Developing the concept further, there are two ideas here. The first, is that the pairs represent mental dispositions:
White <--Attitude--> Black
Grey <--Liveliness--> Green
Brown <--Alacrity--> Yellow
Blue <--Dedication--> Red
Clear <--Method--> Violet
This would make the various colors opposed to each-other. Which is why I have not put much effort in to it, because it does not always make sense. Red and Blue would not necessarily be opposed to eachother-- fire and water to create steam for example. Clear and violet to give substance to mental constructs. White and black to sacrifice your own health to heal others.
And so on and so forth.
Thus, I think it works better simply as a representation on a larger sphere-- the ultimate goal of most wizards is to attempt to understand the mythical Eleventh Sphere, the sphere of Ascension where one literally becomes magic, or so the story goes (what actually happens I am not revealing here).
White <--Holy <--Relation to the Gods--> Unholy--> Black
Grey <-- Artificial <--Relation to Nature--> Natural--> Green
Brown <--Within <--Relation to the World--> Without--> Yellow
Blue <--Cold <--Relation to Heat Energy--> Hot--> Red
Clear <-- Physical <--Relation to the Mind--> Mental--> Violet
So, then, if the spheres do not represent mental dispositions, what do they represent? Abstract concepts-- each one represents a different section of the four dimensional hypersphere that is the Eleventh Sphere. Every element is, in some way, connected to every other element, but they are connected most strongly to their opposite. Thus why Brown has magnetic powers, and Yellow has meteoric summons-- they are intrinsically connected despite being, at the same time, opposites to each other. Brown is the power within the Earth, while Yellow is the power beyond the Earth, but both are inherently connected to the Earth.
An easier label of the pairings might go as such: Divine, Life, Source, Energy, and Substance, creating five colleges within the wizard's school of magic, a much easier number to organize than ten (which is why I did the pairing system to begin with).
The College of Divines: Studies holy and shadow magic. There are no demons or angelic hosts in this setting, but there are deities. The exact nature of these deities, however, is only known by the archmages. There are five archmages for this subdivision of the wizard's college-- two Holy archmages, two Shadow archmages, and one headmaster who oversees both. The headmaster of the College of Divines has been the grandmaster of the Wizard's College more often than any other headmaster.
The Campus of Twin Divinities looks much like a cathedral, with the white magic students cloistered in the upper levels while the black magic students study within the crypts below. Their attire tends towards traditional loose mage's robes, with either hoods or hats depending on the taste of the wearer.
The College of Life: Studies druidic and golemantic/technomantic magics. There is only one archmage, and only by necessity of needing a headmaster-- the most powerful golemancers prefer to call themselves Artificers, while the most powerful druids call themselves Grand Druids. The headmaster, however, still wields a lot of power within the college because of their bureaucratic authority, and thus they tend to be the one keeping both sides from fighting. Indeed, the head of the College of Life is often the one called upon to make decisions regarding diplomatic matters for the Wizard's College as a whole. The Campus of Creative Magicks Is made up of a widely disparate group of workshops, nature preserves, parks, zoos, arenas, and storage areas which are spread roughly in a circle around the central dormitory. Their attire tends to be more functional than other schools, even incorporating armor, although they all wear the clockwork tree symbol of the college somewhere on their robe.
The College of Sources: Studies geomantic and astrological magics. There are seven archmages of the order, three Astrological and four Geomantic, with the headmaster being the most powerful Astrologist. The reason for this splitting has been lost to annals of time, but the headmaster of the College of Source is still required to respect and run their opposing school, thus they tend to be long-lived masters of both, but rarely become the Grandmaster of the wizard's college. The Campus of Heaven and Earth is what is traditionally thought of when commoners think of Wizard colleges, striking as it does both deep in to the ground and in to the sky, with Geomancers studing in the rocky cellars while Astrologists peering at the stars from the tower above. Their attire tends to be more showy than the rest, including jewelry created by Geomancers, arranged in patterns that are said to be fortuitous by Astrologists, and because of the necessities of the campus, they tend to wear pants and tunics, believed to be more suitable for climbing stairs as the various initiates have to do until they learn their a travel magic.
The College of Energy: Studies pyromancy and aquamancy. There are three archmages, whom are rotated out amongst the top fifteen wizards of the college. The headmaster is more of a military general than anything, and indeed may not even be a wizard at all. This often results in scorn from the other schools, but the wizards of the College of Energy always give their headmaster respect, for they have almost always earned it. As a result of the separation of the Grandmaster and Master Militant, the headmaster of the College of Energy is almost never also a grandmaster, instead holding what is often the more powerful position of Master Militant. The Campus of the Elements is often described as a glorified barracks and military camp, and there is some justification for this despite it having a combination of pools, lakes, fire pits, and bonfires. The headmaster runs the college with the efficiency of a general, and they train their wizards in more physical combat as well as magical. As a result, their attire often includes chainmail and a sheathed (and heavily enchanted) weapon, or even a magical musket traded from the College of Life.
The College of Substance: Studies general arcana and illusions. There are ten archmages, evenly split between the college, with the two most powerful sharing the headmaster's spot unless one of them concedes it. In the case of concession, the headmaster of the College of Substance rivals the College of Divinity in number of grandmasters, although this is happening less and less as time goes on. The Campus of Mind and Matter is a wondrous sight to behold, a floating castle surrounded by wondrously resplendent energies and images, and it is known as a party school. Despite this, it provides the best general education to its students of any of the colleges, and is by far the most egalitarian and creative-- even if its students often take longer to complete its courses than in other colleges. Their attire tends to fit in with the fashion of the times, varying as much between decades as between individual students, but they always wear a circlet which glows when worn by an approved member of the college-- and unwanted guests may find themselves being pushed off to fall to their doom!
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Brainstorming
I'm still working on the other story! I just can't seem to get the next chapter to a state which I am happy with. Too much re-writing and then I feel it's incoherent and now I'm gonna just start the chapter over. But I'm also planning out the next story's setting. Wizards as a concept are fascinating ot me. I plan on having the concept of the next story be similar to a more serious take on Magicka. Magic is created through various "spheres", which embody concepts that are often difficult to understand and sometimes even inherently contradictory.
White <-> Black
Grey <-> Green
Brown <-> Yellow
Blue <-> Red
Clear <-> Violet
Each sphere is associated with five concepts. A type of magic; an element; a boon; a form of travel; and a flaw. All magics are, however, capable of fulfilling most roles (healing, buffing, damage dealing, minion-making, martial arts, swordmagery, etc, because they are not defined by how they are used, but by what they are) and in the end, no sphere is either more or less evil than the other, although that doesn't necessarily mean that the common person won't think of it that way. Each one has a tendency, but these are not universal-- merely common traits of wizards who end up choosing that specific sphere.
White
-- Type: Healing
-- Element: Holy
-- Boon: Protection
-- Movement: Flight
-- Flaw: Arrogance
-- Example spells: Healing Hands, Luminal Blast, Bless, Revive, Disintegrate
-- Tend to be optimistic, but preachy.
Black
-- Type: Necromancy
-- Element: Darkness
-- Boon: Life-Stealing
-- Movement: Shadow-Stepping
-- Flaw: Pessimism
-- Example spells: Blood-Siphon, Shadow-Strike, Drinking Blade, Create Undead, Touch of Death
-- Tend to be alluring and friendly, but pessimistic and sometimes nihilistic.
Grey
-- Type: Golemancy
-- Element: Metal
-- Boon: Endurance
-- Movement: Automated Constructs
-- Flaw: Laziness
-- Example spells: Fix Imperfection, Iron Hands, Create Stone Warrior, Golemantic Resurrection, Create Mithril Golem
-- Tend to be brilliant inventors, but lazy.
Green
-- Type: Druidic
-- Element: Nature
-- Boon: Regeneration
-- Movement: Gliding/Hovering
-- Flaw: Short-sightedness
-- Example spells: Regenerate, Poison Needles, Infinite Ivy, Infestation, Temporary Immortality
-- Tend to be well-meaning, yet rarely think of long-term impacts of their actions.
Brown
-- Type: Geomancy
-- Element: Earth
-- Boon: Shielding
-- Movement: Tunneling
-- Flaw: Slow to change
-- Example spells: Stonegrowth, Rock Spikes, Earthquake Trap, Animate Stone, Petrify
-- Tend to be diligent, but dour. and conservative.
Yellow
-- Type: Astromancy
-- Element: Lightning
-- Boon: Retribution
-- Movement: Teleportation
-- Flaw: Wrathful
-- Example spells: Starlight Cloak, Lightning Bolt, Spark of Life, Meteor Strike, Thundergod
-- Tend to be motivated and just, but also prone to fits of rage.
Blue
-- Type: Aquamancy
-- Element: Water
-- Boon: Evasion
-- Movement: water-Walking/Breathing
-- Flaw: Indecisive
-- Example spells: Lifedew, Water Spear, Ice Crash, Water-Clone, Bloodfreeze
-- Tend to be adaptive and intelligent, but indecisive and prone to second-guessing.
Red
-- Type: Pyromancy
-- Element: Fire
-- Boon: Power
-- Movement: Haste
-- Flaw: Passion
-- Example spells: Warmth, Fireball, Magma Bolt, Phoenix Blessing, Conflagration
-- Tend to be highly passionate about whatever they do-- and burn themselves out often.
Clear
-- Type: Arcana
-- Element: Force
-- Boon: Generalism
-- Movement: Force-Assist
-- Flaw: Incoherency
-- Example spells: Wound-Binding, Force Bolt, Exponential Impact, Force Cage, Telekinetic Crush
-- Tend to be considerate and decisive... until they become distracted-- oo shiny!
Violet
-- Type: Illusions
-- Element: Mind
-- Boon: Mirror Image
-- Movement: Image-Walking
-- Flaw: Hedonism
-- Example spells: Wounds to Illusion, Injury from Insult, Illusory Army, Temporal Wavering, Mind-Snap
-- Tend to be joyous and gregarious, but also often forget their goals in seeking to enjoy life.
White <-> Black
Grey <-> Green
Brown <-> Yellow
Blue <-> Red
Clear <-> Violet
Each sphere is associated with five concepts. A type of magic; an element; a boon; a form of travel; and a flaw. All magics are, however, capable of fulfilling most roles (healing, buffing, damage dealing, minion-making, martial arts, swordmagery, etc, because they are not defined by how they are used, but by what they are) and in the end, no sphere is either more or less evil than the other, although that doesn't necessarily mean that the common person won't think of it that way. Each one has a tendency, but these are not universal-- merely common traits of wizards who end up choosing that specific sphere.
White
-- Type: Healing
-- Element: Holy
-- Boon: Protection
-- Movement: Flight
-- Flaw: Arrogance
-- Example spells: Healing Hands, Luminal Blast, Bless, Revive, Disintegrate
-- Tend to be optimistic, but preachy.
Black
-- Type: Necromancy
-- Element: Darkness
-- Boon: Life-Stealing
-- Movement: Shadow-Stepping
-- Flaw: Pessimism
-- Example spells: Blood-Siphon, Shadow-Strike, Drinking Blade, Create Undead, Touch of Death
-- Tend to be alluring and friendly, but pessimistic and sometimes nihilistic.
Grey
-- Type: Golemancy
-- Element: Metal
-- Boon: Endurance
-- Movement: Automated Constructs
-- Flaw: Laziness
-- Example spells: Fix Imperfection, Iron Hands, Create Stone Warrior, Golemantic Resurrection, Create Mithril Golem
-- Tend to be brilliant inventors, but lazy.
Green
-- Type: Druidic
-- Element: Nature
-- Boon: Regeneration
-- Movement: Gliding/Hovering
-- Flaw: Short-sightedness
-- Example spells: Regenerate, Poison Needles, Infinite Ivy, Infestation, Temporary Immortality
-- Tend to be well-meaning, yet rarely think of long-term impacts of their actions.
Brown
-- Type: Geomancy
-- Element: Earth
-- Boon: Shielding
-- Movement: Tunneling
-- Flaw: Slow to change
-- Example spells: Stonegrowth, Rock Spikes, Earthquake Trap, Animate Stone, Petrify
-- Tend to be diligent, but dour. and conservative.
Yellow
-- Type: Astromancy
-- Element: Lightning
-- Boon: Retribution
-- Movement: Teleportation
-- Flaw: Wrathful
-- Example spells: Starlight Cloak, Lightning Bolt, Spark of Life, Meteor Strike, Thundergod
-- Tend to be motivated and just, but also prone to fits of rage.
Blue
-- Type: Aquamancy
-- Element: Water
-- Boon: Evasion
-- Movement: water-Walking/Breathing
-- Flaw: Indecisive
-- Example spells: Lifedew, Water Spear, Ice Crash, Water-Clone, Bloodfreeze
-- Tend to be adaptive and intelligent, but indecisive and prone to second-guessing.
Red
-- Type: Pyromancy
-- Element: Fire
-- Boon: Power
-- Movement: Haste
-- Flaw: Passion
-- Example spells: Warmth, Fireball, Magma Bolt, Phoenix Blessing, Conflagration
-- Tend to be highly passionate about whatever they do-- and burn themselves out often.
Clear
-- Type: Arcana
-- Element: Force
-- Boon: Generalism
-- Movement: Force-Assist
-- Flaw: Incoherency
-- Example spells: Wound-Binding, Force Bolt, Exponential Impact, Force Cage, Telekinetic Crush
-- Tend to be considerate and decisive... until they become distracted-- oo shiny!
Violet
-- Type: Illusions
-- Element: Mind
-- Boon: Mirror Image
-- Movement: Image-Walking
-- Flaw: Hedonism
-- Example spells: Wounds to Illusion, Injury from Insult, Illusory Army, Temporal Wavering, Mind-Snap
-- Tend to be joyous and gregarious, but also often forget their goals in seeking to enjoy life.
Monday, December 10, 2012
Monday, November 26, 2012
A slowdown in my writing.
Yeah, sorry to ya poor souls trying to suffer through my horrid writing.
I've been preparing for a couple of roleplays recently, on top of the Only War roleplay that I GM. First off is DnD 3.5, which is nice to get back in to. A science-y wizard is my current concept there. And then Exalted after that, I'm playing an Abyssal Dusk Caste, focusing on Dark Messiah style martial arts.
Fun times.
Will write the net bit up (IE, the post-fight bit) next time I feel I have a chance.
I've been preparing for a couple of roleplays recently, on top of the Only War roleplay that I GM. First off is DnD 3.5, which is nice to get back in to. A science-y wizard is my current concept there. And then Exalted after that, I'm playing an Abyssal Dusk Caste, focusing on Dark Messiah style martial arts.
Fun times.
Will write the net bit up (IE, the post-fight bit) next time I feel I have a chance.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Writing Practice: Day 4 (Mythology)
Pain, all alone, knows no dreams, resting in a void of itself
Sorrow's tears and sobbing silenced, burdens lost forever more
Muse, unseen, inspires our greatness; Death then takes it all... away
Sorrow's tears and sobbing silenced, burdens lost forever more
Muse, unseen, inspires our greatness; Death then takes it all... away
Excerpted from
Musings On Universal Origins, and the Nature of Existence
authored by "The Scholar Unbound"
At the beginning of time, the universe was perfectly balanced. All was made up of a single, primordial element, and all energies were spread evenly-- there were no stars, there was no void, there was no creation. There is no true birth of a universe, they always were, and always will be. The undiscovered, infinite universes are the play-toys of gods. Sometimes they work in unison, sometimes alone. Rarely do they work subtly-- for the beings which we call "gods" are almost omnipotent, almost omniscient, almost omnipresent in universes that they claim for themselves. Where they yearn, worlds are created. Where they rage, universes are irrevocably damaged.
Perhaps there is a greater power than the gods out there, guiding the universes in some greater plan. Or perhaps it's just the fickle hand of chance, with no thought at all, no fate save for what we make for ourselves...
--------------------------------------------------
In this universe, one claimed by a god who never gave us his name, the standard creation procedure by the gods was not followed. He just wanted this particular universe for his own personal playground, after all. After creating the physical realm for him to enjoy, he began to toy with the metaphysical aspects... turning them in to personifications, one by one. First he formed Love, the Compassionate, whom he coveted above all else-- and shut her away so that none could have her. Then he created Pain the Sentinel, as well, intending to do the same thing to her as he did to Love the Compassionate... and yet, he could not have her, for by her very nature the pain he felt from being near her led him to be unable to withstand her. And so, angry, he collapsed Pain's mind with various tortures, until she became Pain the Autistic, and was not able to interact in any way with the world around her... she lived in a universe in herself, where there was only Pain.
Learning from his mistakes, he then created Valor the Honorable and Rage the Wrathful, then set them against eachother rather than attempt to claim him as his own, all the while continuing his abuse of Love. The deific arena swelled to include Courage the Inspirational and Pride the King as well, each one fighting for different reasons, and with different methods, all for the god's amusement. Growing bored still in the endless time before mortals, the god formed a social function to match the warriors arena, and added to it Greed the Lonesome, Sleep the Dreamer, Sorrow the Mourner, and Muse the Unseen. And yet, this was never enough, and so he mixed and matched each of them to his amusement, and yet despite his abuse, such as his complete control over them that they could not even desire to disobey, never mind actually do it.
Still bored, still restless, the god moved to create mortals, in an attempt to expand his decadent court. To govern over them, he created Science the Lawgiver, Wisdom the Scholar, Death the Reaper, and then the final one, Hatred the Bloody. Strangely, however, he was unable to control the minds of mortals as firmly as he could his previous creations, and so they began to converse with them... and give them strange new ideas. Ideas that were not in his vision of how the universe was to be. Mortals were always fickle creatures after all, and we still are. We desired, we raged, we loved, we lived, and we died, no matter what he did to the Living Concepts. And yet... we also felt pity. But the god did not desire pity in the universe, and thus never personified that concept.
The universe doesn't work out that way, however. As Hatred's tortures continued over hundreds of years, its hate turned inward, to self-loathing. For god hated Hatred, as that is what she was. So desperate, however, was she to escape her inevitable mind-shattering, that she sought the advice of the mortals. Not strictly disobeying her master for he could recall her at any time in an instant, she tried to learn how they had survived the divine torment that they had been given. Upon relating the pains, both physical and emotional, that god was putting her through, she saw the pity in their eyes-- the eyes of the things which crawled in the dirt, which starved and thirsted, which could not even bend reality to their will... and she wept.
The First Rebellion had begun at the instant that Hatred the Bloody had accepted their pity in to her heart, and become Hatred the Pitiful. It lessened the pain that she felt, and made her feel strong again, as she had when she was first formed. As she was living amongst the mortals, however, she turned her thoughts to the firstborn, Love... Love, the Compassionate, who cared for everything, and yet was locked away, unable to act on her compassion. The newborn pity in her heart made her hatred turn outwards, towards the creator. Taking with her Ictis, the First Knife, an artifact made from stone by the first human to try to work their will upon the world, the first to try to change it in their own image, Hatred confronted god within the arena, calling him out.
Laying before him a list of crimes, she built up the black hatred within her heart to hide the pity that was to truly power her rebellion. Angered by this rebellion, god struck her down... but she rose up again. And again, and again. Moment by agonizing moment, step by futile step, Hatred moved through his divine power much to the shock and awe of her fellows and the mortals that were watching. Even as the bolts became blasts, and the very essence of creation was turned upon her, she focused on her pity for Love, and pushed her will through Ictis, then plunged it in to god's chest. At that instant, the mortals were rooting not for god, but for Hatred. They chose the Deifics over the Creator, and his powers were removed leaving him as nothing but an angry immortal who knew everything in the universe.
This was not enough for Hatred, however. She fell in to a cold, black rage that frightened even Rage the Wrathful, and literally beat god to death-- something that Death the Reaper thought should be impossible, for god was not within her purview, as a being from outside the universe. In fact, it should have been impossible, even other gods who had visited this universe were unable to understand how it happened. Gods themselves could not kill other gods, never mind mortals or other created beings. This singular instance in all of creation resulted in the gods closing the universe off and investigating it... leaving it to evolve and change on its own instead of at the behest of the gods.
Freed from their obligations, the Deifics honored the mortals for freeing them, and blessed them with their virtues, before fading in to the shadows, to give the mortals freedom of their own. And so they spread across the world, and over many generations, different cultures became attuned in different ways to different deifics, resulting in the various races. The ambitious Humans held on to Hope and Pride, while the dour Dwarves held on to Science and Greed. In their search for meaning, the Elves clung to Wisdom and Sorrow. The fae Celestials held on to Sleep and Muse, and entered the Deific Forum, while the martial Daemons coveted Rage and Valor and turned the Deific Arena in to their own eternal bloody fighting pit.
Of those remaining, Death continued her eternal vigil, while Courage set out to inspire individuals. Hatred the Pitiful helped heal Love, whom she had utterly fallen for, and then both of them helped bring Pain halfway back in to the world, so that she knew she was not alone any more. The smile upon Pain's face was enough to make Sorrow's icy tears turn warm, and make the ever-dour Death crack a smile-- all of them had learned to pity their second sister, punished despite committing no crimes. As the ages went on, the Deifics found themselves in the same boredom as their dead master did.
This time, it was Pain that provided a solution. Though she could not properly communicate with the other Deifics, she found that she was able to enter the body of a dying mortal, and make them her Host. She took their pain, and handed their soul to Death, and found... she could think. She could talk. Walking the land as a mortal made her feel happy; even the pains of mortals were like the finest wine compared to the suffering she had gone through trapped in her own mind. And in the body of a mortal, she approached the Deific Forum and talked to her sisters in great lengths. Even Death found mortal bodies useful, for they helped her further her understanding of her role.
These experiences deepened the character of each of the Deifics. Science and Wisdom provided a system through which the Deifics would rotate, spending time as mortals as leisure whenever their duties in maintaining the universe were not backed up. Hatred was the only exception. Watching from afar, Hatred felt the loneliness she had before... her duties were twice as demanding as the other gods, and she was unable to keep up. Her hatred for herself built up once more, bringing her the attention of Sorrow, whom called in the others to intervene. Science and Wisdom created an automated secretary to fulfill Hatred's duties (and have to continually check upon them, leading to the diminishing of the Elven and Dwarven races), while Sleep and Valor guided the near-catatonic Deific in to the body of a willing mortal, whom Death had empowered with agelessness for this purpose and whom Love had gifted with the will to continue on through the ages until Hatred's recovery.
I still am not sure who this person is. Is it someone that wallows in self-pity in a tower in a forgotten corner of a world? Is it perhaps a secret mover of history, empowered by the weakest, yet strongest, of the Deifics? The historical gold mine that would be this person's brain has long tantalized mortal scholars. It is my theory that Sleep has made the identity of Hatred's host vanish from the pages of history through influencing the dreams of those who write it, or simply making us not care. I have only avoided Sleep's attention because my focus is on the Deifics themselves-- I have taken a vow not to research this mortal's identity or nature, in exchange for this information.
Perhaps, some day, the glories or villainies will come out-- perhaps when Hatred the Pitiful has recovered. Until then, the universe has far too much to study. The origins of magic is one of them, and I will cover that in my next musings. As always, I expect these writings to be declared heresy by the Human Church, but the knowledge I seek to disseminate will not be denied, so long as I follow the guidelines that Muse has laid out to me. May your endeavors be as fruitful as mine.
-- The Scholar Unbound --
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Writing Practice: Day 3
[Writer's Note: A shorter post today. Apologies for not updating, if anyone was paying attention to my incoherent writings and ramblings. I've let myself get distracted too easily....]
Sleep, never bound, has a dream to wake the dead and end all rest
Science, cold and always thinking, filling worlds with its wonders
Hope, the fool, who knows everything; Wisdom has much to learn
Sleep, never bound, has a dream to wake the dead and end all rest
Science, cold and always thinking, filling worlds with its wonders
Hope, the fool, who knows everything; Wisdom has much to learn
Some things were fairly standard-- checking identity, equipment, and such. Thieves Guild members were required to do it, to show that they were working within the spirit of the law even if not within the letter. Sages of course were glad to carry identification, it often helped ease worries, making their work easier. Rangers didn't have a system, but this Ranger was known to the town at least. There were numerous Fighter guilds, although if Knight were here he would show his icon of favor from his lord as identification, something that he would sooner die than have stolen. Mages had a system as well, because no one wanted them to go out of control anonymously, especially not the nine mages guilds... but Wizard wasn't in any of those.
When they finally found out her identity, it did nothing to ease the worries of the town guard. "Blackheart the Indomitable?!? That can't be right..." Looking towards her companions, the guardsman explained: "She died centuries ago, fighting Torus the Eternal..." Everyone looked at her and she sighed, before reaching up to touch her throat. Magic filled the scar over it, fueled by what little blood energy was left in her dagger, and she temporarily removed the scar to speak. "Ah... ahem. I also died defeating Chronus the Timelord, Calidia the Succuvore, and most recently, Ajaar the Utopian. Many, many more before that. I have not earned the title The Indomitable without reason... please allow us to move o--" The magic keeping her scar from preventing her to speak ended, leaving her to cough, as blood leaks from inside in to her throat.
Sage rushed to her, instinctively trying to heal her, and Ranger and Rogue helped her sit down as she mentally cursed herself for not giving herself more time. She could permanently heal these scars, and yet... they were memories of past deeds that should never have been done. And her greatest failures... Sage's magics wouldn't be enough to do anything but stop the bleeding due to the power of what caused her scars, but still, the scarred lips rose in a smile. There is still good in this world... "I'm not sure I believe you. But your companions vouch for you, so I'll let you pass. We do have... a request, however. Yesterday, several of our guardsmen began to act erratically. This morning, they were all gone, as were many of our townspeople. That's why we were so suspicious. We need you to look for them-- there's a reward in it, if you're interested..."
"Gone?" Rogue and Ranger spoke in unison. "Yes, just... gone. Breakfast still in its pot, but weapons and armor gone. It's like they were called to war by some militant god using mind control." The two looked at eachother, and then to Wizard and Sage. The latter spoke up: "Did ... you see a Knight enter the village at any point? Grey armor with silver decorations, bright red hair, and a greatsword with a sapphire in its guard..." "We did have a knight, actually, now that you speak of it. He came in through the west gate, saying he was on a holy mission... but his was polished silver armor and gold decor, very ornate." "That would be Laven the Knight, a former companion. Perhaps he was taken with them... we'll do it without compensation." Rogue looked dubious, but was shushed by Sage, who looked rather... determined. "It may even be Laven's doing... if he fell..."
"WHAT? Felicia, Laven wouldn't do something like that... take people from their homes!" "Maybe... but how do we know we're still dealing with Laven the Knight, and not Laven the Crusader? People change, Rowan... Not... not always for the better." "Crusader...? Ah shit... he might..." Rogue looked shaken. Despite their bickering, he had traveled with Laven for years-- before the adventuring group had really taken off. They were practically brothers. "Fine... I'll go look for him with you. Maybe I can talk some sense in to him if you're right." "IF anyone can, you can, Rowan."
The Guardsman let them talk it out, heading to finish off the paperwork needed to let them go. Adventurers... always such trouble. And yet so many towns couldn't exist without them...
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"I still can't believe you talked me in to this." Rogue muttered, as he led the group through the streets. He could track movement on the streets as well as Ranger could in the forest-- better in fact, if he could charm people and ask them questions. But there was no one to ask... the place was almost dead. Still, a person wearing full plate armor did NOT move stealthily. And Knight-- Laven, whatever he called himself now-- was anything but unpredictable. The path took them through the residential area, to the church in the center of the town. "Figures that book-thumper would end up here.... wait, back up." The double doors of the church burst open, a corpse flying through as Laven lowered his foot. "So, you fiends come to your judgement willingly. I will forgive you for your crimes-- aiding and abetting a blood mage with deicidal intent-- for you have been mind controlled. But you, foul spellflinger, will suffer the same fate as this murderer here."
Wizard sighed, and took her knife to her hand again. Healing her throat once more, she muttered "Why does this have to happen now, of all times?" before speaking up in response. "Very well, Laven. As has been passed down through the ages by Valor the Honorable, I will accept your duel. But first..." Laven lunged down at her, sword swung, as she spoke. She appeared atop a fountain in front of the church, standing next to Love the Compassionate. Even though it was a statue, she smiled again.... First, these three are not mind controlled. I am merely... their friend. Second... you are no longer a knight. You have killed without honor. And third..." Laven smashed his blade through the statue to get to Wizard, who blinked away once more, this time ending up inside of the church. "If you wish to duel, we will do so within the church of your dead god."
"Heretic! He watches over us all, and he will guide my blade to your blackened heart!" Laven became a blur as he launched himself in to the church, smashing through the unopened door and slashing down at her. But at Rogue noted earlier, he was predictable, and Wizard dodged by jumping back... only to have golden energy lash out at her and send her rolling across the floor, ending up atop the altar. "Your magic will not help you now, heathen murderer..." "LAVEN, NO!" Even before Sage finished her shout, Laven's blade was thrust through Wizard's chest, embedding itself deep within the marble altar and leaving her body to hang limply from it.
Sage trembled as she saw the event. The white glow of her staff began to take a decidedly red color... no one had ever seen her truly wrathful-- Sages learned to control their emotions, so that they could better heal their patients. An uncontrolled Sage could never heal anyone properly... "I, Felicia the Sage, denounce you. You are now Laven the Murderer, and I will bring you to justice or die trying." Her staff's glow began to take the shape of a macehead at the top of the staff, and she pointed a finger at Laven, who drew the axes he took from his previous victim and, imbuing them with the same golden magic as his greatsword, used them to block the sagacious energies that attempted to imprison him.
"You don't know anything about justice, you pathetic fool. You side with thieves, and weaklings, and blood mages--" He forced himself away from the energies, and launched himself at his former friend, forcing her to block his axe swings. "-- even when you do side away from evil, you would sooner heal a fiend than punish its cruelty!" With several overhead blows to distract her, Laven redirected one of his axes to strike at her undefended sixe... only to find himself blocked by Rogue. "Laven... I won't let you kill her. You may have forgotten what it's like to love someone, but I h--" The thief's daggers shattered, leaving him to be cut deeply in to, the blow knocking him and Sage several feet over, crashing in to a statue just as an arrow embedded itself in one of Laven's hands.
"I don't know anything about what you're fighting over, but someone doesn't just... turn on their friends like that, Laven!" Ranger trambled in fear as she notched another arrow... but it was too late. Her bow was cut in half by a thrown axe, which embedded itself in her gut. "There is no need for friends, fool, when you have justice to dispense. I will send you to meet god now... all of you."
"DO NOT MAKE PROMISES YOU CANNOT KEEP, DAEMON!" The fallen knight shouted, sending the golden magic at her, lashing out wildly and wrecking the pavement. Shielding Ranger with its body, the form turned and looked at him, eyes burning cold as it did so. "Demon? And yet, the blood of innocents is on your hands. Hundreds of people, killed in a single night... what right do you have to judge? If you wish to lash out at someone for angering your dead god, then you would be best served by lashing out at me. If your guilty, blood-stained hands can still wield their weapons... if your tainted soul can still call upon the purity of Valor the Honorable. If your bloodlust can ever be endorsed by Courage the Challenger. Even Rage the Wrathful may turn away from your blackened heart, for you are not strong enough to sustain her."
Laven tried.... but he could not. His newfound magic would not come to him... and his hands shook in... fear? No.... remorse. Guilt. Self-loathing... like he had never known before. So pathetic, so feeble... so unable to do anything... nothing but a mortal, and a stupid one at that. As he sat there being drawn further in to his own mind, Wizard walked out, held by Sageand Rogue, who froze in their steps. "Yes... it's time for me to sleep again... forgive me for not empowering you sooner... I did not know of the dangers your friends were in." Wizard smiled and spread the hole that the stab had mde in her cloak open, allowing the god-thing to flow back in to her wound, which closed behind her. "I know... I've been your vessel for thousands of years, after all. Sleep well, Hatred the Pitiful."
Everyone stood in awe as they watched, even the town guard who had witnessed the last part of the fight. "Oh dear... it looks like I have some more unwanted attention..." She collapsed back in to Sage and Rogue, as Ranger moved to help her as well. The head guard stepped forward, demanding an explanation.... but no one had one save for Wizard. "An honorable man, tainted by the corruption of the world, tried to take justice in to his own hands.... but only lost his honor and his humanity in the process. I do not recommend that the weak of heart look in to the catacombs below the temple... it is a bloody mess of corpses." The guardsmen looked at eachother before rushing down to look, and to check for survivors... the head guardsman and two others keeping the injured four under arrest in the mean time.
"Wizard, you have a lot to tell us... you NEED to tell us." Sage said, looking at her companion as if she never knew her before. "I know... but forgive me, I hate what, and who, I am... only the desire to keep her from suffering lets me get through the day." As rain began to fall, Rogue and Ranger were sent to be treated, while Sage held Wizard, letting her cloak keep both of them from getting ill. "So... clichéd. Somehow I think she's still up there... watching me. Watching us all... Love the Compassionate knows no boundry... and she cries."
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Writing Practice: Day two
[Writer's note: I intended to submit this yesterday, but I didn't have a chance. Today's submission will be pushed back a day. So much for the 3k words a day challenge! But I'll still make it to 21k words if I can.]
Will, bound for greatness, dreaming vividly for the good of all
Valor, the protector, learning, striving for the ultimate test
Pride the King descends to madness; Greed forever yearns... alone
The trip from the destroyed village of Hendric was peaceful. Too peaceful, in fact... it was more accurate to say that it was dead. Ranger-- there was no formal group to grant such a title unlike Knight or some other classes, thus Jenna needed only to think of herself as such-- was the first to point this out, fitting in to her new role nicely. "It's almost as if the Necromancer infected the entire valley. We should probably leave as fast as possible..." "Aww, you're afraid of the big bad skellingtons?" Sage shrugged. "Don't tease the newbie, Rowan. You didn't last that long against the evil adventurers either. Laven, we need to grab you a hammer or something at the next town. There's no flesh to cut, and the hammer will shatter bones easier." "Aye, that we do. You think you want a couple blackjacks, Rowan?" "Don't mind if I do. Always good to have back-ups. Jenna, anything on your shopping list?" "A staff or spear. Bows aren't made for hitting things."
The banter was pleasing to Wizard, though she did not participate in it. It suited her place as the Wizard to stay quiet unless needed anyway-- nevermind the injuries she suffered so long ago, facing off against Ajaar the Utopian. A madman, driven by Sorrow and Rage to rule the world, Ajaar was utterly unpredictable, and had captured Wizard, torturing her with knives, before she managed to take one of them. As a Wizard, she had a sacrificial blade-- all of them did. Most used it to sacrifice various spell materials, such as roots of various vegetables, or the blood of farm animals. Three things were forbidden to be sacrificed in this way... the blood of humans, bones, and gold, for all three were representative of the three forbidden classes-- Bloodmage, Necromancer, and Deific Mage.
Wizard had, at one point, been all three of those. But that was the past. Now she was merely Wizard, sacrificing the electrons in the air in order to create lightning, or the mud in the earth in order to summon a stone spike to impale her enemies. Back then, though... she was desperate. Stabbing the knife she took from her captor in to him, she sacrificed all of his blood, and used the energy to banish him to the furthest reaches of the cosmos, to float forever amidst the horrors in the void between the stars. In desperation not to be overcome by the lust for power, Wizard slit her own throat, and laid down to die. How she didn't was beyond her knowledge.
"Hey, wizzy! We should get you a staff as well. Or maybe a sword. I know you're not a Swordmage, but that dinky dagger won't help you that much against skeletons." Brought out of her depression, temporarily, by Rogue's question. It wasn't a bad idea. A sword could also be used as a sacrificial blade-- anything with a properly honed edge could (though it had to be honed by the mage themself, to attune them to the blade). It's the very reason that swordmages and battlemages existed, after all. Cutting the air to gather charge, or to free up oxygen and hydrogen to allow for combustion would make her spells easier, if shorter ranged. With a nod, Wizard assented to Rogue's suggestion, making Knight grin. "Heh, what makes you think she can properly use it, though? Only thing I've ever seen her use is that knife." Ranger grinned. "Only thing I've seen you use is your mouth, Laven." "Ahaha, she has you there."
Sage sighed, and stopped the group. "We have company... I count five undead auras, under the ground in front of us." Ranger muttered "Underground? That's just unfair." as she readied her hatchets. "Come on Jenna, at least you have axes. My daggers might as well be bare hands against these things." As they bantered, the undead opponents realized they had been noticed, and raised up from the ground. Dirt melted off of them like sand, forming in to their attire and armor-- armor that ended up somehow... different and twisted. Visions of their darker ambitions, perhaps... or maybe just a temptation. Or a lie...
Knight's undead doppleganger, instead of his shining silvered platemail with greatsword, was standing in exquisite gold-embossed armor, wielding a royal blade and shield. For Rogue, the leather armor and cape was replaced by a chainmail shirt and leather cloak, hood covering a shadowed, rotting face as it drew its poisoned blades. Sage's counterpart wore tattered grey robes, a crown of crystal spikes upon its head as its black staff materialized in its hand, and next to her stood a skeleton with dual swords, full leather armor, and a repeating crossbow across its back. But more peculiarly, Wizard's opposite stood as if it was entirely alive, its skin even becoming pinkish instead of pale as its wizardly hat formed upon its head, and a plain oak staff manifested in its hands.
"Hey Wizard, why do you get the opposite that's alive? I hate fighting undead." As the five pairs squared off, Wizard against Mage, Sage against Lich, Ranger against Strider, Rogue against Bandit, Warrior against Slayer, the Wizard and Mage stood there, simply watching eachother. None of them seemed ready to make the first move, until Mage spoke. "Alive...? That's impossible..." It stood dumbstruck at its newfound life, and the comment shocked its undead companions, allowing the group to get the first strike upon their dopplegangers. Now with the advantage, they began to corner the four, forcing them to stand back to back surrounded by the real copies. Then, Wizard's soft voice spoke out in the minds of everyone here. "We should leave now. Nothing good will come of defeating them." The other nine stood in shock at the comment. "What... how DARE you ignore us!" the Slayer shouted, charging forth only to get kicked down by the Knight. "Hey, when Wizard speaks, you listen. Wizard, explain yourself."
"These aren't dopplegangers. They're the spirits of your ancestors, pulled across time and laid as a trap here. The only exception... is me." Wizard pulled her knife out, and laid a cut on her arm. Covering the knife with blood, Wizard sealed the wound and then pushed the knife forward towards the Mage. A hologram of a golden sundial appeared, rewinding itself as Mage began to vanish, before disappearing altogether along with the sundial itself disintegrated in to light. "So, that's how I was revived, then." Wizard mused to herself, as she collapsed on to one knee. "Make peace with your ancestors... you have no need to hate eachother."
The group looked at her in shock. How was she excepted... and what exactly was Wizard? So did the ancestors... they already knew what their role was, such was the magic within Necromancer's spell that they could not have remained ignorant of that. But for a mortal to find it out so fast... and for a mortal to have no ancestor to call back? Lich began to wonder how exactly this paradox started, as well, because she had recognized what was going on with Mage instantly. "Time travel is stupid" Wizard muttered, and collapsed on her side. Sage looked towards Lich, then ran to heal her companion, knowing that blood loss wasn't something to let slide lightly. "Hm, so my descendant is a healer. Either way you control life and death... even if our paths are different, I am pleased. Especially since that one defeated Ulrik the Necromancer and freed me from my debt." Amused, the Lich created a portal and stepped through, leaving its temporary companions to wreak revenge upon its captor's soul.
"Hmph. So my descendant is a Knight? At least you're good with a sword." "Better tahn you, old man. After all, I forced you to back up." "Ahahahah, I think I'm fine with this. That fat bastard pulled me out of Valhalla for his petty plans, but at least I can see that my blood has not been misspent by my descendants." Strider nodded. "I'm eager to rid myself of this unnatural form as well. And you, Herald?" Bandit shrugged, not speaking from under its mask, as he began to let himself go. One by one, they vanished, the spell broken... the heroes stood there in anticlimactic shock. "What ... the hell?" Ranger shouted, then repeated herself all the louder. Though Knight and Rogue said nothing, they certainly mirrored Ranger's shouted objection. "Calm down... Wizard just helped us avoid some stupid nonsense." "I just... I expected something more, Felicia. And what the hell was with that Mage? I thought you can't travel back in time?" "You can't... or... I thought you couldn't. I don't know what Wizard did, but that shouldn't have happened."
"No, really, you think? Come on Felicia, I think we really do need to turn her in this time. Blood magic and deific magic both used in a single spell? She has crossed too many lines..." Rogue raised his eyes wide. "Wait, that was deific magic? How do you know?" "Because only deific magic can defy the laws of nature like that!" Drawing his sword, Knight moved over the unconscious body of Wizard, and prepared to decapitate her. "Laven, no!" Sage moved, blocking the blow. The force of the swing and the weight of the greatsword forced Sage on to her knees, though the enchantment on her staff held. "Don't stop me, Felicia. This is for the good of everyone." Ranger moved to draw her bow and notched an arrow. "I'm siding with Felicia here. I don't know your Wizard very well, but even if she IS in the wrong, we can't be making hasty decisions about killing our friends." "Yeah, Jenna's right. Put the sword down, Laven." Rogue moved to push against the sword with his daggers, helping Sage stand up despite Knight's great strength. "You... all of you... you'd betray God for this... blood mage?"
"So you're a paladin now? I thought you were a knight." "I swore an oath! I let her blood magic slide because she had not shown herself to be evil, but... I cannot forgive Deific magic. I will not let a Deific magic user threaten the throne of God! Despite his words, he let up on his strength, until Sage and Rogue were able to force him to sheath his sword behind his back. "I'm going... I cannot stay with this group any more. I can't let up on any more of the evil stewing within." Turning his back on the others, he walked away, ignoring their complaints. "Goodbye, Felicia... I hope this does not lead to your doom." Sage was crushed, and dropped to her knees. Though she could never act on her feelings, they were still there. Rogue hugged her, honestly caring and not wanting to take advantage of her loneliness. "Wow... I... never knew Knights were like that." Jenna said, heading to prepare a camp on a nearby hill. The party wasn't likely to move much further than this today... and the sooner they had a defensible camp, the better.
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"I hope you're happy, Wizard..." Sage said, still going through her emotions. yet the look on Wizard's face was anything but. Just more of that self loathing that Sage had seen earlier... much more in fact. Sage did not get her title without being at least a little sagacious, and psychology and sociology were required studies for healers anyway... she could see that Wizard was already beating herself up over it, inside of that scarred up head. A pained whisper came from Wizard's scarred throat in response, almost more like a mouthed breath than a whisper. "I'm not... but ... some things had to be done..." Coughing up blood, Wizard turned away, leaving a worried Sage to try another healing spell upon her.
Rogue continued to sharpen his blades, asking: "Is Wizzy gonna make it?" "Yes, I think so. I certainly hope so... she has some questions to answer." "Yeah, no kidding." Ranger said, finishing up their shelter and keeping the fire from the wind with a few large stones. "Our priest had told us that no Mage had tried Deific magic in centuries. If that's actually what it is... well, I'd be surprised." Wizard sat up, and sage pushed her pack behind the hooded woman. "It wasn't... deific." The wizard shrugged, using magic t o replicate the sounds taht her throat could no longer do. "That nonsense term... no such thing as deific magic anyway. Gods don't use magic. They're another level of beings entirely." This explanation at least would make sense to the others, Wizard thought, perhaps it'd save her from saying something truly heretical.
"I guess, but what exactly did you cast back there?" "It doesn't have a name. Like Jenna said, it hasn't been used in centuries. It doesn't make sense, not to mortal minds... it's more fair to say the magic was using me, to create a causal link to prevent the paradox that had happened, but in doing so it caused paradox that needed to be prevented in the first place, turning it in to an infinite causal loop... I died shortly after I defeated Ajaar, decades ago. Then I appeared somewhere else... lived up until this time, and met with my past self just as that Necromancer revived me, and knew instinctively that I had to send her back.. creating a knot in time, as it were. Your priests call it deific magic because supposedly only a deity can truly understand what's going on." Even sage looked dubious at that explanation, yet Wizard seemed to think it sufficed. At the very least, they thought she was hiding things from them still. It couldn't have been that simple or that complex....
Sage recalled hearing the woman say "time travel is stupid" shook her head. "So it's time magic then? No wonder the priests would forsake it. You could do more damage with that than with what they say Deific magic is. But you used blood, not gold." Wizard meekly smiled and shrugged, not having the magical energy to speak again yet, she simply let it slide. There was no contradiction in her mind, at least, but to those not experienced in magic use, they didn't know how magical energy wasn't really all that different between the various forms. Blood was a source of energy for everything, which is why blood mages are so powerful. And why they, took, were forbidden. "Let her rest. We all need to sleep. I'll take first watch tonight." Ranger nodded, and Rogue nominated himself as last watch, leaving Sage to take middle.
The night was cold and dreary, the only sound being the mild wind that picked up only a couple times each hour ,and even then it was quiet-- no rustling leaves, no spooked animals, no hunting predators... the forest was dead. Even the air in it felt dead, and Rogue woke them all up early to have breakfast at the dying campfire so they could get out of it as early as possible. The woods would be haunted soon, he suspected, remembering some tales from the Thieves' guild of things similarly happening in the heartwoods of each nation. They were haunted, and any adventurers that came out were twisted... and cruel. "Uh.. shit, I just thought of a problem. Felicia? Do you have any way of indicating that we are not evil when we arrive at town? After what's happening to these woods, they may think us evil adventurers, not good." "hm. I suppose I can use a bluelight spell. It is harmful to the eyes of innately evil beings..."
With a shrug, she asks: "Do you really think it's going to be that bad?" "Yeah... this is the last nation for it to happen in, so there's been time for rumors to go around the thieves' guilds about what's happened to every other nation... it's like... the nations, and indeed the spirit of adventure, are rotting from within, and they say nothing good can come out of these forests untainted." Ranger responded: "No animals have come out yet... they're all hiding, all running away, or all dead. So I can see why they'd say that...especially if each adventurer had to fight their undead dopplegangers-- I don't know how many of them could have won in a normal fight."
Wizard began to wish she had a staff already. The blood loss from the two fights has not been easy on her. The others-- aside from Knight, who recovered quickly with his immense fortitude-- had taken mostly minor injuries, but Wizard had been hurt more in her fight with the Necromancer than she let on, and then she had to sacrifice so much blood to send herself back in time... she was looking forward to a hot meal and a warm bed more than anyone else in the group. Not that they were looking forward to it much less than she... none of them were ascetics like Knight was, and even Sage could enjoy the comfort of a warm tavern room, sitting next to a candle reading a book. Rogue no doubt would try to seduce a young lady. Ranger, however, was unlikely much like the idea of reporting the news from her village... still, she had friends in nearby towns, so at least she could take comfort in meeting them again.
And so, with both hesitation and joy, they broke from the forest and came upon the town of Eldricsburg, and hailed the guardsmen atop the walls. It took an hour before the doors were open, but they were allowed in... only to find themselves escorted to the guardhouse under the guidance of Sage's blue light.
"We have some questions for you. You're the first ones to come out of the Hendricsfir alive..."
The banter was pleasing to Wizard, though she did not participate in it. It suited her place as the Wizard to stay quiet unless needed anyway-- nevermind the injuries she suffered so long ago, facing off against Ajaar the Utopian. A madman, driven by Sorrow and Rage to rule the world, Ajaar was utterly unpredictable, and had captured Wizard, torturing her with knives, before she managed to take one of them. As a Wizard, she had a sacrificial blade-- all of them did. Most used it to sacrifice various spell materials, such as roots of various vegetables, or the blood of farm animals. Three things were forbidden to be sacrificed in this way... the blood of humans, bones, and gold, for all three were representative of the three forbidden classes-- Bloodmage, Necromancer, and Deific Mage.
Wizard had, at one point, been all three of those. But that was the past. Now she was merely Wizard, sacrificing the electrons in the air in order to create lightning, or the mud in the earth in order to summon a stone spike to impale her enemies. Back then, though... she was desperate. Stabbing the knife she took from her captor in to him, she sacrificed all of his blood, and used the energy to banish him to the furthest reaches of the cosmos, to float forever amidst the horrors in the void between the stars. In desperation not to be overcome by the lust for power, Wizard slit her own throat, and laid down to die. How she didn't was beyond her knowledge.
"Hey, wizzy! We should get you a staff as well. Or maybe a sword. I know you're not a Swordmage, but that dinky dagger won't help you that much against skeletons." Brought out of her depression, temporarily, by Rogue's question. It wasn't a bad idea. A sword could also be used as a sacrificial blade-- anything with a properly honed edge could (though it had to be honed by the mage themself, to attune them to the blade). It's the very reason that swordmages and battlemages existed, after all. Cutting the air to gather charge, or to free up oxygen and hydrogen to allow for combustion would make her spells easier, if shorter ranged. With a nod, Wizard assented to Rogue's suggestion, making Knight grin. "Heh, what makes you think she can properly use it, though? Only thing I've ever seen her use is that knife." Ranger grinned. "Only thing I've seen you use is your mouth, Laven." "Ahaha, she has you there."
Sage sighed, and stopped the group. "We have company... I count five undead auras, under the ground in front of us." Ranger muttered "Underground? That's just unfair." as she readied her hatchets. "Come on Jenna, at least you have axes. My daggers might as well be bare hands against these things." As they bantered, the undead opponents realized they had been noticed, and raised up from the ground. Dirt melted off of them like sand, forming in to their attire and armor-- armor that ended up somehow... different and twisted. Visions of their darker ambitions, perhaps... or maybe just a temptation. Or a lie...
Knight's undead doppleganger, instead of his shining silvered platemail with greatsword, was standing in exquisite gold-embossed armor, wielding a royal blade and shield. For Rogue, the leather armor and cape was replaced by a chainmail shirt and leather cloak, hood covering a shadowed, rotting face as it drew its poisoned blades. Sage's counterpart wore tattered grey robes, a crown of crystal spikes upon its head as its black staff materialized in its hand, and next to her stood a skeleton with dual swords, full leather armor, and a repeating crossbow across its back. But more peculiarly, Wizard's opposite stood as if it was entirely alive, its skin even becoming pinkish instead of pale as its wizardly hat formed upon its head, and a plain oak staff manifested in its hands.
"Hey Wizard, why do you get the opposite that's alive? I hate fighting undead." As the five pairs squared off, Wizard against Mage, Sage against Lich, Ranger against Strider, Rogue against Bandit, Warrior against Slayer, the Wizard and Mage stood there, simply watching eachother. None of them seemed ready to make the first move, until Mage spoke. "Alive...? That's impossible..." It stood dumbstruck at its newfound life, and the comment shocked its undead companions, allowing the group to get the first strike upon their dopplegangers. Now with the advantage, they began to corner the four, forcing them to stand back to back surrounded by the real copies. Then, Wizard's soft voice spoke out in the minds of everyone here. "We should leave now. Nothing good will come of defeating them." The other nine stood in shock at the comment. "What... how DARE you ignore us!" the Slayer shouted, charging forth only to get kicked down by the Knight. "Hey, when Wizard speaks, you listen. Wizard, explain yourself."
"These aren't dopplegangers. They're the spirits of your ancestors, pulled across time and laid as a trap here. The only exception... is me." Wizard pulled her knife out, and laid a cut on her arm. Covering the knife with blood, Wizard sealed the wound and then pushed the knife forward towards the Mage. A hologram of a golden sundial appeared, rewinding itself as Mage began to vanish, before disappearing altogether along with the sundial itself disintegrated in to light. "So, that's how I was revived, then." Wizard mused to herself, as she collapsed on to one knee. "Make peace with your ancestors... you have no need to hate eachother."
The group looked at her in shock. How was she excepted... and what exactly was Wizard? So did the ancestors... they already knew what their role was, such was the magic within Necromancer's spell that they could not have remained ignorant of that. But for a mortal to find it out so fast... and for a mortal to have no ancestor to call back? Lich began to wonder how exactly this paradox started, as well, because she had recognized what was going on with Mage instantly. "Time travel is stupid" Wizard muttered, and collapsed on her side. Sage looked towards Lich, then ran to heal her companion, knowing that blood loss wasn't something to let slide lightly. "Hm, so my descendant is a healer. Either way you control life and death... even if our paths are different, I am pleased. Especially since that one defeated Ulrik the Necromancer and freed me from my debt." Amused, the Lich created a portal and stepped through, leaving its temporary companions to wreak revenge upon its captor's soul.
"Hmph. So my descendant is a Knight? At least you're good with a sword." "Better tahn you, old man. After all, I forced you to back up." "Ahahahah, I think I'm fine with this. That fat bastard pulled me out of Valhalla for his petty plans, but at least I can see that my blood has not been misspent by my descendants." Strider nodded. "I'm eager to rid myself of this unnatural form as well. And you, Herald?" Bandit shrugged, not speaking from under its mask, as he began to let himself go. One by one, they vanished, the spell broken... the heroes stood there in anticlimactic shock. "What ... the hell?" Ranger shouted, then repeated herself all the louder. Though Knight and Rogue said nothing, they certainly mirrored Ranger's shouted objection. "Calm down... Wizard just helped us avoid some stupid nonsense." "I just... I expected something more, Felicia. And what the hell was with that Mage? I thought you can't travel back in time?" "You can't... or... I thought you couldn't. I don't know what Wizard did, but that shouldn't have happened."
"No, really, you think? Come on Felicia, I think we really do need to turn her in this time. Blood magic and deific magic both used in a single spell? She has crossed too many lines..." Rogue raised his eyes wide. "Wait, that was deific magic? How do you know?" "Because only deific magic can defy the laws of nature like that!" Drawing his sword, Knight moved over the unconscious body of Wizard, and prepared to decapitate her. "Laven, no!" Sage moved, blocking the blow. The force of the swing and the weight of the greatsword forced Sage on to her knees, though the enchantment on her staff held. "Don't stop me, Felicia. This is for the good of everyone." Ranger moved to draw her bow and notched an arrow. "I'm siding with Felicia here. I don't know your Wizard very well, but even if she IS in the wrong, we can't be making hasty decisions about killing our friends." "Yeah, Jenna's right. Put the sword down, Laven." Rogue moved to push against the sword with his daggers, helping Sage stand up despite Knight's great strength. "You... all of you... you'd betray God for this... blood mage?"
"So you're a paladin now? I thought you were a knight." "I swore an oath! I let her blood magic slide because she had not shown herself to be evil, but... I cannot forgive Deific magic. I will not let a Deific magic user threaten the throne of God! Despite his words, he let up on his strength, until Sage and Rogue were able to force him to sheath his sword behind his back. "I'm going... I cannot stay with this group any more. I can't let up on any more of the evil stewing within." Turning his back on the others, he walked away, ignoring their complaints. "Goodbye, Felicia... I hope this does not lead to your doom." Sage was crushed, and dropped to her knees. Though she could never act on her feelings, they were still there. Rogue hugged her, honestly caring and not wanting to take advantage of her loneliness. "Wow... I... never knew Knights were like that." Jenna said, heading to prepare a camp on a nearby hill. The party wasn't likely to move much further than this today... and the sooner they had a defensible camp, the better.
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"I hope you're happy, Wizard..." Sage said, still going through her emotions. yet the look on Wizard's face was anything but. Just more of that self loathing that Sage had seen earlier... much more in fact. Sage did not get her title without being at least a little sagacious, and psychology and sociology were required studies for healers anyway... she could see that Wizard was already beating herself up over it, inside of that scarred up head. A pained whisper came from Wizard's scarred throat in response, almost more like a mouthed breath than a whisper. "I'm not... but ... some things had to be done..." Coughing up blood, Wizard turned away, leaving a worried Sage to try another healing spell upon her.
Rogue continued to sharpen his blades, asking: "Is Wizzy gonna make it?" "Yes, I think so. I certainly hope so... she has some questions to answer." "Yeah, no kidding." Ranger said, finishing up their shelter and keeping the fire from the wind with a few large stones. "Our priest had told us that no Mage had tried Deific magic in centuries. If that's actually what it is... well, I'd be surprised." Wizard sat up, and sage pushed her pack behind the hooded woman. "It wasn't... deific." The wizard shrugged, using magic t o replicate the sounds taht her throat could no longer do. "That nonsense term... no such thing as deific magic anyway. Gods don't use magic. They're another level of beings entirely." This explanation at least would make sense to the others, Wizard thought, perhaps it'd save her from saying something truly heretical.
"I guess, but what exactly did you cast back there?" "It doesn't have a name. Like Jenna said, it hasn't been used in centuries. It doesn't make sense, not to mortal minds... it's more fair to say the magic was using me, to create a causal link to prevent the paradox that had happened, but in doing so it caused paradox that needed to be prevented in the first place, turning it in to an infinite causal loop... I died shortly after I defeated Ajaar, decades ago. Then I appeared somewhere else... lived up until this time, and met with my past self just as that Necromancer revived me, and knew instinctively that I had to send her back.. creating a knot in time, as it were. Your priests call it deific magic because supposedly only a deity can truly understand what's going on." Even sage looked dubious at that explanation, yet Wizard seemed to think it sufficed. At the very least, they thought she was hiding things from them still. It couldn't have been that simple or that complex....
Sage recalled hearing the woman say "time travel is stupid" shook her head. "So it's time magic then? No wonder the priests would forsake it. You could do more damage with that than with what they say Deific magic is. But you used blood, not gold." Wizard meekly smiled and shrugged, not having the magical energy to speak again yet, she simply let it slide. There was no contradiction in her mind, at least, but to those not experienced in magic use, they didn't know how magical energy wasn't really all that different between the various forms. Blood was a source of energy for everything, which is why blood mages are so powerful. And why they, took, were forbidden. "Let her rest. We all need to sleep. I'll take first watch tonight." Ranger nodded, and Rogue nominated himself as last watch, leaving Sage to take middle.
The night was cold and dreary, the only sound being the mild wind that picked up only a couple times each hour ,and even then it was quiet-- no rustling leaves, no spooked animals, no hunting predators... the forest was dead. Even the air in it felt dead, and Rogue woke them all up early to have breakfast at the dying campfire so they could get out of it as early as possible. The woods would be haunted soon, he suspected, remembering some tales from the Thieves' guild of things similarly happening in the heartwoods of each nation. They were haunted, and any adventurers that came out were twisted... and cruel. "Uh.. shit, I just thought of a problem. Felicia? Do you have any way of indicating that we are not evil when we arrive at town? After what's happening to these woods, they may think us evil adventurers, not good." "hm. I suppose I can use a bluelight spell. It is harmful to the eyes of innately evil beings..."
With a shrug, she asks: "Do you really think it's going to be that bad?" "Yeah... this is the last nation for it to happen in, so there's been time for rumors to go around the thieves' guilds about what's happened to every other nation... it's like... the nations, and indeed the spirit of adventure, are rotting from within, and they say nothing good can come out of these forests untainted." Ranger responded: "No animals have come out yet... they're all hiding, all running away, or all dead. So I can see why they'd say that...especially if each adventurer had to fight their undead dopplegangers-- I don't know how many of them could have won in a normal fight."
Wizard began to wish she had a staff already. The blood loss from the two fights has not been easy on her. The others-- aside from Knight, who recovered quickly with his immense fortitude-- had taken mostly minor injuries, but Wizard had been hurt more in her fight with the Necromancer than she let on, and then she had to sacrifice so much blood to send herself back in time... she was looking forward to a hot meal and a warm bed more than anyone else in the group. Not that they were looking forward to it much less than she... none of them were ascetics like Knight was, and even Sage could enjoy the comfort of a warm tavern room, sitting next to a candle reading a book. Rogue no doubt would try to seduce a young lady. Ranger, however, was unlikely much like the idea of reporting the news from her village... still, she had friends in nearby towns, so at least she could take comfort in meeting them again.
And so, with both hesitation and joy, they broke from the forest and came upon the town of Eldricsburg, and hailed the guardsmen atop the walls. It took an hour before the doors were open, but they were allowed in... only to find themselves escorted to the guardhouse under the guidance of Sage's blue light.
"We have some questions for you. You're the first ones to come out of the Hendricsfir alive..."
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