Western Brisshal Undead Upgrades

[Lucia Mierz]

It had been a while coming for Lucia, most of her undead had reached their peak, their limit so to speak. While some might argue that AI in the game was limitless and could continue to grow, what she meant was more the amount of power she could offer them from herself instead. Most of them had achieved at least near-perfection and there was little she could do to further evolve them from their current state-- At least, that went for most of them. There remained one among her most active four that hadn't yet reached her peak. "How much wood are we going to need? This is almost a quarter million pounds of lumber." Lucia murmured as she observed the collection of wood in front of her. What was once a simple clearing had become chopped and carved wood, each piece looked as if it were made carefully for building, but was haphazardly thrown into a pile as if it was intended for burning.

"Aye, She'll be needing four times that. The vengeance ain't the type to be all delicate-like." Lucia was answered by the incomplete creature herself. Still limping on dry land, torn and damaged here and there, half of a face eaten away, a cigar in what was left of a mostly eaten hand as well. Every drag on the smoke poured out of the open cheek and the few holes featured in the undead's chest as it spoke. "She was a real sight tho Miss... Greatest ship what ever set sail, member a the family see? She took care a me, so we gotta do right by her, mhm." The zombified pirate spoke, voice gravely and hoarse, though her burning hair flickered hanging down from her head licking at her shoulders and coat, sapphire gems rolled around in her eye sockets as she examined the work being done.

It was something that brought Lucia some amount of pain. Even now the lower level workers she summoned were moving to and fro in an effort to pile, cut and trim wood down to properly facilitate the work. They piled it up roughly and occasionally a corpse was even dragged in, from an animal or a monster and tossed onto the pile as well to bleed out over it, allowing flesh and bone to mix with the pile. "This is a different kind of project from Sylvanas, but I suppose it's the best way to build you up." Lucia couldn't help feeling bitter, it was quite a lot of work to accomplish this laborious task even if she wasn't the one doing the manual labor, it did halt some of her other projects to try and repair the drowned pirate. "I just hope we can get it done before the next big problem occurs.

@Caelia Etterni

 

[Caelia Etterni]

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Caelia had been watching curiously for a time. On the outside of the clearing, cloaked in shadow, she watched the creatures as they moved about the area. She'd not seen summons like these before, so she just...watched, curiosity getting the better of her. What sort of magic had been wrought to bring these things to life, she wondered? Her gaze traveled towards the woman she could see standing off to one side, a zombified figure lingering at her side. A pirate? That's kind of what it looked like...

She gasped softly as the tree she was using as shade suddenly started to tremble. She tried to move out of the way of the workers as they started to hack at it without being seen, but as she left the shadow of the trunk, she was revealed. One of the creatures rumbled and grabbed at her, starting to pull her out into the clearing proper.

No, no, there's no need for - Oh, well, I guess we're going, okay. Um. Hello! I'm Caelia, I hope you don't mind I was watching your little...operation.

She called out to the woman as she was made visible, smiling a bit sheepishly as the worker pulled her over towards @Lucia Mierz .

It's very curious, what they're doing. Are you controlling all of them?

 

[Lucia Mierz]

Lucia's workers were typically mindless puppets, when given a task unless they received another they'd rarely deviate except to defend themselves. In Caelia's case, the few guards with the task of keeping watch for monsters managed to find and grab her during the work process. A bit of a higher level then the mindless drones, the Paladin guards could reason, think even risk analyze and talk. When Caelia introduced herself, Lucia wore a charming smile, unbefitting for a dark mage/necromancer. "I'm Lucia Mierz. It's alright if you want to watch, I wouldn't recommend hiding though, particularly when i'm within line of sight." Lucia tried to caution for next time. All of her undead became particularly jumpy when Lucia's well being was on the line. Fortunately it hadn't been Mortimer at her side and was instead Morgana or else things may have ended up a bit dicier.

"I guess you could say I'm controlling some of them though. Most of them are simple minded workers who need the guidance... Others though." She spoke, glancing towards the drowned pirate with a smile. The saphire gems in the undead's eye sockets turned in her direction, watching Caelia's approach. Bringing her cigar back to the side of her face that still had lips, the Zombie took a long drag before speaking. "Aye, the Miss doesn't need to keep us all on so tight a leash see. Some'a us get along on our own real smart-like. Busy little bees we be." The woman laughed, hoarse and gravely laughter, not sure if the woman took her for the same kind of mindless variety that was out there chopping wood.

@Caelia Etterni

 

[Caelia Etterni]

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Caelia wasn't expecting the kind smile and warm demeanor of the mage she was led to, considering the company she kept. The Faerin returned the smile warmly, though, glad to see she must certainly be in good company. She moved to stand beside Lucia to watch her operation as the drones moved about, eyes wide with a curious gleam. As the pirate spoke, her eyes widened further, a small gasp escaping her.

You talk! Oh, I'm sorry, that seemed rude. Of course you talk, you seem very capable of talking. Well, Lucia, this is very impressive. What in the world are you doing though, cutting down all this lumber? Surely one person doesn't need so much wood in their lifetime...

She spoke genuinely, an air of candor to her words. She bounced slightly on her toes, rocking a little bit as she waited to hear the answer. She kept stealing glances at the drowned pirate.

@Lucia Mierz

 

[Lucia Mierz]

Lucia nodded along, it was certainly an unusual amount, even she had her own complaints about it but it was unfortunately a necessary sacrifice. Tilting her head up, she cracked a gentle smile as she asked patiently and contently. "A rather complex question if you think about it. The short answer is I'm trying to evolve my friend here. Hopefully this will be enough for her to match her peers." She spoke gesturing to the undead pirate beside her. Of course the drowned pirate would take a long drag from her cigar while Lucia spoke, clearly enraptured by the work being done more then the normal living pair were.

"As for the long answer. I suppose that would require explaining the nature of a Necrofex and it's origins. Normally born from flesh and blood of a crew fused with the sunken remains of their ship. You could say we're going to artificially recreate that process unnaturally." Lucia explained as more planks and lumber was piled on, occasionally more corpses were even dragged over from the woods and piled on as well. Unfortunately the work scope was a lot larger then she was used to, at least her other summons hadn't required so much work for an evolution after all.

Of course seeing the girl so excited to watch the process Lucia couldn't help chuckling slightly shaking her head slowly. "Is it so interesting? Do you not also endeavor to upgrade yourself and grow?" She asked with a reassuring expression despite knowing most probably didn't. Content with merely getting better masteries and better equipment, few tried to achieve the kind of growths Lucia looked for.

@Caelia Etterni

 

[Caelia Etterni]

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Caelia was just a tad lost as Lucia started to explain the more long winded version of her answer. Necrofex? Before she could ask, though, the conversation was moving on, like a branch being pulled down a river current. Never stopping, just gently progressing. She shrugged a little in response to Lucia's question, still rocking on her toes slightly with her hands clasped behind her back.

I mean, I suppose I want to upgrade myself and grow, yes, but there's a limit, isn't there? Eventually I'll hit the ceiling and won't be able to go farther... Unless the limit can be broken?

She looked up at Lucia, a curious glint in her eyes.

What about you? Have you found your limit, or are you still growing? Judging from the summons you have here, I don't think you're a new player to Terrasphere, so I assume you'd had some experience from before...

@Lucia Mierz

 

[Lucia Mierz]

With a modest smile, Lucia shook her head when it came to the word 'limit'. Certainly there was from a perspective, but in the end it depended on how one operated in the game. "I'd suppose that would depend on what you consider growth? If you're considering purely damage output and hp bars, certainly there's a limit, one that isn't easily overcome either. I wouldn't say it's impossible though." Lucia offered, her Coven ring had been an example of such an upgrade once upon a time after all.

"I'm more referring to horizontal growth, after all while there's a limit to vertical climb there's virtually no limit to horizontal expansion. Exploring your own masteries, how they can blend and fuse, what's possible with them. Exploring how best to structure these powers in your body or manifest them in reality. Building a life or experience for yourself in game and really immersing yourself as a person rather then a character-- All of these things you could say are upgrades and growths in their own rite. Much in the same way my friend's evolution here might not make my numbers bigger but will expand my options." Lucia offered patiently. Sure, Lucia couldn't drag every unit of her undead groups into an event or combat scenario but that didn't make them valueless as they offered her different methods of interacting with the world.

@Caelia Etterni

 

[Caelia Etterni]

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The smaller Faerin listened curiously as Lucia explained her views so openly. She'd not run into a player quite like this before, who saw the game as more than just HP bars and damage output. Well, that wasn't quite right. Everyone she'd met thought of it as more than that, but they still focused on their power growth. Hell, even Caelia had fallen to the trap of pushing her masteries to grow them vertically as quickly as possible.

Horizontal growth, though... That was a curious option. She hummed quietly, head tilting ever so slightly to one side as she considered it.

How do you blend your masteries together? I'm just curious, since you seem to have such a good handle on... (gestures vaguely) ...all of this. It must take a great amount of skill, I would think.

She sighed a bit, looking out over the drones as they worked. She'd not really considered how to blend her magic together in ways before... Maybe she should find some libraries and study it, see if it was possible.

There was always experimentation, too...

@Lucia Mierz

 

[Lucia Mierz]

Lucia hummed in thought, the compliment was nice, but Lucia wasn't quite so sure about the validity of it. Instead, she maintained a charming smile and shook her head trying to give the impression that it wasn't so big a deal. "I suppose it's less of a skill cap and instead more of a creativity requirement you see. It's all in how you can weave them together, as if each one were an individual thread you were weaving into a tapestry." Lucia tried to explain, though it was a metaphor as opposed to a detailed explanation.

"For example, if you look at my Kit mm? I started with Dark Magic, wove that into Animancy to make necromancy. I wove that into Summoning to strengthen their sentience and sense of self for individuality, then wove that into Astramancy so they could have more intelligence through the Fate's Weave and provide them with cosmic energy so I don't have to use mana. Then to ensure they don't have weaknesses or vulnerability, along with the fact that I liken myself to a Priestess as opposed to a dark mage, I use Divine Magic to balance and bolster their bodies." Lucia explained patiently. Even now gesturing towards Morgana who was still smoking as if she were the perfect example, each of Lucia's summons from the weakest worker to the strongest Hero, each one was made and sustained with each of her masteries.

"That doesn't mean I can't use my masteries normally, I can use bone magic just fine, dark magic simply enough, but as I said, I can combine each of them, a few of them, pair them, or use them individually~" She punctuated with a small nod as if implying that Caelia could as well if she so chose.

@Caelia Etterni

 

[Caelia Etterni]

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Caelia seemed to be drinking in the information that Lucia was giving so freely, her curious gaze turned up towards the other woman and never wavering except to follow her gestures towards the workers or the pirate. The way she described it all made it sound beautiful, not terrifying like the Landers seemed to think this kind of magic was. After all, wasn't Animancy on the list of taboo magics as well?

I see... I'll have to think more on it myself. I use Dark Magic, Hemomancy, Weapon Arts, and I recently picked up Shadow Magic.

She was silent for a few moments after speaking, her expression deep in thought. Her eyebrows furrowed together slightly, her mind spinning.

So, I've heard about sentient weapons from others... Do you think I could do something like that with Hemomancy, Dark Magic, and Weapon Arts? (pause) I guess you don't have to answer that if you don't want to. Not everyone wants to discuss magical theory with a stranger who they just met, haha... You seem to know a lot though, and I'd really like to know more about my masteries and how best to work them. I... I really want to become stronger, not in just a mechanical sense, you know?

@Lucia Mierz

 

[Lucia Mierz]

With a small chuckle, hearing Caelia's masteries, Lucia couldn't help finding her choices unique at least. She did however see some concerning points that made her bring a hand to her chin as she began to try and consider their possibilities. "You certainly could, but do you use a weapon as a mage?" She would ask bluntly. "If all you're using is a magic weapon like a foci, grimoire or wand and staff, Weapon Arts loses a lot of it's functionality, the benefits from Weapon Arts comes from it's ability to transition freely between weapon and creature to coordinate with you in combat such as an Ego sword and animal companion." Lucia started to explain her thoughts on the matter. "You further lose efficiency without something like Animancy, Beast Arts or Magitech that might create something more complex then a normal familiar with Weapon Arts... at least those are the ones I can think of." Lucia concluded.

Though she didn't want to leave the woman completely in the lurch, trying to dig a bit deeper for ideas, furrowing her brow. "I would recommend a ranged weapon, like knives, or a whip perhaps? give each blade Sentience for a storm of crows, or a whip awareness like a snake or leech. Then they benefit from your other magics, dark magics for crows, hemomancy for snakes or leeches. If you picked up beast taming as well they could be permanent companions as opposed to a transforming weapon, though Magitech or Animancy could ive you a matching result. Shadow magic though... Rogue arts are more difficult to blend with curses, poisons and blood." She tried to offer hoping her advice might be helpful. Caelia was too new of a stranger though, Lucia couldn't gauge how flexible the woman was with her build to offer any more ideas without being too invasive.

@Caelia Etterni

 

[Caelia Etterni]

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Suddenly, Caelia wished she had a notepad or something to write with. Lucia began speaking, explaining things she hadn't even considered before. Did she use a weapon that often? Not really, when she thought about it... She tried to use a weapon a few times, like in the fight with Hanno, but it hadn't seemed as effective as her spell casting. A ranged weapon could certainly work, though, she hadn't even considered something like that before.

I hadn't thought of it like that before... There's so many ways that these things can work together, isn't there? Kind of makes me wish I had really sat down and looked at the possibilities before choosing, I guess... I'm going to make it work for me, though. I'm still happy with what I've chosen, even if they might be strange to work together!

She smiled up at Lucia, clasping her hands behind her back. The mage - er, priestess, that's what she'd said she wanted to be, right? - was certainly much more knowledgeable about these things than she was.

Where did you learn so much about all the types of magic? I've been trying to find more books and things to study, but it seems like books are a rarity in some places... A lot of what I've learned has been word of mouth, and I can't exactly ask the Landers about dark magic...

@Lucia Mierz

 

[Lucia Mierz]

Lucia chuckled, reaching a hand up to pat the girl's head if she didn't fight or retreat from the gesture. It wasn't a bad thing after all to have come in not knowing anything, most were like that, Lucia included. It all depended on how one eventually grew and developed after realizing that was important. "I developed a special way to level up, so while others are grinding away killing things for their experience, I have a lot of free time I use to research; Magic, Undead, craftsmanship, civilizations? I've a lot of time to do those sorts of things and investigate the intricacies of magic at least." Lucia spoke with a shrug as if it weren't such a crazy thing. After all, she played the game like an RTS then an MMO, like an RTS, it was her different perspective that allowed her to think and play the way she did.

When asked about Dark magic in particular though, Lucia hummed, a lot of her skills at least had been somewhat self-created after all. Uncertain if this was what Caelia was interested in she couldn't help hesitate as she explained. "A lot of my know how comes from trying not to use the UI, learning a method to manifest magic on my own, building a system of magic inside, creating the structure required for casting. It's a lot of work, but it's better then trying to push a button and effectively pooping out a spell, you learn a lot about your magic by trying to understand how best to create it." Lucia offered not sure how much thought the woman put into her own magic, but most players Lucia met just naively pushed buttons or shouted spell names and expected them to work. Few looked for deeper reasons or explanations or avenues to ensure that they worked.

@Caelia Etterni

 

[Caelia Etterni]

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Caelia didn't flinch away from the head pat, allowing the taller woman to do so with nothing but a small chuckle from herself. There was still that curious look in her eyes as Lucia went on to explain things in more detail. She didn't interrupt, waiting until it was clear the other was done speaking before she tried saying anything at all on the subject.

You built a method from the ground up essentially? That's...really impressive. I might have to take more time to really try and do something like that! I want my magic to be, y'know...really mine. Not a carbon copy of what any other dark mage or person with the same masteries can do.

She had so many questions brimming on the tip of her tongue. How had she done it? Had she written any of it down? Was she willing to teach? Her self-consciousness got the better of her, though, and so she didn't voice any of these questions.

Did you do that for all your masteries? The whole building them up yourself thing, that is.

@Lucia Mierz

 

[Lucia Mierz]

Chuckling a little at the girl's excitement, Lucia nodded along. She'd certainly worked on them all building them up, but Caelia seemed to misunderstand. "The structure of my power, you could say, I certainly did spend time building it all up, but Masteries are just the pieces that I fit together within it. It'd be better to think of my 'abilities' as the whole that masteries, my system, my summons, my knowledge are all sort of a part of, each part performing in concert with the others to create what I can do." She'd offer with a small nod, but if Caelia seemed lost at all, Lucia would rub her head wondering how to break it down further. Normally she'd be giving a lecture like this to her cute loves or partners after all, it wasn't every day she sat down with a stranger to lecture them on the importance of horizontal growth.

"For me you could say, my origin is balance, while it wasn't always that way, that's how it's settled at this point. I wield the power of a vice and a virtue, great Envy and great Love." Lucia explained gesturing to her own head tapping her fingers to it, at Envy, then her own heart at love. "When I want to grind experience, I pull magic from these two zones, dark and light, and make them clash and fight in my body. It costs a lot of energy, but it means I can level up here when reading, or eating, or watching my people work. And when I do need to fight, I blend them together, like oxygen and gasoline, and they spark creating the power and force I use for magic, like one would see in a fuel injected motor." Lucia tried to explain her system. Even now at points in her body forces of light and dark occasionally clashed, being mindful of her energy consumption without rushing naturally.

"Using Light and Dark Magic as fuel, I balance them further with Animancy for my own body, flesh, muscle, bone, organs so they won't be damaged when those forces clash. And Astramancy to guide my fate, fortune, and spirit through a connection to the Fate's Weave giving them other areas to clash and exert their influence. And lastly, you could say Summoning is the end result of all of these things, the resulting balanced force is exerted on them and through them, much like the creation of this necrofex we're working on." Lucia tried to put a nice bow on her explanation hoping it was easy to understand. Though she naturally invested far too much energy and thought into her abilities, she was a veteran, she operated and acted as such. It was natural for her power to be deeply involved and fleshed out with how long she'd been around, and how much she'd considered the game it's own world rather then some type of point and click MMO.

@Caelia Etterni

 

[Caelia Etterni]

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Caelia nodded slowly as Lucia started to explain. To be completely honest, some of it was going over her head, but she was at least listening and trying to retain the information she was being told! Lucia's explanation made sense, in a way, but it was also complicated enough that she knew she would misremember pieces of it if she tried. Still, it was amazing to hear the other woman explain her magics so concisely.

You've really put a lot of work into this, haven't you? I'm impressed. I'll have to do a lot more work before I'm anywhere close to the level of competent you seem to be at, haha!

She smiled up at Lucia, her tone genuine and kind.

Like I said, I'm still learning a lot about my own magics and what they can do... Maybe I'll drop weapon arts for something else, though, something that makes more sense. I'm not sure what I would take, but there's options, or I can just wait and see what feels right, yeah?

She looked back out over where the drones were working, still smiling ever so slightly.

I'd like to be as confident in my capabilities as you seem to be, one day.

@Lucia Mierz

 

[Lucia Mierz]

Lucia nodded, a warm smile on her face that the girl seemed to understand the depth of her efforts. It had taken a long time to get where she was, to understand and work without the UI. Lucia had put a lot of time and effort into becoming a person of the game as opposed to someone just playing in the world. "It's something gradually built up over time. Starting small is the most important, and understanding how each of your building blocks you're given matches and compliments one another." Lucia explained with a small nod, glad her efforts impressed but also making an attempt at being modest with her achievements.

Thinking on the girl's opinion though, Lucia tilted her head before nodded. "Mm. If you were to drop it, I would recommend summoning if you want sentient companionship, Summoning can be seen as a more magical version to the physical weapon arts." Lucia tried to offer. If what she wanted was companionship in combat and assistance, Summons could do the job of a Sentient weapon. While Lucia wasn't sure what type of being she might be summoning as a summoner herself she understood the potential with it considering how her animancy allowed her her wave motion tactics.

Though when told she seemed confident, Lucia couldn't help a more bitter response. She was hardly confident, hiding away in the woods, reinforcing herself with no intention of fighting for her life like others. She was scared as opposed to confident, she was very aware of her abilities and how lacking they were. "You can never be confident in your abilities in this place. In a world that restrains your abilities in certain zones and against certain opponents, you can never be sure what you're allowed to use or not when the stakes are high." Lucia explained her fear of events. "And you only get two lives..." She added with a glance, making sure Caelia knew well that there were only two second chances before one paid the price.

@Caelia Etterni

 

[Caelia Etterni]

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The small Faerin woman wished, again, that she had a notepad or something to write these things down. She'd just have to commit it all to memory, or try to, at least! Maybe she'd been rushing her masteries too much... Would it be better to slow down and understand what she was doing more? It sure sounded like it, if Lucia's word was anything to go by. Maybe she'd have to start really picking things apart to learn why and how it worked.

I'm not sure what I want, to be honest. (small laugh) I'm sure I'll figure it out.

Her bright and cheery demeanor fell slightly as Lucia went on, especially so when she mentioned the lives.

I've heard about that from a few people... I'll be sure to be careful. I've gone on a few quests and stuff already, but that was always with others to help out. I'm not keen on doing anything alone anytime soon, that's for sure.

She nodded a bit to herself as she finished speaking. No, doing things alone was not her cup of tea. She much preferred going on group outings with others.

Thank you for the warning, though. I guess the more I hear about it, the more I think it's not just some veterans trying to haze me...

@Lucia Mierz

 

[Lucia Mierz]

It was understandable, there were just so many options and little to really drive someone to understand exactly what they wanted from the moment they appeared in game. For the first time it was always very intense and unusual, she could sympathize with the woman at the very least. "You'll figure it out, I'm sure. Sometimes it's best to start with one mastery even and build gradually, but the important part is just working on piecing them together until you have a whole." She nodded in an effort to be encouraging.

Though when she talked about what she'd heard, Lucia responded with a bitter expression, it certainly wasn't anything to joke about. "A friend of mine lives with me, a really good girl. She's stuck here, so I know." Lucia explained with a dry expression. She'd seen the worst at least, though she still existed in game, her real body had already passed on. It was a harrowing reality but one that Lucia made sure the girl was aware of at least, Lucia had enough proof to know for certain.

"It's definitely not hazing though... She's one of my knights, she was trapped here while the game was down. So don't write it off, trust me~" Lucia spoke with a wink and a faint smile. Ezra her knight was one she trusted the most after all, but what happened to her was unfair no matter how Lucia looked at it or sliced it. Already dying three times before anyone knew that was the limit the woman had been one of the first to die without even knowing why she couldn't log out.

@Caelia Etterni

 

[Caelia Etterni]

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Caelia took in the bitter expression that Lucia wore and nodded slowly. So definitely not a prank...probably. She was still a little bit skeptical, but she'd heard so much on one side of this, so it was hard to think there was another side to it.

It had to have been hard, being trapped in a game while everyone you might have known was gone... Except the Landers, I suppose, but do they really count? Not that they aren't people, they're just...

Not real people went unsaid between them. Caelia looked away for a moment, her gaze distant as she observed the clearing that Lucia's drones were still working to clear.

Thank you, Lucia, for all the advice. I hadn't thought about a lot of this before... I probably should have. I'm not the best at this type of game, can you tell? (weak laugh) I just thought it looked cool when I heard about it, so I jumped in without really knowing much of what I was getting into...

@Lucia Mierz