ORIGIN

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Maximus approached the stone slowly, head tilted to one side with wonder. What a beautiful stone. But the suggestion of a 'wish'... what did they wish for? For their sibling's voice to return? For peace in the caves? Perhaps for Draconua to ever so kindly drop off the face of the planet? No, none of those things were realistic.

Their tongue poked around their mouth, feeling over the needle-sharp spikes protruding from their jaw. But if Vargas couldn't fix those, they doubted a mere stone could. Their body was as they liked, they were free from the Chaos Forge, and they could play piano. So what could they possibly want?

'A family. Love. Acceptance for who I am,' they thought sadly. But again, a stone couldn't grant such things. Besides... they had Mr. Nibbles, didn't they? The rabbit that followed them around even now, who never looked at them with disdain, only a soft affection in his eyes.

Wistfully, though, they touched the stone, setting their great hand upon the smooth surface and watching their fur light up from the glow it emitted. They thought for a moment, then another, before finally speaking.

"I wish for a garden," they said. "Just for me. Somewhere I can be safe, where I can run to when I am afraid, where I can bring those I love, too. If... If that's not too much to ask."

Maximus withdrew their hand, feeling a bit silly. But the caves were magic, so this rock was too. Or maybe Nemean was pulling a prank, they really didn't know.

Bebby clapped her paws, and nuzzled the rock in thanks. "thank you rock!! you're so nice, i'll be back tomorrow, i promise!!" she promised, before bounding off.

that was, until the next day. she returned once more, this time with a mouthful of pretty flowers and other rocks, setting them down by the rock. "i brought you a gift since you gave me one yesterday! i hope these are good!! they all reminded me of your song, so i was thinking of you!" she said, hoping that the seemingly talking rock (to her knowledge atleast) was pleased.

"you mentioned a tiny stage!! can i see it yet? i bet it'll be great!!" she inquired, incredibly excited for her friends promised gift.

speech
thoughts

Ever so slightly, Wilder's eyes widened. She stood up taller, fur rippling in shock and tail pointed straight up. She had a path. A possibility. She was urged towards Gemini, a path she'd taken little before and she breathed a soft, "Thank you," before turning, slipping away through the crowd that was forming without caring much to look at who else had showed up, before setting a dead sprint out of Polaris.

*exit, no wish here

Veil has been away for a long, long time. they had adventures to go on, places to see, memories to make with the knight Kai, it's been so busy and to think he hadn't had the time to even pass through polaris again in so long.

He heard the song first. it was calming, unlike anything it'd ever heard. he heard other people too, of course, but he waited until they were gone. he did not want to scare them.

they walked up to the whispering rock, finding its quiet "voice" familiar, like a whisper in deep shadow, much like the voice veil had themselves. quiet.

a wish, a wish! it would grant the prince of darkness a wish? the void, the veil, the prince, a wish of it's very own! he had to think, it had to be good.

after a moment of sitting and slithering around the rock, almost pacing, they poked it with the tip of their skull-like nose, whispering, as if not to be heard by anybody but the rock. his tone full of a hopeful sorrow.

"The void prince was told by it's friend, it's knight, that it is, infact, a prince, should it wish to be one, since nobody can tell it otherwise. The void.... n-no, I.. would like to feel like one. I would like others to look at me and not see a monster, but a prince. I am not a monster, rock. i am.. Veil, and i do not even have a crown. can you make me a true prince?...?" he asked the rock, voice small and quiet, but not quite in despair.

If the rock could not grant this wish, that would be fine. it would take whatever gift the rock gave..

"When I speak"
When I think

Forgraves had wandered out of his crowded home in pegasus, being told of the wishing rock by bebby, who had excitedly shown him the spell it had given her the night prior, though he did have to reassure her when the beautiful butterfly she tried to conjure turned into a 10-toothed snake. she just needed practice.

however, forgraves wanted a wish. it granted her magic, and supposedly, the rock promised to grant whatever it could. that was left to be determined, and he may return another day, but he walked to polaris alongside bebby as she hopped wish a mouthful of flowers, as long a walk that was, to see for himself.

the soft hum of its song calmed him as he entered, and surely, the rock whispered promises to him, and so he sat and thought, waiting as bebby went first. whenevr she was done, he would step forward.

He hadn't brought much with him, but he had brought things like his starmap pendant, the flask, things like that. if he could come back again, he wouldnt worry so much about making it the best wish in the world quite yet, rather he'd feed his curiosity.

he looked at his things and pulled out his flask, and pushed it towards the rock.

"The collector gave me this flask, told me it would change whatever was mixed in it's color to show what effect it had, either consumed or applied, but i've noticed a drawback. it seems to have the peculiar curse that, should you ingest whats in it, it sends you into a wild craze until you get more of it! like you're immediately addicted, and the effect can last for days!" he ranted. "could you remove that effect? i believe it is magical, and you seem skilled in magical things, right?"

he looked to the rock expectantly, but gratefully.

"Speech." Thoughts.

Something sang to her from the riverbank.

It wasn't anything fancy or complex: not a huge, joyous symphony or a massive chorus, just a gentle chiming kind of sound. Its unassuming scope must have somehow made it seem... cozier, or inviting, and Whale responded with a low call of her own that reverberated through the water.

A disturbance could be seen on the surface of the Crystal River, the usual pattern of rushing water and white-foamed splashes interrupted by a dark, bumpy form rising from the depths. It was Whale, of course. The chiming stone seemed to invite her to come closer, to urge her gently to touch it and make a wish. Who was Whale to refuse? She only lingered in the water for a long, thoughtful moment to consider her wish.

Staring at the odd stone, she wriggled partway onto land, being careful not to go so far that she couldn't get back into the river, and touched it with the cool blubber of her snout. She thought of the surface, Let--of the freshest air she'd ever breathed and hungry villagers huddled on the shore, of the warmth of the sun on her back and children crying out to their parents as Whale bled into the water--and made her wish.

Help them, please. Give them food, something they can hunt that's not a person. Please don't let them starve. Please don't let them die.

Tamulus had reassured her as she'd come close to death that the Kylm tribes would live on, but how could Whale stop caring just because the survival of the people as a whole offered a beam of hope amid the tragedy of so many lives lost? She did not know how much power the singing stone really had, but if this wish had the possibility of saving even one life, she had to try.

Perhaps it shouldn't have wandered from Draco - after all, it hadn't been given permission, but man did it need a break from all the building and menial tasks that just seemed to have no end. It didn't mind having freetime and doing something low-key but it was not very rewarding and was getting incredibly boring.

So when the song reached Ruby-Beta's ears, it meandered over, seeing the group that was forming around it. A big dragon, little guys, and... Maximus? Oh, that was. Hm. It might have to report that one to Master Vargas or Cain. It wasn't sure how important it was that it'd found him but...well if he reported seeing Max here, it'd have to admit wandering randomly and it might get in trouble for slacking off. Well...it could just pretend like this never happened right? What Cain didn't know wouldn't hurt them.

So, ignoring Maximus for now, Beta approached the stone and stared at it for a moment. A wish? What did it want? A good nap was the first thing that came to mind but it brushed it off immediately. It got good naps all the time. A fucking break was the second, but that, too was brushed away. It was technically on break now. But the third thought was what stuck. Respect. In the Forge, from others. It wanted the others to notice that it was there, that it was capable and useful and ready for more.

It wasn't quite sure how the stone worked, but it wasn't much for letting the others around hear it, so Beta crouched on the ground a few feet away and whispered under its breath, "Uh, I don't know how you could do this or whatever but I really just want the Forge to respect me. You know, the Chaos Forge. Master Vargas and Cain and Khavur and all the others. I'm not useless but I think they think I am. I don't want them to think that, I want them to acknowledge me. Can you do something like that?"

what might this be..?

Maximus would feel the Wishing Stone's long silence. It was as though it were probing the caves for something useful--and, at length, it seemed to find it. Imagery filled Max's mind: a place where a gently-burbling creek ran through a tangle of clustered overgrowth and then--it seemed--into the back wall of Eridanus, somehow. They would know how to find it, the trails to take and the scents to follow; the visions of the pink trumpet-like flowers that hung from trees just before the right place would show the way. Find the magic, the stone seemed to whisper, find your safe place there.

Maximus receives: Directions to a Garden.
Max should make their way to the location they saw in Eridanus, and GM tag for more!

OOC reward:
Charlie has won their choice of a Tier Two reward, and may claim any one of the following for ANY of their characters in Update Me or Discord's Requests channel: Medium Spell Borrow, 500 Magicka, or Lost Stone (Guaranteed Revive, Hybrid Animal, GM-Rolled)

Bebby was greeted almost with joy, as though a returning face were somehow a welcome sight to the stone. A click behind her announced her second gift: a little dollhouse, barely small enough for her to carry, though luckily a handle at its top would allow her to move it with relative ease. It was wooden, and of fine make although clearly very old; a number of rooms had furniture, backdrops, and tiny featureless but humanoid and animal figurines that could be moved around and switched out as she saw fit. Some of the parts were made of cloth--curtains and bedding; it all smelled somehow pleasant, like fresh wood and silk. It was not magical, but it was very pretty, the detailing enough to keep one busy examining it for hours!

Bebby receives: a Dollhouse.

OOC reward:
Josie has won their choice of a Tier Two reward, and may claim any one of the following for ANY of their characters in Update Me or Discord's Requests channel: Low Spell Borrow, 300 Magicka, or a Lost Stone (Guaranteed Revive, Earth Animal, GM-Rolled)

Veil found the Wishing Stone to be almost... attentive, a low hum emanating from it as though it were briefly thoughtful. What appeared, after a moment, was a crown and a cape fit for a (strange) prince, indeed; the crown included a faceplate, of sorts, formed of beautifully-tooled ivory. Swirling patterns and floral-like decorations were carved along the faceplate, and the 'crown' itself branched up with short but lifelike antler tines. From the back and sides of the crown flowed a long cloak, ironically like a veil, formed of a sheer, black cloth that seemed to constantly float and rustle as though in a light breeze. This cloth was black, at first glance, though whenever it shifted, the light seemed to flow over it in iridescent shades of deep blue and rich purple. Tiny white specks adorned it quite at random, like little stars, and the entirety of the cloth emitted a very faint glow--stronger from those 'stars.' Veil would find that the crown, and cape, fit him perfectly.

Veil receives: Veiled Crown. (See below for details.)

Forgraves was met with a soft affirmation, wordless but quite present in his mind. The moment the flask was pushed forward, it seemed to shimmer and gleam--and the curse faded. It would feel as though a weight had fallen from the little flask, part of its magic simply gone, though it would perform all the positive functions that it had always done--without the craving, now. The Wishing Stone gave a satisfied chime.

Forgraves receives: curse removal on the Flask of the Master Alchemist.

Whale was met with a softly gentle chiming, and a strange sensation of sympathy. There was the knowledge that the Wishing Stone did not yet know--but a reassurance that it would search, and seek, and try to aid her. Whether it could succeed would only be known in time. There was a sense of apology that it could not yet offer more.

Whale receives: a Promise. The Wishing Stone will attempt to fulfill her wish, and Whale will be contacted somehow with knowledge of its results.

OOC reward:
Cicada has won their choice of a Tier Two reward, and may claim any one of the following for ANY of their characters in Update Me or Discord's Requests channel: Low Spell Borrow, 300 Magicka, or a Lost Stone (Guaranteed Revive, Earth Animal, GM-Rolled)

Ruby-Beta was granted a long and thoughtful silence, the chiming of the Wishing Stone briefly falling silent. When it began again, it was given a sort of thoughtful hum, and with that hum came knowledge. Though Ruby-Beta could prove itself, the stone would give it an extra chance to do so. Return to your home, it seemed to say, with images of Draco. And Ruby-Beta would know, through thoughts without words, that the Wishing Stone was awakening a foe in Draco--something long-dormant, something only the sly and stealthy could easily kill. Something that could, so long as Ruby-Beta remained cunning, use to prove its worth. Be careful, the stone seemed to say--for anything that would gain respect must, in turn, be dangerous.

Ruby-Beta receives: a nemesis. It may return to Draco to engage in an encounter that, if successful, will help it to prove its worth.

Identified Item!

Veil has received an identified item from the Wishing Stone!

3★

Veiled Crown
A beautiful, antler-like ivory crown with a mask, and a long, trailing, 'star'-studded veil.

☆☆☆★★★

Veiled Crown

A beautiful, antler-like ivory crown with a faceplate, and little beads hanging from delicate chains along its front. A dark cape floats behind it, like a veil, made of a black, sheer material that shifts with iridescent hues of deep blue and violet. White points like little stars are scattered across the veil, and a dim glow emanates from the fabric, particularly from the 'stars.'

ELEMENT:

MAGIC LEVEL: 50
DURABILITY: 10
SPECIAL: The cloak seems to always float as though tousled by a gentle breeze, and gives off the faintest twinkles of light, particularly around its "stars."
MATERIAL: Ivory, Cloth
ATTACK: N/A

ADDED: N/A
DEFENSE: 5
WEIGHT: 10
EQUIP: Crown, Veil

Currently owned by: Veil

@Maximus @Bebby (Veil, Forgraves) @Whale @Ruby-Beta

The last time Maximus saw Ruby-Beta, they were much, much different. Crippled, blind, and rather pathetic. Now they had a full mane, full muscle, and a healthy sheen to their coat. Not to mention they weren't crippled, and could see judging by how their eyes widened with recognition upon spotting them.

Their heart beat for a moment, instinctively preparing for a fight before they watched them approach the stone also. They relaxed, then, an ear flicking forward to hear their wish, relaxing even more. Respect, that was a fine wish. Maybe... maybe they could wish for it too...?

They shook their head with a snort, their mind filling with the directions to a creek and pink flowers. Instantly they forgot their wish for what had been, their interest peaked.

They only spared one last glance at Ruby-Beta before dropping to all fours and springing away, their deer-like hind legs providing the power necessary to launch themselves forward, their powerful arms catching them so they could repeat the motion. They wanted to find this garden, to find their new home.

Mr. Nibbles chased after them from where he'd been nibbling on moss, able to keep up with his own powerful legs. They were a good pair, it seemed.

Toboggan was here. That was a small feat in of itself.

Without snow or long slopes to help him along, movement was an exhausting (literal) grind of stone against stone as he slowly but surely scooted his was towards his destination. He was big enough now that it was an actually possible task, but that didn't make it much less awful. It was hard not to envy how easily others walked, but zooming through Ursa's snowy hills made it worth it. Ignoring the injuries gained from said snowy zooming. But given Toboggan's general adventurousness, recklessness, and desire to help people at his own risk, the injuries were going to happen despite his locomotion situation.

The Weird Rock had drawn his attention because it was Weird and A Rock, and he had convinced Vasil to accompany him in the Investigation Of The Rock. It probably would've been faster, more convenient, and just Better for Vasil to go ahead to look at the Weird Rock and then tell him why it was So Weird. But curiosity killed the cat, as they say- but since he wasn't a cat, he just found himself tired and sore, especially in the hind legs.

"Vasil!" He yapped "Do you think the rock is a people like we are?" He swung his nose in the vague direction of their gemstone eye for emphasis. "It doesn't have any parts attached to it, though. I don't think that's good." Yes, not having a body was probably very bad for your health, go figure. His ears perked forward to listen to it's strange humming song, and he scooted even closer, so that his nose touched a facet of the stone and his breath fogged up it's crystalline surface. "Touch the rock! Make a wish! That's what you're supposed to do!" While this was generally classic Toboggan Nonsense, it was also (surprisingly) the innately correct thing to do.

As for what He wanted to wish for... well, there was certainly something on this mind, currently. I wanna be able to go FAST! like when I zoom down the hills but ALL THE TIME!! And the rock might get an impression of what exactly that 'zooming' entailed- mainly sledding down icy slopes at inadvisable speeds.

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Maximus

Bebby

Wilder

Veil

Forgraves

Whale

Scion

Game Master Dark

Maximus

Toboggan