[Event] The Wishing Stone - Printable Version

what might this be..?

Bayo's return, and request, were met with bright and cheerful chiming. After a moment, the Wishing Stone flashed--and there was a clatter in Bayo's drawstring bag. Within, there were suddenly a large number of tiny bones--sturdy, each unique, but nearly filling the bag to the brim! Upon closer inspection, each bone held a sigil of some kind carved into it. Bayo would know, as if the knowledge had been whispered to him, that the glyphs meant nothing on their own--but that they helped to differentiate the bones, and that he could assign to them any meaning that he liked.

Bayo receives: A Collection of Small Bones

OOC reward:
Charlie has won their choice of a Tier Five reward, and may claim a Winner's Choice in Update Me or Discord's Requests channel!

Forgraves' gratitude was met with a song: a series of happy-sounding chimes that rang softly through the air around him. How good it was to make others happy!

Madhukar's feather request was met, at first, with almost puzzled chiming. It felt, in some surreal manner, as though hte stone had tilted back its head to examine the feather from several directions, humming to itself all the while. Then there came the abrupt chime: inspiration! It had the perfect thing!

The feather vanished, and a moment later a hefty (but perfectly-fitted) leather hat popped into existence to land atop Madhukar's head, tilted rakishly to one side. It was black, weathered to an almost scuffed brown, and in the style of a Cavalier-style hat one step shy of a tricorne. The brim on one side swept outward; the brim on the other was curled up to the hat's dome, and it was here that the big feather swept out and back with a flourish, made soft and fluffy in the Wishing Stone's strange process. It was a pirate's hat, fit for a Pirate Queen, though why the Wishing Stone had deemed it suitable for Madhukar was anybody's guess. Perhaps the Stone simply favored hats. It did look very stylish, though.

Madhukar receives: Pirate Queen's hat--with feather.

OOC Reward:
YspobDon 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)

Kaimana's words were briefly considered, and the Wishing Stone seemed to hit upon an answer straightaway. A small chunk of misshapen gold hit the floor before her with a heavy thud. With it came simple knowledge: there was a black dragon who lived on an island in Leo; this dragon would carry her boat anywhere she wished, for the cost of that gold piece. An easy solution, and one the Stone offered up with an almost proud and cheerful hum.

Kaimana receives: a gold piece to pay the questionable ~~Ferryman~~ dragon.

Skein's approach was somehow met with the VERY strong feeling that the puzzled Wishing Stone was watching every fumbled step. The clatter of a rock was met with a bright and questioning flash. The snap of a twig was met with a bright and likewise questioning chime. When Skein finally placed their hand upon the stone, it considered their request.

The problem, of course, is that it could not control what Skein's family did. The Wishing Stone could not reach out to change others; it could only offer change, or help, to Skein themselves. And, pondering, the Wishing Stone noted (perhaps counterproductively) a brief vision: one of Aquarian lurching from the Heart of Cetus to swallow down several hapless Gembounds. As if to note, helpfully, that actually--Aquarian did eat people. Or, at least, once had.

Now, the Wishing Stone could have just granted Skein the ability to Gauge others' intentions, and left it at that--but, hmm, it ought to take the creature's family into account, yes?. So it reached into the ether, and it pulled forth an item, instead: one that any of the Children would be able to use. It was a simple magnifying glass at first glance--made of polished black wood--but gazing through it to examine another being would give its bearer insight as to their intentions. No more would be the days of paranoid suspicion: now they would know, with relative surety, what it is that they were facing.

Skein receives: The Magnificent Malice Magnifier. (See below for details.)

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

When Mirac emerged from his vision, the Wishing Stone's colors were almost quivering. Maybe the Void Lightning had crashed and crackled around the stone while Mirac was 'dreaming?' Whatever the case, it almost hastily accepted his departing gratitude, as if somehow relieved not to be itself obliterated before he went.

Sergei's pleas were met with a flicker of blue and violet, as if in sympathy. There was something wretched about a creature the bear's size and bulk being so afraid, and the Wishing Stone's gift came kind and gentle: a soft surge of knowledge. The bear would know, in an instant, how to simply purge the fungus, if infected--how to move it, from his body to a point outside.

Sergei receives: Fungal Wake.

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

Fleas' almost cynical demand was met with a bright flash of color, and a vision. It swept the world out from around the jackal, and instead she would see a stage: brightly-lit, blindingly so, with a strange creature standing on its hind legs. This creature wore a black-and-red Jester's hat, with bells on the end, and a black collar with red gemstones set in silver. It also wore large, silly, curved shoes with bells at their toes. A crowd was sitting in chairs, around tables, arranged before the stage--it looked like the palace of Cepheus, if she were at all familiar. The Jester tugged nervously at the collar, and offered an almost frightened grin, and Fleas would feel the distinct gathering of courage as the Jester made a decision that they knew was a stupid one--but it was worth the show. "So Master Nemean says, 'maybe if we buy a few pairs of new shoes? ...And then he said... maybe when you've grown a few feet!"

Laughter choked through the crowd, but one shrill voice cried "HEY!" and as a large shadow, clearly carrying an axe, fell across the stage, the Jester gulped and winced, and murmured "Aww, not again..."

When the vision passed, Fleas would find the collar lying on the rock before her paws. And she'd know, instinctively, that this magical hunk of stone and leather was there purely to dull the pain of (repeated) returns to the chrysalis, as (frequently) experienced by the hapless Jester.

Fleas receives: Jester's Gambit

Umbriel's request was, at first, met with apology. Corruption's very nature was Chaos; to embrace its element (or be made from it) was to live with its unpredictable ways. Yet, perhaps... there was something the Wishing Stone could offer. It would be difficult to retrieve, if made a little easier by flight--assuming Umbriel's vast wings could actually lift her airborne. She saw it, in her mind: a dark crevice in Monoceros, beneath an overhang, dangerously close to the twisting storm. A glint of Oilstone within, a shine of silver. It would help her, sometimes--when Chaos could be subdued. Not always, but... it was better than nothing--right?

The spell prodding encountered blank, empty space: the Wishing Stone was a stone, although a magic one. It was strange, however: how could it seem to portray emotion when it bore no mind of its own..?

Umbriel receives: directions to retrieve Pendant of Wills, in Monoceros.

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

Azrael's return was met with flashing and chimes of recognition--but his request, or almost demand, was more difficult. The Wishing Stone was almost tentative, for Azrael was already immensely powerful, and with the armor, tougher still to kill. It could not simply make him large enough to fight all foes--and there were always those who would get lucky. But-... The thought hummed and chimed. There is one difference between the foot soldier, and the general: knowledge. Experience. It is a form of power.

A battered book suddenly tumbled out of thin air to land at the demon's feet. If Azrael could read the title--or find someone who could--it said, "The Art of War - Sun Tzu."

Azrael receives: a translated copy of Sun Tzu's 'The Art of War.'

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

Miriam's social subtleties were utterly lost on the Wishing Stone, who was simply a rock, and one that gauged intentions and desires without judgment. It took a moment to decipher what it thought she wisihed: the ability to judge others? Yet simply gauging their intentions would not be enough. After a moment, the stone cheerfully bestowed upon Miriam the ability to delve directly into others' minds, to search for the knowledge she required. Surely this was a good thing--right?

Miriam receives: Mind Reader.

OOC Reward:
Nemesis has won their choice of a Tier Three reward, and may claim any one of the following for ANY of their characters in Update Me or Discord's Requests channel: High Spell Borrow, 1000 Magicka, Uncommon Character Slot (UCS), Lost Stone (Alien/Valkhound, GM-Designed, Guaranteed Revive), High Intensity Non-Elemental Spell (Sensorial Link, Familiar Forge, Affix Dye, Enchant), or Mutation Slot

It was not the Wishing Stone that first responded to Catalyst, but Mother herself, with a murmur that the raptor--and her form--were already such a perfect child. The Wishing Stone seemed to know none of this, chiming and flashing happily away. And indeed when Catalyst's request became known, the Stone reached out to find this Mother--to find what she might want, what might please her.

It could not find her.

So after a moment, finding no hints, it picked through the cave itself for a sign of something stamped with that word: with Mother, with that fungus, with the tips granted by Yellow and by Catalyst herself. Tentatively, Catalyst was shown a vision.

There was a tunnel--a place of snow and heat, combined. A place where steam rose and sizzled, a place dangerous to life. And somewhere here--somewhere buried, beneath a rock fall (and it showed her the precise place)--the Wishing Stone had found something that perhaps Mother would like back. It was a chunk of Clearstone, its previous owner crushed beneath a fall of rocks. Perhaps if Catalyst returned the stone to her benefactor, or revived it, even, herself, it would be somehow beneficial..?

Catalyst receives: the location of a Clearstone piece. This gemstone is a guaranteed revive, should Catalyst choose to revive it.

Games-? Ahh, the Wishing Stone could do games! Well--maybe not the sort the Huntsman desired; but of course, the player could decide the stakes. A large, velvety black bag--tied with a drawstring--thunked to the rock before the Huntsman. It was just barely small enough for them to carry, or perhaps to drag, and inside lay a small collection of games. A smaller bag held several carved ivory dice; a box had a folding wooden checkers board, with a bag of checkers pieces, and chess. Another folding board held backgammon and its pieces. A Cups guessing game, along with a little Tic-Tac-Toe board, lay in other boxes. And, of course, they all came with little picture-laden booklets, for instruction.

The Huntsman receives: A Game Collection.

Simon II was met first with happy chiming, a greeting of sorts, with bright and flashing lights. His request, however, resulted in first a thoughtful sweep of magic--as though the Wishing Stone were searching for his answer--and then a growing silence.

The vision came gentle, careful, and quiet: a small family, gathered in a little cave, with only one another for their company. He'd see them all clearly--the copperhead viper who'd given Simon II his stone; the whisper of the name, even: 'Simon,' as someone spoke it. The Morganite, a furred hybrid, to one side. There was a shift and a flash, another place--another time--and the goat-ocelot was laughing: 'Don't eat the light.' A small, thick-billed black bird, cheerful: 'We're seeing the world, like I've always dreamed! Isn't it quite amazing? Look at this place! Such wonder, such splendor!' The towering giraffe calf, his eyes flickering with fire as he listened, quiet. The faces came and went, and with it, a new piece of knowledge: some of them yet lived.

Some of them, however--like Simon--hadn't made it.

If only the Wishing Stone could frown.

Simon II receives: a vision of past lives.

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

Deli's request was met with a shimmer of color, almost with humor--as if the Wishing Stone were imitating the dyes themselves. A moment later their request was granted, though with a faint sense of apology--this gift was somewhat limited. It was a small set of paints, in a fine wooden box--magical dyes, made by someone else, at another time, in little glass pots. Each would only really be enough for one good dye job, or two very small ones, but at least it was something that wouldn't need another magic-user in order to be made. In a touch of extra helpful usefulness, though, the set did come with a fluffy little paintbrush!

Deli receives: A dye collection. Each of the twenty 'Special' dyes listed here has a small sample pot, and for some reason, there's two of the Magnolet--for a total of twenty-one dyes.

Bebby's arrival was greeted with a familiar surge of white and rainbow colors across the surface of the Wishing Stone. At her question about Nico, the Stone seemed to pause--and then flashed the colors of Nico's costume, red and white and black, with a happy little chime.

Her request was granted quickly: a string of colorful fairy lights, tinkling to the floor before her. They would need to be lit by electricity, or each light carefully Baubled--but once they were illuminated, they would positively dance with color. And if powered by electricity, they would blink on and off in random, pretty, ever-changing patterns, too!

Bebby receives: Long string of fairy lights.

OOC Reward:
Josie has won their choice of a Tier Five reward, and may claim a Winner's Choice in Update Me or Discord's Requests channel!

Yellow's grief tore subdued flickers from the Wishing Stone, as if in deepest sympathy. And perhaps a person--a thinking, feeling person--would have told Yellow no; would have recognized, perhaps, that knowing (truly knowing, down to every detail) was not really what they needed. Or maybe they'd have given Yellow a summary, a simplified version, neutered of all horrid, lurid violence. But the Wishing Stone knew desires. And Yellow's true and ironclad wish--to know what happened--was clear as day.

And so-... it showed them. It showed them, in terrible clarity, everything that had happened leading up to the moment of the black cat's death. A stranger's arrival. The senseless violence. The ineffectual defense. The miserable last words, and the promise--immediately broken--from his closest friend, that he would not die.

Yellow receives: a vision of a past friend's death.

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

Spells and enchanted items will be added shortly!