04-21-2024, 11:35 PM
(This post was last modified: 04-24-2024, 03:58 AM by DirectorBright.)
Grey's study of Necromancy
Summary:
Received a brief lesson on necromantic mana from Thade and absorbed a small bit of it
Studied the Litany of Undeath several times
Attempted to siphon mana from a dead Mega Demon
Attempted to assemble a full skeleton and animate it
Used necromantic mana donated by Thade to destroy a captured curse spell - See medical logs
Siphoned necromantic mana from a wound - See medical logs
Attempted plaguelands
2024//04//14: Meeting with Thade:
[b]Thade says, "Evening."[/b]
[14:37] Thade says, "Or afternoon."
[14:37] Thade says, "It can be hard to tell underground."
[14:38] Grey asks, "True enough. Here to pay your respects?"
[14:38] Grey points to the sarcophagus behind Thade.
(Grey)
[14:38] Thade says, "Not as such. I find this is a good place to contemplate."
[14:39] Thade says, "The deathstream is stronger in crypts, and other places of decay and death."
[14:40] Grey asks, "I see. That makes sense, I suppose. That would make you the man I'm looking for then, wouldn't it?"
[14:40] Thade asks, "Most likely, I assume you are Grey?"
[14:40] Thade says, "You certainly have the look of one of my prospective students."
[14:40] Thade says, "You all seem fond of black and leather."
[14:41] Grey says, "Leather is a good material for the armor of a caster with long recovery times."
[14:41] Grey says, "And most people ignore the more drab colors."
[14:41] Thade says, "Fair, I wore leather for a long time."
[14:42] Grey says, "I am not familiar with the pattern that you wear now. It seems as though it has been a while since someone has tended to it, however."
[14:43] Thade says, "It was the armor of the Scaleguard of Dawnstone once upon a time."
[14:43] Thade says, "It's been long neglected though, and dawnstone no longer exists."
[14:43] Grey says, "I see."
[14:44] Thade asks, "In any case, you wished to discuss learning Necromancy?"
[14:44] Thade asks, "If you don't mind my asking, why?"
[14:44] Grey is silent, for a moment, composing his words.
(Grey)
[14:45] Grey asks, "You are familiar with the wellspring magic, yes?"
[14:45] Thade says, "Aye."
[14:46] Grey says, "It is a powerful healing technique, regarded as the strongest. And yet I cannot shake the feeling that something is missing from it."
[14:46] Grey says, "When one assembles a puzzle, you find many pieces by filling in the space around them."
[14:47] Thade asks, "So simple curiosity?"
[14:47] Grey says, "I intend to learn all disciplines that relate to the forces of life and death, and search for any insights that come from the voids in my understanding."
[14:47] Grey says, "Places where something should be, but isn't."
[14:50] Thade would seem to consider a moment, before reaching into a side bag, and pulling out a book. "A worthy enough goal. My own reasons are similar, though I have certain temporal goals as well as desiring understanding."
He would casually toss the book to Grey. "That book is a primer, it covers the basics, though obviously hands on learning is best. I conduct lessons periodically, though it is a tad advanced for you, I will be demonstrating the basics of creating an undead to some of the other students soon."
The masked man would pause a moment, "If you do not mind my asking, what is your relationship to Eranath?"
(Thade)
[14:50] {Item} You picked up Litany Of Undeath - Cauldron 1st Edition 17p. Dropped by Thade..
[14:55] Grey catches the book and handles it very carefully, before he speaks.
"No relationship to speak of, not yet at least. We met on accident, and he asked what I wanted. I told him more or less the same thing I told you, and he told me to find you."
(Grey)
[14:55] Grey says, "A second piece of the puzzle is death magic. And that is not an easy thing to find."
[14:55] Thade says, "Death magic is not a thing I can aid in."
[14:56] Grey says, "No, but he can. However, he refuses to do so until I learn necromancy."
[14:56] Grey says, "It's not knowledge one parts with easily, casually, or without expecting something in return."
[14:57] Thade says, "True, that is always the catch with knowledge."
[14:57] Thade says, "Part of the reason I have decided to take up teaching."
[14:57] Thade says, "The more widespread the knowledge, the less costly it's obtainment."
[15:01] Grey nods, beginning to gently scan through the contents of the book, handling the pages with care.
(Grey)
[15:02] "Regardless, there is a test." Thade would say, gesturing to the walls around them, "As I said, the deathstream is strong here. It is a part of nature, as much as wind, or water, or air. It is the source of decay, and in many ways anathema to life. But it is the root of a Necromancers power."
Holding up a hand in front of him, the Necromancer would take a breath and then exhale.... and along with his breath a thin trickle of green, hazy energy would flow from his mask into his hand, coiling into a sphere small enough to fit in a thimble.
"The energies of the deathstream will do you harm, if you allow them to intermingle with your own natural energies. They will cause sickness, or if in sufficient quantity tissue necrosis as they rot your circuits from the inside. Consider how you would absorb such an energy, and then attempt it."
Looking at the other man he would nod, "Consider your own circuits, hollow out a space within you, avoid in your mana, then create an empty pathway to allow you to draw the energy in without intermingling the two forces."
(Thade)
[15:04] Grey says, "I have kept an area of my circuit unattuned in anticipation of having to use it for such things."
[15:08] Grey delicately closes the book, and tucks it away. He takes a deep breath, and turns his gaze inwards.
The flowing cycle that is his circuit, bubbling forth from the wellspring, flowing like the tide as water, to rise as ether and fall like rain back into the spring. The darkened traces in it's depths where the path to occult magic begins to develop, seething in disharmony with the life-giving flow.
And yet, within this cycle, there is a void where no mana flows. A dry riverbed. Grey concentrates further, using his time spent meditating on the occult to draw away any mana that lingered in that portion of his circuit. He steps forwards, extending his hand towards Thade, and reaches for the sphere, intending to draw it into the emptiness he has lain out.
(Grey)
[15:11] And he touches the tiny green dot with that void, as his fingers close around it.
(Grey)
[15:12] Grey asks, "This energy exists in opposition to the lifestream, does it not? What then is death magic, if it is not connected to Necromancy?"
[15:15] As the foreign mana wicks into his waiting circuits, he carefully curates the flow of the rest of his mana to avoid it. The tiny green dot exists alongside the flow, never truly mixing or touching, dammed away by barrier after barrier.
(Grey)
[15:27] Thade would watch, now silent as Grey attempted to absorb the fragment of necromantic energy, it was nothing large, little more than the life-force of a frog.
"In this form? Yes. In it's natural state... the two do not interact. Only under human direction, or truly unusual natural circumstances, can these two forces meet."
He would nod, gesturing to one of the walls, a thin line of crimson leaking from behind his mask, a tendril of blood pushing out to draw on the wall.
Two small circles, with a single large circle connecting them. Gesturing to the circle on the right, he would say "The first gate, the Gate of rebirth." Within the circle, the tendril would draw a sword and infinity symbol. "Once guarded by the angel Azrael, now without guardian."
Gesturing to the left circle, "The second gate, the gate of Death. Guarded and controlled by the Primal, Mortyl." Within, he would draw a scythe and skeletal wings.
pointing to the arc of the larger circle, moving from the gate of rebirth to the gate of death. "This, is the lifestream. It is the natural flow of the living from birth to death." Chuckling, he would gesture towards the other side of the large circle.
"Thus, this path, is the deathstream. In nature these two forces are kept in balance by the two gates. Through Necromancy, we create new gates, gates that alter that balance and can bring the two forces into opposition."
He would look to Grey, "As for what Death magic is? It is a pinnacle of Occultism. The occult can draw one closer to the deathstream, after all it is a magic of death, decay, and destruction. But it is not necessary to be an occultist to practice Necromancy. Many roads exist to the same well after all."
(Thade)
[15:29] Grey says, "I see... "
[15:30] Thade asks, "Does that help you understand?"
[15:30] Grey says, "Immensely. "
[15:33] Thade says, "In any case, welcome to the school."
[15:34] Grey asks, "What happens now?"
[15:35] Thade says, "Nothing much, I'll keep giving you lessons, when you become a Necromancer I'll give you a green cloak like this one. Not that you have to wear it."
[15:35] Thade says, "I have to find a good time for all the students to hold the larger lessons."
[15:35] Thade says, "Though, feel free to ask me questions."
[15:37] Grey says, "Yes, I have a few. Is it not incredibly dangerous to openly display a symbol of being a necromancer? I was told to be discovered was death."
[15:39] Thade says, "Probably."
[15:39] Thade says, "Then again I have never shied away rom doing incredibly dangerous things."
[15:39] Grey asks, "Mm. Second question, do we have a base of operations where I can study, in preparation for the next lesson?"
[15:40] Thade says, "Not exactly. You can find some solitude in the underdark perhaps."
[15:40] Thade says, "Or the ruins of Penumbra and Perdition."
[15:41] Grey says, "The ruins of Perdition are occupied by the demonic horde."
[15:41] Thade says, "No longer."
[15:41] Grey asks, "How does one reach the underdark, or penumbra?"
[15:41] Thade says, "Some structures remain, but Penumbra is destroyed."
[15:41] Thade says, "The underdark is found in the caves of Mount Glufdor."
[15:41] Thade says, "Penumbra is the name given to the deep catacombs of Perdition by the Demonic horde."
[15:41] Grey asks, "Hm, last I was there it was called Repose. We're standing directly above it, are we not?"
[15:41] Thade says, "Below it, but yes."
[15:42] Thade says, "Come along, I'll show you."
[15:42] Thade says, "Much of what once was is now gone."
[15:43] Grey says, "The tower is gone"
[15:43] Thade says, "Perhaps, given time and coin I could repurpose this place."
[15:43] Grey says, "Perhaps. However, the location is compromised."
[15:43] Thade says, "But Little point for now."
[15:43] Thade says, "It was too recently occupied, aye."
[15:43] Grey says, "I found it off a book, public record, in a library."
[15:44] Thade says, "Honestly this is one reason why I have long considered building ships."
[15:45] Thade says, "When people have reason to hunt you, best to remain mobile."
[15:45] Thade says, "Hiding is all well and good, until the hiding place is revealed."
[15:46] Grey says, "True"
[15:47] Grey says, "There was one last thing. The text mentioned occultists could be controlled by the imperfect."
[15:47] Thade says, "Aye."
[15:47] Grey asks, "Is there a way to shield oneself from it?"
[15:47] Thade says, "Master yourself."
[15:47] Grey asks, "Is the control permanent, or temporary?"
[15:47] Thade says, "Death Magic, or perhaps the path of Na'ria before their fall."
[15:47] Thade says, "I have never witnessed it in action myself."
[15:47] Grey says, "I see. Well, I intended to learn death magic regardless, so I suppose that works out."
[15:47] Thade says, "Only heard of it second hand, I believe it is temporary, but is a risk so long as you are in their company."
[15:49] Grey says, "I would think attempting such control over a necromancer would be unwise, given that if it lapses for a moment, that resentful necromancer has ironclad control over a large portion of one's forces."
[15:58] Grey says, "That's all the questions I have for now, headmaster thade. I hope we meet again soon."
[15:58] Grey says, "Walk softly."
[15:59] Thade says, "Aye."
[15:59] [b]Thade says, "Walk softly."
[/b]
2024//04//14: Attempting to Absorb Necromantic Mana
[22:05] [b]Grey thinks, "And yet, no messages from Thade. Fine. I'll do it myself. I have the book, after all."[/b]
[22:07] Grey thinks, "The dead have mana. That's what the text says. 'After death, the body's own internal mana stores convert into Necromantic Mana, enabling the decay of the body.'"
[22:08] Grey thinks, "Since Demons possess mana, and are plentiful here, I should be able to harvest it from one of them."
[22:09] Grey thinks, "The other sources of mana are beyond me, since i have no undead servants and no field to blight or fallen foe to drain, at least not without justification."
[22:10] Grey thinks, "The larger demon should have richer circuits."
At this point, Grey kills several mega demon NPCs in the shadowlands, leaving short descriptors on how one corpse was dragged away
[22:14] Grey says, "Dead."
[22:14] Grey thinks, "Now, the mana should turn."
[22:14] Grey thinks, "this is a bad place for it."
[22:17] Grey huffs as he drags the mega-demon's corpse to the top of the hill. He sets it down heavily, and catches his breath for a few moments.
(Grey)
[22:17] Grey thinks, "the process may not be immediate."
[22:17] Grey ponders, "Does disturbing the body matter?"
[22:17] Grey thinks, "it shouldn't, the process is based on decay..."
[22:30] Grey closes his eyes, and concentrates, viewing his circuit.
The circuit spans out before him. He reaches past the familiar cycle he has created, as tumultuous as it may have become over time, and grasps for the void that sits outside of it. The void of empty, unattuned circuits, hollowed out to hold a single tiny pebble of necromantic mana gifted by Thade.
He recalls how it felt to pull that mana into himself, and looks down upon the dead demon. Pushing the void into his left hand, he reaches out to grasp at the demon, seeking it's circuit...
Grey has never had to connect to another magical circuit. And yet, another has connected to his. He can feel it. Dark, shuttered corridors, dead circuits barely sparking with the last vestiges of life. They brim with occultic magic, beyond his reach for now.
And so he waits...
Until he sees it start to turn, the manaflow sludging to a halt, slowly turning to dust, turning to something that he couldn't see unless he truly knew to look for it. The void within him hungers and reaches out towards that newfound power, like dry paper to water, to wick it inside of himself.
It doesn't work. The dead mana circuits of the creature hold precious few dregs. He recalls from the text, the stronger the circuits the more potent the mana that flows within. This creature is no magi, it is a mere Mega Demon. It's circuits are weak and empty, and the vaporous strands that lie within are far too thin for him to draw within himself.
But he sees them. He recognizes their presence. And he ponders it.
The shadowlands are darkened by the fell, but life endures here even as some withers away. How much death has soaked these soils? With this connection to a corpse, he empties his mind and listens.
The groans and roars of demons fighting one another in the background, the unholy noises that pollute this place, fade away. He loses them in the drifting tide, pushing everything away with the same focus he developed during occultic meditation.
Grey sits empty. A void. The wind howls over barren land, the flies rise in his ears, the chill of death settles over him. He peels the feeling apart, how it felt to stand on the edge of death when he was injured gravely. How it feels when his body fails him. How, in his current state, so badly wounded, he feels closer to death than ever before. He lets the feeling simply pass through him, and indeterminate time passes before he deigns to move.
(Grey)
[22:31] When he finally does, he stands and obliterates the corpse with the shadow cannon, and walks away into the shadows once again to let his circuits rest.
(Grey)
2024//04//20: Attempting to Reanimate a Skeleton, Attempting to recreate the deathstream/lifestream cycle within a circuit
[15:58] Grey kneels near all the bones scattered about the entrance to the tomb and starts to sift through them, picking and choosing.
(Grey)
[15:59] Grey thinks, "The first level of undead are just bones. If I assemble enough of a skeleton, it should be enough."
[16:01] Grey thinks, "That should be enough for most of a skeleton. I think."
[16:13] Grey has taken Litany Of Undeath - Cauldron 1st Edition 17p from the chest at 376,512,8
[16:14] Grey retrieves his copy of the text and begins to assemble the skeleton in accordance with the model.
(Grey)
[16:30] After a few hours of work, ensuring he has all the pieces in the right place, he begins etching the runes as described in the Litany onto each bone. His movements are careful, precise, born of years of artifice. In the end, he steps back, and summons forth the necromantic mana to the tip of his left finger. He pushes that tiny green orb into the runes, and wills them to activate.
The bone he touches shudders.
But does not arise. Does he not have enough mana? Is he doing something wrong?
He frowns, and places one hand onto each of the skeleton's. Focusing, he connects to the circuit, and sees his problem.
These bones are from multiple different people. The mana circuits are long since dead and hollowed out. And yet... a tiny amount of undeath remains in each. He cautiously begins to link the circuits together, like forging chainmail, coaxing the stiff and hardened lines to join. And he pushes a tiny fragment of mana through these linked circuits, rousing the bare dust of necrotic mana within them.
He visualizes the cyclical pattern shown to him by Thade. The lifestream circles to the gate of death, the deathstream to the gate of rebirth, and back again. And in this wasteland, in his eye, he can feel the undeath in the air. This place, once called Perdition, once called Repose, now with no name, has been saturated with death and necromantic mana for so long, has seen so much pass on to nothing, that even years, decades, centuries later it still lingers.
He is the circuit of life. This skeleton is the circuit of death. He needs more mana, and he knows how to get it.
He forges a ring of his circuit and the skeleton's. A cycle that channels the wellspring of life from within his body down his right arm, to his hand. He fills his right hand with occultic power, as Thade had told him Occult draws one to death, and that death magic is a mastery of Occult.
Life wells within him, flows from his spring, flows down the rivers of his circuit, casts itself upon the burning flame of the occult, and into the circuits of the skeleton.
In his left hand, he holds that hollow void with the tiny ghost of necromantic mana within it. He cannot complete the cycle, but he does not intend to. He will transform his own mana into necromantic mana as described possible in the text, and use it to bring the skeleton to life.
He miscalculates.
Grey has not mastered death magic. The occultic mana he poured into his hand is a poor substitute. The cycle begins to move and flow, but the occultic mana contacting the traces of undeath is not deathly enough. The undeath surges through the corpse, jolted and shoved by the mana he pushes inwards, and roils into his left hand. The barriers he put in place are not enough to stop the sudden flux, and it barges into the spring itself, poisoning the waters and trying to sweep away his own very life.
Grey gasps in pain and severs the circuit abruptly, tearing himself away from the corpse. His own mana comes back with it, tainted and polluted, and it too poisons him. Thade warned him what would happen.
As he collapses to the floor, retching and writhing, Grey calls upon his wellspring magic to flow waters of renewal over him. The necromantic mana he absorbed is minor and small, and so it is not enough to kill him. The wellspring magic fights back, life against death, until he forces the necromantic mana back into the void he carries.
Only a single spark of it remains.
He lies there for a while, insensate, before slowly pulling himself to his feet with the table as aid, and stumbling to his bed to rest. He feels horrible, bruise-colored lines run up his left arm towards his heart when he looks.
But he learned. He cannot use this technique as he plans, he must acquire a source of necromantic mana from elsewhere and use it directly. And the barriers must be stronger. To invert mana like he just tried, if it is even possible, is far beyond him in his current state.
[16:32] ** Grey has inflicted an injury upon Grey. ("Localized Necrosis", "Following an infection of invasive mana, he tissues in this man's left arm have suffered localized necrosis leading towards the heart. Sepsis is kept at bay by constant use of wellspring magic. Inspection of the circuit reveals the injury follows the pathways of the mana circuit through the limb.", "Temporary", "Duration: Long (12 days)") **
2024//23//04: Grey attempts plaguelands
Grey stands before the crops and inhales deeply. The litany is clear on how to perform this task.
But his last experiment nearly ended in critical injury. Still, he has had some practice since then.
Plaguelands.
The spell would rot a large area, spoiling the harvest in return for mana. The farm he had created is small, but it should suffice for a test.
He identifies the nub of necromantic mana he's stolen, safely tucked in that isolated island in his circuit. He grasps for it deeply, drawing it forth, and begins to chant and gesture.
He paints the necromantic mana in the air before him, a sour note rising on sudden wind. A note of decay. His words drum up the sound of dead weeds tumbling through barren fields. The grass beneath his feet dies.
And yet, as he speaks the last word, and the very earth begins to shrivel and turn to dust under his boots, the spell slips away from him. The dead grass beneath his feet radiates upwards, disrupts his carefully but inexpertly placed runes. He strains, and pushes, and tries to drag it back in line, but he cannot.
The mana recoils and rebels, attempting to push it's way into his body, but he has experienced this before, and swiftly quarantines it back upon it's island. The effort does not go without exhaustion, and he dares not attempt the ritual again until he has recovered.
But he was close. He was right on the brink. He knows, soon, he'll have control.
Summary:
Received a brief lesson on necromantic mana from Thade and absorbed a small bit of it
Studied the Litany of Undeath several times
Attempted to siphon mana from a dead Mega Demon
Attempted to assemble a full skeleton and animate it
Used necromantic mana donated by Thade to destroy a captured curse spell - See medical logs
Siphoned necromantic mana from a wound - See medical logs
Attempted plaguelands
2024//04//14: Meeting with Thade:
[b]Thade says, "Evening."[/b]
[14:37] Thade says, "Or afternoon."
[14:37] Thade says, "It can be hard to tell underground."
[14:38] Grey asks, "True enough. Here to pay your respects?"
[14:38] Grey points to the sarcophagus behind Thade.
(Grey)
[14:38] Thade says, "Not as such. I find this is a good place to contemplate."
[14:39] Thade says, "The deathstream is stronger in crypts, and other places of decay and death."
[14:40] Grey asks, "I see. That makes sense, I suppose. That would make you the man I'm looking for then, wouldn't it?"
[14:40] Thade asks, "Most likely, I assume you are Grey?"
[14:40] Thade says, "You certainly have the look of one of my prospective students."
[14:40] Thade says, "You all seem fond of black and leather."
[14:41] Grey says, "Leather is a good material for the armor of a caster with long recovery times."
[14:41] Grey says, "And most people ignore the more drab colors."
[14:41] Thade says, "Fair, I wore leather for a long time."
[14:42] Grey says, "I am not familiar with the pattern that you wear now. It seems as though it has been a while since someone has tended to it, however."
[14:43] Thade says, "It was the armor of the Scaleguard of Dawnstone once upon a time."
[14:43] Thade says, "It's been long neglected though, and dawnstone no longer exists."
[14:43] Grey says, "I see."
[14:44] Thade asks, "In any case, you wished to discuss learning Necromancy?"
[14:44] Thade asks, "If you don't mind my asking, why?"
[14:44] Grey is silent, for a moment, composing his words.
(Grey)
[14:45] Grey asks, "You are familiar with the wellspring magic, yes?"
[14:45] Thade says, "Aye."
[14:46] Grey says, "It is a powerful healing technique, regarded as the strongest. And yet I cannot shake the feeling that something is missing from it."
[14:46] Grey says, "When one assembles a puzzle, you find many pieces by filling in the space around them."
[14:47] Thade asks, "So simple curiosity?"
[14:47] Grey says, "I intend to learn all disciplines that relate to the forces of life and death, and search for any insights that come from the voids in my understanding."
[14:47] Grey says, "Places where something should be, but isn't."
[14:50] Thade would seem to consider a moment, before reaching into a side bag, and pulling out a book. "A worthy enough goal. My own reasons are similar, though I have certain temporal goals as well as desiring understanding."
He would casually toss the book to Grey. "That book is a primer, it covers the basics, though obviously hands on learning is best. I conduct lessons periodically, though it is a tad advanced for you, I will be demonstrating the basics of creating an undead to some of the other students soon."
The masked man would pause a moment, "If you do not mind my asking, what is your relationship to Eranath?"
(Thade)
[14:50] {Item} You picked up Litany Of Undeath - Cauldron 1st Edition 17p. Dropped by Thade..
[14:55] Grey catches the book and handles it very carefully, before he speaks.
"No relationship to speak of, not yet at least. We met on accident, and he asked what I wanted. I told him more or less the same thing I told you, and he told me to find you."
(Grey)
[14:55] Grey says, "A second piece of the puzzle is death magic. And that is not an easy thing to find."
[14:55] Thade says, "Death magic is not a thing I can aid in."
[14:56] Grey says, "No, but he can. However, he refuses to do so until I learn necromancy."
[14:56] Grey says, "It's not knowledge one parts with easily, casually, or without expecting something in return."
[14:57] Thade says, "True, that is always the catch with knowledge."
[14:57] Thade says, "Part of the reason I have decided to take up teaching."
[14:57] Thade says, "The more widespread the knowledge, the less costly it's obtainment."
[15:01] Grey nods, beginning to gently scan through the contents of the book, handling the pages with care.
(Grey)
[15:02] "Regardless, there is a test." Thade would say, gesturing to the walls around them, "As I said, the deathstream is strong here. It is a part of nature, as much as wind, or water, or air. It is the source of decay, and in many ways anathema to life. But it is the root of a Necromancers power."
Holding up a hand in front of him, the Necromancer would take a breath and then exhale.... and along with his breath a thin trickle of green, hazy energy would flow from his mask into his hand, coiling into a sphere small enough to fit in a thimble.
"The energies of the deathstream will do you harm, if you allow them to intermingle with your own natural energies. They will cause sickness, or if in sufficient quantity tissue necrosis as they rot your circuits from the inside. Consider how you would absorb such an energy, and then attempt it."
Looking at the other man he would nod, "Consider your own circuits, hollow out a space within you, avoid in your mana, then create an empty pathway to allow you to draw the energy in without intermingling the two forces."
(Thade)
[15:04] Grey says, "I have kept an area of my circuit unattuned in anticipation of having to use it for such things."
[15:08] Grey delicately closes the book, and tucks it away. He takes a deep breath, and turns his gaze inwards.
The flowing cycle that is his circuit, bubbling forth from the wellspring, flowing like the tide as water, to rise as ether and fall like rain back into the spring. The darkened traces in it's depths where the path to occult magic begins to develop, seething in disharmony with the life-giving flow.
And yet, within this cycle, there is a void where no mana flows. A dry riverbed. Grey concentrates further, using his time spent meditating on the occult to draw away any mana that lingered in that portion of his circuit. He steps forwards, extending his hand towards Thade, and reaches for the sphere, intending to draw it into the emptiness he has lain out.
(Grey)
[15:11] And he touches the tiny green dot with that void, as his fingers close around it.
(Grey)
[15:12] Grey asks, "This energy exists in opposition to the lifestream, does it not? What then is death magic, if it is not connected to Necromancy?"
[15:15] As the foreign mana wicks into his waiting circuits, he carefully curates the flow of the rest of his mana to avoid it. The tiny green dot exists alongside the flow, never truly mixing or touching, dammed away by barrier after barrier.
(Grey)
[15:27] Thade would watch, now silent as Grey attempted to absorb the fragment of necromantic energy, it was nothing large, little more than the life-force of a frog.
"In this form? Yes. In it's natural state... the two do not interact. Only under human direction, or truly unusual natural circumstances, can these two forces meet."
He would nod, gesturing to one of the walls, a thin line of crimson leaking from behind his mask, a tendril of blood pushing out to draw on the wall.
Two small circles, with a single large circle connecting them. Gesturing to the circle on the right, he would say "The first gate, the Gate of rebirth." Within the circle, the tendril would draw a sword and infinity symbol. "Once guarded by the angel Azrael, now without guardian."
Gesturing to the left circle, "The second gate, the gate of Death. Guarded and controlled by the Primal, Mortyl." Within, he would draw a scythe and skeletal wings.
pointing to the arc of the larger circle, moving from the gate of rebirth to the gate of death. "This, is the lifestream. It is the natural flow of the living from birth to death." Chuckling, he would gesture towards the other side of the large circle.
"Thus, this path, is the deathstream. In nature these two forces are kept in balance by the two gates. Through Necromancy, we create new gates, gates that alter that balance and can bring the two forces into opposition."
He would look to Grey, "As for what Death magic is? It is a pinnacle of Occultism. The occult can draw one closer to the deathstream, after all it is a magic of death, decay, and destruction. But it is not necessary to be an occultist to practice Necromancy. Many roads exist to the same well after all."
(Thade)
[15:29] Grey says, "I see... "
[15:30] Thade asks, "Does that help you understand?"
[15:30] Grey says, "Immensely. "
[15:33] Thade says, "In any case, welcome to the school."
[15:34] Grey asks, "What happens now?"
[15:35] Thade says, "Nothing much, I'll keep giving you lessons, when you become a Necromancer I'll give you a green cloak like this one. Not that you have to wear it."
[15:35] Thade says, "I have to find a good time for all the students to hold the larger lessons."
[15:35] Thade says, "Though, feel free to ask me questions."
[15:37] Grey says, "Yes, I have a few. Is it not incredibly dangerous to openly display a symbol of being a necromancer? I was told to be discovered was death."
[15:39] Thade says, "Probably."
[15:39] Thade says, "Then again I have never shied away rom doing incredibly dangerous things."
[15:39] Grey asks, "Mm. Second question, do we have a base of operations where I can study, in preparation for the next lesson?"
[15:40] Thade says, "Not exactly. You can find some solitude in the underdark perhaps."
[15:40] Thade says, "Or the ruins of Penumbra and Perdition."
[15:41] Grey says, "The ruins of Perdition are occupied by the demonic horde."
[15:41] Thade says, "No longer."
[15:41] Grey asks, "How does one reach the underdark, or penumbra?"
[15:41] Thade says, "Some structures remain, but Penumbra is destroyed."
[15:41] Thade says, "The underdark is found in the caves of Mount Glufdor."
[15:41] Thade says, "Penumbra is the name given to the deep catacombs of Perdition by the Demonic horde."
[15:41] Grey asks, "Hm, last I was there it was called Repose. We're standing directly above it, are we not?"
[15:41] Thade says, "Below it, but yes."
[15:42] Thade says, "Come along, I'll show you."
[15:42] Thade says, "Much of what once was is now gone."
[15:43] Grey says, "The tower is gone"
[15:43] Thade says, "Perhaps, given time and coin I could repurpose this place."
[15:43] Grey says, "Perhaps. However, the location is compromised."
[15:43] Thade says, "But Little point for now."
[15:43] Thade says, "It was too recently occupied, aye."
[15:43] Grey says, "I found it off a book, public record, in a library."
[15:44] Thade says, "Honestly this is one reason why I have long considered building ships."
[15:45] Thade says, "When people have reason to hunt you, best to remain mobile."
[15:45] Thade says, "Hiding is all well and good, until the hiding place is revealed."
[15:46] Grey says, "True"
[15:47] Grey says, "There was one last thing. The text mentioned occultists could be controlled by the imperfect."
[15:47] Thade says, "Aye."
[15:47] Grey asks, "Is there a way to shield oneself from it?"
[15:47] Thade says, "Master yourself."
[15:47] Grey asks, "Is the control permanent, or temporary?"
[15:47] Thade says, "Death Magic, or perhaps the path of Na'ria before their fall."
[15:47] Thade says, "I have never witnessed it in action myself."
[15:47] Grey says, "I see. Well, I intended to learn death magic regardless, so I suppose that works out."
[15:47] Thade says, "Only heard of it second hand, I believe it is temporary, but is a risk so long as you are in their company."
[15:49] Grey says, "I would think attempting such control over a necromancer would be unwise, given that if it lapses for a moment, that resentful necromancer has ironclad control over a large portion of one's forces."
[15:58] Grey says, "That's all the questions I have for now, headmaster thade. I hope we meet again soon."
[15:58] Grey says, "Walk softly."
[15:59] Thade says, "Aye."
[15:59] [b]Thade says, "Walk softly."
[/b]
2024//04//14: Attempting to Absorb Necromantic Mana
[22:05] [b]Grey thinks, "And yet, no messages from Thade. Fine. I'll do it myself. I have the book, after all."[/b]
[22:07] Grey thinks, "The dead have mana. That's what the text says. 'After death, the body's own internal mana stores convert into Necromantic Mana, enabling the decay of the body.'"
[22:08] Grey thinks, "Since Demons possess mana, and are plentiful here, I should be able to harvest it from one of them."
[22:09] Grey thinks, "The other sources of mana are beyond me, since i have no undead servants and no field to blight or fallen foe to drain, at least not without justification."
[22:10] Grey thinks, "The larger demon should have richer circuits."
At this point, Grey kills several mega demon NPCs in the shadowlands, leaving short descriptors on how one corpse was dragged away
[22:14] Grey says, "Dead."
[22:14] Grey thinks, "Now, the mana should turn."
[22:14] Grey thinks, "this is a bad place for it."
[22:17] Grey huffs as he drags the mega-demon's corpse to the top of the hill. He sets it down heavily, and catches his breath for a few moments.
(Grey)
[22:17] Grey thinks, "the process may not be immediate."
[22:17] Grey ponders, "Does disturbing the body matter?"
[22:17] Grey thinks, "it shouldn't, the process is based on decay..."
[22:30] Grey closes his eyes, and concentrates, viewing his circuit.
The circuit spans out before him. He reaches past the familiar cycle he has created, as tumultuous as it may have become over time, and grasps for the void that sits outside of it. The void of empty, unattuned circuits, hollowed out to hold a single tiny pebble of necromantic mana gifted by Thade.
He recalls how it felt to pull that mana into himself, and looks down upon the dead demon. Pushing the void into his left hand, he reaches out to grasp at the demon, seeking it's circuit...
Grey has never had to connect to another magical circuit. And yet, another has connected to his. He can feel it. Dark, shuttered corridors, dead circuits barely sparking with the last vestiges of life. They brim with occultic magic, beyond his reach for now.
And so he waits...
... and waits...
... and waits.
Until.Until he sees it start to turn, the manaflow sludging to a halt, slowly turning to dust, turning to something that he couldn't see unless he truly knew to look for it. The void within him hungers and reaches out towards that newfound power, like dry paper to water, to wick it inside of himself.
It doesn't work. The dead mana circuits of the creature hold precious few dregs. He recalls from the text, the stronger the circuits the more potent the mana that flows within. This creature is no magi, it is a mere Mega Demon. It's circuits are weak and empty, and the vaporous strands that lie within are far too thin for him to draw within himself.
But he sees them. He recognizes their presence. And he ponders it.
The shadowlands are darkened by the fell, but life endures here even as some withers away. How much death has soaked these soils? With this connection to a corpse, he empties his mind and listens.
The groans and roars of demons fighting one another in the background, the unholy noises that pollute this place, fade away. He loses them in the drifting tide, pushing everything away with the same focus he developed during occultic meditation.
Grey sits empty. A void. The wind howls over barren land, the flies rise in his ears, the chill of death settles over him. He peels the feeling apart, how it felt to stand on the edge of death when he was injured gravely. How it feels when his body fails him. How, in his current state, so badly wounded, he feels closer to death than ever before. He lets the feeling simply pass through him, and indeterminate time passes before he deigns to move.
(Grey)
[22:31] When he finally does, he stands and obliterates the corpse with the shadow cannon, and walks away into the shadows once again to let his circuits rest.
(Grey)
2024//04//20: Attempting to Reanimate a Skeleton, Attempting to recreate the deathstream/lifestream cycle within a circuit
[15:58] Grey kneels near all the bones scattered about the entrance to the tomb and starts to sift through them, picking and choosing.
(Grey)
[15:59] Grey thinks, "The first level of undead are just bones. If I assemble enough of a skeleton, it should be enough."
[16:01] Grey thinks, "That should be enough for most of a skeleton. I think."
[16:13] Grey has taken Litany Of Undeath - Cauldron 1st Edition 17p from the chest at 376,512,8
[16:14] Grey retrieves his copy of the text and begins to assemble the skeleton in accordance with the model.
(Grey)
[16:30] After a few hours of work, ensuring he has all the pieces in the right place, he begins etching the runes as described in the Litany onto each bone. His movements are careful, precise, born of years of artifice. In the end, he steps back, and summons forth the necromantic mana to the tip of his left finger. He pushes that tiny green orb into the runes, and wills them to activate.
The bone he touches shudders.
But does not arise. Does he not have enough mana? Is he doing something wrong?
He frowns, and places one hand onto each of the skeleton's. Focusing, he connects to the circuit, and sees his problem.
These bones are from multiple different people. The mana circuits are long since dead and hollowed out. And yet... a tiny amount of undeath remains in each. He cautiously begins to link the circuits together, like forging chainmail, coaxing the stiff and hardened lines to join. And he pushes a tiny fragment of mana through these linked circuits, rousing the bare dust of necrotic mana within them.
He visualizes the cyclical pattern shown to him by Thade. The lifestream circles to the gate of death, the deathstream to the gate of rebirth, and back again. And in this wasteland, in his eye, he can feel the undeath in the air. This place, once called Perdition, once called Repose, now with no name, has been saturated with death and necromantic mana for so long, has seen so much pass on to nothing, that even years, decades, centuries later it still lingers.
He is the circuit of life. This skeleton is the circuit of death. He needs more mana, and he knows how to get it.
He forges a ring of his circuit and the skeleton's. A cycle that channels the wellspring of life from within his body down his right arm, to his hand. He fills his right hand with occultic power, as Thade had told him Occult draws one to death, and that death magic is a mastery of Occult.
Life wells within him, flows from his spring, flows down the rivers of his circuit, casts itself upon the burning flame of the occult, and into the circuits of the skeleton.
In his left hand, he holds that hollow void with the tiny ghost of necromantic mana within it. He cannot complete the cycle, but he does not intend to. He will transform his own mana into necromantic mana as described possible in the text, and use it to bring the skeleton to life.
He miscalculates.
Grey has not mastered death magic. The occultic mana he poured into his hand is a poor substitute. The cycle begins to move and flow, but the occultic mana contacting the traces of undeath is not deathly enough. The undeath surges through the corpse, jolted and shoved by the mana he pushes inwards, and roils into his left hand. The barriers he put in place are not enough to stop the sudden flux, and it barges into the spring itself, poisoning the waters and trying to sweep away his own very life.
Grey gasps in pain and severs the circuit abruptly, tearing himself away from the corpse. His own mana comes back with it, tainted and polluted, and it too poisons him. Thade warned him what would happen.
As he collapses to the floor, retching and writhing, Grey calls upon his wellspring magic to flow waters of renewal over him. The necromantic mana he absorbed is minor and small, and so it is not enough to kill him. The wellspring magic fights back, life against death, until he forces the necromantic mana back into the void he carries.
Only a single spark of it remains.
He lies there for a while, insensate, before slowly pulling himself to his feet with the table as aid, and stumbling to his bed to rest. He feels horrible, bruise-colored lines run up his left arm towards his heart when he looks.
But he learned. He cannot use this technique as he plans, he must acquire a source of necromantic mana from elsewhere and use it directly. And the barriers must be stronger. To invert mana like he just tried, if it is even possible, is far beyond him in his current state.
[16:32] ** Grey has inflicted an injury upon Grey. ("Localized Necrosis", "Following an infection of invasive mana, he tissues in this man's left arm have suffered localized necrosis leading towards the heart. Sepsis is kept at bay by constant use of wellspring magic. Inspection of the circuit reveals the injury follows the pathways of the mana circuit through the limb.", "Temporary", "Duration: Long (12 days)") **
2024//23//04: Grey attempts plaguelands
Grey stands before the crops and inhales deeply. The litany is clear on how to perform this task.
But his last experiment nearly ended in critical injury. Still, he has had some practice since then.
Plaguelands.
The spell would rot a large area, spoiling the harvest in return for mana. The farm he had created is small, but it should suffice for a test.
He identifies the nub of necromantic mana he's stolen, safely tucked in that isolated island in his circuit. He grasps for it deeply, drawing it forth, and begins to chant and gesture.
He paints the necromantic mana in the air before him, a sour note rising on sudden wind. A note of decay. His words drum up the sound of dead weeds tumbling through barren fields. The grass beneath his feet dies.
And yet, as he speaks the last word, and the very earth begins to shrivel and turn to dust under his boots, the spell slips away from him. The dead grass beneath his feet radiates upwards, disrupts his carefully but inexpertly placed runes. He strains, and pushes, and tries to drag it back in line, but he cannot.
The mana recoils and rebels, attempting to push it's way into his body, but he has experienced this before, and swiftly quarantines it back upon it's island. The effort does not go without exhaustion, and he dares not attempt the ritual again until he has recovered.
But he was close. He was right on the brink. He knows, soon, he'll have control.