Tag: Azalina Fang Academy

#Lore24 – Entry #340 – Sci-Fi Month IV #5 – The Calling of Demons

Transcribed From the Personal Recording Implant of Andra Ganim, Chronicler of the Codex Infinitum

RV:  “I am most certainly NOT saying that, Ms. Ganim.  I am saying that I was responsible for discovering the methods of contacting the realm of demonkind and developing the methods by which we could gain access to their power.  Any irresponsible use after that cannot be placed upon my shoulders.”

AG:  “Of course, of course.  Could you explain how this line of research came about?  What were you researching at the time?”

RV:  “Interdimensional, planar travel, even the concept of parallel realities, the “multiverse” if you will; truly few minds were capable of grasping the concept in that era.  My initial research had focused upon improving the ability to transport our soldiers and supplies long distances through magical gateways, in concordance with the use of scrying to perhaps arrange for surprise attacks upon our enemies.  For as idiotic as they are, the aerians were wise to our methods, thanks to their kerryn allies, primarily, so finding a workaround to their detection and countermeasures was naturally a priority. 

It was during my studies of a particular draconic ruin and the ancient portal there that I pieced together the early concept of my multiversal theory and began to theorize that perhaps the dragons that we have so long sought could have not only left Andyllion and our galaxy, but they could also have left our reality entirely.  My unique brilliance has led me to many such radical theories over the centuries, and I have, more often than not, been proven correct.”

AG:  “Were you the first person on Andyllion to make contact with the demons, then?”

RV:  “I was, yes, quite possibly the first outside the Demon Barrier and the Demon Sector, in fact, but that’s something we’ll have to circle back to later.  It was during one of the many jaunts I took through the planes during that time.  I had taken precautions, of course, to hide my trail, and had not shared my ability to shift amongst the planes with my fellow arcanists at the time.  In those days, you see, only the priests were considered capable of such a thing, should they travel to the realm of their gods, and that was seen strictly as a reward for their devotion.  What I did then transgressed the commonly held beliefs at the time, for it was assumed that all magic called upon the “aether” present in the world, that elementals were summoned from the four elements, that sort of thing.  I could go on at great length about ancient arcane theory, but I don’t think that’s what you’ve come for.

To answer your question more thoroughly, I had found a trail of corruption in certain planes and realms I had visited, and with some deduction and insight, I followed that trail and puzzled out the particular ritual methods that must be performed in order to bridge the gap into the demonic realm.  Not knowing any particular demons at the time, I was fortunate to have encountered only a minor one that was well within my ability to slay, for it was quite hostile with me.  My future attempts to contact them would be within the most controlled of environments, with strong wards and multiple layers of protection spells designed specifically to deal with beings not native to our reality.”

AG:  “How did matters escalate to the point that the demons were allowed to invade the world?  Did something go out of control?”

RV:  “Only the ego of my people.  Once I had solidified my knowledge of planar shifting and the rituals required to deal with the demons, and a mostly concrete understanding of their hierarchy and ways, I revealed my knowledge to my fellow arcanists and the leaders within the Elvish Dominion.  By this time, things had escalated to full blown war between our forces and our allies and those led by the aerians and kerryns, and the tide had already turned against us.  I will admit that my attention was elsewhere, and I had not paid due attention to the situation.  It was a decision I made in the interests of self-preservation of myself and my kind.

We originally sought only to augment our forces to fend off the advance of our enemies, to push them out of our lands.  But, once the full extent of what I had learned in the intervening centuries was understood, a plan was formulated that would break our enemies and see the Elvish Dominion returned to its proper place atop the world.  So, instead of using the demons directly as our soldiers, we would discredit our enemies and tear them apart from the inside.

Through a series of planar jumps, we were able to infiltrate deep into enemy territory without their knowledge, and once we had established our base of operations beneath the kerryn capital of Shinsei Daitoshi, we enacted our plan, coordinating with the lord of demons known as Suzu’retani, the Queen of the Succubi, the Bringer of Calamity.  Oh, don’t give me that look, Ms. Ganim; she was destroyed thousands of years ago; if any demonkind still remembers her name to even hear it uttered, they can do nothing about it within my domain. 

Now, then, the invasion started subtly enough, with her forces causing all manner of disruption amongst the enemy.  A deal was made with the demons; in return for elvish dominance over Andyllion, they could have all the aerian and kerryn souls they could possibly want.  Though I led the initial operation to bring the demons to Andyllion, I would be well away from Shinsei Daitoshi when the Demonfall occurred.  I must admit, even I was caught by surprise when Suzu’reitani subverted the kerryn faith and managed to capture Saressh.  Even I don’t know exactly how she managed that feat, but it was the madness that filled the kerryn priesthood that signaled the beginning of the Demonfall, and soon enough, the beasts ravaged our enemies, taking souls as if they would never end. 

Their taint spread, and soon enough those who had once allied with the aerians and kerryns turned to us, and against them.  The aerians, without the help of their longtime kerryn allies, were wiped out and driven from our lands.  However, though the Elvish Dominion had made a clearly defined bargain, we had not taken into account the nature of the corruption that spilled forth from their incursion in the kerryn capital.  The very essence of the demons began to corrupt and taint the world, and seemed to affect the elves more quickly and fiercely than other races.  This was initially how we garnered so much sympathy from our former enemies, in fact, for we played it off that the kerryns had summoned forth the demons, set the corruption against us, and then lost control of the monsters they had brought forth.

My own corruption was significantly lesser than my peers due to the time I spent in realms beyond our own, though even I could see that something had to be done to reverse course.  I’ll admit that I played my part in the atrocity, but I likewise did what I could to save Andyllion from the destruction that my overeager brethren had wrought upon it.  I would find myself in strange company in this endeavor, for the being known as Marcon Shadowmist would seek me out to right the situation.  Not even I can understand his way of thinking, why he had waited this long, but it was his plan that we followed to restore the balance and stop the demonic invasion.  This was what led to the Great Cataclysm, and somehow, that was the better choice, not just for Andyllion, but for the rest of the galaxy, though we certainly could not have known that at the time.”

#Lore24 – Entry #339 – Sci-Fi Month IV #4 – The Elvish Dominion

Transcribed From the Personal Recording Implant of Andra Ganim, Chronicler of the Codex Infinitum

AG:  “So would you say you specialized in destructive magic at the academy?  Would seem fitting going to war.”

RV:  “At the time, yes.  As I said, rebellious young blood.  It was my first specialization, though I have since mastered all recognized disciplines…and perhaps some that aren’t.”

AG:  “Most intriguing; I will circle back around to this later.  For now, could you describe your first experiences upon the fields of battle?”

RV:  “I would call them positively invigorating.  After being confined to the stuffiness of the academy as I had been, being in a setting where things were actually happening was a most welcome change.  I was not possessed of the fear that often overtakes someone during their first real battle, rather, I found myself in my element, almost as if it were a natural state.  Though our engagements were limited at first, I relished the chance to rend my enemies asunder through my command of the arcane.  I do believe that this was the first time I truly recognized that I had a sadistic side to my nature.  I can’t recall any specific examples, but I know I would leave many aerians in various states of dismemberment and see if I could coax some screams from them.  They are dreadfully stubborn creatures, you know, even more so back then than they are now, and it was a rare treat to make one scream in pain.”

Note:  The casual manner in which she related this sent a chill down my spine, and I am quite disturbed by the look of fond reminiscence upon her face.

AG:  “I see…how did your battlefield experience lead you to improve your house and to the formation of the Elvish Dominion?”

RV:  “It was the lack of unity I saw.  For all our enlightenment compared to the lesser races, we elves tended to stick to our own blood for whatever reason, well, back then, at least.  I daresay that was why we could never truly control the world as we so often dreamed of, because we always saw a plot against us, usually from others of our kind, for we were the only ones to be able to think that far ahead, you see.  The shorter-lived races were of no real concern except in the moment; they could always be dealt with in some form or another, but the threat that was always there was our own kind.

Even though the aerians were quite brutish and backwards in their ways, they were tenacious and had an excellent ability to work together for a common cause, namely the eradication of any elves that crossed them, and more on top of that for good measure.  For all of my brutality in slaying them with my magic, they would return the favor in kind with their own barbaric methods and had been for some time.  I noticed early on that my people would make decisions that would benefit their houses over the greater good of the entirety of the elvish nation, resulting in losses that didn’t have to happen. 

I do believe this was likely when my natural ability to lead and inspire first manifested, for I began to create alliances that broke down some of the barriers between the houses, forged in the fires of war.  After a handful of years on the battlefield, I would return to my homeland with my inner fire burning quite hot and pushed the leadership of House Volcari to change their ways.  I won’t say that it was entirely the force of my personality that was responsible for these changes and growing alliances, however much I would like to say that was the driving factor.  No, there was no small amount of subterfuge and arcane methods employed, and no few people had to be made to disappear.  Luckily enough we had an enemy that was more than capable of being manipulated into doing the work for us, exploiting the opportunities that I and my loyalists would create for them.

It was the loss of many of the elder leaders of the various houses that spurred them to action, to lay aside ancient feuds and oft-imagined plots against one another and join together to form the Elvish Dominion.  As expected, this unification, and the formation of the twelve Great Houses that would lead the entirety of the elven people caused quite the stir amongst the people on the outside.  Most saw this as a threat to their own peoples, and perhaps it was.  Some would ally with us, and some would try to remain neutral or come to the defense of the aerians, seeing the elves as a real threat for the first time. 

Quite a tumultuous period, really. 

Though I would be prominent as a force of change for some years, I would eventually return to my arcane studies, firmly established as the true power of House Volcari.  It would not be without its own dangers, certainly, and I made it a point to master my protective warding magics during this period, for there were many attempts on my life during the early days, something that has continued to this very day, believe it or not. 

In spite of the relative unrest that would prevail during this period, my studies and experimentation would lead to several remarkable advances in the magical arts, born of the study of the ancient and long-lost draconic race that likely seeded Andyllion.  I would become quite fascinated with uncovering all that I could about them, driven by a desire from deep within my very soul, as it were.  Though I had little proof of it at the time, I would eventually come to learn the nature of this fascination and how my unique nature was related to it. 

During these scant few centuries, I would likewise uncover a plethora of previously lost sources of power that would prove quite literally earth-shattering in the coming years.  You know of what I am referring to, yes?”

AG:  “You speak of the Demonfall, correct?  Are you saying that you were responsible for calling the demons to Andyllion?”

#Lore24 – Entry #338 – Sci-Fi Month IV #3 – Magical Arts, Magical Blood

Transcribed From the Personal Recording Implant of Andra Ganim, Chronicler of the Codex Infinitum

 AG:  “How would you describe your time at the academy upon the Isle of Fang?”

RV:  “Tedious.  It was far from the silly little social clubs obsessed with their legwear that it is these days, teaching little more than what could be considered the basics of arcane theory.  The ancient arcanists were still quite full of themselves, though, convinced of their own superiority in many cases, or trying to hide their contempt of those not gifted with a mind for the arcane through their good works that would earn them praise.  The humans were the worst of course; other elves were at least tolerable because I knew what to expect.  But, having never been around the short-lived beings much at all previously, it was quite the learning experience.  I seem to recall having thoughts that I was actively watching them die at some points, growing older before my eyes. 

Honestly, I can recall feeling underwhelmed once I had settled in and began my studies there, almost as if I already knew all of what they sought to teach me, on a deeper…instinctive level.”

AG:  “Instinctive level?  Could you elaborate more upon that, please?”

RV:  “Magic is in the blood of elves, my dear Ms. Ganim, and most of us, at least in those days, could instinctively perform rudimentary spells that were of a primal nature, affecting flora or fauna.  Grasping the deeper arcane methods was a rudimentary task for those elves who were possessed of even a middling intellect.  When I say that my understanding came from a deeper level, I mean that my very blood, my very soul even, was attuned to the flow of magic in ways normal elves could only dream of.  For all the tedium I suffered at the academy, it did at least make me aware of my unique nature, that there was something quite special about me that others simply couldn’t possess or understand.”

AG:  “Fascinating.  Could you elaborate more upon what this is?”

RV:  “In time.  I believe you have already alluded to this in the research you’ve already shared with me, so perhaps we’ll continue with your timeline beyond my school days?”

Note:  Her tone of voice was quite steady and calm here, yet I cannot deny the force with which Rivalle Volcari spoke.  She may have phrased it as a suggestion, but I have no doubts it was a command.

AG:  “Yes, of course.  As the records I uncovered indicated, now that you’ve confirmed your full name, you completed your studies there in only five years.  The grading scales are certainly different now, but by what records still exist, you received top marks and nothing but praise for your talents.  I imagine there was no shortage of parties interested in attaining your considerable talents?”

RV:  “Quite right.  I was offered a place within the Praxium of Arcavarlon, but at the time tensions were rising between the nations, and I had no interest in serving upon a council of my lessers.  The kerryns were insisting upon being the negotiators of peace, while the elves, dawn and dusk, and the aerians were already engaged in multiple conflicts necessitating said peacekeepers, while the humans sought, in their infantile ways, to profit from all sides.  To their credit, the dwarves and drakonae had the good sense to keep to themselves, for the most part, though they too would seek to profit from their exceptional weapon and armor craftsmanship.  The other races would barely leave a mark during this time.”

AG:  “Where did you go during this time?”

RV:  “To war.  I was quite ready to test myself against veteran battle-mages that had been dealing with the aerian nuisance for some time.  I was young then, my blood running hot, what you humans would understand as a rebellious teenager phase, and I was quite ready to test my destructive magic in a practical setting.  And that would lead to my work to build up House Volcari and see the establishment of the Elvish Dominion.”

#Lore24 – Entry #337 – Sci-Fi Month IV #2 – Humble Beginnings Upon Andyllion

Transcribed From the Personal Recording Implant of Andra Ganim, Chronicler of the Codex Infinitum

Though a storm rages outside, I cannot hear the thunder nor feel the force of the wind upon the building as I sit in Rivalle Volcari’s office, and barely notice the lightning due to the flash-hiding properties of the windows.  I can sense the arcane resonance in the air around me, mixing in nigh flawlessly with the technological systems that one would expect to find in a corporate office.  The enchantments are indeed of a warding nature, but are cloaked as to their full purpose, and I dare not probe them further with my arcane sight, for I can sense the power within them, lurking as if they themselves were some predators waiting to strike.  Even the plants inside the office make me wary, for though they are flowered and smell quite pleasant, I have little doubt that they are some kind of specialized breed of maidenbane vine, for they shift about as if following me.

The doors to the office opened within a matter of minutes after my arrival, and two people entered, Rivalle Volcari and her kerryn assistant, following dutifully behind her carrying a tray of food and drink.  I rose to greet her, steeling my nerves as the intensity of her gaze and mere presence slammed into me; there is no question as to the power present in her aura, and I could only begin to guess at the nature of the multiple enchantments upon her and her clothing.  I have never once seen someone with such a powerful aura of magic about them; this is something you would see hundreds, maybe even thousands of years ago, when magic was at its height, certainly prior to the wars that saw the collapse of the Great Elvish Imperium, at any rate.  Also, I can’t help but think I’ve seen her assistant somewhere before; she looks very familiar.

I shall begin the interview immediately, for her time is no doubt limited; any observations and thoughts will be noted as the conversation is transcribed; standard recording devices and handwritten notes will be taken as well.

AG:  “I am so very grateful that you have agreed to allow me to interview you, Ms. Volcari.”

Note:  Her perfume seems to be scented in a similar, if more concentrated, aroma as the majority of the flowering plants in her office.  Her grip is firm, skin smooth, tingling as my arcane sense picks up on the enchantments upon her.  She stands a few inches taller than me, in addition to the high heels she wears.  She makes no effort to hide her apparent amusement at our meeting, in contrast to the typically stoic or uninterested looks she typically gives during standard interviews.

RV:  “You’ve certainly done your homework, Ms. Ganim.  I daresay you’ve been the single most dedicated researcher I’ve encountered in quite some time.  Or would ‘stalker’ be more accurate?  No, I suppose not; you’ve not been that close, not until now, anyway.  Whatever could you wish to know from me that you’ve no doubt already uncovered?”

AG:  “There are several questions I have relating to various aspects of the history I’ve found, more often than not on details that are unclear or questions as to whether you were involved at all.  There are multiple times within our recorded history where the record is questionable at best, and one who has lived for as long as you have must surely have unique insights upon certain events.  Ah, forgive me if I’m a bit too forward in assuming your age, but you’ve reviewed the initial notes I’ve sent you.  Was I correct in my assertation that you are indeed of an age that precedes the Andyllion Demonfall and Great Cataclysm?”

RV:  “No, think nothing of it.  Though my reputation is rather infamous, I do respect the work you’ve done.  I daresay I’m rather flattered that I have become your obsession, Ms. Ganim; yours is certainly the healthiest such obsessive personality I’ve come across.  Most who obsess over me to this degree typically wish to see me dead.  Sit, Ms. Ganim; Lila, see to her comfort.”

Note:  Her assistant, Lila.  As she serves me tea and sets out plates for us as we take our positions in the chairs by the window, I know now why I thought her so familiar.  She is indeed the very likeness of Lila Darius, a fellow historian whom I’ve met many times during my years.  This could not possibly be her, though, for I know for a fact that Lila Darius is exploring the Demon Sector at this moment.  A curious observation indeed, especially considering we’ve brought up the subject of obsession.

AG:  “Might I inquire as to your origins, Ms. Volcari?  You are originally from Andyllion, but I am unable to ascertain the exact time frame.  And could you tell me of your early days?”

RV:  “Oh, I don’t have exact numbers, for I cannot be bothered with such trivial details.  Going by the current scale by which we track the passing of time, I would say that I was born approximately…five hundred years before the Demonfall.  Yes, that sounds about right.  My early life was nothing special; I was born amongst the dawn elves of long-lost Fyva Dorthore, though I knew early on that I was quite special even amongst their kind. 

I was, and still am, possessed of a most keen intellect, you see, and a remarkable affinity for the magical arts.  You’ve no doubt sensed the enchantments around us and upon me by now.  Oh, don’t look so surprised, Ms. Ganim, I’ve done my research on you just as you have done yours upon me.  If I thought you were a threat, I would have taken appropriate steps long ago, and you would either e in one of my private collections or dead.  Back to your question…my childhood and early development were rather unremarkable for the time, save that I excelled at the arcane arts.  At the time I was hailed as something of a prodigy in that regard and had already surpassed my mentors in my backwater little village before I had reached puberty. 

I would then journey to the great city of Arcavarlon, and from there enroll in the prestigious academy upon the Isle of Fang, the youngest dawn elf to have done so then, and now, if I’m not mistaken.  The Azalina Fang Academy as it is known now, such a droll name…it has gone through many names over the years; you can determine which one it was using during this time, I’m certain; again, I don’t keep track of such trivial details.  You may even have records of me being there, though I was, at that time, using my full name:  Rivaressel’alle’nara of House Voclari.  It had not yet reached the status of a Great House yet; that would come later, and with no small amount of work from myself to see it happen.”

#Lore 24 – Entry #110 – Sci-Fi Month II #19 – Fashion Victims of the Azalina Fang Academy

From the Personal Journal of Seiko Kajira, Galactic News Gazette reporter, assigned UEF-04 Maharani Morgiana

I’ve always wondered what that all-girls’ arcane academy on Andyllion was like, and I just found my ticket to some inside information from a someone who graduated from there.  This Kirara Mizutani had an especially non-standard experience while he was there, and once I’d gotten a few drinks into him, he wasn’t shy about telling me all the juicy bits.  And how juicy they are!  I’d expect this kind of thing from a school ran by followers of the Lovely sisters, but not from a school for wizardly types.

So, this place is already famous for being an all women school…mostly.  Hell, I didn’t know men could go there and NOT get turned into animals; I was always under the impression that part was just a quirk of the nature of the island the school is on, but apparently that’s not the case.  Men can go there, if they’re willing to either use magic to change their gender or, if they don’t go that far, they can go most of the way by hyper-feminizing themselves through similar magics.  However, that comes with a kinky little caveat:  they must wear chastity cages on their cocks for the duration of their education there, whether they’re on the island or not, and even during breaks.  So, either no dicky or caged dicky; either way, they weren’t going to use it, so the cherries were safe (or not; apparently there’s no shortage of sex off the island, and even on it…). 

But that’s not all; apparently the men, even those that go full sex change, have to undergo a full year of remedial studies on top of the normal term, which has little to do with magic, rather, they have to become part of one of the sorority houses and learn how to be proper ladies, always wearing dresses and heels and makeup, most of it bright pink, learning how to fix their hair, that sort of stuff.  And that year also apparently involves being a maid for the whole house, and that comes with all kinds of kinky sexcapades apparently…not that the guys were really getting off that much, or at all, but apparently the female students had no such restrictions.  I have a feeling I could pump Mizutani for more details about the lusty hijinks and have enough material to write erotica for centuries.  Not that I’d really need a lot of help; I could just make up all kinds of shit involving magical schoolgirls and forced-feminization and make an okay bonus check every now and then.

So, Mizutani went into some detail about the sorority houses at the Academy.  It’s always been a bit of a mystery, something the students tend to lord over the outsiders as some big secret, those colorful socks and leggings of theirs. Turns out it’s not really that big of a secret.  I’m actually kind of pissed at myself for even asking about them after I found out the truth.  So, those multi-color leggings aren’t just tied to what course of study they are pursuing but also represent their House.  There are twelve major Houses on the Isle, and each one has their own colors; that’s represented by the inner-most layer of their legwear, usually by stockings or tights.  The next layer is an inner sock that represents what year of study they are on, and the outer layer represents the particular type of magic they’re studying; it’s possible to have multiple fields of study, so it’s not uncommon for students to have four or five layers on their legs, in various states of garishness depending on the particular combination.

Fuck me, that took way too long to explain…

The sororities themselves are just as I’ve heard, though.  The largest houses are dominated by one particular megacorp or another, the big names, anyway, like DSM or VTC, and are usually filled with students who come from families tied to whatever corp is in control.  There are a few smaller houses that barely qualify to be called such in comparison to those linked to the megacorps, and these are usually there for anyone who may not want to get entangled with the big guys or just the outcasts.

In Mizutani’s case, it was only his first year that wasn’t standard.  And it was an interesting time on the Isle of Fang, apparently.  There were an unprecedented number of men who signed on that year, a dozen, which meant that each of the Great Sororities got their own special maid for at least a year.  The administration even felt like having a little fun and randomized the house the students were sent to, just to make sure there wasn’t any favoritism going on.  Mizutani didn’t say which house he joined, but from what I gather they didn’t take it easy on him, always teasing, tempting, and tormenting, as he put it.  I would say I feel sorry for him, but the way he looked after he started telling me some of the kinkier details, I think he enjoyed himself quite a bit.  Which would explain why he kept the feminization thing going, and still wears his school colors most days.  I suppose it is something to be proud of, making it through a school like that and graduating with honors.

I’m going to be meeting him a few more times, I think.  Maybe dig for some juicier details on some of the corpo kids he was there with, something I could use later on, maybe.  Or hell, maybe I’m just curious to hear more about his sex life.  He’s cute enough; maybe I can try that bullying angle, see if he responds to that in some way.  Or maybe play a little footsie under the table, see how big he is now that he’s out of that school-enforced cock cage and looking like he does.

I’ve got multiple years to stay busy here, okay?  I might as well find something to entertain myself while waiting for news to happen.  We won’t even drop out of hyperspace for another week and a half, and I’m BORED.  Fuck me, I need to go for a walk or something, I’m starting to get angry again just thinking about being ANYWHERE else.