#Also will accept NecROMANCEr

[jessicafangirl]

Building A Mystery Chapter 2

Mystery continues to spiral. But the return of a certain Professor comes with a surprise and the ramifications of choices made.

I was going to try and keep Emmrich away for a bit longer but...who am I kidding. I can't stay away from that beautiful bastard. Things get...interesting.

You can also read here on AO3

Please let me know what you think. It's my first Video Game Based Fic and boy do I love Emmrich.

Time is a funny thing. 

At least to Mystery as she waited for her Necromancer to return.  At times it felt like too much.  The days stretching on while she tried to occupy her mind with other things.  Teaching Manfred for instance who was coming along quite well with his magic.  Emmrich would be proud of his protégé.  Mystery would often think she was a poor substitute for him, but Manfred seemed happy to learn from her and to follow her lead.  These lessons weren’t a burden of time, and they would actually help her forget somewhat. 

It was the time between lessons that would drag, would allow the worry and the fear to creep in.  Emmrich hadn’t written, hadn’t tried to contact anyone.  At times she’d go down to the Eluvian and stare into the swirling reflection wondering if she could will it to show him to her or she could concentrate hard enough on his image in her mind to have it take her to wherever he had gone.  But he had covered his tracks well.  Not even the enigmatic figures who ferried them to and from the crossroads could tell her where he’d gone.  Neve’s network of informants hadn’t even seen or heard from him.

Then there were the missions, always the missions.  Protecting the realm and those within it.  The Veilguard had their duty to follow.  And in those instances, it felt as if there was never enough time.  Mystery and her found family of heroes would return back to the Lighthouse, tired and worn, but successful in what felt like a never-ending string of threats to their world. 

She’d catch herself in the early days thinking Emmrich would be there waiting for her like he used to be.  He’d take her hand and lead her to his rooms where he’d already have a hot bath waiting for her, the water scented and filled with a mixture of fragrance and flowers that would help her muscles. 

“A girl could get used to this.”  She’d say as he helped her remove her armor and then her clothes.

“A girl should get used to this.”  He’d reply, letting his fingers run along her throat, wiping away a stray bit of dirt. 

Sometimes he’d find a small scrape, still bleeding on the pale skin of her jaw for instance.  She’d not see how he’d purse his lips in anger, wondering just which one of her enemies had managed to hurt her, especially if he’d been on that particular mission.  Foregoing the usual method of allowing the healing magic to flow from his fingertips, he’d press a kiss to the spot, healing her wound and allowing him the pleasure of his lips against her.

He'd help settle her in the bath and she’d sigh and feel as though she were melting and then he’d roll up his sleeves and just start washing her hair, cleaning her skin of the blood or dirt left from the battle. 

She’d argued with him at first when he did this, telling him she didn’t need to be spoiled or pampered in a way that only one of the upper crust ladies of the land would expect.  Mystery remembered the look in his face as she’d crossed her arms, standing in front of the steaming bath still in her clothes, sans armor. 

He’d narrowed his perfect eyebrows, and his green eyes had darkened.  “There’s no comparison my darling.  Unlike the so-called noble lords and ladies of these lands, you deserve to be pampered and it’s my pleasure and mission to do so.”  He’d taken a step closer, and his long fingers had grasped her chin, tilting her face up to his.  A thin line of blood ran from a cut on her forehead.  Emmrich’s eyes followed its path, a furrow between his brows.  “None of them have 1/10th of your strength or your courage my darling.  They do not know what sacrifice, love, or honor even mean.” 

He lifted the fingers of his other hand and brushed them along the wound, a slight warmth radiating along her skin and it was healed, the blood gone.  His thumb traced her lower lip while still holding her chin, making her blue eyes meet his.  “Now please allow me to take care of you my Mystery as you deserve.”  The necromancer’s voice grew deeper, and Rook had known there would be no refusing him.

But there were no sweet words, no warm baths waiting where sometimes she’d pull him into the sudsy water with her much to his chagrin but always ending in laughter and kisses and usually more.  Mystery felt as each long day passed that Emmrich wasn’t going to come back…and it hurt beyond words.  It hurt beyond her tolerance. 

The team had worried about her and still did.  She’d grown pale, pulling away from the group.  She was still their leader, but she’d lost a spark about her.  Rook would only take her meals in her room, not with the group, sometimes in Emmrich’s rooms with only Manfred for company.  It went on like this for the first two months. 

Then during missions she started growing not braver but reckless.  Like there was no reason to remain safe, she’d take risks that she didn’t need to.  After weeks of this with more close calls than he could stand, Lucanis finally had enough. 

She’d been hurt but not as badly as it could have been and Lucanis was unrelenting in his verbal assault all the way through the Eluvian and into the Lighthouse.  “That Venatori bastard nearly killed you, Rook!  You knew better than to take the fight to him, it was too confined.  If Assan hadn’t…”

Rook had turned on them, holding her injured arm.  “But Assan did, didn’t he?  So it doesn’t matter!  We got the job done!  We get to live to fight another day!”  Her voice was raised but not screaming.  In fact, Lucanis thought for a moment it was disappointment that colored her words.  Regret that it had turned out okay and it was simply a sore arm that she’d left with. 

Mystery saw it in his eyes then, could almost hear Spite’s hissing voice as the demon whispered “She wants to die…” as a warning to his assassin host.  She couldn’t take the look he gave her, the way his dark eyes filled with sadness and worse yet, pity.  Mystery turned and quickly headed to her room, foregoing any sort of healing from Bellara or Neve who watched her leave.  Taash was the only one who didn’t seem surprised.

“She’s missing him.”  They said, sitting down heavily on one of the large chairs near the fireplace and pulling from a pouch at their waist a sharpening stone. 

Neve sighed.  “We know that Taash.”  The detective turned and pulled a bottle of Dalish brandy from a table and poured herself a crystal glass.  She held the bottle up for any other takers, quickly pouring two more for Davrin and Lucanis. 

“So why do you seem surprised?”  Taash asked, moving the stone along the axe.

Neve took a healthy swallow.  Davrin sat heavily on a chair.  “Because she’s spiraling more than I think any of us realized she would.”  He said, then took his own drink.  “I don’t think Emmrich realized when he decided to go on this “personal quest” what it would do to her.”

Lucanis leaned against the long table, taking a pull from his glass.  He let the liquid swirl in his mouth then swallowed.  “If he was here, I’d punch him in the face.”  He muttered and Spite nodded in agreement, grinning from where he hovered.

Neve sighed heavily and tossed back her glass in one go.  “I have to give it to him; he’s covered his tracks well.  Bellara was even trying to track him in The Fade and she’s not having any luck.”

Davrin gave her a raised brow.  “He was THE Fade expert remember?  It shouldn’t surprise anyone that he can hide himself from us using it.”  He scratched Assan’s feathery head as the young griffin looked forlornly after where Rook had headed.  She’d not been going on walks with them at all in the last few months.  “I know boy…I know.” 

The warden drank down the last of his brandy then stood up stiffly.  Rook hadn’t been the only one who’d come away beat up.  “Tomorrow we’re pulling her out of this pit she’s buried herself in.  She’s going to get herself truly hurt or worse.”

Taash looked over at him.  “How are you going to do that?”  They asked with a raised brow.

“We’ll figure something out, but right now Rook needs our help and that’s what we’re going to do.”  Davrin stood, Assan following him.  “I’m going to get some sleep right now; I suggest you all do the same.”  The duo of warden and griffin left to their quarters, Assan squawking a bit happier as if knowing his father figure had made the right decision.

The rest of the group decided he was probably right, knowing a fight of a different variety was in the cards the next day.  And it was probably going to be an ugly one.  Each of them headed to bed.

Mystery had gone to Emmrich’s rooms instead of her own, tossing her armor carelessly to the floor.  Manfred was immediately there to help her.  “Rook…hurrrt.”  He rasped. 

She shook her head, wincing as her arm twinged.  The skeleton spirit quickly figured out what was wrong with her and raised his gloved hands above her arm.  The familiar green glow of the magic that he shared with Emmrich radiated along her arm, down her wrist.  Mystery sighed as the pain left and the sprains and a possible fracture mended. 

“Thank you, Manfred.”  Mystery’s voice was tired, worn out.  She felt the weariness in her soul, and it sat there heavily alongside guilt for biting Lucanis’s head off in front of everyone.  She knew they were worried about her.  These were her friends, her family.  But without Emmrich she didn’t feel whole anymore.  Even if she was surrounded by magic the only magic that mattered was gone and she didn’t know if he was alive or dead.

Somewhere in her heart Mystery felt she’d know if he was…gone.  The connection between them was so great she’d feel it and maybe in that moment she’d cease to be too.  Maybe that’s why she had been growing bolder in her attacks during the fighting.  Maybe Emmrich would sense her recklessness, her near misses and it would inspire him to come home to her.  Or if he was dead, she could join him that much sooner.  The thought wasn’t as terrifying as it should be she supposed.

Mystery shook her head sitting down in the chair nearest the fireplace and pulling off her boots.  She needed to face reality.  Soul mates weren’t real, and he wasn’t coming back.  All the pretty words on a piece of paper, all the ones said while holding one another…the promises made…it didn’t matter, did it?  She’d lived in some dream that she’d woken from to a harshness that she wasn’t ready for.  Maybe she was cursed to be abandoned, alone.  Maybe she was atoning for some horrible deed she’d done in another life and this was part of an ongoing penance from the curse. 

Manfred wandered over to where she sat staring into the fire and placed a perfectly milk and sugared cup of tea next to her along with some dainty almond cookies. 

“Eat…”  He hissed and then trundled over to the shelf to grab a book for his studying. 

She closed her eyes as the tears threatened to spill again.  What do I tell him?  She wondered, not for the hundredth time.  He’s not coming back Manfred.  He left.  And…he’s not coming back.  Shaking her head, Mystery picked up the delicate cup and took a sip, sighing as the warm liquid coursed down her throat. 

Mystery managed to eat two of the cookies before she gave up on anything else.  She took off her dirt-streaked clothes and slipped into Emmrich’s bed in only her underthings.  She didn’t have the strength to do much more or the desire. 

His scent was fading from the blankets and the pillows now that it had been so long since he’d shared the space with her.  It was as if he were a ghost and she’d just sometimes have a reminder appear, a whiff of cologne, a note written hastily and inserted in one of the books about something he’d been reading.  She couldn’t bring herself to look at his clothes in the wardrobe.  It would be too much, and she’d just crumble fully. 

Mystery looked down at her left hand where the ring was still on her finger.  Her thumb ran along the bottom, the runes etched into the band now familiar.  She sighed heavily and pulled the plush blankets around her, creating a cocoon against the rest of the world before drifting off into an exhausted sleep.

It was hours later when the Eluvian inside the Lighthouse pulsed, the swirling glass thrumming with a magical light.  The action would be strange to the heroes that slept above.  It was as if a new magic was threading through the Fade, but at the same time very old and very powerful.  It would have to be to utilize the Eluvian as it was now, secretly and ensuring that no safeguards or alerting of the Lighthouse’s residence would occur.  Neve was a stickler for security of course so one could never be too careful.

After a moment the center of the travel mirror split apart, each side slipping to the side like the spectral curtains for a stage.  Through them emerged a tall, thin, and familiar figure though changed from his last trip through the glass.  After stepping through fully and moving two strides away the figure turned and watched as the Eluvian returned to its usual state with no sign of ever having opened.

Reflected back was the visage of one Emmrich Volkarin.  He raised a brow behind the thinly wired and square, dark glasses that sat atop his aquiline nose.  Emmrich ran a black gloved hand over the long coat he wore, making sure that any travel dust was removed.  The coat had gold skulls for buttons with green jeweled eyes, a reminder of Manfred he’d not been able to resist adding.  Almost invisible in the black velvety material were the outlines of emerald green stitching.  It formed a pattern of Shroud’s Kiss flowers, almost like a secret only he knew was there unless someone took the time to search.  Emmrich had a number of secrets now. 

His long legs were also wearing black velvet trousers which ended in black leather boots.  His waist coat was a pattern of light purple with black and gold accents, his cravat pinned with his favorite skull pendent.  His grave gold was still in place only with a few more pieces added, very important  pieces it had to be said. 

Emmrich stared at the figure who he was still getting used to seeing like this.  Those who knew him before his leaving would be shocked at how pale he appeared.  His more salt than pepper hair now had more darker strands running through it as it swept away immaculately from his forehead.  His mustache was still the same and perfectly groomed, but the paleness of his complexion made it stand out more. 

But it was his eyes, hidden behind the opaque glasses, that were the most obviously different.  The Necromancer removed the glasses, holding them gently in his hand as he took an unneeded breath, meeting the now garnet gaze looking back at him.  He’d told her he hoped to be changed when he returned, and he was. 

“I don’t want to scare her.”  He whispered to himself, anxiety making the words strained.  He slipped the glasses into the travel bag that was strapped across his chest.  His staff’s green glow flared for a moment from its place across his back as he waved his hands once across his face.  The glamor he’d perfected fell into place around him.  There was the old Emmrich, back again, eyes green and flecked with gold and hair nearly all silver. 

He’d felt the torment, the sadness that had been running through his darling Mystery from a distance.  The ring he’d left her, a sign of devotion, of a vow he would not break had strengthened the connection they had with one another.  It had been hell for him.  Worse than the transformation he’d been through.  Knowing he’d been the cause of her tears, her pain, the doubts that plagued her.  His beloved was losing her light and herself because of him.

The ring was protection but also a window into her emotions and when Emmrich felt the hollowness, the sorrow it had nearly killed him.  He had to fight with himself to keep from running back to her too soon.  The danger would be too much.  He had to know his spell craft had worked; he had to know his will was as strong as he knew it had to be.  Denying himself seeing her again, being near her, he was sure it felt like the vivisection of Lichdom only while still living. 

Another unnecessary breath, a habit he doubted would ever leave him.  He licked his lips, his tongue now used to the newly sharper incisors of his teeth.  He wanted to see her first before explaining to the rest of the team what he’d done and why.  He needed to beg her forgiveness and show her what he’d done for the good of all, but especially his Rook. 

Emmrich turned and walked through the empty, darkened stone path from the Eluvian’s room and into the Lighthouse proper, pulling the shadows around him just to be safe.  It was a power that had come with the transformation and one he’d found useful, but especially now.  Being back here felt strange after months away.  Nothing had really changed here.  He noticed a bottle of brandy sitting on the long table and three glasses carrying the scent of the alcohol.  He wondered if Rook had partaken.

Without a noise he made his way up the stairs and took the familiar path to Mystery’s room.  No sound came from within and due to the late hour, it stood to reason she’d be sleeping.  Emmrich opened the door slowly, dazzled for a moment by the window sized aquarium that was her view. 

It still fascinated him.  He remembered many nights holding her on the settee, skin to skin wrapped in a blanket while they watched the seemingly endless parade of colors and species that swam by.  “What piece of ocean do you think this is?”  She’d asked him once, her cheek resting over his heart and her fingers running along his hip distracting him from rational thought. 

His own fingers had been tracing rune shapes on the pale skin of her shoulder, one for passion another for devotion.  Her soft voice had managed to break through though.  “Hmmm…?  Oh…” He’d looked up at the display before him.  “It’s hard to say my love.” 

Mystery had shifted, her chin now resting on his pectoral.  Emmrich’s gaze found her sleepy blue eyes looking at him questioningly.  “What do you mean?”  She’d asked him and he could tell she was growing drowsy but was fighting the pull of sleep, something she did often when they were together. 

“I don’t want to miss a moment of you.”  She’d said once, her fingers brushing an unruly lock of mussed hair back from his brow…the ruined condition of his normally perfectly coiffed hair her doing.  He would let her ruin him as often as she wished, sometimes begging her for the honor. 

Unable to resist he lifted his fingers to her short blonde hair, finding the single braid that fell along her shoulder.  He smiled as he ran his thumb over the softness.  “I mean I’ve tried cataloging the number of species I can recognize from my blissful nights here with you and…” He pulled his gaze from hers and looked at the windows.  “The mix is, to borrow a phrase, a mystery.”  He turned back to her.  “There are creatures here from all over our world, fish and amphibians that shouldn’t be in the same sea.” 

An awed expression crossed her face and Emmrich had pulled her closer, enchanted by her surprise and happy to share some knowledge with her.  “In fact my darling, there are some within those waters that are supposed to be extinct.”  He’d said while tracing her jaw with his fingertips. 

“That’s…amazing.”  She’d said and turned to stare into the vast magical seascape. 

Emmrich’s eyes stayed on her as he’d replied, “It certainly is.”

The memory caused a heat to race through him, even with the colder temperature of his body now.  He didn’t need to breathe as he had before as his heart still beat, yet much, much slower.  But it would always beat for her, and it would seem the thought of her in his arms and so close to that goal again could cause it to speed up. 

His footsteps didn’t make a sound as he moved towards where Rook’s would-be bed sat.  Emmrich steeled himself for seeing her for the first time in the flesh for months.  He’d dreamed of her often of course.  But as he turned his eyes to the settee there was no lovely form to be seen.  Only the soft Tevinter woven blanket draped over it. 

Emmrich’s brows narrowed…and then he realized where she would be. 

He left her room quietly and headed to the other hallway where his own rooms lay.  Before opening the door Emmrich readied himself for not only a reunion with his love but also seeing his, for want of a better term, child protegee again.  He’d missed Manfred terribly.

Cautiously he opened the door, the book shelves and scents of leather, old paper and incense meeting his now sharper senses.  Beneath it all he caught the scent of Mystery, lilac and cherries with an undercurrent of roses from the perfumed oil he’d made for her.  And with it there was something that was simply her, sweet and warm. 

It was his quick reflexes that managed to stop Manfred from screeching in glee upon seeing him.  The skeleton emerged from a corner shelf and Emmrich quickly placed a finger to his lips, a gesture Manfred had learned years earlier meant silence.  They did spend a lot of time in the library at the Necropolis. 

Emmrich quickly moved to embrace the skeleton who hugged him back tightly, surprisingly tight actually.  “Oh Manfred I am so happy to see you.”  Emmrich whispered softly, a tear falling to his cheek.  He pulled away still holding his protegee, looking into his large green gemstone eyes.

“Home!!!”  The skeleton hissed quietly.  “Home!!” 

The Necromancer nodded, a smile on his lips.  “Yes, yes I’m home.”  He replied.  “And you’ve been hard at work with your studies while I was gone?”  He asked, voice low. 

Manfred’s skull nodded emphatically.  “Rook helped.  She good teacher.” 

Emmrich felt another tear threaten to fall at his words.  Of course she would be, even in her distress she’d make sure to take care of “their magic slinging son.”  He sighed, the weight of his decisions growing heavier.  “There was never any doubt she would be a perfect teacher.  Now Manfred, is she here?”

The skeleton nodded, pointing to the hidden door in the bookcase that led to the bedroom.  “Rook sleeping.  She was hurt.”

Emmrich stiffened, a look of horror coming over his face.  “What?” he managed to gasp.

Manfred nodded again.  “Hurt. I fix Rook arm.”

The Necromancer felt slightly less panicked.  “Well done Manfred.”  His need to see her doubled.  “I need you to stay out here and return to your reading.”  He patted the bony shoulder beneath the skeleton’s robes then headed towards the door. 

Emmrich reached out with the practice of time and pulled the hidden lever without looking to slide the door open.  Within the bedroom the fireplace was low, with only a few of the candles still lit here and there.  On the walls the embedded lanterns burned with necromagic fire, emerald flames that wouldn’t stop burning until a spell told them to stop.  They cast the room in a strange hazy and familiar green. 

His eyes found her laying in his bed, blankets in disarray.  He could tell from where he stood she was asleep.  The fingers of his right hand flexed, the need to touch her overwhelming.  His feet moved him swiftly to stand beside her and he froze. 

The green and gold gaze of his glamor stared down at her and he felt the tears forming in earnest.  He could see it here, the ramifications of his choice, of his leaving and it felt like a punch to his heart.  Emmrich could feel it cracking, pieces breaking.  “Oh my love…my darling.”  He softly spoke to the air.

There were fresh scars peppering her arms, along her pale shoulders.  Scars that hadn’t been there before he left for he knew the landscape of her body by heart and by touch.  There were bruises that were healing still, yellows and fresh purple marks as well.  One pale leg that had freed itself from the blanket revealed them along her calf.  There was one long scar that ran along it starting just beneath her knee.

When they had fought side by side she was far more careful and of course he and the team had been there to assist her.  Emmrich was always watching, always ensuring she was protected…except the last time when she’d nearly died.   

But she had never been so damaged before.  He’d never seen a patchwork of hurt and battle like this on her fair skin.  The fact she’d not allowed healing magic to ease this…it spoke to something he couldn’t make himself contemplate.  He’d go mad…

“Mystery…what did you do…”  His voice was barely a whisper in the room.  He couldn’t resist the impulse within him and pulled away the glove from his left hand.  His fingers reached out and so very lightly he traced along the curve of her bare shoulder, his eyes closing at the warmth of her skin against his once more.  Green flame sparked from his fingertips and where his touch swept over her the scars disappeared, the bruises healed. 

Emmrich heard a soft sigh come from her lips and he pulled his fingers reluctantly away.  “Emmrich…” her voice was rough honey to his ears, his name breathlessly spoken.  “Why…did..you go…” 

She was still dreaming of course, her eyes closed, heart rate slow and steady.  But the question was like a knife to his soul.  The sadness lacing the words pierced him deeply and he nearly fell to his knees next to her, ready to plea for her to forgive him, to tell him whatever task he could accomplish that would make it all right again, to confess just how deeply he loved her. 

Instead, he bent one knee as though ready to propose and gazed at her lovely face.   He saw here too, more bruises, a cut on her lip that looked fresh.  He unconsciously focused on that for a moment and the glamor faded for a brief second.  His garnet eyes flashing in the dark of the room.  The scent of her blood was just there, and it beckoned him like a siren. 

Emmrich swallowed back that particular hunger.  He would not add to the hurts his love had endured while he was away.  He would heal them.  He would make amends and show her that this was a gift and that he loved her more than he had the right to. 

“Oh beloved, I left to keep you safe, safer than I could as I was.”  His fingertips swept along her temple, down her jaw, jade fire healing away the injuries and marks.  “And I promise you that I will.” 

In her sleep Mystery sighed, a small smile appearing as though hearing him.  He didn’t want to wake her.  But he so much wanted to hold her in his arms, to talk about all the things they needed to.  But tonight she needed rest. 

Emmrich couldn’t fight the desire though that drew him closer to her and her soft pink lips.  Barely touching her he pressed his mouth to hers, a brush of a kiss and a small spark of green flame.  She was so warm, even in that brief touch he felt dizzy, drunk on the feeling of her.  He pulled away and stood quickly before being overwhelmed. 

The tip of his tongue touched his lower lip where the smallest drop of her blood had attached itself.  A sound like a purr, very nearly a growl formed in his throat at the taste.  His Mystery’s sweet, sweet life, the thing he vowed to protect.  Oh, it was divinity as much as he knew it would be.  This one drop was all he would need to sense her presence even more, to find her anywhere in this world.  The taste, the scent was imprinted on him now. 

Emmrich realized this could get out of hand very quickly.  The very thing he wanted to avoid, why he wanted to ensure he had all the safe guards in place.  Her blood hadn’t been planned for.  The Necromancer grounded himself.  He slipped his glove back on, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath, stealing himself against the desire that burned like an inferno within him. 

Maker, it had been so long…and she was there in his bed with only her small clothes on.  Warm, alive, his.  She was still his…even now.  Even after all he’d done, even after leaving her without warning.  “Volkarin,”  A voice in his head, his own voice spoke,  “You will not do what you are thinking of.  You owe her time and an explanation.  You owe her much more than that.  You will give it to her, and you will NOT become a creature of lust and appetite.” 

Petulantly he thought the reply  “But she likes it when I do that…”  Mentally he slapped himself in the face for that stray thought.  He straightened his back and gave her one last glance, the longing of his heart reflecting alongside the green fire in his eyes. 

“I’ll return soon my love.  Rest my dearest heart.”  He whispered the words and then turned, leaving the bedroom. 

He pulled the lever back, putting the door in place.  Manfred looked up from his reading.  “Rook ok?”  He hissed.

Emmrich nodded, a small smile on his lips.  “Yes Manfred, she’s alright.  You did well with her arm.”  He was sure that Rook had denied Manfred’s assistance with her other injuries.  The thought still saddened him, but he was determined to make this right and he would.  Right then he needed to rest himself and prepare his elixir.  He knew of another area in the Lighthouse he could use to sleep and then he’d let everyone know of his return…let the chips fall where they may.

“Manfred, don’t tell anyone you saw me alright?  That includes Rook.”  He said seriously.

The skeleton cocked his head, then nodded.  “Surprise!”

Emmrich nodded in agreement.  “Yes, a surprise.  I’ll surprise them tomorrow.” 

“OK!”  Manfred hissed.

“I’m going to get some sleep in the upper-level Manfred.  Remember, no one but you knows I’m here.”  The Necromancer reminded his excited protegee.

Emmrich headed to the door of his rooms, glancing back once as he opened it to see Manfred going back to reading.  His smile returned and he had a feeling that yes, things would be alright.  He shut the door and turned to the hallway.

His back was slammed into the stone wall with a thud so quickly he didn’t have time react.  The rock cutting into his skull though was a far better choice than the sword that was now pressed against his throat.  Emmrich’s gaze met glowing purple eyes that were glaring into him, white teeth bared in threat. 

“We don’t sleep when Lucanis does.”  Spite growled.  “Sensed you when you stepped inside.”  He pulled him closer for a moment and the demons eyes searched his still glamoured ones.   “You’ve changed Corpse Man.”  The demon sniffed him, a snarl rippling from his mouth. 

His purple wings unfurled and he pressed the sword closer to Emmrich’s throat drawing a bead of blood.  “Like knows like.” The demon asked, its glowing eyes staring right through the glamor. 

Emmrich knew he could see the real him, sensed it and with a thought, garnet met amethyst, glare to glare.  The Necromancer growled at the demon, fangs on display as he let his recent nature take hold for a moment.

Spite seemingly grinned, not removing the sword but apparently was impressed.  The demon barked a laugh in response and asked with a dark raised brow “What are you now?”

[parme-san]

^ i deadass feel that i peaked with this drawing i did at 17

[sovonight]

,

[bigscaryd]

Everyone knows the only alt-stat for Wizards is Strength.

Tired of your character’s style being limited by their Spellcasting Ability?

Try asking your Dungeon Master if you can switch it up!

Bard Intellect: Study world lore and the chronicle current and past events. Wisdom: Use compassion and empathy to hit just the right note. Charisma: Create stunning performances that enthral and inspire.

Cleric Intellect: Study religious lore and follow your deity’s tenets as written. Wisdom: Interpret your deity’s will and act as an extension of it. Charisma: Become a beacon of inspiration and lead the faithful.

Druid and Ranger Intellect: Catalogue the natural world and apply this knowledge. Wisdom: Feel in-tune with the land and anticipate its needs. Charisma: Mimic creatures of the wild and become a part of nature.

Paladin Intellect: Study your Order’s tenets and follow them as written. Wisdom: Interpret your Order’s tenets and act as an extension of it. Charisma: Inspire and lead those around you.

Sorcerer Intellect: Learn to control your innate magic through study and practice. Wisdom: Guide your innate magic through passion and instinct. Charisma: Project your innate magic through intricate performance and gesture.

Warlock Intellect: Learn magic by studying and practising forbidden lore. Wisdom: Gain an innate understanding of your Patron’s magic. Charisma: Barter for power with your otherworldly Patron.

Wizard Intellect: Become a master of the arcane through diligent study & practice.

Sorry Wizards ~ No alts for you. This is just who you are!

[iucemon]

yugioh darlings. how do we feel about bakura being a reincarnated thief (who stole from tombs) and he is interested in the occult, likely including seances and necromancy. how are we feeling about rpg au necromancer bakura

[specialagentartemis]

Reading (listening to, as Homer intended) the Iliad making me go oh. Ohhh. I should have done this before I read Gideon the Ninth. I get it now.

Particularly thinking now about the tidbit that in early drafts, our beloved gray-eyed Necromancer Warden of the Sixth House was named Diomedes Sextus. For Diomedes, king of Argos, young, brave, noble, heroic. Favorite fighter of Athena, bestest friend of Odysseus. And, notably, fought gods and—well he didn’t win exactly. But he got them good.

And specifically, he fought and wounded Aphrodite; Aphrodite, who is also called Cytherea.

And then of course Tamsyn Muir said she decided to change his name so she could make the Sex Pal joke.

Palamedes is a less heroic, less fondly remembered character in the Trojan War, but according to Plato, he unrelatedly invented both number and the alphabet, so you keep that connection to scholarship even if that’s not the first association with him. More interestingly, imo, there’s also an Arthurian Knight of the Round Table named Palamedes, best known for his unrequited love for Isolde (and his apparent ultimately gracious acceptance of her choosing Tristan).

I think this is actually a super interesting shift in thematic naming focus: from favored-of-Athena, fought-gods-and-wounded-them to unrequited heterosexual love, but didn’t act like a dick about it.

Also y’know. Sex Pal

[trellanyx]

If Rook is a Crow, can you imagine what Viago must be feeling during the strategy meeting before they fight Elgar’nan?

Rook, who was impulsive and reckless enough to destroy the Crows’ long term operation against the Antaam to “just” to save a few prisoners.

Rook, who returns home after the contract for Solas to say not only did they not complete it yet, but they unleashed two more elven gods in the process.

Rook, who commands Grey Wardens and pirates and necromancers and rebels. Who moves pieces across the board with confidence and precision, no room for impulse here, everything must be calculated just right or all is lost. Rook, whose team has complete, unshakable faith in them.

Rook, who now looks at Viago and gives him a contract.

It’s the most important one of his life. I also think it’s the one he’s proudest to accept.

[postcardsfromheapside]

"I'm a mage and idk why he's trying to show me magic in this scene, but okay pookie" - comment I've seen at least 3 or 4 variations of.

He's not "trying to show you magic." He's a particular kind of necromancer known as a corpse whisperer. He tells you this within several minutes of meeting you, and that it's rare even among the Mourn Watch, who are an elite group of necromancer already.

Emmrich isn't just a necromancer, he's a Fade expert (that's what he was hired for by the Veilguard, not his necromancy), an alchemist, and it could probably be argued he'd do a passable job teaching philosophy and history as well.

He's showing you HIS magic. He's inviting you to witness the things he finds wonderous, hoping that you do as well. This isn't him condescending to you, he's helping you glimpse something most people can't and hoping it intrigues you, since it's intrinsically part of him, and he cannot hope to have a relationship with someone without them at least accepting it.

(Also casually revealing that he's capable of Talking You Through It but that's a post for ANOTHER TIME)

[adhdo5]

Alright I'm gonna be normal but [shakes my fist]

I am NOT starting this day auspiciously

[babybutchianthe]

↑ i am constantly thinking abt this reply because it is deeply reflective of the general attitude i see displayed toward palamedes, and camilla too, wherein people seem to assume that they are inherently more rational and comparatively unbiased as a whole when compared to everyone else. they are treated as if they are comparatively free from the same confines of thinking that affect other characters; they are characterised as a shining example of a truly equal necromancer-cavalier bond, of loyalty and love, and are treated as if they are perfect geniuses who can do no wrong—an attitude i feel very much inclines people to romanticise their devotion & treat paul's birth as a victorious thing.

@dve i feel summarised this phenomena the best: "i think cam and palamedes are nowhere near as revolutionary as a chunk of the fandom would like for them to be". i'd even go as far as to say that, in their role as foils to gideon and harrow, they are meant to showcase just how damaging the necro-cavalier dichotomy is to the individuals involved. i've spoke on this before but the bond is explicitly modelled on the example of john & alecto—which is already not ideal—and was built on a foundation of deception, with john hiding the fact the lyctoral process did not necessarily have to end with the death of the cavalier: the sacrifice of the cavalier is baked into it, because the history of cavaliership is indelibly tied into the avoidable deaths of the first cavaliers.

the equality ascribed to their bond is based on their seeming inversion of the exploitative nature of the necro-cav bond—compared to silas' siphoning colum, it seems improbable to say that they are anything but true equals who break away from the model, revolutionary in nature. they are devoted to each other, endlessly loyal! to the point camilla will violate the wishes and autonomy of palamedes in the name of her devotion.

camilla frames the fact she cannot sustain both of their souls in her body as her being weak, as opposed to being a product of the reality maintaining two souls in a single body the way they are doing is extraordinarily difficult and unnatural, doing herself a disservice in the process, because in her eyes she is failing in her duty to him.

his presence in her body is killing them both, and she frames this as [their] choice, but then wants pyrrha to lie to him about the fact it's killing her: meaning his choice would be based on her exploiting his absence in this moment, on a deception.

they can't keep this up forever, it is killing them both, but camilla's devotion to him means she won't accept that and doesn't want to give him reason to vacate her body. she wants pyrrha to lie—even though it's killing him too!—because she doesn't want to let him choose to let her live at the cost of his own life.

her death is avoidable but her role and her duty is to die for him, to sacrifice, to hold the sword for her necromancer. she won't let him, the necromancer, choose the cavalier's life because it is intended to be used by him—a soul to be eaten. she won't let him choose, violates his wishes and autonomy in the name of her devotion to him; i personally don't think equality in a relationship is based around denying the other their autonomy and lying to them, do you? and in this moment, camilla is treating herself as expendable, their inevitable death as inconsequential because it prolongs palamedes for as long as possible.

palamedes, conversely, has a very interesting perspective on lyctorhood:

he presumes that the original lyctors, the first necromancers and their cavaliers, sought to merge themselves from the start and that they achieved this incompletely. he posits the existence of true lyctorhood; palamedes views two becoming one, one being two, as something admirable, a truth not yet seen—grand instead of petty.

we also see somebody else who expresses a similiar belief in a perfected lyctorhood, one of the original lyctors, mercymorn the first:

the original lyctors did not seek out to merge with their cavalier, their other half in necro-cav terms, and only did so as a result of a lie, the idea of a one-way energy transfer. from mercymorn's perspective true lyctorhood is a process that preserves the cavalier; from palamedes' perspective true lyctorhood is a process that merges the cavalier and necromancer to form something new, the truest response to the call of "one flesh, one end" yet seen. palamedes' conception of lyctorhood is removed from the original context of lyctorhood's formation, and is shaped heavily by the ideals of the society he and cam were raised in.

If the cavalier and the necromancer do not take "one flesh, one end" as a maxim for their passion for each other, their bond is nonexistent. They must each take the other as their ideal. […] Their love is the love that fears only for the other: the love of service on both sides. Some have tried to characterise this relationship as the cavalier's obedience to the necromancer, but the necromancer must be in turn obedient to the needs of the cavalier without being asked or prompted: theirs is arguably the heavier burden. — Tamsyn Muir, A Sermon on Cavaliers and Necromancers

suffice to say, i do not think paul is a defiance of the empire's ideals, so much as a perfected expression of them; paul is the embodiment of the love of service on both ends, the product of a mutual death. their choice to die as two to become one was exactly in line with what a necromancer and a cavalier are intended to do.

"One flesh" is the underpinning of our whole Empire [...] One end is one empire. — Tamsyn Muir, A Sermon on Cavaliers and Necromancers

[jaal-ama-daravv]

dissecting the mortal emmrich romance path scene

dissecting the graveyard scene

mortal vs lich romance path

emmrich x rook cinematic (mortal)

lich version dissecting the alternate romance path dissecting the argument scene (lich path) dissecting the romance scene (lich path) emmrich x rook cinematic

welcome back my dears

Emmrich Volkarin - Choosing Mortality/Resurrecting Manfred

gonna start with how MUCH I love rook defending emmrich and therefore instilling confidence in him throughout the game, however it is particualry noticeable in this segment.

more

oh yes

after being knocked on his ass from johanna skeleton construct he is visibly hurt, but this is both physical and emotional pain. I implore you once again to read The Flame Eternal for context behind Emmrich and Johanna.

emmrich's fear of death and cowardice rearing its head in the face of untold danger, until our beloved manfred makes the ultimate sacrifice, and demonstrates great courage.

oh baby, thats the stuff. Rook instilling confidence in her necromancer.

god is real and he is a hot necromancer. look at the confidence surge through him.

moving on

The scene cuts to Emmrich and Rook at the Necropolis asking to revive Manfred. Emmrich seeks out the advice from the Lich Lords of the Necropolis who inform that there are ways to return his spirit, at a cost -

alright here we go. If emmrich chooses manfreds life over accepting his death, he will no longer be able to achieve lichdom as emmrich wouldve have failed to accept death as a natural part of life. in emmrich relinquishing lichdom and choosing to revive manfred instead it delves deep into his character. for emmrich to give up lichdom would mean admitting that some things mean more to him than his fear of death - that choosing to live, that he could choose to be couragous, and face life head on, in spite of inevitable death. emmrich is a known coward, but this - choosing this path, means being resilent, being courageous, overcoming cowardice in the name of love.

it should also be noted that in the lich romance path, during the arguemnt scene, emmrich is not able to accept the inevitable death of rook. THEREFORE -

im telling you. man goes rogue, full blown, scarlet WITCH, rogue.

back to the mortal side -

this is actually tragic. if you know both romance paths for emmrich, you know that regardless of which path emmrich follows, he does not accept death when it comes to himself, his love, or manfred. he just cant. this game portrays regret wonderfully, so wonderfully i cry.

Rook's right, emmrich is much braver than he thinks. he rushes off to help rook FIGHT GODS, facing death every day considering we all know a romanced rook takes him on every mission. emmrich has also mentioned TWICE that rook inspires him, with how they have travelled so much, and how they are indomitable.

dont get me started on how confident he is in act 3. it makes me giggle.

this next line has confused a number of people so let me put my spin on it and break it down -

Death's abyss - referring to the act of dying, and emmrichs fear of death always recedes - the fear of death dissapears with someone to brave it for - inferring to rook, facing death and being brave is easier with rook in his life

these two are made for eachother. mourn watch rook in particular, the love, desire, and connection OOZES that destiny. and my heart, explodes.

This could also be interpreted as wanting to brave death's abyss for manfred, but from a romanced rook perspective, it makes more sense for it be considered as rook. and im unsure what unromanced looks like yet - so im going with that.

this line reiterates my point that the above line is referring to rook. facing alot of things would be easier if manfred was back... like idk, rooks death, maybe.

I cant tell you how much love shoots through my body knowing emmrich wants to face death and brave it for rook. which also makes the argment scene more tragic in a way, but we'll get there dear friends.

In choosing this path, Emmrich demonstrates resilence. and whilst he regrets the lose of lichdom, he knows that he has chosen the life he has always dreamed of. a life of love. a life with his eternal flame, rook. a life with their magic flinging skeleton son, manfred. an undying love that transcends. emmrich has yearned for the love he has in his life now, for a very, very long time. talking 45 odd years here. the man is terrfied, and lichdom was a way to avert his fears, but this, he is truly happy, despite his fears.

@askfordoodles reminded me of a banter dialogue that is available between Emmrich and Davrin. They discuss their sons, Assan and Manfred, and Davrin states, "What have we signed up for?", where Emmrich responds, "Love, I think." and yes, that most defintiely includes rook. emmrich, chose love. whilst it is stated that lichdom is his lifes work and dream. coming from someone who also overworks and grinds out work to get through the weight of the day without a thought of vulnerability. I understand him. When a chance of love opens its doors, its scary, a chance to be hurt. this man took that chance, to have the family he never had growing up. and never believed he would achieve. rook gave him back his heart and made him stronger for it. emmrich chose to pursue the life that his parents would've wanted for him. the thought...the dream.. that confirms his romance.

im not crying, you are. holy shit.

keep in mind this is man who grew up poor and alone. he has low self-esteem and never believed he was worthy, let alone would find the type of soul devouring love he craved. that love that you would go to the end of the earth for.

my heart is full.

He calls himself a coward on a frequent basis. but here? what growth. whilst his fear of death may never leave him, it is significantly easier with rook that loves him as deeply as he does. and manfred, a son to pass his knowledge onto.

it then ends with Emmrich stating that in regards to him giving up lichdom for manfred, he would not exchange the life he has now for anything. his now family -

"The Volkarins"

short-ish post, but the next one will be very long where I'll touch more on Emmrichs personality traits more in the argument scene as this is where his traits really shine through, see you soon ♥

[reyrapidsbutgayer]

Ranking All Elden Ring Bosses by Fuckability

It was only a matter of time until I made a post like this. (And an equally horrible post featuring the DLC bosses.)

In this hypothetical all of the bosses can be reasonably communicated with and are not actively trying to kill you.

Repeat bosses not included, duo bosses counted seperate.

It should also be assumed that all of these bosses have access to their magic/items/resources to benefit them in bed.

Explanation of Grading system:

Ineligible: (Cannot give consent)

These characters are not sentient enough to communicate consent, or are physically incapable of sex.

Unfuckable: (Can give consent, but does not DESERVE sex)

Character sucks so badly that they do not deserve to experience pleasure in any shape or form.

Uninterested: (Can give consent, does not WANT sex)

These character are fully capable of sex but would never participate in sex due to lack of interest or overabundance of moral convictions.

Not worth it: (Can give consent, is terrible in bed)

I mean, you COULD have sex with these characters but why would you?

Acceptable: (Can give consent, would be fine in bed)

These characters are average in bed, nothing crazy or noticeable. Some might end up in this category because they ARE good at sex, but the entire process would be inconvenient or uncomfortable to initiate.

Good Time: (Can give consent, would be great in bed)

These characters are good at sex, give or take a few points depending on their mood or situation.

Knock your socks off: (Can give consent, would be amazing in bed)

These characters excel in giving pleasure and would be well worth the time and effort involved.

Sex God: (Can give consent, would be the best in bed)

These characters would be so good at sex that all other factors are irrelevant. They are serving and we are here for it.

Evil Sex God: (Can give consent, is a terrible person but you’d make an exception.)

These are characters that should fall lower in the rankings, but their sexual prowess supersedes their inherent awfulness to a noteworthy degree.

Full list below the read more. Obviously it's not going to be sfw.

Ineligible: (Cannot give consent)

Dragonkin Soldier:

Mindless beast

Astel, Naturalborn of the Void

Weird rock alien, doesn't/can't understand.

Fia's Champions:

Ghosts, simps.

Regal Ancestor Spirit

Animal

Erdtree Avatar

A plant

Great Wyrm Theodorix

Mindless beast.

Ulcerated Tree Spirit

A plant, no junk

Tibia Mariner:

Skeleton

Red Wolf of the Champion:

Animal.

Full-Grown Fallingstar Beast

Weird rock alien, doesn't/can't understand.

Abductor Virgin

First off, just some snakes in a robot. Second, virgin.

Erdtree Burial Watchdog

Stone gargoyle

Crystalians

Non-organic

Mad Pumpkin Heads

Unable to consent due to madness.

Cemetery Shade

Unable to consent due to mind controlling parasite.

Spirit-Caller Snail

Animal

Runebear

Animal

Miranda the Blighted Bloom

A plant

Guardian Golem

Stone gargoyle

Starscourge Radahn:

Unable to consent due to madness

Unfuckable: (Can give consent, but does not DESERVE sex)

Elden Beast:

Too catholic.

Sir Gideon Ofnir, the All-Knowing:

Dick game weak - unironically posts joker memes.

Omenkiller:

Basically a cop.

Necromancer Garris:

Killed his family, not a good husband.

Royal Revenant:

Won't stop screaming (in an unsexy way)

Godrick the Grafted:

Incel - Also all that murder and torture business but mostly the Incel stuff.

Uninterested: (Can give consent, does not WANT sex)

Valiant Gargoyle:

Could probably have sex if it wanted to, but is kinda going through a lot right now. Ya know, that whole "Is made of several corpses mashed together" thing.

Malenia, Blade of Miquella:

Look, I ALSO wanted her to higher up on this list, but let's be honest here. Her body is rotting and falling apart, she just isn't up for sex in her current form. In her prime? She'd be top of the list. She's the daughter of Marika and Radagon, she'd be playing fuck/marry/kill with every warrior who crossed her path. (in that order)

Death Rite Bird:

I think it might be physically capable of sex, but is too busy burning corpses to bother with stuff like that.

Black Blade Kindred:

Same reason as the Valiant Gargoyle but you might have like 2% more of a chance because they are goth.

Maliketh, the Black Blade:

Would normally be a sex god, but is too religious. Probably took a vow about this sort of thing.

Morgott, the Omen King:

You kidding me? This guy has the same energy as a repressed youth pastor. He's gonna be a virgin till the day he dies. The dude sided with the same religious order that locked him a sewer and tried to kill him. He's not out there getting phone numbers he's too busy praying and judging others for their 'impure thoughts'.

Draconic Tree Sentinel:

Married to his job, also physically chained to his horse. He ain't taking off that armor anytime soon.

Wormface:

Too sad, leave him alone his face is full of worms.

Tree Sentinel:

Same as the Draconic Tree Sentinel but he's a tiny bit more naive so you might have a better chance.

Elder Dragon Greyoll:

Too sleepy, but still kinda a milf.

Grafted Scion:

There might be some genitals in there somewhere but I don't think they know how or even want to use them.

Not worth it: (Can give consent, is terrible in bed)

Esgar, Priest of Blood:

No sense of hygiene, is always covered in blood (in an unsexy way)

Mohg, Lord of Blood:

This loser is dripping with all the least sexy bodily fluids and he has sharp horns sticking out of him. Even if you got him in bed you'd only enjoy like 5% of it. Plus you just know he'd be all needy afterwards and try to get you to join his MLM.

Borealis the Freezing Fog:

Too cold, not a snuggler.

Elemer of the Briar:

The armor stays ON during sex.

Kindred of Rot:

It's like all the worst possible aspects of alien biology, it won't be nearly as fun as you hoped.

Sanguine Noble:

Same as all the other Mohg followers, too sticky and too smelly.

Decaying Ekzykes:

He's sick right now, leave him alone.

Acceptable: (Can give consent, would be fine in bed)

Loretta, Knight of the Haligtree:

I'm sure she'd be a decent lover. Maybe a little overzealous but she'd has good intentions.

Grave Warden Duelist:

I mean these guys are hot and probably fuck like a truck but they are not the most caring lovers, also they are covered in live snakes so there is that.

Night's Cavalry:

If you like goth knights I'm sure they'd be fine.

Alabaster Lord:

Their skin probably feels like stone, but I bet they can pull off all sorts of freaky zero-g sex stuff if you ask them.

Onyx Lord:

Same as the Alabaster Lord but slightly more goth.

Fell Twins:

Once you get past the horns and stuff I bet the Omens are actually pretty good in bed, just watch out.

Demi-Human Queens:

I feel like all Demi-humans are pretty good lovers but their biology probably has some unexpected drawbacks.

Stonedigger Troll:

If you can get past the texture and the size I bet they could be decent in bed.

Flying Dragon Greyll:

A surprisingly unsexy dragon, but a dragon is a dragon and still worth at least a one night stand.

Glintstone Dragon Smarag:

A dragon willing to kill racist magic users, earns them a few extra points.

Beastman of Farum Azula:

On one hand the Beastmen probably have crazy mating skills, but they are also zombies, which detracts some points for all the decay.

Battlemage Hugues:

Contrary to popular belief, Wizards are not very good at sex. They spend all their time studying instead of partying, at least Hugues is willing to get his hands dirty.

Commander O'Neil:

Seems like a decent guy, but probably won't shut up about his time in the military. Also he is infected with scarlet rot so that might be a mood killer.

Bloodhound Knight Darriwil:

The bloodhound knights are probably pretty wild in bed if you can earn their loyalty, but good luck with that.

Adan, Thief of Fire:

The dude committed heresy, that has to earn him some sexy points.

Soldier of Godrick:

He's a good boy, he's doing his job so throw him a bone.

Flying Dragon Agheel:

One of the first dragons you encounter, so he earns some points for style.

Demi-Human Chief:

Same as the queens, but probably a bit rougher in bed.

Good Time: (Can give consent, would be great in bed)

Lichdragon Fortissax:

A much sexier dragon, you know they were hooking up with Godwin. Only loses some points for all the death rot.

Crucible Knight Siluria:

A bit gloomy, but I bet the crucible knights can do all sorts of freaky stuff with their animal body parts.

Mimic Tear:

A slippery liquid shapeshifter, need I say more?

Commander Niall:

A way better guy than O'Niel, plus he just a bit more daddy energy.

Fire Giant:

Once you get past his size, his sadness and the giant fell god of destruction in his chest, I bet he's got something going on.

Ancient Hero of Zamor:

Gives me Hercules/Amazonian vibes, I could be into it.

Cleanrot Knight:

Lesbian activities detected.

Crucible Knight:

These guys have tails, horns, wings and big old throat sacks. Imagine the possibilities.

Glintstone Dragon Adula:

Has a sword. If you hear "Dragon holding a sword" and your pants aren't already off, we can't be friends.

Bols, Carian Knight:

He seems like a good boy.

Scaly Misbegotten:

I feel like the Misbegotten have some really interesting possibilities with their animal biology. I bet they have bonobo type societies and that could be fun.

Leonine Misbegotten:

Same as the other Misbegotten.

Misbegotten Warrior:

Same as the other Misbegotten.

Knock your socks off: (Can give consent, would be amazing in bed)

Crucible Knight Ordovis:

Has all the desirable traits of a Crucible Knight but I also imagine they are super into threesomes.

Perfumer Tricia:

She seems really nice, and would be a super attentive lover. Plus she probably has access to crazy drugs and could hook you up.

Nox Swordstress & Nox Priest:

You just know that the Nox were getting up to crazy hot and crazy unethical experiments in their underground cities. These two probably get up to some wild shit and they are inviting you to join them.

Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon:

As she is now, I bet she'd be too sad to really be in a relationship again. But she kept up with Radagon and you just know she has some tricks up her sleeves that could make you abandon the golden order.

Sex God: (Can give consent, would be the best in bed)

Dragonlord Placidusax:

Has two male heads and three female heads, imagine...

Ancient Dragon Lansseax:

Formed a whole freaky dragon/human cult and you just know they got into some eyes-wide-shut orgies behind those doors.

Godfrey, First Elden Lord (Hoarah Loux):

We all knew he'd be this high on the list. He was just a normal dude but he managed to keep pace with Queen Marika (Who is basically a goddess of fertility) for a good long while. He will fold you in half (on the battlefield and in the bedroom.)

Evil Sex God: (Can give consent, is a terrible person but you’d make an exception.)

Radagon of the Golden Order:

He sucks in all the worst ways, but I mean... You can't NOT. Both Radagon and Marika are the embodiment of evil but they managed to suck and fuck their way across an entire continent for generations. You HAVE to give a try at least once.

Godskin Duo:

Oh my god will it be awful with all those flayed human skins, but you know you are still gonna have to. They can stretch and do all sorts of freaky stuff with their bodies, plus they kill gods and nothing is sexier than heresy.

Vyke, Knight of the Roundtable:

The dude is a mad killer but... he can still probably get it, might as well give it a try.

God-Devouring Serpent / Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy:

Personally I wouldn't, he's a loser and will probably kill you. But he is also a giant snake made up of squirming hands doing all sorts of sexual experiments, I can't blame you if you want to give it a taste.

Black Knife Assassin:

They committed a whole lot of treason but the power of armored lesbians is too hard to resist.

Patches:

If you are already having sex with from software characters, you gotta give Patches at least one attempt. When you wake up he'll have robbed you, but you knew what you were getting into.

[mindfogs]

Gideon the ninth designs if I was tasked with making it a 2D animated series TAMSYN HIRE ME probably not very canon, more based on the movie in my head while reading, here's the second book designs and here's the third

Sorry for the low quality tumblr threatened me to explode.. anyway, more comments under the cut if you are curious!

all necromancers have pointy ears. it's not in any way shape or form canon but i love pointy ears in my designs they have pointy ears

corona IS fat and has huge tiddies that's a hill i am more than willing to die on (doesn't look like it because she's front but i swear she has a belly)

gideon is 1,80, naberius is 1,73 (one foot shorter than her) and the twins are at least 1,85 (yeah i know i gave them heals i'm stupid)

Camilla is taller than Palamedes, no i don't accept criticism

Pal is well kept for a necro (i believe cam helps him be a little healthier than others)

abigail is also on the bigger side i remember gideon saying she hot a hint of a necromantic corporature and ate it up

initially i visualized "dulcinea" as the flower lady from encanto don't ask why, the flower motif remained

the kids both have dyed hair because it's cool

gideon has no sleeves lalalalalalalalalala i am not hearing youuuu (also very sorry i forgot to draw her armpit hair)

[katakaluptastrophy]

I want to continue pushing my 'Magnus Quinn wasn't actually a terrible swordfighter' agenda.

Obviously, he wasn't on the same level as professional duelists Babs or Pro, or soldiers Marta or Jean. He was a guy who did some kind of fencing in high school and then picked it up again in his 30s, presumably with some degree of seriousness.

When Gideon joins the other cavaliers in the training room, Magnus and Jean are sparring. He jokes about how badly Jean is beating him, but he must have some degree of competence for aspiring soldier Jean to find him worth training with. Babs then mocks him for getting beaten by a teenager and Magnus jokes, describes himself as "absolutely no good", and praises Jean's abilities...before giving Babs such a death glare he gets obviously embarrassed.

It's worth bearing in mind that there's some degree of tension between the Third and the Fifth. Babs will have know Magnus since he was small and has almost certainly seen him fight before. But the Fifth, their relationship, and the relative freedom that Magnus has to not be a perfect fighter (because his necromancer values him as a human being) is clearly something that rankles the Third. In TUG, when Ianthe talks about Babs, she explicitly references Abigail and Magnus. And what's interesting is that she makes a comparison not just between Abigail's husband-with-a-sword and her perfect tool to be moulded and used, but also to Corona's aspirations to swordcraft:

IANTHE (Playing a card) She’s not here, so let me be fully honest, Sextus: my sister is not a swordswoman. She loves to wear big boots and wave a sword around, and she looks wonderful doing it, but her actual competence … well, put it this way: she’d lose to Magnus Quinn.

PALAMEDES Magnus Quinn was a cavalier primary.

IANTHE No, I mean Magnus Quinn now.

There's...a lot...to unpack here: the comparison of Corona to the husband-cavalier is intriguing in and of itself on a psychosexual level, as is the contradiction between Ianthe and Corona's own versions of Corona's competence. But Palamedes' response is also interesting, suggesting that Magnus was up to an acceptable standard for a cavalier, which Ianthe's joking response seems to back up.

So Babs' rudeness towards Magnus and Jean may have a lot to do with the internal dynamics of his own necromancer-cavalier relationship and not necessarily be an accurate reflection of Magnus' abilities.

Likewise, Judith's comment in the Cohort Intelligence Files that the Fifth is 'undoubtedly chagrined" to have "schoolboy fighter" Magnus representing them had to be read against the fact that we know from the Sermon on Necromancers and Cavaliers by Second House stooge M. Bias that the Cohort has a very low opinion of unranked "social cavaliers". And Judith Deuteros may have her own reasons for being disdainful of a cavalier who is so...cavalier...about his intimate relationship with his adept.

Magnus' own self-deprecating comment on his ability is:

"I didn’t get to be cavalier primary due to being the best with a rapier. I’m cavalier primary only because my adept is also my wife. I suppose you could say that I—ha, ha—cavalier primarried!”

But again, there's a difference between becoming cavalier primary because you're the best sword fighter and getting up to a vaguely competent level once you've become cavalier primary (guys in their 30s with high powered jobs tend to be scarily into their hobbies...) He is definitely the worst cavalier there (or would be, if Pro were actually alive), but on a general standard he probably isn't as terrible as people like to joke.

Another important bit of context here is that all of his comments about his own ability occur in the context of Corona trying to get him to fight Gideon. The shy, silent 18 year old from the cult planet whose practice of cavaliership is generally acknowledged to mostly consist of carrying buckets of bones.

She gets paired with Magnus because they assume she's not going to be much of a fighter and Magnus - neither a professional duelist nor a soldier - would therefore be the fairest opponent. Magnus is clearly uncomfortable. And Gideon is certainly Intimidating. But when you consider that most of his previous interactions with her have been trying to coax her out of her shell and clearly feeling rather sorry for her, his comments take on a bit of a different tone.

Does Magnus worry Corona has dragged along this poor kid out of interest or curiosity, and that she's going to be humiliated and never want to interact with them again? As Corona says “Come—Gideon the Ninth, right?—why don’t you try Sir Magnus instead? Don’t believe him when he says he’s rubbish. The Fifth House is meant to turn out very fine cavaliers," Magnus is politely dissembling, telling exactly the sort of jokes that would appeal to a teenager.

As everyone else mocks or is intrigued by Gideon's knuckle-knives, Magnus is trying to look her in the eye through her sunglasses, bewildered that she doesn't know to take off her robes or glasses to fight and then...suddenly realising that she is dead serious and perhaps he has dramatically underestimated her.

After his defeat, we hear him saying to Jean "I'm not quite that out of form, am I?". Gideon's abilities were totally unexpected: she severely tests a top duelist like Babs, and Magnus is surprised to be beaten in three moves. That suggests he's been holding his own rather more comprehensively in previous sparring.

And while he certainly wasn't up to Gideon's standard, he may have managed to draw his sword before Cytherea took him out...

[waterlilyvioletfog]

In my head there’s a situation where SQQ discusses with SQH What Exactly Shen Jiu and Yue Qingyuan’s Whole Deal Was and SQH is like well idk clearly it’s weird and shit. Many tragic misunderstandings but also they were clearly insane. Oh but they were definitely very gay whatever was happening. And Shen Qingqiu has a crisis because he HAS accepted that he probably is a little bit gay. Perhaps. On account of the marriage to the most perfect guy in the universe (his words). But now he’s worried what if HE’S not gay what if SHEN QINGQIU is gay and Shen Yuan BECAME gay by being in SQQ’s body and everyone tells him to shut up what the fuck bro are you stupid?? And he admits that yeah that’s probably one of his more absurd mental gymnastics maneuvers. But then MXTX went you know what? This is going in my next novel. “Can being put in a gay guy’s body turn you gay?: Hot Necromancers Edition”.

[cod-dump]

A MW fantasy au where Price, once a respected captain of the guard, has to go on the run after being framed for a heinous crime, and the only person who actually believes he's innocent without a doubt is Graves (the commander of an enemy kingdom, maybe has some magic that makes him especially feared). While Price is stuck with someone he hates, his once good friend and (secret) lover are forced to hunt them down, but Laswell and Nikolai (Nik being an advisor or something from an allied kingdom) are delaying things as much as possible to give Price the chance to prove himself innocent. Nikolai comes up with the genius idea of posting wanted posters that don't fully look like Price or Graves. Just off enough that people won't recognize them immediately but Price and Graves still know it's them.

Graves, having not seen his reflection in weeks, "Do I look like that? Do I honestly look like that? John-"

Graves being some sort of necromancer, a powerful one, and his Shadows are the risen dead. But he was bound with a magical cuff (he was going to be sent off to an instute) that stops all magic, forcing him to rely on physical skills (which definitely hinders him in the beginning). Price is forced to hide in the shadows, not sure of who he can trust, and out of desperation he decides to go to an institute for those who had been illegally/forcefully altered by magic to find help. He finds three men who are willing (for the sake of getting out of the institute and hopefully being accepted back into society).

The first man is bound to his anger, catching on fire and manipulating flames around him. The angrier he gets the hotter he burns. He was intiatially imprisoned in a normal jail until they found he melted the bars.

The second man didn't have physical alterations or anything like fire manipulation, but he had abilities akin to a siren's. Deadly charming voice, could tell someone to kill themselves in the slowest, most painful way and they would. He also could breathe underwater but his seduction abilities overshadowed that.

The third and final man had been there the longest out of three. 'Soulkiller' some called him. He could consume souls for strength, control blood like a hydromancer could water. Bend iron and crack stone with his bare hands. He was dangerous.

But they all were, and with their help along with Graves, Price could potentially clear his name.

Edit: Graves actually being the one who put the boys in the institute