Author: Urban Sniper

#Lore24 – Entry #220 – Helica Month #8 – Beasts of Battle and Burden

Excerpt from the Journals of Azita Gaji, Explorer of Helica, Seeker of Knowledge, Blessed of Saghirah

This would be my first time traveling closely with one of the Beasts, and would afford me some time to study them closely, for their nature was rather mysterious as of yet, for in spite of their prevalence upon those lands held by the Church of Phyresis, Beasts have only been in existence for perhaps fifty or sixty years.  They are called Beasts as a way to dehumanize them, for they are inherently human, though upon looking at them, one would perhaps not believe it.  The “Beasts” have had their humanity further stripped away by covering them in some kind of magical material akin to thick rubber, the process known only to the Phyresians of high rank.  To make one a Beast is to punish them for the sin of defying the Church, using forbidden machines, or otherwise displeasing those of great standing, and their entire existence becomes devoted to serving the Church and its machinations, no matter how much they may disagree with it.

Perhaps to become a Beast is a fate which awaits me, should my delving into the forbidden lore of Saghirah be revealed?

There are different “breeds” of Beasts, each with unique appearances and purposes, and I suspect that one’s breed is determined by their skills possessed in their previous lives, before they committed some great sin against the Church.  All breeds appear as humanoid animals of some type.  The Stalker breed is commonly seen traveling alongside a summoner with whom they are bonded, leashed via magic, as it were.  They appear as large humanoid wolves with varying features, though I know not how these features are determined, for while they share certain characteristics, each has unique markings and colorations.  In the case of the Stalker breed, they are skilled hunters and combatants, allowed to bear weapons in the defense of their bonded summoner, their senses keen to spotting demons and spawn of the Transgressor. 

Other Breeds include the Warrior breed, reserved for the largest and most powerful of Beasts, and usually reserved as part of the guardian forces accompanying the highest-ranking members of the Church, or for front line duty in battles the Church engages in, and have appearances not unlike that of the mythical dragons.  The Workhorse breed is used as general laborers, for mining, and now propelling larger ships by having teams of them running on large wheels to power the paddlewheels and have the rather unsurprising appearance of large horses.  The Sprinter breed, used to relay messages quickly in or between cities, or sometimes to power smaller ships when speed is required, appear too as some breed of hare, smaller and more delicate in appearance than their brethren, but unnaturally fast when they run, as the name suggests.  Lastly is the Servant breed, and perhaps these are the most common, appearing as felines, and are used as domestic labor, handling food preparation, cleaning, tending to the many temples of Phyresis, and similar such duties.

All Beasts, being the shunned of society, at least in my experience thus far, are never referred to by name, only as their Breed.  Though of different size and form, each is likewise equipped with a stout collar about their necks and matching shackles upon their wrists and ankles, each enchanted in some way to maintain their bestial appearance and mobile prisons, though each set is composed of a metal that may be silver or platinum.  In the case of the Warrior and Stalker breeds, these are much larger and serve as additional armor.  The magical bond with their summoner gives them an uncanny sense of where that summoner is at all times, and alerts them to any dangers the summoner may suddenly find themselves facing, should they, for whatever reason, not be close to them, and also allows the summoner to call them or give them instructions at a distance. 

I have perhaps gone on too long about the Beasts for now, but to be so close to one now, I find them at once fascinating and disturbing.  Surely so many people could not be unfaithful to the Church or have wronged it so grievously as to be made into Beasts as this?  Perhaps they are composed of conquered people from outside the Phyresisian faith, from those “barbarians” who live in the dangerous lands beyond those protected by the Church?  They do exist, as much as the Church perhaps does not wish to admit it, but that is something for another time.

#Lore24 – Entry #219 – Helica Month #7 – A Summoner’s Duty

Excerpt from the Journals of Azita Gaji, Explorer of Helica, Seeker of Knowledge, Blessed of Saghirah

I spent several days in the destroyed city of San Granalle, helping as I could with defending it from the many spawn of the Transgressor that still roamed after the monster’s departure, and aiding the survivors with picking up what pieces they could.  Grim days indeed, but so is the way of the Transgressor…the monster thrives on death and suffering, after all.  Though I wanted to reach Ukejama with utmost haste, I knew that I had no need for such urgency; my greater work now would come as it would in time.

With the destruction of San Granalle came a new wave of prayer and devotion to the Church of Phyresis, for those who lacked faith suddenly found it, having witnessed the mercy of the Church with tending to the fallout from the destruction, and in the power of its summoners, who called forth the Amaranths to drive the Transgressor away, Saghirah notably excluded.  I suspect, however, that it was more a matter of the beast requiring time to regain its power, rather than the power of the summoners, that was ultimately responsible for its departure.  The details I’d already learned from Saghirah’s first scroll would seem to support this theory.

Many new, potential summoners would also make their appearance following this tragedy, young acolytes of the faith eager to prove themselves and earn eternal glory as one who would bring another Tranquility.  Most would never reach the end of the long journey they must endure, the many trials of breaking the Amaranths to their will, but perhaps amongst them there would be the one.  It was with one of these youths that I took up with as they took up their journey, deciding to begin with the Amaranth known as Makani, housed upon the distant island of Ukejama. 

Though I possessed no special sense of his destiny, Esekia seemed more humble than most who would seek to become a summoner, and though strong in the faith of Phyresis, our conversations during our work in San Granalle led me to believe that he was not entirely closeminded, and may be willing to consider truths that had been hidden.  Time would certainly tell, but for now, journeying to Ukejama with others was a welcome change to the many weeks and months I spent alone chasing Saghirah’s secrets.  I would serve in a guardian role, and something of a mentor to him in the ways of the world, for I had traveled most of it.  He was likewise accompanied by a bonded Beast of the Stalker Breed, in servitude to the church for sins that I would not know until later, and a Tamer of Elements called Zubayr, who was well versed in the black magics. 

And so, with the next ship bound southward, we departed San Granalle upon dangerous waters, for the coming of the Transgressor had stirred up the demons across the entire world.

#Lore24 – Entry #218 – Helica Month #6 – The Terror of the Transgressor

Excerpt from the Journals of Azita Gaji, Explorer of Helica, Seeker of Knowledge, Blessed of Saghirah

Perhaps it was some cruel twist of fate that the Tranquility would end in the weeks it took me to journey from sacred Temismere Peak through to the grand port city of San Granalle, or perhaps it was some quirk of Saghirah’s will that the timing worked out in such a way.  The Amaranth had been silent since the vision in which I had stood atop her temple, but had remained ever-present, her eye upon me.  I had spent much of my journey in contemplation over what I had learned, and as I neared San Granalle, coming down the Granalle Road from the Kinarrora Highlands to the north of the city, I bore witness to the fearsome form of the Transgressor rising from the depths of the sea, the monstrous form bathed in the bloody red light of the setting sun. 

Terror filled me in that moment, for I and the others in the group I had taken up with on the outskirts of the holy city of Tyraguard were in no way prepared for what we would witness.  With a roar mighty enough to shake our bodies even miles away, the Transgressor tore into San Granalle with a terrible fury.  I simply cannot find the words to describe the shear destructive power of the Transgressor we witnessed that evening, the bloody light of the setting sun soon replaced by the light of hundreds of fires burning across the remains of San Granalle. 

The thought did enter my head as I witnessed the destruction of the Battleball arena that Saghirah had perhaps been wrong in her vision to me, for how could the Angel appear in the destroyed arena?  But then I remembered the blessing she had bestowed upon me, her revelation that my work would take many lifetimes.  How much more of the Transgressor’s destruction would I be forced to witness?  How many Tranquilities would I experience, and how many would I witness shattered with the coming of the Wicked One before the Angel came?

Could a mere mortal mind such as mine even fathom such a terrible fate without breaking?

I honestly do not have an answer to that question.

#Lore24 – Entry #217 – Helica Month #5 – Bound to the Will of Saghirah

Excerpt from the Journals of Azita Gaji, Explorer of Helica

As I carefully rerolled the scroll, I sensed a change in the chamber.  The air grew heavier with Saghirah’s presence, and I felt the dry heat of the desert suddenly consume the chamber.  As I looked up, I saw that the visages of the Amaranth that surrounded me were glowing with faint golden light.  In the next moment, I was suddenly far beyond the cavern below the temple in Grad Artanais, standing atop a massive, pyramidal temple in the center of a great oasis in a desert.

Sensing the Amaranth behind me, I quickly turned, going to my knees before the massive form of Saghirah herself, looming over me in all her majestic glory.  I was too stunned to speak, for I never had the capacity to become a summoner, and why I was suddenly in this vision before Saghirah, I could not fathom in those moments.

“By reading the sacred scroll of Saghirah, thou hast become bound to Her will,” she said to me, her voice rumbling as thunder over the expanse of the oasis.  “Thus, thou must continue the task She has set before thee.  Seek the other scrolls, traveler of Helica, that the truth of the Transgressor be revealed, but use the greatest of subtleties in this matter; reveal not thy forbidden knowledge of Saghirah to those incapable of understanding it, to those who will destroy thee for it.  Seek those of likeminded intent, those who can see beyond the doctrine of Phyresis.  In this quest, Saghirah grants you her blessing, that time may not ravage thee, Seeker of Knowledge, for thy task will take many lifetimes to complete.  Thou will knowest thy task approaches its end when the Angel of Grad Artanais reveals herself upon the grand stage of the arena in San Granalle as a beacon of hope unto Helica, and thou will knowest she is the true Angel, a true vessel of the will of Saghirah, for She will appear alongside the Angel.  Go now, Seeker, for thy long journey has begun.”

I awoke from my vision with a start, disoriented and freezing, my eyes focusing upon the night sky and the stars far above me.  As I regained my senses and got to my feet, I realized that I was no longer within the shrine, no longer in Grad Artanais at all in fact, for the ancient ruin lay far below me.  I had somehow come back to the small campsite I had occupied on the lower slopes of the sacred mountain Temismere before my journey into the holy city.  Only now I had the faintest sense of Saghirah’s presence within my mind, a sense that her ever-watchful eye was upon me, perhaps a sign of the blessing she spoke of.  Thoroughly exhausted, I started a fire and settled in for the night, my thoughts filled with a vision of where I must travel next, the island of Ukejama, far to the south.

#Lore24 – Entry #216 – Helica Month #4 – The First Scroll

Excerpt from the Journals of Azita Gaji, Explorer of Helica

I approached the scroll case reverently, for Saghirah’s gaze still weighed heavy above me, and I could not help but wonder if the reasons the Church had disavowed the existence of the Amaranth were in fact true, for their doctrine is absolute, and all are raised following it.  Still, I willed myself forward and gently opened the case, finding the rolled parchment inside to still be intact, and for a wonder, not as brittle as I feared; something of the Amaranth’s influence had preserved it well over the centuries. 

Always eager to absorb new knowledge, I suppressed my eagerness and carefully unrolled the scroll upon the altar, translating the ancient text easily enough through my many years of study of the world before the Wicked One’s arrival.  I committed the words of the Amaranth to memory, reading and rereading the scroll several times until I was certain not a word was out of place in my mind.  Normally I would have transcribed the words of Saghirah to my journals, but I knew instinctively that was not her wish, and with good reason.  The full contents of her scrolls will be revealed when the time is right.

What I will say of the first of the scrolls of forbidden knowledge is that the contents shook me to my very core.  Any remaining faith I’d once had in Phyresis, the One True God, fled me as I read and reread the ancient words.  At the time the scroll was created, faith in beings beyond our mere mortal existence was at an all-time low amongst all the peoples of Helica, with the Amaranths, the ancient guardian spirits of our world, becoming relegated to myth and legend by most. 

Faith, more specifically, the lack of faith by the people of Helica, would lead to the Downfall.  This was how the Transgressor had prepared our world for its arrival, by patiently seeding distractions and false beliefs amongst the people.  And when the Wicked One did come, that fateful night so many centuries ago when Grad Artanais fell, the world was simply not prepared to mount a defense, so scattered and divided was its people. 

The true nature of the Transgressor is positively vile, but no more can I say here.

#Lore24 – Entry #215 – Helica Month #3 –Within the Shrine of Saghirah

Excerpt from the Journals of Azita Gaji, Explorer of Helica

Though many would call me mad for daring to stay in Grad Artanais for as long as I did, especially alone, in the end, my faith in the knowledge I had uncovered to that point would prove to be well placed.  It took some time to work my way through the shrine complex, for it was in a sorry state by this time, though I was confident that I would not be molested by the roaming demons in this place.  The ethereal calmness that permeates the temples to the Amaranths still lingered here, and without the Transgressor’s presence, the demons would not dare to approach these divinely protected places.

At last, I found Saghirah’s shrine, still mostly well preserved, ancient streamers covered in prayers to the Amaranth still hanging from the ceiling and blowing in the cool breeze that permeated the structure.  Her stone visage loomed large above me, the image of a large, winged feline, sitting imperiously with head held high, wings spread wide and angled back, regaled in armor that, in spite of the ravages of time, still held some semblance of their golden sheen.  Though I doubt there has been anyone to visit this place in centuries, I still felt the gaze of the Amaranth upon me the moment I came before her image, and I knew then that she was there, watching me.

I immediately dropped into the reverence position, offering my praise to Saghirah, explaining why I had ventured into this place, begging her aid.  I could feel her gaze weighing heavily upon me, the sense that I was but a mouse before a great predator that could strike me down at any moment.  There is little else that I could do then, for I was suddenly stricken by the fear that perhaps what I sought had been hidden by the Amaranth herself, not the Church, and that to court her for this forbidden knowledge was to invite death itself.

There was a shift in the ambiance of the shrine then, for the cool, damp air, like that of a tomb, that I had experienced since my arrival suddenly vanished, replaced in what sounded like a deep, sighing breath from the visage of the Amaranth herself by heat and dryness, not unlike the heat of a desert.  As I dared to look up, I swore I saw a gleam in the eye of Saghirah’s statue, and then the warm blast of air shifted, stirring the ancient streamers, drawing my eye beyond the visage to a doorway partially hidden by rubble. 

Taking this as a blessing from the mighty Saghirah, I rose and ventured forth, finding signs that this doorway was once hidden.  Beyond were stairs leading downward, and soon I was within an even more ancient place, still heavy with the presence of Saghirah, this chamber filled with fine sand and circled by half a dozen stone plinths, each bearing smaller images of Saghirah, half similar to those of the larger image above, the other half that of an unearthly humanoid woman, adorned in armor similar to what her bestial form wore, her head hidden behind a great feline mask.  In the center of this chamber was an altar, and upon this altar, still appearing pristine, was a scroll case.

#Lore24 – Entry #214 – Helica Month #2 – The Angel of Grad Artanais

Excerpt from the Journals of Azita Gaji, Explorer of Helica

The tales of an angel, seen and heard across the broken expanse of the once great city of Grad Artanais are true!  I have witnessed her with my own eyes, heard her voice singing the Eversong with my own ears! 

As I dared venture down from the overlook in which I camped last night, a thick fog rolled in from the poisonous sea that borders the ruined city.  On the one hand, it would be useful in concealing my presence from the roaming demons that fill this place, but on the other, so too would they be concealed from me.  It didn’t take long for me to hear them, their claws scraping over the broken skyscrapers that lay about in piles, rending the ancient metal remains of machines that were somehow frozen in time, still there and not rusted away by time and seasons.  I tread carefully, using every sense I had to navigate in the direction I had chosen, careful to avoid notice. 

It was perhaps two hours into my dangerous trek that I began to hear the Eversong, the reverent and soothing tones echoing eerily through the dead city’s remains.  Then I heard her voice, the voice of the angel herself, clear and distinct, chilling me to my very core.  Her voice sounded otherworldly, a starkly beautiful, yet hauntingly melodic sound amongst the fog-shrouded decay and littered remnants of demon-infested civilization past.  I saw her guiding light then, piercing through the fog, and in the direction I had intended to go, a ball of light in the dim fog, like a beacon.  And so, I followed the light and the song, sensing not the demons as I went to her light.  As I neared, the light faded out, only to be replaced by another further along, her voice moving with it, leading me, guiding me.

I followed the angel for perhaps an hour, my tension eased by her voice and her holy light, finally coming to understand what it was that those summoners and their protectors who had survived this place to tell the tale had experienced, for truly she is a being of the divine.  And she led me exactly where I had deigned to go!  It was nearing midday, the fog finally starting to thin, when I finally came upon the ancient shrine complex, broken and decayed, but still recognizable to me as the place I had discovered in the lost records where many of the Amaranths were once worshipped. 

There the angel left me, and I ventured forth into the ruin, seeking the shrine of Saghirah, and hopefully, one of her ancient, forbidden scrolls.

#Lore24 – Entry #213 – Helica Month #1 – The Forbidden Scrolls of Saghirah

Excerpt from the Journals of Azita Gaji, Explorer of Helica

Long have I journeyed across Helica’s blasted and broken landscapes, the ruins of a world long dead that lays infested with monstrous demons thirsty for mortal flesh and malkikai, ancient machines that no longer recognize their masters and seek to slay them just the same.  Seldom in these days do I see the civilized parts of the world, those cities and towns that remain in the wake of the Transgressor’s destruction, for what I seek, should any remain, lays far beyond the reach of man and the Church of Phyresis and their closed-minded, dogmatic faith in their god.

What is it that drives me to brave these blasted lands and ruins of ancient cities, you may ask?  Nothing less than forbidden knowledge, of course!  The knowledge denied to the people of this world by the Church of Phyresis, the knowledge once bequeathed to the people of Helica by the Amaranths themselves!  But not just any Amaranth, no, the lost Amaranth Saghirah! 

There are reasons the Church of Phyresis has tried to hide knowledge of Saghirah, and these scrolls are those reasons!  She can see the very essence of time and space themselves, has seen beyond the very creation and destruction of Helica to the great beyond, has seen the stars that lay in the far beyond!  She sees the past, the present, and the future, and in her knowledge lies the key to the true destruction of the Transgressor! 

Why would the Church of Phyresis not seek this knowledge, you ask?  Quite simply, they fear it.  They fear the loss of control over the people of Helica, their place of power.  It is the same story told many times, of the desire of those who wield great power to maintain their control over that power.  But…but I have a theory that there is more to this tale than what I know now.  If I am able to locate one of these lost scrolls, then perhaps I can corroborate this theory with the words of the great Amaranth. 

On the morrow I venture into the ruins of Grad Artanais.  Though it is a sacred site to the Church of Phyresis, they have not scoured the entire ruin; even they do not have the power to survive there long enough to do that.  I am convinced I have located the ancient temple complex that once housed the Shrine to Saghirah, and perhaps one of the lost scrolls I seek.  Given what I had to dig through to find this information, and comparing it with the records of the archives, they have not found what remains there yet. 

May the Angel of Grad Artanais watch over me during this excursion; I will need all the help I can get.

#Lore24 – Entry #212 – Supers Month II #31 – A Troublesome Kitsune, and a Hunter Called

Musings of Demon Lord Kurae

Oh, my sly little Kitsune!  Such a naughty girl! 

Still, I have to give her credit for learning her lessons exceptionally well…that was quite masterfully done in all honesty.  Worthy of a demon, really.  And she was perfectly willing to let the plan fall through there at the end, probably had a backup plan already plotted out, but for the chance arrival of our little Gun Bunny and her timely pull of the trigger.  And here I thought I’d broken Kitsune completely!  Well, that’ll teach me, won’t it?  That sly girl has more spirit left than I gave her credit for.  She’s been avoiding me in her kennel since she returned from Earth, but I figured she was just pouting after experiencing freedom for so long.

Oh, I could’ve read her mind, absolutely, but why let her know that I know?  It’s much more fun to spring a trap on someone like her who is used to springing them on others, you see.  Let her run a little more, get that leash good and loose about her neck, then pull it back HARD.

Yes, I’ll be keeping a closer eye on her from here on out…or rather, another of my minions will be.  When one such as I has a hobby of collecting dangerous game and keeping them as pets, it is prudent to have a game warden on the payroll, a big game hunter at hand, wouldn’t you agree?  If the game is as wily as Kitsune, then there must be one who can, at the very least, match her cunning.  My hunter will keep Kitsune in check, of that you can rest assured.

Don’t feel bad, my pet.  You’re proving quite capable of serving me, and your performance thus far has been exemplary, but you have a long way to go before you’ve proven yourself able to be trusted to the level I once did Kitsune.  As short-lived and short-sighted as your kind are, I must admit, you still find ways to surprise even me.  It’s a credit to your race, pet. 

Come, we have a resurrection ritual to begin, and you must make final preparations to the site to insure we aren’t disturbed.

#Lore24 – Entry #211 – Supers Month II #30 – Broken Dolls, and Those Who Need Punishment

Musings of Demon Lord Kurae

Well…yes, that whole affair could have certainly gone better.  I may enjoy my work, and I certainly take great joy from messing with my enemies, but…but that last little bit of the recovery operation on those relics was quite messy. 

Was I particularly enamored with the princess of dolls?  No, not really.  It’s an amusing idea, mind-control masks and whatnot, but if you want true loyalty, you need to instill it through more long-term means, like breaking the spirit and enslaving the soul.  I’ve done this for ages, and it works so very well.  And it’s much more therapeutic!  As a way to mess with humanity, it was amusing, but unfortunately, very shortly lived. 

And that, my pet, is where my concern truly lies.  These heroes have proven themselves worthy of my attention.  I daresay they would’ve been wonderful additions to the minion pool but for that sniper…although I have my suspicions that not all is as it seems about that.  We’ll have to do a little divination later, discern what exactly happened there at the end that allowed the entire control system to be destroyed.

I see that we must deal quickly and harshly with our heroines, for we cannot allow them to continue growing in power.  Most concerning is the one calling herself Black Cat.  I very much would have enjoyed a new kitty for my lap, but the fact that she’s managed to slip free of the trap Kitsune set, and with a set of items that can be modified into magical amplifiers…yes, this is quite troublesome indeed.  The one called Cyber Seer…I think I see potential there for controlling that one; her soul is positively filled to the brim with perversion, and that is absolutely something I can leverage.  The loss of the Pink Pussy is but a minor inconvenience, really; she was ultimately going to become another plaything in the end anyway, so this will be a delay only; she too is a beast born of sexual desires, and that I will use against her.  This armored knight, Mecha Musume?  Her technology is impressive, but she’s perhaps the most fragile of them all, and I already know of at least one who may be useful in bringing her to heel, if properly motivated.  The sniper, Gun Bunny, she must be studied more closely, though given her ties to Pink Pussy, I imagine she’ll be no trouble; in fact, I think another of my loyal servants may have already found a suitable foil!

Oh, Shadow Lynx?  No, she’ll be no trouble at all.  She doesn’t realize it, but she’s already working for me.  Her manager gets her marching orders from DOMME, after all.

We have work to do, pet; let us begin final preparations for the resurrection ritual and set up our next play as we plot our vengeance!