ROLEPLAY HQ - demon-is-savior

It was a perfect plan. We could stop the Amantari tribe from attacking us and stealing more of our women, if it worked. It was a mark of how desperate we were that we were even willing to try. The Amantari had already taken so many of us to sacrifice to their gods, we were barely surviving. It didn't matter how far we ran, they just kept hunting us down. But now the medicine chief had found a ritual, carved inside of the ancient temple and shut away for who knows how long. He said it was to dangerous. It could go wrong. It could destroy our whole tribe. Then the Amantari had attacked again, and his wife had been taken. The ritual required a person be offered, to replace the being It would summon, we had assumed. Nobody was willing to be that person. So I volunteered. My father had, of course, protested but it was easy to shut him down when I pointed out that if the Amantari came again, I would probably be taken anyway. So here I kneel, naked, painted with the blood of a viper in arcane symbols. Black stones on white sand form more arcane symbols in a circle around me. The medicine chief had told me the part I must perform, and I did so flawlessly. Now, I was to wait.

13:18

@Rei

Tul!auto "Tanisha" #demon-is-savior

Now automatically proxying messages in channel #demon-is-savior with 'Tanisha'. To disable autoproxy, use tul!auto off.

Tul!auto "Ahzidal" #demon-is-savior

Now automatically proxying messages in channel #demon-is-savior with 'Ahzidal'. To disable autoproxy, use tul!auto off.

It started with a spark, as wispy green flames trace a path between the obsidian black stones strewn around her. For a moment, a feeling as though she were being watched- no, scrutinized, presses Tanisha was the ghastly emerald flames burn off the viper blood from her body. It hurt only for an instant, as if it had been hastily ripped from her skin, leaving pale red shadows in their place. "Nicely done." A gravelly voice calls out from the shadows all around them at once. "All that trouble to summon me, why?" The flames swirl before the kneeling woman as a tall figure materializes within. The flames wrap around the figure, fading into it, leaving only a beastly man to sit before her. His serpentine tail flexes and thumps the sand heavily as he observes the woman who had called him here. @reddeR

"I... We need help. We are dying. The Amantari have hunted us, sacrificed us to their own God. We were over three thousand warriors, just a year ago! Now we have less than one hundred warriors, and women and children, and we are still being hunted! I've... I've summoned you to help us!" I try not to stumble or stutter over the words. I don't want to ruin my people's last chance of surviving. Everyone's hopes are in my ability to summon this being, and convince him to help us. "Whatever price you demand, dark lord, we shall glady produce. Please, I'm begging you, help us!" @Rei

He snorts and leans in, his gaze still holding on her. He was summoned for simple bloodshed? Not that he would complain much, but does she understand what was involved in the ritual she had just performed in such delightful detail? The sound of cracking joints ring out as he rolls his shoulders and bends his neck. Standing to his full height, he towers over the girl. "Very well." @reddeR

"you... You'll help us?" I say incredulously, "we will do anything it takes, I am... I am the sacrifice you demand. Please, accept our offering, save my people from the Amantari blood letters! We offer ourselves to you, that we will not be sacrificed to their god. He is not our god... You are, dark lord." Well, he may not be just yet, but the entire tribe will be easily persuaded to bow to this new diety. Our own God has failed us this past year. They are eager to find a god who will give them the revenge they crave. Not a single survivor has not lost someone, many someones, dear to them. My own mother was the first of their sacrifices. They made sure we could all see as their shaman made a cut to her abdomen, just under her ribs, and worked the blade up into her chest, then, using his bare hand, ripped out her heart and offered it to their diety. Her blood ran down their temple steps, and they just let her body fall down them as well, sickeningly. She only fell about halfway. By the end of that day, there were many sacrifices made. My people had only just begun to learn of the ruthlessness of the Amantari. @Rei

•••°TRIGGER WARNING°••• Blood, violence, gore, demonic sacrificing, adult content, and more to be determined

That wouldn't do at all. Not only is she the one he is now bound to, but lacks the quantity of life essence, blood, that he would need to nourish himself in this moment. The beast lets out dissatisfied huff before looking around. One of these mortals surely had to have what he needed. To take more than one at a time would be wasteful. There. His gaze locks onto a middle-aged male standing just outside the room. The beast stands, towering above the woman kneeling before him, and points to the man. "Come." His deep, voice seemingly reverberating in the air as the man turns, stumbling into the room as if compelled to approach. With a low growl, the beast thrusts its hand into the man's chest, griping his heart, and drains his blood with a pulse of arcane power. "May you find comfort in the honor of this sacrifice." After draining the life blood from the body, the beast removes his hand, letting out a deep guttural roar as the body collapses as an empty husk. "I am Ahzidal! I accept your request. Tell me more about these... Amantari." @reddeR

I watch the man die with the demon's hand inside of his chest and my heart races. I look up at him with shock and ... Awe. A fervent hope comes over me. "Oh great one, the Amantari have plagued us for the past year. They had been just a small jungle tribe, but then their new shaman began making sacrifices to a new god. The Amantari became ruthless. They tricked us, and killed my mother as the first sacrifice. They have built a temple to honor their god where our once proud city stood. They've hunted us like dogs. They just keep coming. They are determined to take every last one of us. Our hunters cannot go out alone, for they won't return. Our women are in hiding. The tents are our homes now, and we are not a nomadic tribe. We grow crops, this lifestyle will kill us as surely as the Amantari!" I lower my forehead to the floor as I address him, out of respect for his awesome power. Surely this will be our salvation. My people can have hope once again! "My father, our grand leader, waits with the warriors to greet you, my lord. They wait to swear their oaths to you." I explain. My father waits in the gathering place with the less than a hundred warriors we have left, and the shaman. The women are in hiding, waiting to hear what comes of all of this. There are no children. The children we had have been taken by the Amantari, or died, and none have been born this past year. @Rei

"Then let us join them." He says before looking down to the corpse of the man he had just drained the life from. "Rise." With the same compelling voice, Ahzidal calls out. The corpse responds with a subtle tremor as Ahzidal's magic fills the void within. With unnatural movements, the corpse picks itself up off the ground, standing with unblinking eyes that are filled with a ghastly pale light. "Lead the way, child." Ahzidal's gravely voice does not compel her, but carries an assertiveness to it. He was still unsure if the mortals fully understood what the ritual they had performed involves, but it didn't matter for the moment. @reddeR

I watch with shock as the man I just watched die, rises again. My eyes flick between the demon lord and the walking corpse. I've witnessed true power. With our new savior, I can taste victory already. The Amantari will tremble with fear. We will know victory again, and peace. I walk from the room, leading our new god to the gathering hall, across camp. When I walk through the entrance, my father stands, confusion on his face. "The ritual... Did it fail?" He asks. I meet his eyes and give a small shake of my head. He only looks more confused. "Warriors, father, shaman, I have seen his power with my own eyes. Our salvation has come! The Amantari will cower and fear our name! Fall to your knees, brothers, and give your souls to our new lord." I announce him before stepping aside and dropping to press my brow into the dirt floor, demonstrating what I expect the warriors to do. @Rei

The beast steps inside followed by the thrall. Letting out a low, guttural hum as he examines the mortals gathered inside. His pale eyes smoldering as they seem to pierce into the very soul of each man they focus on. Unmoved by the reverence but eager to feast, he addresses them. "I, am Ahzidal! You have summoned me here to save you from a doomed existence by your oppressors. I oblige. Should I ever require a sacrifice, take comfort in the honor, for it shall not be in vain." He motions to the thrall that stands beside him, its empty eyes aglow with Ahzidal's arcane power. He raises a fist. "Your enemy's blood will fuel their demise!" @reddeR

As the implications of his words sink in, an elated warcry rises from the warriors. They are few, less than a hundred strong, but with every kill they will grow stronger. Death will not mean they can no longer fight to protect their people. They will turn their fallen enemies against them. The warriors are easily swayed, and when my father steps forward to go to his knees and press his brow against the floor, and swear himself to this new diety, the warriors are quick to follow suit. I watch with pride as my tribe ensures the continuation of our people through our new dark lord. What does it matter if our own souls are damned? Our tribe will continue, we will show these Amantari what happens when they push us to far. We have been running for to long. Now we will turn and strike, and the Amantari will fall as quickly as they have risen. The only one who hesitates to kneel is the shaman. He slips out of the gathering hall before my father swears himself to our savior by a back entrance. I wonder if he intends to create problems for the great one. @Rei

"Now, take rest, and ready yourselves. For we spill blood at first light!" Ahzidal's gravely voice didn't require use of his arcane powers of compulsion to rally these mortals to the task of bloodshed. A low, throaty hum of satisfaction escapes him at the thought of the wealth of lifeblood he will have soon. Without another word, Ahzidal walks forward and takes a seat at the head of the room, presumably where the chieftain normally would. Given the carelessness in how they had summoned him here, he doubted any of them would stand in his way. The thrall takes position by the door. the pale glow of it's unblinking eyes creates an unnerving sight of the undead sentry. @reddeR

Uncertain of my own place, I choose to go where I most want to be. As soon as he is seated I move to be seated beside him, on my knees on the dirt floor. I don't touch him. I don't know if that is allowed. I look up at him reverantly. There is a dark hunger in my eyes. A thirst for the power he dangles before me so casually. Of any of my people, I am the one who is most convinced that he will be our savior. He will make us great again. There is no room for any kind of doubt in my heart. I know he is what we have been begging the gods for. We were just asking the wrong gods. As the warriors hasten to follow his orders, it's clear they have hope that this will be what they have so needed. They have much boosted moral, which will serve them well. They are pleased that the ceremony worked. It helps them to feel like things are going right for once. They smile, something I haven't seen on the faces of our warriors since the Amantari's first attack. Gradually, the large, domed gathering hall, little more l than a large version of the small, domed, hide and stick tents we have lived out of for the past year, since the Amantari laid seige to our city. I stay at his side, ready to serve him should he have need of anything at all. Its my place after all, and how else to show my reverence than to be available at his least whim. I'm burning with questions, but I hold them for now. Soon the gathering place is empty, even my father has bid us goodnight, and thanked him, and sang his praises. In the dark and quiet of the empty tent, for only one torch was left burning, I look up at my new god and fear him, and love him. He is truly a great being. He will bring us victory. My servitude, my life, is a small price to pay for the survival of my people. "Oh great, dark lord, how many I serve you, that you want for nothing? Anything you want, I will see you it that it is yours. Just speak your wish." @Rei

Looking at the girl, he gives a throaty hum before answering. "Let us start with a meal. Not a feast, that will be for later." While the though of engorging himself on food was enticing, he did not require it to survive. She, on the other hand, did. Being his anchor to this world, he needed her to be fed and healthy. Otherwise, their wishes and his own would not be fulfilled. How long has it been since he last walked this mortal realm? It was all hardly familiar, but the blood didn't lie. @reddeR

"I will see what we have available, my lord." I say, then quickly rise and leave through the same door the shaman had taken earlier. I quickly walk to another large tent structure. It's dismally empty in this open storage space. There is one large bag of grains, and a small deer that was recently hunted. Several baskets of foraged goods. This all we have. At least our clan is much smaller than it was. We are able to forrage for our needs during the day, although the Amantari are always hunting us, it seems. I use my knife to take half of the deer - really no more than a foal - and find some root vegetables in the baskets. I stop at the communal fire and further butcher the deer until I have a few steaks. The rest of the meat is quickly claimed by others who have yet to eat. I cook the meat and tubers on a flat stone, and place it on a wooden plate. Then I grab another couple of wooden plates and make my way back to the gathering place, unsure of what to expect when I get there. I wasn't gone more than an hour, but I couldn't stop thinking of him. Ahzidal. Our savior. I've seen his power with my own eyes, seen him kill so easily, and turn the body into a puppet. It intrigues me. I should be terrified, but I find the power he weilds to be fascinating. Alluring. Exciting. He will save us all. I'm eager and excited for our future. When I reach the gathering place I walk through the door and my eyes seek him immediately. I become more aware of myself when I know he can see me. I move more carefully. I find myself thinking of the things my mother told me about how a woman should behave. I place my feet one in front of the other when I walk, and keep my posture straight. As I serve the food I am careful to keep my hair behind me, to show my neck, and pull my sleeves aside carefully to show my wrists. I keep my eyes on him, giving him my attention. I don't know why I am doing these thing, flirting with our dark lord. I don't even know if he is interested in human

18:40

women. I feel rather presumptuous. However, I feel I should present myself as best I can to this entity. I would not want to be rude, disrespectful, or insulting by showing poor manners or disinterest. I serve his food and seat myself nearby. I do collect foor for myself, but it is tradition in my clan that men eat their meal first. "I hope it is sufficient, my lord. I appologize for taking so long." I say nervously. It's was really the only option, so if he doesn't, I don't know what I will serve instead. @Rei

Taking a steak with his bare hand, Ahzidal takes a bite. Tearing off a piece with a pull and a jerk of his head. As he chews, he gives a satisfied nod. The tip of his tail rolling side to side idly as he eats. Noticing the woman, he motions for her to eat as well. The concept of physical beauty wasn't lost on him, but it didn't come close to what he considered to be exquisite. While mortals would find it foreign, it was the scent of blood, the pounding rhythm of a heart, that allured him. This young woman's scent was sweet. The fluttering beat of her heart like music to his ears as her eyes beheld him. "You did well, this will do nicely." He says, offering reassurance to the anxious woman beside him. Her eagerness clear to him. @reddeR

I lower my head as he signals to me to eat. I use my blade to cut pieces of meat and transfer them to my mouth. The steak is good. The deer was young, it's meat tender and flavorful. He voices his approval and I nod. I'm glad he approves. Cooking is something both men and women do in this clan, but nobody can expect our dark lord to settle for the plain fare most of us eat. I offered him the best we have, prepared as best I could, and he found it suitable. I eat my own fairly quickly. I've got other things on my mind than savoring the cut of meat. My focus remains on this powerful being I'm dining with. "Great Ahzidal, what do you need from me? How can I best serve you? Please, I beg you, I only need to know what you wish of me, and it will be done. I am yours, to command as you please. Anything you require is my duty to provide." I need to know what to do, to make sure he has all that he needs to bring us our victory and liberation from the Amantari. I summoned him believing it would cost me my life. I am still ready to give it, should he require it. @Rei