Skull

Phalanx Rising (Open!)

He gone.

Poem of the Bladed Nightingale [Skull & Mistress Dizzy]

“Thank you, Akemi-san.” Hotaru muttered nervously.

With a deep breath he held the knife firm, getting a feel for its weight while never losing focus of its sharpened point. Jin’s words echoed into his thoughts as he gripped the hilt tight, holding the weapon at arms length with both hands.

“I’ve...never trained with an actual blade before,” The realization was profound in the prince’s words. He took a step back as if the knife had turned into a venomous snake, tilting and shifting in his anxious hands. The boy looked to his bodyguards with fearful uncertainty, but Ishawari held his hand up.

“Relax, Han.” Ishawari said in a low register. “Deep slow breaths. Think nothing but of the now.”

Hotaru did as he was told, but today’s events flickered into his mind when given a moment of clarity. If I had this with me, would I be able to use it? The giant man’s glare disrupted his thoughts, his fuming breath bared down on him in their chase, followed by his powerful hold that still ached his neck and shoulders. Overwhelmed by fear, Hotaru dropped the knife and took a step back. Ishawari approached the boy and knelt at his eye level.

“Remember this moment, Han.” Ishawari said, glancing at the knife on the wooden floor. “This is what happens when you respect the blade, but don’t let it respect you.”

Hotaru’s watery eyes stared long and hard at the knife on the ground. Ishawari brought a comforting hand on his shoulder and said:

“In time you’ll be comfortable in each other’s presence. You’ll think it simply as a companion, like an extension of me or Akemi-san. For now, let’s just-”

Hotaru took a step forward. With sheer determination in his eyes, he bent down to scoop the knife up by the hilt. There was conviction this time, perhaps mixed with a little anger and frustration, but he refused to let fear take hold. Ishawari smiled at Jin.

“You don’t give up easily. Good. Just like your father. We’ll need that.” Ishawari said, rising to his feet. He approached Jin, still keeping a careful eye on Hotaru as he began testing the knife’s balance. “The day we leave for the Ferryman can’t come soon enough.”

The Rotting Harvest [SciFi Action Horror]

Update: About halfway through finishing up the lore. Looking to push the OOC out by the end of the weekend.

Poem of the Bladed Nightingale [Skull & Mistress Dizzy]

Jin’s remedy woke Ishawari. It was as if his mind were stuck in an icy web, and it brought him back to the present with a fiery sting.

“Hmm.” Was his only registered response to the pain. It was there, and he acknowledged it, but his anger for what transpired today superseded all.

He turned to her suddenly. “Thank you. Not just for this, but for helping me earlier. Because of you, I was able to stop that bastard.”

Ishawari sheepishly glanced at Han, forgetting that he was still in the room.

“I am sorry, Han. You shouldn’t have been in that situation in the first place. If only I’d handle the other three more quicker...”

His words trailed off as he thought about the four men, feeling the spirit of his halberd calling to him, yearning for their blood. Slow, deep breaths sought to cool him from his temper as a sudden realization entered his mind. He glanced at Hotaru, then stared at Jin and said:

“We’ll have to train him. Better to be prepared, should something like this happen again...”

The boy stared at them with his big eyes, a tinge of fear at such a prospect. Prince Hotaru was trained back in the palace, but that was just with sticks and more for play then actual use. To hold a blade and do what Jin and Ishawari do, was another thing entirely.

The Rotting Harvest [SciFi Action Horror]

Update: making good progress with the lore and having fun writing it :)

The Rotting Harvest [SciFi Action Horror]

Yezz more ppl!

The Rotting Harvest [SciFi Action Horror]

Glad to hear it! Yeah, the lore will go into heavy detail about how the classic horror monsters play into this theme, but you can imagine how the human planet is basically paradise to Dr. Frankenstein as its one big playground for him to play god in.

Poem of the Bladed Nightingale [Skull & Mistress Dizzy]

“That fool Saito apparently owed men a lot of coin,” Ishawari shook his head at Jin, clenching his teeth. “He’s hiding back at our house.”

“There’s more of them?” A villager panicked.

Ishawari then told everyone about the situation, how there were three more left unconscious on the road. He then began delegating volunteers, telling them to round the big man up in a cart and scoop the rest from the road, while someone fetches the local constable to meet them there. Seven men immediately offered to help and broke off to do as they were instructed. He glanced over to Jin and Hotaru.

“We should get going.”

Ishawari, Jin, and Hotaru made their way down the road, escorted by four volunteers. Three of them kept an eye on the big man tied up on the horse-pulled cart while the other navigated it forward. Ishawari noted the anxiousness of the driver, who kept looking over his shoulder to make sure the big man was still incapacitated. Looking ahead, two villagers had rounded up the three downed vagrants and upon closer inspection, another one was tied up. Saito. The portly man and the smaller one were groggily aware of their surroundings, but the man with the hawk-like features was awake and furious.

“Let us go bastards!” The hawk spat, glaring at Saito, who was also struggling to get out of his bonds. “You damn piece of shit thief! I’ll kill you!”

“Hey, I told you I’d pay you back! You didn’t have to come here and make a mess of things!” Saito yelped.

“Quiet!” One of the villagers drove a stick into both men’s guts to cease their squabbling.

When Ishawari approached with the group, the hawk man shot daggers in his direction.

“You coward! Catching us off guard like that. Won’t happen again!” He threatened.

The villager jammed his staff end into the hawk man’s gut again, eying Saito with anger. Ishawari was unfazed by his threat. He was more focused on Saito, who was too ashamed to look him in the eye.

“Saito approached us when we were rounding these three up. Damn idiot! I hope they throw you in the same cage as these bastards. That’s the least you deserve for how much of a mess you’ve caused!”

“Wait here for the constable.” Ishawari told the four men who came with them, then glanced back at Jin and Han. Especially Han. He didn’t have the chance to comfort the young boy, and hoped he was handling the situation okay.

“Let’s go home.”

What Are You Listening To?

The Rotting Harvest [SciFi Action Horror]

The Fang, vampiric scions of an advanced civilization, rules the stars with an imperial fist. The Claw, a lycanthrope warrior society, ensures the universe remains on bended knee. Their union brought an age old crusade for absolute dominance, but it came at a great cost. Sustenance reserves grew low as civilizations were destroyed by The Draconis Fleet. Vampires and werewolves grew mad from hunger. It was known as The Violent Urge, and it threw the Imperium into chaos. Look now to Iephus, a lone planet which holds the overlord’s most precious resource: Humanity. Grand Maester Viktor Frankenstein shepherds its population for The Fang and Claw’s survival. Thanks to the Evolutionarian’s profound expertise on cloning, and The Witch Coven of Sanguine’s skill with soul siphoning, a constant food source kept the Imperium from eating itself alive.

The fall of one crisis brought forth another. Within the tomes of Grand Maester Frankenstein’s Laboratorium Index, a tainted codex overrode an ambitious Warlock. The Iron Jackal AI, Imhotep, rebooted inside the man’s cybernetically enhanced body. Its Anubis Programming reinitiated itself, birthing The Obsidian Pharaoh. Imhotep began a rapid conversion that effected millions, tainting human flesh to serve his Undaunted Army. The Emerald Necropolis rose between night and day to declare war against the living.

The initial plan was to transfer the humans off world and bombard the blight from orbit, but this couldn’t be done without major consequence. When human cattle was first transported off world long ago, dying as soon as they went beyond Iephus’ gravity well. This problem was never solved, and the only man who could figure out the solution, Grand Maester Frankenstein, was kidnapped by The Obsidian Pharaoh.

Magnate Dracul’s harvest is threatened by the rot of Imhotep, who provokes The Violent Urge and seeks to convert all to his Undaunted army. The Draconis Fleet is called to action. Among them is The Bloodhound Elite, who are ready to prevent the Imperium from atrophy at all costs.

OOC