[PQ] special shade of red

DEIMOS And in your darkest hour, I hold secrets flame The upcoming winter loomed in the back of the Sword’s meticulous, scrupulous mind – and what it usually meant for Halo. While there were those who would travel via the skyport, or could utilize the Academy’s blessings and no longer feel the cold, there were far more that would not, and nestle themselves deeper into the Citadel’s threshold. So time was of the essence to snag more food and store it for the impending season – ensuring adequate and sufficient food for their citizens. Leaving the designation and purpose upon the notice board, he began to maneuver out the next morning, large sled already dragged at the gate of the Citadel. He was accompanied by his companions, Zuriel for potential healing notions, and Belial for scouting, though the peryton took residence of the vessel for now, running back and forth on the open metallic sides until others began to make their way over. Adjusting his gloves, Deimos waited for the rest to accompany him, and then they’d be off. -- Open PQ for hunting/storing food for the upcoming winter! Meet up with Deimos, and write out what your character will be bringing with them at the bottom of your post. Thank you! Deimos has everything on his profile, companions included. 1. Deimos 2. 3. master of nothing place; of recoil and grace

will heaven step in?

Readied with the tools he needed for a hunt on the tundra, Noah set off to the meeting place. He walked confidently and correctly through the snow as it fell gently around him, eyes up and focused ahead of him.

Once Deimos was in view, he gave the Warden a smile and nod of greeting. His companions gave him their own greetings, though Vi'dore looked to Zuriel with a slightly lowered head, respectful and kind towards his kin. Noah patted the unicorn on the neck as Eira pressed herself against the Sword's leg and purred.

"I've seen a small herd of luxere coming in to the same place to bed. Three does, two of them with the fawns from last year." He said to the warden, shifting his weight some so that his invisibility cloak -- half draped over him -- shifted and glistened with an ethereal shimmer.

Noah has:
- Everything on his profile EXCEPT his spear.
- A hunting knife on his belt
- A normal quiver with ten arrows strapped to his waist
- Ten arrows in his fire quiver (strapped to his back)
- His bow

will it save us from our sin?

How did Alys keep getting herself into situations that she felt entirely unprepared to contribute to? Who knows, ask the writer. On this particular day, she had been drafted to go hunting - something that, from her understanding, was sorely needed in preparation for winter, but that she had little to no experience with actually doing. Still, she'd been practicing with her bow and arrow, and she felt like maybe she would be able to contribute, if only a little bit. She'd never shot at live targets before, though, and she had to admit that the idea of killing something - even to eat - left a bad taste in her mouth. She ate meat, of course, but she'd never had to actually be the one to make the kill.

She arrived dressed in warm hunting clothes with her hair tied back out of her face. She carried her bow and a quiver of arrows along with a lightly packed bag with a few basic necessities. "Hello," she said, greeting the two men with a smile and a little wave. On this outing, she would follow their lead.

------

Alys arrives. She has:
- A basic bow
- A quiver of 12 arrows
- A basic dagger
- A bag containing a skein of water and a few apples

alys glasse

waiting for the right mind to drive insane

DEIMOS And in your darkest hour, I hold secrets flame Noah’s appearance wasn’t a surprise, given the Sentinel’s vast arrays of experience along the Tundra, but Alys’s arrival gave him a little quirk of his brow, a tiny grin nestled in the corner of his mouth. “Thank you for coming,” he extended to both with a nod of his head, and Belial’s chipper greeting to follow. Zuriel surveyed them all with her usual sovereign’s expression, and the Sword’s head tilted to listen to the advisor’s proclamation. He didn’t particularly care for hunting after the luxere, given everything the elemental deer had done for them within the Grounds for years, but it didn’t mean they couldn’t scout or track whereabouts for their prey. Noah’s notions meant there were some out there, after all. “First thing is to find our game,” as he dragged the sled out, and they marched away from the wall. “Belial and I can scout from above, if both of you want to go together,” motioning towards Noah and Alys. Zuriel could easily stay with the vessel, which would’ve been her preference anyway. -- First things first – gotta find some prey! Noah has given some insights, but otherwise you are free to scout on your own terms! No post order! master of nothing place; of recoil and grace

will heaven step in?

Today would be a good day. Noah decided it as Alys came upon them. He offered her a smile in greeting. After their training session, Noah knew the woman had a great deal to offer in terms of strength. While he magic might pale in comparison to Deimos, there were still things she held within her that the Sword, nor the Sentinel, did. Noah nodded firmly to Deimos, then, beginning their trek out into the frozen landscape.  ”Eira will be a third set of eyes in the sky.“ His own unicorn was ready and willing to stay with his own kind, his steps falling in line with Zuriel but at a respectable distance from her side.

”Have you ever been on a tundra hunt?” Noah asked Alys, head tilting just a degree or two. Before she really had time to answer, Noah continued on. Though his voice lowered in volume. ”Ursur, frost giant, dragon. The big three dangers. There are others too, like wolves, but,” he gestured vaguely and briefly at Deimos, ”He can call them away. But if I tell you to run, I mean it. If I tell you to hide, you cover yourself in your illusions.” His tone was serious, but not patronizing.

He motioned with his head for Alys to follow him as he pulled an arrow from his hip quiver. ”Weapon or magic ready, all the time.” he gave her the final command before falling silent and letting his eyes drift over the rolling frozen land, arrow nocked. Eira went out ahead of them, great wings carrying her high and far.

——

Noah takes Alys to scout out, Vi’dore stays by Zuriel, and Eira goes to scout in the air!

will it save us from our sin?

Having never been hunting, Alys was not entirely prepared for Noah's seriousness. She knew, of course, that there were dangerous creatures that called the tundra home, but she'd never come across any on her own. Indeed, she'd helped Deimos to drive an ursur away from a luxere herd once upon a time, but she'd never felt that she'd been in danger. The way Noah was talking made it sound like she could be this time, but Alys couldn't think of any two people better equipped to keep her safe. In any case, she nodded. "Understood."

At Noah's instruction, the young woman pulled an arrow from her own quiver and nocked it, following the older man through the snow. She did her best to follow in Noah's tracks - more or less - though she ranged just to one side in case she needed to raise her bow. It would do no one any good for her to accidentally shoot her friend in the back!

------

Alys follows Noah to scout.

alys glasse

waiting for the right mind to drive insane

DEIMOS And in your darkest hour, I hold secrets flame With agreements and notions into place, the hunting party moved into their assembled portions. Deimos, Belial, and Eira took to the skies, intending to cover a vaster route, with sharp eyes and calming winds, wings unfurled to the masses as they cruised on thermals and overlooked an unrelenting domain. More than once the eagle simply lifted his head to be appeased by the chill; and then lowered his gaze to glance, to survey, to ensure there was something ahead. Which became all the more apparent – a herd of deer, lacking the glowing outlines on their antlers, and meaning they weren’t luxere, drifted behind a massive set of boulders jutting out of the snowy terrain. Even only a few of them could appease a significant amount in the Citadel, and the Sword relayed their find through the Attuned bond, hoping it would reach Noah. Herd of deer towards the east. But there were always options. Have you seen anything? As a matter of fact, Noah and Alys would be able to catch glimpses of something in the tundra – though perhaps they would have preferred not to. From where the pair of demigod and Abandoned studied, they’d end up finding a set of tracks – very bear-like in nature, and easily familiar to someone like Noah; ursur. Though the peculiar layout suggested something else – for some portions were bloodied. Had it made a fresh kill? Or had it been injured? -- Next steps – decide on what to hunt! No post order! master of nothing place; of recoil and grace

will heaven step in?

The hunter stopped in his tracks when the first sign of the bear-like creature appeared before them. Massive pawprints pressed into the hard snow, then trickles of blood. Noah's shoulder muscles tensed as he followed the prints with his eyes. There was no evidence of a body being dragged by the wooly bear. Despite his immense power and his ability now to fell an ursur with little effort, it still unnerved him. Nature and history working together had a way of not leaving one's mind easily.

Noah could faintly hear Deimos' mental voice over the attuned bond. The man must have been flying high. Noah's eyes moved from the blood to scan over the tundra ahead of them, the hairs on the back of his neck prickling. Blood. Ursur tracks. We're heading east. Was all he sent back at first, before straightening an arm to block Alys from going forward. He took a few steps back and to the side to guide the mage eastward. He would stay more behind her as they moved, ready to defend their backs if the ursur caught their scent and decided to turn for them -- or worse, if it was the ursur's own blood, whatever creature injured it decided to find them.

--

Noah says go east bro

will it save us from our sin?

Alys ranged along behind Noah, keeping an eye out on her surroundings and attempting to walk quietly so as not to scare any prey. She was like a shadow, pausing as he did, mimicking his motions, keeping close as they scouted the tundra for signs of life.

When they came upon massive tracks, Alys stopped behind Noah, peering curiously around the bigger man. The tracks were bloodstained, and for a moment, Alys's heart beat nervously in her throat. She swallowed hard, hoping that they weren't following these tracks. If she were guessing, she'd guess they belonged to an ursur. She wasn't aware of anything else on the tundra that big and bear-like.

So when Noah directed her eastward, away from the ursur (?) prints, Alys let slip a small sigh of relief. It was strange to be the one in front, though, and she moved forward cautiously, nervous now not because of the ursur, but because she was in the lead. What if she led them the wrong way? Just a straight line, she told herself. Easy, peasy.

------

Alys goes east because Noah told her to!

alys glasse

waiting for the right mind to drive insane

DEIMOS And in your darkest hour, I hold secrets flame The ominous declaration from Noah was enough to keep the apprehension flickering through the eagle’s form; long enough until they all seemed to congregate in the same area. The Sentinel and Alys did well in their attempt to flee – for there was no disturbance from ursur, prey, or the blood trail that told a story no one would be reading today. Instead, the Sword and his counterparts drifted downward, meeting the other two in a silent shift from bird to man, patting Zuriel as she rolled her eyes and Belial meandered through the air. “The herd is beyond that set of rocks,” and he pointed towards the boulders in the distance, a good cover for the grazing beasts, striving to find grass under the piles of snow. Pulling on the sled, and willing it to merely slide over the powder and make no other noise, he kept his voice down, so that nothing would startle the intended marks far beyond. “What would you like to do?” There was always the age-old distraction method, especially with their range of shifts and magic. Or he could run them – chase some weaker portions towards the others. But best to see which strategies either of them craved to yield towards. -- Head towards the deer and put together a plan! No post order! master of nothing place; of recoil and grace

will heaven step in?

AS they came back together, Vi’dore kept near the sled. ”The least we startle them the better.” Noah said, as a matter of fact. The less the deer ran and pumped their bodies full of adrenaline the better their meat would taste. ”But Alys has illusion magic that could be helpful for keeping them distracted while you and I flank them.” He suggested next, looking between the two of them and keeping his voice low. He didn’t want to startle the deer from this far away.

”And if you provided some elemental cover, that could help us gain advantage, too. I may be able to take out a few deer at a time between my magic and my bow. I know you’ve got the ability to take more than one, too. And Alys has a bow.” Basically — in Noah’s mind, at least — they were striving for the whole herd. They needed to feed their people. Not waiting for any more time or any arguments against his idea, Noah turned to set off.

He moved with his center of gravity low, arrow nocked, aiming to flank the herd on its leftmost side. Eira stayed in the skies, keeping her keen golden eyes peeled for any sign of that ursur.

—

Noah makes some suggestions and then tries to flank the herd on the left.

will it save us from our sin?

Fortunately, aside from the initial tracks, they saw neither hide nor hair of the ursur. It wasn't long before the memory of the red-stained snow had faded to the back of Alys's mind. She walked along, careful and quiet, arrow nocked on the string, her eyes flicking this way and that along the path that she made for them. Eventually, they reached a meeting point; Deimos reappeared, and Alys found herself relaxing infinitesimally. With both Noah and Deimos here, there was little that could hurt her. Her trust in them was complete.

Her eyes still flickering warily over their surroundings, her imagination trapped by Noah's earlier warnings, Alys nodded her agreement to Noah's plan. It made sense to use her magic to distract the herd. But what would she use to distract rather than terrify? Not an illusion of an ursur; even a small one was likely to cause the herd to panic. Perhaps a sound, then? The crunching of snow, or the snap of a limb - something to draw attention, but not send the herd running?

That decided, the young woman crept closer to the herd. Her magical range was still quite small, for all that she'd worked to improve it, and it was with great effort that she tried to creep closer to the herd, using the rocks to shield herself from the beasts. Once she was in place - assuming that she hadn't already startled the herd with her approach, she concentrated on using her magic to mimic the sound of a branch snapping beneath the weight of snow.

------

Alys agrees with the plan and tries to sneak closer to the herd, where she uses her illusion magic to try to startle them without sending them running.

alys glasse

waiting for the right mind to drive insane

DEIMOS And in your darkest hour, I hold secrets flame Noah’s reasoning was sound, even if Deimos’ shifts would deeply desire to run the beasts to the ground. Illusionary tactics, and his own range of skills, could ensure they went potentially undetected, so with the firm agreements and plans in place, they began orchestrating the maneuvers. There were a combination of things that set the herd on edge though – be it Noah’s tactical stance some space away, or the magical snapping of a branch, multitudes raised their head from the stark grazing, ears flicked, alert, bodies beginning to tense. It wouldn’t take much of anything to send them off on a clambering, panicking display, and then their whole plan would’ve gone awry. Keeping himself low as well, as much as possible, the Sword opted to shift the wind, away from their own scents, until it seemed to pacify the prey momentarily – still wary, still alert. Thereafter, he opted to utilize the elements to their advantage again, prying along fog with Mastered Air, so they were obscured from sight; as if it were all billowing in naturally. -- The herd is on edge! What will you do next? No post order! master of nothing place; of recoil and grace

will heaven step in?

As the twig snapped and the deer shot their heads up, Noah paused. His breath hitched silently in his throat and he waited, the sound of his own heartbeat the only thing between him and the herd. Deimos called in the help of fog, and the herd seemed to settle some. Noah creeped in closer, sending a mental green light to the warden.

Then, he shot. Twice, in as quick succession as he ever had, Noah aimed arrows for the buck and the largest doe that grazed next to him. Then, a bright dome covered them. From Noah, in a sixty-foot radius, his divine opposition extended. Intended to bring some deer down and internally weaken others and cause 52 points of damage each, he hoped it would give his comrades advantage to then bring what else they needed down.

--

Noah shoots at two deer and uses his divine opposition.

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 an Mastered level. May be used 3x per thread with a two post cool down.
Type: Light | Rank: Mastered

will it save us from our sin?