WerePuppy/saved posts
Topic: Ebon Gate Festival
Message #: 18884
Author: GS4-AVALUKA
Date: 11/05/2021 08:25 AM EDT
Subject: Racing Time - a vignette
Time. Time slipped by so fast. Tugaroulu had spent the last week running from one end of Caligos to the other in a blind panic. She had approached many a boat's captain at the pier and unceremoniously pressed a squirming puppy into their arms, imploring them to take them to safety. She had even managed to bargain with the Warden to allow a pair of her precious charges to have passage aboard the arc, though most of the room on that particular ship was needed for the wildlife of the island. Time. Where did the time go? The end was coming; Tugaroulu could feel it. Stirrings were happening at the temple. The storm was beginning to surge. But she had one last puppy left to get off the island. Just one more. Time. Time was against her. Tugaroulu pressed the final puppy into the arms of an unsure captain that was standing outside one of the last boats moored at the pier. The area was a bustle of activity as many ships, their crew sensing the impending danger, were scrambling to cast off. "Fine," the captain's words were gruff but clipped, "... you want passage, too? Better hurry, I don't think there's much time." Time. Time was nearly gone. Tugaroulu hesitated for the briefest of seconds. As she had been rushing out of her home with the final puppy, she had opted to leave her other belongings behind. But now, at this last moment of decision ... she hesitated. Her years of work. Her notes. Could she let that all go? Time. She thought she had time. "I'll .. I ... I'll be back," Tugaroulu gasped out before turning on her heel and starting to run toward her former home. "Hey! Come back! I can't stay here and wait for you - the storm!" the captain's words follow her fleeing form, but the Giantwoman doesn't hesitate. Time. Her footsteps thumped in time to the racing beat of her heart. Tugaroulu paid little attention to the nearby temple and the eerie sounds emanating around her - her focus was getting to her home. She ran inside and, with a frenzy, began snatching up whatever papers she could find. They all got stuffed unceremoniously into her satchel with little care for order. Tugaroulu dug into every hidden crevice she may have stored some of her notebooks, breath coming fast and movements clumsy with haste. Time. She was almost out of time. Tugaroulu tore back across Caligos, barely noticing the increased vigor of the storm around her. Her destination was the pier. Surely she hadn't taken that long to grab her things? Her question was answered as she skidded to a stop to where the boats were. Only to see ... boats, several fathoms out to sea. An empty pier. She was too late. Time. Time's up. Tugaroulu stood frozen in shock, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath. She couldn't hear the increased roar of the storm around her. She couldn't feel the stinging rain as it pelted against her face. She was oblivious to the wind whipping her sun-hued robes around her legs. She clutched her satchel to her chest as she stared out to sea, the faint image of a rising wave reflected in her eyes. At least the puppies escaped on time.
Topic: Ebon Gate Festival
Message #: 18316
Author: GS4-AVALUKA
Date: 09/21/2021 06:04 PM EDT
Subject: Re: As the Puppy Turns ...
A small taste of some of the fire-related messaging. Note that there are many, many more ambient messages to discover, as the puppies can have different options depending on climate, terrain, current weather, and objects/things in the room. They can get wet, bloody (from blood-rain), ashy (from Teras), and covered in various things they constantly get into in their travels (dirt, mud, leaves, pine needles, grass, sand, and even bits of garbage.) A quick CLEAN can rid any puppy of lingering dirt (or a quick cast of Minor Water or Holy Bolt). >get my puppy You reach into the cage and pull out a plump floppy-eared puppy with feathery red-gold fur, cradling her in the crook of your arm. >l my puppy While most of this puppy's red-gold fur is thick and plush, it lengthens to feathery layers along the backs of her legs, underside of her tail, and over her belly. Longer fur tufts the floppy ears that frame her round face and warm brown eyes, as well as her oversized paws. Her legs are long and sturdy, lending her some muscular fitness that is at odds with the overall plumpness of her body. >drop my puppy Ruffling her feathery red-gold fur fondly, you settle your puppy at your feet. Wagging her fringed tail furiously, a plump floppy-eared puppy with feathery red-gold fur starts to excitedly snuffle at the floor. >pour vial on puppy You sprinkle a copious amount of the luminous powder from your slender vial on a plump floppy-eared puppy with feathery red-gold fur. As the powdered moonstone sinks into the feathery red-gold fur of a plump floppy-eared puppy with feathery red-gold fur, she starts to writhe fitfully on the floor. Feathery red-gold fur starts to shed in large clumps as the puppy's whines turn into a howl. Rising to her feet with a roiling burst of vibrant red-gold flames, a vibrant red-gold fire puppy with a crest of flickering flames bounds boldly forward amidst a flurry of flying embers, flame-tipped tail wagging wildly. >rub puppy You scrub your hand over the top of the red-gold fire puppy's head, causing her ears to flap wildly and the vibrant red-gold flames rising from her fur to flicker. You feel nothing but a pleasant warmth from the fire that touches your skin. Rising briefly on her hind legs, a vibrant red-gold fire puppy with a crest of flickering flames bumps your hand with her snout and yips once in demand for more, the corona of vibrant red-gold flames surrounding her flickering fitfully. >kiss puppy You make high-pitched kissing noises at a vibrant red-gold fire puppy with a crest of flickering flames. Cocking her head to one side, a vibrant red-gold fire puppy with a crest of flickering flames stares at you as though you are crazy, vibrant red-gold flames burning in her disdainful gaze. >hug puppy Bending down, you scoop a vibrant red-gold fire puppy with a crest of flickering flames into your arms and wrap her in a warm hug, your chin wreathed in the vibrant red-gold flames rising from her head. You only feel pleasant warmth from the tendrils of fire caressing your skin. Squirming to get comfortable in your grip, the red-gold fire puppy twists around and licks your ear with her fiery tongue, her flame-tipped tail wagging happily. >smell my puppy You lean over and sniff surreptitiously at a vibrant red-gold fire puppy with a crest of flickering flames. She has the strong smell of smoke surrounding her. ~Avaluka
Topic: Ebon Gate Festival
Message #: 18286
Author: GS4-AVALUKA
Date: 09/18/2021 08:58 AM EDT
Subject: Re: As the Puppy Turns ...
Fire. All she saw was fire. Crimson red flames seemed to have engulfed the puppy in a raging inferno. All Tugaroulu had time to do was react on instinct. With a shriek of fear, she snatched the jug of water she kept on her work bench and flung the contents at the rising flames where the puppy once was peacefully sleeping. Mist rose immediately in a billowing cloud and the fire dimmed to a sullen glow. Still clutching the now-empty jug in her trembling hands, Tugaroulu crept forward toward the circle of moonlight with trepidation, unsure of what she would find there. From within the enshrouding mist were two glowing eyes, like embers, and the faint outline of what /could/ be a puppy. But ... surely not? The puppy couldn't have survived such a blaze? Tugaroulu bent forward, trying to see within the mist without getting too close. An inquisitive yip suddenly sounded and, with a leap that parted the remaining mist, a flaming creature leapt at Tugaroulu, trailing crimson flames and embers! Yelping, Tugaroulu tried to scramble backwards, but merely ended up falling onto her backside, the jug in her hand falling and shattering on the floor next to her. Squeezing her eyes shut, she held her arms up and prepared to feel the burn of fire licking her body. But .... nothing came. Opening her eyes, Tugaroulu stared down in shock at the fiery puppy sitting happily in her lap, the flames surrounding him crackling merrily in the moonlight still spilling onto him. Tentatively, she reached down to run a finger over the puppy's head, letting some of the flames lick her skin. It felt hot, to be sure, but definitely not enough to burn; more like piping hot tea or freshly heated bath water. Curious, Tugaroulu lifted the flaming puppy into her arms, dodging his attempts to lick her with his fiery tongue, and plopped him on the ground to her other side where the moonlight from the window would not touch him. Almost immediately, a rippling shudder ran over the puppy's form, making the crimson red fire surrounding him shiver and send up sparks. Like a campfire slowly dying out, the flames surrounding the puppy extinguished, sinking back into his body and leaving a very normal puppy in its place. The last remnants of the fire to disappear were the burning coal-like embers set in his eyes, the flames within them dulling until the normal warm brown color appeared again. Yipping happily, the puppy bounded around the hut, seemingly pleased with this new game. Tugaroulu, her mouth open and eyes wide, sat shocked amidst a circle of broken pottery shards, unsure of what to make of her new accidental discovery. It definitely wasn't what she intended, but when have her recent alchemical experiments worked out? Sighing, Tugaroulu picked herself up off the floor and, resigned, went to find her broom to sweep up the mess. Another failure under her belt. At least it didn't burn down her distinctly wooden home, though, but she'll have to start all over in her research for a cure now. --- Tugaroulu has (accidentally) discovered a new curse type for WerePuppies - "Fire Hound"! Like the other puppy curse types (werewolf/mutant, ghost/ethereal, and undead/zombie), they will transform when they come in contact with a full moon. In the coming days I'll be sharing some clips of the new puppies in action. Stay tuned! ~Avaluka
Topic: Ebon Gate Festival
Message #: 18270
Author: GS4-AVALUKA
Date: 09/15/2021 08:03 AM EDT
Subject: As the Puppy Turns ...
Steam billowed from the cauldron as Tugaroulu poured in the last infusion of ingredients to her latest concoction. As she stirred the liquid within, her mind ran through the steps she took, searching for any mistakes. Sunstone ... essence of fire ... casts of the Fire Spirit spell. It all /seemed/ like it would be enough to drive the moon curse out of the puppies for good, but still she worried. She hated to admit it, but she'd been wrong before. Satisfied with the thickness of the potion eventually, Tugaroulu grabbed a nearby bowl and scooped a portion of it from the cauldron into the container. Fire red, the liquid steamed for a few seconds until it started to cool to the temperature of the air around it. Tugaroulu blew across it gently, encouraging it to cool further. After a few minutes, she touched the potion with the tip of a finger, nodding in approval at the feel of it. Moving with deliberate steps, Tugaroulu walked across her tiny hut to where a shaft of moonlight spilled in from a window to pool on the floor. Curled comfortably within the pale circle of light was a ghostly puppy, his ethereal form flickering with a faint glow. Smiling, Tugaroulu whistled between her teeth as she set the bowl of potion down in front of the puppy before straightening back up. Bobbing up with excitement, the puppy snuffled at the potion in the bowl and began to lap at it, slurping up the fire-hued liquid without a second thought. One heartbeat. Two heartbeats. Color started to leech into the ghostly puppy's form, solidifying him with agonizing slowness as the ethereal glow around him faded away. Eventually, though, he shook himself, displaying his newly normal appearance with a happy bark. Tugaroulu managed a slight sigh of relief and reached down to scratch the puppy behind his furry ears. At least that part worked, but even the sunstone infusions wore off after a while. She will have to watch throughout the night to be sure she was successful. Drawing out a huge pillow from a side shelf, she settled it directly in the pool of moonlight and tapped it, whistling again. Panting, the now-normal puppy hopped into it happily and circled several times before flopping down on the soft surface with a sigh of his own, his wagging tail thwapping the bed with steady thumps. Tugaroulu grabbed the empty bowl and turned back to her work station, starting to clean up the paraphernalia of her potion-making. She sniffed the air after a few minutes, scowling. That potion had been especially noxious; she'll have to air out the hut so it doesn't smell so much of smoke and brimstone. It definitely seemed unusually strong despite the fire beneath the cauldron long since having been extinguished. A high-pitched yelp from behind her interrupted Tugaroulu's musings, causing a stab of panic to rocket through her body. Not again! Spinning around, the Giantwoman stared wide-eyed at the circle of moonlight, one hand clutching the front of her robes in shock. ~Avaluka
Topic: Ebon Gate Festival
Message #: 18093
Author: GS4-AVALUKA
Date: 10/31/2020 08:06 AM EDT
Subject: Small puppy updates
Some minor updates to WerePuppies this morning. * ANALYZE on the puppies themselves now has a list of the verbs that work with them. This, of course, does not encompass all the little "quirks" they have, such as being able to play with foraged sticks, or a lot of the ambient funnness with them getting dirty (be warned, they like to hop into trash cans. You can LOOK at them and there will be a line at the bottom indicating if they are 'dirty' and what with.) So still a lot to discover. But I did notice some did not realize all the different verbs available to them, so hopefully this will help. * Puppies can now follow you into tables, and generally will follow you into places the kittens and rats do. After hearing they were not able to follow people into tables, I realized this was a lot more restrictive than I had intended it to be. Remember that the puppies are game crash proof as long as you have their cage - SHAKE the cage and your puppy will return to you. Please be sure to be a responsible puppy owner and SNAP (or PROD) your puppy to quiet them down in noisy situations. They do automatically quiet down if the room gets silenced by the game, but there are still some situations where this does not kick in and heeling the puppy would be the right move! This was a minor update overall, but if you notice anything odd with your puppy after this, please respond here and/or BUGITEM in-game. Thanks, ~Avaluka
Topic: Ebon Gate Festival
Message #: 17396
Author: GS4-AVALUKA
Date: 09/17/2020 05:29 PM EDT
Subject: Run, Puppy, Run!
Crouched over her work table, Tugaroulu paused to wipe a bead of sweat from her brow. That was always a problem when actively working with the cauldron; the heat within the tiny hut became stifling at times. No matter, though, as her laborious work had finally finished. Brushing aside several scribbled notes on parchment, she made room on the scarred table's surface for a clear glass flask full of murky liquid. Sighing, Tugaroulu leaned back on her stool and admired it with pride. Despite the small amount of potion that actually resulted, the tiny container represented many hours of work over a simmering cauldron. Leaning forward, the Giantwoman drew a firm ball made of wrapped twine toward her and tossed it once into the air, catching it deftly in her palm. The motion captured the attention of the ghost puppy at her feet, who whined and spun in a circle, excited at the potential of an impending play session. Already knowing the inevitable outcome, Tugaroulu sighed and threw the ball, letting it roll across the floor. Barking with delight, the ghostly puppy chased after it, snapping at it with insubstantial teeth to no avail; the puppy's teeth sank right through the ball's surface, while the round bit of twine continued rolling unheeded and caught the attention of the other puppies in the room. A literal stampede of yipping, growling puppies careened around the tiny hut fighting for possession of the ball in a tornado of teeth and fur. The lone spectral puppy tried his best to join the fray, but ended up merely sliding through his solid brethren, floating to a stop on the other side with a frustrated bark. Rising to her feet, Tugaroulu crossed the room and bent to retrieve the ball, drawing it out of reach of the leaping mass of furry puppies. Back at her work table, she deftly uncorked the flask of murky liquid and, with both flask and ball held at eye level, carefully poured some of the contents onto the twine surface, slowly working it into the material. Once it was thoroughly coated in the dark liquid, Tugaroulu held the ball briefly over the fire, letting the rising heat dry any remaining moisture from the surface. With the ball no longer being thrown, a majority of the puppies began to grow bored and drifted off to find other mischief to get into. All except the single ethereal puppy, whose glowing blue eyes remained fixed alertly on his master's movements with his tail twitching hopefully from side to side. Nodding once in satisfaction, Tugaroulu turned the twine ball in her hand thoughtfully before smiling down at the ethereal puppy sitting at her feet. With a twitch of her wrist, she sent the ball flying across the floor once more, creating chaos amongst the puppies again. With an echoing bark, the ghostly puppy pounced on the ball first, snatching it up in his jaws and, much to his surprise, actually keeping a grip on it. Ball held proudly in his mouth, the ethereal puppy bounded around the room, paws floating a few inches above the wooden floor as the remainder of the puppies chased after him, eager to try to steal away the prize. Tugaroulu's smile grew wide as she watched the proceedings, exceedingly happy with her work. Stooping down, she scooped up one of the puppies as the group raced by, hugging the plump white puppy to her chest as she settled herself back onto her stool. Grabbing a plain stuffed toy in the shape of a rolton still sitting on her table, she held this offering out to the whining puppy in her arms. Confused, the plump puppy stopped mid-whine and snuffled this new object, curious. Snapping his jaws around it, he chewed contentedly on the soft middle with tiny growls, completely forgetting the other toy the remaining puppies were bent on playing with. Sighing, Tugaroulu stared out the window at the darkening sky, somewhat troubled. She really couldn't keep all of these puppies, but how could she give more of them up when they brought her so much joy? Planting a kiss on top of the fluffy white head of the puppy in her lap, she shook her head. A worry for another day. There was still so much work to be done. The puppies raced by, content in their game of chase and oblivious to their master's troubled thoughts, their paws thudding against the wooden floor in a cacophony reminiscent of rolling thunder.
Topic: Ebon Gate Festival
Message #: 17385
Author: GS4-AVALUKA
Date: 09/15/2020 07:29 AM EDT
Subject: See Puppy Run
Tugaroulu squinted through the grimy window of her hut, assessing the ominous clouds skirting across the otherwise blue sky. Small droplets of water already dotted the glass pane, indicating the rain had already begun while she was immersed in her work. Rubbing a hand tiredly across her eyes, she rose from her work table and crossed to the door to the backyard, intending to call her puppies in before the steady sprinkle became a downpour. The door creaked on its hinges as she pulled it open and stepped through it, peering across the expanse of yard. Predictably, the puppies had already gotten into mischief despite only being left alone for a short amount of time. What little rain had already fallen turned a section of the ground into a tempting mud puddle that one plump white puppy found too irresistible, rolling in it until his pristine fur looked more brown than white. Several others were rolling in the grass, rooting through leafy bushes, or digging in the dirt with enthusiasm, ignoring their steadily dampening fur as the rain became more persistent. Sighing, Tugaroulu shook her head in consternation, a small smile playing at her lips. She gave a shrill whistle, the noise causing most of the puppies to perk up their ears and come running, tumbling over one another in their haste to obey. As each puppy trundled up to her, Tugaroulu bent down to do her best to clean them off; brushing off blades of grass here, a few stray leaves there, and patting away some lingering dirt clinging to the coat of one puppy's fur. Once satisfied, she nudged them inside her hut with one foot, smiling fondly after them. As the muddy white puppy bounded up to her, tail wagging, Tugaroulu blocked his path inside. "Not just yet," she scolded, narrowing her eyes at the wayward creature. Waving one hand in a sinuous motion, she gestured at the puppy, sending a stream of cool water splashing over the puppy, drenching him from head to toe and washing away all of the mud. Barking with delight at this, the puppy danced around and snapped at the water, tail wagging in a blur of motion. "Off you go," Tugaroulu herded the puppy inside, satisfied that the mud was gone despite the puppy now being dripping wet. A high-pitched growl caught Tugaroulu's attention to the last two puppies in the yard; one, currently in werewolf form, was running around proudly with a stick in his mouth, while a ghost-form puppy chased after him, trying unsuccessfully to snap at the trailing end of the branch with insubstantial teeth. Frowning, Tugaroulu gave another shrill whistle and patted her leg firmly. Dropping the stick reluctantly, the burly puppy trotted back towards the hut, growling, with the ghost puppy trailing behind. After both puppies successfully ran inside to join their brethren, Tugaroulu stared thoughtfully at the abandoned stick, an idea forming in her mind. Before the pending thought could fully percolate within her brain, the sound of a crash from inside the hut stirred her out of her contemplation. Sighing, Tugaroulu turned and headed back into the hut with a mutter, " ... probably the waste basket again." She would have to explore that idea at a later time. The door snapped shut just as the skies opened up, sending a downpour onto the now empty backyard. ~Avaluka
Topic: Ebon Gate Festival
Message #: 16643
Author: GS4-AVALUKA
Date: 09/26/2019
Subject: I Do Hope That Puppy's For Sale
A chorus of yips and barks erupted from the milling crowd of puppies racing around the backyard, some normal and some decidedly not. Tugaroulu stood among them, using a heavy wooden mallet to drive the post for a sign deep into the soft ground. It took only a few blows to get the job done, though, and she stood back to admire her work, pausing to wipe a hand across her perspiring brow.
Scrawled in bold lettering at the top of the sign were the words: FOR SALE: PUPPIES
Tugaroulu hesitated for a moment, uncertain, before leaning forward to scrawl an additional note in smaller letters next to it, her hand quick and deft: (slightly cursed)
Standing back, Tugaroulu smiled in satisfaction. Hopefully there will be enough responsible people who wouldn't mind caring for such puppies. A high-pitched growling at her feet drew her attention away from her inner thoughts. A tiny puppy, a ball of white fluff, was gnawing enthusiastically on the base of the sign, trying to pull it with all her might.
Giving a sigh of long suffering, Tugaroulu bent down to gently shoo the puppy away before turning to head back into her shack, whistling a faint tune as she walked. A crowd of mismatched puppies followed her, yapping, barking and growling in unison.
OOC:
Debuting this year at Ebon Gate are, what you may have already guessed, "WerePuppies". These puppies are cursed to change to their true form under the light of a full moon. Tugaroulu will be seeking responsible owners for these puppies in the Backyard of her shop "Snips and Snails". (NOTE: These will likely be distributed through raffle, though an auction may not be out of the question for one of them if there is interest. These are meant to be somewhat rare, so don't expect a huge amount of them to go out this year.)
~General Information~
- They are ambient pets similar to Dhu kittens and DR rats in that they will follow you around from room to room.
- They do have ambient interactions, but this has a hard 'off' switch with the verb SNAP. (The puppy will still follow you, but will not fire off ambient messages until you SNAP again.)
Please be courteous to your fellow adventurers and SNAP to heel your werepuppy in noisy situations.
- They will ambiently interact with: weather/climate, items in the room/on the ground, other players, other puppies, Dhu kittens, DR rats/hedgehogs, fishies (if the person has them worn out in the open), and creatures in general. (It's seriously a lot.)
- These puppies have a belt-worn cage, which is similar to the sack/pouch for most other pets.
- The puppy's cage acts as a summoning item, however, so the puppy can be called back if lost with SHAKE.
NOTE: This makes it so the puppy is immune to janitor sweeps and server crashes, technically, as you can call them back with the cage. Please, please do not lose the cage and still REGISTER both puppy and cage.
- To transfer ownership, the puppy must be in their cage to be handed off. The cage cannot be handed off empty to reduce the likelihood of someone separating puppy from cage.
- They have two 'phases': 'cute' and 'cursed'.
- They will turn to their 'cursed' stage if outside and if there is a full moon (any full moon will work - Liabo, Lornon, Tilaok or Makiri.)
- There are 3 different 'types' of curses and each puppy only has one type they turn into:
- Werewolf/Mutant These puppies become more savage and wolf-like in their cursed form. - Zombie/Undead These puppies are zombie-like/corpse-like in their other form. - Ghost/Spiritual These puppies are ethereal/ghosts in their other form.
- Messaging, both ambient and otherwise, is different between the cute and cursed stage, as well as between different 'curse types'.
- There are items to force a change to cursed or keep them cute, despite conditions, that will be sold in the shop Snips and Snails.
- Powdered moonstone will force them to be cursed, while powdered sunstone will force them to stay cute.
- These effects are temporary and can be prematurely removed with CLEAN.
~Sneak Peek~ (This is obviously not really an exhaustive clip, because I could probably fill the entire forum with messaging examples ... so just a taste! This particular puppy is one that is potentially available to be won this year.)
You reach into the cage and pull out a short-legged sable and white puppy with a stubby tail, cradling her in the crook of your arm.
Barrel-chested and stout, this puppy looks extremely sturdy despite her short legs. Thick and plush, her fur is a rich sable color with a saddle of dark chestnut running across the top of her head and down her back. Splashes of white tip each paw, her muzzle and the very end of her stubby tail.
Ruffling her thick sable and white fur fondly, you settle your puppy at your feet. Wagging her stubby tail furiously, a short-legged sable and white puppy with a stubby tail starts to excitedly snuffle at the ground.
You snap your fingers and wave your hand in a dismissing gesture. With a high-pitched bark of joy, your short-legged puppy bounds away from her place at your side, ready for play.
You sprinkle a copious amount of the luminous powder from your slender vial on a short-legged sable and white puppy with a stubby tail. As the powdered moonstone sinks into the thick sable and white fur of a short-legged sable and white puppy with a stubby tail, she starts to writhe fitfully on the ground. Thick sable and white fur starts to shed in large clumps as the puppy's whines turn into a howl. Floating a few inches off the ground, a wispy spectral puppy surrounded by a flickering silver mist bounds forward with an echoing bark.
You attempt to ruffle the misty fur of a wispy spectral puppy surrounded by a flickering silver mist, but your fingers merely slide right through her transparent body. The puppy's ears wave slightly in the air before settling back down.
You make high-pitched kissing noises at a wispy spectral puppy surrounded by a flickering silver mist. Leaping into the air in response, the spectral puppy rushes excitedly toward you, paws trotting several inches above the ground. She tries to jump up on your legs, but just ends up tumbling right through them with her insubstantial form.
You brush off any lingering powdered moonstone from a wispy spectral puppy surrounded by a flickering silver mist. As the moonlight recedes from a wispy spectral puppy surrounded by a flickering silver mist, she starts to writhe fitfully on the ground. Color and solidity start to slowly fade back into a wispy spectral puppy surrounded by a flickering silver mist's misty fur as her eerie echoing howls turn to whines, her ethereal glow fading. Leaping to her feet happily, a short-legged sable and white puppy with a stubby tail shakes herself vigorously, her ears flapping noisily.
You scratch vigorously behind one of a short-legged sable and white puppy with a stubby tail's ears. With a huff of contentment, the short-legged puppy leans into the caress, eyes half-closed with pleasure.
Paws crunching over the snow, a short-legged sable and white puppy with a stubby tail playfully gambols around, snapping at passing snowflakes.
~Avaluka
Topic: Ebon Gate Festival
Message #: 16627
Author: GS4-AVALUKA
Date: 09/24/2019
Subject: ...the one with the skeletal tail?
It had taken weeks of work. Weeks of struggle. Weeks of failure and trials. But Tugaroulu finally believed she had something tangible.
Standing in her tiny backyard, she stared upward at the full face of Liabo shining from the velvety backdrop of the midnight sky. The only light was the pale silver from the moon above, as well as a faint iridescent glow coming from a slim vial of powdered sunstone in the Giantwoman's hand.
A creaky noise, more like a wailing moan than anything, drew her attention away from the sky and to the furry figure sitting in the moonlight at her feet. The puppy there was changed, much like the first one, but in a different way. Patches of fur were missing from parts of his body, leaving exposed sections of bone, while decaying strips of flesh hung limply from his skeletal tail. With stiff movements, the puppy shambled forward a few steps, looking hopeful for some attention.
A brief flash of regret crossed Tugaroulu's face at the puppy's plight. It had certainly not been expected for the next puppies to receive her altered concoction to change into something completely different from the first, but accidents in alchemy seem to be magnified. A further cry from the zombie puppy seemed to make her steel herself.
Crouching down, Tugaroulu sprinkled some of the iridescent sunstone powder from her vial over the puppy's head. For a moment the powder seemed to shimmer a golden color at odds with the pale silver of the moonlight, bright and shining against the dullness of the puppy's decaying fur.
For a few heartbeats, nothing happened. Then, with a dry moaning wail, the puppy collapsed to the ground with the sound of cracking joints. Flesh began to knit back together in slow motion as the puppy's living color started to seep back into his fur. A minute later the puppy, hale and hearty, leapt to his feet, barking once with joy. Intact tail wagging in a blur of motion, he trotted in a circle around the Giantwoman with a playful romp in his step.
Laughing, Tugaroulu ruffled the puppy's fur before straightening up. She gazed critically up at the full moon above her and then back down at the romping puppy at her feet, smiling in satisfaction at the vial of iridescent powder in her hand. At least she found a way to counteract the effects of the moon, though she knew it would only be temporary.
Tugaroulu's mind raced with potential solutions as she headed back toward her shack, the restored puppy jauntily bounding at her heels - things she tried, things she hadn't, things that may work and even things that may not work. With this vial securely in her hand, she now could guard against the change, at least. As she opened the door to her shack, she was greeted by a chorus of many different barks that rose to mingle with the yips of the formerly undead puppy following her inside.
Footsteps carefully maneuvering around various puppies, Tugaroulu sank down onto her stool once again, carefully setting the vial of iridescent sunstone powder next to a bottle of luminous moonstone powder already on the work table. She had concocted the other paler powder just yesterday, though found that it hastened the change of the cursed puppies even in broad daylight, as though the imbued moonlight stored within the granules was enough to overcome the power of the sun. With the sunstone powder now in her grasp, as well, she seemed to be able to pull the puppies in either direction of their change. She eyed both containers critically, her mouth drawn into a contemplative frown. So many weeks; she'd found out how to force the change, and how to prevent it ... but not how or why they became cursed in the first place. Nor could she seem to return them to their original uncursed state.
A sudden eruption of yips and barks from the opposite corner pulled Tugaroulu out of her thoughts. Two puppies, one ghostly transparent and the other fluffy white, were attempting to play but without much success. The original puppy that started everything, now transformed into his glowing-eyed muscular form, was ripping apart his bed in the corner. Various other puppies, most all of them normal in appearance, milled around and barked for seemingly no reason in particular.
Tugaroulu pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. She may have gone a bit overboard in the purchase of more puppies to test her theories, but she never could stop herself when she was on the trail of some new discovery.
What in the world was she going to do with all of these puppies now?
~Avaluka