Bezaleel, Lesser God of Darkness, Shadows, and the Undead
Lightbane
Questor
Returned Vengeance
The Wrath of Noor
The Paternal Shade
Grimalkitten

Realm: Erebus

Spheres: 46/50
Souls: 4750
Essence: 0

Provinces Explored: 0/4
North: The Tar Flat - 25% Explored - Flat plains filled with tar and a tribe of ghouls.
-Flames Rest
South: Saer-Sar'ah, the Webbed Wood - Unexplored - Forest filled with spiders and a great spider queen.
East: Warrior's Grave - 50% Explored - a great caldera with three populated cities. Base of the realm's military and St. Anastasius, Demigod of Rebirth.
West: Underhills - 50% Explored - Deep valleys with wild jungle sat the bottom said to be home of a witch.
-The Overgrown Portal
-The Temple of the Host

Center Province: Darkheart

Advancement: Heroic Spirit - Shades will aspire for greatness.
Drawback: He-We-I - The Black King may be dead, but some of it lives on within Bezaleel, its voice is there scratching away at the back of his mind and, at times, taking control of the body the two now share. However, Bezaleel managed to purge his body of the entity which he dubbed Leech, the two remained bound, should one die the other will follow, but no longer share a body.

-----------------------------

People of the Realm

Lifebringer Shoal (Deceased) - Former servant of Greenfather of the Eternal Spring who had lost his realm and god, the immigrant mortal has accepted Belazeel as his new deity and agreed to serve. During the Black Reign, he was slain by Alucard when he uncovered the betrayal of the hero.

Marilla - an antigoddess of Death. Appeared in Erebus and was devoured.

The Blind King (Deceased) - A shade, his eyes stitched shut making him live up to the name the Blind King.

Green Eyed Priest, Esseth - A mummified undead. Adviser of the Blind King, claimed to be the moral and spiritual conduit of the land.

Alucard - A shade and guard of the Forlorn Castle who bears little love for Bezaleel.

Undeine - A shade, the most skilled soldier of the Blind King's service. Currently abroad, he willingly joined the Army of the Tree when the Pantheon summons came to Erebus.

Ungarin - The hulking brute was giant. A zombie, his flesh was dead white, but still bulging with muscle that hadn't rotted away. The strongest laborer of the land.

Yelea - Attendant of the Shrine of the Host

Ophelia - Daughter and divine consort of Bezaleel, ruler of the demirealm of Hemera, mother of unborn twins by Bezaleel. The seductive, bloodthirsty, and beloved Pack Mother.

Places of Interest

Forlorn Castle - The castle at the center of Erebus. With a pair of obsidian doors that lead to a courtyard market and another gate that accesses the castle proper.
The Lower Tombs: The dungeons of the Forlorn Castle are still etched with traces of the Black Kings power, their halls sometimes rearrange or twist back upon themselves.
 - Portal to Hemera: Attached to Ophelia's chamber in the highest spire.

Chamber of the Old Shadow - Beneath the Castle Forlorn lies chambers that are said to house the body of the ancient god of shadows and undeath. This old god was poisoned by a fragment of Blight brought into these chambers and transformed into the Black King.

Sepulcher - Village near the Forlorn Castle. They catch game from the surrounding woods and harvest lumber.

The Ash Plains - An unnatural sun that has appeared in the central province, the areas beneath it have been scoured away by its harsh light.

The Shattered Throne Room - Once the seat of power for the Blind King, then the Black King, the throne room was damaged during the final battle between Bezaleel and the usurper, the walls are now cracked and full of gaps through which a cold wind blows. At times the Fallen Kingdoms can be glimpsed on the other side.

The Corpsewood - A great tree marking the site of Lifebringer Shoal's demise.

The Shrine of the Host - Located in one of the basins of the Underhills along the edge of a hill, this temple was originally from another world. A few of its original inhabitants were left behind and still maintain the places original intent, serving as a center of diplomacy and hospitality. Upon leaving, Bezaleel blessed the place to always be warm. They follow the Way of the Host, a tradition centered on hospitality and graciousness to foster relationships.
Trait: Perpetually warm.

The Listening Shrine of Rebirth - Composed of whatever materials had been on hand, the shrine itself was a mixture of mud, metal and cloth that flapped in the wind. It seemed to roughly resemble a figure, one with hands raised up towards the sky in supplication. It was raised in honor of the god of rebirth, Shak'tek'lon.
Trait: Prayers uttered to the shrine may be listened to by Bezaleel.

The Training Grounds - Four barracks and four training fields lie just outside the Forlorn Castle in the surrounding grasslands. These structures were built by Bezaleel and have the capacity to house and train a large number of recruits.
Barracks Trait: Injuries heal faster here.
Training Fields Trait: Training done here is more efficient.

Great Pumpkin Field - a fertile area within the walls of the Forlorn keep, housing two great pumpkins that contain the unborn children of Bezaleel and Ophelia.

The Tombs - A southern village of the Darkheart that mines up minerals.

Warriors Rest - Four cities in close proximity together that are built around the edges of the caldera that make up Warrior's Grave, the eastern province.
Trait: The center province promotes a sense of acceptance.

The Arena - In the fields outside the Forlorn Castle is a structure of solidified shadow that mimics wood, stone and bone and serves as a place for martial tournaments. Considerably livened by Ophelia's commentating and stage dressing.

Local Color and Culture

Year 255 A.N (After Night)

spiced blood - a delicacy of Erebus.

True Night - An ancient astrological event, a time when the moon eclipsed and the stars were blotted out. It is said the undead went mad. All history from prior to this period has been lost.

The Black Reign - For 83 long years, the Darkheart was ruled by an ancient god corrupted by the Blight. During this bleak period, at least half of the Shades of the region were slain, fell monsters were set upon the land, and the ancient Forlorn Castle was inhabited by the usurper till Bezaleel returned and slew the monstrosity he had unwittingly created.

Erebus Summer - Portals and connections to other worlds tend to appear on land leading to larger numbers of undead.

Erebus Winter - Portals and connections to other worlds tend to appear untethered in the air, leading to a stormy season.

Dangers of the Realm

The False Sun (Deceased) - Born from the Blight, the false sun burned across Erebus till Bezaleel pulled out its heart.

The Black King - Inadvertently born when Bezaleel brought the heart of the False Sun to the chamber of the Old God, the Blight power corrupted the old God and became something greater than either.

The Pack Mother - an powerful, mysterious aspect of Ophelia that acts according to her emotions. Extremely possessive and lustful towards Bezaleel - has demonstrated the ability to attack his connections to other beings and encourages him to sate his lusts.

Unique Creatures and Objects

Indeleth the god-touched (1) - Most talented scout of the Forlorn Castle, touched by Bezaleel.

Cauz the god-touched (Deceased) Horsemaster of the Forlorn Castle, touched by Bezaleel. Rather simple minded. Died during the reign of the Black King.

Thinfinger the god-touched (1) Most talented thief of the Forlorn Castle, touched by Bezaleel, he is an animate skeleton and a mercenary driven by coin.

Ungarin the god-touched (1) Strongest laborer of the Forlorn Castle, touched by Bezaleel. A hulking mass of rotting muscle.
Hero
Affiliations: Member of the Terror Guard

Deamea the god-touched (1) Most talented acolyte of the Forlorn Castle, touched by Bezaleel. A quiet, mousy woman who studied under the Green Eyed Priest.

God-Touched Scouts (3) - The best scouts and survivalists of the land, they survived the Black Reign and were blessed by Bezaleel.

God-Touched Spy (2) - During the occupation of the Black Reign these spies risked life and limb to keep the resistance well appraised of the situation, they were blessed upon Bezaleel's return.

God-Touched Apothecary (1) - A gap toothed old crone, she was the greatest brewer of poultices and elixirs. She was further blessed by Bezaleel.

Shadowsmith (1)- A shade created by Bezaleel with a knowledge of forging shadow-stuff.

Military Trainers (2) - A pair of shades created by Bezaleel who serve at the Trainings Grounds, they were born with an inherent knowledge of a number of militarily applicable skills.

Ravens of Shadow (12) - Created from a failed attempt at mythcrafting, the ravens have four yellow yellows and jagged talons and longer life spans, they are otherwise normal birds.

Deadlight Sprite (1) - An otherworldly entity coaxed out by the Night of Macabre Mischief, the small winged sprite has an angular face, a mirthless smile, and emanates and cold blue glow that seems to mesmerize mindless undead.

Ghostly Attendants (60) - Ghosts summoned up by Bezaleel to attend to all sorts of tasks that are needed for operating the cities of Warrior's Rest.
30 exist in Warrior's Grave helping construct the cities there.
30 exist at the Forlorn Castle and aide in construction there.

Sable (1) - Ophelia's shadowsteed created for her by Bezaleel. She is inordinately fond of the beast.

Ghost Shroud (3 Essence) - An unassuming cloth scarf, when adorned it allows Bezaleel's fire to cause harm and allows him to exist and not exist simultaneously, being both in and out of phase.
Artifact
Trait: The wearer can be engulfed in burning cold flames.
Trait: The wearer exists in two states simultaneously.
Trait: The scarf also absorbs magical effects.

Phantom Terror (2 Essence) - A necklace of iron chains. The metal was rusted and pitted, green with an old patina in places, it felt slick to the touch, much like the Mists themselves. This item was forged from harvesting the essence of a Blight servitor.
Artifact
Trait Enhanced: Allows temporary monsters to be summoned up.

The Ashen Hourglass - Crafted from bone and filled with ash, the sifting sands trickle through to the bulb below. When the last of the ashes have fallen, one year will have passed for Bezaleel regardless of his travels.
Trait: Measures a year for Bezaleel.

Ring of Purging (Destroyed) - Forged by Bezaleel, the ring is dark and ashen woven metal, its singular purpose is to cleanse an entity who wears it, removing all impurities. In the process of cleansing Bezaleel of the Blight infesting him, the ring was destroyed.

Legion of the Second Dead

Military unit established shortly after the Battle of Noor and trained in the newly fashioned Training Grounds, this unit was provided with ample space, expertise and time with which to train and also blessed by Lord Bezaleel himself.
The Peerless Infantry (5) - Several infantry soldiers blessed by Bezaleel, they are the strongest and most untiring of the soldiers on the field.
The Cavalry (10) - Rather than the soldiers themselves, here the mounts have been blessed, ten undead steeds, horses that are more bone than flesh and which burn with a ghostly light, these mighty war horses are larger and faster than the others, they are just as willing to kick and bite as the soldiers riding them.
The Phalanx (5) - Of the spear wielding soldiers, several blessed by Bezaleel are known as the Phalanx, they wield shields and spears serve as a defensive force, a moving wall on the battlefield that holds fast against the crashing waves of enemy soldiers even while they push forward with stabbing spears.

Legion of the Battered Blade

An army composed of soldiers awoken from the Eternal Battlefield when it was converted to Warrior's Grave.

The Gilded Dead

Ophelia's favorites, skeletal soldiers reinforced with shining brass and quality gear.

Gilded Infantry (400): Created by Ophelia. Wield spears and shields. Set to guarding the Forlorn Keep and Portal to Hemera.

Antideath Troopers (1600): Living armors created by antigoddess Marilla. Recognize bezaleel and Ophelia as commanders owing to their stolen powers from Marilla.

Heroes and Myths

Alucard - A guard of the Forlorn Castle who bears little love for Bezaleel. During the Reign of the Black King he proved to be a traitor, striking a deal with the Black King and betraying the loyalists to Bezaleel.
Hero
Trait:

Undeine - The most talented soldier of the Forlorn Castle, superior warrior of Alucard as proven in the sparring arena. Currently abroad, he willingly joined the Army of the Tree when the Pantheon summons came to Erebus.
Hero
Trait: Unknown

Saesin - Hero of the Terror Guard, Saesin is formal and dutiful. Since the reclamation of the Darkheart she has been placed in charge of coordinating the military of Erebus, a role she has embraced. She was also personally trained by Bezaleel to command forces, she was trained out on the Endless Battlefield.
Hero
Trait: Can sense Bezaleel.

The Terror Guard - A collection of shades raised to heroes by Bezaleel.
Olamin - A shade, elevated to hero status prior to the assault on the Castle Forlorn.
Entarik - A shade, elevated to hero status prior to the assault on the Castle Forlorn.
Saesin - A shade, elevated to hero status prior to the assault on the Castle Forlorn.
Hazo - A shade, elevated to hero status prior to the assault on the Castle Forlorn.
Ungarin - Powerful zombie and laborer, trained in cursory abilities of war.
Kaelay - A shade, elevated to hero status at the rebel camp.
Pelemore - A shade, elevated to hero status at the rebel camp.
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:02, Tue 22 Jan 2019.

It wasn't supposed to have been like this.

The colourless void resolved itself into black on white, then shades of gray, and finally - from far above - he could see all of Erebus.

All of it.

Erebus was a moving thing, long tendrils grasping at other Realms - but it moved without moving, as if the Realms were lights and Erebus but their passing shadow. Ink flowing through water, flowing through channels in the Tree, always itself, but redefined by context. Erebus was a phenomenon, at the same time it was a place.

Gradually, drip by drip, power was flowing from Taeltresin into Erebus, sharpening the contrasts, refining the lines.

He saw himself resting in the Chamber of the Old Shadow. His awareness of Erebus was perfect - every rotten leaf, every forgotten bone was as if held in his hand. He was sleeping, but yet awake at the same time, one with Erebus.

Bezaleel knew, instictively, as twenty years passed, that the bead of Essence the realm held could be directed - if he wished - to any use he might imagine, but that his interference would create ripples in the fabric of Erebus. Inevitably, issues would crop up. Yet, if he left the energy to dissipate through the Realm, it would be be uncontrolled - perhaps Erebus would make something grand of it, come what growing pains might accompany such, or perhaps Erebus was grow peacefully. Either way, he would have no way of knowing what would occur if didn't direct the Essence himself - and neither could he store it up for himself.

Additionally, while true communication was impossible, he felt a lingering connection to his people even still - if he choose, he could 'whisper' to up to five individuals, communicating his desires wordlessly. They would know it was Bezaleel speaking in their hearts, as unbeating as they might be.

At any time, he could choose to return to his body and end this, but the potential for greater growth would be lost in the process.



It was a time of rare peace for Erebus.

He heard prayers from the Shrine of Rebirth - mostly prayers of gratitude, requests for the forbearance and talent to succeed in their work, and requested for direction.

The military grew over the twenty years of peace, until it became the norm for Shades to spend at least a few years learning the ways of war.

The Shrine of the Host, warmed by Bezaleel's benevolence, saw an increase in population for the first time in decades, as the attendants went about the mortal business of love.

Even the Undead aged, and the Shades too - and gradually, the eldest generation grew into something different - the negative energy that had suffused their bodies for centuries overtook them, emanating from their bodies and surrounding them in flickering shadow, even as they grew to giant size. They were called the Nightshades.

New Shades were born, having never known conflict or a Shadowlord besides Beezaleel.

The Green-Eyed Priest, Esseth, saw to the necessary restoration of the undead that fell to incursions of the mindless ones in Bezaleel's absence, passing on knowledge to her acolytes.

Daemea grew in her craft, and worked with the God-Touched Apothecary, developing the Umbral Unguent - a paste that assisted in enhancing the Undead and Shades by attuning them more closely to the energies of the realm.

Bezaleel felt that now, after two decades, the Realm was within the moment of 'blooming'. It was time to decide what would be done with the Essence the realm had developed.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:42, Fri 11 Jan 2019.

Lazing about, more like a cat nap, Bezaleel watched as the realm advanced and grew in it's peace.  He took this time to watch the nature of the realm. See where shifts and tides turned about.

Feeling that as if his hand guiding the Essence of the realm wasn't as natural.  Interesting things happen when one lets things flow naturally.  Wondering where it would whisk to and how it would affect the lands gave him joy in the thought.

The way he slept now and connected to the realm, reminded him of the time he did so to search for Alucard. Now more than ever did the land feel connected to him as one.  Deciding it best to use this to his advantage, he watched his people closely. Gathering the lay of the land, seeing how they spread and delegated in his absence away from his influence of presence.

Before Bezaleel spent any real time waiting, he decided however to leave his wishes on a few of his trusted. First he left his wishes to Saesin. Empathetic as they may be, he wanted her to keep an eye on any promising shades or undead who stood out above the rest (Their upgrade as people was heroic spirit, making shades aspire to greatness) and see to they find a place suitable to their strengths. Secondly was to deal with any problems as they arise with wisdom and caution, a raised blade where it is not needed is more harmful.

Extending to King Esseth, he wanted his the knowledge and history taught more widely across the realm, to any who would aspire to it. Secondly he wanted a close eye kept on Ophelia, Bezaleel's daughter as well as notes on all the things she does in the realm for his lord's return. Thirdly he wanted Esseth to extend the religious teachings of the Priests across his realm, mainly in Warrior's Grave. A suitable temple and guidance to the lost new undead arising there was imporant.

Then, to Thinfinger, the thieving skeleton, he wished for him to gather any information about the said Witch to be in the Underhills. Secondly to find any large gatherings of shades or intelligent undead separate from the rule of Darkheart. With these done, he could make a request of Bezaleel for reward.

Running out of major thoughts and wants, he decided to speak to the head of the Shrine of the Host, Yelea. Why she bared little enjoyment or worship for Bezaleel, he felt it necessary to address her. A warning, that while he accepts their place in Darkheart, not all  older of the realm may. He also imparts his hopes of her flock in accepting him.

Lastly he extended his feelings to his daughter, Ophelia. A request, to not change the way my land and people are. Search inside yourself to find who you are. To not be fickle or careless to the children of his realm, as they are quite important to her father.

With that, he took to watching over his realm silently as his body rested in the temple.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:43, Sat 12 Jan 2019.

Essence flowed throughout the realm. The flow of souls was restored with the blight, and the ranks of the mindless dead and the Shades swelled with souls freed from its grasp.

The shadowy, poisoned world heaved a sigh of relief, and what was lost began to return.

Shak'tek'lon - Deity of Rebirth - was resurrected by Erebus. He was undead, but retained the spark of divinity - he was a demigod. Taking the name of Saint Anastasius, he greeted the warlord of Erebus, Saesin, and offered his services, demonstrating a new magic of 'shadowmending' - fashioning the mindless undead into mockeries of life. When practiced on mindless undead, the product were ghouls - loyal creatures that operated on a basic hunting instinct and retained the ability to wield weapons and use armor.

More interesting, shadowmended sentient dead became wereghouls - gaining greater strength and endurance form muscles and organs woven from shadowstuff, but losing some of the enhanced dexterity and resistance to harm that other undead possessed. Wereghouls could bleed, feel pain, and needed sleep to naturally recover by absorbing the negative energies of the realm.

Saesin, seeing merit in the ghouls, struck an alliance with St. Anastasius on behalf of Esseth and Bezaleel. Moral among the foreign dead soared, as they relished this semblance of normalcy.

=

Meanwhile, in Darkheart, the old followers of the God of Purity came to the gates of the Forlorn Castle, and after ceaseless demands, were granted an audience with the Green-Eyed King.

Esseth had grown strange and grand - wreathed in shadow, tall as a house. A Nightshade.

"The Shadowgod made a bargain with us,"

"A promise. In a year's time, to grant us pure bodies."

"Twenty years have passed! And only a few grains have sifted through this hourglass!"

"I know of this bargain," said Esseth. "And the Shadowgod is true to his word. It was a year of HIS time that was promised, was it not? And did the Lord of the Realm not grant you the gift of the hourglass, that you might know when a hour of His time had passed?"

"Twenty YEARS! Are to wait a century for his return? Two? Ridiculous!"

The shadowflames of the room flickered, and Esseth arm elongated freakishly, seizing the pitiful Undead. "A bargain is a bargain, and you struck it in full knowledge. Do you wish to renege? To abandon your faith? Is your loyalty so pathetic?"

A portal shimmered, and a divine stepped through - Ophelia, bearing a scythe with a gilded blade. "My father is many things, and he certainly has a terrible sense of time - and fashion - and parental responsibility. But hm, I agree with your sentiments! You do look terrible. Absolutely atrocious, really. It's high time something was done about the bedraggled state of the citizenry. Hm. I'll be back, with a friend."

She left through a new portal, then returned, a skeletal form covered in solidified slag metal in tow - lines of molten metal showing through cracks in the carapace.

Skeles, god of the forge.

"Old Bezaleel needs MY help, you said? In his realm? He's never asked that of me before, even though we're friends! It must be impor-"

Ophelia came from behind him, cartwheeled forward, swinging the arc of the scythe upward - rammed the blade of the scythe through his pelvis - then threw the rest of weight backward, slamming her legs against Skeles' back, bisecting him - ripping the scythe through his left shoulder.

Skeles: 6/10

The half of Skeles with a still-intact head attached stumbled, fell -

Ophelia spun, the scythe cutting that half of Skeles' in half again -

Skeles: 3/10

then she settled a foot against the stone floor, and swung the blade of the scythe upward, spearing the still-living quarter of Skeles.

Skeles: 2/10

The Living Metal that Skeles wore as bracer on his right arm came to life Ophelia's surprise round ended, severing the scythe in half through the pole and splitting her left arm clean through. She was bleeding horribly.

Skeles: 2/10
Ophelia: 5/10, bleeding out

Screaming in pain, Ophelia caught the remaining haft of the scythe with the blade still attached, and brought the improvised sickle down through Skeles' head.

Skeles: 1/10
Ophelia: 3/10, bleeding out

Skeles was unconscious. Grabbing her own split arm, a searing golden light and heat filled the shadowed chamber - and the wound was cauterized, her arm a burnt ruin.

Skeles: 1/10
Ophelia 2/10, stable

Bracing the still-living head of Skeles' against the floor with her foot on top, she ripped the golden sickle out, and lapped up searing blood the poured from Skeles' neck - which, curiously, didn't harm her.

The light in Skeles' eyes went out. His body was now so much stone.

Ophelia had consumed his soul.

Removing the golden living metal from Skeles' right arm, she placed it on her own left arm. It molded itself over the ruined arm. She flexed the finger of the gauntlet - and it flowed over her body, becoming a suit of form-fitting golden armor.

The battle had taken all of twelve seconds. Ophelia huffed out a breath or relief.

"Now, that's done. Come, Pure Ones. I will grant you new forms."

Light - golden light - shown from Ophelia, and the flesh was blasted from the bones of the Undead. The light dimmed, became dust, and clung as flakes of gold to the skeletal dead.

"I am Ophelia, Daughter of Diadae of the Garden and the Shadowgod Bezaleel, Goddess of the Harvest. Oh -"

She looked at the ruined form of Skeles, a macabre grin on her face -

"and Artifice.

"Are you now pleased? Or do you desire further blessings - would you like jewels for eyes? Shall I clothe thee in fine white silk? My father's bargain is fulfilled. You are now my Gilded Dead. Or Gildead. No, we'll stick with Gilded Dead."

Esseth judged impassively. "You betrayed a god. One neutral to Erebus. We have a new foe, surely, and there will be political consequences among the gods of the servants that took so many to join their army."

Esseth sat back from the throne. "If you remain loyal to the shadowgod, he will share in this conflict. Yet, so too will your mother, who is among that same faction. You have made yourself a stronger piece in the game, and strength earns alliances that honor cannot. It is the weak the must lean on their moral character to beg for the right to live. Perhaps . . this Pantheon will respect us more, now. They would be remiss to engage us in battle on our home turf, so soon after the Battle of Noor."

Ophelia shrugged. "I heard that he hit on my mom. Crudely. Artifice is a powerful domain, and with it I can begin to make a proper killing machine out of the Undead that serve my father. He has more lives to him; they can hardly call me a murderer when my victim is still kicking. It's more like . . hyperviolent mugging."

Soon after, Ophelia began to slowly craft more Gilded Dead, taking her share of the new bounty of souls as she made her elites, and with the king's support, lead them into battle against the rising horde of the living . .

=

. . . lead by a being rumored to be the Greenfather, the once dead - or merely lost? - patron of Lifebringer Shoal. His soldiers were strange - their bodies were shadow, resembling fully armored knights but thin and tall. They only moved when the moon was full, sleeping through the dark. His headquarters was from a new province, to the southeast, betwixt the Warrior's Grave and Sepulcher.

A sizable force assaulted the caldera, meeting with the forces there. The Terror Guard lead the pre-emptive assault, supported by the new ghouls, soundly rebuffing and setting to rout the living forces. Saesin reigned in the Terror Guard, recalling them to the naturally defensible caldera, just in time to partly negate the damage of conjured wave of positive energy that reduced half the ghouls to dust.

That proved to be a feint. Outriders seized the mining town of Sepulcher, establishing a foothold in Erebus proper.

Weeks later, a message was sent by bonebird to the living force, a request by King Esseth for parley.

Taking the role of interlocutor, Ophelia and a detachment of her Gilded Dead met with strange being - not the Greenfather, but his own daughter and heir; Marilla Shining-Sea, Goddess of Antideath.

"Sepulcher and the South are mine. I am no fool. I have tested the strength of your forces, and they are not to be scoffed at. Where is Lord Bezaleel, the Lightbane? I would strike an alliance - I seek to slay Death itself, and care nothing for undead. I believe our mutual distaste for the curse of mortality is enough to give him common cause with me."

=

This all Bezaleel saw, and his desires flew on dark wings to his servants;

Ophelia heard his desires, and traveled to the Whispering Shrine:

"Father, I am a child in a world bereft of kindness or mercy. Each of us is a piece upon the board. The Harvest cannot wait for the readiness of the reaper, and neither can I stay my will for the sake of yours. The shades are our people, and Erebus is our home. I pray that on your return you will understand that I do what I must, and that without you to see after me, I must see after myself, and the realm of our shared birthright.

I do believe that the loyal dead require a softer touch now - they aspire to greatness of their own, and some measure of autonomy and liberty would surely enable their striving.

Already many have established themselves as worthy of note. I will tell you of three.

Draheals, a Nightshade, who has studied a forgotten fighting art. With neither weapon nor protection, he - steps between the moonlight, becoming invisible.

Wotran, a wereghoul, who has distilled shadow into ink. Tracing the patterns of shadow-rivers into the skin of other wereghouls and more intact undead, their bodies flower like water, awash in negative energy. I call them Inklets, but Wotran prefers they be called Umbrals. I guess that's more distinguished and intimidating or something.

lastly, Vuatha. One of the young shades - she display an aptitude for magic that manipulates earth. She fled Sepulcher before the town was taken, detering pursuit by rolling the soil over her pursuers. She's called Gravekeeper Vuatha for that now.

That's about all I've got. I have to get back to work. Can't reap what I don't sow."

=

Thinfinger departed, with the promised reward in mind. He soon left your field of consciousness - it seemed what you had yet to uncover was still hidden from you.

Three years later, he returned, with new nicks in his bones. He too came to the whispering shrine.

"Witch is alive. Lives in a deep cavern. Place was swarming with weird shit. Lots of mindless dead, and some not so mindless. Mutated. Horned purple creatures too. She was talking into a bowl full of something like blood. I ran, got shot at with a hell of a lot of arrows, the dumbasses. Skeleton protip- always wear a cloak. Protip to self: get a new cloak."
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:08, Sun 13 Jan 2019.

Upon the death of his friend Skeles, by the hand of his own daughter. The realm came. To life with wrath and dissapointment. His eye that was the moon, saw it's vortex of shadow stretch across the surface leaving smaller amounts of light even on the full moon. The lake of shadowstuff that surrounded the Forlorn Castle turned flame upon her actions. Never to return until Bezaleel's rest was over. All of Erebus seemed to whail in discontent and anger it took some time indeed before this feeling queeled.

In torment he knew that Ophelia was his responsibility and that Skeles' blood was shed because of no other but himself. As the realm grew quiet so did Bezaleel. More apathetic now he accepted what happened, knowing that when he awoke it was the first he'd have to address. To his friends, and to Skeles. He hoped that he could keep the issue remaining between just them. That Skeles wouldn't run to the Pantheon they bared little like or trust for.

Then there was the Goddess who demanded his alliance. The very same one who led a campaign and taking of his lands. The hubris of gods were worse than mortals, he scoffed.

Though it begged him to question what it was exactly that was Antideath. To deny death from the living? To halt it's process. To stagnate death and allow life to continue. Some could argue that it'd be life itself, though, it is antideath, not the bringer of life. To kill death was a cause for concern. No, this could be no ally. It was as much of an enemy to the undead as it is to death. If there was no fear of death there would be no undead, there would be no true direction. The undead could still die, there was much proof of that. To cheat death is one thing, but kill death? It was folly. I wonder what Deekin would think of this? There should be no need to bother him with someone who would be a mutual enemy, I think I'll handle her myself.

Maybe it was time he woke up. It seems these years were more chaotic than he had hoped. With hardship and diversity they overtook adversity. Stretching their claws for the moon from the valley of the shadow of death they made themselves something new. Something strong and proud.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:49, Sun 13 Jan 2019.

[Do you choose to exit Geogenesis, forestalling further progress in your realm? Twenty years have passed, and you must still decide whether to direct the welling essence or leave the Realm to develop as it chooses, and may Whisper to up to five individuals as you descend to your physical body.

Resuming Geogenesis in the future will cost an Essence to jumpstart the process.]

Returning to his body. Bezaleel left more whispers to his children of the realm.  To both Ophelia and Saesin to meet him at his temple to await his awakening. Sending welcoming to Saint Anastasius as well as pride for his new magic.  Deciding it best to leave the welling Essences to themselves in the realm. He would leave this state for now.

Awakening in the temple of the Old Shadow, he looked upon the dark flame lit candle as he blinked. Stretching his limbs some and extending his power about in the room. The fountains of shadowstuff continued to poor endlessly around it. Looking around his silver vortex'd eyes caught where his shadow was. Grabbing it and lifting Leech up, he gazed at his sleeping demon. Deciding he'll probably wake up sometime soon, he released him back to his shadow.

Putting hands in his pockets, a tendril of shadow rose in front him, parting the tomb doors.

Walking out of the dark he greeted all who would watch his return. "There has been quite the uproar in my absence I see. Saesin, glad to see you as always." he smiled.

Looking to the other side at Ophelia... "I fear we must have a long talk, while I appreciate your efforts to quell my court and affairs. The betrayal of one of my allies and whom I consider a friend in my name is not only dishonorable to both me and you but insanely foully in thought."

Bezaleel had a look of disappointment upon his face until it sunk into his scarf only allowing his eyes to be seen. "As you know, I was warded by the council to protect you, but I fear I now must bring you to them for your crime. Such Aramanth is uncalled for, it was not in defense, or anything of the like. He would readily help my people, you, and myself, and was killed in my court on the premise of solving the problem anyway. While you are my daughter, and I do bare love for you. If it had been anyone else. I'd eat them where they stand."

Trying to remain calm the room started to darken and a fog of shadow hugged the floor, "Your lack of judgement was unwise, it would paint a target on our back by any who would be allies, leaving them to be suspicious and guarded. If it were an enemy I might feel more proud of your skill and cunning." even trying to find some sort of positive out of this situation only left him angrier.

Starting to boil with anger his body turned to flames and he spoke chillingly through his wraithed form. "I hope for your sake that I can mend this rift you've caused with Skeles, that I do not have to bring you to the Pantheon to answer your crimes. You are my responsibility and the actions you made are my weight as well. To protect you from such an action would make enemies of everyone I hold as allies on the tree, each and every life for both of us would eventually be whittled to nothing as the Pantheon itself would see us as an enemy with disregard for the current balance of Taeltresin." As Bezaleel spoke all of the light in the area disappeared as it choked with thick shadows, his body burning with flames and his silver eyes shinning with wrath through the darkness,

The darkness didn't just feel thick. It was heavy, confining, Ophelia could find she couldn't move or wriggle in it. Finally, Bezaleel's cap blew. "THE WRATH YOU HAVE WROUGHT FROM ME IS DISDAINFUL!!! YOU THINK YOURSELF STRONG OR INTELLIGENT FOR SUCH AN ACT? EVEN TAKING AWAY ANY VARIABLES OF HONOR OR FRIENDSHIP, IT WAS AN UNCALLED FOR ACTION IN WHICH YOU MUST NOW REAP THE PUNISHMENT FOR WHICH YOU SOWED YOURSELF! ARE YOU NOT AWARE THE SITUATION YOU CAUSED?!! DO YOU NOT KNOW THE CONSEQUENCES OR DO YOU SIMPLY NOT CARE?!!" calming himself. He stilled the shadows and lights slowly faded in.

"The Pantheon may overlook the seriousness of the action considering your lack of knowing better. Though the sentence may still be a heavy one." Shaking his head Bezaleel pressed his thumb and finger to his nose as he shook his head.

Rubbing his face with his hands he continued to speak, "This realm, and what you do for it. Is appreciated. Erebus is my nest, one you are welcome in. One which is your birthright. But it is not your realm. This may be your home, but it is I who is it's master. It is lacking of kindness and joy. Full of hardships. You show such great promise in your growth as you stay here. Doing what you must I understand. But something so minor in which I promised to handle was something in which did not befit the betrayal of such a god as Skeles. I would rather make the other end my deal with the followers of purity and slay them all as promised than kill Skeles! Your actions do not equal or outweigh the cause!

Shaking his head again, he halted her from speaking more on the subject. "Now that it is out of the way, we will talk more about it later. I would know more on what all you have learned, what type of world and people you would want for yourself. What it is you drive for. Think about these questions and your actions."

Looking at Saesin, he changed topics, "For the time being though, it seems we have quite the unruly guest here in Erebus. Tell me, what are the number of losses we have sustained from the goddess of antideath and her campaign here. I want numbers of citizens, and soldiers, as well as what battalion they served in. I will greet this hubris personally."

Ophelia opened her mouth, closed it. You could tell - she'd had an entire speech planned, but in the moment, she'd lost it. You were her father, and you were yelling at her. Tears welled in her eyes.

In a whirl of golden leaves and cold autumn light, she escaped from your shadows and flew out of the tomb without saying a word. A power she'd drawn from you, you knew.

"The Battered Blade's ghoul detachment sustained a loss of 458, about half the detachment. We lost two dozen citizens in the attack on the mining town, and perhaps a little over a hundred were taken captive." Saesin cracked a slight smile. "Your return is most welcome."

Then, you felt Ophelia's divine aura flare, standing above you over where the lake of shadow would be, before the main entry to the Forlorn Castle.

Erebus roared in your ears; the earth shook. She was doing something to the Realm.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:33, Mon 14 Jan 2019.

Shaking his head at her leave. He would have to save what else he'd tell her for later.

"Thank you Saesin. I want you to gather the Terror Guard and the elite unit of the Second Dead, they shall follow as an envoy . I want you to press the best shades we have into delving past their numbers. I want them into position of the captives so they may be freed and brought back safely. I want this done now. I will be waiting for you outside the castle gates when ready."

Crafting from the foggy shadow that trailed him, he pulled out a shadowed crow. Making a parchment was easy enough, it would have to be a bit lighter in coloration though. Holding it up with a tendril of shadow as the crow sat on his shoulder, Bezaleel pricked a finger with a claw, letting the blood drip to it's tip and then writing on it. It was informing the Goddess, that Bezaleel would be granting her an audience there. Rolling it up he pulled a ribbon from the fog and tied it to the crows ankle. Lifting it up it flew away to Bezaleel's destination.

Putting his hands in his pockets he sighed. Deciding it best to find Ophelia and continue where he left off. Bezaleel didn't want to yell at her. It happened though, but so did her murder of his friend. Lifting off, he floated through after her.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:49, Mon 14 Jan 2019.

The bird took wing, message in talon, and Saesin bowed. It would be as you commanded.



Image:
Ophelia, Goddess of Harvest and Artifice

As you ascended and left the castle, you saw her - standing at the shore of the lake of shadow. Her back was towards you, and the quaking ceased.

She turned to face you. Her armor reflected pale white gold in the moonlight, her scythe glowing red with heat as if fresh from a blacksmith's furnace. Her eyes were reddened and still wet.

In her palm, was a white bead the size of a plum. Essence. The Essence you'd returned to Erebus.

"I am a god of harvest. I know how to draw fruit from the land."

She looked you hard in the eyes, across the distance between you. "Stop there, if you have any love for me."

She gathered her courage and resolve.

"You're stronger than me. Older. Wiser, maybe. I don't know. I was busy while you were gone. I found out - you were forced to create me with Mother. Mother tried to consume you afterward. The Pantheon had it all planned out. They used you. You were a pawn."

She slammed the butt of the scythe into the ground. "And here you are, still acting like one! Planning to bring your own daughter to stand trial before a tribunal of monsters for doing the same as they have countless times! Are you so afraid of the Pantheon you would make an enemy of me? A Goddess that knows your realm, knows your military, knows your defenses - who cares for your people - one loyal to you and you alone - out of fear? When did the god of shadows become so afraid of the dark?

She held up the essence. "You've got a choice here. I'm not going with you. You can try to force me. In that case, I crush this Essence in hand. I send Erebus into invasion defense mode. I go nova. I kill you, and drink your blood. While you're dead, I lead my Gilded Dead and with Erebus enraged, I reclaim the south. I eat the Antideath goddess too. Now I'm two ranks up. Yeah, you'll have one rank on me when you get back here. But you'll be down two lives, and I'll still be four up, and with the powers of three other gods giving me a little extra insurance. I wouldn't bet on your Artifacts being here for you, either."

She let out a breath - her shoulders fell from where she'd clenched them. Threatening you had been hard on her.

"That's the shitty daddy-killing option. Not the option I want. Second option - you talk to Skeles, Komatas, your other friends. We band together. THEN you tell the Pantheon, oh no, little Ophelia has gone and eaten Skeles and the Antideath girl! She's got to be stopped! They can probably see lies, but you won't be lying. They come down here - however many - AND then I tell Erebus it's murder time. Together we kill them. I eat them, since you're all squeamish. Now, through me, you've got a weapon. And you know their powers. You set up your own Pantheon with the upper hand and a victory in the bank."

She steeled herself, readying for combat.

"So what's it gonna be, Shadowdad? Are you going to be a pawn, or a God?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:00, Sat 19 Jan 2019.

Bezaleel cocked his head some. His ears feel forward and the silver band on his right shone silver in the moon light. His mouth hidden by his scarf as the wraps wafted through the air. Hands in pockets as his kusari-gama laid in his sash flapping about with his other loose garments. "I am no pawn. I do not fear the Pantheon as you say I do. But you are too blunt my child. A good plot lays in the shadows until the opportune moment to strike. You are young, bridle with energy and are too ready to reap the harvest when it is not ripe or the crops full. I don't want to turn you to the Pantheon because of what you did, or out of fear. I detest Vex and your mother and the fact that the ruling of them is throw the lives of those that are not their own around. The fact of the matter is, you killed Skeles for a handful of mortals who made a deal with me. One I was to handle. I'd rather you slay them in my court than he. You would press yourself against all of creation because of a lapse of better judgment. Do you not hear yourself? You fear being punished more than anything else. Admit your wrongs and move forward from them. I apologize for yelling at you. But do not threaten me, I am not making an enemy of you. You are trying to make an enemy out of me, and everyone else."

"I may be stronger, but if you turned the whole realm of Erebus against me and used all you had at your disposal and the essence. You wouldn't get a single drop of my blood. You couldn't even kill a single member of the pantheon if you drank all of our bloods. They have more than thousands of years with dealing with God's ploying their deaths. Yet here they stand. That is for a reason. I do not fear them I Will say again. But you underestimate the foe you hold in your eyes. You should always overestimate them to a perfection and come up with a way to leave your foe in desolation in every single possible way with no inch for victory. Especially when you have a number that branches all of Taeltresin.

Stretching his arm out with an open hand to her he did not take a step. "Do not make such a large ultimatum over something like this. Return the essence to the land of Erebus. I want you to come with me to meet the Goddess of Antideath. The one who wishes to kill death. I shall show you how I do things."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:04, Mon 14 Jan 2019.

She hesitated, her hand clenched tight around the essence. The she reached a decision - the living metal flower back into just right arm, the blade of her scythe flowing with the metal to rest on her back.

She knelt, and gently returned the essence to the realm.

Then she ran to you, ignoring your hand, and embraced you tightly, her sobbing muffled by your scarf.

"Okay."

She loosened the embrace so she could talk. "I didn't kill Skeles for them. I killed Skeles because I wanted his domain, because I needed power to protect Erebus, and he . . .  is very easy to trick. Mother is evil, and the Pantheon is evil, and the weak and the good are just going to be killed if they don't play the game. I needed to know that I could kill in cold blood. I might be a monster, but I'm always going to be your daughter. And you have to love me no matter what. It's the .  . the only way we'll get to be free."

Bezaleel almost instinctively turned incorpreal as she rushed him. But didn't last second. Wrapping his arms around her he patted her head. "It's okay. I understand, I don't want you to be like them either. I understand the need to be strong to protect what you hold dear. Killing one as innocent and kind as Skeles was cold, and while booning in strength. If practiced and done doesn't make you better than what you consider evil. Those who are good or pure need to be more cunning and stronger than those who would target their back. I do love you daughter. That is why I will do all I can to set these actions straight. It is my responsibility as much as it is yours. But when the time dawns. You will have to reap what you sowed. It is always best to remember to make as little enemies as possible. Use them all to your advantage. It's better to be a leader of a pack rather than a lone wolf. It's easier to take down bigger prey."

Petting his daughter's hair some. He willed the ground to make a beautiful black rose with silver linings at the end of the petals. Clipping the stem with his claw he placed it in Ophelia's hair. "Besides, I am a monster myself. I am the bump in the night after all. What sort of parent would I be if I didn't love my little monster?" giving Ophelia a light kiss on the forehead his cold lips parted from her warm skin.

"Now, Saesin should be waiting by the gates by now. We will meet with this goddess. I have been giving it some thought though my child. But I was wondering if you were happy here in Erebus. Despite it's dark and decrepit features. And if you have given any thought as to what you would want your own world to be like?" walking along with Ophelia he made it to the gates.

She smiled at the flower. "I'll win you over to loving gold someday."

As you were walking, you asked her about her preferences. "I want a world like Erebus, If I can't stay here with you. I just want more elegance, more beauty. I want a golden moon, and fields of silvery wheat, and rivers of shadow. I want . . . a world of the undead, but the honored kind, with gorgeous graveyards and lilting dirges and the dead all in their finery. I want soldiers in smart uniforms with glinting steel and warm brass. That's how I'd make Erebus look, if I could. Undeath should be a shadow of life, not a distortion of death."

She was quiet. "I need to fix things with Skeles, I'm sorry, I need to go. I'll be right back, I promise."

She stepped through a portal and left as you came into sight of Saesin.

"Willful, isn't she." said Saesin at the gates. "She'll be back. How are we going to approach the matter of the South?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:37, Mon 14 Jan 2019.

Laughing, he shook his head, "Gold will never be my color. It's too full of light and shining."

Bezaleel patted his child. Seeming quite proud of the way he influenced her. He had thought it would be most wildly different than his,  but it isn't too far off. It'd be a place he'd visit. That is for sure.

Nodding some at Ophelia he nodded, "Be safe and full of wit then my child."

Looking at Saesin, he nodded, "Indeed, and quite the handful. We shall head off to meet her. You shall announce my presence, and I will grant her audience.  I want to see what powers she possess, what all her intentions are, as well as any items of power.  You shall escort my shadow, I will puppet it, and speak through it. If I find her lacking or a threat. I'll kill and eat her, send her to meet the Death she so seeks to kill. But she will not meet him."

Sinking into the ground an exact copy of himself rose up from his shadow. It spoke to Saesin for him, "Now. Let us leave."

A portal opened, and she was back, halfway along your journey to the South.

Well, someone was.

Ophelia was changed. Her skin look curiously like a masterfully crafted doll, even as the living marble of her broke into a grin. The iris of her eyes was gold leaf, and molten gold shone through cracks in the living marble and in the veins beneath her marble-skin - just as magma had shown through the rocky skin of Skeles.

Her hair was metallic, but flowed just like hair. She was taller, as well - nearly of a height of with Bezaleel, a few inches shorter.

"I - I fixed things with Skeles. He said turning me into the pantheon didn't do him any good, but that if I wanted to things up to him, there was a way. He wanted to conduct an experiment. With enough essence . . Komatas was there too, helping . . he could make something that could make an alloy of gods. He said there was something vicious in me, and that's what really concerned him, because I was acting like the Pantheon. And . .  he said that what I did, the Tree doesn't like, that the Tree would punish me in time anyway. Unless something was done."

She bit her stone lip, which reacted just as skin would. It was like she was a hundred thousand sculptures, every one of them beautiful, and her movement was just her moving between variants. It was the perfect stillness of her body when she wasn't intentionally moving.

"So Komatas and Skeles, they made this thing with Essence, it was like a forge. He said that if I wanted to make up for what I'd done, really make up for it, I had to be changed. I went in. I felt like . . like I was drowning and being burned alive at the same time. Then as I . . . felt like I was going to die . . they pulled me out. The machine forge thing broke down right after."

She looked down at herself. "So. I guess . . . I'm different now. They gave me a new name. Komatas came up with it. Saraphine. Or Sara for short. It means I'm glowing and fiery."

"I'm the goddess of the Harvest, Sanctity, and the Slain. He took back his Artifice domain at same time he was 'alloying' me with him a Komatas. Or maybe I never had it. I'm just . . . going by my powers, and how I feel. He took back Forgebane too."

Her left arm was entirely gold, now, and was still shaped like a lithe bit of armor.

"So. I made amends. I'm not sure I like the name they gave me though. Do you want to call me Sara, or Ophelia?"

Raising up out of the shadows as Ophelia returned, his double remained in place complacent.

Bezaleel had a sort of a pained look at he gazed upon Ophelia. "Oh, what has happened to you, my child?" touching her cheek with his hands his facial expression remained still and unmoved.

Moving his hand back he brushed her hair back behind her ear. "I see you finally made me see the beauty in gold when it covers you so." his ears fell as he spoke and a more saddened look came upon his face.

Ghost Shroud flapped softly with the wind, exposing a soft smile on his face. "I don't quite like Saraphine. If you feel you are different and must find yourself a new name. May it be one you make for yourself instead. I suppose that will just be her nickname for you. I'll call you whatever you prefer, daughter."

Lifting his hand again he patted her head gently. "I am glad that amends where made at the very least. Come now though, have strength of heart from this humbling experience. It is time to see to the future from these events."

Turning around he started to walk next to Saesin. The shadows twisted and turned. From the thriving pool of shade arose a living shadow. A beautiful black horse with glowing white eyes. Barded with full plate armor decorated in golden runes and chainmail. Flowing clothes embroidered with gold and a saddle ontop of the padded cloth. His double moving and mounting the horse.

Looking back at Ophelia he nodded for her to come this way. Grabbing her by the waist he lifted her up ontop to ride with his double. By the time she went to gaze at Bezaleel, he had already disappeared into the shadows. The double turning his head and smiling at her, "Well, what shall you name your steed?

-50 souls for special unit Shadow War-Horse

As you touched her cheek, there was a flare of divine power. Her cheek softened - returned to being flesh. The gold faded from her eyes. Her hair returned to its natural hue, adorned with ever-present flowers.

She blinked. "Oh . .  I see. It's as if my powers are cards, and I can only hold so many at a time. When I'm using the abilities that were . .  alloyed to me . . . I echo the god I got them from, and I can't use some of my own powers. When I'm just using my stuff, I'm just me."

She still had the golden gauntlet. "I'll keep this one going - Komatas' power. It's minor, but it doubles the effectiveness of any physical armor I wear. Could you make me some, from shadow? So we look alike?" She said, as she swung up onto the warhorse. "And maybe fix my scythe? It's still broken, since I don't have Forgebane to act as a haft. It's my own Artifact - it cuts through anything like it's flesh, whether I'm cutting steel or shadow. I call it Hunter's Moon. Only the blade is an artifact . . that way I can remake it into a sickle, or maybe into one of the weird weapons you use."

She patted the horse. "I'll name him Sable. And keep calling me Ophelia, please."


Your double arrived in the south, where a pitched white tent marked the agreed meeting spot, in the middle of an old battlefield, with the enemy army's campfires massed - well over a thousand fires.

Ophelia's eyes turned golden. "1600 campfires. This isn't the bulk of their force, and - hm. The way the fires are positioned, it's a little too orderly, and that number is too exact. Real soldiers aren't that neat. I think she's lighting more fires than necessary to make her numbers seem larger." Her eyes returned to normal.

Saesin smiled from her own horse. "Perhaps you will be useful to the Shadows."
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:08, Tue 15 Jan 2019.

Lifting his hand, shadows mimicked a wooden haft for her scythe Hunter's Moon. Condensing the shadows he smithed them with his control.

Flowing off of his double a thick shadows trailed around Ophelia's body. Slowly with time they condensed into shadowed metal, cloth, and leather. A set matching quite much to his own. Instead of silver accents though, it laid bare with black. Ready to be changed to gold in the areas later. "If that is what you wish my child. I had believed you thought it tacky if I remember" he teased.

Touching her scythe's blade he shook his head some, "I fear that my weapons wouldn't suit you. It would take a long time of practice to master them and make them useful. They are... Quite exotic even among the gods."

Looking at the fires his eyes tightened and opened gaging them all and the numbers. Nodding at Saesin's remark he agreed, "Her other bulk of soldiers aren't here. She wants to show them off to be intimidating and that she has a stronger force with her. The rest are probably holding the lands and positions necessary for her hold here in Erebus. That or in places ready to strike incase this isn't agreeable. There was not near enough time to move enough forces as she'd like, my audience comes to quick for her to prepare properly."

His double smiling and chuckling some, Bezaleel spoke to those around him. "Remember, do not attack or speak out. Until my word otherwise. I will handle this. It is time we announce our presence and that what seeks is here."

His eyes widened until the silver turned into slits. The moon of the realm tightened with shadows, eclipsing it's light. Fogs of shadow creeped from the ground and forests. The fires they held at the camps. Eventually snuffed entirely. The area ahead grew colder than usual as the chill of undeath became apparent.

Ahead of them in the field, the fog hugged closer to the ground allowing them to be more visible. Stone arose from the ground shadows formed into braizers and dark flames lite, shining like stars in the bleak area. Walking forward in the field on the horse with Ophelia, Bezaleel announced himself aloud. "COME, MARILLA, GODDESS OF ANTIDEATH, HEIR TO THE GREENFATHER. I BEZALEEL, THE LIGHTBANE AND WRATH OF NOOR, AM HERE TO HERE TO GRANT YOU AUDIENCE."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:34, Tue 15 Jan 2019.

"I didn't say they were tacky, I said they were bland!" Ophelia said. "They don't have enough personality to be tacky."

She thanked you as you repaired her weapon and granted her armor.

"Oh, I could use them, I think. I inherited talents as well as powers from you and mother. I got mom's magic aptitude, and both set of mundane skills at a basic level. I also pick them up very quickly, but will need a very good teacher if I am to get to your level. Would you just happen to know one?"

The Goddess of Antideath was a beacon of light - surely any realm other than Erebus, it would have been blinding. As it was, it was merely excellent illumination. It was strange to see the colors of things in Erebus - while muted, the earth here was rocky and held a distinct reddish tent, indicating high iron content. As she walked, the shadows writhed as if in pain, twisting, expanding, rupturing as the sheer amount of positive energy her aura radiated scorched the earth and dissolved the unliving soil. This was no Lifebringer.

"So you've come, Paternal Shade. I am honored; the Undying Light greets you."

Her aura dimmed, then dimmed further, as the approached the shadow-crafted meeting point. Even with her aura extending no further than her person, the positive energy was very slowly melting the braziers. She halted; unlike you, she had brought no other with her. Foolhardiness, or confidence?

"Will you make terms for an alliance? I do mean the end of true death. I care nothing for the transmission of petty souls from other realms to yours. I mean to end entropy. To slay Charon, to drain the River Styx, that we may reign forever, and the Mad will quail impotently before our invincibility."
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:54, Tue 15 Jan 2019.

Nodding at his daughter, "I guess I would be that teacher, I suppose."

Watching the beacon of light drowning his realm and bring it color as the shadows and energy of the realm recoiled.

Bezaleel's eyes tightened looking at her aura. That, would be a problem.

Getting off of the horse, Bezaleel's double did not make any strong movement towards her.

"I see. You know, death is beyond just Charon's existence. It is a rule. A law of the tree and nature. To be outside of such a thing is one of their lack of rules."

Circling her in distance he continued to speak, "I have given it some thought. If you want my alliance and wisdom on the matter. I would know what power you have at your call other than that of your aura of... Positivity."

Stopping his movement he faced her, standing exactly on the other side of her, opposite of where he started.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:08, Tue 15 Jan 2019.

Marilla, Lady of Antideath

Saesin stirred in discomfort. The positive energy was for the undead what a freezing gale would be for the living.

"I share a similar view. I would enjoy seeing what powers you possess, aside from the manipulation of shadows. What say you to a friendly spar?"

Ophelia turned and coughed, signing to you from beneath her jacket. "Me."

You had sent a shadow-double that would doubtlessly show itself as a false image if you got too close to the full force of Marilla's aura. Ophelia would have no such issue, and she was your daughter, as this goddess was the Greenfather's. A sensible avenue of reasoning.

Then again, Ophelia might very will eat this goddess if she won, friendly spar or no. She'd been contrite with Skeles after being told off by you, but convincing her that pre-emptively killing Marilla was wrong would probably be a hard sell.

But, she was here to see how you did things, and seemed to be aligning more and more closely to you. Perhaps she'd behave.
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:04, Sat 19 Jan 2019.

Bezaleel rubbed his chin some. "I feel there to be no merit in a duel. A simple explanation and exchange would be sufficient. If you are itching to prove your metal. It seems my daughter is eager to test you. Before we continue, I do have a few questions to ask you. In turn you may ask me the same amount you answer. After that you can have your spar."

Walking along circling more, he continued to speak, "Firstly, I have no definite entry to Erebus. I have no portals to the valley or a solid anchor to any realm. How was it you made your way here, and how long did it take you. Do you have means of exiting? As well, do you hold any other gods as allies in your quest."

Making his way back to his people and daughter, he pet the Sable. Awaiting her answer.

"How did I arrive, how long did it take, means of exiting, allies. Four questions."

"My realm, Subere, is of a kind to yours. It is a light that shines above, pouring life and souls into realms is passes by. Allowing me entry into those realms, as well. It took a few days. Returning may very well be difficult; I would need to await this realm's intersection of my own.

I do have . . an ally, of sorts. A God of Deflection, and a Goddess of Light."

She turned the questioning to you. "Now, my turn. Firstly -How is that a God of Shadows has such involvement in the mechanisms of death? What is the extent of this dominion? Have you ever died, and if so, what did you see?"

Ophelia dropped from Sable, kicked up some of the dusty soil. Her power stretched out, spun the abundant iron into the whisp of a blade. Moment by moment, she worked, creating an iron blade, mixing it with trace carbon to create steel. Her veins glowed gold as she did so, but her skin remained flesh.

Marilla watched your daughter with interest. "How curious. Very well, I will spar with your daughter - unarmed combat, no artifacts, divine power and magic is fine, until knockout or concession. Are those terms acceptable?"

Ophelia looked to you. You'd told her not her not to speak or take action until you said so.

Bezaleel nodded as she answered his questions.

Laughing at her first question he had to contain himself. "Well, what is the shadow of life? It could be said it is death. But that would be it's counterpart and opposite. No a shadow of life would be undeath. The extent to this domain is as extent as existence itself. All things happen within the light's bounds, but it is the shadows and darkness that tell it's story. Side by side with all of life. War, death, crafting, life, everything in all of existence has an action and a counter reaction." patting his daughter on the head he smiled.

Taking hold of her weapon. He watched her work. "I have died. Otherwise I doubt I'd be a good diety of undeath. What I saw? I saw the river. I saw Charon. That was all. The secrets of the dead and what they see are for those who take his hand and cross on the his fare."

Putting his hands in his pockets he spoke to his daughter and looked at her. "You may speak and act as you wish. Do the terms of no artifacts and weapons sound good to you?"

Looking back to the Goddess of antideath he spoke again. "Aside from knockout or concession, I will intervine and stop when I have seen enough or deem the fight over."

Ophelia nodded, handing you her scythe. She also disrobed, leaving the shadow armor with you. "If her aura can melt braziers, it can melt the armor too. It's fine."

Ophelia entered the ring of braziers. Using Artifice magic - another gift from Skeles? - and the same power that had crafted the sword, she transformed the braziers into iron. With a snap of her fingers, Marilla turned the darkflames into white fire.

"The braziers aren't a firm boundary, but I think it'd be best if we contain the spar here, if possible." Ophelia said.

"Sensible! I will contain my aura accordingly."

Each of the goddess took up opposite positions at the edges of the ring.

"Before we do this, how about we make it more interesting?"

Marilla grinned. "How so?"

"A little bet. Souls is a little paltry - let's bet Essence. I'm good for it."

"Very well! To the winner, an Essence."

That settled, the spar began.

Ophelia moved first, darting towards Marrilla with inhuman speed. Marilla countered with a blast of positive energy, but Ophelia had vanished into a swirl of leaves and cold light, appearing behind Marilla. With a roundhouse kick that flared with red forge-light, she connected with Marilla's spine - shattering it with a sickening crunch and slamming her into the dirt several feet away.

Marilla: 4/10

The lady of Antideath laughed. "Very good! Very good." Her aura briefly dissipated, and she stood, before it flared again.

Marilla: 8/10

Ophelia charged forward again, slamming a forge-light fist through Marilla's chest. The Lady of Antideath laughed through a mouthful of blood, grappling Ophelia, shunting positive energy into her. Her flesh distorted, bubbling with tumors, her skin tearing asunder - only to immediately heal itself from the abundance of positive energy, only to be torn again as the tumors grew.

Marilla: 5/10
Ophelia: 14/10

Screaming, Ophelia drove her other hand into Marilla, both arms glowing with forge-light and her skin turning into living marble. Her body grew in height, her stone hands increasing in size, and with her scream deepening, Ophelia ripped Marilla's torso apart.

Marilla: 0/10, dead
Ophelia: 16/10

Ophelia's left arm was useless, overtaken by the tumors, and right arm was damaged as well. White light shone from her mouth, positive energy escaping her body.

An explosion of positive energy blasted from Marilla's body, and she rose again, laughing.

Marilla: 5/10
Ophelia: 18/10, close to fatal rupture

Ophelia shed her stone-skin, shedding positive energy with it - ejecting small stones, the remenants of the tumors. Positive energy was rolling out of her, white fluid leaking from her eyes and mouth.

"No. I knocked you out."

"You killed me, actually. Shame I'm no friend of death."

Ophelia looked to you, then back to Marilla. "That's bullshit. I was counting on your stupid-strong healing and divinity to keep you alive. Your power must let you die in exchange for revival or something, when another God would have survived. This is a spar, not a duel to the death."

"My powers are my powers, child. Are you conceding?"

Ophelia spat, the white water hissing against the shadowed ground.

"So you're not a friend of death. Whatever. That's dumb, and I'm done here."

She turned to walk away, back to you.

Marilla wasn't done - white light gathered at her left hand. "I'll expect the essence, then?"

Ophelia spun on her heel, and you got . . a bad feeling.

"I told, you fuck. I'm not conceding. Your powers are bullshit. Are you fucking testing me? This a friendly spar. Not a deathmatch. If it was, antideath or what-ever, you'd be blood on my teeth already."

"You're reneging? That reflects rather poorly on you. And your father."

Ophelia stepped back into the ring.

"What about my father?"

"You gave your word. I want that essence. Elsewise, I must conclude your father - whom you so resemble - is dishonorable, and unworthy of my alliance."

"Unworthy-?"

"Listen, you fucking unwoman. You're not getting that essence. But hey, if you can use a bullshit power like that, then turnabout is fairly play."

Ophelia made a scything motion with her closed hand, her divine power - hers, not an alloyed ability - and when she opened it, there was a tiny Marilla in her hand, within a glowing sphere of gray light.

"Congratulations. Hello, I'm Ophelia, Goddess of the Harvest. But you can call me the Reaper."

Marilla's aura disappeared, and she fell to the ground, unconscious. Her body was still, and rapidly cooling.

The tiny Marilla in Ophelia's hand looked confused, and then distraught, and then panicked.

"You may have come back from death, but as the Reaper I care nothing for trickery, you understand? I killed you, therefore I can take your soul."

She turned to you. "What should I do, Shadowdad? I can return her soul to her body, in which case she'll be incapacitated, but alive. Her aura seems automatic and will probably start healing her from there. Or I can eat her soul, and take one of her powers. You're better at the big picture, so I'll go with whatever you think is best."

She spat out more of the white water, grew angrier. The entire fight had taken thirty seconds.

She looked at the soul. "Listen, I don't want us to be enemies, as much of a bitch as you might be. If you want an alliance, then when I release you, you will concede that I won the fight, grant me the Essence, and retreat from Sepulcher. As soon as possible, you will leave Erebus. Within that time, my father may deign to invite you attend him, at which point we can have a civil discussion. Is that equitable?"

The soul nodded, and Ophelia softballed the soul back to Marilla's body, which flared to white-light life and and recovered, dazed.

A flash of light - +1 Essence to Ophelia from Marilla

Marilla coughed. "I - hope that was a fair demonstration of my powers . . . I feel it was a fair demonstration of yours . . . Reaper."

She addressed you. "Bezaleel, Lord of Erebus. I believe this concludes the parley. Shall I do as your daughter recommended?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:05, Wed 16 Jan 2019.

Bezaleel, climbed out of Ophelia's shadow. The true Bezaleel. Walking towards Marilla. His shadow came to him and fell onto the ground as Bezaleel grabbed Hunter's Moon and Ophelia's other artifacts. "No. We are not done here. There is but one way we may kill death truly. You seem to have quite the ability to assertain that vision. I will help you, but if I do. We do this now. Just you and me. I have two conditions. That no matter what it is you must adhere to or this idea you have will fail and I will back out. If they are done, I will see your vision done entirely. There is but one way for you to greet death and for us to start this. You must die, you must truly die. I know how to handle getting there by myself. If I tried to bring you with alive. You would be lost for an uncertain amount of time. I will bring you your artifacts. Only the ones useful for this. My first condition, is that you must follow my entire plan step by step perfectly unless it fails. Failure to do so will result in the alliance and deal broken."

Walking towards the Goddess of Anti-death his eyes looked into hers unflitchingly. "Those are my terms of alliance. None other. You either accept this here and now. Or never return to my sight and home again."

Waiting, he looked at her, not doing a thing until she gave answer. Once she did which ever it was...

Bezaleel stood silently with vigil over the goddess. A very uneasy feeling spread across the area. All could feel it.

Then, breaking it, he bellowed out laughter. Laughing he wiped a single tear away. Giving a cruel fanged smile to the goddess, he spoke again. "You honestly fucked yourself.  It's so funny to me. I think I could die from laughter!

Gather himself, Bezaleel chuckled some, until his posture returned and he grew more serious.

"You don't have a choice in the slightest. This parley is over and it is pointless. You pushed Ophelia too far with your overconfidence and it proved your entire downfall. We own you now. Your soul and being is her plaything. No other deity in all of existence could help you get out of the bind you put yourself in just now. In fact. The blight would be the only way, and even still as soon as you touch ground inside of the tree, you will have a soul again, and it'd still be her's. There isn't a place in all of existence you could hide."

Bezaleel was crude in this regard. Reigning in something that could have very well been a monster and horrid foe. Looking back at his daughter Ophelia, "Well done Ophelia, the Reaper! I approve that you held yourself reserved for so long. You fought well and even gave her the chance to walk away. I am so beyond proud. Words could not express that, daughter. You outdid yourself, truly!" praising his daughter truly. He turned back to Marilla

Out from his shadow came a tendril. Knocking the goddess into a short chair of stone coming up form the ground, it lounged back.

Bezaleel put a clawed foot between her legs on the chair. Bringing his chest close to his knee he put an arm resting on it, that hand graced past her face and grabbing her hair. Hovering over her he moved Hunter's Moon, pressing it up to her neck and then down her chest. Watching it heal as it cut her slowly. The blood dripping onto the blade.

Pulling her head back he drew his face close. Ghost Shroud no longer hiding half of his face at the angle. Marilla could see a vicious hungered look in his eyes and facial expressions. One that showed a true monster within him as he gazed at her like food and felled prey. Licking the blood off the edge of the blade.

His tongue slide across it savoring it, putting it back down across her chest. Bezaleel continued to speak, "Even if we let you go after this parley it would be entirely pointless. There isn't an escape from the situation you put yourself in. Your zealous actions drove you here, your overconfidence in your lack of death have made you realize you are all too close to that very thing you seek to slay now. There shall be no alliance. You are ours now."

Moving closer to her ears he spoke silently in a chilling voice, "Welcome home, child"

Backing up Bezaleel rose to a full stand.  "We are going to kill you. Send you to river Styx to meet Charon.

There I will join you. You will stay silent. You are not to return from the River Styx, we will talk with Charon himself. See how exactly it is he plays a role in death here in the world tree. See what it is that determines death exactly. He is the ferryman. If he doesn't do his job what the consequences of those actions are.

If his being is what determines all of death in the tree, we shall slay him and start working on ending the River Styx. BUT, not before you do my second condition whether or not he is.

While his death and the stop of death is not my goal and matters not to me. I shall be honorable to see it through as I said and agreed...

Your second condition. Is that you will give all of your remaining lives for the return of Anathema the Goddess of Reflections. Once death is stopped entirely. I shall resurrect you, your soul free from Ophelia's ownership, I give my word of that. That ability , is my power. "

Smiling viciously his fangs glared in her light and the silver of his attire. Grabbing her chin and jaw he spoke again. "If you don't comply to all of these actions by the tee or even the smallest outside of these. Your hopes, dreams, zealous crusade against death will all be crushed. Left in the wind like ashes and dust from the once great flame known as your soul. Your entire compliance is necessary or the entire deal is off and you will be ours for eternity, or until we get bored of your existence and wipe it clean from Taeltresin"
This message was last edited by the player at 19:22, Wed 16 Jan 2019.

Ophelia blushed as your praised her, though her brief embarrassment turned into surprise and then a kind of - perky admiration? As you showed a different side to yourself than you had seen before.

You tasted the fear in the Lady of Antideath's blood. But she hardened her eyes. "I - I have allies. They know I'm here. I'm in the Valley now, talking with them. They know what's happening here. They can tell the Pantheon. You have to let me go."

"I doubt the Pantheon will be sympathetic, considering you've already lead a host into Erebus. As far as they're concerned - my father is a greater god, I am a valuable experiment, and you are . . an arrogant, bellicose, nothing."

Ophelia smiled, in the same way you had. "Please invite your dear allies here. Please, I'm asking so nicely. I beat you in a a fair unarmed duel. What do you think I can do from the shadows, with a blade at hand? Saying nothing of my father being bored enough to swat such flies."

She swept around to the back of the chair. "We're just making your little dream come true. Did you think an alliance with the shadowgod would be on favorable terms?"

She ran a fingertip over the goddess' carotid. "Just nod, if you agree to die, that death itself may join you. Signal that you agree to my father's terms. All I need is a nod."

White tears slid down Marillas face, as she dipped her chin in agreement, eyes shut.

Bezaleel laughed further at Marilla's words, "Oh please, and what will you tell the Pantheon!? That you wanted to kill Charon and drain the River Styx. Lead a campaign inside my realm? Tell the Pantheon, that you did all of this to one of the three gods who reclaimed the entire tree from the blight and mad. Though, Vex is goddess of balance. Taking away my feat she would still see in my favor. As well as Ophelia's"

Bezaleel's laughter calmed a few more seconds, nodding at what his daughter said to a some extent "You came here seeking an alliance, that comes with a deal when you do not have my favor.

You are lucky I decide to be honorable enough to see your vision through. Besides, with death gone and you resurrected as the Goddess of Antideath. What need of you of your other lives?

Besides, taking away my daughter's slaughter of them or my boredom to deal with them myself. Telling your allies would do you no good. How long do you think it would take to get here for them? More than centuries I suppose. You were quite lucky in getting here personally. In fact, all you said were just hollow grasps at escape from a cage you locked yourself in.

I suppose you could have them crusade after us, for our harsh manor of seeing your dream through. But you'd only be sending them to this same fate you hold."

Wiping the white glowing tear from Marilla'a face, he smiled cruely. "Good, good, I'm glad you agreed. It's more fun this way. It'd have been a shame for your entire trip here to have been for nothing but the loss of your existence."

Backing away from Marilla he patted Ophelia's head in pride. "I trust if you are able to harvest another essence from her being if she has one?"

Looking down at Marilla his face covered by Ghost Shroud, "Unless you would hand it over willingly?"

Talking to Ophelia he gazed back up at her, his eyes softer on her than Marilla "If there is none to be taken. Would it be okay for me to ask of the essence you received earlier? You have my word to return one to you later. I'll need some time after all of this to decide a different suitable reward for you, Ophelia. Unless you wish, you can make any request of me at all, I'd be all yours. This is, after all, your victory and couldn't be done without you. Truly."

Sitting down, the shadows graced up from the ground to greet him. Looking back at the Terror Guard he smiled, "Tell all of her army and soldiers that they serve under me now. That their goddess has come to an agreement with me. Saesin, I want you to stay here. There must be someone to hold account of all that happens here. It is my apologies to hold you here, I should have brought an acolyte for that reason.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:58, Thu 17 Jan 2019.

"Sure, daddy. I was going to give it you - I figured you'd know a better use for it." A flash of gold light - +1 Essence to Bezaleel from Ophelia

Ophelia ran her teeth over Marilla's shoulder, smiling softly as she shuddered. Ophelia locked eyes with you, silently asking for permission to dig in.

"I'm going to take good care of your realm, you know. I don't have one of my own. I'm sure my daddy will let me take it for myself . .  you wouldn't want your people to be without a protector, hmm? Although, maybe you don't care about them . . ."

She stroked Marilla's hair. "Do you know that I love you, my sweet prey? Oh, only my love for my father rivals my love for you. Not only are you delicious, but you're also willing . . ."

Saesin averted her eyes. Murder wouldn't phase her, but intimacy mixed with killing? That was a bridge too far. "I will see to their conversion and command, Lord of Shadows."

Bezaleel noted Saesin's reaction, "My apologies, my child. You may take your leave and see as your duty fits. You are dismissed."

Grasping the essence he had an idea ready. Embuing into his right gauntlet the essence. Making an artifact. He poured his will over it as it melded in it hardening. The dark metal plated gauntlet affixed with leather grew claws that matched sides to his own claws extending just slightly. The artifact would allow the user to attack a foe's soul and essence of being directly rather than their physical self.

-1 Essence

Looking out at his hand he pulled each of his fingers and stretched. A smile came across his face, "I think that I shall name you, Scotophobia."

Looking down at Marilla with dispation. He waited until Saesin and the others left to give word to Ophelia. Instead he walked forward, brushing his daughter's hair back, shadows coming off of her neck and wrapping her hair up in a bun. "I wouldn't want your lovely hair a stained mess with her blood." smiling softly at her.

Bending down into Marilla's ear he whispered again, "For what is a predator, without it's prey?"

Leaning up he pulled Marilla's artifacts free from her being. With a macabre smile he spoke, "First bite is all your's daughter." he was waiting to test his new artifact's ability.

Watching his sweet daughter begin an otherwise vicious and horridly twisted act, his eyes stayed locked onto Marilla's eyes. Watching the act brought him some sort of sweet satisfaction.

After waiting for some type of visual cue from Marilla's eyes, he too then devoured her. His teeth ripping through her flesh. Tearing at her being to the soul, consuming it.

Once Marilla's death was finished, and not but pickings of her flesh. Bezaleel wiped his mouth.

Speaking to Ophelia, "We have some time but must be hasty. I shall leave you to as you desire. Hold temperance as you stand vigil over our home. A second in the River Styx is whole days or even weeks here, depending our placement in the tree, it could even be months or years before my return."

With that, he gave his daughter a hug and kiss on her forehead. His own little people eater. Smiling softly at her he barely touched her chin. "Remember to behave yourself, Ophelia."

Turning around he flew off, he went quickly to the tomb of the old shadow.

Going inside. He hollowed out the ground underneath after twelve or so feet underground from it. Making a small chamber of stone. Pulling out the artifact from his time in Noor. Holding the claws he took stance.

Ripping a portal open to the River Styx. One that would be hidden on both sides.

The claws destroyed after their use. Walking through it to the River Styx.

OOC: - Otherworldly Claws.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:33, Thu 17 Jan 2019.

A scream, and then silence, and the crunching of bones.

Ophelia grinned, her delicate features splattered with red. Looking at her strong, beautiful, monstrous father - the shadowgod unleashed, feeding with her, illusions of civility cast aside-

When Bezaleel finished his meal, another open mouth found his, arms pale as moonlight encircling him, pulling him over the chair and the remains of a Goddess between them, which fell into mist and dissipated. The kiss was soft, but rather intrusive, and needful.

His daughter released him, as she sat on the red earth, eyes closed, relishing in their first time eating as a family.

"You're so good to me, shadowdad. We should . . get together like this again."

Calming down, she moved to a kneeling position. "Whew. Okay. I'll stay here, I promise. I'll do some exploring of Erebus. Can I have my scythe back?"

=

The power of the claws dissipated, becoming shattered bits of clay. The portal was created, and he was on his way down deep . . .

You gain a new minor power - the ability to channel destructive positive energy. Foes that are healed to twice their hitpoints are obliterated, their forms unable to contain the light. As adapted to you, the light will be gray rather that white.

Marilla's artifact, a ring, allows you gather this energy within it over time and release it as a strong blast with great distance potential. It will heal the living, but also sicken them and riddle them with cancer as it causes internal bacteria to breed out of control and disables the body's normal mechanism that control growth.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:24, Fri 18 Jan 2019.

In a few moments a mixed array of emotions washed over Bezaleel. Most of which washed away as he gave in, true to his normal nature.

His arms wrapped under Ophelia's waist and back. Her kiss accepted and returned with a wanting, her taste was sweet and coaxed with the blood of their prey. Pulling her in as she pulled him down. The only thing between their bodies fell into mist.

As she released him, Bezaleel gracefully made his way up. A smile on his face hidden by his shroud. He spoke with satisfaction in lower tone "I'll always be good to you, sweet girl. We should indeed."

Crouching infront of her, he touched her chin softly. "But of course, here" handing Ophelia her artifacts he then parted his lips on her cheek. Taking his leave.

High in her room in one of the castle's towers, Ophelia examined her teeth for the fourth time, her eyes still wet and teary. She'd been crying again.

Her canines were sharper, she was certain, and her other teeth were changing subtly too. After . . after her own father had accepted her advances and given her . .  had held her like a woman -

she suppressed a sob, not wanting a servant to check in on her and find her distraught.

She fell onto her bed. The room was small, and cozy, and well-lit. Her father had done everything to make her feel like this was her home, had made sure she had a private chamber, with a fireplace of ordinary fire rather than darklight. He did love her - and she loved him.

But until . .  that moment . . .  she'd never seen Bezaleel. Not the real Bezaleel, at least, only the calm, reserved, doting but firm father version.

She pulled up her knees, hugging them to herself and burying her face.

Her teeth had felt a little strange after Skeles, but it had gone away with time. After eating this Marilla, the tingling wasn't going away. She could ignore it most times, and brushing her teeth helped a little, but the only thing that really made it stop was burying her teeth in flesh.

What was she turning into? Why wouldn't her lusts go away? Her lust for blood, and now her lust for Bezaleel, the same god that she had once been ready to betray.

She couldn't think of Bezaleel as her father and as the god that had - embraced her. Not at the same time. She felt split, like there was her father - who was kinda cool in a bland way - and the Bezaleel who had accepted her monstrous nature, seen her for what she was, and had answered her lust with his own.

If she hadn't intiated things, would he have kissed her anyway? Considering what she knew of him . . no, he wouldn't have. He was remarkably patient and considerate of her desires, even building the arena just because she had wanted to see the undead fight.

So she had chosen this, and if she wanted, she could end it. In this . . . secret, she and her father were equals.

She blinked, as insight hit her. That's what the difference had been - with fresh blood in her, she'd felt powerful. Her arousal had been high - after the fight, after getting to play with Marilla. And because she'd felt powerful - and because she'd seen the true Bezaleel - she'd forgotten about what they were to each other.

She'd only seen a beautiful, terrible, strong god. A suitable mate, and one that had already proved loyal, intelligent, and of similar tastes. Everything had just made so much sense in that moment - she felt like a natural predator in its element, and he had just been a male of the same monstrous species, to her beast-brain.

She left the bed, checked her teeth again. They WERE sharper - her finger came away bloody.

She grinned, and watched her teeth shift into fangs as she stopped fighting it. This was who she was - an eater of gods, a divine beast, and a very good daughter to a very bad dad.

Ophelia has been seduced by the call of the beast blood.
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:33, Sat 19 Jan 2019.

Time passes above, as the Styx flows slow . . .

By necessity, Ophelia took control over Marilla's forces; with the Aura of Antideath that she had reaped from Marilla, she was able to restore the function of the strange living armors as their internal 'battery' ran down, and the recognized her as their commander.

Saesin took the young woman under wing, teaching her the art of command; as Esseth began to her kingcraft.

Erebus had yet to use the essence that had been returned to it; it sang to Ophelia, visiting in her dreams. Dreams of motherhood, of a realm very like Erebus, of uniting with her father to produce a world of softer shadows and elegance.

She journeyed to the Warrior's Rest, to with with St. Anastasius. He had memories of an age past.

He told her of what she was becoming - a Beast God - and cautioned her that she would need far greater self-control if she was master the Beast within her, rather than being mastered by it. In the past, the Beasts had been led by a Great Beast, and had been elusive and careful with slaking their bloodthirst. She would still need allies; she would still need to be able to function as a Goddess, and play the political games of Gods, if she was to remain alive.

She told him of the matter of what occurred between her and her father, Bezaleel, and the dreams she had been having.

He told what she well knew - that the common morals of mortals did not apply to Gods, and that the offspring of Gods were born of Theogenesis just the same. The union between two divines, and their progeny, was a spiritual affair, not a material one. There would be issues if she chose Bezaleel as her mate, beyond the emotional ramifications she was already experiencing, owing to her strange predicament of having no Realm and existing so long in mortal time. In a way, she had absorbed much of the routine of mortality.

The Saint wasn't certain, but if the Realm recognized her as a lady, was holding Essence in store, and was communicating with her subconsciously, that perhaps Erebus was ready to produce a child of its own, and needed the act she dreamed of to occur, to effect the birth.

Satisfied, Ophelia returned home.

She felt . . . at peace. Releasing the secret of her designs on her father ease the turmoil within her; she was a Goddess in her own right, and her feelings were only natural, given how her life had gone. She was in love with Erebus and its master; of course they would both be her companions.

This matter of her developing bestial nature .  .  . she would consult with her father about it, and about their affections for one another. She needed him; he would help her do things the right way.

She would need to grow stronger. She would need to put away her childishness, if she was going to be a goddess and a mistress. She might be a monster, but she needn't be self-destructive, or foolish. She was a predator . . . a god-eater .  .  . but she needed to develop patience and self-control.

She went to the Nightshade, Draheals, and asked to study under him. As a goddess and a warrior, Draheals accepted her as worthy, and began instructing her in the Moonshadow fighting style - which demanded clarity of mind, even in the midst of battle.

At the present time, a full year had passed in Erebus . . .

Time passes above, as the Styx flows slow . . .

Ophelia cradled the Ashen Hourglass, watching seconds tick by for her father as months passed by for her. It a small comfort to know he was not staying away for long, by his measures. Her daily meditations were bearing fruit. Her bloodlust was like a red door within her; and her lust for bezaleel, a black door. She could contain them both now, though it was sometimes a struggle.

She continued her studies, whiling away the hours that she was not training with Draheals or helping with matters of state with Esseth by reading books - and composing her own, when she ran out of books to read. Her writings were lurid and entertaining, and with her knowledge of artifice she set about designing a kind of automatic writer to produce copies of her works for distribution. It took awhile, but eventually she could operate the device for an hour or two each day and produce a dozen copies of her works, which she distributed freely.

She took over as master of the Arena on the weekends, watching the fights, overseeing the design of entertaining new sets and twists, almost as if the fights were plays, and she a playwright.

Two full years had passed in Erebus . . .
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:32, Sat 19 Jan 2019.

Continued from The River Styx

Bezaleel emerged from the stone chamber set in the earth, the secret passage to the Styx.

Perhaps not all had gone as planned, but new information had been acquired.

Your teeth itched, and Erebus felt heavy. The land was waiting for something, and you could feel the divine presence of your daughter higher up - likely in her chambers.

Much time had passed - enough time for the stone you had dug crumble some, and the start of black lichen to gather in the cracks.

You had acquired a new major power - Marilla's ability to join souls to inanimate objects, and make them come alive to serve her. You would have to keep them 'fed' and operational yourself, however, given that they were powered by positive energy in a world opposed to the same.
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:04, Sat 19 Jan 2019.

Looking around the unusual feeling from his realm weighed on him. It didn't feel as light and flowing to him as usual. Looking around him at the realm and himself his gaze caught the spire.

Maybe he noticed it, maybe he didn't. But his attention was pointed there. He could fly, he could travel through the objects in his way.

Instead he walked. Step by step there. His gaze stayed on target. Covering the secret passage with stone as the realm heaved against his control.

Picking his teeth more he moved his claw and hand down. Deciding a more lazy approach. Moving a shadow in his mouth instead to do so.

This new power unlocked begged a question from him on how to power them without relying on positive energy. But the synergy it would make with his power to make objects and summon up creations would be useful.

Getting to the top of the spire, he recognized his destination. No, he knew it was all along. He only just now paid attention to it being so.

Looking himself down really quick he padded himself. Then knocked gently on Ophelia's chamber door. Not announcing himself, wanting to surprise her.

Ophelia opened the door. She didn't seem that surprised, but she did blush. "Oh, father. I knew you were back, the hourglass sped up. It's been three years for me, I hope you know. Long time to make a girl wait. Come in, please." With her standing in the doorframe, you . . .  realized just small she was, at 5'4".

The little room was cheery, and sported rather traditional decor, save for the warm fireplace and little kitchen where she prepared food fit for the living.

She went to the kitchenette. "Can I get you anything? I have some spiced blood here." She poured some of the delicacy in a bone cup, while picking up her tea from the table. She passed the bone cup to you, then sat with you at the glass table.

"How did things go? I'm not exactly sure where you went, but I know it was . . . a place with very slow time. I'm guessing the underworld, some part of it."
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:40, Sat 19 Jan 2019.

Bezaleel smiled as she blushed and began to speak. "I hope that the hourglass is to your liking. It is quite permanent, I feel it best in your hands. I apologize for my long time away."

Following in her room. He could tell the hominess of it.

It's strange to know it is her room. Bezaleel never really slept. Or had personal affects to place somewhere. Infact he usually only slept where ever he is. Like a king of the jungle in the forest.

There was the tomb. But he only meditated there.

As she offered to him he raised a hand. "Oh, uh no thank you, Ophelia.." he trailed off as she poured the spiced blood.

Smiling, he took it though, and bowed his head some, "Thank you, daughter. I know it's been a long time for you, but I did just eat with you but a few ago. I also ate the little goddess a second time by the river."

Absent mindedly he called off the shadow picking his teeth as he was about to drink. Taking a few sips of the whine, he poured it back some before putting it down on the table. Lifting his hand up to claw his teeth again.

"Yes, it was some part of the underworld. It is the River Styx. I met and talked with Charon. I saught to have him farey me to see Anathema. But apparently no price would let him be able to let me. So the deal was broke. With that I ate Marilla again. When I went to kill her a third, Charon sent her home from there. Now I am here."


Crossing his legs he put a hand in his pocket. Sitting up still, he looked at Ophelia as they spoke. It can sometimes be hard to tell where exactly it is he is looking though. The only hint was the center of where the slights of silver were. But there was more Silver now than usual as his pupils tightened.

"So she got away. With two lives remaining. Knows of the fates and where to find them. I plan is to hunt her down and stop her from being able to kill the fates. She has probably been back for half a year I suspect."

Waving his hand though he pulled Ghost Shroud down some from it's more heighted position. He also began trying to not claw his teeth.

"But, enough of that for now. How have you been, darling."

She smiled in a soft way; she seemed different, relaxed.

"I wanted to give you something, sorry. Even if you didn't want it." She said, addressing that she had given you the spiced blood even after you had declined. There was discrete subtext to the phrasing, though.

"That's awful. She's irresponsible, and now she's going to be foolish with anger, and strong for having lost two lives. And her allies .  .  . hmm. We should investigate her a little more . .  I don't entirely buy her explanation of how she got here, and the name of her realm was just Erebus backwards. I suspect we can't trust most of what she told us. If you would like, I could lead the host she left with us and conduct an invasion?"

She paused, gently touching your mouth. "I see. Father, would you come to bed with me? I think I can help you with . .  the itching teeth."

She rose, and laid on the bed, shrugging off her housecoat. "Come here, on top of me. Lay your head over my heart."

The pack mother calls to the beast blood within you.

She smelled . . . good. Like spiced blood, and something .  .  . woodsy.

If you complied, you felt . . .  relief. The beast blood calmed within you, and your teeth settled.

"I am well. I have spent time with your favorite Shades, and spoken with St. Anastasius. I trained extensively in the Moonshadow fighting style . . read our library, added to it. I have written stories, and livened up the arena. Made my peace with what I am . . . with what we are."

You body was one of shadows, but her own aura was of soft light, dispelling the ethereal and leaving the material you. She scratched between your ears, and under your chin.

"We are beasts, father. The first beasts of the new growth . . . I have accepted the beast blood. As should you. You may be my father, but we are bound by two bloods. When you fed with me, you took on the beast within me, bound yourself with me."

She ran her fingers down your neck, over your spine. "You are my father, my patron, my creator . . . I cried so many times about what happened between us, before I understood that there was . . . destiny at play. To bring my new realm into being, to begin the lineage of beasts . . . and to satisfy me, perhaps tame me . . . you must unite with me."

She nuzzled the top of your head. "What happened before, was rash. Spur of the moment. But it felt right. There's a reason . . . why I stayed in Erebus, when I could have left. Why I waited for your return, instead of returning to the Pantheon. When I made my little power play, and . . . you just directed me elsewhere, and I felt such relief, I knew I loved you."

"I would be your consort, your companion, and yet remain your daughter. I do not wish to part from you, or to discard any part of our . .  peculiar bond."

"Will you accept me? And the beast blood within you - would you lie with me, and become we?"

She sighed softly. "Then, we will go to the Eternal Hunting Grounds . . find Hayl . . and devour him, together. Claim the World Seed, for Erebus. Then, we will hunt Marilla and her allies . . . We will devour all that would oppose the shadows, until we cast our bloody pall across the whole of the tree."
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:19, Sat 19 Jan 2019.

Bezaleel's face didn't seem to change much. He had a super lax feel to him in most situations when you grew used to him.

Not that many did. Bezaleel was very up and about. The most time he spent there was during the time he trained all of the Second Dead squad. As well as when he trained under some of the shades of Darkheart.

Where as her daughter spent more than years here with the people.

"She is. I believe we should investigate her more. I didn't quite really trust her to begin with. I only used her to my ends, and when she didn't sort the need I dealt with her. Same way she would have done I. I doubt she'd have lead a host here and having gained two allies prior to me. Especially while she has no real knowledge of my being. No we should not counter invade with her previous soldiers at that. Her realm is positive. Quite so at that. That much I believe may be true. Any host from here would be wasted. We'll have to do it."

Bezaleel didn't move from her but his eyes widdened some as she started to touch his mouth. Talking through her hand, "Why?" as she moved it away he simply blinked blankly.

His eyes peered at her with a form of unsurity in his eye. Bezaleel didn't see how he needed to to go to bed with her. Or.. On top of her.

But then, he felt relaxed and compelled to.

Rising smoothly the shadows followed him as he laid into the bed on top of her. Looking into her eyes so close, they looked as if they were more zoomed. Slowly he turned his head and finished laying it down on her.

His right ear flopped over with the two silver bands. Softly they reflected the light. Their fur was black and the skin inside was more pale whitish.

Bezaleel's keen nose picked up her scents soon after.

His wasn't quite as pleasant. The smell of flesh and blood hung on him. A waft of spiced blood. Then.. A smell similar to the sea.

As he laid the seconds felt like minutes. Slowly as the relief washed over him, he released a long breath of air, then inhaled another. His teeth didn't feel itchy anymore.

Sure enough. Laying with her worked.

A soft smile broke on his face as he laid, listening to Ophelia. "I'm glad to hear, I am ashamed to admit it, but it almost feels like you're more of their deity than I am. You must be familiar with them all by now. I wonder what projects you've.. Done.." he slowed his speaking as she scratched him.

It felt good. Quite so at that. His tail shifting in pleasure. "Guess I'm more like a cat than I thought." he slightly rubbed his head against her as she continued to pet him.

Reaching a hand out he looked at it, then up at her. He spoke pretty calm and softly, "Beasts huh? Guess I do feel pretty animalistic at times....bound by blood.. Well, never thought there would be such a binding from doing that."

Listening more to her speak, Bezaleel's hair bristled and he exhaled slowly as she ran her fingers down his neck and back. Sending shivers up them.

His eyes stayed locked onto hers as she continued, "If that is what you would want, than I shall graciously oblige. But, a lineage of beasts... I feel it best to not, not for some time." not continuing he laid quietly against her.


Listening to her for some time. He blinked a couple times as he was nuzzled on. "I think while rash it was... Correct.. I will hold our bond true then. You will be my companion, consort, and my daughter as well. My love for you has always been there, since you were born. But since Marilla's duel with you and after. It was.. Changed.. Subtle at that. But the way you preyed on her. Then how you feasted on her until her demise...Aaaah, the arousal of such a brutal kill. It was, pleasant, impressive, natural. The feeling showed, then.. I accepted it.

Moving how his head and position was, Bezaleel ended up more over her. Looking directly into her eyes leveled with her. His ears flopped down towards her.

Thumping in his chest was his heart. Yet it was unfamiliar. He wasn't in a battle. Yet it was excited, beating hard in his chest. Releasing a chilling breath, he spoke softly to her. "This blood was always mine and inside of me. I never denied it..."

His eyes peered into her's more closely. A soft gutteral growl came from him as he spoke, inserting his will, "No. The Goddess goes first. Hayl will be more challenging. She poses a threat to the fates. We do not oppose our will onto all of the tree either. Only those hostile towards the shadows.. Those who make themselves prey, weak or strong. No mercy."

Not saying anymore. He only needed lie with her. His eyes blinked some, then they softened. Leaning, into her, they closed. His lips parted hers. His arm wrapping around her up her back, lifting her into him. Embracing their bodies together.

Bezaleel's tail could be felt when it whooshed a random flick through the air now and then.

OOC: Bezaleel joins Ophelia.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:04, Sat 19 Jan 2019.

As you laid with Ophelia, the welling essence of Erebus finally released itself, investing in the two of you.

You joined with her - making yourself vulnerable, accepting her as your partner, and for a moment, being just yourself, without the trappings of godhood, rule, and supernatural power. A shadow laid bare.

And she, embracing her nature, accepting her lusts for what they were but growing beyond them, gaining a measure of patience and self-control that would see her through as a worthy consort and counsel.

You felt something familiar - your essence, shadowy as it was. Not separated from you - your divinity was linked to Erebus, as was Ophelia's

Ophelia's essence was electrum - a greenish gold. It two was linked to Erebus, a linked strengthened by 23 years of life within its borders.

And now, you had joined with her.

A flash of brilliant silver lighting arced down from the moon of Erebus, striking the spire above the both of you. A shadowy rectangle bled out of the west wall of Ophelia's room, opposite the kitchenette - a door of black wood, trimmed in gold.

It bore a brass nameplate above the lintel - "Hemera."

"Hey, lay back down," she said. "That's the way to my realm, I guess. We'll explore it in time . .  just lay with me awhile longer. I'm not done kissing my kitten."

A hour or so later, it was decided that as Ophelia was much smaller, she should be lying on top of Bezaleel, not the other way around. She was curled up against you, her head on your chest and you arm around her.

"We should go after Hayl first. I understand he's the harder target. But Marilla is going to be expecting an attack. She's going to batten down the hatches, push her people into being a military state, the works. And we're at a disadvantage fighting on her plane, which is likely infused with positive energy. Waiting until she eventually lowers her guard is the better play, and it's the one that lets us get more information and see how things play out. She doesn't have access to the underworld like you do - it's going to be awhile before she could feasibly become a concern for the Fates.

"Meanwhile, Hayl knows nothing about us, but if he's eaten as many gods as they say he has, he's got the beast blood too. Which means I my blood will call to his, same as it calls to yours. And me, a lusty little thing, wandering in his territory, calling to him to mate with me. Then you come in, once I have his attention, and I propose to him that we hunt you . . . god's blood being a powerful aphrodisiac, as we know.

"So we do. He attacks, only I've already let you know. He acts like he has the element of surprise - you counter - I take him down like I did Skeles, my scythe in his back. From there, we have have him flanked and wounded. Still a hard fight, but a winnable one with a wide margin for error.

Then we're full beasts, with the power the blood is promising that brings. That's when we start hunting down Marilla's supposed allies."
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:39, Sun 20 Jan 2019.

Laying with Ophelia, Bezaleel could feel her the difference in her maturity now. The beauty of her essence.

The silver lightning didn't startle Bezaleel as it should. He could, feel that it is what was supposed to happen. That this is what it did with the essence, what she and himself just created.

Bezaleel started to get up, his ears perked and curiousity wrang as he looked at the door.

Smiling as Ophelia stopped him, he looked back down at her. "Who said I was done either?" leaning into her, he rubbed against her body. Continueing where they left off.

"The fates aren't where the underworld is. They are at the heart of the tree. A place, which is quite possible to get to if you know about it. If she kills the fates, then Hayl won't die when we kill him. I only purpose that we see to their defense, stalk the prey of Marilla and her allies. I doubt Hayl will accept a plan much less reason with you. Beast blood of no. He may attack you. If he does, I'll ambush him. If he follows through with his plan. Lead him to me in an environment worthy, I shall attack then. He will no longer be on guard in general then, but towards me. That would be the time to strike. We have to be cautious with him. Because we have no clue what powers he holds."

Bezaleel pet her hair as she laid on his chest. His fingers running down her back and side as they finished, then starting over at her hair again. "I have no intention to go into Marilla's realm currently. If when we get to the fates she has yet to show sign of her being. We may then hunt her. Her armies are fodder under my being. She could have whole armies and I'd carve through them all. She is the target. So she is the only kill important to me. She knows not of my powers except of my control of shadow. Hayl can wait, because of priority to stop her from killing the fates. Do we agree on this?"

If Ophelia looked up at him, Bezaleel would pull her in ontop of himself. Wrapping both arms around her, his hands traveled along her body as he embraced their mouths. Leaning up into her, he invited more lustful feelings and actions before their leave. His kiss was gentle and wanting of her. He bit his own lip drawing blood, then carefully into hers.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:50, Sun 20 Jan 2019.

She smiled. "Okay."

As your blood entered her mouth, her heart began to pound, her hands fluttering against your back. "Bezaleel ..."

Her gentle light retreated within her, and your shadows returned to you. Her eyes were large and dark with desire . . . and deeper than that, an unmistakable longing.

Her breathing quickened. "Are we . . ?"

Her self control - slipped - the Black Door opened within her -

The golden essence shimmered, leaving her body almost wholly. Biting her lip, she mustered enough control pull it back - to yield as much as she could, without -

Your own essence - hungry darkness - shadows swam over her -

Your essence flared, and the fire stuttered.

She wrapped her legs around you, and the fire was extinguished by a swathe of darkness.

In the half-light of the moon alone, her eyes were like yours - golden slits in the darkness - she bared her neck, touching her shoulder where she wanted you to -

"Bite me."

- her blood was rich and salty, the flavors of five gods in one -

The darkness became perfect, utterly lightless, save for the glinting of silver-and-gold.

=

The kettle whistled from the stovetop, and she poured the steaming water into a teapot. In all the time you'd known her, she'd never had such a goofy smile. Her steps were shaky, and she winced whenever one of her bruises complained. The bite wound on her neck had been a litte more severe than intended with your beast teeth, requiring a touch of healing with the power you'd acquired from Marilla.

She sat the teapot on the table, and with some difficulty poured herself a cup of tea.

She was wrapped in a loose robe you'd woven for her.

"I think . . . before we go after Marilla, we should know each other's powers and capabilities fully. We should spar, train together."

She sipped the tea. "If we're half as compatible in battle was we are in bed, I won't be at all worried." She said.

A mote of your essence was still within her, causing tendrils of shadow to writhe and swirl playfully about her.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:28, Mon 21 Jan 2019.

Bezaleel's eyes looked into here's, they moved from eye to eye as they gazed. His eyes were more subtle in giving his emotions. They were big and full. She had his full attention.

Before she finished her sentence, he nipped her ear lightly, whispering into it, "We are.."

Kissing her body, hungrily, the darkness followed his desire. Covering her body, flowing around and wrapping itself on her.

As she spoke her desire, baring her shoulder and neck. Bezaleel accepted, kissing her neck first "Ophelia.." parting his lips he bite into her flesh. Savoring her taste.

---

Stretching, from the bed. A tendril of shadow lifted the kettle, heeling it's way to her. Floating up from the bed he turned over to his stomach. The only garment was his more boho like pants.

Drifting over as his tail flicked and he crossed his arms to lay his head on. There were his own bruises and fresh wounds that closed. His flesh was pale and fair, softer to the touch yet cold. Drips of black blood still dripping from his body despite the closed bites and scratches.

Bezaleel had a sort of smug look of satisfaction and joy on him. It was the most she had seen of his face. Much less his body, he had fur in the center of his stomach that trailed off as it hugged the lines of his muscles. The center of his chest at a connecting patch. The ends of them drifted like his hair.

She could feel him sneak his body up against hers some as wrapped his arms around her as she sat. Resting his head near hers, kissing her neck and cheek. "I never thought I'd say that you look lovely covered in bruises, but after this night I am going to have to reconsider that."

Bezaleel's hair drifted on her as well as a few drops of the last of the blood on his body. "You know, the shrine of the host has quite a lovely and rare tea. Thinking of it now, it makes me consider how it pales compared to you. Though you should rest up you look so exhausted." he nipped her ear some more.

Leaning his head against her's he spoke, "Yes I agree that would be important."

Giving a fanged smile at her remark.

"I can dissapate in flames, like you. I can also meld into shadow. I can be empheral, fly and levitate. I took Marilla's powers of positive energy, and her capability to meld souls into objects. My artifacts allow me to be both empheral and not. It allows me to harm others while I am in phase, and harm those without a physical body when I'm not. My Dark Flames burn cold and can act both defensive or offensively. I can absorb and negate some magics or effects. My chain, allows me to extend my shadows to make beasts and creatures or persons to my control. Within some limits of numbers, power, and life span. The gauntlet I made with your essence, allows my attacks to harm a soul or essence of a being instead of their physical body. Then there is Marilla's ring. It contains the positive energy for storing and can be released at my will."

His eyes shifted away, peering at the flame as it started anew by his will. "There is something else as well. You heard of the black king yes? He was made by the blight's infection of my previous self. The old God of shadow. He killed me, and I returned. Left, and returned again. I killed and ate him. His being, infested himself in my mind. I separated him from my being. My current life at the very least. Is connected to his being. If he dies. I die. If I die, he dies. I call him Leech due to his parasitic nature. He is one of the mad and blight. My previous incarnation as well. I do not know all what powers he holds. I know for sure, that he can speak to the blight, he doesn't contain my powers and abilities. He can craft and summon creatures permanently on spot though. That much I know. Though he has been sleeping, resting in my shadow, silently at that."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:44, Mon 21 Jan 2019.

OOC: Post #800. Neat.

"Your essence is untainted, but yes, I saw the bond between you." She gazed into the fire, her smile softening and her mouth opening in pleasure as you nipped her ear. "My jaws will catch hold of the fate that binds you, and by my savage law, your chains will fall in twain," she whispered, speaking in words that weren't hers. You felt those words thrum with strange power.

By the will of the pack mother, the beast blood gnaws at the mortal tether between you and Leech, weakening the bond that stands without the Pack.

She shook her head, took a deep breath. There was a little bit of pain deep within you, but it subsided - and you felt your connection to Leech slowly fraying. A mote of her was within you still, as was yours in her - increasing your retention of training and knowledge. "I can cut the soul from anything I kill. With mortals, I claim the soul and their memories. With gods, I claim a choice bit of their power and leave the chaff, which doesn't traumatize the soul as much. I can even cut the living essence from a realm."

She then detailed the full suite of her powers, including the 'alloying' function. Then she detailed her skills.

It took a little while . . .

" . . . and I'm no slouch when it comes to dressmaking," she finished.

She shrugged. "Overall, I'm weak to any kind of non-physical attack, am better at evading than enduring attacks, but I'm a powerhouse in melee - my greatest skill is hand-to-hand. Anything that's less than a god, I'm going to kill in a single blow. With gods, two or three of my hits is enough, unless I'm seriously out of my depth. I have to get close, though."

She looked up over her shoulder at you. "Do you want to play some more, kitten, or shall we hunt?"

Her aura of soft light rose, and her bruises faded. She stopped the regeneration just before the indentations of your teeth would have left her skin. "I want to keep that for awhile longer. For good luck."
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:24, Mon 21 Jan 2019.

Bezaleel opened his eyes widened, yet the rest of his face remained expressionless.

Then he could feel it and it's affect. A soft smile broke on his face. A hand moved up against hers, turning it, he looked her in the eyes as he moved. "Thank you, darling." as his words trailed off, he kissed her in appreciation and respect. But only for a few moments as it was gentle. Parting his tongue from hers long after the lips.

Raising a hand he placed his face on it, listening to her closely as she fully explained her abilities. Nodding in understanding a few times. "Well between you and me, we should do fine. I much control of field and attention with my control over shadows. I can have a wide range, long, or short. Between using the shadows or summoning, I can create many openings. My speed and strength is much more level with yours, however my agility and masterful work of the kusari-gama leaves few alive within a few strikes. The combination of the incorpreality and shadows leaves many unable to handle focusing on their strikes, especially when the don't know they can't block it."

Moving back to holding her, she asked him if he wanted to continue to play. Kissing her neck, "I'd love to play a bit longer. I could never tire from your touch, or your taste." he smiled, lightly putting his teeth against the previous bite. More careful now than before.

Leaning back he pulled her from the chair holding her closely. Floating in the air, they drifted towards the bed slowly. Hugging her, the shadows removed Ophelia's woven robe smoothly.

Bezaleel's hands traveled her body as his kiss invited her welcome. Embracing Ophelia, they continued where they had left off earlier.

Some could say it was impressive how their touches marked the other's desire perfectly. Their essences flared at peaks of senses or excitement. Their lust and wanting answered and heightened everytime. Taking Ophelia, he wouldn't stop until every single one of their desires were satisfied and their lust for the other sated-

Baring his flesh for her to bite, she did so before he could say a word. Her teeth sank deep inside of him. Inhaling deeply as they carved into his flesh, Bezaleel's hands grasped onto her, pulling her in she did-

Craddling Ophelia's head lightly, he didn't stop a single motion as his flesh oozed blood into her mouth. It was fresh for her to consume willingly for as long as she'd like. He'd give her his being as much as he would take hers. He spoke her name but it was broken up within a moan of pleasure-

Bezaleel's breaths were deep as he continued, all without a single flutter of hesitation. She was his, and he'd fight to prove it- over and over-

Just as their eyes filled with lust shined through the darkness, so too would their pants and moans- their breaths and ecstasy filled voices.

---

There was a hard time noting when they finished from when he first entered her room. Nor was he able to tell how much he gave into his feelings for Ophelia. Healing their wounds save parts of their bite. Bezaleel then got dressed, putting on his gear.

Something he had never taken off before, it felt like a second skin as he got ready. Looking over at Ophelia, Bezaleel smiled, "Ready for the hunt, my darling?"

Turning his head, he looked ahead of himself. His voice was softer than usual, "If it can be helped. I'd like my bond with Leech to stay. Until I can figure out a way to save the old shadow. I just have this feeling deep inside. That he deserves that relief at the very least, I owe him that much for doing this to him. If it's possible that is."

Standing up, he headed outside of the room, deciding to await her.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:31, Mon 21 Jan 2019.

At some point, you lost awareness of the room entirely. It was just you and her.

There was still something left that she was holding back, and you wouldn't allow that. You intensified, pushed her harder, even as the last of her strength and will left her in a haze of fathoms-deep pleasure. You were the greater god, and she could not withstand you.

Her essence left her body entirely - and perhaps it was involuntary for you, but in the moment, your essence seized her, bore it down, suffused it.

It was like drinking Marilla's blood, and like creating Ophelia with Diadea, like expending essence, like none of those things. She had bared her soul to you, monstrous you, and welcomed you into the last recess of her being, without fear.

You saw within her a great beast, a ravager of realms, consuming gods and peoples. It was something like your own beast blood, but grander, darker. It reminded you a little of how it had felt when Leech had been a part of you; but this great beast was no parasite; it was original to Ophelia . . .

You saw yourself as she saw you - you were the night, the Knight, a great beast, her patron, her creator, her protector, her predator, her ruler, her owner-

You breathed her last breath, and she was lifeless beneath you. Her heart was still, her body breathless, but there was still light in her eyes, locked with yours -

A burst of black light and golden sunshine, completely alien to Erebus, flashed over the window. Outside the Castle but within the exterior walls, two great pumpkins - one white, the other black, with golden vines - had appeared.

Faint light emanated from Ophelia, and she took in a deep, life-affirming breath.

Ophelia: 1/10, regenerating

She coughed liquid shadow into her elbow, which dissipated into dust, then nothingness. Even the gentle light wasn't enough to dispel the strength of the shadows that enveloped her, lingering evidence of the depth and thoroughness of your intrusion.

The beast blood softens its gnawing, but does not cease.

"I won't leave it for long, kitten. You're mine, and I'm yours, and I will not share you."

=

She met you at the door, dressed in the armor you've woven for her, and wearing a sword. She'd modified the armor with artifice, removing the alignment with negative energy.

"The sword's mostly for show." she did something with her hands, and then she was wielding a pair of brass knuckles. She moved her hands again, and she was holding long daggers. Then they were gone. She stretched her arm out from a fist behind her, and her scythe was drawn out from nothing. She then restored it to scythespace.

"Let's get this hunt afoot."

Bezaleel gazed upon her eyes and lifeless body. He lifted her. As she coughed up blood and breathed in life. He gave a slight sigh of relief and kissed her forehead.

Giving a fanged smile, he spoke teasingly with approval, "So possessive, feisty, and full of energy..I like it." his hand wrapped around her neck lightly as he spoke, drawing close to her, almost kissing. Then retreated.

---

Coming out of the room, Ophelia saw Bezaleel lounging back in a cloud of shadow. His tail and foot swinging about as he was relaxed.

The silver in his eyes gave up his gaze, looking her up and down, "Why haven't you gotten nice and comfortable. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you look more arousing now than if you were already covered in the blood of prey." he gave a slight wink. Inspecting her works and gear closer. It's upgrades and changes.

Extending a hand to her, he offered her to join him. "It'll be quicker if your with me. I already went ahead and sent word of our leave to Esseth and Saesin as well as to safeguard our children. I told them to pray to one of us if something happens. It is time, we shall go to the heart of Taeltresin. Check and see if they Fates still remain first. From there, we shall go on."

Pulling her in he kissed her warm lips, smiled gently. Then left.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:42, Tue 22 Jan 2019.

She blushed at the compliment, and paused after you kissed her. "Bezaleel, I'm in the Valley of Banners now. You knew it as the Tattered Valley. I'm speaking with mother. I've told her what's been going on. With the . . with our children, they'll find out anyway."

She had faraway look in her eyes. "She's proud of me, that I've grown stronger and cemented my ties with you. She expected me to hate and betray you, but considering that we've produced more blight-resistant gods and identified a threat to the Tree that was unknown to the Pantheon, she's pleased that I have partnered with you. She's apologizing for not checking in on me; time has passed swiftly in Erebus and the Valley has been awash in new deities and old threats darkening their doorstep,"

She blushed. "She says I'm just like her when she was young. That I've been a very good girl. That I shouldn't be ashamed of my bloodlust. Bloodmeal is a powerful fertilizer, she says . . ."

" . .  there's a place in the pantheon for me. That she'd like me to spend time with her, that she has much to teach me."

She was crying black tears that dissipated as they fell. She hugged you tightly. "I want to believe her. I want things to be okay. I want parents. I want to belong. Maybe I can have everything. You, her, our children, Erebus, Hemera, my beasthood."

She took a deep breath, relaxed, and followed you into the Realms Supernatural.
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:47, Wed 23 Jan 2019.

Bezaleel nodded as Ophelia spoke. He was unsure of the information of the children being given out, but understood. It was better it come out now after it has happened.

Holding her in his arms as she hugged him, his reaction was more brisk. "Your mother didn't really know me much at all when everything happened. I flirted in poor taste. Made a joke. Joke was turned on me, shortly after it was decided I would mate with her. Then well. You know.."

Bezaleel's eyes shifted away, even from that topic. "You have been quite a good girl though, I agree with that. Nor do I think you should be ashamed of your bloodlust...if you would like to spend time with her, I understand. I know we haven't had very much together, but what we have shared is important to me. You waited so long for me on a few occasions, my love. I can wait for you as well. I promise to check up, that you are welcome here, and welcomed with me. You don't have to leave either, if you do not want. Unlike me, you have reason to trust her. When.. I melded with her. I could feel and tell her intense care for her children and maternal nature over them. I may have reasons not to trust her, but I shouldn't rob you of your experience with her."

Kissing her forehead he moved his scarf down and smiled at her, placing his hand on her cheek gently. "You will always belong. In Taeltresin, Erebus, Hemera, and with me. That I can promise and guarantee to you, at the very least. I can not say I enjoy your mother or the Pantheon, or trust them. Maybe with you around, I can see a different light to them. It would be, quite ideal, to have everything. My only fear of you being with the Pantheon, is the risk it will draw of being part of it. Enemies your mother has, they have. May target you, as they have targeted previous members of the Pantheon."

Bezaleel was laid back. He was trying to be considerate of her feelings and position. As well as his own. He would leave it at that. Keeping her held in his embrace as they went to the realm Supernatural.

Continued from The Realm Supernatural

In a rare showing, you returned from battle with two more armies than you had left with.

With Saesin abroad at the Warrior's Rest, Esseth saw to the new troops, housing them in barracks and getting them acquainted with their new unlife.

"If you kill them, they'll probably stop being god-touched," Ophelia said. "And Erebus isn't easy for the living. Why don't we garrison them in my realm?"

She stretched; she was crying a little, too. "I'm still coming down from battle .  .  . emotional release. Most of Erebus is still unexplored, and we don't even have any kind of magic besides a few Shades that know Necromancy. Especially with the children on the way, I think we should stick around in Erebus for awhile. Our enemies have lost their one chance for a sneak attack, and their big gun is off the table too. I think we've got the time."

+ God-Touched Foreign Legion (100)
+ 75 Umbral Knights

Bezaleel was tended to agree with Ophelia. "It isn't easy on the living no, but they are God touched. With time and willingness, they will become shades here. If you would like them to be housed inside your realm I shall not stop you. But I think it best for your gilded dead to rest and live in there. But, it is up to you...I was planning on quickening the process by replacing their souls with shadowstuff myself. Rather than it weening to it."

Bezaleel gripped his shroud, he agreed with her to some point. "No we should not let them recover from this loss. Catch them off guard while they recoil in defeat. We struck many numbers from them. Damaged one greatly. I doubt all together they can recover quickly. How ever with time and preparing, they will learn from these mistakes and pose a greater threat. I do agree that we must put a focus on Erebus and magic for our people, especially while I have borrowed your power. But to leave them running amuck, would cause us greater concern in the future."

"We ruined their built up attack, killed Marilla twice, got rid of their ace card that they each gave up a life for. We kill Marilla now. She will be gone for good, she is on her fourth and final life."

"I believe the Pantheon might allow me access in her realm. Especially after her attack on the fates and heart realm. After that, we will be back here, in and out. They will lose a head, have lost the battle promptly and will lack the way to make many numbers proper."
This message was last edited by the player at 23:43, Sat 26 Jan 2019.

She took another breath, let it out, closed her eyes.

"No. We're not going after them, not with that state of mind. She invaded Erebus, took out quite a lot of mindless undead, and made a dumb play when we sparred and paid the price for it twice over. Our grudge is done."

She clenched her fist, stopped her foot, dug her heel into the earth. "But that's not even the issue! You're too willing to just follow where you're lead. Think for a second! Ask why. Why did Marilla want to kill Death? How'd she even get that idea? How did she get a group of other lesser gods together, convince them to join her in such a dumb venture, and then build a sizable army and invade Erebus? None of this smells right. Lesser gods are arrogant, sure, but they don't just start throwing lives away and abandoning their realms for invasions of greater gods."

She paced, her irritation growing. "And you just believe Ichor that he lost so easily, let you go without more than scratch on you, played that nice? That Gods willing to take a death just to gain our alliance, gods willing to give up a life each to gain an big shot ally, would flee the field of their one biggest chance to succeed because we showed up with a smaller force and less gods? Didn't you notice that NONE of them had artifacts?"

"Something is up. Something is wrong. They've already invaded Erebus once. How much you want to bet that Ichor is pulling the strings, has some means of controlling those lesser gods, and engineered all this just to test your defenses, learn your abilities, acquire the means to efficiently counter you, and then get you to chase his subordinates while he steals in here and gets what he actually wants?"

"We don't even know Erebus. We've explored maybe half of it at most. Erebus obviously is older than you, you told me about the previous god. The two things we can even really know is that we're involved and maybe also the Fates."

"But I REALLY don't think they want to kill Death. That's dumb and I don't think that would really work. But gaining control over death? Some way to cheat it at every time and become unkillable? Maybe Ichor just wants the BLOOD of Atropos."

"So no, father, we're not going after the subordinates. We're not following the obvious trail of treats leading us into the woods. We're going to explore our realm, shore up our defenses,  and figure out the real reason that Erebus got invaded."

She rubbed her temples. Her expression fell from angry to cold. "I love you, grimalkitten, but I feel like maybe I'm not the only one who could use some time spent getting their shit together."

She walked over to you, fell into you. "It's tiring speaking up to you and I always feel like I'm being a bitch when I do." She put her arms around you and buried her head in your chest.

"I guess if you're weren't so impulsive I wouldn't already be a mom."

Bezaleel listened, and closely. He didn't have a reaction of surprise or anything else. Just a calm demeanor as he listened. Touching her shoulder he wanted to calm her, "You needn't speak up to me. You're always free to speak your mind..You don't sound like a bitch when you speak up your opinions, but you work yourself up too much over this and so soon. You needn't speak down to me to get them across...I.. Apologize, about my impulsiveness."

His eyes shifted away from her as he said that. Holding her in his arms, he realized how much more it affected her than he had realized. As well as what she said had affected him. It was, after all. His own fault.

The same time she spoke up to him, she spoke down at him as well, it wasn't often. Nor was it much on purpose. More brash than anything.

"It is suspicious. I do not doubt that, the fact she could raise an army, invade Erebus, the lack of artifacts on them, all of it. I do not like it either. It is a set up, and it feels it. Death, is a law of reality here. If they wanted it broke from the whole tree, they'd be paired with the blight. They wouldn't have launched an attack on Atropos for that."

Petting her hair, he continued, "Much less do I enjoy that Ichor left like that. He could have killed me. He didn't lose, in the slightest. He won, and was winning. Could have killed us both. Maybe he was getting a feel for us maybe not. But I doubt that they would follow him in fear and not garner allies to best him. We get answers if we go after them. If we stay here, it's waiting for them to attack, while they know more about us than we do them. At the very least I wanted to gather as much information as I could."

She brought up good points, he couldn't deny that, "If they wanted to entrap us, they could have. If they wanted to kill us there they could have. If they wanted to kill us here and take something, they could have. I don't know if you noticed, but they all have powers that counter my own. Ichor would be the biggest threat to you as well as me. Why play coy? Why lose so many lives just for something we have here? They had forces there, they didn't know we would be coming to interfere, I had no reason to, I gained nothing.
Even if that was a feint, why would they do that? What is there to gain in all of those losses when they could have attained it without all of that? Just to get me in a power fight with Ichor?"

"I fear, us staying here will only let us shore our defenses and advancement. There is nothing we can learn of what they plan from here."

Kissing her forehead, he spoke softly, "I love you, dear...but, I digress, I'll stay in Erebus. I'm going meditate, you can come if you want. I think it would be better for you. I also think it would be best if we kept their god-touched separate from each other in positions under close watch. Anything suspicious at all should be reported to either you or I."

Bezaleel released his arms around her and fell back through the floor. Looking up his eyes gazed nothing in blinks, as well as ceilings and floors. Going through until he reached the level of tomb of the old shadow. Moving through the ground to the tomb.

He needed to outlet his emotions. Keep himself cooled and calm. Usually he only meditated when he needed to think about something, or nap. Yet this one served to keep himself in check.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:25, Mon 28 Jan 2019.

She joined you below. Something else was on her mind; she didn't address you.

She assumed a meditate pose, on her knees and sitting back on her heels. She began to whisper.

"Shadow, shadow, child of shadow. Darkness, darkness, consort of darkness."

"Gold, gold, golden child. Garden, garden, heir of garden."

"Iron, iron, thief of iron. Battle, battle, friend of battle."

"Beast, beast, little beast. Mother, mother, of twins unborn."

She repeated this mantra, and began, softly, to glimmer.

"Heir, heir, heir of shadow. Alone, alone, standing alone.

"Darkness, darkness, queen of darkness. Tall, tall, standing tall."

"Garden, garden, grower of garden. Perfect, perfect, careful and perfect."

"Gold, gold, realm of gold. Vast, vast, old and vast."

"Iron, iron, wielder of iron. Last, last, until the last."

"Battle, battle, victor of battle. All, all, victor of all."

"Beast, beast, great beast. Terror, terror, almighty terror."

"Mother, mother, pack mother. Proud, proud, blessed and proud."

She repeated this new, longer mantra. The glimmering grew greater.

The mote of your essence left within her swirled into her hand.

The essence began to glimmer, and then she pressed the mote of shadow in her hand against her face. It formed a mask, that of a shadowy cat.

That of you, albeit feminine and suited to her.

Shadow swallowed her, the glimmered, resolving into a slightly . . .  different Ophelia.

She was drained entirely of color, a study in shadows and contrasts. Her skin was smooth and she was taller, like in her marble form, but didn't have the unnerving 'unliving statue' quality, and instead continued to move naturally.

She gestured, and tugged at the shadows around you gently. She then pulled shadows to herself. Without any other saturation, she appeared as only a silhouette.

She then glimmered, returning to normal, smiling.

"That will come in useful." she whispered, removing the cat mask and tucking it away in her scythespace.
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:31, Mon 28 Jan 2019.

Bezaleel raised an eyebrow as his concentration broke in the otherwise silent tomb.

Opening his eyes, he watched Ophelia chant, the moved from spot to spot in the otherwise dark room. A single candle all that lit it.

The kindness to him in the mask could be off-putting, but it was after all made of his essence in some way. It was peculiar, and peaked his interest.

It is like she made an artifact, however out of his essence instead. The silhouette that was Ophelia was beautiful, and recognizable.

Raising his head, he spoke, "What a keen new artifact you've made of me. One that pulls the shadows."

Standing up, after clearing his mind, he offered her a hand. "There is business to attend to here in Erebus. Would you care to join? I must speak with Thin-Finger. He has information for me and it seems I may owe him a new cloak as well."

She smiled. "I just wanted to have cute ears like you."

"I harvested the mote of your essence within me. Turns out my alloyed nature combined with my natural abilities means I can do some interesting things with the essences of other Gods."

She laughed. "I don't think I'm going to let anyone else ravish me just to harvest some essence, though, so I don't think I'll be making any more masks." A thoughtful pause. "Maybe I'd mess up Anathema, come to think of it. She's goofy and weird, I like her. I remember you two being rather friendly when I was little. Perhaps we'll have a little ménage à trois someday?"

Her brow furrowed. "Wait, can a group of gods conceive a child? The process does seem more spiritual than material. We should give it a shot. If we tell her it's for science and an experiment she should get on board our train."

She put the mask back on, fading into a silhouette. She followed behind you as you left the tomb, disappearing into invisibility after the first step.

"I'll join you! As just your little shadow, hmm?"

Bezaleel smiled, petting her hair, "You know, you can just give yourself ears if you desired to change your form like that." his smile was more genuine, he felt enamored.

"To be frank, I find it quite interesting that you can do something with their essences. If we can find a way to, replicate it without children. It would give us quite an expansive list of experiments." his smile showed a fang as he finished speaking.

Bezaleel nodded some, "Well depending how you'd mess her up that is. She is quite goofy, I can't really call her out for being weird considering how I am myself. I always was quite fond of her, she plans to visit here soon. See how you are doing, get some readings in our realm, learn under our mortals in weaponry with a staff. She was impressed with their powress in the Battle of Noor. Mentioning that, I want to see if I can get my people back who volunteered to the Pantheon tithe. Give them others who find this place still not to their liking,or a possible cycle of leave and stay."

Thinking for a moment he laughed, "I do not know if gods can make children like that, but if there was ever a way to get Anathema on board. I think that idea would definitely help."

Bezaleel seemed to be in a much better mood after his more neutral one while meditating. Patting Ophelia's head he nodded, "Never quite thought I'd have so many shadows, and I'm supposed to be the God of Shadows." he amused himself lightly. "Are you sure you want to be my shadow? I could hold you in my arms the whole way, kitten.

Making his way out, he sent a shadowed raven off to Thin-Finger to give him time to ready and meet them.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:56, Tue 29 Jan 2019.

"Are you sure you want to be my shadow? I could hold you in my arms the whole way, kit-"

You didn't finish that sentence, because that was when she pounced, her arms wrapping around your neck. She was light, barely over a hundred pounds even with her gear.

With her so close, your shadows engulfed her with remembered hunger. You could faintly hear her mind, and below that, a faint music - a lilting, mournful tune, wrapped in the sympathetic love of a predator for its prey and the inevitability of that ancient drama's conclusion.

Holding her like this, as you ascended the stair, brought to mind the innocent newborn godling you had brought to Erebus, and the viciously romantic woman she had become. Would she have turned out this way, no matter what? Had her bestial fate been fixed at conception, or was this corruption - corruption for which you were to blame, corruption that you fed, corruption that you had tamed?

You could feel your shadowy chains wrapped around her soul - placed there when you had formally made her your consort. Someday, you knew, those chains might the only thing that would stop her devouring you and all else you cared for, as sinful as their creation had been, as much as you might be shamed and ostracized for it by some. You had done the best you could for your daughter - for the both of you. Perhaps only you would ever understand.

Woe betide the Tree if you should perish, and those chains be broken . . .

=

Thinfinger arrived in the throne room shortly after you did. The clever skeleton had his trademark grin. "I've done well, haven't I? Held up my end of the bargain? It's been a good long while since we saw your face. I'm glad we didn't go through another Age of Night."
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:15, Thu 31 Jan 2019.

Bezaleel smiled as he gazed upon Ophelia. His shadows wrapping around her, extending from his being.

Holding her close to his being, he could feel her heart, her essence, and his own. The tune, though mournful was pleasant.

The thoughts that traced his mind were conflicting, he felt guilt and responsible for what happened. Maybe it was his being when she was made that gave her that corruption, maybe his presence. It could have very well been that it was set in stone, especially between her mother and himself.

He fed that corruption though. Maybe aside from those chains of his being, they can both together find a higher being than divine and beast both. Something to lead past the path of their nature. To tame help tame themselves.

Looking at Ophelia he brushed her hair with a tendril of shadow, silky soft to the touch. "I love you, dear kitten. I will do all I can to help protect you and your path. As well as helping guide when ever I can." maybe it seemed like it came out of nowhere, maybe not. Looking up he continued.

---

Bezaleel nodded at the arrival of Thin-Finger "Indeed you have, I plan to investigate it personally and would like for you to lead me there. I believe I owe you a reward, and a new cloak."

Waving a hand, foggy shadows lifted up behind Thin-Finger. A black furred cloak wrapped around his shoulders and chest, falling down to his feet where it tattered and torn despite its new existence. The back of it was covered in dark metal scales for protection and the inside had a layer of leather. It was an intricate piece of work but sturdy and light enough for him, quiet and dark.

Thinfinger wasn't known for his variety of expression, but he was pleased. "Fine work. Anything that makes idiots think that stabbing me will work is gravy."

"We can set out now, if you like. I'm bone tired, but that's more of a permanent state of being than an impediment, heh. I recommend we bring the scouts you blessed back when with us. They could use the field experience."

Ophelia assented. "After we investigate this, we'll move on Marilla, right? Hopefully the witch ends up being friendly and can help us find out more about a couple of things.

Or would you rather I do something else in the Realm? We could cover more ground by splitting up. Is there something else I could go look for?"

Bezaleel nodded in agreement with Thin-Finger. Making a raven he sent it out to Saesin to gather the blessed scouts.

Looking over to Ophelia, he spoke, "We shall deal with the witch. Then we shall deal with Marilla. I do not want her to gain more allies to use against us. Having taken two of her lives and butting into her attack. I doubt she is happy with us. I want to take control of her realm though. So we shall leave her alive. You can keep her as your pet. We'll use her. So we won't devour her. I have other plans for her."

"Thin-Finger, when ever you are ready. The scouts will catch up to us. I'll leave a light trail for them to follow until they catch up.

The shadow-raven dispatched, you set out with your daughter and Thinfinger in tow.

Thinfinger might be a tireless undead, but even so he was the slowest member of the party, given your flight and Ophelia's unnatural quickness. With a day's travel, you were a third of the way to the where Thinfinger had located the witch, and from a hill were able to catch sight of the Temple of the Host off a little to the north.

Ophelia insisted on bedding down for the night. "You and he might be undead or partly so, but I'm living, and as far as I know get tired like anyone, need to eat and drink, and what have you. So, I'm exhausted and need to rest."

Drawing from her scythespace, she set up her own tent with Thinfinger's help, along with myriad other camping tools and quite a bit of fresh food to supplement what she was able to gather nearby. Pretty soon she had stir-fry of various vegetables and fried bean curd going over what would have been a large and blazingly hot fire anywhere else, but was instead only just sufficient to keep the pan hot. "You can actually use shadow-fire to cook, but it's like . . .  anti-cooking, and weird to work with. I prefer to just make ordinary fire."

She was kneeling next to the fire, keeping the stir-fry moving in the pan set on the iron cooking frame, using a wooden spoon.

"Will you want any, father? It's good to eat, even for gods."

Bezaleel helped where he could with Ophelia. He felt it best to let Thin-Finger ride a summoned shadow beast for convenience until too close.

Cocking his head, Bezaleel's tone of voice was curious. "I've not really had many cooked things. I mainly have devoured meat. I know of some herbs and vegetation from my time with my blessed apothecary, as well as some of their uses. Though I didn't think to make practiced consumption of them outside of learning and getting familiar."

"I would like to try it though. Not much, I don't need a large portion."

She shared some of the prepared food with you. Despite her cooking, the food was still infused with negative energy, which was pleasant for you - almost like a spicy-ish minty aftertaste that lingered after the savory food was washed down. Eating the local food was probably what had dulled her colors and washed her sun-kissed skin and blonde hair into the pale flesh and cool brown tresses she now sported.

The moon passed pleasantly, and gave time for the elite scouts to join you. Another moon's travel, more time spent cavorting in the moonless darkness, and you arrived at the approach to the witche's cave that was ensconced in a crevasse between two high buttes.

"Sneaking in was easy enough, but on the way out they were alerted, so unless we create a diversion or you have some shady tricks to pull, this isn't going to go smoothly." Said Thinfinger.

Ophelia, once again wrapped in tell-tale tendrils of shadow that betrayed the intimacy you had shared with her, took on a thoughtful expression. "We might want to have father announce himself and call on the witch, bring her out in the open. Either I or Thinfinger could probably infiltrate and have a look around while the lady of the house is distracted, and we might keep the possibility of an alliance on the table that way."
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:05, Thu 07 Feb 2019.

Finishing the meal Ophelia prepared him, Bezaleel savored it with each bite. The natural food of the land was delicious to his mouth. Unlike that found in the bouy or the Fields of Noor. "Thank you, it is quite delectable, kitten.

Bezaleel listening to Ophelia and Thin-Finger both. "I am god of this land, it is mine. I have not to hide. If I call the witch out into the open then either Ophelia or Thin-Finger go in, you can still possibly alert them. Betraying our possible alliance. I'll be upfront with the witch. Confront and delegate with them. If you so choose Ophelia, you can snoop though, just know that it also may betray the alliance I shall try to conclude to. I trust you to stay ethereal in that situation. It'd make it harder to be detected that way."

Looking at them both he spoke, "Any other suggestions or opinions on the matter?"

"I'll wait to sneak in after you've done all the diplomacy stuff. Either way, so long as you don't declare war on her, her guard should be a little more down after she gets a chance to confront something directly," Ophelia said.

Thinfinger shrugged. "Might be best for me to make myself scarce. Don't want her spooking because you're with the bones that boogied out of her house a couple years back."

Bezaleel nodded at both of them. "That sounds fine. I'll make my entrance then. You did your duties fine Thin-Finger, thank you. Maybe after this, you wouldn't mind teaching the scouts a thing or two. Maybe you may learn something from them, after all most of the Second Dead learned from me hands on."

Walking forward Bezaleel made his way to before the entrance of the witch's cove. Spreading his divine influence he spoke as the area darkened and shadows floated from the ground emphereally, "Come out and show yourself. I, Bezaleel, God of Erebus. Have come to speak with you."

The Witch of Erebus (Illustration)

The tunnel gradually grew dark, and the moon's light dimmed; and after a moment, the witch emerged from her home. Malformed beings spilled out from the shadows that formed a wide-skirted dress about her; horned and tailed, fanged and furred, scaled and slick.

She herself was an androgynous, eyeless, horned horror; her face was more a mask than a face. Blood rushed within and her heart beat; at least beneath the veneer, she was a living being. She was also a native of Erebus, though she was neither undead nor Shade; she was among your flock.

There was a faint flicker of divinity with her, marking her as a demigod.

Her voice emerged the many throats of her chittering brood. "Gift?"

Thinfinger whispered to you. "She looked like a normal elderly woman when I last saw her. The boneface is new. More attractive, really."
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:55, Tue 19 Feb 2019.

Bezaleel was unmoved by her features or her type of existence. There were many varieties of power and undead. As well as magics. Someone who was a witch and held magic in this realm, was bound to evolve some way.

Standing in front of the demigod, the witch. Bezaleel formed a table and two chairs for them to sit, moving the chair in front of her slightly to be seated. He sat across whether she did or didn't sit. "You speak of gifts before you speak your name. Peculiar."

Raising the shadows he created two shadow knights. Imbuing them with souls to make them. (-100 souls)

"I hope that this will suffice for now. I apologize as I came a bit unprepared. I had not expected one of my brood to expect a gift from their god upon first meet. "

"I wanted to have a discussion, on where you stand in the realm. What your goals and plans are. If you would be interested in an agreement or truce. Or possibly joining me and my flock. I did not come here to make enemies, but I do seek the best interest in my people of the realm.

"I serve many of your kin. The god of birth and the god of my rebirth. I have pacted with Adriel the Fallen, Lady of the Nineteenth Hell, as suits one such as I that has preserved the ancient tradition of Demonology, though the fearful little Necromancers now rule this Realm."

The voice continued to come from the chittering mass - something between spider, scorpion, and human, contorted and cavorting. "You gift is sufficient. The gift itself does not matter. It is simple hospitality. Due respect. The daemons are rather keen on rules and manners. The host of a house is greater than even the mightiest king, when that king is within the house of that host."

She crossed her delicate arms as you spoke. "You are wiser than I expected. I will not interfere the matters of the Necromancers and their petty kingdoms of charnel trash. My queendom runs deep beneath the earth, and my dealings are with the Sacranarch and her mate, Rohypnos the Arachnarch, not with you and yours."

An idea seemed to strike her, as she drew herself up. "However . .  I could considerably expand my brood, if I had more souls with which to call them up and fix them into physical forms. I am very willing to deal with you on that end. I may fashion demons to your specification in exchange for souls, and teach you how to summon your own brood, assume demonic aspect, and form pacts with daemons - or perhaps become a Devil yourself . . . Bezaleel."

"Most are with their own laws and order, especially devils and demons. It's part of why they are thought to be so cunning, it is their ruthlessness and ability to take advantage of things within the rules they set.

Bezaleel's claws tapped lightly on top of the metal plating of his gauntlets near his elbows. "I can say a sort of necromancy has taken it's influence within my people's ranks. It isn't hard to see why not with Erebus's natural properties and it's many inhabitants."

His eyes looked at the witch dispassionately, "I am one who likes respect where respect is due, and gives it to those who deserve it. I understand the idea you speak of. With that logic, it can be easily said you are one of the queens within this realm that I host for all. I know the name of those whom you have dealings with, yet not who I speak to."

It seemed he was in thought for a moment as Bezaleel changed positions, "There are many facets to Erebus. All of which can run under my direct control with in a moment. As with any and their own realm. These facets though, I know some, most I do not. You've yet to interact at all with my chosen, for that I thank you. Despite your outlook on them.

What I wish for, however. Is a unification of Erebus and it's patron forces and inhabitants. That includes all which dwell below under your crown and you, yourself."

"You bring your will here like all else who strive forward in Erebus. It is something that is now a part of my home. Maybe it is something that will change the world itself, maybe persist forever. It could all be wiped out in an instant even. What ever it is, it is for history to tell, we all just write it with our own pens. Yes?"

"I hope that an extant of our dealings leads to that between your brood and my own flock. Hopefully enter a pact with each other. Non-aggresion and mutually benefiting. We help you, you help us. We share with you, you share with us. An agreement to grow together. Of course with our own setting of rules and terms on both sides. I find it fair we only see what each other plan and intend before this however. To insure that we find it our satisfaction and wanting. There will be no need to give up your crown or position of power. Like wise for my flock. Of course with time given your outlook."

It was obvious the way she viewed his people, as well as even himself. He was a means to an end for her in some way. Bezaleel was something she see's a benefit in using. Nothing more, most likely.

Turning his head some his eyes flickered lightly, "My dealings with you personally separate to that. I find could be worked out regardless of the previous. I do not mind an exchange of souls, so you may expand your brood. Only on the request that I know what it is you desire out of those you make and the rest of your brood. A further exchange of knowledge between each other as you know some of my own intentions."

A fanged smile crossed his face as the scarf flapped lightly. "You make a tempting offer. However, I know such things don't come freely, or cheaply. I have yet a reason to turn down your offer, and will gladly accept for the time being. I intend to play the game you've set, as you've piqued my interest.

I'll warn you now. I will stand on top. Separate and free from all. I will devour all of those who try to make me sit. Be they god, beast, devil, mad, or mortal."

The eyeless witch studied you through one hundred eyes.

"You are a phenomenally weak example of your kind, Bezaleel, if you bear the slightest intent of dealing with me. Your ancestor was a fierce god, unyielding and demanding without ever being asked to yield or issuing a demand. He had . . . a certain presence of inexorable might. There have been many Gods of Shadow . . . you are a hungry darkness . . ."

"Yes. We shall have a deal. Yet, I have already attempted to dominant you . .  and was surprised to find you immune to compulsion. A greater force than I has gripped you tightly . . . something older and weaker, something desperate, a cornered rat hiding in your blood. You could never become a Devil as you are. Free yourself of your cursed blood, and we may discuss your descension then."

"That aside. I would have dealings with your chosen, the right to make deals with them as I would with you, and if they would choose, allow them to become shades of hellfire. If you would call me a queen, I would demand a fief, a tithe on the inhabitants of that fief, a road linking it to the capital, and a palace to form a center of administration. I would have you raise me up as your Vassal, and be named your High Priestess.

"In return, I would pact with you, and you would have my loyalty until I repay you in full on your investment . . I would require 10 Od to achieve vassalhood, and a gift of 1500 Syl to grow my brood. I will then teach you all I know of Diabolism."

Creating a vassal costs 10 Spheres (Od, in the tongue of demons). She would become a lesser deity, and would rule one of your provinces (in this case, the Underhills) as her Fief. A province managed by a Vassal grows at twice the normal rate, producing additional souls that go to the Vassal. The Vassal is a Lesser God, absolutely loyal to you, and they may only increase in rank once they have repaid your initial investment of 10 Od. If they act against you, you may revoke their Vassalhood, returning them to their original status, but you will not recover the Spheres you invested.

Bezaleel's eyes enclosed as they peered at the witch. "I find there are many options and paths to take among the world. I thank you for your flat honesty. Though you said something interesting. Are you telling me that you were around when my predecessor was? I request you tell me more about this instead. "

Standing up Bezaleel turned around. Speaking out, "I have never disallowed your dealings with them personally. What each mortal chooses is their choice. If that is the route they wish to take then so be it. There are only a few, in which I will say you are strictly off limits from making deals with. Esseth, Saesin, and the rest of those bearing my mark on their souls."

His head turned, his eyes looking at the witch over his shoulder and scarf. "I have no interest in campaigning your rule. Nor will I put the immediate area under your direct control that is up to what you can do. I too, shall not make you my high priestess or vassal. I imagine you will not change your demands. So thus concludes our business."

Walking away he spoke, "For a mortal, your greed is more than a hungering darkness."

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
Raising his hand he waved goodbye. As he did, hundreds of blades of shadow ripped through the air at the same time from the encroaching shadows, enclosing all of the witch's broad and herself. Flaying and nashing them into a paste.  Looking over at the scouts and Thin-Finger, "We have not to gain from this witch but a knife in the back and a collar on our throats. I trust you can end her brood?"

Raising up a single shadow double of himself with all the power of his artifact, he waves it into the hobble to get started. "Come Ophelia we must see to Marilla."

---

This message was last edited by the player at 14:41, Sat 09 Mar 2019.

"I officiated the Old Shadow's betrothal to Lady Adriel, in a time long past, when I was young, and a priestess," said the witch. "It was a bit of a rushed thing, given that you were on the way. A child born from beings that have not struck an alliance . . . and of demon and god both . . . you were ill-fated, and far weaker than you should have been. You should have been born a Devil. But the Old Shadow wanted better for you, and wanted you to inherit this land, and these people. He cared more for the forsaken than for the damned."

She sounded . . . wistful. You realized you still didn't know her name, or much at all about her, really. These Underhills were bursting with strange life - jungles buried in valleys - and this whole area was . .  warmer, and underneath the leaf must, there was the smell of swamp, and even more faintly, brimstone.

Bezaleel's head ticked to the side. His eyes were open with curiousity. "They were.. Married? I didn't even realize he was my father, much less I had a mother..."

Bezaleel looked at the claws on his hand, the leather glove and metal plates. Gripping it he watched the black ichor flow from his hand. "I can't really say he made the right choice or not. Maybe I'll ask him myself one day. I care for those left in dark. Those forgotten, forsaken, and damned. Such is my existence."

Looking up at the witch he spoke, "I would like to meet Adriel. Not now though. I can not extend to you god-hood as my vassal, nor as my head priestess. Maybe it be better we know each other more before we extend such gifts of diabolism and deityhood. I would have your name, witch of Adriel. I am also going to see what it is you rule over with your brood."

Standing up, he waved a hand up at his scouts to have them stay at hold. "Ophelia, my dear. Would you like to stay or accompany me?"

"I am called Veradis,", said the witch. "Speak my name into the ground anywhere in Erebus, and my brood is sure to convey your summons."

Something slipped from her hand as well - a bit of ash that your recognized from the caldera of Warrior's Rest. She'd had some sort of gun under the table as well, it seemed. What was it with Bezaleel and antagonizing women that were prepared to take the nuclear option?

As well, she was a demon, or kin to one. Bezaleel knew little enough about them, but he knew they didn't like to give out their true names - but they also were incapable of telling outright lies. He probably couldn't trust that Veradis was her real name - she had, after all, only said she was called Veradis.. Especially since Veradis literally meant 'True'.

Ophelia whispered that as much to you, from her readings.

"I'd like to learn Diabolism," she said. "I'll go with you and get to know Veradis, and learn more about . . my grandfather and grandmother."

There was a awkward pause, then she whispered to you. "If I end up eating her, don't be mad. You know I have a taste for damsels,"

Veradis was unperturbed. "Very well. Allow me to show you the true Underhills," she said. She approached, and marked your foreheads with sweet-smelling ash. "This says you're a guest. My brood is small, compared to the many thousands of Mazoku the dwell beneath. But my friend go unmolested. I am known for making an art out of grisly reprisal."
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:20, Sat 16 Mar 2019.

Bezaleel nodded, "Very well, Veradis. I will remember to summon them if I have need of them or you in the future."

He wasn't quite surprised she had armed herself. This was a meeting that very well could have turned into her graveyard just as easily as it was her home a minute before.

Listening to Ophelia he nodded lightly, then spoke. "This one is not for eating, my dear. As warning, I would indeed be mad if you ate her. There is much knowledge this one holds and much to be learned aside from Diabolism alone. Given we stay friendly, no doubt."

Bezaleel took the marking of ash, a bit skeptical of its entire purpose in its entirety though.

"What of after this visit and I have business deeper in the Underhills? Do the Mazoku take heel under you, or are they a nuisance to you?"

"They are my kin," said Veradis. "The Shades came with Erebus, when he raised this realm from Hell and set it drifting beneath the Realms Supernatural, so that it would catch and grant a second life to the forsaken,"

"A deal with my lady that was sealed with the mingling of their essences. This realm is so cold because it yearn to be stoked by hellfire, and accepts no substitutes,"

"So if you do have business with my kin, that is your buisness. Only the caverns leading to the Underrealm are my domain. The rest is the contested dwelling of the Mazoku of the Underhills, and the Arachne of the southern woods,"

Bezaleel tapped his chin some as he listened. There was much history of his realm he is learning. "The Arachne have quite expansive borders to stretch this far out of the woods as well. Do the Mazoku have a leader?"

He looked at the cavern walls some as they started their way down. Bezaleel was overly curious now. "Do you know what had happened during the true night here in Erebus and why?"

"The Night that Erebus battled the Lurker at the Threshold?" She said, nonplussed. "Erebus enacted the Third Gift, drank of Void essence, and became a being of primordial Night, obliterating the Lurker at the Threshold and saving Taeltresin from catastrophe. He saved his people by giving them to his wife, Adriel, who kept them safe in the bowels of her Hell. Once the Night ended, she returened them to Erebus, where they became the Mazoku,"

The witch shrugged. "That's common knowledge. And no, they don't have a leader, although I am greatly respected and that lends me some authority."


Ophelia tapped you lightly on the shoulder. "This is kinda boring, actually. I'll leave you to it; I need to check on the children and see after my own Realm." she hugged you tightly, gave you a passionate (if bloodless) kiss, and then disappeared, softened running footsteps fading into the distance.

Bezaleel looked down at his shadow for a moment. Thinking of what he was told, why was Erebus in the state he was in before the blight crystal? Why was he able to defeat the mad incarnation of his father at that, did he still have a lot of himself in there?

"It seems it isn't such a common knowledge to the shades or undead above the Mazoku. I wonder how they would feel about me.. When I asked the current Pantheon about a predecessor of me. They had lack of knowledge to that as well. Tell me what happened to Erebus afterwards?"

Turning to Ophelia he nodded, "Alright, I'll get you before we deal with Marilla. Try not to go off on your own, without informing me, dear." his arms wrapped around her waist as he hugged Ophelia. Bezaleel had a surprised look on his face for a moment as she kissed him before returning it.

Scratching the back of his head, Bezaleel turned around putting both hands behind his head interlocked. "I imagine their respect isn't lightly earned then, I wonder how they would take me. If it is alright, I don't mean to be rude, but let us hurry. I have a few matters to attend to afterwards."

Chapter I: "Good Nights" Complete!
+1 Daughterwife
+1 Enemy Pantheon
+2 Pumpkins
+1 Demon Mom

Chapter II: "Gone To Hell" Begin!

Without further ado, you were lead by the witch deeper into her cave - a domicile decorated in blood and strange fetishes, ancient cave paintings, the gougings of inhuman claws, and other details you didn't care to investigate. Her brood chittered around you, reminding you of your own swarms of shadowlings.

Despite the macabre atmosphere and the rising heat and smell of sulfur, you felt something rising in your chest - and sense of homecoming, and a presence . .  a presence like Leech, but whole. You were passing in your father's footsteps, here.

Perhaps an hour of journeying down into the earth, and you came out . .  somewhere else, although you were still in Erebus.

It was a massive cavern, immense beyond what you could have expected. An entire city, of cold fire and strange figures. Waves crashed somewhere below, betraying the presence of a subterranean . . . sea?

The smell told you different - this was a hot spring, of proportions beyond what any kind of spring should encompass, and coated in a mat of deadly and iridescent glowing algae that provided dim lighting.

"Hell is near to this place, one of the greater homes of the Mazoku. If you could survive the dive, that sea has two sides; one of them in your mother's Hell."

A Mazoku guardsman noticed you and the chittering horde of the witch's brood. Or rather, decided to pay attention. "Hoy, oathbreaker. Hoy, prince."

His skin was bright copper, and his hair, clawed nails, and teeth were black iron. His eyes were golden, eerily like yours, and catlike - a match for the ears and tail. They glowed brightly in the half-light.

"Hello, Shoga. I've shown the prince the way. He will be coming and going as pleases."

Shoga shrugged. "As you say."


Meanwhile, back at the Forlorn Keep . . .

"I'm MOIRA! Moira. Herald of Ulfur the Citybreaker, Lord of Black Thrace. I'm bearing gifts for the Shadowgod and his . . .  beloved."

The undead guardsmen were impassive.

"Gods, it's like I'm talking to myself. What's a pilgrim got to do to stir up some proper quest-advancing dialogue around here?"

From the inner garden where the pumpkins grew, Ophelia heard the hollering.

She chose to ignore it.

"It's been forty minutes. She has no entourage and definitely isn't a Shade. Things don't usually end up in Erebus unless they're dead. She's probably actually some kind of representative." said Thinfinger.

Ophelia shrugged. "We're at war with at least three gods, and apparently there is a lot more going with Erebus than even I knew. I'm only being cautious. Maybe she's too dumb to realize she's talking to mindless undead. Maybe she's a special kind of undead that mimics life and has to be invited in. Hard to know."

Thinfinger clacked his jaws. "She cuts a fine figure. Even with all that flesh covering them up, I can tell she has lovely bones."

That got her attention. "She's hot? You're sure?"

"Sure as death," He said. "What? Did you think I was giving her the time of day for the tone she's taken with a brace of numbskulls?"

Ophelia contemplated. On one hand, she needed to be getting back to her Realm. On the other hand, there was an attractive foreigner at her gates bearing gifts.

Her teeth itched. She ground them to relieve the feeling. "Fine, let her in and tell her how to get up to my chambers. I'll receive her there; I don't think the rest of the castle is hospitable to the living."

Her stomach rumbled. "I'll be having her for dinner. I haven't eaten in hours."
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:50, Mon 08 Apr 2019.

Bezaleel was quiet on his way down. Paying attention some to the marks and pathways. He was entirely surprised however at the change so deep in his world. It was fascinating. Bezaleel's eyes gazed around the open cavern with an excitement.

Listening to the witch, Bezaleel thought then spoke, "I see, always connected to her domain...Does she come here often?" What she said to Bezaleel about coming back from hell was no joke. These were his father's people and their dwelling. He could somehow tell their looks were due to their living with his mother.

Looking over he gazed back at the Mazoku, Shoga. There was a bit of surprise in how similar he looked in ways as he continued to inspect him again. Though, Bezaleel felt the clash of black and copper distasteful the way a bright copper was the forefront. "Greetings Shoga. It seems you already know who I am." Bezaleel did not let the fact she was called oath breaker slip his mind.

It was weird to him that, they were aware of his existence but didn't decide to fetch him at any point. "I think I am a bit surprised here. I didn't quite really expect all of this." There were a lot of things left alone when he thought about it. A lot of answers he needed to find. He was surprised that Ophelia has left to the castle and her realm. Especially when she spoke so keenly on learning more about the realm and what is in it.

Looking at Shoga, Bezaleel spoke, "I imagine I must get started in making acquaintance with everything going on here. Tell me Shoga, who is in lead here that I must talk to first to best make my presence known. I'd like to begin learning as much history as I can. As well as better know the Mazoku" It seems that he would have to traverse this alone. Sighing he felt something wasn't right with it.

For all of Bezaleel's excitement, it seemed he couldn't help but worry that Ophelia may go off. Bezaleel trusted Ophelia, but felt that after her forced ultimatum towards him and killing of Skeles, dampened the capability to fully trust Ophelia. Though he trusted she'd tell him before going off, since he requested that.

By the time Moira made it up the castle stairs, she had a sense of foreboding. She'd been in Erebus before, sure - dark, bitter, full of dead folks - but had never spent an extensive amount of time in the realm, so it was a strange place still, one that chilled the bone and numbed the spirit.

What made her uncomfortable, though, was the distinct smell of a curse. She stopped midway up the stairs. "Sent on an errand to a strange, dark land. Big castle. I'm a pretty girl being invited up to a secluded personal space. For dinner."

She narrowed her eyes, glaring at a shade standing guard. "Are there any dogs in Erebus? Wolves? Cats?"

The shade let out at breath - the only it would take for the next five minutes. "No."

"Taciturn, monosyllabic guardsmen. No regular guests of note. Complex structure but partially abandoned. I smell beasts, but not pets." Her nose crinkled. "This is a fucking trap and I'm hip deep in dungeon."

But why a trap? She was on a diplomatic envoy. The woman of the house had -

The woman.

The woman.

"Goddamnit. I'm being seduced. Or killed? Augh, fuck!"

She sprinted up the stairs, and slammed into the door to Ophelia's chambers, As the talkative skeleton she had been completely ignoring the entire time creaked in shock. As soon as she was in the room, she turned and slammed the door shut and threw the bolt.

Ophelia dropped her wooden spoon into the soup she'd been making.

"You're. Uh. Early."

Ophelia's eyes fell to the dagger in Moira's hand.

"If you're gonna stick me, do it. I regenerate and can turn my body into stone, among other fun tricks. I'm great at parties."

Moira faltered. "Oh, um. I really . . .  expected . . ."

"Um. What're you making, there?"

"Soup. You have to cook everything really thoroughly. It's called cream of mushroom, plus I have old bread to serve it in. I figured an adventurer wouldn't want anything too fancy."

Moira was hungry. She sheathed the dagger and sat down at the small table. She sniffed. "I keep smelling wolf, or dog." Moira froze, then slowly stood up, sniffing. She sniffed herself. Nope, not wolf.

She came closer to Ophelia, sniffing all the while, and Ophelia gradually recoiled more deeply and frowned in concerned. "Um. You're . .  Telluran? Is this . .  customary?"

Moira stopped a foot away. "You smell distincly like a beast . . . like you've been shacking up with a cat. And a dog?"

"Well, my husb- my fath- my partner is catlike. And I have . . . well, I don't get to bathe often,"

Moira looked into Ophelia's eyes for a long moment.

"Okay, this going to sound weird . . . but . . . "

She sniffed again, right at Ophelia's neck. "I think we're way past weird. Don't you have rings to give me? Gifts? Official reasoning for being around?"

"Oh! Right. Here." She put a wooden box on the table, and opened to contain the two rings. "One for the shadowgod, one for you. Gifts from Ulfur . . . "

Moira's head tracked back to Ophelia, who was looking at Moira funny. "You . . . you're like me. But mortal."

"I'm a werewolf, if that's what you mean," Moira said. "And you're a puppy on the cusp of becoming one. But. The stupid, fucked up cursed version for Gods. Not the sexy, cool natural version for mortals,"

"There are different versions?"

"Yeah, different bloodlines, tracing back to the first god to betray another for the power of blood for Gods, and tracing back to the first wolf to become a dog for mortals," Moira said. "I'm an heir of the Old Blood, the blood of the wolf-thanes who pacted with men, to guard them, in exchange for the warmth of their fires," she said. "The first wolf to be born in the light of the fires of man was of both worlds, and had one foot in both. His descendant likewise have two forms, and protect both the wilds and the people that try to make a living from the land," She said. "I love providing my backstory. It always makes me sound badass."

Ophelia continued to stir the pot. "And what about the . . . cursed version? Is it really that bad?"

"Oh, it's awful. You're a ravening creature, fearful of betrayal, breeding in darkness, a slave to lust and fear that feeds an ever-growing insatiable hunger for power," she said. "Honestly, why they're called beast gods is a mystery. They're ghouls, not beast, and I'm glad they were finally eradi-" she paused. "Oh shit. Right. You're infected. How far? How many folks have you eaten?"

"Two," she whispered. "More, if my kitten hadn't stopped me. It's all I think about . . ."

Moira scratched her head. "Well. Uh. Eventually you'll give in. And transform, and there's no way back,"

"Is there anything? Anything I can do about it? I haven't been able to find anything or think up anything. I just . . .  I didn't know. I was so angry the first time. Crazy. The second time, it just felt right. Like giving in to myself. To something bad . . . and good . . ."

"Well, uh,"

"I'm no master cursebreaker, but the stronger the curse . . . if it's anything like the fey curses I know . . . the more it has to follow, like, wording. And the last part to fulfill the curse, is to eat one akin . . ."

"A god that also eaten another god. Yeah."

"Well," Moira said. "Really, not even that. Like, it's more multiple choice than that. You are what you eat. You eat something along the road you're on, you turn out like that. Yeah. But if you eat something different . . ."

Ophelia swished around in the soup. "It might go different. Will go different."

"Like, eating me, for example," Moira said. "I'm a werewolf, I'm akin. Not the same, but akin. That'd satisfy the requirement."

"But . .  that's still cannibalism. Evil. It wouldn't be much better."

"You'd become a half-beast or something, right. But what if you didn't eat me in the cannibal way?"

Ophelia slowed her swirl. "There's . . . another way to eat someone?"

"For girls? Oh yes," Moira said as she grinned wolfishly. "Girls can eat other girls for days, and nobody gets hurt. Sore, but not hurt." Moira slung an arm around the slightly shorter girl.

Ophelia swallowed. "UH. UM. The soup! The soup is done!" she announced.

"Great!" Moira said. "Where's your bed?"

"My bed?" Ophelia said. "Upstairs, but I'd rather we-"

"I. am ready to eat," Moira said.

Ophelia blushed. "You . . . you can stop the puns. I get it. I need to . . . let my consort know. That you're here,"

Ophelia spent a handful of souls, creating a raven of shadow. "Blackbird. Carry my words to Bezaleel. I am hosting a herald of Ulfur, a friendly God. The herald is a scholar and knows of the beast blood. She knows of a ritual that will prevent . . .  that will neutralize the blood. The cursed blood. The ritual involves sex?"

Moira nodded, stifling a snort.

"Involves a sex thing. It's not cheating if it's for magic." Ophelia added. "Oh. And I've locked down the castle. The children will be born soon. Maybe in a day's time, maybe a week. I will send further word when you must return." She finished.

The blackbird took wing, flying from the window of the tower after Ophelia opened it.

===

"This the first settlement of the Mazoku, and the one closest to surface," Shogu provided. "We as vast as the Underhills, and deep as the Hell of the Lady,"

He agreed to serve as your guide, given that "I'm not a guard or anything. I just enjoy having the first taste of anything edible that comes down from the surface," He said, side-eyeing the Witch. "At least, anything that doesn't get eaten by the Witch's brood."

The Mazoku were deeply religious, you discovered, passing yet another shadowtemple. "Erebus is the physical world we live within - at least, every since he became the Night. The Lady is our patron, and those among us who are worthy pass on to her Hell, to serve her as loyal demons. In life, we are granted the fiend's blood. We feed on the spirit of food, as much as the food itself, and this allows our bodies to remain alive even as our spirits are rendered undead," Shogu boasted.

The witch had disappeared, and you were within a courtyard partially curtained off from the main gathering space surrounding one of the settlements to palatial structures. Shogu pulled the stopper from a ceramic jug; the substance inside was syrupy and powerfully alcoholic. "It's . . .  distilled ectoplasm, originally. The stuff of ghosts. A Spirit spirit." He took a long slug of it, and passed it to you.

"It's a good thing you're a God," said Shogu. "Otherwise, you would never be able to leave the Netherworld. Of which this settlement is a part."

Just then, a shadowy bird flew to your shoulder from a dark corner of the room, and whispered in your ear with the voice of your daughter . . .

===

"It's . . . Oneiric opium. Distilled from the dreams of madmen, or something. I don't wax poetic about what potions are, it's way more important what they do," said Moira. "This is Phantasmagoria, and it's the key to fixing your beast blood problem,"

Ophelia was uncomfortable, quizzical. "We agreed this was going to be a sex thing. Is it a drug thing now?"

"Like, not that I'm opposed. Godsblood is about the hottest drug there is. How do I know you're not poisoning me, though?"

Moira poured the drug into a cup of brewed coffee - strong and bitter. "You don't? But I'll be chugging it before you do, duh. But before we drink, I want to be clear - you are literally going to eat my dreamself. Her name is Aethelwulf, but you won't be eating the version of me that's me. You'll be eating the version of me that lives in the mind of the Sleeping God Erebus."

"You just . . " Ophelia started. "Keep saying cryptic and intriguing stuff. Is that a gift, do you have a Power devoted to that? Like why just say something like, like -" She said, swaying already as she drank from he own mug.

Moira caught her, laid her down on the bed. After chugging down her own dose, she pulled the princess of the shadow realm close to her. Ophelia's breath slowed, then deepened as she descended into sleep.

Moira brushed back her Ophelia's long hair. "Sweet child. If only you your father hadn . .  hadn't . . ."

They dreamt, and in dreaming, woke . . .
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:14, Tue 16 Apr 2019.

Bezaleel nodded as he listened to Shogu, "I see, to be honest I was unaware of the existence of this place or the Mazoku until just recently. The fact it ties to the netherworld, and even that you the Mazoku pass on to her realm of Hell. It is interesting in fact. Maybe it is part of the belief, the blood, and this place all tied together that wills your being there. Much like many pass to come to Erebus."

Looking over to the witch and then back to Shogu, Bezaleel thought about how she resided closer to the surface. Essentially the expansion of her brood would root them out of food supply. "I see, and because you can not leave this place and area tied to the netherworld, you can not hunt for food. Nor could have it delivered...I wonder if my shadow servitors I made would be stuck in the same condition. If not, maybe we can bridge the gap between the people of old and new in Erebus."

Bezaleel looked at the jug for a few moments, he had no idea how he would react to the drink. Or if any at all. "I have a history of being poisoned, so I hope you'll understand my anxiety in accepting a drink, but thank you anyway Shogu."

Then a bird flew in and perched on Bezaleel's shoulder. Listening to Ophelia, Bezaleel frowned slightly. Sending a reply back the same way. "Thank you for notifying me. Please continue to host the herald, but hold off on any acts of ritual, sex, or anything else while I am away. It would he safest to have me around during that time. I plan to return home soon if that is the case."

The bird slipped away into shadow as quickly as it had come, after repeating your message back to you for confirmation.

Physically, you were there with Shogu, but spiritually you felt . . . odd. More distant from Erebus than was comfortable; this place was not entirely of your own Realm, and going any deeper would probably meaning crossing a spiritual threshold.

Acumen: That threshold was contained within the drink you were holding. Old legends . . . taking part in drinking or eating in the underworld would trap you, or perhaps permit your entrance to the deeper caverns.

"It's no issue," said Shogu. "A gift can be kept."

"As for food,"

"We do not need to eat. Or drink. We are sustained by . . . it is difficult to describe, but we are sustained by suffering of a particular kind,"

"By grief, mainly. Sorrow colored by loss and longing. It's the nature of the Lady; she governs a variety of . . . transgression, in part, those who die with their sin a secret . . . and those who commit crimes of intimacy. You understand."

He took a swig from his own drink. "Those of us who linger here are those who died with the intent and desire to commit such sins, but never . . .  acted on them. Those, like I, who killed ourselves rather than sin . . . well . . . " he trailed off, and did not continue the thought.

"Why have you come, shadow prince? What is here for you? Do you seek the Lady?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:51, Fri 26 Apr 2019.

Bezaleel nodded as he took the flask, "Thank you, Shogu." Capping the flask he put it into a pocket.

Listening to Shogu speak of the sin and crimes of intimacy, it made Bezaleel curious. "I see. Those like you...Were my father and my own..Forsaken. I guess to some in their views, damned if you do, damned if you don't. I can tell you all must be tethered here. Do you all wait to pass on, or seek to leave this place?"

Bezaleel grew silent for a few seconds then. After a moment Bezaleel looked up towards the roof of the cavern then to Shogu, "To be honest, I originally came here to see what it was this witch is and what it is she is doing in Erebus. Being here I hoped to learn more of both my father and mother. As well as the history of what has happened. What type of people they are, how it is they treated you. You the Mazoku are my people as well, I didn't even know about you. I have no idea what needs or wants there are here. What problems need attending. As far as seeking the Lady. I'm not quite sure it's best I meet her just yet. It'd be nice to, but there are more important things, and I don't think I'm ready for that. There would be a few awkward conversations I imagine."

"We make our home here. We may pass beyond to the Lady's domain, but are tethered to this realm; were were once Shades of Erebus, and Erebus itself is a kind of afterlife . . . our souls have two destinations, and neither can claim us wholly." said Shogu.

Shogu shrugged. "Family business is family business. We knew your father and your mother, but I doubt many will see you as their lord here. We prefer to make deals than to receive charity."

Bezaleel nodded, "What if there was a way for one to lay full claim or relinquish it's claim. Would that be something wanted? I don't exactly mind deals, I wouldn't call my actions for anyone charity either. I do them for my own reasons. If it would make things easier to do them as deals so be it."

Looking around at others in the area, he continued to speak, "I doubt a people who went without a lord for so long would gladfully welcome a new one either, even if I am the child of those you saw as Lords. I just want what is best for my realm and those within it. I am not my mother or my father. I wasn't raised by either, nor did I spend time here with all of you. I spent it above with the forsaken and shades of Erebus. Regardless, you all are in a way my responsibility just the same though."

Looking over to Shogu, Bezaleel asked another question, "What was he like, my father? Did you know him more personally or was it a more distant thing."

"Erebus . . ." said Shogu. "Was a terror. There was never a being colder . .  more inhuman. He was hunger wrapped a shroud of flesh for the convenience of his people. He didn't care for anything that was . . . he saw an ocean and built a castle in it. Saw the raw shadow and told it it was ground, and trees, and his people. He was a darkness so cold and so hungry that the flames of Hell  . . . he found them appetizing. And so you came to be . . .  little starving cat . . ."

He was getting progressively drunker off the spirit he had offered you. "Nothing could have stopped Erebus . . . anything found . . of him . . was just a cast-off. The shadow of a shadow. I could crush you . . . but he wouldn't need to. You'd be swallowed before you knew you were in his maw . . ."

Bezaleel's eyes stayed looking at Shogu as he spoke. He was quiet and thought on what was said, looking down at his claws and hand. "You must be drunk if you are speaking of crushing me with the state your in. Where do you sleep?"

Grabbing the man with a whirl of shadows, he left off to return the drunkard to his dwelling. Before looking at Shogu, he snagged the drink waving it slightly, "I think I'll be taking this with me for the trip back. I'll be seeing you around." Using his shadow-smithing he made a flask to pour the drink into before setting Shogu's container back down.

Flying out of the building entirely. Bezaleel sat on the roof, putting his face into his palm he looked over at as shadow. "Are you awake yet in there?"