- Location
- United states of america
Step two would be the universe with step three beginning the multiverse
Black Kingdom Rising - Anime Villain Quest [CK2 Quest]
- Thread starter shibosho
- Start date
- Superhero
- Location
- La La Land
Bureaucracy is gonna be a huge bitch by then. I shudder at the thought having to lead that many people/be the subject of all their complaints/you get the idea. So many working parts. Thank frig we're not gonna be the one to deal with it then since we're no longer the leader of everyone then.
- Location
- United states of america
The Ebon emperor will most likely either dump the bureaucracy on us or on a team of stooges. Either way we sure as f&$k ain't doing any paper work
Random Member
Gardener of Human Happiness
- Location
- Behind You
Let our golems handle the bureaucracy. There, problem solved.
chocolote12
A Penguin Flailing Against The Keyboard Of Life.
Golems dealing with paperwork? One way. Why not turn the paperwork into golems, though? With the mission of getting themselves filled out?
- Location
- La La Land
Absolutely brilliant! Paperwork that does itself!
Week 4 - The Doll
shibosho
The Face of Procrastination
- Location
- The Land of Oz
Week 4 - The Doll
The vault was a strange place. Despite being predominated by mounds of gold and treasure as far as the eye could see, there were places that stood out amongst the golden shine of metal and treasure. One such place was a garden, an island of natural beauty amidst a sea of gold.
There you find a woman seated upon a stone bench, their head slightly bowing down as they slept unaware of the world around them. Only when you drew closer did you notice the joints in her fingers, the unnatural symmetry of her face, and a vast pool of Magic Power that had drawn your attention in the first place that almost eclipsed the almost non-existent pool of life energy in the doll.
This was no ordinary doll for you could see it breathing somehow, its chest slightly rising and falling as it slept. You could not yet comprehend the ways of the Ebon Emperor but even so, you had to admire their taste. You didn't come here to appreciate the view though.
"THIRTY SECONDS LEFT, JACOB ANDERSON. YOU BEST HURRY FOR YOU SHALL HAVE A FINE OPPORTUNITY TO FACE MY MIGHT, LORD OF EBON."
Right, got to hurry.
Unfortunately, with no other particularly potent high-level energy signatures closeby, you turn your attention on the doll. It's dressed in Victorian era clothing that probably has seen better days yet. It reminded you of your Golems and with that thought, you make your decision.
When you touch the doll, it was unexpectedly warm to touch. The doll didn't react to your touch so you proceeded to bring it into your arms. Holding the doll which was surprisingly a little taller than you in a princess carry, usually rush back to the gate.
The return was instantaneous, almost abrupt with how you almost slipped and fell as you were dropped back into one of the officer quarters of your base. Luckily you didn't drop the doll. Calming down from your encounter with the Guardian of the Black Vault, you gently laid the doll on the Queen sized bed in this particular quarters.
Upon further examination of the doll, it truly was beautiful. Skin that almost seemed like porcelain, hair as white as snow, and a face that held both gentleness and love in its feature. You've seen life-sized dolls thanks to one of your mother's friends before but there was always that just felt wrong about them that you could never mistake such masterfully crafted dolls as living beings. Those masterwork dolls, however, couldn't compare to this doll that had been favoured by the Ebon Emperor. If not for the obvious doll joints in her soft slim hands, you'd have mistaken the doll for a living person.
Your thoughts are interrupted when you feel a sharp drop in the doll's magical power pool. It breathing had started to slow down sharply and it would soon stop completely if you didn't do something. It's likely that this drop in magic was due to you taking the doll out from the vault. No time to think about that now though.
Without really thinking about it, Ebon Power shifts into Magical Power and you shove as much of it as you can into the doll.
"Mmm…" You almost flinch when the doll makes a sound as you refill its magic power. Just what was this doll?
The doll remains asleep though and you continue pouring in the power. Soon, you've gone over the original amount of power it had when you found it and a little later you pass three times the original amount. The moment you do so though, something starts to change within the doll.
The minuscule pool of life energy suddenly flares and begins to rapidly grow until it reaches the same level as the average human being. You also feel several other pools within her begin to grow as well. You then realise to your surprise that the doll has started producing their own magic power. Cutting off the transfer, you take a step back and watch as the doll before you awakens.
Slowly, the doll's eyes open wide, revealing grey-blue eyes. For a moment there is not a hint of life within them before she blinks and light appears in her empty eyes. Slowly the doll pushes itself off the bed, shifting her position until she is seated at the edge of the mattress. Steadily, she raises her hands before her eyes, flexing her fingers and tilting her head in innocent fascination. She then turns her head towards you and stares at you with a curious expression before her eyes widen in shock.
First Impressions: Roll: 58
Her surprise quickly disappears to be replaced with an expression of joy before it settles on content serenity. Slowly, she stands up from the bed and bows towards you.
Huh, you hadn't realised it before but she is tall, in fact, taller than you but a couple of centimetres.
After straightening her back, she speaks in a sweet and gentle tone, "Greetings to you, Servant of Ebon. I am a doll, one who serves the will of the Ebon Emperor just as you do, Servant of Ebon." And just like that, you're on edge. You weren't expecting this at when you picked up the doll. Definitely not this. "I thank you for awakening me from my long slumber. Does the Black Kingdom still stand?"
And here comes the hard part. You think about what to say before realising you really don't know what to say so you just default to just being honest. "The Black Kingdom has long since fallen to the extent that it has been long forgotten by mortal men."
"Oh." The doll's smile dims slightly upon hearing the news. "Then...what of the Emperor? What is their current state?"
"No. Since making me their servant, the Ebon Emperor has fallen into a deep slumber to preserve what little strength they have left." You inform the living doll. You hear her gasp in shock but you ignore it and continue to explain your situation. "However, I've been given the task of rebuilding the Black Kingdom and in doing so, bring salvation to the Ebon Emperor."
"I-I see." The doll says hesitantly, not quite sure what to make of your words. Despite being a doll, her face is more expressive that you thought it would be. "I take it that you found me in the Vault?"
"Yeah, I barely escaped Padraidis."
"Hmm, so I was put into the Vault after the defeat of my Lord...No matter." Clapping her hands together, the doll seems to have made a decision. "As the former caretaker of Ebon Lord Caleb, I shall do what I can to fulfil the Ebon Emperor's commands. So with that in mind, it is best that I test if you are worthy of serving the Ebon Emperor, servant of Ebon."
Eh?
Stretching her arms out in front of her, black strings of Ebon appear forth from her fingertips and shoot into black portals that appear without warning. Pulling her hands back, the doll smiles happily as a dozen knights armoured in Ebon Steel emerge from their portals, each one with an Ebon string attached to them. Each one of them wields a weapon of Ebon Steel and you can sense a decent size pool of magic power in each of them.
"I am Evetta the Dollmaster, the greatest creation of Ebon Lord Caleb Blackstone. If you can survive what is to come, I shall acknowledge your abilities and allow you to serve the Ebon Emperor alongside me as a fellow servant of the Ebon Emperor." And with that, she twitches her fingers and Evetta's doll Knights attack.
Dollmaster's Strength: 77+18 (Martial) +15 (Magic Arsenal) +10 (Dollmaster) -15 (Enemy Critical) -10(???) = 95
VS
Ebon Lord's Supremacy: Roll: 90+35 (Martial) + 10 (Champion of Ebon) +10 (Combat Savant) +5 (Mage): 150: Critical Roll: 80 +40: 120: 2nd Critical Roll: 51 +20: 71. Required: 40: Success
The Doll Knights move faster than the human eye can see, no doubt due to the shifting nature of Ebon Steel in regards to its weight. However, you are not human. Even when they have you surrounded, you feel no real sense of urgency or threat from them. Not because there is no killing intent in their movements for the Dollmaster Evetta is most definitely trying to kill you.
No. The reason you feel no threat is simple.
While the Knights would no doubt be formidable foes against any other being, they have absolutely zero chance of harming you.
For you are the Lord of Ebon.
A trio of Knights leap at you with incredible speed but to you, they might as well have been moving through water. In an instant, a blade of Ebon Steel appears in both your hands. Without even looking, your right hand swings up and cuts one of the attacking knights in two halves. Your other hand pierces through another knight with such speed that a shockwave erupts from where you struck and tears the knight apart. The third knight tries to attack from above but your head proves itself to be harder than the Ebon Steel that armours its form.
The Knights stop as Evetta stares in shock at your strength. Frowning, she repositions her Doll Knights and has six knights attack this time. However, the end result is the same as before. In a flurry of movement, you cut down her knights with terrifying ease. You take note of another observation of the nature of Ebon Steel. It seems that when two people create Ebon Steel, the Ebon Steel from the more powerful person easily defeats the Ebon Steel created by a weaker person.
In other words, you were the worst possible match for Evetta. Even though this was meant to be a test for Evetta to gauge your strength against herself, you realise that she had not realised that you were this Era's Ebon Lord. Why she had not recognised your true nature was something that you would have to ask later for Evetta has decided to call forth more of her knights.
This time, the wall behind you erupts as giant baby-like doll smashes its way into the room. Without thinking, you throw a sword at it. Like a hot knife through butter, your blade cleaves right through this new doll, even as another knight rushes in to attack you, intent on taking advantage of your right side's lack of a weapon.
However, they do not do any better than their previous compatriots as you demonstrate that your fist is just as powerful as any Ebon Steel weapon.
However, Evetta doesn't give up. More and more knights are drawn in from a place that you do not know. Each and everyone one of them armoured in Ebon Steel and armed with weapons that were meant to be as deadly as your own. New types of dolls start to appear. Dolls with many arms, dolls that are more gun than anything else, beast like dolls that move and fight with the ferocity greater than the real thing, monstrous dolls that burn with terrible dark powers.
Each and every one of Evetta's doll soldiers falls to your blades and fists. Like all things that are born from Ebon, they fade from existence leaving nothing but the destruction that they had wrought behind. The Officer Quarters are utterly wrecked as is part of the passage that leads into it but you're sure that your golems are capable of fixing it up with no problems.
No, the real problem here was the one that been the cause of said destruction. The Dollmaster has fallen on her rear, trembles as you slowly walk up to her. She stares up at you with eyes filled with both fear and awe as you point a sword at her neck. You note that her cheeks are flush from exertion. Summoning and controlling that many dolls must have been tough on her. Regardless, she went at you with the intent to kill and you weren't gonna simply forgive that just yet.
"So...do I pass your test, lady Evetta?" You ask in a flat tone. You're both annoyed and tired from having to fight and destroy so many god damn dolls.
"Wh-Who-Who are you?" The doll stammers, still reeling from the destruction of her forces.
"Do you not recognise the strength of an Ebon Lord even when it's in front of you?" The moment you tell her your identity, Evetta gasps in shock and amazement. "I may not be your Lord Caleb but I am the Ebon Emperor's current chosen champion."
Evetta's mouth opens and closes several times as she tries to speak but it seems the revelation that you are the Ebon Lord is a bit much for her to take. Finally, she manages to spit something out. "H-How!? The Ebon Lord is an absolute being of power, second only to the Ebon Emperor themselves. If you are truly the current Ebon Lord, I would have recognised it immediately but I can't sense anything from you! Not your magic. Not your life force. Not even your soul!"
Huh, you knew from Aestia that you didn't ping on her magical sense but apparently it went further than that. So Ebon Lords are meant to be really easy to recognise but for some reason, you're don't seem to exist to any senses save for direct visual sight. Weird. Can't be your glamour since you've dropped it whenever you relaxing in the base. Well, no point thinking too much about it right now, you needed to directly make clear what the chains of commands were right now.
"Regardless, I am the Ebon Lord now. Do you believe me worthy to serve?" You ask accusingly.
Evetta lips trembles before she bows towards you, her head touching the ground. "Please forgive my impudence, Lord of Ebon! This worthless doll has done a great disservice before you. To pay for this great wrong that I have done, I shall destroy myself!"
Wait, what. You quickly understand what she means when a huge portal appears above her. A giant fist suddenly comes flying out from the portal, intent on fulfilling Evetta's wish to destroy herself as punishment for attacking you.
However, you weren't having absolute any of that shit.
Your blade of Ebon Steel changes into a large shield and you're at the living doll's side in less than a blink of an eye. A cloud clang echoes throughout the base as the giant doll fist slams into your shield. The ground beneath you becomes a web of cracks as you hold firm against this gigantic fist. Evetta lifts her head to stare at you in disbelief and confusion.
"W-why are you - "
"Call back your puppet now, Dollmaster! That's an order!" You command. Evetta stares blankly at you for a moment before nodding. The giant fist immediately eases off and drew back into the portal which disappeared once the fist had fully gone through. Letting out a sigh of relief, you turn your attention back to the doll. "Are you an idiot?!"
"W-what?"
"I mean, come on! You just tried to destroy yourself just because you attacked the Ebon Lord even if you didn't know I was the Ebon Lord. If you truly serve the Ebon Emperor, then destroying yourself is the worse thing you can do."
"I-I...You're right! I have further dishonoured both myself and the name of my creator! P-Please punish me as you see fit!" Evetta pleads remorsefully, her head bowed down in supplication. You let out a grunt of annoyance and tell her to look up again.
"Look, Evetta. As Ebon Lord, I must rebuild the Black Kingdom using whatever methods that are available to me. However, due to the nature of my empowerment, I have only the vaguest idea of what needs to be done. From what I can tell though, you seem to have a far better grasp of what I am supposed to do as Ebon Lord. So with this in mind, I ask this of you Evetta, Dollmaster of Ebon Lord Caleb. Will you serve me, Jacob Anderson, the current Lord of Ebon, with all your might? Will you aid me in the task of restoring the Black Kingdom to its original - no, to not just its original glory but to surpass it as well, in order to give strength back to our Ebon Emperor? Will you be my doll?"
Evetta looks on in silence as she lets your words sink into her. Slowly, she gets off the ground and pats down her dress. Standing tall, she curtseys towards you with as much sincerity she can muster in her doll body. "I, Evetta, Dollmaster of the Ebon Lord of past ages, hereby declare my absolute loyalty to Jacob Anderson, the current Ebon Lord. Until the day I die, I will serve Jacob Anderson to the utmost of my abilities."
You feel a strange sensation surround both you and Evetta, the same one that you felt back when Christoph Atticus made an oath to never reveal your identity. This means this is something legit, huh.
Nodding in approval at Evetta's declaration, you reach your hand out. Evetta hesitates for a moment before she takes you hands as well. Despite its appearance, it's warmer and softer than you had expected. Giving it a firm shake, you smile.
"Very well, Dollmaster, I hereby formally welcome you to the New Black Kingdom."
Evetta gives you a beautiful smile.
Right before she collapses in front of you.
After refilling her reserves, not just her magical ones but a newly discovered Ebon Power one as well, you learn that she had gotten way too into fighting you earlier and nearly used up all her Ebon Power, including the portion that made her "alive". You promise to keep a steady amount of Ebon Power to keep her going without any risk of running out.
With that, you gain someone with knowledge that you dearly needed and someone to help take the load off things.
…
Evetta Blackstone, Dollmaster
Martial: 10+5+3: 18: You aren't particularly strong yourself but that's what your doll soldiers are for. You know how to lead an army of dolls to effectively crush an enemy though, if you didn't you wouldn't be the Dollmaster now, would you?
Stewardship: 12+3:15 You like being neat and tidy plus it takes some organisation skills to properly command your dolls as well as you do.
Diplomacy: 13+2+2:17: Just by being yourself, people seems to love you, or at least tolerate your presence and be nice to you.
Intrigue: 10-2-2: 6: You're too honest for your own good.
Learning: 12: You love reading books.
Piety: 17+5+5+3: 30: Your faith in the Ebon Emperor and their chosen lord transcend mortal limits and serve to sharpen your already formidable magical powers thanks to your nature as a magical construct created by an Ebon Lord.
Traits:
Beautiful: Attraction to you is common and...accepted. You're very recognisable +2 Diplomacy. -2 Intrigue.
Kind: You have a kind nature that makes others happy to be around you! +2 Diplomacy
Living Doll: Though you may be a doll created by human hands, you have been given the spark of life by one will powers greater than any mortal being. +5 Piety -2 Intrigue
Dollmaster: With the power of Ebon, you can create dolls and control them as though they were an extension of your own body. You are the Dollmaster and dolls are your greatest allies. +3 Piety +3 Martial, +3 Stewardship +10 Combat while using dolls.
Servant of the Ebon Emperor: The Black King has chosen you to serve them and in doing so has granted you powers beyond the ken of mortal men. +5 Martial, +5 Piety.
Magic Arsenal: 1/2 of Piety is added to Martial.
...
Assign Evetta to a suitable advisor position (Chosen Postion will grant an additional action)
[ ] Martial
[ ] Stewardship
[ ] Diplomacy
[ ] Piety
The vault was a strange place. Despite being predominated by mounds of gold and treasure as far as the eye could see, there were places that stood out amongst the golden shine of metal and treasure. One such place was a garden, an island of natural beauty amidst a sea of gold.
There you find a woman seated upon a stone bench, their head slightly bowing down as they slept unaware of the world around them. Only when you drew closer did you notice the joints in her fingers, the unnatural symmetry of her face, and a vast pool of Magic Power that had drawn your attention in the first place that almost eclipsed the almost non-existent pool of life energy in the doll.
This was no ordinary doll for you could see it breathing somehow, its chest slightly rising and falling as it slept. You could not yet comprehend the ways of the Ebon Emperor but even so, you had to admire their taste. You didn't come here to appreciate the view though.
"THIRTY SECONDS LEFT, JACOB ANDERSON. YOU BEST HURRY FOR YOU SHALL HAVE A FINE OPPORTUNITY TO FACE MY MIGHT, LORD OF EBON."
Right, got to hurry.
Unfortunately, with no other particularly potent high-level energy signatures closeby, you turn your attention on the doll. It's dressed in Victorian era clothing that probably has seen better days yet. It reminded you of your Golems and with that thought, you make your decision.
When you touch the doll, it was unexpectedly warm to touch. The doll didn't react to your touch so you proceeded to bring it into your arms. Holding the doll which was surprisingly a little taller than you in a princess carry, usually rush back to the gate.
The return was instantaneous, almost abrupt with how you almost slipped and fell as you were dropped back into one of the officer quarters of your base. Luckily you didn't drop the doll. Calming down from your encounter with the Guardian of the Black Vault, you gently laid the doll on the Queen sized bed in this particular quarters.
Upon further examination of the doll, it truly was beautiful. Skin that almost seemed like porcelain, hair as white as snow, and a face that held both gentleness and love in its feature. You've seen life-sized dolls thanks to one of your mother's friends before but there was always that just felt wrong about them that you could never mistake such masterfully crafted dolls as living beings. Those masterwork dolls, however, couldn't compare to this doll that had been favoured by the Ebon Emperor. If not for the obvious doll joints in her soft slim hands, you'd have mistaken the doll for a living person.
Your thoughts are interrupted when you feel a sharp drop in the doll's magical power pool. It breathing had started to slow down sharply and it would soon stop completely if you didn't do something. It's likely that this drop in magic was due to you taking the doll out from the vault. No time to think about that now though.
Without really thinking about it, Ebon Power shifts into Magical Power and you shove as much of it as you can into the doll.
"Mmm…" You almost flinch when the doll makes a sound as you refill its magic power. Just what was this doll?
The doll remains asleep though and you continue pouring in the power. Soon, you've gone over the original amount of power it had when you found it and a little later you pass three times the original amount. The moment you do so though, something starts to change within the doll.
The minuscule pool of life energy suddenly flares and begins to rapidly grow until it reaches the same level as the average human being. You also feel several other pools within her begin to grow as well. You then realise to your surprise that the doll has started producing their own magic power. Cutting off the transfer, you take a step back and watch as the doll before you awakens.
Slowly, the doll's eyes open wide, revealing grey-blue eyes. For a moment there is not a hint of life within them before she blinks and light appears in her empty eyes. Slowly the doll pushes itself off the bed, shifting her position until she is seated at the edge of the mattress. Steadily, she raises her hands before her eyes, flexing her fingers and tilting her head in innocent fascination. She then turns her head towards you and stares at you with a curious expression before her eyes widen in shock.
First Impressions: Roll: 58
Her surprise quickly disappears to be replaced with an expression of joy before it settles on content serenity. Slowly, she stands up from the bed and bows towards you.
Huh, you hadn't realised it before but she is tall, in fact, taller than you but a couple of centimetres.
After straightening her back, she speaks in a sweet and gentle tone, "Greetings to you, Servant of Ebon. I am a doll, one who serves the will of the Ebon Emperor just as you do, Servant of Ebon." And just like that, you're on edge. You weren't expecting this at when you picked up the doll. Definitely not this. "I thank you for awakening me from my long slumber. Does the Black Kingdom still stand?"
And here comes the hard part. You think about what to say before realising you really don't know what to say so you just default to just being honest. "The Black Kingdom has long since fallen to the extent that it has been long forgotten by mortal men."
"Oh." The doll's smile dims slightly upon hearing the news. "Then...what of the Emperor? What is their current state?"
"No. Since making me their servant, the Ebon Emperor has fallen into a deep slumber to preserve what little strength they have left." You inform the living doll. You hear her gasp in shock but you ignore it and continue to explain your situation. "However, I've been given the task of rebuilding the Black Kingdom and in doing so, bring salvation to the Ebon Emperor."
"I-I see." The doll says hesitantly, not quite sure what to make of your words. Despite being a doll, her face is more expressive that you thought it would be. "I take it that you found me in the Vault?"
"Yeah, I barely escaped Padraidis."
"Hmm, so I was put into the Vault after the defeat of my Lord...No matter." Clapping her hands together, the doll seems to have made a decision. "As the former caretaker of Ebon Lord Caleb, I shall do what I can to fulfil the Ebon Emperor's commands. So with that in mind, it is best that I test if you are worthy of serving the Ebon Emperor, servant of Ebon."
Eh?
Stretching her arms out in front of her, black strings of Ebon appear forth from her fingertips and shoot into black portals that appear without warning. Pulling her hands back, the doll smiles happily as a dozen knights armoured in Ebon Steel emerge from their portals, each one with an Ebon string attached to them. Each one of them wields a weapon of Ebon Steel and you can sense a decent size pool of magic power in each of them.
"I am Evetta the Dollmaster, the greatest creation of Ebon Lord Caleb Blackstone. If you can survive what is to come, I shall acknowledge your abilities and allow you to serve the Ebon Emperor alongside me as a fellow servant of the Ebon Emperor." And with that, she twitches her fingers and Evetta's doll Knights attack.
Dollmaster's Strength: 77+18 (Martial) +15 (Magic Arsenal) +10 (Dollmaster) -15 (Enemy Critical) -10(???) = 95
VS
Ebon Lord's Supremacy: Roll: 90+35 (Martial) + 10 (Champion of Ebon) +10 (Combat Savant) +5 (Mage): 150: Critical Roll: 80 +40: 120: 2nd Critical Roll: 51 +20: 71. Required: 40: Success
The Doll Knights move faster than the human eye can see, no doubt due to the shifting nature of Ebon Steel in regards to its weight. However, you are not human. Even when they have you surrounded, you feel no real sense of urgency or threat from them. Not because there is no killing intent in their movements for the Dollmaster Evetta is most definitely trying to kill you.
No. The reason you feel no threat is simple.
While the Knights would no doubt be formidable foes against any other being, they have absolutely zero chance of harming you.
For you are the Lord of Ebon.
A trio of Knights leap at you with incredible speed but to you, they might as well have been moving through water. In an instant, a blade of Ebon Steel appears in both your hands. Without even looking, your right hand swings up and cuts one of the attacking knights in two halves. Your other hand pierces through another knight with such speed that a shockwave erupts from where you struck and tears the knight apart. The third knight tries to attack from above but your head proves itself to be harder than the Ebon Steel that armours its form.
The Knights stop as Evetta stares in shock at your strength. Frowning, she repositions her Doll Knights and has six knights attack this time. However, the end result is the same as before. In a flurry of movement, you cut down her knights with terrifying ease. You take note of another observation of the nature of Ebon Steel. It seems that when two people create Ebon Steel, the Ebon Steel from the more powerful person easily defeats the Ebon Steel created by a weaker person.
In other words, you were the worst possible match for Evetta. Even though this was meant to be a test for Evetta to gauge your strength against herself, you realise that she had not realised that you were this Era's Ebon Lord. Why she had not recognised your true nature was something that you would have to ask later for Evetta has decided to call forth more of her knights.
This time, the wall behind you erupts as giant baby-like doll smashes its way into the room. Without thinking, you throw a sword at it. Like a hot knife through butter, your blade cleaves right through this new doll, even as another knight rushes in to attack you, intent on taking advantage of your right side's lack of a weapon.
However, they do not do any better than their previous compatriots as you demonstrate that your fist is just as powerful as any Ebon Steel weapon.
However, Evetta doesn't give up. More and more knights are drawn in from a place that you do not know. Each and everyone one of them armoured in Ebon Steel and armed with weapons that were meant to be as deadly as your own. New types of dolls start to appear. Dolls with many arms, dolls that are more gun than anything else, beast like dolls that move and fight with the ferocity greater than the real thing, monstrous dolls that burn with terrible dark powers.
Each and every one of Evetta's doll soldiers falls to your blades and fists. Like all things that are born from Ebon, they fade from existence leaving nothing but the destruction that they had wrought behind. The Officer Quarters are utterly wrecked as is part of the passage that leads into it but you're sure that your golems are capable of fixing it up with no problems.
No, the real problem here was the one that been the cause of said destruction. The Dollmaster has fallen on her rear, trembles as you slowly walk up to her. She stares up at you with eyes filled with both fear and awe as you point a sword at her neck. You note that her cheeks are flush from exertion. Summoning and controlling that many dolls must have been tough on her. Regardless, she went at you with the intent to kill and you weren't gonna simply forgive that just yet.
"So...do I pass your test, lady Evetta?" You ask in a flat tone. You're both annoyed and tired from having to fight and destroy so many god damn dolls.
"Wh-Who-Who are you?" The doll stammers, still reeling from the destruction of her forces.
"Do you not recognise the strength of an Ebon Lord even when it's in front of you?" The moment you tell her your identity, Evetta gasps in shock and amazement. "I may not be your Lord Caleb but I am the Ebon Emperor's current chosen champion."
Evetta's mouth opens and closes several times as she tries to speak but it seems the revelation that you are the Ebon Lord is a bit much for her to take. Finally, she manages to spit something out. "H-How!? The Ebon Lord is an absolute being of power, second only to the Ebon Emperor themselves. If you are truly the current Ebon Lord, I would have recognised it immediately but I can't sense anything from you! Not your magic. Not your life force. Not even your soul!"
Huh, you knew from Aestia that you didn't ping on her magical sense but apparently it went further than that. So Ebon Lords are meant to be really easy to recognise but for some reason, you're don't seem to exist to any senses save for direct visual sight. Weird. Can't be your glamour since you've dropped it whenever you relaxing in the base. Well, no point thinking too much about it right now, you needed to directly make clear what the chains of commands were right now.
"Regardless, I am the Ebon Lord now. Do you believe me worthy to serve?" You ask accusingly.
Evetta lips trembles before she bows towards you, her head touching the ground. "Please forgive my impudence, Lord of Ebon! This worthless doll has done a great disservice before you. To pay for this great wrong that I have done, I shall destroy myself!"
Wait, what. You quickly understand what she means when a huge portal appears above her. A giant fist suddenly comes flying out from the portal, intent on fulfilling Evetta's wish to destroy herself as punishment for attacking you.
However, you weren't having absolute any of that shit.
Your blade of Ebon Steel changes into a large shield and you're at the living doll's side in less than a blink of an eye. A cloud clang echoes throughout the base as the giant doll fist slams into your shield. The ground beneath you becomes a web of cracks as you hold firm against this gigantic fist. Evetta lifts her head to stare at you in disbelief and confusion.
"W-why are you - "
"Call back your puppet now, Dollmaster! That's an order!" You command. Evetta stares blankly at you for a moment before nodding. The giant fist immediately eases off and drew back into the portal which disappeared once the fist had fully gone through. Letting out a sigh of relief, you turn your attention back to the doll. "Are you an idiot?!"
"W-what?"
"I mean, come on! You just tried to destroy yourself just because you attacked the Ebon Lord even if you didn't know I was the Ebon Lord. If you truly serve the Ebon Emperor, then destroying yourself is the worse thing you can do."
"I-I...You're right! I have further dishonoured both myself and the name of my creator! P-Please punish me as you see fit!" Evetta pleads remorsefully, her head bowed down in supplication. You let out a grunt of annoyance and tell her to look up again.
"Look, Evetta. As Ebon Lord, I must rebuild the Black Kingdom using whatever methods that are available to me. However, due to the nature of my empowerment, I have only the vaguest idea of what needs to be done. From what I can tell though, you seem to have a far better grasp of what I am supposed to do as Ebon Lord. So with this in mind, I ask this of you Evetta, Dollmaster of Ebon Lord Caleb. Will you serve me, Jacob Anderson, the current Lord of Ebon, with all your might? Will you aid me in the task of restoring the Black Kingdom to its original - no, to not just its original glory but to surpass it as well, in order to give strength back to our Ebon Emperor? Will you be my doll?"
Evetta looks on in silence as she lets your words sink into her. Slowly, she gets off the ground and pats down her dress. Standing tall, she curtseys towards you with as much sincerity she can muster in her doll body. "I, Evetta, Dollmaster of the Ebon Lord of past ages, hereby declare my absolute loyalty to Jacob Anderson, the current Ebon Lord. Until the day I die, I will serve Jacob Anderson to the utmost of my abilities."
You feel a strange sensation surround both you and Evetta, the same one that you felt back when Christoph Atticus made an oath to never reveal your identity. This means this is something legit, huh.
Nodding in approval at Evetta's declaration, you reach your hand out. Evetta hesitates for a moment before she takes you hands as well. Despite its appearance, it's warmer and softer than you had expected. Giving it a firm shake, you smile.
"Very well, Dollmaster, I hereby formally welcome you to the New Black Kingdom."
Evetta gives you a beautiful smile.
Right before she collapses in front of you.
After refilling her reserves, not just her magical ones but a newly discovered Ebon Power one as well, you learn that she had gotten way too into fighting you earlier and nearly used up all her Ebon Power, including the portion that made her "alive". You promise to keep a steady amount of Ebon Power to keep her going without any risk of running out.
With that, you gain someone with knowledge that you dearly needed and someone to help take the load off things.
…
Evetta Blackstone, Dollmaster
Martial: 10+5+3: 18: You aren't particularly strong yourself but that's what your doll soldiers are for. You know how to lead an army of dolls to effectively crush an enemy though, if you didn't you wouldn't be the Dollmaster now, would you?
Stewardship: 12+3:15 You like being neat and tidy plus it takes some organisation skills to properly command your dolls as well as you do.
Diplomacy: 13+2+2:17: Just by being yourself, people seems to love you, or at least tolerate your presence and be nice to you.
Intrigue: 10-2-2: 6: You're too honest for your own good.
Learning: 12: You love reading books.
Piety: 17+5+5+3: 30: Your faith in the Ebon Emperor and their chosen lord transcend mortal limits and serve to sharpen your already formidable magical powers thanks to your nature as a magical construct created by an Ebon Lord.
Traits:
Beautiful: Attraction to you is common and...accepted. You're very recognisable +2 Diplomacy. -2 Intrigue.
Kind: You have a kind nature that makes others happy to be around you! +2 Diplomacy
Living Doll: Though you may be a doll created by human hands, you have been given the spark of life by one will powers greater than any mortal being. +5 Piety -2 Intrigue
Dollmaster: With the power of Ebon, you can create dolls and control them as though they were an extension of your own body. You are the Dollmaster and dolls are your greatest allies. +3 Piety +3 Martial, +3 Stewardship +10 Combat while using dolls.
Servant of the Ebon Emperor: The Black King has chosen you to serve them and in doing so has granted you powers beyond the ken of mortal men. +5 Martial, +5 Piety.
Magic Arsenal: 1/2 of Piety is added to Martial.
...
Assign Evetta to a suitable advisor position (Chosen Postion will grant an additional action)
[ ] Martial
[ ] Stewardship
[ ] Diplomacy
[ ] Piety
Last edited:
- Location
- Voidbetweenstars
Does this mean her total martial is 18+15?
shibosho
The Face of Procrastination
- Location
- The Land of Oz
Total Effective Martial is 18 + 15, used mainly for personal combat rolls.
- Location
- Actually pretty lost
18, 15, 17, 30. Gee, I wonder which we should pick?
[X] Piety
EDIT:
And if so, does that count towards a role as a Martial advisor?
I mean, we should still pick Piety to shore up our own weakness, but 33 Martial would make her a viable commander too.
[X] Piety
I'm assuming advisors might give us +1 action and/or +(some % of) their relative stat for the category we assign them?
Well, highest stat is Piety and our best way to improve right now has generally been self improvement/magic understanding, soooo... Piety.
Alsoooo guys WE HAVE A +60 to Personal Combat Roles. So this is the power of a newly born Ebon Lord lol.
I'm assuming advisors might give us +1 action and/or +(some % of) their relative stat for the category we assign them?
Well, highest stat is Piety and our best way to improve right now has generally been self improvement/magic understanding, soooo... Piety.
Alsoooo guys WE HAVE A +60 to Personal Combat Roles. So this is the power of a newly born Ebon Lord lol.
Random Member
Gardener of Human Happiness
- Location
- Behind You
Oh, hard one. While as Dollmaster she would be great as commander of our army, her Piety is ridiculous and her Diplomacy, while not spectacular, is still higher than ours.
shibosho
The Face of Procrastination
- Location
- The Land of Oz
18, 15, 17, 30. Gee, I wonder which we should pick?
[X] Piety
EDIT:
And if so, does that count towards a role as a Martial advisor?
I mean, we should still pick Piety to shore up our own weakness, but 33 Martial would make her a viable commander too.
Not it doesn't. It only counts towards combat actions.
- Location
- Voidbetweenstars
[X] Piety
- Location
- Denmark
[X] Piety
Uh... you do remember Turn 4's results right?
We're fine on $$$ for the foreseeable future.
Pred1059
All you are is an empty muppet
- Location
- Home Sweet 192.168.1.1
...you didn't read the result rolls for last round did you.
EDIT: Ninja'd