had.[/i] Another nod, as he watched the twins watching Phantom intently. Whatever he was telling them held their attention entirely, much to his amusement. "Who taught you?" [i]My mother. What she could, at least.[/i] He knew very little of her past, still, but he knew that she was raised almost entirely by her mother, who died when she was very young. "Well... Any skill needs practice. Its... A shame it doesn't seem to have worked out." She simply nodded, and he'd been about to speak again when something on the street past the fence caught his attention, another pair of newcomers. They'd gotten so many in recent days, he was struggling to keep track of them all. As one of them caught his eye, theirs a piercing blue that seemed to look through him, they met him with a soft smile and a wave before their companion pulled them down the street and out of sight. He felt a prod from his drinking companion, and turned his attention back to her. [i]New patients?[/i] she grinned. "They better not be anytime soon, I have enough on my plate." [rule]

[rule] [columns][item=tracker engine] [nextcol][b]16. The Sacrifice[/b] The 11 are angry with your kingdom and demand a blood sacrifice. Roll for a 1d4 for an event. [LIST] [*]4. For whatever reason you offer nothing. The 11 are enraged and send a horrible onslaught of disasters. Plague, earthquakes, floods… Roll an 8 sided dice for every dragon in your kingdom. On a 1 the dragon does not survive and is exalted / loses a life. [/LIST][/columns] [rule] [size=2]Reva sat on Chamomile's porch, waiting on the news from the healer on the damage. They'd finally, potentially, discovered the cause of the recent unexplained deaths among the small community... Yet it still didn't sit well with Reva. After falling ill himself and nearly losing his own life like so many others had in recent days... Could it really be so simple as something solved by a healer. He turned his - recently acquired - cane between his hands, wondering just what Chamomile would have to say on the matter. Inanna sat at his feet, cooing quietly as they waited. Posca and Onion had lost their children... Many of their newest residents had been lost as well, and those who had survived... At what cost? He was pulled from his own thoughts by Chamomile returning, teacups and a teapot full of some sweet-smelling herbal brew. "I have somewhat good news, and somewhat bad news. Preference?" he asked, pouring two cups before taking his own seat. "Dealer's choice." Reva sighed. "Somewhat good news? Now that I've..." he paused, trying to search for a more delicate way to describe it, "... had some time to orun some tests... I can at least treat whatever this is. The somewhat bad news is I can't get rid of it entirely." "Because we still don't know what caused it?" "Because we still don't know what caused it." Reva nodded. It was better than nothing, he supposed. Not entirely what he'd wanted to hear, but possibly what he'd needed. He sipped at the tea and hummed quietly."I'll be straight with you, Chamomile. I think Marelwyn has something to do with this." "Oh?" to hear their leader's own mate speak about him so plainly was unusual. "He's... Something's not right. I can't say entirely what's been going on, he keeps plenty of his own secrets, just like the rest of us... I feel like his secrets might be the reason behind this." "Some kind of karmic retribution for... Whatever he's doing?" "Exactly." "Well... If its something more um... Metaphysical... That's where my realm of expertise ends, you know." "I know." Reva sighed once again, but met Chamomile's gaze, "You're close with that mute woman, though, right?" Chamomile narrowed his gaze. "Yes...?" "She knows some of that type of thing, right?" Reva held the healer's gaze intently. [i]He knew.[/i] "How did you-" "Doesn't matter. What does matter is that [i]she[/i] might have some insight into what is happening here." he rose, taking a moment to regain his balance and lean on his cane as Inanna twisted between his legs. "Talk with her, would you?" "I'll uh. I'll see what I can do." [rule]

[rule] [columns][item=carpenter wax] [nextcol][b]5. Studied the blade[/b] Randomize a number between your lowest and highest leveled dragons and buy a dragon off of the auction house with that level to join your kingdom. [/columns] [rule] [size=2]Padparadscha was no stranger to strife in many forms, and she could tell this small community had seen its fair share only recently. Even as she wound through the main streets, she was certain she spied a quiet and private funeral in someone's back garden. Two adults and two children of indeterminable age. Who were they mourning? She certainly wondered. If she remained, perhaps she would someday find out. She was determined to help, yet had no idea where to start. Her intuition had gotten her this far, now it was just a matter of finding... A commander of the guard? A leader of any kind? Perhaps this was not the best day for this kind of thing, given the dour mood of the dwellings, so instead she set her sights a bit lower... Finding somewhere to lay her head for the night. That would be a start. Tomorrow she could find someone in charge. [rule]

[columns][item=broken bottle] [nextcol][b]1. There’s a scandal (or romance) afoot.[/b] Pick two of your ready-to-breed dragons at random if you have any. Put them in a nest. The hatchlings, if they survive, join your kingdom. [s]If nobody is ready to breed, grab a random hatchling off the AH.[/s][/columns] [rule] [size=2]It had been some time since all the troubles, Phantom and the twins both grown. While the twins had moved - though not very far, just to the home across the now-shared garden - Phantom remained, though mostly keeping to himself in his own section of the home. None had quite expected the silent woman to move on from her grief quite as gracefully as she had, except for Chamomile, who had welcomed her and her boys into his home as easily as if she'd been living there for years. Even so, and even has a healer, nothing could have quite prepared him for the news she gave him one quiet afternoon in early spring. "Come again?" he choked, setting down his teacup She perched herself in his lap, her signing slow and deliberate this time. [i]I'm. Pregnant.[/i] "That's what I thought you said. Okay." She waited expectantly, rocking gently back and forth on her perch on his knee as she did. Her grin widened as she watched his expression change multiple times as he processed what she had said. "Oh my Gods." He wrapped his arms around her then, pulling her in tightly for a kiss that she eagerly returned. There was a flurry of signing as she pulled back. [i]I didn't think you'd be so surprised, you are a healer after all.[/i] He couldn't help but laugh at that. "Even I can miss some things, okay? Cut me some slack... You talked with Posca?" [i]Not yet.[/i] "You going to?" [i]Don't know yet. Its not like I haven't done this before.[/i] "True." he chuckled, pulling her close again. She nestled into his grasp comfortably, as if they'd always been like this and that immense tragedy hadn't brought them together. "So... When should we tell the kids?" He felt her amused huff and had to adjust slightly to see her signing. [i]Give it a bit, I think. I don't know if the twins are ready to be big brothers yet.[/i] "They have their own [i]house[/i], dearest. I think one of them might even have a girlfriend..." [i]And? That's different.[/i] "If you say so." [rule]

[rule] [columns][item=gold fly] [nextcol][b]Coliseum time![/b] Insects: 20-30 matches[/columns] [rule] [size=2]A day off was a welcome respite for Chamomile, and they were so few and far between he would take advantage of every bit he could. Today, that was still something acutely work-related, but he thought he'd make a day of it and bring the twins with him while the other two prepared the homestead for their eventual new arrivals. Valmur and Taphrin had taken incredibly well to the news they were going to be older brothers, as did Phantom... In his own way. For now, though, the three of them moved through the trading post, dodging all manner of other dragons and beastclan members. The boys looking thoroughly exhausted but also enamored with their newly purchased hedgehog friends. A reward for a day's work well done, as overpriced as they were. Chamomile was going to struggle a bit to recoup that, but it was worth it for the looks of utter joy on their faces. "So what are we doing? I thought we got everything on the list?" Taphrin asked as they walked, Valmur hot on his heels. "Meeting an old friend." "What kind of old friend?" "Do you always ask this many questions?" Chamomile laughed, and Taphrin grinned in response. "Only when you dance around the answers like that." "Fine. You win. He was a friend of the dragons who raised me, apparently is working as a caravan guard these days and was going to be in the area. Just wanted to drop in to say hello and see if he needs anything." That seemed to sate the two's interests for the time being, until they found the encampment in question. A bustling hub of all manner of beastclan members, from scrappy looking longnecks and raptorik to the occasional regal looking mith or cunning serthis. They seemed to have traveled from all corners of Sornieth to get here. "How are we supposed to find one man in all th-" "Chamomile?! That you, you little rascal?" came a bark from far closer than any of them expected, a rattlesnake-tailed Serthis slithering down from his perch atop one of the wagons he'd been helping to unload. He laughed quite heartily at having made the trio jump, before coming right up and wrapping Chamomile in a warm hug which the healer returned with ease. "Iskei! Folks told me you'd be around. Thought I'd drop by. How's life treating you?" "Eh, some good some bad, you know how things go. This new gig's been treating me pretty well, though." he turned his attention briefly to the twins - who were standing a few paces behind Chamomile politely, letting him have his reunion with some peace. With a glance between Chamomile and the two of them. "They yours?" "In a manner of speaking." he beckoned to the two of them and pointed to them in turn. "This is Valmur and Taphrin. My mate's boys, thought I'd bring them out for errands to get them out of their mother's hair" they looked offended at the very thought they had been getting in their mother's way at all (they had been, quite regularly). "Good on ya." the naga nodded, running a hand through ragged auburn hair. "So you finally settled down? Not more of that travelling business for you?" "It sure seems that way. You'd like the place. Near the canyons closer to the Pillar." he motioned vaguely to the monolithic pillar that was visible even from here. "Y'don't say? Might have to make a visit of my own sometime." Iskei leaned on his staff, glancing at the work bustling around him. "Still got work with this lot to finish up, but maybe after that?" "We'd be glad to have you, whenever you can spare the time." [rule]

[rule] [columns][item=orange highnoon hank] [nextcol][b]Apparel:[/b] Romance! Breed two of your dragons. The dragons you pick are up to you.[/columns][rule] [size=2]Onion was positively losing his mind, the news from Posca that they were expecting again paired with the still all-too-recent loss of their firstborn pair was just about to tip him over the edge into... Gods only knew what, but he was certain he wouldn't like what came out the other side. The only thing settling his raw nerves was his usual craft. Though he was crafting less armor and weapons these days than he had in the past, and more tools for farming and other crafting... Work was still work. Anything to get his mind of the whiplash from the rest of his life. Sure, he'd had children before, he'd lost children before. That was to be expected when your clan was a traveling band of warmongers, though. Not... What he'd expected from civilized life... Nor the death they'd deserved. Wasting away to some unknown illness that all the clan's research so far hadn't found a source or a cure for. He bit back a noise of irritation as he hammered away at the blade of a shovel. It was times like these he wished to be back in the Scarred Wasteland. Life might have been brutal and cutthroat there, but at least that was simple. A very simple cycle of life and death that ticked along like clockwork. If anyone should have been lost to whatever it was that had taken his children... He deemed it should have been him. He'd lived plenty, his multitude of scars and the grey hairs beginning to show at his temples and in his beard more than enough evidence of that. ... They'd hardly lived at all. [rule]

[rule] [columns][item=jar of slime] [nextcol][b]7. Quest time![/b] Pick two dragons at random. They have to go on a quest now. Raise both of them a level. Roll a 6-sided die for each. If it’s a 1, They lose a life or they’re exalted as they were lost in the mission. During Quests, dragons are invincible and cannot die in Coli.[/columns][rule] [size=2]Idris hadn't expected her day to end with sitting on her porch with her mate's ex-wife, but all things considered... It wasn't the worst. Morfael was nice enough, though she could see clearly why the two hadn't stuck together. There was a wanderlust in the other, a wildness that didn't want to be tied down by the likes of Kodan. She didn't fault her for a minute for leaving. The life she now led wasn't one everyone was made out for, but she was [i]more[/i] than content to remain in the confines of their little community while Kodan and his comrades went out to protect and provide. The two of them had been teaching some of the younger ones about the local beastclans and familiars today, and Morfael had brought along a few of her more docile and... Child-friendly familiars. Most of them now dozing in the shade of the yard. "Thanks for asking if I wanted to do this. The animals loved it." "Anyone that has Kodan's good opinion has mine, Mor. You've been here long enough to know that." The other chuckled, leaning back slightly and looking up at the slowly darkening sky of early dusk. "Glad to hear that. Didn't know how he... Or you would feel about me being back in the picture." "I think he's more uncomfortable with it than I am, honestly." Idris laughed as well. "He'll get used to it." "Eventually." [rule]

[rule] [columns][item=iron filigree gauntlets] [nextcol][b]Apparel:[/b] Romance! Breed two of your dragons. The dragons you pick are up to you.[/columns][rule] [size=2]Kodan perched on the edge of Morfael's mattress, which nearly filled the room of the farmhouse she'd been working on cobbling together at the edge of town. It was nice, it was what she deserved. What wasn't nice was the unease in the pit of Kodan's stomach. "This was a mistake." "Mmmm... Might be. I wouldn't be so quick to talk, though." Morfael sprawled among the blankets and furs behind him, and he nearly jumped out of his skin at her touch trailing down his spine. "Don't." "Spoilsport." He didn't respond, nor did he move, claws digging into the bed and threatening to rip the underlying fabric. His own lip gnawed nearly raw at his own inner turmoil. How could she not see this for the problem it was? For the problems it would cause? She'd left him for a reason. What was she playing at with this? "Idris can never know about this." "Mmkay." "I'm serious, Mor." he growled, perhaps a bit more intensely than he should have. "I know you are. You always were." "Hm." "Now, you gonna stick around and let a lady make you dinner, or you planning on leaving in a huff?" [rule]

[rule] [columns][item=greenroot janustrap] [nextcol][b]Familiars:[/b] Buy the cheapest level 1 dragon in the auction house of a specific breed. Use a random number generator to determine which breed you will get! [/columns][rule] [center][b][size=2]CW: physical abuse, marital/spousal abuse[/b][/center] [size=2]Some months had passed since his little tryst with Iayu, and despite his confidence nothing would come of it... Something most certainly had. Something that was getting harder and harder to hide from his mate no matter how many layers of cloth and robes he piled on. He was spending the day in his still meager archive when Marelwyn found him, his steps quiet but determined across the rough-hewn stone before he pressed himself to Reva's back with a hum, hands on the slighter man's hip and shoulder as he held him close. Reva tensed for half a moment before sighing - thought not without the voice screaming in the back of his head at Marelwyn's very presence - and turning his head just slightly to eye the other. "What?" he asked flatly, not entirely keen on being disturbed from his organizing. He knew exactly what, and Marelwyn didn't even deign to answer him, instead digging his claws where he gripped the other, pushing him closer to the shelves. Reva braced himself, prepared to puch the other off of him when Marelwyn's grip changed and both of them froze. The hand at his hip had moved around to his front, and when it was met with the new... addition... the hand from Reva's shoulder snaked threateningly to his throat. "I could be asking you the same thing." the voice was right at his ear, a threatening whisper that turned Reva's blood to ice in his veins. The grip around his throat tightening slightly as Marelwyn pressed forward again, pinning Reva against the shelves. "Who?" [i]Don't tell him.[/i] "Wh-" he gasped for air against the grip around his neck and the press of the shelves. "What are you going to do?" "That's for [i]me[/i] to decide." He moved the hand that had been at Reva's midsection to his hair, tugging back roughly. "Now tell me. [b][i]Who.[/i][/b]" [rule] [size=2]The night had been calm so far for Chamomile and the family, the youngest additions having - amazingly - gone to sleep without much of a fuss. The others had gone off to their own dwellings - Phantom his own attached rooms to their house, and the twins to their small dwelling across the garden - leaving the pair lounging before the fire in the woodstove. When there was an urgent knock at the door. No voice, just the rapid and erratic knocking. Chamomile was on his feet before the other had even had time to move, and if she could have made a frustrated noise, she absolutely would have with the glare she shot after him. Though she was hot on his heels once she'd untangled herself from their blankets. Chamomile had... Certainly not been expecting a battered looking Reva at their door at this hour of the night. An array of nasty bruises springing up across his fair skin, and a not insignificant amount of blood splattered not just on his face but across much of his clothes. He shook like a leaf, looking as though he was about to fall over before bracing himself against the door jam. "Wh- H-" Chamomile stammered before Reva's tear-stained eyes met his. "Marelwyn. He did this." "By the Eleven. Come in, come in." Chamomile was at a loss for words as he ushered their clan's other leader in, the man's Brightbeast hot on his heels, looking frantic over the state her master was in. Reva collapsed onto the couch without a word, his cane falling roughly to the floor - making him flinch - before he folded himself tightly into the seat. His familiar hopping up next to him and wriggling her way into his lap. Chamomile watched as he gripped her like that little beast was his only lifeline, burying his face into her fur with a muffled sob. Chamomile nodded to his mate, and she swept herself off to the kitchen to grab the kettle and simple settings for tea, setting about prepping things while Chamomile settled himself on a stool near Reva. Giving him a moment to collect himself. When he had, the healer was as gentle as he could be with his questioning. "You can tell me as much or as little as you want, but... how badly did he hurt you?" "Looks... Looks worse than it actually is. I'm..." He paused with a shaky breath, trying to keep from sobbing again as he uncurled himself slightly. "I just... I couldn't stay there" "We wouldn't want you to. I'm glad we were still up." Reva nodded with a sniffle, his hands still on the Brightbeast in his lap, fingers in her fluffy fur. The kettle was set on the top of the woodstove and Chamomile nodded once again to his partner once she'd finished preparing things. She perched gently next to Reva, gingerly resting a hand over his, whose grasp he returned with a glance and half-smile. A steady - yet slow - stream of tears running down his cheeks. "I'm going to get some tea ready and... If you don't mind taking a few layers off I can make sure he didn't do any worse damage than you think. I am a healer, after all." Another quiet nod, and he released his grip on his familiar, nudging her to the floor before allowing the other to help him with a small amount of disrobing, his hands still shaking intensely as he did. By the time Chamomile returned with a mug of tea which Reva took in both hands. Chamomile held the other's hands against the mug for a moment, feeling the chill melt away as the warmth from the mug seeped into the other. With a cursory look, Reva seemed correct in his own assumption it looked worse than it was. The worst was probably the bruising around his face and neck, with a few other marks peeking up from beneath his collar and the ends of his sleeves. The blood stains and splatters seemed mostly from lacerations in the same places, and if Chamomile had to guess, he'd have to say a god amount of the blood he'd seen wasn't Reva's. "Guess you gave as good as you got, huh?" Reva chuckled quietly, followed by another sniffle before sipping from the mug of tea as Chamomile poked and prodded, and felt his way around. "Did my best." he sighed. Leaving one hand to hold the mug - resting on his knee - he let the other drift idly to his middle. Chamomile was all too familiar with that idle motion. He'd seen it in enough of his recent patients alone, and shared a glance with his mate, who had also noticed it. Returning his attention to Reva, he met the other's gaze with a raised brow. "The cause, I assume?" "Got it in one." "... Safe to assume its not his?" "What gave it away?" Chamomile made a sweeping gesture at... well... everything. Which brought another half-smile to Reva's face. He chuckled in response as well, before leaning back on his stool again. "Lets get you cleaned up a little and see if we can find some clean clothes, hm?" [rule]