#// (-with the corpses in the necropolis)

[cybershock24601]

Crypt Baby Rook was apparently a street kid when they were little and I’m now imagining little baby Rook as the Mourn Watch’s feral cat. They would catch 6 year old Rook wandering around the Necropolis hanging out with the wisps and skeletons but as soon as someone alive started trying to talk to them they’d hiss and bolt away. The Mourn Watch would leave out food for them but if anyone tried to interact with them, Rook was going to disappear for the next 3 to 5 business days. They were either hiding out somewhere in the back alleys of Nevarra City or tucked away in some crypt in the winding halls of Grand Necropolis chilling with the dead. Only reason they managed to get Rook to stay in one place was because their magic developed and they couldn’t let the kid keep running around unsupervised after that

[magnetic-rose]

[vaguely-concerned]

fucking crying real tears of laughter at the idea of lucanis letting out a sigh of relief at finally leaving the endless wind-whipped halls of the grand necropolis behind only to find that rook has brought the cursed giant skeleton statues back home with them. and turning to look directly into the camera as only a man who has slept six hours altogether in the last week and is animated only by coffee and spite at this point could. the nevarran lighthouse decor my beloved.

[thanatologie]

anyway, some more thoughts about emmrich and magic specifically:

+ i don't actually think the verbal component of a lot of what he does is actually needed? he's a showman, to a degree, he's a little bit peacockish, and with the corpse that points him to blackthorn manor he's very much showing off a little, i think (his grin is kind of telling, he's doing a little razzle dazzle for rook), but! i also think there's something in it for him with the ritualistic and by rote nature of it. maybe it's the teacher in him, who generally would be used to the verbal aspects in demonstration, or maybe it just grounds him, or maybe it's both.

+ i do buy into the idea that, with his corpse whispering, there's a time limit on how long he can hold a spirit in a body for it. not just because it's just going to be ethical to let them go eventually, but because there's a physical component to it and the longer he holds it, the more dangerous it gets for him. too long and you get fun things like nose bleeds that will progress until he does eventually have to just let go, which is why, you know, you really should be kind of quick if you can, because it can and will cause physical harm.

[theadhddragon]

Okay time to scour the internet and every dragon age game for some kind of indication what age the Necropolis is because I am now 110% that we don't actually know because it used to be or has grown around a temple dedicated to Falon'din

The Necropolis is a haven for the dead AND for storing history and knowledge

Definitely sounds the like the haunt of Falon'din and Dirthamen, before and after their original spirit split

50% convinced that the original Liches were disciples to Falon'din

Perhaps the temple was first dedicated to the original spirit of knowledge and secrets and when that spirit split Falon'din took that temple and changed it to his needs whilst Dirthamen built his temple further south, ie the Lost Temple of Dirthamen that we visit in Inquisition

[beresaad]

been contemplating making ilysia a somniari cos i love the thought of it but also she's already a corpse whisperer like emmerich and she's romancing lucanis and being near demons is like Literally Physically Painful for dreamers so do i want her in constant paint near her beloved and his demon? or would it be different with him since he's inside a host that isn't warped horribly by the demon's influence? and also potentially returning to some semblance of who determination was before becoming spite due to lucanis's and the companions influence? would the fact it hurts less give her some spark of hope that spite can be helped?

much to think about 🤔

[dongtopus]

The dense Kholite door glided on its bearings, nested inside a much larger kholite support-come-barrier structure. The contained voice echoes through a series of hoses around a heavy mask.

"You're late."

"Sorry, Aerus'." Britol said with a raised hand as he held the door open for his Sponsor, Oyul.

The door closed and a series of bard and rods fell into place to create a hermatic seal on the room.

"Sorry 'Arry, a lad was lost on fourth. Not his fault, all the tunnels look the same for first timers."

As the engineers aproached the semi-circle table, Oyul bobbed between his feet with a crooked smile, his lips moving silently a few times before a quiet noise broke through, "Miners, timers."

The head foreman sat upright in his high-backed oak seat, the pipes and hoses squeaking against the ornatel, paper-thin kholite flowers and vines that wrapped around the wood.

"What was that?" Aerus took a gloved hand off from the wooden box at the side and placed it to his mask. A series of clicks and hisses followed and the mask was removed. flat, silver eyes peered at Oyul.

"Miners rhymes with timers." He returned.

Already weary, a sigh seeped out from the holes in Aerus'Ol's cheeks, pushing a heavy yellowish fog of monoxide with it.

"Take a seat, please."

Britol gently sat down and placed his hands on the table, clasping his shining obsidian flaked fingers together. To his right, a habitual groan as the chair strained under the mass. Oyul scratched loudly at his belly as he scraped his chair back from the table to give himself more space.

The head foreman wasted no more time. He pulled the wooden box in front of him and removed the lid, showing a small series of bronze wheels and pulleys and began slwly turning the biggest one.

"What is this?"

"That is-"

"'Is'sa engine 'Arry."

Aerus'Ol blinked. Already he looked exhausted. He brought his fingers to a steeple, their rough pits burned-flesh valleys glistened in the light produced by thick glass tubes of steadily burning gas above.

"explain."

Britol thrust his arm out in front of Oyul and began.

"It uses steam to turn. We had a vent start bubbling up last month and I placed a collar around it to contain it. The collar increased the pressure and instead of water, it produced steam. I wondered if I could do anything else with it."

"And you had the time to do this when?" The head foreman raised an eyebrow, the brass wheel turning evening at his fingertip.

"During my breaks. No work time was lost, I swear. My sponser can confirm this." Britol looked to his right, his eyes narrowing a fraction of a hairs-breadth.

"Aye!" A fat, greasy hand slapped the table, rocking the small brass contraption at the other side, "He's a good lad, is Brit. Very clean."

The wheel stopped turning and Aerus'Ol pressed the steepled tips of his fingers to his pocked lips. His jaw moved behind his closed mouth, a dry, tacky tongue rolling as he worked through his thoughts.

He shook his head.

"Steam?"

Britol didn't respond, he held a finger out in Oyul's direction.

"Stop wasting your time on such rediculous endeavors. A worthless by-product of thermogeological processes. Next you'll want to waste your time collecting the expelled gasses of the mortal workers."

"Yes, sir."

The head Foreman's finger returned to slowly turning the brass wheel, its bearings and pulleys shifting in fluid silence.

"This is very good craftsmanship, though. May I keep it?"

[shem-fatale]

OH MY FUCKING GOD HOLY FUCKING SHIT ETC ETC

I would NEVER have noticed without this post, despite Emmrich having many lines of dialogue about plants and flowers, and despite his original fit having a noticeable botanical vibe. I am FURIOUS.

🫡

I AINT SEE NO ONE TALKIN ABOUT HIS GODDAMN DESIGN

Mayhaps I missed it from early discussions, but they made this man a goddamn corpse flower...

His designers deserve so many kisses on the forehead for this especially since he would have been a botanist if he wasn't a necromancer

[lyriumdrink3r]

.

[cosmik-homo]

yeah the thing with Jago & Litefoot is that it takes a very specific type of person to go through a doctor who episodic character incident and emerge going YAY! THAT WAS SO FUN LET'S GO AGAIN!. and thats george litefoot. He is genuinely enjoying himself so mmuchj its inseffurable. and great.

[vaguely-concerned]

there seem to be a lot of birds in the necropolis, notably one of the few living things other than the watchers you find down there. (population (living): birds beetles and burial nerds.) so my theory is that some flavour of sky burial definitely is on the menu so to speak should the deceased desire it

[belghast]

A Tale of Two Leagues

A Tale of Two Leagues - This morning I talk about the good and bad of the Necropolis League mechanic and the current sandbox state of Path of Exile.

Good Morning Folks! Happy Monday after the starting weekend of the Necropolis League in Path of Exile. I figured this morning I would talk a bit about my impressions of the league so far. I will warn you there is going to be a heck of a lot of negatives in this discussion. I feel like I should throw out as a disclaimer that I am enjoying myself despite the negatives, but that there are a fair…

[emmg]

Lucanis and Davrin at the Necropolis:

Davrin, pointing at a half-rotted corpse: that’s your grandma

Lucanis, immediately poking the ugliest, most bloated cadaver he can find and making loud gagging noises: that’s you when you hear the Calling, dumbass

Emmrich, polishing the pointy end of his staff while his eye twitches: how about I fucking stab both of you, gentlemen? Right here. In this sacred necropolis. Make you part of the decor

[thewriteadviceforwriters]

100 Vocabulary Words for Gothic Fiction | For Writers

Hello Writers! I've put together a list of 100 words to help you expand your vocabulary for writing gothic fiction in October. I categorized the words for easy reference. I did some research using thesauruses and dictionaries to compile this list for you. I hope you find it helpful! 👻🎃

Atmospheric Words

Tenebrous - dark and gloomy

Oppressive - overwhelming and unpleasantly powerful

Ominous - suggesting evil or harm is imminent

Eerie - strange and frightening

Uncanny - mysterious and unsettling

Nefarious - wicked or criminal

Malevolent - having evil intentions

Sinister - giving the impression of evil

Melancholy - deep sadness

Lugubrious - mournful or dismal

Sombre - dark and gloomy

Dreary - dull and depressing

Desolate - empty and lonely

Bleak - cold and depressing

Dank - unpleasantly damp and cold

Character Descriptions

Pallid - abnormally pale

Gaunt - thin and bony

Haggard - looking exhausted and unwell

Cadaverous - corpse-like

Wan - pale and sickly

Spectral - ghost-like

Enigmatic - mysterious and difficult to understand

Brooding - appearing darkly thoughtful

Tortured - suffering mentally or physically

Macabre - disturbing due to focus on death or injury

Architectural Features

Gothic - relating to medieval style architecture

Dilapidated - in a state of disrepair

Decrepit - worn out or ruined due to age

Crumbling - breaking into small fragments

Decaying - rotting or decomposing

Ramshackle - in a state of severe disrepair

Crypt - underground room or vault

Turret - small tower on a building

Parapet - low protective wall along the edge of a roof

Buttress - structure built against a wall for support

Supernatural Elements

Apparition - ghost or spirit

Phantasm - figment of the imagination

Specter - ghost or phantom

Wraith - ghost or spirit

Revenant - person who returns as a spirit after death

Ethereal - extremely delicate and light

Otherworldly - belonging to an imaginary or spiritual world

Paranormal - beyond normal explanation

Preternatural - beyond what is normal in nature

Occult - supernatural or magical

Emotions and States of Mind

Dread - great fear or apprehension

Foreboding - fearful apprehension

Trepidation - fear or anxiety about something that may happen

Anguish - severe mental or physical pain

Despair - complete loss of hope

Melancholia - deep and long-lasting sadness

Hysteria - exaggerated or uncontrollable emotion

Delirium - state of confusion and hallucination

Madness - state of severe mental illness

Obsession - persistent disturbing preoccupation with an idea or feeling

Gothic Settings

Moor - area of open, uncultivated upland

Wasteland - barren or desolate area

Labyrinth - complex maze-like structure

Catacomb - underground cemetery

Dungeon - dark underground prison

Mausoleum - building housing a tomb or tombs

Sepulcher - small room or monument where a dead person is laid

Necropolis - large cemetery, especially an ancient one

Citadel - fortress that commands a city

Monastery - building occupied by a community of monks

Weather and Natural Phenomena

Tempest - violent windy storm

Miasma - unpleasant or unhealthy smell or vapor

Fog - thick cloud of tiny water droplets

Mist - cloud of tiny water droplets in the air near ground level

Gloom - partial or total darkness

Twilight - soft glowing light from the sky when the sun is below the horizon

Umbra - the fully shaded inner region of a shadow

Penumbra - the partially shaded outer region of a shadow

Crepuscular - resembling twilight; dim

Tenebrous - dark, shadowy, or obscure

Literary Devices and Narrative Elements

Foreshadowing - warning or indication of a future event

Omen - event regarded as a portent of good or evil

Portent - sign or warning that a momentous or calamitous event is likely to happen

Harbinger - person or thing that announces or signals the approach of another

Presage - sign or warning that something will happen

Doppelganger - look-alike or double of a living person

Grotesque - comically or repulsively ugly or distorted

Gothic double - character representing the duality of human nature

Unreliable narrator - narrator whose credibility is compromised

Frame narrative - story within a story

Liminal Spaces and Concepts

Threshold - strip of wood or stone forming the bottom of a doorway

Liminal - occupying a position at, or on both sides of, a boundary or threshold

Betwixt - in between

Interstitial - of, forming, or occupying interstices (small spaces between things)

Twilight zone - undefined or intermediate area between two distinct states

Purgatory - place or state of temporary suffering or expiation

Netherworld - imaginary subterranean world of the dead

Abyss - deep or seemingly bottomless chasm

Void - completely empty space

Chthonic - concerning, belonging to, or inhabiting the underworld

Miscellaneous Gothic Terms

Sublime - of such excellence, grandeur, or beauty as to inspire awe

Ineffable - too great or extreme to be expressed or described in words

Eldritch - weird and sinister or ghostly

Atavistic - relating to or characterized by reversion to something ancient or ancestral

Numinous - having a strong religious or spiritual quality; indicating the presence of a divinity

Happy writing, and Happy October! 📜🕯️- Rin T.

[starlight-drive-in]

Idk how many people already know this but wanted to share anyway. In the Dragon Age Day 2021 short story "The Flame Eternal" by Sylvia Feketekuty (Emmrich's writer), we get a short peak into Emmrich and Johanna's partnership thirty years ago.

In the story Emmrich and Johanna are tasked with discovering why a certain spirit is so discontented it won't stop screaming. Emmrich uses his corpse whispering and the spirit tells him there are “Two graves where there should be one!” and where to bring them.

Upon locating the other tomb we learn that the person was supposed "to be interred together" with their wife and Emmrich promises they won't be separated again. Johanna is... Johanna and basically notes how pointless that was but Emmrich comments, “Oh, I don’t know. It would be rather fine to possess such an enduring affection."

Anyway in his personal quest (when you romance him) Johanna says something to the effect of "I'll be sure you are your lover are buried in the same grave" (I cant remember the exact wording) She's referencing their assignment thirty years ago and I assume taunting him with his own "softness".

I don't do it justice but its a super quick read (Also read for: 20ish y/o Emmrich being meticulous about his looks and giddy when complimented on his abilities. Yea you heard me, Johanna actually compliments him.)

[drthrvn]

playing as a mourn watcher rook who's besties with emmrich is so fun cause you're both constantly like "ah necropolis 🥰 spirits 😍 corpses ☺️ necromancy 😜" while all the other team members give you side eye. like. you're just two nevarran nerds vibing together and i love that.