<div style="background:linear-gradient(to bottom, rgba(0,0,0,0) 590px, rgba(61,66,60,1)620px),url('https://i.postimg.cc/CKqdVJfw/quest.jpg') top no-repeat;margin:auto;border:1px solid #000;width:479px;padding:650px 10px 0px 10px;box-shadow:0px 0px 10px #000;">
<div style="border:3px double #858D61;border-radius:35%/35px 35px 0px 0px;padding:30px 10px 10px 10px;border-bottom:0px;box-shadow:0px 0px 5px #858D61, inset 0px 0px 5px #858D61;color:rgba(0,0,0,0.75);">
Usually when the veils between the worlds is shifted, it is a gentle and beautiful thing. The world hardly stirs at the event and most continue to sleep soundly in their beds. But tonight, tonight the veil is torn down with a boom that echoes across Beqanna. The world heaves and quakes at the abrupt arrival of an Old One. If it wasn’t for the ground rumbling and the deafening roar of the heavens, he might have looked like a falling star burning angry red across the night sky. But he is not one of the heavenly bodies or anything so lovely as that. When he crash lands into the base of the mountain, it feels like the continent may break apart beneath the weight of him.
He is frantic teeth chewing into the earth and burrowing claws erecting a new nest in which to hide. The air here feels like it might set his skin on fire. Already, boils and pustules have erupted across his body. He lets out a frantic shriek as he finally slips down, down, down into the caverns he has found for himself.
After that, there is only eerie silence other than the quiet sizzle around the massive hole he has dug. Splatters of the ancient monster’s blood shimmer and glow even without the aid of the moon that hangs fat and full in the night sky. Abruptly, a fog comes creeping out of the cave mouth and it engulfs everything around it. Any careless traveler might get caught in it and find themselves unable to see more than a foot or so before them.
And that is precisely what the ravenous beast wants. He likes his playthings lost and confused in the mist, likes to watch them wander blindly to his waiting jaws. Their hearts always guide them to some sweet, agonizing end.
His hundred mouths open wide but the sound he makes is surprisingly soft as it carries across the cave walls and out into the open air. It is the sob of a child, the aching wail of a mother, and the fearful cry of a lover all at once. They echo and twist over one another, repeating ceaselessly. The call demands answer. The monster’s unblinking swarm of eyes watch the mouth of the cave for a while longer before shambling deeper into the depths as it awaits its prey.
</div></div>
Welcome to the anti-valentine quest. The rules are simple. Reply by 11:59pm on February <b>2nd</b> central standard time and tell us how your character sees the falling "star". Have them arrive at the mouth of the caves but do not enter. There will only be one winner at the end of five rounds. All others will die, or simply awake from a horrible fever dream with a defect. You may choose whether your character lives or dies, as well as the duration of your defects. You may even make your defects permanent if you wish. Only characters who have NOT been posted in the past month (30 days) may enter. Good luck, uglies.
<div style="border:3px double #858D61;border-radius:35%/35px 35px 0px 0px;padding:30px 10px 10px 10px;border-bottom:0px;box-shadow:0px 0px 5px #858D61, inset 0px 0px 5px #858D61;color:rgba(0,0,0,0.75);">
Usually when the veils between the worlds is shifted, it is a gentle and beautiful thing. The world hardly stirs at the event and most continue to sleep soundly in their beds. But tonight, tonight the veil is torn down with a boom that echoes across Beqanna. The world heaves and quakes at the abrupt arrival of an Old One. If it wasn’t for the ground rumbling and the deafening roar of the heavens, he might have looked like a falling star burning angry red across the night sky. But he is not one of the heavenly bodies or anything so lovely as that. When he crash lands into the base of the mountain, it feels like the continent may break apart beneath the weight of him.
He is frantic teeth chewing into the earth and burrowing claws erecting a new nest in which to hide. The air here feels like it might set his skin on fire. Already, boils and pustules have erupted across his body. He lets out a frantic shriek as he finally slips down, down, down into the caverns he has found for himself.
After that, there is only eerie silence other than the quiet sizzle around the massive hole he has dug. Splatters of the ancient monster’s blood shimmer and glow even without the aid of the moon that hangs fat and full in the night sky. Abruptly, a fog comes creeping out of the cave mouth and it engulfs everything around it. Any careless traveler might get caught in it and find themselves unable to see more than a foot or so before them.
And that is precisely what the ravenous beast wants. He likes his playthings lost and confused in the mist, likes to watch them wander blindly to his waiting jaws. Their hearts always guide them to some sweet, agonizing end.
His hundred mouths open wide but the sound he makes is surprisingly soft as it carries across the cave walls and out into the open air. It is the sob of a child, the aching wail of a mother, and the fearful cry of a lover all at once. They echo and twist over one another, repeating ceaselessly. The call demands answer. The monster’s unblinking swarm of eyes watch the mouth of the cave for a while longer before shambling deeper into the depths as it awaits its prey.
</div></div>
Welcome to the anti-valentine quest. The rules are simple. Reply by 11:59pm on February <b>2nd</b> central standard time and tell us how your character sees the falling "star". Have them arrive at the mouth of the caves but do not enter. There will only be one winner at the end of five rounds. All others will die, or simply awake from a horrible fever dream with a defect. You may choose whether your character lives or dies, as well as the duration of your defects. You may even make your defects permanent if you wish. Only characters who have NOT been posted in the past month (30 days) may enter. Good luck, uglies.