CynicalSagittarius

Astreus hit the grown long before he could figure out what was happening. One moment he had been trying to flee from the swarm, lost within the heart of a deep forest the next moment he was laying face down on a hard and rocky surface. “Did… I pass out here?” the teal woolyne wondered tried to pick himself up. It wasn’t easy though, Astreus felt sore from nose to hoof “I’m pretty sure I just fell, but why does it feel like I got hit by a cart?” Before long he was standing unsteadily on his hooves. “Hey, you! Identify yourself!” A sharp voice demanded. “Are you a specter or a soul from a lost world?” Astreus spun around looking for the source of voice when his eyes fell upon an unusual being. One moment they were a woolyne with… three hooves!? The next moment they were shorter, but no less regal looking, creature on four legs. “I must have hit the ground harder than I thought!” Astreus panicked. “I don’t know anything about ‘specters’ or ‘lost souls’, but look!” he held his hands

Above the small encampment, Edelweiss watched from the darkness, as the space was raided by three woolyne. Thankfully his body was hidden from sight by one of the Arcanum’s better invisibility potions so he was able to watch as the three woolyne below were slowly were overtaken by madness. "Damn it!" A thunderous bang echoed off the stone walls as metal slammed against metal, ringing out far beyond the confines of the small room where it had originated. This voice belonged to who likely was the first victim of the trap, Lorelei. If one knew anything about the unicorn court it was certainly about the golden furred duchess with the amethyst eyes. While not necessarily the leading expert of void lyss, she was a gifted forger and was quickly closing the gap between herself and the arcanum’s understanding of the volatile art. “How the-” another bang drowned Lorelei’s words as another metal stool was sent clattering into the darkness. “have they gotten past us again!?” the golden furred

The woolyne stared with bleary eyes at the imposing monarch before them. Asaji the fire-bonded queen of Mazrim’s court. It was hard for researchers to not notice that normally imposing figure before them seemed… worn and tired. Dark circles formed a crest just below Asaji’s eyes, as if the queen had endured many sleepless nights. “As you know, while the festivities this year will be… modest.” She offered a pained smile to the group before her “Our lord Mazrim may be silent at present, but that is no excuse to prepare his celebration with anything less than sincerity. However the Swarm that plagues us now has left our resources spread thin." The queen of the dragon court lamented, her eyes softening at the corners, as if the weight of their struggles was rarely far from her mind. "That being said… I can’t thank those that have chosen to gather here and continue researching through the festivities enough.” Asaji bowed her head towards the assembled researchers and inventors. “Thank

“Remember, this is no time for bravery or courage!” Tej’s voice boomed “All you need to do is locate the nests or wherever the swarm is choosing to rest and then return to us!” “You only live once!” Saki added, standing beside the dark brown nikyak breeder “So make sure you treasure yourselves properly. Record as much information about the swarm as you can safely manage. While conflict may be impossible to avoid, try to minimize as much contact with the swarm as possible!” The gathered soldiers and adventurers nodded solemnly as the words of those in charge slowly sunk in. “We have emergency flares, information trackers, and first aid supplies available! Please grab a pack before you depart.” Tej called desperately as woolyne shambled forward. “Where is he? Was he placed in a separate group?” Titus hovered just above the crowd. All volunteers for “Swarm Suppression” had been assigned a ‘buddy’ and in Titus’s case, he had been assigned a woolyne by the name of Wickett as his partner.

The world was still dark. Celeste blinked slowly, amethyst-colored eyes gradually adjusting to the darkness. “Why?” The young thief forced herself to continue taking slow shallow breaths as she cautiously studied her surroundings. Celeste wouldn’t have considered herself a light sleeper, but anytime she had woken up before dawn something had always been amiss. From where Celeste lay, everything appeared to be in perfect order. The nightstand where her “treasure box” sat was undisturbed, latched, and locked just as she recalled. The floor had recently been cleaned, but there were no signs of debris or dirt that she might associate with an unwelcome guest. “Maybe I’m losing my touch?” Celeste bit her lip as her fur bristled slightly. “I know it has been a while since I’ve been able to do anything but surely I’m not just imagining things…” a cool breeze rolled across her body, the comforting scent of coming rain clearing her mind for a brief moment. “I’ve really missed the smell of

The Rift in the sky had caused unforeseen challenges across all of Andras. In response to the growing crisis facing the land and its people, the faction of Andras had united, coming together beneath one of four banners and each facing a unique threat. However, in a show of solidarity, the leaders of these great factions had gathered for a meeting on a small, unnamed island, located between Azmarin and Ur-Bahn. The first of these factions was the “Dragons of Mazrim’s Court” but this was essentially the dragon court and their associated territories. Their representatives, Queen Asajj and Saki, presented first explain what havoc the swarm was wreaking across their lands. Unfortunately, many of the areas cared for by the dragon court were spread out, in mostly warm and sandy terrains. Many towns, villages, and towns were not independent, trading goods amongst themselves via drakern and nikyak caravans. The swarm was cruel however, the nasty creatures that came with it had been attacking