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Novus closed 10/31/2022, after The Gentle Exodus

Interactive Quest  - a pool of quicksilver--

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Played by Offline Staff [PM] Posts: 309 — Threads: 165
Signos: 989,640
Official Novus Account
#1


"Immortality is the only true success."

Even in the wake of Solterra’s tumult, the Oasis remains perfectly calm. The water ripples in a mirror reflection of the clear blue sky up above, promising a refreshing reprieve from the hot, dry wind that circles the dunes. Palm trees bend deep over the shore. And the only sign of life to be seen for miles—besides the sparse green of bushes lining the pool—is a snake so black it seems opalescent, pulling itself out of the water. 

It is a water snake, not common in Solterra for obvious reasons, but not altogether impossible. Except for all the little details that pop out upon second glance: the horrible darkness of its scales, the way its milky silver eyes seem to drip. As it slithers through the dusty water, the silver sloughs away from its eyes and into the oasis, leaving trails of bright mercury lying against the bottom of the pool. By the time it makes it onto the shore it’s eyes are completely gone, just black slits in a black head.

Its movement is leisurely but quick. A few minutes later it has completely disappeated, leaving only a faintly wet trough in the sand. But the water is still reeling from whatever magic it left. The trails of twining quicksilver are beginning to move on their own, twisting almost like their predecessor: they burn black tracks at the bottom of the pool that turn and interlock to form a sigil, something dark and sharp. A cage of iron bars, a bear trap. No, a set of teeth, gnashing together, on top of a burnt patch that looks almost like a heart—

Hours pass, and eventually the silver is absorbed by the water, and the tracks washed away. But the Oasis is still in charge of the magic that the snake has left it—has to find some way to pass it on, as all magic is supposed to be, eventually—and Solterra’s ex-warden is the lucky (or  unlucky) first to stumble upon it.






The oasis is strange these days. It's full of animals that don't belong and strange things seem to be taking shape just below the water. No one seems to no if it's new animals let loose by those days past when the gods walked, or if it's just the shadows of clouds passing over head. The water still looks tempting as each day is starting to seem hotter and hotter than the last. But as of yet not a single soul has been brave enough to wade into the deep, is @Torstein?

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This quest was written by the lovely @redandblack

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Played by Offline inkbone [PM] Posts: 75 — Threads: 5
Signos: 0
Day Court Soldier
Male [He/Him/His]  |  Immortal [Year 493 Spring]  |  21 hh  |  Hth: 17 — Atk: 23 — Exp: 41  |    Active Magic: Telemanipulation  |    Bonded: Circe (Lammergeier Wyvern)
#2

@
chest: CLOSED — Thoughts — "Speech" — Bonded
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In the time since Raum had nearly toppled the Day Court's empire, the ex-warden made himself scarce. The day the rumors had started - Seraphina is dead - he had quietly slipped away in the dead of the night.. shouldering his armor and silently shedding the title that had long since left a sour taste in his mouth. 

But much like a poltergeist, he was never fully gone.. just merely toying at the edge of one's vision. During key times he would steal back to the Court in various areas, the guards never thinking much of his passing in and out since no one was the wiser that he had shed his title. He spoke no ill of Raum and no positive of Seraphina, forever towing the line of neutral impassiveness. 

After all, if the quicksilver — the mole he should have crushed all those years ago when he was first discovered at Caligo's alter — had known where his allegiance lie, he would surely become a target. And even though it was an odd change of heart - for him to consider himself loyal to the downed sand queen - he certainly didn't feel like he held much (if any) fealty to anyone else.

Instead, he only returned to the Court to quietly pick up snippets of intel and to "show face" to avoid being suspect. He was never a cruel face to those suffering within the walls under Raum's rule, although he was careful to hide any notations of kindness. But tonight? His return was for no reason other than to visit the oasis. The water sang to his old, exhausted bones.

His body was tired, the shadows falling under his features seeming to deepen by the day. His hips and joints ached, and the lack of food was taking a toll - even for one who never showed disallegiance. The quicksilver was a selfish, disgusting ruler no better than Zolin of old. There was never a second guess that all he wanted was to watch Solterra burn... what was surprising was how he had amassed anyone to be loyal to him. 

The guards were steadfast in their patrols at the Oasis, refusing to let most common citizens in.... but they stepped aside when they were met with his silent, impassive gaze and the frantic, unsettling one of his Triennial eye. The eye that saw their hesitation at his towering shadow, the gnashing teeth upon his chest, and eyes the color of blood. The blood that ran through the streets, that baked onto the Canyon's bedrock, that soaked into the fine Mors sand and congealed in a rancid mess.. the very blood that wept from the dying bodies, tossed into mass graves amid the desert and canyon.

How long had those traitors wanted to watch their own Court be turned to ash? As he moved between the two sentinels, he passively wondered how many of them he could torture and burn at the stake once Raum was dead. He wondered how many only served him to save themselves.

But for now, his thoughts were only his own. His armor was shed at the edge of the oasis, the teeth on his chest tightening their closed grip as he descended into the water. The snake — one so dark he might mistake it for the void of space or the deepest part of the ocean — had long since slithered away by the time he found himself at the Oasis.

And for a moment, when the water enveloped him, the beat of his heart stilled. The ex-warden's breath caught in his throat, and for a moment the world went quiet. The bugs quieted their hum, the birds song ceased to exist... even the roaring sound of the waterfall seemed to fade into nothingness. 

Immortality.. the Eye hissed.

His bones no longer felt old, but oh how tired did he still feel.

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I have three eyes
   TWO TO LOOK    ONE TO SEE

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