Darky
Flea Market Artist
Veritas et Aequitas
Posts: 1,268
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Post by Darky on Mar 9, 2022 11:15:06 GMT -6
CorénStamina: 2 Strength: 0 Resistance: 0 Dexterity: 4 Mentality: 9 Special Abilities: Shadow Immunity, Ethereal, Light Sensitivity Moves: Soul-Strike, Shadow Strike, Spook, Darkness
Mousing seemed a problem that sounded almost strange in general context of the City and all the beasts and creatures therein. Considering the sheer battle for survival most animals faced in the wilds against their far better equipped Labs creations, the fact mice somehow eluded that extinction threshold seemed surprising.
Then again, the advertisement wasn't exactly clear on what kind of mice were plaguing the farm.. For all the sphinx knew, they could have been every bit as Lab engineered as so many others, or existed in close enough proximity to the Labs as to make little difference (For magic was easy enough to seep out from things so brimming with it, and fate did as fate would).
Even so, there was a job to do and she would try her best to complete it. Although perhaps the particular 'tool' for the job wasn't quite as standard as the problem either..
(1) Corèn: 12 (4/5)
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Darky
Flea Market Artist
Veritas et Aequitas
Posts: 1,268
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Post by Darky on Mar 9, 2022 11:15:28 GMT -6
Upon spotting the notice on the quest board, her mind had swung itself into heavy deliberation on her way back to the kennels. The problem was on a small scale in terms of cause, but very much a large scale in terms of territory. Generally those two types of issues made for some of the most complicated problems to solve (While reversely, a large problem on a small territory, was unequivocally also the easiest).
For one, there was so many different ways to approach it. She could find something small to follow the mice into the burrows and chase them out that way. The barn and surrounding area could be scent marked by a larger predators to deter residency by any prey, large or small. Even smoke and wind could have potentially been used as a means of 'flushing' the mice out.
Instead she had chosen a shadow. And not the most personable ones at that.
(2) Corèn: 13 (0/5)
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Darky
Flea Market Artist
Veritas et Aequitas
Posts: 1,268
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Post by Darky on Mar 9, 2022 11:15:53 GMT -6
Corén was the type of person (for he was a person, with all the capacity for thoughts, aspirations, as well as flaws of one) who could be very easily called in for any situation that required an unconventional approach. If the unconventional approach involved terror, hunting and other forms of less-than-fun past-times (including injuries), that is.. The sphinx didn't exactly plan to resort to the latter if they can help it, but Corén also had something most other creatures lacked.
A ghaenelt would be the ideal choice in terms of their ability to dig and instinctually hunt these small creatures, but their methods can also be.. rather destructive. While the farmer had said 'by whatever means necessary' somehow the sphinx didn't think dismantling the foundation of the barn into increasingly deeper burrows counted.
So Tinue and Corabrom had to stay home. But Corabrom's closer affinity to the intangible did cause a tangent idea to form..
(3) Corèn: 13 (1/5)
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Darky
Flea Market Artist
Veritas et Aequitas
Posts: 1,268
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Post by Darky on Mar 9, 2022 11:16:25 GMT -6
Thus, the shadow lurking along the sphinx's wake, keeping to her own shadow as protection from the light. Corén's lack of physicality didn't necessarily make him any less a threat, but at least it would allow him to phase through walls and floors, to chase the mice even into their deeper burrows. The fact the lurker also exudes and air of danger and thread would only add to that even, as even simpler beast minds can understand when a predator is up and about.
Reaching the farm, the sphinx followed the instructed path towards the field at the back, where the solitary barn stood among an empty field. For now, it was still much too early for anything to be sown there, but that didn't stop the mice from already preparing their burrows for the inevitable breeding boom that would follow the first plants, much less the ones already having blossomed after the spring thaw.
(4) Corèn: 13 (2/5)
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Darky
Flea Market Artist
Veritas et Aequitas
Posts: 1,268
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Post by Darky on Mar 9, 2022 11:16:53 GMT -6
How much the field fell under such burrows was anyone's guess, as even the lurker couldn't cover the whole acre in one solid go, but however much was underneath the barn was another matter. The farmer had left the door unlocked, so the sphinx merely shifted the long plank keeping it closed and pulled open the doors.
No sooner did the creak end that the sound of skittering and scampering replaced it, as evidently some unwelcome denizens had fled the sound, but far more remind where they were, seemingly feeling pretty secure in the knowledge they can't be touched.
It was also evident the farmer wasn't kidding.. While not having nearly as many sacks and barrels left as at the end of the harvest, what little remained looked to be chewed into holes and mostly scattered around the barn itself. A heaven for mice, for the warmth, the food and the shelter this barn was able to provide.
(5) Corèn: 13 (3/5)
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Darky
Flea Market Artist
Veritas et Aequitas
Posts: 1,268
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Post by Darky on Mar 9, 2022 11:17:20 GMT -6
But quite the hellish nuisance to the farmer who worked hard all summer to gather the crops, only to have most of the planting seeds consumed by a legion of mice. Initially the sphinx began to close the door, but paused as the increasing dimness suddenly lit up with a multitude of tiny reflective eyes staring towards here, not entirely unlike the lurker's own on a small scale.
Physically speaking some part of her far ancestry came from felines in some form or fashion. And yet even that part felt a twinge of nervousness at the weight of the gazes, and she instead pushed the door back open, propping it up with the plank to let the sunlight in.
Stepping inside, the skittering increased, as more and more feet began to scurry away from her presence, though not entirely too far. It almost seemed as though the mice knew to retreat only far enough as needed, never really leaving.
(6) Corèn: 13 (4/5)
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Darky
Flea Market Artist
Veritas et Aequitas
Posts: 1,268
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Post by Darky on Mar 9, 2022 11:17:46 GMT -6
Trying not to think too much on the eyes following her, the sphinx reeled around and looked down at her shadow, where two blue-green eyes glared back. Corén understood and invitation when given one, and had rudimentary understanding of some concepts such as following along, moving or stopping when instructed. After all, he had certainly spent enough time observing the mammalian to pick up on some things and even form a begrudging sort of fondness for her presence, if nothing else.
The shadow emerged from the ground, mostly forming his head as the rest still remained pooled into the shadow below. The eyes weren't hungry, but they were looking in anticipation, almost as if expecting her to explain the demanding trek here. The gesture made all the more worse when his head ever so slowly tilted to one side, like a predator trying to decide what to do next and not really ready to give up on murder yet.
(7) Corèn: 14 (0/5)
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Darky
Flea Market Artist
Veritas et Aequitas
Posts: 1,268
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Post by Darky on Mar 9, 2022 11:18:14 GMT -6
Fortunately the mammalian came prepared and pulled out a set of cardboard sheets from her bag. The two didn't really have a firm grasp of language between one another, but, as mentioned, Corén was still a person, and certainly things can transcend language. The sphinx held up the first card, which was a drawn picture of a barn. The approximation to their current placement wasn't exact, but enough to get the point across.
The lurker's eyes briefly flicked to the side, as if checking the barn out, before narrowing back on her. She showed the next card, which was a mouse. The lurker's eyes flicked again, spotting one scurrying around, then back. An understanding was vaguely beginning to form.
The last card had two pictures - One where the mouse was crossed off in a big red X, while the picture of the barn showed another mouse running away from it being chased by a shadow.
(8) Corèn: 14 (1/5)
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Darky
Flea Market Artist
Veritas et Aequitas
Posts: 1,268
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Post by Darky on Mar 9, 2022 11:18:34 GMT -6
At the last one, the lurker's eyes narrowed, almost in insult. Whether it was due to the crudeness of the drawing (Though the sphinx generally considered it pretty decent, all things considered) or at the impunity of the request was anyone's guess. But her pleading face was insistent, as if requesting a favour this once and never again (Which wasn't likely to hold, both of them knew, but even so).
The shadow's form deflated some, the best approximation of a sigh and resignation. With a sudden pull, Corén rose up from the ground in full form, dragging out his wings and claws to extend out into the barn in full, and the eyes shifted to a whole new mood - Hunting. The mice didn't know what to make of it, as they'd never seen a shadow do that, but that wasn't going to last long.
Corén extended the wings even further, until the very tips of the tendrils looks to resemble the claws of some massive beast. And rushed.
(9) Corèn: 14 (2/5)
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Darky
Flea Market Artist
Veritas et Aequitas
Posts: 1,268
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Post by Darky on Mar 9, 2022 11:18:57 GMT -6
The first of the mice tried to scatter as they usually did, but they hadn't expected the speed nor the ferocity of something that doesn't hunt for food so much as the pleasure of it. The group up on the rafters began to run in quiet squeaks, but it wasn't until the shadow tendrils began to swing around in sharpened points and needle-sharp darts intermittently that the warning squeaks quickly became shrieks of pain and panic.
Even down below, the shift of the mood in the barn was quick to become noticeable, as suddenly the army of mice began to react to the new threat in a whole new level of panic. While the lurker worked above, the sphinx went around dodging the mice as best she could, throwing open windows and doors to leave as many opening for them to scatter as possible.
Behind her, a few soft thumps sounded against the wooden floor, as the first of the shadow-stung victims fell down below.
(10) Corèn: 14 (3/5)
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Darky
Flea Market Artist
Veritas et Aequitas
Posts: 1,268
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Post by Darky on Mar 9, 2022 11:19:32 GMT -6
Darky paused, staring behind her for a brief second. Well.. So much for things going as planned without injuries.. but the effect it created could not be denied. Corén had to make but one pass of the rafters to chase those huddled there down below in one swell wave. A style of hunting that was all the more eerie for the lurker moved entirely silently, having no body that could cause a rush of air or a step of a foot.
The above cleared, he phased through the rafters to the ground floor below, and continued to harry the small beasts with painful shadow-stings where ever any of them remained in his path. Even Darky herself had to jumped aside as he swooped past, instinctually expecting a tendril to swing out at her feet, if she didn't.
Wave after wave the mice began to flee the barn and into the fields, as far as their feet could take them.
(11) Corèn: 14 (4/5)
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Darky
Flea Market Artist
Veritas et Aequitas
Posts: 1,268
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Post by Darky on Mar 9, 2022 11:19:59 GMT -6
Some tried to run to their burrows beneath the barn floor, but even that wasn't safe. No sooner was Corén done with the floor of the barn that his head tilted as he watched some run to their holes, and swooped below, into the ground itself. Dozens more mice followed the wake of the first exodus, as suddenly shadowy shapes and eyes began to rush past and through places they thought safe.
Within a span of mere minutes, the barn grew quiet and still, as though the mice had never even been there, had they not left behind the signs of their gnawing and eating. Corén finally emerged from the floor in a slow, measured manner. The sphinx could feel the sense of content in him, of enjoyment at what he'd done, but also that it was now over, as his wings and claws slowly retracted back into his usual form's dimensions.
Well.. That was one way to do it, the sphinx supposed, wondering how she was going to explain the exact nature of the result to the farmer. Though, to make it stick, the two would likely still have to return for a few days, to ensure the mice would truly consider the barn far too dangerous to return to.
(12) - (added) Corèn: 15 (0/5)
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Post by NPC on Apr 18, 2022 9:31:32 GMT -6
It looks like the technique you picked was quite effective! Congratulations, you have successfully completed the quest! Your QP will be added to the bank shortly.
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