[PQ+] Lost shadows left behind

and everybody's gotta breathe somehow

With tracks identified and a steaming pile of manure indicating that the herd was most likely nearby, Alys was about to call out to the group when a horse's scream rent the air around her. She jumped, turning to find a black stallion where Vesper had been a mere moment before. Well, that was one way to draw the herd's attention, she supposed, although she was more likely to have suggested sneaking up on them.

The seer hurriedly made her way back to the group, checking her weapons as she went. As she neared them all, she could feel the steely resolve that settled over each of her comrades, mirroring that which she herself felt as she turned towards the thundering of distant hooves. Calling upon her magic, she conjured a complex illusion to make anyone near her invisible. Perhaps doing so would give their group the element of surprise against the void creatures galloping their way.

---

Alys returns to the group and uses her illusion magic to make anyone within 30 ft of her invisible!

Illusion (Abandoned/Hybrid): Can create 100% compelling and complex illusions within a 30ft radius.
Type: Grey | Rank: Mastered

ALYS

VESPER

The sound that rises in answer to Vesper’s challenge is nothing natural. Not wind. Not hooves. Not even rage—it’s worse than that. It’s hollow and full, sharp and low, too many layers stacked on top of each other like voices echoing from inside a beast that no longer knows what it is. It pulls something deep and feral from inside him. Instead of shifting back,  the black stallion paces along the ridge, hoofbeats sharp against the dry-packed earth, mane whipping like smoke in a wind no one else can feel. His constellation-dappled flanks twitch as he half-rears again, nostrils flaring wide as he tastes the air, ears pinning and flicking with tension. The ground vibrates beneath his hooves—subtle still, but unmistakable.

He sees Hadama plant himself like a fortress before Alys, trident gleaming in the low light, and Vesper—despite himself—feels the faintest pulse of relief. There’s no point trying to outmatch that kind of strength. He’s not the wall. He’s the misdirection. The blade behind the curtain, so he holds his form.

His body coils with every shift, muscles bunching and releasing like waves rolling over stone. When he tosses his head, the faint light catches the stars along his flank, flickering like distant warnings. The real Vesper—the man—might smirk or taunt, but the stallion bares his teeth in silence and waits for the void to come close enough to regret it.

---

Vesper paces around to try and distract the herd if/when they arrive so Hadama can attack.

Will I ever quit playing with matches?
Why am I making angels in the ashes?

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Atop the hill the curvetting Vesper would see them first, a roil of dark bodies that weaved around each other as they ran in a tangle of shadow and rage, flashing hooves and lightless horns. The largest of the herd held the lead by a neck, broad shouldered and long-legged, no less than seventeen hands high with delicate, feathered feet and a horn that curved like a scimitar from her forehead, long and heavy and wickedly honed along its length to slash as well as stab.

She raced up the hill and over the crest, sweeping past the black stallion that paced invisibly on the ridge as her herd flowed around her--

And then stopping, rearing onto her hind legs with a tri-toned shriek as she caught his scent. Another mare (1) spun with her, liquid, living ink shifting to chase the elusive smell of the strange stallion on the wind. Their violet, rage-filled eyes swept over where he stood as if he had stepped from thin air, and their nostrils flared wide as they charged in blind fury. The smallest of the herd, a colt still growing into his lanky limbs, followed with more confusion but no less bloodlust.

The two remaining mares (2 and 3) continued onwards, unable to turn as quickly and oblivious to the scent that had given Vesper away. They continued down the hill, slowing and starting to turn towards what had drawn their leader's ire until they caught sight of the trio of humans(ish). Pawing the ground, they shifted to charge this new prey.

The lone stallion of the group, oblivious to all but his own hormone-fueled indignation at whomever had challenged him and bamboozled by the illusion, raced in a straight line past even the mares. He ran a dozen feet to the left of the little group hidden by Alys's spell wall, not stopping to turn until he realized his herd had stayed behind him.

---

Thanks to Alys creating a wall of illusion between the group and the oncoming herd, the entire team was invisible to the approaching unicorns, including Vesper! This has bought the team a round to react before the unicorns can target them.
Now that the unicorns are past the illusion's edge, they can see everyone.

The Herd Leader, Mare 1, and Corrupted Colt are targeting Vesper. (15 feet away from the trio)
The corrupted stallion has run past the team nat 1 lol and is 25 feet behind them.
Mare 2 and 3 have turned their attention on Hadama, Alys, and Astaroth (5 feet away from the trio).

Hadama: 1105
Astaroth: 200
Vesper: 150
Alys: 130

Corrupted Herd Leader: 1000
Corrupted Stallion: 500
Corrupted Mare 1: 200
Corrupted Mare 2: 150
Corrupted Mare 3: 130
Corrupted Colt: 100

VESPER

The moment the void herd crests the hill, Vesper stills like stone. They’re monstrous even at a distance—shadows unspooling on hooves, stitched together with rage and the memory of something once good. Where Vesper expects sudden violence, there's just nothing. No rush of air, no spike in pressure. No gravity.

Vesper wheels with a snort, hooves tearing at the earth as he rears sharply, ears flattening against his skull. The stars along his flank flash like warning lights as he throws a glare toward Hadama, stomping a hoof down with a heavy, deliberate crack against the dirt as if to say what the fuck.

Pinning his ears again, he gallops straight toward the trio, racing past Hadama and Alys and Astaroth with only inches to spare, every muscle coiled and honed as he threads the gap.

If the void mares and their colt give chase, they’ll run right into the teeth of the waiting tide, hopefully, anyway.

---

Vesper gives the horse equivalent of a middle finger to Hadama and then runs past the trio to draw the mares/colt with him so the group can attack.

Will I ever quit playing with matches?
Why am I making angels in the ashes?

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

// day breaks sorrow //

It’s a held breath, one that swells without relief that surprises Astaroth the most. It’s as if the unicorns don’t see them, which he has the reminder of Alys’ magic she’d only just mentioned. So, when Vesper begins to move again, guiding the leader, one of the mares, and the colt toward their waiting jaws, Astaroth is ready.

The blade slips down against his arm, a brief flash of pain flickering in him that he buries down deep, sending the bloodbane out toward the herd leader with absolute focus. A little damage to hopefully do a lot to the leader that might send the rest of them scrambling and disorganized without their leader’s attention and demands.

Then, with the blood dripping down his arm, the butcher readies himself to take them on head on.

---

Astaroth uses mastered bloodbane on the Corrupted Herd Leader!

Bloodbane (Ancient): 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

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.

Astaroth

// and i still feel the edge of this cold knife //

and everybody's gotta breathe somehow

Alys realized belatedly that the group didn't know what she'd done - but it nonetheless had the intended effect, as the herd seemed to be in various states of confusion as they approached. One - the stallion - even bypassed the group entirely. The seer had to wonder if that would make things harder or easier, having the herd split into groups. What if the humans (?) ended up surrounded?

But with two mares within a few feet of Alys, she didn't have time to consider what-ifs. Given their proximity, she turned her attention first to them. They were too close to make an illusion make sense, so the Fateweaver called instead upon her air magic, concentrating hard to create slicing gusts that she sent towards one of the mares (mare 2).

---

Alys uses air magic to attack mare 2.

Air manipulation (Abandoned/Hybrid): Can manipulate the air. Must be within a 5ft radius, control is weak and unstable and requires concentration.
Type: Grey | Rank: Basic

Type: Grey | Style: Other | Level: Basic
Quicksilver Ring | A ring that when worn grants +3 LUCK. Must be included in all PQ/PQ+/KQ/DROP posts to be counted.

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). Residents cannot be cursed at shrines in this region.

ALYS

As Vesper spun and drew the corrupted unicorns towards them, Hadama narrowed his eyes and focused on the clear leader of the shadow-coated abominations. The young demigod in a horse's body slid past him and the Tidebreaker summoned the moon's gravity down upon first the leader and then the mare (2) at her side, attempting to stop them both with the element that was anathema to the Void. He focused on bringing extra weight and focus to bear on them, intending to destroy them before they could reach the group.

The results were mixed; he struck the leader squarely with his gravity spikes and she stumbled, her spearing thrust with her horn going harmlessly wide of him. The second mare had an extra breath to see what had happened to her leader and managed to jilt to the side at the last moment, evading his Spikes which hammered into the sod beside her hooves. The dance caused her own attack to miss as well, at least.

Vesper had been successful in pulling the mares and colt after himself, but as he passed through the wall of Hadama and Astaroth and broke free on the other side he found himself running straight into the returning corrupted stallion. The black unicorn shrieked its defiance at the demigod and twisted its powerful neck as it spun past him, scoring Vesper deeply.

Astaroth made his presence known with a Bloodbane strike upon the staggering Herd Leader, opening fresh wounds upon her flanks as she reared and hissed a discordant scream across the meadows of Mourn. Her call drew Mare 3 and the Colt to cut at the Ancient, but they fouled each other in their eagerness to get to him and the only damage he took was from his own blade.

Alys landed a decisive blow upon Mare 2. She also drew the unicorn's undivided attention in doing so, and the mare ignored her herd leader's shriek of command to focus on the Abandoned woman with an evil growl. The Fateweaver almost managed to dodge; she was only a breath away from escaping unscathed, but a soft divot in the grass beneath her feet betrayed her and left her open to the black horn that imparted a sharply unpleasant infection along with the blood it spilled.

---

Hadama uses his Gravity Spikes on the Herd Leader, then uses Time Dilation to bring down another set on Mare 1.

---

Vesper succeeds at drawing the Herd Leader, Mare 1, and the Colt after him
Hadama hits the Herd Leader and misses Mare 1
Astaroth hits the Herd Leader
Alys hits Mare 2

The Herd Leader and Mare 1 attack Hadama and miss
The Stallion attacks Vesper and hits!
Mare 3 and the Colt attack Astaroth and miss
Mare 2 attacks Alys and hits by 1 :(

Hadama: 1105
Astaroth: 153
Vesper: 108
Alys: 98

Corrupted Herd Leader: 362.5
Corrupted Stallion: 500
Corrupted Mare 1: 200
Corrupted Mare 2: 90
Corrupted Mare 3: 130
Corrupted Colt: 100

// day breaks sorrow //

At the very least, it’s a familiar pain that lances through him as he side steps away from Mare 3 and the Colt. As they appear to be disorganized, the butcher readies himself for the next strike, curving the cane in so that he doesn’t have to worry about it too much (and just in case he needed it again for another bloodbane), the butcher’s gaze focuses on the two equines as they turn back toward him.

Fire curls at his fingertips, flaring larger and larger before the butcher’s sending a fireball their way, hoping that it’s large enough to let the flames scorch both mare and colt, before he scans the area surrounding him just in case of another rogue, void-touched horse.

---

Astaroth sends a fireball out at Mare 3 and the Colt.

Scorch (Ancient): Can generate and manipulate flames within a 30ft radius, pulling heat from the environment or their own body.
Type: Dark | Rank: Mastered

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.

Astaroth

// and i still feel the edge of this cold knife //

and everybody's gotta breathe somehow

Alys's heart thumped wildly in her chest as the battle seemed to devolve into pockets of activity that somehow left her split from the rest of the group, staring down one of the mares and praying that she wouldn't fall victim to the infected creature. Her air magic dealt a decisive blow upon the mare, and Alys grinned for a moment - but unfortunately fell prey to a divot in the grass as she tried to dodge, hissing a strangled curse as the corrupted unicorn sliced open a deep wound along her arm.

The effect of the wound was immediate; Alys could feel the Void taint spreading quickly through her bloodstream, and immediate panic flared to life in her chest. Where she might have preferred to attack again, she instead opted for healing magic, calling upon her mastered gift to use on herself as she ran towards Vesper, who had also been hit by one of the unicorns. Maybe she could heal him after she finished with her own wound.

---

Alys uses mastered healing on herself and runs towards Vesper, hoping to heal him next round.

Healing (Abandoned/Hybrid): Heals wounds at mastered level.
Type: Light | Rank: Mastered

Type: Grey | Style: Other | Level: Basic
Quicksilver Ring | A ring that when worn grants +3 LUCK. Must be included in all PQ/PQ+/KQ/DROP posts to be counted.

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). Residents cannot be cursed at shrines in this region.

ALYS

I don't know what I'm looking for

The stallion's horn rakes across him like liquid fire, the pain flaring white-hot along his ribs. Vesper’s hooves stutter against the torn meadow, but he doesn’t scream. The stars along his flanks shimmer like they’ve been scattered by the blow, flashing silver-blue in defiance as he surges forward a few more strides, drawing the corrupted herd away just far enough before he veers sharply and wheels back.

The shift overtakes him mid-stride, shadows unraveling from his limbs as bones twist, fold, reform. By the time his boots hit the blood-streaked grass, Vesper’s already moving, slipping into the fray with breath curling sharp through his teeth. The torn side of his shirt clings wetly to his ribs, but he doesn’t bother with it.

His eyes cut to Mare 2—the one who broke from her leader, who struck Alys and now turns her head like she might strike again. "Bad fuckin’ choice," he murmurs, more to himself than her.

He raises one hand, silver rings glinting, and the shadows obey. They pour from the edge of his sleeve like smoke pressed into water—ribbons of darkness snaking low along the earth before striking upward in a jagged arc.

---

Vesper shifts back and uses his shadows to attack Mare 2!

Magic: Shadow Touch | Can create and manipulate tendrils of shadow. 30ft radius. Shadows share his STR stat.
Type: Grey | Rank: Upgraded

Regional Score bonus: +15 in all shrine visits, drops, PQ+s, KQs, etc. (You must post this at the bottom of any post where a +15 should be included). Residents cannot be cursed at shrines in this region.

but I swear to God I'll find it

Code 100% taken from the queeeeeeen herself, Sky <3

The Herd Leader let out a shrieking bugle that clawed behind brains and slithered at the interiors of eyeballs as she rose up on her hind legs, positioning herself to strike out with her forehooves at the Tidebreaker. Her call drew Mare 1 around to catch the demigod in a pincer movement that should have resulted in the man being pierced through from behind while hooves the size of dinner plates crushed his skull. Hadama reacted faster then either black unicorn had anticipated, however. Molars clenched with effort, he slammed his Gravity Spikes down upon the Leader with a grunt of effort, the four lances smashing her down into the grass of the meadow in quick succession until she lay unmoving at his feet.

For the second and final time he called upon gravity to warp around him, speeding his movements so that he could bring a second rain of Gravity Spikes to defend his back. Though he cast them blindly he did so with an ear to the hoofbeats behind him and the sharp twist of dread that heralded a beast of the Void. Through luck or intuition he critically succeeded sent his divine magic in a tight cluster down upon the mare's horned skull, and she collapsed soundlessly a few inches from his heels.

Astaroth made quite an impression with his fireball. The heat gathered and grew and scorched in front of him as he cast it towards Mare 3 and the Colt, too wide for them to avoid. Fire seared over fur and a terrible stink of burning hair filled the area. The Colt veered off, hissing in pain and dismay, but the Corrupted Mare dropped her head against the flames and charged, enraged by the agony imparted by the flames. She charged blind, however, eyes closed against the fire and she missed Asta, though not by much.

There was nothing to dampen Alys's healing magic and the soothing power of it flowed through her without hindrance. In a few moments her wound had stitched itself closed as if it had never been, but it was never wise to run from a hunting predator. Mare 2 growled her annoyance at the escaping Fateweaver and charged again, but Vesper's shadows caught at her legs and caused her to stumble.

Speaking of whom, Vesper's change in appearance caused confusion in the equine ranks. The Stallion, seeing no hoofed rival, turned his small, furious brain to vengeance and charged Hadama with a screech that heralded its approach and gave the Tidebreaker plenty of time to dodge. Mare 2 tripped and stumbled beneath the onslaught of shadows from below her that cut at her legs, sending purple blood spraying across the grass to mingle with the red. But it was the Colt that, abandoning Asta's fire, turned his attention on the young demigod and silently shifted targets to headbutt the new human in their midst.

Except his headbutt included a horn that struck home, piercing Vesper as his older brother had done before.

Hadama glanced around swiftly to take in the state of his companions and exhaled sharply to see Vesper wounded. "I will handle the stallion," he called to the group. "Alys, help Vesper. Astaroth, work with Vesper to take one of the mares down." Perhaps a little teamwork could help make this dream work?

---

Vesper hits Mare 2 with shadows.
Hadama uses his gravity spikes and time dilation. He hits the Herd Leader and crits Mare 1!
Astaroth hits the Mare 3 and the colt with fire.
Alys heals herself.

The Herd Leader and Mare 1 are dead! how sad!
The Stallion attacks Hadama and misses
Mare 2 attacks Alys and misses
Mare 3 attacks Astaroth and misses
The Colt attacks Vesper and hits!

Hadama: 1105
Astaroth: 153
Vesper: 68
Alys: 130

Corrupted Herd Leader: 0
Corrupted Stallion: 500
Corrupted Mare 1: 0
Corrupted Mare 2: 58
Corrupted Mare 3: 83
Corrupted Colt: 53

// i've got a lot to show for the time you're gonna lose //

The fire bursts out of him with a flare of frustration, but one that the masks easily with the grin still on his face. He watches, scents, and shifts his movement just enough as the fire collides with both mare and colt, sending one of them careening away from him even if the mare decides to try and take the lead of the situation.

And not unlike a perfect tango, the butcher steps away from mare 2 as she lowers her head and dives toward him, evading the glittering horn just in time for him to take sight of the way the herd starts to turn back on the shadowy demigod. And while Asta isn’t a fan of taking orders (sorry Hadama), he is inclined to help the young man because of the affinity for shadows.

So for that, the butcher aims himself at the mare that’s just been tripped and sliced by the shadows that reach out. Sending another burst of flame at the mare, the butcher moves yet again to try and block anything that might come careening toward Vesper again.

---

Astaroth turns his attention to shooting a fireball at Mare 2! He also moves to be closer to Vesper to hopefully offer some kind of distraction or other target to take the heat off of him.

Scorch (Ancient): Can generate and manipulate flames within a 30ft radius, pulling heat from the environment or their own body.
Type: Dark | Rank: Mastered

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.

Astaroth

// by the time i go, i'll tear you up in two //

and everybody's gotta breathe somehow

Alys's healing magic worked immediately, soothing the wound and chasing out infection. The mare chased her, but somehow the seer managed to dodge, and in what seemed like no time at all she found herself near Vesper, who had been grievously wounded. Hadama 's instructions to help the young demigod were superfluous - Alys would have helped regardless - but she shouted, "I'm on it!" all the same, just to confirm that she would do just that.

Turning to Vesper, who was now back in his human form, Alys prayed that the unicorns would stay off them long enough for her to heal him. "Sorry about this," she called out as she grabbed at the young man's arm, sending healing magic reaching to knit his wounds together. If it worked, maybe they could both get back into the battle quickly, and Alys was already searching her mind for illusions to cast or attacks to offer even as she worked to heal Vesper.

---

Alys uses mastered healing on Vesper!

Healing (Abandoned/Hybrid): Heals wounds at mastered level.
Type: Light | Rank: Mastered

Type: Grey | Style: Other | Level: Basic
Quicksilver Ring | A ring that when worn grants +3 LUCK. Must be included in all PQ/PQ+/KQ/DROP posts to be counted.

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). Residents cannot be cursed at shrines in this region.

ALYS

I don't know what I'm looking for

The colt’s horn drives in like the void itself has picked a favourite, and Vesper crumples beneath the force of it. Grass and sky spin, a white-hot burst blooming behind his eyes as the pain cleaves through him. His body folds hard into the earth, knocked flat and graceless, a sharp grunt torn from his throat as air leaves his lungs all at once.

For a moment, he can’t even curse. Just sprawled in the churned grass, chest heaving like bellows trying to suck flame instead of air. His jaw clenches against the pain, against the iron taste of helplessness. Somewhere past the ringing in his ears he hears Hadama ’s call—orders like commands from a king, but all Vesper can think is should’ve stopped him. Should’ve seen it coming. Should’ve never turned his back.

Alys ’s voice is a thread through the haze, pulling him upright—not by hand, but by sheer force of presence. Vesper might have cracked a joke at her apology if his ribs weren’t screaming, if his vision wasn’t still doing a slow ripple around the edges.

Even before the healing hits, before the magic begins to stitch him back together, he moves—one hand clenching in the grass, the other sweeping low with fingers splayed wide. Shadows pour like ink from his palm, wrapping tight around Alys’s legs and lower back, a defensive coil, not to bind but to guard. A silent thank-you, shaped like a shield.

He doesn’t let himself drop his head again, even as blood still slicks the grass beneath him. No. He’s already watching. Already searching. Already hunting. "Soon as I stand," he mutters to Alys, voice ragged and low, "I’m gonna send her to meet the fuckin’ stars."

---

Vesper casts a shield over Alys and shrugs off half the damage.

Magic: Celestial Shield | Can create a spherical shield out of starlight to encompass one character within 15ft. The shield lasts for one round.
Type: Light | Rank: Basic

Regional Score bonus: +15 in all shrine visits, drops, PQ+s, KQs, etc. (You must post this at the bottom of any post where a +15 should be included). Residents cannot be cursed at shrines in this region.

Torchline: Torchline has taught you to survive her weather and her terrain. Once per PQ/PQ+/KQ/Drop, you can 'shrug off' half the damage from ONE non-lethal attack. (In order to use this ability, you must put a clear note in the bottom of your post immediately following the attack you want to 'shrug off').

but I swear to God I'll find it

Code 100% taken from the queeeeeeen herself, Sky <3