Send a specter to Malkus.
If it's the angel, rally our forces and go after it.
If it's a force of Tokuzu, order him to retreat out of the empire. Attack isolated farms and villages, raise the undead, and generally create a low level chaos.
Keep searching for the angel.
Step up training of our Nails, and recruit another 40.
When we find the angel ,attack have a spectre follow them to their hideout.
Okay then.
You immediately send a spectre to find out what happened. After a few days, it returns, carrying (through intense effort) a single letter.
In it, Malkus describes how the Tokzoku, through luck or extraordinary stealth managed to sneak past the spectres he had sent out to keep watch at long range. They marched rapidly towards Seiyojin, only being spotted when they were an hour out from the settlement. Malkus quickly had his troops take up defensive positions. He estimates their numbers at almost 500, of which a fifth cavalry. Attempts to demoralise the attackers failed, and they charged towards the walls.
They quickly passed over the walls and through the gate, encountering little resistance. They proceeded to rush up the path to the temple- at which point Malkus launched his ambush. The corpses lying on the road, which the attackers passed over with little thought, rose up in the midst of their formation, causing chaos, whilst the rest of Malkus' troops emerged out of hiding and charged into their flanks.
At first it seemed like the ambush worked, and many casualties were inflicted upon the Tokzoku. But the numbers and experience of the soldiers soon turned the tide, cutting down zombies despite the best efforts of the Cryptbrains, crushing skeletons, squashing imps, even slaying the rock trolls through sheer persistence. Malkus' attempt to retreat back to the temple failed, and his entire force was soon wiped out, forcing him and the wights to flee the only path left to them- down the side of the mountain.
After suffering this setback, Malkus headed towards the nearest village, which he attacked and, after a brief battle, destroyed, raising some of the dead as zombies. He then received your messenger, and gave it this letter to carry back to Nuulyd.
You send the spectre back with orders for Malkus to make his way out of the empire, whilst continuing to cause death and destruction as he goes.
The search for the angel continues. Spectres continue to patrol the northwest, searching villages for signs of Good. Their reports, however, prove as infuriatingly empty as they are poetic- the only thing of note is that the villagers seem more content than villagers elsewhere.
Fortunately, you do not have to find it. It will find you.
Heavy snow (quite unusual this late in the year) blankets the forest white. Three great shapes lumber through the swirling flakes, weaving through the trees with surprising agility. Faint lights can be seen in the distance, the sign of their target, a small lumber camp-slash-hamlet. Then, too fast for the beasts to react, a bolt of light arcs out of the snow, striking one of the Klrntvs dead centre, piercing through its flesh(?), then exploding against a tree behind it. The creature's shape fluctuates wildly, though whatever the shape may be, it always has a massive hole in the middle. With one final eldritch cry, the beast collapses to the ground. Its fellows bellow in anger, and start flailing wildly with their tentacles, uprooting trees and throwing them into the blizzard.
A voice rings out through the snow, pure and beautiful. The sound seems to come from all around, and the Klrntvs have no idea in which direction to attack. More bolts of light arc out, seeming to come from a different direction every time. One strikes another of the beasts, creating a massive explosion. It too falls to the ground, slain. The third and final creature seems to have gotten its bearings, and charges towards its attacker. It comes across a woman, wearing a white robe, floating several feet of the ground. Her white hair shimmers like pearl, and when the light is just right, sharp, crystalline wings can be seen extending from her back. The Klrntv swipes a tentacle at her- she dodges it easily. She retaliates, jabbing her spear towards it, another bolt of light shooting forth.
The creature tries to dodge, but the bolt seems to anticipate its movements, changing course in mid air to strike it. It staggers backwards, purple ichor flowing freely onto the forest floor.
You arrive just in time to see the woman disappear into the blizzard once more. Frustrated, you throw a bolt of darkness in her direction, but it only grazes her. You look to your minion- lying in a massive pool of bubbling purple slime, it is a sorry sight. Naturally you
-Heal its injuries, restoring it to strength.
-Leave it to die. Such is the fate of the weak. You have an angel to chase.
-Eat it. Omnomnom.
You send several spectres off into the blizzard, in an attempt to track her. They soon return empty handed; she has eluded them once more. One reports catching a glimpse of her, but when it chased after it, it turned out to be an illusion.
You track down your other slain minions. It turns out they are not quite as dead as it may seem. The slightest spark of life still burns within their bodies, displaying a remarkable resilience. These you
-Treat the same as the other.
-Decide deserve a different fate.
Now then. Your adversary is growing more bold- perhaps deservedly so, given the ease with which she dispatched- albeit not completely killed- your Klrntvs. Several courses of action seem viable here. You eventually decide to
-Lure her into a trap- her overconfidence will be her downfall.
-Continue staking out the northwest, whilst spreading orders to be wary of heavy snowfall.
-Take all your armed forces and sweep through the northwest, tracking down the angel's lair by brute force.
Hmm. Angular angels
* all up in your business. Better do something, eh?
Name: Nokluvgn
Age: 11.75 months
Physical might: 71 (+1 p/w: province-wide suffering) (-3: leakage)
Mental might: 76 (+1 p/w: province-wide suffering)(+1 p/w: Worship) (-3: leakage)
Followers: lots (see Cults)
Slaves: 18 (Under cult control)
Servants: lots (4 Brutewolves, 3 Smokewraiths, 30 spectres, 4 giant-rat-packs, 40 corrupted ravens, 30 black imps, 24 ultraviolet imps, 6 fungal druids, 0-3 Klrntvs)(Others under cult control)
With Malkus:(10 smokewraiths, 26 spectres, 20 zombies, 8 Wights)
Cults:
The New Way: Medium organization. 440 members (289 cultists, 13 Acolytes, 50 Nails (armed), 1 Finger (heavily armed), 56 mercs&soldiers (armed), 3 Lesser Wordbearers, 2 Wordbearers, 2 magically trained Wordbearers, 2 trained Wordbearers (armed), 9 knights (heavily armed), 7 mining engineers, 1 Mayor (lesser Wordbearer), 1 Duke)
Slaves: 18 (4 priests, 1 high priest, 7 guards (armed), 6 captives)
Servants: 48 zombies, 24 skeletons, 4 Hollow Remnants.
Power level: 31 (20 used)
Of which: 4 spent recruiting, 4 spent constructing underground temple in Nuulyd (100/100), 4 spent harvesting from the fungal forest, 8 spent training new Nails (20/30)
Secrecy estimate: Fine
Resources: 1130 (+20 p/week: Duke's income)(+5 p/w: Copper mines)(-18: constructing underground temple in Nuulyd)(-20: constructing walls at the mines)(+12: fungal forest)(-4: Kate's recruitment)(-2: Mischa's studies)
Locations: Nuulyd: Merchant & town council & jail connections. Mayor converted.
Castle Brylib: Court connections+.
Oegorda: Nokluvgn may have been detected here. No wizards to be found.
Fözdoch Province (misc): No special features.
Other: More effort is directed towards training the nails, and recruitment efforts turn to the knights in the Duke's service. The knights, having dwelt in the Duke's corrupted court for so long, prove eager converts.
The Arms of He Who Beckons: Medium Organisation. 82 members (56 soldiers, 26 senior soldiers)
Power level: 8 (5 used)
Of which: 3 spent on extra training to stand out, 2 spent recruiting.
Resources: 0
Locations: Barracks near the capital.
Other: Rumour has it that war may not be as imminent as once thought, and that some soldiers may be dismissed unless tensions flare up again.
The Cult of the Wolf: Low organisation. 23 members (8 cultists, 14 cultists (armed), 1 Wolfmaster(armed))
Servants: 20 wolves, 6 brutewolves
Power level: 5 (4 used)
Of which: 1 spent worshipping Nokluvgn, 1 spent worshipping Mkilzk, 2 spent recruiting.
Resources: 40
Locations: Ura Eastern Mountains (forests)
Other: Upon leaving the Tokzoku Empire behind, the forests seem to get much thicker, more primal. The cultists start looking for denizens to convert, be they wolf or man. They soon come across a tribe, who, impressed by their command of wolves (and their sleigh full of treasure), welcome them to join them at their fire. Upon the cultists explaining that these powers may be available to others, several tribe members sign up to join the cult, ambitious folk, who are not at all dissuaded upon learning the cult's true nature.
Champions:
Mischa Alwiz: The Duke's 'loyal' companion, now corrupted by the allure of evil.
Physical Might: 2 (+1: the Vessel)
Mental Might: 15 (+5: the Vessel, +1: Burnt Silver Medallion)
Knowledge: Magic, competent Necromancy.
Possessions: Grey imp (knowledge of human & demonic magic, disguised as a crow), the Vessel (An urn containing 100 souls and a chunk of Nokluvgn's essence; +1 physical and +5 mental, enhances spell-casting stamina. Large and unwieldy, requires knowledge of Necromancy to use), Necromancy study book (enables further Necromancy progress), Burnt Silver Medallion (+1 Mental, attracts Evil and repels Good)
Other: Mischa continues to study.
Malkus Rom, the Black King: The captain of the mercenaries in the Duke's employ, he proved an especially eager convert, requiring only the most minor of rewards before pledging his loyalty to you. He now serves as the Black King of the East, ruling from the ruins of Seiyojin over an undead empire.
Physical Might: 10 (+2: Devil-horse, +2: Blade of Eternal Ash, -1: Black Staff)(-1: injured)
Mental Might: 4 (+1: Burnt Silver Medallion, +1: Blade of Eternal Ash, -1: Black Staff)
Knowledge: Competent Tactics.
Possessions: Devil-horse (A huge black horse with demonic strength and intellect; +2 physical strength, greatly increased mobility), Blade of Eternal Ash (+2 Physical, captures souls of its victims (increases Mental by 1)), Burnt Silver Medallion (+1 Mental, attracts Evil and repels Good), Black Staff (-1 Mental and Physical. Enables raising zombies (max 20 p/week), basic magic attacks, and minor mind control)
Other: In response to your orders starts to head west.
"Kate": A female Wordbearer, trained in combat and magic and provided with arms and armour, now the vessel for your demonic offspring.
Physical Might: 6
Mental Might: 6 (+1: Burnt Silver Medallion)
Knowledge: Adequate Mesmerism, basic Magic, novice dream-explorer
Possessions: Burnt Silver Medallion (+1 Mental, attracts Evil and repels Good)
Other: 5.25/8(?) months pregnant. Continues to hone her newfound ability to invade dreams.
Mkilzk: The child of Nokluvgn and a female brutewolf. Triplets. They have wings, bladed tails, and horns. Her fur ripples like smoke, yet is solid. They only has one soul.
Physical Might: 12
Mental Might: 6 (+1: Worship, +1: Burnt Silver Medallion)
Knowledge: Speaks demontongue. Capable of (limited) transformation. Smoke manipulation. Mastery over the undead.
Possessions: Burnt Silver Medallion (+1 Mental, attracts Evil and repels Good)
Other: 2.25 months old. Growing less quickly.
Fortresses:
Fellshore: Was a small fishing village nestled between a small lake and a forest (with mountains not so far in the distance), it has now been razed. It is undermined with many tunnels and chambers forming a twisted maze, lit with smoky torches, where the shadows form strange shapes in the corner of your eyes.
Smallish labyrinth (10 defence, increases secrecy)(upgrade to Medium Labyrinth halted: 76/200)
Hidden altar: A suitable place to sacrifice to you and praise your dark name.
Copper Mine: A recently reopened mine. Converted engineers and Black Imps oversee the work of the prison labour.
Copper Veins: Generates income (5 resources p/w) if fully staffed (requires 100 workers and 10 overseers)(currently at 100 workers and 12 overseers, generating 5 r p/w)
Crude Walls (under construction 20/100)
Small chapel: A corrupt shrine where the prisoners are forced to listen to twisted sermons. Not that they pay a lot of attention.
Author
Topic: Demonhood 2 -Number of giant minions lost: between 0 and 3- (Read 143288 times)