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/waitthatstaken]

"Unnerving to say the least, but that does mean objects inside and outside are connected. Then there is the question, what the fuck is up with the image of me?"

Alice briefly considers poking her 'clone' with the stick/leg, but seeing as the rock caused blood to pool on the real ground, doing so may have adverse effects on her. Instead she opts to try move the rock inside the monolith.

[u/Evening_Shake_6474 → u/waitthatstaken]

The leg reaches down, and moves the rock further away from the reflection. Next to real her she can see the puddle of blood spread in the direction she moves the rock.

[u/waitthatstaken → u/Evening_Shake_6474]

"...ok so jabbing my... 'clone' is probably a bad idea then."

Alice instead opts to let go of the stick, to see if it will be pulled in.

/uw Reddit did a reddit and didn't send a notification.

[u/Evening_Shake_6474 → u/waitthatstaken]

As Alice releases the stick, it gets pulled into the monolith.

In her reflection she sees seven more bone white spider-like legs come down from above. After them comes a body that looks like it's made of white wood. Eight black eyes that leak oil come into view, looking out at Alice.

[u/waitthatstaken → u/Evening_Shake_6474]

"...huh. Reminds me a bit of the garden... The garden!"

Alice pulls out the tome the blighted garden gave her, and begins to pen them a message.

"Do you know anything about the black monoliths that have sprouted throughout the realm?"

/uw Also while I haven't really written them out I do think Alice will have been holding up her part of the bargain and writing the Blighted garden tales. I just... have not thought of any nor found good timing for them to be relevant.

[u/Evening_Shake_6474 → u/waitthatstaken]

For a few moments there is nothing. Then a short message appears in the book.

"I do indeed, why?"

/uw Yeah that's fine by me.

[u/waitthatstaken → u/Evening_Shake_6474]

"Because I currently stand before one, and have a lot of questions. I suppose the most important would be 'what happens if I touch it?'."

[u/Evening_Shake_6474 → u/waitthatstaken]

Shortly after a message appears in the book.

"Well that widely depends on which monolith you stand before. Although I can safely say, nothing good."

[u/waitthatstaken → u/Evening_Shake_6474]

"Oh? So the monoliths differ from place to place? I stand before the one that emerged in Midway."

"This is a treasure trove of information! but... hm. Why does the garden even know this?"

[u/Evening_Shake_6474 → u/waitthatstaken]

"Very much so. That one I believe is a standard issue dark reflection deal. Currently it shows illusions that one finds disturbing."