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Post by Kentucky on May 29, 2019 18:15:03 GMT
[Keep her captive]
Yeah, no way I trust Geshmine, she's clearly tricking Edmond. As much as I don't want the ritual to succeed, I imagine Edmond would be smart enough to not fall for these tricks. Also good to see Liscom again, even if he's a tad bit scarier than previous.
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Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Jun 1, 2019 2:26:12 GMT
[Keep her captive]That was quite a twist with Hamid actually being an undead Liscom. I did not see that coming at all. I'm curious about the ruby eye. Liscom seemed to indicate that he was speaking with a being connected to it. Hopefully another entity isn't manipulating Liscom into doing his bidding by tricking him into thinking this ritual will bring back Boborad; when really the ritual is for another purpose. If that happened, then Edmond would have done all this for nothing. Ah, I obviously cannot say too much about the ruby eye for now, but it will play a massive part in the things to come, so it is good to know that so many are intrigued by it. It was mentioned several times as part of the prophecies before and you have not seen the last of it at all. Liscom's connection to the eye will become more apparent in Edmond's next part, but expect quite a few mysteries to remain. And well... if Liscom is being deceived here, that will be devastating, for him and for Edmond. They have sacrificed so much to bring back Borbarad, Liscom literally died for him, so failure is worse than death for them at this point.
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Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Jun 1, 2019 2:31:55 GMT
[Keep her captive]Yeah, no way I trust Geshmine, she's clearly tricking Edmond. As much as I don't want the ritual to succeed, I imagine Edmond would be smart enough to not fall for these tricks. Also good to see Liscom again, even if he's a tad bit scarier than previous. Hehe, as I said to InGen, usually Edmond is indeed smart enough for this to not even be a choice. You can see she is trying to trick him and if he were to realize this, he would never willingly free her. The current situation makes things slightly more tricky, but all in all, this is the more rational option, the one truer to Edmond's long-term desires. As for Liscom... well, he is undead by all accounts and he returned not just through the massive use of necromancy, but through his sheer fanatical will to restore Borbarad. There are still hints of how he used to be, this affable, cultured and fatherly scholar Edmond remembers him as, but his negative traits have been increased and put into a half-decayed corpse with a creepy ruby eye of unknown origin. So, yeah, without spoiling anything, he will only get more scary in his next appearance.
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Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Jun 1, 2019 2:36:00 GMT
The Voting is closed! Edmond is going to keep Geshmine captive Well, this is certainly how Edmond would decide in a clear state of mind, he would never betray Liscom and the Borbaradians for one pretty face. His mental, physical and emotional exhaustion makes things a little bit harder and the other option would have been in character as well, for the currently exhausted Edmond. I can say that you chose wisely for his own well-being, because Geshmine naturally never had any intentions of going through with her offer. As for her well-being... well, you definitely chose the worse choice for her, but that was to be expected. The next part will be out in a few minutes. It will be an Iiro part, detailing the group's arrival in Drakesfield and giving you some long-awaited answers for one of the questions that you had in this chapter. I hope you are going to enjoy it, I am almost done with it and will post it as soon as it is finished.
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Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Jun 1, 2019 2:50:47 GMT
Iiro The village of Drakesfield stuck out from the wasteland as the only thing that was even remotely standing. The surrounding trees were all withered and gone, the fields were nothing but barren plains, covered in dust. Only the houses of Drakesfield stuck out from the dark grey landscape and they were, of course, almost exclusively in ruins. By now, the clouds had turned entirely black, dousing the ground below in darkness. Faint red lights were visible within them, flaring up irregularly and only adding to the thoroughly surreal landscape. It was cold, even though it should be the exact opposite at that time of the year. A feeling of terror had gripped Iiro ever since they had met the caravan. What he had seen in the eyes of those people, babies and children, far too young for this, it would haunt him for the rest of his days. Given what they were about to do, that probably wasn't too long, but even then, he did not dare to close his eyes, for he would see them again. Slowly, the journey was wearing him down and he found himself struggling not to fall asleep. He was exhausted, drained and felt worse than ever before. By now, he only resisted the urge to drop down and rest because he knew that he would not have the strength to get up again. The curse had not caused him to age yet, at least he desperately hoped so, but he was getting exhausted with ease. Soon, he knew, he would lose years of his life, if there even would be a life after this ordeal at all. Survival was not guaranteed. Many buildings in Drakesfield lacked walls or a roof. Some had collapsed entirely, leaving nothing behind but rubble. And those that hadn't collapsed likely would within the next few days. The wood was rotting, the stone crumbling. Soon, nothingness would claim Drakesfield, as Iiro was unsure if even the ruins would remain, here in the centre of the curse. And worst of it all were the corpses. Once home to a few hundred, the caravan consisted of not more than fifty people, with roughly the same number having been left behind on the way. That left almost two hundred corpses within this village. The villagers had not managed to bury their dead and had instead left them where they died. For most, he could only assume, that was their bed, within the half-collapsed houses. Others had dropped dead on the streets and they were still lying there. The curse did not stop with their death and so, he did not see rotten corpses, but weathered skeletons, their bones brown and brittle. The majority of them had died while trying to escape the cursed village and so, the amount of corpses out on the streets got gradually less the further they got into this forsaken nightmare. “The temple”, Naeem spoke, as he pointed at the building almost in the centre of the village. It was located next to the central square and from afar, it seemed almost a small miracle. Even now, even in this desolate hell, Tsa protected her temple, as it was the only building within the entire village that still looked largely intact. Even the colour on the walls, while slowly fainting, was still visible, painting the entire temple in rainbow colours. It was a welcome sight and a tiny ray of hope found its way into Iiro's heart. Even the darkness seemed less terrible around the temple, the clouds above just a little bit less black. “Maybe we should check it out”, Vittorio brought up and Iiro nodded. “Agreed”, he said. “It seems Tsa's blessing is still upon it, even in this darkness” As they came closer, this faint feeling of hope got crushed almost instantly, as he saw what was right before the temple. A stake, the remnants of a wooden pile, both heavily affected by the curse, but undoubtedly blackened from fire. And there, at its feet, the bones of Sister Laniare Armand. “May the Twelve judge her fairly”, Iiro mumbled, sending a brief prayer to his gods, even if he was not sure it would even reach them in this place, so much closer to the Nether Hells than Alveran. Naeem walked up to the stake, as he reached for the bones. Picking up the blackened skull, he stared into its empty eye sockets for a moment, before he gently, almost respectfully, laid it back to the rest of the bones. “The curse does not affect her remains”, he said. “Even after all she did, Tsa still grants her a blessing” “Not enough to protect her from the curse, though”, Vittorio growled, as Yveshin let out a gasp. “There!”, he yelled, pointing down one of the streets. Iiro could tell that the buildings that lined it had been among the better ones before the curse hit Drakesfield, large, two or even three-storied mansions. His eyes widened, as he saw a child running across the street, from one building to the next, a wooden sword in its hands. “This... what is this?”, he gasped and immediately, Yveshin attempted to run towards the child. Vittorio held him back. “Don't!”, the mage warned him. “I heard about this at the academy. In places such as this...” Iiro's expression grew outright horrified, as the child changed, growing into an adult, then an old man in the span of seconds, still playing with his wooden sword. It collapsed and faded, right where Iiro spotted a twisted skeleton, still clutching the ruined remnants of a wooden sword. “A ghost”, Vittorio explained. “An apparition, to be precise. There's several types of ghost and please don't consider me an expert on the matter, but in places like this, where so many died under such unnatural causes, not every soul finds rest. Forced to live through their final days, or even moments, over and over again. A priest of Boron might be able to grant them passage over the Nowhere Sea, but all we can do it to leave them be” He shook his head. “Don't get any closer. Some ghosts can be dangerous” Iiro gulped, as he watched the ghost rise from the skeleton, now a young boy once again, playing through the exact same chain of events. And what little hope he still felt, it was crushed, for even as he averted his gaze, he just saw the next horror. The gaping maw of a ruined building, two skeletons locked in eternal embrace, the black and red sky and, in the distance, the tower. A lone light was burning in one of the windows. “This is where our enemy waits”, Naeem spoke, having followed Iiro's gaze. “The unliving servant readies himself for his final sacrifice” Iiro clenched his fists. “Then we should stop him”, he pressed through his teeth. “Let us head to the tower at once” Vittorio shook his head. “My friend, you can barely stand”, he spoke. “We need rest, at least a few hours, before we face this necromancer again” He glanced at Naeem. “Do we have this much?” The young druid hesitated for a moment, before he gave him a nod. “You've been pushing on quite heavily over the last week”, he told them. “Yes, I believe we have this time. The servant has not yet finished his ritual” Yveshin raised an eyebrow. “How do you know?”, he asked and Naeem sighed. “We are still alive”, he replied. “I don't think I will find much rest in this forsaken place”, Iiro brought up and with dread, he stared to the side, where the ghost of the child briefly stopped in his play and stared back at him. “The temple”, Vittorio offered. “If the curse truly doesn't affect us in there, maybe we can us that to our advantage” He glanced at the black sky. “If the Young Goddess has nothing against it, of course” This time, there were no red lights in the sky, which Iiro considered a sign of agreement from Tsa. As such, they moved past the dreadful pyre and the remains of Sister Laniare and up the stairs that led to the door. So close, Iiro could tell the curse hadn't spared the temple, as the rainbow-painted walls were slowly losing their colour, while the windows were stained and dusty. However, surrounded by nothing but grey and black, it was almost garish. Thankfully, the doors were not locked. Iiro was not sure if he had the strength to smash open a lock, nor did he dare to offend the goddess in such a way. Tsa wasn't known for being vengeful, quite the opposite, but that didn't mean that destroying part of her temple would come without repercussions. As such, he sighed slightly, as he pushed the doors open. It seemed as if time had simply stopped inside. Light, actual light, fell from the everburning candles in their cages of rainbow glass, dousing the room in red, yellow, blue and a mixture of each of these colours. Though a fine layer of dust covered the ground, it was nothing compared to the destruction outside. Even the air felt different. A bit stuffy and warm, but by no means the dry, lifeless wind that blew outside. The moment Yveshin and Thea closed the door behind them, Iiro took a deep breath and felt a sudden relief, overcoming him with almost as much force as the curse that raged on outside. The temple was small, befitting for a village such as Drakesfield, with three rooms, as far as he was able to tell. The largest one was the one they were in right now, the sanctuary. It held relatively few benches and one of them was toppled over. Though the ground was covered with fine dust, the ornate painting that covered it was still visible, depicting the lizard, Tsa's holy animal. The walls were decorated with large, beautiful tapestries, depicting the lush landscape of Meadows in the heat of summer, of growing trees and playing children. Between them were large, coloured windows. And in the centre of the room, a small altar, with the statue of a lizard on top. Compared to how bad things were outside these walls, the temple felt strangely peaceful. Perhaps the gods hadn't completely forsaken this place. Quietly Vittorio pulled the bench up again and Iiro hurried to help him. “Check the rooms”, the mage spoke. “Everything that can help us. I think Tsa led us here for a reason and she certainly wouldn't want all of this to fall victim to the spell” Reluctantly, Iiro gave him a nod. Vittorio's point was excellent, but he still had a hard time with taking things from a temple. Still, he highly doubted Tsa would disapprove, given the alternative. While Naeem inspected the statue atop the altar, Yveshin walked towards the opposing wall. There were two doors and he picked the right one, while Thea approached the left. She hesitated, taking a deep breath, sniffing the air for a moment, before a rare smile formed on her face. “Humans, we are in luck”, she spoke, as she opened the door. Though Iiro did not smell anything unusual, he instantly saw what she meant. Behind this door, there was the storage of the temple. Considering that Sister Laniare lived here, it meant food and drink, not any temple riches. Though the supplies they had taken from the caravan had lasted for almost a day before growing mouldy, Iiro felt great hunger already and as such, he quickly hurried to Thea's side, as the elf inspected the contents of the storage, a wide smile on her face. Her tongue moved over her pointy canine teeth, as she reached for an apple. “Not fresh anymore”, she deduced. “But I bet it still tastes good. Like... something” Iiro looked around. The storage was not too big, but filled with food. No meat, according to the rules of the church, but plenty of vegetables, from the fruit Thea had found to cabbage, eggplants and tomatoes. He gulped as he spotted a handful of the unusually large potatoes. Surely he'd stay away from these, but his smile widened as Thea handed him another apple. “Eat, human”, she told him. “You will need your strength in that tower” He bit into the apple and with delight, he realized it indeed still tasted decent. Not entirely fresh anymore, but he was not picky, especially not in this place. “I never had one of these before”, Thea admitted, glancing at the apple in her hand. “But they smell nice” Iiro raised an eyebrow. “You never had an apple before?”, he asked in slight disbelief and she shook her head. “They don't grow where I come from”, she explained. “Frozen ground, and all” “Hey, check this out!”, Yveshin's call came from the other room. As Iiro glanced into the sanctuary, Yveshin just entered it, holding a box in his hands. “I think Sister Laniare lived in that room”, he told them. “I found this beneath her bed” He placed the box on one of the benches and Iiro noticed there was no lock on it. “She tried to hide it”, Yveshin told them. “Not very good though. I haven't opened it yet” Vittorio knelt down next to the box, mumbling a few words. “No magic”, he told them. “But... something powerful. Something very, very powerful is within this box” He took a deep breath, though Iiro could see the anticipation in his eyes, as he opened the box. Inside, there were two books, one in almost pristine condition, bound in red leather, the other a plain brown and in a terrible state. Next to them, there were three vials, shimmering with an unearthly, beautiful light, quickly changing colours in an almost dazzling display. “What the...”, Vittorio began, as Naeem simply grabbed one of the bottles. He stared at it for a moment, before his eyes widened. “This is no magic”, he spoke. “But a karmic miracle. I feel life radiating within these” “And the books?”, Iiro asked, as Vittorio reached for one of them, the thick, red one. “The temple diary of Sister Laniare Armand”, the mage read the title, before he opened it. Though the pages were slightly yellowed, the words themselves weren't affected, as far as Iiro could tell. Not that he could read them either way, but Vittorio had no problem with them. “First entry”, the mage began to read. “I have arrived in Drakesfield today. As Linai suggested, I have left my old diary behind and started a new one, for this new step in my life. I miss Perricum already, my grand city by the sea. I miss the coast, I miss the sounds and smells of the harbour, the sights of the fleet, my friends and family. But as strange as my new neighbours are, they are honest and hard-working. They worship Praios and Peraine here and few know much about the Young Goddess. I feel honoured and, yes, excited for this chance to bring Tsa's blessings into this remote corner of the world” Iiro glanced out of the coloured window, towards the desolate ruins. “Didn't work out for her, did it?”, he growled and Vittorio narrowed his eyes, as he skimmed through the pages. “At first it did”, he disagreed after a while. “She writes about her success, how the people began to accept her as their priestess, neighbour and friend” He read on and gulped. “Listen to that. Day Two-Hundred and Forty”, he continued. “Today, I was called to Larric's farm. His wife has given birth to a son, but both lie sick with a fever. The old Gissa was there, but though they call her a witch, she knows no magic, just the basics of alchemy. I knew, what they needed was no potion, no spell, but a miracle. So I stayed with the family for the entire night, singing praises to the Young Goddess, begging her for mercy. I have never been a miracle worker, not as much as some of my friends at the temple in Perricum, but in this moment, Lady Tsa worked through me. I felt her close in my heart, her light, her goodness. Both, mother and child radiated in a warm light and as it was done, the fever had gone. Both will survive and the child will grow up to be strong and healthy. I look forward for guiding him on his future path” The mage looked up. “That... doesn't sound like a woman who planned on cursing this entire village”, he said, as he briefly looked at the remaining pages. Iiro crossed his arms. “She's been here for years”, he growled. “Maybe something will change. Continue to read” Vittorio raised an eyebrow, though he gave him a nod. “You know, we really need to change that. If you're working for me, you need to learn how to read and write”, he offered and Iiro flashed him a smile. “Maybe once we survive all this”, he agreed, as he let Vittorio read on in silence. “It seems she was loved by many in the village”, the mage explained. “But though she calls each of them a friend, I... don't actually think she had any true friend here. She is always their priestess, never their companion, never truly one of them, no matter how much she claims to be in these entries” He paused for a moment. “I think she was lonely and perhaps she didn't even realize it” He went on, before his eyes widened. “Hamid ben Seychaban”, he spoke and Iiro tensed up. “We know that name, don't we?”, he asked, glancing at Naeem, who nodded slightly. “He uses that name, yes”, he confirmed. “I don't know his origins, but he is a foul creature, unnatural to its core and driven solely by a single purpose. He will resurrect Borbarad or he will die trying” “Apparently, he befriended her”, Vittorio said. “Listen to this. Day Four Hundred and Five” His hand moved across the yellowed paper, before his finger pointed at the page. “Finally, it all dawns upon me. The day I saved Larric's family, I felt Tsa's might. Never before and never again has she worked through me with such intensity. But perhaps she can be persuaded to do so again. Perhaps I can truly help these people. If Tsa wills it, I can cure diseases, heal injuries, bring back those who were almost in Boron's Halls. Perhaps there can be a way to persuade her, to make her more inclined to answer my prayers”, he read. “Hamid is a fascinating man. His knowledge on Tsa and her origins goes beyond anything I ever heard, yes, possibly against what the Church of Praios deems good and right. But I am no priestess of Praios. I serve the people, first and foremost. Tomorrow, Hamid will tell me more about Tsa and her place within the Achaz pantheon” “Achaz?”, Iiro asked and Vittorio gave him a nod. “The lizardfolk”, he explained. “Their empire predates any human nation by millennia, but their gods are similar” He sighed. “By the Twelve, I am no scholar of the ancient Achaz empire, but that is basic knowledge for any trained guildmage”, he spoke. “Basically, they worshipped the same gods as we do, mostly at least, though under slightly different names. Hesinde is... let me see, she is known as H'Szinth in their language, Praios is called something along the lines of Pprsss” He sighed as he tried to emulate the strange sounds of this inhuman language. “Some, such as Charyb'Yzz are known as demons nowadays, others are completely forgotten, but a great many names are undeniably comparable to our modern pantheon” “And Tsa... let me see... ah, there we have it!”, he exclaimed, as he pointed at a word a few pages farther. “Do you see?”, he asked and Iiro shrugged, as the letters meant nothing to him. “Zssahh”, Vittorio explained. “An important deity for the Achaz and the other lizardfolk races. They believe that their gods can be bribed and persuaded to help, at least those that aren't vicious and vengeful. Zssahh, she is one of the kinder gods” “Some things never change”, Iiro mumbled. “So, what is Sister Laniare's deal with Hamid and the lizardfolk?” Vittorio raised a finger, as he continued to read. “It seems she is fascinated by Hamid's explanations. She doesn't go into detail here, but she mentions how easily he manages to explain the connection to her”, he continued. “The lizard is Tsa's holy animal, so shouldn't it be logical that the old lizardfolk rituals are the best way to please her?” He narrowed his eyes. “From here on, she stops calling her 'Tsa' at all, she exclusively uses the lizardfolk spelling”, he mumbled. “Day Four Hundred and Sixty Two. With my advocacy, the Church of Praios has agreed to sell the old tower to Hamid. No one has lived there since the old baron died a decade before my arrival. Now, there is life within the tower once more. Hamid has granted me a copy of a rare book, the... the Codex Sauris...” Vittorio paused. “Hesinde, have mercy!”, he exclaimed. “That is the book I was looking for!” “Please continue”, Yveshin interrupted him and Vittorio took a deep breath. “I really have to teach all of you how to read”, he sighed, before he continued. “He wants us to work through it soon. According to him, it hides the secrets of calling forth the gods themselves, to receive their blessing and favour. He will teach me how to gain Zssahh's favour once he returned from his trip to Selem” “A foul place for all I heard”, Iiro spoke up and Vittorio nodded. “One of the few southern cities that truly deserve their reputation”, he agreed, as he skimmed through the pages. “Looks like Hamid is gone for a long time, almost a year. They stay in contact through letters, but with her only true friend gone, it seems she feels more and more alone in the village. Though the people love here, she writes of an immense guilt she feels for not doing more, for not giving all of her to please Zssahh. Any time someone dies, she feels what sounds like personal guilt” “People die”, Iiro mumbled and Vittorio nodded. “In rare cases, a priestess of Tsa can not just heal lethal injuries, regrow severed limbs or cure mortal diseases, but actually resurrect someone after their death. I don't mean like necromancers do, but a genuine, blessed resurrection. But such cases are rare. Only the strongest of her servants can do it and only then, it is the highest of miracles. It appears Laniare's problem is the same many great people have despaired over before. She struggles with accepting her own limits” “I can emphasize with that”, Thea mumbled, as she sat down next to Yveshin. Vittorio read through a few more pages and his frown grew stronger. “This piece of shit...”, he growled and for a second, Iiro spotted genuine anger in his eyes. “Listen to this. Day Seven Hundred and Thirty. Now it is all clear to me. Hamid's strange appearance, his mannerisms, even his knowledge. He has revealed himself to me as a servant of Ssad'Nav, the lord of time and most mysterious of the H'Ranga” Here, the mage paused briefly. “H'Ranga is the Achaz term for their gods”, he explained. “And Ssad'Nav is, I believe, none other than Satinav, the Guardian of Time” Naeem shook his head. “He lied to her”, he spoke. “What happens here goes against everything Satinav stands for. Draining this entire land of its life, of its time, it is a corruption of Satinav's might” “Well, she believed him”, Vittorio explained. “Should be easy for a mage of his power. A few illusions here, a few charming lies there and she was fully convinced of it. And why shouldn't she? All he told her up to this point was true, or at least not a clear lie. And she's a priestess, not a scholar. What does she know about Satinav? Oh, that man is a devious bastard” He shook his head in disgust. “It's getting worse”, he said. “Day Seven Hundred and Eighty Two. Hamid has to leave once again. Under any other circumstance, I would cut all ties to him. He is unseemly company, even for a priestess of Zssahh, perhaps especially for one. But his knowledge is immense. He has taught me how to do wonders, how to call my goddess' might down upon those who need it. I feel stronger than ever before, more vigorous and full of energy. Truly, our rituals must have shown some success. He has shown me a ritual, hidden within the Codex Sauris, to call the same blessing down upon this entire land. I can cast the first step by myself while he is gone, but it has to happen in exactly two weeks, on the first day of Zssahh's month” “That would be this year”, Naeem confirmed. “The first day of spring. My master and I felt a terrible disturbance on that day” He thought about it for a moment. “And it fits with what the villagers told us. From this day forward, the first effects of the spell were felt here in Drakesfield” Iiro raised an eyebrow. “So, she went through with it”, he deduced. Vittorio nodded, as he read through the next entries. “She has her doubts, thinks back and forth for days, before doing it regardless”, he explained. “And she describes the effects as overwhelming. Almost immediately, she says, she can feel life growing, or at least she thinks so. She describes how she feels all life in Drakesfield uniting to one massive flow of energy, growing and increasing in strength” “They aged”, Yveshin mumbled and Vittorio sighed. “Not at first”, he replied. “First came the potatoes and with them, her doubt grew” He continued to read in silence, before he shook his head. “Oh, that foolish girl. She is terrified as she realizes that the dead cattle, the miscarriages, are not a coincidence, but an effect of the ritual. Here she describes how she blames herself for making a mistake, for conducting the ritual the wrong way, how she prays for Hamid's quick return so that he can fix it” He turned a few pages. “And here, she finally realizes that it's not an error within the ritual, but that she had done exactly what Hamid wanted” Iiro gulped, as he averted his eyes. “So she never wanted any of this”, he spoke, to which Vittorio nodded. “She has been fooled by a black mage. Not the first to whom that happened but rarely have the effects been this devastating” He turned another few pages, right to the very end. “Here, the last few days until her death”, he said. “She wants to fix it. Despite everything, the Young Goddess hasn't abandoned her. She spends her days locked in here, away from the vengeful villagers, praying to Tsa for a miracle” “She should have done more than just praying”, Naeem spoke and Vittorio frowned. “She did”, he said, as he reached for one of the bottles. “But there is only so much she can do on her own. These bottles apparently break the curse on a single living entity, restoring them to how they used to be before the curse hit them. She wanted to create more, for the entire village, but it seems she ran out of time” Iiro glanced at the bottles. Only three of them... and she wanted to make more. Perhaps she could have saved those people, if only... “The final entry”, Vittorio mumbled. “A nightmare, once more. But with it came not just dread, but deep conviction. I know what I have to do. Hamid wanted this all along. He is a deceiver, a heretic, perhaps even a servant of the Nameless One. And I fell for his lies. I have to confront him and if Tsa wills it, I have to stop him. And then I have to save the village. So many have died, so many souls and it is my fault. But perhaps I can save those who remain. I just need time, more time...” He paused. “There's a lot of empty space here”, he said, pointing at the site, which was almost half-empty. Though Iiro was unable to decipher the words beneath, he realized they were written not in the careful, beautiful handwriting Sister Laniare usually had, but more rushed. She was in a hurry. “The villagers have surrounded the temple”, Vittorio continued. “They demand my surrender, they call me a witch and see me responsible for this... and they are right. All of this is my fault. I know I can save them, but I know they will not listen. It is only a matter of time until they storm the temple. So be it. Perhaps this is what I deserve. But they don't. But they don't, oh Praios, oh Boron! Have mercy on their souls, no matter what they will do to me. Lady Tsa, I give you my life” Vittorio paused and he blinked briefly. “Then it cuts off”, he mumbled. “May Boron have mercy on her soul” Iiro closed his eyes. “May Boron have mercy on her soul”, he chimed in. “She was a fool for ever believing Hamid, but... she meant well” Yveshin looked out of the window. “And the people of Drakesfield killed their only hope for survival”, he stated. “We have to stop the monster responsible for this” “Agreed”, Iiro confirmed, before he looked back at Vittorio, who had respectfully put down Sister Laniare's diary. Instead, he had picked up the other book and his eyes widened. “Oh... oh my gods”, he gasped. “This... is it! The Codex Sauris. I thought this Hamid would have reclaimed it by now, but now, it was here in Laniare's room all along” “The book you're looking for”, Iiro stated, before he narrowed his eyes. “Laniare mentioned that this spell is hidden within it” Vittorio raised an eyebrow, before he gave him a hesitant nod. He opened the book carefully. “She commented on it”, he said with displeasure. “Her own thoughts on the history and rituals detailed here... If only I had the time to work through it all” He narrowed his eyes. “Big parts of it are written in Rssahh, the lizardfolk language. I cannot read them, but I know some who can”, he revealed. “Just think of the power hidden within these pages” “I'm thinking of it right now”, Naeem stated, as he glanced out of the window. “I rarely agree with the Church of Praios, but I can see why they usually burn books like these, or keep them locked away from the world” Vittorio sighed. “There is more than just Hamid's disgusting spell”, he argued. “History of the lizardfolk race. Their gods, their rituals and prayers. Spells, and not just the one Hamid used” “Worse, perhaps?”, Naeem asked, to which Vittorio shrugged. “I don't think so”, he claimed. “But I know what you intend to do and I'm telling you, no way. We cannot just destroy this book. To destroy such knowledge is an insult to Hesinde!” Naeem tilted his head. “Would you want for this to happen ever again?”, he asked. “Look outside and tell me that this knowledge isn't dangerous!” His voice grew louder and more commanding, but Vittorio stood his ground. “I don't want this!”, he spoke in return. “Which is why I say we should study it more carefully. Remove the truly dangerous parts, but keep the harmless knowledge. This book is not evil incarnate, it's so many different things. History, culture, magic and prayers of those who lived in this world tens of thousands of years ago! Please, let us just work through the book and keep the harmless passages” Naeem raised an eyebrow. “You can't even read it”, he said. “Do you trust those who can? Because I don't, no matter how much coin they offer us for this” He clenched his fists. “Vittorio, you are better than this. You know it must be destroyed to prevent what happened here from ever happening again!” He glanced at Iiro, who was still standing nearby, unsure which side he should pick. But he had to pick one, he knew this. Perhaps he could defuse the situation before the two mages would settle their dispute in a more violent fashion. [Convince Naeem to let Vittorio keep the book] [Convince Vittorio to give the book up]
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Post by TheAPlegends on Jun 1, 2019 12:59:01 GMT
[Convince Vittorio to give the book up]
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Post by diversegnu on Jun 2, 2019 7:30:29 GMT
[Convince Naeem to let Vittorio keep the book]
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Post by GMS Freeman on Jun 2, 2019 9:50:44 GMT
[Convince Vittorio to give the book up]
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Post by WildlingKing on Jun 2, 2019 10:46:35 GMT
[Convince Vittorio to give the book up] I understand both sides, but I feel like this choice feels more in-character for Iiro. I don't think he cares that much if some knowledge is lost, if that's the price for making sure something like this wont happen again.
It was interesting to learn about Laniare's time in the village, and how she fell into aiding Liscom. I figured it couldn't be as simple as her just being an evil witch willing to harm the people of Drakesfield to aid the Borbaradians, and Liscom having manipulated her certainly makes sense.
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Post by InGenNateKenny on Jun 2, 2019 14:22:23 GMT
[Convince Naeem to let Vittorio keep the book] Allow me to quote Professor Henry Jones Sr: "It tells me that goose-stepping morons like yourself should try reading books instead of burning them." Books good, we must save ze books.
Laniare was, eh, good, but bad. Sad what happened to her though. Lizards are bad news though. The only good lizard is Bossk, who may just be a god for the Achaz, but I'm having my doubts.
Also, these three vials. I sense a choice coming up.
Also, hmm. I kind of wish we read this part without knowing Hamid was Liscom, but it's still interesting nonetheless.
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Post by supersagig on Jun 4, 2019 0:36:14 GMT
[Convince Naeem to let Vittorio keep the book]
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Post by Tales93 on Jun 5, 2019 19:06:56 GMT
[Convince Naeem to let Vittorio keep the book]
The historian in me can't let this book be destroyed. By the way, Laniere's backstory, in the village, was quite interesting. So, she did cast the spell, but was tricked into doing it by "Hamid."
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Post by Kentucky on Jun 8, 2019 16:47:54 GMT
[Convince Naeem to let Vittorio keep the book]
I can't help myself; I love books too much. Some interesting tidbits of information were given here, the picture's really starting to come together.
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Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Jun 12, 2019 17:01:14 GMT
[Convince Vittorio to give the book up] I understand both sides, but I feel like this choice feels more in-character for Iiro. I don't think he cares that much if some knowledge is lost, if that's the price for making sure something like this wont happen again. It was interesting to learn about Laniare's time in the village, and how she fell into aiding Liscom. I figured it couldn't be as simple as her just being an evil witch willing to harm the people of Drakesfield to aid the Borbaradians, and Liscom having manipulated her certainly makes sense. Ah, glad you enjoyed it! Indeed, Laniare was never actually evil, it was just that Liscom used her greatest virtue, her desire to help others, against her. The result was that he thoroughly manipulated her from the very beginning. He could have probably even done it without using her, but her support and authority in the village really made it a whole lot easier for him. At the same time, Linai's view of her friend is actually correct, Laniare really was a kind, well-meaning priestess and by no means the vile witch the people of this region will remember her as.
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Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Jun 12, 2019 17:09:41 GMT
[Convince Naeem to let Vittorio keep the book] Allow me to quote Professor Henry Jones Sr: "It tells me that goose-stepping morons like yourself should try reading books instead of burning them." Books good, we must save ze books. Laniare was, eh, good, but bad. Sad what happened to her though. Lizards are bad news though. The only good lizard is Bossk, who may just be a god for the Achaz, but I'm having my doubts. Also, these three vials. I sense a choice coming up. Also, hmm. I kind of wish we read this part without knowing Hamid was Liscom, but it's still interesting nonetheless. She had good intentions, but in trusting Liscom, she really screwed up. If not her, however, someone else would have just taken her place. Somewhere along the line, someone would have fallen for Liscom's lies and would have helped him. The old lizardfolk used to be truly bad news indeed! I'll get into that more when I write the region guide to the Khom desert, which is what remains of their greatest empire, but they have worshipped darker versions of the current gods (including at least one who is a genuine demon), committed bloody rituals, many of which are actually worse than the one that transformed Drakesfield into its current state, kept humans as slaves and waged brutal wars against their neighbours for many centuries. It should be said that absolutely nobody who isn't lizardfolk is sad that their empire is no more. They weren't just the Achaz back then, the term lizardfolk was (and in rare cases still is) used to describe other sub-species, from cobra-headed lizardfolk to a species of humanoid triceratopses, most of which have died out by now. Hmmmm... perhaps... This chapter is almost over, but we'll see if they will be put to use before it is over. In retrospect, I have to agree with you, it could have added something to the reveal from Edmond's part, painting Liscom in an even darker light by the moment of his reintroduction. But well, what's done is done, I will at the very least show his side of the story in Edmond's next part.
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Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Jun 12, 2019 17:21:36 GMT
The Voting is closed! Iiro is going to side with Vittorio Ah, this was very interesting, because I was not sure at all how you would decide. It is nice to hear that I managed to give both sides a point and the outcome is even a little bit surprising, but this will open up a lot of new opportunities for the story, going forward. At the same time, it is a big risk. Laniare is by no means a mage and not even all that powerful as a priestess of Tsa and yet, with just a little bit of help and this very book, she involuntarily destroyed the entire village and the surrounding lands. The next part should be out tomorrow. I apologize for the long wait between the parts, especially the radio silence towards those of you who don't read Forum of Thrones, where I announced this a week ago. I went into a bit more detail there, but long story short is, my father died last Monday. He was suffering from cancer for over a year now and in the last two months, it spread aggressively. While a full recovery has always been unlikely, the sheer speed with which his condition worsened is baffling, even to the doctors. And though I had a lot of concern for his well-being in these last two months, I never would have thought it to happen this swiftly. In fact, I was convinced it wouldn't be this bad until next year or even the year after. Yesterday was the funeral and it was actually how he would have liked it, with tons of friends from all over Germany coming over, just to pay their respects, even people who haven't seen him in years. While I am somewhat collected, I'd lie if I'd say I'm alright. That being said, I do not wish to stop writing or even slow down, because this is extremely calming and actually helpful. The long wait between the last part and this next one is not because I need time or anything, it is simply because I partially organized the funeral by calling the guests and writing invitations. That is over now, so I can finally try to get my mind off everything that happened in the last two months. Thank you all for reading and I'll make sure to finish Yveshin's next part as soon as possible.
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Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Jun 13, 2019 23:31:04 GMT
Yveshin “Naeem, please”, Iiro spoke, as he stepped between the mage and the druid. “You are a reasonable man. Surely we have more important matters to deal with than to start a fight over some damn book” He looked at Vittorio, who as quick to agree with a nod, while clutching the book heavily to his chest, like a prized treasure. The druid narrowed his eyes. “It is not just some damn book!”, he spat. “It contains the means for this to happen again and again. Just look at what a priestess of Tsa did to this land, then imagine how much worse it would be in the hands of a trained mage, especially one without morals or compassion” “Hey, that wouldn't be me”, Vittorio protested. “I'm not like this Hamid. Instead of using it to conduct such a ritual, I would carefully study it and then sell it to a responsible new owner, someone who can contain this knowledge without destroying it” He glanced at the book. “Besides, it's not like the Codex Sauris is unique. Extremely rare, yes, but I've seen it before. There's one in Punin, in Khunchom, Brabak and Fasar, probably several in the City of Light over in Gareth. That's just the ones we know of. This Hamid managed to obtain a copy, so do you honestly think that destroying this would prevent the ritual from ever happening again?” “It would be a start”, Naeem argued. “There's few I would trust with such knowledge and neither you, nor your contacts within the academies are among them. The Church of Praios might be the only ones who can safely contain it and I'd rather burn the book than to give it to them” To this, Vittorio nodded. “You and me both”, he agreed. “But we can't just burn this book. Knowledge should never be destroyed” “Naeem...”, Iiro spoke up. “I know you don't trust Vittorio, I even get your point” He placed a hand on his heart. “But you can trust me. Let us focus on the important matters, let Vittorio keep his book and I promise that I will be there when he studies it. I will not allow him to try any ritual by himself, nor to sell it to some shady black mage” Vittorio rolled his eyes. “Sounds like my own, personal inquisitor”, he complained, before he let out a sigh. “But alright, I agree to these terms. I have no desire to study any spells from this book, nor do I wish to sell it to the black guild either way. I merely wish to preserve it” To this, Naeem tilted his head. “And get some profit by selling it to someone slightly less terrible than Hamid ben Seychaban, am I right?”, he snarled. To this, the grey mage shrugged nonchalantly. “Are you against profit as well now?”, he asked bluntly and Naeem frowned. Then, he shook his head. “Fine”, he muttered. “Take it, but take the risk just as well” He narrowed his eyes. “But you are responsible for it. Use it with utmost care and give it only to those whom you know can keep it safe” A pleased smile formed on Vittorio's face. “You have my word”, he claimed. “I know a few people who would never use it for evil. After I had a read through, I will give it to them” His smile faded as Naeem grabbed him by the shoulder. “Even now you only think of the coin you will gain from this”, the druid mumbled, his voice oozing disappointment. “I should have expected something like this from you, guild mage” He sighed. “But know that I will hold you accountable for what happens to this book”, he added, as he looked from Vittorio to Iiro. “Both of you. If it is ever used for ill intents, you will face consequences” Iiro gulped, before he nodded and after he shot the mage a sharp glare, Vittorio did the same. “Fine”, the mage mumbled. “Know what, if anyone uses the Codex Sauris for something like this ever again, I'll slit my own throat” To this, the druid shook his head. “Oh, but your death is not what I mean by consequences”, he clarified. “No, I mean that you will fix the mess this will cause for the rest of your life” He gave both a stern nod and reluctantly, Vittorio backed off, still clinging to the book. “Good...”, the mage agreed. “Good, this is acceptable” He briefly smiled at Iiro, who looked similarly stern. “Thank you, my friend”, he spoke, before retreating into one of the temple's corners, where he began to unpack his bedroll. “But now we should try to find some sleep. It will be a hard battle tomorrow, but together, maybe we can overcome this darkness” After all this arguing, the humans were in a dreadful mood and Yveshin couldn't hold it against them. Truth be told, he was still trying to understand just why the people of Drakesfield had done what they had done. After reading the diary, it was clear that Laniare had meant well and yet she had been murdered for it. The true villain here was undoubtedly the one waiting for them within the tower that was looming over the village. Even the necromancer they fought before was nothing but a henchman in the grander scale of things. Iiro and Vittorio were using the time to sleep and even Thea was at least trying to close her eyes before the inevitable confrontation. Yveshin, however, couldn't find any sleep. He was twisting and turning, every time he tried to close his eyes, he saw the desolate land they just travelled through once again. He could not forget the hollow eyes of the fleeing villagers and he had to ask himself if any of them were still alive by now. And if not, did they die as a result of the curse, or because Yveshin had agreed to take their supplies? It was weighing on him, heavily so, and in moments like this, he had to try his best not to grow too sick of it all. He missed home, the wide, cold and peaceful plains, the mountains that broke through the clouds, serene lakes and the deep valleys where his people lived. And this hellish place made it only worse. Back home, they were able to fight whatever evil threatened them. Dark creatures from the eastern lands and the ever-present threat of the Night Elves. But this madness? Even if they would win tomorrow, the scars this land had suffered would never fade. The pain Hamid's spell had brought upon the people of Drakesfield could never be undone. It felt almost... senseless to stand against it. At least back home, they were fighting for a reason, to hold back the darkness. Here, it felt like simple vengeance, for the damage was already done. Briefly, he tensed up, as he heard footsteps walking past him. Turning away from the painted wall he had been looking at for the past hour, he rolled onto his back and glanced towards the door, which was just now being pushed open. He recognized the tall figure just leaving the shielding temple as Naeem and the moment he opened the door, Yveshin immediately felt the weight of the curse outside, if only for a brief moment, before Naeem closed the door again. Carefully, he rose from his position on the ground, glancing at the humans, who were still sleeping, to Thea, who at least had her eyes closed, but if sleeping or completely lost in thoughts, he could not tell. Making sure to tread lightly, so that he would not wake her, he approached one of the colourful windows, glancing outside. Naeem stood at the top of the stairs that led down to the central square of Drakesfield, leaning on his staff, looking at the crumbling ruins and upon Sister Laniare's pyre. As Yveshin narrowed his eyes, he could still see her bones there, untouched by the ravaging curse around them. The druid meanwhile was still gazing around, carefully raising a finger, then pointing into one direction. In this moment, the elf opened the door and he had to take a deep gasp. He had not been aware of just how bad it was out here. If anything it had gotten only worse since they had entered the temple. By now, the entire area was clouded in darkness and it was impossible to tell if it way day or night. The red lightning within the black clouds had intensified and the ground had gotten so dry that it was starting to crack up, leaving deep, visible scars upon the surface of this village. He felt as if a deafening storm was raging on, tearing at his body, when in fact, there was not even the slightest bit of wind blowing. “Naeem”, he called out for the druid and it seemed as if his voice was more quiet and thin. The man did not even turn around, though he did acknowledge him. “Hello, Yveshin”, he said, as the elf caught up to him. “What are you doing here?”, he asked, as the druid gave him a brief glance. “It's not safe out here. You should regain your strength” To this, Naeem shook his head. “I'm fine”, he claimed. “But I... sensed something. Weak and growing ever weaker, but unmistakable” He took a deep breath. “There is still someone alive in this village” Yveshin blinked, as he looked at the ruins around him. Somewhere in the distance, a roof collapsed and the loud echo was just about the only noise he heard. “I... don't really think so”, he stuttered, but the druid was dead serious. “My spell is working”, he claimed. “Seventeen in the tower, five in the temple, me included, as well as a single barely living soul within the village” Yveshin glanced up at the tower. The candlelight he had seen earlier had faded. Instead, he spotted red lightning repeatedly crashing into the charred top. “Seventeen?”, he asked, to which Naeem shrugged. “Not counting Hamid ben Seychaban”, he clarified. “He is a revenant, someone who has died before and returned from beyond the Nowhere Sea to fulfil an unfinished duty. There is no life within him, nothing but cold dedication” Yveshin narrowed his eyes. “He is undead?”, he asked. “Then how did he manage to fool Sister Laniare? She didn't write anything about this” Naeem sighed. “He is an extraordinarily powerful mage”, he explained. “There are ways for someone of his strength to hide his true nature to common eyes. I have no doubt he walked among humans before and none saw him for what he truly was. And yet, I sense a presence close to him. It is the only way I can even sense him at all” “A presence... Borbarad?”, Yveshin asked, using the name he had heard earlier. To this, Naeem shook his head. “The ritual is not quite this far yet”, he explained. “Thankfully, I must add. No, I sense something else, a small fragment of a soul close to him. It seems he has gained some unusual help for his ritual” Yveshin raised an eyebrow, but Naeem did not clarify his remark. “I don't think I can fight seventeen opponents”, he mumbled and briefly, the druid smirked. “Worry not”, he spoke. “I have reason to believe that thirteen of them are no threat to us. Hamid's henchman, this necromancer we fought earlier, the one who murdered my master, he abducted people all across the region for the last weeks” “You think they are still alive?”, Yveshin asked and Naeem nodded. “And protected from the spell”, he stated. “They are needed for something else, albeit I am sure they will all wish to be dead soon, unless we manage to save them” He looked around. “But there is indeed another living soul within this village, someone we have to save” Yveshin thought back at the villagers, these children in the bodies of old men. “Do you think there is something left to save?”, he asked and Naeem gave him a stern look. “Master Lechmar used to say that every life is worth saving”, he stated. “I intend to live up to his teachings” He pointed at a building in the distance, relatively well-preserved. “There”, he spoke. “Will you help me?” The elf only had to think about this for a second, before he gave him a nod. “I'm already out here, am I not?”, he asked. Naeem smirked beneath his beard, before he began to walk across the square. Yveshin followed him closely, trying not to look too closely at the charred bones of Sister Laniare, nor at the crumbling buildings themselves. They walked through the dust and Yveshin felt a crack beneath his feet. As he looked down, he tensed up, realizing that he had stepped onto a brittle bone, shattering the remains of one of Drakesfield's residents. He clenched his fists, as he proceeded to stare solely at his feet, following closely after the druid and trying his best not to succumb to the despair that threatened to grab him. It was in this moment that Naeem stopped. The druid gasped, almost an expression of terror, as he staggered backwards, bumping into Yveshin in the process. Yveshin himself tensed up as he saw what caused this panic within the human. There, a few feet away from them, a hole had opened within the ground, not one of the usual cracks, but a genuine, gaping hole. A thick, red liquid gushed out from it. “I knew Sumu was suffering”, Naeem mumbled, as he reached down to the liquid, which Yveshin now recognized as blood. “But I had no idea just how bad it is” The moment his fingers touched the hole, it disappeared, leaving only the dry, dust-covered ground. “Hamid's ritual is tearing a hole into the very fabric of our world”, he explained. “I am not even sure he fully understands what he is meddling with” “I most certainly don't”, Yveshin gasped, as he stared at the spot where, just seconds ago, the ground itself had been bleeding. It was foul magic, undoubtedly, but it was unlike anything he had ever seen. The thought of what Hamid ben Seychaban was capable of, it terrified him. And then, he realized that in theory, Vittorio had the means to do something just like this if he wanted to. Yveshin did not believe in any gods, but in moments like this, he could see why humans and dwarves found their comfort in prayers. “There”, Naeem mumbled, as he pointed at the building. It was slightly larger than most of the other ruins, which means it was sturdier as well. Even then, however, Yveshin was not sure how much longer it would stand. The door had already crumbled, the roof had holes and one of the walls sported a massive crack. Naeem was the first to look into the ruin. “I... think this was a jail”, he explained, as Yveshin came closer. The entire ground was covered in a thick layer of grey dust and the wooden furniture had crumbled entirely, leaving only broken stumps where chairs and tables once stood. A staircase into the upper levels of the building had crumbled entirely. Immediately, Yveshin spotted dead bodies. Under the effect of the spell, they had aged tremendously, being nothing but withered husks by now. However, with the absence of insects or other carrion-eaters and hidden within the dry, protected building, they had not turned to bone and dust like most of the corpses outside. Instead, these corpses showed signs of mummification, a thin layer of their grey, leathery skin still covering the crumbling skeleton, their mouths forever opened into silent screams. “I don't think anyone still lives in here”, the elf brought up, but Naeem shook his head. “My spell did not fail”, he claimed, though Yveshin was not sure if he was simply trying to convince himself. Once more, the druid mumbled a few words and for a second, his eyes flared up with golden light. “The holding cells”, he spoke, as he pointed through another broken door, deeper into the building. Through the doorframe, Yveshin was able to see rusty iron bars. This time, the door hadn't crumbled entirely, with half of it still standing. As Naeem placed a hand on the doorknob, however, the entire thing broke from the frame and fell down in a rain of brittle splinters. Yveshin coughed, as he took a deep breath of the dry air. His eyes had little trouble adjusting to the darkness. Naeem's human senses, however, required some help and the druid mumbled a few words, which resulted in the tip of his staff began to glow brightly, illuminating the entire room. It was larger than Yveshin himself had seen previously, quite a sizeable jail for such a small town. Then again, he had no idea how large a jail was supposed to be. The whole concept was another fascinating human invention. Still, it seems that Drakesfield used to have large holding cells. As far as Yveshin was able to tell, however, there was no one alive in here. A single corpse, entirely mummified and only in slightly better condition than the rest of them, was lying in one of the cells, one thin arm stretched through the bars, unable to reach freedom. “It seems they forgot to release the prisoner”, Naeem mumbled, as they both walked closer towards the corpse. It looked like a man of at least a hundred, the leathery skin stretching tightly over the skull, covered in brown spots. A few strands of thin, white hair still hung from the head and he still sported a long, unkempt beard and old, stained rags still covered his body. His eyes were closed, but his mouth was wide open. Yveshin knelt down next to the emaciated corpse, as he looked at him with pity. “At least the others had been able to run”, he spoke. “But no one cared to let him out of his cell. Or maybe those who did died before they could reach him” He sighed, as Naeem mumbled a spell behind him. Suddenly, the druid gasped. “Yveshin, don't!”, he called out for him. “This... this man is still...!” He was cut off, as the corpse, no, the man, opened his milky white eyes. His hand darted forwards, faster than Yveshin could react and it grabbed the elf's forearm with a surprising strength. Yveshin suppressed a scream, as the man he had thought dead just moments ago took a deep, raspy breath. He tried to pull away, but it seemed the man mobilized his final strength to cling onto him. “I see it... I see it!”, the ancient man cawed, his blind eyes staring right at Yveshin. “Our fate, in black... and red!” This time, Yveshin managed to break free from the man's grip, if only because the strain on the old man's wrist was too much. As the elf backed off, he took the prisoner's hand with it, torn right from the arm. He staggered back, as the man fell back onto the ground, heavily. The blood that poured from the wound was little, far less than it should be and it was thicker than any blood Yveshin had ever seen. “Everything ends...”, the prisoner gasped, as he let out his final breath. His blind eyes stopped moving around and finally, the little remnant of life left his body. He left behind a terrified elf, who was breathing heavily, as he removed the dead man's hand from his forearm. Even now, they still clung to it and he almost had to break the fingers to get it off. “May Sumu take his poor soul”, Naeem sighed. “By all that is good, that man... He was beyond saving” Yveshin gulped, his heart still beating furiously, as he stared at the corpse. “Black and red...”, he mumbled and through the opening they came through, he saw the sky, sporting exactly these colours, then back at the man's blind eyes. “He tried to warn us”, Naeem explained. “His soul clung to this world until the very last” He shook his head, before he reached down to Yveshin, to help him up again. “This is why we have to fight, Yveshin”, he explained. “So that they will be avenged. So that the ones behind this cannot unleash an even greater evil upon this world” He pulled him up, but kept the elf's hand in a firm grip. “Do you understand?” Trying to breathe more steadily, Yveshin gave him a slow nod. “Yes...”, he gasped, as he glanced past the druid and towards the dead man. It seemed as if the curse hit the corpse only harder now that the last bit of life had left him. The skull slowly broke in, while the severed hand was already crumbling to dust. “I... understand”, he added. “Tomorrow, I will fight” “Good”, Naeem spoke, before a frown appeared on his face. “There is one more thing, something I wish to discuss with you in particular” He put a hand onto Yveshin's shoulder and together, they hurried to leave the building. Out in the streets, they both turned back to the temple. In the distance, Yveshin could see another red bolt of lightning as it just hit the tower. “We fight a dangerous enemy”, the druid spoke and Yveshin nodded. “I noticed that much”, he replied. “So, how do we stop him?” Naeem sighed, as he glanced at the tower. “I learned one thing while searching for traces of life within this land”, he spoke. “Our enemy has gained an unexpected ally. He will foresee our attack and he will focus on stopping it” “I figured we wouldn't have the element of surprise when the necromancer escaped”, Yveshin replied, but Naeem shook his head. “Our enemy will literally see our attack coming”, he stated. “There is only one benefit from all this. Since he knows we will attack, he will focus on us, on the large group attacking the tower in a few hours. He will place his minions accordingly and will put the rest of his focus onto the ritual itself” Yveshin narrowed his eyes. “I... don't really see how this is a benefit”, he stated flatly and Naeem gave him a stern look. “It means he won't focus on anything else”, he explained. “He will be blind to, say, a second attack coming from another side. If one part of our group gets his attention, if he focusses all his efforts on stopping them, he will be vulnerable” The elf understood at once. “You mean... I am supposed to sneak in and kill this man”, he deduced, to which Naeem gave him a nod. “While me and the rest distract him. If we force his attention, you might stand a chance”, the druid confirmed. This, however, immediately left a bad taste in Yveshin's mouth. “But what about you?”, he asked. “You and Thea and Iiro and, well, even Vittorio” Naeem smirked thinly, but Yveshin had been around humans for long enough to notice the lack of joy in the expression. “We are not important”, he stated. “What matters is solely that Hamid ben Seychaban, Liscom the Fasarian, or whatever he is calling himself nowadays, will be stopped before he tears a hole into this world, before he allows his master to escape from his prison” “So, you will fight his minions on your own”, Yveshin mumbled, to which Naeem gave him a nod. “And himself. We will face his wrath and distract him, until you can place one good shot”, he confirmed. “Can you do this?” Yveshin nodded in return. “I... could”, he spoke. “But what about you? What if I am not fast enough? You could die?” “We are not important”, Naeem spoke. “I am willing to sacrifice my own life if necessary and that of everyone who chose to come with me to this desolate place. What matters is that the world will be spared another war with Borbarad” He narrowed his eyes. “You are our best archer. In open combat, I fear Hamid cannot be defeated, not anymore. But if someone shoots him out of hiding, I doubt even he can see that coming” “I... am not sure if I can do this”, Yveshin stuttered. “I don't want any of you to die” Naeem shook his head. “If we do, it will be for a good cause”, he argued. “Listen, I will not force you. There are other druids who would waste no time enslaving your mind and forcing you to do the right thing. But Master Lechmar believed in free will and so do I. I want to convince you to do this” He crossed his arms. “Tomorrow, when we attack, you will be gone, if you agree. Say nothing to your companions, for our enemy can read their minds. I can shield myself, but if they know the truth, they will give away our plan. Let them think you abandoned them, let Hamid think you abandoned them” Yveshin narrowed his eyes. “They will think me a traitor and coward”, he said, to which Naeem shrugged. “You can tell them the truth if any of us survive”, he replied calmly. “Yveshin, please. I know you don't like the idea, but if you do this, Aventuria might actually stand a chance against the coming darkness. If we fail to kill Hamid ben Seychaban, then all is lost. So, if we have to deceive him and our companions to win, then so be it” He took a deep breath. “Think about it, but please, choose wisely” [Agree to Naeem's plan] [Insist on fighting alongside your companions]
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Post by TheAPlegends on Jun 14, 2019 10:43:55 GMT
[Agree to Naeem's plan]
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Post by GMS Freeman on Jun 14, 2019 12:59:15 GMT
[Agree to Naeem's plan]
Well well,They need to take this risk to defeat them.And also it will be enjoyable to read
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Post by InGenNateKenny on Jun 15, 2019 8:42:49 GMT
[Insist on fighting alongside your companions] So last time someone went against Liscom and company, there were 6 of them, and all but one died. Of course, he was only defeated then because of his blindness to technology - an extension of his faith as a sort of prophetic figure, so Naeem's theory that his way could work is not without merit.
But I digress from my real hypothesis. You see, I believe that fateful encounter in the prologue is relevant for us. I have a suspicion that those 6 are darker parallels of our 5 fighters (perhaps a sixth will unexpectedly emerge), and that Liscom is Liscom, and his two minions, Korobor and Berosh, are parallels of the respective minion characters in the prologue. The wildcard here is Edmond, but we shall see what comes of him. Beyond character comparisons, both instances have a tower in a wasteland created by powerful magic, blacking the sky, etc. Of course, the Gorian desert did have some life, and well, Drakesfield isn't very good in that department. But we'll see, we'll see.
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Post by WildlingKing on Jun 15, 2019 18:56:16 GMT
[Agree to Naeem's plan] The plan makes sense to me, and it also seems like the more interesting option storywise. My only worry is that the others thinking Yveshin has abandoned them might lower their morale for this very important fight.
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Post by Tales93 on Jun 16, 2019 0:05:35 GMT
[Agree to Naeem's plan]
It may be a risk, but I think it is a risk worth taking. Also, I wonder how Naeem knew Hamid's true identity and his goal? Has he crossed paths with him before?
PS: I'm very sorry for your loss.
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Post by diversegnu on Jun 16, 2019 6:09:49 GMT
[Agree to Naeem's plan]
The way Naeem said it, it seems like the best course of action. Let's hope they can pull it off.
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Post by Kentucky on Jun 24, 2019 8:36:39 GMT
[Agree to Naeem's plan]
Sorry I'm so late to the draw, was backed up with work. I agree with the others that this is a risk worth taking, after all, running straight at the enemy in full force attack is never a good idea. However, I do find InGen's theory very interesting. I'd like to think that this group is special enough to pull it off against the Borbarad squad, but the nihilist in me keeps thinking that things'll go about the same as they did last time. Only time will tell, I guess! Also, happy (very) belated birthday! I saw it in the Discord but never commented on it, figured I'd say so now!
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Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Jun 24, 2019 22:44:24 GMT
[Insist on fighting alongside your companions] So last time someone went against Liscom and company, there were 6 of them, and all but one died. Of course, he was only defeated then because of his blindness to technology - an extension of his faith as a sort of prophetic figure, so Naeem's theory that his way could work is not without merit. But I digress from my real hypothesis. You see, I believe that fateful encounter in the prologue is relevant for us. I have a suspicion that those 6 are darker parallels of our 5 fighters (perhaps a sixth will unexpectedly emerge), and that Liscom is Liscom, and his two minions, Korobor and Berosh, are parallels of the respective minion characters in the prologue. The wildcard here is Edmond, but we shall see what comes of him. Beyond character comparisons, both instances have a tower in a wasteland created by powerful magic, blacking the sky, etc. Of course, the Gorian desert did have some life, and well, Drakesfield isn't very good in that department. But we'll see, we'll see. Ah, this is a very interesting theory! I can say that a lot of things from the prologue will be relevant, not just now, but in the chapters to come. And it does fit for the most part. Sure, the amount of fighters on Liscom's side is one more than last time and the amount of enemies they have to face is one less, but there are parralels even within Liscom's new minions. Korobar is this shady human with a demon pact, just like Urdo of Gisholm, whereas Berosh is a dwarf, just like Liscom's old manservant Kurun (albeit the two couldn't be more different in term of personality). And actually, the Gorian desert is perhaps the only place in all Aventuria that can be somewhat compared to the horrors of the Drakesfield wasteland, as it was similarly shaped by powerful magic and even connected to the Borbaradians, as it was the final confrontation between Borbarad and his nemesis Rohal that led to its current state. I did not show much of the Gorian desert itself yet, but I hope to do so in the future, which should really highlight just how similar these two places are, with the sole exception that there is no spell as powerful as Liscom's current ritual still active in the Gorian desert. But as I said, a very interesting theory, I really like it! There are only three parts left in this chapter, so you will get your answer very soon.
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Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Jun 24, 2019 22:54:47 GMT
[Agree to Naeem's plan]It may be a risk, but I think it is a risk worth taking. Also, I wonder how Naeem knew Hamid's true identity and his goal? Has he crossed paths with him before? PS: I'm very sorry for your loss. Ah, no, they have not met before. However, there are certain forces within Aventuria that do know of Liscom, his identity and his goals and druids are capable of conversing with these forces. Naeem has used his time between first meeting the group and catching up with them again to contact these forces and he learned a great deal about Liscom in the process. Thank you, truly. While I have no doubt the worst is yet to come, I am managing, keeping it together as good as I can.
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Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Jun 24, 2019 22:57:50 GMT
[Agree to Naeem's plan]Sorry I'm so late to the draw, was backed up with work. I agree with the others that this is a risk worth taking, after all, running straight at the enemy in full force attack is never a good idea. However, I do find InGen's theory very interesting. I'd like to think that this group is special enough to pull it off against the Borbarad squad, but the nihilist in me keeps thinking that things'll go about the same as they did last time. Only time will tell, I guess! Also, happy (very) belated birthday! I saw it in the Discord but never commented on it, figured I'd say so now! Ah, no problem! In fact, I haven't been able to close the voting any earlier either, so you're perfectly in time. Had a lot of work to do with the post-funeral paperwork and some fun phone calls and meetings with certain insurance companies, so my pace for the next few weeks might be a bit slower just as well. That being said, I really want to finish this chapter as soon as possible, because the finale will be exciting and the next chapter is going to really spice things up.
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Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Jun 24, 2019 23:04:29 GMT
The Voting is closed!
Yveshin is going to agree to Naeem's plan Apologies for keeping you waiting for so long. I have a huge backlog of stuff to do, have not commented on quite a number of stories here over the last few weeks and I hope to change that this week. I'm neck deep in paperwork, supporting my mother and grandmother as good as I can with the formalities, documents and the stuff my father hasn't been able to finish. Among these are taxes, yay But I am managing. I might have to keep you waiting for a bit longer before I can fully resume my writing and commenting on the other stories here at my usual speed (though be assured, I am reading everything and it really crushes me that I have so little time right now), but maybe next month, things will calm down a bit. The next part should be out either in a few hours or tomorrow. It will be an Edmond part and it will be the final one before the two-part finale of this chapter. This might also mean that it will be the last part with a choice in this chapter, because at this point, I do not think that the two parts coming after this one can reasonably include choices. To make up for it, it'll be an important choice, almost as important as this one you made here and I hope you will enjoy it
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Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Jun 26, 2019 1:08:22 GMT
Edmond For a moment, Edmond was tempted. Exhausted, confused and, admittedly, just a little bit scared, it felt right to let her go. She did not deserve to die like this and this was not what he had signed up for when joining the Borbaradians. Liscom had told him all of the splendour Borbarad's return would bring, but he had been quiet about the sacrifice. Edmond hadn't been able to fully understand the meaning of the word, until he met Liscom's own mentor, the Begging Monk. Ever since, he truly knew what it meant to be Borbaradian. None had to suffer more for this new world than the ones seeking to build it. Reluctantly, he shook his head, the dreadful memory of the old man's lesson still burned into his mind. “I am sorry”, he spoke with honesty in his voice. “But I can't do that. All I can promise you is that your sacrifice won't be forgotten. Future generations will praise your name for all eternity” He tried a reassuring smile, knowing fully well that he lacked the ease with which Liscom or Sulman managed to give off this affable vibe of theirs. It was in this moment that he saw something changing in Geshmine's gaze. The allure was gone, replaced by instant and violent fury. Edmond gasped, as he jumped back, the very same moment she tried to grab him. He did not quite get out of her reach, as her hands reached the collar of his robe. Suddenly and with surprising strength for someone of her frame, she pulled him closer, smashing her forehead into his face. He heard a crack, as pain exploded within his head. For a second, his sight faded, as he let out a gasp of agony. Stumbling backwards, he realized Geshmine fell down with him, having jumped forward to lunge at him. He landed on his back, heavily so, while just barely noticing that Geshmine managed to land on her outstretched palms. Edmond groaned, as he felt warm blood pouring out of his nose. His vision slowly returned, as he was quick to crawl away from the woman. “You...”, he managed to press through clenched teeth. “You broke my nose!” Truth be told, he wasn't sure if his nose was actually broken. At the very least, it hurt like the Nether Hells. Geshmine herself seemed to have hurt herself in her attack, as she only sluggishly looked up. He could see blood running down her forehead. “Would have broken your neck had you released me”, she hissed, her voice oozing contempt, even though there were tears streaming down her face. As he continued to crawl away from her, he quickly noticed that she wasn't even trying to follow, as if all her defiance had just left her. “Listen...”, Edmond spoke, placing a hand beneath his bleeding nose. He bit down hard onto his cheek to swallow the anger, not so much at her for what he could actually understand as a desperate last shot at saving her life, but at himself for almost falling for her trick. He took a deep breath, trying to radiate the same calmness he admired so much in Liscom. “I... am willing to overlook this” He glanced at the back of his hand, frowning as he saw the blood there. “You're scared, I understand this, but I promise you, you will not suffer when your time has come” “And I don't need your pity!”, she yelled in return. “You want to do me a favour? Take a knife and cut out your bloody tongue so that I don't have to suffer through your preaching any longer” Edmond gulped, though behind him, he heard a rough chuckle. “She always had spirit, that lass”, Berosh spoke, as he entered the tower, his crossbow in hand. “Ye better stay away from her, or she'll bite something off of ye” Edmond frowned, as he once more looked at the blood that came from his nose. “You couldn't have warned me before?”, he complained, to which Berosh merely shrugged. “Nah”, he spoke. “T'is a lot funnier if ye find it out by yeself” He flashed him a dark grin, before giving Geshmine a nod. “Ye ready to die, lass?”, he asked, to which she clenched her teeth, trying her best to avoid his gaze. “What did she try this time?”, Berosh asked and Edmond sighed. “Tried to convince me to let her go”, Edmond replied. “I refused and she attacked me” Berosh shrugged. “It be like that, lad”, he told him. “It be like that” He tilted his head, as he knelt down next to Geshmine. “Now Ol'Berosh's around and ye won't dare that again, ye hear me?”, he spoke in a low, threatening growl, his expression revealing just how much he was enjoying this moment. Instead of replying, the girl did her best to avoid looking at him and Edmond saw that she was shivering. She even let out a small gasp as he grabbed her by the back of the head. “That's right, ye cunt”, he spat, before he let go of her again. The gleeful grin on his face was downright revolting and Edmond sighed in pity for the girl. But if anything, letting her go meant that he had to deal with Berosh just as well and he wasn't up for that. Not knowing what to say, Edmond remained silent, crossing his arms, as the bleeding from his nose finally stopped. Berosh inspected the crumbling remnants of a chair, before deciding against sitting down on it. Instead, he knelt on the ground and began to inspect his crossbow. An awkward silence followed, interrupted only by Geshmine's occasional sob of horror. Thankfully, they didn't have to wait for long, as soon, the hatch in the ground was pushed open once again. Edmond's heartbeat began to fasten, as he spotted his mentor. It still felt surreal for Liscom to be here again, after believing him dead for so many years. He had changed, it was undeniable, but nonetheless, his presence meant the world for Edmond. “The other sacrifices have been readied”, Liscom spoke in a hollow tone, as Geshmine gasped audibly. The undead mage turned to the dominated mercenary. “Bring her downstairs and wait for further instructions” The brutish woman followed the order without even a hint of emotion, picking her former companion up, while Geshmine began to scream. “No, no!”, the girl yelled. “Please, don't! I'll give you anything, please don't kill me, I'll give you anything you want!” Liscom stopped the dominated mercenary with a sign of his hand, just as she was about to walk past him. For a moment, he looked down upon the terrified young woman. His right eye narrowed, while the left one, the ruby, still glared down upon her and the expression within them couldn't be more different. A complete lack of emotion in his right one and cold contempt in the left. “Right now, I only need your life”, he then spoke, giving the mercenary a nod and ordering her to continue. He closed the door to drown out Geshmine's continuing screams and pleas for mercy, though he couldn't silence Berosh's chuckle. “Good riddance”, the dwarf spat. “Should've taken the deal” Liscom raised an eyebrow, over the ruby. “It wouldn't have saved her”, he then spoke. “Her fate has been sealed, just like mine” “Master...”, Edmond spoke and Liscom gave him a thin smile, lacking all of the warmth he had in life. “I know you fear for me, Edmond”, he replied. “You have always been the most faithful of my acolytes” He placed a cold hand on Edmond's shoulder and gave him a long, stern look with his true eye. The ruby meanwhile mustered him carefully, as if it saw him for the first time... It? Indeed, he saw a strange intelligence within the gem, something old, something hateful. “I'm telling you, fear not”, Liscom continued. “This is my destiny, this has always been my destiny. Everything I did, all of my sacrifices, they led me to this moment” He closed his eyes, and for a second, Edmond saw suffering on Liscom's ruined face. “And trust me, there have been a lot of sacrifices. It has to be worth it” “I noticed”, Edmond spoke. “What about your eye?” Liscom hesitated for a moment, while the ruby itself shined with malice. “The eye is none of your concern”, he then spoke, slowly and carefully. “I couldn't have done it without the insight I gained from it” Edmond narrowed his eyes, ready to ask further questions, as Liscom interrupted him. “Ah, we've been waiting for you”, he spoke. Edmond hadn't noticed the newcomer and it took another moment before none other than Korobar dragged himself into the room. The necromancer looked even worse than the undead mage next to him, being pale, hunched over and breathing heavily from his injuries. Dark blood stained his robe and he essentially dragged himself forward. And most importantly, he was alone. “Hamid...”, Korobar gasped, as Liscom shook his head. “There's no need for me to hide anymore”, he replied. “My name is Liscom Ghosipar, I believe you have heard of me” The necromancer's eyes widened only briefly. “I suspected it”, he spoke, before he gave Edmond a tired nod. “Didn't want to get your hopes up though” “Where is Delian of Plainsbridge?”, Edmond asked, his fists clenched, as he focussed onto the man's injuries. Korobar had left with half a dozen undead minions, chasing after a heavily injured man and now, he returned alone and in a condition even worse. The necromancer sighed. “He got away”, he then admitted. “He had help. A group of six, among them two elves and a druid” He narrowed his eyes. “Self-proclaimed heroes. Always meddling in things they don't understand” Liscom was quiet for a moment and Edmond was under the impression that he was listening to something, words only he was capable of hearing. “I see...”, he mumbled. Slowly, he clenched his fists and the look on his face grew downright murderous. “Perhaps if you would have finished your work, this wouldn't have happened”, he hissed, his voice shivering in barely suppressed rage. “The druid boy, the one you allowed to escape while you were too busy draining his master, he leads them” Korobar's eyes widened. “How do you...”, he gasped, but Liscom cut him off. Faster than Edmond would have expected it for a man of his condition, the undead mage had reached Korobar, grabbing him by the throat and slamming him against the wall behind him. Korobar let out a groan of pain, his expression one of uncharacteristic fear, as he even struggled to escape the dead man's grip. “Oh, I see a lot of things lately”, Liscom hissed. “I saw your failure at Broonsgorge, I saw your failure at the druid's grove, I saw your failure on the road to Drakesfield. Do you truly think I don't know why these heroes were able to overpower you?” His voice was sharp and angry and for a moment, even Berosh stopped smirking, as Edmond and the dwarf exchanged a brief, worried look. Korobar was gasping for air now, grabbing the cold arm that was pressing him against the wall with inhuman power. “Please...”, he gasped, as Liscom chuckled thinly. “You made a mistake I myself have made before”, he admitted. “You underestimate your enemies. Truly, you are powerful, but you lack foresight. It led to my downfall and it will lead to yours” “I...”, Korobar gasped again and Edmond noticed that the man's pallid skin slowly turned a shade of light purple. “You!”, Liscom roared again and Edmond realized that he should not intervene. He hardly liked the necromancer and wouldn't get between him and his master's rage. But Liscom's temper was concerning. He had always been a calm man, elegant and well-mannered. Such rage was beneath him. “In the end, there is only one thing I have to say to a servant who failed me”, Liscom hissed, as he pulled Korobar up a little bit. The necromancer was impressively built and actually taller than Liscom, but right now, the undead mage lifted him up with ease. “A servant who repeatedly failed me, whose incompetence even allowed for my enemies to find me, so close to our triumph” Edmond saw genuine fear in Korobar's eyes and truth be told, he himself was just as terrified at Liscom's outburst. Then, his mentor straightened his back. “ Balsam Salabunde”, he whispered, a common healing spell, as the grip around Korobar's throat grew weaker. The necromancer sighed in relief, as the spell did its duty, closing wounds, mending flesh and adjusting bones. For a second, Korobar even seemed almost lively, his skin resembling a healthy colour. “Luckily, you didn't fail me, not entirely, Korobar”, Liscom replied, now as calm as usual. “I wouldn't be standing here if not for you and you brought me the thirteen sacrifices and you safely delivered my most valued friend to Drakesfield. Today, you have earned mercy” Korobar sighed in relief, though he wisely remained silent, only barely bowing his head in front of Liscom. Then, Edmond and his master exchanged a brief look. “Plainsbridge escaped”, Edmond mumbled tonelessly. It was strange that this barely mattered to him right now. The man he had been hunting down for years had escaped and he barely felt anything at the thought. All that mattered was that Liscom was back and that tonight, they would triumph. “I told you how I stand to him”, Liscom replied, his serene voice a far and unsettling cry from his previous rage. “Without him, we could have never succeeded. Take your vengeance if you want, I always thought it to be a senseless endeavour” He placed a cold hand on Edmond's shoulder and gave him a thin smile. “Regardless, if your paths will ever cross again, I want you to tell him this. Tell him he has my gratitude, tell him how Borbarad couldn't have returned without his help” This caused Edmond to smirk. “Perhaps he'd rather wish for a quick death”, he spoke, to which Liscom shrugged. “Borbarad's world is all about free will”, he replied, as he briefly reciprocated the smirk. “We should not deny it to him” He took a step away from his student, as he glanced through the room. “Listen, Edmond... I would like to apologize for my long absence, for my silence, for keeping you out of the preparations for today. It is not the only stain on my tainted soul, but perhaps the only one I can truly apologize for” His sudden regret surprised Edmond, who clenched his fists. “Master...”, he replied in a calm tone, though his initial forgiveness was quickly swept away by the memory of all these years. “I will not deny that your lack of trust hurts me”, he instead spoke. “Aside from Sulman, none have served you more faithfully. I mourned your loss, I faced the destruction of all we've been working on for so long. While Sulman was away in Selem, I had to deal with the Begging Monk, with Azaril, Braken and ak'Taran, all of your disciples and their despair. I barely held it together myself in these years and yet, I had to keep all of the circles together whenever Sulman wasn't around” Liscom frowned. “I am sorry for burdening you with this”, he spoke and his voice, though cold and hollow, sounded genuine. “Say, how are things in the other circles? Did they keep faith?” Edmond sighed, before he gave him a nod. “Most did”, he revealed. “Ak'Taran and his Uthari are perhaps the only ones whom I no longer trust. They tried to wrestle control over the circles from Sulman more than once” “Menchal has always been hungry for power, more than he wanted to see Borbarad's vision come true”, Liscom admitted. “But it will no longer matter once the master returned from his prison. It is good that you kept him from seizing control” Briefly, Edmond allowed himself a small smile. “I couldn't have kept him in line without Azaril”, he told him. “She deserves the honour of being here as much as I do” “She has always been strong in her faith”, Liscom agreed. “But I owe her nothing, nor do I owe anything to Braken or ak'Taran. Out of all those who follow the teachings of Borbarad, there is only you who deserves to stand here. For the pain I put you through, the grief and the stress, I owe you more than I can ever repay you” Edmond gulped, as his mentor's words moved him, almost to tears. He had to take a sharp breath to hold them back. “I don't deny it”, he spoke. “Perhaps in time I will understand why you did not involve me in this, but there is nothing to forgive. Standing here with you, at the end of our journey, it is all I could ever ask for” Liscom's dead lips formed a thin, pale smile, briefly revealing a row of ruined teeth. “But it is not the end, at least not for you”, he assured him. “Your journey is just about to begin. When he takes over my rejuvenated body, Borbarad will take over my memories just as well. He will see how faithful you served me and I am sure he will reward you for this. In his new world, you and Sulman will stand to his right and his left. You will be kings or more, by his will and my last wish” The two looked at each other and Liscom extended his hand, not as a mentor and master, but as an equal, a friend. As Edmond shook it, he felt barely shocked by how cold and devoid of life it truly felt. “Your forgiveness means the world to me”, Liscom spoke, before he let go of his student. He turned to the hatch in the ground. “I will go down there now and prepare the sacrifice”, he told him. “And what are we supposed to do?”, Berosh growled, which earned him a cold glare from Liscom. “You, Master Dwarf, are supposed to keep your mouth shut and to follow every order you will be given”, he told him in a vicious tone, before he turned to Edmond. “They will come soon, the ones that helped Plainsbridge. I need you to guard me, keep them at bay until the ritual is finished. Take Korobar and Berosh, the other mercenary and the skeleton knight and organize the defence” Edmond's eyes widened. “You... want me to do this?”, he spoke in genuine surprise. He had no experience with organizing something like this, so he had been certain Liscom would give these honours to Korobar, or perhaps even Berosh. The foul-mouthed dwarf had to be good for something after all. To his surprise, Liscom shot him a brief and genuine smile. “There is none whom I trust more”, he assured him, before he gave him a nod. “This will be the last time we see each other. Farewell, my friend” “Farewell, Liscom”, Edmond spoke, his voice heavy, as he had to hold back tears. Losing his mentor, his friend once again, it wasn't easy, even if he was able to console himself, knowing that it would be for the right reason this time. He silently looked after Liscom, as the undead mage climbed down the stairs. " Do not disturb me down in the cellar, or I cannot guarantee for your safety", he yelled, as he was already down there. A few moments later, the brutish woman, the one Korobar dominated, returned and silently took position next to the skeletal knight, both waiting for his orders. “Eh, ye won't cry now, will ye?”, Berosh interrupted this moment. “Grow a backbone, ye bloody pansy, and tell us what to do” Edmond shot him a glare, though he pulled himself together as he realized that he should be the one asking this question, for he had, indeed, no idea what to do now. “How many do you say there are?”, he asked, as he glanced at Korobar. The necromancer shrugged. “Six”, he told him. “Two elves, a guild mage, some brute with a sword, an old woman and the druid. Though the old woman might be dead by now, she didn't seem strong enough to withstand Ham... Liscom's spell for too long. Expect five of them against five of us” Edmond gave him a nod. “Seems like we're evenly matched”, he replied. “Don't underestimate them”, Korobar warned him. “I did it and I nearly died for it. I made a mistake, as your master was quick to point out, but I won't repeat it. Maybe we are able to win tonight, but if we stand together, we can at least hold them back until Liscom finished the ritual” He glanced at Berosh. “You are an experienced fighter, I suppose. Anything to add?” Berosh thought about this for a moment, before he gave them a nod. “Aye”, he confirmed. “Ye think they'll just charge at us? They're not daft, so ye gotta expect more than that” He pointed down the hatch. “Saw a second entrance behind the tower, back when I took a leak”, he told him. “Used to be a storeroom down there, I think and there's a second entrance if ye go around the tower” Edmond clenched his fists. “That's bad. If we stand our ground up here, one of them might sneak around and just kill Liscom before he had the time to finish the ritual”, he admitted. “Any way we can guard it? We will see them once they walk into the courtyard” Berosh shook his head. “That blasted spell did a number on the stone”, he revealed. “Wall's crumbling. Whole thing might collapse in a day or two” He placed a finger on his nose. “My kind, we can smell it, ye know”, he claimed. “But aye, there's a hole in the wall. If they split up, they can sneak down there” “Then we need to guard the second entrance as well”, Edmond spoke at once, though Korobar was quick to interject. “I advice against it”, he told him. “These five, they nearly killed me. We will need all of us to stop them. Even sending one of us away will weaken us and at worst, it might mean our entire defence will crumble. Besides, we cannot be certain they actually split up. It'd be just as risky for them than it would be for us” “Ye don't have to send two back there”, Berosh assured him. “I can do it. Give me a crossbow and a bit of cover and I'll be all ye need” He even saluted in front of Edmond, though Korobar shook his head. “If we want to have a chance to kill the druid and his companions, we need to stay together”, he replied. “You have listened to me in the past and you know that my advice is valuable” He narrowed his eyes. “Listen to me once again and we might win this. Listen to this dwarf and you might doom us all” He shrugged. “But it's your choice”, he added. “Liscom made sure of that and I am not enough of a fool to go against his outspoken wish. Make your choice, but make it quick” [Send Berosh to guard the second entrance] [Keep Berosh with you]
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Post by Kentucky on Jun 26, 2019 3:56:52 GMT
[Keep Berosh with you]
I thought pretty hard about this one, but this is the choice I end up faltering towards. I tried to keep my knowledge of the last part separated from this one and it just makes sense for Edmond to listen to Korobar after everything that's happened. I don't want it to seem like my choice is only to save Yveshin, my favorite character from this original party, as I'm incredibly interested in seeing what happens if the Borbaradians win, but I just can't see Edmond listening to Berosh as compared to Korobar at the moment. Great part as always, I'm really looking forward to what comes next; I imagine it can't be anything pretty.
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