mavj96 - Sure thing, we've only got free females at the moment though, so you'll need to wait for a migrant wave.
10th Granite 679 - Dawn"I really don't think it's wise to tell everyone, Ibruk," Nathaniel said slowly.
The Dwarf opposite him raised a bushy eyebrow. "Why ever not, Brother Nathaniel? The gods have seen fit to return one of us to help in the eventual Cleansing and breaking of a new dawn on the world. We would be remiss to not declare this so all can see the miracles that the gods have wrought."
"Well, it's just, if you tell everyone they're likely to think he's an undead monstrosity and demand his death."
"Our community hosts a spirit trapped in someone else's body, a troll, a Bogeyman and other valiant Pilgrims drawn from all sorts of places, I do not think we shall have trouble fitting a man resurrected by the gods in. The will of the gods is - after all - immutable. I doubt they would have sent him back to be torn apart by a mob on his return."
"I wouldn't be so sure. He's-"
Xenir interrupted at this point. "OK, enough already, I'm standing right here, you don't need to discuss me like some stray cat you brought home. What exactly do you propose then? Hiding me away until everyone's OK with it?"
"Well-"
"No way. I've already spent too long in here, I don't want to now have to hide more. Just tell them I pulled a Neo, only I decided to return to my body and not squat someone else's."
Nathaniel hesitated long enough for Ibruk to have the final word. "Well, I think that's decided then. Come, Brother Kadzar, let us finish our work." And with that the Dwarf inclined his head to the two Humans before him and moved off.
Kadzar hung around for a few seconds, and turned to Nathaniel. "What
were you doing down here, Nathaniel, if I may ask?" His tone was not accusatory, more curious.
The necromancer took a few seconds to answer. "I was just down here to pray for the dead, when I heard Xenir and came to see, much the same as you and Ibruk," he finally replied. The priest looked satisfied, and bidding them goodbye moved off after Ibruk.
Nathaniel stood silently for a few seconds while Xenir hauled himself out of his coffin and stretched, sore from being trapped in there for the past hour or so. Then finally the necromancer turned the swordsman, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "Tonight, if possible, please meet my at my quarters, just besides the Human temple, I need to talk to you about your condition. As long as they just think you're fully resurrected as opposed to undead you should be fine though."
Hopefully, he added silently, having little faith in the populace's understanding or tolerance of any magic that touched the dead.
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DuskNathaniel had not been listened to, and Ibruk had quickly announced Xenir's return during breakfast. Xenir had been welcomed back with a mixture of joy - especially amongst his former militia comrades - and apprehension: many did not feel the idea of the dead rising to be 'divine miracles', much less want them in their community. But cooler heads prevailed once again as Xenir was allowed back in, even if many kept their reservations and suspicions.
It was as night - or what passed for it in the underground - was falling that the resurrected Human stole his way to Nathaniel's little house by the Human church. A quick knock on the door and he was let in. He was greeted by the sight of a small library with paper strewn across the place. Nathaniel had clearly managed to procure a good deal of pig-tail paper that was slowly being made in greater batches by the farms as Derm, Stronghammer, and the community as a whole began to use it more.
Xenir leant on the wall, arms crossed as he watched the other man pick up a few papers of some strange arcane writing scrawled with notes in the margin. "So, what exactly did you want to say?" he asked.
Nathaniel replaced a few scrolls into alcoves in the little library before turning to the swordsman. "About your condition. I want to make sure you understand completely, and just to make it clear: what I say should probably stay between us for your own benefit." Xenir nodded and Nathaniel continued. "The simple fact is that you're undead; whether you appear so, whether you feel it or not, your body died and now is back, ergo, undead."
"Right, you said that before."
"Right. But the point I want to stress here is that this has only happened a few times in recorded history. Very few times. What causes it - whether gods or other - is unknown. It's not traditional necromancy or the more powerful version possible by using the Sixth Mystery - uh that's a set of rites that can be used to-"
"Nathaniel was it? You're babbling again. I'm not here to learn the history of magic and your cult or whatever."
"Right sorry, I just didn't want to confuse you. The point I'm making is that while the recorded cases have the body being almost completely rejuvenated, it's still possible that typical signs of undead could occur, rotting flesh and the like. So what I'm saying is keep a watchful eye on yourself and if something goes wrong come to me. The moment you start showing symptoms like a typical zombie or risen skeleton you're likely to find yourself on the end of a mob."
"OK. Have to say, you're pretty open about all this undead stuff."
"Oh, uh, well I'm not one for knee-jerk reactions."
"OK, well if that's all, then I'll be going, thanks." Nathaniel nodded, and Xenir, giving a small nod back, left the small library and off into the night.
Granite 679As the election continued and both sides campaigned battle lines were soon drawn. Stronghammer's new plans soon became clear as he ordered the carving out of a tavern opposite the dining area. The plans so far were to make it large enough to accommodate several dozen people, with windows fitted to command a view over the lake, and with a storage area to make sure that drinks were kept nearby rather than trudging down to the storage below. It wasn't yet clear who exactly would run or work in it, but most people overlooked this in their pleasure of having such a fixture of pre-Nothing life return. Battle-lines in the election were becoming clear as the conservatives Elves and Dwarves, and even several Humans rallied around Brosso, while Stronghammer remained popular with the more moderate sections of the community, and especially among most of the Goblins - at least, those that accepted to 'debase' themselves enough to actually vote.
Outside of the elections a tragedy had struck when Reg Medtobiger, one of Meinhard's Jagers who had been accompanying a mining expedition was dragged off by a giant cave spider. Forced to fend for himself until the rest of the group found him, he nonetheless managed to kill the beast, but fell unconscious moments later, severely wounded. He was rushed to hospital, but despite Reg's best efforts eventually suffocated from his wounds, leaving the Jagers with only two members, Meinhard included.
OK, the election'll be brought to a close in the next update in the next few days, so vote
early and vote often now if you haven't and want to.
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Topic: [Community] Nomekast - At War with Nothing (Read 180207 times)