• An out-of-place metal grate blocks this passage. As your party considers ways to dislodge or bypass it, a figure rushes out of the darkness on the other side. It almost resembles a Courser in shape, but has a skull-like head that pivots through the iron bars towards you. It begs desperately to join your party, and seizes you with its jaws when you refuse. 

Cassander [they/he] WC: 154

Cassander never minded leading a pack of adventurers. His husband, Pierce, did it all the time with Coursers who were delving for the first time. He would join from time to time, so they felt as if they knew the dungeons better than most. Regardless, there were still areas even Cass was unfamiliar with. 

This would be one of them.

Hooves hit against stone, reverberating off the walls back into their ears, until it wasn't. They were forced to stop due to a grate blocking their path. The long-eared equine looked back to their party and called out. “Hey, Ossy! You think you can get this?” Cass knew the other fluffy Courser didn't enjoy being called names, but they enjoyed the disgruntled faces he made. With a giggle, they stretched their head down to their pink pet slime and asked if it could slip through the bars to get a better look on things. 

Haren: [he/him] WC: 154

Haren didn't think he would be on another long journey so soon. Just after him and his husband recovered from being bested by the mythical Skull, their friends suggested they dive again. Almost begrudgingly, Haren agreed to go once more. He made sure that the two of them rested properly, and spent enough time with their daughters before heading off again. He hates leaving his mini-mes but the dungeon called and he must answer. 

Coming up to the metal grate, Haren raised an eyebrow. Questioning how they would remove it from the path. Following Oswin, he sent his small dog ahead of them to accompany Cassander’s slime. Just as they reached the base of the grate, Slug began to growl ferociously. Before any of the equines could assess why she would be acting the way she was, another Courser-like figure began thrashing between the bars. 

“Please!” It begged. 

“I need out! Help me! Please!” 

Oswin (he/him) WC: 214

Oswin knew that all his training from foalhood would come to fruition one day, and joining up with a party to delve deeper into the dungeon would be the way to do it. The puck mostly kept to himself, not bothering with traveling with others since they would just get in his way, but Cassander practically begged him to go. Not wanting to hear the other courser beg a second longer, he begrudgingly accepted this so-called quest and joined up with two other coursers.

He had seen Shepherd and Haren around before, and word traveled fast about their attempt to win victory over the skull. Oswin knew he could do better. He HAD to. He knew what he was made of and everyone else had to know too.

A snort left his nose and his brow furrowed at the name Cass had given him.

“Of course I can get it. Out of the way!”

As Oswin pulled on the grate, he jumped back at the sight of a ghostly courser pressing against it, pleading at the party to let it join. The yellow puck scrunched up his face in disgust, its high pitched wailing attaching itself to every one of Oswin's nerves.

“No one is gonna listen to you if you whine like that!”

Shepherd (he/him) WC: 136

Shepherd wasn't too fond of traveling with Oswin. Sure his husband had similar rash methods, but the weld puck had an ego the size of the dungeon, and it was hard to push that aside. Their friend Cassander, though, was ecstatic about campaigning deeper into the dungeon, and since they had prior experience, Shepherd and Haren decided to join up.

Shepherd opened his mouth to speak as Oswin started pulling at the grate. He was surprised with the yellow puck’s strength , if he was being honest, but the ghostly figure caught his attention more.

“Don’t step too close. We don't know its intentions.”

Oswin, of course, made some sort of comment and started hectoring the shadow courser, and Shepherd knew he had to think of something quick to get them out of this annoying mess.