Blood-Soaked
"Run from the one so soaked in blood that it trails behind him for days. Only guilt may follow him,"
Naming Story
The only survivor of a vicious attack, he awoke covered in the blood of his kin. Howling out a terrible cry of mourning and a promise for vengeance, he wandered after those that wronged him, following their trail. He stopped only to tend to his wounds, but refused to wash the blood from his fur until he avenged his family. Those that crossed his path quickly ran, whispering of his blood-soaked fur and crazed eyes.
Storytelling
The Naive Nightingale
RP
✦ Salamander RP +5 pts
✦ Mist-Shrouded Obelisk Sacrifice - Earth +6 pts
✦ FINALE ORP: The Other Obelisks +5 pts
Art
✦ Prompt #2: "A wolf howls in the dead of night." + .5 pts
✦ Prompt #3: "A shadow flickering in the distance." + 2 pts
✦ Prompt #5: "A creature stalks behind." + 4 pts
✦ Prompt #7: "Ravens that all take flight at once." + .5 pts
✦ Prompt #8: "A glimpse of something moving in the water." + .5 pts
✦ Prompt #11: "Stones arranged in a disturbing pattern." + .5 pts
✦ Prompt #12: "A perfectly preserved skeleton." + .5 pts
✦ Prompt #13: "A hole that swallows you." + 4 pts
✦ Prompt #14: "Flowers that look at you." + 4 pts
✦ Prompt #15: "Breath that suddenly fogs in front of your face." + .5 pts
✦ Prompt #16: "Shooting stars that fill the sky." + 4 pts
✦ Spectral Contest +2 pts
✦ Battle in the Mountains by Shia + 4 pts
✦ A Contemplative Moment by Baneful + 2 pts
✦ Bite Me by Baneful + 4 pts
✦ Threatened by Baneful + 2 pts
✦ Ready to Fight by AlleyBalley + 2 pts
✦ Headstrong by Ryuukishin + 2 pts
✦ Stray among Strays +2 pts
✦ By kuropeco +2 pts
Total : 59/50
Plot Synopsis
I. When he was young, he was care-free. Care-free and far too trusting. He unknowingly lead two horrible creatures back to his small herd. He was the lone survivor of the attack. He wanders across the bloodied snow until he stumbles across a nearby herd. They take him in and rush to heal his wounds.
II. The days he spends healing, he also spends planning. Vengeance. His nights are plagued with nightmares of the murderous fiends that followed him home. Of sharp teeth and too many eyes. A slimy tentacle that brushes his face. A horrifying laugh. Blood. Blood everywhere.
III. When he is fully healed, he leaves. Worried that his presence might attract the beasts to this new herd. He wanders. He fights. Blood trails behind him. Stains him. He earns his name from the whispers of concerned onlookers that keep a wide distance. No one approaches. This is fine with him. This lone path to justice.
IV. Time passes. He listens for any whispers of the monsters, but the mountains are quiet and still. Until he finds someone like him. Small and hurt and angry. Deathbringer, she whispers. A name brought from a dream of terrible ends that were all her fault. She joins his hunt and for once he is not alone.
V. Battle in the mountains. He was unprepared. The monsters had friends. Howling hounds and giant worms. They took him down easily and stole his friend away. He wakes up surrounded by giant feathered serpents and two weird does. "We hunt ghosts," one whispers. "You're surrounded by them," ... "You were almost a ghost, yourself," the other laughs. They force a feathered serpent into his company. "Life gets easier with more friends,"
VI. Enlightened by his interaction with the odd does, he realizes that he must increase his numbers to even have a chance of defeating his foes. He begins a somewhat reluctant journey to gain allies and fails miserably as he tries too hard to befriend the strongest and toughest. But along the way he does somehow make friends with those he originally overlooked, and he winds up with a lot more things to care for than he anticipated. "Look at the stray collecting strays ~"
VII. Whispers point him towards the swamp. Crossing the border, the Ache settles into his bones and he knows he can never return home. He reunites with Death, who has escaped from the monsters. He vows that nothing will ever take her from him again. They find a place to settle down and plan and live. All is peaceful for a time.
VIII. Death complains of an ache in her bones and strange dreams. Something is calling her away. Where she goes, he goes, so together they venture to the caves. He befriends a strong draconic Totoma named Vow, who reminds him a lot of himself. They stick together and are trapped below ground, having visions and hearing voices. Blood is continuously reminded of the duty that he has been ignoring. They discover an obelisk from which a dark being emerges. The creature promises a way home or a way anywhere. Blood is wary, but follows at Death's urging. They are once again separated. Blood finds himself atop the mountains of his homeland, alone, and a sharpened horn finds it's way into his shoulder.
IX. Welcome home, traitor. Blood is faced with a doe that was his friend so long ago. She's become a fierce warrior and protects the mountain that was once his home. They fight, but his heart isn't in it. She kicks his body to the side when he finally falls to the ground. "Pathetic," She doesn't tell him to go, but the Ache is urging him back down the mountain. "Come with me?" he asks. "Never," He leaves.
X. Journey back to the Swamp. Blood finds himself retracing the steps he took so many years ago to track those that killed his herd. He is too focused on finding Deathbringer and Vow to dwell on his melancholy for once. He thinks of his life and his companions and familiars and all of the friends he's made throughout his journey towards revenge and takes the time to ponder. The center of his life and purpose is somehow not vengeance anymore. When did that happen? Is the reason he's been pushing the final hunt back further and further that he's not entirely ready to lose the new family he's made for himself? Does he even want revenge anymore? If he doesn't kill those that killed his family, won't they hurt countless others? But then... if he kills them, is he like them? Blood is conflicted. It's a very long walk back to the Swamp. Perhaps he'll find the answer along the way.
Why?
Blood has had an unorthodox, trauma-filled journey to Legendary status. As a Legendary, he would test those in search of his blessings to see if they were worthy. After all, you shouldn't be having children if you can't protect them! If the parents are deemed acceptable, those kin who are blessed by him can count on his continued protection. He understands grief and guilt and fear and helplessness, and, ultimately, he just wants to protect his loved ones and keep everyone safe. (But should he do that through letting things go and healing emotionally or MURDER? He doesn't know yet! But the journey will be interesting!)