i hadn't thought to look for one, but the defender camp will need to be searched. i'll keep an eye out.
speaking of einjar, i take it something happened. that ringing water appeared in the river by the city. it had more or less the effect you'd expect it to. what happened up there?
It's telling either way. Blood magic like that can be used in multiple ways, or Koroc was also dead and re-raised. It begs the question of what is this cult's aim(s) with raising all of the dead that it has and clearly trying to get a war going. I doubt that it's chaos for the sake of chaos.
Yes, well. To begin, a basilisk has been responsible for those in the mountains going missing or else curious statue works appearing. It charged into Einjar as we left. As for the rest, that water was overflowing within the city when we arrived.
If you recall the dragon sightings back in February, then you'll be (dis)pleased to learn that the aforementioned dragon reappeared, and sealed our group in with ice and with the water levels rising for several days.
It is unclear where that dragon has gotten to now.
the orb seems to have parts made of dragonglass, like our vials. could be related to whatever raised us.
[ Though while the cult's moving in a concerted effort, they clearly aren't ... and don't have much direction. Great. In any case, there'll be a lag of time between that brief response, digesting the rest of what Alucard has to say. ]
naturally.
did you get a good look at the thing and the condition it was in? do you think it was being controlled?
Perhaps. Or perhaps that's simply the most useful material for such work, I'm not sure if correlation is causation in this particular case.]
[Einjar was just a lot, and that's leaving out the personal level of crazy that it inspired too.]
I was not able to on either account, the basilisk for obvious reasons and the dragon because it was attempting to set myself and another aflame at the time.
still, besides the spellwork, the materials and mechanism of the orb must have a source. the tinkers of krimnos might recognize its make. perhaps they were even involved it creating it, without knowing what it was for.
unfortunate about, about the dragon.
[ Though since he said 'attempt,' even not accounting for resurrection, Daud will assume it didn't succeed. He weighs how much to say here, and then abruptly changes tack: ]
I'd be very, very careful about who you ask. I know that there are knights among their ranks, and they might be honorbound to report it to those in charge.
It needs to be destroyed sooner rather than later. I don't trust it has any good intentions.
[Alucard doesn't like dragons on good days. Being trapped in a mountain by one is very much another point against them.]
More than enough to know that question is worrying. Where are they appearing?
sitka seems like he's no stranger to keeping secrets as well. what story have they spun for einjar this time?
to be more accurate, it seems our cultist friends are now in the business of making scaleskin -- transforming people without their consent or the dragon's. an orc afflicted with it was attacking the city, under someone's control. she said they were making more like her, and she had blue scales.
[ Fiven how dragonborn take on characteristics of their dragon, well... he doesn't think he needs to fill in why he was asking about the dragon that attacked the Einjar expedition. ]
that would be a fair description of the state of present affairs, yes. though the cult was unable to install koroc as a king, it's clear they're continuing to have an interest in interfering with the affairs of the living beyond raising the dead. have a care.
[ Contrary to rumor, Daud does have a sense of humor, it's just usually shitty. moving on... ]
was there anything else at einjar? were the kobolds there still?
Maybe having him be king was just one route of many that they chose to take, and his potential loss was factored into their plans all along. Whatever those plans may be. This does, to me, confirm the need to take care of that blue dragon.
[Alucard doesn't know Daud well enough to pick up on the humor, and in discussing dragons and that cult, he never will have any desire to make light of the situation.]
There were. They exited when they did, along with Monty. He seemed...perfectly within reason. A contrast to what you've encountered.
if previous experience is anything to go by, that cult will force the matter one way or another. they may be content to remain in the shadows for now, but if their ultimate goal is conquest, they'll have to announce themselves and their intentions eventually.
I don't know if it was fully broken or not either. There was a break in the ice wall that kept everyone trapped in - we all left without questioning why, as that singing water was close to driving everyone to madness.
[ There's some scuffling in the background, a metallic tink, and a quiet ow followed by some muffled swearing. Somebody hasn't figured out how to work this thing yet. ]
It's Noctis. Remember when I told you I heard Epythimetikon's bones singing? Heard it again. Except not the bones this time.
[ Leave it to Noctis to get straight to the point. No "How have you been?" or "Surprise, I'm not dead!" ]
...Lake rats? They're ugly and bald and they sing the same song. Would've walked out into the water and drowned if not for my new friend.
[ There's an answering mrow from somewhere close by when he says this. ]
Made it to Atr— [ He catches himself, but he's still not used to the new name. ] The Free City. Do you want your cloak back? It's muddy but it's still in one piece.
....That's good to know. I am roughly in the same area still, the fact that these things are happening at all are of a particular concern to a...[oh. Wait he doesn't have to hesitate there anymore.] my boyfriend.
[It's really one of the first times he's said it to someone who doesn't happen to be Trevor or Sypha.]
I don't think it was mine in the first place, I only found it in the skull. Keep it.
ftr I binged castlevania today & that ending broke me but this made it better
[ To be honest, he was reluctant to part with it anyway. He's been spending a lot of time outdoors and having something waterproof to keep him a little dry has been invaluable. ]
He should be worried, and you should be careful. They mess with your head with that song, draw you in before you know what you're doing. I've been— [ He pauses for a second, frowning to himself. ] —trying to clear them out from around the lakeshore. At least near the roads. But they keep coming. Not sure where from.
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