Necromancer IC- PwntQ

[PwntQ]

"Travelling to my uncles. He has a place a couple days from here. Said I could come over if my ******* of a Pa didn't shape up and stop boozing himself to death."

[Maquise]

"Well watch yourself." He points to a large forest to the north that goes all the way to the base of the mountains. "There's been reports of strange and dangerous beasts in that forest." He rides on.

[PwntQ]

Jorge gives a wave to the departing soldier, then continues on. Well that was easy enough.

[Maquise]

Sanguineous takes you north, away from civilization and into the forest, up to the foothills of the mountains. As you close in on them, you first get a sense of how large and imposing they truly are.

The next few days are harrowing, with the path you are on seeming more like a game trail than a trade road. You are beset by strange noises and eerie phantoms, the oppressive nature of the forest looming down over you. But you know of no where else to go...

"Not much farther, we should arrive by the end of the day. Of course, when I left I was flying, so I may have misjudged the time walking."

"We'll head up this path until it enters a ravine. Then, we'll follow the ravine to a particular cave. Going through the cave, we'll come out on the shore of a lake. The estate border's that lake."

[PwntQ]

Jorge continues along with the bird. On the way though he asks, "Are there any towns nearby the estate? Or any people? And do I need to worry about monsters out here?"

[Maquise]

The bird leads you into the forest. You walk for some time, your trepidation growing as the night grows closer and you see no end to the forest.

As the last rays of the sun dim, you spot a glimpse of amber light emanating from within the forest. You approach to find a bizarre encampment. Wagons are parked in a circle, in the center of which sit a cluster of fires. Around them gather a strange group of people, garbed in bright colored clothes which conceal their unusually diminutive figures.

[PwntQ]

Jorge tries to head around and towards the cave.

"Do you know who those people are?"

[Maquise]

"They are the Naormi, a nomadic people who are shunned and exiled from the Kingdom of Aschen," Sanguineous says. "They are said to be enchanters and illusionists."

[PwntQ]

"Well I just hope they're friendly."

[Maquise]

"Shall we continue then?"

Spoiler: OOC

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Sorry I haven't been posting as of late; I've had less free time, and have been tired in the times that I have.

[PwntQ]

Jorge nods.

[Maquise]

You continue on your journey, arriving at the shores of the lake at twilight. The air is chill, more so than you are used to. The night sky reflects off the glass surface of the lake. Mountains rise on all sides.

You walk down the seemingly out of place paved road, arriving at a tall Gothic gate set off the beach. Sanguineous flies out of site for a moment, and the gate opens of its own accord.

You step onto the grounds proper. Every thing seems surprisingly well-kept. You round a bend, and get the first sight of your new home.

An imposing, grey Gothic tower stands before you. The outer walls are perfectly smooth, with no sign of mason work. Windows, tall and slitted, are placed at regular intervals, each one framed in wrought iron. The structure is at least 6 stories tall.

You arrive at the front door. It is inset several feet, forming an enclosed front step. You pass a pair of menacing gargoyles. The front door is about 8 foot square, with a set of two black knockers, appearing as grim faces.

[PwntQ]

Well here we are, thinks Jorge. No going back. Lets see what this uncle left him. He reaches up and uses the door knocker.

[Maquise]

Once more, the doors open of their own accord. You enter into a circular foyer. A chandelier spontaneously ignites, flooding the room in light. The floor is smooth marble with a fine carpet laid over it. Verdant plants sit in pots on the edge of the chamber, along with a circular table, upon which there is, amongst other things, a roll of parchment and a bound leather tome. A door leads out of the room on the opposite side.

[PwntQ]

Jorge goes over to read the roll of paper.

[Maquise]

You break the scrolls seal, opening it. The scroll is written in black ink, with a hastened hand:
Jorge,
There are many things I wished to tell you, but my time is short, and there are important matters to discuss. You have inherited not only my property, but my legacy. I give you the resources I had in life to aid you in this, as my legacy will consume you if you allow it. But prove yourself strong, and you will gain more power than you could possibly imagine. This book is the beginning. Hold it close! Its knowledge is the greatest power on this earth.

Lucien von Nehlyvich.

P.S. Listen to Sanguineous!


You examine the leather tome. The cover is black and featureless, the leather thick and stained with wear. It is held shut by a pale metal clasp. There is a small depression in the clasp, about the size of your thumb. The pages are still white, though.

[PwntQ]

Without looking up from the strange book, Jorge calls out to Sanguineous.

"What is this legacy he speaks of? How long has he been dead? And what the hell am I supposed to do with this place?"

[Maquise]

"That is up to you. Your uncle died recently, and I believe his legacy is this place and all that it holds. It is your home, now."

[PwntQ]

"I hope he left coin aside as well, I don't have the means otherwise to take care of it. Or even buy food." Jorge is reminded of this by a stomach growl. "I'm going to take a tour of the place, maybe find if there's a larder as well. Then I'll take a look at this book."

He makes to leave, but pauses a second.

"So how did he die? What happened to his body? And was he my mothers brother, or my fathers?"

[Maquise]

"Your uncle is in fact interred on these grounds, but he left explicit instructions that you were not to view it until you are ready. The doors to the crypt will not open. He was your mother's brother."

As you explore, you notice the lights seem to respond to your presence, shining and extinguishing as you come and go.
You walk over to the door out of the foyer, and find a circular outer hall. You find a set of guest bedrooms, and small dining room. Then you view the kitchens. A door in the back leads out to a small farm, complete with vegetables and animals. A collection of animated scarecrows tend the farm.

Upon returning indoors, you begin your exploration of the first floor. Off the main hallway, you find a parlor for the entertainment of guests, if you so desired. It is well decorated, with furnishings of silk and gold.
Further down, you locate several guest rooms. Each one is well-kept, although you do note that, as far as Sanguineous is aware, they have never been used; you may be the first person to enter this tower other than its master. "Master Lucien had many estates; he entertained elsewhere."
You find at one end of the hallway a heavy stone door. It does not appear to possess either lock or handle, and you cannot open it. At the other end, is a staircase that ascends.

You arrive at the second floor. Three doors stand before you, one leads to another flight of stairs, one an elaborate study, one the master bedroom. First you examine the study. In it is one massive writing desk, stocked and well organized. The room also contains a private library containing more books, tomes and scrolls than you have ever witnessed. You locate another door, which leads to what looks like a private museum. Paintings of exotic people and places line the walls, and you see priceless objects, both beautiful and strange, sealed in glass cases. A pair of suits of armor stand beside the entrance door.

At last you arrive in the master bedroom. It is, like the rest of the tower, greatly comfortable but a touch spartan considering the obvious wealth of the owner. The bed is four-post and has a silk spread, and is the largest bed you have ever seen.

You notice that, in addition to the wardrobe and other such items a bedroom would have, there is a large, oaken door in the corner of your room. You open it, and are hit with a wave of hot, humid air. As the room is revealed, you find yourself in the entrance to a private bath. The pool is circular, 8 ft in diameter at a guess. A marble dragon stands over, water pouring from its mouth, and a glint that suggests ruby eyes.

[PwntQ]

Jorge is dumbfounded by the sheer wealth of the estate. The biggest building he had ever seen before was the mayors manor, and this place made it look like the small hut he shared with his father. A definite step up in the world, but he really has no idea what to do with it. All he has ever known was his village and farm. He could hunt small game, plow a field, and read a bit, thanks to the lessons the village priest provided. But nothing to prepare him for this. An uncle he never knew existed, the brother of a mother he never knew, had left him a true treasure. But Jorge knew enough about the world that this wouldn't all be free. This 'legacy' is most likely the catch. Still, for the moment a bath does sound nice. He'll take a look at that book first though. And he really does need to ask that bird some more questions.

Spoiler: OOC

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Jorge has a bunch of questions. I'll just plop them all out to speed things up.

"Are there any settlements nearby?"
"What other estates?"
"What is this legacy exactly?"
"How did my uncle die, and why were soldiers after me? Or even know to find me?"
"Is there anyone else here? Besides those scarecrows?"
"What the hell am I supposed to do now?"

[Maquise]

"This manor is very isolated; your uncle wished to keep secret that which he had here, as this place contains much power. He had other holdings in several cities throughout the Eight Kingdoms, though most have probably been seized by his enemies by now. The legacy is all that is before you; the entire contents of this Tower and your uncle's memory. Sir Pelleau was your uncle's greatest enemy, and must've caught up with him and slain him, then learned of you, his heir. The tower looks for its own needs."

At the last question, your stomach grumbles. "Perhaps you should order food prepared while you bathe."

[PwntQ]

"Uh..yeah. Do I just ask the tower or...?"

[Maquise]

"You may address the Tower directly."

[PwntQ]

"Tower, I'd like my meal now."

[Maquise]

You hear noises coming from the kitchen, and shortly thereafter the most appetizing scents you've ever smelled come wafting through the halls.

[PwntQ]

Damm that smells good. With the bathing done, Jorge heads back to the dining area he saw earlier. As he sits down and waits, he tries to open and read the book that had been left for him.

[Maquise]

You find, leafing through the white pages, that not all of them are blank. Some do, in fact, have writing on them. Pages covered in eldritch symbols and writings describing esoteric rituals. All seem simple enough, at least in practice. You find, to your amazement, that the longer you study these pages, the more their contents seem to make sense.

Sanguineous looks over your shoulder. "Ah, I see you have begun the study of spellcraft. Your uncle has left some basic pointers for you to get started. But before you start practicing, maybe we should start by getting settled in? It is late, after all, and we both have spent much time on the road."

You walk over to the door out of the foyer, and find a circular outer hall. You find a set of guest bedrooms, and small dining room. You enter, and the largest chair at the table moves out of its own accord.

As you continue to wait, the sound of stringed instruments is heard. You look around, and see a set of instruments in the corner of the dining room. They appear to be playing themselves. The music is beautiful, calm and soothing as opposed to the boisterous tavern music you are used to.

A cart wheels out of the kitchen towards you. A pair of white gloves place a plate of delicious looking appetizers in front of you. It consists of steamed mushrooms and shrimp, with some sort of sauce.

The meal continues, each course just as rich as the last. After eating your fill along with a sampling of some of your uncle's excellent wine, you are satisfied.

[PwntQ]

Belly bulging with rich and wonderful food, Jorge realizes he could grow to like this. He's never eaten so well before. Leaning back and patting his full belly he replies to Sanguineous.

"That sounds great right now."

[Maquise]

"Very well."

Do you go to the hot bath, or straight to bed?