Things in the Dark - Community Event

Lifethorn

Sept 7, 2019 13:35:54 GMT -6

Administrator

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Moql#9967 likes this

Post by Lifethorn on Sept 7, 2019 13:35:54 GMT -6

The woods were never considered a safe place for any Arkaine to go, but recently there were rumors that even the hunters and gatherers were avoiding them. Places that had once been safe were now covered in predators, and more than one instance of young Arkaines being dragged into the shadows had been reported. There were no deaths, not yet, but everyday it was becoming more and more dangerous.

The problems seem to be located along the Opal Mountain forests and the Forestborne Isles, but there had been odd whispers of an inky blackness slowly taking over the Whispering Isle…

Hello and welcome to the first big exploration/activity/plot! This will be a series of activities and plot hooks made over a long period of time designed to engage you and your Arkaine. By no means do you have to participate! If you do, however, you have the chance to receive unique rewards, as well as provide feedback so that we can continue to give you events like this in the future!

Before participating, please take a moment to look/relook over our Activity Rules and Information. This thread has everything you will need to know about participating and submitting for participation for this activity.

Make sure to keep an eye out on this post, as well as the announcements posts and the community discord! As the event updates and progresses, new hooks and prompts will be posted here for exploration/RP credits. There will also be public RPs available in the discord RP channels, and maybe even some for client!

Event #1:
To start of our event, you've been given the above prompt. It seems some places, especially those near larger forests, have been having issues with creatures becoming increasingly violent and hostile. Villages and cities are desperate for adventurers and fighters to help them with their problems, and are willing to offer rewards for any and all that are willing to help them. It also is becoming incredibly dangerous to simply wander the wood, so be careful not to stray from the trail... unless you want to, of course.

Feel free to post an exploration submission using the above prompt. If you do, you can receive event specific clues and rewards.
You can also use the two newest threads under the Prism Realm on the Discord to begin some event related RP. This will count for the event as well, and you can get rewards and clues that will help you progress further!

Have fun and remember...

If you look too deep, the depths will look back.

Lifethorn

Sept 7, 2019 13:46:14 GMT -6

Administrator

50 posts
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Post by Lifethorn on Sept 7, 2019 13:46:14 GMT -6

Week #1:

Villages and towns have been calling out for worthy adventurers and fighters to help them out!

Draw a scene or write a story with your Arkaine helping out one of these villages to receive extra rewards and clues!

But be careful...

The forest is dangerous right now. Something, or someone, might not like you poking around....

Moql#9967

Sept 11, 2019 23:16:18 GMT -6

Arkaine Staff

56 posts
5 likes

Post by Moql#9967 on Sept 11, 2019 23:16:18 GMT -6

It had been quite some time since Vadril had been around anyone. He had left the island that his brother had brought him to, he needed some time alone, some time to process all that he had learned and was told. He found himself wandering, walking for many days and nights. He hadn’t kept track of how long it had been, for he was terrible at those kinds of things. It wasn’t until he found himself staring at the base of a mountain, one that seemed to call to him from the core of his being, even the golden light from his Lifethorn flickered beneath that of his deep sea green crystal. It was here that he made camp.Late that night, at his little makeshift campsite, he found his eyelids grow heavy as the heat from the fire warmed his face and body. He had left the island without much preparation, he still only wore the deer skin kilt that he and Ketki made. She was great with needle work. Exhaustion had swept over him, the ache of his muscles told him to relax, even the mental exhaustion took its toll. Soon those lids closed over his golden pools, and off to slumberland he went.

As the large brute fell into his slumber, his body relaxed, and soon slumped over to the side, the ground was cool, which was a nice contrast to the heat of the fire. It wasn’t long before he was snoring.

A dream came to him, or a memory, he didn’t know. All he knew was that he was with his father, exploring old ruins. He didn’t know where they were, all he knew was that his heart was full of love and sadness. A memory that he had to relive, for soon it turned into a nightmare. There was an ambush, one where he was struck in the side of the head, his father tried to defend him, but in the midst of the scuffle, some debris came loose and the roof of the ruins collapsed. His father, trapped beneath the tons of stone. He remembered tears, heartache, and as he put his sobbing face into his open palms, he felt a chill take over him.

Lifting his head from hands, he looked around him, only to find a dark void, it was thick. So thick that he couldn’t see anything further than a few inches from his face. Then like flashes of lightning, he saw different beings, flicker in and out before him, grabbed by darkness, swallowed whole. It was like a scene from a horror movie playing before his eyes, though it wasn’t just regular beings, they were all Arkaines! Panic washed over him as he tried to back away from what was being shown to him, but try as he might, he could never escape it. Heart pounded in his chest, threatening to burst forth from his rib cage, even his Lifethorn was flickering in the rhythm of his heartbeat. He tried running, but no matter how fast he tried, his movements felt like he was running through thick mud or molasses. Turning his head to look behind him, the darkness was approaching and fast. Panic overtook him just as it was to descend upon him, he woke up with a start.

Sitting up, chest rose and fell as the terror within him was trying to take hold, but as he took in his surroundings, he gazed up at the night sky, a voice, one that seemed to echo within him, calling him. It soothed him, brought him back to the planes of reality as he felt a need to climb the mountain, to reach the top. A mission, or a purpose, he didn’t know, the only thing that he knew, was that he needed to get to the top.

Waiting for daylight to come, he used the first light to assess his surroundings and see if there was a simple way to the top. As more light from the rising sun came over the horizon, Vadril’s squinting eyes opened more and he could make out a path. It was barely visible, but it was certainly more accessible that just scaling the mountain without proper gear. Turning back onto his camp, he destroyed it, kicked dirt over the smoldering embers of the dying fire, before turning back around. Facing the mountain once more, hands came to his hips. Took in a deep lungful of crisp air and exhaled. Fog came from him as the morning air was rather chilly, “Time to get my ass in gear” he said to himself as he began to move along the path. It was steep, dicey, but eventually he made it to the top with minor cuts and bruises to show for his efforts.

As he came to the top of the mountain, the air was much thinner here, so it had taken him longer to catch his breath. For a being built like he was, even the big boys get winded. As he doubled over, trying to catch his breath, the big lug tried calming himself down, if he hyperventilated up here, who knows what would happen. He probably wouldn’t be found for days, maybe months. That was certainly a terrifying thought.

Slowly he brought himself back up into an upright position. As he did, there was a shimmering gateway before him, one that he had never seen before. The doorway was neither a solid or a liquid, but ever flowing, giving off a prismatic effect. It was tantalizing. If he had been a moth, he would have been drawn to the light of its beauty. Slowly he moved towards the gateway as if he was drawn to it. Stopping just inches from it, he took in a deep breath and exhaled “Well here goes nothing.” he said to himself as eyes closed as he entered.

Feet fell onto what felt like solid ground, it wasn’t anything like he was expecting. Cautiously he opened his eyes and found himself looking at a world, a universe, dimension. Golden hues scanned the area, the first thing that caught his eye was the shimmering rainbow bridge. It looked both solid and liquid, but he wasn’t sure what it really was. Not feeling particularly brave at the moment, he stayed where he was. Gaze moved from the bridge to the space below it, watercolor mixture of pinks, oranges, and yellows blended together or stayed solid together. It was beautiful like the gods painted it themselves. Trailing his sight he spied how the colored pastel colored space beneath the bridge faded into a twilight then darkness. Blues, blacks, and purples blended together, creating what looked like the sky of space. White dot like stars blinked and flickered in and out of existence. If he had all the time in the world, he would have spent it here. It wasn’t until he looked down to see a floating island opposite where he stood, upon that island was another gateway, identical to that in which he came through, though some of its coloring was different. It called to him, he had a need, and urge to go to it.

Paws moved upon the ground, inching closer to the bridge, stopping at the edge, he swallowed a hard lump that had formed in his throat. With great caution, he stuck on speckled paw out to test the bridge to finally to see if it was solid or liquid. As he applied weight to it, he found that his foot didn’t pass through it, it was actually solid. Heart pounded in his chest, lifethorn flickered upon his chest, mimicking that of his heartbeat, he proceeded forward. He was so focused on the gateway on the other side, before he knew it he was almost there. Just as he was about to look down, hit paws touched something that was certainly different than that of the bridge of light. Looking down he found he made it, made it to the otherside. A grin spread across his face and he felt like celebrating. Celebrate he did. As he was hootin’ and hollerin’ feet jumped up and down until he lost his footing and stumbled through the gateway.

Falling through and practically rolling over himself he landed with a hard thud upon a stone work floor. The air was knocked out of him as he laid out on the floor, trying to catch his breath. Lungfuls of air came in and out of him as if he was trying to suck it down like a fish in water. Feeling better after a while, he pushed himself up off the floor, brushing the dust, dirt, and needles? Off of him. Why were there needles in here? He thought to himself. Looking up towards the ceiling, he could see that it was open, looking up at the evening sky. Odd. Giving a shake to his head he looked at his surroundings and figured he was in ruins of sorts. The walls were covered in green and crumbling, like nature was trying to take it back over, even little creatures skittered from him as he moved around.

A shiver rolled through his body, causing his fur to stand on end, making him look like he got struck by an electrical current. Soon a chill took over him as the night was fast approaching. Arms went up and rubbed at his upper arms, trying to create enough friction to warm his naked upper body, he was a fool to think that he would be in warm lands forever. Scolding himself for trekking out on this journey without proper equipment. He knew Feredio would be scolding him something fierce if he was here. Heck even Ketki would mock him for his insolence.

Shaking those ghostly voices from his head, he moved hands up to his long auburn locks, he rearranged them around him to create something similar to a scarf as he was making feeble attempts to keep parts of his body warm.

Needing to get out of here and somewhere warmer, he began to head for what he felt would be the way for the exit. Not paying much attention to what was around him until he nearly tripped and fell upon his face, thanks to a crack in the floor, causing it to be uneven, he stumbled his way out of the ruins and onto a cliff face. Turning around from the edge, he found that the ruins were carved into the side of the mountain face. Interesting architecture, he thought to himself.

Not having time or proper gear to dawdle, he made his way over to where a path was. “Well this will make my life easier.” he said, as he moved down the path. As he descended, the terrain was beginning to change, the spare amounts of pine trees and other flora were becoming more abundant. Thinking that the weather would warm as he descended, was a myth, a false promise he made to himself. Standing before the dense treeline that hugged the base of the mountain, Vadril put a large hand upon the trunk of the tree nearest to him. The weight and force that he put behind it caused loose needles to fall upon him, decorating his fur and hair. A great frown of unamusement set upon his face. Just as he was shaking the needles from him he heard the rapid chittering from a squirrel. Looking at it, he stuck out his tongue and flipped it the bird, “Not having a good day either, join the club chitters” he grumbled before storming off.

Fists clenched at his side, frustration, anger, feet stomping, not caring who or what heard him as he felt himself get more and more lost in the woods. Some adventurer he was. The further he went into the woods, the more lost he was getting, he didn’t have any clue where he was, when he was, or what had drawn him here. Stopping and bringing a hand to his chin, he stroked his auburn beard. “Fuck.” he said as he looked around, “Where the fuck am I.” if only he had someone to guide him, or at least some clue to where he was and what the reason behind the nightmare that brought him here was.

Edited Sept 12, 2019 14:01:49 GMT -6 By Moql#9967

Lifethorn

Oct 2, 2019 13:14:13 GMT -6

Administrator

50 posts
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Post by Lifethorn on Oct 2, 2019 13:14:13 GMT -6

Week #2:

Farmers and gathers of all kinds are reporting a strange black disease spreading across plants and trees alike throughout the Prism Realm. This blackness is as thick as oil and seems to shine like the night sky. It has also been noted to kill anything it touches, and spreads rather quickly. Villages and cities are quickly becoming worried about food shortages as this inky blackness makes it's way out of the forests and into gardens.

This disease has been spotted spreading from north to south, and many Arkaines are hesitant to try and stop it. Any animals that have touches or eaten the infected plants or even wandered into the oil like blackness have immediately become sick... or even just dropped dead.

(Please remember to submit your event related literature/art as a reply to this thread in order to receive credit for this activity!)

Edited Oct 6, 2019 13:12:26 GMT -6 By Lifethorn

Lifethorn

Oct 6, 2019 13:12:11 GMT -6

Administrator

50 posts
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Post by Lifethorn on Oct 6, 2019 13:12:11 GMT -6

As a clarification:

For events, when you post your literature submission, you don’t need to roll anything! Every post you make, you will automatically earn rewards so there’s no need to roll! The more submissions you post, the more you will find and encounter. At the end of the event, you will receive all your riches and loot!!

All submission posts must be at least half the size of a usual solo literature Activity post (it must be 1500 words or longer).

Moql#9967

Oct 6, 2019 21:26:41 GMT -6

Arkaine Staff

56 posts
5 likes

Post by Moql#9967 on Oct 6, 2019 21:26:41 GMT -6

After having spent some time in this realm now, he had gotten better acquainted with how to travel through it. Though he had spent some time on that beach, he had grown fed up with it and soon went back to Terra. He spent some time there, wrapping up anything that he left unfinished, he and a party traveled through the portals, a few of them it was their first time, for him a second. Yet he didn’t tell them that. He found it the first time by accident, and he didn’t want to own up to his naivety for his pride was on the line. So to save face, he hid the fact that he had been here once, even if it was a brief time.

That was the past, he still was haunted by the startling nightmare that he had, in which brought him here for the first time. Just thinking back to that awful nightmare, he felt goosebumps rise upon his forearms, the fur there puffing up. Now he was off that island, which he found out upon his second trip, and on the mainland. The party that he had come with traveled to Skymaw from the shoreline where they landed, to which he found was Ketki’s home. Ketki was their guide, a native of the land. She was taking them to her home first, which made Vadril nervous about coming here, more so upon meeting her father. The night before they were to make their way to the village, Vadril couldn’t bring himself to face her father. How could he? What could he offer and tell him that would make him feel he was worthy of his daughter.

So in the middle of the night, when all were asleep, the brave souls, he had started gathering his things together. They had not the faintest notion of what went bump in the night, at least he did, or a feeling about what did. Slinging his pack over a shoulder, he exited the temporary hut that he had constructed for the night. Hair was put up into a bun and he looked over his shoulder to the tent, then up into the tree where Ketki made her hut. He felt a strange pain in his chest while his gaze lingered upon it. Having to tear his eyes from it, he did so with remorse, tears threatened to well up in his eyes, but he forced them back. He had to be strong, even when he felt at his weakest.

Throughout the night he travel, not a very wise thing to do upon his part, but he needed the cover of darkness to make his departure work. Aside from that, he didn’t have the heart to face Ket and tell her to her face that he couldn’t go to her village. So off into the forest he went, daring to even go toe to toe with whatever it was that was out there. His senses were on high alert as each step he took put more and more distance between him and the temporary camp.

With each step, he felt as if something was watching him, like eyes were boring into the back of his skull. Several times he turned to look behind him, only to see nothing but the empty, sleeping forest. A cold shiver rolled down his spine as he felt a sense of De’Ja Vue. Large hands came up to rub at his biceps, as if he was trying to warm himself in this temperate climate. He thought it was weird that he would suddenly get a cold chill when the night was so warm.

The sound of a breaking branch could be heard, ears perked and head whipped around to see if he could catch a glimpse of what it was that made the noise. Nothing, not a thing could be seen, yet it didn’t make him feel any easier about it. Picking up his pace, he practically power walked out of the area. Though his pace quickened, he couldn’t escape the feeling that clung to him like an inky black mass. That something was watching him, that something was following him. It made him panic. It made him believe that there was a boogieman, that all the horror stories he heard as a child were true. Not a good thing to be thinking of when in the middle of the woods at night.

Focused on getting out of the forest, he hadn’t been watching were it was that he was going. Due to this, he felt his foot connect with something, something solid and large enough to throw him off kilter and tumble over, landing flat upon his face into the ground before him. A solid thump rang out in the silence, it was hard a dry, plumes of dust floated around him, the wind knocked itself out of him. Eyes went wide, he tried to breath, but nothing was coming into his lungs. Panic took over him as he clawed at the ground, green claws driving up the dry dirt, creating small ditches where his fingers once were. After what felt like a lifetime, struggling for sweet oxygen, when it was only mere seconds, his airway opened up and he soon was hungerly gulping down air. Chest rose and fell rapidly as he drank it all in,like a man who had finally found water after going without water in the hottest, driest desert, oh that sweet sweet air.

A rapid golden glow emitted from his chest, causing a halo of light to form around him, his heart raced and his gem showed it. Slowly he sat up, ‘What the hell?’ he thought to himself as he turned to look behind him. What he tripped over was something that he hadn’t ever seen before. It was deer like, though what was different from what deer he knew was the antlers. They were crystal like, like his. At least that is how he was able to tell what it was for the head of the body was visible where the rest of the body was covered in something that looked like a darkness had spread across the beast, could it possibly have been a disease? The carcass had a shine to it, as if it was grease mixed with the substance, advanced decomp it seemed.. “What in all the realm?” he said softly to himself as he felt the terror being replaced with curiosity. He dared not touch it, for as he got closer to it, he smelt the stench of death. A large hand went over his muzzle, covering his nose as he quickly backed away from the carcass. It made him gag, want to vomit, but he didn’t, he remained strong.

The area around him began to illuminate as the clouds above had parted. Almost as if Valontras was showing him something, he got a first look of the area around him. Random areas of the forest around him were struck with the strange black plague, though the longer he stared at it, it became apparent that there was a pattern to it, the first pattern he noticed was that a higher concentration of it was to the north, where as the south it was less. The second thing he noticed was that there was a trail, mainly hoof prints ringed with the ooze, possibly decay from the animal and the foliage with droplets upon it, which caused it to shrivel, blacken, and decay. The tail had ended where the carcass of the strange crystal horned deer lie.

Letting his gaze linger upon the crystalline carcass, a rather creeping feeling crawled its way up his spine, like cold fingers. His fur stood on end as his flesh beneath rippled with goosebumps. Vadril felt his whole body shudder as the feeling rippled through him. It was then that he knew, that fight or flight feeling was rising within him. He pushed himself back from the carcass, he needed to get away from it. Golden hues looked around him once more as the clouds were encroaching upon the moon, the light around him dimmed as the bright orb was engulfed. Once more, he was under the cover of night, the last direction he looked, was south. ‘South, I need to go south.’ he thought as he started to move in that direction. He was careful this time to avoid touching any foliage as he didn’t know, in this darkness, if it was tainted with the strange darkness or not. Better to be safe than sorry.

During his panic, which was odd for this Adventurer, but that is how he knew that this stuff wasn’t to be messed with. Ketki came across his mind, then Kyrenic, and finally Ruven. He thought about them, about how they were sleeping without any worry in the world. He came to a stop, ‘Shit’ he thought, ‘I can’t just leave them without them knowing what is coming, well might be coming.’ Raging an internal battle , he finally made his decision. Feeling himself filled with determination, he turned back around, he made his way back north, back to the party he had abandoned. “Time to man up and grow some balls” he muttered to himself. Trudging through the forest, he stopped as he felt he was hindering himself rather than helping. Grabbing a branch, hoping that it wasn’t taken up with the strange plague, and cleared it of its leaves. He then slung the pack from his backside and pulled out a few strips of cloth that he had packed with him when they ventured from Terra. Wrapping that around the branch, he felt satisfied once it was secure. As he rummaged through his pack, he cursed at himself for the flint and oil was in Kyrenic’s pack. Making due with what he had around him, he grabbed a rock and took his hunting knife from the sheath at his side. He struck the blade against the rock, sparking it. He did this several times until the cloth caught fire. To slow down the burn, he grabbed and ripped some leather from his kilt and wrapped it around the stick. Now with a torch, he was able to see the area better. Holding the blaze before him, he continued his way north, to Ketki, to Ruven, and Kyrenic. To his friends, whom he wanted to save and to the heavens above, he hoped they were alright still.