Opens: 10/15/2020 @ 12:00AM ET Closes: 10/21/2020 @11:59PM ET
Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2020 6:36 pm
The Game As we all know in soquili lore, cursedwalkers weren't always who they are now. Through Oyahusa and the darkness of corpse powder, they've been twisted into a mere shell of who they may have been before. Your mission, should you choose to accept, is to become a storyteller of sorts. Who were these two walkers before, and how did they come to where they are now?
The Rules This is a history contest. Tell me who these walkers were before they became who they are now. No proxies You may have two entries total if you wish. One for the male, and one for the female. Please put your entries in one post. This will count as your event freebie If you need to remove yourself from the game, please strike out your post, and notate it at the top. If you have any questions, feel free to send me a DM on discord, or a PM here on gaia The Forms
For the Male Gem for Your Thoughts? Username: Soquili Name: Personality and/or Plot Ideas: History:
[size=14][b][color=grey]Gem for Your Thoughts?[/color][/b][/size] [b]Username:[/b] [b]Soquili Name:[/b] [b]Personality and/or Plot Ideas:[/b] [b]History:[/b]
For the Female Candle Flickering Good Username: Soquili Name: Personality and/or Plot Ideas: History:
Unfortunately, this entry is no longer valid as I have won a soquili elsewhere. Thank you for the opportunity! heart
Gem for Your Thoughts? Username: Melomar Soquili Name: Bolor'kan Meaning: crystal + blood Formerly: Tsvetan'bolor (flower + crystal); Tsvetan Personality and/or Plot Ideas: Before: Tsvetan was the firstborn son of his parents, but had a few seasons with his parents before any siblings were born, so he enjoyed the life of an only child before the responsibilities of the eldest child. He was fun-loving and intellectual. His passion was different kinds of stones and crystals, and the stories they told about the world around him. He became a crystal healer later on and added "bolor," meaning "crystal" to his name when he got his blessing from his teacher. Tsvetan'bolor became more reclusive when he let his studies become more of an obsession. By this time, he had several younger siblings and the youngest ones resented that he had spent much more time with their elder siblings than themselves. Oblivious to this state of affairs, he had no idea that his own actions had become a detriment to, and cause of a rift between, himself and his herd.
After: The love for crystals persists as the powder takes effect, and Tsvetan'bolor becomes Bolor'kan. He wishes to corrupt the beautiful crystals he once cherished, and add a few bloody rings to the histories shown in the rock he once loved to "read." His desire for revenge is very new in this incarnation of Bolor'kan, but it only serves as a fuel for his new mission. He will not stop until his herd is completely eradicated, but that is only the beginning of the saga that will wash the land with blood.
Plots: The mural of my life. He will find the filly that did this to him and "She will become foundation of my wall." It will be a mural of his victims, but only the most important ones. He would like to remember in great detail the highlights of his life. His parents will go there, his familiar Mathgavain (the bones will reveal much), his sisters, the ringleader of those who terrorized his End... and surely the list will continue.
Charmed. Twin sisters Marguerite and Marganita share a quest to charm their brother. He needs his soul back so that he can begin to atone for his wrongdoing. This story focuses more upon them but their success or failure in the face of their brother could be left up to chance. One sister wants to become a healer like her brother but using different methods. The other sister is a little angrier in personality and may become a champion for Darkness in the end. As for him being charmed, this could also be left up in the air. So they find an angeni willing to charm him? What lengths will he go to, to preserve his newfound... freedom?!
Tricks of the trade. A focus on his trade, working with crystals and other rocks. Before he is charmed his interests are purely selfish in nature. But what will he do if he becomes charmed and begins to crave interaction with other creatures-- beyond killing and/or eating them? He might become a trader, healer, cleanser (is that possible for the Cursed?), stone reader, or just a walking encyclopedia. And he may travel in search of newfound and rare stone and crystal.
Mourning. If he is charmed, surely he will mourn the loss of his better half, Mathgavain the bear. He was the cause, and the murderer besides. Though Math had tried to save him, his little sister, and all the other foals, he had fallen as the first victim in Bolor'kan's rampage. He will blame himself, of course, and feel remorse very deeply.
Who wants to read this garbage? So he seeks to read the earth's story. But what if he realized that others would like to know about it too? What if people wanted to know about him? A familiar with opposable thumbs either approaches him or is approached by him in order to help him to become a writer, specifically an autobiographer and gemologist.
History:
The leaves were beginning to turn. It was that time of year again: Halloween was fast approaching. The young foals were being trained in the time honored traditions by their elders. Some of the favorites included pulling pranks. Smashing pumpkins and papering the trees was not enough for everybody and some of the older foals put their heads together after a campfire that had ended in ghost stories. What kind of mischief could they get into that would really be fun? Funny? Remembered for years to come?
One small group of foals was already infamous. Some would call them sinister, others merely mischievous. But one filly by the name of Laelia was in the process of being hazed and bullied and she was hoping that her peers would give her a break soon. Very soon. Until then, her life made her feel downright haggard. She was going to be the sacrifice in another of the group's many pranks.
Everyone knew the Laelia's eldest brother had grown apart over the years. He was still a young stallion but he lived life like an elderly hermit. The group of foals had heard her complaints many times. Tsvetan'bolor used to play with her elder siblings, but not her. He had given them support, love, teamwork in games, and even things she could not list because they were feelings deep down that she did not fully understand. Things about families and siblings and feeling safe.
The ringleader of the group had a morbid fascination with skinwalkers. None of them really knew much about them other than that they were evil and scary. And that they had once been normal soquili. But everyone knew that the change came from using corpse powder. She fantasized about the possibilities. When she had decided, the troubled filly was given a task. Her friends gave her a bag of corpse powder, and Laelia was to take it to her brother and give it to him. Make him sorry for neglecting his family!
Honestly she thought that it must be a fake. Where would a foal find a bag of corpse powder? They had filled it with some fine sand and given it to her as a prank within a prank. How could she believe that they would actually give her brother real corpse powder? Even if it was real, he did not deserve to be punished like that. He deserved to feel remorse but not this way. She hedged and delayed until Halloween was upon them.
Tsvetan'bolor had hit a low point in his relationship with his parents. They did not exactly support his career choice, though they had encouraged it when it had simply been a hobby. They did not understand the secrets that stones of different kinds held, nor did they condone the use of crystals to heal. They were afraid of witchcraft and did not understand the difference between a good witch and a bad one. It all came down to understanding, and he knew it was a failure on his part that they could not understand, but he also did not understand. He couldn't understand why he wasn't welcome anymore. Why did he have to elect to stop seeing his parents and siblings anymore? It was not that he had been cast out, but whenever the subject of rock--any kind of rock talk-- came up, his parents silenced him. And so he had drifted away. Being near them had become too difficult. Too painful. What his siblings saw was an increasingly reclusive brother, but the truth was that his heart was breaking.
When he decided upon his path, he stuck to it, and when he had learned as much as he could learn alone, he left to seek out a master. He sought out a healer or shaman who would teach him the ways of magic with the crystal. In his search he met a bear named Mathgavain that seemed to understand him completely. They shared many long nights talking about the crystals, rocks, or even the stars-- off subject but above and surrounding them like a beautiful but chilly blanket. Then when they met the master they shared the training as partners. They both loved the same subject and it was only natural that they learn from the same teacher.
When he returned home, it was with his ursine companion, and they found a nice large cave to reside in together. It was so near to the herd that he sometimes saw the foals play from his front door. Or they tried to sneak up to the door when he wasn't looking then race back. He was the local hermit to all but himself and Mathgavain, and therefore scary and grumpy and smelly and all the other things children think of when the word "hermit" is mentioned.
Then one day, the dried leaves rattled along the ground like little wheels of flame. The wind carrying them whistled through the branches and moaned between the ears. Tickling wind caught in Tsvetan'bolor's mane and slapped it against his neck and stung his cheeks. Mathgavain had gone out foraging for his pre-hibernation fare, so it was just Tsvetan'bolor at the cave today. He peered outside and saw his youngest sister for the first time in over a month. She had grown so much. Laelia shivered even though it was not very cold. The wind had a bite, but it was probably the warmest day they would see until Spring.
"What brings my littlest sister on this fine autumn day?" he asked warmly.
For her, it was as if no time had passed at all. His smile was infectious and one tugged at the corners of her mouth. Laelia had forgotten, but they shared a small mark on their faces and she saw it now. Tsvetan'bolor asked if Laelia would prefer to stay outside or go into his cave for some herbal tea. "My master sent it to me." She couldn't stand it. This was not right. Not that she had the authority or right to say what was. She shivered from her head to her hooves and tail. Even though it was fake, she could not do this to him!
Then, just as she was about to flee with the fake corpse powder, her brother saw the bag sitting between her fore-hooves. "What's this, a gift? You are so thoughtful."
"Ye--" She was petrified. At first she couldn't move, but she screamed in her mind. Then: "N-no! I've changed my mind! Give it back!"
Truly puzzled, Tsvetan'bolor scoffed and said with a mouthful of bag, "It's all righ'. I won' tell Mo' an' Da'"
"Stop!" She shrieked.
Suddenly they were surrounded by her so-called friends. Where had they come from? They started jeering and chanting. "Corpse powder, corpse powder!"
"What's this about?"
"No!" Laelia leapt and caught the bottom of the bag with her teeth and landed flat on her belly. A cloud of powder went up. A bear roared and thundered up to the cave, and the filly screamed again. From the pack of foals, silhouettes could be seen of the stallion and his bear familiar fighting; Laelia was nowhere to be seen. Unbelievably, Tsvetan'bolor knocked Mathgavain over and nothing more could be seen. The bear roared again and a horrible cold snap! could be heard, then crunching, wet noises. The cloud seemed to shrink, inhaled by the creature standing where the soquili and bear had been. At his feet was the mangled, still-bleeding form of what was left of the bear.
"It was real!"
The foals scattered, but not fast enough. The creature, some mixture of the equine and ursine, leapt over the bear's peltless body. "Come play, littlest sister."
Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2020 8:06 pm
Gem for Your Thoughts? Username:nekofayre Soquili Name: Leonard Nikious Personality and/or Plot Ideas: Leonard is smart enough to stalk his pray.
Family?!?: Leonard does remember his family his older brother is Syn whom he chased off.
Others like me: Leonard would like to meet others like him.
What now? Leonard tries to figure out things. Now be only endless hate. History:Leonard's story is a long one. To long in his opinion. That he has forgotten it.
He grew up in a huge herd where it is cold and winter there high in mountains. He had a brother, sister, mom and dad. His father was herd leader. His mother was the herd wise woman. He always liked his mother more then his father. His brother and him always completing for chance to be come the next alpha. Syn his brother was heir apparent. He was the oldest but Leonard was the better fighter. So one day Leonard and his sister were playing in meadow away from their brother. When something separated them. After four days his father found him and bought him back to the herd . His sister was never seen again. Leonard regretted it for a while.
After Syn and him grew up the herd decided to have four contests to determine which brother would lead next. During the first contest Leonard lost to Syn it was a race though their herd lands. The next contest Leonard won. It was based on knowledge of trees and which plants could be found when. The third contest Syn won but just barely. It was based on status and jobs in the herd. The last contest was a fight between them. Both Syn and Leonard had stallions teach them how to fight. During the fight it looked like Syn would be the winner until Leonard pushed his brother into a wall and broke his horn off. Leonard didnt mean to do this. He hurt Syn he was sorry he did this but it allowed him to show his strength against his brother. After the fight was over Leonard was named heir apparent. Syn was banished for being weak.
Leonard felt sorry for his brother. He even went looking for him. Not spotting him. He came back and learned how to lead from his father. It was not long before a shadow stalked the herd and took members one by one until no one but Leonard was left. It was he met Oyahusa and told his story. He became what he was meant to be. Stronger and ruthless.
nekoFayre
Skilled Camper
Offline
Lady Argentum Draconis
Enduring Hunter
Offline
Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2020 8:10 pm
Void as I have won elsewhere. Thank you <3
Gem for Your Thoughts? Username: Lady Argentum Draconis Soquili Name: Anargyros Personality and/or Plot Ideas: Uncharmed: Ruthless, Hungering in body and soul, like a vengeful spirit trying to wreck havoc on those that have wronged him, yet unable to find the perpetrators of this unspeakable crime and therefore hurts any who cross his path weither they have wronged him or not.
Charmed: A protector of those he cares about, family, herd, any who are weaker or smaller than him. Has great remorse for the wrongs he has commited and wears his remorse on his sleeve but is reluctant to talk about it. Feels it is his duty to never let it go and always remember.
Plots: Finishing What Was Started: Now bonded with the skin of the bear, Anargyros destroys the remains of his herd's home driving off those he doesn't kill. For some reason he compelled to hoard all the crystals he finds in the cave where he originally killed the bear.
The Hoard: Those of a more adventerous nature attempt to rob his hoard and drive him off.
Charmed: An more enterprising group perhaps procures a charm or brings an angeni to charm him instead of trying to defeat him as he's proven to be a formidible foe.
A Third Beginning: Anargyros must now face what he's become and what he's done. How despite his best intentions to save his herd he was their ultimate downfall. Memories of familiar faces, loved ones that died in his jaws or under his paws. It haunts him. Now he'll travel doing what he can in order to earn the redemption he knows he can never have. Maybe he'll run into a familiar face? Maybe he'll find someone who can love him?
History: Anargyros was the leader of a small mountain herd far to the north. He was a strong, compassionate leader, but was known to have a fierce temper that sometimes got away from him.
The herd was known for it's beautiful crystals that they harvested from around their lands. Some of them were worked into jewelry or merely sold as they were. Trade brought in food and other sundries, as well as interesting individuals either to buy directly from the herd or merely pass through. While not the wealthiest herd, they did well and openly shared what they had with any local creature or traveler.
One autumn though an early snowstorm blocked the pass and cut off the herd from the rest of the world. While they had food stockpiled for such an event the winter was a long and harsh one with constant snow and sickness. When it seemed that things couldn't get any worse one of the bears who usually stayed well out of the herd's way began harassing them, ravaging the food supplies and killing several of their number. The animal was clearly too hungry to hibernate and was deemed deranged or even possessed by any who came face to face with it. Anargyos struggled to keep his herd together, despite the weather many wanted to flee and take their chances in the snow choked passes. Rather than let that happen he gathered the few stallions that were left and able to fight and went to face down the bear in it's cave.
The bear was a massive creature, many scars marked it's hide and it's eyes glowed with unholy light. Several of the stallions Anargyos had brought fled at the sight of the beat but he stood his ground determined to save his herd from the crazed bear. The battle was long and gruesome, but eventually a battered and bleeding Anargyos stood over his fallen foe. He could feel his own life slowly ebbing away but as his knees gave out and he collapsed to the ground he took comfort that his herd would be safe from further harm.
By the time he felt the dark presence and heard the cold laughter emanating from the shadows did he realize it was too late and his life would be forever changed.
Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2020 2:32 pm
Candle Flickering Good Username:Silver Metallic Dragon Soquili Name:Naenia
Personality and/or Plot Ideas: Before her curse, she was a powerful and kind witch who cared for all she came across. She was sought out from far and wide for her healing magic and potions, and she was greatly revered. She was generous and often performed spells and created for those who could not repay her for her kindness. She was selfless and loved every living thing on earth, doing her best to protect and heal anyone she comes across. After her curse, she felt her power made her better than those who sought her out. She demanded offerings and worship for her talents and would perform horrendous acts for anyone willing to pay. She was not generous with her powers and often attacked those who could not pay but asked her for favor anyway. She basked in others' admiration and would allow them to worship her in exchange for her magic. She demanded total submission from her followers, and if it was not given, they often disappeared.
Plots: Revenge: Seeking out the one who curses her, the disrespect! She will bring great misfortune and eventually death upon the transgressor, which will lead her further into darkness, and into the death dealer plot.
Death Dealer: I'd like to see her involved in a scheme that brings her close to the death she deals in. She doesn't like to get her hands dirty in the killings, usually providing the potions or curses for such. Something that forces her to be present at the death and makes her the focus of the retribution.
The hunt: Having her being hunted down by the deceased's friends/family, causing her to flee and hide out and give up her worshipers.
Charmed: Finally captured by her hunters, their leader decides to charm the mare instead of killing her, remembering her before her curse. They knew she was a kind mare but felt she needed to repent for her sins. This brings back her previous life and forces her to face the terrible acts she was apart of.
Redemption: She will wander the lands, searching out souls to help. She will deeply regret her transgressions and do everything in her power to repent. Perhaps she will find soquili to heal, foals to protect from another walker, which will help her recover from the horrors she caused.
History: Raised to be a kind and compassionate mare, Naenia lived alone on the outskirts of several herds after the death of her parents. In exchange for her healing abilities and magic, the herds would protect her and allowed her to live in peace. She was always quite generous with her powers but would warn those that her magic was not perfect. She would not curse others and could not guarantee the success of spells. She could not revive the dead, or give others great power. For all of her life, her kindness was never taken advantage of... until that day.
One day a wanderer appeared, asking her for assistance with healing a family member and seeking revenge for their attack. Naenia agreed to help heal the wounded but refused to assist in the attack or killing of anyone. The wanderer was displeased but took her healing potion and went on his way to heal the wounded soul. She didn't spare the stranger another thought, but he did not stay gone for long. The wander returned days later, enraged that her potion did not help. The wounded mare had died, and her companion was out for revenge on anyone and everyone.
He cornered Naenia, and demanded she raise his love from the dead. Naenia explained that she would not and could not dabble in such magic, but she was heartbroken that the mare had died. Not moved by the mares kind words, the stallion attacked, chasing Naenia away from the herds' safety. She outran him for a while, but he was larger and faster. Deciding this mares magic should not be wasted in her death, the cruel stallion brought with him the dreaded corpse powder, and he knew how to use it. Cornered in a steep, rocky ravine, the stallion changed the mare's life forever. She doesn't remember what happened after that, waking up in this new form. All she knows now is... she likes it.
Godiva hungers for knowledge of potions and those things considered dark. To achieve this knowledge she either needs to find someone with new knowledge, or test subjects. Whether they are willing to help her or not is none of her concern, she has her ways.
Unicorns are particularly annoying to Godiva. So much of how she was raised was dependent on what a proper unicorn should be interested in. She likes to leave her own presents when she comes across unicorns. Artfully arranged familiars to tell their fortunes are a particular favorite. Turning a unicorn onto a darker path would be a pleasant challenge.
As much as Godiva likes to travel to gain knowledge, having a proper home to conduct experiments and keep her supplies would also be important. Finding somewhere secluded, defensible, and strategically placed so that she won't have to travel far to find...clients...is a rather pressing goal.
History:
"My precious little gift" her mother cooed, nudging the filly as she sorted out her spindly legs and hooves, quivering next to her basket. "The stars brought you to me, my perfect little present. My Godiva."
The words washed over her, overwhelmed as her senses already were. It was fine though, they were words oft repeated as she grew, slowly starting to leave her mother's side.
It wasn't until Godiva started examining that which had decayed or rotted, straying into the darker parts of the forest or staying out too late, that the words were accompanied with scoldings. She was mother's gift after all, and good little unicorn fillies did not behave this way. It was unseemly. At night she should only wish to be bathed in moon and starlight, the plants that she should be intrigued by flowers and healing herbs.
At first the scoldings cowed her, and Godiva submitted with her ears merely twitching back and a flick of her tail as she scampered back to her mother's side, meekly obeying. Once she was a yearling, things began to change. She may have once been a gift, but she was still an individual, not something to be owned. She balked at the restraints of her mother and the rest of the herd, fighting them until one day the allure of the forest became too much.
The longer Godiva was on her own, the less that fear affected her, cursed as she was by a thirst for knowledge and simple intrigue in things most of her kind shunned. Tonics meant for things other that healing. Poisons. How much of an herb to give another into eating so their stomach would rebel against them for a day. Knowing which mushrooms to avoid was simply not enough, she needed to know what they each did, and if just a little was a mere discomfort. She grew skilled in tricking the soquili she met into trusting her so she could have a willing test subject, her appearance as a demure unicorn only beneficial.
Any that could teach her something of those dark oddities found a willing pupil, and by the time she stumbled across the dark shaman, curiosity alone was enough to ensure she obtained the powder, by whatever means necessary.
She considered it a gift.
Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2020 11:43 pm
Candle Flickering Good Username: ~Spazzy_the_Wolfie~ Soquili Name: Desdemona "The Wandering Witch" Personality and/or Plot Ideas: Prior to being cursed, Desdemona was a timid little creature, not one to stir the pot or cause any sort of trouble. Unwanted from the very beginning, she was already pushing her luck by just existing, so why risk things? As far as she was concerned, yes, she had been given a bad hand in the game of life, but it was one that she could tolerate and adapt to. She wasn't one to complain or draw attention to herself, a quiet mare that mostly kept to the lands surrounding her family home, studying all of the local plants and herbs and developing her skills as a healer...
Once she was cursed, everything changed.
Betrayed by a member of her own family, someone she had never wronged, Desdemona lashed out. Her sister's familiar was the first to fall, then Kassandra, and finally, their parents. She was no longer an unassertive, timid, weak mare, but a cunning and malicious being, a walker intent on wreaking havoc and harming all that crossed her path. Using her knowledge of herbs and healing to her advantage, Desdemona now travels the land, going by the alias "The Wandering Witch." Crafting and giving away an "assortment of magical remedies, potions, and elixirs" in her feral form (in order to avoid suspicion), Desdemona plays the role of a well-meaning witch, a healer who offers help whenever necessary. Choosing never to take payment, Desdemona's offers are one that you can't really refuse! Take a sip and use one of her potions, however, and you'll find that these wares are actually vials of miscellaneous liquids with harmful elements in them. Some even including a very dangerous ingredient sprinkled in: corpse powder. Stomach aches, poisoning, blinding, turning others into cursed walkers - none of it is below Desdemona, and most soquili fail to realize her ill intentions until it's too late. In those rare cases where she's called out, Desdemona will, of course, shift her form and attempt to dispatch the accuser on the spot. With no remaining memories of her past life, Desdemona wanders the land, embracing her rebirth as a walker and making damn sure that she's out there doing more harm than good.
Plots:
Let Chaos Reign: Upon being cursed, Desdemona has one main objective: ensure that the walker population is thriving. The more, the merrier. A majority of the time, she'll try to achieve this by playing doctor and slipping innocent soquili a healthy dose of corpse powder, cursing them (with permission from all the owner's involved, of course!). On rare occasions where she encounters other walkers, she may offer to lend a hand in whatever plots they're scheming, potential harm and devastation all too tempting.
By Whatever Means Necessary...: There is one other method that can help boost the walker population, of course: breeding. Desdemona will actively seek out flings, leaning towards fellow walkers but not shunning normal soquili entirely, looking for particularly strong and cunning individuals. Being a cursed walker, she's aware that any children that she has will end up non-cursed. But this can be fixed, can't it? Desdemona will attempt to curse her own children, even hunting down those that run or manage to get whisked away by do-gooders, growing irate and even more determined with every failed attempt. SUPER FUN FAMILY TIME, FOLKS.
Love Lost: One day, the stars align and cause Desdemona to cross paths with the stallion that once loved her, the stallion recognizing her. Terrified by how she's changed, the stallion tries to flee, but Desdemona will be in hot pursuit. Having no memories of her past, the screeching wildcat will demand answers and then... probably try to maim or kill him, regardless of what he says. I imagine that he would finally slip out of her grasp and escape, or that another soquili would step in to help fend Desdemona off!
Yet Another Twist of Fate: Word has spread of deceptive Desdemona and her antics, and someone finally decides to handle the situation. A well-meaning soquili? A walker hunter? Whoever they are, they end up hunting down Desdemona and, with a lot of fussing and fighting, manage to charm her in the end. Quickly learning just how much harm she caused during the time she was cursed, horrified Desdemona will try to atone for her actions, crafting potions and remedies that actually heal others and lending aid whenever she can.
History: A child entirely unexpected, Desdemona was the result of a fling and declared "ill-fated" as soon as she was born. Unwanted, not cared for, and someone doomed to be unlucky. Her mother was ashamed of her and never expected anything to result from the one-night stand she had, while her mate made it very clear that he cared little for young Desdemona's existence. He would allow his mate to raise the child, but would have nothing to do with her, plain and simple. Her birth father was nowhere to be found, Desdemona's mother spending a single night with him and leaving it at that. Despite the circumstances, Desdemona's mother couldn't bare to abandon her child, so she accepted her mate's proposal and chose to raise Desdemona alongside her half-sister, Kassandra. As expected, it wasn't the happiest upbringing. The filly always seemed to receive less than her half-sister - affection, gifts, attention, etc. Her sister even received her very own familiar, a cat-goat that quickly became Kassandra's beloved pet, while she received nothing. Whatever Desdemona did receive was minimal, and anything more had to be fought for... Which, a majority of the time, Desdemona avoided. Timid and unwilling to bother anyone else, especially her "father," the young filly kept to herself most days, allowing attention to fall upon her half-sister instead, something that Kassandra took advantage of. The moments that young Desdemona spent around her family were usually overwhelming, her half-sister picking on her and receiving no reprimanding from their parents. Due to this, Desdemona kept to herself, occupying her time by studying the art of healing and herbalism, often finding herself in the woods and fields around the place her family called home.
Later in life, Desdemona's luck finally seemed to take a turn for the better. Wandering the woods one day, she encountered a wounded stallion, and after offering to heal him, the two hit it off and found themselves getting along quite well. They agreed to meet again, again, again. Time and time again! The stallion eventually confessed how his feelings for Desdemona had grown, and a surprised but elated Desdemona confessed the same. Love had blossomed between the two, and the couple was happy. Desdemona, for once, was happy.
All of this did not go unseen by Kassandra. A jealous individual, she found herself wanting what her half-sister had. Making sure that her sister's beloved was alone one day, she approached him, chatting idly with the stallion and flirting every so often before, finally, proposing something that was less than proper. "Oh darling, I'm sure I have far more to offer you than my sister."
This did not go unseen by Desdemona. Furious with her half-sister's actions, she interrupted the meeting between the two and confronted Kassandra. How dare she try to take this away from her, this newfound love of hers! All their lives, her half-sister had received everything from their parents and Desdemona had been left with the scraps. Kassandra had taken and taken, over and over, and here she was doing it once again. Desdemona had tolerated this long enough over the years. This stallion, her mate, was not another thing up for grabs, a fact that Desdemona made sure to mention as she reprimanded her sibling and stood her ground.
Kassandra left with a huff. For the first time in her life, she had been denied something, and it left her irritated. Her half-sister had told her no? Well, no matter. Envious and spiteful, she decided to take matters into her own hands: she would get rid of Desdemona, removing her from the picture entirely. And honestly, besides that stallion of hers, who would even care? Father wouldn't bat an eye. And mother? Well, she would recover from the loss, given time. Obtaining corpse powder, she arranged a meeting with her half-sister, feigning sorrow and regret in order to draw her in. She claimed that she wanted to make amends for her previous actions, for all that she had ever done to hurt her poor sister, emphasizing that she "really did care" about Desdemona all these years.
Doubtful for a moment, Desdemona finally agreed to meet with Kassandra, entering the woods that night after saying goodnight to her mate. The two sisters greeted each other, Kassandra beckoning her sibling closer with a small smile and a nod of her head. Desdemona approached, only to be greeting with a face full of... dirt? Sand? Whatever it was, her half-sister's familiar had made sure to swipe plenty of it into her face, perched up above on a tree branch and cackling away. Desdemona shook her head and coughed violently, struggling to wipe her face clean and shout at her sister. Was all of this just a cruel joke? And what was this?!
The forest was spinning. She couldn't seem to catch her breath! And oh, it hurt. Everything hurt.
Relying on her knowledge as a healer, the answer finally dawned upon her as her vision began to darken. "Corpse powder? Kassandra... Kassandra, n-no..."
In time, Desdemona came to her senses, with blood on her lips and bodies strewn about the forest floor.
~Spazzy_the_Wolfie~
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Kettyn
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Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 6:28 pm
Gem for Your Thoughts? Username: Kettyn Soquili Name: Hoarfrost (formerly known as Terach)
Personality and/or Plot Ideas: Personality: Hoarfrost is as cold as his name suggests. He doesn't feel the pain that he inflicts on the Kawani lands. Ripping families apart, sowing discord wherever he ambles or just by merely existing and keeping at least one of his former traits burning deep inside that he's causing great suffering to the land. None of that registers to the bearwalker: nothing. The only thing that Hoarfrost cares about is the growing hoard of possessions that he obtains and keeping a tight hold of his most prized token: the necklace in which he wears around his neck. The icy glow from his eyes is sometimes the last thing that a victim will see before being set upon for the only transgression of wearing a trinket that catches Hoarfrost's eyes.
Plots: Once a thief, always a thief: Hoarfrost still retains one of Terach's most basic desires - to become the ultimate thief. In this fashion both as his normal form and also in his feral form the walker will often roam the countryside seeking out either tales of valuable heirlooms or have something catch his eye and he'll actively go on the hunt right then and there. Can he use his wily and deceptive ways to part his victim from their possession? If words cannot do the trick violence is always up the back of his paw and he'll strike in the dead of night. One quick blow to either render his victim unconscious and defenceless or at the worst dead and Hoarfrost will amble away from the scene with his newest treasure clamped in his jaws.
The cold doesn't bother me: This is a myth. Hoarfrost has vague memories of the night in which he emerged into the world and the lingering sense of just how cold he felt alarms the bearwalker. All bears hibernate when the weather turns cold but Hoarfrost would rather continue to ravage the countryside in even the worst and inhospitable weather. But how can he do this when he fears what winter might bring? Will the cold weather cause him to slow down and ultimately do what other bears do or will he be able to ride out the winter in style - maybe by playing the part of a "docile" companion to an unsuspecting Soquili that would shelter him from the coldest months. Once the warmer weather returned he'd reveal his true nature.
Beware of Charms: If there is one thing that Hoarfrost fears even above the cold it is the talk of creatures like himself being "charmed." Hoarfrost doesn't know why he feels chills of apprehension at such talk but knowing that the blood of his naturally sworn enemies - the angeni - can be used on him without consent has him terrified. It keeps him awake at night and he refuses to steal items that look like they can be hidden angeni charms.
Charmed to meet you: Even though he fears being charmed there will come a time when he will lose hold of his gem necklace to a daring youngster. In the time that he does not have the necklace in his possession a special charm will be inserted as the center stone in his necklace. Upon cornering the one guilty of stealing his necklace Hoarfrost will be told an interesting story that the thief only wanted to fix his necklace and has done so at no cost. Believing that the youngster was only wishing to repair the cracked stone from before Hoarfrost will allow the youngster to live and although suspicious of the watching youngster will slip the necklace back on - only to experience a gut-wrenching surprise.
History: Terach, still unnamed and fresh from his basket as a foal, knew nothing of the thieving ways. He was an innocent and would have remained that way had not his basket been found by a wandering thief. The stranger took in the sight of the parentless foal and ideas began to churn deep in his greedy mind. He was a thief and a foal that was freshly emerged was a perfect thing to steal. With years of experience the strange thief persuaded the young foal to follow him as he was the only one that cared about Terach's well being. Terach, not knowing any better, followed clumsily after the thief and in that moment his fate was sealed. A good thief knows the value of patience and it was with such agonising slow movements and perseverance that the bond grew between the unlikely pair. Terach saw this human as both his mother and father and never questioned anything that he was taught. He learned that his parent had many possessions stolen over the years and he was working tirelessly to track them back down and reclaim what was truly his. Terach, upon hearing this, vowed that he'd assist in the mission to find all the items. It was then that he was bestowed the name Terach by the thief. He thought it meant that he was accepted but the thief knew that this wandering oaf of a stallion was the ultimate fool. For he would not be returning items that had been stolen but in fact he would be the one doing the stealing.
Secretly the thief was pleased that he had such a willing pawn to unleash upon the land. All he had to do was describe a trinket that had been "stolen" from him and where it could be and Terach dutifully went off in the search. This reverse idea of show and tell went on for many seasons. Often Terach would return from a search only to be sent out right away again. The stallion never questioned why his father was so unlucky to have lost hold of so many items but he persisted in tracking everything down. He picked up skills along these missions like how to camouflage oneself in order to observe those unaware of his presence or how to speak to others in order to glean information they didn't realize they were turning over. Terach also would learn the vital skills of acting and deception. Surely he would make his father's name shine once more.
One day Terach was sent out to the woods to locate what his father described as his most prized possession. It was a gem necklace that had belonged in the family for years and yet had been stolen only days earlier when Terach was absent from their home. Vowing revenge on whomever had stolen the trinket Terach faltered when his father explained that a bear had been the one to steal the necklace. As big and as strong as he was Terach was unsure if he was up to the challenge of facing off against a bear. Could a bear even be reasoned with? But seeing the look of desperation in his father's eyes the stallion set forth that evening. It would be the last time he set his gaze upon the place that he had called home for his entire life.
Tracking the bear was arduous work. Terach knew very little about whom he was seeking but the general description and the fact that the bear would most likely still be in possession of the necklace. Perhaps he thought that luck was shining down upon him when he caught his first glimpse of his target but that was simply not the case. Realising that the bear was beginning the process of fattening itself up for hibernation gave Terach pause. Couldn't he just wait for the approach of winter to return and steal the necklace back? No the deed could not wait. Settling down that night Terach waited for the moon to rise in the sky. The temperature had dipped precipitously and he was shivering with the cold that seeped into the ground and thus into him. At long last everything around him was still and it was then that he rose stiffly to his hooves. His movements were clumsy and fatigued. Terach knew he was making too much noise but to his great relief the noises didn't seem to wake the slumbering creature he was seeking.
Upon entering the cave in which the bear was residing Terach spotted his father's heirloom clenched tightly in the sleeping bear's paws. The gem glistened faintly and Terach breathed a sigh of relief. All he would have to do is gently pry the necklace from the paws and he'd be on his way home. However sound his theory was putting the motion into practice was a lot harder than it looked. Terach, after failing seemingly time after time to loosen the hold that the bear held on the necklace finally went all out. None of the other actions he'd done that evening seemed to even register and so he bent closer to the creature and grasped the gem in his teeth and gave a hard tug. The surprise that he felt as he fell over backwards was swift. He had tugged the gem free but in the process a hairline crack had formed over the gem's surface and what seemed like dirt was trickling out. Terach could feel the odd substance hit the back of his throat and he coughed in irritation before an unexpected emotion overwhelmed him: rage!
How dare this creature bring such suffering to his father? Why should he be allowed to continue his existence as a lazy, ambling bear? Why should he not be punished for his theft? That last thought was what Terach would have been alarmed by if he had realized what was slowly taking place. A transformation had been started in the moments after the gem had been broken. Terach was no longer Terach but a mindless thing bent on destroying the first animal it saw: that of a slumbering bear. The battle would have been an even match but the stallion was awake and alert and knew where to strike a sleeping bear so that it would not wake again. Hooves and teeth aided in the skinning of such a gentle creature and although the process took hours soon the pelt of the bear was resting over the crazed stallion's shoulders. The gem was proudly around his neck as the urge to sleep overtook him.
The stallion woke the next morning to disorientation. No longer Terach but needing a new name the bearwalker took in the sight of the frost that covered the ground and realized that it would suit him just fine. Hoarfrost roared into the early dawn, marking the start of a new phase of his life.
Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2020 2:56 am
Gem for Your Thoughts? Username: Dea and #Teddy# Soquili Name: Jadyn Personality and/or Plot Ideas: Before he was changed, Jadyn was a stallion who was seen as a ray of sunshine. He liked bringing happiness to others, making sure they knew others were rooting for them. If there was a way he could make others smile, then he would do it. He also made sure everyone was taken care of, that no one was lacking for anything. It didn't matter if it was family, friends, or anything else that someone would need. He was also known to be a bit of a knight in shining armor kind, wanting to make sure no one was bullied or felt like they didn't belong. In his eyes, every Soquili and familiar was a gem, no matter how different they looked from everyone else. Jadyn also loved being able to collect gems of all shapes and sizes. Even if they aren't perfect, just like Soq and familiars, he saw the beauty in every one of them. He would even give gems as gifts, especially ones that were not perfect, so others would see they were as beautiful as these gems were. He was also known to help Angeni find the right jewels to use for their charms, knowing how much work they did protecting others.
Since he was cursed, Jadyn has done almost a complete one eighty in his personality. Where he used to like bringing happiness, now he will do everything in his power to bring misery. He studies all those he comes across and learns everything about what makes them tick and what causes them pain/sadness. While he used to care if others had their needs met, now he wants to take away the Soq/fams and things that bring comfort to others. Where once he was a champion against bullies, he has become a vile bully of his own, his words cutting deep. He also only collects gems that are perfect, he has no room in his life for anything he sees as flawed. He uses some of his gems to lure others to him, so that he can capture them had have some fun with the perfect ones. After all, he must have things to play with and there are so much fun he can have with others.
For plots, I am hoping that Jadyn is finally tricked as he is currently tricking others. That some of those he helped before he was cursed want to help him out and return him to the way he was. One of them acts like some unsuspecting Soquili, following a trail of gems. Then when he thinks he has captured them, they press an Angeni charm into his skin, that they got from one of his Angeni friends he used to help. He would pass out and when he wakes to be surrounded by his friends and cured of the bloodmadness, he is surprised. Knowing all the terrible things he has done as a walker, he is remorseful. He will be determined to make up for all the bad, so will be a champion for the little guy once more. And his love of imperfect gems will be restored to him. I would love for him to fall in love and have a family of his own, while trying to help make the world a better place once more.
History: Jadyn smiled as he looked towards one of his favorite places to look for gems. He had promised one of his Angeni friends that he would bring them back any that he felt would make some good charms. He gave himself a moment to feel the warmth of the sun on his back, before he began walking into the cave. He had made sure to bring a lantern for him to see and some tools for getting the gems. As he made his trek down, he hummed a light hearted tune. While others may fear the dark, he loved the dark as much as he did the light, after all they were all part of nature. His ears picked up on the sound of water dripping further in the cave, which he knew came from some of the stalactites. He knew this cave like the back of his hoof, that is how often he had come down here.
The white stallion with black marking that looked like he rolled in coal dust had continued his trek, until he came to a spot near a beautiful underground pool. He went over and dipped a hoof into the water, allowing the coolness to fill his bones. Maybe once he was done with his gem gathering, he could bring back some water to one of his friends who liked fresh cave water. Oh, he should also gather some of the flowers outside the cave as well, since he knew they tended to brighten the day of others. For now, his eyes looked around for any glint of gems that might be around. That is when he saw a flash from a little further in, so he headed in that direction. It was only a few minutes before he notices gems that barely sticking out of the wall. He reached into his pack and grabbed the ax he had brought, before getting to work on digging the gems out as carefully as he could.
Unknown to Jadyn, he had been followed by another Soquili. He was so lost in his work, he didn't hear as the other crept up behind him. Then he heard a cough from behind him and he turned to see who it was. There stood a Kalona halfbreed, someone he had recently befriended. The other had said he needed a friend because no one wanted to give him a chance. Jadyn had assured him that he would be more than happy to be his friend, that everyone should have one. Now, he looked to his friend, wondering what he was doing here. After all, he had offered that anyone who wanted to come along was more than welcome to do so.
"I figured you might be hungry,"his friend told him, a bright smile on his lips.
"Oh I guess I did forget to bring a lunch,"Jadyn admitted with a laugh. He watched as the other pulled out some meat for himself and a salad. He took the salad that was handed to him and began to eat it. It was delicious, but there was something that tasted...off about it.
"Ahahaha, you fell for it! No more helping your little Angeni friends with their charms. Now you will be bringing misery to all those you come in contact with. That salad you ate...it had corpse powder in it. I have been waiting for a chance to slip that stuff I stole to you,"the other stallion laughed darkly.
"Wh..why..when I befriended you?"Jadyn asked.
"Because I don't need friends. I lied to you, so that you would trust me. I knew you had been helping Angeni, so I had to bring you down. Have fun,"the half Kalona chuckled, before he was out of sight.
Panicked filled Jadyn, he knew he didn't have much time before be became a skinwalker. He knew he had to act fast, before he hurt others, he groaned in pain. He took out some parchment and quill, as he began to put a farewell letter to his family and friends.
If you are reading this, then you must have found my note with my things. I am probably already a skinwalker and off killing innocent lives. It seems I was tricked by someone I trusted, who slipped corpse powder into my food. Please, forgive me for whatever I am about to do once I have turned. I love you all and please remember me as I was.
Love, Jadyn
Once he had finished his note, he slipped it into his bag and left his stuff where others may find it (except for his lantern, if he needed it). Then knowing he had to get away, he headed out of the cave as quickly as he could. He knew his friends would come here when he didn't come home. After he got out, he looked around for a place to hide, while his body went through the changes.
After some traveling and making sure to go off the trail, he found a secluded cave almost a day later. It was a wonder he had made it this far, as the pain began to get worse as night had arrived and advanced close to the next morning. He wandered inside the cave and thought that maybe this would be a good place to stay. That is when he heard a growl and turned to find himself face to face with a bear.
"So, you would like to fight...hmm?"Jadyn smirked, the expression eerie on the face of the once gentle giant. If anyone had been around, it became too dark for anyone to see as Jadyn put out the lantern he had brought with him. All that would be noticed was the sound of a fight going on, not who was winning or losing.
After some time, where the stallion once stood, was a bearwalker, a dark grin on his face. Now it was time for him to play and spread some wonderful misery.
Candle Flickering Good Username: Dea and #Teddy# Soquili Name: Leila Personality and/or Plot Ideas: Before Leila was cursed, the unicorn was one who loved making potions and special candles. Many people were afraid of her, because she looked scary and thought her potions were things that would hurt others. However, the saying looks can be deceiving is definitely one that could be used in her case. This was someone who liked finding ways to make potions/candles that would be a benefit to others. While others may charge for their goods, she never asked for anything in return for what she made. The only time she got upset with others, is if they used what she made for evil purposes. She tried to be careful with who she gave these things to, so those kind of things didn't happen.
This was a smart witch, who always had others who were brave enough or knew what she was like coming to her for her magical remedies. It did Leila good to see what her concoctions could do to help the world. She even would help Angeni collect some of the ingredients they would need to make charms, to keep others safe. Along with collecting ingredients, she made it her mission to hunt Walkers and charm them. Usually this was because loved ones of someone who was cursed had come to her or because a walker was causing others a lot of grief. This was one Soquili who was not afraid to go toe to tow with a walker, if it meant helping others. Sometimes she wished more Soquili/familars saw she was really a nice unicorn. However, she was grateful for the friends she did have and she would do anything she could for them. Friendship and family was something very near and dear to this unicorn. She always provided a place for those different to feel at home and know that they were just as important as anyone else.
Once she was cursed, Leila became exactly what others had feared she was like as a unicorn. She still is very much into making potions and candles, except now they are used to hurt others. She will find all kinds of ways to torment with her potions, such as making others feel sick or have the runs. The same could be said of her candles, that now can do such things as cause aggression or give others nightmares. It brings her immense pleasure to bring strife to others, finding ways to get groups to fight amongst themselves. While close relations used to be her strength, now she enjoys causing turmoil and finding way to break up families and friends. It is like a game to her, one she enjoys to play. She uses her potions/candles to make things worse, where she can. While she likes capturing others to test her potions/candles and to pit them against each other, she prefers finding ways to do it in their natural habitat. In her mind, she has to be more clever doing it this way and it is more enjoyable. After all, there is more of a challenge to use others as guinea pigs and entertainment, if they feel they are safe and don't expect it. That and pretending to be an innocent uni cat, who could suspect such a cute thing.
For plot ideas, I see those that were closest to Leila never gave up hope of bringing her back to them. Knowing her last words to them was to help her, they knew they had to keep trying, until she was back to herself and with them once more. They get a charm from someone Leila had befriended and who she used to help gather ingredients for. With the charm in hoof, they follow her all over as she torments others. They manage to help all those she hurt, then finally manage to corner her. Once she is stuck, two of her best friends manage to get the charm on her. After she is herself once more, she has a heart felt reunion with her friends and family. Along with her group, she becomes part of a herd that accepts them (I am thinking my own herd) and they do all they can to go back to helping others. With her being a charmed walker, her resolve to make sure other walkers are charmed is stronger. So when she isn't helping the herd or others with her concoctions, she is out hunting for walkers who others want back or are causing mischief. Now she can pretend she is still evil so she can get close and nail them with a charm. It is her goal to make up for anything she did as an uncharmed walker, to show charmed walkers are not like that (at least some of the charmed walkers, anyway). I also want her to get a mate and have children.
History: Leila looked over to her small group that she had brought with her on a mission. She had been made aware of a walker that was causing some trouble for a herd. Gathering a few of her friends who wanted to help, she heads to the outskirts of the forest, with a charm she got from a friend. She planned to distract the walker with the help of one of her friends, while the raccoon familiar of one of her other friends would use a sling to get the charm on the walker when they weren't paying attention. She had made sure she thought of every detail and figured she would be prepared if anything went wrong.
"Hey big, tall, and gruesome! Surely you would want more of a challenge than some helpless Soquili. I could certainly give you more of a fight, unless of course you are scared,"Leila taunted. She had brought some potions with her, just in case she needed something to slow the winged walker down. She hoped this would be an easy tag them with a charm and then they could get out of there without any trouble.
"Perhaps it is you who should be scared,"the Thunderhawk walker challenged darkly. Leila laughed, this walker must really think she was scared of them or something. She focused her red eyes on them, the two of them glaring at each other.
"I don't see anything I should fear, you are just like every other walker who thought they were a match for me,"Leila responded calmly. She slid into a defensive stance as the walker began to approach her.
"Especially when she brought help,"came a male voice from behind the walker. Leila smiled, glad she had distracted the walker enough for her friend to get into position behind their target.
"Oh trust me...I expected as much. Let's see how you handle this,"the walker laughed, as it pulled out what looked like some powder and turned around to face her friend. Leila's eyes widened as the brown unicorn realized what she was seeing. No, she couldn't let it happen as she raced over to her friend as quickly as she could. She managed to push them out of the way in time, just as the walker used their wings to make a small cloud of the powder head that way. The unicorn had no choice but to breathe it in as she was just about to sneeze from the powder tickling her nose.
"Leila!"her friends called out to her in worry, just as a cry of pain issued from her own mouth.
"It..it is okay. We can just use the char.."she began, but a cold chill ran through her as the walker headed in the direction of her friends. She knew she had to protect them, she she ran head long into the walker, slamming into him hard. She and the walker fought, she was determined to make sure he couldn't get close to the others. Then she heard the heart breaking sound of something shattering and she looked under her hoof to see she had stepped on the charm. It seemed her friends had tried to hit the walker with the charm, but had missed because of all the movement between herself and the walker.
"Go...get out of..here. I will keep...him busy...for now. You guys...get help. And please...don't give up on...me. Find me...and help me,"Leila managed to get out to her friends, tears filling her eyes. She knew that when she turned, she would hurt them and she would never forgive herself. Then she began to fight the walker with everything she had, hoping her friends had run like she had told them to do. Eventually, she had managed to knock the walker out, but she knew it had cost her some time.
She looked over to where her friends had been hiding, expecting to see the area empty. However, all of her friends were still there and looked determined to help her. She shook her head, why were they being so stubborn?
"Didn't I tell you all to get out of here? I am going to become like him and I could kill you,"she told them firmly. They tried to tell her that they couldn't abandon her, she was their family. If they could get her to an Angeni, they could charm her as soon as she turned, they argued. She knew they wouldn't be able to get to get to an Angeni quick enough and she was determined to not kill them. So she pulled out something from her bag and threw it in their direction. The bottle shattered and a vapor came out of it, putting her friends to sleep.
"I am sorry, dear ones. I cannot chance hurting any of you,"she whispered. She knew they would come to save her eventually, but for now, this was for the best. She headed into the forest, where she could change far from anyone she could hurt. She eventually got far enough away and the pain was so much worse by this point. Leaning against a tree, she let out a cry of pain, her breathing labored. She heard the sound of footsteps and her red eyes followed the source to what appeared to be a familiar, what she knew was a uni cat. A smirk came to her as she pulled out another bottle from her bag and threw it at the familiar. As the poison covered the black creature, she could hear its anguished cries. Once it was dead, she dragged it into the shadows to do what she needed to do.
Soon enough, a cat walker emerged from the shadows and a dark laugh filled the forest. She shifted into her feral form as the laugh seemed to echo around her, then padded off to find some ingredients for her to make some new potions and candles. The dark smile resting on the otherwise cute cat seemed to grow as she thought of all the families she could tear apart.
Dea and #Teddy#
Shy Regular
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Nayci
Dangerous Shapeshifter
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Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2020 1:35 pm
Sorry for the delay! What's up with y'all bringing you A game again and making my judging life hard?! Had to get a second opinion and everything! That being said, I've got our two winners.
Ramenli wins the mare, and Kettyn wins the stallion. Congrats guys!
ramenli
Kettyn
Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2020 1:54 pm
Congrats Ramenli and Kettyn! Thanks for contest and chance Nayci!
nekoFayre
Skilled Camper
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ramenli
Alarming Consumer
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Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2020 3:32 pm
Thank you so much!!! An amazing...gift...to come home to~
Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2020 3:57 pm
Oooo, thank you very much. An awesome pick-me-up after a lousy morning
