Private Tales A Fortunate Passing

[Alexandria Viacian]

The waves crashed and boomed against the rocky shore, seagulls wheeled and dove in their mindless games while creatures below went about their lives. High above the tumultuous coast on the top of the bluff overlooking the Gulf of Liad ran a long winding road that traversed the edge, offering travelers a breathtaking view of the expansive body of water.
The travelers in question being a troupe of three carriages followed by a mounted escort. The Banner that flew from the lance of the lead knight bore the colors and coat of arms of Viacian.

Spoiler: Flag

Queen Alexandria Viacian, The Raven Queen, gazed out the carriage window at the Gulf. It was like seeing it for the first time, this time without chains, without the crack of a whip over her head, she could finally see the water and enjoy its scent.
She was alone in her carriage, but she didn't mind. She preferred being alone with her thoughts when the mood was upon her.

Up ahead the bluff sunk down to the beach, allowing the entourage access to a smooth sandy section of beach. They had spent a hard day riding, it was a perfect opportunity to rest and take advantage of the clean beauty of the Gulf.
She knocked on the carriage wall where the driver sat.
"Tell the captain we'll stop here. The horses should rest and I wish to stretch my legs."

"As you wish, my queen." Came the drivers response and her orders were relayed to the company of knights.
And so they came to dismount near a stream that made its way directly across the sand to the gulf, providing fresh water for their horses.
Alexandria stepped out of her carriage and her bare feet touched the hot sand. At first she thought it would be painful but now it wasn't so bad. Before she was forced to march across the blistering grainy rock beaches of Cerak At'Thul, now she could let her toes sink into the soft ground and feel the exfoliating sensation of the sand between her black painted toes.

Sea spray filled the air and a stiff breeze blew the long flowing sleeves and skirt of her black dress, almost dangerously so with its hip length slit. She walked barefoot across the sand, making her way towards the waters edge. The knights tended their horses and also stood guard, making sure their queen remained in sight.
She wandered along the edge of the high tideline when up ahead she saw something washed up along with seaweed and driftwood.
Thinking it to be some unfortunate drowned animal she went forward to investigate. She bent down and cleared away some seaweed and was a bit shocked that the horns didn't belong to a giant drowned goat, but to a grey skinned humanoid with horns that reminded her much of a demon.
She carefully felt for a pulse as she had been taught to do and was relieved to find a faint signal.

She could call over her physician, but she could handle this much on her own. She gently brushed the sand and seaweed away from his face and parted his lips with her fingers. She pressed their lips together and she began performing CPR, trying to coax the water from his lungs with chest compressions.

Aldenaxk Drazukel

 

[Aidenzak]

This man, he should not be alive, the fact that he is so must be a blessing of the gods, or he has the constitution of a god. He's in simple sailor attire, that being a button up white shirt and a pait of leather pants with black boots. His body is covered with scratches, so many horrible scratches, not from any beast. More similar in nature to an explosion, cuts caused by wooden shards flying at lethal speeds no doubt. One can even see a few of these wooden shards sticking out of his skin here and there, like a cactus of misery. It seems the salt water has prevented any infections, and the hot sun above dried his skin before he could completely bleed out. That in of itself is a lucky. He looks handsome enough, though it seems like those looks will be ruined, as most of these scratches and gashes are doomed to scar.

It doesn't take long for the life to return to his soul when his lungs are given air. It would be quite the scary experience, seeing him sit up suddenly like a corpse from the dead, water still leaving his lips as he yells out. "IT COMES FROM THE DARK BELOW!" Despite her saving his life, he hasn't seemed to notice her yet. Instead, he shakily pulls himself to his feet, despite the fact that he shouldn't be able to, and limps closer to the water, right hand raising to point a shaky finger at the ocean's horizon. "I will find you! WHETHER IT BE IN THE DEPTHS OF THE SEA OR THE HEIGHTS OF THE SKY, I WILL-" That's when his extreme constitution gives out, and he crumbles to his knees, body shaking for a moment before he slumps down to be on his hands as well, coughing crimson into the sand. "Fuckin....gods, they're gone...all fuckin gone....every one'o them." The emotional roller-coaster continues as tears stream down his face. He just now realizes that he's got a literal wooden spike sticking out of the right side of his chest. He proceeds to pull it out with a wince. "What a fuckin sorry situation I'm in...."

Finally, he registers the presence of the queen. Light grey eyes slowly turn to look at her, and a nervous chuckle leaves his bloody face, one of his sunken eyes twitching a little. "you uh...you'been standin there long, lass?"

Alexandria Viacian

 

[Alexandria Viacian]

Upon closer inspection he had multiple injuries and lacerations, slivers of ship planking and mast spar protruded as if he were indeed caught in an explosion. Speaking of explosions, when he awoke he did so rather explosively, she jerked back to keep from getting wacked on accident as he shouted out into the gulf. His words made little sense to her, but they did inform her knights that she wasn't alone and might be in danger.

She gracefully stood up when he finally noticed her.

"you uh...you'been standin there long, lass?"

"Only long enough..."
She gave him a haughty smirk as she drew herself up, giving herself what she imagined was an authoritative air as three of her knights came up from her flanks and formed a wall of steel in front of her, blades drawn and brandished against the wounded stranger.
The captain spoke up first, his voice echoing behind his plate helmet.
"Are you alright, my queen? Are you injured?!"

She didn't dismiss her knights immediately, instead she regarded the grey skinned humanoid with a predatory stare for a long moment, as if debating whether to let him live or not, before replying.
"I am uninjured, and this man is no threat. Help him up and bring him to the carriages, I'll have my physician see to his wounds."
With that she turned away just as another gust blew her dress around, her pale legs exposed between the flapping skirt as she unheedingly walked back to where their horses rested.

The knights obediently sheathed their swords and two of them moved to help up the stranger while the captain went with Alexandria. The knights took him by his arms, careful to not antagonize any splinters, and put his arms around their armor plated shoulders to help him walk as they carried him back to the carriages.

 

[Aidenzak]

"Oh...that's great..." He responds to her words, looking woozier by the minute. That's when the guards arrive. "Oh, yelling like a troglodyte in front'o royalty, that's...oh that's the stuff dream are made of I tell ye." He coughs up more blood, his words oozing sarcasm. It's then that while he is under threat of the blade, he notices her predatory gaze. He doesn't come across as threatening with his next words, more of a wounded animal, not willing to go quietly into the night. His pupils dilate from being normal to slitted, like a cat or a reptile, and his eyes meet those of the queen. "I don't got much else to live for, so if you plan to kill me, go ahead. Understand however, the family I have lost would spit upon me for going down without a fight, so prepare to lose a few good men before I go down."

Apparently the queen deems him worthy of existence, and he chuckles a little as the guards lift him up. As they help him walk along he looks between them both, grin wide to reveal incisors. He's obviously not a vampire, but there is indeed some fiendish heritage there of some sort. "You two, you're good lads, sorry I indirectly threatened to end yer lives, your drinks at the bar are on me!....when I get some money...shite, I've yet to think about that part..." He suddenly looks somber again. The poor guy has lost everything.

Alexandria Viacian

 

[Alexandria Viacian]

"I don't got much else to live for, so if you plan to kill me, go ahead. Understand however, the family I have lost would spit upon me for going down without a fight, so prepare to lose a few good men before I go down."

His words were only met with cold disregard. She considered the option of killing him, but his veiled threat played no part in her decision to let him live.
The knights carrying him also pointedly disregarded his words. The queen decided he should live and that was simply the end of it.

The Knights seated him on the steps of one of the carriages while the elderly female physician began tending his various wounds with a combination of medical skill and techniques and cleverly applied health potions to repair the worst damage.
Mostly she worked with tweezers and spectacles to remove the multitude of slivers in his flesh.
Alexandria watched patiently while the Physician worked, content to bury her toes in the sand and examine his forlorn face. He'd been through an ordeal that is obvious, but she was far more curious than concerned at the moment.
"You are obviously not human, or elf. What are you called? Who are you? How did you come to be adrift in the Gulf? Are there more of your kind? Where do you come from?"

 

[Aidenzak]

He slumps over tiredly as he is sat down on the stairs of that carriage. He takes a moment of silence to regain his will. "Agh...." he lets out little noises of displeasure as the wood is pulled out of him. When the queen speaks to him, he puts up a finger. "Give me a second I...ow!" He pauses to slap himself across the face, an attempt to keep himself awake and power through all the pain.

"Alright. Sorry for that delay there...I'm just- Agh!" He causes the healer to jump in surprise. "Sorry, Sorry, just...that one was in deep. Anyways uh....where was I? Oh yea. Name's Aldenaxk, I'm a tiefling. I assume you're asking cause..." he gestured to his face. "Looks infernal and all that shite. Surprised you ain't seen at least a few'o us before. We're around. I was in a clash with some supernatural force, me and my crew. We didn't win, by the way." He takes in a deep breath. "It...came from the deep, the darkness below. It...there's a phrase it left in my head. I can't say it, makes my head hurt to think of it, yet my soul tells me it's a name...I...I'm going to think it over later, when my head is workin. As for where I'm from....Tolelajara, it's a town of my sort. If you're wondering if I'm a demon...the answer is no, kinda. There's a debate on whether or not we're related to fiends or demons. We apparently have a talent for the infernal Magics? Never been a mage, so I dunno." He shrugs, wincing instantly at the sudden action. "But a tiefling is born when someone has fiend or demon in their blood. Well, some demons are fiends and some fiends are demons....it's a hell of a fuckin rabbit hole. Point is, tieflings can be born from other tieflings, or sometimes, if someone has a fiend or other tiefling somewhere in their bloodline, two regular beings of any race can birth a tiefling. It's all...very convoluted." He coughs again, blood splattering onto the ground under his feet.

Alexandria Viacian

 

[Alexandria Viacian]

His story and the answers to her questions caused her to pause in thought. Of course it made sense, the mortal offspring of a demon or devil with a mortal. He was interesting from the scientific perspective, she would love to explore his bloodline and what it may include.
But for now he was injured. Leaving him here would be a death sentence in his condition, the nearest village they left behind three days ago and that was by carriage.

The captain approached Alexandria with a sharp salute.
"If you're ready, my queen. The horses are rested and refreshed, with your permission we can be off again."
She nodded in agreement, "Of course, captain. Let's be on our way."
She then gave instructions to her physician.
"He will ride with me in my carriage, I can tend to the rest."
The old lady nodded as she pulled one more spike of wood from his arm.

The two knights helped him into the carriage and the physician helped arrange the cushions under him for the best comfort before going to her own carriage. Alexandria then climbed in with the help of a knight and sat across from him as the carriages and their entourage were under way again.
She knelt down beside him with the tweezers and a bandage and continued tending his wounds.
"It sounds like you've been through a lot, you may sleep if you wish. I promise you will wake up again."

 

[Aidenzak]

Alden lays on the cushions, taking in deep breaths while the queen continues to work on his wounds. It's obvious it had been a day or so before she came across him. What's amazing is that some of his wounds are already healing over, still very slow, but the blood has already clotted and the cuts are already turning to scratches and scars. Guess that's what demon blood gets you. "So...what royalty is it that I have ended up in the carriage of then? I'll wager I'm a long ways away from home, most royals stay far away from Tolelajara." The town certainly has an interesting name.

She then says that he may rest, and he shakes his head. "No....I'll be up for yet a bit longer. Tell me of yerself. I've told you all about me, now it's your turn." He's certainly not one to be formal. But one can admire how respectful he is without the formalities, and how he seems to show respect without even an ounce of fear. He's like a man who looked into the face of the elder gods, and could be scared by nothing in comparison.

Alexandria Viacian

 

[Alexandria Viacian]

"So...what royalty is it that I have ended up in the carriage of then? I'll wager I'm a long ways away from home, most royals stay far away from Tolelajara."

She shrugged as she worked and the carriage ride along.
"I can't say I'm familiar with that place. We're on the coast near the Seret Mountains heading towards Elbion."

"No....I'll be up for yet a bit longer. Tell me of yerself. I've told you all about me, now it's your turn."

Awfully presumptuous of him to think she owed him anything, but she just got to see the ocean so she was in a good mood.
"I am Alexandria Viacian, Queen of Ravencrest. I'm going to Elbion for diplomatic reasons."

Once she got the majority of the slivers and shives out she put down the tweezers and extended her hand towards his chest with her palm forward.
Her eyes narrowed in concentration and her hand began to glow with a noxious green radiance.
A hundred fingers of green energy extended out and located all the remaining hidden and deep slivers, there was a brief pain as they were all removed at once and then disintegrated.
She then got busy with the easier job of simply bandaging his wounds. Already some of the smallest showed signs of regenerating and she was keenly intrigued by this, sometimes watching for a minute before putting a bandage over it or moving as she watched it close on its own.

"I would assume you ship fell prey to Krakens? My people tell me there are many things at sea looking to destroy anything they come across."

 

[Aidenzak]

The tiefling gives what could be the stupidest grin on this continent as he responds. "The secret mountains, never heard'o them." He then proceeds to chuckles a little. "Ah...yea, that was bad." This queen, she doesn't seem the laughing sort, best not to tempt her patience. He is indeed healing at an accelerated rate, He could easily heal from minor scratches within half a day. Scary! If the healing magic is in any way of a holy nature, the tiefling will begin screaming bloody murder. However, if it's normal, it goes without a problem.

"Name's Aldenaxk, of the crimson wolves. I was with a pirate huntin crew, specifically, we specialized in huntin slavers." A shiver runs down his spine as he thinks back on what happened to his crew. "No..That wasn't a kraken....I...I don't know what it was, but it wasn't a kraken. Whatever it was...spoke." He winces a little, remembering what it said. "I....There's no common translation...I...don't understand the word, never heard it in my life, but...I get the meaning..." He lets out a deep sigh. "It...called me 'child'." He looks at his hands, very much not liking this. Shaking his head, he then looks up at her again. "Thanks for pullin me from the brink'o death. Not sure what I'll do next, but if you've got slavers that need huntin, I'll happily oblige." He grins, showing off those scary incisors. If she can sense magic, she'd be able to tell, he had been touched by something, for certain. It feels similar to demons...but it's not exactly demonic. Whatever it is, it's old. Very old,

Alexandria Viacian

 

[Alexandria Viacian]

Her magic was inherent and practically the opposite of holy. Her mother being a hag she obtained her gift for magic, and she was learning to control it.

She finished up his bandaging and listened as he recounted his tale. It was certainly troubling, and the implications were interesting, almost familiar as she remembered her own contract... She could sense the infernal touch upon him, it seems almost obvious to her that he met something very close to him... Perhaps even a parent.
But she could read his expressions easy enough, he was obviously upset over this and probably didn't want to think too hard about it right now. She allowed herself to be a little sensitive and kept her thoughts to herself.

"Thanks for pullin me from the brink'o death. Not sure what I'll do next, but if you've got slavers that need huntin, I'll happily oblige."

Hmm... Such a person might be useful... She hated slavers, she was a slave once and even the crack of the horse whip still made her jump. If he would align with her then he might be able to put his network of contacts to work, if he had any left, to gathering information and such.
It was time for her to be a queen again.
"As I said, we're going to Elbion. We'll be about a month there or until our business is concluded. You may go your own way as soon as you think you're strong enough but if you're willing I might be able to make an offer for your services..."
She gave him a conspirational look even though there was no one else that could hear them.
"As a queen in a land with little recognition as a sovereign nation, I am seeking those with high connections that could aid me in making my kingdom independent of other political powers."

 

[Aidenzak]

"Elbion...Haven't been there in a while. Been going to port cities for most of my life." Now fully recovered, he moves to sit up fully once again. He's recovering quite fast. "If you're looking into hirin me, I suppose I should start up me silver tongue, eh? You saved my life, and I hate to sound unthankful. But the services won't be free. I won't overcharge, but they won't be free. With the loss of well, everything, I have gear to buy. I guarantee all the work I do for you will be finished as efficiently as possible. I'm a skilled commander of men, ambush tactics being my specialty. Course I need men for that. I'm decent at wieldin most sorts of weapons, and can train men accordingly. If you help me, I guarantee I'll be able to start quite the mercenary company. And a small growing kingdom could use the help of such a thing. It would actually be much cheaper for you to help me start one than it would be for you to hire one externally. If you help me do this, the company I make will, naturally, never work against you, and once the company starts up, you won't spend a cent on our protection. Long as you give us rights to the loot from your enemies. Gotta feed my men somehow."

It is quite an idea. A bit ambitious. But perhaps that's what a small kingdom needs. She pays for the basics to get the company off the ground, and once it gets running and paying for itself, she'll have an army she can call upon at any time without having to pay a cent!

"As for connections.....I'll be honest, I don't have much highborn ones, none of those super fancy nobles and such. What I can get you is a bit more...underhanded. First off, I know some merchants. Merchants bring a kingdom prosperity, and we have some that owe us favors, or..." He looks somber for a moment. "Owe me favors, I should say. I can call them in to spread word around. You give me some promises for them that make doing business in your kingdom look particularly tasty, I tell the people that owe me favors to, not only come and do business themselves, but to spread it to their friends, and your kingdom will be a trade hub in no time. It's highly beneficial for small kingdoms to start out as trade hubs. Keeps that tax money rolling in so that they can easily grow and prosper. Not to mention, if other neighbors depend on you for products and trade, you can grab'em by the balls, so to speak. Finally, from Tolelajara to every port city in the world, there are back alley gangs and street urchin groups. Put coin in the right places...or let me talk with the right gangs, and you have yourself an instant information net spanning across the continent. It'll take a bit, but it's possible. I would beseech you to do the same in your own city. The secrets of the elite and common often funnel down to the bottom ring, and if you do right by those at the bottom of the barrel, they will do right by you. I was an info broker back in the day when I was a street urchin. Trust me, you want those little brats on your side. They pick up more than you'd think." He winks. "Not to mention, the prostitutes and courtesans also pick up their fair share of secrets and information." This fellow could make one hell of a spymaster.

Alexandria Viacian

 

[Alexandria Viacian]

"If you're looking into hirin me, I suppose I should start up me silver tongue, eh? You saved my life, and I hate to sound unthankful. But the services won't be free. I won't overcharge, but they won't be free. With the loss of well, everything, I have gear to buy. I guarantee all the work I do for you will be finished as efficiently as possible. I'm a skilled commander of men, ambush tactics being my specialty. Course I need men for that. I'm decent at wieldin most sorts of weapons, and can train men accordingly. If you help me, I guarantee I'll be able to start quite the mercenary company. And a small growing kingdom could use the help of such a thing. It would actually be much cheaper for you to help me start one than it would be for you to hire one externally. If you help me do this, the company I make will, naturally, never work against you, and once the company starts up, you won't spend a cent on our protection. Long as you give us rights to the loot from your enemies. Gotta feed my men somehow."

It was indeed quite the proposition with good merits. She had mercenary company that already had a contract with her, they were currently occupying Viacian castle and its garrison in her absence. Helping develop another mercenary group had its perks, especially with her as a main investor, but what she really needed was strength of her own that was aligned exclusively with her ideals. Her fifty loyalists were useful, but only a small portion of those were actually fighters.
"An intriguing idea, Mister Drazukel. I will take it into serious consideration. When we reach Elbion I'll have a better idea of where I stand, and with luck I'll have the ability to fund your operations."
She crossed her legs and leaned back thoughtfully on her cushions, giving a bountiful view of her pale thighs under her slit skirt.
Unlike a queen she seemed very comfortable with her body.

"As for connections.....I'll be honest, I don't have much highborn ones, none of those super fancy nobles and such. What I can get you is a bit more...underhanded. First off, I know some merchants. Merchants bring a kingdom prosperity, and we have some that owe us favors, or..."
"Owe me favors, I should say. I can call them in to spread word around. You give me some promises for them that make doing business in your kingdom look particularly tasty, I tell the people that owe me favors to, not only come and do business themselves, but to spread it to their friends, and your kingdom will be a trade hub in no time. It's highly beneficial for small kingdoms to start out as trade hubs. Keeps that tax money rolling in so that they can easily grow and prosper. Not to mention, if other neighbors depend on you for products and trade, you can grab'em by the balls, so to speak. Finally, from Tolelajara to every port city in the world, there are back alley gangs and street urchin groups. Put coin in the right places...or let me talk with the right gangs, and you have yourself an instant information net spanning across the continent. It'll take a bit, but it's possible. I would beseech you to do the same in your own city. The secrets of the elite and common often funnel down to the bottom ring, and if you do right by those at the bottom of the barrel, they will do right by you. I was an info broker back in the day when I was a street urchin. Trust me, you want those little brats on your side. They pick up more than you'd think."
"Not to mention, the prostitutes and courtesans also pick up their fair share of secrets and information."

She grinned, this is exactly what she was looking for, connections, people who knew people that could make things move. Eventually she wanted to get to that point of being able to move people and make things happen.
"This is perfect! You can teach me how to talk to these people. Information is a valuable commodity."

 

[Aidenzak]

"If I'm going to do the merchant part for you, I'm going to have to do some travelling around a bit, finding my old connections to the trade and such. Ain't askin for much. But if I'm gonna be doin that for ya, I'd at least like a horse, a sword, perhaps a shield, and clothes that don't smell of..." He pulls his shirt up to sniff it, accidentally giving the queen a view of his stomach in return. Naturally, he's well muscled. A six pack covered in scars, which looks good if one is into that sort of thing. "Salt and...squid?" He shivers a bit. The fact that his shirt smells of squid doesn't bode well for his earlier revelations. He shakes his head, letting go of his shirt so that it falls back into place. He has to admit that the queen is quite the view, but he isn't gonna mention that. Decorum and such.

"Regarding the back alley gangs and the urchins, they aren't hard to communicate with for info. Most of them are just trying to get coin for their next meal, or looking for protection because the info they found could be the end of them. You give'em some coins for their next meal, or give them some protection from their terrible noble overlords who might slaughter or sell them off, and you've got a pair of lose lips spillin all kinds of delicious secrets and best of all...blackmail material if you're lucky. Overall though, don't be condescendin, give the poor coins for their next meals, and you're good to go. They don't even demand that much coin. Most nobles don't do this cause talking to the lower ring of society is below them, they feel. I'm tellin you about this because you seem more the sort that cares about results." He states, gesturing to her.

Alexandria Viacian

 

[Alexandria Viacian]

"If I'm going to do the merchant part for you, I'm going to have to do some travelling around a bit, finding my old connections to the trade and such. Ain't askin for much. But if I'm gonna be doin that for ya, I'd at least like a horse, a sword, perhaps a shield, and clothes that don't smell of..."
"Salt and...squid?"

She ran some numbers in her head, "Once we arrive in Elbion we can get you whatever you need. Anything that can help us will be most appreciated!"
She was still not used to decorum and formality herself. Being a slave has a way of un-training things that used to be second nature. She used to be a proper, she used to have all the grace of a noble lady. But now she all but openly stared at his hard muscles.

"Regarding the back alley gangs and the urchins, they aren't hard to communicate with for info. Most of them are just trying to get coin for their next meal, or looking for protection because the info they found could be the end of them. You give'em some coins for their next meal, or give them some protection from their terrible noble overlords who might slaughter or sell them off, and you've got a pair of lose lips spillin all kinds of delicious secrets and best of all...blackmail material if you're lucky. Overall though, don't be condescendin, give the poor coins for their next meals, and you're good to go. They don't even demand that much coin. Most nobles don't do this cause talking to the lower ring of society is below them, they feel. I'm tellin you about this because you seem more the sort that cares about results."

She listened as he explained the process, it was so simple and she might have been able to figure it out herself. When she said that she was speaking as if she didn't know anything about the bottom rung of society, but she had lived it.
"I see... I suppose I could manage that. You're assumption is correct, results show you when something is working and when it has failed. Thank you, this is valuable information."

 

[Aidenzak]

He notices her staring at the muscles. But she's the queen, acting how she pleases comes with the title. "Sorry if the part about the urchins and back alley gangs sounded condescendin, wasn't my intention." He crosses his arms. "Y'see, that's the thing, it's so terribly simple, so many nobles all over just have an information network, sitting right there. But they consider themselves too high and above to even touch it. I wise ruler uses all resources available to make sure their kingdom works like a well oiled machine. Not that I've ever been a ruler. Wouldn't mind givin it a try someday, but that goes for everyone." He laughs. "I can barely get merchants to give me fair prices on account of me being 'elderspawn'. Oh, by the way. I don't usually do this. But you saved my life. I'm doing the other stuff for payment, and to repay my debt. Consider this my personal thanks." His pants, torn as they are, have a pocket that's buttoned closed. He opens that pocket, and takes out a vial. He holds it out to her. It's red, definitely blood, but there's strange purple streams flowing through the blood. Just touching the vial for most mages, would cause sickness due to it's nature. But this blood, due to her relation with a demon...it beckons her, calls to her. "I can already tell what sorta mage you are. This is my blood, the blood of an elder tiefling. Every spell has a price, yes? Even a drop of this is worth a lighting strike. When I said wasn't a mage before, it wasn't exactly true. I cast magic, but not like the typical mage. All the magic I cast costs my blood. So I avoid using it often. However it's not as bad for me as it is for other blood mages. Elder god blood, even if it's just related to and elder god, is worth a lot in the arcane arts." After handing her the vial, he sighs. "I normally don't do this, but I feel like this gift'll help us cement business relations, and convey my personal thanks. I usually avoid this cause well...next thing you know, I have friends who only want me for my blood and well...." He looks out the window, slightly somber. "That's just depressin. Oh yea, sidenote. I doubt you're stupid enough to do so, but do NOT ingest that unless you want whoever my eldritch relative is to start screaming at you from beyond the void in your dreams."

Alexandria Viacian

 

[Alexandria Viacian]

He gave her quite an interesting gift, some of his own blood, and she could feel its pull, as if begging to be held in her hand. She slowly accepted the vile and examined the fluid. Unbidden came a low chuckle in her head as Wil'Ziam sensed the power in that blood, "He's a rebellious child... You've already guessed it, he met his maker out at sea... He's useful, keep him."
Her brow furrowed in the slight concentration it took to squelch his presence.
"Thank you, Aldenaxk, I will put it to good use."
She placed it in a small box from her personal luggage and set it aside.

"My magic is similar. It's not blood magic but my magic resides within my bloodline and is carried down through my bloodline from my mother. My mother was a witch and a green hag, and so I've inherited her natural gift for magic."
She held out her hand palm up and a green glow of energy coalesced a few inches above her skin.
"This is the simple raw form of magic, through incantations and somatic gestures I can change its composition and effect."
With a quick gesture and a grunted word in an unintelligible tongue that soft energy turned into a crackling emerald colored torch flame. But instead of heat it seemed to radiate a snapping cold.

"For me magic is a media, an art form of potential bound only by my imagination and physical capacity."
She closed her hand and the freezing flame snuffed out.

 

[Aidenzak]

Alden watches her magic thoughtfully. "I could likely learn other sorts of magic on my part, probably would be beneficial to be honest. My magic, in general, is fueled by blood. Be it mine, or someone else's. So the second I make someone bleed in battle, if they're bleeding enough, the fight's already over. Mind you....they have to be bleeding quite a lot since..." He shrugs. "Regular human blood doesn't go as far in the price of magic as elder blood does."

He gestures to the small box she had placed his gift in. "A small drop from that is enough to boost a fire spell to the point of blowing a hole in a building. If you can already do that without the boost? Then it'll boost the spell even further. Warning though...the first time you use it...you'll hear voices. Don't listen to them, and forget them as soon as you can. Those words ain't meant for the mortal mind to hear, and trying to remember them will corrode your mind like rust corrodes metal. Your mind will want it gone, and you'll forget it fast, like waking up from a dream. Basically, use the blood sparingly, and be careful when you do." He seems gravely serious.

"I agree that magic is an art...But I'd rather not delve too deep into blood magic. Some have the stomach to do what needs to be done in order to research blood magic. Me personally? I don't. You get to a point where you need test subjects...and that's where it goes wrong. I'll leave that sorta screwed up magic research to our elven friends in the underrealms."

Alexandria Viacian