Along Cometh The Shadow Creature

RP Date: 2026-10-17

Location: The path from the Lake, the Village Square, and eventually the Last Chance

Participants: Lilith, Lucian, Morgane, Naledi

Summary

Morgane flees into town in apparent terror, pursued by a shapeshifting shadow creature that she secretly birthed herself. She encounters Naledi, and the women hide and witness the creature stalk around in hot pursuit before vanishing. Morgane and Naledi then sprint to the Last Chance, with Morgane warning those gathered there of the supposed danger before taking the news to the rest of the village.

This archive was published after approval by all listed participants.

Roleplay

Morgane is screaming.  She is screaming a scream of terror.  Her skirts muddied, she races up the road toward town.  Behind her, there appears to be nothing.  She is running from nothing.  And yet everything about her wild-eyed expression spells out fear.  

Naledi had just left the tavern, lost in thought after her conversation with Lucian, when a terrorized scream pulled her from her thoughts.  Blue eyes went wide as Morgane came tearing up the road, and the elf quickly looks past her to see what she is running from--only to find her pursuer nonexistent.  Naledi moves to gently intercept her if she came, stepping in front of her and holding up her hands in a placating manner.  "Miss Morgane!  Are you quite alright?"

Morgane 's face is set in a mask of terrible panic as she sprints closer, skidding to a halt and clutching Naledi with violent fear.  Her hands are trembling.  "It's coming, you have to get out of here!" she says, pulling at the other woman to try to encourage her to follow.  It's then that what has terrorized her so is revealed:  behind her there lurks a shadow, a shadow of nothing at all, of a indiscernible creature advancing on all fours.  "Come <i>on</i>!" Morgane urges. 

Naledi doesn't try and pull away when Morgane clutches at her, still clearly terrified.  The elf continues to try and calm her down even as Morgane tries to encourage her to follow.  Naledi sort of skips along not wanting to hinder her, but unsure if she should follow.  But then she sees it.  The shadowy figure with no real form except for the fact it was moving towards them on all fours.  "Oh shit!" the elf  elf called, immediately picking up speed and following Morgane unsure of their trajectory, but not wanting to stop moving.

Morgane and Naledi are running as fast as they can into town.  Their faces are obscured in darkness but on them is written pure terror.  "Hide!" hisses Morgane, seeking to pull Naledi with her into one of the neglected houses.  If successful, the two women would crouch mostly out of line of sight of the square.  Behind them, a shadowy creature crawls forward, its body collapsing into itself, rearranging its shape constantly with its march.

Naledi used to be a runner.  She ran for fun.  She ran for exercise.  She ran when she was happy.  She ran when she was sad.  She ran when she needed to think.  But these last few years had stolen that away from her.  Still, her body knew what it was doing and she still had decent speed despite it all.  She follows Morgane, face pale as she crouches with the woman out of sight while still trying to keep an eye on the shadowy figure.  "What <i>is</i> that?" she whispers through her heavy breaths.

Morgane is breathing as quietly as she can but also rather heavily.  "I don't know," she whispers to Naledi.  (Okay, she actually knows what it is.  Record scratch moment.  So, about the shadow creature . . . Morgane gave birth to it not that long ago, actually.  It was simple, really, the faerie felt a little mischief grow inside of her, little by little, until her belly was round and hard.  Eventually, her water broke, and with a grunt Morgane expelled it from between her thighs.  Her very own shadow baby.  It had slithered out of her.  And then she had run away from it in a critically acclaimed performance of Woman Who Is Very Terrified Of The Shadow Creature.  And now she is here, about to accept the Oscar.)  "It was hunting me."  She looks about to say more, but the creature draws near at this time.  Her hand flies to her mouth as she urges Naledi to stay silent beside her, the shadow creature stirring in the village square, its body writhing about in frustration.

Naledi frowns when Morgane mentions she is unsure what the shadowy creature is.  Not the elf <i>blames</i> her in any way but it would be helpful if she knew, ya know?  "Hunting you?" she whisper repeats with a frown, pressing her hand into a stitch in her side; however, he mouth immediately clamps shut when Morgane's does as the creature shifts closer to their hiding spot.

Morgane holds her breath alongside Naledi as the outline of a shadowy neck grows wobbly.  It seems a lot like the creature is attempting to glance around it.  They do not appear to have been seen, however, because the creature does something that registers a lot like distress:  the shadowy mass reares up on something like hind legs and issues some sort of mournful whale song before dissipating entirely, leaving only still moonlight and dead air in its wake.  

Naledi doesn't say anything for a few minutes after that mournful cry.  Even after the shadow seemingly dissipates she doesn't more or make a sound aside from her breathing.  Only once she is sure it won't return does she turn her blue gaze towards Morgane.  "What.  The actual.  Fuck."

Morgane is wild haired and wilder eyed as she holds Naledi's gaze.  Her breath is slow, labored, careful.  The shadow creature appears gone, but is it really?  "We have to warn others," says Morgane, in just the hint of a whisper.  She is all trembling courage on the outside, but the faerie within her is a flutter with excitement.  It would all look the same to Naledi.  "I am going to warn the others."

Morgane has run here.  She now arrives, pink-faced, wild haired, the skirts of her emerald brocade evening gown muddied.  She bursts in the door. "There is a shadow creature, it chased me here, and then vanished!  Stay in the light!" she cries.

Naledi opens her mouth to response, but Morgane appears to almost be manic with her wild hair and equally wild eyes.  Her energy is frenetic and while all Naledi wants to go is go 'home' and crawl into bed, the guiltier part of her agrees they need to go and tell others.  So with her metaphorical tail tucked between her legs, the elf trails after Morgane.

Morgane says, "ooc If this was a lot for you guys, you can say! We can just like, fix the time/splice the scenes happening, i.e. Morgane came by and announced this and your scene was not ongoing."

Lucian is on his feet at the word 'Shadow Monster,' and by the next breath has deposited his guitar atop its case and slammed his chair into the mantle of the fireplace, shouting, "¡Chingado! Madre de Dios, ni de pedo otra vez pinches sanguijuelas." With wild eyes he sets one chair leg down on a table, watching the doors, and grabs a knife from his belt to hack the remaining leg into a crude steak. "Is that you, cosa mala? You fucking vampiros, you follow me here? ¡Fierro!" Without taking his eye from the front of the tavern he calls out to Naledi. "Boconita, in my guitar case there is a false bottom. Inside that compartment, there are six balloons full of holy water from the spring of San Miguel del Milagro. Take those out." In fact, there are additionally several handguns, a shotgun, assorted ammunition and three hand grenades, none of them functioning.

Lilith opens her mouth to speak, but the return of Naledi and the appearance of Morgane shatter whatever calm was in the room.  She is on her feet quickly, but doesn't draw a weapon just yet.  Her reaction is completely opposite Lucian's. "What did it look like?" she queries Morgane calmly. "Did it assault you, or was it merely present?"

Morgane is breathing heavily when Lucian reacts.  "It was hunting, I don't --" she begins to answer Lilith, but she stops short, gasps for air, "I have to warn everyone!" she exclaims, before disappearing to do just that.  Which is to say, why yes, Morgane is effectively forcing an evening of hypervigilance upon everyone.  The terrible shadow creature, though it remains in existence still, does not appear after earlier's initial sighting, however.  It does however lurk still in this village, same as everyone else.  It is biding its time.