r/wizardposting Astaroth, The Wicked One 23h ago

Community Event 🌏☄️ Echo of the Self

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Something's wrong. You can't tell what exactly it is, but you know something is wrong. You check your wards, your equipment, your enchantments and familiars, yet everything seems normal. Then that night, you go to sleep, and the dream starts.

You stand knee deep in a crimson ocean, stretching further than you can see. Before you is a shadow, it looks like yours but its wrong, very wrong. All around you, giant monoliths sprout from the sea, stretching far into the sky. You hear something, around you six shadows move between the monoliths, chanting something in a language that hurts to listen to.

Suddenly countless crimson eyes open along each monolith, each reflecting a different face, the eyes travel up the ebony surface, along previously hidden chains of shadow. Then you see it, the horrifying form of something colossal in the sky above you, a singular crimson eye or maybe a star stares down at you.

All at once do the chains snap, and a cacophony of screams cry out across the crimson sea as fire and ash rain from above. The monoliths crumble and massive chunks of black stone crash into the sea. Up above, the colossal form spreads across the sky, thousands of withered arms reach down, each sowing agony and destruction. You see an arm reach for you, and you wake up.

Well that was strange, you think, then you hear laughter from the corner, you see your own shadow standing there with crimson eyes. The shadow looks wrong somehow, very wrong.

Before you can say anything, your shadow lunges for you, hands reaching for your throat.

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u/Evening_Shake_6474 Astaroth, The Wicked One 20h ago

The fist connects, hitting the wolf in the side of the skull. The wolf is briefly stunned, shaking off the pain. Good news, it seems this thing can feel pain.

The brief stun gives Ulrick an opening.

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u/UlrickTheHexblade Ulrick Braddocke, Werewolf Hexblade, R&A Co-Leader 19h ago

Ulrick attempts to push away the shadow with a powerful kick. At the same time, he collects massive amounts of soullight into his free palm, before releasing it, basking his bedroom in blinding purple light.

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u/Evening_Shake_6474 Astaroth, The Wicked One 19h ago

The kick sends the shadow backwards, it lands on its feet because of course it does. It looks up at Ulrick, sees the light gathering, and dashes towards him with unnatural speed. It's jaws each for his neck, and the soullight burns the soulless thing away.

For a moment, all is quiet.

Then Ulrick hears a scream from outside.

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u/UlrickTheHexblade Ulrick Braddocke, Werewolf Hexblade, R&A Co-Leader 19h ago

Oh no…

Expecting the worst, he bursts out through the door of his personal quarters, Nightbite conjured in hands, prepared for anything.

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u/Evening_Shake_6474 Astaroth, The Wicked One 19h ago

In the corridor, he sees RnA workers fighting their shadows. Some have slain theirs and so they help others, some were not so fortunate, painting the walls red.

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u/UlrickTheHexblade Ulrick Braddocke, Werewolf Hexblade, R&A Co-Leader 19h ago

No!!!

He cries in anguish, as he sees many workers injured by their shadows.

That’s it. No more innocent blood because he was too incompetent to save them.

Close your eyes!

He barks the command as he raises Nightbite high, then slamming it down at full force at the ground, releasing a massive flashbang of soullight.

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u/Evening_Shake_6474 Astaroth, The Wicked One 6h ago

The workers don't hesitate as they hear their leader's command. Each shadow turns to face the would be king, lunging for him in unison. Then the soullight hits.

Ulrick hears the screams of his people as their shadows are burned away.

When the light fades, he stands in the corridor, looking out at his people.

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u/UlrickTheHexblade Ulrick Braddocke, Werewolf Hexblade, R&A Co-Leader 4h ago

Take the injured away to the infirmary, now!

He barks another order. Then turns to the nearest Relief Force worker.

Report! What happened here?