RETURN OF THE MIST

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There is an eeriness to the lands - an unknown chill that seemed to hang across the air, threatening to consume more than it already had. The shift is undeniable and, evidently, had already garnered its fair share of attention, as lions flocked in an attempt to rectify the disappearance of their kin.

Here, the fog seemed to thicken abruptly, occupying thr area as a swirling mass of white smoke and fading, hungry clouds. Listen close enough, however, and one may catch a sort of strange echo — indiscernible, mostly, other than the waning tremor that it left behind. There is almost no denying that there is someone in there, caught amongst the maze of wispy tendrils and omnipotent barriers.

And although the sound of approaching footfalls was beginning to grow louder, the question still remained - will they be able to find them?

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INSTRUCTIONS
Searchers: @Calhoun @Opeia @Archesia @teuta
Lost Lion: @Camelia
Next Round: 4/1/2022

Dice Sum Needed For Success: 48
Trade Boost: Pathfinders

All participants, include the following at the bottom of your post:

Code:

<center><b>Search Roll:</b> [roll=1d10]
<b>Trade Boost:</b> if your trade received a boost, as indicated above, place their level in that trade here. otherwise, place “n/a”</center>

All participants must reply to this thread by the listed date, otherwise they will be removed from the search party. When replying, all participants must include the search roll and any specified trade boosts at the bottom of their post. There is no posting order.

pixel credit to strobelast

She couldn't see the roof, but she knew this was the part of the labyrinth where it opened up. Teuta would have thought that would make it easier to see, but no. The mist was still just as thick, perhaps even thicker than usual in some places.

"Dis bites," she observed in a mutter. As soon as she had spoken, the mist seemed to flow towards her, causing her to backpedal with a hiss. "I not be meanin' literally! Keep yer... cloud, whatever to yourself," she ordered, waving a front paw at the amorphous haze before her. Sheesh.

search roll:

Rolling 1d10: 1

trade boost: N/A

Further and further they wander, following signs and clues with no reprieve for their efforts — no reward. A weariness hangs over Calhoun Galloway, as it does over them all; he feels as though he has aged years in the past few months, and with nothing to show for it. The lines of his face are harrowed and exhausted, and he can hardly even look at the mist with confusion or wonder anymore. All he sees is anger for this unconquerable being that has taken away those he loves and cares about most. Loves? Yeah, no point in denying that one now. He growls lowly when it reaches out for Teuta, as though displeased by her complaints, but evidently she isn't tasty enough to appeal to it in the end. search roll: Rolling 1d10: 7 trade boost: n/a

image by koafox, code by koi

She wanders after Calhoun with her usual enthusiasm, casually chipper, alert, keen. It is lucky for Archesia that her grasp upon time was so obscure, for she almost seemed able to address the most with equal wonder each time. As if her mind simply reset every so often.

It did not, she remembered all of their strange and whimsical encounters with the entity, but they did not feel so tiringly recent as they did for others. She wanders amidst the caves, tutting here and there, or snickering quietly to herself - never truly silent. The golden lioness would push at the mist in places, trying to break through its barriers.

search roll:

Rolling 1d10: 3

trade boost: LVL 1 Pathfinder

_{art by yumpy —}

The cub's teeth bare when she sees the mist swirl around Teuta. Her snarl is savage enough to warn the mist back, or so she thinks. Now the child will no longer sit by and watch another of the crew be stolen away into the thick silver mist. Older, braver, she would leap into the cloud and hunt them down. She would not be bested again. The dragonling tips her cherry gaze up to where her father stands, looking as dejected as her heart.

search roll:

Rolling 1d10: 1

trade boost: n/a

RETURN OF THE MIST

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They gather, finding some sort of unity and camaraderie beneath their common cause, bodies and minds working as once to try and find those that they had lost. The echo continues for a while longer, buzzing beneath the surface of the mist as if trying to break free — though it would find no avail. At least, not yet, anyways.

For it was abruptly that there was another shift, the air growing taunt as a small gust of wind pushed out across the landscape, demanding the attention of those present.

The mist beckoned back to the one who spoke her anger, seeming to bellow loud for a moment and roar with a gust of wind in their direction. It is sudden and frightening. As strange as the mist was this behavior was even stranger. Again it danced on a warm, hot, breath towards the group... and this time quiet, muffled, the sounds of mischievous laughter from an off shoot of the tunnel they were trekking down. Childish gleeful sounds followed by quick muffled 'shh shhh they'll figure it out'...

---

INSTRUCTIONS
Searchers: @Calhoun @Opeia @Archesia @Teuta
Lost Lion: @Camelia
Next Round: 4/6/2022

Dice Sum Needed For Success: 48
Trade Boost: Sleuth

All participants, include the following at the bottom of your post:

Code:

<center><b>Search Roll:</b> [roll=1d10]
<b>Trade Boost:</b> if your trade received a boost, as indicated above, place their level in that trade here. otherwise, place “n/a”</center>

All participants must reply to this thread by the listed date, otherwise they will be removed from the search party. When replying, all participants must include the search roll and any specified trade boosts at the bottom of their post. There is no posting order.

pixel credit to strobelast

A pair of snarls came from father and daughter as the mist came for her, but Teuta wasn't too concerned. Let it try to take her while there were so many around her. Although, if it did then maybe she could find her crew within it and bring them back out.

Probably best not to try that.

Once things had quieted down again, she could hear something down one of the passages and she turned, prowling down it on quiet paws as she aimed to draw near to whoever or whatever it was making noise. She didn't think any of their crew would act like that, but perhaps it was another trick of the mist that might lead them to someone they did know.

search roll:

Rolling 1d10: 9

trade boost: Sleuth lvl. 1

The dragonling spots the way Teuta slinks off toward a formed tunnel within the mist. She feels the blast of the roar upon her face and her lips twist. Yet she stalks forward, pursuing Teuta into the mist, determined not to let another of her crew fall victim to the mist.

search roll:

Rolling 1d10: 1

trade boost: n/a

She tags along after Teuta and Opeia, quite enthusiastically given the rest of the crews wavered spirits. The caves were dark and dinghy, they maintained a stagnant dampness that felt heavy in the lungs.It was different to heated humidity though, crisper, colder.

There is a rather pungent waft of air amidst the dimly lit chasm, swinging forth more akin to a pinch to the face than any real breath. It is oddly warm against the chill of the cave, and feels dry and as if it might have traveled cross-continent to reach them. Then voices echo, mischievous and hushed.

"The mist is worried of something, keep pushing," as childish as the voices had been, it seemed their only lead at that point.

search roll:

Rolling 1d10: 10

trade boost: LVL 1 Sleuth

_{art by yumpy —}

It answers them with a bellow — or answers Teuta, rather. The low, angry roar of the mist is enough to unsettle most, but Calhoun merely curls a lip, glaring at the apparition. "Oi, fuck off," he snaps, his ears leaning back against his skull as the sound of whimsical laughter meets them. He fails to understand the point of this seemingly never-ending game, the way it taunts and teases them and plays on their weary souls. Huffing, he trots after his crewmates with an ill-mannered flicking of his tail, his annoyance evident. He would be happy if never saw any damned fog again in his life — after it gives his crew back, that is. search roll: Rolling 1d10: 7 trade boost: n/a

image by koafox, code by koi