Estylwen

Dark Beyond: Voices of the Past

@SporkoBug All good, Irl takes priority. The post looks great!

Recollections: Primal Sinister

Oh heck ya.

Iris Ascendis

Ciara Ventura

Iris Record, Third Floor, Mysterious Cathedral -> Second Floor
@Nanaya, @AThousandCurses

---

It worked. It had actually worked. Tasted awful, but had worked. The reptiles’ numbers decreased, and none were actively trying to eat them, having been eaten by Ciara. She ran her tongue over her teeth, making a face.

Gross.

Clutching Davil closer, Ciara kept moving as fast as she could towards the darkness of the entrance. Her skin pickled at the back of her neck, and she looked back just in time. An orb, crushing even the light rays towards its epicenter as it rolled towards them. Davil immediately felt pulled in her arms, as if he was magnetically attracted to the orb. She twisted, facing the orb head on as she backed up. Tentacles that were stronger than her arms wrapped around and held tight to Davil as she cursed under her breath, gritting her teeth. Its pull was becoming too strong. Rebound cut across her chest and face as tentacles increased their grip on Davil.

She refused to let go of Davil. Damn the rebound. Damn this power! If it was going to take him, it would take her too.

“I-I'm… sorry.” Ciara gritted out in a low voice to Davil, confident these were their last moments.

Until another object collided with the gravity orb, cutting off its power, rocking Ciara back on her feet with the sudden lack of resistance. The tentacles dispersed, and once more Davil was held merely by Ciara's clutching arms.

Ciara's eyes widened, catching the cold glance of the Head Advisor.

Instinctively, Ciara swallowed nervously.

"Leave now, and we will speak of things later, Ventura. Your final judgment is yet to come. Go!”

Head Advisor

”...Right.” Ciara spoke low, her face held in an unconscious wince. With a quick glance to Davil, she spun on her heels and once again dashed towards the entrance, ignoring the blood seeping from her rebound cuts.

"Ciara! Stay near me. We'll go down to the second floor and I can provide basic first aid to Davil.”

Chunji

Ciara's head spun, catching Chungi's gaze just as the both of them entered the darkness of the hallway once more.

”Got it!” Ciara growled out.

They were almost there. They were gonna make it. Davil was gonna make it!

Small feelers spread out from Ciara's feet, eliciting a groan from her as another cut slashed across her body. However, the feelers alerted her to the shapes of the hallway, and she was able to reach the stairwell after a minute or so. Abruptly, darkness fell away, and the blinding lights of the stairwell leading down into the second floor greeting them. Ciara’s feelers melted away, and she stumbled briefly, leaning against the wall with Davil.

Heavy breathing. Then gritting her teeth again, redoubling her efforts to carry Davil dutifully down the staircase.

Her eyes glanced to Chunji. He too, didn't look hot.

“Chunji…?” Ciara's voice had a slight panic to it. He looked like he'd pass out at any moment.

Her gaze dropped to Davil. His blood covered her. How close was he to death?

Making a desperate grunt under her breath, Ciara stared down the hallway and opened her mouth, yelling as loud as she could, nearly ripping her vocal cords out.

“Guards! Guards! We need a medic!”

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

Meanwhile Anabel trying not to spit out her oatcake while giggling.

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

Hehe, true. However, her concern is more about the certain shadow that came out of the duke's shadow...

Also, Raiden's dragon!

Jikoryss

Jikoryss

50 | He/him | Dragon

Description: Jikoryss was in illegal fantastical fighting rings for the majority of his life, all throughout his juvenile years and some of his adult years. He acquired many scars from these brutal fights against unicorns, centaurs, griffins and other exotic creatures. However, he often found himself as the winner, ensuring he outlived the other, less fortunate creatures.

A certain barmaid overheard one of her tables talking about a particular green dragon set to fight again that night. Raiden was able to glean that secret from her with some… charm and charisma. He was then able to infiltrate the fighting ring and free the dragon.

Jikoryss, feeling in debt to Raiden for his rescue, has agreed to help Raiden for a few years, until the debt is repaid.

Magic/Seed: Jikoryss is able to breathe electrical fire. He can fly. He also has physically and magically-resistant scales, allowing him to withstand weak-to-mid attacks.

I think we could use one more round, posts from @Irradiant, @ERode, and @Click This, before this scene concludes?

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

Plaza at the Pier, Execution Platform

@Irradiant, @Click This, @ERode

---

“Look out!”

Guards dove out of the way as a bright flame was launched towards them, narrowly escaping the blast radius. The attack had been successful, however, as not all were able to escape the blast in time, charred corpses on the platform.

“She is dangerous. We must not let her reach the Queen. Not her, nor the pyromancer, or that warrior.”

Sir Hayworth

There was the lightest sense of appreciation decorating Vulluin's gaze as he side-eyed the warrior. His voice rose over the chaos, directed to the guards.

“Protect Her Majesty, arrest the intruders, and secure the duke!”

The remaining guards acted quickly, coming down from the other side of the raised platform to form a protective line in front of the Wizard Queen and the rest of the nobles. Others stalked around the charred corpses, eyes on the Sparrow, his dragon, and Duke Willowsteel.

Duke Willowsteel watched with silence as the lit arrows soared towards him. His eyes flicked to Duke Rhinecliff, before they shut.

Surely, this was the end.

Well, not if Raiden had anything to say about it.

Raiden saw the arrows shot by Duke Rhinecliff arcing towards Duke Willowsteel, and acted fast. A low whistle under his breath, and the green dragon twisted around the duke, forming a protective barrier. The arrows hit the dragon's scales, the scales glowing white slightly with each impact, before bouncing off harmlessly.

Unwinding slightly, the dragon's head reached down as low as possible. With a grunt, Raiden leaned down and grabbed Sev's arm, practically dragging the man onto the dragon. With one last curt whistle, Raiden made eye contact with Duke Rhinecliff, then the Wizard Queen, gave a mock salute, and the dragon took off into the sky.

Guards hollered, throwing all manner of spells, fireballs, and electrical attack at the receding figure. Alas, simple twirls in the sky, and the dragon managed to dodge most, before it was naught but a speck against the evening sky.

Now?

The collective rage of the Queen's guards was now wholly focused on Islara and her two Sparrows. Vulluin as well, as his face settled into a delicate scowl.

As Duchess Agustria's personal hand approached the side of Sir Hayworth's side, Vulluin eyed her. Someone capable of evening the odds more. Good. It would be more likely they'd be able to apprehend and questions these meddlers.

”Take them alive if you can. If not, at least one to suffer being tied to a post will do.” Vulluin said, raising his hands towards the three Sparrows.

Immediately, the sky overhead clouded, and shards of ice, sharp like glass, began raining down on Islara and her companions. The guards, obediently, backed up so as to stay out of range, closing their ranks around the Wizard Queen. Vulluin, at the same time, activated his Seed, hoping to imbue them with enough fear to sow discord among their ranks.

Meanwhile, one of the guards slunk around to the side of the Wizard Queen, bowing before whispering in her ear. In the next instant, her eyes narrowed as her gaze locked on Duke Rhinecliff.

Magic in the Park

@CavnderOHeart Ooh, then we may end up being friends. evil laugh

@ERode Now you got me thinking...

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

Slight delay on my end, I'll aim to have a post up tomorrow.

Magic in the Park

Presenting Reina Asher! Please let me know how she looks! :)

Reina Asher

Reina Asher

26 | She/her | 5’4 ft. | 120 pounds

Background:

It was a blood sacrifice.

As customary of House Asher, families would give up their first-born son or daughter to Yusei, a powerful eldritch horror of Spider Lily Halls, Yusei's territory within the Dark City. The ritual was elaborate, and usually ended up with the same fate. Death.

The parents always had a hope, though, that their child would be chosen.

Most often, as it was the past ten years, Yusei would take the offerings and leave not a trace, consuming the child and all the years of life prescribed to it. However, when little Reina was presented at the alter, instead of vanishing like all the rest… a prismal light descended on her. The little albino opened her muddy brown eyes, and in a flash, red light burst forth from the depths of them, permanently changing them. The mark of Yusei.

As the child grew, she spent much of her time in Yusei's charge. As her diet changed from food to devouring years, much like her master, Yusei taught her how to capture and eat weaker monsters in the Dark City, and tame the stronger ones.

Yusei also helped Reina navigate the labyrinth, leading her down to rooms that would allow her to summon the monsters she had tamed, and subjugate the foolhardy with the powers of obscurity.

Being chosen by Yusei put Reina in the reigning position of House Asher, and elevated her family. Yes, there are many who would eliminate her within the Family, hoping Yusei would be forced to choose their first born. Others still play political games, hoping to make Reina their puppet.

House Asher, of course, is steeped in the obscurity aspect, often using spells that prey on the unaware and curse those who look at the House the wrong way. The families within the House are cult-like, seeking to be favored by Yusei and his subjects.

No one quite realizes the toll having your soul connected to Yusei brings. Not only did Yusei devour half of Reina's lifespan, but Reina lives with varying degrees of madness she is trying to find a cure.

Yusei's goal, of course, is to devour the lifespans of Reina's enemies, and pushes her for military power and domain expansion.

Reina, being at the pinnacle of it all, has enemies both inside and outside of House Asher. But under the guidance of Yusei, she will lead the House to greatness, making it the greatest powerhouse in the city.

Crest: Obscurity, a complicated floral tattoo on her right hand.

Craft:

Reina's Craft can be broken down into facets:

Sustenance

Reina has the ability to absorb the lifespan of someone or something with a simple touch. The more years she takes, the longer the absorption takes. For example, to absorb 50 years it could take upwards of ten minutes.

Summoning

Reina has the ability to summon eldritch beings from the Dark City to Realspace to fight for her or accomplish tasks she normally wouldn't be able to complete on her own. She would have needed to defeat this being before being able to command it.

Riding the Dimensional Drift

Reina is able to travel between Realspace and the Dark City, using portals to flit from one area to the next in a chain reaction. If she wants to move from one spot to another in Realspace, she would open a portal to the Dark City. Then, from the Dark City, she would teleport to her chosen destination in Realspace.

Cursed Physical Subjugation

Reina is able to conjure various ways to torture and subjugate those around her. For example, creating a black hole that follows someone around, slowly gaining vacuum power, until it swallows them. Or, cutting someone and cursing the wound so it continues to bleed, ensuring they bleed out. Or, striking someone with a dark bolt that slowly transforms their body to stone.

Mental Attack and Dissemination

Reina is able to pull at the strings of the soul, and attack someone at the mental level. Once her mind smashes down their front door, so to speak, she is able to read and warp memories, implant thoughts, and embed commands like sleeper cells, to be completed once certain conditions are met.

Curse of Yusei

As an Ultimate, Reina is able to summon Yusei, who appears in the sky like a big red eye, transforming the area into one of nightmares and blood. Their tentacles come up from the ground, destroying buildings with ease. Anyone looking up at the eye or the blood on the ground will begin to go mad.

Umbra: The Abyssal Connection

Wow, that's a wicked co-op post, nicely done!

It looks perfect. An excellent first transformation.

I think it's @rabidbacon's turn before I post again. :)