7th of Ymiden, Arc 719
“To be perfectly honest with you, Marken, I don’t think that this is really necessary.” Prae admitted as he settled down on the humans floor, folding his knees underneath himself. “I just- maybe I’m not understanding it properly, but isn’t it kind of a...” He hesitated,...

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Bastard's Grove, Yaralon
40th Ymiden, 719

Let's see now... A little to the left? No, that's not right...

With tentative steps Tio shuffled forwards, tapping the ground before him with his umbrella to make sure he didn't stumble over anything....

4th of Ymiden, Arc 719
Praetorum carefully relit the fireplace, as Edyn paced behind him, muttering furiously to herself. “—never heard of flaying fire before, but I suppose we’ve never had to, have we? Can all mages do it, or is it just because the two of us are defiers as well?—”

Shifting over...

5th of Ymiden, Arc 719
It had taken an embarrassingly long time for Prae to notice the book on his bedside. In complete fairness to himself though, he’d been out of the house pretty much every trial since the turn of the season, and it was a fairly small, unassuming looking book. At least by...

4th of Ymiden, Arc 719
I'm fine, Praetorum. Edyn pushed weakly at Prae, and he caught her hand easily, examining it.

You aren't. Look, your hands are shaking. Prae's tail twitched in concern, bumping up against some of Edyn's too small furniture. Edyn, seriously, just... just lie down or...

Saun 40, 718, Time of Trial unknown

Within Armoire Adrift, time was meaningless. There was no sun here, but it was not a land drenched in darkness. There was more than enough light, and color was abound, colors that no mere mortal could perceive. But the source of the light was not evident. It...

Zi'da 93, 718

It was midtrial in Yaralon, the sun drooping low over the sky, as Cylus was nearly upon the land. This late in the season, it never reached the height of noon. The city had been all abuzz about the arrival of Mama Bear and her subsequent demand that three relatively unknown...

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6th of Ashan, Early Morning 719

It took her a moment to get her bearings. When her eyes opened, and she beheld the scene around her, it seemed she was in someone's personal shrine to one of the Immortals or perhaps something worse. There were burning braziers, but...

5th of Ashan 719

Mirage danced on the fringes of every tree and island in the midst of the South of Maiden’s Refuge. Tidal swamp waters rose and fell as if the land itself breathed in ragged, dying breaths. All the while, Alora sought through it all, making her way toward what she supposed must be...

28th Trial, Ashan, 719a
Yaralon
Midday

They were a strange yet simple party, marching out of the Harbor along the cliffs. No holy man or priests were among them, yet it was clear from their mien and cargo they were there to see off a comrade. The corpse they carried between them was clue...

25 Ashan 719 | Azrael Blackfire | Bastard's Grove
Azrael dashed through the grove with his bow in his hand and one arrow in his quiver. He couldn't hear anything over his own heart beating in his ears as he leapt over a fallen tree and into a clearing. In the clearing there was a pond full of a...

/gallery/image.php?album_id=143&image_id=4144 The Ghost Blunderer
87 Ashan, arc 719

He had to admit, this whole business of Sand Flea was wearing on his patience. In his world, you helped those who were up against a foe beyond their capability. Sure, if they got stupid drunk and made an...

31 Ashan 719 | Balthazar Black | The Crags
The enraged swordsman swung his blade down at Balthazar and Balthazar blocked it with his rock-encased forearm. The blade scraped right off the stone gauntlet and then Balthazar slammed his other stone encased fist into the warrior's head. Without a...

31 Ashan 719 | Balthazar Black | Fools Run
The unarmed warrior ran at Balthazar without waiting for his companions who had both shifted to grip their sword with two hands in the wake of what Balthazar had done to their friend's sword. He wouldn't be able to do it again so easily, but they did not...

25th Trial, Ashan 719a
Bay of Yaralon
8th bell

Continued from here

He didn't often fight angry. Made you stupid. Muddled your judgement. Better the cold, precise butchery he usually employed than the blind, burning joy of battle-rage. He'd seen too many skilled fighters dull themselves...

31 Ashan 719 | Balthazar Black | Fool's Run, Withersfield
It was a fairly sunny trial and Balthazar set out from Hammer Gate. He wore his loose fitting white shirt and dark brown pants. He had boots with him but as usual he was carrying the boots in his left hand and walking bare foot. It was...

25th Trial, Ashan 719a
Bay of Yaralon
8th bell

Continued from here

Don't get close t'me. When the killin' starts. Just keep yer distance.

Those had been the last words Kilmain had heard Mister Thagoras speak. The little man had spat out a series of short, sharp orders before erecting...

Speech Thoughts

5th of Cylus 719

Like all Naer, Alora had a special fondness for the season of Cylus. And there was nothing quite like the Cylus' under the skies of Yaralon. The Moons shone bright, never overcast, allowing the full brightness of their surface to reflect upon the fields. It...

25th Trial, Ashan 719a
Bay of Yaralon
8th bell

Continued from here

He wasn't expecting the sharks. Huge and sleek and dead-eyed, gliding through the water with hideous grace. It was a mercy that he couldn't really see them while he was swimming for his life; the panic might have seized his...

27th of Ashan, Arc 719
Are you sure we're going the right way? Prae asked, studying the ground in front of them rather skeptically. He saw no prints or tracks, and honestly, couldn't find any sign of their quarry's passage at all. Admittedly, Bastard's Grove was not the best place for tracking,...

43 Ashan 719 | Balthazar Black | Yaralon
The sun rose for another trial and Balthazar walked out of Spear Gate and into the expanse outside of Yaralon as was becoming his habit. For this trial he had resolved to himself to do something different than before. He'd posted a few flyers around the...

Cylus 1st 719

Alora had heard the rumors, from a cycle or two back. A large shipment of grain had gone missing. Enough food to feed the city for an entire cycle. Many had gone hungry since, many more would go hungry. She heard all of that before she heard the description of the man who was...

25th Trial, Ashan 719a
Bay of Yaralon
8th bell

Black flag! Black flag off the port bow!

Shite.

Well, that fucks that plan, dunnit?

Captain Senter ground his teeth for a moment, but let no outward sign of nerves show. It was a hopeful strategy, after all. Built more unlikely luck than...

53rd of Ashan, Arc 719
When Praetorum had woken up that morning, he'd found himself particularly antsy, with an almost desperate need to move-flow-run. He'd run a few laps around his neighborhood, even taken a dive into the harbor, but none of it really alleviated that persistent itch in his...