Wading upon the edges of the rippling hedges Maxence gazed coldly at the leaves that made up the well-groomed thicket. Perhaps they would find something (anything) that would render useful in explaining just how something like this could simply appear overnight - Discovering this was the only reason Maxence had flown from the east as he believed not a single word about a Shaman and had no real interest in seeking this entity out should such a person actually exist. That was a textbook way to find a witch of the woods or get cursed... or something along those lines.
With a gruff sight the brute cast his nose across his hsoulder, sussing the landscape to his rear before his nares were flicked back toward the entrance of the maze. Eyes cold and stern only dropped in temperature as his brows furrowed closed with his steps, the stallion's paces taking him cautiously and without haste into the hedges.
All was cold and blue, even the hedges and the fog that escaped his nares with each breath. The moonrise was particularly beautiful and particularly cruel tonight, shedding its frost forth over each leaf and blade - only to snap under the sun lion's heavy hooves.
Even as he searched the winding coils of the maze there was naught to be seen save for long moonlit shadows and the cloudy, illuminated sky.
As you enter the maze, the world around you seem to dampen and grow darker, the tall hedges casting shadows from every direction as they seem to lean in towards you. The air cools the further you venture in, crystals of ice covering a few delicate leaves on the hedges, the ground hardened under hoof. Each breath of air you take is cold, and small puffs of frost are emitted with every exhale. From somewhere up ahead comes a high pitched cackle, disembodied in the mist.
Rounding the next corner will show a lone figure standing there, his skin as pale and thin as stone, tangled locks obscuring a good portion of his face. Across his body is draped the skin of some animal you don’t recognize, covering frail shoulders.
”Is it the relic of almighty Tempus you seek, Commander?” he asks, his voice youthful despite his aged appearance, carrying a lilt you cannot place into any of the Courts. You do not know how he knows your name, for he is a figure you have never seen before, and you can only wonder what more he knows about you. ”You will have to follow me to find it.” And with that, he turns and takes off further into the maze, ever leading you northwards. His speed belies his age, for he is constantly just ahead of you, sometimes disappearing into the dim but never venturing far. As he disappears around the next corner, you become aware of another creature lurking somewhere behind you, one of the many beasts to have make the maze its home.
@Maxence you’ve found the Shaman! However he is not one to stay and chat, and has already taken off into the brambles. It is up to you to hunt him down or not, but be warned: the maze contains many hidden dangers and beasts lurking within it that you might just get caught up in!
Feel free to write in your own obstacles or beasts, or tag the Random Events account if you would like one given to you! You have until Wednesday, July 19th to get your next reply in, at which point the Shaman will again respond.
Happy writing!
To tag this account: @*'Random Events' without the asterisk.
Please be advised, tagging the Random Event account does not guarantee a response!
It was a sick voice that awoke his fickle ears, plucking them from the sound of the abyssal silence to a closer threat. A quivering ear lurched backward, swivelling toward who he would presume was this Shahman of myth and magi - what he would want with the commander of all people was something that was cause for concern, though it was not enough to cause the uniformed stag to break his composure. Carefully stepping forth over a pinned pair of hind legs, Maxence turned to face the entity with stern and knitted brows, eyes snake-like and challenging toward the threat.
Maxence did and he did not seek the relic - he sought the boon it might provide to his kingdom, though he was confident that whatever lay inside was no great advantage and that his mighty populace would be more than fine without it. Still, there was nothing stopping the stag from allowing his feet to press on through the strange earth in pursuit of the Shahman and the blessing of tempus's relic.
It was as he took his third step that a branch struck out, seeking to take his fetlock for itself. A gruff snort escaped his nostrils as he wrenched hiw hoof back towardhis ribs, arching his back in order to gain all the strength he could. Maxence had no idea just how much the hedge hungered for him, and just how angry breaking it's branch would make it.
With one twisting goran the hedges collapsed like a ave upon the shore, splaying into a hundred thick and thorny roots all seeking to wrap around the commander's legs.
"NO!" Maxence came to bellow, his hind end wrenched down to the earth like a slayed beast. "SHAMAN!" He cursed, lurching forward on the two legs he had left straight and standing.
The roots begin to converge upon one another again, braiding themselves into a single ropey strand fettering you to the hedges. But they begin to constrict, seeking to pull you by the haunches back into their thorny hedges.
And they will not stop, for they are controlled by the maze alone; not unless you can find a way to make them, that is. Might we suggest giving in?
@Maxence
Again, sorry <3 As a hint, I’m more or less envisioning the Devil’s Snare stuff from Harry Potter, but you’re welcome to reply however you see fit!! You now have until Wednesday, July 26th at 11:59pm PST to get one last reply in before the Shaman reappears, so please reply accordingly!
Happy writing!
To tag this account: @*'Random Events' without the asterisk.
Please be advised, tagging the Random Event account does not guarantee a response!
07-23-2017, 12:55 AM - This post was last modified: 07-23-2017, 12:57 AM by Random Events
The snares tangling over each limb were enough to cause his breaths to leave him in shallow gasps, true fear gripping into his heart with the most icy of claws. As they wound tighter over his fetlocks, binding him to the ground, Maxence continued to struggle until every muscle in his body felt the need to simply snap - the pressure and force unto each leg was so severe it became obvious that it would be easier to simply give in.
And so eventually he did.
One by one his muscles relaxed (at least, as much as they could) and his body fell limp into the clutches of the evil weeds. As soon as his weight fell upon each of the braided vines, their thorns sticking deep into his flesh, they began to weaken their own grip. It was as if they fed on his own resistance.
Clearly it was working, so he continued to lay burried in the hedge and laced into the ground below as it slowly unravelled. The commander's breaths came in laboured sighs, his wings strapped tightly against each flank until freed. It took minutes, perhaps longer for every vine to unravel and gently recoil back to the hedge but eventually the soldier lay in nothing but a sodden picture of his clawed-up mud, blood and sweat.
The commander had no doubt the shaman had gone and whatever secrets within this maze ought to be cursed, so it was with every effort that he proceeded out of the weaving hedges and began on the journey home through the skies.
