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The plagues have lifted entirely; the rivers of the Highlands run clear, the snowfall of the Alpines has been cleansed of its poison, the air of the Woodlands and Wakes is no longer wrathful or dangerous to inhale, and the Wastes no longer scorch beneath a merciless sun.

The parasite persists, invisible and deadly - Dre Klage still lingers in wait, anticipating the quiet moments, ready to emerge when least expected - but the land is free to explore once more.

And yet...

A low ceiling of clouds drifts in from every corner of the horizon, thick and colorless, knitting itself together until the sun becomes little more than a dull smear behind an unending sky. The light weakens, as if strained through ash, and the world below settles into darkened tones of gray and blue. With the fading warmth comes a cold that presses inward, subtle but persistent, unlike any other herald of winter you have experienced before, turning exposed skin numb and making the air feel heavy and paralyzing with every breath.

The light does not fade all at once, but in a way that feels deliberate. Shadows lengthen and deepen beneath the cloud cover, and even the height of the noonday sun cannot pierce through in any meaningful way; the earth is growing colder, more still. The chill sharpens, creeping along the ground and into earth and stone, seeping through your bones so deeply until even the quiet feels brittle.

What sort of winter was this? And so sudden, at that?

The sun's absence is felt like a held breath, and beneath the layered clouds gathering high overhead, the sense grows that the sky itself is closing. As each day passes and the sky grows heavier and ever darker, you feel the worst may be yet to come.

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Welcome to the Frozen Mourning!

The world of Mythris has begun to dim. Thick, impenetrable clouds have started to gather overhead, and the temperature is swiftly plummeting as the earth is plunged into an ever-increasing darkness. Frost accumulates more quickly, nights are becoming dangerous in the northern regions, and even the Wastes have felt an unusual chill beginning to set in. All that seems to help stave off the encroaching cold are the mysterious fire-whorls that appeared not so long ago - flames that remember the sun, shedding their warmth upon all who gather around them.

Will conflicts arise between packs and individuals alike to claim the life-giving fires for themselves? Or will the denizens of Mythris work together to help each other endure this difficult time?

Note: packs and characters not located near one of these flames are not in explicit danger, but will find things much chillier and prey may be more scarce. You are not forced to leave your territories, but keep this in mind!

There are a few new badges you can earn as well. Starting from November 14th, when the fire whorls first appeared, any thread logging a character's interaction with one (burning themselves, cooking with it, staring at it, dancing around it, seeing if purple fire has a flavor and learning the hard way) will earn a corresponding badge of that flame's particular hue.
You may only earn one flame badge per character, so if you're picky about aesthetics, make sure you interact with your favorite color!

For OOC accounts: if you have characters who interacted with different hues, you may pick one of them and that color flame will display on your OOC account.


AND WE HAVE ANOTHER BADGE TO EARN!

Those who bravely face the cold and endure its wrath starting today, December 22nd until this arc concludes (to be determined), be it:

- Protecting someone else from the cold with your body heat
- Experiencing physical symptoms (frost-nipped ear tips, white scars from ice burn)
- A limp that lasts for a few threads
- A temporary loss of smell, or having a generally intense experience surrounding the cold (crossing frozen lands, risking an overnight patrol in the alpine mountains, etc)
- Other frosty events

Will all qualify toward this little guy:


Poor fella. You can also have it on your OOC account if you like; just say so upon submission!

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In the Northern Alpines, this flame resides in Taiga's Promise and takes on the shade of purple.

In the Spirited Highlands, this flame resides in the Howling River and takes on the shade of blue.

In the Great Woodlands, this flame resides in Ambrosia Range and takes on the shade of gold.

In the Westmoor Wakes, this flame resides in Overgrowth Strand and takes on the shade of green.

In the Smoldering Wastes, this flame resides in Skyspear and takes on the shade of red.

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It's starting to get dark out there, folks - and it's not bad yet. Submit your qualifying threads below with the characters you'd like each badge attached to, and have fun until the next development!

Keep hunting for those runes!