PLOT DROP 001 : 𝗦𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗗𝗔𝗥𝗞𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦
it is mid-morning, and fisherpeople return to the city after an early morning's catch, hauling their goods behind them, while traders ready their wagons to set off on journeys to the other kingdoms of cyfandir.
before anyone has a chance to react, a cloud of darkness engulfs the far shore, swallowing up two wagons in an instant. in a panic, people flee towards the city, racing across the bridge — but the cloud does not pass the first marble stone, pressing up against an invisible barrier.
the people stare in fear at the darkness engulfing the shore, gasps of horror heard as beasts press against the barrier — which glimmers iridescent colours at the points of contact. then, at last, dragonfire comes from above. the dragons burn the darkness and the beasts within to naught but ash.
all that remains of the would-be disaster is a bare patch of ground and some scorched stones, but this is an indelible mark of the increasing danger cyfandir finds itself in.
news breaks the next day that this was not the only instance of the calamity — the outskirts of both talfair and marefell were besieged by monsters as well, with the death count in the hundreds.
an announcement is made : in these unprecedented times, lyris' forces must work to protect the rest of the continent as well. rider patrols will now encompass a greater area, with each squad being assigned certain nations' territory. at the same time, the commander of the riders announces that a selection ceremony will be held in four weeks' time.