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An evening ritual

Started by Datasmith, July 22, 2017, 09:50:08 PM

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Datasmith

Charles poured salt in a 4/4ft diameter circle, at the center lay a small crystal that glowed faintly. He took a knife off his belt and cut his palm, making sure his blood fell onto the salt. He muttered some words that no man could understand.
"Cuthal, Dinok, Alkatha, sirokda yelbs derken brah Yog-derhenīkéèrno, FINIS!" At the sound of his words, the ring of salt burst into flames, originating from the blood. The crystal in the center of the circle glowed with a harsher light.
Behind the boy, a ghostly figure observed. Clad in black robes that hid his face, the wraith looked on with hidden pride; for he was the one who taught Charles this, and he was the one who will see Charles succeed where he failed.
"Norika-nel kah!" The flames changed color to a deep purple and died down. From the crystal a figure appeared. The figure immediately charged the young necromancer, only to be stopped by the ring of fire.
"You did well, Charles. This is the second smoothest summoning you've ever achieved."
"Thank you, master." Charles bowed slightly with a smirk. He knew calling John "master" got under his metaphorical skin.
John grumbled, "are you done? Bind it to your will." The wraith said, gesturing to the captured wraith with a bony hand.
"Whatever you say." And the boy turned back to the wraith.
"Yor-gothani, nari, nari" the wraith writhed in agony "nari-dokal de narkel!" The wraith's struggling reached its height, and the circle of fire started to sputter.
Paying no mind to the imminent failure of his barrier, Charles continued. "Dokan-se, dokri mag DIINOK!" and the barrier fell. At the same time as the barrier falling, the wraith stopped writhing and floated in place, unmoving and still.
"Excellent work, Charles."
Both student and master were unaware just how much attention this ritual captured.

Wrathwyrm

There were many wild animals in these woods.  Dangerous predators, even magical ones.  However, the feeling of the undead - the power of necromancy - does not entice them forward.  It is an unnatural force, one which the living tend to shy away from.  Thus, only in extreme anger or desperation would one come forth.  Well, normally...  Other unnatural beasts tend to take notice, and they get curious.  Perhaps the wraith would get a feeling, if not Charles himself.  Perhaps not.  What would be noticeable is that, against all reason, there would be movement, and sounds around them.  They were the sounds of animals, though the movements themselves were a bit indistinct.  Too dark, you see.  It didn't seem right...

At about the time either of them would be able to see a black panther leaping from bushes to the cover of a tree out there, he would appear.  At least, one would presume it was a man.  One could not so easily tell, though.  The figure was clad in a midnight-blue robe whose hood seemed to obscure the face of their sudden visitor.  There were holes in it to make way for a pair of metal horns that came from a helmet he was wearing, which had sort of a horned-skull motif, judging by what could be seen of it.  He seemed to be wearing a black chainmail vest and a medallion with a red jewel set in what looked like an eye of gold.  He had dark leather gloves and boots, sharply studded with wrist and shin-guards on.

Judging by the way he had suddenly blinked into existence there, he was a magus with a teleport power of some kind.  Judging by the rock he was sitting on that hadn't been there a moment ago, he was very good at this.  Now, we don't know exactly what level of sensitivity these two have to those around them and how well they pick up on the supernatural, but if they had those senses, they could no doubt pick up that this fellow worked with the spiritual plane.  He didn't say anything yet.  He sat there, watching with interest, with the only feature they could make out of his actual being: His red glowing eyes.

Datasmith

The first to notice the presence was John; though the wraith made no motion nor did he react.
"We are being watched, boy." He said, a whisper in the back of Charles mind.
"Really?" The boy said as he turned around, "Hello? Who goes there?"
If a ghost could sigh, John just did. "You are one of the better necromancers I've seen, and yet you lack all subtly."
Charles turned to the wraith. "Oh please, not all of us can talk through thoughts. I sure can't become invisible like you... yet."
"Stop talking."
"Why?"
"Because"
"Because why?"
"..."
"The silent treatment won't work on me you spectral ass!"
he is gifted, he has potential. But I mustn't forget his age. though John.
"He might not be one to take kindly to these sorts of magic." John said in a manner a parent would speak to a child.
John turned to look at the figure, and he could tell from here that it held power overwhelming.
"Be ready to teleport, John. This isn't a normal man."

Wrathwyrm

Now, one thing that you must note - something which neither John not Dexter would realize at this time, just by looking at him - was that...this man was not a man.  He was incognito.  Not man incognito, but cat incognito.  He possessed the ability to take upon a human shape, but he did not look human.  He didn't even look like Cat from Red Dwarf under those clothes.  He was like a panther-man, a humanoid Bombay Cat.  This did not matter, though, as it was also not his true form, and one hopes to be on the good side of such an animal if they see him like that.  Oh yes, indeed...

Still, there was this conversation going on before him, and that which was spoken audibly was picked up with ease, having the eyes and ears to pick up the sight and sound of anything in the general vicinity.  He heard the young man and his wraith friend, and he even laughed when he called it a spectral ass.  That was good.  You can't see under the hood, but he was now grinning the grin of the Cheshire Cat.  Go figure.

"Sometimes, subtlety is not necessary.  There's a dozen places where a fireball will do better than a quiet manipulation."

He criss-crossed his armored fingers, resting elbows upon knees as he glared at the two of them.

"I've nothing against the art, though.  I see and hear spirits all the time.  It's part of what I do and where I come from.  I may rain down elemental power, but I am as you see, a practicioner of the black.  Your work was like a beacon to me, so here I am, curious as a...  Well, something-or-other."

Datasmith

All was silent for a moment, neither of the two spoke. and the form of the now bound wraith flickered slightly.
"Oh... Wonderful, heh. I was worried for a moment that some paladin or whatever found me! THAT would've been a mess." Charles laughed nervously as he wrapped his hand with a bandage.
"Do not trust him, boy" John said into Charles head directly with a clear tone of worry. "This l... thing is powerful. I will say it again, be prepared to make a quick exit."
Charles slowly made his way over to the figure, stepping carefully and slowly. Charles stopped a good 3 yards away from the being.
"Tell me, what is your name? I am Charles Dexter Curwen, the second. And he" Charles motions to John, who followed in Charles shadow, "is John Olivier Curwen, my... distant uncle." John made no motion, he just stared at the creature.

Wrathwyrm

"Maybe I should start claiming that I'm a paladin.  That would be funny."

The magus snickered at the thought of it.  Yes, come and see the black and terrible paladin.  It was bound to piss off alot of people, perhaps in Connlaoth the most.  What would happen if he just started giving him titles, and then daring anyone to challenge him?  It could be fun!  Poor, offended creatures.  Speaking of humans, this one approached him now.  Not directly close, but certainly enough that it would be exceptionally hard to dodge a good blast of...lots of things, really.  And then...

"Oh, you want to know my name?  I'm Garlock The Destroyer."

Oh... Uhh...  Well...  Okay, so...there'd be rumors, as this name has seen quite alot of use, kind of like the name of Gary Blight.  Garlock was known to be...some sort of black magus, an elementalist with designs on death and destruction.  He began in Serendipity, but he has been around.  He has done services to some by killing others, and destroyed a number of towns.  Even if Charles had paid attention to no rumor or report, which isn't likely, there were posted rewards here and there about Garlock.  He was, as the wraith said, quite the piece of work.

Datasmith

Garlock... where has he heard that name before? Charles though for a moment. And drew a big old blank. "Sorry, never heard of you before." Charles shrugged, "but to be fair, I haven't really lived a... open life. When I was at home I always was absorbed by my studies in the arcane."
John, likewise had no clue who he was; Being dead is quite the time consumer. Though he has noticed, occasionally he would spy a wanted poster sporting the same name.
"Charles, stop getting closer." John said in Charles mind. And continued to stare at the thing
"Tell me, creature, why are you here? I assume you did not come to observe."

Wrathwyrm

Never heard of him?  You know nothing, Charles Curwen.    Still, the wraith was more cautious, and Garlock looked at him with some amusement.

"Why did I come?  Did I not say?  I was certain that I mentioned curiosity.  Are you saying that I am not allowed to be curious?"

He stood up now, an edge picking up in his voice now.

"You would deny my right to be frivolous and act upon a mere whim, to engage in a bit of the random?"

He brought his hands up and shadow power quaked upon his being!

"You dare to say that I should work by the book, that every intention of mine be RAMROD STRAIGHT?!"

And just like that, he calmed down and all the energy faded away as he dropped his hands to his sides.

"Nah.  I just wanted to see what he was capable of."

Datasmith

Charles was amazed by the Bering display of power, giddy even. John however, was less than happy; he wasn't by any means afraid of him, if the being were to 'kill' him all john would need is time to reform. Charles however was squishy and would have to be risen, a process John didn't want to do.
"I like to think I'm capable of many things!" Charles said with enthusiasm. "I managed to summon a full powered wraith AND bind it to my will without a human sacrifice. Not to mention John here who I also summoned."
John narrowed his eyes at the being and said "Charles is a powerful necromancer, even more so than I was in my prime, some 539 years ago." and the boy dosen't even realize just how powerful he is, John could've taught the boy how to summon a legion of wraiths, 'absolute power corrupts absolutely' John mused to himself.

Wrathwyrm

"Ah, I see.  Not one for decrepit bodies, eh?  I haven't managed to do that feat, not without a routine possession."

He began to look at Charles' circle itself.  He could sense its focus of power, how it became a concentrator of power to open a door and let power flow, which allowed him to call to the other side.  Garlock himself was capable of such himself, in his own way.  He was a creature, and his will bound spirits of the dead.  It was limited, though.  He called forth the dead for reasons of vengeance, largely.  He did not have knowledge of the practice, which was why this was interesting.

"The only real question of power is what you wish to do with it.  I bring destruction, as you'd probably guess."

He stopped, but then Blinked from his position to that of leaning on a tree nearby.

"Have you ever given consideration to the thought that humanity needs a good swift kick in the ass to put it in its place?"

Oh dear.  Necromancy was already a dangerous art, one that Charles was heavily invested in.  To blatantly ask a budding practicioner of the art if he gave any thought to building an army of the dead to attack the living was not a good sign.  Because if he was indeed skilled, then...such a thing would be possible.  And if Garlock was giving him the idea that humanity deserved it, then he may have been trying to get Charles to act.

Datasmith

Charles paused for a moment, "... Everyone needs a good kick in the ass every once in a while to head in the right direction." Charles said with a inquisitive look. "Why do you ask?"
Mean while John looked on silently, he knew what this being was trying to do, he wanted to know how Charles would react.

Charles was never an angry child, nor was he one to hold a grudge; he saw his parents kicking him out as reasonable, he knew his parents had a good reason to kick him out, and he was more thankful that they chose to spare rather than kill.

Wrathwyrm

"I will explain."

His back still to the tree, Garlock raised his arms until they were parallel to the ground.  He wasn't pointed at anything in particular.  The direction of the fire was centermost, but he wasn't aiming at it.  Shadows projected from hands in a sort of narrow wave, and created the image of a landscape.  Ah!  This projection of dark energy was being used at minimum strength to promote a visual aid.  Charles and John could see what was basically a valley with distant hills in it,  with a black sun rising even.  It was rather detailed, if altogether creepy.

The black valley began to grow things, shapes that became animals, trees, and humans.  They began to move and act, more or less, as their real-life equivalents did.  There was even a dragon flying around.

"In the world we live in, everything lives to survive and instinctively knows how.  Because it IS alive, it has learned its place, its balance within the world.  However, when some things - humans, elves, and other things - grew intelligent, they changed the balance entirely, dominating it."

The humanoid shapes - as well as the dragon - began killing everything else and tearing down the trees.  Things continued to be born or grow, and they too were killed.

"Intelligence gave humans and other things their ability to see where they've been in the scheme of things, and then outsmart it.  That much is not a problem.  They just want to live better.  However..."

Suddenly, all the intelligent ones started attacking each other.  You could see that happening, and that the dragon was munching humans, that humand were fighting centaurs and minotaurs, and that in addition to killing animals, they were murdering each other wholesale.  Some of it was even being done by magic and the gun, two principle powers that were rather good at the act of killing.

"They're not as smart as they think.  Intelligence also created idiocy, the ability to recognize where one is, and then do the most ham-fisted and irresponsible thing ever.  Steps need to be taken to address that."

And just like that, they could see a small image of himself on the sidelines, blasting the head off of the dragon with  beam of energy, then firing lightning through crowds of beings.  Suddenly, everyone stopped and looked in 'his' direction as he approached, backing away slowly.

"I put people in their place.  I am fully-aware that it is a hateful act.  I do not...care.  They angered me, and they will feel my wrath, for the reasons I have stated.  They will understand that they cannot afford such foolishness.  And...it does not have to be me who demonstrates this fact."

The image of Garlock changed into the shape of a certain young man, who raised his hands, and suddenly everything dead in the valley stood as one, stiff-but-animate or floating as spirits.  It was an illustration of Charles' power as a necromancer.  The horde began to move, and everything else ran in fear before the whole image was swept away by a wave of Garlock's hand.  He turned to Charles now.

"Power that people will fear keeps them in check.  It does not have to dominate or wipe them out.  It has to shock them out of their idiocy, make them realize where they are and what could happen when they let their guard down.  I do not like humans, but I have long-ago decided that they should not all die.  They just need that swift kick in the ass by those that can, so they know their place and stay smart."

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