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Character of the Season
Frail in body but dangerously quick of mind, Nikandr is the sort of character who proves that curiosity can be just as perilous as any weapon. A necromancer, inventor, and problem-solver with more ambition than self-preservation, Niki approaches the world like a puzzle box begging to be opened, even when what’s inside has teeth. Blunt, dry-witted, fiercely independent, and carrying a history best left partially buried, he has a knack for making even failure feel fascinating. Whether he’s raising the dead, moving across Caido to King's End, or experiencing a hangover for the first time, Nikandr brings a wonderfully strange spark to Caido, and we can’t wait to see what trouble his brilliant mind wanders into next.
Congratulations, Niki!
Credits
Court of the Fallen was created in October of 2018 by Odd, Honey, and Crooked.
OG Skinning provided by Kaons, with functionality and many custom plugins made by Neowulf!
05-03-2025, 03:18 PM (This post was last modified: 05-05-2025, 06:30 AM by Odd.)
key quest
The moon is shrouded behind a veil of cloud, casting no light upon the Barrows. Mist slicks the earth like breath held too long, curling around the weather-worn stones and iron doors that jut from the grassy hillocks like broken teeth. The air is thick with stillness. With dread. Not even the wind dares stir here.
Then, a sound.
Not a footfall, not a cry—
—but a note.
A low, keening wail drifts through the mist, too soft to be natural, too dissonant to be mournful. It slips through the fog like a needle through skin, threading the silence with a thread of despair.
Hovering above the largest mound is a Spectral Villi. Her tattered gown ripples in a wind that does not exist, translucent hair floating around her like seaweed in dark water. Her face is obscured, all but the mouth—twisted in an expression between longing and loathing—as she sings in a language that burns to hear. Her body pulses with veins of voidlight, the eerie violet glow reaching out like cracks in fragile glass.
Beneath her, the barrow stirs.
Iron doors screech open, not wide—just enough.
From the disturbed soil, three figures begin to rise.
First: A knight, long dead, helm still sealed to his skull. Rusted mail drags in chunks from his frame, and the shield in his hand bears a sigil lost to history. He claws upward, soil cascading from the sockets where his eyes once were, guided only by the Villi’s song.
Second: A woman in priestess robes, now mould-ridden and eaten through. Her jaw is missing, her arms broken at the elbows. And yet she lifts herself from the grave as though she remembers faith—or some cruel imitation of it.
Third: A child. Small fingers breach the soil. One hand, then another. The thing that follows wears no skin. Only bone, clinging scraps of burial silk, and an expression no child ever wore.
And still the Spectral Villi sings.
The fourth barrow shudders. Its door is shut, but frost creeps across its iron face. Her voice changes—deepens. It is no longer a song of grief, but one of command. Voidlight lances from her fingertips, piercing the mound like lightning striking earth. Beneath the surface, something shifts violently, as if whatever lies below heard her.
The fog thickens, swallowing the scene.
But not before the eyes of the Villi flare wide with joy.
Another grave is opening.
And it does not wish to remain closed.
Welcome to the KQ! You have 48 hours to join. This KQ is meant for those between levels 5-10 who need it for levelling. Please give those folks priority!
This KQ will be scaled based on the level of characters who join and is regular difficulty. Please post your characters arriving and taking their first action, and in your summary list whatever non-items they are bringing with them (anything on your profile is automatically assumed to be with you). Items not listed cannot be used later.
Remember to include a summary at the bottom of your post with all action taken. If weapons/upgrades/abilities/items/shifts/etc are used, please include their desc. from your profile at the bottom of your post as well.
REMEMBER: KQs are rewarding but dangerous. They may cause death and/or permanent changes to your characters.
Spectral Villis (Uncommon/Mythical): These spirits, once seeking vengeance, have become void-infused specters. Their wails echo with the void's malevolence, and they manifest in shadows to terrorize the living. Those touched by a Spectral Villi are left with a void mark, a curse that attracts further void corruption.
Sing to me, I am not doing well Getting tired of my own words
The fog made flying impossible. In the dark of the night, without moon or stars to guide her, Maea had given up on getting any further that day, and tried to get some rest. Nestled into her coat between burial mounds, the last thing on her mind was ideas of villis and wights rising from their graves. The wail got her attention real quick however. In an instant she was on her feet, the glaive in hand and her belongings slung onto her shoulders as she looked for the source of the sound. Common sense told her to get out of there; experience told her that this might be easier said than done.
Stalking cautiously forward until the spectral figure materialized out of the mist, Maea saw three other shapes around it, and felt a strange rumble under the soles of her feet as something else stirred. Mouth dry with bad premonitions, she summoned a bolt of fire into her hand and hurled it at the Villi, hoping to interrupt her song before anything else could be raised from it's grave.
Maea brings a normal Glaive (polearm) in addition to the items on her profile. She is wearing her armor, a pair of leather trousers beneath, boots, a coat and carries a rucksack with a first aid kit, a day's food ration, rope, a lantern with oil and a full waterskin.
Maea uses Mastered Fire on the Spectral Villi, hoping to interrupt the last summon.
Type: Grey | Style: Defensive | Level: Upgraded
Valair Armour | A beautiful black dress lined with crimson, stronger by far than it appears. This item blocks physical damage. Requires a 3 post cooldown between uses.
Fire Manipulation: Can create and control flames. Must be within a 30ft radius.
Type: Dark | Rank: Mastered
Sing to me, cause I can't hear myself through the loudness of my own hurts
Thal has always had an appreciation for a good song - and a woman in charge. Following the sounds through the Barrows, she hums like it's a tune she knows, one that filters through the purple depths of her mind and into her throat. She walks leisurely through burial grounds and headstones before she finds herself among quite the macabre sight: wispy women, zombie knights, and skeletal children. Her eyebrow raises with curiosity, but there's no fear on her face. She gets the feeling nothing here will hurt her, although she doesn't plan to get close enough to find out.
In the darkness, a stark white figure catches her eyes. Not necessarily on great terms with Maea, she doesn't call out, choosing to find a shadowy recess to reside in. It makes it hard to spot her with her dark hair and black clothes, only the soft glow of her blue eyes visible if someone looks closely enough. In case anyone does spot her, and wonder why she isn't helping her fellow Ancient, Thal throws her dagger 'at the villi,' singing along with the commanding voice to redirect it from its 'target.'
Thalassa arrives with everything on her profile, six extra daggers, and a 'willingness to help.' >_>
Thalassa sings the villi's song to throw her dagger (and intentionally miss).
Type: Dark | Style: Offensive | Level: Basic
Flametouch Daggers | A pair of obsidian daggers licked with crimson along the blade edge. On hit, the daggers become wreathed in flame.
Type: Grey | Style: Other | Level: Basic
Oral Charm | A small charm inlaid on the hilt of the Flametouch Daggers that allows one to be controlled via singing, within a range of 10 ft. Controlling a dagger takes an action to complete.
The world is new to you, and you to it. During PQ/PQ+/KQs/Drops, you roll with advantage on luck-based rolls and receive an extra name during drops. (In order to use this, make sure to note the ability at the bottom of each post)
Regional Score bonus: +5 in all shrine visits, drops, PQ+s, KQs, etc. (You must post this at the bottom of any post where a +5 should be included). Residents cannot be cursed at shrines in this region.
With King's End only a stone's throw from Torchline, Jack had considered it a safe bet to put down anchor at the Boondocks and take himself off to break into fetch something left for him in one of the Barrows. It's been difficult to find anywhere decent to arrange drops since someone plonked a great, fuck off marketplace where the ship graveyard used to be, but smugglers and other criminal types aren't beyond a bit of mild desecration, so here we are.
One might say that he deserves to be caught up in this, given that context, but to that Jack kindly invites you to go fuck yourself.
The thick fog makes it difficult to discern much beneath the barrow where the spectral woman moans her haunting song, and although Jack can sense others around him - Maea he knows, but the other is unfamiliar - he's as of yet unaware of knight, priestess and child emerging from the earth. And so, with his eyes keen on the slip of fire that the pale Ancient unleashes and the route forward entirely taken up with this nonsense, the captain joins the fray.
Thinking that his ice might make any damage from the fire a little pointless, he instead directs an arc of crackling lightning towards the woman, intending to shut her up for good.
Jack arrives with himself, everything on his profile, and a pack containing some stolen goods he's retrieved from one of the nearby barrows.
He uses Mastered Lightning on the Spectral Villi (amped up by several pieces of mageglass >.>)
Magic: Passive Telepathy | The user can read the surface thoughts and emotions of those within a 30ft radius. Control is excellent. Note: "Thoughts and emotions" include anything written in a character's narration in a post.
Type: Grey | Rank: Mastered
Magic: Signal Boost | Increases the range of Passive Telepathy by 10ft
Type: Grey | Rank: Basic
Lightning manipulation: Can create and control Lightning. Must be within a 30ft radius.
Type: Dark | Rank: Mastered
Type: Light | Style: Other | Level: Mastered
Mageglass Ring | A silver ring with an unrefined stone of mageglass. Will amplify the magical abilities (range and power) of Abandoned by one level. (Basic becomes upgraded, upgraded becomes mastered. Mastered range cannot be amplified, but mastered damage will add on +10 in KQs/PQ+s)
Type: Light | Style: Other | Level: Mastered
Mageglass Ring | A band of silver crafted to look like waves, with an unrefined stone of mageglass. Will amplify the magical abilities (range and power) of Abandoned by one level. (Basic becomes upgraded, upgraded becomes mastered. Mastered cannot be amplified, but mastered damage will add on +10 in KQs/PQ+s).
Type: Light | Style: Other | Level: Mastered
Mageglass Bracelet | A bracelet of leather and silver, decorated with a piece of polished mageglass. Will amplify the magical abilities (range and power) of Abandoned by one level. (Basic becomes upgraded, upgraded becomes mastered. Mastered cannot be amplified, but mastered damage will add on +10 in KQs/PQ+s)
Type: Dark | Style: Defensive | Level: Mastered
KingMaker Coat | A coat made from the elephant-portion of the mythical KingMaker. Type 3 armour, blocks physical damage.
Type 3: Armour that is always active but has a cool down.
Blocks damage based on your character's magical-item stat with no penalties, however has a 1x per thread/3 post cool down/2 post cool down in terms of basic/upgraded/mastered. You must specify if it blocks physical or magical damage.
Regional Score bonus: +13 in all shrine visits, drops, PQ+s, KQs, etc. (You must post this at the bottom of any post where a +13 should be included). Residents cannot be cursed at shrines in this region.
oh wouldn't that be lovely? you would torture me whisper me the reasons that you hated me
It was intended to be a quick and easy trek to King’s End. Not too long so as to not worry Danta with his absence. My, how plans change.
The fog is what he notes first – because it certainly wasn’t there before. The second noted occurrence is the song. Haunting and hopeless, a droning note that guides the butcher’s feet toward it, cane in hand just on the off chance that something like this would happen. Trailing closer, he appears somewhere between Thalassa and Jack, not noticing Maea in the throng aside from a blast of flame.
Hissing as action already begins to take place, between Thalassa’s singing blades and Jack’s lightning, the butcher decides that he might as well start with a bang as well. The dagger is retrieved from the interlining of his waistcoat, deciding that the shirt was now either going to be fixed or ruined with this adventure, the butcher places the sharp blade down against the outside of his arm, slicing it with the intent to bloodbane the spectral villi.
Astaroth arrives with everything in his profile (I'll still include them down below) as well as two regular daggers!
He uses his mastered bloodbane on the Spectral Villi!
Magic: Bloodbane | Can injure themselves for mastered damage to weaken others at a 1.5x their mastered level with a range of 30ft.
Type: Dark | Rank: Mastered
Type: Grey | Style: Defensive | Level: Upgraded
A pocket mirror that when placed on the ground duplicates the user's appearance exactly. Duplicate cannot speak or leave their place and appears as if the user is simply standing still. Lasts 2 rounds in combat. Must be picked up to be re-activated.
Type: Dark | Style: Other | Level: Basic
Crow Charm Bracelet | A braided leather bracelet decorated with the feathers of a gore crow. It contains all of the emotional trauma sustained as a result of Astaroth's interactions with corvids. If the bracelet is broken or removed, all of the emotional consequences and damage will return to Astaroth instantly.
Type: Dark | Style: Offensive | Level: Basic
Threaded Cane | A metal walking cane which, at the press of a button, breaks into conjoined shards to form a serrated whip. The range of the whip is 10ft. Should the cane be used as a weapon on its own, it will only ever do Basic damage.
Citizenship Abilities:
The world is new to you, and you to it. During PQ/PQ+/KQs/Drops, you roll with advantage on luck-based rolls and receive an extra name during drops. (In order to use this, make sure to note the ability at the bottom of each post)
Regional Score bonus: +5 in all shrine visits, drops, PQ+s, KQs, etc. (You must post this at the bottom of any post where a +5 should be included). Residents cannot be cursed at shrines in this region.
It's always foggy in the Barrows, but this much fog is sus as fuck. That's the first thing that catches the pair's attention. The weird, haunting, probably-cursed singing comes next. Koa and Pip glance at each other, a silent discussion of whether they want to get involved with whatever is about to go down passing between them in the blink of an eye. The answer, of course, was predetermined.
Koa has never been the type to leave well enough alone.
There's enough people gathered already to make it a proper party, though in the light of day it's not the sort of crowd with which he might choose to hang. Still, a battle is a battle, and far as he can tell this situation is looking pretty black and white. On one side, a motley crew of (four? Five? Three?) figures he can't quite make out in the fog.
On the other, a horrifying, void-tinged monster lady singing a song that makes his bones vibrate in all the wrongest ways.
"Pip! Try to scope it out!" Koa calls, and the dragonling trills back obediently from above, circling lower in an attempt to gauge what else might be lucking in the pea-soup fog. "Gravity and wind fuck Void shit up best," he barks to the others, settling quickly into a fighting stance at what he gauges to be fifteen feet from the monstrosity and swinging with a focused, gravity-and-electricity-powered punch.
Koa has everything on his profile, including Pip!
Pip flies overhead to try and see if she can see the other beasties lurking in the fog. Koa tries to get about 15 feet from the villi and does a falcon PUNCH!
Type: Grey | Style: Defensive | Level: Mastered
Starlit Bracers | Bracers that when activated extend the movement of the user's hand to 15ft total. Includes effects from items/weapons.
Type: Grey | Style: Other | Level: Upgraded
Taijitu Boxing Wraps | When landing an attack on an enemy (via an unarmed strike), may EITHER cause Upgraded Damage to the enemy, OR may give Upgraded Healing to the user.
Type: Dark | Style: Offensive | Level: Mastered
Gravitine Band | A ring made out of dark starlight that inflicts gravity damage on a successful hit.
Type: Light | Style: Offensive | Level: Basic
Static Electricity | A ring that when worn adds lightning damage to whatever item is held in that hand (or to an unarmed strike).
Type: Grey | Style: Defensive | Level: Basic
Mothman Scale Shirt | A soft, lightweight shirt made from the scales of a slain mothman. Blocks Physical damage and downgrades incoming Upgraded dark magic to Basic level. Can be used 1x per thread.
Regional Score bonus: +1 in all shrine visits, drops, PQ+s, KQs, etc. (You must post this at the bottom of any post where a +1 should be included)
Koa
// Maul the world like a carnival bear set free //
05-05-2025, 06:57 AM (This post was last modified: 05-05-2025, 10:41 AM by Odd.)
key quest
The Spectral Villi shrieks.
Not in pain—though Maea ’s fire lashes across her shoulder like a branding iron—but in rage. The flames flicker against her incorporeal form, licking the voidlight veins that ripple beneath her skin. She reels midair, song splintering into a discordant scream that shakes frost from the iron barrow doors.
Thalassa ’s blade whistles through her misted veil and clatters uselessly against a mound of stone, while Jack ’s lightning arcs just wide, splitting a dead tree in two with a furious crack. The light briefly flares across her sunken face, revealing a skeletal sneer and empty sockets brimming with voidshine.
But Astaroth ’s blood tether lands true. As the blade carves across his skin and his offering is flung toward the spectre, the Villi groans with anger.
Below her, the fog thickens: it curls with intent now, writhing around the ankles of the living, chasing warmth. It parts only for Koa, standing closest—brave, stupid, necessary Koa—who throws himself forward with a punch like a star dropped from the sky. Void energy ripples from the Villi’s form and she rears back, dodging the strike, her shape stretching and distorting like wet paint smeared across glass.
She answers with a shriek that becomes a blast, a void pulse fired directly at his chest. It misses. The ground at his feet craters from the impact, soil turning to ash, the mist sucked inward like breath drawn too deep.
But Koa will have no time to celebrate.
The three risen dead converge with a unity that no shambling corpse should possess.
The knight lumbers forward, dragging a rusted blade behind him that sparks against stone. He swings—a heavy, telegraphed arc—and misses, carving into the barrow behind Koa instead. The priestess moves like water, like memory, and reaches with arms that should not work. But her grasp meets only air as the dragoon ducks back. The child—gods, the child—moves on all fours, silent and snapping. It darts between the others, and sinks sharp teeth into Koa’s calf. Not deep, not fatal, but real. The pain is white-hot. The bite sizzles where the void-touched jaw meets skin.
The Villi watches. Her glow pulses brighter with every drop of blood spilled. Her wail begins anew—but now it is not to raise the dead.
It is to call them. More barrows tremble beneath the earth.
You have 24 hours to reply. Your randomly assigned posting order is:
Remember to include a summary at the bottom of your post with all action taken. If weapons/upgrades/abilities/items/shifts/etc are used, please include their desc. from your profile at the bottom of your post as well.
REMEMBER: KQs are rewarding but dangerous. They may cause death and/or permanent changes to your characters.
Spectral Villis (Uncommon/Mythical): These spirits, once seeking vengeance, have become void-infused spectres. Their wails echo with the void's malevolence, and they manifest in shadows to terrorize the living. Those touched by a Spectral Villi are left with a void mark, a curse that attracts further void corruption.
Sing to me, I am not doing well Getting tired of my own words
Crawling out of the woodwork like so many weevils, other fighters spawned around her as if they too had been summoned by the Villi. Between the mist and the danger ahead there was no time to check who they all were - though Koa was recognized, as he leaped in like a knight in shining armor - and little she could do but to keep attacking.
Angling herself around the battlefield to the left, so that Koa wouldn't be right in front of her, Maea lashed the Villi with more fire. The quicker they could get rid of her, the less the risk would be of getting swarmed - especially as the renewed wail had the barrows trembling.
"If anyone has ice magic, keep that frosty tomb sealed!" she called, hoping any of the others were able and willing to follow the suggestion. If not... well, there wasn't anything she could do about it.
Maea moves to keep Koa out of her line of fire, and uses Mastered Fire on the Spectral Villi again. She asks if anyone can use ice magic to keep the frosted tomb sealed.
Type: Grey | Style: Defensive | Level: Upgraded
Valair Armour | A beautiful black dress lined with crimson, stronger by far than it appears. This item blocks physical damage. Requires a 3 post cooldown between uses.
Fire Manipulation: Can create and control flames. Must be within a 30ft radius.
Type: Dark | Rank: Mastered
Sing to me, cause I can't hear myself through the loudness of my own hurts
oh wouldn't that be lovely? you would torture me whisper me the reasons that you hated me
Blood blooms a watercolor painting into the sliced sleeve of his shirt, a grunt of pain slipping from him as he reorients himself with the battle taking place. The villi burns with its anger, the risen dead convene to aim their attacks, and the butcher finds himself angling a touch, somewhere nearer to Koa where he witnesses the snappy spidery-child’s bite. He hears Maea’s request, though, and proceeds to do whatever he can to ignore it. Given that he doesn’t have ice magic, it’s quite easy to do.
Right now, that’s hoping to help release Koa. “I will try to help separate you from them.” His accented voice calls to Koa. The butcher’s hand extends, palm out as he sends a blast of fire toward the skeletal, spidery child, hoping to singe and create a wall to try and separate Koa from the brunt of the spirit’s assaults, giving them something else to have to walk through or be forced to divert their course, and most importantly hopefully giving Koa a moment to recover.
Asta moves closer to Koa and aims his mastered fire magic at the skeletal child to make a wall of fire, hoping to give Koa a second to recover without the ankle biter!
Fire Manipulation: Can create and control flames. Must be within a 30ft radius.
Type: Dark | Rank: Mastered
Citizenship Ability:
The world is new to you, and you to it. During PQ/PQ+/KQs/Drops, you roll with advantage on luck-based rolls and receive an extra name during drops. (In order to use this, make sure to note the ability at the bottom of each post)
Regional Score bonus: +5 in all shrine visits, drops, PQ+s, KQs, etc. (You must post this at the bottom of any post where a +5 should be included). Residents cannot be cursed at shrines in this region.
Oh okay now there are zombies biting at his ankles. Cool cool cool cool cool.
It turns out fifteen feet is not far enough to avoid attracting the attention of every monstrosity in range, as Koa quickly learns. First the demon lady shrieks at him, then an undead knight tries to decapitate him with a giant fucking sword, and then corpse tries very hard to give him an unsolicited hug. But Koa's on fire, dodging left and right and feeling very smug about his prowess.
That is, until a sharp pain has him looking down to find the most cursed fucking child(?) he's ever seen latched onto his leg, and nope, absolutely none of that, thank you very much.
Snarling in pain and horror, Koa simultaneously shakes his leg and staggers backwards, trying to create space between himself and his new admirers. "Fuck off," he snarls, punching down toward the skeletal face as fire illuminates the scene. Who lit it? Pip is helping, her shriek punctuating the murky air as she blasts flame toward the knight, but she can't have caused all of this. Whoever it is, he's grateful. He doesn't have the time or liberty to check on what the others are up to, but he can only hope that whatever has caused the ground to tremble beneath him is being attended to.
Koa tries to put space between himself and his assailants (and the wall of fire), punching at the ankle biter as he retreats. Pipsqueak contributes to Asta's firewall, targeting the knight in particular (but trying to keep out of range of its sword)
Type: Grey | Style: Defensive | Level: Mastered
Starlit Bracers | Bracers that when activated extend the movement of the user's hand to 15ft total. Includes effects from items/weapons.
Type: Grey | Style: Other | Level: Upgraded
Taijitu Boxing Wraps | When landing an attack on an enemy (via an unarmed strike), may EITHER cause Upgraded Damage to the enemy, OR may give Upgraded Healing to the user.
Type: Dark | Style: Offensive | Level: Mastered
Gravitine Band | A ring made out of dark starlight that inflicts gravity damage on a successful hit.
Type: Light | Style: Offensive | Level: Basic
Static Electricity | A ring that when worn adds lightning damage to whatever item is held in that hand (or to an unarmed strike).
Type: Grey | Style: Defensive | Level: Basic
Mothman Scale Shirt | A soft, lightweight shirt made from the scales of a slain mothman. Blocks Physical damage and downgrades incoming Upgraded dark magic to Basic level. Can be used 1x per thread.
Regional Score bonus: +1 in all shrine visits, drops, PQ+s, KQs, etc. (You must post this at the bottom of any post where a +1 should be included)
Koa
// Maul the world like a carnival bear set free //
Spotting an overly tall man amongst the newcomers, Thal rethinks her strategy a little. Astaroth's the only one here she really cares to protect so she moves closer to him (sorry everyone), hoping to signal to the lovely creatures that he's with her, even if his actions may not necessarily say it (although he'd be much safer as a FotF). She even goes so far as to glare at them to convey the message, making it seem as if she might actually be trying to fight them.
Resisting the urge to snuff out Asta's flames that threaten to harm the child (how cute), Thal instead continues to focus on her dagger. She doesn't try very hard to hit anything, treating it more as practice since she hasn't had much of a chance to use their new feature. Her voice coils with that of the villi, slightly enraged for her as she directs her discarded dagger back towards her and through the villi.
Thalassa moves closer to Astaroth and sings her dagger (# 1) to 'attack' the villi while returning to her! (dagger #2 is still with her)
Type: Dark | Style: Offensive | Level: Basic
Flametouch Daggers | A pair of obsidian daggers licked with crimson along the blade edge. On hit, the daggers become wreathed in flame.
Type: Grey | Style: Other | Level: Basic
Oral Charm | A small charm inlaid on the hilt of the Flametouch Daggers that allows one to be controlled via singing, within a range of 10 ft. Controlling a dagger takes an action to complete.
The world is new to you, and you to it. During PQ/PQ+/KQs/Drops, you roll with advantage on luck-based rolls and receive an extra name during drops. (In order to use this, make sure to note the ability at the bottom of each post)
Regional Score bonus: +5 in all shrine visits, drops, PQ+s, KQs, etc. (You must post this at the bottom of any post where a +5 should be included). Residents cannot be cursed at shrines in this region.
Prowling forward, his ears trained for calls in the fog and his telepathy sharp for any stray thought, as the rest of the apparent party come into range - use air/gravity, freeze the tomb, ankle-biting-zombie-child, oh my! - Jack hones in on the sight of the Spectral Villi above all. "The tomb'll stay closed if it's dead," he shouts, voice like a whipcrack. "Focus the singin' thing and the rest'll be easy."
Already there are flares of fire from Astaroth and Maea, Flora's old beau (why hello, Koa) punching at a kid and something truly weird going on with the other Ancient in the fray, but with no one hindering the route forward, he whips up a gale to lash out at the villi with it. Sending it in a slicing arc of condensed air and aiming for the largest available target - her torso - he decides not to think about the lightning scarred tree behind her.
Evidence of not doing a great job with his last attempt.
Jack yells for everyone to focus the Spectral Villi (burn the boss!) and lashes at her with Mastered Air!
Magic: Passive Telepathy | The user can read the surface thoughts and emotions of those within a 30ft radius. Control is excellent. Note: "Thoughts and emotions" include anything written in a character's narration in a post.
Type: Grey | Rank: Mastered
Magic: Signal Boost | Increases the range of Passive Telepathy by 10ft
Type: Grey | Rank: Basic
Air manipulation (Abandoned/Hybrid): Can create and control the air. Must be within a 30ft radius.
Type: Grey | Rank: Mastered
Type: Light | Style: Other | Level: Mastered
Mageglass Ring | A silver ring with an unrefined stone of mageglass. Will amplify the magical abilities (range and power) of Abandoned by one level. (Basic becomes upgraded, upgraded becomes mastered. Mastered range cannot be amplified, but mastered damage will add on +10 in KQs/PQ+s)
Type: Light | Style: Other | Level: Mastered
Mageglass Ring | A band of silver crafted to look like waves, with an unrefined stone of mageglass. Will amplify the magical abilities (range and power) of Abandoned by one level. (Basic becomes upgraded, upgraded becomes mastered. Mastered cannot be amplified, but mastered damage will add on +10 in KQs/PQ+s).
Type: Light | Style: Other | Level: Mastered
Mageglass Bracelet | A bracelet of leather and silver, decorated with a piece of polished mageglass. Will amplify the magical abilities (range and power) of Abandoned by one level. (Basic becomes upgraded, upgraded becomes mastered. Mastered cannot be amplified, but mastered damage will add on +10 in KQs/PQ+s)
Type: Dark | Style: Defensive | Level: Mastered
KingMaker Coat | A coat made from the elephant-portion of the mythical KingMaker. Type 3 armour, blocks physical damage.
Type 3: Armour that is always active but has a cool down.
Blocks damage based on your character's magical-item stat with no penalties, however has a 1x per thread/3 post cool down/2 post cool down in terms of basic/upgraded/mastered. You must specify if it blocks physical or magical damage.
Regional Score bonus: +13 in all shrine visits, drops, PQ+s, KQs, etc. (You must post this at the bottom of any post where a +13 should be included). Residents cannot be cursed at shrines in this region.
The Spectral Villi reels again beneath the weight of Maea ’s fire. The flames flare up her side, flickering through the torn remnants of her bridal veil. What’s left of her face turns toward the Ancient with hollow fury, her song stumbling into a guttural, wordless snarl. Jack ’s wind slices through the mist like a blade—but the Villi vanishes a fraction too soon, her form warping with an unnatural bend as she blinks more than thirty feet backward in a smear of voidlight and vapour. Her silhouette reforms in the deeper shadows between two barrows, a wedding-dress spectre cloaked in wrath and grief.
She raises her arms—hands that taper into claws—and lashes them toward Maea. The air screams as if it, too, has been cursed. But the spectral blow misses, carving a deep line through a stone mound instead, sending shards clattering into the grass.
The undead continue their grim assault as Thalassa sadly misses once again.
The child, its cloak now alight, screeches with inhuman rage as Astaroth ’s fire bites into it. It twists mid-air and lunges for the butcher, jaws wide and ember-eyed—only to snap on nothing as he steps deftly away, bloodied but quick. The scream it releases is almost too high to hear, vibrating through bones and fog like a blade dragged down glass.
The knight, one shoulder caved in from Koa ’s blow, moves slower now—but no less deadly. It swings low with its broken blade in a wide, brutal arc. Koa ducks just in time, the wind of the strike grazing the tips of his curls.
But the priestess—gaunt and eyeless, hands clasped in mockery of prayer—reaches Astaroth . Her touch is deceptively soft. It burns. The void runs through her palms like oil, seeking wounds to fill. The mark it leaves will ache, cold and slick, a creeping corruption that lingers long after she’s stepped back into the mist.
And still, the Villi sings. Her voice is fractured now, shrill and wild—but it carries. Down into the bones of the earth. Into the mouths of the unopened barrows. The tombs begin to tremble again.
Dirt cracks. Iron doors shift.
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REMEMBER: KQs are rewarding but dangerous. They may cause death and/or permanent changes to your characters.
Spectral Villis (Uncommon/Mythical): These spirits, once seeking vengeance, have become void-infused spectres. Their wails echo with the void's malevolence, and they manifest in shadows to terrorize the living. Those touched by a Spectral Villi are left with a void mark, a curse that attracts further void corruption.
Sing to me, I am not doing well Getting tired of my own words
Only one person answer her, and with some surprise she recognized the timbre of Jack's voice. The command in it was such that she found herself obliging without protest. He might not be Ronin, but she'd made the mistake of not listening to experience before in her life, and suffered the consequences. Not this time, thank you.
Calling back an almost gleeful "Aye Captain!", Maea rushed forward to keep the Villi within reach of her flames. Leaving the other three wights for Koa and whomever else was there to deal with, she drew on her ample reserves of energy and hurled another fireball at the Villi, hoping that her and Jack's magic would be enough to take it down. Despite the dangerous situation, Maea still took some pleasure in wielding magic at its fullest extent. One might even go so far as to say she was enjoying the fight - easy enough, when she was still uninjured and hadn't missed even once yet.
Pepper, pepper, knock on wood.
Maea moves to keep within range of the Villi, and throws a fireball of Mastered Fire magic at it.
Type: Grey | Style: Defensive | Level: Upgraded
Valair Armour | A beautiful black dress lined with crimson, stronger by far than it appears. This item blocks physical damage. Requires a 3 post cooldown between uses.
Fire Manipulation: Can create and control flames. Must be within a 30ft radius.
Type: Dark | Rank: Mastered
Sing to me, cause I can't hear myself through the loudness of my own hurts
