In der Nacht

In which two novice Animists meet

Filled with people both proud and poor, the Imperium is a land of ambition, glory and a belief in the power of the mortal spirit.

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Hector
Posts: 355
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2022 4:19 pm
Location: Gel'Grandel, Gelerian Imperium
Character Sheet: viewtopic.php?t=3187
Plot Notes: viewtopic.php?t=3339
Character Secrets: viewtopic.php?t=3335

Special

TIMESTAMP: 25 Cinderfall, Ash 122
NOTES: -
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Some time after evening ended and night truly began, Hector shifted himself into the form of his singular animus totem: that of the pigeon. He did this saying not a single word to his beloved friend and mentor, who was also not, at the time, home. Having done this, the little bird-boy had pre-opened a window and now attempted to fly over to the sill. This did not go as expected.

Flying, unfortunately, was a lot more difficult than it looks when one sees an adult bird effortlessly gliding through the clouds above. Though one never thinks about this, that would be because for birds, such a thing is taught really rather young. Hector, however, was not born a bird and therefore he had never learned how to manipulate foreign limbs such as wings. Nevertheless, he did actually make it to the sill eventually, but it took several attempts and was more a flailing of feathers than what one would ever consider to be proper flight.

Feeling triumphant in this moment, the elven Animist hopped onto a ledge outside of his window and shimmied his little bird feet awkwardly along this well made, brick-lined building. This would look proper strange to any onlooker because it simply would not make sense for a bird, which should be able to fly, to move in this manner. Despite this, once he reached the building's nearest corner, he leapt forth onto the roof of an adjacent building. This process was exactly as graceless as making it to the sill, but he did manage to flail his way across the gap between the buildings and not kill himself. Truly an astounding feat, indeed.

This bizarre method of travel was repeated several times over as he made his way through the city, awkwardly jumping from roof to roof going northward 'cross the gash. He did not actually have a location in mind as he did not know precisely what it was he was doing, but such a thing was not actually abnormal for Hector– for he was a young man of many truly mystifying decisions, much to the chagrin of any of his caretakers in his youth. And yet despite this tendency to make fascinating choices, the boy was remarkably resilient and survived any predicament he found himself in, no matter how deleterious it would be.

Once he had made it over the bridge, and yes, he walked along the railing rather than simply flying over it, he managed to scuttle his way to another nearby building and very poorly climb up to the roof. It was a great struggle to succeed, and realistically, the only reason the little bird had the stamina to make this climb with barely any use of his wings was because of the fact that he was preternaturally enhanced via the rune of Vitalis.

For any onlookers, such an endeavor would look markedly disturbing. For one thing, the pigeon would appear either physically or cognitively impaired since it simply refused to use its wings unless it absolutely had to, and for another, how in the world did such a tiny bird have such endurance? For any local ornithologists, such a scintillating specimen would attract their interest, indeed!

After monumental effort, he'd finally made it up to the building's rooftop. After regaining his bearings, the bird looked 'round only to discover a sight even stranger than himself. Resting near the chimney was a most bizarre creature the likes of which the boy had never clapped eyes on before. Beady little eyes narrowed and his head cocked almost mechanically as he examined the reptilian beast he now shared a roof with. He was most unawares of such a species living in the Imperium. Wait. Did it even live in the Imperium? Perhaps the escaped pet of an exotic collector? Maybe there was a zoo of sorts?

And ever stranger, its skin appeared as if it were rotting! What was this little beast? Being…himself, Hector approached the tiny dragon standing tall on spindly legs. Like this, he could not speak. So instead, he ruffled the feathers on his breast and let out a mighty coo! So fierce!

….

Meanwhile, by the time Hector had met the little reptile, Vergil had returned to an elf-less apartment with a window left open. Though he was not entirely aware of exactly what the boy had done or where he had gone, he immediately exhaled a heavy sigh knowing that whatever it was would be remarkably stupid. And, unfortunately, Hector's lack of wisdom knew no bounds and often required the intervention of others. Should such a thing be the case, the man would never forgive himself if he let the other perish unceremoniously.

Thus, he turned right around and left the building. With a flex of his æther, Vergil made use of his Vitalis to cast Veracity– greatly enhancing his sense of smell. That was, objectively, the easiest way to locate the idiot he sought. Ah, yes, and there it was…to the north. Of course the elf would go there, stupid as he was. In addition to that, the older man could, indeed, detect the fact that Hector was, at present, not wholly himself.

Vergil was well aware that Hector had no concept of how to fly so he was severely perplexed as to why the other man had left, on his own, in the night, in that form of all things. Profoundly annoyed, he nonetheless proceeded to walk in the direction of his companion’s scent. However, he was not sure whether he'd bring back a whole bird or a bird with broken wings given the fact that when he got his hands on the boy, he'd be likely to…squish him. Just a little.
- - -

Aidolon Speech
'Thoughts'
"Kathalan Tongue/Speech"
"Vallenor Tongue/Speech"
"Common Tongue/Speech"
"Mythrasi Tongue/Speech"
word count: 1096
"And as you lay down your grace to me,
the skies begin to bleach red,
and the stars begin to fall,
I feel myself changing,
as my world starts dividing–"
User avatar
Masagh
Posts: 193
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2022 6:51 pm
Title: Highborn
Location: Ecith
Character Sheet: viewtopic.php?t=3798
Plot Notes: viewtopic.php?t=3804
Character Secrets: viewtopic.php?p=21241#p21241




Since first finding the form and making the totem, flight had been an aspiration of his. Since the disastrous attempt that landed him in the bay, he had reined in his zeal. But Masagh still found the time every week to find his way to the city rooftops where he spent a few hours causing minor damage to the clay roofing tiles of various neighborhoods around the greater Northside. It was quickly becoming an unpleasant experience for him.

He had just taken a bold leaping start from one house to this one when the wind hadn’t been right and he lost altitude rapidly. Beating his wings like gnat in a spider web he had barely regained enough height to crash into the roof’s edge. It was not his wings that saved him. Not the skill he had painstakingly honed over the past weeks. Not even his magic.

No, it was that damnable beaked face, biting onto the tiles like a tick to a donkey’s ass. He had barely been able to pull his little body onto the roof after. Not bothering with balance or grace, or even dignity, he had simply rolled up onto safely and lay there, panting.

Is this what you imagined when you set me to this Rune, mother? It was not the proudest moment of his long life.

Once again using his beak to advantage, Masagh pushed himself up onto his squat little feet. He flapped his wings and hopped up onto the chimney. Settling in, he stared out over the roofs before him. Two hundred years of training and skirmishing. Two runes and the many trials that came with them. He had endured much in his time as a Knight of Creth, he could endure the indignity of learning to fly.

He wriggled his tail and stomped his squat clawed feet. Then he spread his wings and prepared to take off.

Then a sound behind him gave him pause. A bird had landed on the roof. It seemed unwell, possibly diseased. It could not fly very well and was stumbling across the roof towards him. Puffing out its chest it gave a verbal challenge.

Masagh could not sigh, or frown, so he blinked at it in confusion. Just his luck to have some half-wit half-dead pigeon appear and give him trouble while he was falling and crashing his way across Gel’Grandal. He didn’t have time for these antics!

Masagh spread his stout wings and gave a hearty squawk back. He flapped his wings at the bird for good measure, sure this would get it to piss off.

His attention was drawn to a more serious threat however. A figure had just flipped onto the roof with murder in his eyes. Tall and pale with long hair, the humanoid had ascended the wall with blood magic. Masagh recognized it because he had fought many Vampires before. How by all the spirits had they found him here?

He gave another fierce squawk and flapped his wings madly. Toppling off the side of the building, the pterincus bobbed ungainly through the air like a drunken bat. He didn’t stop flapping his wings even when he ricochet off the neighboring chimney and went spiraling across the street. Masagh felt the plastered wall of the opposite house smash into him as he impacted. He slid down the wall and landed with a dull crash on a gutter drain on the second floor.

Turning to glance back at the roof the man was still there. He seemed distracted by the pigeon for some reason. The dumb bird apparently hadn’t even noticed the Vampyre behind it. Masagh didn’t wait to watch the scene play out. He lifted his wings again and prepared to make another attempt at escape.

word count: 650

• Knight of House Creth
Fademantle of Apocrypha: 7 Links •
• Highborn Ghoul •

User avatar
Hector
Posts: 355
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2022 4:19 pm
Location: Gel'Grandel, Gelerian Imperium
Character Sheet: viewtopic.php?t=3187
Plot Notes: viewtopic.php?t=3339
Character Secrets: viewtopic.php?t=3335

Special

TIMESTAMP: -
NOTES: -
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It would appear that both winged creatures were not quite adept at moving within their frames. Altogether, both were an uncanny sight when either moved and when Vergil arrived up on the roof, it was obvious, at least, to him that the other creature was inhabited by a soul which did not take to that shape naturally…the very same circumstance of the man he had come here to reclaim. Hector himself, however, was slower to come to this conclusion. He quite liked the little thing’s gusto, however, when it squawked back! How so very fascinating…and how, he wondered, complex was the mind that lay within?

Nonetheless, the pigeon did not appear to react even when the older Vampyr’s feet hit the roof with a thud. He wasn’t making any attempt to be subtle in large part because he did not need to, he did not care at all, and startling Hector was completely fine with him…but yet, the stupid pigeon didn’t even bother to turn its head in his direction. Vergil stood still for a moment, just watching, a hand resting at his hip with predatory golden eyes narrowed at the two insults to Animus before him.

It was then that the tiny, rotting beast opted to flee. Vergil could not tell if he found it a boon or a more ill sort of portent that the thing ran as all that meant was that whatever soul had stolen the shape of the little beast was not one that Hector had known prior. Glad he was, in a way, that he wasn’t out here with some altogether eldritch idea of ‘flying lessons’ with another inept mage. For if he was and had opted to not share this information with him, he would be incredibly annoyed– why in the world wouldn’t he at least say something? Why meet all the way out here? For the sake of Vergil’s time and sanity, he ought to at least be keyed into what utter nonsense the other was up to.

The more likely alternative, however, was that this thing was found entirely by chance. If this were the case, then whomever had chosen that shape was an altogether unknown variable and here Hector was charging at it with a sort of flagrant disregard for the little creature’s true nature. Ah, how so very like him, it was, to make such an absolutely idiotic decision! Vergil wanted to snap the wings entirely off of the boy. He could…he could fix it immediately should he choose, and he was very violently tempted to do so just to listen to whatever ghastly sounds a pigeon in such great distress would emit. Yet instead, he took a deep breath and reigned in his anger.

Vergil was, for all intents and purposes, stronger and more agile than Hector at the very best of times, so collecting his companion right this moment would’ve been painfully easy. Snapping his neck would’ve been painfully easy, but instead, he watched as his pigeon-brained friend dashed after the winged lizard on those stupid, spindly little legs of his. It was, in truth, a genuinely comedic sight and he figured that under his watch, naught could really go awry…right? Maybe watching the bird-boy fall and hurt himself on his own would be punishment enough for this little excursion.

He followed after Hector with controlled steps as the boy scuttled along, making no attempt to intervene when he leapt off the side of the roof in pursuit of the other creature. Vergil watched with a strained sort of grimace as both of the winged creatures made utter embarrassments of themselves. For as disciplined a man as he was, it was so…so…hard not to laugh. The reptilian creature flapped its wings with such fervor that one would think it was he being pursued by a vampyr so vexed as Vergil was and Hector pursued it with an ardent sort of zeal, utterly determined to catch up.

He watched the reptile smack against a wall and unceremoniously crash into a gutter as he remained behind, standing on the edge of the roof both were initially on. Hector managed to catch up, wings going from an awkward glide to a horrid sort of flail as he completely lost his grace and gravity took hold. He actually looked quite good for about three seconds, then it was all panicked coos, puffed chest and the wild flap of wings. The result was much the same as his target, crashing into the gutter with a tinny thump.

Hector tried to regain his senses with a quickness, aided to some degree due to the sensory and physical blessings he received from Vitalis. Looking toward the tiny dragon once more, he flapped his wings and cooed loudly again, this time trying to convey that he wanted the other thing not to run, but unable to speak he was entirely unsure how this actually came across.

Vergil stood on the edge of the other roof, this time both hands at his hips. “Spaß haben da drüben, mein Liebling?” He addressed the bird with a term of endearment he’d taken to calling the other man since they’d started living here, though his voice was very much laced with mockery.

Hector had been, very intentionally, ignoring the sounds of the other man’s approach behind him, but when he spoke, the little pigeon very quickly turned around and squawked loudly, flailing its wings at the man on the ledge, beady little eyes squinting. He knew Vergil was upset, but now, in this moment, he was too fascinated by that which he had found to care. Then, once he’d addressed his companion, he returned his focus to the rotting reptile.
- - -

Aidolon Speech
'Thoughts'
"Kathalan Tongue/Speech"
"Vallenor Tongue/Speech"
"Common Tongue/Speech"
"Mythrasi Tongue/Speech"
word count: 1098
"And as you lay down your grace to me,
the skies begin to bleach red,
and the stars begin to fall,
I feel myself changing,
as my world starts dividing–"
User avatar
Masagh
Posts: 193
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2022 6:51 pm
Title: Highborn
Location: Ecith
Character Sheet: viewtopic.php?t=3798
Plot Notes: viewtopic.php?t=3804
Character Secrets: viewtopic.php?p=21241#p21241




Carefully tucking his wings, Masagh was able to recover from the hasty retreat. He knew that if the Vampyre was hunting it would be able to cross rooftops relatively easily though. He was just beginning to get his wits back about him and look for another likely ledge to shamble to when that ill bird caught his attention. It seemed to be wholly unaware of the Vampyre behind it. Hopefully that poor pigeon could distract the Kinvaren long enough for Masagh to escape.

The pigeon shuffled to the roof’s edge and toppled off with little hesitation. In a flurry of feather it was in the air and flapping precariously towards him. Then it smacked into the gutter next to him. The bird righted itself and looked at him with its addled pigeon feathers askew and cooed.

I’m not your mother, bird. Masagh thought at it, frustrated. He made the squawking noise, clicking his beak. Then he turned back to the Vampyre who had walked calmly up to the edge of the roof to peer at them. Masagh didn’t blame him, it was an odd sight.

Then the Vampyre spoke in some language Masagh did not know at them. He was trying to puzzle out what this could mean was startled when his thoughts were interrupted. The pigeon had turned to the Vampyre and responded with an angry squawking and wing flapping.

It was at this point that Masagh realized he might have been misreading the situation. What at first he had thought was a sick bird might, upon reflection on the appearance of the Vampyre, be something startlingly more like himself. After all, could he be surprised another shapeshifter was out here? He was out here making a fool of himself. Surely another could be.

He blinked at the bird, then looked at the Vampyre again. If this was a shapeshifter, and that was a Vampyre, then reason would assume the pigeon was also a Vampyre. That meant that the chances were growing dangerously slim that this was just a random encounter on the rooftops of Gel’Grandal. After all, what were the chances that he just happened upon a pair of Vampyres, or Vampyre sympathizers, and they happen to be mages loitering on the roofs of Gel’Grandal, who also happen to be interested in a scrawny pterincus.

This was a Kinvaren Coven death team. They had seen him shift and had tracked him here.

Masagh felt his mind go calm at the realization, even though his chest ached with the fear of it. He turned to face the pigeon again, blinked, and made to headbutt the thing with his beak.

Masagh was unsure if he actually scored a hit on the bird. The quick shift in his weight and the precarious position in the gutter made him topple over forward as he made his attempt. The pterincus toppled out of the gutter and past the pigeon, smacking his head on the edge of the metal as he did so.

Tumbling through the air he gave voice to his pain with another squawk. In his mind it was a curse. He was able to just gain his wings out from under him above the ground. He gave one valiant beat of the leathery things before impacting the ground. For a moment he just lay there, reflecting on his choices. Then the pterincus pushed himself up with his thick skull and began his waddling run away down the alley.

He flapped hard and felt his body lift. Lifting above the edge of the roofs and squawking in triumph, Masagh gazed about for the river. He flapped uneasily in the direction of the water while attempting to see if they pursued him. When he turned his head back to look he plummeted a few feet. He had to fumble about mid air and beat the wind to regain his height.

It was not graceful, it was not swift, it was not easy. But he was flying. For now.

word count: 684

• Knight of House Creth
Fademantle of Apocrypha: 7 Links •
• Highborn Ghoul •

User avatar
Hector
Posts: 355
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2022 4:19 pm
Location: Gel'Grandel, Gelerian Imperium
Character Sheet: viewtopic.php?t=3187
Plot Notes: viewtopic.php?t=3339
Character Secrets: viewtopic.php?t=3335

Special

TIMESTAMP: -
NOTES: -
► Show Spoiler
- - -
Image
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Much to the little bird’s disappointment, the undead reptile had a distinct look of vexation in its eyes. This was, quite clearly, a very ineffective method of communication, but unless Hector wanted to shed his shape, there was little he could actually do to remedy that. Given that the other creature was half-rotten, he wondered about how long it would be able to run. It looked ragged, but he was unsure about how other undead worked, really. For him and others blessed with Vitalis, they were given preternatural power from the magic that twined with their soul. For something like the little dragon before him? He had…no idea.

If they both matched in stamina, however, simply chasing the other would take so, so long for either party to tire…granted, Vergil would likely intervene far before that happened seeing as he’d certainly perceive letting that run its course to be a massive waste of time– for everyone involved, not just himself, even. However, if the other creature was prone to tiring, Hector might be able to get away with harassing it until it has not the strength to run. He was not against this idea should it mean he has the opportunity to perhaps learn more about just what it was.

The two novice Animists stared at one another. Hector gave it a curious look, the mechanical cock of his head happening after a beat as he waited for it to react proper. To his surprise, the other creature responded by crashing its skull into him. Hector’s head, in this shape, was much smaller and the bone less dense than that of the other, and so as a result, the impact hit quite a decent swath of the bird’s body, knocking him off of his feet and making his head spin. From his perch above, Vergil moved not, merely scoffing at the interaction, an amused sort of smirk drawn on his lips.

Dazed, Hector awkwardly flailed his wings to try and almost ‘float’ his body up. It was…quite difficult to try and find balance with only those little sticks he had for legs. After a moment, he had regained some semblance of his composure but his target was now…gone. When he’d fallen over, he’d heard an additional crash but he was unable to see it. Vergil, however, saw the whole thing. The other animal had thrown off its own balance and fell from the gutter on which the two of them had been perched.

The beast’s oddly shaped head did not serve it well in this scenario, clipping on the metal of the gutter as he fell. How unfortunate…but Hector nor Vergil even knew if the little thing could feel any sort of pain, though that tragic squawk as it fell through the air indicated that it did. It almost looked like the fall would end poorly, but the other shapeshifter managed to collect itself enough to soften the landing. It lay there, looking almost defeated for but a moment…

…but then, it picked itself up with its head and began yet another attempt to flee. The run of the thing was truly a sight to behold, gait strange and uncanny as it was. Hector had hopped down from the gutter about the moment that the other had hit the ground and made an attempt to glide through the air after the tiny dragon. Both of them were airborne traveling now but both of them looked equally incompetent in doing so, and at this point, Vergil’s composure broke and he just laughed at the sight, throwing his head back for a brief beat as he watched Hector crash into the flying reptile, throwing them both off balance and sending the pair tumbling into the ground.

The man jumped from the roof and landed with a loud thud, body low to the ground. He moved with a sort of supernatural grace to him, completely unbothered by the impact, reinforced as his biology was. His skeleton was even beyond the density of a standard vampyr, having reinforced his bones yet more with Vicissitude. This made him markedly heavier, but he had the strength to wield himself just as easily as anyone else.

Rising, he casually walked over to the two sad little mages and stared down at them, an amused expression on his face. Now speaking to both of them, he switched to Common, unsure if the other mage had any knowledge of Kathalan. “Just what is this, really?” The man’s Common was Zaichaeri accented, something that would have been rare to hear in the Imperium in the past, giving way to the fact that he couldn’t have been raised here. Vergil sighed, “...you know, if you wanted to learn to fly, I could help you as a mother bird does its progeny, such as you are.” He chuckled, the two sad creatures still a crumpled heap on the ground. “I will say the fact that you managed to find a little, ah…friend…just as inept as you are is almost amusing enough to have made this less of a waste of time. I do wonder why its skin rots so, however…” It should be noted that no, Vergil was not the boy’s parent in a literal sense, human as he was, but it was he who turned Hector into a vampyr. So in effect, Hector was, in fact, the other’s progeny.
- - -

Aidolon Speech
'Thoughts'
"Kathalan Tongue/Speech"
"Vallenor Tongue/Speech"
"Common Tongue/Speech"
"Mythrasi Tongue/Speech"
word count: 1041
"And as you lay down your grace to me,
the skies begin to bleach red,
and the stars begin to fall,
I feel myself changing,
as my world starts dividing–"
User avatar
Masagh
Posts: 193
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2022 6:51 pm
Title: Highborn
Location: Ecith
Character Sheet: viewtopic.php?t=3798
Plot Notes: viewtopic.php?t=3804
Character Secrets: viewtopic.php?p=21241#p21241




It was going decently, he thought. He had recovered from the gutter debacle and was in the air making some distance. At least one of them was as inept as he was. Masagh beat his wings harder, trying to build speed, but only dropping a few feet in the process. Perhaps if he was able to fly diagonally across lines of houses he would be able to at least lose the shapeshifter. He could-

WHAM.

Something flew into him at speed. Feathers crossed his vision as he plummeted, knocked clean out of the air. Terror filled him as the leathery wings he had depended on flailed, losing all staying power. The street cobbles came up hard to meet him. Then the pigeon’s form crashed next to him. Masagh made to groan out in pain but no sound came out.

He struggled to lift his form with his tired wings but could not. All the while the vampyre descended after them. He looked amused, as though this haphazard hunt had just been a bit of nighttime fun for him. What was more, Masagh felt clumsy and exposed in this form.

Masagh managed to crawl a few feet away from the pigeon as the tall blonde Vampyre approached. He didn’t seem to be posturing in any threatening way, or rushing the approach. It was odd. None of the Kinvaren Coven he had ever encountered played with their quarry in this way. Then the Vampyre spoke.

He spoke common with a foreign accent. Not a Kinvaren then, they were to a man local and sounded thus. Also he was offering aid in the flight. It was quickly becoming clear once again that Masagh had misjudged the situation. Who could these Vampires be if not Kinvaren? Did the Kinvaren allow others in the city? He had no idea.

House Creth did not bar other ghouls from a presence, and in fact reached out in aid whenever they came across that rare occurrence. Instinct and a lifetime of animosity towards the Kinvaren made him doubt they did the same. So who were this odd pair.

One thing was for certain. Whoever they were, he was at a distinct disadvantage in this bumbling form, without his sword. The threat of capture and the crippling nature of his inexperience outweighed the threat of exposing his nature to them. If they wished they could snatch him up and take him prisoner… finding out anyway.

Masagh tensed himself and let the spell drop. His leathery wings began to elongate and thicken. His torso twisted and grew as well. Green skin turned grey and corrupted. The beak receded to the gaunt, skeletal face he called his own. At the end of it, Masagh the ghoul stood crouched before them, cowled and garbed in black, claymore at his side.

He sent an aether pulse to his blade from the Reaving Rune on his hand and it slowly slid from its sheath and into his hand. He watched the pair with baleful red eyes as he did so.

“Do you call the Kinvaren your kin, then?” He asked, his voice harsh and grating. “Why do you pursue me?”

Tumultuous, the aether within his form swirled and he could feel it igniting the otherwise stagnant ichor in his corpse-form. He took a tentative step backwards, eyes flickering between the Vampyre and the pigeon.

“If you are not of their Coven, we need not call each other enemy.” He ventured after a moment. He glanced to his left and saw the street ended at the inky riverbank a block distant. The chance had come to a head and now he would find out the story behind this sorry ambush.

Above the trio the moon shone brightly, illuminating their haphazard standoff.

word count: 643

• Knight of House Creth
Fademantle of Apocrypha: 7 Links •
• Highborn Ghoul •

User avatar
Hector
Posts: 355
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2022 4:19 pm
Location: Gel'Grandel, Gelerian Imperium
Character Sheet: viewtopic.php?t=3187
Plot Notes: viewtopic.php?t=3339
Character Secrets: viewtopic.php?t=3335

Special

TIMESTAMP: -
NOTES: -
► Show Spoiler
- - -
Image
- - -
The older vampyr's eyes flit from his fallen friend to the shape of the strange, green reptilian thing. He, too, found the presence of such a creature odd as he'd never seen anything quite like that in the local vicinity…but it also wasn't as if he were some local taxonomist nor particularly aware of the fauna of the region anyhow. He just knew it was certainly not common, regardless of the actual locale in which such a thing would naturally be found. And then there was the skin rot. For why?

The poor little beast tried to crawl away, a thing Vergil made very little attempt to stop for the moment as he knew he was much faster than it. Hector managed to upright himself, though he was quite unsteady, and he was already trying to waddle over to the other creature as soon as he was able. However, Vergil stepped casually after the pigeon and scooped the boy up into his grasp.

Not being stupid, his grasp was such that his fingers wrapped around the little bird's body, not allowing him to expand his wings. Vergil could feel Hector try and struggle in his grasp, but it was ever so fruitless. His other hand moved underneath the bird, stopping the boy's little feet from flailing. Now, all he could do was coo most pathetically as he was very much a helpless little thing.

Once Vergil had laid claim to his companion, he saw the other creature's form begin to warp in the same familiar way he'd witnessed many times before when an animist were to switch forms. Well it was, but it also most certainly was not. The skeletal shifts were much the same but the fleshier changes were altogether more ghastly than anything he'd bore witness to in the past until about midway through the transformation. Once it was more man than beast, Vergil recognized the Ghoul before him for what he was. His experience with the undead was little, much to his great vexation. As a Necromancer, he'd always wanted to run across them and pick at the minds of those powered by unlife. His eyes widened in surprise in tandem with the raise of his brow, baffled that this was what Hector had been harassing.

Could he really even be mad at the boy at this point? Perhaps for being an idiot in general, but this was quite the lucky find.

Hector's beady little eyes stared at the undead creature with a look of both befuddlement and surprise, his little bird neck moving around wildly as if begging to be let go. For the moment, Vergil did not relent, keeping his little friend safe within his grasp. The pigeon was, evidently, quite nonplussed at this.

It was not much longer before the Ghoul had stabilized himself and regained his bearings, and once he did, he spoke. He asked after their allegiance, mentioning the name of a specific clan of vampyres. Vergil did recognize the name, he'd actually worked with one or two who bore that name in the hospital and spoken to a couple others employed elsewhere within the Imperium. He canted his head a bit out of curiosity, though he supposed given that clan's notable presence, it was not that bizarre of an assumption for one who recognized a vampyr by observation alone.

"They are only kin to me insofar as sharing the same rune. Otherwise, we have no relation– this little bird and I are relatively new to the Imperium, in truth. Arrived last season when Zaichaer, to the east, was obliterated by the Mists." Vergil paused for a moment and almost laughed thinking about how to explain why he was present.

"I was not pursuing you so much as I was pursuing this stupid pigeon. I gathered you've made the assumption he's a fellow mage," as he spoke, he shifted his hands in a quick motion such that he held each of the pigeon's now spread wings where they bent, letting the bird hang helplessly in the air, feet flailing. "...he, as you also might have noticed, is a helpless idiot. As for why he was after you, I don't know. Perhaps he'll offer a better answer?"

And with that sentiment given, he let go of Hector and let the flailing creature fall to the ground in a fashion most ungraceful. His descent was slowed a bit by the frantic flapping of wings, but all the same, he still collapsed into a bit of a heap on the ground when he landed. Vergil had zero clue if, in losing his shape, the boy would be wearing anything at all– and with that in mind, he removed the long coat he had on and dropped it atop the pathetic little pigeon.

Finally free, Hector, too, began to lose his shape. Bones snapping, shifting, growing and moving all 'round beneath his flesh, features moving back to proper place, feathers receding and so on– an animist shifting their shape was quite a grotesque sight, really. It was especially horrid to look at when the mage wasn't the most skilled given how slow and inefficient the cast was, too. Luckily in this scenario, most of his transformation was obscured by the fabric that had been unceremoniously dropped upon him.

After Hector's shape had begun to shift, the Ghoul stated that provided they held no loyalty to the Kinvaren, they needn't be enemies. And in response to that, "...ah, you've got some sort of conflict with them, huh? We've sworn them no fealty, no." Vergil stated this calmly, crossing his arms now while he awaited Hector to regain his composure.

On the ground below them lay a Hytori elf with pale, honeyed skin, lavender hair and eyes that matched. Hector was a feminine, pretty thing, even more so than one might come to expect from a male elf. Shaking his head to get his bearings, he pushed his arms through the sleeves of the coat that'd been dropped on him, very much not dressed for the temperature. Mid-Ash at night wasn't exactly the warmest time of year, and the boy was quite weak to the cold. Hector had not intended to lose his shape prior to returning home at all, really, so he had not dressed appropriately.

Pushing himself to his feet, Hector first looked to Vergil. "You really followed me all the way out here, huh? And you're so very rude," he spoke with a faux sort of annoyance, eyes narrowed at the other man and pursing his lips when he'd finished speaking. Realistically, Hector had underestimated the length of time it had taken him to walk all the way out here as a bird. He thought he'd manage to be back before the other had returned home but was very, very wrong.

Then, he looked curiously at the Ghoul that stood before them. "As for your question, if you want the truth, I came upon you by accident. A friend gave me this rune rather recently and I'm terrible at it…so I was trying to climb up rooftops to jump off and learn to at least glide, and in the pursuit of that I found you. The fact that you looked like a walking corpse...dragon…thing…caught my attention, really. I wanted to figure out why that was, but I suppose given what I see before me, I have…kind of an answer? What are you?"

Unlike Vergil, Hector had no idea what a Ghoul was at all.
- - -

Aidolon Speech
'Thoughts'
"Kathalan Tongue/Speech"
"Vallenor Tongue/Speech"
"Common Tongue/Speech"
"Mythrasi Tongue/Speech"
word count: 1407
"And as you lay down your grace to me,
the skies begin to bleach red,
and the stars begin to fall,
I feel myself changing,
as my world starts dividing–"
User avatar
Masagh
Posts: 193
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2022 6:51 pm
Title: Highborn
Location: Ecith
Character Sheet: viewtopic.php?t=3798
Plot Notes: viewtopic.php?t=3804
Character Secrets: viewtopic.php?p=21241#p21241




The ghoul tightened his grip on the sword aloft before him, but the vampyre seemed to be ignoring it. That in itself gave him heart. If they had been pursuing him with violent intent they would not have let him transform, let alone draw his blade. Was there a chance that all this was just some odd happenstance? His thoughts were drawn to the pigeon. A familiar change was taking place.

Masagh watched as the beautiful form of a Hytori twisted itself out of the body of the pigeon. He took a step back and watched as the other Animus shifted back into their form. The vampyre gifted the Hytori his coat and they spoke briefly as though they were very familiar. Then the younger elf turned to Masagh.

It was a truly stark contrast. This elf lean and graceful, face unblemished facing him, the decaying and ragged visage of death. “What am I?” He repeated the question, his voice grating. What a novel idea, to explain to a vampyre in Gel’Grandal what a ghoul was. For a long moment he could only stare at the young elf.

Then street was still and empty save for them. Masagh was battered and tired from the flight attempts he had been making all night. Now these vampyres had chased him down and followed him just to satisfy their curiosity. Of course, he had been in the pterincus form when it happened so they hadn’t known. That was hardly his concern though.

“It’s not a dragon.” He finally remarked, concerning his form. His red eyes shifted once again towards the river at the end of the road and back. “I am a ghoul, and of no concern to you. If you are not Kinvaren then we need not have violence.” Masagh straightened and dropped the blade to his side.

He eyed the older vampyre, eyes narrowing. “You walk their territory and know their name but are not of them?” He said. “I have not met a vampyre free from their influence in this city in many years. I believe you, for you don’t carry their crest or act as they would with one of my kind. But it’s odd to say the least that you happened upon me and happen to be vampyres. Interesting to see two foreign vampyres in the heart of the Imperium.” He made the last a statement rather than a question. His eyes were questioning though, his head tilted slightly to the side.

He did not sheath his claymore, but he relaxed his stance slightly, seeing neither of them were being aggressive. Masagh nodded his chin at Hector. “This one your son or something?”

word count: 464

• Knight of House Creth
Fademantle of Apocrypha: 7 Links •
• Highborn Ghoul •

User avatar
Hector
Posts: 355
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2022 4:19 pm
Location: Gel'Grandel, Gelerian Imperium
Character Sheet: viewtopic.php?t=3187
Plot Notes: viewtopic.php?t=3339
Character Secrets: viewtopic.php?t=3335

Special

TIMESTAMP: -
NOTES: -
► Show Spoiler
- - -
Image
- - -
Vergil stood before the Ghoul with arms crossed and a calm demeanor. He did not feel threatened and so, he did not act threatened. On his end, there was no reason to be aggressive at all, even when he considered the other’s drawn blade. Arrogant, maybe, but at the very least he’d be able to stop him from interrupting Hector’s transformation. Two on one, then, their new companion would stand little chance regardless of the fact that Ghouls held inherent immunity to Vitalis.

Hector was, after all, a competent Summoner. The shadows that now began to swirl ‘round his feet were a subtle indicator thereof, but it was unlikely that the stranger would read them as such. Summoning his Aidolon was as simple as breathing at this point, and when the elf stood, he let æther flow through his rune to draw the spirit forth. A being of dense shadow, it now resided in fog at the boy’s feet, in whatever shadows he may cast.

When the other did repeat the question asked of him, it was apparent that such a question was a novel one. For a moment, Hector did not understand why. One would imagine that many were unfamiliar with the undead…but he did suppose if this one mentioned the Kinvaren by name, that would then mean he likely assumed that the local vampyres were well aware of the presence of Ghouls…at least this one Ghoul.

His answer, however, was a short one. After delivering the words, so too did his blade fall. He indicated that the beast he had transformed into was not draconic in nature and this was somewhat of a disappointment to the elf, but he didn’t really let that show as it was of little importance. When he said the word ‘Ghoul,’ not much was elucidated, either, but he did recall hearing that word used to describe sentient, undead men. Which…the figure before them very much was.

When next the ghastly individual spoke, he appeared to be just as baffled by them as they were by him. Vergil shrugged at the notion of it being a surprise that they were not Kinvaren, his lips parting just a tad as if he were about to speak. However, then there was another question asked and this one resulted in a widening of his eyes as if in surprise. Then, the man smiled, but only half, clearly amused by the inquiry.

Hector blinked at the ask, a bit annoyed by it, almost. “No! He’s not-...”

Vergil, however, cut him off. “Hector is full-blooded Hytori, he couldn’t be born of my stock. I am, however, the one responsible for granting him Vitalis– so in a way, he is my progeny,” the older of the two laughed, knowing that Hector did not like to be referred to in this way.

Hector looked displeased to have been interrupted, and at what was said, but for now, he held his tongue and he let the other man continue.

“That aside, I’ve always served as a teacher or mentor to him. Here, we arrived together as refugees and there’s little reason for us to part given the similar nature of our work. Which, speaking of, is mostly how we do run into Kinvaren. There are a few that walk among those we work alongside and we’re usually rather cordial. I, however, was as yet ignorant to whatever apparent feud they may have with you…and others of your kin, I imagine?” Vergil was quite curious about what population of Ghouls apparently existed within the Imperium.

“I am interested in hearing more about you, if you’re amenable to the idea. I work quite a bit with a combination of Necromancy and Vitalis, the body and the soul. And as skilled as I am with these things, I admit a dearth in my knowledge when it comes to the undead. Lack of firsthand experience, tragically. Perhaps we can offer you information about your foes or ourselves in return?” The older of the two delivered this proposition calmly, though there was marked curiosity woven into his words.

Hector, for his part, decided to add: “If nothing else, we are strong. Masters of Vitalis, we both are…share your secrets and perhaps we can aid you in one way or another.” Vergil had not offered any mention of their ability to employ brute force and Hector thought that the man was remiss to have done so.
- - -

Aidolon Speech
'Thoughts'
"Kathalan Tongue/Speech"
"Vallenor Tongue/Speech"
"Common Tongue/Speech"
"Mythrasi Tongue/Speech"
word count: 878
"And as you lay down your grace to me,
the skies begin to bleach red,
and the stars begin to fall,
I feel myself changing,
as my world starts dividing–"
User avatar
Hector
Posts: 355
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2022 4:19 pm
Location: Gel'Grandel, Gelerian Imperium
Character Sheet: viewtopic.php?t=3187
Plot Notes: viewtopic.php?t=3339
Character Secrets: viewtopic.php?t=3335

Special

Review

Hector

Lore: 9 feathered lores
Points: 10, magic ok
Injuries/Ailments: minor wear and tear
Loot: None

Masagh

Lore: 10 lores of chipped bone
Points: 10, magic ok
Injuries/Ailments: minor wear and tear
Loot: None

Notes:
I'm closing this thread because it is all the way back in Ash, 122. I did find this interaction deeply amusing, so if you ever find yourself active again, please let me know & I would love to write with you again :)
word count: 122
"And as you lay down your grace to me,
the skies begin to bleach red,
and the stars begin to fall,
I feel myself changing,
as my world starts dividing–"
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