The chill of winter tightly clings to you as you struggle to find your way out of a frozen wonderland. The boots you wore were unfortunately not high enough up your calves, and the pants of your legs are soaked from the high snow. Questions of if you’ve been wandering in circles as well as if you’ll ever get out of this evergreen maze swirl together in your mind.
“You’ll be alright, just follow me.”
A gentle warmth from somewhere in front of you causes you to lift your head. At first, they’re hard to spot as the sun reflecting off the snow is blinding. Your eyes focusing, you see an Ineki a distance away, staring directly at you. They smile at you before turning, heading down a path that appears to have been treaded on many times prior. Your heart skips a beat as you realize this is your guide out of the forest. Mustering your strength, you push yourself through the snow in order to catch up to this figure.
death and all his friends have come out to play
death and all his friends have come to take your soul away
you can hide in the corners and you can hide in the vents
the end is unchanged its the same turn of events
he comes any time and he comes any day
he goes any place and he goes far away
he finds what is his whatever the cost
he never has had not a single one lost
and when he arrives there is no mistake
he knows who to leave and he knows who to take
he can work very fast and he can work very slow
quick like a bullet or creeping like snow
so mind your manners be polite and be kind
dont let him catch you in a bad state of mine
because if you do you might receive his ire
you may just be the next to expire
Sonny lives for one thing and one thing only: excitement. He gets his fix by exploring desolate and wild places full of hidden dangers and, occasionally, treasure. Often, he heads out on these expeditions alone, but if he is able to find someone willing to take the risk, he more than welcomes the company.
He is reckless and prone to jumping headfirst into new challenges and situations without considering the consequences, something he has been burned by more than once without really learning anything. But he always makes it out in the end, and after a short visit back to civilization will inevitably head back out onto the next foolhardy treasure hunt, because standing still is not an option.
It is highly recommended to take at least four friends with you when going on an adventure. Size and shape doesn’t matter. Even if it’s just a gathering trip it never hurts to be prepared. Bring your sturdiest backpack, a healthy and filling lunch to get you through the day and of course your friends to help you and to keep you company. Make sure to make the most of your day. Get up early and enjoy the feeling of the morning sun warming up the forest around you. Don’t forget to take a midday break to eat your lunch!
And when daylight is slowing disappearing, your feet are tired and the yawns won’t stop coming, you know you have had a fantastic day.
“Legends tell a tale of a big, wolf like being with sparkling white and lavender fur wandering the cold snowy mountains up north. Despite having teeth and claws that are razor sharp it also carries with it a glistening sword as big as itself to use against possible threats. It is said to slay foes multiple times bigger than itself and help those unfortunate enough who get lost in blizzards. The origin of this mysterious entity is not known and people haven’t been able to pinpoint when the stories started. Though thinking about it, sometimes eerie howling can be heard in the mountains…”
A frightful nightmare plagues your dreaming mind tonight, and fear has you shackled. Before you looms a horrific monster, growling through its razor-sharp maw. Then it leaps at your paralyzed form, ready to tear through you, and you close your eyes shut in anticipation of the assault… But the teeth and claws never come. Instead, you hear a drip, and you manage to pry open an eye; Where there was once a monster, now descends a strange but beautiful aquatic creature, wearing a compassionate face as it gracefully coil its tail fins around the clouds its body rests on. “Oh, what a poor, weary soul you are,” Its gentle voice echoes softly within this strange, sparkling realm, and you aren’t certain if you’re among the waves or the stars. Its tail flicks, and one of its puffy clouds parts from them and drifts toward you. “If you’d like, I can take you somewhere much nicer than this. But, only for the night~”
You had heard of the legends, but never thought that you yourself would see him. Yes, The Spirit of Willow Hill Creek was here, right in front of your eyes. A small, white haired boy with large antlers and faded green eyes stared into the creek without a care in the world as he hummed some ancient song. Birds landed on his arms and hopped all about him, unafraid. You thought you might get away without disturbing him, but the snapping of a twig gave you away. He turned around and stared at you as the birds shrieked and dispersed.
“Oh, I didn’t know someone was here,” he said, smiling. The boy got up and smoothed a piece of hair behind his ear.
“You don’t have to hide. Join me!”
He held out small, white hands to you, hoping you might come along. You hesitate, but put your hands in his. The two of you race off further into the forest leaving the world far, far behind.
Did you see that rabbit run by? It’s in a hurry, to catch its lunch if you can believe it. The freshest grasses and most fragrant flowers grow at the heels of Malus, the spirit of sprouting leaves and tender greens, and whatever grows in their wake doesn’t stick around for long if the grazers of the world have anything to say about it.
With a magical rose guarded closely in their staff, they travel across the land to spread the bounty of the rose’s blessings. They never sleep or eat, they’ve no need with the rose! What they do need to keep moving is sunny skies and an occasional drink of water, else they’ll stop growing the grass and root themselves to the spot to gather the nutrients and energy they need.
Sunshowers are when Malus is at their peak, when the rose’s magic is most fruitful and the rabbits come flocking from far and wide to get the first delicious bite of the earth’s bounty.
When winter ends, she celebrates by spreading joy to everyone she knows, handing out flowers and handmade bracelets as she stomps through puddles without a care in the world. Springtime is her favorite time of year and she never hesitates to tell anyone who asks—and even those who don’t. She adores gardening and meticulously looks after her flowers, often to the point of forgetting that she has other things she needs to do. She wakes up with the sun and sleeps before dusk settles on the world. She loves pastel colors the most but will find beauty in everything, no matter what. She tends to get into trouble by believing in the best of others even when there’s evidence against them.
Larken, and friends. A Paper Rose Ineki with a 245 Drift. Wearing an Ace Pride Rainbow, Wren Friends, Witchy Cats, Starspun Strands, Natantis Asteroid, Purple Sunset Snail, and Heart Blossom.
Larken is a tattoo artist with a special love of flowers. So much so that she tattooed herself in her favorite manner of combining traditional styles with modern ones. She has a knack for ink magic and has been known to make reactive tattoos. The flowers inked on her skin show on her fur and change with the seasons. In the delightfully everchanging weather of the cave she can walk from a spring cavern to a summer one and watch her flowers bloom.
Her familiars don’t actually help her with her work but they are pleasant company as she usually prefers to be away from people when she isn’t working. She is usually very friendly with others but spends most of her time in her thoughts and working on developing her craft. Larken is often found curled up near the fireplace in her cabin with a good book and some hot cocoa and her familiars around her.
The first thing they remember is snow: a rush of white flowing through their vision, interrupted by the occasional flash of gold or green. They remember a voice, some whispered words, and a flash before they fell to the ground. They remember the moment when all they knew was sensation and feeling, and the moment right after where sensation traded itself for knowledge, a flow of ideas and ideals and memories and memorials installed into their mind. A moment of their own experience before swallowing the past and thoughts of someone else, walking with a consciousness that they knew did not entirely belong to them. They feel cobwebs, leaves, branches, and crystals around them, and they know each object by name, though they did not know why. They know so much and yet so little about the purpose for the knowledge, so little about the source, so little about the reason they appeared in a snowstorm.
Amidst the flood of thoughts, they know three things. One: someone brought them here. Two: they were brought here for a reason, and much was lost in the process of their summons. Three: they must leave the storm.
Cloud Sprite
A playful little cloud sprite who flits around from cloud to cloud after storms to help clean up any mess and destruction that particularly bad weather may have caused. With the help of their staff, they summon misty bursts of wind to remove debris. They exude the smell of petrichor.
Each of the beads on their bracelets can be destroyed to summon a powerful gust of wind and rain - this is useful both for tackling big messes and for avoiding being spotted, as they’re a little self-conscious about their unusual coloration even though most Mycenians have never seen a cloud sprite to judge them by!
Peanut is an early bird and is always the first to get up out of his large family. He loves to go birdwatching, and also loves frogs and butterflies. He is outgoing, usually optimistic, and makes friends easily, always seeing the best in others. Sometimes he relaxes at the beach, but most of the time he is found excitedly romping and roaming through forests and gardens. Ever since he was a kit, he has been fascinated by the sea, but is afraid of water. Solving puzzles is one of his best skills, and sometimes he even carries a Rubik’s Cube around with him in his pouch. His favorite bird is the peafowl and he has always dreamed of having a pet peafowl or two.
When the winter winds start biting, the Herald of Winter is said to travel the lands getting all the plants and animals ready for the Great Sleep. They show up at the first nips of frost on the ground, tucking away the buds and shoots in a protective layer of ice and snow before the big frosts come around. The whipping cold winds that tug at you playfully hint at the deeper bite of the season to come, warning and reminding to bundle up and prepare for the deep, chilly nights in the near future. Those who do not heed the call of the Herald, are sure to face hardship when Winter comes to bare.
Brangwen was once a goddess of the battlefield. Known as the Queen of the Tower, she could create magic structures to entomb her adversaries, trapping them alone in the dark with nothing but their fears.
But the Queen of the Tower was lost when the Reliquary — the magical artefact keeping Day and Night in balance — was fractured. Brangwen lost her innate connection to the Day, leaving her as fractured as the Reliquary. In the sun, she has no memories of who she was and what she had done — to her, she is simply Gwen.
However, at night, when her memories return, she is haunted by her own towers. She does not know if she can still summon them, nor does she have any desire to. Her ears ring with the screams of terrified, innocent, soldiers, and her dreams are chased by their fears.
Dœppler
A gangly ineki, galloping faster than sound through the park when the trees are in full bloom. Tempting as it may be to stop on the path to admire the flowers, it is imperative to stay alert at all times as you won’t hear this ineki coming until they’ve already bumped into you. But should you find yourself face to face with them, make sure to never look into their bright goat-like eyes for therein lies images of endings to come, each one of them miserable enough to make you unable to enjoy the beautiful scenery around you
as the comet bd-214 arcs overhead, a blue-winged spirit comes down for a visit.
louie comes by like clockwork every 593 years, 4 months, and 8 days, staying for a few nights before continuing his circuit around the solar system. his journey takes him through the kuiper belt, past pluto and charon, over the rings of saturn, through asteroid fields, and just barely around jupiter’s gravity well. sometimes he even manages to see neptune.
yes, every time he slingshots around the sun, he burns up a bit, but what’s that earth legend about icarus? everything fun has its price? that was definitely it.
Amidst the gloom of a forgotten cave, you may just find an ineki with fur like petals and tears of amethyst smoke. Wisteria is the caller of spirits, one who can communicate with those long gone. Her magic allows spirits to remain within this realm far longer than they normally could - she has even successfully integrated them into vessels, though most were short lived. Porfirio, an old spirit that Wisteria has nicknamed Yorik (much to his displeasure), is the only example of a successful long-term vessel. They are good friends, even though they pretend they can’t stand each other. Together, they are searching for magical knowledge that will allow Wisteria to become stronger, and therefore bind Porfirio to a fully-functional vessel.
Who needs eyes to feel the wind in the glen
to hear the soft sweet whispers of the wren
no not I do need the magic of sight
to feel the calming warmth of the mornings light.
This sweet little druid bard may not have the gift of sight but they do have the gift of song, and plenty of animal friends both mundane and magical to keep them company. Despite being in the dark, they’ve never felt more shrouded in light. At home in the forests writing songs for their animal audience.
