cmweller

[cmweller]

Challenge #04589-L205: They Hunt in Summer

A disgraced archeologist discovers a ruin dating to the inter-glacial period. However, the searcher finds evidence of life, despite the place being buried for 14,000 years, and that life may be more serpentine than human in nature… -- Anon Guest

[AN: Fun fact - The pyramids were being built at the same time that Europeans were hunting mammoths. So "ruins dating back to the inter-glacial period" is like... active for Ancient Egypt. I'm going to assume northern hemisphere and inside the permafrost. Which makes for some very interesting reptiles]

TOP SECRET. To the Board of Directors, Alberta. Re: Operations base, Melville Island. (Dated 15th September,1928)

Sirs, I must stress in the utmost urgency the immediate cancellation of plans to establish a base for drilling operations on, near, or within two days' travel of Melville Island. For the love of all that is Holy, I beg you. DO NOT ESTABLISH ANY KIND OF HUMAN HABITATION HERE! Included in my report is a precise journal of my experiences and findings.

In summary:

During my expedition and excavations, I uncovered structures not of human make. The natives to the area had already warned us of staying there after dark and in "the days of long sun" (sic). I had dismissed this as primitive superstition, initially, assuming that it was a mere caution against the risks of hypothermia or wandering polar bears.

[Check the source for the rest of the story]

[cmweller]

Imitation is the sincerest form of... pack bonding?

[cmweller]

Challenge #04588-L204: A Knack For Finding Trouble

Wraithvine {& companion (?) maybe} finds hirself marooned on a deserted island, though the little patch of sand, coconut palms, and corals might hold more secrets than ze had first thought. -- Anon Guest

The good news, such as it was, was that the ship and crew had survived the storm. The bad news that Wraithvine was the one soul lost. Fifty people lived to see another day, return to their lives, and otherwise be a part of the world.

Wraithvine would evidently be taking longer to do that. Ze was on an island, and could only pick out the distant sails of the ship as a dot near the horizon.

There could be other people on this island. There could be preventable terrors lurking near the depths. There could be a rare chance to avoid any kind of urgency... but that usually meant that there would be backlog to deal with when ze finally returned to the rest of the world.

[Check the source for the rest of the story]

[cmweller]

Challenge #04587-L203: Appeal to a Higher Authority

Deep in the seldom trafficked mountain vales and sheer canyons is a small town, friendly enough to outsiders, but whose denizens make it clear that any traveler should clear out by nightfall or remain inside the inn.

Only Wraithvine can get to the bottom of this, though it might be better to work alone on this one… -- Anon Guest

Wraithvine arrived in the little town close to sunset and was confused by the sight of people hurrying to their homes and businesses rushing to close up. Then one of the staff at the Inn literally dragged him in with a shepherd's crook.

"Stay in, stay in," urged the child. "Them out after dark are found dead."

The innkeeper was urgently closing the shutters. Her husband was lighting every lamp in the chamber with a desperation to be quicker than he could manage.

[Check the source for the rest of the story]

[cmweller]

Karens! In! SPAAAAAAACE!

[cmweller]

Challenge #04586-L202: Unexpected Hero

"What do you mean all you do is screw up? You realize your actions just saved us all? None of this is your fault, stop blaming yourself!" -- Anon Guest

Of all the heralds of doom for the grand villain of the adventure, the one least expected is, "Oops." At least, not from the seemingly mandatory idiot minion. It came from the Adventurer's tagalong-mascot-adoptee... the scrawny little kid who was told not to come with them for the final battle... and snuck in anyway.

Oakroot was did not come with a destiny. There was no prophecy attached to him. He just had a means of getting small, shiny objects into his sticky fingers. And that was what caused the Malevolent Mage's downfall.

The gem in their shrine of power was especially shiny and, like any sneaky little thief, Oakroot had crept in during the fireworks and attempted to pry the gemstone loose.

[Check the source for the rest of the story]

[cmweller]

Challenge #04585-L201: Littlest Hero

An artist asks Wraithvine and Birbid if they can paint their portraits. They also want to do a special one of the fluffy Lilbit, the immortal cat. After all, they brought the cat that killed the rats that were causing such havoc in the fields. -- Anon Guest

It's not that often that cats become heroes. Even then, it's usually the associated person who gets the acclaim.

In this case, Lilbit came over with a rare version of zoomies and almost eliminated a plague of mice in the fields of Ylseium. Which may or may not have been related to the local trickster putting speed potion in her cream. The aptly-named Mischief refused to own up about that.

Since the crisis was at least ended, the hero was due a reward. Besides some unadulterated cream and some fish fresh from the river. The artist Malusarim set up her easels and canvas and begged permission. "May I immortalise the hero of the day? I'll throw in portraits of each of you. Something to treasure, perhaps?"

[Check the source for the rest of the story]

[cmweller]

Challenge #04584-L200: Never Lie to Dragons

They had been rescued from a rich family that had kept them prisoner due to both their immense healing gift, and their emerald eyes, and gemstone horn and hooves. The dragon guised as a gnome knew what it was like to be so imprisoned and treated. And that experience helped them aid the distraught being. -- Anon Guest

Jade had been kept in the Gilded Palace since she hatched. She might have been there before she hatched, but there was no proof. Her keepers insisted that they kept her well, and in very good conditions. She had no proof of that, too.

All she knew was her gilded cage. Wards to keep her inside one chamber. Servants with gemstone brushes to scrub her moulting scales. Servants to smooth the new ones over with special oil. Servants to feed her exquisite feasts. Servants to blunt her claws. Special mages to capture her magic breaths for the greater good. They told her that she was safe in the chamber. She had to believe it, because one of her special servants relayed news of horrible things that had happened to Dragons.

All she had to do was obey the royal family's demands.

[Check the source for the rest of the story]

[cmweller]

I have a more relaxed routine for making these! Yay!

[cmweller]

Challenge #04583-L199: One Small Freedom

Writing is one of the best ways to heal a broken heart. Especially when finally allowing someone to see the break, and that someone holds you close and says "It's ok, we can rebuild together" and mean it. -- Anon Guest

[AN: The urge to write Murderbot is fucking strong with this one]

Sweet merciful Powers, this Deregger conglomerate had gone too far. They had achieved almost godlike prowess with their technology, to the point of making cyborg servants for every need the organic folk had. Yet also enslaving a majority of the organic folk. The people in charge did everything to keep the rest down, but since the cyborgs were lower, the entire organic population were vicious martinets whenever they had access to the right victim.

It might have been dubiously passable if the cyborgs weren't sentient. The CRC would have been on their collective tails anyway, but the instant a rogue Security Construct fell into Alliance hands? They were in for an apocalyptic level shitstorm.

The construct called itself Killstruct, and insisted on using the pronouns 'it' and 'its'. Currently, it was very much surprised with the relative freedom of a quarantine habitat. Killstruct had, upon regaining consciousness, inspected the three chambers necessary for minimum single accommodation. The 'public' facing chamber for interviews, the relatively private space for rest and ablutions, and the oxygenating algae farm in lieu of the legally-obligated garden space. It noted the presence of Therapist Lys'm sitting calmly outside the 'public' wall. Assessed its situation.

[Check the source for the rest of the story]

[cmweller]

Challenge #04582-L198: The Nature of Miracles

Priest Robert has found his salvation in the Church and now blesses old pagan shrines into the light of the true faith. Until one day, an innocent is chased by a beast into an abandoned temple, and all of his prayers and symbols fail. All except the icon of a heathen god he ought to think a wicked demon and a little rhyme his mother uttered while tucking him to bed. -- Anon Guest

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want... Robert crossed himself as he entered the heathen temple. Graven images everywhere. Well. The wrong kind of graven images. Holy Mother Church was fine with reminders of what the Lord and Saviour, Holy Mary, Mother of God, or the assembled Saints and Angels looked like.

Spreading the holy word and saving the souls of these heathens was a tough job, but someone had to do it. Saving them from Hell was Robert's purpose. His mission from the Allmighty.

In order to stay alive to complete his mission, he had to visit every temple and at least explain the benefits of Catholicism, and convince the local heathen leader to allow a reminder of the Lord and Savior or Mother Mary or both.

[Check the source for the rest of the story]

[cmweller]

Challenge #04581-L197: Attitudes Adjusted While You Wait

Wraithvine {who may or may not have a companion} has found Hirself contractually obligated with escorting a truly wretched individual to safety. A Lordling who pisses on the common folk, believes himself superior, and is guilty of a few actual crimes no one dares arrest him for.

No locals, anyway, and while Wraithvine needs to bring the Lordling to a certain location…there’s nothing that says the journey must end there. Why not continue on to a jurisdiction where the Lordling can face arrest? Jail is quite safe, after all. -- Anon Guest

Sometimes, species of Alfarell have an easy time making enemies, whilst openly wondering if it was something they said. For most of recorded time, that species was the Elves. They entered the mortal plane and immediately took umbrage with Dragonkind. As other species evolved, either the Dragons or the Elves attempted to dominate them. Thus creating more umbrage all around.

You'd think that species that long-lived would learn more lessons in their lifetimes, but no. They kept repeating the mistakes they refused to learn from history.

Case in point, the Lordling Liacaryn, a mere septuagenarian[1] who had a checkered past since his Tormentious Twenties[2]. They were entitled, arrogant, openly disrespectful, and hornier than a Geep[3]. He'd already caused a lot of lawsuits and nearly triggered a few wars as a result of his neglected by-blows.

[Check the source for the rest of the story]

[cmweller]

Guess which movie I'm watching again

[cmweller]

The mobility issues continueth, but so do I

[cmweller]

I got a rejection letter! I'm gonna see if the same mob has another agent who might like the thing, but otherwise, it's off to another place. Maybe.

Do you know any publishers or agents who might like my flavour of nonsense? Asking for a friend.

[cmweller]

Challenge #04580-L196: The Best Kingdom in the World

Kind and wise and magnanimous King Nydon's daughter has run off with a bard. Obviously she was tricked, as his castle is a happy place.

“Wraithvine is the name? Yes, you’ll do. Take along anyone you need. Here’s the princess's picture. Ignore any of her pleas, they’ll be the man’s magic. Just drop her off with the gate guards when you bring her back…” -- Anon Guest

Something was rotten in the nation of Bevuran. The key was in His Majesty's instructions to "just drop the Princess off" with the guards at the gate. That was not the action of a loving and concerned father. That was the negligent dismissal of a controlling parent.

The king insisted that the castle was a happy place. Certainly, everyone inside it smiled... but none of those smiles reached their eyes.

The streets were clean, nobody lacked for work, and everything looked so pretty. Everyone in view looked happy. There was nothing immediately wrong with Bevuran. And that was what stank about it. Everywhere had its little flaws. This level of forced glee and beauty had to have a corrupt underbelly of fascistic control.

[Check the source for the rest of the story]

[cmweller]

Challenge #04579-L195: Devoured Conflict

After having too many “brownies” Edward and flora stare at the starry sky above. “Hey Flo, if a vampire drink a fae’s blood, would the fae becomes it thrall? Or the vampire becomes the fae servant due to having fae food without permission?” Flora gaze at her undead friend. “That’s kinky… and how my parents got married…” -- Anon Guest

[AN: One of my favoured quandries.]

Every species of Alfarell and its planar systems has its rules and weaknesses. Some more than others. For Dragons, it's flattery and compliments if not offerings for their hoards. For Elves, it is pandering to their vainglory or treating them with the same reverent fear wortyhy of other Faekindred. Harukh have to have their strength. D'varuv have to dig. Faeries have to obey the rules of hospitality.

There are made creatures, too. They also have their rules and weaknesses. A Hellkin is weak to simple kindness. Crowfolk must repeat what they have heard. And Vampire must enthrall any creature they drink from.

A haunted moor. A crumbling castle. A circle of mushrooms... and two creatures meant to destroy each other made something unexpected.

[Check the source for the rest of the story]