Abyssal Applejack Quest! HARVESTER OF FIERY VENGEANCE

Sesquame-Yesterday at 11:42 PM
All around you is the dark, twisted corridors of the Underworld. An unearthly wind howls no matter where you try to hide, water dripping from the ceiling, maddening those lost within the twists and turns of the Labyrinth
You are at one of the many soul-forges of the damned place, a craftsman putting the final touches on the weapon you commissioned from him
He's an old ghost, a former Guild craftsman
who maintains his comfortable afterlife forging soulsteel for those who can pay for it
He's plyed his trade for centuries and has always produced the finest goods
For you: an axe
Formerly mortal steel, reforged now with a mix of firey red jade
Necrotic Essence provided from your own soul
and the ghosts of two troublemakers that had taken from you everything
What would you like to do?

BBSA-Yesterday at 11:51 PM
The clinking of metal echoes across the ground as the spurs on Harvester's boots clink against the ground.  The dark figure marches up to the ghostly craftsman and looks down at the deadly weapon.  The Craftsman sees a sickly pleased smile form on his customer's lips as she raises a finger and pushes her hat up, revealing her pale visage, long white hair, and eerie green eyes.

"Ah'll take it."

She reaches for the axe and hefts the massive weapon up into the air with a smile

"Thank ya kindly.  It's a real purdy thang, guess those two varmints were good for something after all.  Don't suppose you knew them back in yer old life did ya?"

Sesquame-Yesterday at 11:55 PM
The Craftsman is a withered old man, hunched over double: Death did not restore him. The selfish old man he died as was his true self.
"He he he... bugs like them? Nah, there's only two fates in store for people like us. The strong, rich, and intelligent survive and thrive. The idiots? The idiots find themselves on the buisness end of an angry woman far more powerful than them and suffer for eternity for their sins."
"I figgered you might want to hear their punishment, so I left a little rune on the handle there, see?"(edited)
"Just touch it if you want to hear the screams"

BBSA-Yesterday at 11:59 PM
Harvester takes a step back whilst eyeing her new weapon, much like how some women might eye a piece of jewelry, her gaze slowly drifting down to the rune on the handle.  She presses a finger against it and...

Sesquame-Yesterday at 11:59 PM
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH


Sesquame-Today at 12:00 AM
WE'RE SORRY! LET US GO WELL DO ANYTHING!
The force of their agony assaults your mind, begging you for release
Harvester puts a hand to her forehead and forces the spirits to pipe down as she nurses her splitting headache
You can sense the line of essence connecting you to them, and you feel you can ease their pain somewhat: or amplify it
Soulforging is irreversable though. Nothing will ever save them.
Ever.

BBSA-Today at 12:07 AM
"HOO WE!"
Harvester presses a hand against her forehead, slightly overcome by the sheer terror that those two souls are in.  Her shoulders rise and fall slightly as she stoops over with the axe gripped tightly in her hands.

"Landsakes..."

Then, as the screams slowly cease to echo in her head, her smile slowly returns.

"... ah think ah can get used to that."

It is a punishment beyond just about anything she can imagine.  Something truly horrible, worse than just about anything!  Save perhaps for dying in a fire and being burnt to death.  Or losing your home to vicious people far wealtheir than you.  Or having your family members torn away from you in a bloody--

Harvester's finger presses the rune again

Sesquame-Today at 12:11 AM
Now prepared, Harvester enjoys the sweet symphony of the Flimflam brother's fates, and she can't help but smile at the totality of her vengeance. From what little she's heard of the secrets of Death: it's quite possible that no revenge could have been carried out so swiftly and completely. It seems the Neverborn hit the bullseye on her new name: it's rather nice to have a True Purpose so easy and so pleasurable...
Nothing at all like the years of struggle and toil
and uncertainty
What would you like to do now?

BBSA-Today at 12:14 AM
Harvester turns down her new Single and smiles back at the Craftsman.

"Ah've got a lotta work ahead of me, but I'll tell ya what.  Back when you was breathing and all, was there any friends of yours in the Guild ya really didn't like?  Ah gotta start somewhere..."
Sesquame-Today at 12:14 AM
You're not the only one listening to the screams though....
The wailing of your victims and the elation of your soul echo out: prayers to the Neverborn
[You get one minor sin forgiven]

BBSA-Today at 12:15 AM
[Hurray!]
[Can I get a clarification on what kind of sins would be minor?]

Sesquame-Today at 12:15 AM
You could answer to your birth name once
for example

BBSA-Today at 12:16 AM
Cool

Sesquame-Today at 12:17 AM
>>"Ah've got a lotta work ahead of me, but I'll tell ya what.  Back when you was breathing and all, was there any friends of yours in the Guild ya really didn't like?  Ah gotta start somewhere..."
The voices return, trembling with fear rather than exclaiming their agony: you can sense the faintest glimmer of hope.
The flimflam brothers were merchants and traders, and they had fallen into despair at their fates
but the single glimmer of hope: that they have something someone else wants
has risen up inside them
Oh how they'll scream when they find out that hope was false

Sesquame-Today at 12:20 AM
"We worked for a Heirarch, Artemisia Sapphire"
"Our job was to use our... talents... to maintain her monopoly. In the old days small farmers couldn't get their goods to market for fear of bandits, so we left them alone..."
"But then upstart Anathema started showing up in droves a couplea years ago, they bring chaos  wherever they go but they've always been strangely harsh on petty criminals."

BBSA-Today at 12:23 AM
"Ana-what's its?  Bah,  go on..."
Harvester cups a hand to her ear and listens closely with a grin
Sesquame-Today at 12:23 AM
"paying bandits to keep small farmers out of the market wasn't working anymore, so we tried consolidating"
"We were giving you honest offers, we swear!'
"What more do you want from us? Please, just tell us so we can die in peace"


BBSA-Today at 12:27 AM
"Is that so?  Well shoot, ya'll should know there are just some things in life ya just can't buy.  Some things you gotta earn..."

Harvester's smile twists into a sneer

"Now where do ah find this Artemisia Sapphire?"

Sesquame-Today at 12:28 AM
"NEXUS! You can't miss her!'
"She's pretty new to their big fancy Council, so she spends a lot of time throwing parties and parading around on palaquins to show off how very very rich she is"
[You gain Description of Heirarch Sapphire: You can now recognize her face]


BBSA
Harvester chuckles as the two tortured souls spill the beans on their boss.

"Boy Howdy, ah haven't been to the big city since I was a little kid.  Ain't been to no party in a long time either.  Thanks a lot for the info boys..."

Harvester looks over to the Ghostly Craftsman, taking her hat off her head as she nods to him.

".... and thank you sir.  I'll be seeing ya around."

Harvester begins to walk out of the forge and back towards the land of the living.

Sesquame-Today at 12:35 AM
You navigate the corridors of the Labyrinth to make your way upwards
Grabbing a passing mortwright to bully it into guiding you just in case, it's spindly limbs spurring it along the walls and ceiling
Curls of smoke drifting off it's pitch black body as it scurries
Your destination is the Walker's Realm
A powerful Abyssal and Prophet of Oblivion
One of the premiere servants of the Bishop of the Chalcedony Thurible, you may wish to come up with some sort of plan for passing through such a powerful Abyssal's territory(edited)
There's nothing for it though: You must pass through a Shadowland to return to the land of the living
and the Walker's Realm is the only one near your destination
[Announce your presence, expecting safe passage as allies in Death]
[Try to keep your head down and slip by unnoticed]
[Other]

BBSA-Today at 12:42 AM
"Well shoot.  We're all on the same side aren't we?  He's gotta let me through, and if he doesn't"
Harvester cracks her knuckles as she stomps through the shadowlands
[Announce your presence, expecting safe passae as allies in Death]
"Well shoot.  We're all on the same side aren't we?  He's gotta let me through, and if he doesn't"
Harvester cracks her knuckles as she stomps through the shadowlands
[Announce your presence, expecting safe passae as allies in Death]

Sesquame-Today at 12:43 AM
You snap your fingers to gain the Mortwright's attention. It snaps its head back at you with a sickening sound and you command it to git on ahead and deliver your message to the Walker in Darkness.
You're confident you can make your way from here, so no real loss
Would you like to word your letter or just generic head's up?


BBSA-Today at 12:46 AM
"Tell him She Who Harvests Fiery Vengeance is coming through his territory in order to gain passage back to Creation on behalf of our Lords."


Sesquame-Today at 12:49 AM
The oppresive aura of the Labrynth fades away to the empty vistas of the Underworld, as you emerge from the stronghold of the Neverborn into the ashen wastelands where ghosts while away their existences, shackled by this thing or that thing
Too tortured to pass on in reincarnation
Too cowardly to embrace Oblivion
The nature of a Shadowland is to exist simultaneously in both realms, once you enter its borders the realm you exit is determined by the time
When the light of the Sun shines down, it is connected to Creation
when it hides its traitorous face: the Underworld
It's time. The castle of Walker in Darkness approaches
The Ebon Spires of Pyrron, the last remnant of a destroyed city from the First Age
A fortress fit for a god
This is the home of the being you seek safe passage from

BBSA-Today at 12:53 AM
"Huh, wonder what ya gotta do to earn a castle..."


Sesquame-Today at 12:54 AM
The moment your boot touches the base of the stairs, you feel the call of Oblivion
This place is malevolent
Every second you feel your essence being drained by the Neverborn, by the Void(edited)
Enamored to death as you are, you shrug off the worst of the effects, feeling only like a cold wind sapping warmth: making you wish for a coat
A mere mortal would have been slain instantly
You press on though, determined to make your way through to your mission
This Walker may be some big hotshot but he has no right to stop you in the service of your mutual masters

BBSA-Today at 12:58 AM
Harvester's eyes narrow as she straightens her posture.  The spurs of her boots continue to clink as she shoves her hands in her pockets and ascends the stairs


Sesquame-Today at 12:59 AM
The black doors of the fortress-spire open, and a grinning skull clad in frayed robes stands before you, looking all the world like the image of Death itself, lacking only a scythe to complete the image
Sesquame-Today at 1:00 AM
"Come in, come in! Sorry about the curse, I've been trying to get that fixed for ages now. It's quite inconvinent isn't it?"
"My expirements with an automated defense system ended up a little too autonomous and I've been having trouble getting it to turn off...."
"You're quite welcome of course! Come in and share a spot of tea. You're one of our kind so you have at least a day before the curse shreds your soul."
"It's two hours till sunrise by the way if you've lost track"
"Just enough time for some pleasant conversation eh?"
(I rolled randomly for the time: I think it's hilarious that I got such a perfect result)


BBSA-Today at 1:06 AM
Harvester coldly stares at the apparition of Death before cracking a small smile
"Well shucks, you must not entertain too many guests with a home defense system like that."

She steps up to the Abyssal, giving him a good onceover.  This is the first time she's ever met a member of her own kind.  Not sure she can really trust the guy, but he seems friendly.  After all, you and him are of the same brood so that ought to count for something.

"A pleasure to meet ya Walker in Darkness.  Hope ya don't mind hosting me fer a few."

She raises a hand and offers it to the Abyssal


Sesquame-Today at 1:08 AM
His bony hand burns with cold, but he seems genuinely pleased to see you
"You're telling me! I've got an entire army to manage in the War Against Literally Everything and I can't keep my servants in my castle!"
"Luckily the ghosts are unaffected at least, and I've got a nice schedule going so that people don't need to check in for too long to give me updates"
"They're so busy though that the little time they can manage inside here is all spent on work, it's been a while since I've been able to just sit and relax with a peer"
He snaps his bone fingers and a flurry of activity overtakes the interior of the spire
You can see ghosts of men and women flitting about, preparing a lavish banquet specially for you
"You're stuck here for two hours anyway, might as well make it pleasant, eh?"


BBSA-Today at 1:17 AM
Harvester blinks at this huge assembly of lost souls and banquet being prepared.

On the one hand it is all so terrifying, but in the short time that she has embraced her new life Harvester has come to enjoy such aesthetics.  No, what really startles her is the sheer opulence of it all.

"That's uh... real kind of ya."

Harvester walks around, her eyes examining his home and the feast being assembled.  It's been a while since she ate something, she was beginning to wonder if her taste buds still worked right.

"Do you always greet our kindred like this?"


Sesquame-Today at 1:18 AM
He rubs the back of his skull, and you get a sense of what you think is embarrasment
It's a little hard to tell when your host's face is a bleached skull
"Ha! You should ask some of your brothers and sisters that work for me! They'd all call me a wicked evil slavedriver I'm sure"
"But that's just how things gotta be, I can't leave my Manse or else the curse will apply to me as well"
"So that means that I need to be curt with my employees, so I'm just enjoying the chance to cut loose"
The feast is nearly assembled, and it seems to all be mortal delicacies
You were a little worried that your new diet would involve babies and virgin blood, but if the skeleton man can consume tea like he said then you're probably fine(edited)


BBSA-Today at 1:27 AM
Harvester looks away and feels a tinge of shame.  It wasn't the first time her bluntness unintentionally struck a chord.

"Well shoot, with a big fortress like this and a whole army to manage ah can tell ya must be busy."

Harvester plants her hands on her hips as she gives Walker a strong smile

"Anyone who signs up to be one of us has to know that this is serious work.  Ah got little patience for people who can't handle a littler hardwork."

She turns over to the feast table with somewhat of a sheepish smile

".... but a little R and R before getting to work shouldn't hurt."

Harvester knows that there's supposed to be some ettiquete to all this right?  She's never really been given treatment like this before.... but she's heard stories, and she even went to a barn dance once a couple years back!

Steeling herself for the cold, she offers her arm to her ghostly host as she turns to the dinner table

"Shall we?"


Sesquame-Today at 1:29 AM
He links arms with you and guides you to the seat next to the head of the table, ghostly coutiers taking many of the others: though far from all of them.
He perks up at your mention of hard work, and you can definetly feel that he'd be grinning if he wasn't forced to do so already"I can't tell you how glad I am to hear a young Chosen like you taking the job seriously! I swear it's all 'I'm gonna skedaddle from the job you assigned me to kill the man who killed me' or 'I'm having second thoughts about the whole Destroying All That Is thing so I'm going to go cry and wear too much black while bemoaning how my wounds will not heal”

You begin eating the breakfast offered to you
Honey on rice, croissants, bread soaked in egg and seasoned with rare spices
as well as more exotic foods you don't know the names of
You can't quite enjoy yourself with Oblivion clawing at your soul, trying to unmake your existence
but the food is certainly delicious
as you eat, Walker continues to make small talk, asking you about your plans for Creation
He regales you with tales of the war effort as well, from his rebuffed attempts at destroying the city of Great Forks, to the time one of his employees screwed up a job so hard that Walker locked in in a room of cursed carnival mirrors for six months
"That may sound harsh Miss Harvester, but I assure you he deserved it"
He begins telling you the tale of the most beautiful woman to ever walk Creation, holding himself back from getting a bit too lurid in female company
And about how an Abyssal by the name of White Bone Sinner was supposed to fetch her and bring her soul to him, only to lose her
To a Solar attempting to "rescue the distressed damsel from the evil clutches of the dread Walker In Darkness"
despite the fact that he had gotten her fair and square!
He offered her immortality for her hand and she was jumping to sign up!
But nooooooooo I'm an evil dark lord trying to force the fair maiden's hand!
"Solars, am I right?"
He bumps you with his bony elbow, expecting to commiserate in the interference of the Chosen of the Sun



"So yes, what are your plans for Creation?"
"I've got big hopes for you, you seem to have a good head on your shoulders. That's good! There's far too many of us that can't see the big picture"
He takes another sip of his tea.
He hasn't touched the food itself save for the occasional nibble, but he must be on his third pot by now


BBSA-Today at 2:04 AM
"Oh no, ah knew exactly what ah was signing up fer.  My Lord gave me exactly what ah wanted,  and a've already got a few plans in mind."

Though her mind still lingers on her revenge, she knows that there is more to it than that.  She's got a dark duty ahead of her, but someone's gotta do it.

Harvester takes a polite sip of her brew.  She wasn't ever exactly huge on tea, but it did help her stay up a few nights at harvest time at least.

"Ah got my eyes set on the Guild.  They're too big and too powerful for my liking, and it seems to me that they've got a big operation going on in Nexus.  Now that doesn't really sit too right with me at all.  Ah figure ah wouldn't exactly live up to my name if I didn't start setting a few fires over there..."


Sesquame-Today at 2:08 AM
"oooh, Nexus? I've been working on destroying Nexus myself actually, though the bulk of my efforts are directed elsewhere. A quick word of advice, since you seem fairly intelligent: Be careful with mere rampaging destruction. Solars live openly in Nexus, without needing to hide what they are unlike in most of the world. I'd hate to see you skewered on the end of an oralchium daiklave"
"Not to say you shouldn't be killing! That's the whole point!"
He puts a bony finger to his lips, seeming to consider for a moment
He leans in closer to you, beckoning you over to put your ear next to him
You lean in to him
"This is to impress upon you the idea that what I'm telling you is a juicy secret. There's no actual risk of being overheard"
"I've recently come into possession of a dirty little secret that could be leveraged to great effect regarding the fate of Nexus"


BBSA-Today at 2:17 AM
"Really?  Well ah'm all ears Sugarcube."
Harvester leans in closer to Walker, taking her hat off of her head to cover their mouths with it(edited)

Sesquame-Today at 2:17 AM
"The god of Nexus, Gen, had a little bit of a fling 'bout nineteen years back"
"He has a daughter that he's been hiding the existence of her whole life, and we only just got word of her"
"A city-god is the single greatest defense the mortals have against the machinations of Oblivion. The gods of Great Forks have been quite the obstacle to myself for decades"

BBSA-Today at 2:20 AM
"That would make her some kind of demi-goddess, but wow!"

Sesquame-Today at 2:20 AM
"Get a hold of the girl, and you've got an in towards removing Gen as a protection: from there it would be easy to turn Nexus into a city of the damned"
"Her name's Arvia, and she's been squirreled away in some sort of tower or dungeon or something her whole life, but apparently she's been a restless teenager and is prancing about giving alms to the poor or something equally sickeningly sweet"
"Just a tip. Something to think on"

BBSA-Today at 2:28 AM
Harvester thinks about it for a long moment.

Taking out the Guild was one thing, but taknig out the whole city could work too.  Maybe... maybe there's a way she can make this all work out?

If she could crumple a big city like Nexus, then who could say what comes next?  Maybe... maybe she could end up like Walker in Darkness.  A fortress and an army of her own?  All she has to do is work hard at it and stick to her guns.

"Ah like the way you think Walker.  Ah'll see what I can do... "

Harvester plants her hat back on her head

"Ya'll have been a real generous host.  Ah'm glad ah decided to stop by and announce myself.  Honestly didn't know what to expect, but ah figured it was best to show myself to a fellow Abyssal."