Hand of the Mist
Committed
Roleplay posts: 57
Registered: Mar 26, 2021 0:51:23 GMT -5
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Post by Hand of the Mist on Nov 10, 2021 16:36:01 GMT -5
Below the mountains and above the valleys lay the moorlands of the far north, where the hills are laden with rain and mist and one can see for miles. Thickets sprout up along creeks and hide many a secret. Who will be the first to learn of their whispers?
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Faces in the Mist
Committed
Roleplay posts: 50
Appearance: The mist swirls and whirls, whispering its secrets to whoever may listen.
Registered: Mar 19, 2021 19:13:05 GMT -5
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Post by Faces in the Mist on Nov 10, 2021 19:27:44 GMT -5
Deep within the mist-shrouded moors laid a shallow pool, untouched since its creation but for the various creatures of the land. The blanket of fog that seemed never to release its grip on the region cast the whole scene in a soft twilight, making the faint bluish glow emanating from the pool visible to any who cared to look. Small, slender-bodied fish populated the pool, sliding in and out of crevices in the smooth black stones that littered its bottom and provided shelter for all manner of aquatic creatures. At the surface, animals dipped their heads to drink, unbothered by predators as they tasted the cool, clean water. It was a scene of utter tranquility, accompanied by the gentle rustle of wind in the trees and the chirping of birds. The serenity was marred by a small patch of the mist growing darker, a shadow appearing within. A figure began to appear, emerging bit by bit as though rising from the depths of some vast ocean. First a head appeared, followed by a slender body and dark, feathered wings. After several moments, Khepri Goldenfeather emerged fully from the mist and was flung bodily to the ground. It was as though she were a foul morsel being spat out by a giant, ejected from the mist and thrown into the mud at the edge of the glowing pool. A strange, deer-like creature stared down at her, sniffing cautiously at her wings. Rather than having hooves, its feet seemed to end in several long, rather delicate-looking fingers that sank into the soft mud by Khepri's face. Reaching out a curious fingertip, the deer-thing touched her hair, leaving a streak of thick mud in the black silken locks. A little ways behind the deer, a bird fell from the sky. It landed on the ground and began to thrash, the jerking of its wings eerily reminiscent of a hanged man's final dance at the end of a rope. The wretched creature didn't cry out as it seized, but was very obviously in a great deal of pain.
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Khepri Goldenfeather
Committed
Roleplay posts: 96
Appearance: Smattered in golden feathers, Khepri glimmers from dawn to dusk. Vast, dark wings, lightening to ivory toward her spine, spread outward above her broad hips, supporting an otherwise petite frame. Black hair, straight as a waterfall, surrounds a round face. She has sharp, dangerous eyes that mimic the time of day, plump lips that tell you what you want to hear, and honey-sweet skin to ease her features. The only interruption to an otherwise heavenly visage is a pair of feet with toes and a heel ending in talons.
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Registered: Mar 23, 2021 19:54:50 GMT -5
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Post by Khepri Goldenfeather on Nov 11, 2021 1:58:09 GMT -5
The duralam cried out as she hit the mud, voice hoarse and filled with surprise. Light swam in her vision, taking from her the ability to gather herself with any modicum of grace. Khepri scrambled in the mud for a while, listening to her harried breathing and the squelch of dirt and moisture beneath her hands. When at last the light faded from her eyes, she scraped her bangs from her forehead and looked up, only to see the fingers of a strange, barely-familiar animal pointed towards her. Screaming, she scrambled back, wings whirring in circles to give her momentum. As she stared in horror, a bird fell to the ground behind it, dying in the act of torture. The duralam's gut sank.
In a panic, she scrambled to her feet and raised her wings, attempting to fly up and away from this terrifying place, but no sooner did she try did she find herself vomiting in the sheer amount of pain that seared through the muscles in her back and the joints of her wings. Her vision whited out for a second time, and she dropped to her knees. A minute passed before the pain subsided enough for her to come to. The cliff! Snapping her wings and straining them while carrying Nomi had to be what caused the pain. But what then? Was there no escape? Was this the end of Khepri Goldenfeather? And what of Nomi, what happened to them?
Wallowing in self-pity and fear, Khepri curled her wings around her, trying to block out the horrors of everything she'd witnessed in the last day. Terror scrambled her thoughts to such an extent that she could only sob incoherently to herself.
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Faces in the Mist
Committed
Roleplay posts: 50
Appearance: The mist swirls and whirls, whispering its secrets to whoever may listen.
Registered: Mar 19, 2021 19:13:05 GMT -5
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Post by Faces in the Mist on Nov 11, 2021 15:47:13 GMT -5
As though sensing her distress, the deer-thing stepped closer, stepping carefully through the mud on the very tips of its long, smooth fingers. It bent its head down to her level, leaning forward to lap at her salty tears. The creature's tongue seemed unnaturally long, stretching a full arm's length from its mouth and twisting through the air like a snake until it flicked across her cheek. Reaching out another fingertip, it prodded at her once more, as though curious as to how a creature could be so soft. After a few moments, it tiptoed its way over to the edge of the water and dipped a finger beneath the glowing surface. When it stepped back towards her, it kept the foot raised, not touching the mud as it approached. When the strange creature touched its newly dampened fingertip to her face, Khepri would feel a small sense of calm and serenity emanating from its touch. The pain faded slightly as the glowing pool's water ran down her skin, and the deer-thing gave her a studious look. The thing's eyes had an odd sort of intelligence behind them, and it nodded meaningfully towards the pool.
Up above, the clouds and mist grew darker. Droplets of rain began to fall from the sky, along with another couple of birds. They hit the ground and were immediately set upon by the same convulsions as the first one, but none of them seemed particularly close to death. Even now, the first bird still thrashed on the ground, its frantic wingbeats splattering mud all around.
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Khepri Goldenfeather
Committed
Roleplay posts: 96
Appearance: Smattered in golden feathers, Khepri glimmers from dawn to dusk. Vast, dark wings, lightening to ivory toward her spine, spread outward above her broad hips, supporting an otherwise petite frame. Black hair, straight as a waterfall, surrounds a round face. She has sharp, dangerous eyes that mimic the time of day, plump lips that tell you what you want to hear, and honey-sweet skin to ease her features. The only interruption to an otherwise heavenly visage is a pair of feet with toes and a heel ending in talons.
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Registered: Mar 23, 2021 19:54:50 GMT -5
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Post by Khepri Goldenfeather on Nov 11, 2021 20:26:18 GMT -5
When Khepri felt those fingers on her skin again, her grunts and whimpers did not cease. She leaned backward, the pain flaring up as her back touched the ground. The strangeness of the imagery around her, combined with the pain, threatened to drive her insane. Her head became light, darkness ebbing at the edges of her vision. It was then that the horrendous, finger-having deer dribbled the glowing water against her. Though she fought to draw away from it, panic boiling through her veins again, she suddenly stopped. The feeling coursing through her mind was like jumping into a cold puddle in the middle of a hot summer. It allowed her to take the breath of air that was stuck in her throat, one the duralam was unaware she was holding. She looked at the deer with a bit less fear and a touch more curiosity now, her eyes half-lidded in fatigue. Even as the birds fell around her, seizing into death, she made no move to run.
"What... are you?" she asked the creature, tilting her head. She looked past it, at the pool it gestured toward. If it could sooth her aching mind, would it soothe her wings?
Carefully, the woman rolled onto her feet and trudged through the pool. She dipped a toe in first, then began to lower herself into the glowing liquid little by little.
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Faces in the Mist
Committed
Roleplay posts: 50
Appearance: The mist swirls and whirls, whispering its secrets to whoever may listen.
Registered: Mar 19, 2021 19:13:05 GMT -5
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Post by Faces in the Mist on Nov 11, 2021 21:20:36 GMT -5
More rain fell from the sky, fat droplets that splattered in the mud and sent ripples through the previously glassy surface of the glowing pool. With it came more birds, dropping out of the air and landing on the ground all around her in thrashing, twisted heaps. Just as with the first, not one of the convulsing animals cried out as they suffered, silent despite their wide-open beaks. They flailed in the mud, as pitiful and helpless as pinned butterflies. Another one would land every few moments, splattering the mud or thudding into the ground with their impacts.
When Khepri made her way over towards the pool and began to dip herself into it, the relief was immediate. The cool water soothed her aching muscles and calmed her strained nerves, filling her mind with an almost ethereal serenity. This was very clearly no ordinary pool, and the deer-thing snuffled approvingly as she sank into it. The glow of the water pulsed, brightening and dimming in a smooth, slow cycle like a gentle heartbeat.
Now that Khepri seemed to be doing better, the deer-thing seemed to finally notice the birds, its ears drooping down as it saw the dying creatures. Tiptoeing its way to the nearest bird, it sniffed cautiously at the stricken creature, nudging it with its snout. As it inspected the bird, the rain began to change. Inky black droplets began to fall from the mist interspersed with the raindrops, splattering on the ground like drops of oil. Where they landed, vegetation withered and died, grass turning brown in an instant and crumbling to dust. If she paid close attention, Khepri would notice that the black drops that landed in the pool vanished with a soft sizzle, rather than dispersing into the water.
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Nomi
Committed
Roleplay posts: 64
Age: 24
Appearance: A young, diminutive human with pale white hair and soft yellow eyes, donning simple robes befitting the life of a nomad. The robe's left sleeve has been ripped off completely, exposing runic tattoos along the length of their arm, and a fresh gash made by the claws of a monster. Though much of the rest of their skin is covered by their robes, the ends of more tattoos can be seen creeping along their neck and wrists.
Equipment: Their possessions are few in number - A gnarled wooden staff, a dagger, a leather pouch containing divining equipment, and the clothes on their back.
Skills and Abilities: Nomi is a Seer of their people before arriving in the Mists, and has limited capabilities in ways of divination. However, these talents are known by them to be unreliable at best - they prefer to rely on their wits in order to get by in the new world.
Registered: Jun 11, 2021 0:33:43 GMT -5
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Post by Nomi on Nov 12, 2021 2:49:30 GMT -5
Nomi hadn't bothered to wait for their robe to dry. The damn thing was still soaked through from the storm, and there was no point in slogging about in the wilderness when all it would serve to do was slow them down. The seer rushed through the wilds, wearing little more than a cloth vest and trousers. The cool evening air bit at the bare skin of their arms, black tattoos stark against the paleness of their skin in the twilight. Staff gripped tightly in their hand, Nomi could feel their mind racing, dread taking hold of their heart at the thought of, of...
No. No. They weren't even going to entertain the idea. Khepri was alive. They were safe now, both of them. They had made it to the island, survived the mists, the flood, and nobody had to DIE anymore, Gods DAMN IT ALL!
The nomad slammed a fist against the side of their head, distressed, banishing those useless thoughts away to some other dark corner. They couldn't afford let their mind spiral like this. Nomi had to keep their wits about them - they had no idea how much time they had left to find Khepri, or if whatever had taken hold of her would claim Nomi as its next victim.
They raced through the moor, eyes wildly scanning every gap in the treeline for signs of a stray feather, a lock of dark hair. Their dream had given them direction, but Khepri could still be anywhere. Living their whole life in the vast expanse of Komali, Nomi could have never imagined that an island could feel this massive. Faced now with the enormity of their surroundings, the sheer scope of it felt like it could easily swallow them whole.
"Khepri!" Nomi called out into the wilderness, their voice strained with panic. "Khepri, are you out there? Anywhere?"
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Khepri Goldenfeather
Committed
Roleplay posts: 96
Appearance: Smattered in golden feathers, Khepri glimmers from dawn to dusk. Vast, dark wings, lightening to ivory toward her spine, spread outward above her broad hips, supporting an otherwise petite frame. Black hair, straight as a waterfall, surrounds a round face. She has sharp, dangerous eyes that mimic the time of day, plump lips that tell you what you want to hear, and honey-sweet skin to ease her features. The only interruption to an otherwise heavenly visage is a pair of feet with toes and a heel ending in talons.
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Registered: Mar 23, 2021 19:54:50 GMT -5
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Post by Khepri Goldenfeather on Nov 12, 2021 21:11:34 GMT -5
It was only once Khepri was in the pool, which seeped the pain from her bruised limbs like oil into water, that her clouded thoughts began to clear. The rain of dying birds was unmistakable now, and it wasn't just one or two... it was dozens. A chill ran up her body, making her shudder. It was then she saw her reflection in the pool, drenched in the rain... no. Whatever it was, it wasn't rainwater. It left her looking like a ghoul drenched in darkness and rot. She grabbed at the water and doused her face with it, finding the oil sizzling against her skin. She yelped. What was happening!?
Just then, another voice called out in the mist. She knew this voice! Incredulous, she replied with a squeal, "Nomi?!"
There she was, sitting in a glowing pool, surrounded by dying birds and a menacing torrent of blackness. She wondered if the same would happen to them should they stay out there?
"Nomi! Follow my voice! You'll die out there!"
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Faces in the Mist
Committed
Roleplay posts: 50
Appearance: The mist swirls and whirls, whispering its secrets to whoever may listen.
Registered: Mar 19, 2021 19:13:05 GMT -5
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Post by Faces in the Mist on Nov 13, 2021 15:20:22 GMT -5
Off in the mist, a clairvoyant searched for a missing friend as dying birds hit the ground and the sky bled black sludge. Nomi would be able to hear Khepri's voice easily enough, calling out from within the mist like a lighthouse's bell as she guided her friend towards the safety of the pool. Its water really did seem to offer some protection from the black rain, washing away the inky goop from Khepri's skin and leaving a cool, soothing sensation in its place. While sitting in the glowing water, it seemed that the bird-woman would be alright...for the time being.
Nomi, however, was not so lucky. Heavy black droplets splattered on their hair and face, stinging their skin and clinging to their clothes. The drops were disconcertingly warm to the touch, contrasting sharply with the cold rain. The droplets ran strangely, seeming to cling together and coalesce into larger blobs rather than sliding downwards. As the nomad ran, they'd manage to spot the outline of a deer standing stiffly, staring off into the distance. Behind it sat Khepri in a pool of water, glowing like an angel offering salvation to the wretched.
As the black drops hit the ground and began to soak into the dirt, the wildlife began to take notice. Hundreds of worms and beetles began wriggling their way out of the soil, twitching and convulsing wildly as they tried to escape the ooze seeping into the ground. A rabbit licked at a droplet and froze, trembling slightly. A few moments later, its head twisted around backwards with a sharp crack. The rabbit began to hop off, head lolling wildly on its broken neck.
The most noticeable effect of the rain, however, was on the deer-thing. As dark droplets seeped together and ran into its eyes and mouth, the creature stood stock-still, muscles tensing and twitching. After a few seconds, it suddenly stood upright on its hind legs, fingers scratching and squeezing at the grass as it swayed unsteadily. The fingers of its forelimbs flexed sharply, the joints hyperextending until they bent backwards. Taking slow, wobbly steps, the deer walked its way over to the nearest tree and began to slam its head into the trunk again and again, each impact eliciting a sickening crunch. After five blows, its antlers shattered, splintering and falling to the ground. After ten, blood was splattered on the trunk and over the creature's head. Still it continued, smashing its head against the tree in its gruesome, steady rhythm as the flesh began to tear away from its skull. All the while, the black rain continued to fall.
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Nomi
Committed
Roleplay posts: 64
Age: 24
Appearance: A young, diminutive human with pale white hair and soft yellow eyes, donning simple robes befitting the life of a nomad. The robe's left sleeve has been ripped off completely, exposing runic tattoos along the length of their arm, and a fresh gash made by the claws of a monster. Though much of the rest of their skin is covered by their robes, the ends of more tattoos can be seen creeping along their neck and wrists.
Equipment: Their possessions are few in number - A gnarled wooden staff, a dagger, a leather pouch containing divining equipment, and the clothes on their back.
Skills and Abilities: Nomi is a Seer of their people before arriving in the Mists, and has limited capabilities in ways of divination. However, these talents are known by them to be unreliable at best - they prefer to rely on their wits in order to get by in the new world.
Registered: Jun 11, 2021 0:33:43 GMT -5
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Post by Nomi on Nov 13, 2021 16:42:16 GMT -5
Even while suffering the sting of the black rain, Nomi felt every muscle in their body relax as their eyes finally came to rest on Khepri. She looked a little worse for wear, but she was alive - and even with her hair streaked with mud, she was as striking as ever. They would have cheered with joy if it weren't for the fact that only seconds ago, they had watched an adorable, innocent rabbit violently murder itself.
Nomi pouted. They loved rabbits.
They fought back the urge to call out to Khepri, keeping their lips pressed tightly together while trudging through the mire. Everywhere they looked, they saw the horror of the black ooze take shape, coating every surface with its clinging embrace. Everywhere, except in the aura of the pool surrounding Khepri. Right now, it was all Nomi had to go on, and they guessed that couldn't afford to stay in this deluge of corruption for much longer.
As Nomi approached the pool, they also were forced to enter the general proximity of the deer. They watched its transformation with growing concern, quickly being replaced by abject horror as the creature began to mutilate itself against the bloodied bark of the tree. The nomad tried to give the creature as wide of a berth as they could manage, but their first priority was making it to Khepri before something truly terrible happened to themself. They would simply have to hope that the deer was too busy bashing its own skull in to take notice of little old them.
Nomi felt their pace begin to slow with every drop of black rain. It stuck to their skin, their clothes, their hair, coagulating in horrible sticky masses that stung their skin. Heavy globs of black ooze began to form where the rain had collected, making it more and more difficult to wrench their boots from the ground in order to take another step. They were so close, now... would it be enough?
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Khepri Goldenfeather
Committed
Roleplay posts: 96
Appearance: Smattered in golden feathers, Khepri glimmers from dawn to dusk. Vast, dark wings, lightening to ivory toward her spine, spread outward above her broad hips, supporting an otherwise petite frame. Black hair, straight as a waterfall, surrounds a round face. She has sharp, dangerous eyes that mimic the time of day, plump lips that tell you what you want to hear, and honey-sweet skin to ease her features. The only interruption to an otherwise heavenly visage is a pair of feet with toes and a heel ending in talons.
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Registered: Mar 23, 2021 19:54:50 GMT -5
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Post by Khepri Goldenfeather on Nov 16, 2021 23:58:14 GMT -5
As the deer slammed its head into the tree over and over again, creating lines in its skull, Khepri felt a similar fracture developing in her mind. The sheer horror of the events unfolding before her planted something deep within, where it tilled the fields of her psyche with every new sight. It was only the shuffle of feet that tore her eyes away from the unfolding hell around her, resting upon the only person she'd hoped to see at that moment: Nomi.
While Khepri knew there were hot tears spilling down her face, they were indistinguishable from the black substance. She shook like a dry branch in the wind, hanging on by splinters. "Nomi-" she rasped quietly. She reached a hand out to grab at their sleeve, coaxing them into the pool. "You're covered! Get in... quickly... it's killing it... um, I think." Her voice, which was a bold and confident lilt when they first met, was now tiny and trembling. Her wings and tail were pulled in as close to her as possible.
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Faces in the Mist
Committed
Roleplay posts: 50
Appearance: The mist swirls and whirls, whispering its secrets to whoever may listen.
Registered: Mar 19, 2021 19:13:05 GMT -5
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Post by Faces in the Mist on Nov 17, 2021 1:00:19 GMT -5
As Nomi crept quietly past the deer, its oddly pointy ears perked up. It paused in its self-mutilation, freezing stock-still with its head halfway to the splintered trunk. Its head turned slowly, swiveling towards Nomi in a smooth, almost mechanical motion. A dull, sickening crack rang out as its neck snapped, allowing it to spin its blood-covered face towards the nomad like an owl. The creature's forehead was partially caved in, its antlers shattered into jagged nubs. One eye bulged unnaturally, forced from its socket by the imploded skull. The other was almost entirely bloodshot, but focused on Nomi with the deadly certainty of a predator. The deer turned away from the tree, still tottering on two legs as its body turned to match the direction of its head. Reaching out its long-fingered hands towards the wanderer, it began stepping forward, its fingers grasping and twitching. It just barely managed to snatch at a loose piece of clothing before Nomi pulled away, fleeing to the water's edge.
As Khepri pulled her friend towards the safety of the pool, the water hissed. The black sludge on Nomi's skin and clothes burned away, creating a cloud of acrid smoke that smelled vaguely of bile and rotting flesh. As it vanished, the pool's radiance dimmed, its pulsing slowing down and fading slightly. The sense of calm and security Khepri felt would lessen slightly, allowing the tendrils of fear and anxiety to take root once more. Nomi, however, would find the pool's water somewhat calming. As the two reunited, the deer advanced. Its steps were unsteady, wobbling and stumbling in the mud. Its one good eye, however, remained focused on Nomi.
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Nomi
Committed
Roleplay posts: 64
Age: 24
Appearance: A young, diminutive human with pale white hair and soft yellow eyes, donning simple robes befitting the life of a nomad. The robe's left sleeve has been ripped off completely, exposing runic tattoos along the length of their arm, and a fresh gash made by the claws of a monster. Though much of the rest of their skin is covered by their robes, the ends of more tattoos can be seen creeping along their neck and wrists.
Equipment: Their possessions are few in number - A gnarled wooden staff, a dagger, a leather pouch containing divining equipment, and the clothes on their back.
Skills and Abilities: Nomi is a Seer of their people before arriving in the Mists, and has limited capabilities in ways of divination. However, these talents are known by them to be unreliable at best - they prefer to rely on their wits in order to get by in the new world.
Registered: Jun 11, 2021 0:33:43 GMT -5
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Post by Nomi on Nov 19, 2021 17:36:33 GMT -5
Nomi gasped as the pool's embrace enveloped them, banishing away the ooze that clung to their body. It was a weight taken off their shoulders, both figuratively and literally. They allowed themself a few precious moments to catch their breath, even though it was clear they weren't out of danger yet.
It was just... finally, she was here. Even before they had the chance to think about it, the nomad found their arms wrapped tightly around Khepri, pulling her in close. They were beyond relieved to see her again, to be close to her. They had never seen her like this, so weak and terrified. Before the river had taken hold of them, it had always felt as though Khepri towered above Nomi when she spoke to them. But now, trembling here in their arms... she felt so very, very small.
"Hey... hey. Breathe. I'm right here." Nomi gripped Khepri's shoulder, locking their eyes with hers and speaking in calm, comforting tones. "You and I are going to get out of this, okay?"
The seer smiled at the duralam, even as they heard the heavy footsteps of the deer growing closer behind them. They released Khepri, turning to face the monstrosity face-to-face. "Are you hurt? Can you fly?" Nomi asked, staff gripped tightly in their hands. They interposed themself between the bird and the beast, taking up the rudiments of a defensive stance and drawing upon every shred of strength they currently held. Nomi analyzed the monster as it stared back at them with that singular, distended eye, vile black filth decorating every inch of its wretched body. The ooze didn't seem to agree with the pool of water they took shelter in - perhaps they could use that to their advantage? Perhaps Khepri was right after all, and the ooze would do the work for them - but all the same, it was never a bad idea to start looking for alternative solutions.
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Khepri Goldenfeather
Committed
Roleplay posts: 96
Appearance: Smattered in golden feathers, Khepri glimmers from dawn to dusk. Vast, dark wings, lightening to ivory toward her spine, spread outward above her broad hips, supporting an otherwise petite frame. Black hair, straight as a waterfall, surrounds a round face. She has sharp, dangerous eyes that mimic the time of day, plump lips that tell you what you want to hear, and honey-sweet skin to ease her features. The only interruption to an otherwise heavenly visage is a pair of feet with toes and a heel ending in talons.
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Registered: Mar 23, 2021 19:54:50 GMT -5
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Post by Khepri Goldenfeather on Nov 21, 2021 23:23:04 GMT -5
Khepri slowed her breathing, which had been shallow and quick. Now that she had Nomi in the pool, it became easier, but her heart refused to slow. Sle clung to their robes and used them as a lifeline she wasn't convinced she actually had. "How?" she whispered. "My wings are wet. Even if I could fly, I couldn't lift you. I could only glide when we leaped from the cliff! I- no, go away!" The woman spat, interrupting her harried response for a growl that turned into a caw. The response was strange for such a singsong voice, but it was undoubtedly birdlike. She pulled them away from the deer as it neared them, its neck was broken and dangling, blood dripping from its splintered skull. The duralam felt bile boil up from her stomach and through her gullet, threatening to bubble up through her mouth. She slapped a hand over her lips and swallowed it.
"The pool... heals. Maybe it'll help the creature?" she dribbled, wiping her mouth. She made sure there was a wide berth between them and the sick deer. "Do you know what this thing is? This black rain. It's killing the birds! It's making things mad!"
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Faces in the Mist
Committed
Roleplay posts: 50
Appearance: The mist swirls and whirls, whispering its secrets to whoever may listen.
Registered: Mar 19, 2021 19:13:05 GMT -5
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Post by Faces in the Mist on Nov 23, 2021 19:57:58 GMT -5
Amidst the horror and death that surrounded them all, the two weary travelers were granted a small concession: the black rain had stopped falling. It seemed that the tears of madness from the clouds above had run dry, leaving nothing but clean, icy-cold rainwater in its wake. The damage, however, had already been done. Every living creature touched by the black sludge outside of the protection of the pool thrashed and flailed except for the deer, which still stood at the edge of the water. Not even the pool itself had gone unscathed, its radiance having visibly faded after absorbing so much of the black rain.
The deer wobbled on its hind legs, fingers digging into the soft mud, and stared at the two of them. Its gaze was still fixed on Nomi, but it seemed reluctant to get into the pool itself. After a long moment, the creature spasmed and seized, its limbs flailing. It fell forward into the pool, splashing face-first into the luminescent water as it collapsed. Blood began to tinge the water red as the black sludge seeping from the creature hissed and spat, sizzling when it came in contact with the pond itself. Rivulets of black sludge began to flow backwards, running up over the back of the deer's body and back onto the land as though it were a living thing. It seeped into the muddy earth, vanishing in the slick black muck. The sizzling ceased, the pool's radiance now barely a fraction of what it had once been. The soothing aura from the water was now little more than a suggestion, barely noticeable unless Khepri or Nomi paid close attention. For a moment, everything was silent.
All of a sudden, the ground erupted. Thousands of beetles, worms, larvae, and other loathsome creatures boiled out from the earth, the twitching of their legs a clear indicator that they'd been poisoned by the sludge. The tormented bugs clustered together into a mass, clambering and twisting their bodies together until a cohesive shape began to form. The mass of chitin and slimy bodies rose to over seven feet tall as tendrils of twisted worms began to form, reaching out like arms. With every passing moment the twisted colony got larger, with more and more creatures climbing out from the ground to clamber on top of it. There was no doubt that this was the doing of the sludge, poisoning and forcing the insects and worms and spiders into forming it a new body. Perhaps the pool's remaining power would be able to kill it...but with the light as weak as it was now, it would almost certainly kill the poll at the same time.
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