shadoll

[shadoll]

UGH FINE I GUESS YOU ARE MY LITTLE FROGCHAMP. ✧

Anniversary Board [Grants Faith +1] // @finalfullmoon

[shadoll]

Affiliation Change Update

To explore a new direction with her character, I've decided to move Sara into the Abyss and have her drop out of school. What does this mean? For starters, she'll no longer be attending classes and her name will disappear from the Black Eagles roster seemingly overnight. But worry not, she will still be found around the academy on occasion (for mission boards lmao) and seeking out people that she knows when it suits her. The reason for this sudden change, however, will be disclosed only to a select few other muses.

In reality, Sara is being sent to live in the Abyss under surveillance after repeated offenses of insubordination on missions (particularly lore events), an investigation into her background, and her unique position as an individual present for TOA's timeline loops and knowledge about a great deal of forbidden magics. Though her track record is passable, this suspicion has resulted in a heightened wariness towards her unpredictable nature which can be likened to a soft exile. Simply put, the Church isn't entirely sure what to do with her.

[shadoll]

It's an awfully roundabout way to contact them, Sara thinks with a frown, looking around the interior of the classroom on the chance she can expose the culprit behind the trick.

"Just how much free time do they have on their hands?" she muses unconcernedly, gesturing to receive the book. "Give it here. Hurry."

Her eyes travel down the page of the roster and the story of three children unfolds. A pair of twins and an outlier brought into the fold, though not without a dose of skepticism and apprehension. Sara reluctantly finds herself drawing a comparison to the Julia and her brother who played together at the capital, inseparable before the familial ties that bound them tightened into a noose. She wonders if Adaline was odd or simply misunderstood as Sara herself has been by people that couldn't handle her differences.

The word fox glows faintly as her fingers touch the letters, imprinting a separate meaning.

"...Who is Anja?" she mulls over the unfamiliar name for a moment, then dismisses it as a distraction.

The beast chasing them in the tower had a fox-like appearance, she recalls, and another piece of this complex puzzle grafts itself into Sara's mind. If the white fox was after the voice...

"No, let's save that for another time. We should check on them - the others. You are worried, right?"

I know we’re on a mission of great importance and all but honestly I’m here looking for a new novella

↳ Darios, Sara, & Karla ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ AM Chalice, Week 2‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Sunset at the Schoolhouse‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 

[shadoll]

There is nothing to unearth in the unruly garden Sara ventures into alone. Dense grass grows in excess and, to some, the yard may seem to be in a state of neglect, but freedom can be lonely thing. Her education was carried out in rigorous secret, headed by a man she would sooner forget than extend gratitude for his myriad of teachings. It is a privilege to go through life without guidance, to forge a path in directions uncharted and behold the weeds and the wildflowers no matter where they lead.

She enters the dream, grounded by the drag of her boots and the upside down grin of sunlight still on the horizon. Lowering herself, she pats around the soil as though it were a sandbox instead, wondering if anything might be buried here beside memories. Maybe a long time ago Adaline sat in this very spot, haloed in the shade of the nearby trees, contemplating Reason magic beyond her skill level while she practiced the basics. No one is born with a tome in their hand or a heart that has already memorized a library of spells. Adaline, too, was a girl no different than Sara that had to earn that right.

The carvings on the trees are no more comprehensible than the text inside the classroom, however she picks herself up to try anyways, to trace her fingers in the lines and dimples that someone else mapped. She returns to her companions with naught to show but dirty palms and grassy stains, neither bearing fruit.

"Have you found anything new?"

@scarletplain

I know we’re on a mission of great importance and all but honestly I’m here looking for a new novella

↳ Darios, Sara, & Karla ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ AM Chalice, Week 2‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Sunset at the Schoolhouse‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 

[shadoll]

It's not that Sara doubts the claims of unreadable and empty books, but this fact does not mitigate her interest in them. Anything they can glean about this world and its population has inherent value and every step they make towards truth has purpose.

"I shall accompany Karla," she announces, stretching as Fortify chases the exhaustion and aches cradled in her overtaxed bones. They can't afford to waste days on recovery when others may be trapped in that perilous tower with a ruthless ivory beast on the loose.

"If magic is present, I will decipher it without fail. An interpreter won't be necessary. The help we have received until now may well evaporate should the locals be conscious of the Church's designs for Chalice."

Instinctively Sara moves to stand, hopping to her feet and placing a hand atop Karla's shoulder so she doesn't nod off before they even reach the school.

"As for the rest of you, there should be other locations you can look into. You would know better than those of us that just arrived in Flechefeld for the first time."

unfortunately, this couldn't have been an email || sunset

anamorphosis2025 wk2 team chalice - sunset team

[shadoll]

Ninian must be among those missing, Sara surmises based on the context her name is invoked. It is the most outspoken she has witnessed Karla to this point. A woman who did not brandish such resistance when faced with prospect of death in a sunless tomb. The subject has clearly struck a sensitive chord. Those concerns are echoed in Sara's experiences, but appeals to emotion will not dispossess Darios of his stubborn ways. Some lessons cannot be taught without tragedy.

"We are not in Elibe," Sara tells Karla sedately, then shakes her head at Darios. "And obviously I cannot abide your request either. It is not your safety alone you risk but mine as well. Forbidden magic is unpredictable and I am not confident that I can perform to the expectations you have. There are plenty of methods to identify the imminent threats ahead. Our efforts will be better spent investigating other leads."

She turns her back on him to walk outside and clear her thoughts, arms crossing over the book.

"I won't be accomplice to preventable death. If you ask me again, my answer won't change."

I know we’re on a mission of great importance and all but honestly I’m here looking for a new novella

↳ Darios, Sara, & Karla ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ AM Chalice, Week 2‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Sunset at the Schoolhouse‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 

[shadoll]

Karla's speech barely raises above a whisper, answering the question Darios asks with a personal account from her homeland of Elibe. Sara peers into their eyes then, both sets dark as the night sky and devoid of starry specks of gold.

"We shall remain cautious then," she nods, committing it to memory. A golden gaze and ashen faces easily mistaken for mankind. "However, the two of you should be aware the example recorded here was of a rat. It is quite plausible the master of the tower has been conducting experiments of that nature. To what end, one must wonder."

The presence of herbs, ink, and parchment certainly hinted at evidence of the groundwork for research, while the motivation at its root could only be arrogance.

"Who was Adaline again?"

Darios has gone rather still, Sara notices and thusly tries to skim the papers aloft in his hands. Though the names on the roster do sound vaguely familiar, they do not register as people she knows well enough to comment on.

"This part… Someone came through town and left a book on magic behind." The one Karla had offered is clutched against Sara's chest. "It must be this. I am interested in whether that was merely a coincidence."

I know we’re on a mission of great importance and all but honestly I’m here looking for a new novella

↳ Darios, Sara, & Karla ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ AM Chalice, Week 2‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Sunset at the Schoolhouse‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 

[shadoll]

Their insight into Flèchefeld and its history is worryingly incomplete for the active steps they choose to take in shaping its fate. Sara's eyes wander over the scenery of the vacant classroom with a fleeting intrigue for the lessons taught to students as she passes rows of desks that show use. The titles in the instructor's office she briefly peruses through appear harmless, but the language barrier only reinforces her misgivings.

So when Karla presents her with a new text, Sara doesn't have especially high hopes for it. She briskly flips the cover expecting more of the same, though the contents prove her wrong this time. The material is familiar even if the terminology is foreign and she manages to recognize the formulas of a variety of anima spells encountered in her years of study. As she continues reading, the difficulty increases accordingly until she stops at one in particular, the implications too disturbing to pass. Her breath lodges in her throat at the human-like depiction illustrated on the page. Life and death are absolute, the sacred fabric of fate. Magic that mimics life never spells good things.

"...doesn't belong in just anyone's hands," Sara says quickly, simply, turning the book to inspect the front. She looks around as though someone may be watching them, bothered by the ease of which it was obtained.

"The knowledge to conjure an artificial being should not exist. We cannot ignore this. Do not trust everything and everyone you see."

@grxstnnefealltoir

I know we’re on a mission of great importance and all but honestly I’m here looking for a new novella

↳ Darios, Sara, & Karla ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ AM Chalice, Week 2‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Sunset at the Schoolhouse‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 

[shadoll]

Their number has doubled since escaping the tower and a boundless sky stretches above like a broken yolk of honey-colored sun. The inn can't compete with the ones in Enbarr in terms of splendor and accomodations, but Sara has little in way of complaints besides the immediate issue of space. That Darios wastes no time getting to the heart of the matter is a promising start at least.

While the others pool together information about the world and its inhabitants, she shamelessly rests her head at the corner of one of the mattresses, taking everything in and allowing her companions to contribute in her place.

"If something appears too good to be true, more often than not it is," Sara adds to the discussion flatly. "A pleasant dream sets the stage for a perfect nightmare.

The bed squeaks beneath her as she pushes herself into a sitting position, addressing the room, "Will you all continue to collect these gems without knowing the purpose they serve?" Tampering with supernatural forces outside their understanding could prove fatal. Power always comes at a price and they do not yet know its currency.

"What is there to gain from spiriting away those who have gone missing? From granting you visions and strange new powers. Do not forget this mirror is a prison, lest we become unable to leave ourselves."

unfortunately, this couldn't have been an email || sunset

anamorphosis2025 wk2 team chalice - sunset team

[shadoll]

Concern in excess could get them all killed, a lapse in focus may usher them to their doom. The oppressive aroma of orange and stench of wet fur pervades her senses, ensuring Sara understands time is of the essence, that they cannot drag this fight out at their current strength.

A soothing radiance of light communicates Linoan's presence, while Sara beckons the heady, intoxication of darkness to enter her system. It tempts her to abandon herself in exchange for the ability to wield it, numbing the instincts that tether her to the world, embracing all she is. The push and pull does not subside, but she wades through its demands, imposes her own will and molds formless power into a deadly force.

Sara 10/10HP misses Ivory Beast 96/99HP with Bohr. [ Roll: 11 ] Ivory Beast 96/99 HP counterattacks with Fire of the Fox [ Roll: 13, -3HP ] Sara 7/10HP  is inflicted with Ill! Ivory Beast 96/99 HP is inflicted with Bind status and -4 avoid for next combat instance.

Bohr erupts near the beast's hide where it has the others cornered, binding its limbs and movement with tendrils of pitch-black shadows. She ducks behind an arm to shield her eyes as it thrashes, spitting venom and fire, wisps that singe through sleeve to lick at exposed skin.

"Run—"

But you'll stay, won't you?

A small voice somewhere implores, though it's hard to say whether it's only in her head, whether it desires help or their untimely demise. The incessant pounding of Sara's heartbeat corrupts most sound and reduces the rest to static, urging her to do the exact opposite.

They must get away, they must regroup, they cannot stay. There is no timeline where they can possibly stay even if doubt is planted in any one of their minds. It is a seed that can be nurtured and considered later.

"We must exit this place" she answers, firm in her refusal and sharply turns to the others, "It won't be long now."

@of-ostia

Paths in the Dark

↳ Karla, Hector, Darios, Sara, & Linoan Team Chalice, The Dark‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Anamorphosis Week 1

[shadoll]

Sara is as loath to live through sympathy as lecture, so she hurries this meeting along to ward off any commentary, "Very well, we know our roles now. That is enough prattling on."

An irritated huff cannot be suppressed as her staff glares a raw, angry blaze of light, stoked by age-old resentment boiling to the surface. Discretion serves no purpose if the witless beast will hound them to the very last, anyways.

If she can stun it or at least strike back so fiercely it learns not to meddle in their affairs...

Sara 10/10HP casts Fortify. Roll 20: 20. +8HP to all allies.Karla 6.5/12HP +8HP = Karla 12/12HP Hector 10/10HP +8HP = Hector 10/10HP Linoan 12/12HP +8HP = Linoan 12/12HP Darios 7/10HP +8HP = Darios 10/10HP Sara rolls d10; 6. Danger meter: 100 Beast Encountered!

"It's shown itself," she warns gravely serious, pivoting on her heel fast enough to kick up dust and gravel, already stockpiling power for a spell. "I must prepare, await my signal."

Paths in the Dark

↳ Karla, Hector, Darios, Sara, & Linoan Team Chalice, The Dark‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Anamorphosis Week 1

[shadoll]

Mage and medic are not mutually exclusive trades, but Sara and Linoan can shoulder the responsibilites of either owing to the liberation war of the past where resources had been in limited supply. Darios tries to downplay her failure to produce another talisman and she can only sigh in defeat, committed to doing better next time.

The discussion finally turns to strategy, to the measures they will take and a plan of attack that should likely prevent more in-fighting. Karla and Hector volunteer for the riskiest part, but it was not as though there were many alternatives available to them. Their objective and resolve has not once wavered, a refrain reiterated by all at some point.

Sara 10/10HP tries to craft a Talisman with 1 Parchment. Roll: 9. Loses 1 Parchment. Sara rolls ul 2d10; 2, 2. Danger meter: 94

Though when Linoan passes a spare parchment along with words of encouragement, Sara pauses as if they come as a shock. She doesn't blame Linoan, not really. That man... She had been the one to mention him first, of course, however the reminder sours her expression.

With a wordless nod, she accepts the offering, sternly staring at its empty face. The phantom sensation of leathery hands brushes hers and Sara hears a dead, distant ghost explain she must apply just the right amount of pressure. Descended from a lineage of Loptous's most devout followers, she has inherited the power to manipulate and fell empires. From birth, the spirits have chosen her as their medium. God has chosen them to be his temple. She has received divine favor upon favor, while everything Sara asks for is devalued and disregarded.

For a moment, Sara is blinded with rage, an icy, emotionless fury that splits the parchment like a whip of lightning cracking down. She blinks and it has been reduced to rubbish, a useless thing that must be discarded. It flutters sadly to the floor on broken wings, though she won't spare another look. Nor does she have an air of apology about her.

"Unfortunate, that," she says to Linoan, rolling her wrist and conjuring a bubble of magic to prove she can. "Perhaps it has been too long for me to remember. At any rate, Bohr should suffice. The accuracy leaves something to be desired, but I can temporarily restrict its mobility. All of you should have been paying attention before, when my spell aided in our escape. I will just have to stop it like before."

Paths in the Dark

↳ Karla, Hector, Darios, Sara, & Linoan Team Chalice, The Dark‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Anamorphosis Week 1

[shadoll]

While they trudge through the gloom, Sara inwardly questions the import of having a designated leader. Her gaze travels to Linoan whose contributions cannot be overstated, but rarely exercises a desire for control unless the situation demands it. Sometimes an individual rises to the occasion, while others do not. The qualities that made a successful leader were not universal, nor did they guarantee those in power were good people.

Sara 10/10HP (III for 1 turn) tries to craft a Talisman with 1 Parchment. Roll: 1. Loses 1 Parchment. 2d10 Danger roll: 9, 5 Danger meter: 82

She half-listens to conversation as the haze framing her thoughts eventually lifts, illness and fog dispersing. The ink residue on the tip of her finger flakes off into little chips when index and pointer are idly rubbed together. A soft hum escapes her at the realization. Without a talisman at their disposal, their options for handling that otherworldly creature diminish rather drastically.

Just as she considers this, Sara notices the satchel by Darios's waist and stops infront of him, hand extended.

"Do you have anything to write on in there?"

Her foot taps impatiently as he rummages around his bag for a bit, then presents her with a blank page and asks after Sara's well-being.

"I've felt better and I have also felt worse. You needn't worry though. I know my limits," she assures him, turning the parchment upright and squinting at it.

Before he can respond, Sara is shushing him in advance to concentrate on the incantation, channeling magic through her finger to serve as its instrument. The words are easy enough to remember by now even if the method is different yet something reads immediately off, maybe the way it stains the parchment or how the sigils light up sooner than they should. Sara frowns deeply as the material disintegrates, turning to ash in her hands, "Ink is an important component for tomes and talismans, but we do not have the luxury of waiting to find more. If we can procure another, I can attempt it again. My... grandfather taught me the process."

Paths in the Dark

↳ Karla, Hector, Darios, Sara, & Linoan Team Chalice, The Dark‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Anamorphosis Week 1

[shadoll]

Patience and stamina alike has begun to flag, Sara can tell from a cursory glance, peering around at her companions' faces. Linoan may be a picture of composure, but healers can read the pulse of a room and theirs has become increasingly turbulent, unstable like a tower that needs just one push before collapse.

She doesn't care to intervene fights, however unnecesary they are, nor tend to egos that may be bruised in them. Any private thoughts she harbors regarding the decisions made by Darios and Hector respectively can remain hers alone for the time being.

Still suffering aftereffects, Karla places a hand to her temple and Sara sighs, tormented by a headache of her own, though it comes and goes. Light magic is a balm that soothes as eagerly as it depletes her energy. Funny how that works.

Sara 7/10HP (III for 2 turns) casts Fortify. Roll 20: 10. +4HP to all allies. Hector 10/10HP +4HP = Hector 10/10HP Darios 5/10HP +4HP = Darios 9/10HP Linoan 12/12HP +4 = Linoan 12/12HP Karla 4.5/12HP = Karla 8.5/12HP Sara 10/10HP +4HP = Sara 10/10HP Sara rolls 2d10; 4, 5 Danger meter: 65

The only thing they seem to all be in agreement on is to press forward in spite of the obstacles in their path. Sara can help with that goal, to supply the fuel to see it through to fruition. She calls upon the intimate channel of magic, raising her staff once more and floods the space with rays of hope.

Paths in the Dark

↳ Karla, Hector, Darios, Sara, & Linoan Team Chalice, The Dark‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Anamorphosis Week 1

[shadoll]

Even with blurred vision, Sara studies telltale signs of struggle as the world evaporates into dewy particles. She is no mindless disciple, heart as unmoved by heroism as martyrdom. Neither matter in the inevitable face of death, in its unfeeling finality.

Risky the endeavor may have been, valuable information has been gained from the encounter. Their enemy is not invincible, and though their odds may seem insurmountable, Sara knows a determined prince who has already done the impossible.

The wafting scent of warp magic only further sets her mind and muscles at ease, a safe haven akin to relaxing into a familiar blanket. Her eyes feel heavier, almost sluggish to respond as the scenery shifts, colors dimming.

With some effort, she opens her eyes, sighing tiredly as unnatural fatigue weighs on her. For once, Sara is mercifully speechless and uninterested. Bohr has left her hands cold and her spirit colder, indifferent and adrift as the others argue. She has no intention of involving herself in the squabbles of men, head preoccupied by a dull throbbing as she leans on Kia.

Sara 7/10HP (III) casts Fortify. Roll 20: 4. +3HP to all allies. Hector 9/10HP +3HP =  Hector 10/10HP Darios 4/10HP +3HP = Darios 7/10HP Linoan 12/12HP +3HP = Linoan 12/12HP Karla 3.5/12HP +3HP = Karla 6.5/12HP Sara 7/10HP +3HP = Sara 10/10HP

It is as much for her own sake as it is theirs when she taps into the lighter side of her blood. Vestiges of both dark and light reside within her blood, flowing through the river of her veins interchangeably, but it is also a balancing act where one commonly eclipses its sibling.

Belief builds faith. The warmth is slow to spread, rousing from slumber, but she wills it nonetheless, tolerating the strain. Her palm emits a gentle, unassuming glow they are certain to appreciate, a token gesture so subtle that it may be imperceptible to the uninitiated.

Paths in the Dark

↳ Karla, Hector, Darios, Sara, & Linoan Team Chalice, The Dark‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Anamorphosis Week 1

[shadoll]

In truth, the guesswork surrounding an apparition of a girl doesn't surprise Sara. It isn't a stretch of the imagination that, as Linoan had proposed, the towering spire had been built to deter intruders to some end, but there were better ways of doing that than stationing a rabid beast inside its walls. To this day, Chalice remained trapped within a mirror prison rather than outright butchered by her captors. Perhaps they planned on using her their own purposes just as Sara's grandfather had always kept piles of corpses in reserve.

Deep thought nags at her for longer than it ought to. The shadows part, inhuman growls an alarm near immediately sounding in Sara's head. However, its reappearance this time is accompanied by the smell of rotting fruit, ripe citrus on the verge of going bad layered on the same wet, matted fur from before.

Vulpine fangs rip into Karla, the only person able to compete with it on basis of agility, their dance too difficult for normal eyes to track. Linoan plays support, casting recover behind her and calling for everyone to fall back. Carefully, Sara watches Darios. His sword swings a beat too late and the beast retaliates by batting him away, then follows with a fiery assault.

She cannot determine whether it can be worn down, but Karla stands her ground. They are holding their own better this time at least, trading blows, though still ultimately forced on the defensive.

Sara 10/10HP misses with Bohr. [ Roll: 6; -0HP, Ivory Beast 96/99HP ] Ivory Beast 96/99 HP counterattacks with Fire of the Fox [ Roll: 11, -3HP ] Sara 7/10HP  is inflicted with Ill! Ivory Beast 96/99 HP is inflicted with Bind status and -4 avoid for next combat instance.

Her tongue clicks as she gathers the energy for a spell, one with the destructive power to turn the tides. Silvery hair sways in the whims of a potent, invisible gravity as she grasps at the darkness, pulls from the element surrounding them as is her birthright.

A hissing sphere of black magic grows louder and wider, shaking the whole chamber. But the beast is no idle target, swatting at it in a stage of infancy, detonating the spell early.

Pale flames spawn from its gaping maw, madly and haphazrdly directed every which way, body shaking with anger. It snarls and twitches, throwing its head back and forth in a daze as the toxic brew sets in.

Paths in the Dark

↳ Karla, Hector, Darios, Sara, & Linoan Team Chalice, The Dark‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Anamorphosis Week 1

[shadoll]

Sara fails to understand Darios's point. If anything, she finds the notion that her behavior is not upfront a bit of a stretch, when from the beginning, she has been nothing but candid with them all. She can hardly imagine any hidden meaning that might be inferred to warrant his comment towards her gesture. A mystery, truly.

On the other hand, the floor does indeed seem endless, yet somehow for all their lack of progress, not quite desolate either. There must be a justification for that they presently are unaware of. The supplies suggest occupants besides a mindless creature seeking a bloodbath, inhabitants that may have abandoned their lodgings for one reason or another.

Sara 10/10HP rolls 1d6: 3. Movement rolls 3, 3. The party moves to Space 145. Supply Event activates! Roll d6: 4. Gain 1 Herb. Party gains 1 Herb.

Linoan praises the discovery Darios makes, but Sara is decidedly less optimistic. Keen eyes peeled for more verdure, she looks along the cracks in the wall, the vines and roots suspended above head, locating an herb that can be consumed in an emergency.

"Here, Linoan. Having an alternative to relying solely on magic will be to our advantage." Her expression stalls in thought as Sara hands her a green sprig. "Say, don't you think it strange there are medicinal herbs growing here on their own?" A part of her believes they may have been previously tended to, though there isn't significant evidence to prove the theory or anything.

"No, I suppose it does not matter. What we need to do has not changed."

Paths in the Dark

↳ Karla, Hector, Darios, Sara, & Linoan Team Chalice, The Dark‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Anamorphosis Week 1