Terminus: First Encounter of the Litany (w/ Orfeas)

[14:38] Vana'Rath asks, "Do you desire the art of undeath?"
[14:38] Orfeas says, "...Force... Is the only... Language... Humans listen to... I've come to... Learn... So... Yes..."
[14:39] Vana'Rath says, "Very well, stay put."
[14:43] Terminus asks, "Xarxes...? He still lives?"
[14:43] Terminus says, "Interesting..."
[14:44] Orfeas says, "As I understand... The Undead... You met when passing... By the Desert.... Was one of his..."
[14:44] Vana'Rath approached, a book in hand that held a dark tone with it. Chained by the nethrademon's magic, the book would be handed over.

"Some elements of necromancy will be found within this book. Though this is through the perspective of a teacher and how to teach, you may decipher useful information."

Vana'Rath turned to Terminus before giving a look. "I have not seen the lich for over a decade, though a lich is hard to wipe away."
(Vana'Rath)

[14:51] The youth outstretches a pale, and gaunt hand to accept the book. Staring upon its cover for the time being, to glance the title.

A small chuckle escaping them.

"First... Edition... I always forget... That once... Necromancy dominated... The entirety of Meranthe... During... The reign of... The Tal... In Delphina..."

The lad, then brushed a hand across the tome's cover, in consideration. Eventually declaring:

"I... Will cultivate... A pox for... Oppositions... With care..."
(Orfeas)

[14:54] The encampment was large enough to support several human-sized occupants... However, Terminus was wildly oversized for it. The structure forced it to hunch over, towering over with him being drawn nearly to rest on all size of his limbs. His upper-arms hung just shy of the ground underfoot, head craning over to acknowledge Orfeas.

"This tent is simply a place I inhabit." It answered his initial question, before acknowledging Vana'Rath. "Necromancy... I recall taking notes from a necromancer of my time, long ago... While I never had the opportunity to grasp it with certainty, my prowess allowed me to circle around some of its principles." The tome offered to Orfeas drew his gander, locked upon by his hues.


"Ah... There was... An emissary of mine, once. I had provided them with my grimoire... A Centricon of my making...

Perhaps... A new one, for this coming age is necessary...
Perhaps..." Their eyes shifted to acknowledge the human as a whole.
"You would likely be its best prospect... When the time comes."

There was, however, a distinct issue at hand.

"However, I need resources... Sacrifices... The hide and flesh of mortals are required for a new Centricon." It explained, "Neither of which, I have in enough spades."
(Terminus)

[15:00] Vana'Rath's arms crossed, the nethrademon listening on to the history and aspirations. It didn't care of dreams, it cared of knowledge and results, and it would do what it could to push those results.

It didn't overly care for necromancy but the idea of toying with the very souls of bodies had interested it greatly. To reach such a point in an existance, one could make any mortal fall and subjugate to their will.

"I prefer my victims living, so I may impart the terror they are forced with upon birth." To play with souls as they lived, that would be perfect.

"The flesh and hide will come once again, and fall into my chain. We will find conflict brewing upon this island soon enough, and the sailors will make for your necromantic studies and the skin for your.. 'Centricon'."

Soon would the massive creature of magical prowess step away. "Return the book or forge a copy, I desire it for myself in the future, as my collection is important to me."

With that, Vana'Rath would step away, speaking as it did.
"Disturb me within my dwelling if only necessary."

It would return to the boat and sit upon its broken throne.
(Vana'Rath)

[15:05] A small wave was afforded in delayed response to the Nethrademon's departure. Though, even as one terror left- Their gaze turned to the monstrous presence that remained.

A simple smile offered, as they move the book to the table, and part the cover, that the pages may be peered.

"You've... Listened... To a Necromancer... But this may be... Insight... Of greater value... Shall we... Learn together... Terminus...?" They'd offer.

Even though it would likely be an utter hell to listen to their slow, light, and scratchy tones for extended periods.
(Orfeas)

[15:09] An offer to learn from that of a modern magus, to brush itself up on the necromantic arts? It was not something to be so casually disregarded. It had lived for a long time... Theorized many of magics and casting techniques and testing incessantly upon its subjects and victims...

This, was the evidence it required to ascertain itself even further beyond.
"Of course, child... I am all ears."
It wasn't often that a demon of his caliber had an excuse to offer an insidious grin.

That, and more fuel towards the production of future Centricons, was always welcomed.
(Terminus)

[15:21] With that said? The gaunt child of Empusa nodded, flipping the title page across, to the foreword of the tome. Glancing across the initial wording with a strain in his eyes, before his head tilted back, as though in surprise.

Though steadily, did it turn to express elation from what they had just read.

"Well... This is fascinating... This is not... A recent volume... These are... Very old texts... Rewritten... Fresh... These are the words... Of the very... Necromancer... That once had control... Over Delphina... Ozmandius Tal..."

Then, they brought a finger to their tongue, wetting it, before moving to part a page from the rest, and turning it.

Eyes, again, skimming. And even from the side, their shift of expressions told volumes as to what they were reading.

Confusion. "...Deathstream...?" They uttered.

Curiosity. "Survival... Beyond Death..." A likely reference to Lichdom.

And then a look of surprise. "Necromancy... Is Usurpation... Of Fate... From the Divine..."

They nodded eventually, before turning to the aged demon near the backmost wall of the encampment's interior.

"As this says... Necromancy... Pulls from... A force called the... Deathstream... Using it... One can raise... The dead... Conjure... Deadly enchantments... Blight fields... And eventually, even defy... Death..."

But more than that. "It is... Also... Blasphemy... Defiance against... The gods... Usurping control... bit by bit... Of death... Reincarnation... And rebirth...

Something... Justified... To enact... A point is made... The mindless... Sacrifice of countless... To maintain... A flawed order..."
(Orfeas)

[15:28] "The Deathstream…" parroted the abomination, mulling over the matter aloud. "It would make sense. Every sound, has an echo... Every space, has a vacuum - an action: a consequence..." Thoughts of those of necromantic ilk potentially serving him in the past flooded back to the surface.

It seemed fitting that such aligned with the entity's established philosophy. However, it wasn't aware just how far into the matter it managed to go.

"Death, Reincarnation... And Rebirth... These are not concepts I've explored before. I simply am aware that all that must start, must also end... But not that it is ever made anew." it'd claim.

"Sacrifice is necessary however..." Terminus countered, "It is a requirement for Mortal sin. A means of repentance for their flawed ways. It is in what is sacrificed that matters most.

Whether it is something that draws upon the virtue of the mortal... Or that which is, without cost... Stolen, from another. It is in such, that we identify a 'flawed order'.

Then again, perhaps -- there is more to this, that I haven't yet come to know." A rolling gesture of the wrist insinuated a desire for Orfeas to press onward.
(Terminus)

[15:43] Though the youth seemed fascinated with the matters identified by the book, they could only glance towards Terminus with a dumbfounded, and rather clueless expression.

Orfeas understood bigger, more distinct concepts, such as blasphemy. And was practiced enough in alchemy to understand how rituals function, especially given they were required to draw out desired effects in certain reagents for advanced elixirs.

But the nuance of philosophy? That much flew over his head. Though, they'd confide somewhat, in the seemingly neutral entity.

"...I... Hold care... For all... Hate none... But... When one... Rejects it... Rejects kindnesses... Refuses reason... For the better... The knee should... Be broken..." And after the raids upon the home they were thrust away from to survive? After the attempts to be kindly? After having prayers ignored in regards to receiving aide against the invading forces?

There was only that philosophy left to lean on for the child. Maintaining most of their naive, goodly values. Though, twisted from witnessing the needless wrath of humanity.

And thus, he would work towards a pox for them. For those that refused the child's kindness, and denied him his peace.

Nonetheless, the page turned.

"Ah... Here it is... The Deathstream..." An entire chapter, it seems.

"You were... Correct... Equal... And opposite... To the Lifestream... For the latter's healing, and growth... The Deathstream, normally... Is destruction and decay...

Except... When Necromancy applies..." The child trailed slightly, pressing a finger to the page, to continue reading. Clearing out the unimportant details, to give the more pure, and potent knowledge the tome held on the subject.

"Its presence... Is most felt... When it attempts to... Break down... The bodies of... Creatures with... Dense magical circuits...

But harvesting of... Unique corpses... It says to... Avoid... And instead... Preserve those bodies... For creating... Superior forms... Of Undead...

And as well... Necromancy... Is not a force... of any Fel power... It is not even... Occultic... And thereby... Does not clash, when introduced to Holy magic..."
(Orfeas)

[15:57] There was no nod to affirm what Orfeas was reading over; only a silent pondering. "So, it disregards the individuals? A shame... Surely, there is a means to preserve them, as oppose to simply forgoing such unless..." There were thoughts on the matter.

Thoughts that trailed towards the purpose of such a tome. Perhaps, the art was not invented upon for the preservation of human life. It was likely scribed by another human... and understanding human nature meant.
"Perhaps... The tome was intended solely for conflict purposes..." The demon thought to itself. It did not utter those words, instead digressing its gaze from the reader entirely to mull on the possibilities.

"But yes..." It snapped back in time. "Try all that I might, even with Reverse Occultic Casting techniques, I haven't been able to emulate true resurrection." It'd admit, "The preservation of a magus' circuitry and the preservation of a body are entirely different, when looked upon from my own perspective.

A seasoned necromancer can likely do both... But I?" The creature attempted to pick its abdomen up slightly to reveal that of children roughly of Orfea's age, hanging seemingly lifelessly from Terminus' abdomen. Their flesh was fused to his own, though when studied upon, they would occasionally involuntarily move.

"I must keep them alive upon capturing them... I merged them with myself, because the manipulation of the raw soul is... Something foreign to something that has never had a soul to begin with... It's why I can not preform witchcraft. Born of the Fel, but unable to dabble with souls... At least, given the lack of ability to practice on my own.

That, and the preservation of their bodies across the decades, merged with my own being, their minds had eventually come to realize the euphoria I bestow upon them, thus, they'd succumb to cambionization with the sharing of our blood.

A far cry from true necromancy... Thus, malleable... Nay, vulnerable to exorcistic attempts." An explanation of his anatomy and Fel-based powers, perhaps, unnecessary to the context of the lesson at-hand.

"That said, such... Must be a flaw. Surely, it must be challenged. If I could do it, without knowing the finer nuances within this tome... Then, surely... You can too."
(Terminus)

[15:57] * You have been awarded 1 Levels! *
[16:37] The lad cants their head to the side at Terminus' thorough consideration, recalling from their past, and drawing from the knowledge currently being derived from the Litany the boy held.

Yet, they were still clueless as to discerning what they referred to. Unknowing of Cambionization's definition. Nor the implications beyond, apparently, having something to do with demonic blood.

They paused for a moment, though, to consider the matter.

"Soul manipulation... Useful... For defying death... Most likely... I... Do not care... To manipulate... The soul... of another...

Even Undead I... Create... They should have... Their own volition... Beyond what... I need from them..."

Even though, the implications till was, they'd be fairly reliant on the Undead. Especially given his constant state of sickly presence.

And again, the finger want back to the page, bringing it to the next chapter.

"Ah... Gathering... Methods..." They'd murmur, humming slowly.

"Rather... Long explanation... But... In short... Necromantic mana... Occurs when the Deathstream tries to... Break down... A corpse...

By inflicting permanent wounds... While invoking the Deathstream... Necromantic mana can... Be siphoned...

As well... From fresh corpses... One can... Expedite... The decay... Forcing a release... Of Necromantic mana... To be taken...

The Plaguelands ritual... Conjures its influence... Corrupting a field... To transform natural mana... Into that of... Necromantic mana... Again... For harvest...

Finally... Undead... When faced with... Great adversity... Generate more of it... To be siphoned, and repurposed...

Though... The instruction for them is... Just the rune... No... Invocation specific... To it..."
(Orfeas)

[16:43] Vana'Rath says, "I sensed the pressence of a mortal beyond the child."
[16:43] Vana'Rath says, "Speak."
[16:43] Terminus asks, "..?"
[16:43] Terminus says, "Ah, yes..."
[16:43] Orfeas says, "Didn't... See their face... They... popped in... Then fled..."
[16:43] Terminus says, "They fled as swiftly as they arrived."
[16:43] Vana'Rath says, "Expect troubles soon."
[16:44] Terminus says, "Inevitible."
[16:44] Vana'Rath says, "Sooner than I imagined. Contact Toji and Goki, Empusa should come too. Bring your 'mother', Orfeas."
[16:46] Vana'Rath says, "I will be outside awaiting them."
[16:46] "Necromantic Mana." It parroted, "I have never heard of the concept prior.
"Though it makes sense..." Its head reared back as much as it could within the encampment. "Long ago..." It reminisced... "A...-"

The sound of scampering drew its gander. A human had discovered them... But just as swiftly as they came? They fled...
Then, came the interruption of Vana'Rath.

Such, ultimately drew an exhausted sigh.

"A shame..."
(Terminus)

[16:48] The youth closed the book, and promptly slid it into their bag for the time being. With little time to prepare, there wasn't much else to do.

Soon rising from his seat, and then humming as they start penning a letter to reach Empusa.
(Orfeas)