Randomness

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

Solomon Sparrow

Location: Fanghorn, Kindeance

---

Solomon moved back from the box when he was addressed. Jazdia had come down from the roof. Solomon initially thought to avoid the weather. Though, the current floor provided cover, the remains of the garret above wasn’t doing much to keep out the rain. Jazdia then mentioned Asevor being on the first floor of the keep, just twenty or so feet below them. So, that is where the wizard retreated to, much to what Solomon predicted. The explosion that took place just moments before must have been Jazdia taking aim against the wizard.

“I agree in part, but the damage the box has already sustained seems to have triggered some kind of timer. Though my rune lore isn’t extensive, I do not imagine the pace of the red line to be anything benign.” said Solomon as he maneuvered down the vines to more stable ground. “Asevor possesses numerous jewels for breaking from my hold, and he is currently invisible. Until both of those change, I’m afraid I won’t be able to grasp him again.”

“Petra should be at the first floor now, as are my shadows. They can attempt to subdue him rather than kill him outright if you wish. I will be within earshot of them, so if you can relinquish Asevor of his anti-magic accessories, I can quickly come down and finally bind him with my hold. In the mean time, I will decipher the runes to find a means of opening the box safely. I want to avoid any other dead man triggers. Perhaps I can open the intended doorway.”

Down on the first floor Petra flew near ground level following the blasted entrance from Jazdia’s earlier arrow. At the same time, the shadow that was lingering there noticed the blackened vines and scattered tableware collapse and crackle as nothing tumbled over the remains. It started to fly away when the other joined it from the second floor. While none of the three could see Asevor, they were to somehow restrain him. Petra was annoyed, her spectral face scowling as she looked into the dark and otherwise empty dining hall. There were also the shadows who physically could not do anything. The question of how they were to accomplish the change in instruction was quickly raised.

Petra rested her hand on her spell book, cold mist consolidating around the pages as she charged her spell. She slid her hand off the book, spreading her fingers as several cold rays of magical ice scattered about the room. Where ever they landed frost spread out several feet covering anything in contact near the center in ice. The spell centered mainly around the obvious crash site in the middle of the room. By shotgunning her spell, she attempted to locate Asevor, either by disturbing the frost with heat or friction, or by being hit directly. Hopefully with the latter, the ice could slow his movements as it could attempt to expand over his form.

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

Solomon Sparrow

Location: Fanghorn, Kindeance

---

That was bothersome. The grouped looked so close to actually bringing Asevor down, but was able to cripple Cedar, dispel Solomon’s hold, and turn completely invisible within moments of each other. To make matters worse, without Violet here to supplement his eyes, Solomon no longer could keep track of the mad wizard as soon as his form vanished. Solomon clicked his tongue. Since the storm was clouding the incineration spell, Solomon didn’t feel much threat from it any more. And given the size of the hail, it would be too dangerous to fly for a prolonged period of time, even if he was invisible, even through his rings or protection. He was probably seeking shelter. That would be the keep. Solomon turned back inside, still being soaked with rain as the wind carried the falling water inside through the open window.

Solomon doubted Asevor would enter from any floor except the first. That was where the closest and mostly unobstructed entrance was. Many of the others along that wall were covered in vines courtesy of Cedar’s massive plant stalk. He lack much of any more power to call upon another exceptional ally, Solomon regretted, but perhaps he might have enough for something else. He remembered he still had a couple shadows still within the keep, though they couldn’t be of much tangible aid. Perhaps as a distraction, but without knowing exactly where Asevor was, that could be ineffective.

“Shadows. Peak corners along the first and second floor. Speak to me if anything shifts to the presence of another.” said Solomon softly, his mind focused on something else. The shadows were like sentries now. One moved to the first floor, and the other stayed on the second. The idea was twofold, if Asevor spotted one of them, the shadows would initially appear to be another entity on the floor with him. Of course, he could confirm they were simply undead shadows through his magical tool. But that moment of pause, no matter how short might make a difference. It wasn’t a perfect sentry as long as he remained invisible, it was entirely possible to move about to any part of the keep without disturbance.

Solomon’s peripheral vision caught a glimpse of the box resting slightly askew from perfectly level upon rambling vines. Despite the damage caused by both sides during the conflict, Asevor was still very protective of the box. Solomon didn’t suspect much else reason he and August were targeted they way they were. Something looked off about it, though. Solomon climbed over a particularly thick vine to look at it from another angle. The large box initially looked undamaged from the pressure, but now he could see that part of the corner had popped open. Solomon got as close as he could, resting his eye just before the opening. His eye darted around its sunken socket trying to peek inside, perhaps hoping it was enough to see completely inside.

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

Solomon Sparrow

Location: Fanghorn, Kindeance

---

Petra’s intuition was right. Unfortunately, she was not in any position to effectively warn anyone, even those in the air with her. That is to say, even if she had, she probably wouldn’t. She did not particularly care what happened to Solomon, and being a voice of warning was not one of her ‘commands’. Still, she was also one of the targets of Asevor’s sun spell. Luckily for her, the spell missed center mass in part because of blur, and she had the forethought to fly away from the sun laser the pinprick foretold. The heat that emanated the blast was intense and though she was able to avoid the initial column of sun magic, parts of her dress was still singed by the heat, and her skin blistered. Not bothered by it, not even able to feel proper pain, Petra looked around, her head swiveling. Asevor disappeared from where Petra had seen him, losing sight as the blinding beam came down. The quickly forming clouds didn’t help. Petra felt a cold chill, moving to descend before the weather worsened.

Violet remained oblivious to anything other than the Xelthos bird she was occupying, taking to full force of the beam as the sun intensive ray completely engulfed her. The only benefit, if it could be called one, is that she kept the deathly looking humanoid raven with her. Though she could not be touched by physical weapons and structures, she was still susceptible to magical attacks. The intensely focused sun beam all but incinerated her.

August and Solomon continued to work on breaking open the box. The box was too large to take all the way down without causing too much more structural damage. The beanstalk already had most of its weight supporting one wall, and the ceiling above already started to collapse with the garret. He concentrated on the increasingly constrictive force of the vegetation as he attempted to crack open the box. The walls might be strong, but near omnidirectional force applied on all sides of the box would break the seams eventually. As long as August was there, the risk of further collapse was minimized.

Solomon looked towards August. While Solomon was a floor down with the box, August remained with the stalk, commanding the vines it sprouted throughout the keep. He noticed the bright thin beam of light poke through the remains of the garret ceiling spearing through August’s position. Solomon uttered a quick word of warning before he himself suddenly vanished within black mist ducking into the surrounding structure. All August could hear was the word of warning, but wasn’t able to do more than attempt to return to the stalk before the beam of concentrated sunlight tore through the remains of the garret though his body. He along with much of the vegetation by his person ignited. What remained of the undead druid collapsed, falling to the floor below, landing next to the box containing the prince.

August’s body smoldered as the teeth of his skulled head chattered. Cursing his fortune, August reached with his remaining hand towards nothing in particular. The vines holding the box quickly lost their tension, and gravity took over. Many bits of foliage fells as the multitude of vines were left dangling from whatever perches they were rooted to. The box leveled out, resting on the plant life that once held it suspended. August’s arm fell, and though he lacked proper eyes, it could be said that his closed. With a final burst of mana, the remains of August’s body extinguished as small stems quickly sprouted from his corpse, a multitude of colorful petals blossoming releasing a sweet scent in the otherwise dusty and charred atmosphere. Then with a pulse, the vines and the beanstalk grew several feet at once. It wasn’t enough to reach or capture anything, but it was enough for the roots to dig further the structural integrity of the keep. The entire side of the keep the beanstalk occupied was unstable. And the weight of the been stalk was fully leaning into it. The strong winds picking up outside wasn’t helping either.

Solomon could feel the loss of both Violet and August. He was saddened by their demise. Violet especially. Though she may have perished once before, she was still a child in many ways. Still, he turned his attention back to the box. It remained entirely intact, the vines doing nothing to crack it open. Not even the apparent door budged, despite the evidence that root work attempted to penetrate its hinges. Solomon lacked much of anything to move it now. For now it was level, and hopefully the Prince would be okay if he stayed inside just a little bit longer.

Solomon stepped over the roots snaked across the floor, looking for a window. He was able to find one, peaking through one of the bedrooms, through it was overgrown with vines. Solomon was able to push enough out of the way to see the drastic change in the weather. The once bright and sunny morning had turned cloudy as rain and hail fell from the dark clouds above. The signs of a vortex was forming among them as the winds picked up. Solomon wasn’t quite sure how the weather came to be, but he suspected it might have to do with Cedar’s bizarre dance among the current battle.

Then there was Asevor, low to the ground now, but not for long as that cyclone forming above encapsulated Asevor. He wasn’t the only one to notice as the rest o his allies were nearby as well either recouping or taking advantage of the turn of the weather. Petra had appeared once again with a volley of light. The beams of light magic that she had circle her body flew from their orbits, homing in on Asevor’s position. With the Xelthos bird more or less dealt with, these may have more impact against Asevor himself. Solomon held out a hand towards the enemy wizard. Before he would get too far away, Solomon cast another instance of daggerhold. A test of the wind to see if it was powerful enough to break it. If neither the wind nor any of Asevor’s jewelry broke the spell, the cyclone would would push the sun commanding wizard into what felt like a wall of knives multiple times.

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

Solomon Sparrow

Location: Fanghorn, Kindeance

---

An explosion? Asevor is certainly pulling out the stops now that he is outside the keep. Solomon didn’t worry too much about it. Not due to a lack of care, rather he knew that at the moment, he had no reliable means of reaching him, and even if he did lacked any methods of actually dealing with him. It was unfortunate, but it is as it is. Even so, Solomon exited the garret to assess the progress of the battle. Several of the wooden structures crackled as small fires ate away at the timber, small bits of blackened foliage drifted from the remains of the bean stalk, what remained limp leaning over the keep. Jazdia was also there, burned and beaten, her exposed skin blistered from magical acid.

“Prince?” questioned Solomon. He took pause. So the prince is in the box? Solomon turned back to face the box covered in script. The door and slot made sense, and the device? The device might have been a part of what confused Veronica’s scry. But something else was bothering him, he look back out through the door towards the battle above. Violet was holding down one of the death creatures while Petra all by annihilated the others. But the sky, it was getting dimmer. Without clouds in the sky, yet the sun was filtered. Solomon didn’t know specifically what was going on, but it didn’t look good.

Time working against him more so than before Solomon had to risk opening the box to rescue the prince. Sensing August nearby, he called for his presence. From what remained of the beanstalk that overhung over the building, August emerged having used the vines to elevate himself up from below ground. Walking part Jazdia shortly after she set fire to the source of the acidic fog he ripped the door off the hinge to join Solomon within the garret.

“So, your herbicidal king’s heir is in there you suppose? Don’t want to confirm?” asked August. He was a little annoyed at the lost of Cedar’s glorious beanstalk creation. Though he was confident he could restore it once the fighting was over, the damage it sustained cut off his reach against Asevor. “Alright, let me see what I can do.” Vines covered much of the side of the keep as well as penetrating deep within each of the floors. A byproduct from Cedar’s growth spell as well as necessary to support the stalk. Concentrating on those vines present in the keep, August was able to nurture their further development. The wood along the floor creaked and split as thin stems sprouted from below. Soon they widened into thick vines, boring out the floor, collapsing it beneath the box. At the same time, the vines grew around the box to support it instead.

“We will need to get below ground.” said Solomon, “I fear the spell Asevor has cast may lead to stark devastation.” August only nodded as the vines took the box below into the third floor. The vines slithered abound the floor digging into existing crevices and imperfections, widening them and ruining their integrity, boring down through the keep. The abundance of vines helped. Still at the third floor, the vines began to compress the box continuously applying force hopefully to the point where it would split open, but not be crushed. Enough to create an opening for whatever was inside to crawl out. If it was indeed the prince, then he could take him and follow the path August created down through the keep. The goal was to get underground, perhaps among the roots of the giant stalk if the ground could be cleared away in time. At the very least, find as much cover as possible.

Above, Violet was clueless to the change in sky, working to keep the remaining death bird from interfering with the others, but Petra looked onward with knowing eyes. She scowled, but knew that in the end, it didn’t affect her fate. Even so, she was compelled to keep the pressure on Asevor. He may have been able to cast his spell, but the Xelthos birds could only last so long before Petra could resume casting rays towards the wizard. She had some time before the spell came to fruition. She laid a hand on the book but when she raised it off, the ray that accompanied the motion instead curved its path so that it circles her person. She repeated this a couple times. It along with Blur would make approaching difficult, and at the same time would allow her to fire the rays in quick succession should it be required. Given the sudden and quick formation of storm clouds, she might need to in one way or another.

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

Solomon Sparrow

Location: Fanghorn, Kindeance

---

With Asevor so far in sky and the cloud of caustic acid slowly descending over the keep, Solomon realized just how little range he had. For that battle, Solomon would have to rely on his allies, both living and dead. That is not to say Solomon didn’t have anything to do near the ground. The steel box was of concern. It was a good size, enough to hold a person. The doors further supported it. The night magic, silent incantations that one wouldn’t be detected meant this contraption, this cage perhaps was to be thoroughly hidden. Solomon observed the case, and the device, attempting to read some of the runes engraved to get a better sense of what he was working with. Unfortunately, he misrepresented how much time he had, unaware of how quickly the acid fog descended upon the battlement. However, it seems like his miscalculation was saved by Jazdia’s release of inner fire, something he wouldn’t realize until he once again left the garret.

As for the ongoing battle, Violet was keeping one of the summoned bodyguards busy as best she could. In fact, being mostly unaffected by the crystal fire of jazdia’s explosive arrows, worked to position the one she was dealing with as near to them as she could, though made very difficult by the shadow raven’s persistence.

August found he was out of range. The beanstalk could not go up much higher without increasing the base significantly, and he currently lacked the substantial mana to do so. Instead, he took individual vines and laced them with rooted seeds, turning the stalk into a pseudo trebuchet and the root structures into nets. The seeds held just enough mana that once they land to rapidly dig into their landing spot enough to sturdy themselves. Almost like an extension of himself several hundred feet in the air, the vine would swing like a whip, releasing the seeds where one would normally crack.

Petra used all parts of her body to cast her spells. Her arms would come down, flip through pages quickly before raising her book once again for the spectral hand to lay upon the page and release a spell. After her first near encounter with one of the strangely humanoid ravens, Petra cast upon herself Blur. Her very being was no longer a sharp contrast to her surroundings, becoming wispy, and very hard to focus. It was though one was looking at her through fogged glass. While not impossible, her appearance would make targeting and landing further attacks that much harder.

With another hand on the page, Petra slid her hand off the spell book with a directed point towards Asevor. The servants of death, at least the ones that remained, would have to act more defensively to protect Asevor blocking barrages than facing Petra. Rays of light were enough to burn and seemed to be a weakness of the shadow elementals.

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

Solomon Sparrow

Location: Fanghorn, Kindeance

---

This box. Well, if it was premature to assume the sealed room was worth investigating, this box was certainly not. It lacked an easy was to quickly access, with the only entrance like areas lacking an obvious means of opening. A notable discovery. Solomon noticed that the rest of the room lacked any supplies, making the ballista useless. By now, he could see the servants summed by Asevor, and the preparation of another spell. So, for the time bring, Solomon’s priority would have to switch again. What lay in the box would probably be safest within. Solomon turned his attention towards the sky back out within the open air, embers blowing across the lower sky, Asevor flying well enough away from the flames.

Violet floated listlessly where Asevor was previously located. Unfortunate his altitude was much farther than Cedar’s plant tower could reach. Solomon began preparing another spell. He needed range, and he lacked his own. Likewise, the shadows were useless in combat and Violet was out of sorts. Likewise, many of his allies also lacked range, at least from what he could see. Jazdia had her bow, but Cedar’s beanstalk seemed to be the extent of his range. The others were either incapacitated or close range fighters. The only other archer he was aware of was Veronica, but her whereabouts were unknown to Solomon. Black wisps of magical energy twisted with silver began to coil around his arms, collecting within the palms of his hands.

“August, leave the brambles, give aid here. Violet, come to sense.” said Solomon needlessly. Yet, he spoke anyway to help give him some clarity. The range of that spell was unknown to Solomon, but he saw the effects it had when it was contained within the dining hall. If Asevor could magnify its area of effect, then such a caustic cloud would be detrimental, not only to his allies, but to the servants and citizens who remained in the village, fighting the fire.

Up until now, August fed mana into the brambles, growing them even as Asevor’s wizards burned them. He remained below the ground, making it very difficult for them to drive him out. When Solomon called, he positions the thorny vines over as much flammable material as possible and then immediately drew the mana from within. This effectively killed the vines, letting the fire burn them into ash, raining embers onto various buildings. Though most of them were evacuated, the ensuing uproar of fire could still keep the mages busy leaving them to deal with the fire they started. This action also helped supplement his own mana stores along with the pools Cedar had created funneling them towards the keep. The ground rumbled as August gave Cedar’s sky scraper another burst in height. The growth of the structure was no where near as far as Cedar’s initial burst, but should be just enough to attempt another grab at the floating mage. The remaining mana went into the pool for Cedar’s access as well as reinforcing the stalk as to not topple over its own weight.

Violet momentarily remained still unaware of what had occurred. The three effects cast upon her were of little consequence, but it left her mind scattered. Aware but not observant, she took a moment to realize how inactive she was being. After regaining her composure, Violet resumed what was requested earlier. She flew higher to match Asevor’s altitude, though a fair distance father than her previous encounter. He was surrounded by some odd raven human hybrid monsters. If they do not engage, Violet was to deliver another ear piercing shriek.

As for Solomon, he was finalizing his spell, calling upon yet another of his undead allies. Despite being several stories above the ground, the floor broke as another entity formed from a mound of newly formed soil, as though it had always been below the surface. The figure of a woman, dressed in a formal dress rose. The dress was yellow and white, a large bow tied around the waist. Puffed fabric was held at her shoulders leading to fine silk sleeves. The front of the skirt held several frills, and outfit trimmed in lace. Her features were fair, though grayed. As one of the dead, she was very well preserved. She had blond hair with a single braid that flowed down over her shoulders. Suddenly, her body lurched forward as the back of the dress tore. A ghostly mirror of the woman, joined by the hip, almost like a soul escaping from her own body emerged. The physical body and ghostly upper body of the same woman remained conjoined in this way. The only difference between both forms was the spectral woman was dressed in under clothing, of simple loose fitting garb and less than neat hair. Likewise, unlike the color that made up her dress, the ghostly apparition was entirely pale white. Two bodies it appeared to be, yet only one entity she was.

“No!” the odd undead spoke. The voice came very much from the spectral head, the physical body displaying very little animation. Whatever she did, it was the ghostly torso, the physical body not acting at all. “No, I swear whatever it is you call, I refuse.” The woman folded her arms, turning away from Solomon, the physical puppet turning shortly thereafter.

“This is not up for discussion. I need your skill in the arcane arts to combat Asevor. How you fair afterward will rely on it. If you so require, I will speak indomitably. Favor is earned, and otherwise you leave me without choice.” Solomon spoke softly, yet sternly. As so much he had allies that saw him favorably, circumstances of their past where Solomon could not save them, there were those who looked upon him with disdain. Petra was one such person. If one knew of the atrocities Petra was a part of, her fate might not seem so undeserved. However, it mattered not. If it were not for Solomon’s binding, she would nary care for what was happening. Yet, his words were true. Even without the control Solomon had over her, she was still bound to him.

“Fine. You want to bring down the man surrounded by Xelthos birds? Don’t call me again once that’s done.” No longer heeding any of Solomon's words of advice about Asevor or otherwise, the physical body moved for once. Her arm latched onto a small book once stashed under the thick ribbon tied around the torso of her dress. Flipping through the pages, she held the book up in which her ghostly hand laid upon one of the pages. She quickly lifted her hand off the page. Bright light emanated off the page, streaked from it to her hand, and then from her hand it flew straight towards Asevors location like an arrow. Shortly after the ray of light, Petra also took flight in a similar manner Asevor demonstrated.

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

Solomon Sparrow

Location: Fanghorn, Kindeance

---

The blast was quickly cast and versitle enough to strike both sides of the paranoid wizard inciting a reaction of incorporeal form for Solomon, and retreating through the structural walls for Violet. Solomon’s body as injured from the arcane blast, and deaf from his own banshee, but it did not hinder him much. His undead body felt no pain. He followed Asevor to the next floor shortly after he retreated. Unceremoniously, Asevor continued up and out of the keep, destroying the door towards the battlement. Solomon could technically follow him out, but his shadowy form would be plainly visible, and he lacked speed to evade any other evocations Asevor might cast towards him. Violet had an advantage as she could fly up remaining invisible.

For now Solomon hid among the crates and a decommissioned ballista when a sudden tower of plant material snaked its way up towards Asevor. This wasn’t August, as he was still propagating the flames against the casters that used them to burn down the brambles. This was Cedar’s handiwork. It was impressive and quickly gained height. Cedar seemed to have developed a special hatred towards the paranoid wizard enough to fully exert himself. If only Solomon was more adept with a martial weapon, he could hide among the vines of the newly formed stalk and surprise Asevor as well.

Cedar’s command of his bean stalk might bring up another opportunity for a surprise attack. Violet traveled to Asevor’s position in a straight line, the timber and stone of the keep below not hindering her travel. Assuming Asevor’s attention would be towards Cedar and his leafy tendrils attempting to grab at him, Violet could appear again, striking at the more desperate wizard with jagged nails that were more like sharp claws. The spell constructs Asevor forms seem to unravel when disturbed. Solomon knew enough that whatever Asevor was casting could be devastating if he needed fly as far as he did before casting. Attempting to disrupt it seemed to be in order.

Asevors position should theoretically make it easier for Jazdia to fire upon him. The lack of exploding arrows probably meant she wasn't in a position to witness him. Or she wasn't in a good position to fire. As for his other allies, it didn't seem likely for them to be able to take advantage of Asevor's position. He watched to see what would unfurl. If Asevor was able to succeed in his spell, perhaps incorporeal form would help wane off the brunt of the effect. Otherwise, if Cedar and Violet could not halt him, perhaps he could make use of the ballista. It would take some strength of reposition it to better fire at such a sharp angle, but as it stood, Solomon himself lacked range.

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

Solomon Sparrow

Location: Fanghorn, Kindeance

---

The keep shook, more so than it has recently. Whatever the explosion origin was, be it Jazdia or another trick of Asevor, it was enough to finally clear out the undead on the first floor. The corrosive properties of the acidic fog and the final shock wave of the blast was enough to finally halt Bartholomew. The flame on his head smoldered down in deep red before completely extinguishing, whatever power holding his body together diminishing along with it. They pieces clattered as they fell apart. Those of his recently raised regiment also collapsed, leaving Solomon with no touch among those in the keep. Luckily, those among the second floor were untouched as was his connection with August. However, he could see out of the window to just what extent Asevor’s men were going to deal with the continuously growing plant life.

The corners of the sill glowed orange as fire competed with the morning sun to light the halls. So close to the wooden walls and that of the thatched village houses, they risked setting the village itself on fire. A prospect Solomon suspected August would propagate. At this point, there wasn’t much Solomon could do for those outside of the keep. He let August continue to grow the brambles as the roots remained safe from the flames above, routing mana and energy around to not lose the energy from the charred remains.

After the brief glimpse outside, Solomon witnessed Asevor as he approached the sealed room through the hall. Of course the ruined staircase was no obstacle. Asevor’s hands began crafting a spell. This time, Solomon could recognize the tesseract as the energy flowed from Asevor into his construct. From behind, Solomon reappeared from the shadows stepping silently upon the wooden boards. He needed to do something before the spell could be cast. A quick flash of magic Solomon stared intently from underneath his hood.

Dagger hold.

It would be of no surprise if Asevor was equipped with a magic trinket or enchantment prepared to deal with the spell. Ideally, it would completely stop Asevor in his tracks, his less than youthful figure unable to break free from it causing him pain and discomfort if he tried. However, even if the spell broke, the goal was to halt him. Much like how Solomon provided a brief window for his allies with Ragnar. If he could make him slip with his spell and break the concentration, it might be enough. By now Asevor was aware of much of what Solomon could contribute to the hindrance of his plans. His only answer so far seemed to be that purge spell. Perhaps Solomon could abuse that. At the very least, he needed to stop Asevor one way or another. He knew something either about the prince and or prospect of war between Kindeance and Meche. What that was lied with either Asevor or what lay in that sealed room.

At the same time as the cast of dagger hold, another ghostly figure would have emerged from where Asevor was traveling. Violet, the pure white grown woman of uncomfortable physique hovered in the middle of the hall. Her arms with long sharp nails at the ends of her long cracked fingers out stretched. She opened her mouth full of rotting and misaligned teeth. Without inhaling, Violet lurched forward as visible sound waves escaped her maw. The paintings along the walls swung on their pegs. Anything glass or ceramic cracked and shattered. The piercing shriek continued as the volume and pitch increased. This close to the banshee, the scream would be enough to burst the ear drums of the listener, even knock unconscious. Outside the keep, the piercing scream was clear, the stone wall doing little to mute the noise. Solomon himself would be caught within the shriek, his undead form more easily dealing with the after effects than that of the living.

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

Solomon Sparrow

Location: Fanghorn, Kindeance

---

Solomon came across a room, thoroughly monitored compared to the rest of the facility. It reeked of Asevor, as several bands of mana encapsulated the room. If the prince was here, this would have been the most likely room to house him. If Veronica’s visions of the prince were accurate and only redirected, then chances were high. Solomon took a moment, his eyes closed as he contemplated what to do next. Any sort of penetration of the wards would alert Asevor.

Solomon could still feel the tempest, giving him confirmation that he has not been eradicated, yet. It was clear enough that Bartholomew’s fight was diminishing. However, his presence alone was not enough evidence to prove his comrades were pushing victory. The clash of steel quieted down, as did the explosions. For now, that is all he had to go on without returning to the dining hall.

Solomon willed for his shadows and Violet to return to his side. Violet appeared next to him, becoming visible once again, and two shadows manifest from the behind a painting on the wall. There was a moment of silence as Solomon’s mouth opened and closed though nary a sound could be heard even had eavesdroppers were on top of him. Shortly thereafter, the shadow shades sank into the those cast from the light unknown of where they were traveling. Violet returned to being invisible, seemingly unmoving as she faded from view. Solomon himself silently as he could crept to the stairwell. If what Violet reported was true, he was not worried about any more soldiers on this floor. He took a peak down the flight of stairs. From up here, they remained intact, though perhaps farther down, the stairs could have been destroyed, removing quick physical access back up from that room.

Solomon returned to the Baron’s room, knowing that directly below it was the main hall they were served breakfast. Becoming incorporeal, Solomon shifted through the floor, careful to not emerge completely through the ceiling of the floor below. Holding himself among the rafters out of view, Solomon saw the state of the battle. The room was much smaller than he could recall, filling with ghastly smoke. Bartholomew with only one limb remaining was attempting to intercept Ragnar. Vines covered almost every surface, and Asevor was protected behind a barrier of magic. Shifting through the newly created partition, Solomon could see the other’s breaking down the door to escape. Given the potency of the magic fog, He now understood what was happening. Turning his attention back towards the foliage covered barrier of Asevor, Solomon had an idea. The fog would leave him alone from any immediate aid from his comrades, but hopefully if things turned south, Violet could provide some support. Ideally, she would not have to, but at least she was close.

Solomon snaked across the ceiling, through the crevices of timber and stone and around the few vines that had begun to take root there. Entering the antechamber of the remains of the lower level of stairs, Solomon returned to form. If successful in his stealth, he was just close enough to the others he began his spell. Swirls of black and silvery wisps would travel from the large tome at his back, down his arm and towards the ground. From there the stream would split and slither across the stoned floor merging into the remaining bodies of the six dead mercenaries, purposefully avoiding the baron. Those whose bodies were still mostly together would rise as undead zombies, and those whose bodies were otherwise decimated would rise as ghosts. If successful it would make much of the protections provided by Asevor meaningless.

After this attempt, Solomon once again turned incorporeal, hid, and waited to see what develops. At the same time, he hoped his allies would be able to escape. Assuming no unforeseen hiccups, in just a moment the two shadows would push through the barriers placed over the guest room. It would undoubtedly alert Asevor. Anyone trying to physically inspect the door, such as Asevor or his men, Violet would appear in the form of the hideous banshee screaming with enough force and volume to make deaf the interloper, and potentially knock unconscious. If Asevor had another means of bolstering the room, Solomon waited to observe.

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

Solomon Sparrow

Location: Fanghorn, Kindeance

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It was much quieter up at the second floor. The faint sound of combat and further explosions shook the floor beneath Solomon was evidence enough. Dust scattered down from the ceiling and wafted in the air through the beams of sunlight from the near window. The room was obviously some kind of bed chamber, probably the baron’s with how well furnished it was, with rugs and tapestries, and a large bed. After a quick look around, and finding the room empty, he noticed a magical box on the nearby table. It rested with runes glowing over its surface. What magic was contained inside Solomon wasn’t sure. However, he did deem it best that the inhabitants of the keep not have access to it, with swift movement, Solomon tucked the box away.

Now, as to his current mission to locate the prince. He held out his hand as another stream of energy radiated from the large tome near his back. It streamed in ribbons of silver and black mist culminating within his palm before dispersing into the air, as opposed to that of the ground. Slowly a white aura appear and then formed into the figure of a hideous woman. She was without legs, had long arms that ended in frail looking but lethal claws. Her skin held tightly to bone in form, warts and lashes about her angled face. Hair like static frilled all around, flowing general behind her head. Tattered dress with shredded frills around the hem covered her figure. She cackled before her eyes went wide and the form diminished back into a misshapen mass of ethereal ectoplasm and reconstituting into that of a child. An unassuming child in leggings, traveling vest, and short skirt entirely white with as her skin, the scenery behind visible through her form. She levitated inches above the ground, however her feet remained flat like she was standing on a flat surface.

“Violet.”

“I know.” She said softly. She looked up at the necromancer through the shadow of his hood. “I’ll help find him.” The ghost of a little girl then disappeared. Violet was more or less a ghost for the purposes of what Solomon was doing. Freely able to travel through walls much like a shadow, Violet was able to do so completely invisible even if her movement was considerably slower. Likewise, she held more power within herself, hopefully able to better withstand the purge spell Solomon felt earlier. No wonder his shadows were so easily dismissed. Likewise, his skeletons were probably also gone. For now, it was him, his tempest, Bartholomew, and Violet. For now at least, it would be her and he searching room to room. Violet would head to the third floor while Solomon would remain at the second.

Finished with his plan, Solomon once again became incorporeal and traveled through the door out into the hall. At the same time, he called upon the two shadows still on standby near August and also had them come to the keep. Should Asevor cast another purge, they would cease to be, but the more eyes within the keep the better. The quicker he could find the prince, the quicker he could evacuate him and return to aid his allies. As it stood, the battle quieted down, but Solomon doubted that meant the fight had ended. Though weak, he could still feel Bartholomew, and his fighting spirit was still burning.

Speaking of the tempest Bartholomew, the purge spell had done a number on his already failing structural integrity. The flame upon his head diminished in luminosity, no longer burning white, but instead a cooler deep red in color. In no time, he was bent in half, collapsed to the ground, and shortly after used as a flail. As it was, he was not much use, but as he was caught in the vines, he reached out with his free hand and attempted to pull himself from Ragnar, should the redirect not free him. He was prepared for even if it meant losing the arm he was being swung by. Even without his legs and potentially missing an arm, Bartholomew would not give in, yet. If it was possible, he would swing himself using any remaining vines roots above and body slam the barbarian.