genessia | [action | closed] Don't mind the undead in the corner

Entry tags:

★ trahearne

[action | closed] Don't mind the undead in the corner

Who: Kalenedral and Trahearne
What: Trahearne invites Kalen to his shop because Kalen is a really cool dead thing.
Where: Tomes and Thaumaturgy - Genessia City
Warnings: Nah

We'd agreed to meet sometime soon, would this evening suit you? I'm closing my shop early, it would be a convenient place to meet. [Attached is the address and a picture of the storefront.] Do let me know.

While he waited for a reply, Trahearne did as he said and set to closing down the shop for the day. It'd been slow, only a handful of 'fake' customers here and there. Sometimes he wondered if he'd do better selling his books in Fayren. He didn't care enough to move there, he did well enough. A slow turnover on his more interesting books gave him more time to study them himself!

His assistants clambered up and around the bookcases, making sure everything was straight and tidy while he poured over paperwork. It was pleasant to have so little paperwork to do comparatively. At worst the stack was an inch high. Amazing!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The reply took a while to come, mostly because typing was... a thing. Especially when one wore gauntlets.

On my way.

And sure enough, an appropriate amount of time later Kalenedral pushed open the shop door, his eerie horse sniffing at the sidewalk outside. The Knight stepped in, and his ghoul came after, the door swinging shut behind them.

"Ooks," Limbface supplied helpfully, gazing around. After a moment, the ghoul's attention fixated on one of the clambering minions. Not about to be fooled by the creatures' friendly outfits, Limby knew dead things when he saw them!

Trahearne eyed the horse through the window, oh that just raised every more questions! He already had so many questions and things to learn, it was hardly fair!

His gaze snapped to Kalenedral quickly enough, a calm smile on his lips. Limbface's interest in his assistants wasn't miss and a few scurried down to greet him at Trahearne's silent command. Even if the ghoul ripped them up it was not big loss, they could be repaired.

"It's good to see you Kalenedral, for the first time really. Are you well?" he asked as he stepped from behind the counter and towards Kalenedral. Did sentient undead worry about being well?

It was a strange notion, wellness; but also one Kalenedral had heard enough from enough living people over the years to at least not question it... anymore. Thus, his response to the question was a slow nod, because that usually seemed to work.

Limbface hunkered down to look at the minions closer, though he kept his giant claws to himself.

"Trahearne," Kalenedral said by way of greeting, his voice just as strange and... echo-y in person as it was over the communications device. His gaze followed his ghoul for a moment, then came back to Trahearne. If one looked hard enough, there were irises inside all that blue flame. White.

"Why do you dress your servants to look like animals?"

"I didn't think they'd fool you for long," Trahearne said with a light laugh. Well that was quick! "I try to keep a low profile on my magic of choice. Some are less accepting than others of the powers surrounding death."

Trahearne's gaze lingered for a moment beyond polite on Kalenedral's eyes, trying to get a bead on where exactly he was looking. He glanced away soon after, there was still much more to take in, like the horse, Limby, Kalenedral's armor, things like that. Having so few sylvari around had its bonuses, few could feel the curiosity rolling off him in waves.

"One like yourself would deter most criticism."

No indeed, Kalenedral's only Empathic connection was with his ghoul, and the data flowing back and forth between them continuously spanned far more as a result.

"So you've mentioned. I wonder if any will take exception to me directly," the Knight was very... still. Having moved to where he deemed he should be at the moment, there was no further movement except, perhaps strangely, he was breathing. And not just when he spoke.

Not that it was an obvious movement, but when there was literally nothing else it became more noteworthy. Otherwise, he may as well have been a statue from the neck down.

"It is an issue I've encountered before, even on Azeroth. Particularly in the case of Limbface."

Trahearne, by contrast, was not near so still. His hands interlocekd with each other, moved to run over the back of one glove, passed his palm over his hair, shifted a bit here and there- he could make himself still but he didn't bother. His pressing curiosity made it even harder than usual.

"Well there are laws and such against taking action against each other, even for such things as a disagreement in what to do with organic resources." There was a dry edge to his voice. "I don't think many would confront you head on, no, there's not much of that happening here. Not unless it's some kind of agreement to do so..."

Kalenedral watched the constant fidgeting with all the impassiveness he usually showed in any given situation.

Of course, what showed and what was actually going on in his head were often two very different things. He'd noticed Trahearne's peculiar construction over the communications device, of course, but it was even stranger in person.

Thus both were curious, each without the other quite catching onto it just yet.

"I suspect that would grow inconvenient, if they did."

Convenient at first, with his Hunger, but eventually... less so.

Limbface straightened up from whatever he'd been doing with the lesser minions, and shuffled over to gawk openly at Trahearne. "You shiny!"

Trahearne was quite shiny! In a nice, warm glowy way with the light of his bioluminescence reflecting off his leaves to make him brighter still. He looked to Limbface, momentarily surprised, and then it clicked. As yes, that.

"Thank you," he replied, quite graciously. Given Limbface's preoccupation with shiney things, he took it as a compliment.

His minions trailed after Limbface, they'd been 'assigned' to him so would continue to do so until Trahearne told them otherwise. Sadly, they had no where need the brain power the ghoul had.

"I hope you are also doing well." The ghoul could talk, Trahearne would be polite to him. He looked back up at Kalenedral and said, "Well I do hope it doesn't become a problem for you. I'd offer to help in the case someone did become aggressive, but I feel you wouldn't have much need for my aid."

That polite inquiry was a lot more obviously foreign to Limbface, who blinked his dimly-glowing eyes at Trahearne a few times and cocked his head abruptly to one side. The topknot of grey hair swayed with the motion. "Doing ell?"

"I might, if there's enough of them," Kalenedral replied, "I am formidable, but not invincible."

At least he admitted it.

"I just want to know if you're having a good day, Limbface." Trahearne wasn't really sure if that was any clearer for the ghoul. Did he really have a grasp on the concept?

"Well, Kalenedral, if you find yourself in need of help, I offer my services. I've been described as quite formidable myself." Terrifying too, depending on who you asked. "Now then, if you want to talk a while there's seating upstairs-" He motioned with his head in the direction of the stairs. "-or there's anything of interest down here for you, let me know."

"To be clear with my intentions, I find you quite interesting and would like to ask you some questions, if that's acceptable."

"Good day?" Limbface repeated, blinking some more. Then it seemed to click. "Yeagh!"

Probably best to take that as a yes of some sort. He was certainly enthusiastic!

"Interesting?" It was Kalenedral's turn to repeat something, though his tone didn't shift. "Because I am undead?"

It was odd, being odd again. Like Trahearne, Kalenedral had been around for the time when his kind was 'new' to the world and questions were constant. But, it had been a while. If not quite as long.

Trahearne was happy to take that as a yes, good. Limbface looked like something that could've shambled right of Orr and Trahearne wouldn't want to be surprised by him, but he was harmless. In the, not going to attack at random, kind of way.

"Being undead is part of it." Trahearne crossed his arms, his fingers finding a stray leaf on his arm and twirling it absently. "You're undead and have a will of your own, while also having no desire to harm innocents."

Why would he bother to ask about finding acceptable targets if that wasn't the case?

"Not only that, but you have Limbface here working for you. This is what I would expect out of a lich or a general of deeply sinister forces. From what I know of my own world and undead of others', you are quite unique."

It wasn't that he had no desire to harm innocents... it was more that he had standards.

"Perhaps not so unique as that," Kalenedral continued to be as still as one of the bookcases around them. "I am a former Scourge Commander. All of the Ebon Blade were part of the Scourge, before Highlord Darion Mograine broke us free. It would certainly qualify as a 'deeply sinister force'."

Limbface shuffled back to Kalenedral's side, then crouched down to harass the minions following him some more.

"You say former, will still makes you quite unique. Undead with enough will to control themselves that also do not seek to destroy and control all around them are unheard of. What is this Scourge?" Trahearne could guess, forces with similar names and intents were common on other worlds. Tyria had the dragons, perhaps the Scourge was much like dragon minions.

Less dangerous minions cluttered around Limbface, hopping from foot to foot, not quite sure what to do about his attention.

Kalenedral hadn't always had much in the way of will. Still, that he had any at all, now, was a valid enough point that he wouldn't argue.

"The Lich King's army," Kalenedral confirmed, "a force that nearly conquered Azeroth."

Not that there was much to argue, being formerly controlled was as interesting as having that free will to begin with.

"A type of force I'm familiar with and exists in many places. Not by that name and with different forms, but it's a consistent type of plague for various worlds. Who is this Highlord Darion Mograine?" He must be quite powerful to manage what he did!

"He is... Highlord Darion Mograine?"

Kalenedral blinked, slowly. He wasn't quite sure what Trahearne was asking, here.

Trahearne smiled, he walked right into that one didn't he?

"Well, how did he free the Ebon Blade? I take it he is quite important? Possibly quite powerful to manage such a thing?" Hopefully that would get the ball rolling.

"Ah."

And another blink.

"He is the leader of the Ebon Blade. His force of will allowed him to break free of Arthas' control, and in doing so wrench those of us following him free as well."

Death Knights definitely worked in a hierarchy system.

"So it's a matter of willpower?" Yes, there was a lot similar here to dragon minions. Hm. "That's impressive, does your ability to stay free henge on following him?"

Trahearne was becoming less and less cautious about his questions, he was too curious. This kind of information could help him save sylvari! He felt such fear for them, those whose minds were lost to the dragon.

"I... am not sure," Kalenedral stared off into space for a moment, giving it some thought.

Trahearne was content to let Kalenedral think it over. While he waited, he glanced over to Limbface to see if he would have to repair his minions at all tonight.

Limbface was being very careful!

Meanwhile, Kalenedral seemed to 'un-stick'. "...The Highlord has never invaded my mind. I don't think there is a replacement bond at play."

"Mmm, that's very interesting. But you were bonded in some way before?" Sorry Kalenedral, Trahearne just had to push this particular topic.

"Yes," Kalenedral... didn't even consider that this might not be a topic for discussion. It had been such a hotly-debated issue on Azeroth, especially directly after the battle of Light's Hope Chapel.

"While I was a part of the Scourge, the Lich King's will subsumed my own."

"I see. Before I ask more, how sensative of a topic is this for you? I know of forces like this that effect others on my world. I wish to know more and my questions might be more probing than many would like." He was still while he asked that, it was time to be a bit more serious. If anything, to be polite while he asked permission to ask very invasive questions.

"Not very," Kalenedral wasn't worried; if Trahearne asked something he didn't want to answer, he simply... wouldn't. "It's a matter of public knowledge, on my world. At least, in a general sense. Our rebellion against the Lich King and the subsequent formation of the Ashen Verdict is a large part of what proved to be his undoing."

"Well then, I have much to ask you. If you are curious about anything about me, feel free to ask." Though Trahearne might be more cagey on some questions than Kalenedral, not all things were as common knowledge or safe to be shared.

"Now if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to sit while we talk. I can stay down here, but it's more comfortable upstairs. Limbface is welcome as well, of course."

Kalenedral finally moved below the neck, lifting an armored hand to gesture vaguely toward the stairs.

Behind him, through the window, Shadowmane finally dissipated back to the Shadow Realm in a few lingering wisps of dark purple and black smoke.

Good. Trahearne could stand and talk for hours, he did that plenty as Marshal. He didn't need to do that now, so he'd go sit down in a comfortable chair. He headed for the stairs without delay, thought glanced over his shoulder to speak as he went.

"What manner of being is your horse for it to vanish like that?"

Upstairs was small, most of it taken up by an office and storage. Directly by the stairs, however, was a carpeted area with a few cozy chairs, a table with coffee pot and mugs, and a bookcase full of shabby books. A sign on the bookcase said "take one, leave one".

"She is an Acherus Deathcharger," Kalenedral followed, of course, and his ghoul shuffled along after him with the entourage of Trahearne's lesser minions in silly outfits. "She resides in the Shadow Realm whenever I don't maintain her connection here."

Curiosities piled onto curiosities, no doubt. Poor Trahearne, he'd never dig his way out from under all this new stuff that was apparently positioned right dead center into his interests.

The Knight didn't automatically go to sit down. He was far heavier than he looked, and a lot of furniture didn't take kindly to it.

Trahearne figured Kalenedral would sit if he wanted to or cared. He sat down, in the chair best positioned to look up at Kalenedral should he stay standing. One leg crossed over the other, he settled into chair.

"Fascinating. I'll have to remember to ask you more about how that works later. I don't want to get too derailed." It would be easy to do, he could ask about that magic for hours and hours. "Now... How much do you know about how the Lich King controlled his forces?"

"I was a part of those forces for longer than Highlord Darion Mograine," so, quite a lot. Kalenedral simply went back to being very... still. Standing really didn't bother him. "You will have to be a bit more specific."

"I'm not sure how to be more specific." There wasn't a whole lot to that question, unless the title of Lich King changed several times. "From what I know of how this usually works, an undead is raised and is compelled to follow its master. They might retain knowledge from their past lives but they lack a true personality or soul. If they have anything, they're often stuck in the past, unable to move forward.

To have will while being an animated corpse is quite something. Was the Lich King responsible for raising his forces directly?"

"I have no memory of life," Kalenedral said in return, "but I am an exception. Most of my kind remember, and are... stuck, as you say. They cling endlessly to what they once were, although those they knew in their past will almost always reject them as abominations."

Meanwhile, Kalenedral couldn't even say with a certainty that this was 'his' body. Or if Kalenedral was really his name. Or that he, as a personality, had ever been alive to begin with. It was just as possible that he was an amalgamation, pulled from the Void like Limbface was.

"No, he had groups of necromancers at his service. I understand it took quite a few to raise me, and several lost consciousness in the process. The bones I inhabit were pulled from a very old grave, on the furthest edge of elven territory."

"Hm." Multiple necromancers to raise one body? There must be a lot more to it than that, especially so if Death Knights like Kalenedral were meant to be high ranking.

"So even those others that are freed remember their lives to an extent? Is it only duty that drives you onwards now?" Replacing the drive of a master they had no choice of to duty towards one giving them purpose, that rang some bells.

"Primarily, yes."

There was also Limbface, but Kalenedral didn't know Trahearne nearly well enough yet to admit that the ghoul was more of a son to him than a simple servant.

Thankfully, even if Trahearne thought to ask about how close he was to Limbface, he wouldn't. Some things are a bit too personal to ask about, even when being as invasive as he already was.

"So they remember their lives... What of the magic or abilities they possessed before then?" Risen kept what they'd been. Necromancer minions were just amalgamations and did whatever their necromancer wanted them to do.

Edited 2017-03-05 18:14 (UTC)

"No, all of that is over-written by what we become as Death Knights."

"Without demonstrating in here," It was important to clarify that right off the bat, he liked his shop not covered in ice and fleshy things, "what can one do, as a Death Knight?"

"No matter their original fighting style, whether hunter or mage or paladin, a Death Knight deals in Unholy, Frost, Blood, and Shadow magics. We each use all of these, but we specialize in one of those first three, and the forth comes along with any of them."

He moved, briefly, to gesture at Limbface.

"I am Unholy. It allows me to sustain my servant, spread devastating diseases to my foes, and counter hostile magics thrown my way."

"I see. You are a mix of things, as far as my world is concerned. It sounds like you are quite similar to what I am as a necromancer. My minions-" He held out a hand and one of the bone minions broke from the pack around Limbface and jumped up to clamber up his arm. "-are not near so intelligent."

He worked at the buttons on its back, slowly revealing a bone spine and tight red flesh. The minion wiggled free and perched itself on the arm of the chair, its blank sockets turned towards Kalenedral. It looked like it had the skull and bones of a raccoon. It's what was around at the time.

"To be proficient with maintaining summoned undead is something we might specialize in as well, I did. It find it convenient. Why did you choose that route?"

Kalenedral watched the minion's reveal, with the same lack of expression on his face that Trahaerne had undoubtedly noticed was his default.

Limbface, though, shuffled forward to peer closer at it.

"It was chosen for me," the Knight stated, "due to the nature of my creation, it was deemed that I should specialize in the more magic-based branch of our talents. I have dabbled, since gaining freedom, with the Blood specialty as well."

Trahearne had indeed noticed the lack of expressiveness. It didn't bother him, Kalenedral wasn't hostile so he had no reason to be concerned. He was still here so he couldn't be that bored.

"So now you have the option to chance what magical abilities to focus on? Is your world especially magical on its own? Or do you draw your abilities from a specific source?"

The minion stayed put, not seeming to notice Limbface. It wasn't told to interact with him so it did not.

"There is a lot of magic on my world," Kalenedral glanced at Limbface, thoughtful. "I will remain Unholy."

Some dabbling in Blood, aside, he much prefers his ghoul's company to the lack.

"I believe my abilities come from the runes inscribed on my bones. Or they may be drawn directly from the Shadow Realm, I am uncertain."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[action | closed] Don't mind the undead in the corner

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject