This month, there is only one prompt. The Month of Shadows was prompt heavy, so we are giving the group a small break from multiple prompts. Don’t worry– there will be more in December!
Orodrune goes dark as Owl’s head flops down into the dirt at the feet of Betelgeuse and Antares.
A deep, low sound starts to echo from The Pit behind The Twins. Darkness in the form of smoke pours out of Hannibal’s crater; the ground pulses and shakes as the wall of darkness rushes towards your Ballator, Star, and the troubadours. Star whinnies her concern, turning in an attempt to hide amongst the trees– but they are no longer there. The Deadwoods have vanished, taking any who might have set hoof in it but not come out with it.
Your Ballator braces themselves as the wall of black smoke crashes into The Twins, swallowing them so only their mismatched glowing eyes remain. As the smoke envelops your Ballator, they are struck by the sensation of how freezing it is. Its so cold that the air is stripped from your Ballator’s lungs and, lost in the darkness, they find themselves unable to move or breathe from fear.
In The Lowrealm, no one reigns supreme like Lowlord Hannibal. As your Ballator’s eyes adjust to the blackness, they can see Betelgeuse and Antares effectively navigating the nothingness. The Twins seem unconcerned and unencumbered by their location. Your Ballator takes a shaky step after them, trying not to think too much about the crunch under their heavy footfalls– perhaps its just rocks? But your Ballator knows better. A frigid wave of fear pushes over your Ballator; parting the darkness like a ship in the water comes the glowing Internum of Lowlord Hannibal.
The Once and Future King: Both Betelgeuse and Antares face The Lowlord with plenty of bravado, though none of it false. Hannibal regards them coolly, his Internum pulsing in time with the trembles under your Ballator’s hooves.
‘I see my Owlet was unable to keep you at bay. A pity she chose now to show such weakness.’
Something flashes deep in The Lowlord’s eyes. Antares remains silent, but Betelgeuse laughs with glee, flicking her tail in anticipation.
‘We’ve come for our Masters’ possessions, Young Lord,” she tells him happily, ‘You’ve been using them poorly for too long now.’
Cutting through the darkness comes a ray of familiar red light. The Red Star’s brightness is as ever present in The Lowrealm as it has been on earth. Hannibal turns his gaze upon the star with a furrowed brow; the pulse under your Ballator’s hooves and of the Lowlord’s Internum slows to match the low, steady rhythm of The Red Star. Slowly, Hannibal’s Internum starts to darken, the light dimming dramatically only to flare to life once again.
The Lowlord shakes his head with effort, turning away from The Star with a snarl on his lips. Before he can snap a reply, The Red Star’s light shines brighter, illuminating the once completely black Lowrealm. The cold is pushed away, feeling at first like a spring night and then a harsh summer heat wave. In the glow of The Red Star, your Ballator’s worst fears are confirmed and thousands upon thousands of corpses stir to life.
‘THIS IS NO LONGER YOUR GIFT,’ many voices seem to rise from both The Twins, The Star, and the ghouls as they rise up, ‘WE ARE TAKING IT BACK.’
– Draw or Write your Ballator within The Lowrealm. Hannibal must be depicted.
– There is a 10 stat minimum for this prompt.
Monthly Quest Guidelines
– Prompts must be separate entries.
– Prompts must still be submitted to the DeviantART Group.
– Prompts will not count for Regale’s Quests or Wild Ballator entries.
– Anthros are not allowed for these prompts.
– Prompts for this month can be completed as many times as desired, but you will only gain prizes for the first attempt.
– Stat grids will not be accepted as entries. Comics will accepted as entries so long as only one prompt is depicted per comic, only horses relevant to the prompt are shown, and the stats do not exceed 20. (Reminder: Companion bonuses will not apply to comics as they are counted by stat grid guidelines!)
– Entries must contain the Ballators pictured and the prompt completed in this format:
Horse(s) Pictured: (Link to Refs)
Prompt(s) Shown: (Please link back to the Monthly Quest Page & Specify Prompt)
Stat Breakdown:
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Stat Total:
One-Time-Only Prize:
1x Lowrealm Ghoul
1x Ember of Orodrune or 1x Owl Feather (Must Pick One)
500 Denarii
