[God Quest] When the black rock cracks

He'd been in Hak Etme clearing Void Lotuses out of the Suvahasi anyways, so a stop at the Boneyard shrine wasn't all that out of the way. It had just required getting up the courage to actually approach the shrine with the memories of his recent punctures coming back to mind, phantom pain blooming anew in his arm and leg where he'd stabbed himself.

Twice.

The heat of the sun made a fire redundant, but Tal set up his brazier on the Peregrine and toasted some ooey, gooey marshmallows to sandwich between the chocolate and sweet crackers he'd brought. A pair of fresh s'mores were offered at the ossified altar, and Tal licked his fingers clean before setting his Dagger carefully in front of the treats.

And then half-tackled Boreal to keep her from helping herself to the offerings as he raced to get his prayer out before his dragon committed a minor blasphemy. "Ludo, uh, thanks for what y'did back in Halo an' stuff an' also I finished the tasks y'set for upgrading th'poison on the Dagger. So, uh, if y'could make th'magic happen I'd really appreciate it-- Boreal, not for dragons!" he scolded, getting a firmer grip on her horns as her taloned feet churned sand that slid away beneath her, unable to get the traction she so dearly desired as her pale eyes fixed on the s'mores with unblinking intensity.

---

Upgrading Honed by Nightmares with Ludo Grab your fears and hold on tight:
1. Stab something with his Special Delivery Dagger. [Training] A pirate's life for me stabbed Maea
2. Stab himself with his Special Delivery Dagger. The etiquette of knives ow
3. Do something cool while holding the Special Delivery Dagger. (In this context, it must be cool to Ludo, so probably involve cats, pranks, or snacks). [SE] Danger S'mores Used his Dagger to make s'mores over a volcano
4. Stab himself again with his Special Delivery Dagger. [Training] Breaking skin double ow

ludo Braved the forests, braved the stone Braved the icy winds and fire Braved and beat them on my own As Tal may or may not have expected from this particular shrine, Ludo's arrival does not come on dark rags or through a pale, porcelain mask. No no - around the courier, two of the skulls jaws drop open, gaping and wide and hungry. And waiting. "Put them in my mouth," Ludo demands of the ooey gooey marshmallow sandwiches sitting nearby. As for the Special Delivery Dagger or its poison, nothing much about it changes - but then there's not really much to change, other than the intensity of its effects. That doesn't mean Tal can get away with not feeding s'mores to the skulls, though. Hop to it! Tal has completed his quest and has upgraded the poison coating on his Special Delivery Dagger: Type: Dark | Style: Offensive | Level: Upgraded Honed by Nightmares | A curious silvery coating covers the Special Delivery Dagger. Causes extra physical damage at an Upgraded level.

Were talking skulls better than the eerie mask?

It was a question that Tal would now wrestle with in the dark of night amid cold sweat and tangled sheets, but in the moment he almost bit his tongue as he tried to backpedal from the creepy sight. His grip on Boreal thankfully negated the attempted retreat as her four-talon drive proved up to the challenge and the two remained locked the same distance from the shrine.

But Ludo had made its demand, and Tal swallowed hard as he wrestled one arm around his hungry dragon and managed to snag one of the s'mores with the other. He tossed it into one waiting mandible (was it even attached to a tongue??) and then repeated the gesture with the second treat. Only once it was gone from sight did Boreal abruptly cease her attempted thievery, dropping her haunches to the ground so that Tal stumbled forward at the lack of resistance and almost faceplanted into the altar. "Uh... thanks?" he asked the god hopefully as he retrieved his weapon and hastily backpedaled again.

He'd find out soon enough if it all gone according to plan!

~Fin~