Spooktober 2022

I really shouldn't...

— BasicDragon

It would be perfect to work on Urskoga for Spooktober. Urban fantasy is perfect for spooks. But I am working on this world right now because I will be writing in this world during NaNoWriMo. So, Spooktober will mostly be in this world but I migth be writing some articles for Urskoga just because.
I will be doing art and articles...and some short snippets of scenes from my character's lives.

1- Portrait

by BasicDragon

This is a quick portrait of one of the main characters in the CYOA duology that I am working on for this years NaNo. It's the main part of their backstory. Well, actually. It's the reason why they are where they are for the main story. If you don't get the right ending the main story won't happen. Because without Rell leaving their own island, the island of Bittra would be overrun by darkness in the main story. You can read more about Rell in their article. The other character, Niarelle, in the CYOA will get her article later...

3- Abandoned

Rell was abandoned as a baby in the middle of a forest on the island of Noble. They were picked up and raised by a pack of Night Wolves. They have no memories of before being picked up and even thought that they were a night wolf until they ran into their first human. The leader of the pack might know why they were abandoned in the forest...

by BasicDragon

8- Howl

A howl broke the silence and I looked over at Rell with a raised eyebrow. They looked back at me and tilted their head.
"What's it saying?" I asked. Rell raised both of their eyebrows and then shook their head.
"Mint. This not my island. I not know speak creatures this one. She speak anything." Rell replied with a shrug and looked away from our camp and out into the darkness of the forest.
"But you know that it was a female?" I continued to prod them. Rell shrugged.
The creature howled again and I turned my eyes toward the forest as well. At least it couldn't be hostile since Rell appeared unbothered. Well, they was more bothered by my prodding than anything else.

9- Mirror

Evonium D'Magessa looked at himself in his floor-to-ceiling intricately decorated gilded mirror as his two valets dressed him for another regular day. They pulled up his thick calf-length hair and shaped it into a complicated art piece together with today's batch of flowers and jewels. He always looked different, but the days still stayed the same.
One of the valets put the last pin in place and Evo took a deep breath. A new day had started. He let out his breath as a fourth man appeared in the mirror.
"My Lord Highness." The man signed. Evo lifted a hand in response as his valets took three steps back. Out of frame of the mirror. "Your mother, The Queen, is requesting your presence."
Evo turned away from the mirror.

11- Escape

Niarelle looked around at the men in tattered clothing surrounding her. Most of them carried long swords. Which were all pointing at her. She wouldn't be able to escape.
"Give us all your valuables." One of the men said.
Nia threw her rapier to the ground. The eyes of the men followed the decent of her rapier and she quickly moved her left hand to her covered left shoulder and her hidden blessing. She closed her eyes and when she opened them again she was standing at the crossroad again. Her time loop blessing had looped her back half an hour.
With a shake of her head Nia headed down the other road. She always had the ultimate escape. At least for the remaining power that her blessing held.

14- Ruin

Just outside of the village of Mist on the island of Noble lies another village. This village looks slightly like Mist...but it's ruined and appear to have been so for a very long time.

15- Mist

The island of Noble has a very small population of humans. The humans who live here are split into 3 villages. Mist is the only settlement who lies deep in the forest of this inhospitable island.

17- Shadow

"I win." Evo signed and pulled the winning tokens toward himself. The person across from him grunted and put down their own cards.
A shadow fell over their table.
Both Evo and the person across from him looked up at the newcomer. The newcomer wore the plain mask of a tourist. They were short, with tan skin and scars across their bare arms. Their shoulders were even exposed. Evo cleared his throat and looked away. The newcomer tilted their head. Their shadow still covering Evo's winnings in the dim room. Evo looked around in the small gambling den. Tourists didn't visit this place. This stranger shouldn't be here. The shadow disappeared and Evo was about to give a sigh of relief when he noticed the newcomer sitting down across from him. He hadn't even noticed his playmate leaving. The traitor.
"Play?" The newcomer asked. Their voice muffled behind the mask they wore.
"Do you even know how to play?" Evo asked, his own voice muffled as well.
"Sure. I watch well." The newcomer replied and placed a bag of tokens on top of Evo's winnings.
Evo grunted. He didn't play for the money. He played for the excitement. He didn't think it would be exciting to play a newbie.
What Evo didn't know was that this game would change his life.

22- Lock

Rell rubbed their nose. They were coming down with a cold and the ship doctor had told them to go and take a rest. They stopped in front of the door to the room that they shared with a couple of their shipmates. They tilted their head and stared down at the sock hanging on the door handle. They removed it and tried to open the door. The door didn't budge. They frowned and sneezed. If the door didn't open he would have to go and rest somewhere else instead. He walked down the corridor and saw Niarelle.
"Hey Rell, aren't you supposed to be resting?" Rell held out the sock towards Niarelle.
"Door open not. Sock lock it? Magic?" Rell asked and watched Niarelle suppress a snort.
"No. Well... You could say that the sock is a door-locking magic. But no. One of your bunk mates have put the sock on the door and locked it because they want to be alone in there." Niarelle explained. Rell tilted their head, looked down at the sock in their hand, and then back towards the door. They tilted their head the other way and scented the air.
"Oh. For mating."
Niarelle covered her face with her hand and bit her lip.

23- Door

Every door and every window in this little village on the island of Noble look the same...

24- Curse

A curse affecting the client of The Axis that lead Niarelle to visit a village on the island of Noble.

30- Tear

This is the mcguffin that Niarelle of The Axis is searching for in the CYOA duology.

31- Drown

Verti was a clumsy crew member of The Axis who fell overboard.