Talk:Darkvision (novel)

=Missing IDs= There are a few spells I couldn't quite catch in the text. One of them was Umyatin's Decomposition, most likely Decomposition- except Ususi's definitely a wizard, and it's a druid spell. The other one is a vortex that almost sucked Shaddon up. I'm copying those off, together with page numbers:

p. 219: "Ususi finished her spell, and a blue glow took up residence on her skin and garments—the telltale sign of protective magic. She edged over to where Eined lay and touched the woman. She could pass the protective glamour to any living creature."

(Strongly suspecting this one is a custom intended to display that Eined has, indeed, bit the dust.)

p. 220: ""Ususi whispered words of ineptitude and hurled them at Shaddon, who absorbed them without flinching. The wizard next traced a sign in the air, but Shaddon evaded the small, whirling vortex that tried to pull him up. She spoke the dark syllables of the Decomposition of Umyatin, but before she could finish, another barrage of wavering black rays fell upon her from one of Shaddon's hands. His other hand connected in a particularly vicious cross to Iahn's left shoulder, just missing his head. The wizard cried out as her protective screen failed, and several thin ribbons chewed through her flesh, thankfully still hardened from the ward she'd erected upon first entering Adama's Tooth. Blood flowed, and she hoped the pain meant only a superficial wound."

That's the missing spell, in italics.

Then there's a four un-ID'd monsters. Here's the boys.

Unidentified Monster #1: Deamiel (p. 40) "The last creature was humanoid, but of a race completely unfamiliar to Iahn. It was covered in a luxurious coat of ebony fur that complimented its black, pantherlike head. It had cloven hooves where Iahn expected feet or paws. Where it walked, a sheen lingered in its hoofprints before slowly evaporating. Iahn recognized it as the same glistening spoor he'd encountered a few days earlier."

I thought it was a rakshasa at first, then reconsidered. Then I read closer the sources on Veldorn, and this being the border between Veldorn and Estagund, this one's very likely if not a rakshasa, a half-ghour half-rakshasa, but that's just me guessing.

Unidentified Monster #2: Ghostboy (p. 75) "The swordswoman snapped her gaze back to the circle, or where the circle had been. Darkness cloaked the bluff top, too deep even for her elf eyes to pierce. [...] Two fiery violet eyes blinked open from within the unnatural night. The darkness coalesced, and a presence was revealed—a shrouded, half-real visage roughly human in outline. Kiril couldn't tell whether it was dressed in white robes or if its flesh was just naturally loose and flowing. Free-floating sigils pulsed a pale, dangerous light, slowly orbiting the creature. The glyphs seemed to promise death and severance, but severance of what, Kiril didn't want to pursue."

Quells often have this weird representation with symbols all over, and they sever peeps from their divine magic. Its abilities afterwards do not match those of a quell, though.

Unidentified Monster #3: Eschar Redux (p. 136) "hitting a greenish shoulder as it smashed into her gut. A massive foot slammed down on the instep of her left leg, trapping her foot. She tipped over like a felled tree and lost her grip on the dagger, which still jutted from her attacker's shoulder. Standing over her, its right foot still pinning her left, stood a massive, demonic humanoid. It was almost twice her height! Green skin glistened under black leather armor, and a pair of short ivory horns protruded from its forehead. A jagged splinter of purplish crystal protruded from its chest. Half-dried blood slicked the armor around the wound where the crystal protruded. The crystal flashed, pulsing violet light into the rain-soaked night. It growled and ground her trapped foot painfully into the dirt with its tremendous weight."

This one seems to be a close match for Eschar, except this one's got armor, and breathes cold instead of fire. He also shoots rays of rot instead of having the ability to roar everyone around him stunned, and sports a strength-draining aura. I suspected a sorrowsworn, but it's a wee thin.

Unidentified Monster #4: Sleepy Dragon (p. 290) "The sarcophagi were faced with glass. Creatures hung within, in a pale green briny solution, preserved against the long, slow grind of time. Ususi saw trolls behind the glass windows, demonic hoof-footed humanoids, human-sized eggs the color of flesh, bony shadow efts, mantis-headed insectoids, human-dragon hybrids, and at least one tentacle-faced humanoid with soulless white eyes frozen open in its captivity: a mind flayer of ancient vintage."

The hoof-footed chumps in there make me think that Deamiel might not have much to do with the rakshasa or ghour of the region after all, unless those dated to Imaskari times. Maybe the human-dragon hybrids mean something?

Anyway, brain teasers for everyone. Have fun! Stabbier (talk) 20:11, 21 January 2022 (UTC)