Category: Person

#Lore24 – Entry #231 – Helica Month #19 – The World Moves On

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

Many weeks have passed since the terrible betrayal I witnessed in Grad Artanais, and I have made full account of the incident, stowed safely away with the knowledge of the first scroll in no less than three places along my path that I will not name.  Though casual observation will not reveal the documents, in time, they will be revealed should something befall me.

Even though I know the truth of the bargain which was made, I cannot bring myself to fully hate the coming of another Tranquility, for even in the outlying towns, the joy is clear upon the faces of my fellow Helicans.  The demons which roam the land have diminished already, their aggressiveness much lessened too.  I wish that the cost had not to be so terrible, and that it would be everlasting, but that is sadly not to be.  If anything, it will allow me some greater freedom to search for the next forbidden scroll.  I feel it best that I avoid the larger cities and towns for the time being anyway, for I have already heard the narrative which Tephysea, now the High Lady Summoner and Grand Mistress of the Church of Phyresis, has woven regarding her miraculous survival and the noble sacrifice made by her most precious lover, Esekia. 

To hear the people tell the tale, with such joyous looks upon their faces when I knew the truth of the matter, made me sick to the very core of my being, but I could do nothing about it for now.  The only way I could avenge Esekia, Zubayr, and the nameless Stalker that had protected us on the way was by planting the seeds of truth well out of the wrathful gaze of the Church and nurturing them until they were ripe. 

I am the chosen of Saghirah for this task, and I will not let her down no matter what it takes.  Though I have yet to learn all there is to know of the great amaranth, I am certain that she has a greater plan that I would only jeopardize should I be aware of it.  I have faith in her that all will be revealed in time, for I have no remaining faith in Phyresis, the false savior of Helica.  My faith is returned rightfully to the Amaranths where it belongs. 

#Lore24 – Entry #230 – Helica Month #18 – Betrayal and the New Tranquility

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

As with my first visit to Grad Artanais, I would leave the city shaken by what I would find, though the circumstances could not be more different.  As I write these words, I lay near death in the only safe place I could find within in ruins of the ancient city, within the shrine of Saghirah.  It is perhaps only by her blessing that I survived what befell my party and yet live to tell of it, though I fear my revelations are simply too much for the populace of Helica to bear, to say nothing of the Church of Phyresis.

Once we had descended to the camping spot I had used what seemed a lifetime ago, I could sense the change that had come over Grad Artanais, the malevolent, oppressive pressure that radiated from it, specifically from the massive ruin of an ancient Battleball arena at the city’s center.  Standing upon the slope of the holy mountain at night, I could see the vile aura of swirling blackness that surrounded the building, could see massive demons roaming the streets as if guarding it, miniscule compared to the Transgressor, but larger than any I had before witnessed.  For once, even Tephysea seemed overwhelmed by what lay ahead, though she again professed that the love she and Esekia shared would see them through. 

I had voiced my concerns about this relationship previously, but Esekia was quite resolute in his love, and for the additional hope it gave to the people of Helica.  Perhaps it would make a difference, I had thought then, for if one summoner had to sacrifice themselves to defeat the Transgressor, then perhaps two could overcome whatever lay within that arena and walk out alive. 

Of course, I would soon learn, after our party pushed through the guardian demons into the heart of Grad Artanais with the help of the Amaranths, that was a foolish hope.  Even though I knew not what to expect once we had breached the arena, passing by the statues of heroes long forgotten to history, I could not have predicted that which we found waiting within.  This is the truth that must told, but how can I reveal such a revelation to the people and actually make them believe it?  Surely the Church would never allow such knowledge to escape, for the entirety of their faith is borne upon it. 

What lies within the dark heart of the Transgressor is…

[Text becomes incoherent scrawls, drifting off the page]

…

I continue this entry with a clearer head now that I’ve had time to rest and have somewhat recovered from my injuries, for I am no longer near death, perhaps saved by the grace of the Amaranth herself.  Like Saghirah’s forbidden scrolls, I cannot reveal what I learned just yet, not here, for it would find its way to the Church, and the rumors would be quickly quashed, and any proclaiming them killed, or at best, permanently enslaved as a Beast to silence them. 

No, a more cautious approach is needed.  I must be subtle, and I must be extremely careful once I leave this place.  Though the darkness is gone for now, for a new Tranquility has started, the Transgressor will return, and the cycle will continue unabated until a way can be found to stop it.  Suffice to say, the Sylvanae, specifically Tephysea and her loyal followers, are complicit in what comes next, and were responsible for what befell Esekia and my other companions.  A full accounting of her betrayal will I make elsewhere, and it shall be secreted away with the knowledge of the forbidden scroll of Saghirah, safe from any who would seek it.  I will see justice done in time, for I am assured that I will have plenty of it by the great Saghirah.

And so I end this journal for now, for the world I return to will surely be a different one upon my return, and I will have new purpose beyond simply uncovering the rest of Saghirah’s scrolls, for righteous vengeance is a powerful motivator.

The cycle cannot continue, for surely Helica will be destroyed, no matter how many times the Transgressor is defeated.

#Lore24 – Entry #227 – Helica Month #15 – The Sylvanae Summoner

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

With Esekia’s successful taming of the fire Amaranth Cinza, on his first attempt, though the experience would leave him exhausted, we would set off on a return trip to the mainland and the port of San Granalle, which I we hadn’t seen for nearly two months now.  We would have a fateful encounter aboard the ship bound for the slowly recovering city, which at the time I would not realize would ultimately seal our fate and the fate of Helica.

Though we had heard talk of the presence of a Sylvanae summoner upon Vallalava island, we had not seen them during our time in the jungles and around the temple.  It was only as the ship that would bear us to the mainland arrived in the village’s port that we would see her and her guardians emerge from the path leading to the temple, causing a stir amongst the gathered crowd as they swept through the village toward the ship.  The Sylvanae summoner had half a dozen guardians with her, and all save her bonded Stalker were of Sylvanae blood. 

I had heard of the Sylvanae pridefulness, of how they tended towards a regal bearing that made it seem as if they were always looking down upon those who were not of their kind, and in this, the rumors were proven true, for we mere humans may well have been ants for them to step over, even those who had attained their full status as summoners.  As we would learn after embarking on our voyage, this Sylvanae’s name was Tephysea of House Wynmaer, and for whatever reason, she would take a peculiar interest in Esekia and our party during the voyage.

Like all her kind, she was tall and willowy, taller than even our Stalker, with long, knife-like ears, and her hair was the color of autumn leaves that fell down her back in a thick, wavy cascade that reminded me of moss hanging from tree limbs, and skin a deep brown, like the very earth upon which we strode, delicate veins of green crisscrossing her flesh like the nature of leaves.  Perhaps it was her eyes that were most startling to behold, for they glowed a brilliant green, and to meet them would take one’s breath, so overwhelming was her presence. Supposedly the Sylvanae were born of the legendary Fae realms in ancient times, perhaps cast out by those who were jealous of their beauty and wisdom, as some legends say, likely those spread by the Sylvanae themselves. 

The Sylvanae group would sequester themselves away from the rest of the rabble for most of the trip, though would make daily sojourns to the upper deck to seemingly sun themselves, possibly due to their nature that seemed very plantlike, or simply because they found the use of a vessel that was not their own a burden and needed to be away from its bowels.  Either way, it was during one of these sunning excursions that Esekia made the bold move of approaching Tephysea when she was alone with her Stalker, and for a wonder she wouldn’t send him away, perhaps finding something amusing in his boldness.  Little did I know then that we would be seeing much more of Tephysea in the coming weeks and months.

#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 #207 – Supers Month II #26 – A Shaper of Flesh and Souls

Musings of Demon Lord Kurae

Well, well, my pet, it seems that your work is coming along quite nicely.  And here you were telling me that you were rusty after so long without practice!  This vessel seems quite well formed, very much in line with what I required.  Lovely proportions, really.  And seemingly just as natural as any naturally born human body.

Oh, don’t be so modest!  Humans are indeed simple creatures, but there is undeniably art in what you create, that much is evident by your reputation in your world, of your lasting legacy.  It won’t be long until we have reclaimed the relics, and we can fill this vessel with the soul I’ve chosen for it.  Though I think you’ll be instrumental in applying some minor…tweaks to that soul.  He was always a rebellious one, and while I can admire that in a minion, I do think a few little insurances against disloyalty will be appropriate.  You can do that, can you not?

Again, you are too modest, my pet.  For one who bore the djinn into your world, what is it to alter a soul?  Especially a human one?  Look at it as a challenge, my delightful pet, my shaper of flesh and souls.  You have a new purpose, do you not?  Rejoice in my benevolence and worship me as I’ve taught you.  There will be many more stories for you to tell after this, and I do so enjoy the sound of your adoring voice.  Yes, just as it should be…

#Lore24 – Entry #206 – Supers Month II #25 – A Tempest Brewing

Musings of Demon Lord Kurae

You know, for all your talk of keeping supernatural threats out of your world over the centuries, you’ve done a rather terrible job of it.  Did you know that there’s an entire family of succubi living on your world?  And all of them clustered around Sentinel City?  They’re not of any relationship to me and my line, but I can sense them just as easily as I can any other of demonic blood.

Oh?  So, you were aware of them!  How very curious.  Why, then, my pet, have they been allowed to remain upon your world?  Hmmm… you’re telling me that this Order of Hecate has made arrangements with them, or at least the head of their clan, this Claire Tempest, and that they have been allowed to stay there?  That is quite an interesting agreement!  One would think that the chaos swirling around them would have led to their destruction or expulsion long ago; were not demon hunters a thing in your world at some point? 

Most curious indeed…perhaps these succubi are of a different breed altogether, then?  Or perhaps demonkind from this realm, or whatever realm they were spawned from, are simply an inferior breed to my own, for their powers are insignificant when compared to my own.  Their ambitions are certainly nothing compared to the demons I’m familiar with; they seem to be thinking entirely too small.  This Claire Tempest seems the only real threat, honestly; from what I’ve observed, the others barely register any dangers given their rather miniscule desires and ambitions in the grand scheme of things.  Although the facility ran by Jennifer Tempest is of some interest;  could be some wonderful recruits waiting for me there…yes, indeed, there are a pair of souls absolutely craving power right there…

Still, I think I’ll be keeping an eye on them.  Something tells me they could be trouble for me down the line… Oh, yes, you’re quite right, I should just eliminate them now, but where’s the fun in that?  I’m curious to see just how they react when I start my invasion in earnest.  Will they stand up and defend their world, or will they move on, or perhaps join me? 

It’s not knowing that keeps me coming back for more, my pet.  I’m a demon; I thrive on chaos, after all.

#Lore24 – Entry #205 – Supers Month II #24 – A Seer in Darkness

Musings of Demon Lord Kurae

You know one of my favorite things to do before I invade a world?  I mean, of course, there’s the preparations and gathering of information, but that’s work that must be done.  What I love to do even more is mess with its inhabitants.  Just to target a random morsel here and there and gift them with a little speck of my power so that they may see and know what comes without fully understanding what it is they witness. 

Well, yes, I suppose my gift does drive them mad, for the minds of mortals, especially humans, are especially fragile.  Even a mind as resilient yours has been broken while you’ve been in my care, has it not?  But you see, the chaos of madness, that is something to savor all on its own!  The only commandment I give forth to my chosen playthings is to not kill themselves as the visions of the future continue.  The rest I leave to them.  What will they do with their knowledge, with the sliver of power I’ve granted them?  Yes, things may become a bit more complicated now that this world has been so infused with raw magical power, but truly, it is a wonderful chaotic mess that’s developing!

Take this one, this little, insignificant fellow in, what was this city called again?  Ah yes, Sentinel City.  Yes, this little nobody who had a meaningless existence before, now has a purpose!  He’s fully embraced the power of chaos, as you can see.  I don’t bother myself with the specifics of what he’s seen in the future, but he seems to have taken on a bit of a dramatic and whimsical air about himself, hasn’t he?  A clown, bathed in blood, and preaching of the End Times to a growing flock of believers he’s cultivated in his image.  Can you see it, that little detail that binds them all together?  No?  Well, let me enlighten you, my pet.  He’s tapped into the very strings of fate, you see, and can see when death comes for them, and he’s intervening to stop it.  In his own twisted way, of course.  His entire gang of heathens now exists to find more to try and bring into the fold for the sake of saving lives that would otherwise be snuffed out.

Oh, this must be causing an absolute fit with the powers of fate in your world.  And to think, he’s but one of many across the face of the mudball! 

#Lore24 – Entry #204 – Supers Month II #23 – Souls Fit for a Queen

Musings of Demon Lord Kurae

Queen’s ego may be larger than even herself, and that’s saying something for a demon who has a fifty-plus foot body composed of nothing but tentacles, but when she puts her mind to something, she gets results!  Look at how many playthings she’s brought to me, and how curious they are!  Why, this one has practically changed fully into something that resembles a werewolf, and yet, its soul is distinctly still human, but infused with a most unique flavor of magical energies.  And this one, I’d call her a half-cow; you know, with her breasts being that large, I daresay she’ll make a fine addition to the milking stable, once properly trained.  This one would make a passable kitsune, I think; perhaps I can work with it and turn it into a mate for my Kitsune?  We’ll see…

What say you, pet?  What has occurred here?  You are the foremost expert on such things in your world, are you not?

Oh…yes, of course.  I forget that your magi are stunted in this realm and must have a bond with a familiar regardless of the powers they wield.  So, you’re saying that these humans have bonded with their familiars?  Oh, oh!  You’re telling me that they’re not aware of their bonds with them?  Oh, your kind is even dumber than I could have imagined!  Give me a moment while I enjoy a most earnest laugh at humanity’s expense!

And what do you make of those whom Queen has taken for herself, then?  The slutty teenager, the ponyboy, and the insane woman overflowing with raw magical essence?  What of their familiars?  Only the ponyboy comes close, but his animal features are all leather and latex, so that doesn’t count.  Oh?  A total merging of spiritual essences?  They and their familiars are truly one, are they?  Hence why there’s little in the way of limits upon their potential?  Ohhhh, how curious…so now you’re telling me that the familiars that were bonded with the others were essentially newly created by the explosion, and these are familiar spirits that have existed for a long time, and have grown much stronger since the flow of magic was dammed up?    

Hmmm…this is a potentially dangerous complication, my pet.  Just how many of these old-spirit familiars could there be?  And just how are they picking their targets, and choosing what powers they grant?  I daresay that ponyboy is as strong as Queenie in her natural form, and the raw destructive power of the girl she pulled out of the nuthouse is incredible; fortunately, Queenie has just the thing to keep her on the straight and narrow, something to keep her properly focused.  The slut, though…I still haven’t quite grasped her powers even though I can sense she’s strong, but she’s also an idiot…I suppose Queen saw something special, or just wanted another plaything.  She’s on the upper scale of attractiveness for a human, but I’m not even certain that she’s aware she even made a deal with a demon, let alone traversed to another plane of existence with all her complaints about not having ‘signal’.  Whatever. 

Now it’s your turn, pet.  We’re going to do some experiments while my minions are looking for those relics, and you’re going to learn exactly how to recreate this phenomenon for me.  And you’re going to do it because you are my loyal, loving slave.  Still, if you feel the need to disobey, I will never deny you my most loving punishments.