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Archive 30 / il-mago-corvo
Triggers: violence, sex, language
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Dietrich Weber BOT 10/27/2023 00:11
You were either born with magic or you weren't — at least that's what the church said. Their definition of 'magic' was quite restrictive, though. Light magic - and all of its subsets - were seen as actual magic whereas dark magic was seen as a curse. A blight. A plague. Those who were born "cursed" were often exiled or, worse, purged. Some survived and fled. Some kept their 'magic' hidden. Dietrich, for his part, had an affinity with magic on both ends. He had been discouraged from using his dark magic at a young age, lest the church catch on. That didn't stop him from practicing in secret. He tried his hand at summonings and curses, but he was not able to execute them. He wanted to learn how to hone this forbidden crafted, but he would find no help in the village. This is what led him to the witch of the woods. It took a lot of investigating, but he had finally tracked her down. As he stood at the door to her cabin, knocking, he paused for a moment. What would he even say? He hadn't exactly rehearsed this... @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 10/27/2023 01:34
Irhostre had been cast out from society long ago, ever since she had been found to be a prodigy of dark magic. Ever since the pork roast her mother had so diligently cooked had risen from its feasting platter and begun dancing for the amusement of the very bored teenage girl. Her parents had tried to hide her, but they had feared her, too. The church had found out anyway. Given her age, they'd tried to turn her toward the light at the College. No talent for it, she'd only honed her darker skills. Reanimations, shadow magic, summonings, curses... no knowledge was forbidden, in her mind. Most would have viewed it as a tragedy, to be exiled from polite society at a young age, all alone. Even she had cried at the time. But that had been long ago, and she was no longer alone. She'd made a home for herself, and the murder of crows she had befriended kept her company. It was rare to find work, but she had a little garden to grow food in, knowledge of what could be foraged to eat, and the occasional coinage that her bird friends would bring her from town, currency and trinkets that had been dropped and forgotten. Often, she sat by the fireplace in her cabin, relaxing in the plush armchair as she wrote in a tome about the results of her latest magic experiment. She didn't know who would ever read it, if anyone. Most likely, her death would bring the church to her home, and the books would burn. But she liked to pretend her knowledge wouldn't die with her. This was how she spent the current day, until a knock on the door drew her attention from her work. She looked up and frowned. Visitors were rare, and not guaranteed to be good. Still, she set the inkwell and book aside. Outside, the crows had gathered on the tree branches to watch the young man arrive. The door creaked open slowly as Irhostre stood in the doorway. She stood tall, around six feet, a figure clad entirely in black with a wide-brimmed hat shading her face and covering her blonde hair.
01:34
She regarded him coolly, a hand behind her back gripping her ritualistic knife just in case. She had her magic, but sometimes a blade was just as eloquent. "Yes?" she prompted. @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 10/27/2023 14:33
Dietrich stood there with a nervous, albeit dopy smile. "Wow, uh, I was expecting, like... not you." He stumbled over his words, shocked at the woman in front of him. "I mean, like, the way people described you around town, you'd think the Witch of the Woods was a hag, but you're gorgeous." He straightened himself and cleared his throat. "Right, uh... I'm here to learn from you." He brought his hands to his side, unsure of what to do with them. He felt awkward in front of the beautiful sorceress. "I'm pretty good at both light and dark magic," he stood back and turned to the side, aiming his hands. He'd practiced this hundreds of times. A simple summoning spell. Just a sprite. He just needed to summon a simple creature. The young sorcerer drew in a breath and exhaled as he forced the magic out from him. There was a crackle as a circle of light formed on the ground. Instead of a sprite, though, a large pumpkin appeared instead. "Dammit..." He sighed under his breath. "Okay, I promise I can do better than that. But I, uh... well, no one in the village will teach me dark magic, so I was hoping you would." @Al
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 10/27/2023 15:51
Irhostre stood still and allowed him to ramble on about her. She'd been called a 'hag' and worse, so that didn't have any particular effect on her. Still, her expression remained supremely unimpressed, pale grey eyes betraying nothing as she observed the awkward young man. Even as he said he was here to learn, she stood still and said nothing, though her grip on the knife behind her back relaxed somewhat. A pumpkin appeared on the ground, and at last her expression changed, corners of her lips turning up in vague amusement. "It seems you are ready for this year's autumn harvest, then." Her voice was a smooth, harmonious alto as she spoke. She sheathed the knife, not bothering to hide the fact that she'd been holding it. The boy seemed harmless. Not an apprentice, though. If he could do light magic, he should do light magic; she was not about to drag someone down by turning him into an outcast like herself. Better he go back to the College, learn church-approved spells, find a nice girl to settle down with, and live a happy life, loved by others around him. Her answer to his request to teach him was, in the end, one word: "No." She closed the door and turned to walk back to her chair. One of the crows outside flew down, landing on the stem of the pumpkin. It made no noise, but tilted its head as it watched the young man. @PhoggyΨυχη
15:51
(I think you tagged the wrong Al.)
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Dietrich Weber BOT 10/27/2023 18:09
"No, no, no, wait! Let me try again!" What had he done wrong? He had been practicing the summoning spell with the hope of impressing her. "Okay, let's try again." Even though she had closed the door and turned away, he would summon something to prove his value. Maybe something that was both a summon and a curse? He furrowed his brow as his mind searched the annals of forbidden knowledge he had amassed. Wraiths were kind of like curses, but were also monsters that could be summoned. But, no, that might be too dangerous. "How about—" As he mused to himself, he was cut off as the pumpkin began to shake and stir. Wooden root-like legs erupted from the sides, followed by hands of a similar make. The pumpkin's features contorted to form a disturbed and angry face. The crow flew up into the air away from the thing as it unsteadily walked over to Dietrich. It awkwardly bowed in front of him and stood at the ready. "Um, miss?" He once more rapped at the door, the pumpkin man standing next to him. "My pumpkin has legs and arms now— and a face." @hALloween (I did! My bad!)
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 10/27/2023 18:30
Irhostre walked toward the small kitchen. The cottage was a simple two-bedroom affair, but still more than she actually needed. When she'd built it - or rather, summoned some wood sprites and the ghost of an architect to build it for her - she'd done so under the illusion that some day she might have a family, or at least occasional guests. A silly dream, in hindsight. The spare bedroom made for good storage space though. For now, she filled a kettle of water and set it on the sink. She would compensate for the minor annoyance with a cup of tea for herself. As another knock sounded at her door, she looked back over her shoulder. What a nuisance. Did he not consider that his actions would have consequences for himself? The crow outside landed on the rooftop and opened its beak, so her voice would project out of it. "Oh, good. Now the fruit can eat you back. Congratulations." She took a cup and saucer from the cupboard, along with a jar of green tealeaves blended with apple and cinnamon. @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 10/27/2023 18:50
He looked at the pumpkin, which looked back at him before shrugging. "But I summoned a spirit! That's dark magic, right?" Dietrich brought his gaze up to the crow and cocked his head to the side as he tried to decipher the magic on display. "Okay, okay. So you need more proof. How about I summon something more intense?" He thought through his options as he dropped to the ground to think. He sat for a moment with his hand on his chin; what could he do? Maybe an imp or a devil? He rose from his seat and held out his hands again, "oh! I know!" He looked around the ground, seemingly following something before he stopped. Me muttered something under his breath and watched as the ground began glowing once more. This glow, however, was a sickly green. The ground shook before a decrepit skeleral hand broke through, climbing up to receive a skeleton. "An undeade? It worked!" @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 10/27/2023 20:06
The crow's beak shut as it watched him thinking, then casting a spell. As the ground glowed, it let out a caw as though alarmed and flew up into the trees. Others circled over his head, keeping several pairs of eyes on him. Visions of what the crows were seeing flashed through Irhostre's mind, flashes of he spell. Necromancy. Oh, how she knew necromancy. Right down to every last risk. Summoning an undead being was one matter. Controlling one was another entirely; they didn't like to be disturbed, and never fully lost their autonomy. A dangerous combination. She closed her eyes, rubbing her temple with her fingers. That young fool. She left the tea and cup on the counter as she stormed over to the door. She wasn't about to let this foolish, foolish man kill himself on her doorstep. She all but kicked the door open, marched over to the young man, and grabbed his arm, pulling him away from the new summon. There was no guarantee it would go rogue, so she drew her knife with her free hand but didn't use it just yet. "Those who can draw from the light, should. You'll get yourself killed like this." @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 10/28/2023 02:28
Dietrich hopped back as she pulled him away from the skeleton. "He's harmless! See?" The young mage snapped his fingers and the skeleton began dancing. "I wasn't able to draw back a soul or instill it with life or anything. It's more like a puppet. That's kind of the most necromancy that I can do." The pumpkin man walked over to the skeleton and began to look him up and down. He tepidly reached out a hand and watched as the skeleton crumbled into a pile of bones. "I also can't keep them up once they've taken any damage or anything. It's really weak, but at least I can have it come up from the ground. That's cool, right?" He asked, turning to her with hope. "I know plenty about light magic. More than the church, actually. But like the tomes say, light magic is only half. I can't become a master of magecraft with only half of the tools." @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 10/28/2023 14:46
Irhostre watched the skeleton dance. It was so much like the antics of her younger self, except this one was a human corpse instead. She sighed and shook her head as though disappointed when, in reality, she was considering the options. If he persisted in his study of dark magic unguided, it would become dangerous for him sooner or later. If he tried to suppress it... well, she had tried that before. It was the same as denying a part of oneself, something that could not be separated from the person. A pathway to misery, as she knew all too well. The magic was there, and needed to be let out. "Mastery for its own sake is worthless," she said. "What is it you intend to do, once you have become a master of magecraft? Do you understand the consequences of learning dark magic? Not from the magic itself - those can be controlled - but for your life?" She gestured toward the ill-maintained forest path. "You will never be welcome anywhere again. Your friends and family will forsake you. Even if you don't have any now, all hope of finding future companionship will be thrown away. Is that a sacrifice you're willing to make?" @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 10/28/2023 20:35
"Hm..." He thought for a moment, trying to internalize her questions. "Well, it's not just a matter of mastery. It's about understanding a part of myself. About exploring that part of myself. Y'know?" Dietrich kicked his foot into the ground and shrugged. "No family. They gave me to the church when I was a baby, so screw them, I guess. Companionship?" He'd never really thought about it. But thinking back on it... "Why would I want to be with someone who wanted me to deny a part of myself? I would have to hide my dark magic and pretend to be something I'm not. That doesn't sound like a life I want to live; that sounds like a prison. The church was already enough of a prison for me, so I don't want to go back to anything like that ever again." He had gone through a lot at the hands of the church. Their 'training' made sure that the individual students had no 'impurities,' so he was often put through quite the wringer, to say the least. He would rather embrace himself and be who he was instead of hiding it away for the sake of a so-called peaceful life. @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 10/29/2023 00:19
He was too much like Irhostre had been when she was young. Before the church had tried to crush her gifts, and her spirit with them. Tried to force the light into her spirit to no avail, ignoring the fact that light couldn't exist without darkness. It seemed he understood and accepted what awaited him, and she found herself running out of arguments. If he was the same as she had been, he was also too stubborn to give up on it. "In that case, it is better for you to learn with guidance than to teach yourself and risk your life by interfering with energies far beyond your ability to control," she admitted. She would know; she'd been self-taught, and had had several close calls as a result. "But you are to tell nobody about our lessons. I have been left in peace for this long, and have no desire to end it. If church officials learn that I am teaching you, they will make sure I answer for it." Far better people than herself had been executed for far lesser examples of corrupting the minds of the youth; even simple teachers of philosophy were not safe in that regard. She stood tall as she looked down at him, regarding her new apprentice. She'd never thought she would have an apprentice, and found herself now unsure of where to start. "If I am to teach you, I should know what to call you." @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 10/29/2023 03:18
"Well, about that first part..." He said with a nervous and rather bashful smile. "I was kind of hoping that I could stay out here with you?" Dietrich knew it was quite presumptuous of him, but he would have nowhere to go once he began. He knew that once it was uncorked, the bottle of dark magic would freely flow. "I can, uh, build a small cabin or something. The last thing I'd want is to bother you. But I know that, if I went back to the church, I wouldn't be able to practice anything that you've taught me." He held out his hand with a small smile, "my name is Dietrich, by the way. Dietrich Weber. I'm a High Mage of the Church, so I know as much light magic as they can teach me..." It was not necessarily a fact he was proud of. He had more or less been forced into that position simply by virtue of how strong his magic was. "But I'd rather just be Dietrich. I don't want any fancy titles." @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 10/29/2023 15:14
It was convenient to accept his request from the start. He would inevitably be exiled anyway, so he would be safer here. Irhostre gave a faint nod, considering the space she had in that cabin. It would be enough, and a construction project would only serve to take his attention away from their lessons. If she was to teach him, she would take it seriously. "Very well, then. I will rearrange my storage room so you have space, but don't expect me to have another bed available," she said. "Rather than distract yourself with building a cabin, I would prefer that you simply clean up after yourself and complete enough household tasks to earn your keep." She took his hand in hers, her grip firm as though leaving no further room for doubt. "Irhostre Corveille. As your new mentor, I expect to be treated with the according respect," she introduced herself, then let go of his hand and stepped aside. "Come inside, Dietrich. I just put on a kettle for tea." @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 10/30/2023 02:16
"That, I can do," he nodded, thinking about finally having a room to himself. "I'm acquainted with sleeping on the floor thanks to the church's training regiment. Even a blanket or a carpet would be a welcome reprieve." Dietrich sighed as he looked back on and thought about his time training with the church. "Hard floors make hard souls." As she took his hand, he was pulled from his thoughts. "Ah, yes." He gave her a cordial bow. "How shall I refer to you? Teacher? Mistress? Mentor? Ms. Corveille?" He followed her back to the house, quite excited to begin this new chapter of his life. "What'll my first lesson be? Maybe I can get better at summoning? Oooh! Or curses? No, I should start with the basics. The basic spells. I need a good foundation before I start doing anything crazy." He took in a deep breath and let it out, "inhale the new and exhale the old. Forget what I know about dark magic. Or think I know. Right?" @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 10/30/2023 11:20
"Of course there will be blankets for you. Contrary to popular belief, I am not a monster," Irhostre said, implying that the church leaders were. "Mistress Corveille will suit just fine." She liked the sound of it, in all honesty. She walked into the house while he continued to ramble on and on, all too excited to learn. She would allow it. Repression was the realm of light magic, but all manner of things were allowed to thrive in the dark, even if that thing was an overabundance of words. She set a second teacup and saucer on the counter and waited for the kettle to boil. Once he stopped talking, she answered... sort of. "To begin, you need to get the energies for dark magic flowing freely. Currently, your magic is only such as can flow through a sieve. The ch-" She was cut off by the kettle squealing, and paused her lecture to flip the stopper open and pour the hot water into a pot shaped like a crow. As she extinguished the stove and measured out the appropriate amount of tea to brew, she continued. "The church has taught you that certain emotions are impure. Fear, anger, lust, and so on. It is no coincidence that these so-called 'impurities' are repressed. These are what allow dark magic to flow." Once the water had cooled appropriately for green tea, she set the tea egg inside. "Fear is often the easiest to channel, so we will begin with that after tea. Do not expect to sleep well tonight." @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 10/30/2023 22:43
"Mistress Corveille it is," he nodded. It did not really matter to him what he called her; he was simply excited to have the opportunity to learn. Dietrich has been drip-fed information about dark magic in so much as it allowed him to know its weaknesses. The church would rather him fight it than use it. It took a bit of reverse engineering the solutions to discover where the weaknesses came from. This allowed him to understand a few fundamentals, but only a few. He noted the decor and general look of her house. "You must really like crows," he mused aloud. "As for fear, I don't really have any fears. Or, at least I don't think I do. The church subjected me to a lot..." His voice faltered, for a moment, from the chipper, exciteable demeanor. "Fear had no place in my training, so anything I feared, I had to face. Over and over again." He shook his head and his smile returned. "But, ah, I guess that means I know how to handle my fears!" @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 10/30/2023 23:23
Irhostre shook her head slowly. That was the opposite of how to handle it, and she doubted he was truly fearless. They just had to dig out the ones neither he nor the church would have consciously thought of, those primal fears to which nobody was immune. Perhaps she should feel guilty of what that might entail, but he had asked to be taught dark magic. "Dark magic users do not handle emotions such as fear by repressing or attempting to limit them," she explained. "It is part of the human experience, and therefore to be embraced, and acknowledged. You do not allow it to control you, but you do not subjugate it either. You understand it, respect it, and do what you must regardless. It is not an impediment. It fuels your actions, and your power. If we cannot uncover fear in the present, we must look to past fears, to the memory of it. If the emotion is truly gone, however, you may always be weak in the spells that require it most." After a minute, she poured the green tea into the two cups, making sure it was even between them. She picked one up for herself, leaving the other for Dietrich. "Now, what fears did the church make you face?" @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 10/30/2023 23:29
He took the tea and aipped it as he thought back on her question. "There was no fear of loss. I was not allowed attachments. I never knew my parents, so I held no opinions or feelings towards them." No, that wasn't true. He sighed and shook his head. No more smiling. She said not to repress them. "I hate them. My parents. The church. The village. I really do. I hate my parents for leaving me. Ihate the church for everything they did to me. And I have the village for allowing it and turning a blind eye to it." He set the tea down and balled his fists before slightly calming himself down. "I fear going back there. To the church, I mean. I have no fear of death because I have nothing to lose. Death would have been a welcome reprieve from what they put me through. I have no fear of control or losing it because I was never allowed to have it. My only fear, then, logically, would be returning to the church to live out the rest of my days." @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 10/30/2023 23:57
Now this, they could work with. Irhostre nodded, but listened in silence as she sipped her tea. She left the kitchen to sit in one of the two armchairs in the living room space, right in front of the burning fireplace. Still silent, she gestured for Dietrich to join her in the other chair. There was no need to stand during this discussion when they could be as comfortable as the situation allowed. "Good. We can focus on that," she said, her voice soft. She wasn't unsympathetic. She couldn't afford to be. She had been there, in a way. "What is it about going back that scares you? What is it that they might do to you?" A dark, dreadful topic, she knew. But a necessary one. The more rational a fear was, the stronger its power. The less it could be overcome with mere talk and analysis. The more talking about it would allow it to thrive. And the church was a very reasonable thing for those blessed with the darkness to fear. She crossed one leg over the other as she listened. @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 10/31/2023 00:10
This was not exactly a fun topic for him, but she knew best. He sighed as he sat down in the other chair and took a breath. "I know what they will do to me. I know the pain, both physical and mental, they would inflict upon me. It is the denial of myself... wasting my life away for a cause I don't believe in. I only have one life; I don't want to waste it at the church, pretending to be something I'm not. I don't want to pretend like I don't want more from life than just sitting on some bullshit council and passing false judgement on people. I know what they want from me. I know what they have planned for people like me." Dietrich stood up and began to pace, "they planned out my life before I could even talk. I would learn light magic. I would become a high mage. I would be beaten down and moulded into this puritanical image they have for every high mage. I would live a comfortable, cushy life, pushing a false religion of light and purity, all the while being miserable and not believing a single thing I would be saying. I would be a sham. I would be a puppet for the rest of the council. A success story of how 'an orphan can gain the highest station through hard work and faith.'" It was not beyond the pale for the 'church' to do things like this. They had long since lost their way and become something different. @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 10/31/2023 00:27
It dawned on Irhostre that he wanted the inevitable exile. That he saw the truth of the situation, and wanted no part of the broken institution that had raised him. She couldn't blame him at all. His fears were reasonable, and an excellent basis for the related spells. He seemed restless while talking about it, too. Like he was already part way to drawing power from it. "I want you to hold onto those feelings. Let them simply exist in your heart, and acknowledge them," she said. "Remember, fear exists for a reason. When it is warranted, it keeps us safe. You only need to know how to use it. Hold onto it for now, and tomorrow I will teach you to use it." She stood up as well. "It will be uncomfortable. That is alright, too. If it grows to be too much, remember that they cannot touch you here. I would not allow it." After all, she had agreed to teach him. In that sense, he was her responsibility, and she took her responsibilities seriously. @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 10/31/2023 00:36
Dietrich paused for a moment. "There was an incident once," he sighed and turned towards her, returning to his seat. "I let my fear get to me. I summoned a, well... a guardian of sorts. It was an accident, but it managed to wreak quite a bit of havoc on the church. I will admit that I enjoyed seeing it run amok. They never conclusively pinned it on me, but I do think there are those that have their suspicions. It was years ago, though. He said he would protect me... my idea of protection was the destruction of the institution keeping me hostage. I suppose he was doing what I wanted him to do." His gaze fell on her. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt this person who was being so kind to him despite having no reason to do so. "I don't want to lose control and bring him back. I have kept my fear and emotions in control not because the church willed it or forced me to, despite giving me the means to do so, but because I know what kind of destruction I can cause when those emotions are left unchecked." @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 10/31/2023 00:55
It seemed to Irhostre that they had uncovered another fear: fear itself. A constant feedback loop, but potentially dangerous. Fear was important, but so was balance. She finished her tea as she contemplated his words, then stood back up and returned the empty cup to the kitchen's washbasin. She could wash it later, perhaps after dinner. "You do still need to control it. To understand the consequences, and know how much to let through. We will start with small spells, until you can find the perfect balance," she assured him. "We have all lost control of our summons every now and then, often with disastrous results. The fortunate thing about guardians is that they will not harm those who you do not perceive as threats." She turned to face him. "Now, how about we clean out your room? I will help, so that I have a say in where everything goes and can keep you away from the more dangerous materials." In truth, most things she had were pretty harmless on their own. But she did like to exaggerate, if only to keep a bit of mystery about herself. @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 10/31/2023 01:12
"I am assuming your ravens are summons? Maybe familiars?" Dietrich examined the room once more, noting the ravens both in and out of the building. "My summon was, uh, not that." He was ashamed to admit who and what he had actually summoned... and one of the reasons he was here. "But if I can learn to control him, all the better." "As for my room, I would hate to put you out. You have already done so much for me. I don't want to make you clean my room for me. That is something I should do to earn my keep." She was doing him a great service as it was; he did not want to take advantage of her kindness. "Perhaps you can just oversee and let me handle it? I suppose I should learn to take directions from you sooner rather than later," he joked, giving her a wink, far more playful than suggestive. "And you can ask me any other questions you have during such time as well." @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 10/31/2023 02:05
"Crows," Irhostre corrected patiently. "Ravens are larger, and more unruly." She looked outside. "They are my friends. I have developed a bond with them that allows me to channel magic through them, so that they may act as my eyes, ears, and - as you witnessed earlier - sometimes my voice. That said, they are not inherently magical creatures themselves, and I cannot summon them. Only ask them to come to me." She looked over at him, contemplating as he mentioned learning to take directions from her. Yes, she supposed that would be necessary. She nodded. "Very well then, I will direct you to ensure you do it properly," she agreed, even though it would have been faster by far to do it herself. She had been independent for so long that letting go and letting another person help would prove a challenge. "We will begin once you are finished with your tea." @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 10/31/2023 02:43
"Ah, right. My bad." He could not really tell the difference between a crow or a raven, but he would just defer to her on that one. "Have you ever, uh, made a bond with a devil or anything like that? Just curious, really." He quickly corrected. He finished the rest of the tea and set the cup down. "Lead the way," he motioned as he stood up. Dietrich considered himself quite the clean freak. Granted, he was always required to keep his quarters clean. Still, he was rather adept at it. "Maybe you could teach me some cleaning spells while we're at it!" @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 10/31/2023 13:53
Irhostre led him to the spare room. "Cleaning spells are for those who hope to take the easy way out," she said. "If you are as determined to learn dark magic as you say, they do not suit you." She opened the door. Shelves lined the walls, some filled with books, others with various bottles, vials, skulls or bones she found in the woods, dried herbs, gleaming rocks, and other such small items. There was an unused spare cauldron in the centre of the room, a table covered with more candles than one person might ever need, and a mess of baskets in one corner. A telescope occupied the space in front of the window. She had everything here she might ever need. Except a spare bed, but he'd already said he didn't mind. "Now, as for your question earlier, one must be careful when dealing with devils. I have learned from the mistakes from others and, while I have summoned them, I also avoided contracts with them. If you agree to repay them for services rendered, they will take all they can and convince you it is still less than you agreed to give," she explained. "The proper way to summon is to set out an offering in advance, complete the summoning, and say that they have received all of their payment in advance, then outline what you wish for them to do in order to repay you. Place them in your debt, not the other way around. Even then, you must be very specific when describing what you want, lest they twist your words." She looked thoughtfully at the cauldron. "I think there's space for that next to the fireplace out in the living room," she told him. "Anyway, devils may also form mutually beneficial bonds out of genuine loyalty, but it takes several summonings to gain that level of mutual trust, and many people and devils do not find it worth the risk." @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 11/01/2023 01:11
It was a bit of a bummer, but he had to agree. Taking the easy way out would not help him learn magic or discipline. "I suppose that is the case." Though he would have loved to snap his fingers and have the room clean itself, it did not appear that was going to happen. The room proper was filled with quite a lot of stuff. He was more worried about touching something he shouldn't than he was about the actual cleaning itself. He walked over to the caludron and started to move it, heavy as it was. "What about people who are already in a contract with a devil? Is there a way for them to break it or get out of it? Contracts sound handy, but also kind of annoying. You're essentially stuck with the devil for however long the contract states, right? What if there was no end date or condition?" Detrich set the cauldron down and dusted off his hands. "What other kinds of creatures can be summoned?" It was an abrupt change of subject, but he did not want to dwell on devils as much as he had. "What's next? Also, is there anything that I absolutely should not touch?" @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 11/01/2023 01:54
"Someone would have to be a hopeless fool to enter such a contract," Irhostre said bluntly. "A powerful light magic user would be able to purge them of demonic influence, but it would be a challenge to find one willing to help somebody who intentionally summoned a devil and entered a contract with them. You would be on your own." She tapped one finger against her chin as she thought, stepping out of the way to let him through with the cauldron. At least he was physically strong. "Challenging them to a game or contest of some sort is a guaranteed way of getting out of it, though; if you win, the contract ends. If you lose, you die, which technically marks its completion, though the devil would likely claim your eternal soul as a prize." She gestured toward the telescope. "Move that next to one of the other west-side windows. Fantastic viewing of the stars, and I don't want to miss out on it just because you're ocupying this room," she instructed. "Most things with inherent magic to them can be summoned, if you know the correct spell. Undead, devils, fae, various mystical beasts, and so forth. The stronger it is, the more challenging to summon, and the more willful, the more dangerous." At the question about things not to touch, her eyes instinctively flitted toward Clarence. She had engaged in some rather... whimsical experiments in her youth, and found herself still stuck with the results, if only out of sentimentality. "Do not, under any circumstances, touch the broom over there," she said, pointing at the broom in question. Clarence, she had named it long ago. "Aside from that, just be careful with the dried herbs and anything made of glass. I don't want any of them breaking." @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 11/01/2023 05:04
"Of course," he replied, taking in the thought. He would need to keep that information in his back pocket, just in case. Next was the telescope; shame he wasn't moving it into her room. He wondered what a bird-themed room would look like? Did she have a feather mattress? That might be a bit morbid... But wasn't that what black magic was? He shook his head, still holding the telescope. After moving it, he took note of her further instructions. The types of summons, what not to touch, and what to be careful with. "Speaking of herbs and glass," Dietrich turned his attention away from the broom. "I have heard that witches and dark mages make potions and the like. Is that something I will be learning to do? Or is it just a rumor?" The only mixing of liquids Dietrich was familiar with was the odd mixed drink he had whenever he could sneak out to a bar. @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 11/01/2023 14:20
Irhostre looked at the broom again. "Clarence," she said. "I hate to disturb your rest, but unless you want a roommate, it would be a good idea to move." With that said, the broom swept out of the room, clearly not keen on the idea of sharing with Dietrich. Irhostre nodded in approval, breathed a sigh of relief when nothing was set on fire, then turned her attention back to her eager new apprentice. He really was getting ahead of himself. It wasn't as though she'd had ample forewarning to prepare an entire syllabus for him. "You will be learning it along with your spells," she said. "Though you may find potions less interesting than curses or summonings, they are the form of dark magic that the public is most open to." @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 11/01/2023 15:41
That was a bit weird, but most likely one of the least weird things he'd see here. "Uh huh..." He watched as the broom left. "It's odd that most people don't bat an eye when it comes to potions. It's as if they only tolerate the dark magic that directly benefits them." Dietrich wore a sour expression at the thought; it was truly frustrating that the general public had such a negative opinion of this level of magic. "I don't know if I'd say any of this is more or less interesting than anything else. It's all interesting to me. It's helping me learn about myself and how the world works, so that's pretty cool, don't you think?" He started to look over the books in the room, unable to read the arcane symbols on them. He had long suspected that the books he was given were sanitized in their translation by the church.
15:41
@hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 11/01/2023 20:08
An astute enough observation. People had a tendency to accept differences only as far as they were exploitable, after all. Irhostre nodded in agreement. "That's exactly what it is," she agreed. "At least you have a positive attitude toward learning. It will get you through the more... challenging parts of your training." Which she really needed to plan out more. She looked around at what remained in the room. "Move those baskets to the kitchen. As long as you leave the supply shelves alone, they can stay here. You will have free access to all of the books here, as long as you don't practice what you read without supervision. The dangers of dark magic are often exaggerated, but no magic is without risks, especially to the inexperienced. You will find the books here entirely uncensored, so they will be useful for expanding your mind." She looked down at the floor, trying to remember the last time she had actually cleaned this room. "Oh, and Clarence doesn't like to actually clean, but there is a non-sentient broom in the closet at the end of the hall that you can use to sweep the floor in here." @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 11/01/2023 20:15
"Sentient brooms, huh?" He wondered how one imbued an object with sentience. Perhaps that would be somewhere in one of the many tomes. He could have the broom dust for him while he studied! Or maybe the books could read aloud while he cleaned? At the very least, he wanted to use magic to multitask so that he could make more out of his day. Automating as much as possible would be extremely helpful. The baskets were quite light, so it took little effort to move them. "How am I doing on the 'taking directions' front?" Dietrich asked, a smile on his face and a skip in his step. This hadn't been so bad so far. If the cauldron was the heaviest thing he needed to move, he was in luck. He would need to spend his free time building himself a bed, though. Just because he could sleep on the floor did not mean that he wanted to do so in perpetuity. Woodworking was an easy skill of his, so it would take little time once he set his mind to it. @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 11/01/2023 20:47
Irhostre sighed. "Granting an object with a mind of its own certainly one way to prevent it from fulfilling its intended purpose," she mutters, half to herself. "A refusal to clean, a hatred of being touched, and a penchant for arson if you anger it." She really needed to look into a way to reverse the spell. While he took care of the baskets, she opened the closet door and took out the non-sentient, and therefore still useful, broom. She held it out to him as he returned, deciding she could at least do one thing. She never did like being too idle, and standing around giving orders without acting on anything definitely fell under that category. "You're doing a fine job," she assured him. "Now go ahead and sweet the floor and I'll bring out a blanket you can sleep on." She had some thick quilts that she could spare, and possibly a few pillows as well. If he wanted a mattress, though, he was on his own. @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 11/01/2023 20:54
Dietrich got to work on sweeping, as mundane as it was. "Much appreciated." The blankets looked comfy, if not a bit heavy. Still, it would be a nice change of pace to sleep on and with something that soft. "So, you talked about Fear already. How do Anger and Lust play into Dark Magic?" He'd never really given these concepts much thought. They had always been seen as negative, unruly emotions even by those not in the church. "Fear, I kind of get? Like, I need to know fear in order to use it. Is it the same with others? I don't really have an issue with anger; I have plenty stored up from my time at the church. As for lust? Well, uh... Not so sure about that one." @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 11/01/2023 23:11
Irhostre held onto the blankets and pillow until he had finished sweeping. Once the floor was clear, she set them down and stepped back so Dietrich could arrange them however he wanted. It was, after all, his room for now. "Those aren't the only three, just the first examples that sprang to mind," she explained. "Everything that's seen as an impurity is fuel for dark magic, and all of it must be known and accepted in order to be used. A lack of repression will help, though emotions like shame are the domain of the church, so we don't need to focus on those ones. I agree that anger will be easy for you, though. As for lust, time will tell, and you will be able to explore that on your own time before I ask you about it. Some people are well and truly without it, but you can't know until you at least put some thought into what your desires may be. Anyway, that will be later in the training, as I know some people find it a particularly uncomfortable topic, particularly when it comes to discussing it with an old hag." She waved a hand dismissively, then turned away. "I will leave you alone for now, and call you out when it is time for dinner." She looked back over her shoulder. "Do you know how to cook?" @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 11/02/2023 00:06
"You're hardly an old hag. You're too beautiful for that kind of a title," he replied instinctively. "Unfortunately, or fortunately, we only had a bunch of old white men at the church with more wrinkles than sense. Not exactly a place where lusts could flourish. Whenever I'd sneak out to the tavern, maybe. But that was pretty rare." He kept up the sweeping, noting the dust in the room. It seemed it had truly gone unused for quite some time. "Of course. We had to provide for ourselves at the church, so we were all more or less forced to learn how to cook. A lot of us ended up getting creative with our cooking to bypass the boring meals they usually had us make." @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 11/02/2023 11:08
Personally, Irhostre had to agree with his observation about the old men at the church, but it was unfortunately not a universal truth. "That depends on who you ask, I suppose," she commented. "As it is, as long as you remain safe you are free to go to the tavern when you wish now. I am your mentor, not your captor. Just don't lose focus in your steadies." The news that he could cook was fortunate, of course. While she was more than capable of it herself, she didn't feel like doing it right now. So she smiled, a faint smile gracing her features. "Excellent. Then you can make dinner. I leave the decision of what to make to you." @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 11/03/2023 02:42
"I think I'll avoid engaging with the town, and thus the church, for now, if it's all the same to you. I don't want to risk being caught just yet." As for what he would cook for dinner... It depended on what she had available. He furrowed his brow as he thought about some of his own favorite dishes, especially those he was good at cooking, so he could impress her. She had readily accepted him, sp not only did he want to earn his place, but he wanted to prove to her that he was useful. "I guess I'll look around and see what you have for ingredients. I can do that after I'm finished cleaning. Is there anything else you need me to do? I have a lot of energy to burn." He stamped the broom on the ground with a bright smile, kicking up a little dust. "Oh, whoops." The young man's smile went from bright to bashful as he continued sweeping. @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 11/03/2023 14:36
"Just the cleaning and cooking will be enough for today. Tomorrow, you can work in the garden while I teach you which of the plants serve what purposes. In the afternoon, you will learn how to use fear. Some spells rely on it more than others," Irhostre explained. "If you truly have that much energy, go for a run around the woods before bed or something. I can ask one of the crows to follow you in case you get lost." Part of her wish she'd taken on a less energetic apprentice. Would she even be able to keep up with him? Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad, as long as she didn't run out of uses for his energy. She wrinkled her nose at the kicking-up of dust, but was fortunately far enough that it didn't make her sneeze. For now, she placed the pillow and blankets down on a clean part of the floor. "And try not to make a habit of making a mess right when you were nearly finished cleaning. It's a waste of time." @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 11/03/2023 18:43
He dusted his hands off and set the broom to the side, eyeing it for a moment to make sure it wasn't sentient as well. With a breath of relief, he turned back to Irhostre. "I can go forage for some stuff in the woods while I'm out exploring. Is there anything I need to be wary of? Bears? Beasts?" Due to the caution and rumors surrounding the witch, the woods were often vilified and avoided by the townsfolk. No one dared explore them for fear of encountering her. They believed the woods were cursed, but upon actual inspection, he found them to be quite pleasant so far. @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 11/03/2023 20:09
Irhostre lingered in the doorway as she considered his question. Really, she was the scariest thing in the forest, and even then only by reputation. Had any magical experiments escaped recently that she hadn't gotten under control? None that she could think of. "Aside from me, this is an ordinary forest," she said after a moment. "So just be mindful of poisonous plants. As long as you leave the animals alone, they will do the same for you." She turned away and started toward the kitchen. "But I will expect dinner before you go." @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 11/03/2023 22:12
Dietrich nodded, heading towards the kitchen. "Okay, so, I've got plenty of stuff to work with here..." She wanted him to cook for her, so that's what he would do. There was a lot of different ingredients, though many of them seemed to be more for potions and magic than cooking. "Is that a... Mandrake?" He reached forward to touch it when hit let out an ear-piercing scream. "YEP! THAT'S WHAT IT IS!" He stepped back and it calmed down. "We'll just do a nice trout and veggies." It was easy enough, but also something that he could get it done quick enough to go exploring the forest. As much as magic was ceremonious, cooking was... not. After a little bit, he set the plates down on the table. "Well, I made a garlic seasoned trout with vegetables. I didn't have too much to work with, but I'll get some more stuff later so I can go all out for you!" @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 11/05/2023 15:10
Irhostre took her seat by the fireplace once more, picking up the book she'd been working on and the crow-feather quill she had been using to write in it. While she worked, she listened, in case Dietrich had any questions or the fire-alerting enchantments were activated. So she caught the question about the plant. "Please do not touch the-" She had to raise her voice to be heard over the screaming. "MANDRAKE!" Once it quieted down, she grumbled to herself, rubbed one of her ears, then continued her work. She finished a few seconds before she heard the plates being set out, and finally let herself inhale the scent of the cooked dinner. It smelled absolutely divine. Most of her meals had been as basic as possible, as she didn't like to waste time on cooking and eating that she could be spending at work. This one demanded to be savoured, though. She set the book aside, leaving it open so the ink could dry naturally instead of having to use another spell for it. "This is acceptable," she informed him as she sat down. The table still had a fair bit of clutter on it - a book here, a mortar and pestle there, more candles - but it had space for two plates, at least. The second chair at the table had, once again, been wishful thinking on her part, but at least it would see some good use. She ate in silence. Although she didn't comment, she did close her eyes as she took the first bite, taking a moment to appreciate the flavour. A meal carefully made, and not hastily thrown together. A rarity. @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 11/06/2023 04:11
"Acceptable is good enough for now," he gave her a dopy smile, happy with his work. "I'll make sure that the next one is even better! I'm sure there are a lot of things I can find around the forest that will help with that." Aside from the mandrake incident, it seemed that dinner had gone well. He was relatively pleased with himself; he hoped that she was as well. After the meal was finished, he stood up and began to clear the table. "I'll take care of the dishes. It'll be my way of thanking you for letting me cook with such fresh ingredients!" He started off towards the sink and began washing them. "I'm not really sure what is around this area. Is there anything I should look for in the forest? Any cool sights or things you need me to fetch for you?" @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 11/06/2023 12:08
Irhostre had meant 'acceptable' as a form of high praise, but she didn't correct him. He seemed happy enough with that assessment. She would think of stronger compliments later. She finished her meal and sat back to let him clear off the table. It was odd, having someone else do the basic housework for her, with no magical influence involved. Odd, but nice. The kitchen was close enough that she didn't have to move as she answered his question. Instead, she only turned so she was still facing toward him. "I am running short on lavender and foxglove," she said. "Oh, but do be careful with the foxglove; it is poisonous, so you will need to wear gloves and possibly cover your nose and mouth." It wasn't an airborne toxin, but she'd known plenty of people stupid enough to try a taste even after being warned. Better to be safe. "There is a tree slightly north of here whose trunk looks like a screaming man, if you want to see it. If you listen closely to it, you may still hear him crying." A particularly bold man from the village had one come to kill the 'witch' and burn the cursed forest. He was a part of the forest now, and a fascinating sight to see indeed. @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 11/06/2023 20:58
The dishes had been cleaned and the table cleared. Dietrich did not have much other than a sack for forageables. He couldn't tell if she was joking about the tree or not, but he supposed if he found it, he would know. The forest proper was a lot less menacing than he had been left to believe from the villagers. It was oddly serene and quiet. Gloves on, he went about picking plants. He knew what each was, for the most part anyways. Granted, he was not sure what foxglove would be used for here, but it didn't hurt to grab some. Then a certain smell tickled his nose; he couldn't place it, but it was sickly sweet and enticing. He couldn't help but feel drawn to it. Dietrich was curious, of course, if not a bit cautious. He stalked through the woods until he came upon a lush clearing. In the center was a beautiful Alarune, her body clearly visible, though her lower half was obscured by the plant she resided in. The scent was incredibly strong here... He wanted more of it. Despite every fiber of his mind trying to tear him away from it, he began to walk towards the source. @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 11/06/2023 21:50
Irhostre returned to her room once he had left, picking up her most recently written-in tome along the way. A quick spell made sure the ink dried before she closed it. Now she could spend her evening in peace. She settled into her room with a glass of wine. Relaxing with a more leisurely book would kill time before bed, now that she had some peace and quiet. Not for long, though. The crow she had promised followed Dietrich out into the forest. As it sensed the pollen, it stopped and perched in a tree to see what he would do. He approached, and it let out a loud, warning caw. Alaurnes were, after all, very carnivorous. If he continued to approach, it flew back to Irhostre and clawed at the window with its talons to get her attention, cawing loudly at her. @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 11/08/2023 15:59
The tendrils of the flower creature wrapped around Dietrich. He was entranced by the beautiful flower-woman before him. He felt... calm? Aroused? Excited? His mind was foggy with pleasure as he walked ever closer to her. "Smells so... good..." The alarune reached out a hand and Dietrich reached out to meet it when there suddenly came a screech from the plant-woman. Her hand lopped off and fell to the ground. She recoiled back and withdrew her tendrils. Standing in front of Dietrich was a gray-skinned, horned woman. Her yellow eyes flicked between Dietrich and the alarune. "Poor pet, already so in over his head. It hasn't been but a day since you left the church and you almost fall prey to this creature? That wouldn't do. What of our pact? I would be so lonely without something to toy with." She brought several daggers out before throwing them at the creature, slicing through it and killing her. "Don't think I am not watching you. I know you are with the witch of the woods now. She cannot help you break our pact, you know." Dietrich, now free from the trap, was eyeing the woman carefully. She stepped towards him and ran a finger down his cheek, "I am the only one allowed to bloody this face. Worry not, pet. Nothing shall harm you aside from me." With that, she vanished. @hALloween
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Dietrich Weber BOT 11/08/2023 16:07
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 11/08/2023 18:02
Irhostre looked toward the window. In an instant, she was on her feet. Damn it, how had he managed to get into trouble already? She ran out of the house, rapidly firing off a translocation spell in the process. A small crater appeared where she had stood as she vanished. She appeared a few meters from Dietrich, just as the gray devil vanished. She didn't get a good enough look to say for sure just which one it was, but it couldn't have been good. One look at the scene gave her a general idea of what had happened, and she ran over to Dietrich. "Who was that?" she demanded. "What have you gotten yourself into?" She grabbed his shoulders so she could turn him around to face him, looking him up and down. Despite the edge of annoyance in her voice, she couldn't keep concern from showing through her eyes. "Are you hurt?" @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 11/08/2023 20:07
Dietrich sighed and stepped back, "I'm— I'm fine. Really." Well, aside from the continuing arousal from the leftover spores in the air. Fucking Alarunes... He took a deep breath before continuing. "That was a being I have a pact with. N'th'la. I thought she was a devil or a demon when I first made the pact, but she's... much worse. Still, she protects me. Most of the time." He rubbed his cheek, feeling her lingering touch. "She's the reason I made it through the church with my... sanity in tact. As strong as I am with light magic, resisting their brainwashing is a tall order. But I didn't want to lose myself. So I prayed to whoever would listen and, well, she answered." @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 11/08/2023 21:26
It was only now, looking at him and barely listening to a word he had to say, that it really hit Irhostre that she'd walked right into the remnants of the creature's trap. Fuck. She forced herself to ignore the distraction in time to hear the last part. Right, yes, there was that creature she'd seen to worry about. "That's... risky," she commented. "Once you're at a point where you no longer need her, you can expect her to become more dangerous." It gave them a direction to direct their focus in: breaking pacts, particularly the one with N'th'la. She realized she was still staring at Dietrich. He really was more handsome than she'd given him credit for. Maybe, beneath that clothing, he truly was 'gifted' in his own way... no, that was the spores talking. She forced herself to look away, clearing her throat. "As it is, we should get out of here," she said, trying to sound as composed as possible. @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 11/09/2023 22:46
"I was young. I didn't have any idea what I'd gotten into. She was kind at first... then he moved to playful. Now she's possessive." He rubbed the back of his neck and looked away from her. The more he looked at Irhostre, the more he felt the heat rise up inside of him. "You, uh, you look very nice today." Dietrich's face was red as he looked over her, "why did you come help me? You could have just let me die. That way, you wouldn't have to deal with me." @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 11/09/2023 23:29
"Today? You haven't seen me any other day," Irhostre commented. She kept looking away from him, trying to keep her heart from racing. There was no spell for it, or if there was it was the realm of light magic, so she had no success. It was just the spores, naturally, but that didn't keep her face from turning the slightest bit pink. "As I was saying, let's get out of here, first." She grabbed for his wrist so she could start leading the way back to the cabin. "I can't just knowingly let someone I accepted responsibility for die. I promised to teach you dark magic, and I keep my promises," she said. "And you're not a burden. That was the best dinner I've had in years." @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 11/10/2023 21:06
"Well, I, uh-" He was interrupted by her hand on his wrist. His entire body lit up at her touch, "ahhh, uh..." He wrested his hand away, his face even more red than before - if that was even possible. "I'm glad you liked the dinner. I can make more or something later..." Dietrich couldn't help but think about a different kind of dessert... running his tongue along her body... He slapped his hands against his face, "I think you should go on ahead, you know? I should- um..." He looked around for an excuse to disperse this arousal. "I still need to forage for things! And hunt! Yea! That stuff!" @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 11/10/2023 22:58
Touching him had been a mistake, especially here. Irhostre's breath caught in her throat as she struggled to get a hold of herself. Damn it, how strong had that alraune been? She let go of him, torn between the need to keep herself sane and the need to not endanger him any further. "I don't need you running into any more trouble," she said. "I know what you're experiencing right now because of the alraune." Because she was going through very much the same thing, and his would probably be visible if she were to let her gaze drift downward, which she was trying very hard not to do. "As I mentioned earlier, repression impedes your ability to master dark magic, and instead of staying out here, it would be better to tend to matters in the safety of your own bedroom." Or hers, if he so wished, but she had the self control not to say that part aloud. She had to remain professional, no matter how challenging it was right now. @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 11/10/2023 23:46
"The problem isn't that I want to repress them; the problem is that I wasn't to let them out. With you." He let his words hang in the air for a moment. He had hoped she'd let him stay in the forest so he could get these feelings out without her seeing... or hearing. "If I stay out here, I could, uh, exercise those feelings on my own. I got myself into this mess, after all." Dietrich wasn't about to proposition someone he'd just met — who had also been so kind to him. He would need to figure this out on his own. @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 11/11/2023 00:27
Irhostre had known that, of course, and the offer to do exactly that, to relieve the tension for both of them, was at the tip of her tongue. But she couldn't just take advantage of him like that... Could she? He'd given her an easy out, and she should take it as a preemptive no unless he said otherwise. As much as she wouldn't mind teaching him a thing or two about indulging lust, he'd at least have to ask first. She looked away again. "Right," she said. "But you should still leave the clearing first, since the effect won't fully fade until you're away from the remaining spores. They take a while to dissipate." She turned to leave, still considering the idea that he might run into trouble again. "If you do encounter any danger, yell. My crows won't be watching you, but they will respond if you call for me. I need to go... Take care of something at the cabin." A flimsy excuse when they probably both knew what she meant. @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 11/11/2023 03:38
"Um," he paused for a moment and looked around. "I mean, it might be— well, time conscious, if we both took care of this issue. At the same time. Uh..." He looked down before back up at her, "together? I mean, for practicality. Right? We're both affected and both here, so..." Dietrich bit his cheek and pulled the collar of his shirt. "I mean, it is my problem, but it did affect you, so it would only be right that I help you with it." It was another rather thin excuse in order to indulge in this lust together." @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 11/11/2023 03:53
Irhostre eyed him for a moment, saying nothing. She had no doubts that the look of longing in her eyes said enough. How long had it been? Too many people feared her, and of those who dared approach, none stayed for long. Her arousal had already reached a dizzying enough height that no other judgment mattered. She could worry about it later. She closed the distance between them in a few strides. "Allow me." She gently pushed his hands away from his shirt and took over, her fingers deftly working to remove it. She lowered her head, leaning in closer. Her breath was warm against his ear as she whispered. "If this was what you wanted, you could have just asked." @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 11/14/2023 02:59
He stood there and let her work his shirt. It was fairly easy to remove, though he held it down for a moment. "I-" He sighed and stepped back, "allow me." Even in his aroused stupor, he still felt the shame and embarrassment at his body. Taking a deep breath, he lifted his shirt off to reveal a terrible scarred and traumatized torso. Long, uneven scars trailed across and around his body. "I uh... sorry. People tend to find this a bit... disturbing. Or gross? Or messed up." Dietrich tepidly dropped his shirt off to the side and waited for her reaction. @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 11/14/2023 16:47
Even the small gesture gave Irhostre pause, and she let go, despite her reluctance to do so. Still, she waited for him to remove his shirt, keeping her eyes on him. And what a view. She looked him up and down, her want for him clearly not lessening at the sight. The scars were themselves a sight of determination, someone who fought to live on their own terms. In a sense, nothing was more attractive. ...Or that was what she would have thought with a clear mind. Right now, the only idea running through her head was scars hot. Close enough. "Disturbing? Not at all." She placed a hand on his chest, trailing her fingers toward the centre. "There's no need for you to be shy about it." She pushed him, gentle, but insistent enough to get the point across. "Now, get on the ground." As she waited for him to do as she said, she set her hat down, then reached back to undo the eyehooks holding her dress together. "I'll take care of you, but only once you've satisfied me. And if you don't know how, you will by the time we're done here." She let the dress fall to the ground. She had her own share of scars. Most were on her back, but a few were visible on her shoulders even from the front. "Do I make myself clear?" @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 11/14/2023 18:39
Despite what the church would believe, Dietrich was hardly a virgin. The nights he snuck out to the taverns or visited the townsfolk would often yield an unintentional result of running into a woman or two. He was glad that she did not seemed phased by the scars covering his body. Her touch was electric as her fingers ran down his chest. He let himself fall onto his back on the ground and looked up at her. Her sensual form was a feast for the eyes as she disrobed. "Yes ma'am," he choked out. He looked up at her with a desperate wanting, ready for whatever she had planned. @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 11/14/2023 19:56
Looking down at his desperation, Irhostre couldn't help but smile. Still obedient and eager to please, even now. "Good boy." She settled onto him, straddling his waist. The urge was there to rush into it, to take what she wanted from him and go on. But there was also desire, and that led her to take her time, to get the most out of what he had to offer. Her fingers ran through his hair gently, before grabbing the back of his head and pulling it toward her breasts. She wouldn't quite suffocate him, but the possibility would be there. @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 11/14/2023 20:55
He let her take control, bringing his face to her chest. Her soft skin cushioned his, welcoming him in. He felt the rise of arousal inside of him at the display of sensuality. She smelled delightful, though he couldn't place the scent. Dietrich took in a deep inhale as his body responded to her touch. His hands rested on her hips, wanting to touch and feel every inch of her body. Still, he kept some semblance of control over himself. @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 11/14/2023 22:03
Irhostre could almost feel his desire beneath her, matching her own. She stroked his hair while her hips shifted back ever so slightly, just enough to tease over his groin. She'd be gentle with him for now, though her standard for 'gentle' might not be the usual. "Come on now," she said softly. Her hand reached down to grab one of his wrists, dragging it slowly to trail up her body. "You don't need to be shy." @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 11/14/2023 22:06
Once again, he did as he was told. His hand found purchase on her breast and he couldn't help but enjoy the feeling, massaging and teasing it. His pulled his head free to bring his lips to her other breast, sucking on it and biting it. "Mmm..." He let out a soft moan as he felt her rock along his body. She certainly knew what she was doing; very few of the women he'd been with had elicited this much submission from him. Despite the circumstances, it was a joyful submission. He felt safe. Cared for, even. @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 11/14/2023 23:10
So it seemed he did know what he was doing, after all. Her body reacted immediately as she felt the heat rise up inside of her, a need gnawing at her. She closed her eyes, breath hitching at the pleasure of his hand and mouth against her. Her hand remained at the back of his head, but followed his movements, letting him go where he wanted now, if only because it was where she wanted him. "Yes, just like that." The words came out half as a moan as she wrapped an arm around his shoulders, nails scratching lightly at the skin of his back. The craving soon became irresistible, and she let go of his hair before moving to push him down. "You're doing perfectly fine, but I think we can put that tongue of yours to better use, don't you?" @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 11/15/2023 21:23
The phrase was like a stabwound to the heart for him. Words that he'd heard N'th'la say time and time again. Put that tongue of yours to better use. N'th'la was seductive and sensual; everything with her felt pleasurable, but it also felt wrong. Not just in the sense of it being a sin, but to aquiece to a being such as herself, despite not having the ability to refuse her, was troubling. Dietrich froze at the wording as his mind went in a million different directions. Fear gripped his heart like N'th'la's icy cold grip. It was as if she was holding it right now and telling him: "even in your pleasure with others, I will still be there." His face had twisted and furrowed into a frightened frown, though he was unaware. The last thing he wanted was to make Irhostre feel uncomfortable, but that was far from the front of his mind right now. The mental anguish from his pact holder's words and actions seemed to be filling his mind and body with a chilling panic. Was she watching him right now? Could she see him? Was she laughing? He felt the proverbial leash tug at his neck. He couldn't do this with Irhostre. She wouldn't let him. He was tethered to the lovecraftian deity and could not enjoy life unless it was on her terms. She was much like the church... only worse. Whereas the church was lazy, corrupt, and wicked, N'th'la was pure chaos. What she did could not be predicted, nor could the 'why' be understood. His body remained functionally frozen in place, his eyes focussed on some far away place while he tried to keep his composure.
21:24
@hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 11/16/2023 02:32
It took a moment to pick up on the idea that anything was wrong. Irhostre had left her spot on his torso with the intent of settling on his face, but stopped before she could lower herself, noting the stricken look on it. She wasn't that old, was she? No, something more was going on here. He wasn't looking at her, but lost in himself, frozen. "Dietrich?" She frowned, her high of lust fading as the spores in the air did. She knelt beside him instead, resting a hand over his chest to feel his heartbeat. A racing pulse of panic, not of excitement. Shit, what had gone wrong? "Dietrich," she said again, more firmly as she reached for his hand. "What's wrong? Can you hear me?" She sighed. Maybe this moment had saved her from making a terrible mistake. She was his mentor for fuck's sake. "We don't have to do anything you don't want," she promised, her voice soft now, attempting to be reassuring. "What's wrong?" @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 11/16/2023 03:55
He snapped out of his fugue states and looked around, "Huh? What- no, no. I want to do this. I... I want you. It's just..." His voice was trembling, more so out of fear than anything else. He was not sure what had even happened. It had felt he had been separated from his body and was looking down on the two of them. Dietrich wiped his forehead; he had broken out into a cold sweat at some point? Was he running a fever? What had gone on. "I... I don't know how to explain it. N'th'la-- she-- I, it's... Those words-" He was doing his best to string his words together, still in a state of utter shock. @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 11/16/2023 12:41
In a matter of seconds, Irhostre recognized that she was in no way qualified to deal with this. But there was nobody else around, so she had to make an effort. It pained her to admit that a part of her wanted him too, so she didn't. The feeling would fade. For now, she kept his hand between both of hers, hoping the touch could at least help ground him without being overwhelming. "She's said them to you before, and hearing them from me brought back memories you didn't want," she'd realized aloud. "I'm sorry. I didn't know." She searched her brain for ways to handle this, but she'd been isolated from other humans for so long. "Take a deep breath. Focus on what's here in front of you. You're safe here." @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 11/20/2023 19:59
"Safe... yea." Dietrich breathed in and out slowly, doing his best to ground himself. He was struggling to tear his mind away from N'th'la and her previous machinations. It had certainly left a scar on him, both physically and mentally. He had definitely killed the mood in a major way. He could sense the tension and unease in the air and it crawled along his skin like a spider. His discomfort was evident as the hairs on his arms stood on end; he hated this. He did not want to be thinking about her while he was with someone else. But he always did. "No, no, it's not your fault. You couldn't have known. It is my fault. I shouldn't have-" He cut himself off and looked off to the side, away from her. "Um, I'm gonna clean up and finish foraging. I'll see you back at the house, ya?" Dietrich rubbed his arms and took in another deep breath. He'd fucked up because he was fucked up. It was as simple as that. @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 11/20/2023 20:18
Irhostre looked off to the side as well. Anywhere but directly at him. Her apprentice. Fuck, what had she been thinking? Not in bringing back traumatic memories - that much she didn't have enough information to have avoid - but trying to fuck him in the first place? It had been irresponsible of her, simple as that. She stood up, suddenly too aware of her state of undress. "It's not your fault," she said, picking up her dress from the ground. "Are you sure you don't want one of my crows to go with you? I don't want you to run into trouble again." She was quick to get dressed again, to erase any evidence of what had almost happened between them. @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 11/20/2023 22:37
"I'll be fine," he said, shaking his head once more. The last thing he wanted was to be watched right now, especially by the person he had just offended. "I'll be more careful this time. I'll try not to, uh, do this again." Dietrich waved her off and hurried further into the forest. He wasn't sure what he was looking for or what he was going to do, but he just couldn't be by her right now. He'd reached a spring quite far away and stripped down to his undergarments and jumped in. He wanted to wash the pain and worry off of him. Then he felt her. The pale arms wrapped around him from behind; her naked body pressed against his. He did not turn around to see her. He knew what she wanted. She was here to tease him further. "Silly toy. You know that your body is mind. Did you honestly think I would let someone else have you? I made sure every inch of you is tainted by me." He kept his mouth closed, frozen in place as he was. Dietrich was not going to let her get to him right now. She had already done enough. @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 11/21/2023 14:19
Despite her lingering worry, Irhostre had to take his 'no' for an answer. Even if she couldn't shake the impression that he shouldn't be alone right now. But if he needed his privacy, she would provide it, and return home to wash away her own shame. A cold bath, probably. She nodded, and still refused to look directly at him. "Then I will see you later, back at the cabin," she said. "And really. I cannot stress enough: be careful. Especially with that contract of yours." She would need to look into ways to break it, but first they had to know what N'th'la was. She couldn't have that being, whatever she was, distracting him from his studies. For now, she walked back to her home. Once she arrived, she activated the enchantment on the wooden tub in the washroom, causing it to fill with cool water. Most of the spores' effects had faded, but the shock of cold temperature to her body helped rid herself of the rest as she undressed and sank into the water. Not relaxing by any means, but she still breathed a sigh of relief, leaning her head back to rest against the edge of the tub. @PhoggyΨυχη
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N'th'la BOT 11/21/2023 20:48
"Quite the afternoon, hm?" The being sat on the end of the tub, looking over her fingernails while she spoke to Irhostre. "Who would have thought that you would take on an apprentice, oh 'Witch of the Woods?'" She teased before slipping a hand into the bath and swirling around the water in a small circle. "And here I was, about to enjoy the fruits of his labor. And then he went to find you." She slapped the water with her hand before crossing her arms and glaring at Irhostre. "You were supposed to say no! He was supposed to go back to the church and be a good little boy so I could run the church using him! It would have been glorious! Now I have to work extra hard and be extra nice to get him to go back! You ruined a perfectly good thing I had going on." N'th'la paused, her lips curling up into a smirk. She brought her hand back into the pool, heating it up. "But but but... You're pretty powerful yourself. Let's... make a deal. I need a physical host. Name your price." @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 11/22/2023 04:49
Irhostre jumped at the sudden voice, looking at the grey-skinned woman. N'th'la, she must have been. After recovering from the initial surprise, she propped an elbow up on the end of the tub, resting her cheek in her hand. She'd never been shy about her body, and wasn't about to start just because this was the last entity she wanted to see. But an opportunity. She needed to know more about her, after all. "If I only did what I was 'supposed to' do, I wouldn't have become a sorceress, now would I?" She raised an eyebrow as a bit of the water splashed her. She'd hardly expected something like this being to act like a petulant child, yet here they were. "So you have to be nice to someone. Truly the greatest tragedy of our times." She would stay in the tub unless the heat became unbearable, watching N'th'la carefully. Obviously she wasn't naive enough to accept such a contract, but knew to tread lightly. Too harsh a refusal would result in retaliation, and someone was bound to be naive enough sooner or later. "I see you did not hear my warning to Dietrich about contracts. I am not especially inclined to enter one where I do not have the full advantage." She looked toward the door, tapping her chin with one finger as she thought, not agreeing to anything or dismissing the idea outright. "What are you, anyway? Contracting with something of an unknown nature would be foolish." @PhoggyΨυχη
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N'th'la BOT 11/22/2023 07:09
The woman raised an eyebrow at Irhostre's response. She was quite the spitfire, it seemed. "Of course. By doing the taboo, you have become powerful." N'th'la's clothes vanished and she slipped into the tub, opposite Irhostre. In the small, cramped space, her body was touching the sorceress's. "You have not even named your terms. I simply told you that I desire a physical form. I was letting you tell me what it is you wanted from the deal. As for what I am..." She brushed her hair back and looked up and away. I am no demon or devil. Those titles are far beneath me. I am something old. Older than the planet itself. I am chaos incarnate; an elder god, if you will." @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 11/26/2023 13:34
Irhostre moved aside to make as much room as could be made for her new company. As much as she didn't like this entity, she wasn't dumb. She knew well enough to show basic respect, but to not let it be mistaken for trust. The idea of a deal... Absolutely not. She'd taken on a responsibility, and turning herself into a hypocrite was the opposite of responsible. "Why would I name my terms without knowing what you're capable of?" she asked. "I can't go for the simple answer - to leave my apprentice alone - because that would be antithetical to serving as your host and continuing to teach him." She stood up and stepped out of the tub. "Besides, if my body were to serve as your physical form, what would become of my mind? I quite enjoy having full control over this body, thank you very much." @PhoggyΨυχη
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N'th'la BOT 11/27/2023 10:11
"You fail to realize the blank check I am offering you, witchling," N'th'la sighed, glancing at her fingernails. "I am an omnipotent outer deity. Your world is like a child's drawing to me. I could blink it out of existence or duplicate it with a sneeze. When I tell you that I can do whatever you ask, believe it." She turned back to Irhostre and followed her out of the tup, "a standard sharing clause. I get to use your body for at minimum of a night a week. Based on your request, we'll see what I'd require. Of course, you would not be able to tell anyone about our deal." @hALloween (edited)
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 11/27/2023 13:17
No hint of how to banish her in that... The best bet would be some sort of seal, though the trick to that would be finding something to imprison her in to begin with. But if she said no outright, N'th'la would just find another host. One who might not even think of possible methods of damage control. And here she was offering Irhostre anything she wanted... "Would I still have access to your power and knowledge of how to use it when you're not in control?" she asked. "Of course, I won't agree to a contract with you while you're already in one with someone else. If they end up in conflict, that could be trouble for everyone involved, so your agreement with Dietrich will have to go... What would you do with my body?" She was just going to ignore her own accidental innuendo there, even as she noticed it. @PhoggyΨυχη
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N'th'la BOT 11/27/2023 18:11
N'th'la walked closer to Irhostre and ran a finger from her neck to her chest, "I would do so much with your body." She offered the innuendo back. "You could have my power and so much more... I saw the way you eyed my pet out there. He could be under your control in a matter of moments." She licked her lips and pressed her body against Irhostre's. "If I must let go of the pup, then at least it will be to a contracted." She rested her hands on the small of Irhostre's back. "You could be like a goddess with all of my power. The townsfolk would worship you instead of fear you." @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 11/28/2023 00:28
"That was just the spores," Irhostre countered firmly. "I have no wish to bring anyone 'under my control' by force." A willing submission would be far more fun, but she tried not to think about it. Still, she couldn't deny that the offer of power wasn't the only thing she was on the verge of becoming seduced by. She took a step back, until her back hit the wall, and she found herself trapped between N'th'la and the wall. No. She couldn't show fear. It was time to circle back to the topic at hand. "And you know that isn't what I meant." She reached back to grab N'th'la's wrists, in an attempt to escape her arms and force the elder god to be pinned against the wall instead. "What is your goal?" But by this point, it wasn't a term of her agreement to the contract or not; it was something she hoped to know before it was formalized. @PhoggyΨυχη Gotta respect the ambition of trying to domme an elder god.
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N'th'la BOT 11/28/2023 08:50
"Silly girl," N'th'la giggled. "You should know by now that I don't have anything as lofty or insipid as goals." She shifted around, her body mirroring Ishostre's as she mimicked her form. "I just like chaos. It's fun because it's what I am. I want to have your body because it's fun. I want to have that little magic boy as my pet, especially once he's strong enough. Why? Because it's fun. Because it's funny. Ironic. Whatever. I enjoy it!" @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 11/28/2023 14:42
In hindsight, Irhostre should have expected that answer. For a moment, she was silent, turning the exchange over in her mind. She had to word her agreement carefully, fully aware of how easily a being like this could screw her over. As waterproof as she could make it, still mutually beneficial but nothing that would prove little more than a trap for herself. After a moment, she leaned in closer until their faces were only an inch apart. Her voice lowered as she spoke. "If I'm your host, you get control of the body one night a week. You said that was the minimum, so I'm willing to sometimes raise it to two if I use your power more than three times within the week. Your contract with Dietrich is nullified, and when you're in control, you won't touch him. I won't tell anyone about our deal, and in exchange, I have access to your power and the knowledge of how to use it. Deal?" A part of her mind remained cognizant of the fact that this was a mistake. There was no way to completely avoid something like this taking advantage of her. But her own sense of pride led her to believe she could manage damage control better than whatever other host N'th'la found. @PhoggyΨυχη
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N'th'la BOT 11/28/2023 18:47
"I can agree to most of those. However, Dietrich will need to remain contracted with me. After all, he is the one who made the contract; he needs to be the one to nullify it." She sighed and twirled her finger in her hair. "Otherwise, I can agree to your terms, witchling." She pushed her further against the wall and let her lips run across Irhostre's neck. "The things I would do to this body if it were my thrall..." N'th'la sighed and cooed before stepping back. "Other than that, we have ourselves a deal." @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 11/29/2023 02:14
"And how would he do that?" Irhostre asked, before realizing that made it sound like this was all a ploy to break the contract. In a way, it sort of was, but it was too late not to go through with the new one regardless. "Just theoretically. I'm not going back on the deal." As it was, her terms would keep N'th'la away from him in the best way she could for now. Just this once, she let herself be pinned to the wall, tilting her head up. A part of her really wanted to know what she would do. Mostly the part that hadn't been laid in years, and understood that summoning tentacles to tend to her own needs just wasn't the same as a moment of real interpersonal contact. Then she was gone, and she was free to move. She stepped away from the wall, rubbing one wrist with the opposite hand. "What do we do to seal the contract?" @PhoggyΨυχη
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N'th'la BOT 11/29/2023 03:08
"That is more on him than it is on you," the deity teased, kissing Irhostre's cheek. "Of course, we can always bring him further to heel. But enough about him. As for how we seal the deal? You seem rather... enticed by the tentacles at my disposal. Perhaps we could consummate it?" She sighed and looked up and down Irhostre's body. @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 11/29/2023 03:38
Her comment caught Irhostre off guard before she could reiterate her earlier line about N'th'la leaving Dietrich alone. She hadn't even known she'd had that ability, even if it did make sense... Had she overheard Irhostre's thoughts about sometimes summoning a few to pleasure herself every now and then? Her heart raced as she looked over N'th'la's current form. If she were to be honest, this wasn't who she really wanted at the moment. But she was who she could have, and promised nothing short of bliss at the moment. "It is a reasonable way to secure a contract. More enjoyable than most," she agreed. She closed the distance between them, reaching to grab N'th'la's wrist as she whispered to her directly. "But don't mistake me for someone you can control outside of the boundaries of our contract." @PhoggyΨυχη
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N'th'la BOT 11/29/2023 06:24
"As per the dynamics of our contract, you are my contracted." She grabbed Irhostre by the chin, "if you obey me, then I can promise you immense pleasure. If you disobey me, I can promise you immense pain. Both are fun to me, but I find that beings such as yourself prefer the latter." She held out her hand and a collar appeared. There was a tag on it, but it was written in a language that seemed to hurt to read. "By wearing this, you submit to me per the terms of our contract. If you agree, put this on and you will know pleasure like never before." @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 11/29/2023 14:24
Irhostre eyed the collar. Submission had never been her preference, but pleasure was pleasure, and the offer was near irresistible. She took the collar from N'th'la's hand, taking a closer look at it. Her last chance to back out. But she'd made up her mind already - her moment of hesitation was solely a formality. "This is a bit contradictory to keeping our contract a secret, isn't it? Rather... obvious." But most of her dresses had high enough necks to cover it. If she was seen without a dress covering it, she'd be able to think of some sort of excuse. "Anyway, humans - even magical ones - do have their limits, even where pleasure is concerned. There's always such a thing as 'too much'." She reached a hand behind herself to pull her hair off the back of her neck. "So I'll tell you if I need to stop. My safeword is corvidae." Because of course it was. She doubted she would need it, but having the information out there and stated outright. "But on the nights you have the body, that won't be as relevant, since I won't be aware for it." She secured the collar around her own neck, letting the tag dangle in front. @PhoggyΨυχη
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N'th'la BOT 11/30/2023 22:48
N'th'la smirked; that had been a lot easier than she had expected. Now she had a powerful witch under her control. Of course, the deal meant little to nothing to her. She would honor it, but that didn't mean she couldn't work outside of it every now and then. Maybe she would even amend it once she corrupted this woman properly. She stepped closer to Irhostre and tugged on the collar. "Oh, honey, there is nothing safe about what I am going to do to you." She smirked as tendrils sprouted from behind the goddess and reached out, binding Irhostre. "Let's see how far I can go without completely shattering your mind, hm? Now, as your new goddess, let's start off with proper introductions." She stepped back, pulling Irhostre with her as the tentacles tightened. "I am N'th'la, deity of chaos. You are my contracted pet and slave. I think I'll call you my little Crow. Now, beg me to pleasure you." @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 11/30/2023 23:50
Irhostre let herself be pulled toward her, but was looking beyond her, toward the tendrils. She still wasn't sure to be excited or nervous. Scare-roused, perhaps. Either way, she made no effort to avoid her bindings. Her gaze returned to N'th'la as she spoke of introductions. She listened as much as she needed to, though her mind was mostly on what she might do with those tentacles. She squirmed a bit, as though to provoke them into doing something more than holding her in place. Begging had always been lovely to hear, but felt rather unnatural to say. This time, though, she found her mind in the right place that it wasn't a challenge at all. "Yes, my goddess," she breathed, accepting the new name as though it had always been hers. She squirmed again, satisfied to feel the bindings hold tight. "Please, show me that pleasure you spoke of. I'll do anything!" She had, after all, already agreed to their contract, so that wasn't exactly news. Even if this desperation was mostly an act for now. @PhoggyΨυχη
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N'th'la BOT 12/01/2023 00:00
"Good girl, little Crow." The tentacles ran across her body, teasing her in various places. A tendril poked against her lip, demanding entry. Others twisted and curled around her ample chest. One slipped between her legs and began to rock back and forth, teasing her entrance, though not going in. The collar on her neck glowed a dull pink, increasing her arousal and, therefore, obedience. "Let them take you, my pet." She ran her hand along Irhostre's stomach and bent her lips up into a smirk. "Give in to the pleasure." With that, the tentacles entered in. It was easy, given how wet and aroused the witch had become. The tentacle between her legs began to piston in and out of her while the one at her mouth kept her busy as she was forced to suck on it, teasing a sickly sweet and addictive liquid out and down her throat. @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 12/01/2023 00:47
Credit where it was due, N'th'la's promise had not been empty. Even just getting started, Irhostre couldn't remember the last time she'd gotten this worked up this quickly. Even the spores had taken time to properly affect her. With the slightest provocation, she parted her lips to take the tentacle into her mouth. She sucked greedily at it, letting it muffle her moans at the teasing. Just as her wanting became unbearable, one of them entered her. A cry of pleasure escaped her throat, barely audible beyond the obstruction buried deep in her mouth. Although she'd been able to keep eye contact with N'th'la at first, it soon became impossible as her eyes rolled back with pleasure and her lids fluttered shut. She swallowed down the liquid, tightening her lips around the tendril as though that would cause it to give her more. @PhoggyΨυχη
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N'th'la BOT 12/01/2023 05:34
"Insatiable little Crow," N'th'la cooed and clicked her tongue. She could feel the pleasure coming from Irhostre and it was incredible. She ran a hand down the witch's sides and felt the pleasure herself. "Mmm, darling, you're really enjoying this. I can feel your pleasure. Why not share some more?" Another tentacle poked at the Eldritch deity's own entrance. She ran her hands along it before letting it in. She let out a loud moan, her voice dripping with desire. Irhostre, by extension, then, would feel the same pleasure as N'th'la. "You can feel everything that you feel and you can feel everything I feel. We are tied together, darling." @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 12/01/2023 15:37
Irhostre shivered at her touch, anticipation building within her. Her purpose for the contract was temporarily neglected as she merely allowed herself to enjoy the moment. Her tongue brushed against the length in her mouth as she moved her hips in time with the thrusting of the tendril inside of her. She nodded as N'th'la asked her to share more. At the addition of the deity's pleasure to her own, she nearly gasped, gagged instead, then quickly worked to get her breathing back under control. Her knees were weak as their pleasure coalesced together, an intense feedback loop. Before long, she found herself approaching the edge. She tried to keep herself from climaxing too soon. If only because she didn't want it to end before she could enjoy the feeling of experiencing two simultaneous orgasms. @PhoggyΨυχη
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N'th'la BOT 12/02/2023 08:37
N'th'la pressed a hand against Irhostre's stomach as the pair came together, doubling their pleasure. It was a massive wave of euphoria as they each reached the climax. The other tentacles in and on Irhostre joined the wave and filled and covered her with their otherworldly seed. And just as quick as it started, it ended. Irhostre was laid on the ground, naked with naught but her collar on. N'th'la stood above her and grinned wildly. The deity bent forward and placed a kiss on Irhostre's lips, sending a shock to her body. And, as if nothing has happened, Irhostre woke back up in the bathroom, relaxed in the tub, with her nice, new collar on. @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 12/02/2023 14:39
It was over quickly. A flash of blinding pleasure, the rush of being filled entirely, an electric kiss, then... nothing. None of the soreness she'd expected to follow, no residual waves of sensation, just Irhostre, every bit as clean as she had been when she had gotten out of the tub. Except now she was back in it. The only evidence that anything had happened was the collar around her neck. She stretched her arms over her head, then got back out. A different enchantment on the tub activated to drain the water. In the meantime, she picked up her towel, drying herself off. Physically, nothing of the session remained but the collar, but the sense of satisfaction lingered in her mind. She smiled as she got dressed again, then checked in the mirror. The dress covered the collar, as she'd hoped. Nothing to explain, then. She combed her hair out, but kept it down for now as she stepped out of the bathroom, unsure of how long it had been. @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 12/04/2023 02:38
Dietrich eventually returned to the cabin, somewhat refreshed, but mostly exhausted. He had had his own unfortunate tryst with N'th'la, though his was far more rough and masochistically pleasing. He hated it. He reached out his hand, hovering it over the door. Should he even go back? Well, it's not like he had anywhere else to go. Biting his lip, the young mage knocked on the door, hanging his head. He did not want to face her the way he was. He felt dirty and scars and bruises decorated his body. While unquestioned in the church due to their methods, here, where that was not an issue, the wounds stood out far more. @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 12/04/2023 17:32
The knock pulled Irhostre's attention to the door. So he'd returned after all. Good to know nothing had killed him while he'd been out. She walked over to the door and opened it, taking in the view in front of him. It seemed he hadn't completely avoided trouble after all. She sighed and stepped aside. "I'll have to make a copy of the key at some point so you won't need to knock," she commented. "Come in." She looked him up and down again, getting a look of the bruises and scratches. "What happened to you?" She closed the door and reached out for his shoulder so she could steer him toward the kitchen. "Come on, I'll teach you how to make a simple healing potion while we're talking." @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 12/06/2023 02:00
Dietrich frowned as he entered in. "I, uh, had a run in with my patron. She needed to remind me of who I belong to." He rubbed his arms and sighed as he sat down at a table. "It's no big deal. This happens every now and then. She is very possessive." "I'm sorry for getting you tied up in all of this. I'm fine if you decide that I'm not worth the trouble anymore." He sighed and slunk in his seat. The last thing he wanted was to bring her all of this trouble. Granted, he knew this wouldn't be easy, but he seemed to be dragging more and more trouble to her doorstep. @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 12/06/2023 11:56
Irhostre could only hope that had been before her own contract with N'th'la, or else the clause about leaving Dietrich alone was well and truly useless. Her expression showed nothing though, as she simply shook his head and piked up a book of potions. A healing potion wouldn't do as well as actual light magic, but it was a start. He needed to be in good condition if he was going to learn from her. "Don't worry about it," she said. "At any rate, if there's a contract, there's always a way out of it." At least she'd managed to get that much information out of the deity. "It's just on you to find that way." She found the page, a simple enough potion recipe for a beginner, and set it in front of Dietrich. "There. All of my ingredients are labeled. Follow the instructions and you will be fine. It will take care of the bruising, but it's too late to deal with anything that's already scarred." @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 12/19/2023 09:50
"If it's all the same to you," he said with an exhausted sigh, "I think I'll table finding a way out of it for now. I've found that to be far more trouble than it's worth. She doesn't make it easy." Dietrich sighed and rubbed his cuts. He hadn't exactly told her what the contract entailed, but, for now, he wanted to keep it that way. He mindlessly started to put the potion ingredients together, following the recipe with lifeless eyes. He was tired. If it wasn't the church, it was N'th'la. He was rarely allowed meaningful rest. Once finished, he used the potion, feeling the minor effects run through his body. The young mage had hoped he'd become numb to the pain, but the monstrous woman always found new and unique ways to fuck with him. @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 12/19/2023 14:51
Easy enough to believe, especially now that Irhostre had encountered her directly. "Suit yourself, then. That might change once you've mastered more magic." She sat at the table, crossing one leg over the other as she observed, mentioning any tricks that made the mixing more efficient, or ingredients that would give the potion a boost but hadn't been mentioned in the book. "Experimentation is key if you hope to eventually master potionmaking. Dangerous if you don't expand your knowledge base first, but worthwhile." She stood back up after he'd finished, smoothing out her skirts. "There. It won't be a substitute for proper rest." Which might be a challenge since he didn't have a bed, but he'd said he was used to it, so she'd leave him be. "My room is directly across from yours. Knock if you need anything, even if it's not yet morning." @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 12/24/2023 00:27
"If experimentation is key, do I have your permission to... experiment? Mixing things I would like to try?" He asked and tilted his head to the side. "As long as I don't blow things up, right?" He looked over to where she pointed and noted that it was her room. "I will keep that in mind. I'll do my best to not annoy or bother you, though." @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 12/26/2023 19:10
"As long as you know the magical properties of the raegents you are using," Irhostre said. "Experimentation should not be mistaken for recklessness. One moment." She walked over to one of the side cabinets, some distance from the main kitchen itself, and opened it up. Scrolls were piled up inside, and inkwells were stored on the shelf below them. "Take notes. I am curious to read about your findings as well." She set a parchment, inkwell, and quill on the kitchen table. They were all ordinary - not pre-enchanted, as she found it wasteful to enchant her supplies before they were ready to be used. She would leave them ordinary for now as well, so he might have something to practice on later. For now, she turned and walked back to her room. "Goodnight, Dietrich." @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 01/08/2024 14:44
He had little interest in sleep at the moment. Too much was going on in his mind; whether it was the earlier potential tryst, the flogging at the hand of his patron, or the potions in front of him, he was mentally preoccupied. Dietrich mumbled a "good night" her way as he busied himself. He began mixing and matching the ingredients per her books and notes. In a way, it was like cooking. Certain ingredients complemented each other. His original conception of potion-making was that various random ingredients went in and out came a potion. Not so, it seemed. Mixing a magical base, like holy water or fey water with a healing balm like enchanted aloe would produce a healing potion. He furrowed his brow, wanting to experiment and, if possible, come up with some working combinations on his own. He looked at one of the tables that his pseudo-mentor had scrawled down; it held a list of ingredients that had not been mixed together yet. Dragon scales were almost impossible to use due to their durability. Dragons... Dragons were weak to steel. But he couldn't just poke a dragon scale with steel. Then he had an idea. What if he heated the steel? Melted it? He would need to hold a consistent flame of about 1570 C to melt it. Doable. But how feasible was it to expend that much magic for a test? Throwing caution to the wind, he did his best. Melting down the steel was simple once he targeted the phosphorous and sulfur that lay dormant in its composition. Igniting the steel was easy enough. The dragon scale was something different altogether. How could he liquify that? Like slow-cooking meat, he tossed the dragon scale into an enchanted bottle and set it in the middle of the molten steel. Dietrich waited patiently as he saw the dragon scale begni to melt in the bottle. Now he just needed to figure out what to use the scale for... @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 01/09/2024 01:43
Alone in her room, Irhostre changed out of her day dress and into her house robe, a soft and sheer black garment. It didn't cover a whole lot, but had never needed to. She'd lived alone for years, after all. Not anymore but, given the events of earlier in the evening, it seemed silly to worry about such trivialities as modesty. One of her crows perched outside of the window to keep an eye on Dietrich, making sure he wouldn't do anything too dangerous. On her way to the bed, she passed the dressing mirror, just barely catching a glimpse of the collar. It was enough, and this time, after the sight of Dietrich's state when he'd returned, the reality hit. The memory of earlier that evening no longer brought pleasure, but a wave of nausea, regret. She'd sworn to herself that she wouldn't get caught in the cycles of shame the Church had taught her again. But this situation seemed like it warranted it. What had she gotten herself into? In a moment of panic, she lashed out with one hand, knocking the mirror face-down onto the floor. It landed with a crash as she caught her breath, tried to anchor her own thoughts. She'd been foolish. Too foolish to deserve companionship, or an apprentice, and it was only a matter of time before this grew into a mess she couldn't control- A flash of sight from the crow distracted her from her spiraling thoughts. A dragon's scale... interesting. She closed her eyes, breathed again, and fought to pull herself together. Perhaps she should come out and see the results for herself. She walked to the door and paused with her hand on the knob. Right. The collar. She placed a hand on the back of it, attempting a spell to see if she could render it invisible. @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 01/10/2024 05:20
Melted dragon scale. Right. He scanned her books and notes— nothing. Well, no sense in being overly cautious. He shook the bottle around, looking at the viscous blue liquid. He sighed before popping open the bottle and downing the contents. It tasted awful. He made a note of that. He waited... Then he felt a large pain in his stomach. He doubled over, holding his sides, facing the floor. Suddenly, his head tilted back and bolts of lightning flew from his mouth, shooting through the roof of the small cottage. Fuck... My insides are ripped to shreds... He coughed up blood onto the ground before unsteadily standing up. Dietrich slowly, but surely made a healing potion and, instead of putting it on his wounds, drank the whole thing. It took a few moments for his body to feel somewhat normal again. To that end, he wrote down his notes. "Perhaps I should incorporate liquid dragon scale into a healing potion? Or maybe just have one on hand. Was it the act of drinking it? No... It was probably the lightning shooting from my stomach..." He looked at the broken wood of the roof and waved his hand to cast a simple mending spell, fixing the damage perfectly. At least that was some easy light magic and his stomach wasn't ripped up from it, either. @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 01/10/2024 18:01
Irhostre turned toward the mirror again and relaxed to see that the illusion had worked. For now, as long as she kept it up, nobody could see the collar. It didn't ease the heavy regret that had settled in her stomach, but it let her put this out of her mind, allowed her to hold herself together for a bit longer. It would do while she checked in on her apprentice's experiments. This was something she had to see for herself. She stepped out of the room just as the hall lit up with the lightning shooting up from the kitchen. With a frown of mild disapproval, she used one hand to shield her eyes from the brightness. The lightning passed, and she continued on her way, stepping into the kitchen while Dietrich drank the healing potion. She stood there silently. Best to let him have a moment to recover and to fix the damage done. Once he seemed fine, she walked toward him again, sheer gown trailing behind her. "I leave you alone for ten minutes and you burn a hole in my ceiling." Her voice carried a hint of amusement despite the haunted look that lingered in her eyes. "Drinking an experimental potion in its entirety is not the wisest first test of its effects, but it is certainly one way to do so." She snapped her fingers and the hallway closet opened. A mop and bucket emerged, cleaning up the blood on the floor. She looked over his notes while the enchanted objects cleaned, considering what he'd written. Of course. Why hadn't she thought of that? "Melting down the dragon scale with heated steel to transfer it to a usable form was a brilliant idea. Good work on that." Her voice softened, more concerned now that she'd addressed the matter of his experimentation. "Are you alright?" @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 01/12/2024 16:49
"Define alright," he laughed, "And I fixed the hole in the ceiling!" He pointed up at the fixed roof. "Besides, I can't die. She won't let me. That's maybe the one benefit to the whole thing is that I can't be killed while I have my pact with her." He dusted himself off and stood next to her while she read his notes. "Dragon scales are just in another state of matter. Since they were a solid, I figured I could make them a liquid. Dragons are week to steel, so I figured that I could use that to help melt the dragon scales down. I put them in separate containers to prevent the scale from being obliterated or even mixed with the steel." He wrote a bit more on the notes. "I wonder what I can mix it with..." @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 01/12/2024 21:22
All things considered, he seemed to be doing just fine now. Irhostre watched carefully for signs that his good mood might be a facade, but after years of isolation, she lacked the social skills to actually notice either way. The bit about not being able to die was concerning, though... Was she affected in the same way? She couldn't question it out loud right now, so she filed away that thought for later. "The effect was lightning, so you'd want to look into potential uses for that. That sort of energy is is normally used to enchant items to be animated, but has been used to return people from the brink of death. Of course, it would have to be diluted enough with a healing potion..." She trailed off, thought for a moment, then looked down at the parchment. "Do you mind if I write a few things down here?" @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 01/17/2024 07:19
"Of course. I wonder if I could coat a sword or something with it. Maybe a fence to prevent people from coming in somewhere?" He muttered to himself, mindlessly offering her the parchment. "I wonder if the other dragons' scales have similar elemental effects." He turned back to her. "Let's go get some more dragon scales. I want to see what mixing them would do!" Dietrich smiled brightly; he loved learning and he had just found a new experiment he wanted to try. @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 01/18/2024 03:02
Irhostre began jotting down potential uses for dragons' scales and what they might be mixed with to maximize their utility and minimize harm done to the user. Of course, different dragons had different elemental attunement, so more research would be necessary in order to determine the full range of possibilities. It would be a powerful, but challenging regent to use in potions. A rarity, perhaps. She stopped writing as he suggested getting more dragon scales. "What, right now?" He was certainly an odd one, but it took conscious effort not to smile back at his clear excitement. "It is late. You need to rest, and I am not exactly dressed to search for dragons. Scales are difficult to acquire; dragons usually avoid humans, and most merchants who claim to sell dragon scales are only scammers peddling counterfeits." Not to mention the danger of trying to hunt a dragon down if he was suggesting that route. @PhoggyΨυχη
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Dietrich Weber BOT 01/18/2024 07:07
"Well, okay, maybe not right now, but soon! I'm sure we could find a lot of uses for them! It could be, uh, my extra credit project." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I need to make up for blowing a hole in your roof after all. And... For everything else." He paused and set the glass down on the table. "Did I say least pass my first potions class?" Dietrich looked back up at her with a laugh and a dorky smile. @hALloween
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Irhostre Corneille BOT 01/19/2024 03:15
"Extra credit?" Irhostre tried to keep a neutral manner, but failed, and ended up laughing out loud anyway. Maybe his good cheer was contagious. She had to admit, "This isn't a formal class. No grades, only mastery of your learning. It's more effective that way." She picked up the glass once he'd set it down and peered at it thoughtfully, though it wouldn't offer as many answers as the notes. After a moment, she spoke up again. "You've shown promise," she said at last. "Get some rest, and tomorrow morning we can see what we want to do about finding more dragon scales." @PhoggyΨυχη
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