Roshek - The Great Census of 1305

[kenod]

"Thanks," Lilia said with a happy smile. She carefully dragged Karl's body to the center and started drawing runes around him, sometimes stopping to look at his body and take a few measurements. The runes drew out two circles around him, straight lines of runes connecting them, forming two rhombi at right angles to each other. At the four places where the the lines touched the outer circle holes were left, and she put small Crystals in each of them.
She looked at the structure, tapping her chin in thought. She wondered what else to add. It would be a waste to just heal him after all. Looking at the crystal on his chest she saw she didn't have that much time left though, and decided to go with something more simple. She quickly started writing, building on the nerve modification she had already created for the healing, improving their speed. She also ended up changing his hair to white as her signature, though it wouldn't show until after it had grown out enough.
Smiling she stood at one of the crystals, and spread out her arms. "breyta og verða ný!" She intoned, and the the Crystals sparked, and then vanished as the magic rushed through the runes into Karl's body.
She lowered her arms, grinning. "Done," she said.

Edited May 28, 2019 by kenod

[Vargo Seldon]

Algorath stepped back, shocked, as Karl was torn to pieces by his own body.  He'd almost killed the boy earlier, but hadn't.  He needed help, not another enemy.  He turned away as someone who looked as if they knew what they were doing knelt over the boy.  He could sense his pack getting restless.  

He turned to Mutig, "We need to use what he knows.  If the heir is someone who the creature will hurt, than it needs protecting.  If it's somebody it can use or is allied with, than we need to kill it.  There are too many questions.  Who is this heir?  What's his relation to the creature?  Where is he?  What must be done?  Karl needs to survive to answer."

[Chasmfiend#1]

Mutig looked at the two women as they worked, and decided on what must be done. He turned towards the exit, and spoke over his shoulder towards Algorath.

 "We will wait until the boy is better, whoever the Heir is, that creature thinks he is a threat, and tried to kill the boy so as to stop him from telling us. Until he can tell us, we continue with our plan. We will start warning the occupants of this city, tell them they NEED to be miles away before sunset. With the normal people gone, we will have ourselves a city of magic. No risk of damage to the normal human's, but we will need every man and woman who can fight in magic to be ready for combat."

 His mind was set, this creature no longer had an excuse, this has been a direct attack upon a child, and Mutig knew he wouldn't rest until it was dead, or he was.

 

 

 

The creature held his brother in shadows closely, letting him gasp and adjust to the change in life. The new shadow looked around, taking in The city that lay before them, and he smiled. "How long where we asleep?" He asked in a voice that sounded as if rocks where being slowly grinded on top of each other.

 "You and the other's have slept for century's, Seljing," he said, remembering his name, "much has changed since you walked this world, but most importantly, the bloodline of the cursed breachers has ended. There is only one left, and he doesn't even know what flows through his veins."

Seljing looked at, letting his shadowed mass slowly take shape into that of a Dragon. "When do we march to war? When will we blot out that cursed sun again?" 

 "soon, brother, very soon. But first we must free the rest, our army awaits hosts, and I have collected both goblins and humans for the task, now to start the ascension." With that they both went back down from the tower top, leaving the remains of Seljings host where they lay.

@Sorana @Vargo Seldon @ZincAboutIt @kenod

[+Sorana]

54 minutes ago, Chasmfiend#1 said:

 "We will wait until the boy is better, whoever the Heir is, that creature thinks he is a threat, and tried to kill the boy so as to stop him from telling us. Until he can tell us, we continue with our plan. We will start warning the occupants of this city, tell them they NEED to be miles away before sunset. With the normal people gone, we will have ourselves a city of magic. No risk of damage to the normal human's, but we will need every man and woman who can fight in magic to be ready for combat."

Amara listened to his words. Everybody who can fight in maght. No damage to normal humans. She set her jaw and looked around for something she could use as a weapon and went with a metal spike used to move coal around. Then she repacked her pinnate, took only the most important things, those she needed to treat the most dangerous wounds and then got to her feet.

"We could have the tower crush them."

@kenod

@Vargo Seldon

@Chasmfiend#1

[Vargo Seldon]

17 hours ago, Chasmfiend#1 said:

Mutig looked at the two women as they worked, and decided on what must be done. He turned towards the exit, and spoke over his shoulder towards Algorath.

 "We will wait until the boy is better, whoever the Heir is, that creature thinks he is a threat, and tried to kill the boy so as to stop him from telling us. Until he can tell us, we continue with our plan. We will start warning the occupants of this city, tell them they NEED to be miles away before sunset. With the normal people gone, we will have ourselves a city of magic. No risk of damage to the normal human's, but we will need every man and woman who can fight in magic to be ready for combat."

 His mind was set, this creature no longer had an excuse, this has been a direct attack upon a child, and Mutig knew he wouldn't rest until it was dead, or he was.

Algorath nodded.  He stalked out upon the roof, telling his wolves what must be done.  Most of them had evolved enough to speak rudimentary language.  By the end of it, the rumors would make them evolve much much more.  They'd spread the word, getting the civilians to safety, and gather magical creatures.  

He watched the wolves disappear over the rooftops, and returned just in time to hear Amara say, "We could have the tower crush them."

He nodded.  "Yes, it will kill the hosts.  But I fear that the creatures themselves will live on.  It's a good idea, and should buy us enough time to Marshall our own forces."

@Chasmfiend#1

@Sorana

Quote

I really like the "last battle" feel to this.  Do you think we could have it spill over into the main plot?

 

[+Sorana]

8 hours ago, Vargo Seldon said:

Algorath nodded.  He stalked out upon the roof, telling his wolves what must be done.  Most of them had evolved enough to speak rudimentary language.  By the end of it, the rumors would make them evolve much much more.  They'd spread the word, getting the civilians to safety, and gather magical creatures.  

He watched the wolves disappear over the rooftops, and returned just in time to hear Amara say, "We could have the tower crush them."

He nodded.  "Yes, it will kill the hosts.  But I fear that the creatures themselves will live on.  It's a good idea, and should buy us enough time to Marshall our own forces."

@Chasmfiend#1

@Sorana

 

"Then we won't do it."

Amara stood up, looked him straight into the eye.

"We won't kill innocencts just for fun."

Quote

No. We decided that these alternate universes should stay separately.

 

[kenod]

On 5/29/2019 at 6:57 AM, Chasmfiend#1 said:

We will wait until the boy is better

Quote

Karl should be healed now, just waiting for him to wake up again.

"We won't kill innocents just for fun," Amara said. Lilia looked at her. We don't? she wondered. She had no clue what everyone was talking about, and sat down at a table, dozing off. She decided to just wait until the others had decided what to do. She could decide on helping them after that.

[xinoehp512]

Quote

I would guess that the statues would help fight if the city is threatened.

 

On 5/29/2019 at 0:57 AM, Chasmfiend#1 said:

Mutig looked at the two women as they worked, and decided on what must be done. He turned towards the exit, and spoke over his shoulder towards Algorath.

 "We will wait until the boy is better, whoever the Heir is, that creature thinks he is a threat, and tried to kill the boy so as to stop him from telling us. Until he can tell us, we continue with our plan. We will start warning the occupants of this city, tell them they NEED to be miles away before sunset. With the normal people gone, we will have ourselves a city of magic. No risk of damage to the normal human's, but we will need every man and woman who can fight in magic to be ready for combat."

 His mind was set, this creature no longer had an excuse, this has been a direct attack upon a child, and Mutig knew he wouldn't rest until it was dead, or he was.

 

 

 

The creature held his brother in shadows closely, letting him gasp and adjust to the change in life. The new shadow looked around, taking in The city that lay before them, and he smiled. "How long where we asleep?" He asked in a voice that sounded as if rocks where being slowly grinded on top of each other.

 "You and the other's have slept for century's, Seljing," he said, remembering his name, "much has changed since you walked this world, but most importantly, the bloodline of the cursed breachers has ended. There is only one left, and he doesn't even know what flows through his veins."

Seljing looked at, letting his shadowed mass slowly take shape into that of a Dragon. "When do we march to war? When will we blot out that cursed sun again?" 

 "soon, brother, very soon. But first we must free the rest, our army awaits hosts, and I have collected both goblins and humans for the task, now to start the ascension." With that they both went back down from the tower top, leaving the remains of Seljings host where they lay.

@Sorana @Vargo Seldon @ZincAboutIt @kenod

Quote

Worldbuilding, huh? Care to elaborate?

 

[Vargo Seldon]

18 hours ago, Sorana said:

"Then we won't do it."

Amara stood up, looked him straight into the eye.

"We won't kill innocencts just for fun."

 

Algorath growled.  The comment stung.  He remembered how it used to feel to have the common men fear him.  And although he secretly agreed with her, the comment incensed him.  "I do not either," he snarled, "Do not demonize me in such a way.  And this is not 'just for fun'.  If we leave a few bodies behind to save the rest of the city, then so be it.  They're most likely beyond saving, unless this one—" he gestured to Lilia, "—can do the same for the rest of them.  One took her the better part of an hour, and she was exhausted afterwards.  We may not have a choice but to kill a few of them."

Despite his words, he unwillingly remembered his hands around Karl's throat, ready to crush the lad's windpipe.  But then he'd seen the boy's face.  And he couldn't do it.  How could he speak of killing more innocents when he could not do it himself?

@Sorana

[+Sorana]

4 hours ago, Vargo Seldon said:

Despite his words, he unwillingly remembered his hands around Karl's throat, ready to crush the lad's windpipe.  But then he'd seen the boy's face.  And he couldn't do it.  How could he speak of killing more innocents when he could not do it himself?

"But then we're nothing better than they are."

Amara didn't step back, instead she made sure she was standing straight, still looked into his eyes. When she'd suggested crushing the tower, she hadn't known that the tower was the building with all the vessels.

"I agree - we need to do something. But how we do it, matters as much as that we do it. If we sacrifice half of the population, then we can leave as well, just let these things have their way. The moment society collapses, the moment economy collapses, most of them will die."

She took a deep breath, made a calming gesture.

"I won't accept us killing innocent because we aren't willing to take another path. I've seen them, most of them are in a state, that it doesn't need Lilia's powers to heal them, some I can help as well."

"So, what do we know about them? Is there anything we could use as bait? Lure them somewhere, force them to concentrate on us?"

@kenod

@Chasmfiend#1

@Vargo Seldon

[Chasmfiend#1]

25 minutes ago, Sorana said:

"But then we're nothing better than they are."

Amara didn't step back, instead she made sure she was standing straight, still looked into his eyes. When she'd suggested crushing the tower, she hadn't known that the tower was the building with all the vessels.

"I agree - we need to do something. But how we do it, matters as much as that we do it. If we sacrifice half of the population, then we can leave as well, just let these things have their way. The moment society collapses, the moment economy collapses, most of them will die."

She took a deep breath, made a calming gesture.

"I won't accept us killing innocent because we aren't willing to take another path. I've seen them, most of them are in a state, that it doesn't need Lilia's powers to heal them, some I can help as well."

"So, what do we know about them? Is there anything we could use as bait? Lure them somewhere, force them to concentrate on us?"

@kenod

@Chasmfiend#1

@Vargo Seldon

Mutig thought for a moment, then smiled, looking towards them, "I don't suppose our young friend is just sleeping?" He asked plainly as he could, letting his mind think of a plan. how to catch their attention, while not invoking a massacre...

@Sorana @Vargo Seldon @kenod

Spoiler

@xinoehp512. I was using the idea I thought was agreed upon in the fantasy thread. That some people from the Alleyverse came to Roshek, and had lived here. Over time they would have had children, who would have children, until the bloodline that made them different eventually flickered out. That is, unless I misread that big time, for which I apologize.

 

Edited May 31, 2019 by Chasmfiend#1

[xinoehp512]

Quote

Ah. I've been working on a history of the planet as a whole. There's still lots of room (especially in the Fifth Age) but one of the important things is that the Alleyverse people didn't mix with the population when they arrived- for the simple reason that everyone was dead. Everyone alive on the planet now is descended from that original group.

 

[Vargo Seldon]

On 5/30/2019 at 11:14 PM, Sorana said:

"But then we're nothing better than they are."

Amara didn't step back, instead she made sure she was standing straight, still looked into his eyes. When she'd suggested crushing the tower, she hadn't known that the tower was the building with all the vessels.

"I agree - we need to do something. But how we do it, matters as much as that we do it. If we sacrifice half of the population, then we can leave as well, just let these things have their way. The moment society collapses, the moment economy collapses, most of them will die."

She took a deep breath, made a calming gesture.

"I won't accept us killing innocent because we aren't willing to take another path. I've seen them, most of them are in a state, that it doesn't need Lilia's powers to heal them, some I can help as well."

"So, what do we know about them? Is there anything we could use as bait? Lure them somewhere, force them to concentrate on us?"

@kenod

@Chasmfiend#1

@Vargo Seldon

Algorath nodded, calming slightly.  "Something must be done, you are right.  I misspoke.  If we can capture the vessels, then we could take away the thing's tools.  My wolves are collecting magical creatures right now, and we should be able to muster quite a force."

He started as he heard a sharp cry from outside.  It sounded as if a large angry crowd was out there.  He rushed outside the inn, and gasped at what he saw.  

A crowd was circling a singular point in the middle of the street, chanting something.  He looked, and saw the mutilated body of one of his wolves suspended by a forest of arms.  He fell to his knees as he watched the angry crowd cheering and passing the body back and forth.  

Then he noticed the rest of his pack.  The were backed against a building, snapping and growling at an advancing mob.  The mob, weilding spikes and torches, forced them back farther.  

Algorath growled in anger.  He changed to wolf form, letting his more savage half take over completely.  His vision was tainted red.  He let out a growl that would make any sane man run.  Then he charged.  He would rip their heads off.  He would desecrate their bodies.  They had dared to kill his wolf.  

@Chasmfiend#1

@Sorana

@kenod

@Turtle373

@xinoehp512

[Chasmfiend#1]

12 hours ago, Vargo Seldon said:

Algorath nodded, calming slightly.  "Something must be done, you are right.  I misspoke.  If we can capture the vessels, then we could take away the thing's tools.  My wolves are collecting magical creatures right now, and we should be able to muster quite a force."

He started as he heard a sharp cry from outside.  It sounded as if a large angry crowd was out there.  He rushed outside the inn, and gasped at what he saw.  

A crowd was circling a singular point in the middle of the street, chanting something.  He looked, and saw the mutilated body of one of his wolves suspended by a forest of arms.  He fell to his knees as he watched the angry crowd cheering and passing the body back and forth.  

Then he noticed the rest of his pack.  The were backed against a building, snapping and growling at an advancing mob.  The mob, weilding spikes and torches, forced them back farther.  

Algorath growled in anger.  He changed to wolf form, letting his more savage half take over completely.  His vision was tainted red.  He let out a growl that would make any sane man run.  Then he charged.  He would rip their heads off.  He would desecrate their bodies.  They had dared to kill his wolf.  

@Chasmfiend#1

@Sorana

@kenod

@Turtle373

@xinoehp512

Mutig lunged forward, letting out a roar. But when he began to move forward, he found himself stopped by a lone figure who swept his legs out. He hit the ground, just in time to see the figure spin on his heels, bringing a metal staff slamming across Algoraths back, sending him into the dirt. The crowed froze, eyes widening, they stared at The man. He wore armor painted black, and seemed to emit a glow from his skin, making his armor stand out even more. His voice was gruff and seemed to allow no arguing.

 "WHO KILLED THAT WOLF!"  He said in an unfazed voice. Watching the people begin to turn back, until one man stepped forwards, smiling at the new comer, undeterred by the speed in which he put two magic beings down. The man from the crowed spoke loud, but seemed to be straining, as if he didn't want to speak.

"And this is what your king says is justice? He sends his dogs to do his work, while we suf–" he never finished, for the armored man spun his staff, and jabbed it into the mans for head. There was a flash of light, and the man staggered back, starring in panic at the armored man, then his eyes shifted, changing to murky black. His voice hissed like a snake. "Blood WILL be shed, don't think hiding will stop us!" With that, the man fell with a thud, not moving a muscle.

The armored man turned back to the crowed, and spoke sternly. "He who dares to oppose the king or the high Heir shall pay with their lives! It was with trust that these animals came, and our king will not have them treated like sport for your entertainment! Thus speaks the Inquisition of Vania!"

The crowed was already running, many dropping their weapons. Soon it was only them and the armored man, who went and knelt down next to the fallen wolf, checking for a sign of life, but found none.

@Vargo Seldon @Turtle373 @Sorana @ZincAboutIt

[+Sorana]

Quote

I'll reply later. I need to read through all of this in a quiet minute.

 

[Vargo Seldon]

19 hours ago, Chasmfiend#1 said:

Mutig lunged forward, letting out a roar. But when he began to move forward, he found himself stopped by a lone figure who swept his legs out. He hit the ground, just in time to see the figure spin on his heels, bringing a metal staff slamming across Algoraths back, sending him into the dirt. The crowed froze, eyes widening, they stared at The man. He wore armor painted black, and seemed to emit a glow from his skin, making his armor stand out even more. His voice was gruff and seemed to allow no arguing.

 "WHO KILLED THAT WOLF!"  He said in an unfazed voice. Watching the people begin to turn back, until one man stepped forwards, smiling at the new comer, undeterred by the speed in which he put two magic beings down. The man from the crowed spoke loud, but seemed to be straining, as if he didn't want to speak.

"And this is what your king says is justice? He sends his dogs to do his work, while we suf–" he never finished, for the armored man spun his staff, and jabbed it into the mans for head. There was a flash of light, and the man staggered back, starring in panic at the armored man, then his eyes shifted, changing to murky black. His voice hissed like a snake. "Blood WILL be shed, don't think hiding will stop us!" With that, the man fell with a thud, not moving a muscle.

The armored man turned back to the crowed, and spoke sternly. "He who dares to oppose the king or the high Heir shall pay with their lives! It was with trust that these animals came, and our king will not have them treated like sport for your entertainment! Thus speaks the Inquisition of Vania!"

The crowed was already running, many dropping their weapons. Soon it was only them and the armored man, who went and knelt down next to the fallen wolf, checking for a sign of life, but found none.

@Vargo Seldon @Turtle373 @Sorana @ZincAboutIt

Quote

Glad you stopped Algorath from killing people.  Would've been a stretch to do that myself.

Algorath was blind with rage, his vision tainted red.  All he saw was his victims.  Then all he saw was the ground.  He felt a sudden burning behind his shoulder blades, and he lost control and returned to the form of a freakish hybrid.  Slowly, returning to man form, he stood.  

Just in time to catch the tail end of the armored man's speech.  

Not quite the justice he would've taken, but it took a man's mind to comprehend the consequences of killing civilians.  

He shook his head.  How was it possible to want to protect these people, yet rip their throats out at the same time?  He consoled himself with the thought that they were ignorant of the struggle taking place.

[Chasmfiend#1]

On 6/2/2019 at 5:03 PM, Vargo Seldon said:

Algorath was blind with rage, his vision tainted red.  All he saw was his victims.  Then all he saw was the ground.  He felt a sudden burning behind his shoulder blades, and he lost control and returned to the form of a freakish hybrid.  Slowly, returning to man form, he stood.  

Just in time to catch the tail end of the armored man's speech.  

Not quite the justice he would've taken, but it took a man's mind to comprehend the consequences of killing civilians.  

He shook his head.  How was it possible to want to protect these people, yet rip their throats out at the same time?  He consoled himself with the thought that they were ignorant of the struggle taking place.

Mutig stood up, eyeing the armored man. The man seemed to pay them no heed, did he know what has happened?

A raven swooped down and landed on the mans arm, chirping and singing it's report.

 "Crowds gone, trouble gone." The bird looked at the dead wolf, "food?"

@Vargo Seldon

[Vargo Seldon]

Algorath shook his head, sitting up slowly.  He looked, his vision blurred.  All around him were... beings helping him up.  He blinked, trying to clear his eyes.  

There were all around him.  Beings with trees growing from them, half animals, human deities, so many.  

He growled, shying back.  His hackles raised, and he realized he was a wolf again.  Hated.  Magic.  He reared, bursting from the crowd and running away.  

He tripped halfway, weak from the days of stress.  He changed to the hybrid he'd been before his transformation.  He curled up on the cracked cobbles and began to weep.  It was over.  There was too much magic.  His wolf had died.  The blackness would devour them all.  

He suddenly realized that all of his worries were blurring together, contradicting each other.  But he didn't care.  He could've lain there for eternity.  His pack would never accept him now.  Not after this show of weakness.  

Suddenly he felt warmth.  And light.  His worries seemed to ease.  Not disappear, for that would give him unforgivable blindness, but ease them enough to take away the pain.  

He slowly cracked his eyes open, and saw a man with a tree on his head healing him.  His first instinct was to break away, but slowly took it.  

Finally, after about ten minutes of this treatment, he was able to stand.  He brushed off his black coat with as much dignity as he could muster.  They had their army of magical beings.

@Chasmfiend#1

[Chasmfiend#1]

The raven watched as Algorath ran off, then looked at the Armored man. "I wasn't really going to eat the wolf, that's a scavenger thing." It looked at Mutig, and actually looked surprised, almost falling off its perch. "The Judge!" It squeaked , "the judge of heathens!" The man looked closely at Mutig, studying him, than he spoke.

 "Go and bring that hybrid to the inquisition, I will get these few that are here."

 " Sure you don't want help? This is literally the embodiment of justice, one wrong step and you die. "

Mutig spoke as calmly and evenly as he could, he knew the inquisition knew about what he had done, but he didn't expect them to remember to this day. "I am afraid you are not up to times, my raven friend, I will go quietly, as we need to work together to win the battle that is coming."

 The man nodded, and the bird took off after Algorath

@Sorana @Turtle373 @kenod

22 hours ago, Vargo Seldon said:

Algorath shook his head, sitting up slowly.  He looked, his vision blurred.  All around him were... beings helping him up.  He blinked, trying to clear his eyes.  

There were all around him.  Beings with trees growing from them, half animals, human deities, so many.  

He growled, shying back.  His hackles raised, and he realized he was a wolf again.  Hated.  Magic.  He reared, bursting from the crowd and running away.  

He tripped halfway, weak from the days of stress.  He changed to the hybrid he'd been before his transformation.  He curled up on the cracked cobbles and began to weep.  It was over.  There was too much magic.  His wolf had died.  The blackness would devour them all.  

He suddenly realized that all of his worries were blurring together, contradicting each other.  But he didn't care.  He could've lain there for eternity.  His pack would never accept him now.  Not after this show of weakness.  

Suddenly he felt warmth.  And light.  His worries seemed to ease.  Not disappear, for that would give him unforgivable blindness, but ease them enough to take away the pain.  

He slowly cracked his eyes open, and saw a man with a tree on his head healing him.  His first instinct was to break away, but slowly took it.  

Finally, after about ten minutes of this treatment, he was able to stand.  He brushed off his black coat with as much dignity as he could muster.  They had their army of magical beings.

@Chasmfiend#1

The tree spirit that had been healing Algorath watched him rise, and spoke in a whisper that seemed aimed directly at Algorath. "Tell me, if one tree falls in the Forrest, does the Forrest cease to be? You can't give up, simply because you lost one of your pack, I know that is what made you run, for I have seen it in many wolves that feel stronger than anything else." 

The tree man looked at the sky and saw a raven landing not far off. "A raven from the inquisition? You'd best do as it says, their not, shall we say, friendly when forced to do something." With that, the tree spirit walked back towards the horde of magic beings, disappearing in the crowed.

@Vargo Seldon