"Speech: Halkeginian"
'Thoughts/telepathy'
'Spells and the like'
"Speech: Common/Dwarven"
"Speech: Draconic"
TAoM: Courtyard
It had been close to a week since Raskreia had fought count Mott, and since she returned from Golarion.
Also it had been a week since she got yelled at by a tiny pink haired girl who thought she had to obey her. 'Oh well, lets keep her thinking that. Its quite interesting here so far, and I still have this feeling that big things will happen if I stick around.'
Since then a few things happened. Kirche did send a letter to her family but a reply has yet to come. Her new employees had arrived earlier that week, and she told them to take some time to all visit family or what have you.
They also compiled her a list of what who could do. And she was rather pleased with the outcome. All in all she got nearly two dozen guards, and ten serving staff.
Their skills were not all that impressive, but she didn't expect anything much anyway. But one did claim he was a decent smith, and another said she was rather good at tailoring for example.
No matter. For now she had to wait on whether or not the Von Zerbst would sell a parcel of land.
In the meantime classes at this academy had started up again. Raskreia had taken the opportunity presented to her and sat in on a few classes to see what was up with their magic. And she was of somewhat mixed opinion.
On one hand their magic is rather primitive being limited to only the four main elements, but they could use them to decent effect. What DID impress her was the knowledge that some people in this land could PERMANENTLY transmute rock to gold. Now mind, it isn't impossible in Golarion, or its (arguably) sister world Faerun, it is just that it isn't easy by any means. In fact the, relatively, easiest way is by using a philosopher stone.
Well, that is what most are supposed to think, Raskreia is rather sure there is easier ways, but they are either a jealously guarded secret, or a long lost art. But no matter, it isn't like Golarion does not have a constant influx of gold through various means, such as planar trade. If that were not the case, well, the world would run out of gold, what with all the means it is lost, such as certain creatures eating it, it being lost in deep caverns, dragons hoarding, or wizards using it up in some ritual or another.
She also found out that it was almost completely pointless to attend these classes. Whatever method these people used to cast spells was incompatible with her worlds. If she understood correctly, they did not draw their magic from the weave, but rather had some form of innate form of energy upon which they drew their power. She had her doubts about that as all magic, including that of the gods, originates from the weave.
Her theory instead is that they work like sorcerers and can store magic from the weave inside their body and then use that to cast their spells, which they replenish during sleep or rest.
So after the fourth day she stopped going to classes, and instead started to entertain herself otherwise, like for example do some woodcarving.
Which led to the current situation in a small clearing of the adjacent woods.
Her staring at the juvenile blue dragon she had seen a few times over the days and at the summoning. The same blue dragon she wilfully chose to ignore up until now.
It is however hard to ignore a rather large reptile that is right in front of oneself.
"Er, hi?" she can practically feel some metaphysical being rolling its eyes at her eloquent wording.
"Kyuuu, you speak? YAY! You can speak growly tongue." Raskreia may or may not have dropped the carving she had been working on, a rather nice small figurine of a pegasus, in shock.
'By Apsu did this… what… I… is this even a Darastrix? No way in the nine infernal hells and the infinite abyss would a Darastrix, even a young one, call its own language "Growly tongue". Buuut now I know its female at the very least. If it wasn't so god damn humiliating to have half of my ancestry mocked in this way, this would have also been one of the most adorable things I have seen and heard in a long time.'
And just when Raskreia was about to voice her thoughts the dragons eyes widen comically.
"Oh no, Big Sis told me not to speak to anyone. I will sooo get in trouble."
'Wait. Someone forbade her to talk? Who would forbid a child to talk? And more importantly why?'
"Er, don't worry about it. I wont tell anyone if you don't tell anyone either." The smile and enthusiastic hug she got in return of that statement would have made Raskreia quite happy.
If, of course, said enthusiastic hug had not been delivered by rather heavy, not to mention strong, giant reptile. Raskreia could actually hear her bones creak and ribs start to crack, which worried her. Not just because it was painful, but because this Darastrix had obviously poor control of her own draconic strength.
"Really? That is so nice of you. Thank you, thank you, thank you."
"No. Problem. Air!" it is surprisingly hard to talk with a compressed ribcage.
"Oh, sorry, sorry." She thankfully lets go of the now rather dishevelled woman, who is spending her time right now greedily gulping down air. As well as trying to soothe her ribs. While nothing severe it is still the most painful thing that has happened to her in quite a while.
"Its fine, really. Alright sooo, I'm Raskreia, you?" 'HAH, take that prejustice,, I found a good blue dragon. I hope.'
"I'm Illococoo, but Big Sis calls me Sylphid" she steps closer towards Raskreia and takes a sniff at the woman, making her just a bit self-conscious. "Why do you smell like me Ms. Raskreia?
Unnoticed by the dragon, Raskreia's left eye starts to twitch lightly 'Oh for the love of… DAMN YOU DRAGON NOSES!'
"Probably because of your hug earlier." 'Come on, come on, come on'
"No, no. That cant be, that cant be. I came here because you smelled like me in the first place."
'Curses, oh well' "Well alright, sorry for lying. I am like you, but I am only half a dragon. My father is a dragon. And my mother was a human" 'Not technically a lie on that part, father IS a dragon, and mother WAS a human. She is a god now, but pesky little details. Sometimes I wish father had not been such a xenophile, maybe then id be a fully fledged dragon, rather than just half a dragon with a inaccessible divine heritage.'
Raskreia is broken out of her musings by the dragon, Sylphid, once more sniffing her.
"Ohhh, so that is why you smell so weird. So you can change yourself as well?"
Before she can ask what she means in place of the dragon now stands a buxom, blue haired beauty of a woman rivalling even Raskreia.
That and she was completely nude. Raskreia just cant help but blush slightly as she lets her eyes briefly roam over the nude woman's body. 'Damn, couldn't she have hugged me like- BAD RASKREIA! She is still just a kid, BAD! But is she really just a kid looking like… THAT!'
"See, see? I can look like a human too!" she looks by far too excited at her display of transformation and the mastery of the local tongue in Raskreia's mind considering her lack of clothing. Then again dragons do often forget social norms and such that 'Tiny mortals' set for themselves. Well to be fair she had been nude the entire time before transforming anyway.
"Right, yes. I can see that you can transform. But you forgot something, clothes."It is rather hard for Rask to stay focused, not just because of the obvious but also because a certain tiger is trying very hard (and failing equally hard) not to laugh at her current predicament. Or her facial expression, one of the two, maybe both.
"Why would I need clothes? I think they would be uncomfortable." 'Alright, patience Raskreia. Patience is a virtue. And if you can endure months with Zarhon being bored, you can endure this.'
"Well you see, you are transforming to more easily interact with humans, right?" she gets a nod "Then you need clothes, humans wear clothes when they interact with one another. To not do so is considered inappropriate. And many will refuse to even talk to you like this."
The shocked and slightly confused look on the face of Sylphid did somewhat make Raskreia hope that she got at least most of the explanation.
"Well I think that is stupid, why bother with clothes?" Rask cant help but face-palm, and Felniir's muffled laughter is not helping any. 'Is this some deities type of humour? Why do I need to explain to someone the concept of modesty?'
"Humans wear clothes so that they may stay warm. Dragons might be comfortable in just about any weather, but humans are not. Clothing serves to protect them. Also they have this concept called modesty. Basically it means that being nude is not something one does in the presence of strangers. ESPECIALLY as a woman. To put it really simply, it is only acceptable to be fully nude in certain scenarios. Like when being alone, with a person you love, for example, and in baths. To be seen nude is considered a great show of trust by humans." 'Why me' mentally she cant help but whine 'I sincerely hope I wont have to also give her The Talk. I am not doing that AGAIN.'
Sylphid cups her chin with one hand and takes up a look of severe concentration. "Sooo, you are saying that I can only be nude while I look like a human, when I'm with people I trust, or it cannot be avoided?"
"YES! Er, I mean. Yes that is exactly what I was trying to say." 'Apsu… Thank you!'
Rask's mental cheering gets halted by the suddenly downtrodden look on Sylphid's face. "B-but I don't have any clothes. D-does that mean I cant stay as a human?" she is even starting to tear up now, which slightly breaks the half-dragons heart, as she goes to pat the other woman on the head comfortingly.
"Oh don't cry. I'm sure I can lend you some of mine, come 'Gate'" and so a half dragon and a dragon walk through a portal. That would probably be a good start for a joke.
They both however miss a petite blue haired girl enter the clearing just as the portal closed, whom was looking at the tigress, who had opted to stay, in interest and confusion.
Now Tabitha has seen Raskreia talk to Felniir quite often, and she had also deducted that Felniir is quite capable of speech herself. She simply is not proficient with the local language. Still it would be enough for them to communicate.
"Sylphid?" was all the blue haired girl said to which Felniir raised her head to look at the human who had come here, most likely looking for her familiar.
"Raskreia." was all that the tigress said to which Tabitha nodded. And as such ended the first conversation between these two individuals. One that would be fate to repeat itself, most likely, many times in the near future. Probably with the exact same words too.
Communication successful.
Tabitha opted to stay just like the tigress, for convenience sake.
And it was as such that Raskreia and Sylphid found them both over half and hour later. With Felniir sleeping and Tabitha leaning against her as a pillow, reading.
The latter of the recently returned duo is now no longer wearing naught but her birthday-suit.
Instead she is wearing a pair of leather boots, black pants, and a blue silk west over a white shirt with a blue tie. Surprisingly she looks rather happy and comfortable with her now clothed state.
As Tabitha looks over as she hears footfalls very close her eyes widen slightly in shock at the fact that her familiar is in human form next to Louise's familiar. 'If people find out she is a Rhyme dragon the will hunt her down.' She goes to grip her staff, but a low growl from the tiger she is leaning on deters her from it. 'Even If I can take her out, I am by far too close for comfort to this tiger to try anything.' Her thoughts on severing a loose end are interrupted as a blue blur rams into her hugging her just as enthusiastically as Raskreia was earlier that day. Just much less painful. The sudden impact of human-shaped dragon gaining them a irate growl from the now awake Felniir.
Felniir glares at the two had woken her up so rudely, she then trots off, climbs a tree and lays down on a suitably large branch to continue her nap. Raskreia being the only bystander in all of this cant help but laugh, it almost reminds her of home.
"Hello Tabitha, sorry I borrowed your familiar for a bit. I have however just now successfully taught her the concept of modesty… I think." she states a bit nervously, counteracted by the enthusiastic nodding from Sylphid.
"Kyuu, Big Sis. Look at the nice clothes Rask gave me." Tabitha cant help but agree to the fact that the clothes are indeed of decent quality, they also accent Sylphid rather nicely.
Still there is one problem "Secret?" and the childish dragon's eyes widen comically.
"Kyuu, Rask said she would not say a word." 'Well that is a start' she thinks as she turns towards the woman in question receiving a nod in return.
"Yeah, don't worry, wont say a word. Though I don't know why." And she doesn't, to her keeping the ability of a dragon to talk and shapeshift secret is like trying to keep the fact that water is wet secret.
Sighing Tabitha realizes she would have to say more than usual to explain "Only Rhyme dragons can speak. They are hunted to near total extinction for ingredients." What she did not expect is for Raskreia to growl in response. An honest to Brimir growl.
"Hunted to extinction for INGREDIENTS!? Don't worry, if they try to go after Syl they will have to get through me first." If she didn't know any better Tabitha would have claimed that she saw Raskreia's eyes briefly start glowing.
Though she has to wonder "Why?" if her track record keeps up she should understand her less that complete sentences.
"Why do I care?" 'And it does keep up' she confirms the woman's guess with a nod.
And then something, that has not happened in a long time, happened. She was completely stunned.
Raskreia's form shifted rapidly. Her hair gets parted by a set of blood red horns, and a set of fin like protrusions that might be ears. A few scales grow beneath her eyes, which now sport vertical slits like a dragons. She sprouts a set of large golden leathery wings, as well as a reptilian tail. Her arms, up to her elbows, get completely covered in the same golden scales, her hands becoming dangerous looking claws, that nonetheless seem to keep their functionality as hands, judging by the way she is twirling her hair playfully with one of them.
Raskreia then gives a large grin, revealing rather wicked looking teeth. Those of a mostly carnivorous animal notes Tabitha.
"Oh, you could call it a personal matter."
Poor Tabi's head is whirling with possibilities, but decides to just take the most direct route.
"What are you?" she has probably not said as many words in one day in a long time both idly muse to themselves.
"I'm a half dragon. And before you ask, my father was the dragon and my mother the human. And yes Father can transform." 'So could mother, but… details unimportant'
'That makes sense. If a Rhyme dragon transforms he might actually be able to sire children with a human, and I suppose this is the result' "Natural form?"
"Yeah this is my usual form. I'm using a magic item to change myself to fully look human. Cant do it naturally, and you wouldn't believe how hostile some places are to someone who looks like this" She could, oh she could believe how many would react badly to someone to look like her. However she could also see how she might get quite a few positive reactions.
She herself does not really care that Raskreia is not really human. After all she already fleetingly knows the woman and from what she could judge so far she is one of the most compassionate people she had met. So her next words would not be surprising to those that know Tabitha "Keep secrets?"
"Sure. Well keep each others secrets. Hey, you wanna go grab something to eat? Well of course we cant go to eat at school if we want Syl to eat with us, so I could teleport us to, pretty much anywhere you would like actually as long as you can give me an accurate description of the place if I haven't been there before, my treat."
Tabitha had of course knows what teleportation is, but only from her books. Through their magic something like it would be impossible. But who was she to turn down free food? "Capital?"
"Sure thing." She then turns to her feline friend still napping on the tree "You gonna be okay alone?"
"Just go, I want to sleep." Rask cant help but chuckle a bit.
"Well this is a go then. Grab my hands both of you." She waits for them to do so and without further warning casts her spell 'Greater Teleport'
Later that day: TAoM, Louise's room
Louise is quite annoyed. In fact that word just might not do her current state of mind justice.
All she wanted was a familiar. Sure she got her wish up to that point. But perhaps she should have specified that her familiar is supposed to listen to her, and not just do what ever she damn well pleases.
The last few days Raskreia has refused to accompany her to her classes even after being practically ordered to do so, and even threats of not being provided food don't seem to phase her in the slightest. She is actually, now that Louise thinks about it, ignoring or outright refusing pretty much all orders she had been given.
And now, she hasn't seen her blasted familiar all day. Not only that but in two days is the familiar exhibition, and she has completely forgot about it. And what is worse, the princess will be there. She must most definitely win first prize.
As such she is sitting in her room, brooding and thinking about ways to punish her familiar, when her room door opens to reveal the subject of her current thoughts walk in. With a half hearted "Evening" she almost literally throws herself into her bedroll, her clothes shifting to nightwear mid fall.
"Where have you been familiar?" it was a sing of complete disregard that Rask did not even lift her head to answer the question.
"Capital." Was all that was heard of her muffled voice through the soft pillow her head is currently resting on.
The noble girl was slowly loosing her patience with her 'unruly' familiar "And what pray tell were you doing in the capital without me?"
"Don't know why it is your business but okay. I was there to get food and forge friendly bonds."
At this point the young girls eye starts to twitch in annoyance, but decided that going along this path will never lead her to the topic she actually wants to discuss.
"No matter, in two days is the familiar exhibition. And the princess is going to be here."
"And?"
"And obviously you will have to think of something to do to perform."
"Is this mandatory for you or can you opt to not do this?" 'Well it is no refusal yet' though Louise
"It is mandatory to perform, and I understand that you would not like to be showcased like an animal. But the rules are the rules. And since we have to participate anyways might as well try to win." A moment of silence that stretches just long enough for Louise to feel uncomfortable precedes Raskreia's answer.
"Fine, and I think I already know what to do."
"Great! But what are you planning?"
At this Rask, for the first time in this conversation, lifts her head up from her pillow to give her summoner a cheeky grin. "I will sing. I will be back in time for the exhibit, Ciao." And whit that she once more stands up from her bedroll and walks outside, after changing her clothes into her day clothes. Leaving behind a confused, yet intrigued, Louise.
Briefly Raskreia pops her head back into the room and tosses Louise a piece of paper, can you give that to Felniir? Kay, bye!" and with that she is gone once more.
Outside, unbeknownst to anyone Raskreia takes out a scroll, presses it to her chest, both her shirt and scroll briefly glowing before she casts the spell inscribed on the scroll. 'Sending' "Hey Zarhon, wanna do a performance with me in two days?."
Her reply takes almost a minute, probably due to the bard being distracted, and is a simple "Sure thing. I am actually in the same world as you currently, meet at-" followed by a string of teleportation coordinates.
Deciphering the coordinates she concludes that it is inside Tristania, confirming it once more to herself that she got the coordinates right, she casts 'Greater Teleport' once more and appears inside the capital for the second time that day.
Tristania
This time however she is in a part of town that she was not in before. In front of her is a place that she assumes Zarhon would like to visit. Charming Fairies inn. 'Oh well, no time like the present.'
As soon as she walks into the Inn she is absolutely not surprised. The place is chock full of men, with women in skimpy outfits working as serving staff.
Once she is fully inside a fair many heads turn into her direction, and many a lecherous look is thrown at her. Not that she is not used to such being the case considering the places she had to put up whit over the years of adventuring. As such she scans the area for her long time friend.
And she does indeed spot Zarhon at a corner table… at the far end of the room. 'I swear he does this on purpose'
Mentally steeling herself she prepares to walk over to the other end of the room, which is filled with men who are looking at her like wolves look at a piece of meat. And then she is enveloped in the second bone-crushing hug that day… well it would be bone crushing for a human at least.
"Ohh another fairy enters me mademoiselle's Charming in. Welcome, welcome!" the, err… man? That had just hugged her lets go of her but keeps his? Hands on top of her shoulders, in a way that might be meant as comforting. "Come, come. Let me show you around!"
Looking over at Zarhon for help she sees only her friend collapsed at his table struggling to breathe from laughter. 'I will gut him, I will burn him, and then I'm going to…' "Sorry, Mi Mademoiselle?" At his nod that that was indeed what he wanted to be called she continues "But I came here because I was invited by a friend. In fact he is rightoverthereBye!" as she says the last part almost to fast to be understood she is half way across the room before anyone even noticed she moved in the first place.
She takes a seat on the other part of the corner bench so as to have a wall behind her back yet still be able to face her friend, she and him both are ignoring the looks they are both getting from a fair few patrons, many of whom go back to what they were doing previously after a few moments. The rest, mostly those who are alone, either ogle Raskreia or are throwing Zarhon Jealous looks. Not that either of them really fear any of these people acting on their possible desires.
"Soo, hi." Raskreia begins after Zarhon got his chuckling under control, switching to the common tongue to ward of any unwanted listeners.
He does a mock bow, as far as he can while still sitting, before playfully replying "Why hello there Mi Lady, to what do I owe the pleasure. Do you come here often?" Rolling her eyes at the bards attics she cant help but miss the fact that over half of their party is not currently present.
Normally Thorgal would be sitting next to Zarhon and Kwalin next to her, with Felniir at her feet under the table, most likely snoozing. All of them would joke around share food, jokes, things they had done in the day where the others were not present. Or even plan their next adventure. Or, as was often the case, just enjoy the pleasant company.
But it is sadly not to be, and it is just the two of them, in a tavern far, far from home, their other friends not here, and them only meeting because one wanted something from the other. And this after almost a month of not seeing one another. She really misses when the five of them would travel around.
"Why my good sir, do I look like I would frequent places such as this? Well the staff does seem enticing but the crowd still needs quite a bit of polishing." Nostalgia or not she wont allow a chance to joke around to pass her by.
"HAH! I knew you would like the serving girls here just as much as me. Tough as much as I loathe it, there is a strict 'No Touching' rule in place. Personally I fancy the one over there with the chestnut hair." This is something the two of them would occasionally engage in, telling the other which of the people (excluding party members) they found the most attractive in any given tavern they visit.
"Hmmm, I myself would say that man over there by the girl with the blonde hair looks quite handsome. But the girl over there behind the counter, the one with the black hair, is the clear winner for me." He briefly looks over whom she meant nods and turns back to her.
"Good choices I would say, though I admit I still am, and always will be, a poor judge of attractiveness in men. Anyway, a performance you say. Why you came to just the right tiefling. What did you have in mind?" The amused glimmer in his eyes is telling her that he is enjoying himself at least as much as she is.
"Well I was thinking of singing with you providing background music. I will leave it to you to decide a song." He nods in acceptance, and no small amount of anticipation, and she then watches him take out a few sheets of old paper. On a closer look it becomes apparent that it is notes and text for a song.
"I found these here a few days ago in a dusty old store. Clerk claimed it was something summoned from a different world. Don't know if it is true, but I do like the song that is written on it. And I would wager it works better with a female vocalist than it does with a male." Reading the text and skimming thenotes she has almost immediately fallen in love with it.
The text is in a language called 'Latin'. With, what is most likely a translation, in a language called 'English' next to it. Raskreia had never heard of either language to be honest but she did like the Latin version more personally. The song itself is on the slow side and if she were to guess, would be brimming with emotion if sung and played right, which she intends to do.
"Wow, I would love to sing this. Let us go right now."
Both of them stand up after paying and tipping the waitresses, even if Raskreia didn't eat or drink anything, and make for the door. Skilfully dodging any and all of the more frisky patrons.
Walking into a side alley, all but ignoring a would be mugger, who for some reason now has a strong urge to go turn himself in to the guards. Not in the least bit cause by a 'Suggestion' cast by a bard, that would make no sense.
A quick 'Gate' later they are no longer in a dingy alley, but rather inside a most comfortable living room. "Well, time to make music."
Omake: Familiar of Thorn
Deathfang is not a happy gnoll, oh no.
The past few years were both incredibly fun yet also annoying to him.
First he gets imprisoned and sentenced for execution just because he ate a few dead humans on some battlefield. HE DIDN'T EVEN KILL THEM HIMSELF! Damn humans not making sense.
Next he is stuck with a random assortment of people inside of a prison, well they help him escape, so its fine.
Well not so fine because he gets roped into being a servant for some guy named Thorn, well fine by him he gets to kill and eat people, so why should he care that he is not allowed to kill these other three coming with him. And so was The Ninth Knot of Thorn formed. The last, and soon to be, most feared knot.
The next years were AWESOME, took a fort with just the four of them, killing everyone and everything in it. Fortifying a mountain, subjugated a tribe of boggards, killed a dragon. And then… oh and then they laid siege on a holy fortress. THE WORKS! One thing led to another and now the four of them killed their old master and took the entire island for themselves in the name of Asmodeus. After, of course, they had laid low a Solar at the climax of an epic battle for dominance of the island. You know, the usual.
Nowadays Deathfang is the commander of the kingdoms armed forces (Living ones and a good portion of the undead), leading their armies forth to conquer more lands. And he most definitely is making for an imposing figure wherever he goes. Clad in unholy full-plate, the legendary Helbrand (now fully re-forged and empowered) in hand, and riding on his trusty Nightmare steed.
Deathfang, while not exactly smart, is not stupid. Not as stupid as many would think at least.
He knows that the other three of their group are dangerous, and they know he is dangerous. So it is a mutual agreement between them to not mess with any other of the four. And by agreement he means a soul binding contract with no loopholes.
Well, Deathfang is fine with it, he knows he is the strongest of the four. The Rogue is a coward, but admittedly he can hold his own in a fight, even if he is a figurative glass cannon that is more geared for subterfuge deceit and tricks than actual combat, not that he minds all that much, the rogue had often included him as part of some plan or another which cumulated in him killing already battered and beaten people.
The Vampire, well she is next to him the most dangerous. But not to him, most of her magic would fail to harm him in any significant way. Not that he could harm her all that easily in turn. But him and her are on rather good terms usually, so he doesn't care. He kills things, eats their flesh and she animates their skeletons, SIMPLE! By the fires of the pit, she had helped him in becoming a graveknight, knowing that she would be even less of a threat to him should he decide to chop and mince her. That was one heck of an arduous process, it was.
But again, thanks to her magic they couldn't really kill one another all that easily.
Deathfang does not know what to think of the cleric. He is the both the least and most likely to break the contract. Being a devoted to Asmodeus he would never break a contract. Finding loopholes however is a different thing altogether.
Now, you might ask 'Why would he not be happy? He is the most powerful individual his species probably has to offer. He can rip a human in half with his bare hands, has eaten angels on a semi-regular basis. Not to mention he gets to kill lots of things and lead armies. AND is a damn graveknight to boot .What more does he want?'
Well that is simple really, he is falling… through space… and probably time (but he couldn't be too sure about that last one). And he HATES teleportation of ANY kind. Especially the ones he didn't agree to. Which this is. 'How did this happen?' you might ask.
He does not exactly know, but he knows that he will rip apart whoever did this, and everyone that he can get to before he is retrieved by either his steed or his companions. But especially whoever did this will die a most gruesome death.
All he knows is that he, and a small part of his army. Had broken off from the main mass of murder that is their troops to satisfy the sudden bloodlust that had befallen the gnoll. As such they fell upon a small village in the middle of nowhere, not worth subjugating. Oh how Deathfang hated that word, he would much rather murder EVERYTHING and eat their young.
Mhh the succulent flesh of infantile humans.
But noooo he has to actually leave as many people alive as possible. As they are trying to take the places over, not raze them to the ground. Not that Deathfang could see the point as a destroyed place was yours as well.
Nor was he allowed to eat the infants, because they made of the best recruits apparently. Meh he can see the use in that at least. Considering a good part of his army was once infants they had captured and brainwashed to the purpose of Asmodeus. Good soldiers, all of them. Not a shred of remorse of pity in them. Just what Deathfang always wanted.
But back to the matter at hand. He was gleefully hacking at each and every human within arms reach (on foot for a change) that wore not the colours of the lord of hell, when he spotted a human boy.
Not that remarkable in and off itself. But what interested, and angered, the gnoll was that the boy was not paying any sort of attention to either him OR his soldiers. Just looking around frantically at nothing. 'Well, time to see how far I can catapult a human boy by ramming into him.' Grinning at the thought Deathfang took of at a dead sprint, intent on pulverizing the boy between himself and the wall behind him. Just as he rammed into the boy a portal opened up behind the boy, swallowing them both up.
Which gets us back to the present. A gnoll floating through space (and potentially time), drenched in blood and a dead human next to him. Pitiful creature died upon impact, his blue eyes now lifeless and black hair swaying idly in the nothingness surrounding them.
Not that the gnoll cares in the slightest as he is munching on one of the boys arms he had idly chopped off, what he does care about is the figurative light at the end of the tunnel. Which is rapidly approaching, and he should reach it in less than a minute. Oh how he loves his vampiric companion for managing to preserve his ability to enjoy eating after becoming a graveknight
On the other end of the portal the people watching think that the Vallière girl had once more failed her spell. A valid point, considering the large explosion she had caused. Out of the audience only three people actually feel bad for the girl as they know she will be expelled if she cant summon a familiar.
Kirche while she teases Louise does not mean any ill by it. Just wanting to provide the girl herself as an outlet for the frustration.
Tabitha understands that Louise does indeed have magic, how else would she be able to cause explosions, but simply has no control over it for some reason.
Jean Colbert pities the daughter of his friend, he really wishes for her to be able to keep attending school. But even though she is the top of her year in theory she has yet to successfully cast a single spell.
Just as he is about to declare her spell a failure he smells it, blood, death and gore… Lots of it. Whatever the girl had summoned is BAD news. And judging by the way the familiars are shifting in an agitated manner (including even the blue dragon) it is REALLY BAD news. As such he had rather swiftly taken out his staff in preparation of defending his students. And considering Young Tabitha and Kirche are doing the same as him they must have realized something is wrong as well.
When the dust had shifted they were treated to a most horrifying sight. Some manner of creature resembling some form of canine beast stands there at almost seven feet in height, clad in blood red and black armour, holding a intricate bastard sword in one hand and the severed arm of a human in the other. The latter of which it was currently eating. The arm obviously belonged to the dead teenager at the beasts feet.
Then professor Colbert realizes something frightening, the beast is not actually a beast. It carries the spark of intelligence within its eyes, studying them as much as they him. Probably thinking of how to best escape or mutilate them he realizes. Before he can cast any spell however young Louise shakily approaches the thing, quite foolishly in his opinion but she must be desperate for any kind of success he fears.
It also does not go unnoticed by the three people, who had originally drawn their foci, how the things eyes instantly focus on her yet never entirely left those who had drawn on him. 'an experienced combatant then.' Colbert and Tabitha realize.
Louise not caring in the slightest about what she summoned, only that she summoned it, walks up to this unsightly beast. She almost looses control of her stomach when she sees the body at its feet but powers on through in a display of impressive bravery (read: Foolishness).
As she reaches the brute (just out of arms reach) she starts yelling and gesturing at it (much to the dismay of many in the audience, and annoyance of Deathfang). The creature however does kneel down after a few moments.
Taking it a sign of submission Louise further approaches to complete the binding. But to Colbert and Tabitha this is anything but a sign of submission. It is a predator luring its prey in with a false sense of security. As soon as the girl steps into reach of the behemoth it grabs her by the throat, her flesh rotting almost instantly from the point where it grabbed her onward.
It then tosses the poor girl, who is at this point already dead, into the mass of students. And to make matters worse the desecrated corpse explodes in a shower of blood and gore (and acid) upon contact with one of her class mates. Killing almost another dozen young people.
Colbert enraged at the sudden death of so many, especially children and his students, reverts back to his former self, and engulfs the beast in a massive torrent of flames, aided by the Von Zerbst.
Deathfang in the meantime is amused, very much so. These people are fools, utter and complete fools. Do they not know the symbol of Asmodeus when they see it, when it is so proudly displayed on his chest and cloak. BAH. Who is he to care for ignorant idiots, it just makes it easier to kill them in the end.
As he is engulfed in a massive inferno, which does exactly zero harm to him due to his graveknight nature that would make the spell useless even if it could get through his spell resistance, he laughs quietly to himself at how he kept his promise to kill whoever summoned him in a gruesome fashion. For what is more gruesome (in the short term) than a 'Bloatbomb' spell. The silly girl wanted to bind him as a mere familiar, HAH!
Shaking his head in amusement he lets out a feral roar, charging through the flames in the direction of where the fire is coming from. At the end of the inferno he rams his blade through the abdomen of an elderly human, and with a swift motion nearly cuts the man in half. The wound instantly cauterized by the immense heat produced by a graveknight's hatred being channelled through his blade.
Turning to the now fleeing children (which only includes most but not all to his immense surprise) he grins in bloodlust as he decides to return the favour of what had been done to him.
Holding out his blade, pointing towards the soon to be dead mortals, a small bead of blood red fire forms on the tip of his sword but it does not stay that way. Instead it becomes a massive wave of fire instantly incinerating everything and everyone thirty feet in front of him. Yet some children still manage to escape as they were just barely out of range of the deadly embrace of the flames. But unlike him who cares not for the rage of an inferno, the students that had been engulfed in his flames are naught but charred husks on the ground now.
Deciding that hunting them down, for the moment, is not an option he turns back to those who were not too cowardly to face him (or cowardly enough to be rooted in place, as was the case with a few). What greets him however is a hail of icicles, fireballs, a dozen charging bronze figurines and a juvenile blue dragon all coming at him. Ignoring the hail- and firestorm completely, as no harm can come to him from them, he decides to thin the ranks first as it were. Unleashing yet another wave of fire he melts all but two of the figurines, yet the children are out of range and the dragon (being a smart and rather fast beast) managed to avoid the incoming blaze.
Not that Deathfang cares in the slightest. Now hefting Helbrand in both hands he indulges the sentient blade and its murderous lust for slaughter of all that do not follow Asmodeus and goes right at the dragon.
Spells from the teens would splash harmlessly against his form, thrown boulders would barely phase him, and the dragon could almost not even penetrate his armour, much less properly wound him and the bronze weapons of the 'golems' would shatter upon contact with him.
As such the outcome of this fight was inevitable. With a mighty smite (after confirming that the blue dragon is somehow indeed good) he lops the beasts head clean off. Changing targets to the now fleeing children. They have apparently realized that fighting him is futile (and rightly so) and decided that discretion is the better part of valour as they turned tail. With the exception of one or two weak willed ones who are still standing there in a catatonic state.
'Oh well.' He dismissively thinks as he lops their heads off before summoning a 'Phantom Steed' to run down anything that crosses his path 'How many of them can I make die before someone back home misses me enough to come and get me I wonder.'
… it would be almost a week and MANY dead later before he was found by a familiar Vampiress to be brought back to their home plane, so he can continue killing things in a place that actually matters to them. 'Ah hells, but at the very least I found a place to make vacations in. Next time I will come here on my nightmare tough, so I don't rely on someone to retrieve me.'
And so was created the legend of a beast summoned from another world. A beast more feared than any elf ever could be. A beast that would haunt the dreams of many people for many years to come. A beast that would occasionally show up out of nowhere, riding a hellish steed slaughtering anything that it comes across for a full day before vanishing once more.
It would be known for its fearsome appearance and now legendary arms.
It would be feared for its unrelenting brutality, and lack of mercy towards anything.
It would be dreaded for its ability to shrug of even the most mortal wounds, its tirelessness, and its almost complete immunity to magic.
Parents would tell their children bed time stories to behave or that it would come in the dead of night to take them away.
Following all these legends would be a lesser known legend, of a woman, of unnatural beauty who fears not this beast, a woman who stopped its first rampage after a full week of bloodshed by taking it away with her to whatever dread place they had sprung from. And from this second legend springs the name for this beast, shared by the few men and women who were close enough to both survive the pair yet still hear and/or see them. The name by which the woman called the beast. The only name it is known by.
A name which mere mention sends a shiver of fear down the spines of any man or woman…
Deathfang.
AN: I do realize progress is rather slow, and this chapter is somewhat slow but I hope once we get to the more interesting part of the plot things will once more kick off.
Also, I apologize if this chapter doesn't fell all that natural, or if the conversation between Sylphid and Raskreia, and also Tabitha feels forced. But I rewrote their conversation four times, and I just couldn't get it to feel more natural than it is now, so I kinda just gave up and decided. Meh, close enough.
But as a way to compensate this, I wrote that Omake. Deathfang is not one of my PC's, it is a PC of a another during our Way of the Wicked campaign. Out of that group he would make for the best Omake character. My character (the Vampire) would result in a subjugation of the lands via undead and mind control. The rogue would simply leave for home, after stealing everything of value that is not nailed down, via plane shift scroll (he is a Rogue-Sorcerer-Arcane trickster) and the cleric, I have no bloody idea what he would do. Convert people to Asmodeus I suppose.
Meanwhile Deathfang… well this is the result. He is a powerhouse, a level 20 Gnoll (Graveknight) Anti-Paladin. When I say that him and my character couldn't kill one another I meant that as in; My character has no means to properly harm Deathfang, and Deathfang has no proper way to counter my magic defences. Graveknights are basically the martial form of liches. They kick so much ass. Spell resistance to make anything less than a red wyrm blush, bonus damage on melee hits, immunities out of their ass and a free resurrection as long as no-one throws their armour into a mount doom.
Hope you like the chapter and the (I believe even longer than last time) omake which might as well be a One-shot.
Aaand I'm out.