Umbral Caverns
"Hngh! Why am I doing this, while your thralls just stand there?!
Netzach grunted as he heaved a heavy set of knight armour, clanking and creaking, inch by inch, accross the cavern floor.
"Emotional Support! You got this, put your back into it, Necromancer!"
Hod mockingly cheered and clapped, lazily lounging on his skeletal throne.
"Gnh! And why can't I use my thralls"
"Hahahaha! hack, cough"
Hod buckled over, still laughing.
"I never said anything about not using your thralls, but you seemed pretty determined to do it yourself! Also, It was funny.
HAHAHAHA!"
Netzach balled his fists in anger, ears turning red.
He sublimated the fury, instead choosing to politely cough and interrupt his master's laughing/coughing fit.
"Ahem! So what exactly is this supposed to be? Armour for my thralls?"
Netzach gestured to the full set of armor. It looked like one of those empty suits of armor that stand at attention in those fancy Glass Quarter manors like knights, complete with a heavy looking two habded sword. Probably stolen from another set of poor merchant sods his master slaughtered.
Hod stifled his raucous laughter down to a chortle, enough to speak a few words.
"Hohoho! No, no my dear apprentice. The armour isn't for your thralls. It is your thrall
His eyes gleamed in the way it always did when he wanted to show off, and he waved a hand over the armour, twirling his fingers.
The armour jerked as necromantic life forced its way into it. It ripped itself from its stand and stood menacingly wielding its sword.
"Netzach, allow me to introduce you to... The Golem"
Netzach blinked.
"Of course... its like a Fetch but bigger. And made out of metal too... why do we even bother with corpses then?"
Because... while metal do not suffer the frailties of flesh, they also do not benefit from certain powers a Necromancer possesses."
"Such as?"
Hod waved his hand and one of his thralls slumped to the ground, his control rescinded.
"Raise that thrall for me. Allow me to show you."
Netzach nodded uneasily. Hod telling him to do something without telling him why was never a good sign.
The corpse raised again, rising to full height. Suddenly in a fast movement, full of weight and momentum, the Golem of the knight armour twirled its two hander, making a whistling arc before cleaving the thrall's right arm clean off at the elbow.
Netzach backed up, the sword whistling past, almost shaving his head bald, and winced as he heaed the disgusting sound of the blade hitting against necrotized flesh.
"Beautiful work! A masterstroke if I say so myself!" Hod said, grinning.
"Now! Quickly make your thrall pick up its severed arm and place it back on its elbow.
Netzach did so, with a slight nod and a mental command. The thrall, being a Husk, was clumsy, and had to claw at the cavern floor several times before it could grab its own arm. However, finally it managed to grasp hold of its arm and hold it back in place against its stump.
"Now, imagine the power of preserve, but push it past its limits. Seek not to keep what is there, but to bring it back in full. Seek to Restore
Netzach closed his eyes focusing on his spark, following Hod's instructions.
He found that he could push past the barrier of Preserve quite easily, but the ether drain was much more intensive. Rotten tendons and severed musculature knit itself back together, and the Thrall found itself with all of its limbs intact once more. Infact, Netzach found upon opening his eyes, that the thrall was looking much better. The disgusting swelling of its rotting corpse seemed to give away, and it almost looked as though he had died less than a week ago.
"The power of Preserve is very useful one. It can keep your thralls continuing to fight in battle. The undead already need no rest and can endure so long as you have ether to feed them. But with Restore, they become matchless combatants, endlessly healing from any wounds while they pile on cuts, gouges and other injuries in their enemies.
But of course, it only works on flesh and bone. So Golems, though hardy and durable, are not able to benefit from this"
Hod explained, hands waving in a grand gesture like a lecturer at an oratorium.
Netzach did, for once, appreciate it. This was indeed a very useful power.
"Our lessons do not end there, Apprentice. Close your eyes. Focus on the tether you have to your thrall."
Netzach nodded, eager to learn more. He had learned long ago to seize momentum when Hod is in the mood to teach something without subjecting him to some sort of horrid prank. Like the time he dumped a bunch of dead rats on him. Or the time he shot at him with a crossbow.
"This is arguably one of the most useful powers of a Necromancer. If you are to master the use of any technique in Necromancy, master this one.
Its name is Link and its nature is thus;
Let your conaciousness ride along the tether. Feel your way to the other end, to the thrall you command."
Netzach zoned in on the tether, that subtle tugging sensation in his core that told him he had a thrall in his command. It wasn't too tricky, and he managed to put himself in the tether itself, like riding a raft down a stream. Except at first, he felt like he was riding against the stream. He pushed onward and suddenly it felt like the current switched directions. His consciousness felt pulled towards the other end of the tether. For a moment, it felt as though he would lose consciousness.
Except instead, his eyes flickered awake. Or rather, his thrall's eyes.
He looked down and was greeted with the rotting body of the merchant, his thrall.
He raised his, or its, (okay this is quickly getting confusing), hands and stared at them. Cracked bloody nails and purple veins choked with dead blood.
Woah, he tried to say, but his rotten vocal cords only managed a "Warghhh!"
Panicking slightly, he looked back to see his own body, serenely meditating on the cavern floor. Eyes shut as though in a light sleep. The sight of his own body from the outside sent a feeling of vertigo, and he almost felt like puking. Or perhaps it was the fact that he was currently possessing a corpse.
Probably both.
"Link sends you into a state of trance, putting your consciousness in direct control of a thrall. You can see how this can be invaluable for a necromancer. Unlike other mages you do not have to be at the site of a battle to wreak havoc. You are a general, a strategist! You need not step foot into the battlefield, just let your pawns be your eyes and hands.
Okay! Great! How do I go back?"
Netzach said. Or rather;
"Auughy! Rrhhea! Gauhau dauheye gauh bachhhrkk"
But the meaning got through, somehow, and Hod smiled and replied.
"Simply will your consciousness to do so."
Netzach had never willed something harder in his life, and instantly snapped back like a whip.
He took in a deep breath. Faldrun's balls, fresh, non-rotten-lung air never felt so good. He patted himself over, as if to reassure himself that he had indeed left the rotting corpse behind.
"Hahaha, do not worry, apprentice. The Link breaks itself if you eere to be disturbed during trance, much like a deep sleep. However it is wise to be weary, an assassin needs only one strike and you'd wake up with your throat slit. Always be careful where you decide to slip into trance."
Netzach nodded, his panicked breathing settling down to a calmer rythm.
"Ah yes, there was one other thing. You asked me a while back what a necromancer is to do if they wish to kill someone on the spot, even without thralls?
Hod said, motioning Netzach to rise.
Netzach in turn, nodded as he stood. Finally, a weapon to use even if he does not have thralls at the ready.
"Necromancers rarely fight face to face. But we do have a few powers to aid us in direct confrontation. Such as..."
Suddenly Hod's shadow.... moved
Netzach blinked, and a pitch black demonaic figure rose before him, shadowy claws flicking out, stopping mere inches from his throat.
Netzach froze in fear.
"Meet the Haunt. It is a thrall made from your own shadow. Its primary use is to fend off Ghosts, especially the servants of Famula. Its own semi-incorporeal nature as a shadow makes it apt for that. However, it can serve to defend from more physical threats in a pinch. Of all the thralls it is perhaps the weakest, but it can be shaped to your whim....
The demonaic figure shifted form and turned into a blade, akin to a short sword, which Hod then picked up.
"...making them by far the most versatile. Go on then, give it a try."
Netzach set his eyes upon his own shadow. He willed it to rise. Some part of him felt stupid. Shadows arent 'things'. Necromancy shouldnt be able to raise them.
But Necromancy doesn't care, does it? It does as it pleases. It animates toy rats. It brings empty sets of armour to arms. It can and will, rise Netzach's shadow.
A familiar tugging sensation.
His shadow suddenly raised a single clawed hand, straight up, out of the ground. Then another. It braced itself against the ground, pulling itself up, as though rising out from the banks of a lake.
The sounds of soldified shadow scraping against hard stone echoed accross the cavern.
Then it stood, Netzach shadow, before the very man who would cast itself.
This thing, he thought, can fight Ghosts? Im not sure what to be more terrified of, ghosts or my own shadow.
He let go of concentration on the thrall, and suddenly he felt as though a great strain on his soul had been lifted. Clearly Haunts were far more taxing to maintain focus on.
"There are other types of thralls you could raise at your level."
Hod said, stroking his chin, as if measuring Netzach's powers.
"Such as particularly large thralls. We call them Giants, if they exceed twice the mass of your average human. Your control over necromancy has matured enough for it."
Hod walked over and gave his apprentice a smack on the shoulder, grinning mad.
"Looks like we're going Jacadon hunting! Hahahaha!"
Netzach groaned. Surely Hod was joking, he hoped.
He was right of course... for now.
Netzach grunted as he heaved a heavy set of knight armour, clanking and creaking, inch by inch, accross the cavern floor.
"Emotional Support! You got this, put your back into it, Necromancer!"
Hod mockingly cheered and clapped, lazily lounging on his skeletal throne.
"Gnh! And why can't I use my thralls"
"Hahahaha! hack, cough"
Hod buckled over, still laughing.
"I never said anything about not using your thralls, but you seemed pretty determined to do it yourself! Also, It was funny.
HAHAHAHA!"
Netzach balled his fists in anger, ears turning red.
He sublimated the fury, instead choosing to politely cough and interrupt his master's laughing/coughing fit.
"Ahem! So what exactly is this supposed to be? Armour for my thralls?"
Netzach gestured to the full set of armor. It looked like one of those empty suits of armor that stand at attention in those fancy Glass Quarter manors like knights, complete with a heavy looking two habded sword. Probably stolen from another set of poor merchant sods his master slaughtered.
Hod stifled his raucous laughter down to a chortle, enough to speak a few words.
"Hohoho! No, no my dear apprentice. The armour isn't for your thralls. It is your thrall
His eyes gleamed in the way it always did when he wanted to show off, and he waved a hand over the armour, twirling his fingers.
The armour jerked as necromantic life forced its way into it. It ripped itself from its stand and stood menacingly wielding its sword.
"Netzach, allow me to introduce you to... The Golem"
Netzach blinked.
"Of course... its like a Fetch but bigger. And made out of metal too... why do we even bother with corpses then?"
Because... while metal do not suffer the frailties of flesh, they also do not benefit from certain powers a Necromancer possesses."
"Such as?"
Hod waved his hand and one of his thralls slumped to the ground, his control rescinded.
"Raise that thrall for me. Allow me to show you."
Netzach nodded uneasily. Hod telling him to do something without telling him why was never a good sign.
The corpse raised again, rising to full height. Suddenly in a fast movement, full of weight and momentum, the Golem of the knight armour twirled its two hander, making a whistling arc before cleaving the thrall's right arm clean off at the elbow.
Netzach backed up, the sword whistling past, almost shaving his head bald, and winced as he heaed the disgusting sound of the blade hitting against necrotized flesh.
"Beautiful work! A masterstroke if I say so myself!" Hod said, grinning.
"Now! Quickly make your thrall pick up its severed arm and place it back on its elbow.
Netzach did so, with a slight nod and a mental command. The thrall, being a Husk, was clumsy, and had to claw at the cavern floor several times before it could grab its own arm. However, finally it managed to grasp hold of its arm and hold it back in place against its stump.
"Now, imagine the power of preserve, but push it past its limits. Seek not to keep what is there, but to bring it back in full. Seek to Restore
Netzach closed his eyes focusing on his spark, following Hod's instructions.
He found that he could push past the barrier of Preserve quite easily, but the ether drain was much more intensive. Rotten tendons and severed musculature knit itself back together, and the Thrall found itself with all of its limbs intact once more. Infact, Netzach found upon opening his eyes, that the thrall was looking much better. The disgusting swelling of its rotting corpse seemed to give away, and it almost looked as though he had died less than a week ago.
"The power of Preserve is very useful one. It can keep your thralls continuing to fight in battle. The undead already need no rest and can endure so long as you have ether to feed them. But with Restore, they become matchless combatants, endlessly healing from any wounds while they pile on cuts, gouges and other injuries in their enemies.
But of course, it only works on flesh and bone. So Golems, though hardy and durable, are not able to benefit from this"
Hod explained, hands waving in a grand gesture like a lecturer at an oratorium.
Netzach did, for once, appreciate it. This was indeed a very useful power.
"Our lessons do not end there, Apprentice. Close your eyes. Focus on the tether you have to your thrall."
Netzach nodded, eager to learn more. He had learned long ago to seize momentum when Hod is in the mood to teach something without subjecting him to some sort of horrid prank. Like the time he dumped a bunch of dead rats on him. Or the time he shot at him with a crossbow.
"This is arguably one of the most useful powers of a Necromancer. If you are to master the use of any technique in Necromancy, master this one.
Its name is Link and its nature is thus;
Let your conaciousness ride along the tether. Feel your way to the other end, to the thrall you command."
Netzach zoned in on the tether, that subtle tugging sensation in his core that told him he had a thrall in his command. It wasn't too tricky, and he managed to put himself in the tether itself, like riding a raft down a stream. Except at first, he felt like he was riding against the stream. He pushed onward and suddenly it felt like the current switched directions. His consciousness felt pulled towards the other end of the tether. For a moment, it felt as though he would lose consciousness.
Except instead, his eyes flickered awake. Or rather, his thrall's eyes.
He looked down and was greeted with the rotting body of the merchant, his thrall.
He raised his, or its, (okay this is quickly getting confusing), hands and stared at them. Cracked bloody nails and purple veins choked with dead blood.
Woah, he tried to say, but his rotten vocal cords only managed a "Warghhh!"
Panicking slightly, he looked back to see his own body, serenely meditating on the cavern floor. Eyes shut as though in a light sleep. The sight of his own body from the outside sent a feeling of vertigo, and he almost felt like puking. Or perhaps it was the fact that he was currently possessing a corpse.
Probably both.
"Link sends you into a state of trance, putting your consciousness in direct control of a thrall. You can see how this can be invaluable for a necromancer. Unlike other mages you do not have to be at the site of a battle to wreak havoc. You are a general, a strategist! You need not step foot into the battlefield, just let your pawns be your eyes and hands.
Okay! Great! How do I go back?"
Netzach said. Or rather;
"Auughy! Rrhhea! Gauhau dauheye gauh bachhhrkk"
But the meaning got through, somehow, and Hod smiled and replied.
"Simply will your consciousness to do so."
Netzach had never willed something harder in his life, and instantly snapped back like a whip.
He took in a deep breath. Faldrun's balls, fresh, non-rotten-lung air never felt so good. He patted himself over, as if to reassure himself that he had indeed left the rotting corpse behind.
"Hahaha, do not worry, apprentice. The Link breaks itself if you eere to be disturbed during trance, much like a deep sleep. However it is wise to be weary, an assassin needs only one strike and you'd wake up with your throat slit. Always be careful where you decide to slip into trance."
Netzach nodded, his panicked breathing settling down to a calmer rythm.
"Ah yes, there was one other thing. You asked me a while back what a necromancer is to do if they wish to kill someone on the spot, even without thralls?
Hod said, motioning Netzach to rise.
Netzach in turn, nodded as he stood. Finally, a weapon to use even if he does not have thralls at the ready.
"Necromancers rarely fight face to face. But we do have a few powers to aid us in direct confrontation. Such as..."
Suddenly Hod's shadow.... moved
Netzach blinked, and a pitch black demonaic figure rose before him, shadowy claws flicking out, stopping mere inches from his throat.
Netzach froze in fear.
"Meet the Haunt. It is a thrall made from your own shadow. Its primary use is to fend off Ghosts, especially the servants of Famula. Its own semi-incorporeal nature as a shadow makes it apt for that. However, it can serve to defend from more physical threats in a pinch. Of all the thralls it is perhaps the weakest, but it can be shaped to your whim....
The demonaic figure shifted form and turned into a blade, akin to a short sword, which Hod then picked up.
"...making them by far the most versatile. Go on then, give it a try."
Netzach set his eyes upon his own shadow. He willed it to rise. Some part of him felt stupid. Shadows arent 'things'. Necromancy shouldnt be able to raise them.
But Necromancy doesn't care, does it? It does as it pleases. It animates toy rats. It brings empty sets of armour to arms. It can and will, rise Netzach's shadow.
A familiar tugging sensation.
His shadow suddenly raised a single clawed hand, straight up, out of the ground. Then another. It braced itself against the ground, pulling itself up, as though rising out from the banks of a lake.
The sounds of soldified shadow scraping against hard stone echoed accross the cavern.
Then it stood, Netzach shadow, before the very man who would cast itself.
This thing, he thought, can fight Ghosts? Im not sure what to be more terrified of, ghosts or my own shadow.
He let go of concentration on the thrall, and suddenly he felt as though a great strain on his soul had been lifted. Clearly Haunts were far more taxing to maintain focus on.
"There are other types of thralls you could raise at your level."
Hod said, stroking his chin, as if measuring Netzach's powers.
"Such as particularly large thralls. We call them Giants, if they exceed twice the mass of your average human. Your control over necromancy has matured enough for it."
Hod walked over and gave his apprentice a smack on the shoulder, grinning mad.
"Looks like we're going Jacadon hunting! Hahahaha!"
Netzach groaned. Surely Hod was joking, he hoped.
He was right of course... for now.