Making it as we go

[GamingLord]

Jacob nodded slightly as he had Veni unsummon the dirt golem and follow him to a nearby cliff side with plenty of rocks and stone.

“Partially yes, though I think some of it is also innate to just you as well as being connected more to earth and ground due to unlife. Not all mages that learned to hold conference and have connections with spirits did so immediately, or even for a short while until some spent a period of practice and study. Even without the souls housed in a golem, having another form of versatile attack and defense can be useful. You'll soon be able to radically shift their forms and shapes I believe before too long, if that shape of Rosemary is indication. One made of stone, try to imagine how that could be useful. One covered in sharp, edged spines to attack something you normally can't get close to yourself. Or using tendrils with clubbed ends. I've never done anything extremely as drastic, perhaps because I've always focused more on the dead and undead side of organics. They can also be used to soak up more damage with not as a heavy cost of energy as it would be if you were to take that hit yourself.”

Jacob paused and smiled for a moment.

“Maybe you'll even surpass me in crafting these golems of earth materials. I think the raw talent is there. I've heard of magic users skilled enough to put metal into their craft for even sturdier and deadlier constructs. For now though, we try stone. You may or may not have some difficulty you'll be able to feel the the increase of toughness in the material in a ethereal manner, as if feeling it with your mind or some other extra sense. It's not too different as if you were chiseling a little, or breaking apart and cobbling together the stone. Just easier than in a physical manner, but more mentally taxing.”  

[GamingLord]

The instant the spike pierced Veni, Jacob reached out with necrotic energy, his hand gripping Veni's shoulder to quickly transmute and reinforce his ribcage to protect the vampire's heart.

“Holy... Veni, are you alright!?”

Secondly, Jacob placed his hands on the stone spike and unsummoned the thing, crumbling the stabbing implement and removing the bits of rock out of Veni's stomach.  

[GamingLord]

Part of Jacob wanted to crush Veni in an embrace, the other part wanted to swat him over the head if he had been playing a joke on the necromancer... one that he didn't consider all that funny. He had a bit of a bothered expression on his face currently.

“Was that an accident, or....?”

Shaking his head, he waited for Veni's answer before responding to the vampire's question.

“That... is a slightly tricky question. Usually the potential is there, just not fully realized. Practice just brings it out better. There always could be some cases where practice and study, if dedicated enough, could increase that potential though, I'm sure.

As for the M.E.R.S. Gun, I get the feeling it's not 100% fool proof, though it is fairly devastating to plenty of magic users. I'm willing to wager that there is a defense spell or some sort of counter to it out there somewhere. Almost nothing is entirely guaranteed to be completely perfect and effective in every situation, especially in magic I think.”  

[Rosemary Mori]

Veni looked a little embarrassed at his question with the left out not an accident. He paused to take in breath more than usual as he spoke. "There's a scant chance that it was a bit of both. The idea materialized unwittingly at the last moment, although I hadn't resolved to follow through with it."

He tried to twist around, but instead stepped around till he was facing Jacob directly. "I see..." Though his expression didn't show it as he didn't see how a defense spell could exist on something that's supposed to nullify magic. "Can you... undo what you just did? It's difficult to take in air to speak..."  

[GamingLord]

Jacob resisted a slight urge to sigh as he brushed his hand against Veni's chest, returning his bone structure back to normal with a small bit of magical energy.

"I would prefer the next time you decide to play a prank on me, it would be something that wouldn't cause possible severe harm." He rubbed the vampire's shoulder soothingly, showing that there wasn't any grudge or angry feelings, just concern.  

[Rosemary Mori]

Veni took a deep breath, smiled, and nodded. He put his clawed hands back on the rock and worked at sensing it. He could have it swallow him up if he wanted too as he's done before to help him recover energy. It felt nice to him as he preferred to be underground during the day, but the way Jacob had designed his room was also soothing. He could easily rest on the grasses on the ground. He couldn't have designed a more perfect room. He stroked the rock a little. Nice, soothing earth. "Most metal comes from the earth, it is just refined and this rock is more dense."

He focused on having the rock rise in front of him to form a wall which wasn't very fast yet, but he still did it at a decent speed yet not fast enough to likely stop a bullet. He next worked at shaping it into a basic bulky humanoid figure which took several minutes. Once it was created though he couldn't really get it to move or walk. After several minutes he let it collapse in frustration.

"Jacob... you know I feel what kind of mood you're in and when you're happy or feeling something pleasurable I feel it too like my own, just not your pains. When you and Rosemary argue you're at it for a while because you're feeling each other's anger and it help fuels your own. I didn't hate you when you became my master, but I can't say I had feelings of much liking you either. Now I feel differently...now I love your company and admire you enough to share my great treasure and not be jealous when you're with her... but what if it's due to your feelings and they aren't really my own? What if I am merely reflecting them? Would it bother you?"  

[GamingLord]

Those words gave Jacob pause. Veni could tell something was ticking in the man's head, as he started to frown a bit and took a seat on a nearby large rock. For one reason or another, that thought had never crossed his mind apparently, but now it was a concern to him. What could be done though? He tried to think of what to say, but was silent for a while. Taking a breath, he finally spoke.

“Honestly, and it's unfortunate that this is true, I had never considered that. I care about you both quite deeply. But if your emotions are only a reflection... To be honest? Truthful?”

“It would bother me. Knowing that I've intruded in a way. Which I never meant to do... That's always the last thing I've wanted to do, was to bring discontent.”

When he became their master, he had pretty much done it just to protect them from Jiluzix. He didn't want them to come under harm of the demon's corruptive, horrible touch. An idle, uncontrolled thought slipped by, so quickly, Jacob hadn't even fully realized he had thought it right away. One way you can find out if it's a reflection of your emotions, is if you finish undoing your curse, and see if you pass away. You'd no longer be their master then, and they'd be free. Veni would also then be able to see how he actually feels and... He quickly squelched that thought, one retaliation to it being that it would hurt them in several ways. A slight mood slipped over Jacob now, as a bit of a tiny doubt had entered his mind, uncertain if somehow he was doing passive or unseen harm now or not. Searching for his usual hunch about things, he found it was staying neutral. Something told him this would be staying in the back of his mind for a little bit at least.  

[Rosemary Mori]

"You're merely worried about being an intrusion? You were, but now you're not. I highly doubt it's a reflection in Rosemary's case. She's a stubborn one, able to ignore my advances for long periods of time when I do something stupid. Indeed she loves you too."

Veni put his hands on Jacob's shoulders and smiled sweetly. "If what I feel currently really is merely a reflection of your strong emotions, I don't mind at all. If that's the case, I'm sure I'll eventually gain my own strong feelings because I feel safe and secure in your arms. I feel and have been happier than I've been in a while."

"You also don't know much about us Roman's either. The culture of my past is different than what exists now. Time for Roman 101 of the lesser things known, like my magic 101 lessen from you! To a Roman sex did not create any kind of bond between two people. It created no obligation between one side and the other. And, for the man at least, there appeared no reason why he should not share many sexual partners, - as long as it didn't get him into any form of trouble. There was no limits on age and also none on gender. However, socially it was still not acceptable to be seen to practice sex in excess. This was deemed a flaw in a Roman's character, making him disreputable. In fact I would be considered "effeminate" for openly showing affection and love towards my wife and you in public. Which used to be a grave insult."  

[GamingLord]

"Ah... Certainly did not know all that. It helps to know that I also contribute to you being happy."

Jacob relaxed some of the tension in himself, and allowed a few wisps of necromatic energy to play between his fingers on one of his hands, watching it idly to further remove a little bit of the slight anxiety or worry that had suddenly built up. It was akin to someone fumbling with their hands or fidgeting, but it was like a pressure relief.

"Hmm, I didn't know the rules of my culture for a while... was pretty much ignorant of certain aspects of it for a while until I started going back into varied civilized parts of my world before the Niearcim invaded, under disguise. Otherwise, most villages would have exiled me the moment they recognized me as a mage that communicated with the dead. Or worse.

"I think things were more.... 'typical' and prudeish so to speak, I suppose, when it came to matters of relationship. Same sexual relationships were definitely nowhere near the norm, nor were being involved in relationships with more than one love. I believe 90% of the time, they were outright banned. One interesting factor compared I think to some other past Earths was, aside from the usual parental consent needed to begin courtship, the woman being courted also could also refuse a suitor, even if it meant the family would gain in wealth or some other means. The parents couldn't force the woman to start a relationship, though they could forbid one. It wasn't illegal for the forbidden relationships like those in particular to start, just usually frowned upon as disrespectful.

"I think it made matters where royalty or other such political powers that would marry their youths off for land and other things much more interesting and difficult... trying at times even. I believe there was at least one war started because of one prince being repeatedly refused by the daughter of a king, even though the king wanted the arrangement to go on.

"Anyway, I think the reason for that condition never being outlawed or abolished for a woman to choose her suitor by her own free will, was possibly because of a religious aspect, being the one that would bear children and raise them up, she would be doing quite a bit of work. So it seemed right that she would get to choose, rather than have chosen for her."  

[Rosemary Mori]

"Traditionally Rosemary would have been paired by a matchmaker. She actually fainted during our wedding ceremony because most of the village was there and all the verbal and mental noise was a bit much for her. Believe it or not, but she was actually considered fragile. She was probably relieved to be 'kidnapped' by a group of the male guests for about an hour or so until her ransom was agreed on and paid. Hiding the fact that I don't eat was very hard as your hands should be kept visible while eating. I would bring it to my mouth and flick it away faster than the human eye should be able to see and pretend it ended up in there. " He gained a sort of glazed happy dreamy look in his eyes when he mentioned a little bit on the wedding.

"The way she acts around people is contrary to how Romanian's act traditionally, but this is likely due to her telepathy. The closer the relationship between people, the more touching goes on. Between friends, it is common for each to groom the other, fixing collars, removing lint, touching hair and putting arms around each other. Female friends link arms or hold hands when walking together in public and often touch. Male friends may also put arms around each other and touch a lot, especially when drinking.

"Actually I didn't know much of what I mentioned about Roman's either until after I became a vampire. I had an overprotective bizarre guardian of a father. I don't recall thinking that at the time of him..." Veni moved away and put his hands on the rock and focused on condensing it in spots so that it would cave under Jacob and become more chair like so he'd have a lap to sit on easier.

"I almost feel guilty to admit to you that I had enjoyed that "pagan" Roman practice for a few of years until Christianity ruined that view point for over a thousand years when it pretty much took over making it more difficult to find lovers I actually wanted. Do I feel guilty for doing it? No, not at all. I wasn't in love with anyone and I didn't force anyone either. I'm sure you already knew or suspected that, but does knowing that I used to do that bother you? But what I do feel guilty on is having multiple sexual partners before getting married while you and Rosemary haven't fooled around in your lives. Not that I would want you to do that now. Makes me feel unclean in comparison sometimes. " He sat in Jacob's lap, nuzzled his neck, and purred. "It didn't help that I am stuck in a teenage body and came to like the attention."  

[GamingLord]

Jacob slumped suddenly into the neat chair seat, and relaxed a bit more. He gently scratched the back of Veni's neck and generally cuddled with him a bit.

"Kidnapping? Ransom? I get the feeling it wasn't a normal kidnapping by the way you said it...

"As for what you used to do bothering me... No, I don't believe it does. Honestly, I'm sure I wouldn't want to fool around myself either."

(woo, crap post)  

[Rosemary Mori]

"Good. Yes, I really enjoy the extra attention, but unlike them I care if you benefit from it too." Veni made another house cat like purr and pushed his neck against Jacob's warm hand and continued to nuzzle near the necromancer's neck. "Yes, it wasn't the usual abduction. It's an unusual tradition. Usually some males announce before a wedding to a godmother or the groom's parents that they're going to kidnap her and arrange the ransom so it is ready. The ransom for the bride is usually spirits. The bride is kidnapped during the wedding when the groom isn't looking or is occupied. A shoe or some item is taken from her as proof that they got her and is presented. Then a ransom agreement is made after a little while and she is returned and her kidnappers get their demands if one was so prepared for it. I think they tried to play it on me as a joke since I wasn't familiar with the tradition. I knew something was up, but Rosemary wasn't alarmed by their actions so I let it be and pretended I didn't notice her slip away."