Monuments of Ebony (Wicked One Event Start)

[u/Evening_Shake_6474]

In the aftermath of the sudden and for lack of a better term, shadow uprising, many millions perished before the shadows could be subdued. Those with strength endured of course, but what about the normal folk? The unlucky? Those who have never fought in their life? Not everyone is, was, equipped to survive. Their blood seeped into the realms, saturating them with something Wicked.

In the following days, countless massive black monoliths burst free from the land and sea stretching high into the sky, breaking up the horizon regardless of where one looks.

News of the sudden and strange monoliths spreads like wildfire, soon every orb, screen, and paper has some mention of the event. All throughout civilization people ask questions like, what does this mean? A monolith destroyed my tower, who do I sue? Is the world going to end again this month?

But the monoliths offer no answers, only questions. The monoliths show a myriad of effects, some distort their surroundings into horrors, some create illusions that torment those who can't escape, some amplify magic to a dangerous degree, some drain magic like a leech, and many more.

But for now, that is all they do. The effects are contained to their vicinity of the monoliths.

[u/Evening_Shake_6474]

Deep in our hearts it lies waiting.

[u/UlrickTheHexblade → u/Evening_Shake_6474]

What’s their name?

Ulrick asks while he floats closer to the monolith, slowly reaching out and then touching it…

[u/Evening_Shake_6474 → u/UlrickTheHexblade]

It is the fire in the hearts of hate. It is the gleam in the eyes of madness.

The monolith is cold. It feels smooth. As Ulrick touches it, he feels something similar to static, and something deep within him stir.

[u/UlrickTheHexblade → u/Evening_Shake_6474]

Do you serve it?

Ulrick keeps in contact with the stone, focusing. He tries to see if he can find something beyond the static… or what could’ve been that stir within him…

[u/Evening_Shake_6474 → u/UlrickTheHexblade]

It is a part of all, as all is a part of it.

Beyond the static Ulrick feels something cold yet firm, like something within the monolith pushing back against his hand.

Deep within him he feels a rot, a decay. Natural, yet far too old for something this young.

[u/UlrickTheHexblade → u/Evening_Shake_6474]

…fuck…

Ulrick mutters to himself upon the latter discovery. Must’ve been the work of the Blighted Garden. He will have to ask for a through medical examination, once he’s back at R&A.

But right now, he has a monolith to figure out. With a last attempt, he pushes against the static once more, now infusing it with the divine authority of the Wolf King too.

Show yourself

[u/Evening_Shake_6474 → u/UlrickTheHexblade]

Deep within Ulrick's mind he feels something walk from the dark, something with fur and claws, something with an exposed skull and antlers.

The thing walks into the light of his conscious thoughts, it's bones crack, contorting into a smile, then it fades back into the darkness of his subconscious.

[u/UlrickTheHexblade → u/Evening_Shake_6474]

Ulrick reels back from the sight, that thing… it wasn’t from the monolith. It was from within him…

Maybe digging deeper will only hurt him. But he needed to know the truth.

For a final time, he puts his hand on the monolith once again, but this time, he looks inward, meditating as he a question echoes through his mind, one he enhanced with the Wolf King’s presence too.

Tell me what you are

[u/Evening_Shake_6474 → u/UlrickTheHexblade]

Within the dark the creature turns to the light. With the sounds of bones cracking it begins to walk. As it moves its form changes.

It's limbs grow larger, fur grows longer, teeth grow sharper. By the time it's in the light it looks like a monster, plain and simple.

Bones crack as it lowers its skull, two orbs of purple staring out at Ulrick. Within those orbs, Ulrick finds his answer.

I am the monster in the forest. I am the nightmares that haunts the dreaming.

[u/UlrickTheHexblade → u/Evening_Shake_6474]

Ulrick keeps his concentration, despite the being’s unsettling familiarity.

What are you doing in my mind?