|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 5:34 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 01, 2012 5:36 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed May 02, 2012 3:06 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 1:59 am
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun May 06, 2012 1:10 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2015 5:51 pm
|
|
|
|
Ilea gave a soft smile to Shale when he put his arm around her waist and was content to move at his side to the doorway of the dungeon then paused there long enough to move up on her toes and gave him a kiss to his cheek then moved into the great hall ahead of him.
As she headed towards the smaller throne placed there, she looked like the confident and deadly woman she'd been created to be, "On your knees. Darkness Abounds has a new Master. Greet Baron Shale properly or deal with me," she said to them all, her voice carrying a lethal beauty to it that had more than a few actually shivering in fear.
Usually, when her voice was beautiful to hear, someone either bled or died. Here, only Goh had ever heard her voice at it's true beauty. The only reason she was letting it remain so now was because of Shale. For him, she'd continue to be who she was no matter what.
She came to a stop on the first step of the riser that lead up to the throne and turned to look at the only living residents of the castle with narrowed crimson eyes, watching as they all dropped to their knees one by one as Shale followed her in.
The throne behind her was a smaller version of the one in the throne room. The one in the throne room was actually made of bones. This one was made of a metal version that was alot sturdier to sit in and better cushioned.
Once everyone else had gotten to their knees she did the same just as Shale moved up to stand in front of the throne. It was perfectly timed and carried just the right amount of theatricality to it all that it showed a very unique understanding in Ilea that very few had. She knew how to rule this place with the right mix of fear, dominance, and showmanship.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2015 9:52 am
|
|
|
|
Red Gypsy Ok, brain... work! Work you stim-addict sack of cholesterol!
Shale smiled with the small tingle left by Ilea's kiss hovering on his cheek. He also had a nice view as she moved into the large chamber, taking control of it very well with her presence alone. Her voice and choice of words were simply beautiful. This place truly did demand that kind of mastery, not so different from other places in the end.
Shale said nothing, preferring to wield silence over sound. He walked to the throne and sat. Then he stared. For several minutes he stared at those before him. Those minutes were long and terrifying for the confused subjects that knelt before him. The room slowly began to get brighter. The shadowy corners and gloomy nooks were glowing with a strengthening golden light tinged with amber.
The gathered people began to get nervous. Baron Shale had neither moved, nor spoken since he sat down. Yet, powerful magic was moving through the room. Streams of fluid sparks floated gently through the air from the glowing crevasses and corners. Some wound around the details in the architecture up to the ceiling where they formed a swirling galaxy of light and fire in a faint red mist. Others drifted across the floor and swept between the kneeling people without touching them, yet. The heat in the room was humid and pulsed in time with a heartbeat. The last of the streams flowed to the throne, settling in every crevasse and crack, seeming to turn it to flowing fire. Then the light suddenly diminished to a dull red that made the entire room look like it was covered in blood.
Yet, the heat did not diminish. In that shadowy red haze the streams of sparks slowly changed into lovely flowers of living amber on vines of gold that wound all over the room and bloomed in truly lovely fashion. The sight was glorious.
Then one of the prisoners stood up.
The lights above cast darts of amber flame in an arcing stream that struck the man, piercing his hands and feet and spine in many places. But, they didn't stop there. They lifted his still living body and carried it to one of the walls where they gently rooted themselves among the flowers. Amber grew through the man's veins and he began to scream.
Still, Shale did not move. He did not even turn his eyes to the spectacle.
The screams of the man continued until a glorious bloom of living amber emerged from his mouth. The crystal like clarity of its petals allowed easy vision of the man's face. The screams were silenced but the pain remained. The man was still alive. Then, finally, Shale spoke into the silence. These people were accustomed to painful death being a punishment. Now they were having to slowly realize that there were worse things.
"You are mine." Shale's voice was as soft and polished and the most subtle jewel. "Serve well and you will be rewarded well. Serve poorly and you will have cause to fear Ilea. Be disloyal and you will become additions to my ever-living garden."
Then golems moved into the room. These were heavily armored garrison versions, though they moved with surprising agility. One moved to stand behind each of the kneeling subjects.
"I expect that your fellow citizens may feel some resentment toward you for your sudden loyalty to your new master. These golems will assist you in accomplishing your duties without unduly diminishing your... lifespans. Lady Ilea is your immediate superior. Should you encounter complications that you feel are beyond your abilities you may choose to seek her guidance or aid." Shale fell silent for a long moment to let them put together the reality that any problem they had would be reported to Ilea and that she would be the one to punish incompetence. "Should you impress her. She may present your accomplishments to me. If I am impressed as well, you will be well rewarded for your capability." Then Shale stood. "Ilea, come to me, when you have finished attending to the re-arrangement of their duties. There is still the matter of decorating the grounds that needs to be discussed."
The silent hall held a strong odor of terror as Baron Shale walked out without another glance. The living example made it clear what kind of decorative style could be planned. Yet, there was also a mix of greed and determination. Some might fail to manage their fear well enough to perform well. But, it was clear that others would adapt quite well. Their natural ability would be well rewarded.
But, for now, Shale walked smoothly toward the stairs. He was going upstairs. There was some unfinished business that he needed to prepare for.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2015 5:08 pm
|
|
|
|
Ilea stayed on her knee with no problem throughout everything thanks to long practice. She could stay on her knees like that for three days before she passed out. She only stood when he did and got to work as he moved up the stairs.
She put the living guards on simple duties, namely the main door and front gates. Easily done since there weren't many of them. The servants were easier to send out. She sent them to the tasks they already held, knowing that they wouldn't need any further training that way. The prisoners she gave a choice to: returning to the village or working in the castle. It wasn't much of a surprise when they chose to work, so she appointed them tasks with either bone servants or living ones to learn new tasks.
The only questions she got were from the prisoners, each wanting to know if they were going to live. She answered simply, "Work and remain loyal, you live. It's that simple," she told them all then finished with her task.
Once that was done, she followed Shale upstairs, fairly certain of where he was going....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2020 3:12 pm
|
|
|
|
Ilea moved through the castle with a confidence that she, in truth, shouldn't have had. Part of that came from Shale's confidence in her, and part of it from knowing that Goh was gone. Her creator still terrified her; that would never go away. But she was confident in Shale's ability to stay alive and protect her from her nightmares.
She went into the kitchen to assess the supplies there and had to shake her head. The wine cellar had to be gone through very carefully first, since someone had apparently been dipping into the choices. She even sent a couple of the most rare casks into the Amber Forge's kitchen via golem, just to keep anyone else from wreaking havoc with the supply. That part done, she assessed the foodstuffs and arranged meals around the supplies.
Then she had a brilliant idea. At least, she hoped it was brilliant.
She called in Kirsa. After she'd given a delayed curtsy that had Ilea frowning at her, she gave her a new job, "Since Master Shale put you in charge of the first floor, I'll add that the kitchen is part of that duty. The foodstuffs are now being rearranged, but will need to be restocked. Go to the Overseer about it. I suggest you show him better manners. While he is my creation, his station is still higher than yours. As is mine," she started and was rewarded by a much more contrite look on the girl's face.
"Better... Now then, once the orders have been placed and delivered, meals should be arranged. I set up a few for the next couple of days. I will be assigning you a couple of books to read. I suggest you memorize them. Choose another inferior wine for our master and you will not like the results," she said in a reasonable tone.
She used the shadows to call up a couple of books on etiquette, kitchen management and cleanliness, and one on proper table settings. She handed them to the girl with a very firm look that encouraged instant acceptance, "Thank you, Ma'am. I'll do my best," was what she said.
Ilea frowned and shook her head, "Not your best, Kirsa. Work as if your next action might send you back to the dungeon," she corrected and was rewarded with a shiver of fear from the girl who clutched the books to her chest like a new comfort object.
That done, Ilea moved on to settling other servants and tasks as needed. She'd arranged the first meal to be set up in her rooms. After a few rearrangements there that probably only Shale would notice.
She was moving up the stairs when she felt a shiver of awareness that she wasn't familiar with. She felt something... She turned her head in the direction of the 'disturbance' she was feeling and knew that only the graveyard was that way. She didn't know how she knew, but she just knew that someone was raising the dead there. She simply reacted and managed to lay them all back.
That actually frightened her. She shouldn't have been able to do that from here. But she'd actually done it.
She covered her fear by calling up one of the living guards with his golem guardian, "Go to the graveyard. Find whoever raised the dead there and POLITELY ask them to come here," she told him, knowing that if he failed the golem would simply kill him and provide escort to their new 'guest', whoever it was...
She shook her head again as the guard and golem left, then moved on up the stairs to take a bath. The cellar had been in an atrocious state and she needed to get clean...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2021 1:49 am
|
|
|
|
Xankin was easily escorted into the Great Hall without much of a hassle. His magical aura was strong, stronger than expected, and he tapped his fingers together impatiently as his mind worked up spell after spell. The raw magic on him was almost like a beacon to those who knew the weave of magic. Xankin was a lot of things....undead was questionable, lych was possible. The very mist that followed him like a plague stayed within his seemingly solid cloak, though he didn't even walk anywhere. He floated, as if his very power kept him from such hard works as walking. He waited....and waited....until he got bored. He reached his hand across the seat he sat in and towards the nearby fireplace, before he began whispering dark, almost forbidden words of arcana power. The weave stretched and bent, protesting his wild form of magic, until the result was brought to life: a creature of fire stepped out of the fireplace, raw and elemental, before it's body painfully began to form flesh, bone, and blood. It was halfway through forming into a true form of life when he was distracted by the noise of a servant doing something, causing the creature to writhe in raw agony as it's flesh slothed off it's bones and it fell apart. He sighed softly and sat back....he was crafting new spells, new magic that was nigh impossible to fathom, yet he was doing it. Beings between realms have lashed his spirit with ancient words and horrid truths, yet he survived...
He glanced around the grand hall, marvelling at its architecture, it's construction. His mask, pale as bone and expressionless as death, shown in the dark light of this place. No wonder he reformed here....it was the only place that would accept him. He knew he was evil, but where's the fun in being good? Good guys are boring, always with 'morals' and 'guilt' and 'basic compassion'. Magic wasn't built on such things....so he needn't worry about them. He stood up, his impatience growing, before he began to pace across the room....or, float really. He attempted another forbidden magic, extending his hand down to the wood floor and whispering in a different tongue words of power, slowly crafting what looked to be a raw construct of basic life. A flesh golem, out of thin air. Moisture made everything, from it's thick bones to its hunched stature, it's exposed flesh becoming protected by thick armor of bone. He chuckled and patted it's head, sending it off to stumble and explore the world. It would possibly kill itself, whether due to walking into a wall and exploding into fleshy bits or realizing it's nature and removing its own deformed skull....whatever it did, he was proud that magic still worked in this realm. Where was this powerful host he had heard so much about....?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2021 5:45 pm
|
|
|
|
Xankin observed the small girl that approached him with content and interest, his hidden eyes examining her body not out of any feeling towards her like most others, but like a being examining their next subject. She felt the chill of him looking at her, through her, coldly examining her every bodily function as he touched his fingertips together. He slowly nodded, understanding that he was to possibly wait all day….or more. That thought vaguely aggravated him, but he wasn't to be too bothered by such fickle things as annoyance. He didn't notice, or more likely didn't care about, her inclination of anything further than a room.
"Very well. Lead me to this room you offer" he said calmly, red wisps of energy flowing out from under his cloak. That mask looked awfully like human bone….either way, what interested him more was the golem, it's twisted creation and likely painful existence looking nigh perfect to his aged sight. He began to float over to the stairs, a spectral hovering to his motion that almost made him look like a grim reaper. Food, something others ate that he could possibly enjoy himself. He hasn't eaten anything in centuries, a feeling that bothered him deep within his shattered soul, but he knew that if he wished to he likely could try to consume food. He started up the stairs, before calling back to the girl. "I request, kindly, from the one who constructs such beautiful creatures as these golems that follow you around, to have one sent to my room for…. examination. They interest me greatly, you see, and I wish to know more on them myself." He sounded indifferent when speaking to her, though she could tell a hint of envy left his voice as he glanced again down at the creature. Out of all the undead, Elemental, fey, and construct creatures he could conjure up and command….these were interesting to him. Quite interesting….
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2021 3:08 am
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|