/monster/ - The Last Bastion of Romance

Necromancy is more than its title would suggest, specifically it is the manipulation of life energy. Transferring life energy from one thing to another, ripping it from an enemy, healing others using the stolen energy… the possibilities are fairly open. Necromancy mostly functions off of rituals, taking multiple hours to use more advanced spells ahead of time. Otherwise the necromancer has to rely on the manipulation of life energy directly be interacting with the threads that connect living beings to the fold of magic. Not to say that a necromancer is weak in face to face combat, a necromancer cares not for what armour you wear, what weapon you wield, what creed you follow… a single touch can allow them to tear your life from your very bones and make you serve them.

Actually using spirits in bodies is considered barbaric and not only is it inhumane, it is inefficient. Much easier to place energy into the body, as it is a receptacle already designed to hold life, and animate it. Though summoning them as incorporeal creatures is considered good, as in order to do so you must make a form of contract with the spirit (usually making it so they can remain on the world with you at all times, so they may walk among the living world once again).

Raising the dead to become living again is possible, but it comes at great cost.

For one life, many must be extinguished to bring them back. And it's not hard to imagine what necromancer has a harder time in the world, one that brings death, or one that brings one back from death.

How long has it been?

A week maybe? A year? Perhaps several hundred. Once again, I go over in my head exactly what caused me to be in this dank and depressing place I find myself in. Trapped and alone in the dark, with nary a friend in sight.

A group of thirty-two, all with their own stories and aspirations. Each forced together by a coalition to stop a great evil, a being only known as “Exists”. A journey that spanned years, a bond we thought had formed between us all, making us more than mere men and monster. Eventually even I had gotten swept in the tide, feeling things I shouldn’t for other creatures. I thought I had found these things, these “Friends” that master had talked about so long ago. A cruel joke to be sure. When the going became to tough, Seventeen of the 32 left, afraid before the final battle. Even one who I had liked personally and who I was sure reciprocated my feelings, Selesnya Eight-tails. Their fear made them weak, and we had to pick up the slack they left behind. Hilde the strong, Kirik the Hammer, Storig the Ignited, Reila the spider and Flenna the hand all died in the coming battle. Leaving only a mere 10 of the thirty-two bloody and beaten, with the body of “Exists” at our feet. As we tried to leave, we found ourselves facing Seventeen of our former comrades, intent on keeping their weakness a secret. They were killing us, but we were putting up a fight. However, in the end it was clear we were loosing and that we had to retreat and scatter. I saw them cut down my comrades one by one without remorse, as I ran to the best of my ability. I took shelter in a small ruin, ducking inside… Only to find myself sealed in by an eight-way seal and left to die.

I am unsure if they knew the capabilities of my magic, but I put myself into a stasis to avoid starvation and death. Before they left I told them that I would return, and bring them a final death for this betrayal. I know not if they heard me, or if they simply brushed it off as the wailings of a doomed man. But I know this, I will find them and cast their legacy into ash, and crush their spirits in the palm of my hand with these sacred weapons they treasured so dearly. And nothing will get in my way without knowing the wrath of Yasgerouf(Yaz-Gher-oof) the animator.

In my years of imprisonment I has watched the stygian paths with horror and disbelief. Death as far as the eye can see thousands upon thousands falling dead in pointless wars between weak men. All from the root cause of these blasted armaments. Once again, It is up to the necromancer to clean up the mess left by others, and put it to good use. I’ll find them, and do just as I said, I am a man of my word after all.

In the scuffle, The Bloody Grimoire, my own relic was lost. Leaving me alone with my own magic. But this is fine, I’ll do it myself, as it should be. I worry that I’m not quite myself after all this time. My teacher once said that staring into the stygian paths for too long can cause instability, gazing into the font of death will take its toll on your mind. But Its quite likely I was never quite right to begin with…

>>366135

As I began to prattle to myself, I sensed a shift in the local area. Something jostled the seal, heavily. I felt it, someone is forcing it, and somehow succeeding. I wonder, did they finally come back to finish the job? They can certainly try, I won’t go down without a fight, if it comes to it I’ll take them down with me. And so I do the obvious, I wait for the door to open, to face my enemy. And I wait… and Wait until the very last seal quivers and dies.

Dust pours into the room, coating my frayed robes in its ilk and kind. I smell the stale air, and see lifeforms in the smoke. Their energy is visible to me in the smoky cloud. The dust settles, and I see that it is not whom I had expected. A group of five, three men, two women, all human. The women are in armour that would not protect even the skin on their belly, as if they dressed for fashion rather than effectiveness. The men are dressed more practically, one wearing full plate using a warhammer, the second appears to be some sort of short man wearing a robe and carrying a staff with several rings that chime when he staggers nervously. In his hand he holds 3 card like items. The third man has only his fists, and is shirtless, clearly unafraid.

However what concerns me is the woman on the right. Something is very off about an item wrapped around her left arm. I can hear it, some sort of horrific wailing coming from it… It emits life force? That cannot be possible, to glow with that much it must have a sentient spirit inside of it, perhaps human or monster. Abhorrent, disgusting, disappointed are all words I would use to describe my feelings. My brow furls at the sight. I had hidden my research on this, where no-one would ever find it, had someone discovered it? I should have destroyed it…

My spirit sight, when uses, allows me to see the souls of the dead and dying. But what I see now with haunt me to the end of my days. The soul is chained to the item, tormented by the mere act of being worn. Her screams echo throughout the ruins, but no doubt they cannot hear them, only you.

I move my arm a mere inch as the large man shouts “Not a single bit more!, I’ll kill you. Don’t test me.”

I promptly ignore him. These people are clearly much weaker than you.

“You, the one on the right.”

She seems scared.

“Yes, you. Where did you get that chain?”

“I…I”

You say it more clearly, as its obvious she did not hear you.

“I SAID WHERE DID YOU GET THAT ITEM!”

The large man interrupts, shouting loudly in a voice most annoying. “Don’t answer him lily, It's some sort of monster I bet. He’s disguised somehow to throw us off…”

The man with the talismans and staff throws one of them at me, clearly aiming for my chest. You wave your hand, as you evaporate the trace life energy in the paper. The talisman turns to ash before it comes near you. Mid-air, it seemingly releases its energy, causing a small blast of white energy, scorching the walls and floor. However neither group is near enough for it to matter.

They are now in my way. That cannot be tolerated.

Vote!:

Same rules as in the prep thread, each person has two votes that they may place however they wish. Either two in the same thing or one in two seperate things they want.

>Kill them.

>Stun them.

>Interrogate them.

>No U: A no U only appears every so often, when it happens a player makes a suggestion that becomes a proper choice that may be voted on, regardless of if it passes, the no u is used and will not appear again for some time. This is an opportunity to change the pace of the game, or character motivations or personality.

>>366137

I agree with this anon, there is no need for violence.

>>366140

Yet.

Both counts on interrogate. First one to talk gets to leave these ruins.

>366137

no (You).

>>365433

On that note, two votes for interrogate.

also, OP is a faggot for not posting an archive of the prep thread. Here, for future reference: https://archive.fo/y2YyN

>>366136

Two for interrogate, and seeing no problem with edginess so far.

>>366136

Interrogate them

>>366136

“I apologise for yelling. If you heard what I do from that chain you wear, you would understand.”

They shift, unsure of what to do. It's clear that some consider fleeing, and others to fight, while the man who threw the talisman is simply stunned.

“How did you do that?”

I cock my head, confused. It was a simple trick, I just pulled at the threads that held together the paper, the scraps of life from a formerly living object. Therefore it turned to ash, a material devoid of life.

Speaking clearly I ask “What do you mean?”

The man seems even more confused than I am, equally parts afraid and curious.

“Magic without a talisman. You… can’t just ignore a law of magic like that…”

“You have much to learn. But not from me. Now then, I have a few questio…”

Their supposed leader, the man with the hammer and plate, yells across the admittedly small room.

“We’re not answering anything! Who, or rather what are you?”

Maybe in the past I had the patience for this, but significantly less so… Maybe just a little bit more coaxing. Clearly he’s just panicked, they’re in an awkward place against an unfamiliar entity. No need to harvest them.

Revealing my identity now would be foolish. I don’t know the current state of things outside in the world. Nor do I know what has transpired beyond a great deal of needless death. And if by some curse any of them are alive, you don’t want “them” to know you are coming until it is far too late to stop you.

You raise a single finger.

“First, if you choose to fight me, know that you cannot win. Second, interrupt me one more time and you will understand why that is the case. Third, I am very tired. Now then, drop the hammer or I will drop it for you.”

The shorter man tugs on his shoulder, clearly edging him towards caution. The women are very frightened, shaking even. In response he does indeed lower his weapon. Whether or not he acknowledges the difference in power I am unsure, but at the very least the man is capable of listening to advice.

“Now then, let’s have a little chat shall we. As civilized adults.”

I find out a great deal of useful information from speaking with these people. Slowly but surely they become more at ease as I have yet to harvest them.

Large scale warfare between different small territories, like I expected, is on a rapid rise and the Cross Armoury is to blame. Though why it is no longer called the Armoury of Lords baffles me.

Currently, according to these people, I have found myself in “The Yellow Emperor's Lands”. Previously this was the Golden River, though that was likely many years ago now. The native population has not really changed in all these years, with its eastern styles mostly unchanged. These adventurer’s are foreigners, here to plunder riches from the ruins that get revealed with the rapidly shifting earth.

Nowadays, the earth shifts strangely. Every few years the topography endures a massive change, areas sink or rise and everything changes. The first time this was a major calamity destroying many cities and villages. However It was found that certain locations do not shift, ever. Making them safe harbor and where cities are now located. My ruin was very recently uncovered, the last shift being a mere week ago. It seems that it was not these people who broke the ward holding me inside.

>>366261

The girl got that magic chain from the black market. An arms dealer who likely got the weapon from the military of the Yellow Emperor. These disgusting abominations are made by them and readily used by their armies as magical weapons and tools. This is despite the fact that the creator, in order to make them has to see and understand what they’re doing to these spirits. It has become clear to me that I should have laid waste to that research, regret burns my insides as I feel the chill of failure once more.

There is currently a plague roaming throughout the world. While it will not cause me issue, it will be a hassle if i come across it until I can gather the lifeforce to cure it.

North of The Yellow Emperor's Lands is the “Master’s Manse”. A warrior based society formed on strength and the honoring of one’s ancestors. West, across the ocean are a number of territories but all ocean travel is blocked by “The Reeflands”, occupied by hostile ocean creatures who block all sea passage. To the east is “The Eyeless Desert”. To the south is more ocean, but currently a territory called “T’ll” by most is floating over it, hundreds of meters up in the sky. A mass of floating mountains, something interesting to be sure.

Currently, I’m near the south western edge of The Yellow Emperor's Lands, beside the ocean. This is very odd because that would mean that the ruin has resurfaced very far from where I was originally sealed in. The nearest town is a small village called “The Growing River”, a farming town mostly inhabited by river-faring monsters, ocean faring monsters who are visiting and trading, and lastly humans. Population of maybe 150, booming to 500-1000 during the summer. It is as of now the fall season.

Another option is to head farther south to an ocean village that lives on an island not far off shore. It's called “The Sun that Rides The Morning”, and houses mostly ocean faring folk. Population of maybe 300.

Lastly, there is a forest village call “The Lowest Hill”, it is by far the farthest away of the options but is in a forest canopy that covers the whole area like a blanket. It is renowned for being fortified due to dangerous creatures being in the area. There are many various species of monsters there, few humans, and 4 different kitsune clans of whom 3 of them vy for power over the area.

You wonder what to do now. You (Probably) won’t harvest these people… but you need to move from here, lest the ruin and its broken seal be discovered. I have no equipment, or food… but finding food is simple when I can simply detect the living, and regardless of my choices I will be traveling up a stream for water. It is fortunate for me…

Multi-Vote:

A Multi-vote happens when there is more than set of choices that must be voted on. A voter still has only two votes total to place among any options they desire. Meaning they could vote on an option in both set 1 and set 2, twice on an option in set 1, twice in an option on set 2, Once on two seperate options in set 1 or Once on two seperate options in set 2.

A No U take precedence over all other choices, but the amount of votes in a No U must be higher than Each set (separately) to take effect.

Set 1: The chain

>coerce the woman into giving it to you.

>Convince her to give it to you.

>If any other option fails, Stun the group and take it.

>Leave the chain and the spirit being tormented alone.

Set 2: Where to go after this?

The travel will take time, and you will not arrive immediately. So there will be time to do other things on the trip, these will be seperate votes when the time comes but feel free to post ideas on what to do.

>“The Growing River”

>“The Sun that Rides The Morning”

>“The Lowest Hill”

NO U:

nou

Yasgerouf as gained a slightly less hostile nature from your choices.

>Convince her to give it to you.

>“The Growing River”

>>366262

Set 1

>Convince her to give it to you.

Explain why you want it: 'the chain and the spirit being tormented alone'

Set 2

>“The Growing River”

Sounds like a good start.

>>366262

>convince her to give it to you

may as well at least try the carrot before the stick

>Lowest Hill

Kitsune are long-lived and powerful, if we can convince them to join us they'll be a good power base.

shit, sorry

>>366262

Voting twice for lowest hill, because kitsune gang wars sounds fun.

>>366262

I sigh, so much has changed since I’ve been gone. The people I knew are long since dead, master, my father, my mother, my sister and my brother. I missed them growing up, consoling their losses, being the older sibling and taking care of my family when they became old and frail. Truly I’m a failure of a son and sibling. It's not exactly something I can fix, my magic is very powerful but time is something untouchable for mortals. Thinking about this serves to rile my temper, I can feel my breathing deepen in both length and breadth.

I will have to settle that score in time, when I find them of course. Who knows where they actually died or are buried at this point. In the meantime… That spirit attached to the chain, I should help it. It's possible that my old necromancy notes and writings were dug up and used to create such an abomination. If so then it is partially my fault that the spirit is like this. But first, I need to convince her to give me that chain. Maybe I can do something with it to stop its pain. It's certainly worth an attempt.

“You have all been very helpful. Before I leave, allow me to impart some advice.”

Their guards are down. If I was to strike now would be the time, but I would rather not kill these people who are simply mistake prone. They’re just trying to make a living.

The staff user, a monk I assume, is the first to respond to me.

“What would that be?”

“I would avoid using those so called “Magic items” that you find around the cities. They are horribly cursed. I would go so far to state that they are abhorrent, miss, would you like to see for a moment what I see?”

She seems nervous, inching forward.

Her friend grabs onto her cufflink, edging her toward caution. However she is much more brave than that, much to my surprise. Fearlessly she walks forward. I assume that she might try to stab me, or use a spell, but I have defense in place just in case. However it seems that was wasted effort as she tries no such thing. She takes my hand with only a trace of fear and I lend her a small portion of strength, the ability to see what I am seeing. I tell her to tense her spirit, though it appears she barely understands what I meant.

The woman looks at the spirit trapped in the chain, eyes widening. She releases the grip, desperately trying to take off the chain from her arm. Eventually she throws it at my feet, then curls over, spitting up… no… vomiting whatever it was she ate the meal prior.

“Was that my fault?”

“Partially. Truthfully it was the fault of the creator.”

Her eyes look downcast, broken, as she considers my words. I wonder, why did it have such a strong effect? Am I merely desensitized? All in all its visiage is not quite as bad as many other things I’ve seen in my time. She seems to reach an understanding in herself rather quickly, much to my surprise.

“Keep it… Can you help her?”

“Perhaps, with time. But when not being used she should feel no pain.”

“Good because I don’t think I can touch that chain knowing what I know now.”

“Feel free to tell your friends, but beware that spreading the word will likely end with trouble for you.”

The younger man chimes in, curious.

“What did he show you Ty?”

“Something I would rather not see again…”

I pick up the chain and wrap it in the folds of my frayed robe. The poor thing trapped inside looked exhausted. I bid my leave of the ruins, telling the adventurers that there is nothing of value here. They don’t attempt to stop me as I make my way past, as I get close I see fear in the monk's eyes. I would guess that he has some sort of weaker magic sense that allows him to gauge a user’s power. He falls on his ass, trembling. This is strange to me, in my day I was strong yes, but not the the degree where people would shutter in terror. I was not some god-slaying monster of a caster, merely one of the most skilled in the art of necromancy.

As I leave, they group up together, mumbling quietly.

And I climb a worn ladder, seeing sunlight well through the blue sky for the first time in what feels like hundreds of years. It's simply stunning, the golden beams shine through the fluffy grey clouds. The light trickle of rain is heaven on my skin as the sun shines down in the fox shower. A rainbow strikes towards the west ocean, a striking series of colour in sharp contrast to the grey stone of my prison. I never would have thought that the simple things would make me so happy. Of course it was short lived as I realised the grim task I had ahead of me. So many people to kill in so much time.

>>366451

I think it's about time to head too… The Lowest Hill. Seems like a quaint place, it must have value if groups of kitsune are fighting over it. From what I hear it is not infected by plague and has bountiful harvests. I need money, badly. In fact to get what I need done I will need large amounts, it's just a matter of how to do so. I have my craft, so surely I can use it for something. I can fix people but it's a matter of people trusting me enough to actually request my services.

I head over to a nearby stream, looking at myself for the first time in years. I’m disheveled, bags under my eyes, a stern look and permanently furrowed brow. It always looks like I’m frowning, something I got from father. My hair is long, like a woman’s, messy and matted. My “Robe” is tattered and ripped, its formerly black colour long since faded to a greyish hue. It used to be quite nice, not a long robe that would be caught on twigs and such, it was short, more like a tailored suit with some baggy give if anything. It's not too long before I realise that my bangs are almost entirely covering my eyes, I really must looks like some kind of monster, like a witch-born.

Regardless, I make my way down stream. I need to harvest some life force, So I sap it from the weave of life the links the plants here. It causes little damage but should allow me to stockpile some at least. I need to kill things for any significant amount however. Plants just don’t have the same amount as a creature, even if you drain the plant dry.

Now its to begin the long trek, this creek is able to support fish. Primarily they are what I eat as I start the trip. Starting a fire is a simple survival skill, a little bark and a few sticks, a little bit of riled up lifeforce and fire is mine. Catching the fish is a matter of pulling on their threads, cutting them to kill the weaker creatures then reeling them in. It frustrates me to live like a wildman, before this I was well respected… if feared. As I curl around the fire I made late at night, I feel a pain in my chest, but not a physical pain. I miss my friends, or who I thought were my friends. We had some good times, but I hate them, more than anything I hate them. It makes me feel conflicted, like something soothed me then stabbed me with a knife.

I’m hopelessly confused and alone. Had I come to rely on them? That was a mistake, clearly. I need to rely on myself and only myself.

In the distance I see a road in the darkness, thanks to my sight I can see lifeforms even through walls up to a significant distance. There’s people traveling down it, and fast. A horse and carriage judging by the 4 lifeforms inside, the one on the from and the two horses pulling it. At this time of night? Are they insane? Wait, no, they aren’t insane. Something is following them. A group of 7 people, each on horseback excluding one that has a two people. From their movements they’re prepping arrows. They are slowly closing, likely to hit the horses pulling the carriage.

I gesture a sign in the air.

“Greater Detect Life”

“Sense Death”

I see the situation much more clearly.

These 7 are bandits, the sense death invocation causes frequent killers to glow a deep red in my vision. Each of them kills quite frequently, and partakes of (arguably)innocent blood. The people in the carriage run much better in the sense death department, but one of them not so good on the detect life side of things. They look to be severely injured.

Now I could intervene, dispatch these attackers, play hero. But what would I get out of it really? I don’t care for these people, chances are I would be brushed off because of my magical art…

A little voice in my head nags at me. My conscious I would assume.

“But what if they’re good people?”

I certainly thought I had met good people, before the betrayal. But look where that got me, alone, sitting here, talking to my reflection in the stream, covered in filth and eating half cooked fish. That being said… I could use these bandits to empower myself. Food, water a place to stay in exchange for solving some of their more difficult problems…

I think to myself, should I intervene?

>Intervene, Harvest the bandits

>Intervene, harvest the bandits, go all out

>Intervene, assist the bandits

>Leave them both to their fates

>>366452

2: Kill the bandits. I'm sure nobody would have anything to tell about if you just "hit-n-run".

>>366480

Just to clarify the "2" is for the number of votes and I don't mean to go all out.

>>366452

2 votes for 1. No need to go all out yet on a measly group of bandits.

>>366452

Am I really so callous that I would leave someone out to dry like that when I could prevent it? I’ve really changed. I was a hero for the gods sake, respected by many, even if simultaneously despised. But that never mattered, because what the small-minded thought never mattered. It’s time to act, such pathetic creatures will become fodder.

A stygian path is a wellspring of life energy, it runs along connecting powerful places where life energy returns to the stygian paths, such as graveyards, tombs, cemeteries, ancient warzones… genocides. If I know where I’m going, following a stygian path will take me there very quickly, but it is heavily draining… for long distances. But thanks to their bright light in the darkness, I know exactly where I’m going, and it's not far. Killers leave an obvious trail, and roads are always a place of conflict. I would rather not try this from any farther away, as its more like following an old hunting trail than a proper road.

Sensing their lifeforce, I gather myself as I sink into the earth. The caphony of violence, the echoes of the last thing the life force was present for, is an ever-present wail in the stygian paths. It is said to drive men mad, though I’m fairly certain that’s malarkey. Its fast, I can feel the pressure in my ears and the force of ectoplasm on my face. I can’t help but smile as I flow through the path faster than even a god of the skies. I thought about calling it something cool or interesting in my younger days, such as “Hades Dash” or “Creeping Death”… But instead I call it “Stygian Road” now.

Eventually I arrive at the edge of the road, Ahead of the carriage and bandits by a small degree. The earth bursts forth in an eruption of mud, filth and ectoplasm as I rise myself out of it. Time to shake the rust off. Hopefully I still remember everything just right.

I think I’ll use “Major Magic:Black Death”. I’ll just turn their bodies to masses of wailing flesh…

Ah but isn't that a little extreme? Oh I know what I can do.

A soon as the carriage passes, I can see the eyes of one of the bandits. They notice me, just barely, but they don’t have time to register what is about to happen.

All I do is flare my power. The horses stop dead, flailing wildly and fighting against their masters trying to run as fast as they can in any direction except the one I now protect. With much grace, a few of them jump off of their horses while one is carried off, and the other is crushed by the horse as it faints. I can hear him screaming, something about his arm and shoulder.

Without so much as a word, the one closest charges. Axe in hand the man screams bloody murder, a frothing rage as he charges alarmingly fast.

In response I gather some small “Dead threads”, bits of corrosive energy, the yang to life’s ying. These threads form several small wispy strings that when I give them some real energy are very lethal. A light swish and flick of my index finger and the thread responds violently, silently riding through the air, phasing through his axe, armour and cutting a neat diagonal line through his neck. A small font of blood rises in the air as his body keeps running for three steps before falling over. The head rolls to the side, with a confused expression. They cannot see the strands of corrosive energy, fear of the unseen is easy to exploit.

“Fire at will!”

Arrows are very annoying.

I can of course deflect them with ectoplasm, but it's a hassle. Ectoplasm is wet, and feels slimy. I catch these arrows and just drop them. Surprisingly high quality for bandits.

Another flick of the finger, another head to fall aground.

Another flick another bisection.

Their morale, shattered. Their spirits, broken. Perfect for the harvest. Unable to resist me using a broken will it becomes much easier and more efficient to siphon their life force. To the point where I can do it from range. Otherwise I would need to touch these people and that won’t do at all. As they scatter, screaming, dropping their weapons I think to myself for a single moment. Killing the retreating combatants, am I any better than them? I make it very quick. To me, It looks like thousands of threads dancing in the night, to others, they only would see the bodies turn to dust, the bones to ash and the ash to the wind.

There only lies their equipment on the ground here now. Not a single strand of their hair, nor a single remnant of a fingernail.

I have softened. I went easy on them. Why?

I could have put them through living hell, made them suffer for the things they have obviously done. But I held back and made it quick. Am I not taking my end goal seriously? Will I be able to do the unthinkable when the time comes to enact retribution? Perhaps I had no special amount of hatred for these people. Yes that must be the case.

I can see it, an eighth member? How did they escape my gaze?

This one is clearly much stronger than the others, vaguely female in shape, not running but crouched looking at me. I’m not sure how much stronger this one is, But better to test it first. Maybe I can simply restrain this one. I coalesce a mass of ectoplasm into a tendril and whip it at the character, attempting to restrain her. However, when I reach her position she’s easily able to avoid it. Then something very strange begins to occur.

Some sort of knife embeds itself in the shell of ectoplasm around me. Strange knife, triangle, pointed, solid with a ring, attached to a string is a talism…

I throw it off of the shell as fast as possible, then it proceeds to explode just after. A shroud of smoke flows over the landscape. Its un-usually thick, I seal the bubble of ectoplasm in case of poison. Where did she go? She’s unusually fast. When the smoke clears the woman is gone.

“Grand Detect Life”

She’s nowhere within a significant distance. I lower my shell but have it respond automatically if something approaches me above a certain speed. I now have lifeforce to spare for quite some time. A horse and six people worth of life force is alright for some time. I apply a curse to them, just a minor one of sickness so I can follow them wherever they go. Might be helpful for later, no-one will miss them.

The carriage down the way slows to a stop. I don’t particularly care as I start to pick through the remains of the battle. I expect that the carriage will make their way back once they see that the cretins have been dealt with. For now, I require funds and supplies, these will do and I shall trade these weapons and items for everything I need. I bundle the weapons and armour together, and grab the most useful bags. A duffel bag and a backpack. The bandits has some plunder on them, strange golden coins with a diamond cut out of the center. Every part but the rim is indented sharply and engraved with strange symbols, the indented portions have been dyed red. These coins would be very difficult to reproduce. They’re made of real gold as well. Is this the local currency?

After I group up all of the “dearly departed’s” belongings and take a comfortable seat. I promptly get a blast of bone dust in the face as the wind picks up. I cough as it enters my nose.

Eventually the carriage turns around and heads back as they seemingly notice what has transpired. The carriage trots to a stop as the right-side door opens. Immediately a smallish woman wearing a tightly fitting kimono decorated with gold and silver pops out of the side. She takes one look at you, then shakes her head, immediately she enters a deep bow, her finely decorated head touching the muddy ground. I would call this a “dogeza”. The woman is short, barely 4’5 I would consider her thin, but homely. A long raccoon tail, brown, white, black and very thick. Her foreleg has thick tufts of fluffy fur being ruined by the muck and rain. Her jewelry is gold and silver, some form of chopsticks into a bun behind her hair holding it together. Her ears are large and brown edging with black.

“Please save my village and my sister! I’ll give you anything you want!”

“I assume your sister is the one in the carriage, but what village is yours?”

“Lowest Hill, Please! These filthy humans attacked us…”

She can barely hold herself together it seems. In the light rain you cannot mistake tears running her makeup.

>Help her deal with these bandits

>Help her deal with these bandits, with prejudice

>It’s not my Problem

>>366657

>Help her deal with these bandits

There's no point in showing off all our tricks. If they do try and backstab us, well the gloves can come off.

>>366657

2 votes for option 2, don’t trust her yet but still agree to do it for a sum of the local currency as well as information, a danuki is sure to have plenty of information, just be wary of their tricks.

>>366667

He doesn’t have to to anything grand to take care of the bandits, and it’s not like he can’t learn new stuff/relearn old tricks along the way.

>>366657

two votes for option one, we've already comitted to helping some, but don't know about the nature of this conflict yet and may not want to burn more bridges or show off more tricks than we have to yet.

>>366657

2 for 1. We can't afford to make an enemy out of (((them))).

>>366657

I lean over, my messy and ridiculously long hair flopping forward, making my look like some form of geist.

“I’ll have you honour that claim. But I’ll only take what I need, worry not. Now then, let us see to the sister.”

She slowly raises her head, pleadingly repeating “thank you” with a hoarse voice. Before her bringer her hands to her face and is unable to stop crying.

I walk over to the carriage, I can see her being held steady, head up but body lying down. She lies on a carriage seat made of a fluffy red velvet… wait no that’s supposed to be white. That’s quite a lot of blood, she’s not long for this world. The man holding her is an older gentleman, wearing an eastern black garb. His hat is made of straw with thick cloth that runs down its sides, it's clear that the design is meant to cover his face, but is damaged.

“Nothing that can’t be fixed.”

The older man looks to me pleadingly, but says nothing.

Healing with necromancy is very simple. If I infuse a person with lifeforce in excess of what they have, it will cause their body to pull itself back together as their spirit binds and knits the flesh. While it does not remove or cure poison or venom, it does allow a person to outlast it. This poor thing has been both envenomed and stuck with an arrow in the upper chest. She must be in quite a lot of pain, her breathing is ragged. But all I need to do is place one, no, two people’s worth of lifeforce and it will fix her up.

The way I must do it never looks pleasant to others.

“Grit your teeth dear, this will hurt but it will put you back together again. You too old man, This will not be pleasant.”

Necromancy is about two steps, unlike most magic’s three. Necromancy is about preparation and then execution, it is partially why its spells are so violent and sudden. There is no controlling the raw essences of life and death when they have been unleashed, it is foolish to try. Everything must be accounted for before the execution ever occurs. That being said, I focus myself. My soul is apart in fragments, it does not lie within my body, only loosely attached to my skin and some to my bones. It allows me to form it into whatever I need on the metaphysical layer, and directly interact with non-corporeal creatures and objects, in this case, the girl’s life force reservoir and soul.

It looks like I place my fingers on her wound, of course it causes pain. But on the metaphysical layer I’m plunging my soul’s arm like a knife into her spirit. This is something that causes unimaginable pain, enough to cause anyone to black out instantaneously. Then I force a large amount of life force into her reservoir and take control, directing it to where it needs to go, then sealing where I entered and let her body take it from there. To others it looks like she goes unconscious and her wound starts to close as she quietly moans in pain.

“She’s lost blood, but this will fix that in a few minutes. Don’t wake her or move her, she’ll wake up and will likely scream, loudly.”

The old man is simply happy, crying tears of joy.

“My lady, you’re still with us. Thank the emperor.”

>>366790

I hop off of the blood soaked vehicle, eager to get moving.

“Now then, I have people to murder. If you will excuse me, meet me there when you can, I’ll be done before you arrive.”

I can feel the activity in the stygian path, I know exactly where i’m going, and I can be there in minutes. Just like I arrived, the earth’s maw opens up below me as I leap inside. The smell of blood is strong due to the recent murders, it disturbs the stygian path, making it far less pleasant to traverse. I’ll make them suffer for this needless slaughter, just the kind that I had to idly sit by and feel in my imprisonment. Better yet, I’ll start with the leader to sow discord in their ranks, and kill any near survivors first. I’ll make them understand in their last moments exactly what they have done wrong. I’ll make them lament their choices before killing them.

Minutes later, The ground as if eager to expel me thrusts me into the air a mere meter. Dirt, blood and filth spray the surrounding area as a few of the already dead are disturbed. Immediately I grab the face of the man beside the leader, and cast a very powerful hex. One I specifically devised to sow terror and end fights before they begin. You would be surprised how many surrender when someone if killed by a mere touch.

I crush, or attempt to with my meager strength, but the hex goes through and radiates in his flesh and bone. His flesh expands as if her were a bloating corpse and then all the flesh from his torso and head pops in a violent explosion away from me. He has enough time to register pain before death. Immediately there are screams, weapons drawn, enemies running away, morale shattered…

The leader, standing in the middle of the carnage and directly beside me is unfazed. His drawn weapon collides with my ectoplasm barrier. I frown, then smile.

“My turn again?”

Off balance, and unprepared he is easy prey.

I touch him, a simple touch to the chest, but not with my physical hand, no he is much too fast to be hit with that. My metaphysical hand, surrounded by corrosive energy. Almost immediately he turns to ash as his skin and muscle flake onto the ground.

There is silence, beyond the flames of the burning village, the running townsfolk and the bandits slaughter, not one eye is not on my person, not one ear to the wind.

“To you, who’s actions I find distasteful, I have come to bring death unto your people. To those who cower in fear from these cretins, rejoice, for I have come to save you.”

Some try to run, others cower, some plead for their lives. All of course ignored. I am taking coin for this after all, I simply must be thorough. I can easily tell the villagers apart using sense death, even inside of the houses. I manipulate my ectoplasm into large fists, and crush any enemy in my massacre. Ectoplasm is only semi-real, so it only “Half Impacts” objects unless I heavily condense it… however its semi-real properties allow it to pass through skin and muscle, and directly hit internal organs. Organs are not particularly durable, so even a semi-real object can easily deal lethal damage.

After seeing that one get away, I had gotten my hopes up that they might be at least a warm-up. I was wrong, they were weak… so weak. It was not a fight, it was a pest extermination. I was wondering if I could really flex my magic, but clearly no need today.

>>366791

With nothing left fueling the fires, I smothered them with ectoplasm cupped with rainwater.

After several minutes, people gather in the square. People cheer, cry and embrace their families, other cry and try to take their losses rolling with the hit. I can see the carnage, the bandits are dead but many houses are burned, most are salvageable, with only the roof taking any significant damage. This village is not particularly large, the rain kept the flames form spiraling out of control so much was saved. Stealthily I absorb the life-force of the bandits, but I’m unsure if I want to harvest the dead villagers as well, it does no damage to the soul… but it somehow feels a little wrong. In the end I only take a little bit. I need it too.

The woman who begged me to help arrives back with the carriage, stepping out and looking at the massacre. Her face is mostly one of shock, but also one of a sort of grim satisfaction at the death of these criminals. She elegantly strolls over as I do the same toward her. A simple nod of my head is enough given the circumstances I think.

“Ah, my employer. The problem has been dealt with as agreed. I assume proper recompense for my trouble will not be an issue?”

She nods toward me as well.

“Of course not milord, I shall have it ready for you. But in the meantime, would you like some tea? I will have my subordinates deal with the aftermath here. We can discuss everything privately.”

I can sense that woman watching me, that one from the carriage fight, she’s really far off… and just like that she’s gone, her lifeforce seemingly vanished as if she knew I had detected her.

She points toward a large mansion up on the hillside under several simply giant trees, the rain and storm starts to pick up as I look at it. Clearly eastern styled, slate roofing and everything. Looks comfortable, if large. She leads me down a large slate-tiled path towards the hillside, and with everyone being organised in the town circle, this leaves the two of us alone, not including the sister and the older gentleman who is holding her sleeping body. She is doing well enough to move now, I told him as much.

Quietly the Tanuki woman bows deeply, face reaching even below waist. Without rising she speaks. It becomes rapidly clear it was all she could do to hold her composure around the people.

“Thank you for protecting my people. I would be honoured to have you stay as a guest for as long as you desire. If you require anything, let me know. You will always be welcome in Lowest Hill, by the emperor's name. I am known as Yin, the lord of this town. May I be honoured with your name? And, would you like a warm bath?”

>Rigged Votes:

>Rigged votes happen when an option starts with votes already attached to it. These represent needs of Yasgerouf, such as food, water, shelter, an affection… ignoring these things will eventually cause a character to do irrational things in order to get them, like any human.

Set 1: My name is…

>My real name

>A fake name

>no name

Set 2: Offer of stay

>Accept her offer to join her at the mansion, but just the bath will do. (1 vote)

>I Accept her offer to stay as a guest for a time.(2 vote)

>Decline her offer of stay and only collect what you desire from her at the moment and leave.

>No U

>>366792

1 vote for fake name and one vote for accept her offer to stay as a guest for a time.

>>366792

Real name and just a bath. Might as well be truthful. Besides, (((they))) will probably try and pull something if we stay with (((them))) for too long.

I vote to use the name slim shady.

Second, we should stay with her. We could use a nice place to clean ourselves up, get new clothes.

OH OH, we also need a fucking silly ass hat. Nothing strikes fear into people more than someone that can insta kill you with a silly hat.

>>366891

But that's the whole point. Who the fuck is going to expect some as shat named "slim shady" to come and kill them? No one.

>>366906

I am fucking stupid. No arguing about that. Any other ideas then?

>>366792

Can't remember if I voted on this before, if not 1 vote for alias and 1 for stay for a time. If I have already voted, disregard this, I suck cocks.

>>366792

“I am Crowe, a researcher into the arts of magic. I accept your gracious offer, thank you.”

She smiles humbly while neatly bowing.

“There is no need for thanks, It is the bare minimum I can do.”

I follow her up the cracked streets toward her abode. In the meantime I try to follow the ones I cursed. It appears one of them managed to shake off my curse… This is not good. Only a caster of my strength or greater should be able to remove even one of my minor curses. However, the other one, that one stuck on the horse previously has gotten quite far in the time I generously gave him. However, time’s up. I follow his thread and grip it tightly, then I lay several hexes in quick succession. In my testing this generally causes instantaneous blood vessel expansion, heart palpitation, muscle tearing, eye rupturing and lastly, death. Hexes are helpful for cleaning up loose ends, however I have to start small and they take forever to prepare. The entire time from the carriage I was preparing hexes to remove them, and these hexes would not work on something any more powerful than the weakling. Now it's a matter of finding that other loose end, the one that threw the explosive.

“So what brought you to the road lord Crowe?”

I wince, visibly it seems.

“If you don’t want to answer…”

“No, its fine. Just a sore subject. I was traveling with a group of like minded people. We looted and pillaged old surfacing ruins. However the people I trusted betrayed me and I was left for dead. It is why I look as I do now.”

“If you report them to the authorities they can make life very difficult for them.”

I grimly chuckle.

“There is not a force in heaven or earth that could cause them trouble, except maybe me.”

“Are they as powerful as you lord Crowe?”

“Most were not, a few significantly weaker. Maybe 4 above me but not by much.”

She clearly notices that I’m not interested in pursuing this conversation further, instead opting to compliment the length of my hair. I believe that she’s trying to butter me up for something. Thinking logically it's possible that she’s simply a nice woman however. I don’t understand people, they’re unpredictable. They can say one thing but mean another, phrases that mean other things rather than what they say… I don’t get it.

Eventually I arrive at the mansion. High walls rise around it near the crests of the hill it sits upon. The elegant design is something to behold. Its bright red colour sharply contrasts the green of the aged copper roof. The slate provides further artistic design in the form of patterns along the roof. The walls are clearly some form of wood, painted red with nary a seam in sight. The door is a latticework of complicated wood carvings interspaced with a paper sheet providing sealing. A deep orange glow emits from the mansion, guards relax around the courtyard drinking as the crisis is now over. Many are piling the bodies they find and writing notes to the families of the dearly departed. Much to my surprise I am thanked for my efforts by many of the soldiers here. I never really encountered people unafraid of my magic before. Even by the others I was treated with care, as if I could snap at any moment, only appreciated when I was needed.

I never realised how annoying it was until now.

I think I hated them, even then.

It's nice to be appreciated.

The inside of the home is equally nice. The light brown wood reflects the candlelight nicely, it is very cleanly here. In fact I may be doing it a dis-service by being here as dirty as I am. The servants are brought out of hiding now that it's safe as the manor is set back into place properly. I am led to the bath by Yin and the old man, who is simply called “Keeper”. Apparently it is customary to keep a secondary family who are subservient to the host family. They are special trained to care for them.

>>367115

The Bathing room, rather than a wooden tub with heated hot water there is massive stone bowl. It appears to have been carved from a single slab or bonded using alchemy or artistry magic. It is already filled with steaming water, it's like a mild sauna and just about right. Instead of being left to my lonesome, I find myself followed by Yin and her sister. Yin’s sister is taller despite being younger, with a larger bust. She’s set on a table by a servant girl and is being cleaned, she has clearly been examined by the servant who appears to possess medical skills. You see no divide in the tub.

“Wait so…”

Yin removes her clothes, quickly a servant comes to remove her lotus hair ornament and the hair sticks in addition to undoing her braids. She may be short but she has bust, her breasts are short and fat rather than long, looking comfortable to hold or touch. An hourglass figure, with an appreciable thickness only present in healthy women. She has no muscle to speak off, instead her body has only smooth contours from her head, tail and all the way down her fluffy calves.

I nearly slap myself.

Nope, not falling for it. Where has a sense of modesty gone…

“Are you shy Crowe? Mixed bathing is quite normal here.”

Well if its normal…

I am fairly tempted. It's quite possible that this is not a bit and it is quite normal. Though it might be nice if there was some sort of encounter. When was the last time I touched a woman? Ahh, when Eight-tails was influenced by the full moon, that was fairly nice…

The sting hurts me inside. She betrayed me too.

>Mixed bathing!

>Mixed bathing, but keep my distance.

>No mixed bathing.

>>367116

2 for not mixing at all. Autism generally doesn't beget sociability and we must not let carnal desires get in the way of our objective. Our enemy, should we court her, could take her hostage later in the game. She also doesn't seem the fighting type so taking her along would just be a hindrance. Choose carefully, waifufags, stop thinking with your dicks for once. Also, one last thing:

Never trust a jewess danuki.

>>367116

Gonna go with choice two, I agree with >>367125

We don't even know if this tankuki has fluffier calves than the average jewcoon. If we do wanna dick her she better not be a calflet

>>367125

This. For once maybe we shouldn't try and dick the first thing we see, yes? Besides she's trying to do something.

>>367116

2 for no mix, we should stay cautious

2 for getting a fucking bath and keeping our distance at a comfortable distance.

Some company won't hurt but our would ds are still fresh. If she tries something make that clear.

We could use a fluffy hug tho.

>>367116

2 votes for no mixed bathing

>>367116

2 for mixed bathing but keep our distance, we need to know what's going on in Lowest Hill, and we need a bath.

>checks on thread to see why OP hasn't updated yet

>see that >>367233 stalemated the vote for a stupid reason, though that might not actually be why.

Really?

>>367116

The temptation is great, I can feel blood surging to my loins as I can imagine the feel of her body in my hands. But in the end I understand that it is just lust, the pain of betrayal even after all these years still feels far too fresh.

“No, not shy. Just I don’t think I have it in me these days. I’ll wait for you to finish.”

Her eyes become downcast as she floats into the bath.

“I see, I’ve been careless with my prodding. I apologise.”

“I understand, you had no ill intent.”

I relax on the side, meditating. Time seems to pass too slowly as I relax, I feel a surge of lifeforce coming from the direction yin’s younger sister lies. A gasp echoes throughout the room, followed by violent coughing, some minor vomiting and animalistic pathetic whining. I look up and see the servant girl holding her gently as the sister is on her hand and knees on the table, breathing heavily. The servant hushes her quietly, cradling her head. The sister slowly looks around, as if in awe with her mouth agape. She moves her hands absentmindedly around the mist in the sauna-like room.

“Lady Rei?”

The servant grips the sides of her face and seemingly checks the dilation of her pupils.

The younger sister smiles, gently caressing the servant’s face and says “You’re so pretty.”

“Can you see me?”

“I can now. I can see! I can see!”

She leaps off of the table and prances around fully naked, looking around wildly, as if taking it all in. She’s like a child in the way she moves, free and without care in her prance and movement. It does not take her long to notice me. She prances over, naked of course and looks me over un worried about any form of modesty.

“Hello! How are you? Are you a guest? Your hair is dirty but would be very pretty. Do you need a bath? What is that?”

I suddenly feel a little shy as she points to my genitals. Yin quickly heads up the steps from the bath and hugs her sister. I’m not certain if the water in her eyes is from the bath or from tears. Yin does not say anything, leaving Rei seemingly confused.

“Is something wrong?”

“Do you not remember?”

“I remember waking up this morning and nothing else. But I can see you again sister!” She gasps, holding her sister’s face, feeling around it. “You’re so pretty, everything so amazing and colourful…”

It is at this moment I realize I may have made a tactical error.

You see, maiming using magic is very easy. Healing using magic is not nearly so simple, healing blindness is no simple task. I used far too much lifeforce for the wounds she had, two people’s worth? That is simply extravagant. I must be rusty beyond belief. I can see the expression of Yin, who is putting two and two together, looking toward her sister and to the upper left while thinking. I would rather not deal with legions of the downtrodden and diseased looking for charity. Not that I don’t want to help people, it's simply not practical as I need to kill people in order to use my healing. It always angered me when someone would say “You can just heal me if I do something stupid.” As if human lives grow on trees.

>>367771

However seeing that happy little face might just make it worth it. I can’t stop myself from smiling, despite my best efforts. Yin merely looks in my direction and nods deeply to me in thanks. She moves with her sister to leave the bathroom, leaving me alone with the servant girl who gestures towards the bath. I step in, feeling the warmth and flow of hot water on my skin. I sit back on the rim, enjoying the steam. The servant girl has a small pail that she fills with water, making sure I’m aware that she will be cleaning my hair. She pours pail after pail of water while mixing a gel into my overly untended hair while massaging my scalp. After my hair is clean she runs a gentle comb through it and through her skilled hand braids it into a long ponytail. I have to admit, when she shows how I look now in a mirror, I look fairly good. My scowl is still there, the bags under my eyes are much less noticeable and I’m clean for the first time in what feels like years now behind me.

I of course thank the hard working servant, who gently bows before calling me “Exotic and handsome my lord”. Now that I think about it, I am considered to be “Exotic” here am I not?

The servant tells me that It would be advised to go to bed as it is late and I appear to be slightly exhausted. I of course protect myself with magic before I sleep. I can make it so that a few spells activate when certain criteria is met. For example, “Creature with hostile intent approaches within 1 Meter”. I can only have so many, but I’ll be fine in this spacious room with an ectoplasmic barrier. A big warm bed feels nice on the skin and back. It's been far too long.

I awake with a yawn, looking toward the afternoon sun through my window. It is half blocked by some sort of object. I raise an ectoplasmic barrier before opening the window, finding some sort of paper box neatly folded together. Opening it, it is full of little origami shapes, each with a chocolate nestled in the center. Under the chocolates is a little knife, a black triangle construction, “kunai” I think it was called. A little note is attached.

“I enjoyed our little midnight outing. We both know you can't be poisoned, please enjoy. I want to meet you sometime. Expect me.”

Set 1:

>Eat the chocolate.

>Throw it away.

Set 2: Meet the woman?

>Meet her somewhere private.

>Somewhere public.

>Don’t bother, instead attempt to raise a servant.

>>367772

>Set 1

1. Scan the chocolate with our magic and eat one or two of them if they come up 'clean'. Either way, don't throw it away, no need to be that rude or wasteful.

>Set 2

1. Private, we can go hunting or something and meet then.

>>367778

Going for the same votes as this anon,

>>367778

Two votes for this.

>>367772

The chocolate itself appears to have been finely cut into flower-like shapes. It is not a flower I am familiar with, but a flower nonetheless. The work dones to these chocolate would require a very dexterous hand and a sharp blade. From my magic, I cannot sense anything wrong with them, no poison, no disease, no magic or corrosive energy… They seem to be clean dark chocolate. It would be a shame to waste something given to me by an admirer, I might as well try a few. The taste is sublime, a bold flavor with just a hint of sweetness. It has been far to long since I had the opportunity to enjoy chocolate. Perhaps just one more. Oh, maybe just a couple more. Before I know it, I have eaten the whole box. Slightly piggish and embarrassing, but to be honest it was so good that I find it hard to care. I missed the taste of food. Even the smallest morsel of fish burned over a fire was sublime to me a day ago, but this was something else entirely.

I should thank this person. But from that note there is no doubt that it is that shadowy figure who was able to evade my magic, twice. Perhaps I made an error, judging by the rabble the the raiders were made of it makes little sense for someone of that level of talent to stoop to their level. I wonder, who could this person be? No matter how much I deliberate, I know far too little about the world to even guess. I have no choice but to meet them.

When I leave my room I am greeted by a servant girl, she asks If I will have my bath before or after food. Of course, considering the chocolate I have a bath first and then eat. It is a simple dish, rice, egg, sausage and a side of fruit. It is lightly spiced to give it a subtle flavor that is easy to appreciate in the mornings. Yin and her sister are apparently out together, Rei requires education about certain things in the world now that her sight has returned by “A miracle of the gods”, according to Yin. I appreciate that she is keeping my ability hidden, now I don’t have to deal with clingers on, and other unsavory folk who would try to force me to use my abilities for them. It happened more than one would think, ending with failure every time. Necromantic healing is a very difficult, if rewarding craft.

The payment is handed to me, an impressive sum to me. Enough to sustain myself for nearly a year under even a moderately-extravagant lifestyle. Then I sell the weapons, the house-steader is more than happy to barter with the good I procured from the bandits. Leaving me with a great deal of coin, even after I buy some slightly above-average quality attire. I keep it moderate, to not draw attention. A simple pair of pants, crafted leather shoes, gloves, a small shirt with a vest that has its own sleeves and a scarf for the colder temperatures this time of year. Only the simplest embroidery allowed. I never really liked robes anyway, they were part of the military attire for necromantic mages in my home country. I did my service then did what I wanted, keeping to myself until I was asked to help by a certain group of people who shall not be named.

It is a beautiful day outside. The sun shines brightly in the center of the sky, the sound of hammers smashing as repairs are underway, there is laughter in the streets, people being merry and helping one another… I think I did the right thing last night.

Lowest hill, at the far side has a teahouse. It is simply called “The Teahouse”. It was not damaged significantly during the attack and is open for small business. As I enter I can smell powerful herbs that tinge my nose. The tea here must be quite good judging from some of the more noticeable scents. The easter decor is light and pleasing to the eyes, the light is a dim orange that lightly caresses the deep brown wood. A server, a Nekomanta, is eager to serve me. She’s a little cute, orange fur, narrow eyes, big ears, high cheeks and smooth skin alongside her tail adorned with a bell. I ask for a private spot to drink my tea, and am immediately whisked away towards a private room with tea, rice balls and biscuits. All are free to me with a personalized note to me from the owner, thanking me for my assistance during the attack.

I order a second round, before I am done my first, expecting to be visited by a certain someone.

Lo and behold I sense them coming the moment they enter the building. She’s silent and hard to really detect as even her lifeforce is dimmed. The door to the room opens seemingly on its own, then closes.

“I see you’ve come, mysterious stranger.”

A feminine voice lightly emits in the room from the invisible source.

“You knew I was here the moment I passed the main room, didn't you?”

“Let’s go with that.”

She seemingly appears in front of me, sat on the other side of the table on the cushion. She is clearly a fox, in both the sense of beauty and the most literal sense., A Kitsune fox, 6 tails, black fur with the smallest tinge of white on the tips of her ears. She is wearing an ornate Kimono, black with golden etching and flowing cloth, it is clearly longer on one side than the other as the right side is a long as a dress while the left is not even a skirt. It reveals her smooth skin and curves in addition to the netting she wears just under the kimono. The netting around the chest is likely layered and seems to be magical. Her skin is oddly pale for an easterner, white and fair with high cheekbones but the beauty is somehow implacable. Her hair is tied into a fanciful bun that extends into a long curled tail running down her back, her bangs have been focused to her right side to full cover that side of her face.

“So, how did you like the chocolate?”

“It was very well made, thank you. But, I would prefer to drop pretenses and get onto the matter at hand. Why were you around the road and bandits that night?”

She tilts her head to the side, coyly pulling a long, if small, pipe from in between her smallish breasts.

“Well, I saw an opportunity to place the local lord into my clan’s debt and was hoping to glady receive ample compensation. However you managed to not only evade my detection and senses, but broke out of the ground like some undead and began to slaughter everything that moved…”

She is mostly monotone, an odd calm passes as she speaks, with only the slightest sense of being a tease occasionally.

“I’m impressed you managed to sense my presence at all, let alone so quickly. Do you place wires to sense things, that is my sister’s theory. Regardless, you have my admiration Mr.Crowe. My name is Ashee, of clan soft-tail, of the Skuker Tribe. I am here because my sister saw what you did for the lord’s sister. I want to make use of your ability to restore another to endebt the clan master to me.”

>Go on

>Explain to me the type of injury

>Deny immediately

>>368403

1 for elaboration and 1 for refusal; we're not a Priest and what little healing we did back there was (((purely coincidental))).

>>368403

2 For deny immediately. The necromancer isn’t some tool to be used for some political agenda

2 for nope. However, if she elaborates I might change my mind.

>>368403

both votes for >explain to me the type of injury

We can't fix everything, and shouldn't promise anything and get her hopes up until we know what we're dealing with, both the nature of the injury and the overall plan. If patching her friend up doesn't seem dangerous for us, we should.

Kindly tell her we aren't a political tool to be used. We are a necromancer who sometimes decides to help people. If she threatens us, tell her that little display before was us trying not to scare the locals.

>>368522

>>368499

>>368464

We should probably keep our profession a secret.

>>368403

“No.”

She lightly inhales smoke from her pipe, carefully puffing to the side courteously.

“I was afraid you might say that. But to do so this quickly…”

I sigh.

“Perhaps you misunderstand my nature. I helped because I felt like it, I stood to gain and because I would not get roped into anything. The moment I play my hand into politics is the day I die. I do not do power plays, I do not do favors and I most certainly do not do house calls. I do as I please.”

She narrows her eyes carefully, a feral glow as deep and endless of the night sky seemingly arises from behind them. As fast as it had arisen, the glow fades.

“Why would someone as powerful as you arrive in this little place? Why here? Clearly you must be lost, you must need a little push to find what you see no? My tribe has access to information that you do not. If you help me with this I can make it worth your effort.”

I shake my head.

“I make no promises nor assertions.”

She smirks, a coy grin crosses her eyes as if she’s seemingly aroused.

“You, I like you. You don’t like to be dicked around. I can understand where you come from, you’ve had your strings pulled in the past, been pulled by a leash. I can see it in your eyes, like a loyal guard dog who was kicked by its master.”

I’m not entirely sure what my expression was, but at that moment she lightly bows.

“I’m sorry, I may have said to much out of turn. Please ignore that. Regardless, I’m certain that Sensei Softail would be able to help you even if I cannot. Here, read this if you’re curious about what I need you to do. Be aware, It's your eyes only. If you change your mind or just feel a little lonely I’ll be contacting you two cycles from now, we can talk then.”

With that, she smiles while leaning forward placing a hand into her breast. She does it slowly as if to show off her figure. Her tails swish back and forth with a serene grace as the envelope slides across the wooden table.

“Call me.”

The she fades in an instant, turning invisible. Before I can say anymore she’s simply gone as if she had vanished into thin air.

>>368821

The letter is not trapped in any way shape or form. I break the seal and take a look at the note inside. The writing is smooth and fine, beautiful penmanship that swirls on the parchment. The letter is difficult for me to comprehend at first, but slowly I start to understand its contents. The language used in writing has drifted somewhat. It's much less formal than it used to be and some of the characters are different now. Its annoying to say the least, making me feel less intelligent by my lack of proper understanding.

“Sensei Soft-tail’s daughter suffered a serious wound during an operation against a lone witch. Her left arm was slashed by a cursed blade and had to be removed then and there, lest she would have died. Now she is single armed without her dominant arm, having trouble even eating let alone fighting properly. Currently she has been falling into a deep state of depression, isolating herself as she is bringing shame to her clan and mother. Sensei Soft-tail has tried numerous methods to regenerate the limb, however the curse still lingers and Soft-tail ninjutsu arts are unable to cope with it as of now, preventing proper healing. I have taken it upon myself to contact you as I know for a fact that you are a powerful magic user, capable of healing even blindness caused by an inherited hex. I will not threaten nor corerce you, I would like your willing cooperation. I would aid in in anyway you please, roughly equal to your extreme effort expended. Sensei Soft-tail never leaves a debt unpaid, and her daughter is in a vulnerable emotional state. What I am saying is that you might be able to gain a large amount of influence and information on whatever it is you came to this place for. Please consider my offer, while I do gain from this I happen to like the young lady soft-tail and would prefer to use your skills so that her emotional state does not worsen.”

When you help one, another will certainly come. But… to local lord kept quiet, and a clan would likely also keep it quiet. I likely won’t have to bother with pestering people even if I decide to act. A ninja clan owing me a favor, the idea is tempting, I could acquire information on what happened to my targets. Tearing them limb from bloody limb is not the hard part, it's getting my hands around their throats, my eyes on their back.

Helping the poor tanuki girl felt very nice, maybe helping this one will be enough to break me from this… empty feeling I have. Just maybe.

Set 1: Step in?

>Help the Soft-tails

>Do Not help the Soft-tails

Set 2: Preparation time

I have some time on my hands once again… ‘

My bone knight Jauffre went down during the battle with “Exists”. I may want to consider creating a minion of some kind. Using my magic to brutalize my enemies myself is… barbaric. However I could simply shake some of the rust off, or perhaps simply take some time making an attempt to enjoy myself despite everything.

>Create a servant.

>Shake the rust off.

>Attempt to enjoy self.

>>368822

twice I say go help the foxes. If they're as secretive as they claim, there's no worry about them spilling about your quest so easily, and may be able to give some good information. As for your summon, what do you mean by shake the rust off? As in resummon Jauffre?

>>368824

"Shake the rust off"= put in a little necromancy practice to re-hone your abilities after a lengthy imprisonment rather than summoning a minion.

>>368825

Shake that rust off then. Have play for later if you're good on that.

>>368822

Help the Soft-tails if we can, with the understanding that whether we succeed or not, they keep it to themselves that we're a miracle worker.

Unless our servant could pass for human or monstergirl and/or not instantly alert people to what we are, shake the rust off. If it wouldn't be a dead giveaway, create a servant.

Two for helping the soft tails. We could use more friends. However I fear they may be related to that, if I remember correctly, kitsune that started bed us in the back. If so, kill them all. Every single one of them.

>>368822

Help the soft-tails.

>>368866

We should also train up, on the off-chance that we have to fight our way out.

>>368822

Two votes for create a servant.

>>368880

Probobly grab a source of travel, one we can relax and sit during so we can clean off some rust. We have some coin now so might aswell use it

>>368822

During this time, I think I’ll just practice. By myself, I’m not exactly overflowing with magical power. I need to make sure that I’m as efficient as possible when manipulating lifeforce and corrosive energy. I thank the server, leave a small tip and take my leave from the tea house. Not much has changed outside, beyond people packing up construction equipment as evening will be coming shortly. The sun’s glare is still ever present in the azure sky, the refractions in the heavens creating a cacophony of mixed colours and designs.

The forests here are very thick, full of various kinds of trees. The appearance of them is similar to maple, I believe that these trees have a symbiotic relationship with the bamboo that frequently grows in all areas in this region by the fact that their lifeforce is linked.

When I arrive at a section far enough from any people, I focus myself. Slowly I begin to fold at the invisible threads that conjoin all life, pulling the dead threads and corrosive energy that lies in between the threads. I have to handle them with both my physical hands and the hands of my fragmented soul in different areas for each. Corrosive energy, like its namesake, is the anathema of all life yet a single thread of corrosive energy lies within every weave of lifeforce. It is contradictory, and according to what I know about lifeforce and its reaction to corrosive energy makes no sense. Yet it just happens to be.

I focus my soul into 3 pairs of arms, weaving and folding the threads into a web. Improving my control is paramount. Simply waving corrosive energy around is a great way to kill herds of people but it I need to kill some and avoid others it will become a trial. Eventually my idea comes to fruition, it's a whip-like construction similar to a cat o’ nine tails. Thankfully I remembered how to do it after so long, the weave itself is very complicated but turns enemies into a consistency resembling ground beef.

Now, what about my simple incantations?

>>369535

I focus every portion of my soul in an arm to handle the life-force, focusing it into ectoplasm. In 2 seconds I have a fully opposable hunk of the stuff under my control ready to attack or defend. My time has gone up, before I could do this in less than a second. In frustration, I focus a razor thin wire of corrosive energy, targeting a tree. Back and forth I draw it across small twigs, usually missing and accidentally taking off the portions I intended to miss. After that display that would have me caned by my master. I stop and focus before hitting my head against the same tree a single time in anger.

“You must be joking. I have idled far to long to only do this much.”

I was called “thread cutter” by many in my country, ghoul of the north to those attempting to breach our northern border. This is pathetic, Before I even attempt to re-animate I require practice, more and more practice. There’s probably a gap between my and my foes now, I‘ve been mostly idling while they’ve had years to improve. If i’m going to kill them, I’ll see the whites of their eyes as their pupils shrink in despair at my return. But as I’m now it's simply not enough.

And so I practise relentlessly for all the time I’m able while keeping my life force amount at least suitable for a drawn out fight. It's certainly a start, but I’ll have to devote myself to re-mastering some of my craft. Doing it the first time was hard enough.

I lean back in the teahouse, it's a nice place to relax after practice. The tea is wonderful and comforting in these trying times with its slight spice and bold flavor. Just bitter enough to hate, but just tasty enough to enjoy. I know for a fact that the fox will appear any minute now, it's nearly noon and even though she said night I know for a fact I’m being watched. Logically speaking, it's what I would do.

I throw the opened envelope on the table, simply waiting. Within ten minutes I see the sliding door open and then close behind a supposedly invisible figure. When her invisibility drops it's clear that Ashe has responded as I predicted.

“I accept your offer. I’ll help you out, however I have a condition.”

She leans forward, folding a hand-sized fan into its resting position. Doing so it occurs to me that her kimono is much more loose around the shoulders than the last time I saw her, nearly falling off. The top of her modest if supple cleavage is tantalizing. I know its a trick of kunoichi, meant to make the opposing sex consider what they say in a much stronger light due to their wiles. To be fair, with how stunning she appears to be its working fairly well.

“You don’t like attention. A little shy correct?”

“Let’s go with that. I dislike being hounded, It's more work for me to deal with annoyances and I loathe loose ends. Your clan does what it does best and keeps secrets, I heal her, get what I need then we go our separate ways. However, there is one other thing.”

She cocks her head in amusement, a sly fox-like grin juxtaposing her careful shift of the shoulders.

“What does the title “Selesnya Eight-Tails” mean to you?”

“One of the ancient heroes who killed the nameless one “Exists”. Member of the Shadow-Tail clan that is not indigenous to this area, that clan exists far to the north in the golden city at an unknown location either within the city or somewhere outside of it. Selesnya Eight-tails has been missing for nearly thirty years by this point, along with her weapon. Consider this a freebie.”

Her grin never leaves those lips for a single second. She would be a dangerous enemy, hopefully I’m making the correct choice here. She knows something I don’t, I can tell from her smirk. Or is that her fucking with me? It's hard to tell with them and their pranks.

“Now then, I’m satisfied with that. Let’s move, If its a curse it might cause complications if we leave it.”

She quietly nods before sliding over to my end of the table. Her arm coils around my around my elbow. Her tails seemingly lean around me from the side.

“Well then, let us move.”

“Do you have to hold my arm?”

“It’s so you don’t get lost.”

“Okay, but is it necessary?”

“Entirely.”

We both stand up, she leans into me as if she were a swooning waif. I pay for my tea at the counter as the man there winks at me, clearly drawing the wrong conclusion from this situation. We head out as she states she has someone waiting to take us towards the stronghold. Another kitsune was waiting, she is black furred as well, shorter than Ashe and much more waifish with thin features. Her expression is very serious, her eyes hold themselves in narrow slits as she carefully seems to appraise me in addition to Ashe.

“I convinced him Rie.”

After this, she pulls aside a painter’s set along with a calligraphy brush seemingly out of nowhere. It may have been carefully hidden via magic, but it's too late to tell now. Interested, I look through my sight to see exactly what she’s doing. Energy flows from her heart down her arm and into the brush as it lightly brushes against fine ink. As she carefully runs it along the page in with a precision I may never see matched in my lifetime. When she’s done, the symbol stirs and pulls itself apart, opening what appears to be an image of a courtyard surrounded by eastern styled walls adorned with jade foxes.

“You may enter. Dearest sister, please release the good sir’s arm, can you not see he is clearly uncomfortable and is merely being nice?”

>>369537

It has been a worrying few weeks for me. Multiple disturbances in the area, such as witches and warlocks appearing from seemingly nowhere. The other three tribes causing trouble with their nigh constant warfare threatening to pull us in. My daughter getting herself hurt, then fooling herself in thinking she is shaming me by her disability despite my assertions.

I sigh wearily, flecking the water off of my 9 tails using my jade comb. This is seemingly the only time I have to myself these days. The only time I can vent my worries and drop my strong facade. They try so hard for me, my children, my kunoichi for the sake of peace in this little place we call home. I can’t let it show even for a second, the moment I appear weary would damage their morale. I… must find a solution to prevent warfare between us and the others, but I cannot think of a way that does not destroy at least one tribe. No matter how hard I try I cannot keep the power dynamic stable, do they truly desire bloodshed so much?

I turn my mind away from political matters. For now I must keep up my appearances and organise the others, I need to set things in place for the inevitable war. But I simply do not see a way where we have no losses, or even little. This could be a disaster, in terms of martial forces we are dwarfed in comparison to Red-River and Thresher tribes, we’re matched by Crescent tribe… but that only creates problems. Crescent may target us first in that case, making us even more vulnerable before the other tribes. I know for a fact that at least one tribe will breach our neutrality, Either red-river or Crescent. But it's a matter of who. It may even happen as soon as thirty years from now.

I find my sword, neatly tucked in its sheath as I cradle it close to me, it feels cold on my body. Shivers are sent up my spine as it rests in between my breasts. It feels painful from its chill, yet I still feel at ease with it there. I place it down so I may place on my enchanted netting, my metal plated leotard and then my dress kimono over that. It is baggy, yet still supple due to its special fabric. Thanks to this, my armour is nearly invisible from the outside. I like how this black-gold kimono accents my left leg as it fiercely covers only the right. It shows just enough to attract suitors, hides just enough to pull them close.

Then I feel it. I always feel this when Rie uses her transport magic, like a rush of energy but this is different. Ten people, no, Thirty just entered, I can smell their life in the air. Have we been betrayed? No Rei would not do this to us, she’s a loyal as a dog. But then who?

Hurriedly I dart off of the walls out the exit to my covert chamber, darting up the stairs and around the corner. My left hand lies on my sheathed sword, my right charged with crackling energy. When I arrive at the entrance Rie uses, I see something I didn't quite expect.

>>369538

—–

I am unsure who this man they brought with them must be, but his lifeforce is fearsome. A writhing mass the extends out of his skin by whole meters, thousands of malformed limbs and heads in some sort of abstract nature, as if the energy is trying to remember its previous shapes. The man himself is… haggard looking, above average looks, constant frown, deep bags under his eyes as if he never sleeps and long hair in a braid that runs down his back. His magical energy is average, if not slightly below, but his amount of lifeforce should be nearly impossible to maintain. His control of the magical arts must be immense, greater than mine even if his power must be heavily lacking on its own.

There’s something wrong with his soul, its damaged. Rather than resting inside of his body, I can see it with my sight and it can see me. It has four heads, all looking in different directions, two are focused on me, one on my sword, the other on my magic with its head cocked as if deciphering my spell. This man deals with souls and energy and was either skilled or insane enough to successfully fragment and rebind his own soul. Necromancy, I thought it a dead art along with Arrmagam and their few practitioners. Figuring it out on his own must have been a trial, or maybe a few practitioners still exist. Even with his low power, the strength from lifeforce would be more than enough to kill.

Rei and Ashe both kneel before my presence, the outsider does not, merely cocking his head like a dog. A kind of cute dog, like a doberman or a big frowning floofer. His eyes are narrowed, it's clear that he doesn't like to bow before anyone. I wonder, is this the one Ashe spoke of?

“Sensei, I brought the healer. He has agreed to help with Kama’s condition. He states that he can restore her arm and remove the curse.”

I look over to the man, his face softens ever so slightly as he seemingly realises who I am. I disarm my spell and take my hand off my blade.

“Can you?”

His voice is dour, monotone. Its like he cares little for speaking in any way, shape or form and when he does speak its like his mind is somewhere else. His physical eyes are unfocused from me, instead staring ahead as if at the horizon. His soul stares at me intently and around him even now. It's clear he was prepared for an ambush or trick, despite our lack of reason. I can respect that.

“Likely, if it's one of the more common curses such as mordica ridicum I could be done in a day, plus a week to repair the arm. If it's something like rippis totalus, more extensive witchcraft, then it will take some time. I have to dethread the curse manually after all.”

He is a man who assumes I know the same things he does, I can tell. I know not of what “Dethreading” would entail. Is a curse similar to a magical cloth? Or is it something else? Regardless, he did name two curses that I know of, one very obscure and arguably lost altogether.

“I see, Ashe, Lead him to my daughter, watch him…”

>>369539

He boldly interrupts me, I can see Ashe and Rie flinch every so slightly.

“My apologies… I didn't catch your name, if you do not mind I will call you “Ashe’s sensei” in this instance. My healing is very painful for the recipient, she will have to be unconscious for the procedure if she would like to stay sane. Unfortunately, this is not something I can avoid due to my interaction with the soul’s connection with the physical body.”

He speaks like my mother would. Carefully, avoiding any specific phrasing that might be offensive in any way shape or form. Either he is from a very distant place with odd customs, or he is older than he appears, far older. Perhaps only slightly younger than myself?

“My apologies. I simply wish for my daughter to be healed as soon as possible. I am the grandmaster of this stronghold, the sensei if you will. You may call me Sensei Yome, or you may simply refer to me as Grandmaster, whichever you prefer.”

He does a slight bow, with a nod. An Arrmagam bow of respect, I recognise that form, it was used exclusively by military. They were a strange ridgid people while they lasted. Human lifespans are not that long even for a necromancer so it stands to reason that there must be a sect somewhere kept alive by practitioners. This may be useful, maybe this man knows? No he would never tell me even if he did,.

What am I thinking of at this time. I cannot let this curiosity get the better of me. I’ll offer him drink later, maybe he will be receptive. I simply must know more, this man is interesting.

“I will, thank you grandmaster. I’ll inform you of her condition after the first round of treatment. You may call me Crowe. Now if you will excuse me.”

The man is nothing if not punctual. Immediately he looks to Ashe, asking where, then quickly she wraps her arm around his, leading him around the complex. Ashe has far to much fun bullying her sister, it's clear that there’s a small pint of jealousy towards the taller sister’s brashness. I wonder, is Ashe actually interested in him? Perhaps she’s curious about his origins as I am, However she’s not old enough to know what I do. Does not understand half of it. He’s an interesting find, I think I’ll talk with him when he’s done.

I feel seemingly elated, this new curiosity will be good for my children. They, after all, cannot become too sheltered from outside contact. But this elation, it feels a little odd. But I believe it will be no matter.

>>369540

———————————————————–

That woman can see souls and lifeforce. However, by her reaction when I mentioned unraveling proves she is unaware of the existence of threads. I reassign my soul to a more appropriate shape, keeping it in a state like this is taxing to say the least. But more to the point…

She was stupidly beautiful. Tall, elegant, nine fluffy tails, significant bust with child-bearing curves to the point of my suspicion of glamor magics being at play. A nine-tail is something else entirely, being near her is like being molested by several succubi, having a lamina’s tongue in my ear, while being embraced by the softest silk. No-one noticed my erection, that would’ve caused me to lose far too much face. She’s powerful though, I should not have left my sight on, it hurt to look at her aura. A creature of that strength is a match for me at my prime. So much for people growing weak while I was away, it's about the same. If I’m one in a hundred thousand in my current state, she is one in five-hundred thousand.

I feel a pressure on my right arm.

“Stay focused Crowe. And don’t be alone with anyone, there are a few here who dislike foreigners. They may take offense at your presence, avoid the Moonwhisker clan.”

“Alright, thank you.”

The halls are decorated finely. Careful application of gentle carvings accent the otherwise plain wooden walls. Several writings in a language I cannot understand line each and every doorway, Ashe seems to pay attention to them while leading me down the halls. Light here is dim, looking out of the windows it seems to be night time, this is a little odd I must say.

“We’re here Mr.Crowe.”

She gently taps on the beam beside the door. “Kama, I need to speak with you. Be clothed, There is another.”

There is a five minute gap, during this a group of several 4-6 tailed foxed of varying shades pass by. Two of them seemingly mystified by me, staring diligently. These women are not wearing armour at the moment, or netting. Their hair is ornate in a variety of styles that heavily accent one side of their face over the other, including broaches, jeweled hair sticks, one has a sheathed stiletto through a bun on the left side of her hair. While the two stare, a few of the others make a mocking reach for their chest, tugging at their bosom. One’s kimono is so loose that the front comes partially undone, nearly revealing it’s … admittedly tempting… contents.

The door to the room opens, removing my attention from that distraction. The first thing that strikes me is her paleness. Ashe seems pale without a point of reference, snow-white as I would say. However Kama is an albino, her tails and hair are snow white, eyes a glowing red to the point of seemingly leaving trails when she turns her neck. Her arm is missing, as expected, the entire area is bandaged heavily, along with her chest. To the missing arm’s side she is armed, a straight bladed eastern sword of whom’s name I am unaware. Her kimono accents this, it is simple with a light blue and white colouring with delicate abstract artistry depicting snow. Her fingers have difficulty grasping the door, its at an awkward angle.

“Ashe… hello.”

“How are you doing?”

“I’m just fine, my training is going slow and I can’t properly use my sword but that’s fine for now. I just need to try harder.”

It's clear that she is lying, even I can tell. She is trying to maintain posture. Ashe’s grin I not there, replaced with a soft smile full of sympathy. Perhaps I made unfair assumptions about her nature.

I nod towards them, gaining Kama’s attention.

“Greetings sir.”

Her bow is practiced and refined, silently I wonder exactly how long she has rehearsed this.

“Hello, Do you mind if I refer to you as Kama, or would you prefer something less personal such as “my patient”?”

She seemingly leaps forward, a powerful bout of excitement, her 6 tails flutter haphazardly.

“You can fix me?!”

“Yes… most likely.”

“Hurry, please.”

She turns to Ashe, gripping the front of her kimono tightly, whispering to her. She thinks I can’t hear, but unfortunately for her privacy my soul has an easy time perceiving things I cannot.

“I can’t do it, I can’t do it, I can’t do it…”

Ashe spends some time shushing her, as she draws Kama back into her room, inviting me inside. The room is very plain, beyond one corner where it is by the fireplace with a dressing board blocking the majority of vision.

>>369542

Kama sits upon her bed as I explain to her what I have to do, including her removing her top so that I may thoroughly examine the wound. She does so without complaint, instantaneously. In fact, she thanks me before I even start. The wound itself has entirely healed, the stump was very close to the shoulder and a clean cut. However… the curse is.

That’s not fucking possible.

That whore should be dead by now. Glint, that witch, this is one of her original curses. Dixious Mortalus, this is a very complicated curse to unravel.

“Ashe, I’ll be talking to you about this later.”

“Is it bad?”

“No I would just like to talk to Ashe over our arrangement.”

I split my soul into six arms, and begin to weave the curse out of her body. Curses are made by weaving the user’s magic into a target, attaching it to their life force and feeding off of it. Kama has already been put out so that I may work without driving her insane from the sheer pain of my art. After a few hours, I have disabled the curse but not removed it. That will take at least a week minimum.

I’m exhausted, that whore’s curses were always a pain. If she’s alive I’m going to find her, and now I have a lead.

“There, that will do for today. Now Ashe, since she’s out… That curse would have killed her within the week. Its known as a crawling curse, silently it has made its way up her arm into her body. I have prevented its spread but I need more time to remove it entirely.”

She nods respectfully.

“I see, I think that sensei will want to speak with you. If you’re not too tired of course.”

>>369543

“Very well, I will speak with her. Are we leaving Kama unconscious here?”

Ashe pulls a small broach from the inside of her kimono, popping open the side of it Kama jolts awake, quickly sliding her kimono back on fully.

“Is it done?”

“Unfortunately, not yet. The curse is woven into your flesh tightly. However another few days and I can pull it you, then work on restoring your arm to full working condition.”

She bows, tightly clutching the kimono.

“Thank you doctor.”

Ashe pulls me out of the room with the cute fox girl and leads me over to a far end of the stronghold. This place is a maze and a half, actually finding my way around here would be impossible. This section is much darker than the others, light remains a dim orange-red glow as the shadows seemingly flicker and move of their own accord. They use a form of candle-light here, as far as I’m aware these are candles of everburning, the light they cast is likely illusory. At the end of the hall is a metal door, elegantly carved on its surface is a set of swords, short and straight with diagonal slanted tips. I have seen kunoichi use this weapon a fair amount, is it a special one they themselves make and use?

>>369544

The door seemingly opens of its own volition as Ashe bows, gesturing for me to move inside before she turns around and walks to the end of the hall. Inside of the door is a lavishly decorated room, carefully placed blinds and shades obscure parts of the room, making it look purposefully smaller than it really is. Gold, silver are an occasional accent, with the majority of decor being fabrics in the darker colour spectrum, preferring grey, black, white and harvest gold. The lighting here is much more comfortable, with a fireplace by a table at the far end. To the far-right of the table sits the 9-tailed grandmaster. Even here I can feel that presence. Despite everything, I feel a little curious and feel the need to walk inside of this room.

The table has several cushions, I take a seat on the opposing side desperately focusing myself to avoid that oppressing aura. It's very distracting, constantly drawing my focus to my physical body rather than my supernatural senses.

“You wonder about it don’t you?”

“Whatever do you mean?”

“My daughter’s appearance. Her albinism.”

“It means one is close at hand with corrosion, or they were affected by corrosion at birth and still survived. A miracle I would say.”

She cocks her head to the side. Tapping a finger against the table, she leans ever so slightly forward.

“Corrosion?”

“A magical compound.”

She waits as if expecting you to elaborate, however she quickly takes the hint.

“She did not come from my womb.”

“Adopted?”

“Yes, and I care for her well being all the more…”

“The curse she has was making its way to her heart and would have killed her within a week. I have dealt with the curse growth, now I just need to pull it out over the next week, then regenerate the arm. Total, two weeks minimum, not including rehabilitation for the arm’s movements. I would guess a month until proper movement and control can be observed.”

The fox carefully listens to what I have to say, nodding somberly.

“I owe you a great deal. Now then, let us speak about your accommodations. I would very much prefer if you stayed in our domain during my daughter’s treatment in case complications arise, to ensure your safety from anything that may cause harm to you and lastly, so that we can repay you properly and in a timely manner.”

“I have accommodations with the local lord. And I have left some of my things there.”

“I can send someone to acquire them for you. And Mr.Crowe, please consider my offer. I would also enjoy speaking with someone as storied as you. It has been a very long time since I have met with one of your kind and of your art.”

Has she guessed at my age? Did I reveal it somehow? I acted normally, I thought everything should have been fine. Is necromancy so rare now, Arrmagam was very powerful and should still exist. It's simply not possible for my country to have lost, that cannot be. When I am done here I will go to Arrmagam and sort everything out. My home country’s borders are bone clad, with our art we crushed any attacker without fail and added them to our armies. Failure is not tolerated! Arrmagam must have prevailed! If I ask anything of this fox, she may figure out more about me. Troublesome.

“You like to think, don’t you Crowe? Its cute.”

Her tails flicker as they move, leaving behind a trials of smoke. They appear soft, and filled to the brim with magic. Even a single hair would be worth thousands of Arrmagam minted coins from the crown. To be honest I have no idea how much they would be worth using this modern currency, I still have a hard time understanding this new numbering system they put into place. Numerals were simple, why change it?

Set 1:

>I’ll stay here for the time being. Feel free to acquire my belongings and notify the local lord.

>I’ll stay with the lord, I apologise for the inconvenience and the offense.

Set 2:

>Touch Fluffy Tail.

>No Touchy.

>>369545

1:

>stay here for the time being

Personally pack up and leave, thanking the danuki for her hospitality.

2:

>Touch Fluffy Tail

Can any man really resist mofu'ing so much fluff?

>>369545

Stay with the (((lord))) and resist touching fluff.

>>369558

We're on a quest for vengeance, not a quest to get our dick wet. Besides, we were betrayed by an 8-tailed whore and those fresh wounds still cut deep. CRAAAWWLIIIN

>>369545

Stay here for the time being, but be sure that either we or those sent for our stuff give some reasonably-convincing excuse about being called elsewhere on business, and thank the Danuki for their hospitality, otherwise the Danuki may thenk we've been kidnapped or something. And touch fluffy tail, obviously.

Also with going ourselves to pack and give our thanks. If the first meeting with Yome tells us anything, do NOT touch tail

>>369568

Who says touching a tail would result in rape? This isn't MGQ.

>>369545

Then again, upon reviewing the update, we don't seem to be strong enough to resist if she were to try proactive dating so I change my vote to err on the side of caution.

I really need to wait until I eat breakfast before posting.

>>369545

1:

>Stay with the kitsunes for the time being.

>HOWEVER, Yasgerouf should go back and retrieve his belongings by himself, without any kitsune escorts (or at least without any detected kitsune escorts).

Elaboration:

Treating Kama is probably going to require spending a significant amount of time at the Soft-Tail compound, and as we've seen, it's not like the Soft-Tails can't get to Yasgerouf wherever he stays in Lowest Hill, anyway. We may as well make things a little more convenient and covert by staying with the Soft-Tails. I realize that Ashe said that there are some there who dislike foreigners, but between Yasgerouf's power and the fact that he is the Grandmaster's guest, he should be fine. The Soft-Tails have given Yasgerouf no reason to distrust them so far, and to say he is doing a solid for them by saving and restoring Kama is an understatement. I don't see a need to worry about them right now. And if they try to betray him, that's just more names to add to the kill list

He just has to take his leave of the danukis without insulting them or raising suspicions with them. If he tells them something to the effect of "I have found employment that will require my presence elsewhere for an undetermined/indefinite period of time. Thank you for your hospitality, and farewell.", I'd think that would suffice to stay on their good side and not raise any flags. But he should go back for his things quickly, quietly, and without any overt kitsune presence so as to reveal as little as possible about what he is doing and where he is going. Additionally, the Soft-Tail clan looks like it will be Yasgerouf's best bet so far in terms of gathering information about the world in general and about the Seventeen, which I am assuming Glint is one of. The trick will be in trying to get as much information as possible from these kitsunes while giving up as little information about Yasgerouf as possible in return.

2:

>Do NOT touch fluffy tail.

It didn't help Luka, and it won't help Yasgerouf. This is a tale of betrayal and revenge, not a dating sim–not yet anyway. Yasgerouf should remain respectful and polite, but now is no time for flirting or romance. Remember, there are up to 17 powerful individuals still out there somewhere who would very much like to see Yasgerouf dead. Yasgerouf can't afford to think of the future until he has firmly laid his past to rest. In other words, until every one of his betrayers is confirmed dead, done, and dusted. Any serious relationships formed in the meantime could later prove to be liabilities or vectors for hostile leverage or further betrayal.

btw, OP. I noticed that we called the traitor kitsune a whore. I hope that she isn't an actual whore and that you have a good, non-PD, reason behind her changing colors. You don't need to tell us now, nor make her sympathetic, but she needs a decent reason when the time comes.

>>369734

Unless I missed something, he was referring to the witch Glint as a whore.

>>369747

Oh shit, guess I deserve to get bullied.

>>369734

>>369735

It was just figure of speech on my end. Calling her an 8 tailed cunt wouldn't have had the same impact as 8 tailed whore. She may or may not have done whore things. Who knows? Who cares? Traitors deserve to be flayed alive.

because the only thing worse than rapists and child molestors are traitors, Moloch damn them.

>>369545

Two votes for do not touch fluffy tail.

>>369667

I must keep my curiosity under control. Her aura is affecting even me it seems, quite a feat to be sure. I think… no I’m certain that I would lose. Her mental attacks would in the end probably make me a bit of a puppet if she kept slamming into my mental defenses.

“It is not a readily practiced art for various reasons.”

“Care to divulge any?”

She grins slyly, cocking her head and flashing her eyelashes in feigned innocence

“No.”

“Didn’t think so. Are you hungry?”

“I will be retrieving my belongings from the local lord and will eat there before taking my leave. It is only right to remain for a last meal before leaving. I accept your offer, but I must deal with the local lord alone to remove any suspicion about our business dealings.”

“You’re a very private man, you’re aware of this no?”

“Of course, it's required in my line of work.”

“The same is true with us, hopefully we can maintain a working relationship between us?”

“I will not deny the possibility. Now about that information…”

The information I have her gather is simple, anything on the legendary magical armaments. They can think I’m after them all they want, but what I really desire is to find out if any of them are still alive. I know that Glint must be, I suspect Lumeth the priest and perhaps the tailed bitch as well. More or less because they were tenacious people and their occupations tend to lean themselves toward eventual immortality. That being the case I will tear the flesh from their bones until only the soul is left. Then if I have their weapon forming a link and destroying the soul will be simple.

I make no mistakes about what I intend to do. It would be considered evil and abhorrent even by the standards of the council of liches in the Spire of Unlife. Who would have thought that the royal necromancer would stoop so low…

Despite these troubling thoughts, I push them aside and continue what I need to do. I greet the local lord Yin and retrieve my belongings after a fantastic dinner. I’m offered a permanent position here if I so choose as the highest ranking magic user. More or less the overseer and guardian over all matters magical. I decline, I see no reason to help any further.

>>370400

I think ahead, wondering what I will do after my vengeance. Truthfully I have no plan, I fully expect to die within 3 successful obliterations. When I do my death curse will scar the world and crush anything “they” hold dear. If I cannot succeed during my lifetime then I will succeed with my death. They will wish they were more thorough when they decided to betray me and the true heros.

My time with the kitsune is fitful. My mind refuses to stay calm during the long nights, causing nightmares. They were common even before. The scars of the battlefield never change, had it not been for duty I doubt I would have bothered. All the killing, the mayhem, the slaughter just to be the last man standing amidst the corpses. I have killed more than my fair share because of my choices, as a necromancer it was my duty to take on the burdens of every man, woman and child behind the walls of Arrmagam. The undead were our farmers, defenders and when they were needed the most… our butchers.

The grandmaster continuously meets with me nearly every day. She asks seemingly innocent questions, slowly prodding me for information. She knows something about me but that something is of a variable significance. Simply put, I am unsure of this woman. She’s crafty, to the point of suggesting things to me as I sleep so that I am affected unknowingly. Dangerous is a good word to use, but not directly to me. It appears as if she holds me in higher regard than other humans, but much more so than I would expect. She treats me like an equal, something she does not appear to do to other foxes near her amount of tails. She is very pretty, and it is tempting to see if her flirtations are genuine or not. However every thought I have is backed by the sound of pain and resentment in my mind. I was already fooled by one of these tailed demons, never again. I wonder if my dislike of them is resisting any of their attempts to charm, perhaps. I will need to research this further as the church of Hymore may have had a point in their absolute detestment of certain monsters.

Kama is a very polite woman, very calm and lacks the subtlety of her mother. Every time I treat her she becomes more and more brazen with me. This is despite the fact I show absolutely no interest in the fox. She asks cute little questions, such as how do I do things and if I heal many people. She even calls me a good person. Of course I do this for my material gain and have no such delusions of any such fact, unlike her.

I am told by the Grandmaster that they think they know the location of a weapon. The Blackened Candle, It was Glint’s weapon. A ritual stick that could craft magical circles instantly and dramatically increased their power. Her coven is outside the country, in the floating continent of T’ll. A War is ongoing on the continent between several powerful witch covens and various religious groups who all claim it as their holy land. The holder is of the azure candle covent and I’m willing to be that it's Glint. The witch that injured Kama was supposedly an exile from that very same group. After Kama’s healing is done, I am asked to speak with Yome one more time before I go.

She sits in a much more relaxed fashion, a long pipe accented with silver breathes a pleasant smelling smoke around the room. Its non-harmful, appearing to mostly be a relaxant. Her kimono is half off, drooping down the right side heavily showing her figure. Truthfully, I can feel my loins stir in my pants. I feel urges that have long since eluded me while I was alone in that cold dark place. I push them back, I need to focus on the task at hand.

“I want to give you an offer.”

I merely wait.

“When you succeed, come back here.”

I raise a single eyebrow. Why would I come back here? This business should be concluded.

“You see Crowe, I have ways you could be useful around here. Opportunities that people would gladly kill for. Kama is not the only fox suffering from missing limbs or injuries, scars, curses or the like. It is very common and their removal makes many foxes feel very… indebted. If you return here, I will provide lodging, food, water entertainment and whatever you need. In addition I will continue to gather information in your stead. This will make it much easier to obtain your gold, no?”

Set 1:

>Consider her offer

>“no.”

Set 2:

The flying continent will require a method of flight to reach.

>Spend the month after arriving nearby to create a flying minion

>Find another method.

>No U is accessible, should it be voted on.

>>370401

>Vote 1

No (way, fag).

"While having a base of operations may be tempting, it'll be best that I remain mobile, lest any enemies that I make discern a pattern and attack you". This will, mostly, be our excuse. Kitsune are just as manipulative as Danuki (muh horseshoe theory) and Yome is clearly trying to get something, other than our bones, out of us and it seems that it's slowly working; it would be best to limit contact with her as much as possible. Perhaps we can try an alternative form of intel-gathering?

>Vote 2

Build a minion.

We should probably work on the main reason we chose to be a necromancer. The undead are probably the most resistant to hexes, if my rusty tabletop memories are correct.

I vote for no stay unless we can make her swear to loyalty and be able to bind her to that, explaining that future problems will cause problems and we need her to be 100% on board or not at all. . If so then explain our plans to make an attack on the island.

We should also make a flying minion. Something that can fight too if possible. The more durable/repairable the better. Longer lasting is better than temporary in my opinion.

>>370401

Two votes for no.

>>370401

Set 1:

>“no.”

Set 2:

>Spend the month after arriving nearby to create a flying minion

>>370401

“No. My work is particular and dangerous. I make many enemies very quickly and It is only professional to avoid dragging others into my business beyond the absolute necessity. Thank you for your time and hospitality but this is now a professional issue I must resolve on my own.”

“Are you sure you don’t just want to cause mayhem and murder crowe?”

“You presume much Grandmaster.”

“I can sense it in you, any magical creature could. It radiates from your eyes, the twitch of your fingers and the lean in your spine. You have people that you want to kill and maim, it draws you forward and keeps you going. This is a very dangerous path Crowe.”

I sigh, the sound is much more guttural than I intended.

“Indeed it is. But it is a path I will tread regardless, chances are this may be the last time we meet. Best of luck to both you, Kama and your tribe.”

Yome leans forward, dangerously close before giving me a peck on the cheek.

“Very well, i’ll admit defeat this one time Crowe. But if you ever feel worn to the bone, broken and beaten with nowhere else to go I will gladly host you so you can put yourself back together again. You path may very well be self destructive, but please remember my words when you start to shatter. As of now, I will ensure you have a place to go home to.”

“Grandmaster, I must be plain with you, why do you care so much?”

“You’re not the first this old fox has seen go down this path. But that is all this old fox shall say.”

After this I part ways with the soft-tail clan and the Skulker tribe. I could live without seeing another fox. As far as I’m aware there is only a single fox who I would not mind seeing again. Tillia was a cute mage, I think I miss her cute little laugh. It's hard to remember since it was so long ago but she was always nice to me. I’ll cut a pound of flesh for her as well.

I need to first arrive at near to the floating continent, then I require transport. To create transport I need materials, to get materials I will need to kill. I require a lot of materials so It seems my strategy is to acquire a coach, masquerade as a merchant and slaughter anyone who tries to rob me. I’ll carve a path through the lawless roads and also get my materials and coin. Simple really, reminds me of the old days. In Arrmagam, those who exist outside the law were not protected by it. The crown dictated that all bandits were no longer considered living sentient beings and may be disposed of, robbed or slaughtered by anyone with the free time. Their property was considered ownerless and may be claimed by any. I wonder if it's the same here?

Regardless, there will be no evidence left when I’m done.

I aquire a carriage from a local traveling merchant who had a single spare carriage that he offloaded. In addition I speak with a local farmer who has two broken in horses willing to serve. Neither are war horses, but I can fix that as all I need to do is fry their fear pathways in their brain. If they have no flight reflex, then they will obey their master without fail. It will not be the same as an Arrmagam steed, but truthfully nothing is.

The travel is long and tedious, I am stopped a few times by highwaymen for a period of roughly ten seconds before I harvest them. After I find their camp and deal with the rest. Some are boys, barely 14 years of age, truly this land is a sad state of affairs for even the young to fall so hard. There are no second chances for them, or any of the others. In the end a criminal is a criminal, they made their choices and now they must understand what it means to reap what they have sewn. A person who kills and maims others should be very prepared to have the same done the them without hesitation.

>>370684

All in all I’m totalling around 50 bodies to harvest ectoplasm from by the time I'm finished. Storage is a pain but I bought larger ceramic jars to store the stuff of life inside of. Necromantic seals and runes will keep it inside of the containers for now. Melting down the bones is a relaxing process, extracting the marrow to fuel the ectoplasm creation. I should be close enough now, there’s a small village with a smith and several visiting merchants. A little quaint place called “The river the surges beneath the earth”. I require metal, a great deal. It takes nearly half of my funds but I am able to procure everything I need to make my blessed creation. It will have everything I need to destroy Glint.

In the distant forest I begin my work. The floating continent is just over the horizon, casting a shadow across the entire world, its mountains forming great spires of un-natural rock and its seemingly infinite rivers pouring water onto the lesser world below.

First I imbue the metal with ectoplasm to from living steel, carving etchings to resist and redirect curses and corrosive energy Living metal can me forged and warped by necromancy allowing even un-natural shapes in the steel. Then I take all the bones, melding them together in a circle formed from living strands warped by my power. The bones seemingly transform into an ashen coloured liquid as they reform into my desired shape. It is a hulking semi-humanoid form, elongated arms almost like an ape, however It will stand almost fully upright even as its fists crush the earth below. I form its fists for crushing and maiming its chest is broad and thick as the metal plates are melded into the very bones. Its face is a flat mask, with carvings forming an abstract face. A seat on its upper back, almost like a throne to seat me as it carries out my will. Several deep bored holes into its back to hold free forming ectoplasm under its control to form wings or spines. This will be my second greatest creation.

When the hulking body is complete, I cannot help but smile. It is massive, over 14 feet tall and nearly 8 feet wide. The amount of ectoplasm used in its creation was to the point of excess. The ritual must begin. My inhuman puppet must rise as my knight.

I place the jars of ectoplasm around it in a circle before opening them. This is the important part, the bones are perfectly created to house the essence of life and create a servant who mimics life but is not truly alive. They have only a low sentience, but more than enough. My undead in particular have more sentience than normal due to my skill at animation. The ectoplasm slowly rises from the jars like thousands of snakes. Before I corral them to meld with the body. The energy from nearby plants and trees condenses inside of the earth around the vessel, causing the plant-life to die and wither. There is a rumble in the earth as the stygian paths lean toward me due to my concentration of lifeforce. The vessel twitches and smashes its might fists against the ground as its mask splits open in the center, creating a mouth of jagged inhuman teeth. It stands up turning over to me.

The creation kneels before me before speaking.

“Kami… Sama.”

“I am your creator, I dub thee Sir Rakk henceforth you are my guardian, my protector and my instrument of power. Serve me well.”

It rises, its bulk causing the ground to tremble when its foot meets the ground in a ferocious slam.

“Yes god. Will do. Order?”

“Take me to the Floating continent over there.”

Rakk uses its mighty fists to grab the throne from its back, pulling it off before setting it on the ground. I walk over then sit upon it, relaxing for the long flight ahead. I have only a medium amount of energy left after this animation, but it should be more than enough with a being like Rakk serving me. Rakk lifts the throne, re-connecting it to his back before spreading his ectoplasmic tendrils into wings. The throne settles differently, forming restraints to keep me safely in its seat. Rakk squats for only a short time before her burst upward into the air in a fierce display of primal power. As the ascent slows, Rakk flaps its massive wings to glide and rise above the world.

Looking down below brings a smile down to my face. From imprisonment in the lonely underground to soaring in the skies. A breath of freedom, however it still feels lonely. At least I have the half thinking Rakk now, even if it's not much for conversation.

A day and a half before we’re able to reach the continent. The witches I’m looking for should be near the west end, Maybe I should start the onslaught early?

>Start the onslaught immediately.

>Land nearby and wait.

>Take my time, suppress my energy.

>>370685

2 votes for take your time, make sure your fully prepared.

>>370685

Take out time figuring everything out. Then seige the place. Remember, there's no such thing as Civilian casualties. Just "neutralized combatants".

>>370845

That webm holy shit.

>>370685

Rakk is very proficient at carrying the cargo from my carriage. I left the horses to graze, they’ll likely be fine, anything comes near and the horses will immediately attack now that their flight sense has been burnt out.

Rakk lands as soon as it can, then slowly starts to lumber forward. It can sense my animosity, its body vibrates and fingers twitch as its eager to do violence in my name. I will be prepared, I will be ready for when the optimum time arises. I will reduce the entire coven to ashes and smite Glint from the annals of history. Her legacy, her fortune, her pride and most importantly… her very soul will be wrought from her fingers. No one crosses Yasgerouf the animator.

I have Rakk set me down some distance out from what appears to be their hideaway. I can sense Glint, a massive form of life energy from the seemingly ancient witch. I can suppress my energy, but she could never do the same. Arrmagam necromancy is far superior to her weak craft. Now it’s only the matter of providing evidence to the claim.

I place several candles down, lighting them with a flame tinged with corrosive energy. In the circle I meditate, feeling the scalding pain peirce my spirit. It has been a long time since I have performed the psyching ritual. The pain is immense, but I can feel my focus grow on my target. My worldly senses start to vanish leaving me to feel only the strength of the life and magic around me through my spirit. When the candles go out, I sense that the majority of the coven has gathered together. They have all returned home for nightfall.

It begins. I make no mistake, I am committing genocide of an entire faction by going against Glint. But it will not matter, Glint’s soul cannot remain on this earth after snuffing out so much worthy life. The ends justify the means.

The bodies that lie in the ground still hold much lifeforce, there are many. This place has seen bloodbath after bloodbath with no exceptions. Underneath the coven I feel weak lifesigns, prisoners perhaps. Anyone Glint wants to keep imprisoned, I want free.

I release my self restraints, using an art taught to me only to never be used. “Greater Corrosive Psyching”, pointing a small dart of corrosive energy into my brain, killing my sense of pain and empathy. I’m sorry teacher, but if you were in my shoes you would understand.

I harvest the energy in everything around me, starting with the plant life. The grass turns into chalk, the trees into sand and the earth into dust. I focus, intent on nothing short of absolute disdain for my enemy. They are not human, they are not Arrmagam nor worthy, therefore they must be eradicated.

The earth shakes as I flood the stygian paths with the bones of nearly three hundred bodies dragged from the ground, stolen from mother earth.

“Rise, Imperfect Resurrection:Scarecrow Militia”

The shaking suddenly stops, I see few witches run outside to see what has happened. Many look over to my location, they clearly see my strength. With the phyching rituals and the consumption of nearly a hundred lives, some tremble, some fall to their knees, some run inside. The earth seemingly tills itself, like a thousand farmers running through its ashy consistency. The horde rises from the earth as I take to the battlefield, establishing my will over them. These undead are weak, but their numbers are all I need to eliminate the fodder.

“Begin.”

My psychic order floods through the creatures as simultaneously they all gaze towards the coven’s great tree. A cacophony of hoarse roars and screams rises from the living failures I created. Like a tide of flesh and bone they flood across the field. I walk towards the center, Rakk beside me watching and waiting to defend me when required. Curses and fire string across the sky like thousands of dying fireflies. The undead are heavily resistant to curses, they don’t need to breathe, eat, sleep and do not bleed. The weaker witches become trampled, then added to the horde by me. There’s no tact here, I will just slaughter them until Glint shows herself. If she retreats then I will follow her and deal with her while her coven cannot protect her.

I can feel it, the stronger ones are deeper in.

And one particular spot has far more casualties in my horde than normal…

Found you.

>>371062

I raise my hand forward, slowly and methodically.

“Decimate.”

Corrosive energy builds in my palm as it rises, in the span of saying the release phrase the energy built up nearly breaks its containment. The release is always something to behold, a wake of death and destruction. An uncompromising rise, as if all life before it simply gave up. The compromised magical wards finally give way, the blast cleaves through the bark of the tree. As fast a one could blink it fleks away as ash crumples chunk by chunk on the ground. I can see the remains of people, standing as they were when the spell hit, its roughly four seconds before their fingers start to fall as chunks of sand, then their arms. Lastly the rest of the grim visage gives way and only a pile is left with their items resting on top of it. Glint’s alive, I would not expect that to kill her outright. It's a powerful spell, but not my best. If she had time to defend herself then she should be… yes right about here.

I whip corrosive energy where she’s hiding, invisible and frightened. She’s forced to drop the act and deflect using her own lifeforce. Her breathing is laboured, she took some of decimate’s strength head on. Fantastic. She looks a young as ever, a feisty young woman with anger issues, problems with self control, and an inferiority complex. Her oversized hat radiates magic and her revealing robe simply oozes magic potential yet… Otherwise she feels exactly the same as then. Her eyes widen in disbelief when she sees me.

“Yasgerouf!”

“Say Glint, its been years since I last saw you. I think you owe me and I’ve come to collect.”

“I should have walked in your grave and killed you myself, bastard!”

Spittle oozes from the corner of her mouth, She moves to incant.

However Rakk does not wait for her to finish. Faster than most could ever pray to react, the creation smashes her across the torso, slamming her into the ground. She blocked with a defensive magic, a shell of glass to protect her. More witches come to interfere, but I cut them down like grass. It really is an unfortunate matchup for Glint and her witches. My abilities run directly counter to theirs and I’m magnitudes more powerful than all except Glint.

Glint raises both hands, conjuring a globe of flame. It violently expands in size before showering us all in flaming debris, Rakk takes a moderate amount of damage, while I negate it with my ectoplasmic barrier. The whirling plasm deflects the heat, before I whip it into a solid spear and fling it forward.

Glint dodges to the side, Rakk intercepts once again slamming its fist sending her sprawling.

“Stop this Yasgerouf! It's pointless. Now that you’ve revealed yourself you’re as good as dead!”

Her hands form magical sigils in the air, swirling like stars in the night sky.

“Hgrm lufulgrm!”

A ray of black strikes Rakk, cleaving it in twain. I move to the side, but my hand is apparently stuck. I feel no pain, but when I look my hand it on the ground and I’m left with a stump.

Glint smiles.

“I’m not the same Glint you knew. While you’ve been rotting underground for the past 400 years I’ve been learning, forming my covenant. I know magics you would only dream of learning! You were weak, that’s why they died you know.”

She crosses a hex into the air, however I am prepared.

“Facsimile.”

A ghostly copy of myself splits from my lifeforce reservoir, taking the brunt of the curse. It explodes violently spraying ectoplasm everywhere.

I focus my contempt, speaking monotone.

“I was hoping that maybe you had changed even a little. You squandered what was given to you, your teacher would be ashamed.”

“Don’t you speak about her! She was afraid of my potential, she squandered me!”

She flails blast after blast of priveal magic towards me.

“You come here from your tomb, kill my disciples and torch my home. Yasgerouf I will finish what I…”

>>371063

A shape crushes into her barrier as she is pummeled into the ground. Rakk roars as it smashes again and again, flailing, the very air seems to quake in fear of the unholy terror protecting its master. Did she really think that my creations would be so fragile? I prepare for Glint’s counter attack.

A blast of chaotic fire engulfs Rakk, the force of the blow sending it flying into the forests. I divert the energy away from me by dividing my ectoplasmic barrier into a sharp angle in front of me. The heat is enough to singe my eyebrows, even from within the safety of my plasm. She maintains this assault. I’m going to run out of air in here eventually. As far as gambits go, its not terrible.

“Yasgerouf! I’ll kill you, I’ll wear your skin as a gown, I’ll turn your skeleton into a mount on my wall, I’ll drink out of your skull! Even If it kills me!”

She’s using the candle, it's somehow forcing the fire to act like a hex. It's corroding my shell, even a singe from this fire may just kill me. Unless…

I drop my barrier.

Normally the pain would be unbearable. I can feel my flesh melt in places it really shouldn’t, However I focus my lifeforce reservoir to heal me. I feel no pain, no suffering, in this instance I feel nothing but elation at seeing my hated enemy’s final gambit fail before my meager power.

“I am Yasgerouf the Animator, Ghoul of the north and slayer of thousands. Did you really think I would let this go Glint? That you could simply lock me away and throw away the key? If you want to learn some real magic then watch and learn.”

She forms a barrier, she’s still got a lot of fight left in her. I might die if I continue spending my lifeforce at this rate.

“In the name of the council of liches, I command you to die.”

The strength of the necromantic word seemingly irradiates the air around me, the ground rumbles. Glint is slid across the ground, her barrier shattering like a sheet of ice.

“Did you think all this posturing was because I could do nothing else Glint? No I was waiting for the naive idiot I knew to waste all of her strength on a fool’s gambit. You have learned NOTHING, and you will learn nothing.”

I raise my voice, fueled by lifeforce I power the necromantic word.

“In the name of the council of liches, I command you to die.”

She slams into the wall, bones cracking.

“I command you to die”

The ribs shatter under the force of the necromantic word. The toes and hands are obliterated.

“I’m.. Sorr..”

“Die.”

Her heart finally stops, her corpse falls to the side slowly trailing her life blood along the shattered molten walls of this once beautiful place. I scream in pain as I undo the Greater corrosive psyching. Instantly I feel pangs of guilt and remorse, enough to make me cry silently in an absurd mix of anger, sadness, guilt and a sense of companionship lost. I wonder If I also failed Glint, like she failed me. Could I have payed more attention to her, helped her be better?

She was always such a nice girl before, kindly and thoughtful, why is it so hard to kill when they’re not on the other side of a warfront? How am I going to go through with this? What if I go too far?

Glint’s coven was causing problems and was truly a worthy target, but what about the others, Merr the cleric for instance, his clergy does so much good for the world. What do I do?

I’m not done yet though. I need to obliterate her spirit and deny her the afterlife.

Her spirit is just kneeling there, in awe. I pick up the candle, its silvery sheen reflects the moonlight onto the cooling earth around me. The question is, can I really go through with this. She waits there, with eyes looking at me like a child caught doing something wrong. She looks mournfully at the ground, then at me. She knows what I’m thinking, its in her eyes.

“I know what you plan to do Yasgerouf. Look at what you’ve become. An enraged image of ages past. Do you really plan to wander the world and kill everyone left? Nearly the whole world will be against you.”

“Not just kill, that infers that I would let a single one of you pieces of subhuman filth walk in the same world Arrmagam’s grace.”

“You don’t know, do you?”

“I know enough.”

“Armmagam is no more Yasgerouf, you serve a broken up council, a dead earth and seek revenge for those who have passed on hundreds of years ago.”

My voice is flat, such lies cannot break my concentration.

“Arrmagam is eternal. It is forever and will conquer all. Even with my absence the council would protect Arrmagam without fail. Your lies do not amuse me witch.”

“There is no reasoning with you, is there Yasgerouf? I see… But my coven was not involved with the things I did. I know you hate me, but please spare the rest of them. They are weak and would never amount to enough to harm you. They’re weaker than I was back then, mentally and physically.”

“Why should I?”

“Please… Yasgerouf.”

“Didn't she also plead? Did you look into Light’s eyes when you killed her? See the hope drain from her body? No you looked away. You didn't listen then did you?”

“You’re better than I was Yasgerouf!”

She holds her translucent hands together, as if praying.

“Please. Now that I’m dead I see everything that I’ve done, I want to make it right somehow. I… I’ve wasted my life I was given. I was afraid of death, and vulnerable and one I crossed the horizon I lacked the strength to turn back. Underneath the coven tree there’s a prison, inside holds a variety of magical creatures whose bodies I wanted to harvest. I regret that now, when I was alive I did many evil things, my coven did not know. Glint is dead, I’m all that remains of her, the shreds of my conscience. Please, even if you obliterate me right my wrongs.”

“I was planning to undo your harm regardless. Anything you wanted in life is forfeit.”

“And my coven?”

“I hate you more than any enemy or army in the entirety of my service. I despise… no lothe the fact that any of you so called heroes still exist on this world. But…”

Why do I hesitate so, right before the moment of glorious vengeance.

No matter how I try I pull no pleasure from this. It feels a little hollow inside, no only due to the strain of my magic. But something else seemingly tugs at me from somewhere. Am I feeling sympathy for the wretch? Or is it something else. It's like trying to listen to something far away but no matter how hard you try it's just a little too quiet.

Seemingly from nowhere, a thought pops into my head.

“Is what Light would have wanted?”

Is Glint manipulating me?

No that’s not possible, a ghost cannot use magic like this so soon after death.

Then, who?

>>371065

Set 1:

>Obliterate Spirit, deny afterlife of any kind.

>She’s not worth the time. The headsman will deal with her regardless.

Set 2:

>Spare the remnants of the covenant

>”Leave no stone unturned.”

Set1

Can't we take her spirit and use it? If not just leave her to the headsman.

Set2

We have killed enough innocents to make an example. Leave the rest to cower in fear.

>>371066

Destroy her. She should've thought her wrongs before dying. As much as it may come back to haunt us, spare the witches

>>371096

Sorry for not bumping. the mood got to me

>>371066

>Set 1

Annihilate her and destroy the weapon, the mistakes of centuries past cannot be allowed to repeat.

>Set 2

We haven't taken to unnecessary killing yet and we won't now. They're not in our way anymore and never will be.

>>371066

Two votes for “Leave no stone unturned”. Destroy both her and her coven from the face of the world. I’m sure he’ll get some power from destroying her spirit and from her covens life force.

I'm gonna put my two votes into sparing the coven, since everybody, including myself, agrees with killing Glint dead.

>>371066

Set 1:

>Obliterate Spirit, deny afterlife of any kind.

If possible, enslave or absorb her spirit for our own empowerment. If that's not possible, then obliteration.

Set 2:

>”Leave no stone unturned.”

Harvest them all for life energy.

>>371066

Rather than casting a vote at this time, I'm going to ask a few questions and make a few observations. By all means, ignore them if need be due to time or plot constraints. If nothing else, it might give other readers some food for thought.

1.) Are there any Arrmagam/Necromancy taboos that Yasgerouf would be breaking if he did completely obliterate, absorb, or enslave Glint's soul in some way? JUSTICE is one thing; completely losing, corrupting, or betraying one's own self and principles is quite another.

Also, I have this weird paranoia that OP might be cooking up this story's version of a "bad time" for us if Yasgerouf goes too far down the genocide route. Pardon the reference, but it fits. I hope I'm wrong about that, though.

2) Is it possible for Yasgerouf to gain power by absorbing or enslaving Glint's soul in some fashion. I don't know if I'm in favor of it or not yet, but the idea of "Mega Man-ing" the Seventeen still strikes me as funny.

3) On that note, would Glint's weapon, the Blackened Candle, be of any use to Yasgerouf? If so, he may want to consider holding on to it. There are still 16 to go, after all, and it's one more card in his deck, so to speak. If Yasgerouf can't use the weapon, he should probably destroy it if possible, regardless of what happens to Glint. Even if he can use these weapons, he should probably destroy the ones he collects when this is all over. From the sound of things, the fewer of these weapons there are, the fewer the pointless wars that will be fought over them.

4) The surviving coven members may be too weak to pose a direct threat to Yasgerouf, but they could still spread information or find other ways to be a nuisance later if left alive. Just keep that in mind.

5) My overall opinion on the matter of dead Seventeen members at this point in time is that whatever happens to one of them should happen to all of them. This whole thing is about simple retribution and a balancing of the scales. They all made the same choice to murder their comrades at arms. Should Yasgerouf prevail, they should all meet the same fate, whatever is decided. No special treatment.

>>371282

I will be sure to answer your relevent story questions in the next update. Excluding the ones below.

Never planned for something as uncreative as "heroic figure kills the bad protagonist if they do too much evil." I have other, more interesting plans for such a situation. But such a situation does not exactly mean Yasgerouf's defeat, merely that the story will take several much darker turns. An important thing to remember is that Yasgerouf changes a little with every choice people make, even if his ridgid mindset remains mostly the same.

Question 2, entirely possible. Yasgerouf is very unlikely to do such a thing however.

"JUSTICE is one thing; completely losing, corrupting, or betraying one's own self and principles is quite another." I would just like to say you have nailed one of the exact thoughts I had writing Yasgerouf as a character.

>>371065

I laugh, kneeling down to pick up the candle. A powerful magical item, but in the end an annoying trinket that causes problems for all who lay eyes upon it. It is entirely incompatible with my type of magic, like most magical items. Realistically possessing it will only make me a target. However, I need it for something…

“Ah Glint, you should have thought of that before killing my comrades and leaving me for dead. Perhaps if you had shown any kind of real change since that incident I would simply not care but as you are now you have only continued to cause pain to others. I’m not exactly one to judge you for that, however the pain you’ve caused is unnecessary.”

She holds her shoulders in either hand, the spirit trembling.

I hold her candle in my palm, my other hand resting behind my back.

“Glint, in the name of the council of liches…”

The ground seems to quake as the stygian paths seemingly reach from the ground.

“By the authority vested in me, I, Yasgerouf of the Tenth Seat, hereby place the ultimate penalty. I place unto thee the final death. Begone.”

The candle seemingly sparks and corrodes, unable to handle the energy. The reaping and reaching hands of the stygian path grab the limbs of Glint, The spirit is torn to shreds in an instant. The act is painless, and quick. After the fact I stagger, forcing myself I lean against a crumbling wall and nearly fall over.

>>371624

I grin like a mad man for a time, then suddenly feel… very sad and very alone. I feel no satisfaction, nor pleasure. I merely dispensed JUSTICE as it was my duty. It was deserved, now then, to the fate of her witches.

The witches will not be much of a threat to me in the future, however they are still a threat. I have mixed feelings about what to do. Such creatures have nowhere to run and killing all of them will be nearly impossible. That being the case, I opt to make a compromise. I kill all of the ones above a certain threshold of power to cripple them. If I weaken them they will be too focused defending themselves from others to worry about me. A full genocide is reaching in Arrmagam wartime law, but still technically within my justification unless they surrender. Scattered as they were the “elders” that were above ground were easily felled. Why is magic so much weaker now? A coven of witches should have forced me to extend myself much farther, am I simply more powerful now?

I don’t understand. I look around at everything I destroyed, all these lives lost because of two people. Myself and my desire for revenge, and Glint. Not all of these witches were necessarily bad people, yet they still chose to follow such a person.

Sometimes I wonder if I’m not also misguided like she was, like they all were. They did it because they were afraid, while that does not make their crime excused, nor cause me to forgive them, It makes me wonder if I’m not doing the same thing. Killing them because I’m afraid of the consequences of letting them live. The weardown period of the psyching always makes me think the most unsettling thoughts. It causes doubts in my mind and my purpose. I shake my head, I’m correct, they must die for their crimes. Not for my allies, or for the misguided idea of avenging another, they will die for my own selfish reasons. I never needed any other reason during wartime, I need no other reason to cross more off the list now.

After the fact, I simply head down into the depths below to not only pillage, but to free the captives.

I find my way through a hidden door, Rakk’s upper half tears it off its hinges.

Speaking of Rakk, I need to get it fixed soon. I require a ride out of here, but that comes after the acquisition of currency. I need money, lots of it, I require more than I ever thought I would need in order to construct my forces. Scarecrow Militia is useful but very strenuous and they only last roughly 24 hours. I must create both a small elite force and a large group of soldiers. What I require are Arrmagam Husks. But not only that, I require an unstoppable juggernaut, something to sew terror and despair into my enemies. To break them before the fight begins to minimize casualties on both sides. I require a Boneknight. I should have the Scarecrows gather the bodies.

The stairway is gloomy, the magic that would’ve normally lit the way forward is now defunct, thanks to my raid. Instead I focus on any lifesigns, feeling my way down. I arrive at a scene not much better than above. Groans and cries fill my ears, the sounds of those in pain. Its loud, this entire area is sound proof. That means there may be some here, any who’re down here are guilty of crimes that merit death at the hands of an executioner. Unfortunately for them I’m the only one available and not in a good mood. However I’ll be the better man.

I’ll make it quick.

>>371625

I see another witch, old, ancient even. I would call her a hag. She wears several symbols of power on her robe, a hunch deeper than windswept palm trees and a frow forming a chasm that reaches below even the sea. To my left I see corpses of tortured magical creatures, monsters, humans. All of their bodies radiate the remnants of magical power. They were surgically cut apart, likely while still alive to be harvested for parts to enhance the witch’s power. To my right I see many injured monsters, many of the demi-human variety, all of whom are injured. It's clear the witches curse them over and over to slowly wear them into an incapacitated state, then perform surgery. Not even in the under bowels of Arrmagam is this allowed.

I publicly executed all who would try these vile arts alongside those who would use souls in their arts. This will not stand before any trial or court. This ends here, with them and me.

“Who are you?”

“You may call me Arrmagam.”

Her eyes betray fear as she seemingly recognises my face. My smirk betrays my ill will.

“How did you get here?”

Her entire body shakes, her long cane drops to the ground.

“You can’t keep your dirty secrets from the Arrmagam Inquisition.”

She begins an incantation, but before she has a chance to finish I have already prepared a curse.

“Silence.”

Her throat constricts, cutting off airflow.

I finish her off quickly, with a single spike of ectoplasm through the brain.

There were several others down here. Their robes betrayed their higher position. My assumption is that either Glint was lying, or this was something only know to a few select higher ups who could be trusted with this dark knowledge.

They disgust me. Sub-human filth the lot of them. A swift retribution is likely far more than they deserve, but the laws state that deaths must be swift and painless for “malpractice of magic” offenses. I must follow wartime law, though it may have been hundreds of years I am still a combatant representing Arrmagam. I must stay true to my list of rules and regulations, lest I become sub-human. From the evidence I found, this raid is henceforth retroactively condoned by the council of liches by my authority as Yasgerouf of the Tenth Seat. And when I return I will accept any and all consequences for my actions.

It is easier to ask for forgiveness, than to ask for permission.

I repeat this to myself.

“So long as I have results.”

Now then, to rescue the prisoners.

I form a list, using a quill, and inkpot held by a scarecrow, and a booklet.

“One nekomata(tails missing), one loup-garou(ears missing, magic eyes missing), one griffon(wings clipped), one beholder, one wight, one Hakutaku (missing arm, eyes), and two further in critical condition to be listed below.”

“One Mystic Owl, of the subspecies Mystara, unusually large, body is mostly intact but wings are clipped and is suffering from more curses than any other. Can likely only move her eyes and is in near total sensory deprivation as a form of torture.”

“One… something…”

She has no magical aura.

She has no lifeforce.

Using my sight all I see is a blank void. She’s alive, I can feel her breathing. She has arrived here more recently than the others. She’s merely paralyzed with a very minor curse. It looks like a human, she should have all of her senses intact, but is merely unable to move anything but her eyes.

Regardless, I finish my report list and declare myself.

“All who can hear me, please come to your cell doors. I have dealt with the witches and will be releasing you and taking you to safety. I will be working to dispel any curses of pain first and foremost, then removing any basic paralyzation curses. I will be carrying those who have been struck by stronger locking curses one at a time. Please co-operate so that I can bring everyone to safety. We will work out places of origin once we leave the warzone. Do not panic, You are under my protection. The scarecrows, like this one you see here are under my command, There is also a much larger golem above who is also under my control. Exit in an orderly fashion.”

I open the gates to the various cells, the ones who have been deafened eventually get the idea when they notice the corpses. The ones who are blinded are initially resistant, but over time I convince them I’m not one of the witches. It seems they somehow sense that I’m male and therefore not a witch. My scarecrows move the bodies of the witches out of the way, digging graves and burying them. This is twofold, both to scrub each individual for items of value and to avoid causing panic to the rescued prisoners. I can extract life energy from these bodies after the fact and to make a bone knight I only require their skulls.

I need to tend to them, I harvested a decent amount of lifeforce but I’m burning a significant amount to fix them. According to these prisoners, the elder witches were hunting magical beasts and creatures in droves and bringing back those that survived alive for experimentation. It is as I expected but this means a very unfortunate fact has now come to my attention.

These monsters have no home anymore.

I have not prepared a contingency for this situation.

There is a moment of panic, but I need to figure things out, I perhaps could get help from someone I know. But doing that means I owe them favors. I never owe favors, to anyone for any reason. But I might have no choice… I don’t really have a home either.

I retreat with my plunder, a newly repaired Rakk and the former prisoners. They follow me looking like lost souls. The Wight likely lost her creator, but had powerful enough mental fortitude to avoid the insanity of her god being killed, she’s like a doll right now, going through the motions. The rest are battered and broken, the ones unable to walk are being gently cradled by Rakk. The golem is surprisingly gentle when needed.

I set up a camp using some supplies I bought earlier, or rather, Rakk does it for me. The ones unable to move are placed under anesthesia, so that I may treat them with minimal discomfort. I Start with the owl, poor thing. The damage it has sustained is immense, the pain must be maddening, or would be if it was not in a total sensory lock. The first thing I need to do is remove some of the sensory deprivation before she goes mad, if it's not too late. I’ll start with hearing, then sight. The curses are heavily interwoven, my corrosive energy weaves must break it apart at just the right places as to avoid harming the owl. I feel the weaves undo, as it all starts to come apart. Curses like these are quick to pull apart, the more complicated the curse the easier it is to undo. In addition, the power of the caster is equally important.

I leave the owl for the time being, I ask the rescued to bathe one another while I tend to the paralyzed woman. They do so without question, a few seem nervous at first but It seems they do not doubt my intentions and character for the time being. I will clean out the wounds as best I can to prevent further infection, after purging the infections that have started to show. It is a painful procedure but only briefly, and the effects are noticeable immediately. The wounds lose the redness and swollen features as any pus or bad blood seeps out in an instant. The wound is cleaned out entirely to allow proper healing. Simple battlefield medicine magic.

>>371627

The paralyzed woman raises my curiosity, is she really human? How can she hide her lifeforce from me? I will have to wait to know anything, maybe I can ask nicely. Unweaving her curse is nice and simple, it seemingly pulls apart like paper. This is very strange, as a simple curse placed by a powerful caster should have had a lot less… give.

The woman shoots forward, planting her face inches from mine. Her eyes are… wrong. The sclera are black with small red veins, there are no iris’ and the pupils are glowing red dots that glow with a fierce flame, leaving trails in the night when she looks up and down along my face. She seems entirely uninjured as she opens her arms into a hug. Her long black hair flows in the wind, almost un-naturally.

“You’re safe now, you probably need some rest and perhaps a stretch.”

She frowns, then smiles again, faster than my eyes can catch she’s able to kiss me on the cheek. I feel a sharp pain, reeling back she sticks a tongue out at me.

“Payback. Cutie.”

Her accent is impossible to understand, her language might be limited.

“Excuse me, Could you…”

She seemingly turns her arms into wings as thousands of feathers seemingly pop into existence. Her legs conjoin forming a snake tail with several wings attached. Spiraling her body she launches herself into the air flying away at an unbelievable speed.

“…Repeat that.”

I sigh. One less to worry about I suppose.

Set 1: I require a base of operations

>Somewhere on the sea…

>Somewhere in the yellow emperor’s lands.

>Somewhere in the nearby eyeless desert.

>Somewhere on the floating continent.

Set 2: the rescued

>The local lord, Yin, May be able to help me… I’ll owe her though.

>The Soft-tails may be able to help me, but I’ll owe them.

>I could allow them to stay with me in the home I plan to construct, if they have nowhere else to go. I would need people to maintain the place and it would be safe for them to mentally recover. The Wight seems to follow me idly and may follow me regardless of my choices.

>>371628

Set 1

>Somewhere in the yellow emperor’s lands.

I say we should move to a heavily forested area that is outside of known territories, yet still close enough to a stygian path that trade and travel isn't terribly hindered. Not to mention the benefit of harvesting bandits for life energy.

Set 2

>I could allow them to stay with me in the home I plan to construct, if they have nowhere else to go.

Once they've recovered enough to ensure they can safely travel and make informed choices, then give them the option to go freely or remain as your servants in your future home.

>>371637

I second this.

>>371628

Can you tell us the geography and geopolitics of each area again? Maybe have a pros and cons list for each one? This is going to be a major decision and I’d like to know more about each choice for base.

>>371879

See these posts. I made my choice based mostly on those descriptions and the events that have happened so far.

>>366261

>>366262

>>371879

>>371879

The Eyeless Desert:

Known as such due to its high population of Medusa, basilisk and other creatures with magical eyes. It is a desert, containing pyramids still functioning ancient civilizations and a vast alliance between three empires. The hooded city, controlled by snake like creatures. A nameless city, known to be a massive upside down pyramid. It is ruled by a snake-like demigod and has existed for thousands of years. Lastly is the Oasis, primarily controlled by a pharaoh of has also lived for thousands of years. Humans are treated as property in the fact that they only have any rights when owned by a monster. At the end of the day it's like slavery, but when owned a human is treated with respect and harming one without cause is a serious crime. Such rules are required in order to convince humans to live, keeping humans who are constantly resisting is far too difficult. Therefore it's easier to simply make them think “It’s actually not that bad here, I have food, water, a love interest…”

Yellow Emperor's Lands:

Ruled by the absolute king the Yellow Emperor, a demigod. Known as the eastern lands to many, it is split into several groups of loosely affiliated clans and warlords cooperation to avoid being attacked by The Master. Honour and morality are held highly in public society, but behind the scenes it is clearly very different. After all, even if the Yellow Emperor is a demi-god, he cannot see all. These lands have several unique species and have developed mostly in isolation under the guidance of the demigod ruler.

The Sea:

The Sea bridges “the gap”. The continent is shaped like an “n”, with the gap in the center. Several small islands are around the sea that would be convenient for a base of operations assuming the user has flight or a boat. The creatures of the sea are hostile to nearly everyone who tries to cross without permission, however at the same time getting permission requires passage into the sea. The waters here are said to be the deepest in the world, reaching far into the depths below. No one has ventured there for fear of what may lie in wait. That being said, the sea has access to trading routes and materials that are impossible to find elsewhere.

>>371938

The Floating continent:

A holy land with a massive center city that consideres itself independant from the lands below. Primarily is habitated by flying creatures and strong magical creatures, spellcasters and outside of the center city unsavory folk. There is a constant feeling of unease here as numerous religious organisations consider the areas outside of the powerful center city to be under their control, territory wars are common often with others getting caught in the crossfire.

>>371939

Thank you for explaining it. I’ll go with two votes for the floating continent since it seems like it’s the most defensible, since it’s floating and all.

>>372003

>he missed the part where there are multiple warring factions on that same continent

Going one for Yellow Empire and one for the Sea.

>Set 1

>somewhere on the sea

This way even if word gets out that we are still alive shit would be hard to invade. Because islands are hard to invade.

>set 2

>they could maybe stay with us

I mean offer them a choice, if they can go home they may and indeed should. If not, mother base it is, punished necromancer. What, did you think it wouldn't devolve into this? Jej

>>372374

>did you think it wouldn't devolve into this?

Caring for lost monsters whose future was nothing but torture, madness, or death? This is a natural evolution in /monster/.

Earlier I voted for hidden deep within a forest in the Yellow Emperor Lands, and I still think that's a pretty good idea. But since reading the >>371938 description, the sea option is pretty appealing too. I wouldn't mind either one.

I hate to be that guy, but punished necromancer is too good to pass up. considering current circumstances it should flow nicely into the story too.

>>372486

So what, is that a double Sea vote?

>>372489

Yeah. I'm going double sea.

>>372486

>>372521

2 for Sea

>>371628

The Owl:

It feels cold, like I’m constantly floating in a void. I can’t feel the air in my feathers, I don’t feel the pain from my clipped wings. But I can open my eyes and see, I can hear the wind blowing, the voices of women and a single man.

What happened? Where am I?

It's a large tent, several people are sitting around me in misfitting clothes that are clearly far too large for them. One man in baggy unkempt clothing stands beside a small nekomata, a child it seems. The child is unconscious, but… its ears are growing back. Limb regeneration, powerful magic is needed to do such a feat. The level of control that must be maintained is absurd, only a cleric should be able to exert that strength by acting through their god’s will.

I blink, changing the magical spectrum I view. There is no magic moving from him to the child. I swap spectrums once again, lifeforce is what’s moving, this man has so much that it exudes out of his skin. How can he restrain so much, how is his reservoir so large it exists outside of his body? The only things that can do that are undead monsters and… Necromancers. Judging by his skill he’s not one of the weak ones, his art is far too refined. Most cannot channel without loss of lifeforce but he can. He’s converting his lifeforce into magical strength but his body can’t handle that level of strength, his magical reservoir is far too small. He must be constantly regenerating when he uses magic, the pain must be immense. Wait no, that cannot be right, that’s entirely unsustainable.

I look closer, into the weaves of his magic and skin, my divining eyes tearing through any obstruction. He does not try to hide his ability if you look for it, but its clear to me as the moon in the night sky. He has a seal in place beneath his skin. A magical conduit surgically grafted. It suppresses some of his strength, preventing him from going to far with magic conversion. The seal is one of the most advanced I’ve seen and not something a single magic user could do alone. He must know people who are strong enough to create such a thing.

But how could he have this magic? Arrmagam does not exist anymore, the dead continent is certain death for anyone who treads upon its ground. To walk its lands and retrieve enough texts he must know some other method of defending himself. How old is this man? Is he older than me? There must be some explanation. Perhaps others… if they’re of similar or greater strength than this man before me.

I need more information. I divine using my magical eyes to see, there is nearly nothing I cannot know or understand so long as I have a link.

Arrmagam sorcery, any practitioners?

“Sixteen.”

Any affiliated with this man? Nothing, I need to know more about him.

Strongest living practitioner?

“The man before you.”

His name? Nothing again. Perhaps something that would be more commonly known, like a title?

“The Tenth Seat.”

What is the tenth seat?

“A position in ancient Arrmagam. Known publicly as the weakest of the 10 seats, held by the royal magus of the tenth lich, formerly known as the Empress Inquisitor. Therefore the Tenth Seat was commonly referred to as the Seat of the High Inquisitor.”

What did this seat involve?

“Killing of criminals who cannot be pursued by normal mortals. Any and all wartime efforts that require immediate action. Assassination of nobles who broke severe taboos and could not be disciplined by normal means. For example, rapists, traitors and infanticide.”

That explains why he attacked the witches. What was his goal?

“Revenge.”

Revenge? There must have been something more?

“No.”

I feel nervous. This makes him unpredictable. Revenge against the coven? Why? How could this man have held the tenth seat? it has been so long since Arrmagam’s destruction. How old is he?

“Physically, perhaps 24. Mentally unknown, but perhaps…”

No, something must be wrong. I must not have enough information. My divination requires logical reasoning to function when used sporadically. I must be drawing false conclusions. But, just in case.

Who was the strongest to ever hold the Tenth Seat?

“Yasgerouf the Animator.”

Why is he considered the strongest?

“Results.”

Is he evil?

“It depends.”

>>372820

What? What kind of answer is that? That cannot be, it was a confirmed answer from the strings of fate and all I’m told is “it depends?”, nonsense. My question must have been vague.

I think, hard, focusing. Is this man before me intent on acting on ill will?

“Yes.”

To who?

“Not any one you see before you, nor that you know.”

This is pointless. I’m merely violating his privacy. If he was intent on harves…

It dawns on me. We were going to be harvested for magical parts and energy. My body shakes, but I’m unable to feel my shiver. I feel whatever was left in my stomach try to rise up out of me. I hold it back. I’m safe so long as he’s here. I want to ask the question, about what would’ve happened if I was not rescued.

I can’t do it.

I sit up slowly, checking my plumage. I’ve been cleaned, my wounds have been treated. Outside I can see a massive amount of lifeforce condensed into some sort of undead. Another lost art, something that large must have taken many deaths to make. This man is an anomaly, did he exterminate the coven? If so I owe him more than he will ever know. I try to talk, but my voice fails to come out. I’m still cursed and I can’t even say thank you.

I wait for the human to finish his healing, then ruffle my feathers to get his attention.

“Ah, you’re awake, good. You’re still cursed, it will unfortunately take me some time to remove these ones. Sorry for the delay. You probably cannot talk yet, I’ll sort that out after your inability to feel. I’m Crowe, pleased to meet you.”

He talks like an older gentleman, cultured and calm. He does however seem so very tired, clearly he’s pushing himself on the magical and physical spectrum. Bags under his eyes, a slight hunch that is very evident despite his slightly short stature. He’s barely standing, stretching himself thin. My stomach churns again, this time in guilt for prying. Instantly he notices my dis comfort, handing me a glass of water.

“You must be dehydrated. You should probably rest after a brief stretch.”

I could say the same about you Sir Crowe. This man may be a little icy and monotone, but he seems far too kind to be an inquisitor. Perhaps he’s acting?

“No, acting is unlikely.”

Crowe moves toward another woman, a griffon. She’s taller than I, seemingly towering over him. However she seems oddly submissive for a creature with such powerful pride. Letting Crowe inspect her body for damage and checking her for sickness…

>>372821

The Griffon

I miss home. My beautiful tower is no more. Crushed to rubble, my treasures I was created to guard stolen and missing. Myself kidnapped to be used by those foul hags. I was weak, so very weak. I could only kill three of them before the den mother got to me, never have I seen a witch so skilled in hexes. I never stood a chance.

Yet this man strolled into their territory and leveled them in a single hour?

It makes me angry, I wanted to kill them myself for this humiliation, to need healing and care from another. It means I’m weak, and because I’m weak he’s touching me all over. Impudent human, he’s very lucky to have earned this pleasure and right of checking me over. He’s oddly… cold to my body, like he does not admire me. Did he really mean what he said about it merely being a medical issue?

I’m not disappointed, that’s what he said surely it was obviously never going to be anything more. I don’t want his comfort.

I pause, he asks if I need anything.

I can’t fathom the words. He shows me pity, why? I’m weaker than he is, he could kill me in an instant yet he chooses to help me, to help us. But why, he stands to gain nothing, If he wanted to kill and harvest me he should have done so when I could not fight back. Does he want my body in… another sense? That can’t be right, not with how he acts.

Is he trying to court me? He’s being gentle with his touch, and a little elaborate when he could ask me directly. I think the human is simply very shy, he does not look like the social type.

“Is something else hurting you?”

“I- uh…”

Stupid griffon! Say something, you cannot show weakness.

“No, I’m fine. T… T-Thank you.”

I want to go back to my nest and crawl into a little ball. That made me look like a pathetic waif. The man merely smiles, saying that it's good that I’m not in any pain.

He rubs behind my ears and ruffles my hair much in the way a grandfather would to their grandchild. Did he just pat my head? Unacceptable, why did I just sit there and take it? My honour is at stake here, I cannot allow this to go unpunished.

But… how. He would instantly destroy me.

Actually, in retrospect, the head pat felt very nice. Obviously he knew I wanted it so he obliged my desire, of course this man is understanding and gentle. He knows what I want, he will restore my flight as well eventually.

I want to fly again, being grounded feels wrong. But at the same time, I don’t want to leave. I huddle my feathers close to my body, I’m not cold but I’m shivering. What’s going on? I don’t get it, why? Why am I crying? I’m pulled from all sides, I don’t know anymore. I look at the human, and spread my wings, pulling him into my plumage. He’s surprised, and warm to the touch. He does not resist my pull, as it should be, its a privilege to comfort me.

>>372822

A very confused Yasgerouf.

Why is the griffon hugging me?

She never spoke then burst into tears after shuddering and then pulled me tightly into a bearhug. I can’t even move no matter how I struggle. I pause, seeing her closed eyes just above my head. Are all demi-human monsters this pretty? I would think it's almost a requirement, after all they need to seduce humans to procreate. Well, I suppose making the the rescued feel better is part of my job. So long as it's just hugging i’ll allow it if it makes her feel better. She seems to like it when I rub around her head, just above the temples. Eventually she sniffles, letting me go. She turns around to face the corner and says nothing beyond a muffled thanks. Poor thing’s been through quite the ordeal.

The Beholder has been quite amicable, sticking close by while levitating. I believe that this variant has been called a Hovering Eye, known to be troublesome and dangerous until defeated. She likes to hand me things I need by hovering them nearby, though they like to hover in bogs under the water, it's where they make their homes. Slightly lizard like in appearance with scales and long, curved claws. She smiles with pointed teeth, lazing around in the air seemingly un-worried. It certainly makes it easier with her around, she always looks at me expectantly, seemingly waiting on my next word.

“Tell me, beholder…”

“Call me Clementine, a pleasure.”

I work on wrapping the Hakutaku’s eyes. It will take me many more treatments to repair them, and more after that to restore sight.

“Clementine, is anything bothering you?”

“No, They were to afraid to enter my cell.”

“How did you end up there?”

She places a claw under her chin, mockingly thinking.

“I don’t seem to recall. No need to frown, it’ll come to me. I remember being angry about something, fighting, then being trapped by something. When my fog cleared I didn’t feel like expending the effort to leave.”

“Do you know curative magic?”

“No. Wait, yes. Maybe? I’m not sure.”

“You’re not sure?”

She frowns, puffing her cheeks.

“I don’t remember which eye does what. It's been years since I bothered to do anything but sleep in my bog. Said bog has now evolved into a pleasantly seeded ash pile, thank you for asking.”

She crosses her arms, flipping herself upside down, then she proceeds to panic as she drifts out of control. She slips out of the tent, falling on her ass after tangling herself in her own eyestalks. She sits down awkwardly, turning to face away like a small child would after being scolded. I focus on her energy, trying to isolate her age using magic. She’s quite young, ancient using human years by by beholder years she’s barely a late teen. If she’s been asleep for that long then…

>>372823

I shake my head, focusing on the task at hand. The Hakutaku has a hard time keeping it together, but is receptive to my touch. She seems worried when someone is not holding her hand, so I ask the Griffon to do so. It will be much easier on me if I have them comfort one another. The Beholder is clearly anti-social, so I have her help me as she’d been doing previously. By the council, tonight is going to be a hassle and a half. Looks like very little sleep for me on this night. But for the sake of appearances I must continue unaffected. Such is the job of the protector of the people, I must be the crutch for the weak when they cannot stand on their own.

It is a sleepless night, I tended to the majority of their wounds but there is still much more treatment ahead. The poor nekomata child has taken to calling me father, clearly she is quite delusional. A wound of the mind is not something I can fix with magic, that being said I can’t leave this be for too long. I make a note to deal with this later, perhaps when we’re settled in at a new homestead. They look to me for direction, slowly but surely it dawns on me that not a single one of them have a place to return to. Surely unprecedented, I had expected to only recruit half as a generous estimate. Regardless, I will find a way, Skeletons are terrible housekeepers so having people maintain the lair would be a great boon.

And maybe… having someone to talk to occasionally would be nice. Humans are social creatures after all, it's clear to me that I have been isolated for far too long underground. To the point where I have nearly jumped into opportunities to socialize with others despite that fact that I don’t really have anything in common with the people I conversed with. Perhaps having a few people around home would be nice. Just a few.

They seem eager to follow me, though I need more transportation to move this amount of people so far. I’m lacking in materials for another creature like Rakk, So I must make do with what I have. Perhaps I could forge Abductors, they work to transport soldiers so therefore…

I begin my work, the entire process takes about three days to make enough, accounting for rest. When it is done I have several creatures that appear similar to rib cages with pairs of wings. They will grab them using their flexile bones, moulding to their shape and then carry them via flight. The group is not exactly ecstatic about this, however I inform them of that it is only for the trip down. With this knowledge I give my goodbyes to this accursed flying hellhole. Death hangs around this place like a cloud, the stygian paths are crooked here from the amount of death. While I could traverse them any mere apprentice would come out blind or missing limbs from the thickness of the corrosive energy and dead threads.

The journey down is met with much fanfare by the griffon and the owl, both smile broadly when soaring through the air. The others however feel some legitimate fear looking at the ground the below. For those that cannot handle it I make them land on Rakk’s shoulders. The glide down takes us about halfway to where my carriage was, I’ll send a few of the Abductor’s ahead to grab it and bring it back. If I sense a disturbance i’ll just have Rakk guard the rescued and then take care of it myself. I wish I had better bearings of this new world, using the stygian paths to travel is so much simpler than this nonsense called horse and carriage.

I plan to stop by a town on the way, and buy some real clothes for the women. And some real food, I may not mind militarized rations but some of the women are clearly malnourished and need something more. In fact it might not be a terrible idea to rest near to the village until they regain some figure, poor things could use it. But at the same time, they seem uncomfortable without a proper home to stay in, and seem very interested when I tell them my plans for a safe outpost on the ocean.

For some reason looking at their eyes full of hope and awe hits me with a slightest feeling of satisfaction. I wonder how long its been since I’ve felt that.

>>372824

Set 1:

They will consent to either choice, with a split opinion on both choices, leaving Yasgerouf being the one accepting their expectant stares.

>Stay here for a time so that some of the weaker ones can be more recovered before travel.

>Use magic to infuse food with life essence, speeding up their recover during travel. This will be hard on them in the short term but will speed up progress.

Set 2:

They require clothes and perhaps accessories. They have been through an ordeal and such things should make them feel better in the short term. Items of comfort, such as stuffed animals, toys for the small Nekomanta and books to read to the blinded. It's just the matter of expenses. The more bought and more money spent the better the result. They are willing to be under my employ for a safe place to live, so I cannot in good conscious do anything cheaply

>Minimum Required, simple things to keep them going and happy. They won’t mind, as they currently have nothing.(absolutely unavailable due to a previous choice)

>Decent amount, a few dresses, toys, books and accoutrements such as comfortably woven blankets to keep them happy.

>Higher expense, custom made items to settle them in.

>Highest available, Enough to make them burst into tears at the kindness of the gesture.

>>372825

So we have an Owl Mage, Griffon, Nekomata, Gazer, and Hakutaku among the survivors? Nice variety among them. The tsundere Griffon is pretty cute. Are there anymore aside from those 5?

For voting…

>Use magic to infuse food with life essence, speeding up their recover during travel. This will be hard on them in the short term but will speed up progress.

Two votes for this. Yasgerouf seems very pragmatic, and delaying their suffering seems pointless. Even if it is a little uncomfortable in the short term, lets speed along their recovery as quickly as we can. And that way we can more quickly prepare for the trip out to the sea.

>>372825

First vote: Yasgerouf doesn't seem the type to waste time so stick a bit of magic into the food to speed things up

Second vote: Decent amount. While Yasgerouf should do something, any frivolities are not his responsibility. If any items fall under "higher expense" that are also needed for day to day life then he should get those. Not like he rescued a small group of human women, and what might be basic needs for a MG may be a bit pricey.

Set 1:

I am voting for life essence infused food, with one condition:

If there is any chance that this option might be too hard on even the weakest of the mamonos, and that they might die or take a sudden turn for the worse due to the strain of travel, then I change my vote to waiting for a bit until they recover enough for the journey. (No one's gonna die on Yasgerouf's watch unless he wants them to).

Set 2:

Decent amount, if for no other reason than the fact that they still have a journey ahead of them, and it's probably best to travel in a reasonably light and practical manner–where "reasonably" includes the fact that Yasgerouf has undead pack mules at his disposal. Nicer things can wait until they get settled in. I do have one (half-joking) condition here as well, though.

A request for the nekomata:

If Yasgerouf happens to come across a green cap and a red dress in her size, I think he should think about buying them for her. Just saying. No reason. ;)

>>372862

[honks in approval]

>>372862

I second this as well.

We should ask them about their life skills as well. They will need to be able to sustain themselves while we are not there.

Having a grasp on their capabilities will give us a start on what needs to be taught to them and what tools they might need.

Here's the thing lads, undead horses don't tire. I vote we gather rations and start moving. The weak can recuperate en route because undead horses + skellington constructed carriages means we can proceed of at a slowed pace.

And yeah, buy 'em bitches and thots some clothes. Bitches love some clothes.

I am also starting to regret suggesting punished necromancer tbh. So how about this, in character we set out feelers to inquire about Arrmagam and begin the slow March home. Or at least that should be the medium term goal. Because suddenly a base in the middle of a truly dead land sounds a hell of a lot more metal.

>>373038

Honestly I know it’s too late, but I would totally give all my votes for this rather than the sea. It would be so much cooler to retake Armagam and restore it to its former glory than some island in the middle of the sea. Plus he could potentially restore some of the other council, learn more about what happened to Armagam and more necromancy to further better his art such as a functional way of immortality like lichdom, and finally he could probably recruit or control some of the undead that are wandering Armagam into his army.

Going with life infused food and of course something decent. Both nothing that should be too much problem to get with the help of the few bandits we're likely to encounter on our way to the sea. Course I forget to sage again

>>372862

Also voting for this selection.

>>372825

The quality clothes, such as simple designed kimonos, dresses, comfy blankets, towels and feather pillows is more than enough to earn a heartfelt thanks from them. The first thing many of them do is take a bath by the local river. I, of course, am not present for such a thing as I have dignity to preserve. Rakk however is standing watch over them in case of unscrupulous individuals. After this many of them sleep in their new found blankets and comforts. The nekomata child cuddles with her teddy bear gently, digging her head into its belly so that its arms fold over her like a hug. When she sleeps she cries for her mother, but there's nothing I can do to help her when she’s in the realm of dreams.

I can heal the wounds of the body, but I’m powerless to repair the mind. I look around to see that many of them are in a similar state. My knuckles begin to hurt as I slowly release my clenched fist. This is very uncharacteristic of me, I should not care this much. I think I’m becoming attached, but why? They’re not particularly endearing to me, I barely know them, so why? I shake it off, such questions are unimportant. They’re my responsibility now and I have taken them under my wing. So I must care for them.

I start to infuse some food with lifeforce. This method causes discomfort but will greatly aid their recovery. It will cause fitful dreams, discomfort, nausea and other minor effects to make one wish it all to end. However, the results cannot be argued.

Some are begrudging about this, as I of course tell them about this. However the Owl accepts the food as soon as it's offered without hesitation. After this the rest of them accept it happily. The next few days they are in pain, it is unavoidable, but at the same time their bodies regain mass, their bones re-harden, their sensitivities return among other essential things a living being needs to be healthy.

They seem happy, all of them. Yet also so very sad. Living creatures are so complicated and hard to understand. An undead has no friends, only their living god, their creator. They pray you know, the undead. When they think their master is not looking they kneel and whisper prayers hoping for their master’s blessings. Such loyalty is impossibly rare among any race, the only thing I find similar is the love of a pet. They look up to you as their protector and master and the one who they will always stand by or fall trying. They mourn you when they die, and it leaves a lasting hold inside of them. Any who would abuse the bonds of this rare loyalty should be put down.

>>373192

The child, the little Nekomata keeps coming to me when I sit off to the side. She makes halos of flowers and likes to sit by me. I don’t fully understand why, the others would be much more social than I. She is far too young to understand my notes or the literature I read, yet even still she looks over to what I write and read. She wonders about the world around, calling me her father. She says her mother told her that her father had left on a “great adventure” of ten years and was always writing back to the family. This little one, Lei Ming, has taken it upon herself to declare herself my daughter… The very thought scares me. I am not afraid of death, as my death now would be meaningless and have no impact on the world. My country has likely forsaken me, as they should, leaving me isolated. But now, I feel pressure and something akin to fear. It is most perplexing.

“Papa, What’s wrong with your head?”

I calmly look to the side, where Lei Ming is lying down looking expectantly. Clementine cannot stop herself from chuckling softly while the nearby Hakutaku, who I learned has no name, pats Lei Ming on the head.

“That is rude little one…”

She rubs along the child’s recently restored ears.

“You’re not supposed to say such things.”

“But its true, can’t you see it, inside of his head something’s wrong. His skin is weird beneath the surface and…”

Is there something wrong with her eyes? I don’t believe that I made any such mistake, her head was not damaged beyond the ears.

Unless she can see beyond my barriers.

That’s powerful divination magic, not just magical sight. So this is what you wanted the child for, I do not regret “her” obliteration for a second. A harvester of souls deserves no less. To take a child’s soul and divy it up to take her innate magical strength, such an act fills me with a modicum of anger and nothing to harness it against.

Regardless, this child can see my grafted seals and likely my psychological numbing and focusing I’ve done over the years. Her talent is one in a million, no, one in several billion. Her ability with no training ranks her potential even above my master, the Lich of the Tenth Seat. Such raw strength as she grows will inevitably start to warp even reality around her, bending time and eventually will cause her to die young from improper harnessing of her ability. If she cannot control it and it runs wild she will draw from her life-force. And unlike me she cannot simply regenerate it quickly, her body and spirit cannot keep up.

I’m not gifted with raw magical strength, in fact I have less raw magical power than most even average people. Necromancy cares very little for raw magical muscle, its manipulation is not about talent or prodigal talent, but practice. At least, Arrmagam necromancy is this way. Outside of the country it tends to be called “War Magic” or “Law Casting”. It is the ability to entirely control everything living under my influence by exerting my power in the right ways. That being said, my methods may just be able to help this girl. She needs to learn control, or die trying.

This is quite the balancing act I’m playing with here. Well, I cannot pursue vengeance recklessly anymore. I’ve been acting out since my release, moving on whims and adrenaline. It's settled, I will settle down for the time being and impart my knowledge to the young one. In this time I need to construct troops, consolidate power and create a method to find the dead men still walking. Following rumors is a fool's errand, I’ll simply end up as a pawn for a non-arrmagam organisation.

>>373193

“I never thought that I would meet one so gifted.”

I feel all eyes on me. Clementine hovers over, sitting beside me. She rubs up uncomfortable close for someone supposedly so young, in Beholder years that is.

“So you finally noticed.”

“I suppose you found your magic piercing eye?”

“It was in my back pocket.”

I ignore her prodding, placing my hands on Lei Ming’s shoulders.

“You possess great power and a terrible burden. You may just have a brilliant future ahead of you.”

“Of course, I’m safe now with daddy.”

The way she talks is that of a girl a few years her younger. It churns my insides as I think of the damage that has already been done to a star so bright. They say time heals all wounds, but we will have to verify the authenticity of that.

“Do you want to learn magic? You can learn my magic or if you want to learn something much less strenuous I will find someone to teach you.”

She yells, nearly hurting the ears.

“I want to learn your magic papa!”

“You may change your mind about that later, I won’t hold you to it. But I will need to teach you some basics.”

“Okay Papa, if it hurts my head i’ll let you know.”

Truthfully, this can hardly be considered consent for me to teach her. In fact, it's likely she has little to no idea of what’s actually going on around her. Her cute little ears rise as she squints her eyes closed. Gently behind them I rub, she moves over to my lap happy to be pampered.

I can feel the gaze of the nameless Hakutaku through her blindfold, and even beyond her mostly empty sockets. She’s a magical being and a mage of some degree, perhaps even esteem. However she’s not something I can understand, her magical power is so very weak but I can sense something else within her. It incites me, I want to know. But that is for a later time, perhaps I can simply ask. The path of least resistance and least violence should always be attempted first, within reason, article 7, revision 3.

I look over to the Loup-Garou, a species of chimera and werewolf. Unusually strong, fast, magically resistant and incredibly loyal to the point of suicide at their master’s order. This is assuming you can get one to pledge themselves to you. Something that almost never happens. I wish I could have met the one who created their race, such power and intellect, I could glean so much from only a chat over tea. This one in particular has several strange markings, tattoos, powerful magical ones. They seem bonded to her soul and body, the energy flows through her blood vessels and links even to those of her meta-physical body and spirit. Have physical enhancement arts advanced so much in the time I’ve been gone? Before the best we could do with necromancy was increasing strength by roughly three times, however the body could never handle the strain. How does this one’s body reinforce itself like this?

As I expected, she knows I’m looking at her. Without hearing and without sight she is still able to sense her surroundings and understand intent.

“Do you need something?”

“I’m just wondering, everyone here has some sort of skill or ability. But for all of you to live peacefully and easily I need to know your skills. Perhaps your backgrounds as well, if you desire to share. I will not force you to divulge anything you’re uncomfortable speaking about, and we can do so privately if that’s what you want.”

The Beholder transmits my message telepathically to the deafened Loup Garou. Her speech is slightly slurred but otherwise understandable. She bows very slightly, enough to denote some degree of respect but not much more.

“I will speak with you and you only. After my hearing is repaired, honourable sir. I thank you for respecting my privacy and not peering any deeper.”

Ah, slight jab, but one made respectfully.

How is it that someone like her was captured by the witches? Glint would need to do so personally. No, not even that would be enough for a witch.

>>373194

My invite starts discussions about their talents and skills. Clementine has zero skills beyond her spell casting and various magical eyes. The Griffon, Minerva, declares herself as a grower, stating that she raised exotic plants at her previous home. The nameless Hakutaku seems to know little of the world but says no more, she seems oddly happy despite her situation. The Owl on the other hand lists more skills than I can count. Cooking, cleaning, alchemy, spellcrafting, divination, magical enhancement, scroll making… The list goes on and on. She speaks plainly, telling me to do with this information as I will.

Her eyes stare into my soul, I’m not sure if she knows that I can tell. She likes to observe me, and casts spells late at night. She is suspicious, but I’m certain in the end she is harmless. Even If I assume she knows who I am, if she works for me I can keep close tabs on her. In addition, she is an asset I cannot afford to squander. She, despite her lack of respect for my privacy, at the end of the day, is under my protection.

The Wight says nothing, and continues to say nothing, merely clinging to me and Mei Ling is a child. Young and impressionable, ah I need to ensure that she does not pick up my bad habits. Is this what master meant by “An apprentice is the best headache you will ever take”? Truly my eternal master is the wisest of them all. I feel pain, intense pain, like my heart is dying when I think of master. Pains of the heart, not something I can heal. Love born from loyalty is the purest form, if I ever saw her again how would I explain my failure? Simply put, I doubt I could even face my master like this. She has likely found a more worthy disciple to execute her will, perhaps someone with more raw power innately. I only hope that he or she is much stronger than I, so that they can be the high inquisitor my master deserves rather than this old failure.

I take my time across the countryside, I travel ahead of the group knowing the child is in the gentle care of the Hakutaku.

This country is corrupt to its god-damned core and is a disgrace to its people. Bandits roam the countryside, there is little order outside of the larger cities and not one single official is doing anything about this problem. Were I in authority I would make an example of any who were this incompetent and strip them of all titles and authority. Then I would round up the bandits in a single place and solve the problem in one fell swoop. Those who have the gall to declare they live above the rules or outside of them do not deserve their protection. Who is this supposed demi-god and how can someone with powers nearing the divine be so weak.

>>373195

An unfortunate missive

The lord will not like this, not at all. His beautiful garden and steps made of the finest stones feel like guillotines and thistles. My breathing is laboured from the run into the mansion, but I stop to catch my breath. I need to keep my composure before the lord, I practise my bow once before I knock on the door.

“Did you bring the tributes?”

“Something has gone wrong most honourable sir, the tributes were not secured.”

“You’re not Hou, where is that buffon?”

“Most honourable sir, I am a mere unimportant message sent by sir Hou.”

“He dares disrespect me by sending a messenger? Enter, Now.”

I feel my body freeze up. Oh by the emperor I fear for my everything. He could kill me and nobody would care. I slowly open the door.

“I do not have the patience of a saint, hurry up before I rip that message from you.”

I slip inside quickly, closing the door behind me. My bow is so fast and clear that I think even the lord was impressed.

“At least you can bow. And at least Hou had some good taste in sending a decent looking messenger.”

His room is dimly lit, with only dim candles on sconces set upon pillars. The decor is tasteful, dark in colour with the only standout being the lord’s desk and the stacked scrolls to its side. There is an entire wall of fine wines behind the man, the curtain are made of the best silks and his finery would not be uncommon compared to someone far above his station. I place the message, with its intact seal, on his desk beside his hand. He gestures for me to wait while he finishes his current message.

“Th- Thank you sir.”

“You’re very welcome, now then, I suppose you’re here for “that” as well?”

“I-I’m sorry sir?”

“To take the messenger with the message I mean, Come hither.”

I can feel the colour drain from my face.

“Don’t make me wait…”

I have to think of something, quick, I can’t run… but.

“The message is very important sir. I’m sorry but a great deal of your money is on the line, Sir Hou told me to ensure that it is read immediately.”

“Very well, after then.”

He picks up the message. The crinkling of paper is seemingly the most ominous sound in the room. Truthfully, I guessed what was in the letter, never reading it nor being told anything by Hou. I tried to buy time, panicked. I feel my sweat coalesce in my fur by my neck, calves and chest. If I run now I might have a…

“It’s good that you brought this to me messenger. As a reward, you get to leave this time.”

“T-Thank you sir.”

I turn to leave. Shuffling my feet as fast as my legs will carry me.

“Wait.”

My spine tingles, I feel cold despite the intense stuffing heat from this uniform. I turn slowly, being my best to hide my fear.

>>373196

“You forgot your fee dear.”

“T-Thank you for correcting my flub most honourable sir.”

I move back to acquire a small bag, the man looks me over as I do. I can feel the glare on my skin.

“I bid you farewell most honourable sir.”

“Come back anytime, after these few weeks, I will be occupied. I’ll introduce you to my son if you want.”

“I will consider your offer most honourable sir.”

I bow and leave, for real this time. I close the door and run out of this place, down the steps and outside to my horse. The guards don’t stop me, nobody does, I make my way down the road holding it together, I’m done work for today. My last deliver is done and it's only a single ride down the way to seaside. It's getting late but I simply can’t go back to that man’s manor if I value my purity. I feel violated by the mere thought. That man is vile.

The night is so beautiful, the stars in the night sky glimmer as bright as the finest gemstones under the sun. The moon is bright during its ¾ phase, giving some degree of light in this darkness. Still I need my lantern that hangs on my trusty steed as we trot down the path. After a half-hour I grow hungry, but that’s not an issue. Home is not far, it would be foolish to bother with the wild bamboo. I can see home on the horizon, maybe ten or twenty minutes away.

I hear a twang in the distance.

My horse reels, kicking me off, throwing me to the ground. It spasms, falling to the ground. I dust myself off, I look over. An arrow in my horse, through the head, it's still twitching in pain. Who would dare attack an imperial courier? I don’t wait, I run and scream for help, it's my only chance. There should be a patrol nearby!

“Help, Bandits, Help me!”

I run as fast as I can, I can’t see them but I know they’re following. I can’t outrun them forever, I might have to buy time. They’ll catch up to me soon, they seem to know the forest here. Its life or death, I must remember my defense training. When I feel hear their footsteps I turn to fight. My knife flicks from its scabbard, as I skid to a stop, turning to face them. Three of them, I duck backwards, on the defensive as a man with a katana is more than eager to strike at me. He uses the back of the blade. The bowman is farther back still, his bow not even drawn.

“How dare you attack an imperial courier. What do you think will happen to you all when I go missing?”

I step back, doing my best to defend, his weapon has more reach than mine. Its all I can do to defend against this one, he strikes and strikes giving me no room to move. Left high, right downstroke and repeat varying the directions. He knows how to fight. Where are those guardsmen?

He swings again, I avoid the blow, but I have figured him out. His next strike will be an upper left. I wait for my opportunity, and meet the blunted blade with the edge of my knife, I draw it away the bring in for a thrust to his neck. But then I feel a sharp pain in my stomach, I drop my knife in pain.

The ground meets me as a lover, holding me down as I reel. My insides churn as I heave.

“Whew, good strike, I actually would have died from that one.”

“You’re welcome Yu, say, you think this is still wise. We could just leave her and it will still probably send a message. We might…”

I hear a wet smack, and sound of the gravel road being disturbed by the falling of a person.

“What the fuck Yu!”

“You may have helped me out, but that does not mean you have authority on this. The boss says we grab the courier and we sell her to send a message. No buts.”

I finish heaving.

Selling me? What? Why did I do?

“Why? Do you think that the lord will let this go?”

He raises his fist, hovering it for a moment then briefly opening it to a full open palm. He is swift, knocking me off my feet as my face turns red with pain.

“This is the fault of your lord. You should be thankful we’re selling you and not keeping you.”

“But why me?”

He does not answer me, only staring blankly. Rapidly he twists my wrists, I kick him in the shin to no effect.

“Get off of me!”

“Relax I’m just restraining you. Dumbass, resist anymore and I will break your legs and arms instead of tying them. You’ll be kept pure so that the buyer can have his full money's worth, boss’ orders.”

I freeze, what did I do to deserve this? I don’t want to be a slave.

Someone, Anyone please help me.

But nobody came.

>>373197

The Lord

This is quite bad, the message borne by the panda is nearly impossible to believe. I can understand why Hou sent one so pretty, hopefully to ease my anger. He has failed horribly, I’ll need to make a personal appearance. He’s unable to collect my protection money, nor my tributes. The useless bastard cannot solve such a simple case, even with my troopers by his side, pathetic.

I’ll make way immediately, some vigilante taking it upon themselves to remove all of the bandits from the countryside. Normally I would not care, but I’m paid protection money by the villages every month to minimize damage, and then money from the bandits to overlook their existence and cover up their major messes. It's a perfect system, The villages suffer only “minimal” damage, the bandits are under my thumb and I get rich. It's a damn shame this came up as it did, that panda would have been quite the catch. I could have taken her captive, tied her down with some minor offense and then given her to my son as a wife for a gift. Or just taken her myself, but probably the former now that I’m thinking it through.

I have perhaps shamed myself with my conduct, Regardless it will never go public. The word of an insignificant panda vs those of a lord, I wonder who the officials would believe. I grab my sword, and find a servant to fetch my armour. Maybe I will grab a woman before I go, I am in the mood for some relief before I go. No, I will do so after I finish this business. Better have a reason to resolve this quickly and deal with this “Vigilante”.

The bandits will have to be reaffirmed that this is not my doing. But that will be after I have the vigilante’s head on a stick, that should appease the barbarians.

>>373198

Yasgerouf

The Seaside town of “The Sun that Rides The Morning” is an interesting place. It has a border town just before that connects to a massive sandbar that they state is an island. Clearly this is not the case, I would much rather had named this place something to do with the massive bamboo forests in the area. Perhaps “The Village that Lies Beneath the Canopy”? No, that’s far too direct. I don’t understand this language after all, it's a silly bunch of lines on paper. Arrmagam runes are far more efficient than this nonsense.

Regardless, I have the group set up camp in this area. Rakk and the abductors will defend them, I do not have to worry. Things were so calm on the way here, were it not for my paranoia I doubt I would think even them necessary. The town is peaceful, but has an inordinate amount of guards, and idle horses.

I skid off to the side, several of them are talking to one another in a hushed tone. I can both see and smell the alcohol and tabbaco. They sit idly beside their horses, oddly nonchalant, however they look over their shoulders and wear what I have seen patrols wear. I listen in, why are there so many guards here I wonder?

“If we get caught we’ll be disciplined you know?”

“If we go out like this we’ll also be disciplined. Better to take the path of least resistance, we get to relax, and if we get caught we take the beating. If not we get off scot free.”

“Unfortunately you have been discovered.”

I step out from behind around the corner to this isolated little area. I can’t hold myself back. This laziness, this sloth and disloyalty. My blood burns, he head throbs. I know not where this anger comes from, but I know what sparked it. This disloyal fool.

“By a foreigner, so?”

I walk forward, slowly.

“Move any closer and I’ll cut you down. You think they’ll miss a for..”

To his eyes, I seemingly spring forward, wrap my hand around his throat and smash his body into the ground. They hay breaks his impact, but does nothing to relieve the pressure I place on his windpipe. The feeling of hands reaching for steel, ah I know it well.

I focus myself.

“Stop.”

My voice reverberates through both the physical and meta-physical layers. Their souls freeze in place, their bodies paralyzed, weaker being that they are.

He wheezes through laboured breaths, unable to move but barely able to speak.

“What… are you…?!”

“What gives you the right to betray your countrymen?”

“We’re not…”

“You shirk your duties, who gave you the right? Was it your superiors?”

His eyes grow large, I release my grip ever so slightly to not deny him all air.

“Was it the ones who pay for your lives and families? Oh tell me, was it the populace you owe your services and whom its your duty to protect and serve? Tell me! Who gave you the right to determine what disloyalty is? Or perhaps it was your ego…”

“We’re not hurting anyone! Honest!”

“Tell me, if a caravan got attacked right now, would you be there to defend it?”

“I-”

I grab his collar, pulling his face to mine.

“You’re goddamned right they would all die due to your incompetence and inability to follow a very simple rule! Follow your guidelines! If you were in my unit and I caught you I would have cut a finger from each and every one of you then hang it around your neck as a reminder.”

“But they’re not in your unit. Could I please ask you to stand down sir?”

I look over, a man in elegant attire. A black and white robe with a small vest-like tunic over its top. He holds a badge with a strange symbol, likely denoting his authority.

“And who might you be?”

“Ah, you’re not familiar with our military, my apologies. I am vice captain Fang, I am their direct superior. One who is equally as displeased with them as you, but also the one who is actually in charge of disciplining them. Could you please release them from your spell?”

>>373199

I stand up, brushing myself off.

I may have gone a little to far, that was… unprofessional.

“You may walk.”

They immediately bow to Fang, they look sacred for their very lives. It is one thing to be incapable of doing a duty, but quite another to disregard one’s superiors.

“The idea you proposed is quite tempting mr?”

“Crowe.”

His voice narrows to the quietest it can be while still hearing it. There’s a brief smile to his lips and his eyes squint heavily.

“Crowe it is then. Why if these idiots don’t hurry on up to the captain and explain exactly what they did in excruciating details, leaving out our good friend Crowe here, I’ll definitely consider it an immediate solution.”

“We are very…”

“The fact you’re still here makes me think you must have a finger in mind Gu He.”

“Understood sir!”

The three quickly stand up and sprint for their very lives.

“Ah, found that amusing Crowe, Truthfully I did to. You see I was about to “encounter them by chance” before you amazingly stated what was on my mind. I’m pleased to meet a respectable individual such as yourself…”

He extends his hand to shake.

“Don’t worry I’m a commoner by blood so you’re not offending me by accepting.”

I accept the shake. He seems… elegant and respectable. He’s tall for his race, roughly 5’8, perhaps an additional half inch on top of that. In comparison to me, in commoner’s clothes, it's like comparing a soldier to a general.

“Pleased to make your acquaintance.”

“Indeed, say, you clearly have some talent, have you considered enlisting?”

“I serve only one master, and will only ever act on their orders.”

“What about temporary mercenary work under my personal funds?”

“I’m just passing through.”

“What about for the next three hours?”

“Why?”

He scratches the back of his head.

“Due to orders from on high, we are to keep nearly all troops inside the walls. With those three failures not doing their patrol, the roads are vulnerable. I need to go out myself to cover the rest of their rotation but doing it alone would be… Well you understand.”

He’s in a bit of a tough position. He has a job to do because of this incident, yet doing it on his own would be ineffective and also perhaps dangerous. In a way I pity the man, with such useless subordinates what can a man do?

“Fine then, but I don’t really care about the money. I want to head out to see and claim an island for myself.”

“That’s a… lofty dream. You would need permission from the queen of the depths for that.”

“How should I contact her? A letter might be a problem…”

“If you take a boat out, your will be blocked by some monsters. If you ask, they just might grant you an audience.Though you would have to offer something very significant to have any chance of being granted so much land.”

“I’ll have to try. We need a private place to call home.”

“I noticed you said “we”, you travel with others?”

“Yes, very nice people. I plant to set up a base of operations for our various adventures.”

I can’t let him know anything more, but I think he has some basic connections to make my time around this shoreline much more simple. Boaters and merchants among other things.

“Well, perhaps we can get to know each other on a patrol?”

“Very well, I’ll assist you. But it will look odd having a common looking man on patrol with you.”

“I don’t worry about such things, if anything comes up their mouths will be rendered shut.”

It is a nice night, the stars in the sky glitter the same as Arrmagam’s. A brilliant luster shining across unbelievable distances, a thing to remind one that they are below the heavens they gaze upon. A thing to remind one of home, no matter how far it may be. I don’t think I have a place there anymore, I… I’m a coward truthfully.

“Crowe.”

I turn to look at Fang as he quickly jumps from his horse. The gravel skitters where he lands, crunching against itself.

“Signs of struggle, look, blood.”

I squat, seeing the faint red dot on the stone. Its so little, I have trouble identifying it with even my sight. But there is a trial, I see the life trailing, a series of threads. Three trying to forcefully entangle around another thread that is otherwise alone.

“What are you looking at?”

The three threads disperse for a moment, dis-entangling. Then they fray? They tear and seemingly break into thousands of bits and pieces. However the lone thread is still perfectly fine, if in an intense state of vibration. There’s life energy up ahead, I would guess that of a large animal.

“Crowe?”

“There was a scuffle. Perhaps a kidnapping. I’m going to follow that trail.”

“I’m going with you, Can’t send you on your own.”

“You might not like my methods.”

“I disagree, you plan to slaughter them yes?”

>>373200

It takes a certain kind of man to say such a thing so boldly, so forwardly. He can read people well, even me in my numbed state. He’s not fearless, I can see the shaking of the corners of his lips, the slight vibrations of his soul and mind. I feel his eyes on my face, ah, I’m not quite sure what expression I’m making. Is it a smile?

>>373201

Fang

His scowl reaches far below his brow, the slightest twitching of the right eye betrays his demeanor. The smallest trickle of spittle edges from the side of his mouth as his pupils narrow to the size of pins. His fingers twitch violently as he corrects his slouch.

Calmly, without the single smallest bit of emotion, he merely states a few simple words.

“Of course.”

“Then let’s start.”

I pull out a red torch, lighting it while pointing it to the sky. The magical head of the device flies into the sky, spreading a red glow into the stars to alert the town guard of danger on the road. Reinforcements will arrive shortly, but we should push forward to not lose the trial. After all the one who was attacked may be dead if we don’t hurry.

Crowe is surprisingly fast for what appears to be a mere man. Easily he’s able to keep pace, his movements seem inhuman, almost as if he never touches the ground. What strange magic allows this to happen?

I wonder if this was wise. I know little of this man, only that he has a zealous sense of duty and law. Not necessarily duty or law in and of itself, but of the concept of it. The way he spoke was not like that of a superior crushing his subordinates, but more like that of a priest spouting his faith. With more zeal and brimstone than I could ever hope to see in any cloister.

“Go straight.”

“What?”

He seemingly disappears in a spray of mud and soil. Did he just leave me behind? Is he mad?

I hear screams up ahead, bloodcurdling terror. That is not what combat sounds like. It sounds like a slaughterhouse, not a battlefield.

What Should Fang do?:

>Watch from a distance

>Fight

>Retrieve reinforcements

Voting for fight. Crowe may be dedicated to duty, but that's all we know. Get in there and deal with the attackers, and get a better idea of who, or what, Crowe really is, if possible, while also dealing with the bandits.

>>373202

>What should Fang do?

What, we decided to fight alongside him so why are we getting cold feet now?

>>373202

Fang should circle around to execute a pincer maneuvre. If they run from Crowe they run into Fang, and presumably get shredded. We need at least a few alive. It bids saying that 'Alive' does not mean hale and in the pink of health.

>>373202

I could not face my ancestors if I stayed back, how would I ever regain my honour after such a thing?

The bodies of men lie everywhere, torn to bits. Two as if cut by some strange blade with a flowing edge, but the others have been ripped apart. Blood hangs in the air, almost in a mist, I can feel it in my lungs and eyes coming forward. Did Crowe do this? The corpses of nearly thirty men lie dead, yet he could not have been far ahead of my fleet movement. Such a things seems unlikely, but what else could have done such a thing.

A beast, a body on the ground. Some sort of wolf with bandages over its eyes, a monster. I’m unsure of this type, it seem entirely unique and was clearly killed by this flowing blade. If I assume that this flowing blade was Crowe, and hopefully not the bestial tearing, he got here long after these dogs. I pass the brush, just in time to see Crowe surrounded by several of these strange beasts. He is un-worried, with that frown never leaving his brow, his right hand behind his back he merely slowly waves his fingers in a gentle motion. One of the wolves leaps several feet back, landing elegantly before its head falls from its shoulders.

What.

There was no motion in the air, no sense of impact, no dust or disturbance in the flow of motion… Just a gesture in its direction and it died. How can these creatures see what Crowe is doing yet I cannot? What kind of magic is this? An invisible blade? No a blade would move the air around it. He does not speak, nor is he touching the opponent, so he cannot be hexing.

The hounds seems afraid to move forward, the deaths have shaken their resolve. Even beasts fear that which they cannot understand. They edge farther and farther back before Crowe speaks.

“Die.”

One of their heads explodes sending gore in a surge around the area. The other creatures turn tail and run, but Yasgerouf mutters to himself quietly.

There lies a woman hanging far above the ground below, I can’t believe I didn’t notice her. Crowe is directly below, acting as a shield. Two of the creatures turn around, choosing to fight rather than run.

I head around behind to cut them off, they could be harmful to the townsfolk. Two come towards me, nearly as large as horses from this distance. One on the left opens its gaping maw aiming for my neck but a movement to the side and I’m barely able to dodge. It can feel its hot, disgusting breath on my face when I do. Its ally intercepts me, leaping toward me. I skid under its mass, narrowly avoiding its claws as I stick my sword into its guts behind the rib cage. My sword becomes stuck in the beast, forcing me to continue my slide to avoid being crushed by its weight.

My knife flicks neatly to my hand, it's glimmer reflecting my bloodied face, and my eyes facing toward the other monster. Its face is like a horse's skull, but with teeth. Inside of the skull is the head of a dog, but with three too many eyes and three too many mouths. It roars, the sounds of eight barking dogs before attempting a bullrush.

Its fast, faster than even I expected. I duck to the side, its fang grazes me causing scarlet blood to flow from my side as a minor wound. ‘

Then its head slides neatly from its body as it tumbles in a cacophony of crashes and the blunt sound of a body slamming into wood.

“Curse hounds, but not the wiccan variety. But why here and around…”

Crowe points to the cage, its chains above it snap with a grind. The cage itself does not fall, but seems to slowly hover to the ground. The woman inside is curled into a small ball, barely moving. Crowe bends down after the cage hits the ground, opening the front. The woman inside is in tattered clothing, the gold and red marks her as an imperial messenger.

“Come with me, I’ll take you to safety.”

“No…”

“This place is not safe, I’m with…”

“Don’t touch me! Don’t touch me…”

Then Crowe waves his hand, she slowly closes her eyes then falls forward into Crowe’s waiting arms. That is one way to do it I suppose, fast, simple and arguably better to cause less strain to the poor messenger. Then he pauses strangely, and looks toward where we came from. His frown is oddly gone, his eyes open, his pupils widened and the twitch long gone…

>>373389

Yasgerouf

One of my minions has been destroyed.

It's like a connection has been severed from my mind, It was one of my abductor sentries. I give Rakk and order, a very simple one “Protect.”

Rakk is taking very significant damage, something strong is involved. I pick up the panda, moving over to Fang. His reinforcements are not far, maybe a minute away.

“My camp’s under attack. Take care of the woman, I need to deal with this. Your people aren’t far off.”

With that I enter the stygian path. The rush of energy down here can tear skin from bones if the practitioner is weak. It is called a stygian path, but it also has other names and purposes. Though in reality each occupies the same space in the metaphysical realm, just at a variable “Depth”. Styx, Lethe, Acheron, Phlegethon and Cocytus. One must pass through Cocytus, then into Acheron, then you must have the strength of will to remain in Acheron and not pass into Lethe. If one passes into Lethe they can lose themselves in the rivers and start to lose their sanity should they not take care. After this one can pass into Styx, where gods of death can dwell. Past this, one can go into Phlegethon. Also known as the river of fire, this is nearly certain death and can cause serious damage to even myself. There is an important thing to note about the paths, the deeper you go, the shorter the distance to where you want to end up.

I descended into Cocytus, then immediately into Acheron. I bridge into Lethe, my mind is resistant to its mental erosion. I do not fear loss of memory, because there is one goal that is above all others. My numbing heavily reduces the effects of Lethe, as does my focusing.

I rise from the ground in a burst of water, grime and filth. When I arrive things move to a standstill. The Hakutaku is standing in front of Rakk and the rest of the group, a few are ready to fight. Yhammena the Mystara Owl is trying her best but is clearly already winded, Clementine seems mostly fine but is unamused, she looks towards me as I enter then to the assailants.

Despite my hardest I cannot see Mei Ling among them.

Unless…

Mei Ling is over the shoulder, unconscious in the hands of the second assailant trying to attack Rakk. This one is a woman wearing some form of shortened kimono currently being restrained to the ground by Rakk. On its front are several emblems in the language of this land, likely indicating some form of allegiance. The second one is male, medium sized for his ethnicity and proficient in magic. He is strong enough to damage Rakk, who is barely holding together as it is… My thought begin to blur together as I feel strange. My conscious mind seemingly fades as everything blurs together. I feel something “pop” in my brain, the sound of something going loose.

—

I should make an example of them. They have broken the laws of war and targeted a non-combatant.

Those who do not obey the laws of war are not protected by them. I begin to invoke my magic, I’ll not make it quick for them, they don’t deserve mercy. But I can’t risk Mei Ling, what can I do…

The Nameless Hakutaku shouts, tears straining her eyes.

“Stop! Let the little one go and I’ll go back!”

“Rakk, keep her restrained, he leaves and I want you to tear her limb from limb, one at a time, understand?”

The male looks over at me, his eyes nearly glowing with anger. He’s no normal man, but one can say the same for any dead man walking.

“Now then, who are you?”

“You have our Dreamspeaker! She belongs to the Heaven’s Bridge clan. You have kidnapped her!”

“No, I rescued her.”

“Liar! You have manipulated her into believing that she can exist outside of the clan!”

“She was imprisoned by witched due to the inadequacies of your clan. I freed her from the black candle witches, she declared that she had no place to return to, or wanted to return to. So I have taken her under my protection.”

“Release both the dreamspeaker and Aikawa and I am willing to return the godling.”

Godling? Now that’s a term that’s new to me. Is that what they call a mortal being with godly amounts of magical power? Regardless, I have an equal stake here. I have his lover, I can see it in his eyes. The sized up pupils, the glint of sadness and the hinges of despair on the horizons of his mind. He knows I can kill her any time I want, but then he’ll either kill or run away with Mei Ling, but he does not have his actual goal of the Hakutaku. I could kill him, but there’s risk in that.

>(Attempt to)Kill both of the assailants.

>counter offer, Trade Aikawa for Mei Ling, the child is released FIRST.

>counter offer, Trade Aikawa for Mei Ling, the child is released at the same time as Aikawa.

>The Hakutaku is willing to take his deal if you will let her. However it is clear she does not want to go back with them.

>>373390

>Kill both

<isn't really an option while he has the child

>release child first

<is likely to be initially rejected, but can be negotiated

>release both at the same time

<gives no guarantee that they would leave Mei Ling, or the child alone

>give Mei Ling away

<is not something we would reasonably do without some way to track her

I say we go for option 2 and, if he rejects it, drive home the fact that he has no choice but to trust us.

>>373390

What to do?

>counter offer, Trade Aikawa for Mei Ling, the child is released FIRST.

First, make this offer. If he refuses then try and reason with him and learn more about the situation from the Hakutaku. Explain your rational and how he is mistaken. Then again make the same offer. If he refuses a 2nd time then try to restrain him and secure Mei Ling yourself. If that fails then have Rakk slowly begin removing limbs from Aikawa, explaining that you will heal her, only if he accepts the trade. They should not have resorted to kidnapping an innocent girl.

>>373402

I should have included this too. If all of the aforementioned fails, then kill them both, while doing your best to ensure Mei Ling's safety.

>>373390

Two votes for Kill both the assailants. Crowe should be able to kill the man quick enough with his “flowing blade” before the man is able to react and harm Mei Ling then have Rakk tear apart the other. He can also pretend to go with option 2 and when Mei Ling is safe then kill both of them, if they won’t play by the rules then why should Crowe? It’s clear that no one wants to go with them so they shouldn’t be forced to. Also, who is Aikawa?

>>373448

>And I forget to sage

Sorry, didn’t mean to bump

Going with swap both at the same time, keeping an eye on the man yourself and having Rakk toss Aikawa in the swap far enough behind him to ensure she can't try anything funny herself. If i'm not making enough sense I'll try to elaborate on what I mean.

>>373448

>who is Aikawa?

I assume she is the female assailant who is currently pinned down by Rakk. Since the male assailant is demanding her release, along with the Hakutaku.

>>373402

this

Stop bumping the thread, faggots.

>>373452

I'd like to add if the guy wants you and not rakk to bring her, slip a paralysis spell on her limbs for a short time just to be sure she won't act.

Pretty nice stuff eddie

>>373611

Overconfidence can lead to unforseen circumstances, anon. We don't know if they can see the threads and there's no option to sedate them (yet), nor ia thsre a "NO U".

>>373390

“I am willing to release your lover Aikawa. But only her.”

His motions become tense, his brow furrows as its clear he knows he’s losing ground. I have him in a bind, but I need to avoid pushing him into a corner. If that happens he may do something drastic.

“Unless abducting young children away from their parents is what your clan does. How very honourable to skulk into our travel camp in the middle of the night to steal young ones. I am giving you a very rare mercy, and the only mercy I will extend. I’m offering you and your beloved a way out, take it.”

He narrows his eyes. I can see the fog of his breath in the cold air even through his mask.

“I cannot leave without the dreamspeaker.”

“That’s most unfortunate. Rakk…”

“Wait!”

“Oh suddenly back to the negotiating table?”

This entire assignment has gone only from bad to worse. When we entered that camp… we never could have prepared for that “thing” that monster. Three times the size of any man, covered in armour with an expressionless mask for a face. The strength of titans and the tireless nature of a goliath, Aikawa told us to hurry. I knew she was unafraid of the creation, but instead deeply feared its master. The Beholder came from seemingly nowhere, paralyzing her. I in my haste grabbed the closest thing in the tent beside me, a child. One brimming with magical power, and then I hear Aikawa scream at me to run, I could never leave her behind.

But now I think I understand why.

He rose from the ground like a devil, in an explosion of muck, covered in blood. I feel something from him, even from here. When he spoke, my very bones quaked. His voice resonated with a kind of authority that should only be possessed by an elder. The massive creature he called “Rakk” stayed its killing blow only by his instruction. His faced shifted from one of dissatisfaction to one of insanity. His teeth partially bared like an animal, his eyes wild in their rage and nearly blinding in their fury. Yet, nearly as soon as it appeared it was gone.

He gave me a choice, either we both die or we leave alone.

If I left him Aikawa, who knows what this unknown caster could do. The energy that surrounded him was unlike anything I’ve ever seen. The air was undisturbed by its touch and it was fluid and organic. The way his magic flows is simply unnatural. How he moved and looked at me felt wrong, he wasn’t looking at me but rather into me with a single glare. It felt as if my very skin had been stripped apart like a specimen.

So I took the only way out.

I offered to send the girl back first as a show of good faith.

I have encountered many powerful beasts and monsters in my time. But never once have I felt so afraid. I could feel my legs nearly give out when I put the kicking and screaming little girl on the ground, for fear I did it too quickly. My hands shake, my vision blurs as I glance over to Aikawa. I’m doing the right thing, she needs me right now, more than ever. The young one runs toward the man as fast as her little feet could take her.

I feel a pang of regret, I bring dishonour to my people for both my failure and my inability to do it alone. Why did I grab the child? Why did I panic when Aikawa was hit? I need to act more rationally, and most importantly, I need to save Aikawa.

“Now then, return Aikawa.”

“As I promised. Rakk, toss her over, gently if you will.”

The golem-like creature performs an underhanded toss, throwing Aikawa toward me. It's a narrow catch but I have her. I look towards this caster, seeing if he’ll keep his word.

“No, before you scurry, allow me to make one thing absolutely clear Heaven’s Bridge Clan…”

Suddenly, I feel very small. I can’t breathe, not only myself, but the others in his own camp. I no longer feel like standing before a single caster, but the gazing eyes of a thousand. The very pressure brings me to my knees. When I look at him, he’s not focusing any magical power, nor casting any spell. His aura has not changed, his magic is as it was moments before. But the stifling feeling is clearly coming from him. My body is telling me to run, but my feet won’t move.

“I will obey the tenets of our deal, as I have more honour than the child-nappers of your clan. But if any person, in any way related to your clan so much as comes near…”

It's like I’m being buried alive, my insides feel like they’re twisting inside of me. My throat burns with the taste of bile.

“I will end your bloodline with this generation.”

I do my best to nod in understanding. I can’t afford to refuse.

“Good.”

It feels as if the weight is gone, my breath returns as I find myself under view by the man. He’s shorter than I but from my kneel he towers high into the sky.

“Now, I’m a dangerous enemy to have but I’m willing to put this behind us, if your master is willing to show the same courtesy. But be fully aware I will tolerate no further hostility whatsoever. Inform your clan leader or no-one at all. Now, begone.”

Yasgerouf

They left battered and broken.

Even now I wonder if I should’ve cut of their heads and sent them to their owner. Generally such aggressive diplomacy does not work against the headstrong and reckless. Perhaps this more looming method will pull some results. I have shown as much mercy as I’m able, I’m hoping the enemy leader will appreciate this and either try to negotiate or leave me alone. After all, I’ve shown that I won’t be pushed around.

Now I need to fix my minions. I lost half of my abductors and Rakk’s armour and bone shell is all cracked. This sets me back a little, at least I can recycle the abductors but most of that will be spent by repairing Rakk. I can’t make an Arrmagam dutchman, far too much in terms of resources and time. I need a ship and I want it as soon as I can. The women likely don’t feel safe here anymore, judging by the crying Mei Ling.

She sobs into my pantleg, desperately attaching herself to me. I pull her close, though it feels a little awkward I must admit. I’m not exactly good with children, nor comfortable around them. They don’t act with the same rationality as an adult, know very little of the world and are very upfront with their emotions. They are unable to hide anything and it confuses me, I can’t read them the same way I do people. But despite my inadequacies I can probably still comfort her in some way.

I gently rub behind her head, she’s a brave girl. I’m going to make sure she’s safe from this point forward. By any means necessary.

Clementine, the Hakutaku and Yhammena all come forward, wanting to talk to me privately in my tent. They seem unshaken by the events previously, pointedly they both asked Mei Ling if she was okay being with Minivera for the time being. The griffon, her and the Hakutaku have been growing close, so it seems Mei Ling does not mind.

Clementine Idly floats beside me, the Hakutaku is on the opposing side sitting on the mat while Yhammena seemingly glares at the floor.

There is a moment of awkward silence in the room for a time as I wait for them to speak. The Hakutaku is the first, her face seems flushed and she twitches nervously.

“I owe you an explanation. I don’t know how they found me, and I never wanted to endanger anyone.”

She sighs sadly, looking toward the floor and seemingly my knees.

“I am a Dreamcaster. I contain powerful magical arts inside of me that only work when I’m sleeping. My family have been tools for the Heaven’s Bridge Clan’s rise to power for generations. I have never been free, never seen the outside world. If I tried to run, my legs were broken. If I tried to speak out, they would drug me…”

She’s unable to contain herself, Shaking violently. She starts to wail and cry.

“I just wanted the right to choose my own future. I didn’t want to kill anymore… They wanted to choose my lover for me, so I took the witch's hand to escape when they came for me but they just wanted to manipulate and hurt me too.”

“Perhaps I should wipe them out then.”

She frowns, her one arm’s hand clenches to the point where they turn white. She seems lost in thought, here pupils widen as she seemingly spaces out.

“If you would… No, That would make me no better than them. I will never ask you to do something like kill a person. The only thing I want is some form of freedom in my life. I want to experience life for myself.”

She says it with surprising conviction for a woman with tears drawn clearly down the sides of her face. I’m surprised, most people would gladly enlist me to crush their tormentors under my heel. She’s different, surprisingly naive, seemingly pure.

“I promised to protect you. I never go back on my word. If they insist on this matter I will exterminate them if that is what it takes for them to understand.”

“I’m not sure if it will come to that. The leader of the clan has always been reasonable, and it was never his choice to torment me. It was the machinations of his two sons and daughter. It was the youngest son acting on his authority, trying to break my will and force me to agree. The oldest son covered for him and I’m certain the daughter was also informed of this, as she…”

“You don’t need to continue. Regardless, if this is the case and they continue to act out i’ll bring it to their father first, personally.”

With that she smiles, still crying.

“Thank you for being understanding Mr.Crowe.”

Yhammena seems almost touched by the exchanged. But when I look over to her, quite confused by why she’s crying, she turns away. Have I offended her?

Clementine lands on the ground, leaning into me.

“See, I told you he would come quickly. But…”

While Clementine ruffles my hair, I look to Yhammena like Clementine. She seems to want to just let the beholder talk, but Clementine insists byrolling her left hand telling her to “Go on”.

“We need to move. I don’t think we should stay here. I know you have limitations but I think we should move immediately. I there a way you can get a boat tonight?”

“I think I can. We’ll head out tonight. Give me some time, I’ll repair Rakk and find something. In addition, I’m going to leave a nasty surprise to any who so much as think about entering the camp.”

Clementine places her hand on my shoulder. I twitch in surprise but otherwise keep calm

“I don’t think that’s required Crowe. I’ll take care of it personally. Now that I’ve had a taste of my magic, I think I found a few more of my eyes in my back pocket.”

But she’s naked.

Actually she’s entirely naked, I never noticed before. It was never on my mind. She looks like a petite 21 year old, young, lithe and… no I can’t think of any of them that way. That’s inappropriate. I saved them so that will influence their behavior, I am also their protector, I cannot take advantage of them.

Clementine does not move her head, only looking up toward me with her eyes, she gently licks her lips, just enough to tell me “Did you just notice now?”

“Is it troubling for you to wear clothes?”

“They itch…”

“Sensitive skin? I can find you some silk, my master told me that it was helpful for that…”

“You look off, are you okay?”

“I’m quite fine, now then, I’ll leave the camp in your hands after I fix Rakk. I’ll be back.”

Clementine reaches for me for a second when I stand up and walk out. She pouts mockingly, but as I turn around just before I leave she seems legitimately sad, or more likely distant.

I fix Rakk, a trifling matter. All I need to do is apply the ectoplasm to the damaged areas and pull him together.

Since reinforcements were called, finding Fang is easy. I have to condense ectoplasm and shed the muck off of me to look presentable.

He’s still holding that Panda, he has a woman with him wearing robes and a veil.

“This is complicated. I don’t think I’ve seen a curse like this before. It's far too powerful for me.

“What happened?”

Fang looks over to me, eyes wide.

“Is your camp alright?”

“Took care of business, no injuries.”

“They must have wanted to die if you ask me. Hey, I know it's not exactly in our agreement but could you take a look at this panda?”

I look over to the magic user beside him.

“I could, what did you see when you interacted with it?”

“I don’t know.”

That’s more helpful than one would think. It means that this is a style of magic she’s never seen nor interacted with. In addition, it means it could also be much stronger than her, to the point where she can’t so much as interact with it.

I place my hands to the sides of the panda’s face. I reach into her body on the meta-physical layer. It's like I’m floating when I look into her magical aura like this. I can see something causing her to emit some sort of force, it's unnatural. I can probably unweave it, I just need to take a closer look.

I place my grip onto the weave, and something is immediately wrong. It's impossible to break or even move. It's not a weave, its not a mark or anything I’ve ever seen before. It radiates a signal, I can feel it through my soul. Its food, a unique energy that can be absorbed. What is this? This will attract all kinds of creatures, but this magic must be ancient. How does the panda have this mark?

>>373769

What happened at that camp? Those curse hounds cannot have been theirs if this is the case, they were after the panda and killing the bandits. It makes more sense now, but how does it work? I try to peer into its folds, its less like traditional threaded magic and more like unyielding stone. If I were to compare it, if threaded magic is like paper, this is like a stone tablet. When

I peer into it, I’m faced with unimaginable sights.

The weaves are inside out and backward, yet also perfect in every way. The sights are so beautiful, the epitome of magical art. But it is maddening, humanity was never meant to see perfection. My eyes bleed, my head aches and I feel something around my throat. Its eyes gaze into me, black as night, it smiles, formless and strange. It's so utterly alien. I feel it pull me away.

“Not…Yet…Hero. Take Gift With.”

I feel myself being shaken.

“Crowe, Crowe!”

“I’m alive, that… that is something I’ve never seen before, and something far beyond any of your abilities. That mark on her, It attracts beasts. She’ll put everyone around her in danger unless she’s somewhere unreachable to those hounds.”

Fang looks at her, a look of pity.

“What can she do, can you remove it?”

“Not a chance, at least not yet. Maybe if I have more time. If I can get your permission, and hers I may be able to take her with me and see what I can do.”

Truthfully, that’s not the only reason. I’m not so altruistic, the others were directly harmed by my former allies. Their pain was partially due to my inability to kill each and every single one of them when I had the chance. However, I don’t think this involves me. But that mark, its something interesting. Something I feel a compulsive need to understand. Why did it call me a hero? What did it mean by gift?

I simply must learn its secrets, perhaps it will allow me to help this odd panda as well.

“If what you say is true, then it might be her only option.”

The female spell caster seems doubtful.

“Who is this man?”

“Crowe, a very powerful caster I met by chance. He helped me deal with those bandits and hounds we saw earlier. Those strange cuts were his.”

“I see. In that case I owe you one for helping my lover.”

From her back two large bat-like wings unfold, they glisten with a blue sheen and seemingly glimmer in the moonlight.

Set 1:

Find a boat:

>Ask Fang and his lover if they know of a seaworthy boat for sale.

>Find a seaworthy boat for sale yourself.

>>373770

>Set 1

Was there supposed to be a second set? Anyway, ask Fang and his wife, they are likely to have connections and we need one of the more durable ships.

>>373770

>Find a boat:

>Ask Fang and his lover if they know of a seaworthy boat for sale.

Since Fang is indebted to us, ask if they know where you can buy a reliable seaworthy boat. They should be more trustworthy than a random merchant.

I do apologise, gentlemen. But a (admittedly short) lifetime of playing lawful evil against a DM who simply loves blood-feuds have made me early of spilling blood unless and until i know it won't incur any escalating revenge. It appears i was very wrong here on that front, and that we could have played by AnCap rules.

However, i would still advice against murdering any faction members, as that means we get pulled into factional wars/politicking and assorted local messes. We need to kill this world's demigods and even if we take them on one by one we still need a sizeable pool of… Expendables. And local factions owing us a blood-debt by us sparing theirs is a good way of ensuring that, in my humble opinion.

As for my choice,

>set 1

Two for asking Fang and his concubine for help.

Ask fang about a boat and more about the sea and what we might need while we're on the subject. Maybe inquire local sailors if any are present.

I felt like I was missing something, so I went back and had a little reread.

> His name? Nothing again.

> Who was the strongest to ever hold the Tenth Seat?

> “Yasgerouf the Animator.”

Huh, so once upon a time we were Yasgerouf, but we're not anymore? Interdasting…

>>373770

Ask Fang about a boat that can suit your needs. Looks like the more practical of the two options.

>>373912

I suppose you're talking about >>372820

Perhaps Yasgerouf has magical protection against people using magic to directly figure out who he is, but not against discovering a title he holds. Once learning he held the position of The Tenth Seat, and that he was the strongest living practitioner of Arrmagam sorcery, then it's not a huge leap in deductive reasoning to figure out exactly who he is.

>>373912

I also find it curious on how with how powerful he is, he was still considered the weakest of the ten seats. Could it be possible then for him to gain more power or learn new techniques to make him stronger or is he like at the cap of as strong as he can possibly be and we have to work around that. If it is not possible for him to get stronger, then could he possibly raise the other members of the ten seats to help him? Maybe raise his mentor if he can do only one.

>>373986

I don't think it necessarily meant that it was Yasgerouf personally who was the weakest out of the people holding the ten seats. It is that the person holding the 10th seat is typically the weakest out of the 10 seats. But it's also said that Yasgerouf is the strongest to have ever held the 10th seat. So he is probably comparable to lower numbered seats in typical strength, though I couldn't begin to guess which.

>>373991

I think it was really just the way it was written. While he's not the weakest necromancer, he had (and has) the weakest magical power level, as repeated throughout the story. However, that does not mean he's the weakest necromancer. He seems to have an innate skill at harnessing and directing life energies, while still being magically weak. Maybe the seat was determined based on magical skill, as with all other magical paths, rather that skull in the actual domain?

>>374296

As said in the story, he was the strongest to occupy the seat because he created results. His inquisition work probably made all the others before him look like schoolyard bullies. Not like trying to measure his power in the past matters now because he's weaker due to being in stasis for who knows how long. Oh and make sure you look through and learn the reply options before posting again. Get my hopes up for nothing fucking faggot

>>373770

“If the two of you could recommend a boat, that would be great. I’m planning on settling on an island out on the sea. For privacy and for the sake of the people under my care to recover.”

She cocks her head to the side.

“Do you think you can get the empress of the depths to give you that land?”

I of course have a little something that I doubt she will refuse. From what I can tell, Arrmagam sorcery and necromancy are dying arts, with few practitioners. This dramatically increase the value of both my services and the things I can create. I’m fairly certain that this empress would not refuse the non-combative services of myself.

“I have my ways, I’ll propose a trade.”

“I’ll have to take your word for it.

I’m hoping that once I have a home I can begin more intensive healing and perhaps even awake the spirit that lies in this enchanted chain. It is still sleeping, despite all the time that has passed.

Fang thinks for a moment.

“We do have older military ships that are no longer in use. They’re outdated but in good condition. Normally we sell such ships to private lords or nobility. However, I have the authority to sell them as I please. So long as the recipient has the coin available. The ships are sold at cost, so we can cycle them out without losing money at the end of the line, so the price is rather low. Its 500 coin, or 5 seals.”

“Ocean worthy? Anchor?”

“Yes, they’re suitable, if smallish, ocean vessels.”

“How soon can one be ready?”

“Morning.”

“Done.”

“Will you be coming back?”

“I would like to think so. I still have business to attend to in these lands.”

“If you have any trading you would like to do, feel free to talk to my brother. He’ll give you a fair price if you tell him my name.”

I hold my tongue for a moment. He’s doing me a great kindness, despite the fact I may be causing him trouble. I’m not quite sure how to repay him.

“What do I owe you?”

“It’s not a big deal.”

He sees a person of great power before him, willing to use his strength to give him something he wants yet he chooses not to take the opportunity. Is this noble or foolish?

“Very well. I will have the coin ready at dawn. Should we meet by the docks?”

“I would think so, I’ll write up my report and clean up the mess.”

“You probably don’t have to worry about the mess, I can dispose of the bodies. It’ll be quick I assure you.”

Fang smirks.

“You know, if you wanted you could easily become a lord of a territory. I’m certain that you could be granted nearly any title or even become a warlord if you decided to display your full strength.”

He’s the kind of man I can get along with, educated, a sense of duty and unafraid to get things done himself. Though, I never thought he would figure that out. Immensely observant that one.

“I don’t like to manage affairs. I prefer to take action directly. Therefore, being a lord does not suit me.”

>>374330

Clementine

Its quiet at the camp. Its like my old swamp, nothing but the sounds of breathing and the chitters in the night. The child is sleeping in the arms of the griffon in their tent, and now its only myself the owl and the sleeping panda inside the male’s sleeping area. I found the owl here “making” his bed. I wonder if she was merely doing housework, or trying to steal the male. Not that I could wrong her, a cold mysterious man, who likes children, saves women in trouble… It's a tempting find for most creatures. However, despite her powers of divination she always asks the wrong questions, otherwise she would know what I do. And that it wouldn’t work the way she intends.

“Illicit room visitation? Looking to surprise our caretaker?”

“Clementine. No I’m just…”

“Looking for hairs?”

She goes more than a little pale. Her eyes are like fire, full of passion.

“I know why you’re here. You can’t hide intentions from a beholder.”

I move my eye-stalks around, examining her every contour, her skin and sweat, lastly, her pretty eyes.

“You want to know more about him don’t you? About the male?”

She remains silent for nearly a minute before she regains her composure. She folds her wings to her sides, looking to me, her head awkwardly cocked in a way only an owl could.

“I do.”

“Then you won’t find hairs. He’s warded against that. They turn to dust when they leave the body, same with his blood, his saliva. But I doubt his semen does the same.”

She frowns.

“What exactly are you suggesting?”

“Absolutely nothing. Because I know everything about him that I want to know and am merely sharing it to you. Did you know he’s aware that you’re divining about him?”

“He… does?”

“Yes you silly owl, he just doesn’t have the heart to stop you. You hurt his feelings. While I don’t have a choice in what I learn, you’re different. You’re abusing your gift by violating his privacy…”

I am of course absolutely fucking with her, simply because its funny. I in fact know only 4 things.

He is very powerful and how he got that way. He is ancient by human years, using Arrmagamm sorcery. Lastly, his current name is fake. From this, I know he is a necromancer from old Arrmagamm. The last bastion from a dead land, its actually a little sad.

Yhammena kicks her left talons along the carpeted ground absent-mindedly as she looks at the ground. She holds her hands behind her back.

“It’s a little shameful of me, I admit that much.”

“Oh yeah, what was your name little owl? I forgot.”

“Yhammena.”

“Yammena.”

“No, Yhammena.”

“Creepy stalker?”

She frowns, her massive feathered brows contorting.

“I suppose it does look that way. But if that’s the case Clementine… Why are you in his tent?”

Truthfully, I came here to fuck with him. I wanted to hide in his bag, then pretend to sleep just to see what he would do. It would be funny, would he tuck me in? Would he crawl in and sleep beside me? Would he perhaps do naughty things to me? Or would he lift me to my bed like a princess?

Of course I can’t tell her that. I would lose my ability to play with her more.

“I’ve been wandering around camp keeping watch since he left. It only makes sense to check everywhere. I heard noises coming from the only currently unoccupied tent, so of course I check to find a suspicious woman rifling through Crowe’s bed things.”

“When you say it like that…”

I frown and lower my voice.

“In all seriousness, this is unacceptable. You will do nothing but hurt the master by doing this. If he wants to tell you, he’ll tell you. If you want to know, ask.”

She tightens her arms to her chest nervously.

“I… want to know more about him. But I’m afraid to ask him. He looks so cold all the time.”

“Even when he’s with Mei Ling? She clearly doesn’t mind. Truthfully, you have yet to even try to know him. You say you want to know him, but what you really want is to analyze him as a curiosity. Have you considered that fact that he might be distant because everyone treats him as something to learn about rather than a man?”

The guilt in her eyes is crushing. It's not entirely her fault, I’m being harsh. She’s nervous about a new place and new people, so she’s doing the only thing she knows how, divine it to learn more about it. Now that I’ve shocked her, she should shake out of this and interact with the others more and integrate.

“I’m sorry Clementine.”

I move over and give her a little hug. She’s big and fluffy, a comfy mass to place one’s head into her squishy body.

“Aw, don’t worry, I forgive you. We all make mistakes. But let me give you a tip.”

I lean close, to whisper in her ear.

“Do not divine how he became who he is, or his source of strength. He gave up so many things, and hurt so very much. You could never understand.”

>>374331

Of course I then do the only reasonable course of action.

I stick my tongue in her ear.

She reels back, confused, reeling, wondering if she could take anything I said seriously. She walks out of the room. This is important, if I just told her she would simply do or do not. Like this, she will do the most important thing.

She will think.

And more importantly she will think its her own choice to stop snooping. She will think that I gave her “Advice” rather than a demand. I sigh, laying down for a moment on the master’s bed. I will do my best to protect him like he protected me. I’ll stop the only thing that could hurt him, no matter the cost.

Betrayal.

>>374332

Yasgerouf

The boat is more than suitable, likely worth the coin spent. The shipmaster is more than happy to alleviate my weighty purse and purchase building materials as well. It's a fairly decent military issue boat with a cover over the entire deck folded over and covered with netting, the central mast rises from thin poles in the center of the ship. Smaller masts exist to the bow and stern of the mainsail. It has a turtle-like design to it, and would resist arrows very well. Personally, I like it even if it looks quite strange.

The interior is spacious and comfortable with enough room to hold the materials I’m using for the first trip and everyone in a lavish amount of space. I think they should be satisfied.

Now it's just thinking of the correct things to convince the empress of the depths to give me land. I have a few good options available to me.

I could create “Bottles of life” they permanently reverse aging, heal scars, markings and can even remove any blemish. It is a very hard to obtain item, only made by necromancy and its recipe is fiercely guarded. If she has scars or a lover she may want to consider this.

Another option is offering a practical favor, or to create an item. Or perhaps to call a spirit they would like to talk to, to see a deceased loved one, one more time.

The last option is something that anyone would want and would do anything to get their hands upon. A resurrection, a return of the dead to the world of the living. It's an art that requires absolute efficiency and must be performed flawlessly. Not including the council, I am one among 5 who can perform the ritual. Of those five I am the most skilled. Of my resurrection, I can perform 3 of 5 types.

Reincarnation, it causes some memory loss and it recreates them as an entirely different sentient species. Of the three it is the simplest. I once resurrected a female elf, she returned as an Arachne elf. It is unpredictable, more or less it is like taking the thread from a different, discarded, string and using it to bind them to their body.

Raising, it unfortunately makes them undead. Generally stated to officially be “discouraged”, it was still done on the battlefield. Sometimes female soldiers would willingly submit themselves to the transformation. It's usually a hard sells as it changes their personality dramatically and causes them to be obsessive about the one who turned them. So it's not an option.

Finally, resurrection. The most expensive and hard to perform spell I know. It requires several months to prepare. Let alone the cost of the ritual. So many must die so that one may live as they were.

There is absolutely no way that anyone would say no to this offer. I should save it for last, if I offer it at all.

In the meantime, I should prepare just before we set off.

I head back to the camp to find the loyal Rakk waiting and watching and the abductors flying above. The sun shines brightly as I move over to my tent. Entering into the dimly lit space I find a certain beholder snuggled into my bedroll, and a panda curled into a little ball of safety off to the side. While sleeping it seems she’s bundled herself up in a nice little roll. She’s rolling in her sleep, sweating and writhing. I take her temperature and find that she’s merely having a bad dream. It's a few minutes later when she awakes.

She says nothing merely looking around absentmindedly. She looks over at me, her eyes alight with confusion.

“Who am I, Where am I?”

Set 1: with the panda

>Comfort the panda, any questions can come later.

>Put her back to sleep.

>Ask her questions.

Set 2: A tribute to the queen of the depths. In order of proposed likelihood of success.

>Offering of resurrection.

>Offering of a service.

>A supply of bottled life, a return to youth and beauty for one of their choice.

>>374333

Comfort the panda. As for tribute lets stick with the services, but go ahead and create a bottle of life for possible demonstration just so we don't seem like all talk and not to come empty handed.

>>374333

Set 1: with the panda

>Comfort the panda, any questions can come later.

Making her feel safe is the most important thing at the moment. Comfort her and give her time to sort out her mind and memories or lack there of. There's no reason you couldn't use some magic to try and discover what ails her, in the meantime.

Set 2: A tribute to the queen of the depths. In order of proposed likelihood of success.

>A supply of bottled life, a return to youth and beauty for one of their choice.

I think this should be the opening bargaining tool. They could be safely prepared ahead of time or as needed. And Yasgerouf has made it clear that he does not like owing people favors (the service option). But if she is unimpressed by the bottled life, then you could describe your abilities and offer your services. If she still refuses then you could bring up the possibility of resurrection, but under the condition that she would owe you a tremendous debt.

>>374356

I second his votes. As far as Yasgerouf knows. She was left for dead and with her first questions, whoever did it made sure her past self never came back.

Unless Yasgerouf can do something about that.

>>374388

>>374356

>>374337

I also side with comforting the panda; it's not a good idea to interrogate a fresh amnesiac. I, however, need to disagree with the bottle of life because if we tell any hopefully giant aquatic fish girls that we have a supply of them, they may very well just try to take them themselves. I will vote for offering our services, even though they would probably be less valuable because of shamans and the like.

>>374403

I would be all in for services, only because I'm not sure if the sea creatures have their own way of longevity and would have no need for the life bottles.

>>374333

You're right on the favor part, though again this this case we just don't know for sure what to expect. That little request could go a long way.

>>374403

>>374411

I think you're both undervaluing those life bottles a little. They were considered very rare during Yasgerouf's time. And I'd imagine that they could be ultra-rare by this point. They effectively give immortality to anyone rich enough to buy them. And Yasgerouf can make them. That's different than just offering one at face value. Simply having the knowledge to make them makes him a potentially valuable ally. And it hints at his knowledge of other rare and/or lost arts.

I might be. Then again I'm not diving into the bottles because the queen might not be a vain or Have a lover to have use of such. If it means we'll have a place to call home, I don't mind owing favors to the queen if that's what it takes

>>374333

Using two votes for creating the life bottles. It seems like the easiest option to do. I would also like the option of the other two to be open to be offer if the bottles are not enough. I know it feels like cheating to just say he can do all three but I don’t see why he can’t make the bottles now and then say he can do more services if their aren’t accepted. Also can Yags use the life bottles on himself as a way to be immortal or do they not work on him? Just being a rare immortal man is enough to get many of the older lived monsters interested in him but being able to give other men immortality makes him highly sought after.

>>374333

Hey OP, you alright? You haven't posted in an entire week.

>>374333

“What’s important is that you’re safe here. This is my cam…”

I have to stop myself from reacting defensively as she leaps forward into a hug from the sleeping bag and blankets. I can feel a wetness on my shoulder from what appears to be a mix of snot and tears. An odd mix of disgusting and depressing.

“I don’t know what’s going on… Who am I? I can’t remember!”

She’s hyperventilating and shows signs of elevated distress. Her eyes are wild, her face is flushed and she’s aroused as most creatures become in a life or death situation. I help her control her breathing, slowly making her understand that she’s not in danger. She quietly wines and continues to sniffle and moan quietly to herself. This is a common occurrence when a person’s mind and memories have been altered. It's like trying to remember the face of a loved one from many years ago, only to never remember what they look like for every single altered thought.

I pause then put my hand on the back of her head holding the panda close to my chest. I’m fairly certain this is the right response. She digs her head closer to to my chest, rubbing her eyes and nose into my shirt.

“There, there.”

After a few minutes she starts breathing normally, almost relaxed.

“W-Who are you?”

“Crowe, I’m a magic user and a healer of sorts. I, along with the second in command of this village, saved you from curse hounds and a group of criminals.”

She has yet to actually let me go, merely looking up to me. She’s wearing only too-large and loose-fitting pajamas.

“I… Um- thank you Crowe.”

“I’m sure you’re worried about what to do, you’ve been marked by something, its going to attract creatures to you. But I can protect you if you wish, make attempts to solve your issue if that's what you wish. But if you would like to try and stay here I can inform the second.”

She leans forward, the left shoulder of her shirt folds over down her arm. She leans her nose toward me, is she smelling me?

“I… feel like I should choose you. I think I have a good feeling about you.”

“If that’s your choice. Now we should have you moving around and more importantly, eating. I’ll round you up some food.”

She nods and slowly starts to stand, following me like a lost child. I dig into our food stores to find some dried vegetables, stock and cutlets of dried jerky. Pulling out a pot and starting a small fire. I’ll make some food, more or less it's just hearty stew. Similar to war rations that I used to make during wartime. It's tasty and simple and good for recovering body mass.

“Do you like to cook?”

“It’s for sustitence. I only really know how to make basic food.”

“But do you like it?”

“Not really.”

“If I learned how to cook would you eat it?”

“Yes, actually that would be quite nice.”

The food is alright to me, it tastes fine, but everything always tastes a little bland to me in the end. Afterward the camp is slowly packed up by the others.

The town is quiet at this time, as it is out of season for business in the area. The sun shines bright in the sky and it appears to be a calm sea. The rays of light speckle along the water’s surface like a cascade of diamonds on the ocean’s surface. The boat’s frame cuts through the surface of the water smoothly as the brief wind catches in the sails. The ocean stretches out before me and I have a few things to do.

I take both Yhammena and Minerva to the center of the ship. The two are obviously worried about something, but I have a surprise for them.

“I think It’s about time to restore your flight. If one of you would like to begin I’ll need to put you out to finish the repairs.”

Minerva immediately plops down on the table, unfolding her damaged wings.

“Please do.”

Yhammena hesitates, leaning against the far wall. She has her worries and I cannot hold that against her. The reality is she does not know me, I would be similarly wary were our positions reversed.

Placing Minerva into unconsciousness, I begin. The important part is to regenerate the tips and to reconstruct the mission sections so that it can hold air. Thankfully the body always knows how to heal, I need just give it the ability. Its simple, but the pain as always tends to be extreme, thus the putting the patient out. Give it an hour and the wing damage will finally be done healing.

Yhammena continues to sit off to the side.

“Would you like to be healed now?”

“I… Not at the moment.”

Set 1:

>Have a talk with Yhammena, address her fears.

>Let her figure herself out.

Set 2: I must convince the border guard to let me see the queen.

>Show a sample of my goods, the bottle of life. I can make one and show it.

>Reveal my old inquisitorial badge. I marks me as a diplomat and may allow me to bypass the border.

>Use the power of persuasion.

>>375256

Set 1 to talk with her.

Set 2 gonna go with flash that badge, though i'm still also for making that bottle of life just to not come empty handed in case the guard has doubt.

>>375256

Set 1:

>Have a talk with Yhammena, address her fears.

Since Clementine has loosened her up a little, maybe she'll be more open to talking.

Set 2: I must convince the border guard to let me see the queen.

>Use the power of persuasion.

Try this first. Getting past the guards could be as simple as convincing them that you are someone important. But guards may not be the most informed individuals when it comes to identification badges from dead civilizations (even though Yasgerouf is apparently still unaware of this). On its own, it's likely to be a waste of time to flash the badge, but perhaps it could lend some credibility to your story. The bottle of life is a last resort for this situation.

>>375240

He updates on Sundays and maybe Wednesdays famalam. Said so at the outset.

>>375256

>set 1

No opinion. I'm bad with people.

>Set 2

1 for inquisitor badge and 1 for persuasion.

Symbols of authority from a long dead extremely powerful kingdom in a far off land will at the very least pique intense curiosity. That can be both a good and a bad thing, but eh.

>>375263

Oh. Well shit.

>>375256

Sorry OP.

>Set 1

Let's talk to her, gotta make sure no surprises happen.

>Set 2

We decided on using the bottles and I don't really see why we should change that choice.

>>375320

>We decided on using the bottles and I don't really see why we should change that choice.

How to convince a border guard to let us in and see the queen is a very different question than how to convince the queen to let us settle on an island in her territory. They should probably be handled differently. Hopefully the guard recognizes it for what it is and doesn't just decide to try and steal it.

>>375256

“How do you put people under so quickly?”

“It is called Acupuncture. It has various uses, several being medical.”

“How does it work?”

“People have nerves and bits of their body that can be stimulated by a needle-like point. My sorcery simply allows me to take proper advantage of the proper technique. Realistically speaking, knocking someone out using this method could also be done with a physical needle. However the magical component allows me to enhance its effects. In fact, it is how I stimulate regeneration.”

I said a few very optimistic views. In reality inquisitorial acupuncture is mostly used for interrogation and assassination. The ability to silently cause brain death or abduct a target is of high priority when it comes to inquisitorial work. What most people overlook when it comes to fighting and even magic is the use of power. It is not how much power one uses, it is how it’s applied. I learned the art from my master, and often taught it to those who worked under me. However what I said was true. It can be used to stimulate adrenaline production, the heart, the brain, the nerves. It does help in aiding the body and increasing vitality.

Her eyes widen, leaning forward she seemingly becomes fixated on my fingertips.

“I am familiar with acupuncture, but not this sort of application.”

“As I said, it is far more advanced than normal acupuncture.”

“Is it easy to learn?”

“The physical portion, and the martial art… perhaps with the right teacher. However the other components are demanding to say the least. I have been practising since I was twelve to obtain only this level. Another primary issue is that its developed for humanoids, those with full digits.”

She pauses for a moment, thinking as her brow furrows down to her eyes.

“What is your definition of “Easily learned?””

“Failure will only result in a broken finger.”

“I see…”

“By that I mean it primarily uses the fingers, so failing the strike would result in breakage.”

“That makes more sense.”

I remember it well. My master would always tell me that my lack of magical power was never an excuse, it was merely an obstacle. She would always say “If you lack power, then use precision. Your form must be perfect, your incantations, flawless. You must be more than human.” And “Only the weak rely on what they happen of be born with. Those with real power have it because they made it.”

I’m not quite sure how to bring up the idea of trust. So I do what I like to do and wait for the right opportunity. If I want her to trust me and my judgement I need to appeal to her sensibilities. Words are cheap, it's something you learn over the years doing what I do. People say things they never mean and do things they said they would not. They lie, cheat and steal until the day you place your boot on their neck. Hopefully she will understand by my actions that I intend no harm.

After a few hours I halt the regeneration on Minerva and bring her back to the conscious world. She looks around slowly, then she flutters her wings in a powerful beat that manages to bring her off the table. Like an excited child she bursts from the lower deck.

The ship’s wood taps comfortably under my boots and the sun of the afternoon sun burns its painful oppression into my eyes. She’s flying, the gusts kicked up by her beats cause my loose clothing to flutter in the air. Her smiles seemingly fill the air around her with glee. Her teeth shine white as she brushes past me on the deck. Fluttering and rolling in the air she rises up until a stop, then drops down until just before the water, opening her wings again and flowing through the space just above the water’s edge. Even from here I can hear her laughter.

Yet, I feel nothing. Truthfully I feel more alone than ever seeing that smiling face. It makes me think of mother and father. I hope that they lived happily and enjoyed every bite of bread that they could.

The feeling slowly becomes bittersweet rather than sour as I continue to watch her maiden flight with her fixed wings. I turn to Yhammena, finding her watching me more than the flight.

“You are wise not to trust me.”

She cocks her head sharply. Wondering what I intend to say.

“It is wise to never trust anyone, to never turn your back to another. You know little of me, of what I have done or of who I really am. I suggest you keep your wits about you, and always keep an eye open as you do. It will serve you well.”

>>375620

Crow slowly walks away, his boots clinking hollowly on the deck of the ship. He does not always look toward his feet when he moves, but this time he does. His eyes were open as he spoke, not really looking at me but more to the sky. Even if he’s our benefactor, he rarely interacts with us beyond finding our needs and sating them. Not once has he asked for anything, nor has he shown a hint of ill intent. He seems lonely, but he won’t let anyone close to him beyond those creatures of his.

What does it take to make a man that way? Why does he isolate himself if he’s alone. He just hides in his room, creating those knight-like creatures to manage the ship for him. I’m certain that at least the Hakutaku would comfort him if he desired it. With his power he should fear nothing.

“What he most fears has already long since come to pass.”

I can't just let him hide away. My talongs clack on the ground as I head below deck, following Crowe.

“Crowe, please wait.”

He stops for a moment, there’s a brief moment of movement as he seems to adjust the hair in front of his face.

“Yes?”

He does not turn around.

“Who are you really?”

He says nothing for the longest time, looking forward.

“I’m just an old failure. No one special anymore. Would you like your wings fixed?”

An old failure… I’ve never seen a man say such a thing. He’s clearly trying to change the subject, but not particularly well. He refuses to turn around, only gesturing using his hand as he speaks. Until he slowly drops his hand to his side, waiting for my response.

“I would love that. Thank you Crowe.”

He seems strangely gentle and harmless when he turns around. Despite his youthful appearance he seems… old and haggard. His eyes sunken and downcast. His stature short and unassuming. He looks so very tired. When was the last time he slept I wonder?

>>375621

The Owl was a simple fix. She was flying in no time at all with Minerva until they could fly no more. Minerva was oddly physical and “Huggy” to my surprise. I believe that is how griffons say thanks, at least I suppose. I cannot think of another rational reason.

It is nearly night when we reach the restricted borders. I see them, heads risen above water. A type of mermaid, likely of a more offensive variety, such as a shark woman. I’m also expecting a few variants with two legs, such as a type of sea naiad. I expect a representative to board the ship at any moment now. I of course have the women below deck, and have my newly created minions manning their stations.

They’re simple Arrmagam skeletons. By splitting the bones into a thin exoskeleton it gives them more flexibility and durability. While a combatant may destroy an arm or the head, it will simply keep swinging, as it was designed to be destroyed. Their design is simple, unlike Rakk they happen to be expendable.

It does not take long for my guess to be proven correct. Water plashes above deck as several humanoids have landed on my boat. Five guards, each using a spear, protecting two females in elegant dresses. One is obviously a siren by the feathers emitting from her head and body, refracting light to draw attention. The other is covered by some sort of natural armour, wielding a large machete, two-handed by the looks of it. My creations stop what they’re doing but otherwise do nothing.

“Welcome aboard my ship. How can I help you?”

The siren is quick to respond, when she speaks the feathers around her neck flutter as if somehow altering her voice.

“I’m the herald of these waters, Miranda. For what purpose do you enter these waters?”

“Then allow me to introduce myself as well. I’m Crowe, a wayfarer looking for a place to call my own and a traveling merchant. I’m here for an audience with the empress of the depths.”

The siren clenches her fists tightly, showing the whites of her knuckles reflecting from the moonlight.

“You have the gall to state something so brazenly? You dare?”

“I believe this will suffice for an explanation as to why and who I am.”

I flip my crest from my sleeve. It's a scarlet-red medal with a the picture of a throne upon it. Emblazoned on it is the number 10 in a strong cursive flair and the signet of Arrmagam, a clutching skeletal hand wearing ten rings.

“An Arrmagam… the Tenth?”

The Machete user looks over at the item closely, or at least as much as possible from that distance.

“It’s almost certainly a fake.”

I take a deep breath.

“I will not have character insulted.”

She leers in my direction. “I don’t think you have much choice in the matter.”

I pull out a bottle of life, jiggling its contents.

“Since Miranda appears to be the more wisened one here, I’ll allow you to take a look at this. And please, shut the underling up before she says something she regrets.”

Truthfully, this is to purposefully antagonise the aggressive one. The siren knows what I am, I can see it in her eyes among the faint glimmer of doubt that remains. Knocking out the crustation would settle the matter instantly. The sea people are much like my countrymen, they value strength, but rather than strength of the unit they value individual strength and this is where we differ.

The one with the machete walks forward slowly.

“Well, if you’re actually the tenth then you should have no problem with this one…”

“Tell, stop this instant.”

“Is something wrong?”

“If you take one more step toward him, you are already dead.”

I can respect this siren, she noticed my soul reaching out. I was simply going to incapacitate her by disabling her spinal cord’s ability to move her legs temporarily, but this works as well. Either this siren has a very finely attuned magical sight, an item or is simply very observant.

“Truthfully, I have much more reach than that, for example…”

I release my suppression on my lifeforce for a mere second. In that time, The machete user falls back after a jump to avoid some perceived attack, two spearmen faint, the other three freeze as if deciding to run or fight. While the siren, much to her credit, maintains her composure.

“Is there any further doubt to my identity, or need I demonstrate further? Speaking of which, how is little Fuiyel doing? I know the leading family of the depths lives a very long time, is she empress now. Oh if that’s the case I need to say Empress Fuiyel, my apologies. This old man has bad habits when it comes the the nicknames of youngsters.”

>>375622

“L- Little Fuiyel?”

“I would assume she’s either Princess Fuiyel or Empress Fuiyel by now.”

The words slowly tune out of my mind.

Little Fuiyel, that was the acting empress’ nickname more than four-hundred years ago. This man is more than four times my age, and likely power. This explains his demeanor, if he so desired, he could kill everyone on and around this boat without a second thought. A high inquisitor, but what one is he? I can think of five possibilities from history, three who would be not particularly threatening, but still unwise to anger, and two who would be catastrophe level threats if antagonised.

Is he legitimate?

I can feel… something around the air and that presence is an intimidation technique I’ve never seen before. I cannot take any risks, I need to call my superiors and buy time.

That being said, he’s not making any moves to actually attack. His golems merely tend to the ship while he sits idly on a barrel. But are those golems? If he’s one of the last few necromancers then those must be undead, including that massive presence below deck. I initially thought they were porcelain golems, but if they’re undead then we cannot handle him. I wonder If I’m over thinking things, my superiors will contact the empress, and hopefully we can get this sorted out. So long as I can keep this from becoming a conflic… no, a slaughter. It's clear that he’s likely suppressing his magical strength heavily, its not possible for such a thing as an Arrmagam high inquisitor to have so little magical power. I can only imagine the political thoughts raging through his mind even now.

>>375623

It’s a beautiful night out. I’m going to be here, sitting on this barrel for at least an hour I believe. I may as well enjoy it.

As It turns out, I was wrong. It was not an hour, it was four. In the old days this would be a great insult, however, I have a feeling this is due to incompetence rather than malice.

“You are allowed to enter our territory. However I’m to search your ship to ensure you’re not smuggling illegal goods or carrying items that are a danger to our society. Personally I doubt this will be an issue with you Sir Crowe, but I must perform my duty.”

“Understood, I will order my undead to allow you inside. I would heavily advise against antagonising any of my passengers in any way, as…”

I nod my head and smile.

“…They’re under my protection, understand?”

I have always likes the sea people. They speak in the language that I do. They know the difference between a threat and a warning and lay warnings often. They take no offense from such minor trivialities and issues. Perhaps this is why I was the one sent to negotiate with them in the past?

“Makes sense to me.”

After a time, she returns. I of course was watching her from the eyes of my minions below deck, having their heads and eyes following her as she walked to let her know I was fully aware. After she comes above, she nods towards me.

“Unfortunately the Empress is busy for the next few days with an official ball, several diplomats, a duel to the death and then a day of rest.”

“So usual politics then.”

“Correct, we can move you to a safe harbour for the time being. Then you can meet with the empress as requested.”

Truthfully, I have always had little patience for politics. But In this case I don’t really have a choice. So I of course accept. According to her, I have 5 days to myself…

For the Time being:

>Make more skeletons.

>Make myself look more… presentable?

>Perhaps sleep more.

>>375624

>No U

>>375624

For the Time being:

>Make myself look more… presentable?

>Perhaps sleep more.

One vote for each of these. You can't go before the Empress looking shabby! This will almost certainly involve getting a bit of sleep, so as to be less haggard looking, and to rest Yasgerouf's mind, which he has pushed to the limit frequently since he awoke. He is due a little rest.

>>375624

Take care of ourselves for certain. First for try to get some sleep. I would say perhaps mix tending to your "earthly needs" with a good sleep. Just have to be sure to monster-proof beforehand. After whatever happens there, second vote to clean up. Maybe find something nice in town.

One vote for sleep

One vote for cleaning up and finding a funny, pointy hat to wear.

>>375637

Using my two votes to be the same as this anons.

>>375624

2 votes for being presentable.

>>375701

Please sage my man.