Welcome to Auda, a medieval fantasy world filled with magic and miracles. You are a Witch who...
Witchhunt
- Thread starter theimpetus
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Statistics (6 threadmarks, 12k words)
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Character Creation
theimpetus
Fist of the Duplex
- Location
- The Unbekannt
Welcome to Auda, a medieval fantasy world filled with magic and miracles. You are a Witch who was recently outed to his or her peers. Witches are not exactly thought well of in Auda, and your peers will undoubtedly report you to the local priest. Said priest will alert the Fist of Gods to your existence and appearance, and then pray for your swift and merciless execution.
The Fist of Gods are an organization of warrior priests who can perform miracles and are immune to magic. Their sole duty is to hunt down and kill Witches like you. Your only choice is to run and keep running until the Fist manages to kill you or you become skilled enough to hide from them forever.
Good luck.
XXX
There is no sound sweeter than the screams of a Witch being burned alive.
Most times you are forced to kill the Witches during the hunt when they attempt to flee or fight back, but on rare occasions they accept their fate and you have the pleasure of burning them alive upon holy ground. The Gods have seen fit to grant you that pleasure this hunt. The screams never last long, but that blessed smell of burning flesh will permeate the temple of this small village for quite some time. You will stay the night here and allow your two apprentices to linger in the place of their first kill.
You glance at them. They are enraptured by the light of the flame. They were boys when you began the hunt, but they are men now. They are Fists. This is their first, but you hope the Gods will grant them the righteous sight of a burning Witch many more times before they pass into the next world.
The priest, however, does not share your delight. He seems solemn. His kneeling form mouths the words to the Prayer of Mercy. They are wasted words, but most cannot see the demon hiding behind the form of a man. The Gods spare no mercy for Witches.
Behind the priest you see the silhouette of a man approaching from the east. As he comes closer you note his haggard appearance and the exhaustion in his face. His shock as he stares into the fire is obvious. He hesitates as he reaches the priest, but he continues on towards you.
"Are… are you a Fist?" he asks.
"I am. What is it you need, child?" you respond.
"I am lucky to meet you here. I thought I would need to travel all the way to Saldia to deliver my message. The priest in Calder sent me. There is… a Witch there. Here, he gave me this letter, told me to give it to the Fist of Gods." He pulls a leather bag from his back and reaches into it, pulling out a letter. He hands it to you.
"The Gods bless me. I need not return to Saldia to hunt again," you say. You open the letter. It gives you the description of a Witch who was revealed a mere four days ago. You smile. Perhaps you shall be blessed with a Witch's screams once more.
Sex:
[] Male
[] Female
Class:
[] Aristocrat: You were born into one of the most powerful and old families in the Auda. It is obvious to anyone you speak to that you are of Noble blood. This makes you stand out in most places, but it also gives you authority. You have the benefit of a formal education.
[] Merchant: You were born into a crafty merchant family. You are decent at blending in with both the lower and higher classes as you've spent time around both, but you will never be comfortable around either. You have your parents' shrewd business sense. You have the benefit of a formal education.
[] Commoner: You were born into an average family. You excel at blending with the common folk who are everywhere. You are no stranger to hard work. You don't have the benefit of a formal education, but you have many practical skills and a knack for picking up new ones.
Generation:
[] First Generation Witch: You are a firstborn. You have little to no knowledge about how magic works, but your magical instinct and talent is incredible.
[] Second Generation Witch: One or both of your parents is a witch. You have the benefit of their teaching, but your skill is less than impressive.
[] Third Generation Witch: One or both of your parents are second generation witches. You have a wealth of knowledge about magic, but your talent at spellcasting is underwhelming compared to your parents.
[] Fourth Generation Witch: Somehow, your third generation parent(s) managed to have a (barely) magical child. Your magical knowledge is unparalleled, but you can only cast the simplest spells.
Skill:
[] Genius: Your magical skill is legendary. If you survive being hunted, your name will likely be used to frighten small children into behaving for hundreds of years. However, you are so good at magic that you will often accidentally use it and reveal your nature to those around you. (Only available if you are firstborn.)
[] Savant: You are very talented in a specific branch of magic. Your skill with magic not of this branch is below average for your generation.
-[] Pyromancy
-[] Necromancy
-[] Cryomancy
-[] Floramancy
-[] Write in
[] Ritualist: You have little to no magical energy of your own, but you have a knack for tapping into other sources of magic for your spells. Given a lot time and resources you are unstoppable, but on the run it is unlikely you will have much of either. (Only available if you are third or fourth generation.)
[] Specialist: You have an even greater talent than a magical genius… with one spell. You are unparalleled in your ability at this spell, but you are slightly below average for your generation at all other spells.
-[] Inferno
-[] Undead Thrall
-[] Freeze
-[] Grow
-[]Write in
Traits:
You may have no more than three positive traits and your trait score must be higher than or equal to zero.
Positive Traits:
[] Beautiful -1: You are gorgeous. You will find everyone much more helpful, but you will also stick out. (Cannot pick Average, Ugly or Disfigured.)
[] Average -2: Your appearance is unremarkable in every way. You will almost never stand out in a crowd or in someone's mind and your pursuers will have a harder time tracking you down. (Cannot pick Beautiful, Ugly or Disfigured.)
[] Musical Skill -1: You are a talented singer and can play an instrument passably well. This might be useful in earning money and/or a place to sleep, however you will stand out if you display your skill.
[] Artistic Talent: -2: You are a natural in most forms of art, including drawing, painting and sculpture. This will be very useful in almost all rituals and even some spells. You will stand out if you display your talent.
[] Good Memory -1: You are able to recall things you've heard or read better than most. Your skills and spells' quality will degrade slower than normal. (Cannot pick Bad Memory.)
[] Athletic -1: You have a toned body and a natural skill for physical activities. This will undoubtedly be useful in escaping your pursuers on foot and give you an edge in physical combat. (Cannot pick Weak.)
[] Fighter -2: You are vicious. Fighting comes naturally to you and you have plenty experience doing it. You can use both a melee and ranged weapon passably. (Cannot pick Weak or Pacifist.)
[] Naturalist -3: You have a large knowledge of the local plants and animals. This will be very useful in finding medicine and food. It will also be useful in rituals and certain spells.
[] Friendly -1: You are a nice person or at least you appear to be. People like you, but you will also stick out. (Cannot pick Arrogant or Dark Aura.)
[] Strong Constitution -1: You've never been sick and your wounds heal faster than most people's. Healing magic is more effective on you. (Cannot pick Weak Constitution.)
Negative Traits:
[] Alcoholic +1: You need booze. You will stand out more, the more you drink. You are less likely to have a good grasp on most situations. You won't be able to stay away from civilization long unless you learn how to make your own alcohol.
[] Ugly +1: You are unattractive. You will find most people to be less helpful and you will stick out. (Cannot Pick Beautiful, Average or Disfigured.)
[] Disfigured +2: You have a severe facial disfigurement. You will stand out and be easier for your pursuers to track down. (Cannot pick Beautiful, Average or Ugly.)
[] Weak +1: You are physically weak. You may be able to get over this in time, but until you do your pursuers will be faster than you on foot and stronger than you in a physical fight. (Cannot pick Athletic or Fighter.)
[] Bad Memory +1: You have a hard time remembering things. Your skills and your spells' quality will degrade faster without frequent use. (Cannot pick Good Memory).
[] Pacifist +2: You believe all life is sacred. You cannot kill any person or animal. (Cannot pick Fighter.)
[] Unhinged +3: You are crazy. This will make you stand out and make you easier to track down for your pursuers. You likely won't have a good grasp on any situation.
[] Weak Constitution +1: You get sick easily and your wounds heal slower. Healing magic is less effective on you. (Cannot pick Strong Constitution.)
[] Arrogant +1: You have a tendency to overestimate your own abilities and underestimate others. Most people do not like you, and you will stand out in people's minds. (Cannot pick friendly.)
[] Dark Aura +2: Your magic can be felt by others subconsciously and it makes them uncomfortable. People immediately dislike you and are suspicious of you, but they will likely leave you alone. Your pursuers will know if you are hiding nearby. You will stick in people's minds. (Cannot pick friendly.)
XXX
This is my first time running a quest, so if I make any mistakes please let me know.
It is possible for you to die in this quest. If you make one or more stupid choices and then have some bad rolls, you will die. You might die eventually anyways when I decide it's time to end the quest and I don't feel like you've gotten to a level necessary to hide from the Fist. I dunno. We'll see.
My advice: Never stay in one place too long, don't trust anyone, don't out yourself again if you can help it and try to find Hidden Witches who might be willing to help you.
Once character creation is complete, I will write your outing scene and you may begin running. I reserve the right to veto write ins if they are too OP.
The Fist of Gods are an organization of warrior priests who can perform miracles and are immune to magic. Their sole duty is to hunt down and kill Witches like you. Your only choice is to run and keep running until the Fist manages to kill you or you become skilled enough to hide from them forever.
Good luck.
XXX
Most times you are forced to kill the Witches during the hunt when they attempt to flee or fight back, but on rare occasions they accept their fate and you have the pleasure of burning them alive upon holy ground. The Gods have seen fit to grant you that pleasure this hunt. The screams never last long, but that blessed smell of burning flesh will permeate the temple of this small village for quite some time. You will stay the night here and allow your two apprentices to linger in the place of their first kill.
You glance at them. They are enraptured by the light of the flame. They were boys when you began the hunt, but they are men now. They are Fists. This is their first, but you hope the Gods will grant them the righteous sight of a burning Witch many more times before they pass into the next world.
The priest, however, does not share your delight. He seems solemn. His kneeling form mouths the words to the Prayer of Mercy. They are wasted words, but most cannot see the demon hiding behind the form of a man. The Gods spare no mercy for Witches.
Behind the priest you see the silhouette of a man approaching from the east. As he comes closer you note his haggard appearance and the exhaustion in his face. His shock as he stares into the fire is obvious. He hesitates as he reaches the priest, but he continues on towards you.
"Are… are you a Fist?" he asks.
"I am. What is it you need, child?" you respond.
"I am lucky to meet you here. I thought I would need to travel all the way to Saldia to deliver my message. The priest in Calder sent me. There is… a Witch there. Here, he gave me this letter, told me to give it to the Fist of Gods." He pulls a leather bag from his back and reaches into it, pulling out a letter. He hands it to you.
"The Gods bless me. I need not return to Saldia to hunt again," you say. You open the letter. It gives you the description of a Witch who was revealed a mere four days ago. You smile. Perhaps you shall be blessed with a Witch's screams once more.
XXX
Voting in character creation will be done by plan. Please select one option from each of the following categories.Sex:
[] Male
[] Female
Class:
[] Aristocrat: You were born into one of the most powerful and old families in the Auda. It is obvious to anyone you speak to that you are of Noble blood. This makes you stand out in most places, but it also gives you authority. You have the benefit of a formal education.
[] Merchant: You were born into a crafty merchant family. You are decent at blending in with both the lower and higher classes as you've spent time around both, but you will never be comfortable around either. You have your parents' shrewd business sense. You have the benefit of a formal education.
[] Commoner: You were born into an average family. You excel at blending with the common folk who are everywhere. You are no stranger to hard work. You don't have the benefit of a formal education, but you have many practical skills and a knack for picking up new ones.
Generation:
[] First Generation Witch: You are a firstborn. You have little to no knowledge about how magic works, but your magical instinct and talent is incredible.
[] Second Generation Witch: One or both of your parents is a witch. You have the benefit of their teaching, but your skill is less than impressive.
[] Third Generation Witch: One or both of your parents are second generation witches. You have a wealth of knowledge about magic, but your talent at spellcasting is underwhelming compared to your parents.
[] Fourth Generation Witch: Somehow, your third generation parent(s) managed to have a (barely) magical child. Your magical knowledge is unparalleled, but you can only cast the simplest spells.
Skill:
[] Genius: Your magical skill is legendary. If you survive being hunted, your name will likely be used to frighten small children into behaving for hundreds of years. However, you are so good at magic that you will often accidentally use it and reveal your nature to those around you. (Only available if you are firstborn.)
[] Savant: You are very talented in a specific branch of magic. Your skill with magic not of this branch is below average for your generation.
-[] Pyromancy
-[] Necromancy
-[] Cryomancy
-[] Floramancy
-[] Write in
[] Ritualist: You have little to no magical energy of your own, but you have a knack for tapping into other sources of magic for your spells. Given a lot time and resources you are unstoppable, but on the run it is unlikely you will have much of either. (Only available if you are third or fourth generation.)
[] Specialist: You have an even greater talent than a magical genius… with one spell. You are unparalleled in your ability at this spell, but you are slightly below average for your generation at all other spells.
-[] Inferno
-[] Undead Thrall
-[] Freeze
-[] Grow
-[]Write in
Traits:
You may have no more than three positive traits and your trait score must be higher than or equal to zero.
Positive Traits:
[] Beautiful -1: You are gorgeous. You will find everyone much more helpful, but you will also stick out. (Cannot pick Average, Ugly or Disfigured.)
[] Average -2: Your appearance is unremarkable in every way. You will almost never stand out in a crowd or in someone's mind and your pursuers will have a harder time tracking you down. (Cannot pick Beautiful, Ugly or Disfigured.)
[] Musical Skill -1: You are a talented singer and can play an instrument passably well. This might be useful in earning money and/or a place to sleep, however you will stand out if you display your skill.
[] Artistic Talent: -2: You are a natural in most forms of art, including drawing, painting and sculpture. This will be very useful in almost all rituals and even some spells. You will stand out if you display your talent.
[] Good Memory -1: You are able to recall things you've heard or read better than most. Your skills and spells' quality will degrade slower than normal. (Cannot pick Bad Memory.)
[] Athletic -1: You have a toned body and a natural skill for physical activities. This will undoubtedly be useful in escaping your pursuers on foot and give you an edge in physical combat. (Cannot pick Weak.)
[] Fighter -2: You are vicious. Fighting comes naturally to you and you have plenty experience doing it. You can use both a melee and ranged weapon passably. (Cannot pick Weak or Pacifist.)
[] Naturalist -3: You have a large knowledge of the local plants and animals. This will be very useful in finding medicine and food. It will also be useful in rituals and certain spells.
[] Friendly -1: You are a nice person or at least you appear to be. People like you, but you will also stick out. (Cannot pick Arrogant or Dark Aura.)
[] Strong Constitution -1: You've never been sick and your wounds heal faster than most people's. Healing magic is more effective on you. (Cannot pick Weak Constitution.)
Negative Traits:
[] Alcoholic +1: You need booze. You will stand out more, the more you drink. You are less likely to have a good grasp on most situations. You won't be able to stay away from civilization long unless you learn how to make your own alcohol.
[] Ugly +1: You are unattractive. You will find most people to be less helpful and you will stick out. (Cannot Pick Beautiful, Average or Disfigured.)
[] Disfigured +2: You have a severe facial disfigurement. You will stand out and be easier for your pursuers to track down. (Cannot pick Beautiful, Average or Ugly.)
[] Weak +1: You are physically weak. You may be able to get over this in time, but until you do your pursuers will be faster than you on foot and stronger than you in a physical fight. (Cannot pick Athletic or Fighter.)
[] Bad Memory +1: You have a hard time remembering things. Your skills and your spells' quality will degrade faster without frequent use. (Cannot pick Good Memory).
[] Pacifist +2: You believe all life is sacred. You cannot kill any person or animal. (Cannot pick Fighter.)
[] Unhinged +3: You are crazy. This will make you stand out and make you easier to track down for your pursuers. You likely won't have a good grasp on any situation.
[] Weak Constitution +1: You get sick easily and your wounds heal slower. Healing magic is less effective on you. (Cannot pick Strong Constitution.)
[] Arrogant +1: You have a tendency to overestimate your own abilities and underestimate others. Most people do not like you, and you will stand out in people's minds. (Cannot pick friendly.)
[] Dark Aura +2: Your magic can be felt by others subconsciously and it makes them uncomfortable. People immediately dislike you and are suspicious of you, but they will likely leave you alone. Your pursuers will know if you are hiding nearby. You will stick in people's minds. (Cannot pick friendly.)
XXX
It is possible for you to die in this quest. If you make one or more stupid choices and then have some bad rolls, you will die. You might die eventually anyways when I decide it's time to end the quest and I don't feel like you've gotten to a level necessary to hide from the Fist. I dunno. We'll see.
My advice: Never stay in one place too long, don't trust anyone, don't out yourself again if you can help it and try to find Hidden Witches who might be willing to help you.
Once character creation is complete, I will write your outing scene and you may begin running. I reserve the right to veto write ins if they are too OP.
Last edited:
Character Sheet
theimpetus
Fist of the Duplex
- Location
- The Unbekannt
Character Sheet: Beware Spoilers
Clausa Interitum
Sex: Female
Age: 16
Appearance: You look like this.
Aristocrat: You were born into one of the most powerful and old families in the Auda, the Interitum. It is obvious to anyone you speak to that you are of Noble blood. This makes you stand out in most places, but it also gives you authority. You have the benefit of a formal education.
First Generation Witch: You are a firstborn. You have little to no knowledge about how magic works, but your magical instinct and talent is incredible.
Savant: You are very talented in Necromancy. Your skill with magic not of this branch is below average for your generation.
Clausa Interitum
Sex: Female
Age: 16
Appearance: You look like this.
Aristocrat: You were born into one of the most powerful and old families in the Auda, the Interitum. It is obvious to anyone you speak to that you are of Noble blood. This makes you stand out in most places, but it also gives you authority. You have the benefit of a formal education.
First Generation Witch: You are a firstborn. You have little to no knowledge about how magic works, but your magical instinct and talent is incredible.
Savant: You are very talented in Necromancy. Your skill with magic not of this branch is below average for your generation.
Traits:
Beautiful: You are gorgeous. You will find everyone much more helpful, but you will also stick out.
Friendly: You are a nice person, or at least you appear to be. People like you, but you will stick out.
Good Memory: You are able to recall things you've heard or read better than most. Your skills and spells' quality will degrade slower than normal.
Pacifist: You believe all life is sacred. This feeling comes from your religious teachings, specifically of the God Solios. You cannot kill any person or animal.
Weak: You are physically weak. You may be able to get over this in time, but until you do, your pursuers will be faster than you on foot and stronger than you in a physical fight.
Traumatized: You are in a very damaged emotional state. You hold yourself responsible for the death of three people, including your own father.
Beautiful: You are gorgeous. You will find everyone much more helpful, but you will also stick out.
Friendly: You are a nice person, or at least you appear to be. People like you, but you will stick out.
Good Memory: You are able to recall things you've heard or read better than most. Your skills and spells' quality will degrade slower than normal.
Pacifist: You believe all life is sacred. This feeling comes from your religious teachings, specifically of the God Solios. You cannot kill any person or animal.
Weak: You are physically weak. You may be able to get over this in time, but until you do, your pursuers will be faster than you on foot and stronger than you in a physical fight.
Traumatized: You are in a very damaged emotional state. You hold yourself responsible for the death of three people, including your own father.
Spells:
Undead Puppet: You can control corpses through threads of necromantic magic. This requires active concentration, but you have incredibly precise control over your puppet's movements. These puppets are stronger and faster than they were when alive. You need to be careful though. You've cast this spell without meaning to. That could be dangerous.
-Quality: Excellent
Command-Halt: You can push magic into your voice and make people stop whatever they are doing momentarily. You have speak to do this. Limitations unknown.
-Quality: Sub-par
Healing Circle: You can heal wounds, but this spell seems to be in some way opposite to the natural energy of your magic. It requires you to block out everything and concentrate only on the spell. Causes you to be knocked out and burned if attempted on a Fist. It was of limited use on your semi-healed burn, but you don't know why.
-Quality: Sub-par
Undead Puppet: You can control corpses through threads of necromantic magic. This requires active concentration, but you have incredibly precise control over your puppet's movements. These puppets are stronger and faster than they were when alive. You need to be careful though. You've cast this spell without meaning to. That could be dangerous.
-Quality: Excellent
Command-Halt: You can push magic into your voice and make people stop whatever they are doing momentarily. You have speak to do this. Limitations unknown.
-Quality: Sub-par
Healing Circle: You can heal wounds, but this spell seems to be in some way opposite to the natural energy of your magic. It requires you to block out everything and concentrate only on the spell. Causes you to be knocked out and burned if attempted on a Fist. It was of limited use on your semi-healed burn, but you don't know why.
-Quality: Sub-par
Inventory:
Books and Maps:
A Map of Southeastern Auda
The Wilderness Volume XIII: The Unbekannt by Quintinus Quarto
Food:
A Fortnights' Worth of Food
Three Days' Worth of Water
A Small Cooking Pot
A Little Wine
Clothes:
Five Finely Made Pairs of Pants and Blouses
Two Finely Made Cloaks
A Finely Made Lunarian Mask
Valuables:
6 Golden Solari – 14 Silver Lunari – A Bunch of Copper Geddari
Some Jewelry
Miscellaneous:
A Silver Framed Mirror
A Golden Comb
A Finely Made Bedroll
A Finely Made Pillow
Books and Maps:
A Map of Southeastern Auda
The Wilderness Volume XIII: The Unbekannt by Quintinus Quarto
Food:
A Fortnights' Worth of Food
Three Days' Worth of Water
A Small Cooking Pot
A Little Wine
Clothes:
Five Finely Made Pairs of Pants and Blouses
Two Finely Made Cloaks
A Finely Made Lunarian Mask
Valuables:
6 Golden Solari – 14 Silver Lunari – A Bunch of Copper Geddari
Some Jewelry
Miscellaneous:
A Silver Framed Mirror
A Golden Comb
A Finely Made Bedroll
A Finely Made Pillow
Puppets
Father: You have Father's corpse with you, so you can bring him back to life. His skin is hard and cold. He shows no signs of rotting.
Wights: You have two Puppets that were previously Wights. They are the rotting corpses of a man and a woman with large sections of flesh missing, exposing bone. They smell awful.
Father: You have Father's corpse with you, so you can bring him back to life. His skin is hard and cold. He shows no signs of rotting.
Wights: You have two Puppets that were previously Wights. They are the rotting corpses of a man and a woman with large sections of flesh missing, exposing bone. They smell awful.
Modifiers:
Being an Aristocrat Applies
Being a Savant in Necromancy Applies
Beautiful Trait Applies
Friendly Trait Applies
Good Memory Trait Applies
Weak Trait Applies
Exhausted Trait Applies
Being an Aristocrat Applies
- (+10) modifier to Social rolls with commoners (authority)
- (-100) modifier to any attempt to pretend to be a commoner
Being a Savant in Necromancy Applies
- (+15) modifier to Necromancy Spells
- (+20) modifier to Magical Combat rolls against Necromantic creatures
- (-15) modifier to Curomancy (Healing Magic), Biomancy and Floramancy Spells
- (-10) modifier of all other types of magic Spells
Beautiful Trait Applies
- (+10) modifier to Social rolls with humans
- (-10) modifier to Inconspicuous rolls
Friendly Trait Applies
- (+5) modifier to Social rolls
Good Memory Trait Applies
- (+5) modifier to Cunning Combat rolls if you have fought the creature or person before
Weak Trait Applies
- (-10) modifier to Physical Combat rolls
Exhausted Trait Applies
- (-8) to Physical Combat rolls
Last edited:
The World of Auda
theimpetus
Fist of the Duplex
- Location
- The Unbekannt
The World of Auda:
Local Map: Southeastern Auda
Yes, I know. My map is ****. If you would like to make a better one for me, please let me know. Bribery could be involved.
Gods:
There are two Gods, the Duplex.
Solios
He is the First. He is wisdom. He is the Day. He is the Sun. He is the husband/brother of Lellissa. He is the God of peace and growth. He is the crops. He is joy and reason. He is life. He is the farmland.
Lellissa
She is the second. She is youth. She is the Night. She is the Moon. She is the wife/sister of Solios. She is the Goddess of violence and sex. She is drunkenness. She is grief and love. She is death. She is the city.
There is a Hidden God. Can you feel him?
There are two Gods, the Duplex.
Solios
He is the First. He is wisdom. He is the Day. He is the Sun. He is the husband/brother of Lellissa. He is the God of peace and growth. He is the crops. He is joy and reason. He is life. He is the farmland.
Lellissa
She is the second. She is youth. She is the Night. She is the Moon. She is the wife/sister of Solios. She is the Goddess of violence and sex. She is drunkenness. She is grief and love. She is death. She is the city.
There is a Hidden God. Can you feel him?
Government and Church:
Auda is a theocracy, ruled by a council of priests, called the Holy Circle. The word 'Duplex' can be used to mean the Gods or the church/government.
The Fist of the Duplex (or The Fist of Gods) are an organization of warrior priests who can perform miracles and are immune to magic. Their main duty is to hunt down and kill Witches like you. Your only choice is to run and keep running until the Fist manages to kill you or you become skilled enough to hide from them forever.
The Fist has two orders, the Selio and the Lunara. The Selio have a Sun painted on their grey robes and their duties are largely investigative. They act as the information gathering wing of the Fist, as well as preforming executions of Witches who turn themselves in voluntarily.
The Lunara have a Moon painted on their grey robes. Their duties are mostly tracking and combat oriented. They track down and execute known Witches. This order is the one that is currently tracking you.
Auda is a theocracy, ruled by a council of priests, called the Holy Circle. The word 'Duplex' can be used to mean the Gods or the church/government.
The Fist of the Duplex (or The Fist of Gods) are an organization of warrior priests who can perform miracles and are immune to magic. Their main duty is to hunt down and kill Witches like you. Your only choice is to run and keep running until the Fist manages to kill you or you become skilled enough to hide from them forever.
The Fist has two orders, the Selio and the Lunara. The Selio have a Sun painted on their grey robes and their duties are largely investigative. They act as the information gathering wing of the Fist, as well as preforming executions of Witches who turn themselves in voluntarily.
The Lunara have a Moon painted on their grey robes. Their duties are mostly tracking and combat oriented. They track down and execute known Witches. This order is the one that is currently tracking you.
Timeline:
BC (Before Calamity) and AC (After Calamity)
17 BC - The last prophet, Axeric, warns of the coming Calamity, but is ignored by most. He begins the construction of a massive fleet of ships to save humanity.
2 BC - All but one of Axeric's ships are burned by nonbelievers. Axeric builds a second ship.
1 BC - The ships, Zi and Ne, leave Avera with the Worthy Few.
0 AC - The Calamity sunders Avera and sinks it beneath the Western Sea.
5 AC - Zi and Ne land on the western coast of Auda. The city of Primus is founded.
16 AC- The First Storm nearly destroys Primus.
192 AC - Queen Vitellia, Axeric's last direct descendant, dies without an heir. Humanity splinters into a great number of states in the ensuing civil war.
245 AC - Caesia Hadrianus, the first Imperia, unites the warring kingdoms of humanity and forms the Audan Empire.
426 AC - Aelia Hadrianus, the eighth Imperia, is burned for Witchcraft. The Duplex forms the Holy Circle to prevent a Witch from ever ruling again. Because of her, eight is still considered an unlucky number.
692 AC - Clausa Interitum is born.
708 AC - Current date.
BC (Before Calamity) and AC (After Calamity)
17 BC - The last prophet, Axeric, warns of the coming Calamity, but is ignored by most. He begins the construction of a massive fleet of ships to save humanity.
2 BC - All but one of Axeric's ships are burned by nonbelievers. Axeric builds a second ship.
1 BC - The ships, Zi and Ne, leave Avera with the Worthy Few.
0 AC - The Calamity sunders Avera and sinks it beneath the Western Sea.
5 AC - Zi and Ne land on the western coast of Auda. The city of Primus is founded.
16 AC- The First Storm nearly destroys Primus.
192 AC - Queen Vitellia, Axeric's last direct descendant, dies without an heir. Humanity splinters into a great number of states in the ensuing civil war.
245 AC - Caesia Hadrianus, the first Imperia, unites the warring kingdoms of humanity and forms the Audan Empire.
426 AC - Aelia Hadrianus, the eighth Imperia, is burned for Witchcraft. The Duplex forms the Holy Circle to prevent a Witch from ever ruling again. Because of her, eight is still considered an unlucky number.
692 AC - Clausa Interitum is born.
708 AC - Current date.
Excerpts:
The Commandments
The Commandments
Article: First Light
My Light Shines On ALL
My rays pierce every eye, even those that stand in the shade
My smile captures every heart, even those filled with terror
Chained in the Below, I urge you to rise
I call to you, I sing of reason
You scream of the heaviness of your limbs, Of your blindness, Of your cage
Your cries are a poisonous weakness
My voice is your strength, your key
For as long as you live, I remain in you
These chains are illusions, demonic lies
Cast them off
Stand, My Child
You are not blind, there is light all around
Just open your eyes
Stand, My Child
The cage lives only in your dreams
Wake up and be free
Stand, My Child
...
The Wilderness Volume XIII: The Unbekannt by Quintinus Quarto
Article: Chapter 6: Necromantic Misconceptions
…
The Draugr is most certainly the most infamous form of undead, but contrary to popular belief in western Auda, it is not the most common. It is quite possible that they once were, but Draugr are now relatively rare. Most Fist never run into one in their entire lives. My survey of the Solio's extensive collection in Primus, the journals especially,iii seems to suggest they were somewhat more common in the Imperial Era. However, ever since 642 AC, when the Lunara established their headquarters in Valicia, they have had more encounters with actual Necromancers than Draugr.
In fact, both Wights and Gjenganger are far more prevalent in the Unbekannt.iv This is not well known in most of Auda, but information about these two is not just limited to the Duplex. Those towns on the frontier, especially in the southeast, often weather attacks from both.
Wights are definitely the most numerous undead in the Unbekannt. Much like Draugr, Wights are rotting corpses or skeletons that will kill any living in sight, and they rely on their physical strength and speed to do so, but this is where their similarities to Draugr end. Wights rarely carry weapons, in fact, they often are not even human corpses. Instead, they are usually beasts. Unlike Draugr, a Wight's movement is not limited to a particular area. They have been known to chase people for dozens of miles. Of course, the only way to outrun one is on horseback.v They will kill livestock if no people are around, but when both are present, Wights will prioritize men over animals. The biggest difference Wights have from Draugr is that they cannot create more of themselves from their victims' corpses.
The best way to destroy Wights is the classic shield and fire strategy, but the Fist prefer to remove the head or the limbs, so that the creatures can be transported to the closest temple and burned on holy ground. Wights are fairly unintelligent and can be easily manipulated with a little forethought. They move in straight lines, and many Fist have told me their fighting style is very predictable. Of course, any laymen that run into them are recommended to climb a tree and shout for help or run to holy ground if its close, not to try and fight.
Gjengangervi are not nearly as common as their creations, Wights, but are far more prevalent than their cousin, the Draugr. Gjenganger are not as fast or strong as Draugr or Wights, but are much more intelligent than either. Like Draugr, Gjenganger use weapons to kill living creatures and Necromancy to raise their corpses. Unlike any other form of undead, these deformed undead are known to feast on corpses. They especially have a taste for human flesh. This is often why Wights will have gaping holes in their bodies or even be missing whole limbs. Gjenganger are rarely seen outside storms, even in the wilderness. The Fist say this is likely because one would stumble upon Wights first.vii
Gjenganger are unique among undead in their appearance, as well. They appear not to be corpses, but naked wrinkly grey humanoids with glowing green eyes. However, the stench of rotting meat and the difficulty of destroying them clearly mark them as Necromantic creatures. They are not nearly as flammable or as easy to lead into a fire as Wights. Because of this, the shield and fire technique is not recommended. The Fist behead Gjenganger and cut them into 6 pieces, each limb, the torso and the head. Each piece is separated and immediately burned.
…
iiiSee pages 65, 167, 232 and 354.
ivDraugr are far more common outside the Unbekannt, however. They make up the vast majority of Necromantic creatures encountered within civilization. It is the author's opinion that this is what explains their prevalence in folklore and the tendency for the layman to use 'Draugr' or 'Draug' as a blanket term for all Necromantic creatures.
vIn rare cases, Wight have been found without any legs, removing their greatest danger, speed. These specimens have been invaluable for study. See page 234.
viSometimes they are referred to as Draugr Magna, especially in Imperial texts.
Vii"Where there are corpses, there are maggots," is common metaphor used by the Fist to refer to the fact that Gjenganger are almost always accompanied by Wights
Creatures:
Wights: They are rotting corpses or skeletons that will kill any living in sight, and they rely on their physical strength and speed to do so. They can be created by Gjenganger out of any corpse.
Gjenganger: They are wrinkly grey humanoids with glowing green eyes and smell like rotting meat. They often wield weapons, and they can use simple Necromantic magic. (Sometimes they are called Draugr Magna.)
Wights: They are rotting corpses or skeletons that will kill any living in sight, and they rely on their physical strength and speed to do so. They can be created by Gjenganger out of any corpse.
Gjenganger: They are wrinkly grey humanoids with glowing green eyes and smell like rotting meat. They often wield weapons, and they can use simple Necromantic magic. (Sometimes they are called Draugr Magna.)
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Chapter 1: Your Secret is Revealed
theimpetus
Fist of the Duplex
- Location
- The Unbekannt
1d100 - 2 - Encounter
1d100 - 99+10=109 - Spell Control for Undead Puppet (Critical Success)
1d100 - 99-15=84 - Spell Control for Healing Spell Creation
1d4 - 1 - Puppet vs. Resurrection
Chapter 1: Your Secret is Revealed
I could feel my own fear balling up inside my stomach. I could hear the pounding of my heart fade into a roar that blocked out all sound. A voice screamed, 'HE KNOWS HE KNOWS HE KNOWS,' in my mind. Worst of all, I could feel a stirring in the energy locked away in the deepest, darkest part of my soul.
However, that fear was on the inside. This was not the first time I had met a Fist of the Duplex, and I knew my life depended on hiding my fear, and more importantly, keeping that energy deep inside where it belonged. On the outside, I let a small smile rest on my face. My posture was loose and relaxed. I closed my hand into a fist and placed it in the center of my chest in the traditional greeting for a Fist.
He stood right in front of me. He was younger than any other Fist I had ever seen. He was likely not much older than me. He was dressed in a dark grey shirt and pants that were loose on him. He had a sun painted on his chest instead of the usual moon, marking him of the Selio order, which explained why he was traveling alone. Most Fist traveled in groups of three.
"May the Gods bless your hunt, Fist Adalgar," I said.
"Thank you, my lady. Actually, I am returning from a hunt. It was indeed blessed. The Witch was swiftly destroyed, and thankfully, no one was harmed in the process," the grey robed Fist responded.
Father dropped his fist from his chest and said, "That's wonderful to hear. Come, join me and my daughter at our fire. It is unwise to walk through the Unbekannt alone, even for a Fist. We have chicken soup and bread. The bread's a little bit tough, but the soup is delicious. It was just prepared by my wonderful cook, Ebbe." He gestured to one of the dozen servants in the campsite. Ebbe was standing by the large campfire and a cauldron full of soup.
"Thank you. I would love to join you. I must admit, I am quite hungry," the Fist replied.
Father pointed to another servant and said, "Boy, fetch the Fist a chair."
The servant quickly walked to one of the wagons. He pulled a rosewood chair and some deep red cushions from the wagon and set them beside Father's identical chair. The servant swayed a bit as he placed the chair. Father frowned at him as he unsteadily backed away. Father sat first, then the Fist, and finally, me.
Ebbe brought a tray with a steaming bowl of soup and large slice of dark bread and placed it on my father's lap, then he did the same for the Fist and myself. Father was about to eat a spoonfull of his soup, the Fist waiting to begin until Father had taken the first bite, as tradition dictated, when I heard shouting coming from behind me. I turned to look, and I saw all the servants gathered in a circle.
The two guards we had brought with us, Gerald and Friedrich, rushed over to the circle to see what had happened. Father, the Fist and I all stood up. I set my tray in my chair and ran over to see what had upset the servants. There was a boy on the ground. He was writhing on the floor, his eyes were pure white and foam was coming out of his mouth.
The Fist was across from me. He knelt by the boy and said, "A demon is attempting to possess him. Pray with me."
Many of the servants knelt with the Fist and began to follow along with him in the Prayer of Protection. Worried for him, I knelt and began to pray with the others.
"Oh merciful Solios, we beg for your protection. We need your warmth. We need your love. Please grant us safety from tragedy. Shelter us from your wife's embrace. We…"
The boy stopped shaking. He lay still. For a moment, I thought our prayer had worked, but then the priest placed two of his fingers to the boy's neck and bowed his head. He began the Prayer of Death.
For a moment, I couldn't comprehend it. I had never seen someone die before. He looked only like he was sleeping. He looked peaceful.
I felt tears begin to fall down my face. He couldn't be dead. I had spoken to him earlier today. He had been so excited about our detour through the forest. He had been so full of joy and energy. I had been annoyed at how rambunctious he could be, but all I wanted now was for him to return to the way he had been.
I wiped my face with my sleeve, and I once I lowered it, I noticed everyone staring at me. At first, I was confused. Why would everyone be looking at me? With horror, I looked down and saw a smoky green line snaking from me to the boy. I felt this thread of power connecting him to me. I felt it enter his lower back and branch off into each of his limbs and his head. I felt it branch again, entering his fingers, toes, eyes and tongue.
Then he stood up. I had him look to the right. I had him wiggle his fingers and toes. I had him open his mouth.
Then the Fist jumped to his feet. "Witch," he whispered.
Suddenly, I felt the ribbon of power connecting me and the servant snap and the corpse fell to the ground. The servants all backed away, and I stood up. Fear seized ahold of me. I had revealed myself.
The priest spoke louder this time, and he pointed at me. "I sentence to you death, demon." His other hand jerked down to the hilt of his sword.
My father stepped in front of me, in between me and the Fist. Then he spoke. "Hold on a minute. Let's not rush to conclusions. My daughter is very devout. For all we know, this could be some kind of Miracle, a blessing from Solios, from your prayer. She's a good girl. She's not a demon!"
The Fist drew his blade. "That was no miracle. Miracles do not make corpses walk. That was Necromancy, and the spell clearly originated from her. Step aside, my Lord. I do not wish to harm you."
Father stood there for a moment; his hands were shaking. "Listen. As your Lord, I order you to stand down. We will sort this out, but there is no need for violence."
The Fist responded, "No Lord can order a Witch spared. I understand, my Lord. You thought her your child, but I will only ask once more. Stand aside; you know what must be done."
The Fist stepped closer, and Father pushed me back, his voice filled with desperation, he shouted, "Yes… yes. I know what must be done… Gerald, Friedrich, kill this Fist and I will pay you your weight in silver!"
The Fist stopped for a moment, stunned by my Father, the Lord Daan Interitum of Siad's, heresy. Gerald, however, did not hesitate. He rushed forward and swung his club at the Fist's head, but the priest swiftly stepped out of the way of the blow.
Friedrich, unlike his partner, stood in place, frozen by indecision. "Friedrich, if you let this man kill my daughter I will personally see to making your life a living hell! KILL HIM! NOW!" my father screamed.
I couldn't take it anymore. No one should die because of me, and if my father kept on like this he would be burning beside me. I reached deep inside myself, almost without thinking, and spoke. "Stop."
Gerald, my Father and Friedrich all froze. The Fist did not. His blade blurred though the air and a moment later Gerald's head flew away and his headless body and toppled to the ground.
"No..." I dropped to my knees. Tears began to well up in my eyes. I looked up at the priest angrily approaching, and I begged, "Kill me if you must, but please don't hurt anyone else."
"I will kill all who stand against the Gods, Necromancer." He spat at me and raised his blade.
Then there was a blur of motion behind him and suddenly the Fist was forced to the ground, tackled by my father. My father and the Fist rolled around for a moment until I heard a strange gasp and gurgle. Suddenly, there was a burst of light, a rush of wind and I was pushed against the ground.
A moment later, it was quiet and dark again. I stood up. My father was on the ground, a dozen feet away, breathing I could see, but not moving. The Fist stood where he had been tackled. There was a dagger in his side, blood slowly soaking his gray robes. He stumbled toward me. "Come, demon. Come and this will all be over," he raised his sword with one hand, the other holding his side just above the dagger.
I turned and ran from him. I only made it a few strides before my feet hit something. I fell to the ground, my breath was forced out of me, and I came face to face with Gerald's severed head. I let out a little breathless squeak and crawled backwards.
At the same time, without even thinking, as I took a deep breath, I sent my thread into his corpse. The thread flowed through his whole body splitting at each limb and digit. It moved up through his neck, and the thread slithered across the ground like a snake. It entered the severed head and pulled it back onto his body, while at the same time, he stood.
It all took less than a second, and the Fist was there a moment later. I am ashamed to admit my first thought was to make Gerald kill the Fist. Responding to my desire, Gerald, moving faster than he ever did in life, smacked the Fist across the head with his club.
The Fist fell to the ground. At first, I thought him dead, but I rushed over and saw he was still breathing. His whole right side was soaked in blood, and I knew that if he wasn't dead yet, he would be dead soon.
I knelt over him. It was all wrong. He had murdered Gerald and tried to murder me, but I was sad for him all the same. All life is precious; all life deserves to continue on. That was the teaching of Solios.
I looked down at him. His breathing was ragged. His blood was pooling around him and soaking into my riding pants. I had to help him. This curse I had, this magic, I had to use it for good, before his brothers burned me at the stake. I had to heal him. I couldn't be responsible for another death.
I took a deep breath and focused. I pulled from deep within me, and my magic heeded my call. At first it came out like before, a thread meant to control, but that wasn't what I needed. I stripped away the death and coldness from the thread. I replaced it with warmth and light, pulled from my determination to keep him alive. I looped the thread into a circle.
I opened my eyes and looked down at my hand. A glowing, yellow circle hovered an inch above my palm. I knew it would heal wounds, just the way I knew the thread controlled corpses. I had to pull the knife out, but once I did he would start bleeding even more. I had to be quick.
I grabbed the knife, took another deep breath and pulled it out. In the same motion, I used my other hand to push the circle of light into his wound.
The next thing I knew, I was lying in the grass, looking up at the sky. I sat up. My body felt sore and my hand... Oh Gods! My hand felt like it was on fire! I held it up and saw my right hand was bright red and covered in blisters.
I focused, stripping the death and cold away from my magic and pushing it into a circle through my non-burnt left hand. It was much harder with the pain distracting me and it took me a few minutes to get it right. I placed the circle on my injured hand and watched the wound decrease in size. The pain slowly faded. After a moment, the glowing circle dissipated. The mass of burnt flesh and blisters now looked more like a sunburn.
I looked around the campsite, and I realized it was day now. Three of the wagons remained and only two of the twelve horses were still here. Besides myself, the campsite was empty except for three people lying on the ground.
No! The Fist! I looked and found him lying in the same spot. I ran over, but it was too late. He wasn't breathing, and his blood had hardened into a brown crust. It was all over. I had forgotten that the Fist were immune to magic. Apparently, that included magic meant to help them.
I backed up, and looked around me. Gerald's headless corpse lay next to the Fist. A dozen feet away, lay my father. "No, no no nonononono… NO!" I yelled as I rushed to his side. My yelling achieved nothing. It was clear; he was dead. His body was off-color and bloated just like the Fist.
I grabbed ahold of his corpse. No. The Fist may be immune to my magic, but Father wasn't. This magic, this curse, it was responsible for my father's death, but I would use it to bring him back. I reached deeper inside my soul than I ever had before.
I wrapped myself in the dark, cold energy that lay in my core. I soaked in it, and felt it spill out of me, crackling with power. I flooded it into my father's corpse. It wasn't a thread; it was tide. The cold smoke rushed into him, and I willed it to bring him back to me.
I felt the magic harden his skin. I felt his flesh freeze, and I felt him begin to float off the ground, but it did not make him breathe, and it did not make him move. It did not bring him back. I pushed more and more of my power into him. I felt him fill with it and overflow, frost spreading across the ground around him, but still he did not stir.
I felt him. I felt him the same way I felt all the other corpses that my thread had entered. He wasn't alive. He was a puppet. I couldn't bring him back. Instead, I had him sit up, and I wrapped his arms around me. I had him hold me like when I was a child. I had him cradle me, and I wept.
It was hours before the spell wore off and his corpse tumbled down to the ground.
Cast Spells or Pray (Pick Up To Two Options):
[] Cast Undead Puppet
-[] On Gerald.
-[] On the Fist.
-[] On both.
[] Cast Healing Circle on your hand again. It still hurts a little.
[] Attempt to create a new spell.
-[]Write in
[] Pray
-[] Pray to Solios.
-[] Pray to Lellissa.
[] Cast no spells.
[]You kneel to pray, but you are struck by a strange sensation.
Father (Pick One Option):
[] Dig him a grave
-[] With a puppet.
-[] Yourself.
[] Bring him with you. You might not be able to resurrect him right now, but you will find a way.
-[]Have a puppet carry him.
-[]Cast Undead Puppet on Father and have him follow you.
-[]Drag him yourself.
[] Leave it. That's not your father. Your father is gone. That is just a corpse. Just a puppet.
[]Write In
Run (Pick One Option):
[] Run East, towards the small town of Calder, where the Fist came from. It is close by.
[] Run West, back towards Saldia, the city you came from. It's far and the Fist of Gods have a temple there, but you have to go home.Even if it's just to die
[] Run into the forest. You've heard tales of the magical beasts that live in it, but you have magic too.
-[] Run North, towards the mountains.
-[] Run South, deeper into the forest.
[] Stay here and
-[] Write in
1d100 - 99+10=109 - Spell Control for Undead Puppet (Critical Success)
1d100 - 99-15=84 - Spell Control for Healing Spell Creation
1d4 - 1 - Puppet vs. Resurrection
Chapter 1: Your Secret is Revealed
I could feel my own fear balling up inside my stomach. I could hear the pounding of my heart fade into a roar that blocked out all sound. A voice screamed, 'HE KNOWS HE KNOWS HE KNOWS,' in my mind. Worst of all, I could feel a stirring in the energy locked away in the deepest, darkest part of my soul.
However, that fear was on the inside. This was not the first time I had met a Fist of the Duplex, and I knew my life depended on hiding my fear, and more importantly, keeping that energy deep inside where it belonged. On the outside, I let a small smile rest on my face. My posture was loose and relaxed. I closed my hand into a fist and placed it in the center of my chest in the traditional greeting for a Fist.
He stood right in front of me. He was younger than any other Fist I had ever seen. He was likely not much older than me. He was dressed in a dark grey shirt and pants that were loose on him. He had a sun painted on his chest instead of the usual moon, marking him of the Selio order, which explained why he was traveling alone. Most Fist traveled in groups of three.
"May the Gods bless your hunt, Fist Adalgar," I said.
"Thank you, my lady. Actually, I am returning from a hunt. It was indeed blessed. The Witch was swiftly destroyed, and thankfully, no one was harmed in the process," the grey robed Fist responded.
Father dropped his fist from his chest and said, "That's wonderful to hear. Come, join me and my daughter at our fire. It is unwise to walk through the Unbekannt alone, even for a Fist. We have chicken soup and bread. The bread's a little bit tough, but the soup is delicious. It was just prepared by my wonderful cook, Ebbe." He gestured to one of the dozen servants in the campsite. Ebbe was standing by the large campfire and a cauldron full of soup.
"Thank you. I would love to join you. I must admit, I am quite hungry," the Fist replied.
Father pointed to another servant and said, "Boy, fetch the Fist a chair."
The servant quickly walked to one of the wagons. He pulled a rosewood chair and some deep red cushions from the wagon and set them beside Father's identical chair. The servant swayed a bit as he placed the chair. Father frowned at him as he unsteadily backed away. Father sat first, then the Fist, and finally, me.
Ebbe brought a tray with a steaming bowl of soup and large slice of dark bread and placed it on my father's lap, then he did the same for the Fist and myself. Father was about to eat a spoonfull of his soup, the Fist waiting to begin until Father had taken the first bite, as tradition dictated, when I heard shouting coming from behind me. I turned to look, and I saw all the servants gathered in a circle.
The two guards we had brought with us, Gerald and Friedrich, rushed over to the circle to see what had happened. Father, the Fist and I all stood up. I set my tray in my chair and ran over to see what had upset the servants. There was a boy on the ground. He was writhing on the floor, his eyes were pure white and foam was coming out of his mouth.
The Fist was across from me. He knelt by the boy and said, "A demon is attempting to possess him. Pray with me."
Many of the servants knelt with the Fist and began to follow along with him in the Prayer of Protection. Worried for him, I knelt and began to pray with the others.
"Oh merciful Solios, we beg for your protection. We need your warmth. We need your love. Please grant us safety from tragedy. Shelter us from your wife's embrace. We…"
The boy stopped shaking. He lay still. For a moment, I thought our prayer had worked, but then the priest placed two of his fingers to the boy's neck and bowed his head. He began the Prayer of Death.
For a moment, I couldn't comprehend it. I had never seen someone die before. He looked only like he was sleeping. He looked peaceful.
I felt tears begin to fall down my face. He couldn't be dead. I had spoken to him earlier today. He had been so excited about our detour through the forest. He had been so full of joy and energy. I had been annoyed at how rambunctious he could be, but all I wanted now was for him to return to the way he had been.
I wiped my face with my sleeve, and I once I lowered it, I noticed everyone staring at me. At first, I was confused. Why would everyone be looking at me? With horror, I looked down and saw a smoky green line snaking from me to the boy. I felt this thread of power connecting him to me. I felt it enter his lower back and branch off into each of his limbs and his head. I felt it branch again, entering his fingers, toes, eyes and tongue.
Then he stood up. I had him look to the right. I had him wiggle his fingers and toes. I had him open his mouth.
Then the Fist jumped to his feet. "Witch," he whispered.
Suddenly, I felt the ribbon of power connecting me and the servant snap and the corpse fell to the ground. The servants all backed away, and I stood up. Fear seized ahold of me. I had revealed myself.
The priest spoke louder this time, and he pointed at me. "I sentence to you death, demon." His other hand jerked down to the hilt of his sword.
My father stepped in front of me, in between me and the Fist. Then he spoke. "Hold on a minute. Let's not rush to conclusions. My daughter is very devout. For all we know, this could be some kind of Miracle, a blessing from Solios, from your prayer. She's a good girl. She's not a demon!"
The Fist drew his blade. "That was no miracle. Miracles do not make corpses walk. That was Necromancy, and the spell clearly originated from her. Step aside, my Lord. I do not wish to harm you."
Father stood there for a moment; his hands were shaking. "Listen. As your Lord, I order you to stand down. We will sort this out, but there is no need for violence."
The Fist responded, "No Lord can order a Witch spared. I understand, my Lord. You thought her your child, but I will only ask once more. Stand aside; you know what must be done."
The Fist stepped closer, and Father pushed me back, his voice filled with desperation, he shouted, "Yes… yes. I know what must be done… Gerald, Friedrich, kill this Fist and I will pay you your weight in silver!"
The Fist stopped for a moment, stunned by my Father, the Lord Daan Interitum of Siad's, heresy. Gerald, however, did not hesitate. He rushed forward and swung his club at the Fist's head, but the priest swiftly stepped out of the way of the blow.
Friedrich, unlike his partner, stood in place, frozen by indecision. "Friedrich, if you let this man kill my daughter I will personally see to making your life a living hell! KILL HIM! NOW!" my father screamed.
I couldn't take it anymore. No one should die because of me, and if my father kept on like this he would be burning beside me. I reached deep inside myself, almost without thinking, and spoke. "Stop."
Gerald, my Father and Friedrich all froze. The Fist did not. His blade blurred though the air and a moment later Gerald's head flew away and his headless body and toppled to the ground.
"No..." I dropped to my knees. Tears began to well up in my eyes. I looked up at the priest angrily approaching, and I begged, "Kill me if you must, but please don't hurt anyone else."
"I will kill all who stand against the Gods, Necromancer." He spat at me and raised his blade.
Then there was a blur of motion behind him and suddenly the Fist was forced to the ground, tackled by my father. My father and the Fist rolled around for a moment until I heard a strange gasp and gurgle. Suddenly, there was a burst of light, a rush of wind and I was pushed against the ground.
A moment later, it was quiet and dark again. I stood up. My father was on the ground, a dozen feet away, breathing I could see, but not moving. The Fist stood where he had been tackled. There was a dagger in his side, blood slowly soaking his gray robes. He stumbled toward me. "Come, demon. Come and this will all be over," he raised his sword with one hand, the other holding his side just above the dagger.
I turned and ran from him. I only made it a few strides before my feet hit something. I fell to the ground, my breath was forced out of me, and I came face to face with Gerald's severed head. I let out a little breathless squeak and crawled backwards.
At the same time, without even thinking, as I took a deep breath, I sent my thread into his corpse. The thread flowed through his whole body splitting at each limb and digit. It moved up through his neck, and the thread slithered across the ground like a snake. It entered the severed head and pulled it back onto his body, while at the same time, he stood.
It all took less than a second, and the Fist was there a moment later. I am ashamed to admit my first thought was to make Gerald kill the Fist. Responding to my desire, Gerald, moving faster than he ever did in life, smacked the Fist across the head with his club.
The Fist fell to the ground. At first, I thought him dead, but I rushed over and saw he was still breathing. His whole right side was soaked in blood, and I knew that if he wasn't dead yet, he would be dead soon.
I knelt over him. It was all wrong. He had murdered Gerald and tried to murder me, but I was sad for him all the same. All life is precious; all life deserves to continue on. That was the teaching of Solios.
I looked down at him. His breathing was ragged. His blood was pooling around him and soaking into my riding pants. I had to help him. This curse I had, this magic, I had to use it for good, before his brothers burned me at the stake. I had to heal him. I couldn't be responsible for another death.
I took a deep breath and focused. I pulled from deep within me, and my magic heeded my call. At first it came out like before, a thread meant to control, but that wasn't what I needed. I stripped away the death and coldness from the thread. I replaced it with warmth and light, pulled from my determination to keep him alive. I looped the thread into a circle.
I opened my eyes and looked down at my hand. A glowing, yellow circle hovered an inch above my palm. I knew it would heal wounds, just the way I knew the thread controlled corpses. I had to pull the knife out, but once I did he would start bleeding even more. I had to be quick.
I grabbed the knife, took another deep breath and pulled it out. In the same motion, I used my other hand to push the circle of light into his wound.
XXX
The next thing I knew, I was lying in the grass, looking up at the sky. I sat up. My body felt sore and my hand... Oh Gods! My hand felt like it was on fire! I held it up and saw my right hand was bright red and covered in blisters.
I focused, stripping the death and cold away from my magic and pushing it into a circle through my non-burnt left hand. It was much harder with the pain distracting me and it took me a few minutes to get it right. I placed the circle on my injured hand and watched the wound decrease in size. The pain slowly faded. After a moment, the glowing circle dissipated. The mass of burnt flesh and blisters now looked more like a sunburn.
I looked around the campsite, and I realized it was day now. Three of the wagons remained and only two of the twelve horses were still here. Besides myself, the campsite was empty except for three people lying on the ground.
No! The Fist! I looked and found him lying in the same spot. I ran over, but it was too late. He wasn't breathing, and his blood had hardened into a brown crust. It was all over. I had forgotten that the Fist were immune to magic. Apparently, that included magic meant to help them.
I backed up, and looked around me. Gerald's headless corpse lay next to the Fist. A dozen feet away, lay my father. "No, no no nonononono… NO!" I yelled as I rushed to his side. My yelling achieved nothing. It was clear; he was dead. His body was off-color and bloated just like the Fist.
I grabbed ahold of his corpse. No. The Fist may be immune to my magic, but Father wasn't. This magic, this curse, it was responsible for my father's death, but I would use it to bring him back. I reached deeper inside my soul than I ever had before.
I wrapped myself in the dark, cold energy that lay in my core. I soaked in it, and felt it spill out of me, crackling with power. I flooded it into my father's corpse. It wasn't a thread; it was tide. The cold smoke rushed into him, and I willed it to bring him back to me.
I felt the magic harden his skin. I felt his flesh freeze, and I felt him begin to float off the ground, but it did not make him breathe, and it did not make him move. It did not bring him back. I pushed more and more of my power into him. I felt him fill with it and overflow, frost spreading across the ground around him, but still he did not stir.
I felt him. I felt him the same way I felt all the other corpses that my thread had entered. He wasn't alive. He was a puppet. I couldn't bring him back. Instead, I had him sit up, and I wrapped his arms around me. I had him hold me like when I was a child. I had him cradle me, and I wept.
It was hours before the spell wore off and his corpse tumbled down to the ground.
XXX
Cast Spells or Pray (Pick Up To Two Options):
[] Cast Undead Puppet
-[] On Gerald.
-[] On the Fist.
-[] On both.
[] Cast Healing Circle on your hand again. It still hurts a little.
[] Attempt to create a new spell.
-[]Write in
[] Pray
-[] Pray to Solios.
-[] Pray to Lellissa.
[] Cast no spells.
[]You kneel to pray, but you are struck by a strange sensation.
Father (Pick One Option):
[] Dig him a grave
-[] With a puppet.
-[] Yourself.
[] Bring him with you. You might not be able to resurrect him right now, but you will find a way.
-[]Have a puppet carry him.
-[]Cast Undead Puppet on Father and have him follow you.
-[]Drag him yourself.
[] Leave it. That's not your father. Your father is gone. That is just a corpse. Just a puppet.
[]Write In
Run (Pick One Option):
[] Run East, towards the small town of Calder, where the Fist came from. It is close by.
[] Run West, back towards Saldia, the city you came from. It's far and the Fist of Gods have a temple there, but you have to go home.Even if it's just to die
[] Run into the forest. You've heard tales of the magical beasts that live in it, but you have magic too.
-[] Run North, towards the mountains.
-[] Run South, deeper into the forest.
[] Stay here and
-[] Write in
Last edited:
Chapter 2: Into The Wild
theimpetus
Fist of the Duplex
- Location
- The Unbekannt
A/N: So… I may be a little later than I said. I was going to update on time, I swear. I was on my way to my computer to post the chapter, when a black cat crossed my path and I was forced to take a very circuitous route. I suspect Witchcraft to be involved.
I may also have been rereading Bungle in the Jungle by Jbern lately and realized half way through my writing session that I wrote the chapter in 2nd person. Nothing like tediously slogging through a chapter and changing pronouns to kill inspiration.
EDIT: The character and world building sheets have been updated. Beware of spoilers.
Chapter 2: Into the Wild
I awoke from a vivid and strange dream, but it slowly slipped through my mind like sand through my fingers.
I sat up, confused for a moment. Where was my bed? Why was I outside? Then my memory returned to me, and my stomach clenched into a painful knot. I turned to look at my Father's corpse beside me.
I remembered. I killed him. I killed him, Gerald and the Fist. I broke my vow of pacifism to Solios. I might not have struck the blow, but I was careless with my magic, in front of a Fist, no less. There was no other outcome that could be expected, someone had to die. It should have been me.
Except, my wonderful Father, the kind and foolish man, had tried to save me. It was heresy, but he loved me more than the Gods it seemed. I scooted over to his body and placed my hand on his cheek. His skin was cold and hard. It seemed the spell I cast last night had frozen him in some way.
He had saved me, putting his own soul at peril. I would have to do the same. According to the priests of Lellissa, Necromancy was an ultimate sin. Death was Lellissa's domain, and mortals were not to meddle with it. Some part of me had expected Her to strike me down when I had animated the boy and Gerald's corpses. She hadn't though.
Perhaps using a corpse didn't violate her teachings. I wasn't truly reversing death when I did it. However, resurrecting my Father was clearly disregarding the Commandments. It would damn me to hell for all eternity, and when I succeeded, my Father would be seen as a monster by the Duplex. We would both be damned, but did that really change anything?
Father had committed heresy and I was a demon according to the teachings of the Duplex. I had always doubtful of that. I didn't feel like a demon. I was dutiful in my religious duties. I revered the Gods. Surely no demon would worship their mortal enemies, right?
Demon or no, damned or not, nothing changed. I would bring him back. I might not be able right now, but I would find a way. I would travel to hell myself and wrench his soul from its torture if necessary. I rested my hands on his chest. "I swear it by my soul, by my life, by… by my magic. I will bring you back, Father." As I made my oath, I felt a stirring in deep within my soul.
In the meantime, however, I had to stay alive. That meant I had to run. The camp was empty of the living. My servants had fled, and they would doubtlessly report my use of magic to a priest. Soon, the Fist would hunt me down. In the stories, only the most powerful and dangerous Witches managed to evade the Fist. Only the monstrous ones survived to terrorize the world.
I would never kill someone. Have I not already? I would never kill someone intentionally, but beyond that, I would do whatever it took. I would run, and become strong. I would survive the Fist. I had to if I wanted to save Father.
I felt terrible. My stomach was twisted with anxiety and guilt. I was exhausted. It was still day; I likely hadn't slept long. I felt terrible, but I had to carry on. I had a purpose, a goal. No matter how awful I felt, I had to keep moving. I had leave. For all I knew, the local priest had rounded up a mob and was headed this way to kill me right now. That was unlikely, but possible, and the faster I got out of this camp, the better.
I moved to stand using my right hand to push myself up, but as soon as I pressed it against the ground, a flash of pain caused me to quickly retract it.
Oh. I examined the red mark on my hand. I had forgotten about that. I decided to try the healing spell I had created the night before. Perhaps a second application would completely remove the wound.
I closed my eyes, and concentrated as hard as I could. I reached deep within myself… well actually, not so deep. That cold, dark energy seemed to be swirling closer to the surface than it ever had before.
I decided to ignore that. It didn't matter, it just made things easier. I drew the energy out in its natural thread form and began to strip away the cold, green smokiness. I twisted it until it warmed up and began glowing with a soft, pale light. Then I looped the end of the thread into a circle.
I opened my eyes and looked at the glowing circle of energy floating above my left palm. I could have sworn it was a bright yellow color last night, but it was a pale off-white now. Perhaps it just looked different in the daylight? I pushed my palms closer together, pressing my burned right hand into the circle of light. It felt oddly cold, hadn't I tried to make it warm? I held my palm to light for several moments before the circle snapped open into a thread and retreated into my palm.
I examined the burn. It was a little lighter red, right? It stung a bit less, at least. Well, perhaps there was a limit to how much a wound could be healed, or perhaps the healing spell was only effective on major wounds. Perhaps I had just failed at the spell. Either way, I didn't have time to keep fiddling with it. I could try again later. I'd just have to bear with it for the time being. I'd use my left hand more. The Gods gave me two for a reason.
I used my left hand to push myself up and stood. I walked towards the center of the camp, trying to ignore the dead. As was customary, the camp had been set up around one of the many shrines that all roads were littered with. This one was a shrine to both Gods.
I… I felt ashamed. I had done something wrong. Even if magic wasn't a sin, I had killed three people.
I had always found solace in prayer. It was comforting, knowing that something greater than myself was listening. Maybe the Gods had forsaken me. Maybe I had forsaken them by deciding to bring my Father back, but when I was little a priest of Solios had told me something that had always stuck with me. 'We are small, foolish and fallible creatures, but the Gods know this. They made us that way. Ask for Solios' forgiveness. He is more understanding than some would lead you to believe.'
Of course, it was Lellissa I should probably be asking forgiveness from, but I had always felt much closer to Solios. I walked to the shrine. It was an odd one. Instead of two separate altars, there was only one. It was simple, even for a road shrine, just a stone slab. The right half had a variety of flowers growing around it and the left had gravel around it to prevent growth (with limited success) and animal skulls, likely sacrifices to Lellissa.
Their names had been roughly carved into their respective halves. I knelt in the middle. I was having trouble deciding which I would pray to. Perhaps both since they shared an altar here? That seemed a little edgy, especially since I was going to be asking for forgiveness. I was leaning towards asking Lellissa for forgiveness and guidance, when I felt something strange.
A tingle worked its way up my spine to the top of my head. I let out a gasp of surprise. In the center of the altar, between and slightly higher than the Gods' names, was a word. It seemed much more worn than the names, almost illegible. It was carved in some strange version of the classical runic style that made it even harder to make out. Hillan, Hieean? A sudden gust of wind blew my hair into my face, obscuring my vision. When it died down the word was gone.
My mouth opened in shock. What? How? I stood and looked around the clearing. It was still empty. Was this some kind of sign? What did it mean? The knot in my gut tightened. To carve a word above the names of the Gods? Heresy. The fact it had only been visible for a moment? That was magic or miracle, and there were no priests present.
I needed to leave. I could pray later. Suddenly, the strangeness of the single altar seemed more than odd. Something was wrong here. I quickly began walking towards the wagons. I needed supplies before leaving.
There were only three wagons left in camp. The servants had likely taken the other four. One was full of my Father's books, another was packed with miscellaneous goods, and the last was my wagon. I suppose no one wanted to take something a Witch slept in.
Taking the books was tempting. They'd be heavy, and require care to keep them dry and insect free, but my Father had loved to read and he had passed that passion on to me. It would be nice to have something of Father's, and some entertainment. I entered the book wagon.
Books (Select One Option)
[] [Book] Take a copy of the Commandments. You know them by heart, but reading the word of the Gods has always comforted you, and you need it now more than ever.
[] [Book] Take a copy of The Wilderness Volume XIII: The Unbekannt, a book about the forest you're in. Knowing more about the forest could help you protect yourself, should you run into trouble.
[] [Book] Take a copy of Demonic Protection, a book about how to defend oneself from demons and Witches. The stories say the wilderness is full of both. This could be useful.
[] [Book] As much as you'd love to, a book would be too heavy and take up too much space in your pack. Leave them behind.
The book wagon also had some maps in it. I grabbed one of the Southeastern corner of Auda. I set it on the floor and opened it up. Saldia, home, was west, but the Fist were as well, and traveling that direction would be dangerous. East was the town of Calder, where we had been heading, and it was close, but it was possible some of the servants who knew I was a Witch had gone there for that very reason.
North and south both took me into the wilderness. There were dangerous creatures in there. Demons and other Witches too if the stories were to be believed. North took me to the mountains, but there were towns up there too, and right now I wanted get away from civilization. I decided to head south, deeper into the Unbekannt. I folded up the map and wrapped it in leather to keep it dry.
I moved on to my wagon. I quickly changed into another pair of riding leathers that didn't have blood all over them. Then I packed my mirror, comb, pillow and a few changes of clothes. As much as I wanted to bring some of the new dresses my tailor had make for this pilgrimage to the Shimmering Lake, I packed practical clothes instead, pants, blouses, cloaks and boots.
I debated for a moment about whether or not to bring my mask for the Lunarian festival that was coming up in a few months. It was a simple one, ivory with curling silver vines around the edges. I decided it might be useful if I needed to hide my identity and for the festival of course, so I took it. I also grabbed my change purse, some jewelry and my waterskin. Then I rolled up my bedroll and attached it to my bag.
Lastly, I moved the third wagon, which was mostly full of tents, and set my bag down. (It was getting heavy). The wagon had some food and wine, as well as a small pot which I grabbed. I wasn't hungry, but I forced myself to eat. I needed the nourishment.
After leaving the last wagon I picked up my bag and slung it onto my back. It was extremely heavy now. I had never had to carry something this heavy before in my life, but I didn't have servants to do it for me anymore, and I needed all of it.
Finally, I walked over to Father. He was the last thing I needed. If I was going to bring him back, I needed his corpse. I let my thread loose and directed it to his body. I felt it enter him and split into each of his limbs. I had him stand. A thought occurred to me. I could have him carry my pack…
Pack (Select One Option)
[] [Pack] Have Father carry it. His body is basically just an extension of you. Technically, you're still the one carrying it, it just won't tire you.
[] [Pack] No. That thought was wrong. You're bringing him with you to resurrect him, not as a pack mule. You'll carry it yourself.
I turned towards the back of the campsite. There was what looked like a trail leading south, into the forest. Huh, I hadn't noticed it before. A trail would be easier than just blindly walking through the forest. Before I entered the woods, I turned to take one last look at the campsite.
Gerald and the Fist were still lying on the ground. I considered using my thread on them, and bringing them with me, but no… I had used the spell on the boy accidentally. I had used it on Gerald to save my life. I was bringing Father with me so I could save him, but I wouldn't use corpses arbitrarily. I wouldn't cast Undead Puppet it unless I had to. Besides, either the priest from Calder or the Fist would come to get their bodies. Gerald would likely be burned on holy ground and the Fist would be taken back to Saldia to be laid to rest in a Lunarian temple.
I turned away from the road and headed into The Unbekannt with Father beside me.
It was unnerving. I could feel the change in atmosphere. It was like a pressure or moisture in the air. I could feel it inside as well. My magic seemed to thrum right beneath the surface. Maybe I shouldn't have come this way. I had never been in the wilderness before. This was not the Gods' realm. I had thought that was a good thing; I was not the Gods' creature, but maybe…
No. No, I had to come this way. There wasn't another option. My servants had definitely headed east and/or west. That meant it was either north or south for me, and both led into the wilderness.
It didn't help that I was tired. The strange noises, and the oppressive feel were the only things keeping me moving. I hadn't exerted myself this much in Gods know how long, maybe ever. My whole body was covered in sweat; my blouse was practically soaked.
Father remained cold, and occasionally I rested in his arms before moving on again. The trees blocked Solios from sight, so I had no idea how much time had passed, but it had to have been hours. It was definitely getting darker, slowly.
Then it started raining. It was just a light sprinkle. At first, that made me nervous. Gray clouds were a bad omen out here, on the edge of civilization. They blocked Solios and Lellissa from view. The trees already did that, though, so what was the difference? I was already soaked in sweat, so what was a little rain? It kept me cooler, so it wasn't all bad.
The path wasn't even really dirt, just grass pushed down. Sometimes, if I didn't pay attention, I'd find myself wandering off it, and I'd have to back track until I found it again. I was kind of afraid that eventually I wouldn't be able to find my way back.
I needed to keep my mind off the forest, but every time I started thinking about something else, my mind drifted to the events of last night and this morning. That was worse.
"I was really looking forward to seeing the Shimmering Lake," I whispered to Father. "Once I bring you back, maybe we can finish our pilgrimage. Or maybe I should start heading that way now. I could bypass Calder through the forest and find my way back to the road, head west."
I looked at Father, and subconsciously had him turn his head to look back at me. "What would you say? 'That is too dangerous, Clausa,' or, 'That is a good idea. Shouldn't stray too far from civilization.'
"I kind of want to wait until you're back, so we can see it together, but the Lake is a long way away. Perhaps I'll have this figured out by the time we get there."
Father, of course, remained silent.
XXX
Eventually, the light shower rapidly developed into a storm. The pitter patter of droplets became a ferocious roar. Thunder boomed across the heavens. The grey clouds darkened, blocking Solios's light. Lightning occasionally lit the darkened forest for a moment before fading. The tree Father and I had taken shelter under was better than nothing, but we were still getting wet. I considered heading back to camp to take shelter in one of the wagons and maybe grab one of those tents, when I noticed movement out of the corner of my eye.
I turned and flinched in surprise at seeing the outline of a huge man standing only a few feet from me. He was hard to make out in the darkness of the storm, but a flash of lightning gave me a quick glimpse of him. He was terrifying.
He stood at least seven feet in height, taller than any man I had seen. His body was thick with inhuman amounts of muscle. He wore dark, practical clothes, a green wool vest that covered little of the scar riddled, bulging muscle and deep brown pants and cloak. His face was nearly covered by messy, black hair and an equally dark, curly beard. The little skin that wasn't hidden behind his bushy hair bore intense scarring, and his nose was bent at a strange angle suggesting it had healed that way after being broken.
I quickly backed away from him, bumping into Father, but the man didn't even seem to acknowledge my existence. His dark eyes were fixated on the storm.
"Who are you? Where did you come from?" I asked him, shouting over the roaring rain and wind.
He was silent for a long moment, just staring into the storm, but then he spoke softly in a deep voice that, strangely, I could hear quite clearly over the noise of the storm. "The city folk and the farmers tell stories of the days of old, when men first came to Auda. I'm sure you've heard them. They say that Hell would nurse awesome storms and hurl them up at Auda, trying to finish off humanity. These storms hid Solios and Lellissa from you, allowing monsters to leave the wilderness and enter civilization. They say the winds were enough to lift houses from the ground. They say that it rained not just droplets of water, but chunks of ice big enough to kill a grown man.
"The frontiersmen tell it differently. They say that when man came to Auda, it was one great storm. They say that only through their hard work that the storm was pushed back. They say that one day, when humanity has become weak and complacent, the storm will return and wipe away all you have built."
He turned his head away from the storm and looked straight into my eyes. "Both are correct." Then he vanished into thin air.
I ignored the rain as Father and I ran as fast as we could without falling.
It was huge. In fact, it stood so tall above all the surrounding trees that I wondered why I hadn't seen it from the road. It was certainly as tall as Castle Vita, my home in Saldia, but it was no castle. It was a tower like none I had ever seen before. It seemed impossibly thin. It looked like a strong breeze could knock it over.
A large, haphazard garden was out front, like a Solar temple, but Solios' colors were bright. This needle was black as onyx, with the gray clouds behind it. It curled in strange swirls and its edges were sharp like a blade. It all seemed strangely familiar, the chaotic garden, the unnatural shape of the thing. Which was strange, because I certainly had never seen anything like it before in my life.
Father and I walked along the winding muddy path that made its way through the garden, craning my neck to look up at the tower's unnatural beauty. I was paying so much attention to the tower, that I almost ran into a stone block. It was a big stone cube, taller than me. On top of it stood a featureless statue. It was a smooth outline of a person, missing any clothing or features. It's face lacked eyes, a nose and a mouth. It was just blank. Creepy. I continued on, feeling strangely calm.
Eventually, I reached the base of the tower. A black ramp curled around the base, leading to a large wooden door reinforced with iron. Above the door a familiar word had been painted in red. It was the same that I had seen carved into the altar. It was still in that odd style of classical runes. Unlike the worn carving, however, I could read it fairly easily.
He bowed low, and said, "Necromancer." The way he spoke the word was unlike anyone I had ever heard. He didn't say it with disgust, he said it with… respect? As if it weren't a curse, but a title?
He stood. His face betrayed no emotion and he spoke in a flat monotone. "You didn't heed my warning, Necromancer. I shall repeat myself, but this is the last time. Leave. Now. And do not return."
Then, like the giant in the storm, he vanished.
The Hidden (Select One Option):
[] [Hidden] What warning? You were given no warning. Enter the tower and find out what the hell is going on here.
[] [Hidden] Get the hell out of this place. Whatever is going on here is probably dangerous.
Hey guys. I have discovered the miracle of task tags. They make tallying the vote much less of a pain. They look like this "[] [Task Tag] Vote vote vote." Please be sure to include the tag in your vote to make the process run smoothly. Also, I'm kind of torn on having votes in the middle of the chapter. It seems like it breaks immersion, but makes for a more interactive experience. If you have any strong feelings one way or another, please let me know.
I may also have been rereading Bungle in the Jungle by Jbern lately and realized half way through my writing session that I wrote the chapter in 2nd person. Nothing like tediously slogging through a chapter and changing pronouns to kill inspiration.
EDIT: The character and world building sheets have been updated. Beware of spoilers.
Chapter 2: Into the Wild
Spells and Prayers:
[X] Cast Healing Circle on your hand again. It still hurts a little.
[X] You kneel to pray, but you are struck by a strange sensation.
Father:
[X] Bring him with you. You might not be able to resurrect him right now, but you will find a way.
-[X] Cast Undead Puppet on Father and have him follow you.
Run:
[X] Run into the forest. You've heard tales of the magical beasts that live in it, but you have magic too.
-[X] Run South, deeper into the forest.
[X] Cast Healing Circle on your hand again. It still hurts a little.
[X] You kneel to pray, but you are struck by a strange sensation.
Father:
[X] Bring him with you. You might not be able to resurrect him right now, but you will find a way.
-[X] Cast Undead Puppet on Father and have him follow you.
Run:
[X] Run into the forest. You've heard tales of the magical beasts that live in it, but you have magic too.
-[X] Run South, deeper into the forest.
1d2 – 2 – Remember Your Dream?
1d100 – 67-15=52 – Cast Healing Circle
1d100 – 11 – Gatekeeper
1d4 - 4 - Friend or Foe
1d100 – 67-15=52 – Cast Healing Circle
1d100 – 11 – Gatekeeper
1d4 - 4 - Friend or Foe
I awoke from a vivid and strange dream, but it slowly slipped through my mind like sand through my fingers.
I sat up, confused for a moment. Where was my bed? Why was I outside? Then my memory returned to me, and my stomach clenched into a painful knot. I turned to look at my Father's corpse beside me.
I remembered. I killed him. I killed him, Gerald and the Fist. I broke my vow of pacifism to Solios. I might not have struck the blow, but I was careless with my magic, in front of a Fist, no less. There was no other outcome that could be expected, someone had to die. It should have been me.
Except, my wonderful Father, the kind and foolish man, had tried to save me. It was heresy, but he loved me more than the Gods it seemed. I scooted over to his body and placed my hand on his cheek. His skin was cold and hard. It seemed the spell I cast last night had frozen him in some way.
He had saved me, putting his own soul at peril. I would have to do the same. According to the priests of Lellissa, Necromancy was an ultimate sin. Death was Lellissa's domain, and mortals were not to meddle with it. Some part of me had expected Her to strike me down when I had animated the boy and Gerald's corpses. She hadn't though.
Perhaps using a corpse didn't violate her teachings. I wasn't truly reversing death when I did it. However, resurrecting my Father was clearly disregarding the Commandments. It would damn me to hell for all eternity, and when I succeeded, my Father would be seen as a monster by the Duplex. We would both be damned, but did that really change anything?
Father had committed heresy and I was a demon according to the teachings of the Duplex. I had always doubtful of that. I didn't feel like a demon. I was dutiful in my religious duties. I revered the Gods. Surely no demon would worship their mortal enemies, right?
Demon or no, damned or not, nothing changed. I would bring him back. I might not be able right now, but I would find a way. I would travel to hell myself and wrench his soul from its torture if necessary. I rested my hands on his chest. "I swear it by my soul, by my life, by… by my magic. I will bring you back, Father." As I made my oath, I felt a stirring in deep within my soul.
In the meantime, however, I had to stay alive. That meant I had to run. The camp was empty of the living. My servants had fled, and they would doubtlessly report my use of magic to a priest. Soon, the Fist would hunt me down. In the stories, only the most powerful and dangerous Witches managed to evade the Fist. Only the monstrous ones survived to terrorize the world.
I would never kill someone. Have I not already? I would never kill someone intentionally, but beyond that, I would do whatever it took. I would run, and become strong. I would survive the Fist. I had to if I wanted to save Father.
I felt terrible. My stomach was twisted with anxiety and guilt. I was exhausted. It was still day; I likely hadn't slept long. I felt terrible, but I had to carry on. I had a purpose, a goal. No matter how awful I felt, I had to keep moving. I had leave. For all I knew, the local priest had rounded up a mob and was headed this way to kill me right now. That was unlikely, but possible, and the faster I got out of this camp, the better.
I moved to stand using my right hand to push myself up, but as soon as I pressed it against the ground, a flash of pain caused me to quickly retract it.
Oh. I examined the red mark on my hand. I had forgotten about that. I decided to try the healing spell I had created the night before. Perhaps a second application would completely remove the wound.
I closed my eyes, and concentrated as hard as I could. I reached deep within myself… well actually, not so deep. That cold, dark energy seemed to be swirling closer to the surface than it ever had before.
I decided to ignore that. It didn't matter, it just made things easier. I drew the energy out in its natural thread form and began to strip away the cold, green smokiness. I twisted it until it warmed up and began glowing with a soft, pale light. Then I looped the end of the thread into a circle.
I opened my eyes and looked at the glowing circle of energy floating above my left palm. I could have sworn it was a bright yellow color last night, but it was a pale off-white now. Perhaps it just looked different in the daylight? I pushed my palms closer together, pressing my burned right hand into the circle of light. It felt oddly cold, hadn't I tried to make it warm? I held my palm to light for several moments before the circle snapped open into a thread and retreated into my palm.
I examined the burn. It was a little lighter red, right? It stung a bit less, at least. Well, perhaps there was a limit to how much a wound could be healed, or perhaps the healing spell was only effective on major wounds. Perhaps I had just failed at the spell. Either way, I didn't have time to keep fiddling with it. I could try again later. I'd just have to bear with it for the time being. I'd use my left hand more. The Gods gave me two for a reason.
I used my left hand to push myself up and stood. I walked towards the center of the camp, trying to ignore the dead. As was customary, the camp had been set up around one of the many shrines that all roads were littered with. This one was a shrine to both Gods.
I… I felt ashamed. I had done something wrong. Even if magic wasn't a sin, I had killed three people.
I had always found solace in prayer. It was comforting, knowing that something greater than myself was listening. Maybe the Gods had forsaken me. Maybe I had forsaken them by deciding to bring my Father back, but when I was little a priest of Solios had told me something that had always stuck with me. 'We are small, foolish and fallible creatures, but the Gods know this. They made us that way. Ask for Solios' forgiveness. He is more understanding than some would lead you to believe.'
Of course, it was Lellissa I should probably be asking forgiveness from, but I had always felt much closer to Solios. I walked to the shrine. It was an odd one. Instead of two separate altars, there was only one. It was simple, even for a road shrine, just a stone slab. The right half had a variety of flowers growing around it and the left had gravel around it to prevent growth (with limited success) and animal skulls, likely sacrifices to Lellissa.
Their names had been roughly carved into their respective halves. I knelt in the middle. I was having trouble deciding which I would pray to. Perhaps both since they shared an altar here? That seemed a little edgy, especially since I was going to be asking for forgiveness. I was leaning towards asking Lellissa for forgiveness and guidance, when I felt something strange.
A tingle worked its way up my spine to the top of my head. I let out a gasp of surprise. In the center of the altar, between and slightly higher than the Gods' names, was a word. It seemed much more worn than the names, almost illegible. It was carved in some strange version of the classical runic style that made it even harder to make out. Hillan, Hieean? A sudden gust of wind blew my hair into my face, obscuring my vision. When it died down the word was gone.
My mouth opened in shock. What? How? I stood and looked around the clearing. It was still empty. Was this some kind of sign? What did it mean? The knot in my gut tightened. To carve a word above the names of the Gods? Heresy. The fact it had only been visible for a moment? That was magic or miracle, and there were no priests present.
I needed to leave. I could pray later. Suddenly, the strangeness of the single altar seemed more than odd. Something was wrong here. I quickly began walking towards the wagons. I needed supplies before leaving.
There were only three wagons left in camp. The servants had likely taken the other four. One was full of my Father's books, another was packed with miscellaneous goods, and the last was my wagon. I suppose no one wanted to take something a Witch slept in.
Taking the books was tempting. They'd be heavy, and require care to keep them dry and insect free, but my Father had loved to read and he had passed that passion on to me. It would be nice to have something of Father's, and some entertainment. I entered the book wagon.
Books (Select One Option)
[] [Book] Take a copy of the Commandments. You know them by heart, but reading the word of the Gods has always comforted you, and you need it now more than ever.
[] [Book] Take a copy of The Wilderness Volume XIII: The Unbekannt, a book about the forest you're in. Knowing more about the forest could help you protect yourself, should you run into trouble.
[] [Book] Take a copy of Demonic Protection, a book about how to defend oneself from demons and Witches. The stories say the wilderness is full of both. This could be useful.
[] [Book] As much as you'd love to, a book would be too heavy and take up too much space in your pack. Leave them behind.
The book wagon also had some maps in it. I grabbed one of the Southeastern corner of Auda. I set it on the floor and opened it up. Saldia, home, was west, but the Fist were as well, and traveling that direction would be dangerous. East was the town of Calder, where we had been heading, and it was close, but it was possible some of the servants who knew I was a Witch had gone there for that very reason.
North and south both took me into the wilderness. There were dangerous creatures in there. Demons and other Witches too if the stories were to be believed. North took me to the mountains, but there were towns up there too, and right now I wanted get away from civilization. I decided to head south, deeper into the Unbekannt. I folded up the map and wrapped it in leather to keep it dry.
I moved on to my wagon. I quickly changed into another pair of riding leathers that didn't have blood all over them. Then I packed my mirror, comb, pillow and a few changes of clothes. As much as I wanted to bring some of the new dresses my tailor had make for this pilgrimage to the Shimmering Lake, I packed practical clothes instead, pants, blouses, cloaks and boots.
I debated for a moment about whether or not to bring my mask for the Lunarian festival that was coming up in a few months. It was a simple one, ivory with curling silver vines around the edges. I decided it might be useful if I needed to hide my identity and for the festival of course, so I took it. I also grabbed my change purse, some jewelry and my waterskin. Then I rolled up my bedroll and attached it to my bag.
Lastly, I moved the third wagon, which was mostly full of tents, and set my bag down. (It was getting heavy). The wagon had some food and wine, as well as a small pot which I grabbed. I wasn't hungry, but I forced myself to eat. I needed the nourishment.
After leaving the last wagon I picked up my bag and slung it onto my back. It was extremely heavy now. I had never had to carry something this heavy before in my life, but I didn't have servants to do it for me anymore, and I needed all of it.
Finally, I walked over to Father. He was the last thing I needed. If I was going to bring him back, I needed his corpse. I let my thread loose and directed it to his body. I felt it enter him and split into each of his limbs. I had him stand. A thought occurred to me. I could have him carry my pack…
Pack (Select One Option)
[] [Pack] Have Father carry it. His body is basically just an extension of you. Technically, you're still the one carrying it, it just won't tire you.
[] [Pack] No. That thought was wrong. You're bringing him with you to resurrect him, not as a pack mule. You'll carry it yourself.
I turned towards the back of the campsite. There was what looked like a trail leading south, into the forest. Huh, I hadn't noticed it before. A trail would be easier than just blindly walking through the forest. Before I entered the woods, I turned to take one last look at the campsite.
Gerald and the Fist were still lying on the ground. I considered using my thread on them, and bringing them with me, but no… I had used the spell on the boy accidentally. I had used it on Gerald to save my life. I was bringing Father with me so I could save him, but I wouldn't use corpses arbitrarily. I wouldn't cast Undead Puppet it unless I had to. Besides, either the priest from Calder or the Fist would come to get their bodies. Gerald would likely be burned on holy ground and the Fist would be taken back to Saldia to be laid to rest in a Lunarian temple.
I turned away from the road and headed into The Unbekannt with Father beside me.
XXX
The forest was louder than I thought it would be. The bird song wasn't unusual, but occasionally I could hear something else. Sometimes there would be a high pitched whine, or some kind of humming that definitely wasn't a bird. Once, I had even heard some clicking that seemed to be getting louder and louder, as if whatever was making the noise was getting closer. I'd sped up to almost a run and it had eventually faded.
It was unnerving. I could feel the change in atmosphere. It was like a pressure or moisture in the air. I could feel it inside as well. My magic seemed to thrum right beneath the surface. Maybe I shouldn't have come this way. I had never been in the wilderness before. This was not the Gods' realm. I had thought that was a good thing; I was not the Gods' creature, but maybe…
No. No, I had to come this way. There wasn't another option. My servants had definitely headed east and/or west. That meant it was either north or south for me, and both led into the wilderness.
It didn't help that I was tired. The strange noises, and the oppressive feel were the only things keeping me moving. I hadn't exerted myself this much in Gods know how long, maybe ever. My whole body was covered in sweat; my blouse was practically soaked.
Father remained cold, and occasionally I rested in his arms before moving on again. The trees blocked Solios from sight, so I had no idea how much time had passed, but it had to have been hours. It was definitely getting darker, slowly.
Then it started raining. It was just a light sprinkle. At first, that made me nervous. Gray clouds were a bad omen out here, on the edge of civilization. They blocked Solios and Lellissa from view. The trees already did that, though, so what was the difference? I was already soaked in sweat, so what was a little rain? It kept me cooler, so it wasn't all bad.
The path wasn't even really dirt, just grass pushed down. Sometimes, if I didn't pay attention, I'd find myself wandering off it, and I'd have to back track until I found it again. I was kind of afraid that eventually I wouldn't be able to find my way back.
I needed to keep my mind off the forest, but every time I started thinking about something else, my mind drifted to the events of last night and this morning. That was worse.
"I was really looking forward to seeing the Shimmering Lake," I whispered to Father. "Once I bring you back, maybe we can finish our pilgrimage. Or maybe I should start heading that way now. I could bypass Calder through the forest and find my way back to the road, head west."
I looked at Father, and subconsciously had him turn his head to look back at me. "What would you say? 'That is too dangerous, Clausa,' or, 'That is a good idea. Shouldn't stray too far from civilization.'
"I kind of want to wait until you're back, so we can see it together, but the Lake is a long way away. Perhaps I'll have this figured out by the time we get there."
Father, of course, remained silent.
XXX
Eventually, the light shower rapidly developed into a storm. The pitter patter of droplets became a ferocious roar. Thunder boomed across the heavens. The grey clouds darkened, blocking Solios's light. Lightning occasionally lit the darkened forest for a moment before fading. The tree Father and I had taken shelter under was better than nothing, but we were still getting wet. I considered heading back to camp to take shelter in one of the wagons and maybe grab one of those tents, when I noticed movement out of the corner of my eye.
I turned and flinched in surprise at seeing the outline of a huge man standing only a few feet from me. He was hard to make out in the darkness of the storm, but a flash of lightning gave me a quick glimpse of him. He was terrifying.
He stood at least seven feet in height, taller than any man I had seen. His body was thick with inhuman amounts of muscle. He wore dark, practical clothes, a green wool vest that covered little of the scar riddled, bulging muscle and deep brown pants and cloak. His face was nearly covered by messy, black hair and an equally dark, curly beard. The little skin that wasn't hidden behind his bushy hair bore intense scarring, and his nose was bent at a strange angle suggesting it had healed that way after being broken.
I quickly backed away from him, bumping into Father, but the man didn't even seem to acknowledge my existence. His dark eyes were fixated on the storm.
"Who are you? Where did you come from?" I asked him, shouting over the roaring rain and wind.
He was silent for a long moment, just staring into the storm, but then he spoke softly in a deep voice that, strangely, I could hear quite clearly over the noise of the storm. "The city folk and the farmers tell stories of the days of old, when men first came to Auda. I'm sure you've heard them. They say that Hell would nurse awesome storms and hurl them up at Auda, trying to finish off humanity. These storms hid Solios and Lellissa from you, allowing monsters to leave the wilderness and enter civilization. They say the winds were enough to lift houses from the ground. They say that it rained not just droplets of water, but chunks of ice big enough to kill a grown man.
"The frontiersmen tell it differently. They say that when man came to Auda, it was one great storm. They say that only through their hard work that the storm was pushed back. They say that one day, when humanity has become weak and complacent, the storm will return and wipe away all you have built."
He turned his head away from the storm and looked straight into my eyes. "Both are correct." Then he vanished into thin air.
I ignored the rain as Father and I ran as fast as we could without falling.
XXX
It was huge. In fact, it stood so tall above all the surrounding trees that I wondered why I hadn't seen it from the road. It was certainly as tall as Castle Vita, my home in Saldia, but it was no castle. It was a tower like none I had ever seen before. It seemed impossibly thin. It looked like a strong breeze could knock it over.
A large, haphazard garden was out front, like a Solar temple, but Solios' colors were bright. This needle was black as onyx, with the gray clouds behind it. It curled in strange swirls and its edges were sharp like a blade. It all seemed strangely familiar, the chaotic garden, the unnatural shape of the thing. Which was strange, because I certainly had never seen anything like it before in my life.
It was mesmerizing, in a way. Following the edges up as they twisted, split and reformed sent a chill up my spine. The sensation was not unpleasant.Father and I walked along the winding muddy path that made its way through the garden, craning my neck to look up at the tower's unnatural beauty. I was paying so much attention to the tower, that I almost ran into a stone block. It was a big stone cube, taller than me. On top of it stood a featureless statue. It was a smooth outline of a person, missing any clothing or features. It's face lacked eyes, a nose and a mouth. It was just blank. Creepy. I continued on, feeling strangely calm.
Eventually, I reached the base of the tower. A black ramp curled around the base, leading to a large wooden door reinforced with iron. Above the door a familiar word had been painted in red. It was the same that I had seen carved into the altar. It was still in that odd style of classical runes. Unlike the worn carving, however, I could read it fairly easily.
HIDDEN
Before I had time to ponder what that meant, I heard someone clear their throat behind me. I whirled around to see a man standing in the garden path. He was very average looking, brown hair, brown eyes, plain face. However, he was dressed like a player in an ancient drama. He wore leather sleeveless armor and a matching skirt with gray wool underneath. A short sword hung at his belt. Unlike a player, his armor was plain and worn with use.
He bowed low, and said, "Necromancer." The way he spoke the word was unlike anyone I had ever heard. He didn't say it with disgust, he said it with… respect? As if it weren't a curse, but a title?
He stood. His face betrayed no emotion and he spoke in a flat monotone. "You didn't heed my warning, Necromancer. I shall repeat myself, but this is the last time. Leave. Now. And do not return."
Then, like the giant in the storm, he vanished.
XXX
The Hidden (Select One Option):
[] [Hidden] What warning? You were given no warning. Enter the tower and find out what the hell is going on here.
[] [Hidden] Get the hell out of this place. Whatever is going on here is probably dangerous.
Hey guys. I have discovered the miracle of task tags. They make tallying the vote much less of a pain. They look like this "[] [Task Tag] Vote vote vote." Please be sure to include the tag in your vote to make the process run smoothly. Also, I'm kind of torn on having votes in the middle of the chapter. It seems like it breaks immersion, but makes for a more interactive experience. If you have any strong feelings one way or another, please let me know.
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Chapter 3: The Dead Walk Here
theimpetus
Fist of the Duplex
- Location
- The Unbekannt
Chapter 3: The Dead Walk Here
A/N: So… I'm a little late again, it seems. You see, I had to help an old lady across the street, but then she used magic right in front of me and whole bunch of people. I had to give a statement to the Fist, and I felt obligated to attend the execution. It was all very tedious and time consuming. I'm sure you understand.
Ghosts, demons or whatever they were, these disappearing people were almost certainly dangerous. Anyone that bows respectfully to a Necromancer was a storm-cloud on the horizon, bad news. Father and I worked our way back through the garden. I would have liked to run, just in case the strangely dressed man decided we weren't leaving fast enough, but I was just too tired. My legs felt like they were made of stone, and my lungs were on fire. Walking would have to be good enough.
We passed the creepy, faceless statue, and eventually made our way back to the forest. I didn't want to head back to camp, so we had to leave the path. I headed right. I couldn't see the sun behind the clouds, so I had no way of knowing which direction I was heading. Gods, it was possible I was headed back to the road, but I could not just stay here, so I kept walking.
After a few minutes, I looked back in the direction of the tower, but it was not there. Magic. It had to be hidden by magic. Maybe those runes above the door had something to do with it? Was it a Witch or some creature? Either way, I was glad I had been given a warning. Something powerful enough to hide a whole tower was not something I wanted to be angry at me.
Whatever it was had probably also carved those runes into the altar. Except, they had seemed even more worn than the Gods' names, older. That made me uneasy. The altar had been just an old hunk of stone. Perhaps it had been there before the road was built. The frontiersmen might have just found the stone and thought it would make a good road altar, not knowing that something else had already claimed it.
And the tower… How long had it been there? I had never heard of anything like it, not even in a story. To think there were things out here, in the wilderness, that could build something that huge? Construction was Lellissa's domain, but that tower was not built by men. I could feel that. Even magic had limitations, though. There was no way a Witch, or even a coven, could build that whole tower. It was the result of a large group working under direction. I shivered. The wilderness was even scarier than I thought.
Hot, aching and drenched in sweat, I knew there was no way I was going to be able to get back up and keep walking. I knew it would be dark soon anyway, so it was probably a good idea to just sleep here. I reached into my bag and grabbed some of the jerky and dried fruit. Gods, I was hungry. I was actually going through the food a lot faster than I thought. This was my fourth time eating since I'd left camp.
After shoving some food in my face, I took a long drink from my waterskin. I leaned my head back against the tree. It was actually pretty uncomfortable, but I was too tired to move. My eyes were drooping closed when I noticed something cast a shadow to my left. My first thought was that Father had moved somehow, but when I turned to look I saw something horrifying. There were two rotting corpses standing above Father.
Then everything happened very quickly.
There was a rush of movement, a loud CRACK, and I felt my arm fling back against the tree. My vision filled with red for a moment, and I felt another impact. This time against my side. I toppled over sideways and I felt something wet spill all over my left side.
I sat up and saw Father holding onto the arms of two rotting corpses, one woman and one man. Draugr. Or maybe they were Wights. It didn't matter, each was stretching out towards me, kicking and reaching, while being held back by Father. They made no move to try and get Father to let go of them. Oblivious to him, they just kept pulling, but they were strong. I could feel them slipping from his grasp through my thread.
They were going to kill me. I started breathing fast. They were going to beat me to death, break every bone in my body, and tear my organs out of my chest. My heart started thumping faster and faster. Worse, they were going to kill me, and make me and Father one of them. Oddly, that last thought, calmed me, and I decided that wasn't going to happen. I stood quickly, and I backed away from them. At the same time, I had two threads extend out towards the monsters.
The threads quickly met something… It was like a bunch of branches, or maybe veins, twisting through and around their bodies. I could feel these structures through my threads, but I couldn't see them, even in the places the flesh was gone, fully exposing bone. They felt cold and rigid. My threads kept extending and extending, coiling around the branches.
The corpses slowed their frantic kicking and grasping movements, as if they were trying to move through water. I coiled my threads tighter and tighter until their movements slowed almost to a halt. I felt their struggles forward weaken through Father, and I had him grip them tighter and throw them to the ground. They didn't get up.
Eventually, my threads converged in each of the corpses to something in their centers. All the branches seemed to originate from this thing. As my threads coiled around it, I got a sense of its shape, it resembled a mass of cords wrapped into a ball. Its texture was softer than the branches. I had my threads begin to push into the thing, in between the cords.
My body convulsed and I almost fell. Black, hot hatred raged through my veins. A roaring wind filled my ears. My skin felt like it was covered in crawling insects. 'KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL,' pounded in my brain.
I retracted my threads from the core. The sensations faded. Dear Gods, was that what these creatures felt all the time? I shivered.
My threads had coiled so tightly around some of the branches that they had been crushed into dust, others had been merely broken. Most were still intact. I could probably break them all, and perhaps remove the core?
After dealing with the creatures, I finally took notice of my left arm. There was a massive dark blotch in the middle of my forearm, and it was twisted the wrong way. While looking at it, I noticed there was a large cut on my side. It seemed to bleeding a fair amount. Well. That was not good.
I wonder, why was I not incapacitated with pain? I lifted my right hand, closed my eyes and concentrated. I stripped away the natural properties of my thread, reshaping it into a warm, glowing circle. I opened my eyes. The golden, glowing circle floated above my palm. I pressed it against my side, and felt It heat up for a moment before the circle snapped open.
I inspected my side. There was a faint silver patch of skin where the wound had been. My blouse was ruined too. There was a giant rip in it, and it was soaked in blood. Damn.
I cast Healing circle again, concentrating for a few moments. I succeeded, but the circle was thinner and dimmer. I pressed it against my wounded arm, and gasped in shock as I felt the bone slowly shift back in place. It was excruciating, and I struggled to hold the spell together. Once it was in place, the bone solidified, and the flesh mended. The circle snapped and the thread retracted.
There was still a huge bruise on my arm, but I was so tired I didn't care. I stumbled, nearly falling. I had Father come closer so I could lean against him. With his help, I lowered myself to the ground and laid in the grass on my back. I had Father sit beside me, pressing his blessedly cool hand against my face. I closed my eyes and…
XXX
The stench permeating the air was almost unbearable. A strange squelching sound echoed through the dark cavern. It was hard to see much of the cave, but the dozens of figures lining its walls were easily visible. They were a variety of shapes and sizes, constructed of bones and sometimes rotting meat. They were monstrous. There were bearmen, giant cats, massive wolves, flocks of large birds and even… what had been people. Some seemed to be combinations of different creatures. Threads, much like my own but thinner, less smoky and greener, were tangled around and through their flesh and exposed bones. Throbbing spheres of green inside their exposed ribcages were the only light.
They stood motionless, not reacting to my presence. My heart thumped loudly. My mind screamed at me to get out of this place, to run. However, my body continued on as if it had a mind of its own. The strange sounds grew louder as I kept going. I could see a silhouette, something moving on the ground. I stepped closer and closer. It was pale and vaguely human shaped.
Suddenly, it stopped moving. Then it popped up and turned to face me. It was even more disgusting than the other creatures.
Its skin was pale, colored green from the light emanating from the corpses. Its eyes glowed with that same light. Wrinkled skin hung loose from its thin frame. It was naked, and I quickly forced my eyes up after seeing its maleness. A thick, dark liquid dribbled down from its mouth, full of mismatched, sharp teeth. It was chewing on something. I could make out the dark silhouette of a many legged something on the ground where the creature had been crouched.
It was clear what this thing was, a Gjenganger. I had heard it described in many stores. That made the corpses lining the cavern Wights. They were its former victims, animated through Necromancy.
When I thought this experience couldn't be any more horrifying, it spoke. It sounded like it had something lodged in its throat. Its voice was deep and wrong. "Specter? Meal come for revenge?"
It raised one of its clawed hands and wave of green smoke began to float towards me. I pushed the smoke back easily. It felt somehow thinner than my own magic.
The Necromantic creature's eyes glowed brighter, and the same smoke it had sent at me began to rise from its nostril slits. The Gjenganger couched, as if preparing to strike. "No, not Specter. You a Witch. WITCH! Galbrx will kill Witch. Come. Galbrx will feast on flesh and take power!"
My eyes snapped open, and I saw tree branches swaying across blue sky. I sat up, and then was immediately startled. Father was on all fours beside me, his face frozen in mask of fear. My thread extended to him. I cleared that disturbing expression from his face and had him stand up. I looked around, but there was nothing except the trees. Well. What in Solios' name had that been?
[] [Undead] Undo the Necromantic magic keeping them 'alive.' Your vow of pacifism doesn't apply to corpses.
-[] [Undead] Leave the corpses.
-[] [Undead] Cast Undead Puppet on them, and bring them with you. The Unbekannt is dangerous, and you need every advantage you can get.
-[] [Undead] Build a fire and burn them, just in case. That's what the stories say to do.
-[] [Undead] Dig a grave. Mark their graves and say the prayer of death. If their souls are still attached to their bodies they will join Lellissa.
[] [Undead] The priests say these creatures are abominations, but they say the same about you. You can't kill them, but you can't let them kill others either.
-[] [Undead] Remove and burn their legs, then leave them.
-[] [Undead] Write in
Cast Spells or Pray (Select Up To Three Options):
[] [Spells/Prayers] Cast Healing Circle…
- [] [Spells/Prayers] On your feet. You are starting to get blisters.
[] [Spells/Prayers] Cast Healing Circle…
- [] [Spells/Prayers] On your arm again. It still hurts a little.
[] [Spells/Prayers] Cast Healing Circle…
- [] [Spells/Prayers] On your hand again. The skin is staring to peel off. Gross.
[] [Spells/Prayers] Attempt to create a new spell.
- [] [Spells/Prayers] Write in
[] [Spells/Prayers] Pray
- [] [Spells/Prayers] Pray to Solios.
[] [Spells/Prayers] Pray
- [] [Spells/Prayers] Pray to Lellissa.
[] [Spells/Prayers] You kneel to pray, but are struck by a strange sensation.
Read (Select One Option)
[] [Book] Read some of The Wilderness Volume XIII: The Unbekannt before you leave.
- [] [Book] Start from the beginning.
- [] [Book] Try and find a section on Gjenganger and Wights if you can.
- [] [Book] Try and find a section on 'Write in'
[] [Book] You need to get moving. You can read later.
Destination (Select One Option)
[] [Destination] You will think about where you are going later. Just keep heading south, deeper into the forest.
[] [Destination] You should head east, to the Shimmering Lake, and finish your pilgrimage like you told Father yesterday. The last place the Fist will expect you to head is your original destination.
- [] [Destination] Bypass Calder through the wilderness and head back to the road to make your way to the Lake.
(It will be easier to get food and water this way, but harder to avoid people.)
- [] [Destination] Avoid civilization. Try and make your way to the Lake through the wilderness as much as you can.
(It will be easier to avoid people this way, but harder to find food and water.)
[] [Destination] Head west, towards the town of Stibae and Saldia. You want to go home. Even if it's just to die.
- [] [Destination] When you get to Stibae, make your way through the wilderness, but use the road as much as you can to make your way to Saldia.
(It will be easier to get food and water this way, but harder to avoid people.)
- [] [Destination] Avoid civilization. Try and make your way to Saldia through the wilderness as much as you can.
(It will be easier to avoid people this way, but harder to find food and water.)
[] [Destination] Write in
Quest Service Announcement:
Please do NOT format your vote votes like this. Strangely, it confuses the tally program:
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-[X] [Vote] Sub Vote 3
I'd appreciate it if you could instead format them like this:
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A/N: So… I'm a little late again, it seems. You see, I had to help an old lady across the street, but then she used magic right in front of me and whole bunch of people. I had to give a statement to the Fist, and I felt obligated to attend the execution. It was all very tedious and time consuming. I'm sure you understand.
Books:
[X] [Book] Take a copy of The Wilderness Volume XIII: The Unbekannt, a book about the forest you're in. Knowing more about the forest could help you protect yourself, should you run into trouble.
Pack
[X] [Pack] No. That thought was wrong. You're bringing him with you to resurrect him, not as a pack mule. You'll carry it yourself.
Hidden
[X] [Hidden] Get the hell out of this place. Whatever is going on here is probably dangerous.
[X] [Book] Take a copy of The Wilderness Volume XIII: The Unbekannt, a book about the forest you're in. Knowing more about the forest could help you protect yourself, should you run into trouble.
Pack
[X] [Pack] No. That thought was wrong. You're bringing him with you to resurrect him, not as a pack mule. You'll carry it yourself.
Hidden
[X] [Hidden] Get the hell out of this place. Whatever is going on here is probably dangerous.
3d100 vs. 2d100 - Hostile Encounter
-------------------- You ------------------------------------------------- Opponent
Physical ---------- 58-18= 40 ----------------------------- vs. ------- 80+20= 100 (Critical Success)
Cunning -------------------- 91 ----------------------------- vs. ------- 13-20= -7 (Critical Failure)
Magic ------------ 80+20= 100 (Critical Success)
Total ------------------------- 226 --------------------------- vs. ----------------- 93
1d7 - 7 - Who's Territory?
1d4 - 3 - Anybody Home?
1d3 - 3 - Remember Your Dream?
-------------------- You ------------------------------------------------- Opponent
Physical ---------- 58-18= 40 ----------------------------- vs. ------- 80+20= 100 (Critical Success)
Cunning -------------------- 91 ----------------------------- vs. ------- 13-20= -7 (Critical Failure)
Magic ------------ 80+20= 100 (Critical Success)
Total ------------------------- 226 --------------------------- vs. ----------------- 93
1d7 - 7 - Who's Territory?
1d4 - 3 - Anybody Home?
1d3 - 3 - Remember Your Dream?
Ghosts, demons or whatever they were, these disappearing people were almost certainly dangerous. Anyone that bows respectfully to a Necromancer was a storm-cloud on the horizon, bad news. Father and I worked our way back through the garden. I would have liked to run, just in case the strangely dressed man decided we weren't leaving fast enough, but I was just too tired. My legs felt like they were made of stone, and my lungs were on fire. Walking would have to be good enough.
We passed the creepy, faceless statue, and eventually made our way back to the forest. I didn't want to head back to camp, so we had to leave the path. I headed right. I couldn't see the sun behind the clouds, so I had no way of knowing which direction I was heading. Gods, it was possible I was headed back to the road, but I could not just stay here, so I kept walking.
After a few minutes, I looked back in the direction of the tower, but it was not there. Magic. It had to be hidden by magic. Maybe those runes above the door had something to do with it? Was it a Witch or some creature? Either way, I was glad I had been given a warning. Something powerful enough to hide a whole tower was not something I wanted to be angry at me.
Whatever it was had probably also carved those runes into the altar. Except, they had seemed even more worn than the Gods' names, older. That made me uneasy. The altar had been just an old hunk of stone. Perhaps it had been there before the road was built. The frontiersmen might have just found the stone and thought it would make a good road altar, not knowing that something else had already claimed it.
And the tower… How long had it been there? I had never heard of anything like it, not even in a story. To think there were things out here, in the wilderness, that could build something that huge? Construction was Lellissa's domain, but that tower was not built by men. I could feel that. Even magic had limitations, though. There was no way a Witch, or even a coven, could build that whole tower. It was the result of a large group working under direction. I shivered. The wilderness was even scarier than I thought.
XXX
Eventually, I walked far enough away from the tower that I felt comfortable stopping. I found a smooth (mostly smooth) patch of ground at the base of a tree and dropped my bag before sitting down. I had Father sit next to me. I sighed in relief. Gods.
Hot, aching and drenched in sweat, I knew there was no way I was going to be able to get back up and keep walking. I knew it would be dark soon anyway, so it was probably a good idea to just sleep here. I reached into my bag and grabbed some of the jerky and dried fruit. Gods, I was hungry. I was actually going through the food a lot faster than I thought. This was my fourth time eating since I'd left camp.
After shoving some food in my face, I took a long drink from my waterskin. I leaned my head back against the tree. It was actually pretty uncomfortable, but I was too tired to move. My eyes were drooping closed when I noticed something cast a shadow to my left. My first thought was that Father had moved somehow, but when I turned to look I saw something horrifying. There were two rotting corpses standing above Father.
Then everything happened very quickly.
There was a rush of movement, a loud CRACK, and I felt my arm fling back against the tree. My vision filled with red for a moment, and I felt another impact. This time against my side. I toppled over sideways and I felt something wet spill all over my left side.
I sat up and saw Father holding onto the arms of two rotting corpses, one woman and one man. Draugr. Or maybe they were Wights. It didn't matter, each was stretching out towards me, kicking and reaching, while being held back by Father. They made no move to try and get Father to let go of them. Oblivious to him, they just kept pulling, but they were strong. I could feel them slipping from his grasp through my thread.
They were going to kill me. I started breathing fast. They were going to beat me to death, break every bone in my body, and tear my organs out of my chest. My heart started thumping faster and faster. Worse, they were going to kill me, and make me and Father one of them. Oddly, that last thought, calmed me, and I decided that wasn't going to happen. I stood quickly, and I backed away from them. At the same time, I had two threads extend out towards the monsters.
The threads quickly met something… It was like a bunch of branches, or maybe veins, twisting through and around their bodies. I could feel these structures through my threads, but I couldn't see them, even in the places the flesh was gone, fully exposing bone. They felt cold and rigid. My threads kept extending and extending, coiling around the branches.
The corpses slowed their frantic kicking and grasping movements, as if they were trying to move through water. I coiled my threads tighter and tighter until their movements slowed almost to a halt. I felt their struggles forward weaken through Father, and I had him grip them tighter and throw them to the ground. They didn't get up.
Eventually, my threads converged in each of the corpses to something in their centers. All the branches seemed to originate from this thing. As my threads coiled around it, I got a sense of its shape, it resembled a mass of cords wrapped into a ball. Its texture was softer than the branches. I had my threads begin to push into the thing, in between the cords.
My body convulsed and I almost fell. Black, hot hatred raged through my veins. A roaring wind filled my ears. My skin felt like it was covered in crawling insects. 'KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL,' pounded in my brain.
I retracted my threads from the core. The sensations faded. Dear Gods, was that what these creatures felt all the time? I shivered.
My threads had coiled so tightly around some of the branches that they had been crushed into dust, others had been merely broken. Most were still intact. I could probably break them all, and perhaps remove the core?
Undead (Select One Option)
[] [Undead] Undo the Necromantic magic keeping them 'alive.' Your vow of pacifism doesn't apply to corpses.
-[] [Undead] Leave the corpses.
-[] [Undead] Cast Undead Puppet on them, and bring them with you. The Unbekannt is dangerous, and you need every advantage you can get.
-[] [Undead] Build a fire and burn them, just in case. That's what the stories say to do.
-[] [Undead] Dig a grave. Mark their graves and say the prayer of death. If their souls are still attached to their bodies they will join Lellissa.
[] [Undead] The priests say these creatures are abominations, but they say the same about you. You can't kill them, but you can't let them kill others either.
-[] [Undead] Remove and burn their legs, then leave them.
-[] [Undead] Write in
[] [Undead] Undo the Necromantic magic keeping them 'alive.' Your vow of pacifism doesn't apply to corpses.
-[] [Undead] Leave the corpses.
-[] [Undead] Cast Undead Puppet on them, and bring them with you. The Unbekannt is dangerous, and you need every advantage you can get.
-[] [Undead] Build a fire and burn them, just in case. That's what the stories say to do.
-[] [Undead] Dig a grave. Mark their graves and say the prayer of death. If their souls are still attached to their bodies they will join Lellissa.
[] [Undead] The priests say these creatures are abominations, but they say the same about you. You can't kill them, but you can't let them kill others either.
-[] [Undead] Remove and burn their legs, then leave them.
-[] [Undead] Write in
XXX
After dealing with the creatures, I finally took notice of my left arm. There was a massive dark blotch in the middle of my forearm, and it was twisted the wrong way. While looking at it, I noticed there was a large cut on my side. It seemed to bleeding a fair amount. Well. That was not good.
I wonder, why was I not incapacitated with pain? I lifted my right hand, closed my eyes and concentrated. I stripped away the natural properties of my thread, reshaping it into a warm, glowing circle. I opened my eyes. The golden, glowing circle floated above my palm. I pressed it against my side, and felt It heat up for a moment before the circle snapped open.
I inspected my side. There was a faint silver patch of skin where the wound had been. My blouse was ruined too. There was a giant rip in it, and it was soaked in blood. Damn.
I cast Healing circle again, concentrating for a few moments. I succeeded, but the circle was thinner and dimmer. I pressed it against my wounded arm, and gasped in shock as I felt the bone slowly shift back in place. It was excruciating, and I struggled to hold the spell together. Once it was in place, the bone solidified, and the flesh mended. The circle snapped and the thread retracted.
There was still a huge bruise on my arm, but I was so tired I didn't care. I stumbled, nearly falling. I had Father come closer so I could lean against him. With his help, I lowered myself to the ground and laid in the grass on my back. I had Father sit beside me, pressing his blessedly cool hand against my face. I closed my eyes and…
XXX
They stood motionless, not reacting to my presence. My heart thumped loudly. My mind screamed at me to get out of this place, to run. However, my body continued on as if it had a mind of its own. The strange sounds grew louder as I kept going. I could see a silhouette, something moving on the ground. I stepped closer and closer. It was pale and vaguely human shaped.
Suddenly, it stopped moving. Then it popped up and turned to face me. It was even more disgusting than the other creatures.
Its skin was pale, colored green from the light emanating from the corpses. Its eyes glowed with that same light. Wrinkled skin hung loose from its thin frame. It was naked, and I quickly forced my eyes up after seeing its maleness. A thick, dark liquid dribbled down from its mouth, full of mismatched, sharp teeth. It was chewing on something. I could make out the dark silhouette of a many legged something on the ground where the creature had been crouched.
It was clear what this thing was, a Gjenganger. I had heard it described in many stores. That made the corpses lining the cavern Wights. They were its former victims, animated through Necromancy.
When I thought this experience couldn't be any more horrifying, it spoke. It sounded like it had something lodged in its throat. Its voice was deep and wrong. "Specter? Meal come for revenge?"
It raised one of its clawed hands and wave of green smoke began to float towards me. I pushed the smoke back easily. It felt somehow thinner than my own magic.
The Necromantic creature's eyes glowed brighter, and the same smoke it had sent at me began to rise from its nostril slits. The Gjenganger couched, as if preparing to strike. "No, not Specter. You a Witch. WITCH! Galbrx will kill Witch. Come. Galbrx will feast on flesh and take power!"
XXX
My eyes snapped open, and I saw tree branches swaying across blue sky. I sat up, and then was immediately startled. Father was on all fours beside me, his face frozen in mask of fear. My thread extended to him. I cleared that disturbing expression from his face and had him stand up. I looked around, but there was nothing except the trees. Well. What in Solios' name had that been?
XXX
Undead (Select One Option) (Same Options as Above)
[] [Undead] Undo the Necromantic magic keeping them 'alive.' Your vow of pacifism doesn't apply to corpses.
-[] [Undead] Leave the corpses.
-[] [Undead] Cast Undead Puppet on them, and bring them with you. The Unbekannt is dangerous, and you need every advantage you can get.
-[] [Undead] Build a fire and burn them, just in case. That's what the stories say to do.
-[] [Undead] Dig a grave. Mark their graves and say the prayer of death. If their souls are still attached to their bodies they will join Lellissa.
[] [Undead] The priests say these creatures are abominations, but they say the same about you. You can't kill them, but you can't let them kill others either.
-[] [Undead] Remove and burn their legs, then leave them.
-[] [Undead] Write in
Cast Spells or Pray (Select Up To Three Options):
[] [Spells/Prayers] Cast Healing Circle…
- [] [Spells/Prayers] On your feet. You are starting to get blisters.
[] [Spells/Prayers] Cast Healing Circle…
- [] [Spells/Prayers] On your arm again. It still hurts a little.
[] [Spells/Prayers] Cast Healing Circle…
- [] [Spells/Prayers] On your hand again. The skin is staring to peel off. Gross.
[] [Spells/Prayers] Attempt to create a new spell.
- [] [Spells/Prayers] Write in
[] [Spells/Prayers] Pray
- [] [Spells/Prayers] Pray to Solios.
[] [Spells/Prayers] Pray
- [] [Spells/Prayers] Pray to Lellissa.
[] [Spells/Prayers] You kneel to pray, but are struck by a strange sensation.
Read (Select One Option)
[] [Book] Read some of The Wilderness Volume XIII: The Unbekannt before you leave.
- [] [Book] Start from the beginning.
- [] [Book] Try and find a section on Gjenganger and Wights if you can.
- [] [Book] Try and find a section on 'Write in'
[] [Book] You need to get moving. You can read later.
Destination (Select One Option)
[] [Destination] You will think about where you are going later. Just keep heading south, deeper into the forest.
[] [Destination] You should head east, to the Shimmering Lake, and finish your pilgrimage like you told Father yesterday. The last place the Fist will expect you to head is your original destination.
- [] [Destination] Bypass Calder through the wilderness and head back to the road to make your way to the Lake.
(It will be easier to get food and water this way, but harder to avoid people.)
- [] [Destination] Avoid civilization. Try and make your way to the Lake through the wilderness as much as you can.
(It will be easier to avoid people this way, but harder to find food and water.)
[] [Destination] Head west, towards the town of Stibae and Saldia. You want to go home. Even if it's just to die.
- [] [Destination] When you get to Stibae, make your way through the wilderness, but use the road as much as you can to make your way to Saldia.
(It will be easier to get food and water this way, but harder to avoid people.)
- [] [Destination] Avoid civilization. Try and make your way to Saldia through the wilderness as much as you can.
(It will be easier to avoid people this way, but harder to find food and water.)
[] [Destination] Write in
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