[DROP] Bleak

Luxere The luxere, regardless of which herd or where, suddenly raise their heads in unison. Their eyes grow wide, kind amber bleeding into frightened white as their eyes roll back into their heads. Something is wrong. Something is very, very wrong. With cries of alarm they stomp their hooves, their calls bellowing through the night. They look into windows hoping to find you. Will you help us, their imploring stares seem to say. As we have helped you? But there is no time. The herd splits. Half of their number remain to protect and light the way, while the other ambles towards the outskirts. If you follow, their light may protect you on the journey. Or it may not. In the fields, blanketed in snow and the softest of lights, is a young luxere. It has been attacked by the monsters; too young to know better, but too old to have died from its injuries. It will though, unless it is helped. This is a LUXERE drop. A few things to mention: because you are going outside, YOU CAN BE INJURED (OR POSSIBLY) KILLED DURING THIS DROP. Rolls will be based on your stats as well as your ingenuity during the drop, but be aware of this. With a poor enough roll, there might not be time to give a "you're going to die next round" warning ;) . Regardless of where you are on the map, you will see the luxere begin to migrate and can follow. These rounds will be short since LN is coming to a close! But the luxere need your help! Will you help rescue one of them? (Because of timelines, the folks in the KQ cannot participate. Since you know, you might die in there and then this timeline would be bonkers.) You have 24 hours to reply.

ISLA evil is a point of view The problem with the infirmary, sometimes, was that it did its job too well. The patients Isla had been minding were almost well by now, and the majority only came back to the infirmary for her to check on them or change bandages or give medicine. So she was thinking, maybe, that she might also go down to the Rathskeller to enjoy what little pleasures LongNight had to offer, when a faint glow passed by one of the windows. It was much... glowier than the usual lone Luxere that had been minding the night with her, and when Isla looked... Well. That was quite the sight indeed. Unable to pinpoint what made her want to follow them - other than the fact that they had stood vigil for so long so far, Isla bundled into her coat and stepped outside. She made sure the stone Remi had made for her was in her pocket, her footsteps as quiet as she could make them as she fell in at the back of the herd. Isla bathed in their glow, a soft smile on her face. Only when they neared the outskirts did she realise just why they had been moving. "Oh, no," Isla murmured, drifting through the herd towards the young and injured Luxere, her movements slow and calm so as not to spook it.

KIADA curl your hands into fists, and sharpen your nails. There’s a strange feeling that runs through the Harpy’s veins. At first, she figures it’s due to Longnight and all the ridiculous things that are happening around her despite the busy Rathskeller she’s kept herself in. But as time moves on and she spends some time glancing toward the window at the light of the Luxere’s antlers, she notices a shift. The light is moving ever so slightly, and suddenly it’s not as bright as it had been before. Concern laces her stomach, and she struggles internally whether to go out and find out what is happening or to remain and let the others deal with it. Despite her blood lust and her dark tendencies, she likes to think she’s a good person at heart. So she slinks toward the door and makes sure that Seiji isn’t looking before she slips out. And when she makes it actually outside the darkness is overwhelming. But she can see the herd splitting, and she shifts to her vulture form to help her see the Luxere. Then, she takes to the sky with her wings pounding to raise her high above them. As she follows them, she comes to the outskirts and her eyes scan the ground for the cause of such a disturbance. She spots a woman, and a wounded Luxere. The woman’s moving closer to the creature and she wonders for a moment if the woman’s intentions are good. Still, Kiada dives toward the ground, shifting back into herself and making sure she hadn’t lost her knives in her bundles of fur as she moves to step behind Isla and announce her presence. “Will they let us help them?” She asks quietly in her chimed voice, eyes dancing with worry from the surrounding Luxere and the wounded one as she, too, begins to slink closer to appear not as a threat. the next time a man tells you to smile, show him bloodstained teeth.

It’s only because of his vigil at the door Caiside even notices it open, a woman slipping out into the fathomless dark beyond. More concerning than someone leaving though, was the the sudden lack of glowing antlers beyond it. Their guardians seemed to be leaving, and Caiside refused to be left behind. With an actual goal in mind, he doesn’t hesitate to slink our the door, waiting until there are no eyes on him. The chill outside grips him immediately, it’s icy fingers dulled when he shifts into his four legged form. In this shape, it’s easy to fall in with the herd as they move, though to what he’s not sure. It feels far safer here, surrounded by the light of the luxere, than it did bundled in with the other back at the Rathskeller. Far sooner then he expects, the herd comes to a pause in a field. Two women, one he recognized as the one who snuck out before him, knelt by a young, wounded luxere. Caiside worked his way closer to them, staying in his elk form for the time being. His sense were sharper, and instinct told him whatever had injured the creature hadn’t gone very far. If the two who had come before him were going to focus their efforts on the luxere, then someone should keep an eye over them. Caiside I learned it from the trees

Sam had seen the Luxere at the window and felt an instant connection to the desperate look in it's eyes. It needed help, he could tell, and...he looked at the sleeping Remi next to him then shook his head. He'd be back. Before he left, he wrote a small note which read: Going Outside For Something Important. Love You. S. With his business at the temple sorted he headed out behind the Luxere, staying close with one hand on it's fur so that he would not be lost to the darkness. The creatures really were beautiful, he thought, when their antlers were so visible and bright in the contrast of the deep dark all around. Finally he reached the destination; the first person he saw was Isla and Sam had to swallow an immediate anger down. The other two there he didn't recognise, so it was easier to focus on them. Quietly he approached the injured Luxere but for now just looked at it, not saying a word. SAMUEL How could a night so frozen Be so scalding hot? How can a morning this mild Be so raw?

lily from what i’ve tasted of desire i hold with those who favor fire Oh no, oh no, oh noooooo this is alllllll going to hell in a handbasket. With all the commotion and death and dying, Lily is seriously worried, which is weird, because she generally isn’t prone to anxiety. Nevertheless, something makes her worry about the Luxere herd, who are supposed to be protecting them, but obviously not doing a good job of it. I mean, did they just… leave? In all the fuss, she is able to slip out… just to check. And fuck, it’s a good thing she does, because she sees half the herd moving away. “Oh no, oh no, oh… please stay,” she whispers to them, trying to compel some to return to guard the Rathskellar… but of course, she is wildly unsuccessful. There is only one thing to do, in her mind, and that’s to follow them. They wouldn’t leave if it wasn’t important, right? She struggles to keep up with them, so by the time she reaches the fallen Luxere, there are already several others there. Upon spotting the bleeding young one she gives a little gasp and a sigh and inches towards it - not sure what she might do except give it some comfort. She begins to hum 'Greensleeves' quietly. Just in case.

Luxere Isla arrives first, the wounded luxere immediately focusing on her soft mannerisms and calming voice. It struggles to move towards her, its legs stiff and its breath uneven. Movements that, despite how wounded the creature was, appeared jarred. Irregular. Possessed, mayhap. Soft golden eyes looked up into Isla's pebble-blues. For a moment it seemed to sink comfortingly into her hands, relief splashing over a face that looks so young and naive. As its eyes slip closed in a comforting breath that makes icy fog appear from its pink muzzle, black goo begins to drip from its nose and mouth. When its eyes open again, they are black and without emotion. They see but they do not discern, they are hungry. They are voracious. The luxere tries to bleet, but the sound is cut off as a black tendril forces its way from the lamb's throat. Gagging it staggers away from Isla, but the snake-like abomination that defies physics and anatomy that shoots from the wounded creature goes straight for Isla. Teeth that form a ring, yellow with horrific pink gums and a tongue that looks barbed and full of poison. The last thing both she and the luxere hear, is Lily's quite song. Her back to them and the monster enters Isla through lips that have had no time to scream. It fills every porous part of her, clogging her ever-beating heart, corroding the fluid that animates her limbs, and forever darkening the eyes which once could see so well. For now, it hungers inside of the ascended, chewing away at the parts of her and dissecting others. A tail with two pinchers on it erupt from her stomach, the warmth of her body causing rays of warmth to softly smoke from her newly revealed lower intestines. The creature—slug? snake? festering tubular monster?—seemed to slosh quite happily in its new vessel of blood and warmth, working away at the pieces of the ascended that it wanted to keep, those it wanted to eat, and those it would leave behind. The luxere lamb staggers away. It was the darkness inside of it that its meager amount of light was too weak to repel that had segregated it from the herd. Frantically it tries to wobble away from Isla, adrenaline and fear making movement difficult. It falls into the snow, bleeting it looks towards those who look on: Kiada, Sam, Caiside, and Lily. And icy wind picks up, frigid and frosty. It completely blocks everything from view, yet still you can hear the lamb crying. Will you go to it? Or will you save yourselves? The following was determined entirely by DICE ROLL + your luck stats with a pre-determined ratio for what brackets caused what. Isla - unfortunately dies almost instantly. Because of how low her roll was there is no medicine or healing that can save her. Kiada - Feels extremely cold, but is unharmed Caiside - Completely unharmed Samuel - His body begins to shake violently as his inner processes try desperately to maintain his body temperature. He will find it difficult to walk, and because of the recent amount of human blood in his system, his fluids begin to freeze making his joints ache. Lily - Frostbite begins to set in. You have 24 hours to do something. :)

"Hey, hey now... it's alright. Come here." Isla smiled warmly to the little creature, kneeling down before it and holding a hand out encouragingly as it jittered closer. Not particularly well versed in the animals, while its movements were not right, per say, Isla put it down to the cold and to its injuries. "Let's see what we can do for you, okay?" She reached out to pet it, smoothing down soft fur and a warm body that sagged into her. Too late, she noticed the dark, viscous substance begin to drip from its muzzle. Too late it staggered away and Isla got her feet beneath her. A sharp intake of a breath that she didn't need, and a black thing shot from its mouth, arching through the air towards... towards... Her limbs lock in place. She tries to move, to speak, to scream. All that emerges is a soft retching, and she twiches, jerks almost, as the creature ravages her from within. Her eyes cloud with a darkness so deep and cold and vast that it seems endless. Seems. Is. Isla is gone long before the monster finishes with her. Her eyes, nose and lips stream with inky blackness, and she stares unseeing at the sky. There is no peace out here, in this, the longest of nights. Isla the flesh is weak

Sam didn't even take in what had happened before him before the pain set in. He could see that Isla had been attacked, invaded by something; All of his earlier anger bled away and his heart screamed for her, remembered her kindness and help and wished that he could help her somehow, but she had fallen dead before he had a chance to think. His limbs began to violently shake and he stumbled backwards, feeling the upgrade struggle to even communicate the amount of pain he was feeling as his systems froze. It took a monumental effort to keep himself upright, his whole body screaming for warmth. Oh, why had he come? Remi would be waiting for him, wondering why he hadn't returned-- "L-let's go back. T-To the Rath...Rathskeller." He instructed the group, a desperate whining edge to his voice. "Please. I can't--I'm going to--I'm freezing--" But they were not guaranteed to help him in time, so he decided to risk it. Sam turned and ran back to the Rathskeller as quickly as he could with his shaking legs. {FUCK ALL Y\'ALL AND YOUR DEER SAMS OUTTIE} SAMUEL How could a night so frozen Be so scalding hot? How can a morning this mild Be so raw?

KIADA curl your hands into fists, and sharpen your nails. She notices others show – another deer, though this one seems normal and she considers the fact that they might be like her with a second skin to wear. Then another, and another, until finally Isla is approaching and touching the deer while Kiada watches on, her icy gaze slipping from the first to approach and the surrounding, nervous herd. But what she doesn’t entirely see, is what happens next. It happens all so fast. One moment, Isla is touching and soothing the Luxere. The next, darkness overcomes and it seems to fling itself toward the other woman. Shifting quickly, she hovers in the air away from the woman, scarlet eyes and wings beating against the chill coming in the wind as she looks from the staggering, now seemingly okay Luxere, and the woman. A guttural cry leaves her lips, as she watches what unfolds. She watches the woman fall, and the inky black substance beginning to seep from her nose. Kiada knows what death looks like. And she knows it has come. She listens while one of the other men stutters, whining to tell them or try to command them to leave. She hovers in the air as she tilts her head to him – her blood red gaze narrowing on the man before she shakes it fervently. He can go if she wants. She chooses to remain. With a cry to the others, she realizes she doesn’t care what they do, if they follow Samuel or follow her. She needs to be sure that the darkness within that Luxere hasn’t spread – hoping that it wouldn’t return to the herd at the Rathskeller and continue to infect the others. And despite the cold that has reached her, penetrated her feathers, she leaves Isla in the snow and darkness, and flies toward the harmed Luxere. It couldn’t have gotten far, but it’s dark and she can’t see the creature anymore so she uses her ears, hearing a quiet bleating sound. When she thinks she is close, she drops to the snow before the Luxere and shifts back into herself. Tightening her furs around her as she shivers in the cold, she kneels in the snow with a concerned iceberg gaze. Her hands remain from touching it until she can inspect the creatures face for the possible shift to darkness like before. And when she thinks perhaps everything is fine, she reaches with a shaky gloved hand toward the Luxere’s pelt. “It wasn’t your fault.” She coos quietly, hoping to gently pet the Luxere. the next time a man tells you to smile, show him bloodstained teeth.

It had happened so quickly, the scene shifting from calm to panicked in a breath. Caiside had turned to regard the two that joined them, both faces he had seen in the tavern, and in that instant had missed the sight of whatever darkness infected the young luxere dragging its way into Isla. The scent of blood in the snow was unmistakeable though, deeply familiar and disconcerting. He moves just as the wind picks up, kicking trough the snow to build a wide berth between him and the body (bodies?). One of the men leaves, whatever words he had said carried away by the wind, and the piercing cry of a bird. Retreating back indoors is tempting, but with the bulk of the herd here, staying seemed safer than trying to make his way back, and if he was to die then he would do it trying to accomplish something, not running like a child. The soft sounds of the lamb crying manage to reach him through the snow, giving him a point to move towards despite the lack of vision. A blur became the shape of a woman, knelt over the young luxere. Once he was close Caiside shifted back into his more human form and drew his robes close, careful to cover his his mouth and nose with the edge of them. He didn’t think it would really help him, but it made him feel somewhat more secure after the horrible choking sounds that had come from Isla’s body. ”Is it still... affected?” He asked, voice muffled and half stolen by the wind. If they could come to a plan quickly, perhaps they could get out of here without anymore bloodshed, with the deer. Caiside I learned it from the trees

lily from what i’ve tasted of desire i hold with those who favor fire Nope nope nope. When the black goo starts to leak out of the Luxere’s nose, Lily begins to have a really bad feeling about this. Perhaps too far away to observe specifics, she can see a lot of jerky movements, can hear the painful, heart-rending bleats of the young reindeer. She wants to help, but oh, it’s just freezing. Absolutely bone-chillingly cold. And Lily is not properly dressed for this, it seems. Her toes were already mostly numb, her fingers aching and white and waxen. It feels like blood just isn’t getting to her outer extremities. She begins to shiver aggressively. When the wind picks up, she looks around - looks at the youngster in need of help, the others, and then - then it is obvious that all is not right. The man she was talking to earlier takes his exit and shamefully, she decides she will take hers as well. “I’m sorry,” she says to the remaining three, while moving backwards. “I’m sorry. I’m too - I can’t seem to feel half my feet - I’m useless here.” And she is genuinely sorry. But there is nothing to do except hobble after Samuel and hope that he’ll wait for her so they can head back to the Rathskellar together.

Luxere The sudden storm spooks the luxere herd. A few had trailed behind Caiside as an elk. He was not one of them, but his confidence inspires something in them. The majority of the herd is female, and the presence of a male soothes something primitive in them. So when he shifts amidst the sudden flurry of snow, they panic and run. One bolts by him, knocking into his shoulder with its bulk and thrusting it out of its socket. He is thrown to the ground, his face hitting the sharp-snow which leaves multiple cuts on his face and has also potentially broken his nose. Meanwhile, the young lamb jumps but is unable to flee. It awkwardly mews in Kiada's grasp, wanting both to stay in her reassuring fingers, but also wants to go to Caiside. Whatever instinct in the luxere that encourages them to protect the humans is strong enough that even this wounded youngster, feels it keenly. The following was determined entirely by DICE ROLL + your luck stats. LAST ROUND. You have 24 hours to do something. Both Lily and Sam make it back without injury. Kiada continues to feel cold, but is otherwise unharmed. Caiside is trampled by a luxere and dislocated his shoulder, cuts his face, and possibly breaks his nose.

KIADA curl your hands into fists, and sharpen your nails. She nears the Luxere as she coos to it quietly. She listens behind her as the elk approaches and shifts, and she finds herself glancing back to spot him. Fiery red hair and a fairly handsome face, she steps slightly aside to answer his question. “I don’t think so anymore.” She offers, but before she can say much else, the Luxere is whining and meetings quietly despite Kiadas fingers laced in its pale fur as the herd disrupts around them. She keeps her head down, kneeling by the wounded Luxere, hoping that the herd wouldn’t come and trample their own. But when she lifts her head to look, she notices Caiside is no longer where she thought. Instead, the man has been hurt and the Luxere’s meeting grows intensely. Huffing quietly to herself, she pulls her furs closer and aims to help the wounded Luxere approach Caiside. It doesn’t hurt that the warmth the creature emits is well received by the Harpy. Her icy gaze travels from the Luxere to Caiside, wondering how bad the damage is. “How bad are you hurt?” She questions the man while she makes no move toward him. Instead, her focus is keeping the Luxere at her side and hopefully to eventually bring it back to the Rathskeller to care for, to ensure that it might be safe there. But with two wounded bodies, it made things a lot more difficult. the next time a man tells you to smile, show him bloodstained teeth.