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| Thread: HFC: A Blithesome Feast | |
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Lord-Kilburn
Tavern Dweller
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posted March 21, 2006 02:39 AM |
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HFC: A Blithesome Feast
A Blithesome Feast
The sound of skeletal fingers drumming on the granite arm of the throne echoed throughout the crypt. The undead lord was bored out of his mind, one hand supporting his ample skull, the other drumming irritatingly. Hope ceased to shine on this obscure Necropolis. With legions of knights approaching rapidly, it was only a matter of time before this once dreaded city would crumble under the mighty fist of man.
***
The undead lord started as an ambitious mage, lusting a way to further his magical abilities until he met his tutor, a powerful necromancer plainly known as Zoltan. Immediately relinquishing his life to acquire powers no wizard could ever dream of possessing, he dedicated his life to the undead. The Necromancers, having invaded the Academy which once sheltered him, saw great potential in him and gave him a small parcel of land intended to be developed with his talents. He quickly proved to be a skilled vassal by raising hordes of undead troops which he used to erect a dominating Necropolis with its towering spires thrusting through the emerald clouds, cryptic dwellings swarming with obscure fiends and blood-stained fortifications emanating thick pestilent fumes. As his powers, both over might and magic, flourished, the undead lord’s ambition and lust would grow increasingly dreaded, to the satisfaction of his superiors. He soon grew so ambitious that he would legitimately refuse to take any orders from anyone but his godly self. Infuriated, other Necromancers saw him as a threat and decided that he could no longer hold what they had gifted him with. To their surprise, the lord proved to be more than a worthy adversary by eradicating anyone that would stand in his path to supremacy.
But now, everything was over; no faction could withstand the wrath of the knights. He would stand a chance against them if it weren’t for his failed, overambitious attempt to launch a massive invasion against his foes. Yes, he once tried what every Necromancer dreams of, ending all life with him as the supreme ruler. Unfortunately, he had the irritating habit of letting his sheer lust and pride blind him from the truth. The results of this faux pas were the near annihilation of his once grand army and the loss of his numerous outposts.
***
A hooded imp rushed into the throne room, jostling the skeletal guards that were attempting to restrain his movements in vain. As the guards surrounded the intruder, preparing to take him away to the slaughterhouse where he would be made into a mindless undead slave, he spoke out, “ Hear me my lord, I mean you no threat for how could such an innocuous fiend harm a fabled Necromancer such as you?” A broad grin appeared on the lord’s skinless visage, revealing that the words, although bluntly spoken, had caressed his ego.
Lifeless words slowly dropped from the Necromancer’s morbid speech:
-Speak feeble one; if what you hold is of true value to me I might spare your worthless life.
-I bring you news from the Demon Sovereign himself, the words were hastily muttered but they seemed to hold the lord’s attention, great festivities have been organised to entertain the troops before launching a mighty invasion against the loathsome humans! Since the vast plains adjacent to your castle happen to be where the games will be held and considering the friendly relations between undead and demon, the Sovereign would be delighted if your troops could participate in the festivities.
-It seems I have no choice but to spare your life, the words echoed with a malicious joy, tell your Sovereign that it would be an honour for the Undead to join the renowned, yet bloody, games held by the savage demons.
The imp skipped out of the room, chanting what sounded like a folkloric demon song for its inaudible, rancid shrieks.
Festivities held by demons are nothing close to the ordinary; when the host gives the order to begin, they savagely massacre each other for hours before feasting on the carcasses once their lust is appeased. Those games were depicted by living and undead alike but the grim lord knew that they were used to strengthen the troops as well as their morale. Demons surviving the festivities would become unstoppable while those that never tasted blood would never lust it in the way the hardened ones did. Those demons were truly smarter than they looked but not smarter than him, he thought with his grim smile turning into a nefarious laugh.
The undead lord hastily summoned his generals to introduce his diabolical plan: once the demons were weakened from their savage battles, they would take them off guard, slaying what remained of them and using the corpses to raise hordes of undead troops to replenish their army and counter the menacing knights! The plan was truly remarkable; they would kill two birds with one stone!
As he marched through the plains with what remained of his army, he scrutinised the flawless plan in his mind repeatedly, sounding more amusing each time. His troops remained at a fair distance from the swarms of demons to make sure they would only kill themselves and not his troops. The ranks were meticulously aligned with the undead warriors readied for the attack and prepared to repel any demon that might wander off, lusting fetid bones.
The demons, abnormally agitated, had not yet started the massacre but seemed to be gathering at some place, rushing in groups in a disorderly fashion. After a brief duration of what appeared to be a preliminary ritual, the demon sovereign rose from his throne and lifted mightily his muscular arm, pointing his clenched, blood-red fist towards the fouled clouds. The hordes reacted violently to his gesture by blaring ambiguous cheers and by shaking about their fists in a brief but menacing manner. The Sovereign then uttered a brusque scream which seemed to indicate the beginning of the festivities. It was what the Necromancer had impatiently waited for! In a quick gesture, he commanded his troops to ready their weapons for the moment they lusted for so long.
Blinded by his lust once more, he could not see that the demons were not about to slaughter themselves but his troops. As the demons swarmed the awestruck Necromancer and his troops, the hooded imp leaped joyfully to his master. Before the imp could express his request, the Sovereign dropped a bag of gold at his feet and uttered the pervasively disheartening words, “Admirable work; there is nothing like the feeling of pounding frigid, lifeless bones to harden the lust of our hungered troops while minimising losses! Unfortunately, I doubt there are enough warriors to satisfy the lustful demons; you are required to pursue your quest, malicious one.”
As the deafening shrill of an imp’s voice pierces through the echo of drumming fingers, the hungered demons ready themselves for a blithesome feast.
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baklava
Honorable
Legendary Hero
Mostly harmless
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posted March 26, 2006 05:54 PM |
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Uhm... I don't think even the demons could eat the undead. And you could think about changing the name of the necromancer's mentor, cause Zoltan is... let me put it this way... inappropriate
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"Let me tell you what the blues
is. When you ain't got no
money,
you got the blues."
Howlin Wolf
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Echo_
Tavern Dweller
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posted March 27, 2006 02:46 AM |
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A few things.
Nice job establishing the main character in the beginning but your story has a major flaw.
The timeline states:
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813-822 YSD: War of the Broken Staff
The Necromancers attempt to crush the newborn Silver League but the Wizards gain the upper hand and invade Heresh. The Necromancers are utterly defeated and their kingdom shattered.
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It says the Wizards invade not the Knights like in your story but don't worry that's easily fixed.
Also, you should use quotes when a character speaks. It got kind of confusing when your Necromancer spoke and then you put description. I had to read it again to realize what was happening.
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Lord-Kilburn
Tavern Dweller
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posted March 29, 2006 10:54 PM |
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Quote:
Uhm... I don't think even the demons could eat the undead.
I never wrote that demons ate any undead. The term "feasting" is employed metaphorically. They take pleasure in killing their foes and feast upon this to fuel their lust.
Quote:
And you could think about changing the name of the necromancer's mentor, cause Zoltan is... let me put it this way... inappropriate
What is so inappropriate with Zoltan? He is an actual necromancer from the H5 game that resents wizard. I couldn't ask for an even more adequate hero.
Quote:
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813-822 YSD: War of the Broken Staff
The Necromancers attempt to crush the newborn Silver League but the Wizards gain the upper hand and invade Heresh. The Necromancers are utterly defeated and their kingdom shattered.
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This story isn't based on major events in Ashan; it is based on undirectly related feuds. Take the stories that went with each map(in the single player mode)of Heroes 3. I'm certain knights and necromancers can happen to wage battle together even if it's not related to the main storyline.
Thanks for the feedback and feel free to add more.
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baklava
Honorable
Legendary Hero
Mostly harmless
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posted March 30, 2006 08:41 PM |
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Well, if the feast is a metaphore for a fight, why wouldn't demons simply fight Haven or the elves? It would even be better that they kill each other in some sort of arenas, I think that would be more realistic then this. I mean, it's simply unbelievable that they attacked the undead.
By the way, I didn't know that Zoltan is an actual hero name. I guess it makes sense then. But it still sounds like a name for a Martian or something
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