[KQ] taste the sun-sweet berries

you look like my next mistake

Having reached out to those who she wasn't particularly close to had fought with previously, Flora had penned her request for assistance to Talyson, Sah, and Noah, arguing that because Deimos had already planted the lily she'd collected from Rae somewhere in the Greatwood, that it should only take one last push to fully cleanse the area. Which meant, despite how lovely Frey's Breath was, that there would be more places to search for more healing flora to try and drive back the void.

Now, waiting on the edge of her former home, all of Flora's brazen confidence dwindled as she gazed upon once towering oaks which were now twisted and bent with lines of violet run through their bark. No longer did the Greatwood sing and seem to breathe, but instead it looked crippled and hunched over. Biting at the inside of her cheek, the queen rubbed a soothing palm up one side of her arm before adjusting the daggers on her hip and taking a breath.

They could do this. They'd done it before, and though it had nearly cost Noah his life (although what were a few nearly fatal wounds to an immortal demigod really), still Flora shivered with uneasy anticipation.

---

Cleansing KQ for the Greatwood!

Flora has everything on her profile but has left Spice at home. She's on the edge of the trees waiting for everyone to arrive.

It wasn't how he'd planned to spend his Leafchange, but after Vi had given him an attaboy after cleaning up the Oerwoud Tal was feeling motivated to continue earning the God of Life's approval. Sure, he was sworn to Mort, but it never hurt to get on good terms with your god's bae, right? And when he'd seen Sah and Noah's names on the invite, well, he couldn't let them tackle the problem alone. What if something happened to either of them because he didn't show up?

Also Flora. But from what he'd seen in their Void-flavored adventures over the past year, he trusted her to know

He made his way to the meeting place, glancing uneasily at the twisted trees. He'd done some poking around the Greatwood after it had fallen to the Void while he was looking for Sohalia, but the place hadn't really encouraged lingering. It still didn't, in fact. But bolstered by their success in the Oerwoud, Tal figured they at least couldn't make things worse by trying.

"Hey, Flora," he called softly as she came into sight. He was dressed for business in his Vest and blessed accessories, Goggles firmly in place over his eyes and his Dagger ready and waiting in his hand. "If we need t'channel, think we should try for Vi?" Shoot for the sun, right?

---

Tal has everything on his profile except Boreal and the Peregrine!

Sah

Sah had already been considering contacting the same group about possibly clearing the Greatwood, so Flora's notice was a pleasant surprise. He'd packed his bag and headed out soon after. With his teleportation, he was able to get close to the edge of the woods. The hybrid didn't dare use such noticeable magic too close to the tainted forest. Instead, he shifted into his raven form and after picking up his bag in his talons, flew the rest of the way to the rendezvous point.

The dark bird circled for a brief moment before Sah dove down and landed near the others. Shifting back, he slung his bag over his shoulder from where it was on the ground. Turning to the group, Sah nodded his head. "Good to see you all."

Something dawned on him and the Wild Thunder turned to Flora, "Please, don't be angry if I use my lighting at some point. It's more powerful than my air magic now." And wasn't that a concept he was still trying to wrap his mind around?

~
Sah arrives. He is wearing his armor. He has everything on his profile except his companions. He has his hunting bag (waterskin, knives, rope, rations, etc.)

I think therefore I am,
But what if all I do is bleed?

Noah

That's the price you pay
Leave behind your heart and cast away

Sky ships and teleportation got the demigod where he needed to be. He did not waste any time moving from Halo to the Greatwood, exactly where Flora told them to meet, despite the way his stomach turned at the vivid and sickening view of purples and greens and blacks and bright, deadly things curling through the trees and foliage of the Greatwood. 

 Talyson and Sah were already there and he nodded to each of them. Then, he cleared his throat. ”Let’s work better together this time, hmm?” Both Talyson and Sah had their ideas for tactics that could work, and that made him reiterate the idea. ”We can’t win, we can’t fight, if its not together.” Then, he looked to Sah. ”Stronger is one thing, but air is very effective against the void-touched. We cannot deny that, and you have to use your air.” Noah’s sideways look towards his cousin was enough to let the hybrid know that this was, in fact, a command.

—

Noah has all profile items minus companions.

Just another product of today
Rather be the hunter than the prey

Table base by Skylark

Orbs of light beckon and call from the darkened angles and shadows of trees. Were those whispers of your friends? Family? Fallen allies?

Was that a scream? Could they be in trouble?

Is it all in your head? Just your imagination?

Or something else altogether – because what if it’s true?

---

You’ve encountered a Will-O-Wisp. This counts as a common creature encounter for the purposes of levelling, but does not count as a Random Event for levelling or MP. There will be no further admin/re intervention. If you choose to follow this creature, you do so at your own risk, however, just having it in this thread is enough to satisfy your levelling requirements.

Will-O-Wisps (common): Glowing orbs of light that dance and weave between the branches, despite their usefulness, these creatures are not to be trusted. Mischievous and loyal to no one, they will lead travellers astray at a moment's notice.

You aren't welcome here. You already know this, and yet you come anyway, swanning into the woods as if it is your right to walk these desecrated pathways; as if it's still safe, still something like home.

Not to worry, petals - someone's here with a reminder to bring you back to earth.

Perhaps you've heard of her - maybe you even met her once before.

But the Mathair - forgotten and left to fester and evolve under the void's influence - is a far cry from the (admittedly still quite macabre) Leafchange goddess you all once knew and loved(?), and her presence as the great mother tree in the Greatwood spans far and wide, from root to tip. She - and the whole forest - know you're here.

Branches, pulsing with violet energy and with bark black as pitch, come slamming from the canopy overhead, aiming to smash and crush and maim. Most of you manage to dart out of the way, luckily enough. All but Noah; perhaps someone jinxed him by bringing up what happened in the Oerwoud.

Swatted whomping willow-style across the woods, the Forsaken is still in sight at least, but deep within the Greatwood, something warbles and chitters, sounding like hideous laughter. The heart of the problem; the Mathair.

---

Welcome to the Key Quest. This is a hard Level 12 key Quest.

Void Mathair: 1569/1569

Your randomly assigned posting order is:

Sah 684/684
Noah 402/560
Flora 504/504
Talyson 780/780

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.

Sah

Sah’s nodded in response to Noah’s words, “I’m well aware and I won’t forget.” There was no denying the truth in his cousin’s words and the Wild Thunder had not come here today with the intention of neglecting his air magic. Still, he’d show Noah what he meant about his lightning magic when this was all over. Now wasn’t the time.

A wisp in the corner of his eye was quickly ignited when the Mathair attack. Sah was able to dodge with a hissed, “Fuck. Here we go.”

But then Noah was sent flying. “Noah!” A quick glance ensured that the Demi-god was stable. With gritted teeth, the hybrid focused on the threat. Calling forth his air magic, he sent a slash upwards. They’d likely need to target the roots later but for now, those branches needed to back off.

~
Sah uses his air magic to cut at the branches above them.

Air manipulation: Can create and control the air. Must be within a 30ft radius.

Type: Light | Style: Defensive | Level: Mastered
Starmour | Beautiful lightweight armour that glistens faintly with starlight. This item blocks physical damage at the wearer's Mastered level. Requires a 2 post cool-down between uses.

I think therefore I am,
But what if all I do is bleed?

Noah

That's the price you pay
Leave behind your heart and cast away

He should have ignited his shield magic, as basic as it was, when they entered. The sudden impact took him by surprise, even though it should not have. He should have been prepared. But he wasn’t, and now he had to deal with it.

Flung through the air like a discarded cleaning rag, Noah groaned at the impact of his body hitting the ground. His lungs grabbed and gasped for air but he scrambled to his feet. It hurt, that hit, but it wasn’t enough concussive force to keep him down. Getting back to his feet and letting his lungs fill with air, the demigod ignited his divine opposition as Sah attacked upwards. While he knew this magic didn’t do damage against some void creatures, nor the Family, it would still heal him, and he couldn’t keep this much damage at the beginning of their endeavor.

I’m okay! He called over the bond, looking around, Noah tried to pinpoint the highest potential for damage — and where to hit.

—

Noah uses divine opposition to heal himself and uses his INT 1 to get bearings on best where to attack.

Magic: Divine Opposition | Noah summons a celestial shield dome in a 60ft radius. Any allies within the shield receive Mastered Healing, and any enemies are damaged at a Mastered level. May be used 3x per thread with a two post cool down.
Type: Light | Rank: Mastered
(Uses 1/3)

Regional Score bonus: +9 in all shrine visits, drops, PQ+s, KQs, etc. (You must post this at the bottom of any post where a +9 should be included)

Just another product of today
Rather be the hunter than the prey

Table base by Skylark

you look like my next mistake

The thing, though, Sah? Flora doesn't know what more powerful means, given how hella effective they've all seen his air to be, which means unfortunately for you, she probably will be mad even if it IS in fact stronger. But anyways.

Grinning at Noah, before turning to Talyson to answer him, Will O' Wisps flutter through her field of vision and then suddenly the Forsaken is gone. Well, maybe not gone, but yeeted, certainly.

"Fuck," the queen hisses. Not knowing yet that it was the Mathair attacking them, Flora plucked out her daggers. "Just like last time, huh?" Muttered more to herself than anyone else, Flora aimed at the canopy above where one of the violet boughs was twisting and coiling as if to strike, before letting a blade fly.

---

Flora throws a dagger at one of the branches in the canopy.

Regional Score bonus: +11 in all shrine visits, drops, PQ+s, KQs, etc. (You must post this at the bottom of any post where a +11 should be included)

Type: Grey | Style: Offensive | Level: Mastered
Deadly Plumage | Three iridescent feathers capable of being used as projectiles. Razor sharp.

Type: Dark | Style: Offensive | Level: Mastered
Star Poison | A poisonous coating on each of the Deadly Plumage daggers that adds mastered damage on the initial hit.

So the whispering Wisps? Not Tal's favorite Greatwood denizen. He'd run into them a few times and he'd be really good if he never heard them again, actually. And maybe the Mathair heard his half-prayer because suddenly holy fuck he had bigger things to worry about.

One of those things was Noah as the Forsaken was launched through the trees.

Another was the weird chittering laughter, which was new and exciting in all the wrong ways.

"Noah!" Tal joined Sah in calling after the demigod, unable to hear the hunter's reassurance through the Attuned bond. But he saw him get up and activate his glowy healing dome, so the courier gritted his teeth and nodded tightly at Flora's rhetorical question as he went back-to-back with her. "Got any new plans cookin'?" While he waited for her answer he threw a stab up at a retreating purple branch with his Dagger, to encourage it to keep fucking right off.

---

Tal goes back-to-back with Flora and stabs a retreating Whomp!branch with his Dagger!

Type: Grey | Style: Offensive | Level: Mastered
Special Delivery Dagger | A carefully crafted dagger veined with crimson markings, decorated with the foot of a blink hare. Upon making a stabbing motion in the air, the dagger may damage a target up to 30ft away from the user.

Type: Dark | Style: Offensive | Level: Mastered
Honed by Nightmares | A curious silvery coating covers the Special Delivery Dagger. Causes extra physical damage at an Mastered level.

Type: Grey | Style: Defensive | Level: Mastered
Rockhide Vest | An armoured vest flecked in black and white and lined with cool, fur-like material. This item blocks physical damage. Requires a 2 post cool-down between uses.

Type: Grey | Style: Defensive | Level: Upgraded
Hands off! | Silver striping covers the Rockhide Vest. When successfully struck in melee combat it deals lightning damage at half the wearer's damage stat.

Type: Light | Style: Other | Level: Basic
Lucky you | A wishbone earring blessed by Mort, that when worn grants +5 luck. Must be included in all PQ/PQ+/KQ/DROP posts to be counted.

Sah 's attack reverberates through the canopy, thrumming through the hollow air, and the Mathair shrieks her displeasure through the groaning of timber and snapping of branches. The boughs reel, pulling back as if in pain, but Flora 's dagger barely grazes them - a whisper of defiance swallowed by the black.

Talyson , however, strikes true. His blade finds purchase, severing the violet-tinged vines that dangle like spectres from the treetops. The forest recoils, pulling away from his edge, but even the small victory seems to tremble under the weight of the once mighty Greatwood.

Roots unfurl from the earth with a malicious slither, like shadows brought to life, seeking the Forsaken once more. The Mathair is nothing if not relentless - and perhaps you underestimated her hunger for vengeance. The void seeps through her branches, through her roots, like venom through veins, and it makes her patient. Cruel. An old goddess with a new grudge.

Noah might have healed himself from the first blow, but survival is only an invitation to suffer further, isn't it?

The ground beneath him buckles, a heaving gasp of darkened soil, and roots as thick as a man's arm explode upwards. Black and violet tendrils twist and coil, wrapping his feet in a sudden, bruising vice. They yank, unceremonious and violent, aiming to take him off his feet and pull him deeper the forest's cold embrace.

The hideous laughter rises again, rattling through the trunks and echoing across the desecrated pathways. The Mathair is watching, always watching - and she will not forgive your trespass so easily.

---

Welcome to the Key Quest. This is a hard Level 12 key Quest.

Void Mathair: 1361.5/1569

Your randomly assigned posting order is:

Sah 684/684
Noah 302/560
Flora 504/504
Talyson 780/780

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.

Sah

Sah let out a deep sigh at Noah’s reassurance, wishing that he could respond in kind.

But his relief was short lived as a shiver went down his spine at the Goddess’s cackle. It quickly subdued any satisfaction at seeing her injured. Especially as once again the void seemed focused on Vi’s Demi-god. The Wild Thunder wasn’t sure if it was the result of bad luck or if the divine blood in Noah was being targeted specifically.

Calling forth his lightning, the hybrid let its full strength unfold. It cackled along his skin, eager to draw void-corrupted blood. Or perhaps sap in this case.

Regardless, Sah refused to repeat his prior mistake and aimed for the roots furthest from Noah. He couldn’t risk hitting the man with this attack.

~
Sah sends lightning at the roots furthest from Noah.

Lightning manipulation: Can create and control Lightning. Must be within a 30ft radius.
Type: Dark | Rank: Mastered

Magic: Overcharge: adds additional lightning damage at mastered level on a successful hit when Sah uses his lightning magic.
Type: Dark | Rank: Mastered

Type: Light | Style: Defensive | Level: Mastered
Starmour | Beautiful lightweight armour that glistens faintly with starlight. This item blocks physical damage at the wearer's Mastered level. Requires a 2 post cool-down between uses.

I think therefore I am,
But what if all I do is bleed?

Noah

That's the price you pay
Leave behind your heart and cast away

Once again, there were things that Noah should have done. Like use his shield.

But he didn’t.

”We have to go—“

As quickly as healing entered his flesh and bone and muscle, the vigor left him. The ground buckled and coiled and even as fast as the demigod was he could not avoid what came. Again he is attacked and thrashed, his body tattered and pulled. ”—FURTHER IN!”

He roared out in pain and anger, his passive magic making him light up with celestial energy and light. He had little else to do without the ability yet to heal himself, so he did finally ignite his shielding magic. Hopefully that would keep him safe, even if by vine and root he was being further attacked and pulled where he was telling them to go. 

—

Noah yells that they need to go deeper into the GW, and ignites his shield. 

Magic: Celestial Shield | Celestial light sweeps together around Noah to form a barrier of light, protecting him from attacks for one round. The barrier follows Noah as he moves. Lasts for 1 post, requires a 3 post cool down.
Type: Light | Rank: Basic

Regional Score bonus: +9 in all shrine visits, drops, PQ+s, KQs, etc. (You must post this at the bottom of any post where a +9 should be included)

Just another product of today
Rather be the hunter than the prey

Table base by Skylark

you look like my next mistake

"Uhhh, I dunno, hack and slash seemed to work okay for us last time?" Flora titters as she leans back against Talyson, finding his presence surprisingly reassuring (perhaps that was because his body was acting as a buffer between her and at least part of the Greatwood). As she lets her blade fly and hears it fly harmlessly somewhere into the canopy, the queen huffs loudly. "If I miss one more time," Flora snarls under her breath before the dazzle of Sah's electricity and Noah's sharp cry has her head snapping toward the deeper recesses of the wood.

"That didn't sound good." Not bothering to reach for Tal—he was a big boy and could make his own decisions—Flora darted further in before abruptly stopping behind Sah. "Noah, fuck sake." There was a joke to be made about the Greatwood sweeping the demigod off of his feet, but it'd have to be made later. For the moment, Flora reaches for another dagger and hurls it at one of the roots binding Noah in place.

---

Flora runs toward Noah and throws a dagger at one of the roots holding Noah.


Regional Score bonus: +11 in all shrine visits, drops, PQ+s, KQs, etc. (You must post this at the bottom of any post where a +11 should be included)

Type: Light | Style: Other | Level: Basic
Lucky you | A ring that when worn grants +3 luck. Must be included in all PQ/PQ+/KQ/DROP posts to be counted.

Type: Grey | Style: Offensive | Level: Mastered
Deadly Plumage | Three iridescent feathers capable of being used as projectiles. Razor sharp.

Type: Dark | Style: Offensive | Level: Mastered
Star Poison | A poisonous coating on each of the Deadly Plumage daggers that adds mastered damage on the initial hit.