We will keep our eye on you, drider. Do not take anything that does not belong to you.
Yes, yes. I'm VERY impressed. Don't you have some unconscious girl to mutilate?
The crusader scoffed at your flippant response. None of them are defending themselves, though. Seems like it's not a unanimous decision on their part, though it's quite likely that "execution" is the opposite viewpoint. Still, you start looking through the treasury, which was mercifully spared from MOST of the fire. Some pieces are certainly damaged, and you can only hope that your book wasn't amongst the victims. You liked that cookbook, and it kept you trim and healthy during your student years. And the people around you.You kept a good amount of people fed.
Best to keep that tradition going. You look around the completely randomly strewn about bits of treasure, mostly gifts from the east or obvious personal goods raided from passers-by. You notice the book out of the corner of your eye, the distinctive cover hidden under a pile of eastern coins. It ended up at the bottom of the pile, oddly. Considering how recent your arrival was, you have this faint feeling that people have been digging through this place before you did. It doesn't matter, though, you've got one of your things back. Next up, your shield and sword. There are plenty of shields here, to be sure, very pretty ones even, to the point that some are entirely useless as a shield, but probably look great for parade soldiers. As for swords there really isn't anything useful here. The sword the vampire gave you just isn't here, there were reports of him using it in battle. It was shattered completely by the paladin's hammer. Of course, it does make sense that he only attacked you unarmed because he wanted you alive. Against others...
There are only scimitars or parade swords here, otherwise. Because of the paperwork you had to fill in to even enter this place, you can't take any of those with you. You'll have to talk to the witch-hunter, you suspect. He had plenty of swords available. Looks like you're out of luck on finding your shield, however. It's not in the treasury, and the thralls' equipment was claimed by the crusaders. Apparently, in case it was cursed, or the undeath "rubbed off" on it. They are notoriously careful around anything owned by the undead.
Nothing to be done about it.
Your armor was REALLY easy to find. It was on a mannequin in the centre of the room, refurbished and recoloured. The radiant blue has been changed to black, and the parts that aren't carapace are red. Very edgy, to say the least. But, hey, at least it's been improved. There's bit of extra plating, the scratches aren't quite as visible, and whatever damage was there looks replaced. Small piecesof metal have been sown in there. While you have no doubt about it's protectiveness, you fear people may think of you as a schmuck. Oh well.
Again. Nothing to be done about it.
It's kind of creepy how the vampire was already planning a battledress for you when you were to join him, as it were. Good thing that plan didn't go through, eh? With that, however, you have nothing else to find in the treasure room. The poison-box just isn't here, and was likely reduced to cinders. Of course, you're not exactly able to poison your sword with the way your stings are now, is it. You need some fertile land (read: flesh of the living) to get something out of it. As you walk back to the camp, you start thinking about what should be your next familiar. Maybe something more special to you? Something larger, like a dog would be nice. Everybody can always use a dog...
When you arrive at camp, you start talking with some more people, starting with the witch-hunter as you gather a sword and shield from him. Apparently, he was quick on the draw when it came to looting, and some of the dead crusaders hardly need their weapons anymore. The organisation is only against tools used by the undead, after all. They have no qualms over the looting of the regular dead. Of course, they'll be bringing back what they can, but if one of those weapons happened to get "lost" and a recent hero might lose a bit of her anger towards the crusaders they won't stop them. The witch-hunter was amicable as always, and eventually you drift to the topic of where he's going next.
Well... I did have one idea, but it'll depend on something critical.
Which is?
Your approval. I wanted to join your party, considering you were obviously going where things need to get shot with arrows... Not to mention a small private matter we'll discuss when we're not in earshot of the paladins.
...I was actually planning on asking you already, after telling you about this whole brothers and sisters thing from the east and whatever else...
Well, that's part of the things that probably need to get shot, right? You attract bad things, girl. Might as well help you on that.
I'll ask Meandra about this, though. We were going to the dwarven cities for her sake, after all. I think the supplies should still last, we've been living off the land here, mostly...
It's still polite. You go talk a bit, I'll go ahead and sharpen that sword a bit more. You probably want it at its best before we head out.
We'll be resting up a little, anyhow. No rush.
The witch-hunter shrugs, pushing his tall collar against his cheeks. You only now notice how oddly tall his collar is, though you did notice the first time you saw him.
It's quite odd.
Meandra seemed quite happy to take on the witchhunter as part of the party. Resources should last to the dwarven cities, especially is Eveline isn't coming. Same amount of mouths to feed, although the kobolt ate less than most. She's fine on resting another day, as well, but she REALLY wants to get going after that. As she said, she's kind of tired of adventuring. It's just... not her thing.
That was easy enough, now comes the biggest mystery.
Alternate Sydney. She's looking at a bunch of papers when you find her, her staff in her hand. She looks intimidating, being so tall.
Well, there you are. If you're hoping for me to join you on whatever epic quest you're almost certainly on, forget it.
Pardon?
I don't give a shit about what you do, and it's because of you I need to start over on my budding little empire, alright.
How is this my fault!?
Oh, not at all, I suppose. But it's some schmuck being obsessed about you did put me in this position.
What was I supposed to do?
Kill him BEFORE he's a threat, dumbass. I didn't get to where I was by being soft, alright. And if I can't kill it fairly, I cheat.
...Alright. What are your plans, then?
Like I said, I have an empire to build. Idiots to find, peer pressure to build. I don't have VVulf's raiders any more, and something tell me that he won't be stupid enough to let me usurp him here...
...He's REALLY not in a position to be usurped, right now. The fucker transformed his entire bandit army into demons! I only escaped turning to jelly because I'm resistant to chaos magic!
...What?
Yeah, he made a deal with an eldritch god. I don't where he is, hell, i don't even know if he's still human!
So that's what that crone was yabbering about...Looks like I kill ed him in time, then.
Lucky you... Say. I was going to ask why they called you the crimson queen, but... You were a bandit queen, weren't you?
Something tells me you weren't with Vvulf for innocent reasons either, miss high and mighty. So what if I was. Can't a girl have a fresh start in a new world?
I... Fine. You know what? Fine. I don't care. Do whatever the hell you want.
All I wanted to hear.
You leave her be.
You spend the rest of the day just resting and amusing yourself. The crusaders were all gone, along with Erika and Sette, by evening. You had a heartfelt goodbye from Erika, and she gave you a little gift before she left. Soon, all that's left is your party.
A scroll, filled to the brim with what seems to be gibberish. After you finish spitting out the all-too-familiar black gunk (boy it has been MONTHS since that happened) you reach a sudden clarity in almost everything necromancy-related!
ALL MANA COSTS HAVE BEEN REDUCED BY ONE POINT.
You go to bed feeling calm and safe for the first time in a far too long while.
Toothy grin: your teeth become much, much sharper. Your mouth and tongue also becomes very resistant to piercing and slashing attacks so you don't stab yourself to death
Enhance Size: Become larger. With all the reach and strength that comes with it. This will take a little while.
Eye of the spider: All of your eyes regain full functionality, and you can see much better and farther than before.
Tough brood: your children take after you in resiliance. This makes your children spawned from Broodmother far more resistant to damage
Enhanced lethality: your children's poison is more lethal, rather than mostly just causing pain.
Regeneration: your children are incredibly hard to take down, regenerating at an unnatural rate.
Companion crazy: You can get up to TWO familiars, and customisation is done with almost no mana cost on them.
Magic punch: Allows you to enhance your fists with magic.
Elemental infusion: Your children can be infused with magic for a short moment. This is almost entirely cosmetic
Calm mind: after such an ordeal, you feel oddly strengthened. You gain 50 more maximum stress points
Soulsight+: Allows you to gauge the intentions of somebody with soulsight. This is not easy to read.
Pain resistance: Pain becomes less of an issue for you. Be careful, this might end bad.
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Topic: Web of Life: A Drider's Adventure (Ended) (Read 190084 times)