Fantasy Mysnia - Heralds of Darkness

[K0mori]

"I can see it in your eyes." he said, getting back up and sitting down on his throne. Leaving the elf sitting on the steps with her blade resting on the ground. "You have done enough already. Yet, I can see the hunger in your eyes. You crave more... then you'll have more. GET UP!" he shouted.

"Thalarion is my Mouth, for he speaks for me in foreign land. Alexandra is my Hand, for she can reach where I can't, and you, Sharyx Valghemora, shall be my Eye - to gaze upon the enemy lands, and bring Darkness upon the world."

From the moment the Dark Lord guided her blade away from her neck, Sharyx knew that she was absolved of her father's treason - and was free to chart her own path. Still, her brief proximity to doom had left her without a consideration for anything beyond the current moment. It would take her master's voice to call her back from that perilous moment, demanding she stand and face the future.

Dutifully rising to her feet, she was greeted with a new surprise: she would not only be accepted in the Dark Lord's company, but he would bestow upon her the title of the Eye of Darkness - a position doubtlessly predicated on her experience as a captive of the Light in Ilberynn. It was plainly obvious that the Dark Lord harbored an especially deep hatred of the land where he met his prior demise, and especially, for the King that Sharyx had once been instructed to serve. Having already crossed that country once, evading capture and leaving a trail of bodies in her wake, Sharyx could feel her destiny seizing her - as suddenly and forcefully as her master's gauntlet had wrapped around her neck only moments ago.

She would return to Ilberynn someday. There would be no fanfare, and no challenge made; she would pass into their house like a disease and steal their peace and sanctuary. She would gradually wither their virtues from within, estranging them from their god's will as they succumb to fear and paranoia - and cannibalize each other, as all hypocrites do in the bitter end.

And then, when all has unwound and the long shadow of night has fallen across the country, King Lethoriel will understand the price of his poisonous "mercy," and he will seek out the Eye of Darkness - fumbling, groping in the pitch for something which will gratify him with a duel. Instead, should he find the spirit of death he unleashed upon his country, and look into its gaze, he will find it a basilisk and be petrified for his folly.

Yes, Sharyx would someday bring about his destruction, either by her own hand, or (if it should please Darkness), her master's.

But not today.

She was merely a seed which had finally found itself fertile soil. For now she could only seek to grow up strong, and please the Dark Lord with smaller conquests. To begin, she made up her mind that she would travel to the land of the Mandrae Tribes - fox folk who occupy a coastline near the southern tip of the western continent. She would need a foothold from which she could operate safely, and the weak tribal lands provided her a chance to seize a territory close to her fellow dark elves- an advantage for many reasons.

"Ask your questions, say your demands... for the campaign ahead of us is long, and it won't be easy."

"My Lord, I seek to gather those souls left orphaned by the Light, like my own," she answered. "I wish to raise them up from obscurity so that we may kill all obstacles in your path. I believe we should begin at the periphery and work our way in. The Mandrae Tribes are weak, but they may serve as a gateway to more desirable targets to the north." She smiled, and the sickly, deranged look returned to her eyes. It was clear what she was implying: first, the foxes, and then the wolves. Then came the heretical dark elves, by word or by blade, and then, of course, Ilberynn. "Does this please you, my Lord?"

"If I may introduce myself, your lordship, I am Seith. The name 'Voidsinger' was also given to me during my travels, so it serves as my last name." he began as he stepped forward, "I am a servant to Lady Sharyx before you, as deemed by the Matriarch herself. I was with Lady Sharyx during her escape from Ilberynn, and have remained her friend and confidant ever since."

He took a breath, before speaking again. "I wish to hold no secrets from you, my lord. I wish to serve you as loyally as I have served my lady. With that, I will profess now that I practice the arts of Chaos magic. I learned both it and the ways of Dark magic long ago, before I was cast out of the realm of Ilberynn. I wish to use the ways of Chaos to further the goals of Darkness, and see you rule this realm. Control the various creatures and entities born of the Chaos realm, and use them for our own ends."

"...Beyond that, I want a world that only you and the First Sinner rule. No gods. No kings or queens. If they can be killed, then erase them. If they can be made submit to your will, then force them to their knees to kiss your boots." he added, "...That's what I wish for, my lord."

He then looked to Sharyx for a moment, then back to the Dark Lord. "...I offer you the same as my Lady. Should my practice of Chaos render my life forfeit, my blood shall be spilled to make amends. The necromancer can use my corpse as a meat shield, if you wish." he stated, before looking to Sharyx. "My Lady might sever the threads of my life as her first duty as the Eye of Darkness, should you will it. She will not hesitate, and it would further show her devotion to the cause."

"...But allow me to live, and I shall serve you, and the First Sinner, for eternity." His eyes shifted back to the red orbs in the Dark Lord's helmet. "The Gods of Chaos hold no sway over me. It is quite clear they care little for my existence, as they have already attempted to blind me. I am of sound mind and body, bearing not the marks of insanity like their followers."

Sharyx looked to her friend uneasily. It was clear that the earlier discussion at the banquet table had gotten under his skin, and he wished to clear the air as quickly as possible - especially since the Dark Lord had just proved himself quick to anger. She didn't wish to kill him, but if it came to that, she would make it as swift and painless as she could manage. She admired his willingness to go to any length to prove his sincerity, much like she did.

But she also resented him. If his sudden confession resulted in his death, then she will have lost a kindred soul. She quietly wished that he had kept the truth to himself, so that they might have had the chance to celebrate her ascension together. Instead, she gave the Dark Lord a grim nod, prepared to accept his judgement regardless of her own reluctance in the matter.

She would not disappoint her master.

 

[turtwigwins]

Jagvir sat with his brothers somewhat uncoveying of emotions in the response to the news of the kinslaying that had come from the mouth of Shanyx, only a solemn nod after an initial suprise that appeared evident. One who betrayed their own flesh and blood was one that he couldn't put faith in. Of course he shouldn't put faith in any of these heralds around him. He had only his family. Everyone else could just as easily provide a smile to him as put a dagger in his or his brothers. They merely sat and enjoyed the spiced meal before the main event began.

Emerging through the doors Jagvir looked upon the ritual with curiosity. The dark magic chants and inncantations led way for the finale of the sacrafice of 13 thralls blood. They spun through the air as a great symphony crescendoing in the rise of the Dark Lord himself. An awe came across Jagvir as the ritual finished and the Dark Lord let out a deafening shout he reflexively moved back crouching in a defensive posture. Looking to his sides he realized his brothers had done ths ame their hands upon their hilts. This was the Dark Lord.

Despite all that had happened in decay he still stood as a god compared to the heralds in front of him. Jagvir after his initial fear gave a small brief smile as the man began to make his dictations on the heralds before him. As the Dark Lord made locked eyes he stood proud. He was content with the assestment, afterall was destined to become the greatest warrior ever lived. The Dark Lord was a good pinnacle to look towards. One day he would refine his shadowiji to a perfect level. One that was greater then all the might in the forces of dark. If he wasn't stabbed in the back of course. Each of these heralds would be ruthless in their own rights.

When it finally got to the Shanyx he was astonished by how easily the man took to lifting her up a flaming sword appearing in his hand as he was ready to slit the elves throat and bloody the floor even more in the hour of his ascension. True Power. Next came the explanation of Shanyx's betrayal of her family. He felt a discomfort as he heard how she took pleasure in the horrific act. Betraying ones own kin was the one form of treason that Jagvir abhored. To take as much pleasure in it as she did showed a woman of fanatical belief. He wondered how she had came to such a dedication to the Queen of darkness. It made no sense for one to be so radicalized.

His brother Mohan was the first to speak in hushed tone, "A true fanatic that one."

Jagvir thought with curiosity upon the matter. The Dark Lord had fallen to the hands of the same King Lethoriel which Shanyx professed her vehement hatred towards. A man as crafty as that, and with as much foresight would have feared the return. What better way then to have a feigned fanatic. "Or a spy."
Eqbal responded with a suprise to his muttering, "How? Brother, one does not look into the eye of terror and spout such lies."
Jagvir simply gave a small shrugh, "Let us see what the Dark Lord believes."

The account that followed clicked the peices slowly into Jagvirs paronoid brain. The warrior-poet would have hated the atrocities that he had seen from the darkness. Those who obsessed over the arts rarely found pleasure in the brutality. Jagvir admired the mans betrayal. Vryadex had sceded himself into history. It wouldn't make sense for such a hero who had led the Dark Lord to his death to be put in a hovel. No, the man and the great wood elf king had planned for this arrival. Only one with such foresight to firstly take down the Dark Lord would have had the insight to plan for his return. He hoped that have a chance to battle both of these men who had defeated the Dark Lord once before.

Vryadex's daughter would soon be feeding the movements of the various heralds to the leader of the light. Jagvir would have to keep an eye on her. Befreind her prehaps. He could not let these crafty men, and their daughter of the light, lead to another failure to the Indraj. They had fallen every war before. Many of his ancestors dieing in the Dark Lords service. The Kohars would not be broken again.

Jagvir would step forward proudly to the Dark Lord. A Power that eminated of domination. Behind him in step were his two brothers of Eqbal and Mohan. "I am Jagvir Kohar. My brothers Eqbal and Mohan. The Kohars will serve you as our ancestors have before. This time, however, it will be for eternal victory. I do not have many great words, but I will cut down many foes. And find a place to be your greatest warrior."

Jagvir stopped a moment before his brother Mohan spoke, "As for acheiving such victory the Kohar family has planned for many years. Jagvir already has a reputation as the Iron Fist. One that has long crushed the lizardmen incursions, and taken the fight to many of their tribes. It would only be natural to take further action into the Rajahnate of Nagara, espically after the death of our father." He'd pause with a breath, "The victories and bounty we gain from this conquest will bring credence to your acension. And it will give the Raj time to regain his faith in the rightful place under our Queens name instead of the profit of spice. More importantly it will allow Indraj to gain a strong footing. One that appears natural and doesn't allow Shou Lang to take notice." Mohan began his end of the speech, "When we have established ourselves into a power our cloaked dagger will become open. By the time we have gained their eye the Kohar Clan will have built a bulwark upon your eastern front."

 

[Crocodile]

Thalarion watched the awakening, the dark ritual playing out as he made some mental calculations on the thaumaturgic flows and workings. There was a concern as the ritual played out. How much more expensive would each return become? Should he be concerned that an entire nation might have to be slaughtered to restore their master should he fall more? Would it be worth it? Thalarion quashes that last thought, knowing his pragmatism was getting the better of him. The trick was to ensure their master would not require such demanding restorations. For now.

The eruption of power and emotion by the Dark Lord towards Sharyx made his masked face raise more to regard the moment. He stood as well, watching as Alexandra made the case for this new arrival. This new Herald that had willfully come here to present themselves despite the obvious danger from their lineage and history. His head tilts slightly as the declartion of the Eye. Perhaps he should feel threatened, but then again it was another piece in the games of power. The Dark Lord had commanded it and he would watch quietly to see if this soul proved worthy of the title even if they dared to align against him with the Sorceress.

Soon enough the Dark Lord commanded that those present now speak their questions and points. Thalarion watched and listened to all those souls who had so far dared to speak up. His mind assessing and considering each. The loss of loyal forces meant these new arrivals mingled with the old were much needed, no matter what initial impression might be made due to appearance or strangeness. There was desperation here. Bravado. Greed. Ambition. Hatred. His own was simple enough: pride. He could recognize his own weakness enough to try to reign it in. It was why he was the Voice, spreading Darkness by word even in lands that would otherwise insult him on some level and demand retribution.

"I welcome the Eye into our ranks, let us hope they will serve as well as they promise. I stand ready to speak again for Darkness, my lord. Where would you have me begin? Whom shall I aid or hinder for our efforts? Where shall Darkness fill the hearts of those from my words as my forges churn out many a good for your Heralds?" Thalaion offers with a momentary bow of his head before standing fully again, hands at his sides before the Dark Lord.

 

[Abstracty]

"My dear Jagvir, I am sure you will agree that all meat must eventually decay. I merely sped up the inevitable.", Hildegard casually remarked, as the Rakhsha reprimanded her wastefulness. The whole feast was clearly displayed to impress, rather than to feed them appropriately and she did not care where the leftovers would end up. But she also didn't seem bothered by his remark and there were far too many interesting conversations and characters to get lost into. The Vestati prince appeared as the most noteworthy, as he was hailed as a legend and started distributing valuable gifts to everyone around. Hildegard couldn't help but notice how carefully they had been selected, proving to her that they all must have been carefully studied beforehand. "Oh my, you shouldn't have...", she acted nonchalant at first, but there was a revealing gleam in her eyes, as the tome already tempted her to just ignore the rest of the party to dive deeper into the darkness within. But the necromancer didn't forget all of her manners. "You have my sincerest gratitude, humble prince. What an impeccable taste in literature."

A duo of undead knights flanked a decaying handmaiden as they silently came to take the gift away, carefully securing it for their master for later study. The feast meanwhile grew more lively, though Hildegard wouldn't have anticipated for the chandelier to get involved. She found the display amusing, but was rather occupied by listening to Voyka and Seith - who soon revealed so much more than she had expected. "I do not believe one will top that party trick anytime soon.", she again found humour in the situation, though she didn't repeat this approach when Voyka spoke. Soon enough, all conversations ended anyways, as the big finale came quicker than she would have expected. A rush of excitement came over her, as Alexandra called upon all of them. It was finally time to see, if her journey here had been truly worthwhile.

Hildegard followed as they were lead into the throneroom, where she slowly walked towards the jagged obsidian, drinking in the aura of the place. The presence of the Dark Lord was unlike anything she had witnessed before and the necromancer felt terrified and lifted alike. With glowing eyes, she joined the ensemble of heralds waiting at the throne to hear them introduced by Alexandra. Unsurprisingly, the Dark Lord was harsh in his judgements but after the Queen had previously diminished some of the Heralds herself, she now advocated for each of them, besides Izaak Rosach - causing Hildegard to grow a bit more curious about the reasons behind this. Waiting patiently, she stepped forth and curtsied as her name was called. Despite the damning gaze now directed at her, she still had enough audacity to wink at Alexandra as she noticed the grin. "Quite right indeed.", she purred back, before raising her head slightly and stepping before the Dark Lord with pride. His words were an invitation to prove something with the thirteen corpses scattered about right now, but she held back. Those souls belonged to the rituals here and there would be no shortage of opportunities. "I can and I will.", she answered in the most simple way instead, without an idea of a doubt in her voice.

As she stepped back, Hildegard expected the introductions to be over soon and for them to turn to planning, but Alexandra had selected Sharyx as the last Herald to be introduced for a reason. Raising an eyebrow, the necromancer observed a small glimpse of the Dark Lords power, as flames arose and Sharyx was pulled close. She felt no pity for the dark elf, instead considering it a welcome opportunity to behold some of the magic at work here and - ultimately - it was an inspiring display already giving her ideas on what to practise next. Unhappy with herself for not researching the previous relationships and events at play here, she watched as Sharyx managed to not only save her life by offering to sacrifice it, but also as she was named Eye of Darkness. An unforseen twist of events, followed by the request to bring forth questions and demands. Hildegard patiently waited her turn, taking due note of everyone elses desires. "What are your demands and where do you need me on your campaign?", she started with a question of her own. "Admittedly, I am not quite fussed about where I act first, so long as Heiligstadt will perish in the end. Whatever happens before that shall happen as you wish. I have traveled without pause, growing my knowledge and the number of carcasses shambling about behind me. I humbly suggest to continue this path, perhaps the Valakians need a reminder to heed the call? Although... we could always look for new, unexpected allies...? Far in the North, deep under ground, in jungles below the mist... it matters little for my craft.", Hildegard finally spoke.

 

[Femboy]

Yz went ahead and grabbed the puzzlebox gift, giving a suspicious look as they inspected it thoroughly. It didn't seem like a very comfortable place for their Duckie to stay since there wasn't a lot of renovations or comfortable furniture inside so perhaps she would have to save it for something else. Not having any clue what they could want to put in it for the current moment, they just kept it to themselves for the time as Ilithis had been one to accept the banana gift, Yz nodding and waving.

"You're welcoooome~! I'm so humble and generous with my gifts, it's no wonder everyone gets a big grin on their face whenever I show up!" Yz smugly added as they didn't hold much interest in the super-pointlessly-serious conversations going on between the other heralds until Alex showed up once more. During their announcement, Yz rolls their eye...holes, or something, and murmurs under their breath.
"When the good bell of blank tolls, did a hound write the agonising canvas of naught untold skin of stories?" they sighed, shaking their head. Yz was already here, there was probably nothing else worth even showing at this point, this entire birthday party had already peaked. Wondering if Alex had one last super surprise birthday present or something for the lot of them, coming along to see what it was as they were given witness to the magic trick that made a Dark Lord appear. Blinking around to get a good look at the ritual, they murmured a quiet and soft 'ooh' when he finally stood up from his throne.

Not hearing anything about what the Dark Lord said about a kidnapping circus, Yz would've completely and immediately shut down such silly nonsense if they were paying attention. Instead, they were too busy looking really closely at the other heralds while they were busy looking at the Dark Herald. Hearing the simple phrase of keeping one entertained, Yz immediately twisted their focus.

"Entertained? Who, I can be entertaining! Mememememe! Me! Meee~!" Yz cheerfully called as they blinked around the room rapidly, waving their arms for attention despite having no idea what the actual thing said was, up until the Dark Lord eventually asked about any questions that were held about the campaign ahead. Not having any clue what campaign they were even doing due to their lack of not paying any attention, Yz could only assume they must have been talking about the big world birthday party or something here at the King of Birthdays' castle.

"OOH! Ooh, ooh! I have a question! Lookitmeee!! I have a one hundred questions and then!!" Yz said as they furiously jumped up and down, flailing and swinging their arm holding it up in the air to be picked on for asking a question. Not even waiting for it and abruptly blinking on over to the Dark Lord's throne, Yz hung onto the throne as they began to gently poke the Dark Lord for his attention.

"Mr. Birthdayman! Why are you wearing so much heavy clothes? That looks uncomfortable, I'm sure if you were a lot more brighter and colourful, people would be so happy and love to see you. I think the weird Bit- I mean Witchwoman would look great in clown makeup too, I think I should be allowed to handle interior decoration and wardrobe changes. This place will be a ten-outta-ten tourist destination in a matter of moons!" Yz proposed, nudging him with their shoulder hoping he would agree. Blatantly staring at his armpit and quickly poking their fingers under, Yz got significantly distracted and saw no danger in the situation whatsoever.

"Tickle, tickle, tickle~!" Yz giggled, noticing the gap in his helmet and reaching for it as they grabbed nothing.
"Got your nose, little guy! Whosa wittle scary-man? Yes you are! Yes you are! MISS WITC- I MEAN BITC- I MEAN SANDWICH WOMAN, CAN WE KEEP HIM, HE'S A GOOD BOY LOOKATIM. LOOKATIM FRIENDS HOW CAN WE NOT KEEP HIM?" Yz asked in hopes they could keep him.

 

[EdwardDewey98]

"I came here b'half of me people. As she said." Rekko spoke, "We fought the Medvedyi fer a generation... and lost. We made them pay fer every inch of ar' 'ome, and still they came. And now, after the Light haft 'bandoned us, I'm 'ere now." The Saukkonen shifted where he stood before continuing, carefully choosing his words.

"I come ta make a deal. If ye help support us reclaiming ar' 'ome, and leave us in peace afta..." Rekko spoke, taking a deep breath before finishing. "I'll kill both tha Tsar AND the elf King of the Nord fer ya."

The Dark Lord listened to Rekko's reasoning. It was a story he had heard several times before: small tribes of beastmen, driven out of their lands by those who call themselves 'servants of Light' or 'champions of Justice.' His proposition was rather interesting... but could the leader of Saukkonen really be up to the task?

"You are aware that the King of the Suomeniir has been here since the dawn of time, correct?" asked the Dark Lord. He followed that question with a statement: "And the Medvedyia... I do not know who rules them in this era, but I am certain they are not weaklings, either."

The Saukkonen behind Rekko glanced at each other. Was the Dark Lord going to reject their demands? Had they come here all for nothing? Rekko and the Lord of Darkness looked each other in the eye, tensely silent for almost an entire minute.

"You are brave, Rekko of the Saukkonen. Let us see where your bravery will take you." He then looked to Thelarion. "Spread the word to every Saukkonen around and beyond the northern coasts: they will be paid handsomely if they join Rekko's campaign."

The Dark Lord looked back at Rekko. "If you unite the Wild North, you will be forever remembered. However, do not kill King Pertturas Yrjölärii of the Suomeniir; I want you to bring him to me. As for the current King, Boyar, Tsar... Whatever title the leader of the bears is calling themself these days... do with them as you will."

"The tragedy of the previous war deserves a response in kind," Lucafiel said, his voice heard without need to raise it. "We should follow in the footsteps of Mistress Fyrixia. Let us send a message. Let us kill a god once again. The forces of Light have grown fat and arrogant within their previous victory and a message now will strike terror into their hearts that no battlefield victory will convey; such a thing is too mundane for their minds." Lucafiel raised one hand, palm upwards, fingers splayed like talons. "But if we are to find a suitable victim of your choosing... to entice them down to this mortal plane... and eviscerate their very being... the mortals tied to the tyranny of the Light will know only terror and nightmares for the opening of our next Crusade. Their moral will not stand to the initial and strongest blow of our proverbial hammer. We must make their minds weak. Let them find no solace in their hearts. Let their alliances crumble, their faith falter, their hope die upon the blood of the divine."

"We must make it known: there is no where they can hide from us, for our reach is infinite. Find us a deity, Dark Lord, no matter how minor. Let us sink our teeth and hands into their flesh so that we may sup upon the grace of their blood once again," Lucafiel said, his voice at last embodying a deep, almost primordial bloodlust for the forces of Light.

While Rekko's request was sensible, Lucafiel's was quite extreme. "You wish to kill the divine once more, Lucafiel?" asked the Dark Lord. Amusement crept into his voice as he spoke. "Might you be trying to kill the Gods, one by one, until you find that deity that cast the Vestati out of the Heavens? Is that it?" His tone continued to shift, and his questions now bore a hint of mockery. Alexandra noticed this and gave the Dark Lord a plaintive look.

"There are thousands of Gods. Some have grown so weak that they might be normal Kine like those beneath us, while others are so powerful that they create their own realms in Heaven, so that those that worship them might continue to do so in death. There are many deities that are active in the waking world, Lucafiel." The Dark Lord then took note of the Yakal warriors standing behind the Redeemer Prince. "I have known you for some time, Lucafiel. I know what drives you, and what keeps you entertained... So, I'll grant you this favor." he said, leaning back into the throne.

"There are the Divine Hounds, Cuana and Cúmheá, who roam the sacred forests in the Druadacha region of the Cosnach. Umach, the god of Valor and the last of the Orc deities that did not fall to Fyrixia's spell, is said to live in the mountains of Setros in Kartia - and the Orcs who continue to worship the Light live alongside him. Lastly, the Trickster deity of the Zel'Aldari, Anexia, continues to be a thorn on our side..."

The Dark Lord quietly chuckled. "Heh... I wish I could tell you to hunt down Papa Molok, the goblin god, but Fyrixia wants no harm to befall him. Nonetheless, do with this information what you will. If you destroy these deities, the Lady of Darkness will be most pleased with you."

"Anđo," she affectionately referred to the Dark Lord, "I imagine you know what my desire is, as per usual. The freedom to slaughter as I please, and perhaps even finally bringing my people into the fold of Darkness after so long. But the circumstances of my reincarnation have brought me unique challenges. I can't imagine that more than a year had passed since my reawakening, and I was not able to establish myself as I normally would. I found myself working for meager pay as a criminal refugee in La Matanza," she explained, knowing she wouldn't need to elaborate as to why she needed to flee from Valakia, a state which was nominally on their side, given the place of the Rogovci and their views on her.

"For the first time, I come to you with no men following my banner, my old equipment likely still lost in the sands of Turegia, including my beloved longsword, and younger than I had ever been, in my early 30s," she emphasized, as the Dark Lord would recall how one of her reincarnations had had her present in her late 40s in contrast to every other being over 60, but she had had more than half a dozen years to build up her base for the war to come, in contrast to her now, "the only thing I have is what I always carry with me, a burning desire to slaughter in your name and Fyrixia's names," she said with a bow. After finishing her bow, she made one final remark, "though one question burned within me since my reawakening, and that is whether or not the damnable grand wizard who caused my downfall still lived among us, as just as with elves, you cannot trust wizards not to try and extend their lives."

Anđo. That was a nickname he had not heard in a while. Just hearing it brought him a modicum of comfort. As despicable as Voyka was, she had been with his since the very beginning. She, like Alexandra, had become a constant in his life rather than a variable, and for an immortal being, it was always good to know he had loyal followers in his absence.

Voyka wanted two things: One was the same as it always was: to slaughter the enemy in his name. "And you shall slaughter all who stand before you, Voyka." he said with a rotton smile, hidden beneath his helmet. But then, she asked about the man that killed her. As he had perished before her, he knew nothing of this.

Alexandra gave Voyka an impish grin. "Grandmaster Darude of the Saguaros continues to live, leading his people through the Turegian desert."

The Dark Lord tilted his head slightly. "Darude? The cactus man?" he asked in disbelief.

"Oh, my liege... he is a very powerful sorcerer despite his appearance. He not only killed Voyka, but his sandstorms buried two legions and three other Heralds that very same day." Alexandra then taunted Thelarion with a grin equally steeped in mockery. "I'm surprised the Mouth of Darkness didn't deal with the Saguaros. After all... his keep is somewhere in Turegia."

"Enough." said the Dark Lord, prompting Alexandra to hold her tongue.

"...As you wish, my lord." she quickly replied.

He turned his attention back to Voyka. "I've always considered you a worthy ally, Voyka. I want you to help Thelarion - this will give you an opportunity to claim the sorcerer's life."

Alexandra chimed in with another grin: "Watch out, he's quite the prickly enemy..."

The Dark Lord stared at Alexandra in silence for a moment while the Sorceress kept on smiling, quite pleased with herself. He then turned his attention towards Illifis and Cordia, who took a few steps forward to speak with him.

"I have little to make in the way of demands, my lord."Illifis spoke first."My order has existed for centuries and as we join your ranks, I want to make sure that they grow to something more. The Death knights of the Withered rose will to grow in number until we are fit to become the vanguard of your iron fist and an extension of your will. Slaughter wont be enough. We want to extinguish the light and crush hope where it hides. We want to spread terror and dread to those who stand in your path."

"Los Caballeros de la Rosa Moribunda..." spoke the Dark Lord in perfect Ozcuran. "I had heard of your order before, Baron, and you have an admirable goal. Perhaps you deserve more than just the title of Baron and a mere castle," he said, eyeing the knight. "Remind Duchess Mariana del Llanto of her place, and if she ever proves to be a problem for our cause... Then I would say that the Duchy of Ozcura deserves a better ruler."

"My demands are more focused" Cordia took over from her husband "This is likely of little consequence to you, but centuries ago I had sailed again to join your growing armies. I had assembled a small fleet of pirates, corsairs and briggands, but my skills as a sea with were unremarkable. It was enough to be betrayed and ambushed by a coalition of ships. My fleet sank and along with it my chance to join in your crusade. I made a pact with something in the deep my lord, perhaps one of your servants, but it is sympathetic to your cause, but showed hatred and contempt to the light above. For every heart I would feed the abyss, my own power would grow, it promised." A rolled up scroll manifested in her hand. She unrolled it partially to show its content. Along with rows of names, there were runes of an ancient language doting the sdies of each."I have a list of names. Hundreds. Would be heroes who damned me to the depths and their bloodlines, all of them standing in your way. I want them all dead. Even if I were to gain nothing I still want them dead. I want their blood to turn the tides red." She rolled the scroll back and with a flick of her hand it dissapeared.

He then turned his attention to Cordia. Truth be told, the Dark Lord cared little for pirates. Back in ancient times, they were a nuisance rather than a threat, but he couldn't help but notice in the last war how strong they had become. They had harnessed technology from Meroa to steal merchant ships traversing the Sea of Swords. Perhaps having a pirate ally as a Herald may be a blessing in this day and age.

"You seek revenge, pirate? You shall have it." he said, before looking at his council. "Sharyx, Thelarion and Alexandra shall help you locate them if need be."

Alexandra nodded. "I already know who funded the ones that killed you, Cordia... The Republic of Villa Hermosa, and its current governor, Ernesto de Villa Hermosa, is the son of Alejandro, the man who paid various crews to kill you... However, most of the pirate crews during the time of your demise have disbanded. It's been a hundred years after all... and there's still a few who I know nothing about. My suggestion, then, is to seek allies among the Sea of Swords. They might locate the pirates that still live to this day."

"If I may introduce myself, your lordship, I am Seith. The name 'Voidsinger' was also given to me during my travels, so it serves as my last name." he began as he stepped forward, "I am a servant to Lady Sharyx before you, as deemed by the Matriarch herself. I was with Lady Sharyx during her escape from Ilberynn, and have remained her friend and confidant ever since."

He took a breath, before speaking again. "I wish to hold no secrets from you, my lord. I wish to serve you as loyally as I have served my lady. With that, I will profess now that I practice the arts of Chaos magic. I learned both it and the ways of Dark magic long ago, before I was cast out of the realm of Ilberynn. I wish to use the ways of Chaos to further the goals of Darkness, and see you rule this realm. Control the various creatures and entities born of the Chaos realm, and use them for our own ends."

"...Beyond that, I want a world that only you and the First Sinner rule. No gods. No kings or queens. If they can be killed, then erase them. If they can be made submit to your will, then force them to their knees to kiss your boots." he added, "...That's what I wish for, my lord."

He then looked to Sharyx for a moment, then back to the Dark Lord. "...I offer you the same as my Lady. Should my practice of Chaos render my life forfeit, my blood shall be spilled to make amends. The necromancer can use my corpse as a meat shield, if you wish." he stated, before looking to Sharyx. "My Lady might sever the threads of my life as her first duty as the Eye of Darkness, should you will it. She will not hesitate, and it would further show her devotion to the cause."

"...But allow me to live, and I shall serve you, and the First Sinner, for eternity." His eyes shifted back to the red orbs in the Dark Lord's helmet. "The Gods of Chaos hold no sway over me. It is quite clear they care little for my existence, as they have already attempted to blind me. I am of sound mind and body, bearing not the marks of insanity like their followers."

Seith couldn't see Dark Lord's expression beneath his helmet, but he did notice that the Dark Lord didn't shift his posture at all - he continued to casually lay on it, seemingly unbothered by the revelation. "...You are foolish to believe you've any control over Chaos," he finally said.

"But you are not the first servant of the Dark that has used summoning magic. Isn't that right, Voyka?" He continued, slowly turned towards the Rogovci. "Crassius Severus, the Archmagister of the Crassian Magocracy. He summoned creatures from the Chaos realm to fight for him, but even then, he knew he couldn't control them."

"My best advice, then, Seith: forget about that, and focus on channeling your powers to summon these beasts. Use them to your advantage, but always keep a method to send them back close at hand. Even a lowly cho-cho can cause irreparable damage to our world..."

"My Lord, I seek to gather those souls left orphaned by the Light, like my own," she answered. "I wish to raise them up from obscurity so that we may kill all obstacles in your path. I believe we should begin at the periphery and work our way in. The Mandrae Tribes are weak, but they may serve as a gateway to more desirable targets to the north." She smiled, and the sickly, deranged look returned to her eyes. It was clear what she was implying: first, the foxes, and then the wolves. Then came the heretical dark elves, by word or by blade, and then, of course, Ilberynn. "Does this please you, my Lord?"

"Well, well. Not even an hour has passed, and the Eye of Darkness has presented her own strategy!" said Alexandra with a rather genuine smile on her face. It was impressive, as most Heralds that approached the Dark Lord in the past have done so with the intention of satisfying their own desires. Few would profess such a wider view at the start of a campaign.

The Dark Lord took note of this as well, leaning on his throne to better look at Sharyx. Her intention to gather those who, like her, were mistreated by the Light, was surprising to him to an extent, but it could also explain why she travelled with a Chaos sorcerer. "...The Mandrae? Have they not joined the Cosnach League?" he asked, looking to Alexandra.

"Indeed, the bad blood between the Mandrae and the Cu continue to this day, but I believe the leader of the League is trying to convince the tribal rulers of the Mandrae to join the League once and for all. But," she added with a sly inflection, "I am sure our dear Sharyx will be able to handle that issue," she said approvingly.

Jagvir would step forward proudly to the Dark Lord. A Power that eminated of domination. Behind him in step were his two brothers of Eqbal and Mohan. "I am Jagvir Kohar. My brothers Eqbal and Mohan. The Kohars will serve you as our ancestors have before. This time, however, it will be for eternal victory. I do not have many great words, but I will cut down many foes. And find a place to be your greatest warrior."

The Dark Lord gave Jagvir a confused look beneath his helmet. While it wasn't the first time he had met Heralds already in command of large armies, Jagvir was among the very few who willingly stepped aside to allow another member of their army to do the talking. Even the most ineloquent warlords would usually silence any follower who dared speak out of turn, but perhaps Jagvir is well aware of his limitations, and understood his role in his clan. The Raksha were truly fascinating Kine, culturally speaking.

Jagvir stopped a moment before his brother Mohan spoke, "As for achieving such victory the Kohar family has planned for many years. Jagvir already has a reputation as the Iron Fist. One that has long crushed the lizardmen incursions, and taken the fight to many of their tribes. It would only be natural to take further action into the Rajahnate of Nagara, espically after the death of our father." He'd pause with a breath, "The victories and bounty we gain from this conquest will bring credence to your acension. And it will give the Raj time to regain his faith in the rightful place under our Queens name instead of the profit of spice. More importantly it will allow Indraj to gain a strong footing. One that appears natural and doesn't allow Shou Lang to take notice." Mohan began his end of the speech, "When we have established ourselves into a power our cloaked dagger will become open. By the time we have gained their eye the Kohar Clan will have built a bulwark upon your eastern front."

The eastern front had always troubled the armies of Darkness in the past, not just because of Shou Lungs sheer military and political power, but because the population and their customs were completely different than those in the western regions of Mysnia. While they understood the concepts of Light and Dark, they did not see good and evil, and thus the message of Darkness, and its complete opposition to the Light, was misinterpreted or simply misunderstood by the locals.

The Rajahnate of Indraj joining the side of Darkness, while not a recent event, did not come naturally, and only happened due to an intermingling demon god making a pact with the Rajas of Indraj. The Nagas and the Lizardfolk of Nagara, on the other hand, were seemingly immune to corruption. Both nations had thus fought bitterly ever since, with Nagara invading Indraj multiple times simply to gather resources and satisfy their never ending hunger, and Indraj invading them either for revenge or for sport.

But this rivalry between two realms has created the perfect situation for the Armies of Darkness. Perhaps Clan Kohar was the key to creating a strong foothold on the east. "Most impressive, Mohan Kohar." He said. "Jagvir, as master of your household, I authorize you to use any resources necessary to secure the eastern front."

Alexandra then interjected with a comment of her own: "Please bear in mind that we still need to maintain an economy in certain regions of the world, to keep producing other resources or hire mercenaries to bolster our armies... keep the spice trade flowing, Jagvir."

The Dark Lord concurred. "He who controls the spice, controls the trade of Mysnia."

"I welcome the Eye into our ranks, let us hope they will serve as well as they promise. I stand ready to speak again for Darkness, my lord. Where would you have me begin? Whom shall I aid or hinder for our efforts? Where shall Darkness fill the hearts of those from my words as my forges churn out many a good for your Heralds?" Thalaion offers with a momentary bow of his head before standing fully again, hands at his sides before the Dark Lord.

The focus of the Dark Lord returned to his Council, specifically on Thelarion, who had asked for orders or instructions so that he could spread his voice across Mysnia. But before the he could respond to his questions, Alexandra interjected: "You should have done other things by now, such as spreading misinformation about our enemy across the heathen masses. Instead, all you've done is hide away in your little oasis fort with your magical machines and your students."

This rivalry between his Hand and Voice was bound to become an issue for the Dark Lord, but with Sharyx in the middle as his Eye, perhaps the council could be saved somehow. "Enough, Alexandra. Thelarion, when time permits, tell me of your research into combining machinery and magic." The failure of the Meroan offensive remained a heavy toll on the Dark Lords mind. This new technology could be an issue unless it remained isolated in Meroa.

"As for your help... you still possess the power of void walking, yes? Spread the word among the dissidents, but use your skills to speak for your fellow Heralds, and assist them in their diplomatic attempts, should they make any... But also, I am aware you wish to take a hold of the Turegian deserts. Please, do not abandon that objective; continue to bring our law into that lawless wasteland..."

"Just one warning..." the Dark Lord leaned towards Thelarion, his eyes glowing a bit more intensely. "...any magical items from Maraj you may find, or have found until now... Destroy them. This is an order."

"What are your demands and where do you need me on your campaign?", she started with a question of her own. "Admittedly, I am not quite fussed about where I act first, so long as Heiligstadt will perish in the end. Whatever happens before that shall happen as you wish. I have traveled without pause, growing my knowledge and the number of carcasses shambling about behind me. I humbly suggest to continue this path, perhaps the Valakians need a reminder to heed the call? Although... we could always look for new, unexpected allies...? Far in the North, deep under ground, in jungles below the mist... it matters little for my craft.", Hildegard finally spoke.

The necromancer's willingness to join any effort or campaign reflected positively on Alexandra and the Lord of Darkness. "You have a lot of courage, mistress necromancer. Such willingness will get you far, even if you are followed by the accursed dead."

Alexandra nodded in agreement. "There are many regions that could use your... touch, my dear," she added, before the dark lord continued.

"...But admittedly, your skill might be best suited for those that are rich in corpses, such as the aforementioned Valakia."

"The deserts of Khetar continue to be a home to the undead. Perhaps you can convince Pharoah Amaunet to join us again," said Alexandra, chiming in with an idea of her own. "Or perhaps, if you are feeling suicidal, you can try to get Crassus Severus to teach you a trick or two," she said, to which the Dark Lord chuckled in response.

"He'd rather wait until the Sun god dies and explodes than to teach people his magics. Old bastard," he grumbled. But before he could continue giving Hildegard more suggestions, a strange creature appeared before the Lord of Darkness.

"Mr. Birthdayman! Why are you wearing so much heavy clothes? That looks uncomfortable, I'm sure if you were a lot more brighter and colourful, people would be so happy and love to see you. I think the weird Bit- I mean Witchwoman would look great in clown makeup too, I think I should be allowed to handle interior decoration and wardrobe changes. This place will be a ten-outta-ten tourist destination in a matter of moons!" Yz proposed, nudging him with their shoulder hoping he would agree. Blatantly staring at his armpit and quickly poking their fingers under, Yz got significantly distracted and saw no danger in the situation whatsoever.

The Dark Lord stood there in silence as this jester continued to spit her maddened drivel. It was actually... refreshing to him, and reminded him of another commander he thought of fondly - another strange and bizarre character whose antics amused him. But this jester was more dangerous than that previous commander, and far less self aware.

"Tickle, tickle, tickle~!" Yz giggled, noticing the gap in his helmet and reaching for it as they grabbed nothing.
"Got your nose, little guy! Whosa wittle scary-man? Yes you are! Yes you are! MISS WITC- I MEAN BITC- I MEAN SANDWICH WOMAN, CAN WE KEEP HIM, HE'S A GOOD BOY LOOKATIM. LOOKATIM FRIENDS HOW CAN WE NOT KEEP HIM?" Yz asked in hopes they could keep him.

Alexandra watched, aghast, as Yz shoved her fingers into the Dark Lords helmet. The dark knights around the throne room pulled out their swords, but didn't approach the throne. Once the jester had finished her silly little magic trick, and called Alexandra a bitch, and then talked about "adopting him," Alexandra was furious at Yz for disrespecting everyone in the room.

"You little cu-" muttered the Witch Queen of Lohrsahr as she prepared a spell, but the Dark Lord stopped her by just lifting his hand.

Yz watched as the Dark Lord arose from his throne. He was much taller than her, and even if she was immune to fear, she felt strange looking directly into the Dark Lords eyes. He then raised a hand, and pointed at Yz's face... then... He booped the clowns nose, as if he was amused by her. That was until Yz grabbed her head and shouted in guttural pain. She started to feel a staggering pressure inside of her skull. So intense was the agony that it forced her to fall to her knees.

"Listen, little changeling... you amuse me, but do not disrespect me. Next time you put your grubby little fingers inside my helmet, I'll chop them off and hand feed them to you. Understood?" The pain slowly subsided, as if nothing ever happened, but Yz now knew the Dark Lord could inflict a truly atrocious sort of pain upon her.

"Now... I tire of this. Alexandra, take us to the strategy room," he said as he descended the stairs beneath his throne in order to stand next to his council.

"As you wish, my lord," Alexandra replied as she led the group towards another section of the castle. When Alexandra opened the heavy doors to the room, the Heralds were surprised by the rather well-maintained strategy room. It was stocked with several cases full of maps and books about the different regions of Mysnia.

Right in the middle was a large and detailed map which depicting the main continent, as well as part of the Yetunde continent and the known regions of the Wild North. It was an updated and neatly-maintained map, but the Dark Lord sighed bitterly as he studied it. It was evident from his body language alone that he was struck, thinking of how there was a time when this map was almost entirely purple, to signify his indominable reach.

"Heralds, you are more familiar with the current year than I am. Mortal rulers rise and fall constantly, and so do their feeble nations. There are many such nations who are weak enough for us to invade, but invasions cost time and resources. Sometimes you will need to look around the area, get to know the locals, and perhaps recruit some of them."

He pointed at a specific province of Heiligstadt - the duchy of Frysland. "Back in the second war, this region used to be an independent kingdom, and the Fryslanders were tribal levies willing to serve the Light. But by understanding their homeland, and by talking with their leaders, I managed to convince them to join our side instead."

"Have that in mind when you conquer in our name." He glanced at Sharyx for a moment before continuing. "Seek the cultists, the heathens, the criminals, the outcasts and pariahs, and spread the word of Darkness."

Alexandra nodded in agreement. "Look into the map at your quarries, and I shall personally give you what knowledge we have on the region."

​

 

[Infab]

The response to Lucafiel as well as the response to his own statements didn't make Seith particularly happy. Really, most of it annoyed him. It sounded as though the Dark Lord wasn't interested in slaying gods at all, beyond those that moved directly into his path, and simply flung a few potential candidates at Lucafiel for him to hunt to appease his taste for divine bloodshed. As for the response to his own statements, he had several issues. None of which he would actually voice to anyone, including Sharyx.

At least the Dark Lord wasn't going to force Sharyx to kill him.

Seith simply nodded and bowed in response, before moving back to where he had been standing before. It seemed Sharyx's forward thinking had gained her more favor, which was a good thing. Perhaps this would grant some boons should they need anything in the near future.

Eventually, the group was taken to the strategy room. Practically a spruced up war room, filled with books, maps, and a large table showing the regions of the known world. Seith remained silent, simply standing near Sharyx as she went about her business. She was the leader, so she'd be asking the questions and making the big decisions.

 

[Damian0358]

"And you shall slaughter all who stand before you, Voyka." he said with a rotten smile, hidden beneath his helmet. But then, she asked about the man that killed her. As he had perished before her, he knew nothing of this.

Voyka cackled as he spoke in favor, before continuing on to bring up Darude, which would spark Alexandra to speak;

Alexandra gave Voyka an impish grin. "Grandmaster Darude of the Saguaros continues to live, leading his people through the Turegian desert."

The Dark Lord tilted his head slightly. "Darude? The cactus man?" he asked in disbelief.

"Oh, my liege... he is a very powerful sorcerer despite his appearance. He not only killed Voyka, but his sandstorms buried two legions and three other Heralds that very same day." Alexandra then taunted Thelarion with a grin equally steeped in mockery. "I'm surprised the Mouth of Darkness didn't deal with the Saguaros. After all... his keep is somewhere in Turegia."

The irritation across Voyka's face was palpable. She still remembered that day clearly, the humiliation of the defeat she suffered and her death thereafter, but just as much, the pain of discovering that her closest allies during that incarnation had fallen against him. Her expression actually softened as Alexandra invoked them in passing, as if hinting as to why she had gone after Darude despite the potential threat. But the frustration bled through once more as she found out he was in Turegia still.

He turned his attention back to Voyka. "I've always considered you a worthy ally, Voyka. I want you to help Thelarion - this will give you an opportunity to claim the sorcerer's life."

Alexandra chimed in with another grin: "Watch out, he's quite the prickly enemy..."

The Dark Lord stared at Alexandra in silence for a moment while the Sorceress kept on smiling, quite pleased with herself.

Voyka looked the Dark Lord directly in the eyes, and bowed. "As you command, my Lord," she spoke, as she returned to her position, cutting Alexandra an angry glance as she tried to be cheeky. Coordinating with Thelarion wouldn't be the worst thing possible, plus it meant that she was on familiar grounds in regards to allies for the start of this war, so given her current position, this was ideal.

She continued observing the Dark Lord's responses to the others, only to be called towards as Seith presented himself.

"...You are foolish to believe you've any control over Chaos, but you are not the first servant of the Dark that has used summoning magic. Isn't that right, Voyka?" He said, slowly turned towards the Rogovac. "Crassius Severus, the Archmagister of the Crassian Magocracy. He summoned creatures from the Chaos realm to fight for him, but even then, he knew he couldn't control them."

"My best advice, then, Seith: forget about that, and focus on channeling your powers to summon these beasts. Use them to your advantage, but always keep a method to send them back close at hand. Even a lowly cho-cho can cause irreparable damage to our world..."

Voyka nodded in respect. Even without subterfuge, she knew that the Dark Lord would remember the difficulties of Chaos. This will make her words have more weight when they speak privately after, at least she thought so. Bless their past with Chaos for giving them the foresight to know of its troubles.

She found herself steadily familiarized with the others from a broader perspective, though she found herself disinterested to some extent. What mattered was that she was on solid ground with all of them, to avoid conflict in the future, and enable her to engage in the bloodbath she desires. She paid attention instead to the words spoken to Thelarion, for it could shine a light for where to go next, but instead, it was mere affirmations. The antics involving Yz however would prove entertaining.

Soon enough, it was time to enter the strategy room, which remained as intact as ever. This would also be a good opportunity to familiarize herself with the state of the world, as Valakian and Rogovac education had its deficiencies when it came to world affairs. As the Dark Lord spoke, she shifted her position to be by Thelarion.

"Given your goals, I assume you intend to go to Turegia first?" she asked him in a subdued tone, in an attempt of robbing Alex the opportunity to jump in, "Assuming, of course, we don't aid one of our fellow heralds instead, she added.

 

[Emperor Sagan]

Options had been presented, but little strategy in hunting down divine beings. Lucafiel found this for the best - let the Vestati direct the current as they wish without interference, even from the Dark Lord himself. No matter what their illustrious overlord said, there were plans within plans that needed to be accounted for beyond the mere drive for bloodshed and their eternal search for the Forbidden One. Wherever that wretched being lay, it was not among the lesser beings of the divine hierarchy, prancing about the mortal lands. Such creatures were sport, stepping stones upon the path of ultimate domination. Within the moments of being given sanction to pursue several deities, Lucafiel contemplated them all, and surmised that Umach of the Orc tribes would be the most beneficial as an opening move.

The Orcs were, after all, an interesting people - strong and with a fiery demeanor, to harness this power beneath the yoke of Vestati authority would be a significant boon to the war effort. Slay the orcs who would oppose them, swell their numbers by those either corrupted or convinced into joining their side, and put the rest to work as a labor force to fuel the furnaces of a new crusade against the Light. After all, humans were malleable, but a divided labor force to specialize their carefully crafted economy would be for the best. Keep the humans in the fields and workshops, put the Orcs into the mines and lumber mills. By their sweat and blood, the steel of their victory will be forged. There was also the matter of morale to consider, as Lucafiel had spoken of before. A minor deity would be challenging, but not so much that they could not achieve it, and it would act as a prelude of what was to come. Perhaps they could finish what was started and bring Umach to their side... or they would execute them for their audacity to stand against the forces of Darkness.

Lucafiel and his retinue joined the rest in the strategy chambers. The Vestati possessed many maps, but this one, Lucafiel found, had always been the most accurate. There was magic at work here, he suspected. The work of malign cartographers laboring over every inch of the continent to ensure their masters knew which grain of sand belonged where, and most importantly, to who. Only the ancient maps of the old realm under care of the Forbidden One surpassed this one, and Lucafiel could recall fragments of that time, of a living map which could peruse the entire world and realm over, down to the very insects in the dirt up to the highest vantage over entire cities, mountain ranges, and continental riverscapes.

Once allowed a moment, Lucafiel selected a pointer stick with his delicate gloved-hands, and tapped the state of Kartia. "We shall, naturally, direct our efforts here in pursuit of Umach, the remaining orc deity. We march from Nasr, down in Shirvan. If any efforts are indeed to be conducted in the lands of Turegia, my forces will have to march through them - but shall assist on the way, if possible. Regardless, I have no intention to mire my legions in the sandlands there."

 

[joshuadim]

Rekko let out a soft sigh of relief when the Dark Lord broke a tenuous silence between the two of them when speaking, feeling a wave of palpable joy overtake him for a moment before shifting it to the back of his mind. He had to remind himself of where he was exactly and whom he was dealing with in the first place - and that sooner or later he would have to deal with the consequences of his actions today. Following the others towards the strategy room, Rekko found himself observing the cartographical marvels that were strewn about onto the table before him. The amount of detail and work that was put into every inch of mapped land, every coastline, every island...

It felt as though he were looking from the heavens above onto the earth below, as if he were in Akko's domain as he saw it; it rekindled an old sense of wonder that he once felt as a pup, dashed by the hardships of reality, as he traced his eyes over realms that he was somewhat familiar with, and others that were distant and foreign. Few Saukkonens had reason to traverse the wider world before the Medvedyi's conquest of their land, and thus for the average Saukkonen the wider world remained a mystery. However, this was not the case of the WIld North as Rekko's eyes moved towards the edges of the northernmost continent that had been put to paper.

The land was much larger than any southern longshank could possibly imagine, hosting a variety of tribes and races that could seem almost alien to those used to warm summers. And there were also the largest entity there, who were the subject of Rekko's wrath: the northern elves. Their complicity in neutrality was tantamount to murder itself, as they had the power to stop the violence at any given point. Yet they chose to do nothing, the memory of which made Rekko clench his teeth. There were also the other tribes in the western reaches that did nothing, though Rekko found it hard to blame them as much as the elves. During those times, they were busy fighting one another in a great tribal war and thus had nothing to spare for his people's plight.

But now... now perhaps was the time to gain their aid. After all, the Saukkonens were children of the North as well.

"...I will sail up Nord." Rekko stated, "I prefer ta keep ta me kin, and ta those who share in tah Nordern ways. And ta that end, I will find allies thar."

 

[K0mori]

The Dark Lord's opinion of Seith brought Sharyx more than a little relief, and the moment she was certain of his tolerance of Seith's chaotic studies, she flipped her sword about and slipped it back into its scabbard. The two looked at each other, and Sharyx flashed a him a grin. Although she was willing to kill him just moments earlier to appease her master, there would be no hard feelings between them. Seith was a true friend. He understood the high price that loyalty and faith in Fyrixia's plan demanded, and knew that Sharyx would gladly pay it as well, if need be.

As her own, lesser plan was met with approval from both the Dark Lord and the Witch Queen, Sharyx flushed with pride, her ears twitching involuntarily. Perhaps it was the fault of the earrings which bobbed and bounced beneath them, but the dark elf couldn't quite contain her excitement. She was a part of something grand, something which placed all the disjoined building blocks of her life into an order resembling a straight line. She was meant to be here. It was destiny.

Once inside the strategy room, Sharyx kept quiet for a bit and took note of the others' plans for the world. The great map in the center of the chamber was crafted with such fine detail that she was certain that they were looking on it more clearly than any of the kings and queens of the world's realms could do so. Voyka was doing as she was instructed and was following Thalarion's lead. Sharyx recalled the story of her demise moments earlier and wondered if it was wise to travel the lands of the Mandrae without another Herald present.

Lucafiel was expressing his desire to bring the orcs to heel, which put a frown on the dark elf's face. Kartia was a long ways away, and the deployment would put the Prince in close proximity to Thalarion as well. With so much help, she felt the first hint of jealousy for the Voice of Darkness. Would this become a rivalry? No. I cannot let myself be so weak. We are united in cause, she silently chastised herself.

Rekko then stated the obvious: that he was returning to the North to gather allies on his great campaign. Sharyx felt much more kindly toward the mercenary, but not for the man he was right now - instead, she felt a sense of kinship with the man he might become, and especially, for those he might soon recruit. The Dark Lord's reputation would doubtlessly shape what sort of souls Rekko would be able to enlist, and should he buy in, should they all buy in, then it could truly be an inspiring windfall for the Queen of Darkness.

Or, perhaps, her imagination was merely rose-tinted.

"I will set forth for Dansar; landing at the edge of their domain will prevent me from becoming surrounded, and it seems fitting to start from the farthest southern reach and work my way north," she explained.

 

[Abstracty]

As the Dark Lord spoke, it became obvious to Hildegard how disconnected he had been from the passage of time. Alexandra on the other hand was well informed and would inform him about everything he had missed in due time. This made the decision to meet with the Heralds so soon after the return quite curious to the necromancer, but she also realized that it was about getting back to business as soon as possible. The Heralds could all offer their plans and when it was Hildegards turn, she made sure to appeal to the Dark Lords eagerness to get things rolling. Once again, Alexandra offered some helpful advice and a sly smile formed as Hildegard heard of the unwillingness of Crassius Severus to teach his magic - perhaps conquering such a challenge would see her star rise the fastest? But before she could even deliver her answer, she found herself rudely interrupted by the antics of one daring jester. One offended huff later, however, Hildegard found herself intrigued by the performance or more specifically by imagining the deadly fate awaiting the jester. Much to her surprise, the Dark Lord seemed rather amused, it was the only explanation to the mercy he was showing. Hildegard keenly watched how he was able to torture Yz so casually, but she would have to learn that trick another time.

"I shall be starting the touch-ups in the Deserts of Khetar.", the necromancer announced, as she joined the other Heralds in the strategy room after surverying the map for a moment. "Perhaps we will ourselves supporting each other rather soon.", she mused, directed towards both Baba Voyka and Thelarion. Whilst Hildegard had no clue what they were whispering, the Dark Lords comments about unfinished business with a particular sorceror in the Turegian desert made her believe that they would likely choose Turegia as their first destination. Given the close proximity of the two regions and the fact that it would take her longer to arrive in Valakia, Khetar seemed like the better choice for now, as they had to gather their allies quickly. But she refrained from pressing the two too much about it, instead turning her attention back to the map. "As I understand it, the noble Pharaoh Queen is a sorceress I can get along with... and afterwards, my way will most likely lead me north.", her arrogance was shining through as she took a step back, telling her thoughts aloud so that the others were kept informed and also had the opportunity to interject. One thing speaking against Khetar was the daring campaign Prince Lucafiel was planning. If she were to support him in Kartia, Valakia would be the better choice initially. But Hildegard was willing to take a gamble on things falling in line in Khetar rather quickly and thus she would be able to march north soon, hopefully with a whole lot more bodies shambling behind her and her necromantic knowledge grown. On the other hand, the Prince was one of few she held in such high estimations that she almost expected him to succeed before she could even march reinforcements towards Kartia.

 

[Breadman]

Illifis and Cordia heard the Dark lord and were both happy to hear that his attitude to them change even slightly.

"Los Caballeros de la Rosa Moribunda...I had heard of your order before, Baron, and you have an admirable goal. Perhaps you deserve more than just the title of Baron and a mere castle. Remind Duchess Mariana del Llanto of her place, and if she ever proves to be a problem for our cause... Then I would say that the Duchy of Ozcura deserves a better ruler."

The spark of ambition could be seen in Illifis' eyes as the Dark Lord recognized his servants. As for dear Dutchess Mariana, Illifis had his fair share of dealings with her and they have been very pleasant, despite what the other nobles speak of her and her origins. He was certain that she would see the benefits of joining in their crusade. If not...then he would have to take some serious meassures.

"You seek revenge, pirate? You shall have it. Sharyx, Thelarion and Alexandra shall help you locate them if need be."

"I already know who funded the ones that killed you, Cordia... The Republic of Villa Hermosa, and its current governor, Ernesto de Villa Hermosa, is the son of Alejandro, the man who paid various crews to kill you... However, most of the pirate crews during the time of your demise have disbanded. It's been a hundred years after all... and there's still a few who I know nothing about. My suggestion, then, is to seek allies among the Sea of Swords. They might locate the pirates that still live to this day."

That would solve a third of her list. The pirates crews and their desendants were going to be easiest to track down, but the traitors didn't work alone. Still, Alejandro's time would come soon enough as his bloodline was one of many that beared her curse.

The pair followed the other heralds to the strategy room where the maps, scrolls and books awaited them. Ever a student of the art of war, Illifis looked around with awe at the treasure trove of knowledge that could be gained. The bookshelves alone would be worth lifetimes of study. They both observed the map and he turned to his wife.

"Take the lead, my fleet will follow." She told him quietly. The baron layed his eyes to his home and the neighnoring terrotories that surrounded it. He knew where the first steps had to be taken to grow his order.

"Ozcura needs to know of the Dark Lord's return." He pointed to the nation on the map "We will set sail and remind our ally of her loyalties. Castila would be a good stepping stone to test our forces before moving on to Festland"

"From your recollection, the Duchess sounds like a remarkable woman." Cordia said with a devious grin. "I would very much love to meet her when we arrive there."

 

[Femboy]

Yz, having proceeded to tempt fate for literately no reason at all, suffered through painful agony that they had felt even within the deepest recesses of their mind (assuming they apparently had the brain capacity or a brain at all that was the recipient of said suffering), flailed and scrambled on the floor holding their mind in constant complains and whining as they suffered. With it eventually taking its course and ending when the Dark Lord felt the jester had suffered enough pain, Yz huddled and held their legs to their body on the floor in brief silence. Yet only for a short time before they decided that keeping their mouth closed or hands and expressiveness to themselves was way too difficult even after the punishment they had endured. Immediately bounding back onto their feet, they acted and pretended like nothing at all had happened as they raised their head and put their hands on their hips.

"Welp, I will continue to never understand the consequences of my own actions and revel in making the same mistakes again with an inability to avoid them, also because the memory of what just happened may or may not have just also been completely fried from my brain! Nothing can go wrong~!" Yz cheerfully announced, looking to the Dark Lord as he had threatened them. Not thinking much of it, they clasped their hands together in joy as if completely misreading the mood of the threat.
"Aww~! And you'll feed me even when my wittle fingies are gone? He is such a charmer, how nice, I'm so glad that we're keeping Mr. Birthdayman. He will bring all the joy to all the peoples of Area-Placington that somewhere is somewhere probably wherever is. The real ones will get what I mean, if you know what I mean if you know what I mean and all if you know what I mean. Man, I wish I knew what I meant, then I could know what I mean in order to know what I mean... did I know what I mean when I knew what I meaneded?" Yz asked themselves softly, gently tapping their mask in thought as they came along to the mappy-map room where the big mappy-map was. Gasping and looking at the mappy-map of mappy-mapping, the jester rather blatantly ignored the silly 'strategy plans' of the other 'Harolds' as the Mr. Birthdayman put it for some weird reason and got and looked over the map.

"HMM... " Yz hummed as loud as possible for no real reason, like they were trying to think of their own battle-plan but clearly there was nothing of note going on in their empty-headed mind. Looking it over, they pointed randomly at something and voiced it out aloud.
"Shur-vaaaan... " Yz voiced out, pointing at the place on the map and briefly looking up as if they were looking for appreciation at their accomplishment, like a kid trying to learn to read for the first time. Looking back down, they moved their finger and continued pointlessly doing it.
"Wah-Gah-Dooo.... Shoo-Lung... Wi-Yald Naw-FTHHHH" Yz spoke as they got an idea. Making constant 'ooh!' noises as they giddily bounded up and down excitedly, they blinked over to the Dark Lord for a rather brief and fast moment.

"Be back in a seven, and also I'll be back!" Yz said as they blinked up a short distance to try and give him a fast smooch that didn't mean anything since they were masked, blinking over and doing the same to the Witch Queen too just because they could before blinking out of the room for a short time. Eventually coming back and blinking back into the room with arms full of paper and coloured drawing material, they plopped them on the ground as they remembered something and blinked back out of the room again, to shortly return back with some extra stuff, a pair of nerdy librarian glasses and a stick.

"Hmm, now I am fully prepared... " Yz voiced, putting the glasses on and trying to act serious as they took a look at the map and started aimlessly scribbling and doodling away cluelessly of anything else going on. Wandering off to doodle and draw their own rendition of the map, they eventually blinked back over to the Dark Lord AKA Birthdayman to show him their
accomplishment. The stick that they had brought back added nothing to the goal of drawing a map, it was just in fact a cool stick they found along the way of wherever it was they went to and decided to bring back just because they wanted to hold the cool stick.

"LOOK MISTER BIRTHDAY-MAN I DID IT DO I WIN NOW, I DREW IT FIRST, DO I WIN A PRIZE?" Yz asked, proudly displaying their immaculate art-piece to him and the Witch Queen and anyone else interested in the best rendition of the map.

Spoiler: YZ'S WAY BETTER VERSION OF THE MAP

Thinking about it and looking over their own map for a moment, Yz thought that since people were just saying places they wanted to go to, looking for 'home' would probably be a good start since it was always good to know where that was. Plus, Yz could meet all the old friends and stuff, boy would they be surprised and impressed by all the great short-period of adventures! Plus, where would Yz be without a circus? Then again, they could always just mystery-box themselves along with one of the other Harolds to do some other fun stuff. Otherwise, they just showed their map to the Dark Lord and Witch Queen and pointed to 'Home', which was the circus they had come from.

"WHERE IS THIS? YZ NOT KNOW WHERE THIS IS, YZ COME FROM HERE, BIG FUNNY COLOURFUL PLACE, IS NICE. Yz should have a cool big colourful funny place of their own, everyone would go there and it would be so fun and everyone could have the biggestest party EVER TO EVER DO AN EVER" Yz asked, looking for answers.

 

[Infab]

Everyone seems to be going east or north. Sharyx, of course, wants to claim the foxes, wolves, and her own race first before moving on to bigger things. Stepping stones. She's eager to prove herself worthy. I could use this for a bit of chaotic experimentation. Increase my magical repertoire, whilst helping to make sure her efforts bear fruit.

Seith rubbed his chin, listening to the others as they spoke about what their intentions were. Honestly, his largest worry for his and Sharyx's sake was the ever looming presence of Ilberynn to the north of their intended targets. If they were too open about what they were doing, showing their hand to the world, then Ilberynn would take notice and could potentially do something about it later on.

They would have to be a bit sneaky about certain things. At least till the last minute. He decided to raise that idea to her later, when the others weren't around.

Yz's rambling and escapades gave him pause, watching as the jester moved about before disappearing and reappearing. Now, they had a crudely drawn copy of the map before them, with their 'home' labeled on it somewhere in the realm of Heiligstadt. There was a whole circus of them there? By all that was unholy, he hoped that he and Sharyx didn't have to go there. One fey touched jester was enough.

Also, who the hell is Jery?

He eventually shook his head, freeing his mind of various thoughts on the jester, before redirecting his attention back to Sharyx. He wondered if she was genuinely ready for this. She had already killed her family, sought out the Matriarch, sought out the Dark Lord, was almost killed by said Dark Lord, was named Eye of Darkness, and was now intending to practically invade and convert a race of foxes and wolves so they served the Dark. That was a lot of stuff plopped down onto her shoulders in a short span of time.

I'll check on her later. See how she's coping.