Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Weirdsound]

"Not quite sure... but I feel as if I can call it. Not sure if I want too. Perhaps after I earn it's trust with a few more meals..."

Cicatrix turns to her zombies. "I think I'm going to need better minions soon. We should go out to the forest and look for embalming supplies. I'm sure you can do some hunting while you are there... Speaking of usable minion bits, I sense that somebody has brought more corpses into the castle. If you want to go with me, meet me just outside the castle by the forest in a bit."

With that Cicatrix heads back to the castle to seek out Veranus.

---

The sorceress approaches the Amazon with one of her best disarming smiles. "You are quite the hunter, aren't you dearie?"

[The Fool]

Ba decides to wait by the castle's forest entrance, but he still feels uneasy about the creature he saw even if it did kill merchants. He was however glad that the merchants put up a fight, and wanted to get back into battle sooner rather than later.

[Lillipad]

Just a word of advice Weird, the only corpses with Dwarmin are basically the equivalent of a few large rabbits. None of the liger was brought back.

[Weirdsound]

(Anything is better than nothing. And if She Mentions it ICly I can track down some of the Liger Bits strewn throughout the forest while I am out. We are all real good at using the OOC thread, huh?)

[micelus]

With little else to do, Forrel decided to make himself a proper weapon. He headed out to the forest and looked for  good sharp rocks and and a flexible and tough branch. With the aid of spirits, create a spear with points on either end. After that, head back to the caravan and leave with the merchants.

[Weirdsound]

Oh. Action:

Head out into the woods. If Veranus mentions the Liger wander around and gather the larger bits using corpse detection. If she dosn't mention the Liger allow Ba to set the course and hunt wherever he wants. Support Ba in any combat with flesh Golems and magic while staying a good distance away from the action.

While traveling talk to the plants I pass and gather plant matter that can be eaten, brewed into alcohol, or used to preserve corpses. If we gather more than the party can carry use nature magic to weave backpacks out of vines and grass for Ba and the Golems.

[Dwarmin]

The sorceress approaches the Amazon with one of her best disarming smiles. "You are quite the hunter, aren't you dearie?"

Veranus resisted the urge to curse. Am I a corpse carrier now?

"Don't mock me. This is a pathetic catch, hardly worth my time or effort.

Anyway, there's more out in the forest, but...I can't exactly remember what happened. I suppose you can put lots of small parts back together, right? We need the meat. You can keep the rest."

Veranus thought back. Traditionally, only the Queen of the Tribe had powers like that...she guessed, if the powers were manifesting in her, she had inherited the title.

No wonder Hyperion had wanted her alive.

Action: Lead the necromancer out to the Liger chunks, and bring the meat back to the fort.

While walking...
Veranus didn't like how silent the Necromancer could be when not trying to deceive you. She spoke up.

"So, we've never discussed what you want here, Necromancer. Is it merely the joy of your art that compels you?

My people rarely used Necromancy, usually to bring back our slain leaders if they chose to do so willingly, for a short time, and only until they could designate their successors. But this-you almost seem to be friends with these creatures. Do you prefer the company of the dead? After all, they will never betray you-never disagree with you. They must make the perfect friends, right?"

Veranus couldn't keep the sarcastic edge from creeping into her voice.

[The Fool]

((If my character is hunting I'll change my action. I can't believe I missed that.))

Rather than wait Ba decides to head into the woods to see if he can stalk a larger prey rather than hunt with the shambling dead. If even one of those idiots went hunting we'd starve from the amount of noise they'd make. Besides Ba likes to deer stalk and then rush the animal when it is close.

[Weirdsound]

Cicatrix feels her way through the forest, relying on her corpse detection as much as the Amazon's guidance.

"Necromancy is both an art that is rewarding in itself, and a means of making and preserving loyal friends as you suggest. But those are all secondary reasons as to why I practice that particular school of magic. You call me Necromancer... not nature mage or even dark practitioner. I practice those magics as well, and am more or less just as competent in those schools. The title of Necromancer, in my experience, is almost as powerful as the magic itself."

Greywood smiles widely. "I can tell you are uncomfortable around me. I can also tell you are powerful enough to destroy me and my minions easily if the urge overtook you. If you are uncomfortable now even with such an advantage... imagine how somebody who wants to harm me, or knows I want to harm them, would feel. Bear in mind that the fact you can put said discomfort behind you and travel through the woods with me for the good of the group means you are more courageous and noble than most mortals I have ever met."

"As for what I want here... I am a being driven by ambition. In the past I rose to great and terrible heights: I became... and I guess to an extent I still am nothing more than a monster. Eventually they threw me into prison. For twenty decades I rotted in a cell. I lost my vision from the regular beatings, and a good chunk of my powers from disuse. Ironically it was Hyperion who got me out of that mess. His troops sprung me from that Deep Elf fortress and dragged me of to meet that beast himself. I came to the conclusion that he would either have me executed or enslaved, so I outwitted the Titans and escaped into the caves where I met you lot."

Cicatrix pauses briefly to talk to a few plants. "Bah... just mildly poisonous berries. We don't need those. Anyways... I'm sure most people in this group have deeply personal reasons to hate Hyperion. I know the current philopshy is flight, not fight. But I have seen the tallent and hatred here. One day we will challenge him, and we will have as good of a shot at winning as anybody. On that day, I will be by your side taking part in the fight as right now there is nothing greater for a being of ambition such as myself to aspire towards than the bloody end of the Titan Lord."

[Dwarmin]

"Naming you necromancer is the most polite thing I can call you, as I'm sure you know."

Veranus put a hand in front to stop Cicatrix for a moment. "Snake burrow. You'd not like to put your foot in there."

After a few moments, she listened to the Necromancer, and knelt checking the ground, before speaking again.

"200 years in a cell? I suppose they viewed it as more merciful than merely executing you, but I cannot see how. I hate the caging of any animal, even ones such as you and I."

Veranus gripped her spear a little tighter as they walked and talke-had she heard something in the shrubs? Maybe. She spoke again.

"Yes...uncomfortable is not nearly a strong enough word. Every warrior wishes a clean death, but if one falls to necromancer they must be denied rest to serve them as punishment. It is a great power and responsibility for one to wield. As long as you do not misuse your powers, I would not raise my hand against you.

For good or ill, we are now part of the same family until death or betrayal cuts us apart once again."

Veranus smiled grimly. If this Necromancer was to serve as replacement for her beloved sister, then the Gods truly had sense of grim humor.

"Tell me, Necromancer. Was there anything-or anyone-in this world you ever truly loved? Something you valued so much, that you could not bear for it to be taken away from you. Somehow, I cannot imagine you ever allowing yourself to be so vulnerable-like a normal being-but, I would be glad to admit I'm wrong."

[Weirdsound]

"I said 20 decades, not 20 years. That kind of time in confinement... can dull memories. I had some children and creations that I was quite close with." Cicatrix pauses for a minute to check out the roots of some plants. "I cried almost non stop for the first several weeks I was locked away. I can't remember if it was because I lost power, freedom, or them. It is all kind of blurry, so in all honesty I cannot answer that question."

[Dwarmin]

((oops, forgot a zero ))

"Fair enough, Necromancer. I would not wish to dredge memories your past misery into the open."

Veranus didn't know if the creature even had a heart, and if it did, she doubted it would ever show it to her. She had a miserable thought that maybe the Necromancer didn't even know what was lies and what was truth anymore...

"I suppose I owe you an answer of my own now. What would you know of me?"

[Weirdsound]

"I would like to know what skills you bring to our little group." Cicatrix rubs one of her pointed ears. "We elves are creatures of curiosity and intelect, and I've yet to meet one who is entirely comfortable devoting his or her entire development to combat training. Are you the first? Or do you have any skills in crafting or casting?"

She pauses again to check out a bush, only to curse upon discovering more of the same mildly poisonous berries. "I'll leave your past alone. Judgeing from your manerisms and warriors pride I can only assume your upbringing was... erm... is savage still the correct way to refer to your lot? Anyways, without castles or walls to hide behind I'm sure an army like Hyperion's had its way with your people. If you don't want to force painful memories out of me however, I'll do you the same kindness and not pry."

[Dwarmin]

"Well, other than my combat skills-which cover indirect methods of ambush and concealment-I have little in the way of crafting knowledge. I do know how to strip a carcass and salt the meat, but anyone can do that.

For magic, I was taught the of the schools of Illusion and Nature-common enough to warriors of my tribe. My studies in the elemental arts of Fire and Rock are less developed, but I have learned the basics."


Veranus followed the flight of a group of crows in the distance. What could have disturbed them?

"Back in my tribe, I was a Pack Leader-a commander of a group of hunters in war and game. I know how to command and how to train, especially those weak of heart and sinew...I was also...

There are many orphans here, you know. They need more than food and water to live. They need hope.

...As for my personal past, it's nothing you need bother yourself with. I was fortunate. Then, I lost everything, like everyone else. Hyperion will pay. It's as simple as that."

Veranus thought for a moment.

"As for the battle that brought me here...my people never hid behind walls-it would only have delayed our fate. No, we fought Hyperions forces for every inch of ground, striking from concealment when we could, then retreating-the jungle itself took a toll on the invaders as well. We had broken other armies the same way.

But Hyperion didn't care about his casualties-so they kept coming, until we had to stand and fight before our homes. It was a lost cause from the start, though we slowed his advance enough to warrant at least three elemental generals being dispatched. My Queen has destroyed two of them before falling, and that is a feat worthy of legend."

[Weirdsound]

"I find that wording incredible. 'it would only have delayed our fate'... Most mortals spend their entire lives delaying the inevitable... Especially us elves, who can live damn near forever if mortality isn't thrust upon us."

Cicatrix laughed. "As for your leadership skills, I would love to see how they stack up with my own... I was assuming I'd end up with the responsibility of keeping this ragtag group from killing itself... and in combat, if you have even half my ability to lead my the gods have mercy on the souls of our foes." (Lol, we both have leadership level 5)

The high elf suddenly trips over a large tree root and plants her face in the soft forest floor. "Of course... I should probably avoid getting too close to a serious fight while I remain blind. I couldn't handle a weapon for the life of me back when I could see."