The Beast of Ildenwood: 7. Unconscious Flashes of Memory

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The Beast of Ildenwood

7. Unconscious Flashes of Memory

An ocean. A beach. The sound of waves lapping against the black sandy shore.

A hollow yearning; a deep grief.

A hand, flicking a small yet dangerous blade into the air.

Golden eyes – not human.

Anger – fury – guilt – and a terrible powerlessness.

A cavern. Blue, luminous pools.

A young woman. Her smile. Her laugh. Her fear.

A flash of silver-white hair.

A severed head, held high above a crowd.

Windows of blinding light.

And a monster – climbing, coming for him, coming for them, clawing through rock and--

 

* * * * *

Mental Drains

A Mental Drain is a peculiar type of magic that attacks a person's mental facilities and commonly saps away either energy or, in some cases, one's skill level in a specific ability. Most wear away on their own, and those that are more stubborn may require a special potion to be brewed (the potion, of course, should aim to undo the specific drain - not all drains can be undone by the same potion). Mental Drains that are even more malevolent, like those found in The Wanderer of Realms, can even go so far as to cause complications or nasty side effects when removed.

It should be noted that malevolent drains are a category not often encountered, since their casting is quite difficult to accomplish for even very skilled and/or professional spellcasters. Because there are few that could successfully cast a Mental Drain the likes of which the Wanderer suffers from, it is a curious situation, made more curious still by the fact that Mental Drains that deplete one's life force are extremely rare...

Mental Drain illustration - a pink flesh-like creature with tentacle-like tendrils stretched out beyond it, as though holding on to something. An eye stares at you from the fleshy mass.

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