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Comments
Um.
Shit.
Hmmm...
We probably aren't in shape to heal ourselves. So I think the best course is to not waste energy and hope whoever we're in the care of knows what they're doing.
For those of you curious about blood magic:
Blood magic, despite the name, does not deal only with magic involving blood. It involves magics involve blood, death, and/or the despoiling of innocence.
Blood magic is powerful, as it is literally a part of you. Any magic focused through it will naturally be stronger- it creates a strong link between the world around you and your body. Unfortunately, to do this, it also takes a part of your life's essence- your soul, some call it, or your ki. This will regenerate at roughly the same rate your body would replace the lost blood if you left it to heal naturally. It is the least dangerous, and only socially acceptable form of 'dark magic'.
Death magic, or blood magic when using blood from a person other than you, is a very different matter. It works on much the same principle as regular blood magic does; it ties you to the world through the use of life's essence. However, to do this with someone else's life is to take someone else's life essence into you and claim it as your own. Doing thus changes you- makes you less human every time you do it. Some consider the power gained to be worth the cost.
Someone who has had their blood taken from them in this manner will never be able to replenish the life's essence lost in this manner, or have their bodies replenish the lost blood. Thus, it is considered an evil thing to do.
A.
[Three votes for B; B wins.]
You awaken the next day, groggy and extremely sore.
Attempting to sit up, you very quickly discover that your left arm is basically unusable when you tumble back onto the mattress. Putting weight on your left arm appears to be a very bad idea.
You sit up again, making sure to lean on your right arm this time. Both of your hands are smarting- right where you cut them, in fact. Your leg is currently throbbing where the goblins had stabbed you, and your body is bone-tired, like that time you didn't sleep for four days. You glance at the window. You can't actually see the sun. You think it's midday, but you can't be certain.
Grimacing, you slide off the bed and tentatively stand. The pain in your leg worsens, but it's bearable- for now.
You look around, then stagger out of the single door in the room. In the next room, two people look up- Lien, and an old man with white hair, looking remarkably haggard.
"What-" Lien half-stood.
The old man stood faster, striding over to you. "You shouldn't be up," he frowned.
You nod. You shouldn't be. "I know," you reply, feeling your leg shudder underneath you. "I really shouldn't be up, but I need to be. I am thankful for your hospitality, but-"
The man's not even listening as he grabs your uninjured arm and tries to tug you back towards the room. You dig your feet in and pull in the other direction, refusing to go with him.
"I am very sorry, but I cannot rest any further," you say firmly.
The man still isn't listening.
"Sir, I must insist that you let go of my arm," you say warningly. He still doesn't listen, but Lien catches your hand before you can pry his hand off of you.
"My lady, please, listen," he spoke, pushing on your shoulders. "You are quite badly injured, and the... concoction Master Virmir gave you last night has not had enough time to restore your body to a fully functional state. You really must rest."
You are still refusing to move. "I understand that," you reply, irritation lacing your words. "However, I need to leave now. I have things to do, and they cannot be held off any longer- I have held off doing them for as long as I could already."
"Surely they can wait for another day," he frowns, pushing you half-heartedly. You push against him in turn, and actually make him stumble backwards half a step. He really is as frail as he looks.
"They cannot," you reply firmly. "I must have them completed by sundown today."
Without Lien's assistance, the old man- Master Virmir- releases you, stumbling away. You can hear him grumbling about "foolish girls with mud for brains" under his breath.
Lien sighs. "Sundown? Are you sure?" He sounds unhappy.
"I am sure," you reply. "Look, I am thankful for your assistance in helping me back to this town. I have some silver in my pou-"
"I do not want silver," he cuts you off again. "My lady, you saved my sanity last night, if not my life. That is not a debt that can be repaid so easily as carrying you to town."
You groan. You know where this is headed.
"I must insist! If you do not wish to stay and rest, then at least allow me to accompany you!"
Yes. You saw that coming.
You put your head in your hands, moaning slightly. Why does everything always have to get so complicated?
You know what you have to do, anyway.
[A] You have to let him accompany you. He owes you a debt, now- and having a companion rarely hurts, even one so frail as Lien. He would make a good packmule, at least.
You have to turn him down. He is a changeling- a Fae, even if he was raised as a human. You cannot trust him.
[C] Something else. (Please specify what.)
A. He'll make a marvelous meatshield.
[A]
Hmm, looks like another time we need to know more. What's the business with the changelings? So far I'm picking [A], though. Virmir is some sort of healer or wizard from Iidan's Fall, right?
Also this:
you know guys, I've been thinking
our heroine is badass
she is also adorable
an adorable girlie who is also a witch
why do I see her as Nova with magic
Changelings are... They're what happens when someone annoys a sneaky Fae, or when someone makes a deal with a Fae and reneges, or otherwise somehow crosses the Fae and the Fae decide to act this way instead of another.
The Fae choose a random Fae child and sneak into the human's house. They lift the human's child out of their cradle, making sure not to wake them, and replace it with the Fae.
Sometimes, when the Fae is obviously not-human and the glamour fades over time, the parents find out. This can lead to a variety of reactions, ranging from accepting the child as their own to murdering the child. Other times, when the Fae is remarkably human-like, the glamour will not fade until they are adults.
The result of this is twofold; a Fae, with a Fae nature, is brought up within human culture, learning human values, and a human, with a human nature, is brought up with the Fae, learning what it is to be a Fae.
Depending on what the exact type of Fae that is exchanged, the changeling can exhibit a variety of behaviours. Some Fae are, for all intents and purposes, humans when brought up in a human culture; while some are Fae, through and through, and are like to snap if you look at them wrong.
Yes. Virmir is a healer, a ritualist focused on anatomy and herbalism, who lives close to the western woods. He often treats travellers who stumble into town injured.
You look up, looking at him.
You're not entirely sure that taking him is the right decision, but nor are you sure that it's the wrong decision.
"Sure," you murmur. Your voice quavers slightly. Although Lien is a Changeling, he's still a Fae. You're not sure if he's absorbed human values, or if he is still more Fae than human. How much of a Changeling is their nature, and how much of it is influenced by how they were raised?
"Excellent!" Lien sounds pleased. "You won't regret it. Now, you mentioned that you had something to do before sunset today. What do you need to do?"
You grimace. You need to do too many things. You just don't have the time to do most of them.
"I need to..."
[A] ... go and buy a ritual board. It's relatively inexpensive, and would be a huge boon. You may also be able to buy more silver flakes while you're there.
... go and buy an obsidian knife. It's relatively expensive, and you probably won't be able to buy anything else if you do, but it's a tool often used in necromantic rituals.
[C] ... go out to the woods and find an ash tree. A staff made from an ash tree is a powerful tool for ritualists.
[D] ... something else. (Please specify what.)
[A].
It's cheap, but it seems really helpful and shouldn't take much time.
B.
[A]
"I need to go and buy a ritual board," you mumble, then push past him. You drop several silver coins on Virmir's table as you leave.
The sun outside Virmir's house is bright, almost blinding. You pause to blink the water out of your eyes, and Lien catches up. You can feel him standing just behind you. It puts your teeth on edge.
You finally take the time to look down at your body.
Your arm is almost completely wrapped in thick bandages. He has taken the time to rebandage your leg, too, applying a new poultice to it.
You begin limping down the street. The apothecary should not be too far away.
It takes about fifteen minutes to walk there, with Lien shadowing you the whole time. You grimace; you have wasted far too much time sleeping. Still, at least you can walk unaided now.
You nod at the apothecary when you walk in. "Hello," you say quietly.
His gaze flicks down to your chest, where your charm is hanging down around your chest. Your hand automatically reaches up to touch it, and you offer him a small smile.
His gaze flicks over to Lien, then back to you, where his brow arches. You offer him a small nod. He nods back, satisfied.
"Hello," he says cheerfully. "What can I do for you today?"
You relax slightly. "I am looking to buy a ritual board," you say softly. "And some silver flakes."
He nods. "What consistency would you like the flakes at?" he asks.
"They don't have to be too fine, but I would prefer it if they were small," you reply.
He nods, and turns back to his storeroom. He emerges several moments later, holding two vials and three boards. "Here we go," he murmurs, placing them down. "Which one would you like?"
You examine the vials. Generally, the finer the powder, the more expensive it will be- because of the work involved in grinding it down to a fine powder, and the cost of making the silver pure. Coarser silver flakes generally have materials other than silver in there.
However, you don't have the money to pick around. You indicate the vial with the coarser flakes, then turn to the boards.
He has placed down two oak boards- one is thicker, more solid, than the other- and a board made from elm.
You indicate the thinner oak board. "I'll take that one," you murmur.
He nods and slides the unwanted materials back. "That'll be... six silvers," he decides. That's remarkably cheap; you don't feel like haggling for a lower price with him today.
He smiles at you as he ducks back into his storeroom again. You grab your new vial of silver flakes and your board, then turn to head out.
Now, you are going to...
[A] ... Go out to the woods and make yourself an ash staff. Could take quite some time.
... Wander around town for a while.
[C] ... Talk with Lien.
[D] ... Head to the graveyard and begin preparing your ritual.
[E] ... Do something else. (Please specify what.)
[A]
[D], might as well not waste time.
[E] Talk to Lien for a bit, then go to the graveyard to start preparing.
Might aswell get to know him before we start using him as a meatshield.
If I may direct you to my post on rituals again:
Clockwork is correct, insofar as that you may want more 'advantages', such as the ash staff.
Crimson is also correct, in that you might not want to fuck around too much.
And, as if to punish me for posting while tired again, I forgot to add the [E] Do something else. (Please specify what.) option in.
That option has now been added in, if you wish to do something else.
Heheheh, here's what my answer's gonna be (that's [E], of course): I'd ask Lien to go fetch a staff while we're preparing, or alternatively, pick fourteenwings' [E], depending on what the other folks will pick. If there's no further support for my option, I support fourteenwings.
14E
Changing my vote to lrdgck's E.
[Two votes for E (Talk to Lien, then begin preparing the ritual); it wins. Two votes for E (Send Lien off to collect an ash staff, and begin preparing the ritual; it wins.]
You begin limping your way towards the cemetery. Lien silently trails along behind you.
"So..." Your voice trails off awkwardly. You really have no idea what to say.
Behind you, Lien turns to look at you.
You try again. "So, you're a Changeling?" you ask.
"Yes," Lien answers simply.
Well, that was enlightening.
"Do you know what type of Fae you were, before you were given to the Baron's care?" you ask carefully.
"I do not know what type of Fae I am," Lien replies. "I suspect, given my appearance, that I am the child of one of the more humanoid Fae- but I cannot be certain, as I could also be the child of a Fae with the ability to shapeshift."
You sigh. "You don't have any clue?" you ask.
He shakes his head. "Even my eyes do not give me a clue," he laments. "They are pale blue, but any human who becomes a Fae has eyes like mine. Not helpful at all."
You don't even know how to respond to that.
You arrive at the graveyard soon. Moving over to the area on the raised hilltop you had scouted before, you carefully set down your new board and turn to Lien.
"I have to perform my ritual here," you say softly.
Lien's eyes widen in comprehension. You speak again before he can say anything.
"Could you please go and cut me a branch from an ash tree?" you ask. "As straight as possible, preferably, and with no offshoots, no twigs or leaves hanging off it."
Lien stares at you for a moment. You blink guilelessly at him.
Eventually, he nods, and turns to leave.
Satisfied, you turn back to your ritual board. You withdraw the remainder of your black cloth, and drape it over the board, allowing you a base to work off of.
You carefully- carefully- begin sprinkling silver flakes over the board. You take your time with it; you want the symbol to be perfect.
When you have drawn the symbol, you sit down cross-legged and begin to concentrate.
---
It is some hours before Lien returns with a branch from an ash tree. You open an eye, take the branch from him, and murmur a thanks, before you return to your preparations.
It is soon sunset.
The brilliant radiance of the setting sun lights up the graveyard behind you. The light cloaks your face in shadows, making you look very menacing.
You reach into your pocket and withdraw the fingerbone of the guard whose spirit you wish to summon. You bite your lip in concentration, and gently touch the fingerbone to the centre of your symbol.
Almost immediately, the cemetery is blanketed in power. You can feel the power of the ritual tightening over you- constricting you, making it hard to breathe.
You grit your teeth. You can feel the spirit you are trying to summon- it is resisting your summons, not wishing to be pulled out.
Around you, restless spirits take notice. You bite your lip hard enough to draw blood, and begin dividing your concentration in two; focusing on simultaneously calling a specific spirit, and keeping every other spirit trapped behind the veil.
You are lucky you are already sitting down, or you would collapse to your knees now. Your ash staff, held tightly in your left hand, has dug into the ground, and is the only thing preventing you from collapsing entirely.
The pressure continues to build. The spirit you are trying to summon is resisting your pull, tugging ever further into their world, and the other spirits are hammering at
your head
the veil separating them from your world.
You grit your teeth and draw on your willpower. You will not let the spirits cross, you think. You will not.
Unfortunately, your will is
just
not
enough
and
the spirits rush out, knocking you backwards. Your head hits a gravestone, and you collapse into blackness.
---
You awaken several moments later as Lien shakes your shoulder. He is calling something out, but you are having trouble deciphering his words.
"Hold on a moment," you mumble, or try to. Your mouth feels as if it has swollen to twice its size.
You lay on the ground for a minute and take long, deep breaths. The aching in your head subsides somewhat, and you are able to sit up.
"What happened?" you mumble.
"You failed," Lien said, his jaw taut. "I'm not quite sure what happened, but you were suddenly blasted backwards, and then-"
"The spirit!" You scramble up, standing woozily upright. "Did I manage to summon the spirit?"
"I... think so," Lien answers. "There is someone over there, at least..."
You look over- and, surely enough, there is a spectral figure, hovering over your ritual board.
Lien still looks shaken beside you.
You limp over to the figure, ignoring the aches in your body.
"Hello," you say, drawing yourself up to your full (unimpressive) height. "What is your name?"
Generally, spirits are bound to the ritualist who called upon them. They must answer their summoner truthfully, do their bidding so long as they are capable of doing so, and generally serve them faithfully- so long as the ritualist's will does not fade. The summoning breaks upon death, and the spirit can seize upon the ritualist's departing spirit as that happens. The results are generally not considered pleasant.
"My name is Iriven," the spirit replies. There seems to be a faint echo- as if you are hearing the same thing twice.
"What was your occupation before your death?" you ask.
"I was a royal guard," Iriven replies. You hear the strange echo again. "I was in the employ of Tenras, the King of Edo, hired to protect his daughter, Yali."
That matches up with what you know. This appears to be the correct spirit.
[A] What do you want to inquire of the spirit? The spirit can only answer direct inquiries.
Comprehensively, what can you tell us about the kidnapping and your death?
I'll go with CU.
^^That.