#and a lot of convoluted backstory that had to be reworked into a new story

[anxiousapplepie]

Time to switch topics yet again. I do have a particular question I do plan to ask Morgan and the rest of the team, but I'll save that for my next ask if nothing ends up taking up all my attention yet again like before. My curiosity today leads me to the Necroknights, Mort's mother, and the Deathdancer family.

Black Roses, by default, have the strongest wood but also very poor regeneration in exchange. By making them Necroknights, I assume such a weakness is negated to an extent? And I assume part of the reason they're a nightmare to fight is because once you alert one, you alert them all and they're all essentially super soldiers. But... imagine you manage to get one on their own. What exactly would it take to actually kill one? Fire? Taking out a very specific part of them? Dispel the very magic holding them together? Yes, they're undead, but there's always a way to handle undead.

Further on, is Mort's mother a Necroknight? Hence, the complicated feelings and such? is there a point that Mort can actually see his dead mother before he ends up hibernating? And also, who exactly is the Deathdancer family? And how conscious are the Necroknights, actually? Do they only retain their loyalty and sense of duty, vaguely?

Consider this your free pass to talk about Necroknights to your heart's content, if you wish. I also want to confirm if it's only Black Dragons who can be reanimated to become Dryads, just for the sake of clarification. Other than that, I hope you have a lovely day and night. ☆

AW YEA NECROKNIGHT TIME!!! *ahem* okay so start things off and clarify, yes! Black Roses, by virtue of having maxed out their wood hardness and weapon durability, often get turned into undead soldiers called Necroknights when they die for real! Dragon magic is what powers them, and their ability to heal depends on the folk "looking after them" during the winter seasons. But considering Blacks had the most pathetic healing magic of all the colors, even a small boost is more than enough for most situations Necroknights act like sentinels, guarding and watching what "they" think needs to be protected until something demands their attention. Some work solo, while others form groups and chains of command to better look out for their area of interest. For argument's sake, if you wanted to try winning a fight against a Necroknight, the best solution is fire (and hope the Necroknight is reckless enough and doesn't somehow turn the tables on you) or alternatively try to force the Necroknight to use up all of the magic that is keeping it functional. Not a surefire way to win, but better than a wish and a prayer!

Yes, Mort's dearly beloved mother is a Necroknight! and has been a Necroknight since Mort was a white Bud. Mort makes a point to visit his mother's glass coffin at the beginning of every Spring, and to double-check she's "still with us". And not.. y'know, a shredded pile of decaying limbs that aren't recognizable anymore XD Mort always tries staying awake long enough to see his mother out and about before winter, but he's never managed it yet. Necroknights aren't fully conscious, but whatever strong instincts they had in life will stick with them after death. Muscle-memory is surprisingly good, with lots of Spiders reporting how some Necroknights visit "loved ones" regularly like clockwork during Witch's season.

As for who the Deathdancers are? *long sigh* THAT is going to take a lot of context to properly explain, but put very simply! Ruby is the descendant of a powerful Dragon who specialized in necromancy, but the Dragon genes got watered down by the time she was created. Ruby and Vincent provide emergency power and healing for any Necroknight that needs a pick-me-up after a fight. It's not a stressful job (usually) but it can be demanding at times. And to answer your last question: most Dragons of any color can be turned into dryads (the lighter/greener your color tho, the more magic you'll need to keep the dryad "alive") but getting even a scrap of a Black Dragon's body to turn into a dryad is a BIG deal. Dragons always favor those with darker colors for "dryad material" ANYWAY! I think that's enough rambling for now! Thank you for giving me an opportunity to get excited about this part of RK's worldbuilding!! :D