We should hold back the excursion to the forest until tomorrow, and continue discussing with Eko after he is done with Bale. In the meantime, we should investigate the origins and history of the knights.
I think we shouldn't reveal that we are elves. Maybe only tell Bale or not even him. People (and soldiers especially) talk. If rumors start to spread about two elves wandering human lands far from the main roads and capital (somewhere elven representatives would be expected to go first) how long do you think it will be before the other necromancer puts two and two together and follows those rumors to us? Or even worse, what happens if the elves have already sent representatives and we get revealed as impostors? Or maybe they have told the humans about us. Or maybe the elves will hear about this and try to follow us. So lots of things that can go wrong. It's not like we have to tell them we're elves to gain the info we want.
And I think we should try to eavesdrop on the meeting. Shouldn't be too hard since I predict a fair amount of yelling.
Bale and friends:
What's going on around the world? What's the latest gossip? I bet the humans will be just as interested in that so that should be easy. Probably shouldn't ask Bale this, he's an important guy who probably doesn't want to waste time with gossip.
Have the humans requested help from the elves and the dwarves?
Is the human king preparing for war or at least for the defense of the capital?
Where are the necromancers? Any indication for their plans?
What are they doing?Has the necromancer changed focus? Fale knows we're elves, so Nightroar might have been ordered to advance west instead of east. That might explain the recent ward bypasses. If the zombies were controlled by Nightroar himself (or one of his lackeys if he has any) they could have been ordered to go through the wards.Info about their methods. Again, it seems like a lot of humans think they're awesome, so we can play the awestruck traveler (or teen. Elves look young, right?) that wants to learn more and be like them one day.
How do they fight zombies and necromancers?
Can they detect zombies and necromancers?
What's going to happen to poor Eko? He gave us poor travelers some shelter and he seems like a nice guy so we're kind of concerned for him.
Eko:
Anything he knows about the forest creature and the curse:What mages have examined the curse and what have they said about it? Does he know any details about the soul and what it is?
We've read in our magic book that Fire mages can cast spells that affect the soul. Have they been consulted? Does he have any specifics about what that soul affecting fire magic might be or do?
Ask if a soul can be destroyed or lost.
Say that we've heard stories about ghosts and spirits. Are those things real? Are they disembodied souls?
We've heard from a life mage friend that those things were made from pure vitality. Is such thing possible?
Has anyone ever seen the creature in the forest? Has anybody ever tried to fight it?
Has he ever tried to search the forest for zombies with his divinations?
Anything other he lied to us about. He lied about the zombie, he might have hidden other stuff from us. Tell him we need to know everything if we're going to be of assistance.Anything he learnt from the zombie. Could he learn anything or did his divinations completely fail him?
This is more of a "prepare his mind just in case we are forced to reveal we're a necromancer"/"gauge how he would possibly treat us if he knew who we really were" kind of question. He said he talked about philosophy with his friend, so why not talk a bit about philosophy/ethics/what's right or wrong with him. He said that he didn't follow procedure. Does he believe that the higher ups are wrong and that Order may not be the only way to learn about or fight the enemy? Does he have doubts about his role as a priest? Does he believe there's more he could do if he wasn't restricted by the rules of the priests? Would he be willing to cooperate with people from any magical faith if it was going to give him victory and the ability to help the other humans? Generally some probing questions.This stuff seems safe, as long as we make sure not to say anything that sounds like necromancer-sympathy.
About the gods. Order has multiple gods. Does he know anything about gods from other magical schools like water and earth? If other schools have gods what about life, our civilization's proffered school? (Elves do not have gods as far as I remember. They have spirits or something like that I think.) What about death? (The death question is asked in the end so that it doesn't arouse suspicion but merely sounds like a logical conclusion to a talk about gods of other magical schools.)
As an extension to the above question, we could ask whether or not gods actively participate in the events of the world and perform miracles and if yes, whether or not a death god could be weakening order magic and causing their wards to fail.Can he tell us more about Order gods? They seem like something any human of the empire would know about, so we should at least know the names and what they are gods of (war, peace, law, etc.).
Life magic has three schools. Does order also has three schools? What are they? (I suspect something like divination/warding/??) Does he know about any of the schools of the other faiths? Does he know if necromancy also has three schools? He almost certainly wouldn't know, and there is little need for us to know unless we're a necromancer.
Details about how the great necromancer war ended. How was Balkoth vanquished? Did he have a weakness or was it just a matter of luck and cooperation?
That's all I can think of right now. Any suggestions or objections?
That's everything I can think of.
You dither at the base of the Temple steps, debating whether to go inside. On the one hand, Bale Matchedstones certainly possesses knowledge that could be useful to you, and you're interested in the techniques of Necromancer-Hunters. On the other hand, he
is a hunter of Necromancers, and you are a Necromancer yourself. There is undeniably an element of risk involved with associating with the Knight. Besides, he doesn't seem like a very friendly individual; hopefully Eko will tell you everything you need to know.
Moving down the street a ways, you spend some time watching the soldiers make camp. The tents are arrayed in neat rows, and it seems each tent holds three or four soldiers; it is hard to get good count, as they scurry around the village green like overambitious ants. Each tent is quickly accompanied by a small campfire, as well as a standing circle of steel-tipped lances and swords in oiled scabbards, close at hand in case of sudden attack. As soon as fires are lit, the soldiers begin fetching water and pulling rations out of their packs, preparing an evening meal. More than one village goodwife wanders over with baskets of bread or vegetables, which the soldiers receive with fervent thanks.
You watch with interest as several soldiers erect a much larger tent in the middle of the formation. You would have thought Bale would stay in the Temple, or some house with a free bed, but it appears he means to bed down with his men. No sooner are the banners transferred to a tall pole just outside that tent than Bale himself emerges from the Temple, striding into his tent with no acknowledgement of either the goodwives or his soldiers, though both groups give respectful nods and salutes.
Stepping quickly, you return to the Temple. The children lie as you last saw them, unmoved in their cots. The other cots have been dragged around Ado Drunkenstumbles, and a small gaggle of men, women, and children surround him, talking animatedly. It appears they are friends or family come to visit the dour man. Ado very nearly smiles at the youngest child as she tugs on her mother's skirt. You quietly slip past the reunion, and find Eko vigorously stirring a pot in the kitchen. He looks up as you enter, a glower fading from his face.
"Ah, there you are. Ado's kin brought some chicken stew." Rummaging through one of the cabinets, Eko pulls out some bowls and spoons and begins filling them.
"It's quite good, much better than what we ate yesterday. Dana is an excellent cook." You thank Eko as you accept one of the bowls and a piece of bread, sitting at the table to eat.
"So, what's the news? How goes the war?" "Did you get fired?" Omo asks bluntly, sitting down on the other side of the table with his own bowl.
Eko snorts as he settles into the armchair by the fire, resting a bowl of stew on his knee.
"It is not Bale's place to relieve me of my duties as priest, but his presence does mean he takes precedence in all matters related to the undead attacks. His men will help fortify the village defenses tonight, and tomorrow he will begin scouting for any undead forces in the area. As far as the war effort goes, little has happened. The Necromancer has not been sighted on either the Eastern or Western fronts, though sporadic attacks continue to emerge from the lands he controls. We're prepared now, and the raids don't accomplish much. He's just throwing away bodies." "How do you know what's going on on the other side of his army?" Omo asks around a mouthful of stew. He's already halfway through the bowl!
"Communication between Wizards is a simple matter. The Emperor's will is known throughout Thrimesdur as soon as he makes it known; it could hardly be otherwise." "And what is the Emperor's will?" You ask quietly.
"Are there any plans to attack Curo Nightroar? What about the Necromancer on the Jeweled Coast? Has the Empire asked for aid from the elves, or the dwarves?" Eko shakes his head.
"Things like that are not for a common country priest to know. I expect that campaigning will begin in earnest now that spring is well and truly here, and armies have had a chance to marshal. Supposedly there's quite a large army at Atkilpeme, the capital. The dwarves are nearly as reclusive as the elves, but with a threat of this magnitude I wouldn't be surprised if the diplomats have been working on some sort of agreement. I don't know that, I'm just guessing. I expect you could tell me more of the elves than I know." He says, giving you a meaningful glance.
"When we left Yicelafo they were preparing for a defensive war, in case you lot were defeated." Omo replies, idly scraping his bread through a mostly empty bowl.
"It sounded like we were going to send an envoy of some kind, but I don't know what they were supposed to say, or offer." Omo perks up happily as Eko serves him another ladleful of the hearty stew; it really is quite good.
"Eko," You ask slowly,
"I've been thinking. Exactly what magical faiths have examined the victims of Aloclesno?" Eko runs a hand through his thinning hair.
"Well, Order Wizards were the first, obviously, but all they could do was identify the root problem. Not long after the Golgothan War there was another child who wandered into the forest, and was recovered comatose. He was taken to the Elves in Yicelafo; they could do nothing more for him, I'm afraid, and his body lived on for years. It was after that incident that the policy of allowing the victims to die after a month was enacted." You wave your spoon at Eko.
"That's one of the things I was wondering; I distinctly recall one of the Sages saying that any undead creature made during the Golgothan War couldn't possibly last this long."Eko shrugs.
"This did happen only a few years after the Golgothan War, before the magnitude of the curse was well known. Perhaps they did not check up on the state of the curse. I will also say that the nature of the curse is still something of a mystery, and was even more unknown back then. The idea that the curse is some kind of Necromantic creature is still somewhat controversial, as no reliable witness has ever encountered it." "No reliable witness?" "Yes. There are more than a few accounts from frightened soldiers in Girus's army, but none of them agree other than mention of a zombie's fiery purple eyes, an easy fabrication for any soldier with experience fighting the undead. There are also many accounts by simple villagers and farmers that mention the eyes, a detail they are less likely to invent; however, there are also many more accounts that describe red or yellow eyes instead, and the size of the creature ranges from a large wolf to a cave bear. No priests, Wizards, officers or public officials of any kind have reported anything that would indicate a physical creature. Did you see anything while you were in the forest?" You slowly take a bite of stew, pondering your reply.
"Nothing definite, no. I got the sense there was a creature there, but I didn't see it clearly." "Interesting." Eko cleans his bowl with his bread, sighing happily.
"I've always favored the Monster theory, myself. The accounts that mention purple eyes all match one another reasonably closely. The other stories are no doubt fakes or exaggerations." "You mentioned possessing spells that can detect the undead at a distance. Has anyone ever tried scrying on the forest?" You ask.
Eko nods.
"Yes, several times. Nothing has ever been found, though at one time or another the entire forest has been subject to divinations. It's the biggest knock against that theory. There have been discussions about attempting to scry on the entire forest at once, to finally settle the question, but it would take a great number of Wizards to accomplish, and many of them would need to be of higher ability than your average priest. Nobody considers it worth the effort, as simple precautions have proven effective." "What about ghosts, or wraiths, or something like that? Those stories sound like they could be disembodied souls, to me. Could they be the monster of Aloclesno?" Eko sets his bowl aside, frowning in thought.
"It's an interesting idea. There's a wide variety of phantasms like that. Some of them are loose souls bent to an evil purpose, as you guessed, but many of them are just ethereal creatures. Most of those stories involve the spirit looking for a body to possess; I've never heard a story about a ghost destroying a soul but leaving the body intact and unharmed. They either destroy you, or they don't. This peculiar half-death is unique to Aloclesno." "Is it something that Balkoth could have made?" You ask eagerly, moving to set your bowl on a cluttered countertop.
"I don't know." Eko replies slowly.
"I believe so. I have not made an extensive study of the Golgothan War, but I think I read something about shades fighting for the Golgothans on the Eastern Front. From what I recall, they had no soul-stealing capabilities, but they were quite effective weapons until they were repulsed by the Wizards. It's difficult to know what Balkoth was capable of; he was the most accomplished Necromancer in the world, at the height of Golgotha's power." "How was Balkoth defeated, anyway?" You ask as you pull your chair closer to the fire.
Eko grins wryly.
"What, you don't know the story? I thought every elf would know." "She should know, if she had paid attention as a child." Omo offers, making a dogged attempt to clean his second bowl of stew.
"They told the story often enough." "Well, the short version is that a group of fearsome warriors set out to kill Balkoth himself. They were a symbol of the unity of the Alliance, and the represented the best each member had to offer. Thrimesdur gave the services of a Knight of Uzin. The Earth Kingdom sent the King's Champion himself, a dwarf skilled in all manner of fighting. The most powerful Water Mystic of the Jeweled Coast lent her arcane spells, and was accompanied by her Lizardman bodyguard. A Pixie Lord from the mountain tribes gave his deadly skill with blade and rapier. One of the last living Life Masters was there as well; some say he was the most powerful left alive after the Sacred Grove was razed. There was even a Chaos Shaman there." "So many?" You say, surprised.
"I had thought it would be a smaller group." Eko shrugs.
"The alliance was large, and for a mission this audacious they turned away no one. I understand the full group didn't even make it to Balkoth himself; they had to sneak their way into territory held tightly by the Golgothans, to the Great Temple of Death itself, then fight their way past fanatical bodyguards before they could personally face the most powerful Necromancer in the world. They won, of course. Sorry, I'm not much of a storyteller." Omo snorts in the corner of the room.
"Why did they have to go to the Golgothan Great Temple?" You ask, confused.
"Why not confront him in battle, while he was campaigning? Why didn't they force the fight someplace hostile to Balkoth, instead of the heart of his power?" Eko grins wryly.
"Eh, I don't recall. I know I have a book on the subject, though I don't remember if a reason is given. It's more of a story and less of a history, I'm afraid." "I see." You lean back in your chair, gazing into the fire.
"I'm sorry, I seem to have strayed quite far from my original question. You called on the Life Mages to try and heal the victims of Aloclesno. Who else? I've read that Fire magic is linked with the soul." Eko nods.
"I have also been taught that, but sadly Fire Invokers are rare, now that the Fire Giants are exterminated. I've heard some dwarves practice that Faith, but they've never examined a victim. Eko leans back, thinking.
By chance an Earth Magician was near a victim about, oh, three hundred and fifty years ago; he agreed to examine the victim, but found nothing. Not surprising; Earth Magicians aren't very good at healing much beyond broken bones. Several Water Mystics have attempted to treat the victims, but also fell short of the task. That leaves what, Air? Not many of that Faith wandering Urak any more." "What about a Chaos Shaman?" You ask curiously.
Eko snorts.
"What about Chaos Shaman? They aren't welcome in Thrimesdur, and even if somebody took a victim to them, and they were willing to help, I doubt they have any special facility in matters of the soul." You nod, sitting silently for a time, trying to think how to broach your next question.
"Eko... did you learn anything? In the basement?" Eko glowers at the fire, fishing his flask from beneath his robes.
"Everything, and nothing. Every spell worked exactly as intended. My wards, my divinations... they worked perfectly. Oh, I couldn't detect its thoughts, but they're not supposed to have any; those spells failed as they should have. But for the rest... I have no idea how that zombie got past the wards." The silence stretches while Eko drinks. You cast around for a change of subject.
"So... Thrimesdur has two gods, then?" Eko looks at you in surprise, tucking away his flask.
"Far more than that. You elves worship only one?" "Not even that many." Omo says, stretching in the corner.
"We venerate the spirit of the Walled Jungle, but I wouldn't call it worship. Just respect for something larger than ourselves." Eko shakes his head.
"You are unlike what I expected. How can you be so ignorant? It has been a thousand years since the Golgothan War ended." "A much shorter time for our people." You say defensively.
"We don't like to travel much. The world is a dangerous place, and we are few." "It does not take very long to visit a library." Eko says curtly. He sighs, raising his hands.
"I meant no offense. Thrimesdur has four chief gods of Order, as well as a multitude of lesser deities and spirits who array themselves in one pantheon or another. Uzin the Umber Spine is the god of Springtime and planting, as well as luck, aggressive war, and righteous retribution. His worship is common among soldiers, and Uzin's Day is celebrated when Winter turns to Spring. Atal would be the principle god as patron of the Emperor, though Atal is not any more or less revered than the other major gods. He is typically associated with civilization and the sun, as well as protection, justice and Summer, and the Festival of Atal will be mark the beginning of Summer. Not that far off, now. Resmi Beachnights is the goddess of the Autumn and the harvest, as well as marriage, secrecy, and the hunt. The Feast of Resmi is celebrated at harvest time across the Empire. Finally, Shezpa the Lens of Scribing is the goddess of crafts and Winter, as well as knowledge, darkness, magic, and honesty. Winternight is celebrated in her honor at the solstice, a day for friends to enjoy what good they have in the heart of winter and a night for quiet contemplation." "And there are even more gods below them? Do all faiths have so many?" You ask.
Eko shifts in his chair, settling into a more comfortable position.
"Yes, yes. I would be awake all night and all day tomorrow trying to familiarize you with all of Thrimesdur's gods. I'm fuzzy on some of the more obscure deities myself. I haven't made a study of foreign religions, but I know that the cities on the Jeweled Coast worship a wide variety of gods from across the world. The Horse-Lords have their own barbaric spirits they pray to, and... well, I don't know much about the Dwarven gods. I have heard of Ral Nourishedblankets the Citadel of Towers, who must be their chief deity, but I know little else." "So many gods in the world, and none for the elves." You say, amused.
"Oh, I'm sure there must be gods and spirits strongly associated with Life." Eko interjects quickly.
"Perhaps they are weak for lack of worship, or perhaps they do not seek out worshippers, but they must be there. Every nation has a shepherd, whether you know them or not." "And your shepherds keep you from learning about your ancient foe. The magic you rely on has failed." You reply solemnly.
"The magic has not failed; the wards held in the basement. The failing must be within me." Eko says stubbornly.
"And the prohibition related to the capture of undead is based in dogma, not the direct word of any god." "And you think this dogma is wrong." You say.
Eko visibly struggles with himself.
"It isn't wrong... there is reason for it. It prevents temptation." "Temptation?" Eko runs a hand through his hair, grimacing.
"To abandon Order. To discard the force that holds the Empire together. To step outside your purpose. Wizards cast spells. Armies send scouts. Both tasks have their place, and both tasks should be carried out by those most qualified to perform them. Stepping out of your role... if I wanted to cast spells and go adventuring, I should have signed up to be a Knight and received the proper training." "And are you tempted to knighthood?" You ask softly.
Eko sighs, remaining silent. You watch the fire burn low together. Omo snores softly in the corner, face down on the table. Well, he starts out snoring softly, but soon begins to emit noises resembling those of some sort of wild beast.
"Wake up, Omo." You say, poking him in the head.
"Hm what?" He asks groggily.
"Why?" "It's time to go to sleep." You say, working out a kink in your back as you stand.
Omo groans.
"I was asleep, you hateful woman." "It's time to go to bed, then. We have a busy day tomorrow." "We do? Doing what?" It's a fair question. You had planned to begin a more thorough investigation of the forest, but you've received a lot of information to ponder. If that is your intention, then you should begin thinking how to spend your day tomorrow; to go straight into the forest, or to try something else on the outskirts first? How do you plan to attack this problem, if you still wish to tackle it?
Vitality- 10/11
Mana- 7/12
XP- 26/35
Inventory- Belt Pouch (
80 Silver Pieces),
Elven Traveler Garb,
Elven Cloak, Headband, Belt Knife,
Hatchet, Leather Backpack(Bedroll, Flint&Steel,
Weak Mana Potion, Scroll Case(4 blank Parchment,
Charcoal),
Trail Rations Fishing Equipment,
Spare Traveling Clothes x2,
Prestidigitation for the Beginning Practitioner by Joddo Meadtrust, Crystal(5oz))
Abilities-
Sense Necromancy(Passive),
Improved Necromantic Sight(Passive)Skills-
Competent Fisher,
Dabbling SwimmerStatus- Pondering
6th Felsite,
Twenty one days since Manifestation
General
Detect Magic- 1 MP - Detects spells and magical items near you
Calm Animal- 1 MP - Causes wild animals to become peaceful
Sense Vitality- 1 MP - You can detect the Vitality of living things, with a bit of effort
Brew Mana Potion- A Mana Potion takes twice the potions potency in Mana cost, and requires 1/2 hour per point in brewing time
Waterproof- 1MP/Hour duration - Makes an object non-absorbent. Does not prevent corrosion (such as from acid or rusting) or magical effects related to water/liquid
Necromancy
Raise Zombie- ? MP - You can take the formerly living body and turn it into a zombie, but you lack understanding or even much knowledge of the particulars. It seems the mana cost is related to the overall quality of the corpse, and maybe the size?
Command Undead- 2 MP - You can merge your awareness with an undead creature, gauging its general condition and issuing explicit orders it will obey to the best of its ability. You can also give orders that will persist beyond the end of the spell.
Steal Vitality- X MP - Range: Line of Sight. You can suck the Vitality out of living things. This spell removes up to 2X Vitality from the target and gives 1/3 of it to you.
Animate Object- 4 MP - You can force Vitality into inanimate objects, things that were never alive to begin with. It seems to be more complicated than Zombification though- your Rock doesn't do anything, which is hardly useful. You'll need to experiment with this more.
Alter Golem- 2 MP- You can make basic alterations to an existing construct or animated object.
Impair Undead- 2MP- Range: 30ft (close enough to see in detail.) You blinded a zombie with this spell.
See Vitality- 1MP- Allows you to see the machinations of Vitality in living things as well as you see the workings of zombies with your Necromantic Sight.
Vitality- 12/13
Mana- 1/3
XP- 29/35
Inventory-
Elven Tunic,
Elven Cloak, Headband, Belt Knife, Torch(lit), Leather Backpack(50' Rope,
Camping Supplies, Waterskin(mostly full), Torch),
Masterwork Elven StaffAbilities-
Track,
SurvivalistSkills-
Novice Observer,
Competent Ambusher,
Competent Staff User,
Poor Liar,
Dabbling SwimmerStatus- Bored as hell. Bandage, left arm
Omo Thunderjaw- Your best friend, brave and true. He is currently an aspiring Ranger, and is eager to leave the Vale.
Eko Cleanvise- The priest of the village of Bedscaled, his wards against the undead have failed him
Bale Matchedstones- The Knight tasked with investigating the crises in Bedscaled.
Curo Nightroar- The Necromancer of Thrimesdur, said to be insane, he controls a massive army of the Undead and threatens the Cremated Empire.
Pirate King- The Necromancer operating along the Jeweled Coast, he commands a mixed force of human and lizardfolk pirates along with his undead minions.
Fale Packunion- A mysterious figure who appeared to you in a dream, attempting to recruit you to the cause of his Death God. May or may not be the Pirate King or some other known figure.
Morka- The aforementioned Death God. You know basically nothing about him/her/it, except his link to the other Necromancers.
-This one's a bit morbid, but bear with me. Take two crayfish. Shell one, leaving the meat inside as intact as possible. Remove the flesh from the second while leaving the shell as intact as possible. Attempt to revive both and compare the results. Is vitality in flesh or in bone? In both? Neither? Regardless of what we find, it should prove instructive.
-Try to find out if zombies have a memory, if they can be made to recognize specific objects. I recomend starting with a ball or something, and instructing a zombie to follow that specific ball wherever it goes. After testing it to make sure it works how we expect, substitute in another ball that has a different colour or a different size, and see if the zombie knows it isn't the right ball to follow. We can move to more abstract things from there, like having if understand things like "any ball" "any non-red ball" "the biggest ball" and stuff like that, or even to sort a pile of pebbles into stacks by colour.
-Attempt to raise a pile of ashes from a cremated corpse.
-Raise an earthworm and then, once it is raised, cut it in half at the border between two segments. Which ends, if any, are still animate? Continue cutting into halves at segment lines until all parts are dead or it has been divided into a prostomium, peristomium, pygidium and a pile of ordinary segments.
-See how much damage a dead body can sustain before it is unraisable
-Also, it seemed interesting that the loop was recognized as the center of life. We should test raising different rope Golems, some who are linear, some who are looped or knotted in different ways. How does the golem react to music, and what if we made one out of clay, with more distinguished features?
- For Animate Object, see if you can make an object levitate, or move to your will. Maybe this could develop into telekinesis..
- we should try pricking our finger, and stealing the vitality of an insect or something, and see if it will heal the cut.
- Another thing we need to play with is fire. Fire golem? HELL YES.
-Play with blood. Maybe that's what the golem needs. Blood. Mix some of your own blood into the clay.
-Like we tried to be the ropeman when we raised our first golem, we can try to be the earth when we make a clay or earthen golem, etc.
- Try to infuse vitality into the crystal to see what it does.
- See what happens if you infuse Mana and Vitality into the same crystal.
1. Imbue a small, uncrushed mana crystal with mana. Cast Detect Magic on it, comparing it to a mana potion.
2. If successful, turn the imbued mana crystal into a golem using 2 vitality. It is important to later experiments that we use exactly 2 vitality. Continue observing with Detect Magic.
3. If successful, attempt to Alter Golem in order to imbue the mana cystal with the ability to cast a cheap spell using the mana stored within it when commanded to. I recommend Detect Magic, since that should be easy to test.
4. If successful, continue to have the crystal cast Detect Magic even after it has run out of mana, in order to see if it can cast the spell using vitality like a mage can. Assuming this works, we will be able to discern the conversion ratio between vitality and mana.
5. If successful and the conversion ratio is > 3 mana per 2 vitality, have a mana crystal that is able to hold at least 3 mana wrapped in thick leather with a single small hole. Firmly attach this leather-covered crystal to a stick that is suitable as a handle
6. Imbue 3 mana into the crystal before turning it into a 1 vitality golem that will cast Steal Vitality as quickly and often as it can on anything that comes within 4 feet of it, draining the vitality into itself.
7. Note to ourselves that, because Steal Vitality works on line of sight, only things that come within line of sight of the single hole in the leather will be drained of vitality.
8. Enjoy our new lightsaber.
- Trying to develop a destroy vitality spell, using the same principles of the steal vitality, except without keeping it usable. It might be possible to do it for cheaper or causing more damage for the same mana.
- Trying to use the principles of the destroy vitality or the steal vitality spell for a disinfectant spell. It will require a lot of fine control, but it should theoretically be possible.
- We could also try to overbuff a zombie. Is there a max to the amount of vitality a zombie can have? And what happens if a zombie gets a lot of vitality?
* Remove someone's soul. Try to store it for a time in a living thing like a tree, or confine it in a mana crystal, then put it back later. See if they're functional.
* Attempt to swap souls between two different bodies.
* Carefully attempt to displace our own soul from our own body. See if we can move around apart from our bodies, like astral projection. See if we can cast while in this state, enter other occupied bodies like a possession, then return to our body later.
World Map
Northwest Thrimesdur
Monk12 casts Level Three Wall of Text! I usually try to space the infodumps out, but you did ask for it!
I ended up giving each line an indent to try and break up the wallishness of the text. It looks kinda weird to me in a forum format, but I do think it's more readable than it was. I think I'll try doing everything with indents for a while. Call out if you have preferences one way or another.
Author
Topic: You are a Necromancer! Chapter 2-36 Decisions, Decisions (Read 684200 times)