Only a few months or so ago, the ancient yew tree had towered like a looming giant, its branches extending outward over the town square like a myriad of outstretched arms. Even in the heart of winter its long, needle-like leaves had been a lush, vibrant green where not otherwise coated in a thick white blanket of snow, but such a sight was now a thing of the past. Its branches were now bare, and swaths of bark had peeled back around its trunk to reveal to a faded, decrepit gray. The town square, now barren aside from the presence of ash-like snow, commanded the entire landscape. It stood alone, an island in the midst of stalls and homes not-long abandoned. At its center was a woman cloaked in thick furs, her features somber as she traced her fingers along the base of the yew tree, which had begun to lean on one side. The tree was dead, but not in the way most trees died. The yew itself was especially resilient. Slow to grow, and thus slow to die. What had ailed it was less like an infection, which implied a natural cause that could be fought off, and more like affliction which took offense to life itself. Even as her fingers came in contact with the tree the flow of mana in them was disrupted. A curious, numbing sensation that would make her think twice before doing so again. Like many others Alkaid came to the conclusion that this had to be some sort of curse. There was a Mastery players could take called Spellbane which could disrupt magic in a similar manner, but to mix it with some life-devouring curse on such a large scale? Had to be some sort of event. Which only raised the question of it’s extent. Would it grow beyond Astorea? Or was Astorea itself the target? Perhaps that was too self-centered of a player to assume. But it also made sense if the game developers were to do so. After all, Terrasphere simply had to be some mixture of experiments. No subscription fees or pay to win models. Not even a costume shop. The game had to receive funding somehow. It wouldn't have surprised her if the tech would eventually emerge into simsense and BTLs. Not, however, that the empty village around her was a sight to behold. And to think that this is the place that seemed to be bristling with life before I left for Norforva. It'd be so easy to just say this is all just a game and dismiss it, but when these NPCs offer good food and show actual care, well... She let out a sigh. What use were visions of the future and divinations if she couldn't warn all those people to pack up early. Maybe gather some players together all at once and beat up whatever caused all this before it could do any harm til it was black and blue. "Anything but more of this gray shit," Alkaid muttered, shaking her head. It was only then she noticed that her partner for this trip @Freja Sitka, was fast approaching -- so she quickly changed tune. "Hey! I don't suppose you found some nasty beastie to beat up all without me, did you?!" Despite the joke's levity, Alkaid couldn't help but note with some regret that she'd be useless in a fight as it stood. The most she could get going might be a cool breeze. And they still had a ways to go til they hit the canyon.
