Orp Boon [M:83:616:][D3v:http://www.rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=406&page=1#374]"Is that family heirloom for sale?"[0:Gone fishing.][1:The store is open!]
The Wistvale Graveyard had been seriously repaired from the zombie event seven years ago. Graves now more often have stone slabs over the bodies. Another common practices was to bury the dead in locked boxes. A member of the Sentinels was always posted in the guard tower, equiped with the so called "Apocalypse Bell" and a chest full of torches and crossbow bolts.
A large mausoleum stands in the center of the Wistvale Graveyard. Fog seems to stick to its imposing stone walls even during the height of the sun. The stench of death emits from the mausoleum even more than the rest of the graveyard. The wooden door is barred with multiple posts nailed into it.
The Sentinel on guard escorts Loreburn to the Mausoleum.
He cheerfully followed the guard, writing in his big book, barely looking at his surroundings, only watching enough to take in a little more of the atmosphere, writing down everything he thought was important, and a lot of stuff he knew was not.
From the reports and thaumaturgical radiation I'm picking up, this has to have been at least a Gamma-level necromantic event, maybe more. This will help my research in leagues, bounds even. Back at the academy they didn't allow us to cast more than a few simple spells, haven't really had a chance to practice after that. Well, aside from the Keter event in Brighthollow, but that was an exception.
He was rambling now, oblivious to the fact that the guard didn't care about it as much as he did.
Degree in Post-Mortem Communication, an Offical Hemomancy Conditional Practice Certificate, License to Employ Pyrokenetics, Advanced Necromantic Exception Certification, Doctorate in Soul Magics and Related Sciences, Approved Demonic Event Technician from the Board of Infernal Affairs, Practicing Curse Removal Specialist.
And your qualifications?
Orp Boon [M:83:616:][D3v:http://www.rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=406&page=1#374]"Is that family heirloom for sale?"[0:Gone fishing.][1:The store is open!]
The two reach the mausoleum. The Sentinel counts the number of headstones to stay away while listening to Loreburn.
"Here ya are. I can take those boards off the door but I'll put em right back on after ya enter. As they say, 'Birth a zombie horde once, shame on us. Birth a zombie horde twice...' "
Of course! My Approved Necromantics professor said that all the time. Jolly old lich he was.
He put the book back at his hip and put one hand on it, looking unperturbed at all the blood and ruins.
How long ago did this happen? Seven years? Go ahead and undo the boards, good man, I'll find my own way out.
Degree in Post-Mortem Communication, an Offical Hemomancy Conditional Practice Certificate, License to Employ Pyrokenetics, Advanced Necromantic Exception Certification, Doctorate in Soul Magics and Related Sciences, Approved Demonic Event Technician from the Board of Infernal Affairs, Practicing Curse Removal Specialist.
And your qualifications?
Orp Boon [M:83:616:][D3v:http://www.rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=406&page=1#374]"Is that family heirloom for sale?"[0:Gone fishing.][1:The store is open!]
As Loreburn steps down the steps down into the mausoleum he can he the Sentinel tapping the nails back into the boards. He enters a crypt carved into the ground and covered in stone decorations.
Loreburn finds a central room adorned with archways. One hallway exits to the left, one to the right.
The room is illuminated by streams of light sneaking through cracks in the ceiling and walls. The stench becomes almost overwhelming as he enters the room. The ground is stained with pools of some brown and green liquids. Mold has taken over large patches of the floor in what look like very size able lumps. Some lumps are covered in multiple fungi and are about the size of a house cat. The only audible sounds are the Sentinel finishing off the door and a few drips of condensation falling to the floor.
Well. He paused, looking around, completely unafraid of talking to himself. He'd been in some stinkholes before...killing pits, places where corpses, walking or non, had been left to rot for years, but this was almost taking the cake. He pulled the collar of his robe up over his mouth and nose, but that only helped a little.
Seven years is a long time. Mental note to prepare some airborne disease tests later...hopefully there's nothing floating around in the air. After the Sentinel hammered in the last nail, he took in a deep breath and set out, writing in his book again as he studied, keeping the book out of the dripping water when possible.
Subject appears...constructed in Fifth Century, typical architecture of the Vernal era of mages....particularly the rogue blood mages. Telltale floor grooves ensure all liquids are....funneled to one central location. Probably crude pipe or aqueduct work. Would be very surprised if any of it still stands. Fascinating. He bent to stick the tips of his fingers into the puddles of liquid.
Testing local shadow corruption levels now...
Degree in Post-Mortem Communication, an Offical Hemomancy Conditional Practice Certificate, License to Employ Pyrokenetics, Advanced Necromantic Exception Certification, Doctorate in Soul Magics and Related Sciences, Approved Demonic Event Technician from the Board of Infernal Affairs, Practicing Curse Removal Specialist.
And your qualifications?
Orp Boon [M:83:616:][D3v:http://www.rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=406&page=1#374]"Is that family heirloom for sale?"[0:Gone fishing.][1:The store is open!]
Loreburn finds that barely any liquid comes up as most is dried onto the floor. Some of the liquid is REEALLY old blood and an other pool of liquid is REEALLY old bile.
He winces under his hat, making a disgusted noise despite himself.
Well preserved...ahh....liquid remains. Heavily shadow corrupted, but without more precise thaum-dating I cannot say long long it has been inert. He wiped his glove on his robe.
Nothing...dangerous so far. Still fascinating.
He got to his feet and looked from one passage to the other, picking one at random. Left it was, then, as he headed down that exit, trying to step around the piles of mold and fungus.
Have to try and find the center chamber, try and neutralize it if possible. Will be using, ah...Johnston's purge runes, long half life. Should be sufficient.
Degree in Post-Mortem Communication, an Offical Hemomancy Conditional Practice Certificate, License to Employ Pyrokenetics, Advanced Necromantic Exception Certification, Doctorate in Soul Magics and Related Sciences, Approved Demonic Event Technician from the Board of Infernal Affairs, Practicing Curse Removal Specialist.
And your qualifications?
Orp Boon [M:83:616:][D3v:http://www.rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=406&page=1#374]"Is that family heirloom for sale?"[0:Gone fishing.][1:The store is open!]
The left hallway leads to a small room, about 15 by 15 feet. The floor is filled with a grid of open sarcophagi. The lids are in shattered remains lying on the floor. A small lump of biological remains about the size of a mouse sits in a corner on a step on the stairs leading into the room.
Well then. He peers around all the sarcophagi, walking slowly among them, looking into each one.
The obvious thing is that they're all, ah...unoccupied, as it were. Most probably in the horde I was told about...but we cannot out-rule another awakening.
He heads back to try the other passage, but notices the small lump as he turns back. Letting out a small, triumphant sort of noise, he pulls a pair of glasses from the pocket of his robe, putting them on his nose...or presumably he did, it was hard to tell.
Surely any normal flesh would have decomposed completely by now....hello, little friend. Let's hear your story, hmm? Slowly he reached for it, stopping just over it, the palm of his hand glowing a faint red through his glove as he sent out very small, searching pulses of blood magic, seeing how it would react. It might just be a mouse, really...or it could be a mutated, corrupted lump of human flesh. Had to see, either way.
Degree in Post-Mortem Communication, an Offical Hemomancy Conditional Practice Certificate, License to Employ Pyrokenetics, Advanced Necromantic Exception Certification, Doctorate in Soul Magics and Related Sciences, Approved Demonic Event Technician from the Board of Infernal Affairs, Practicing Curse Removal Specialist.
And your qualifications?
Orp Boon [M:83:616:][D3v:http://www.rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=406&page=1#374]"Is that family heirloom for sale?"[0:Gone fishing.][1:The store is open!]
Ha! He laughed in joy and triumph, trying to coax it open further.
Hello, little friend! Good to see you! My, but you've seen a lot, I imagine. The stories you could tell about this place. Utterly fascinated, he moved the hand gingerly to a blank spot on the floor, and produced a chalk stick from a pouch on his belt. He worked quickly, drawing and talking at a rapid-fire pace.
Study notes, attempting a Self-Animating Blood Construct on the specimen. Background magic may be a problem, but if I don't fool myself, I may be able to isolate the the thaumatological wavelengths...create a self-sufficient magic well...
The rune around the hand drawn, he put both of his hands over the rotted one, concentrating.
Let's go, little friend...rise and shine!
Degree in Post-Mortem Communication, an Offical Hemomancy Conditional Practice Certificate, License to Employ Pyrokenetics, Advanced Necromantic Exception Certification, Doctorate in Soul Magics and Related Sciences, Approved Demonic Event Technician from the Board of Infernal Affairs, Practicing Curse Removal Specialist.
And your qualifications?
Orp Boon [M:83:616:][D3v:http://www.rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=406&page=1#374]"Is that family heirloom for sale?"[0:Gone fishing.][1:The store is open!]
Loreburn is able, with much concentration to get the hand to stand itself up on its fingers. It wavers and almost falls over until it staggers back into balance.
A little lightheaded from the effort of raising it without the proper tools and rituals, he sat to rest as he coached the hand back upright.
Come on, little one, you can do it...stand up, there we are! He chuckled to himself, very pleased.
Now...and blood magician worth his salt would have built a set of tasks into the background magic of this place. Mindless but animate servitors would be influenced by the field's tasks automatically, with the aid of a magician to order it specifically. Only be a moment before my little friend reads the air...finds out where the programming still says it's needed...
Degree in Post-Mortem Communication, an Offical Hemomancy Conditional Practice Certificate, License to Employ Pyrokenetics, Advanced Necromantic Exception Certification, Doctorate in Soul Magics and Related Sciences, Approved Demonic Event Technician from the Board of Infernal Affairs, Practicing Curse Removal Specialist.
And your qualifications?
Orp Boon [M:83:616:][D3v:http://www.rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=406&page=1#374]"Is that family heirloom for sale?"[0:Gone fishing.][1:The store is open!]