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Penned and issued on the 17th of Harren's Folley, 1961. AAUNLY THE FINEST From the great minds that brought you the marmalades on your toast, the gonks on your fireplace, and even the quality cloth you wear – A new taste comes to Aaun directly from the shores of Hurstcombe itself, a proper Dencynn speciality that is GUARANTEED to bring you back for more: Boon & Bane’s proudly announce their NEWEST business endeavour: Boon & Bane’s Fish & Chips, in collaboration with Jan Nowak II of Nowak Novelties. Sourced directly from Aaun's harbours and most secret fishing holes with nothing but two idiots and a shared rod, ALL our food is prepared lovingly and carefully to PERFECTION. WHERE? Just outside Whitespire. Can’t miss it. Maybe can miss it if you are blind. If you are blind, Boon & Bane are sorry. Let’s hope your taste buds aren’t blind though! Meaning that they can taste. Because our food is really nice. There is ALSO Jan’s bakery. Next door. If you want AFTERS. (We do not sell afters). ★★★★★ REVIEWS ‘I love Boon and Bane’s so much. Everything they do is so innovative and fresh and wonderful. I would make them both kings if I was not already king and had two spare thrones.’ – King John of Aaun, allegedly ‘This is so much faster than cooking at home!’ – Prince Johannes Alstreim ‘Now my kids ask for Boon and Bane's Fish and Chips for lunch instead of my own cooking! Frankly it's a little hurtful...’ – Queen Amelya of Middelan, overheard complaining. ‘Ever since I've started eating at Boon and Bane's Fish and Chips my moustache has gained significant volume! Even Illatian cooking can't compete.’ – Ser Stefano Montelliano We also asked for Gaspard van Aert, but he was unfortunately not available for comment at this time. Penned and issued by, 4th Lord Mayor of Whitespire, The Bailiff of Apfelberg, Chef of Merryweather, Foreign Relations, Builder, Handyman, Investor, Non-Profit, For-Profit, Seamstress, Chutney Developer, Royal Babysitter, Marmalade enthusiast, and Co-Owner of Boon & Bane's Ltd. Co-Owner, Co-Founder, Proprietor, CEO, Possessor, Lease-Holder, Landlord, Keeper, Chancellor, Esteemed, Lord, Logistics-Master, Accountant, Architect, Designer, Quartermaster, Chutney-Taster, Lawyer, Dish-washer, Administrator of Boon & Bane's Ltd. and Boon's Brother. 2nd of His Name, Patriarch of Nowak, CEO of Nowak Novelties, Handsome, Single, Baker of Miracles, High Priest of Marzanna, Sworn Enemy of A High Elf, Owner of Nova Ko.

Various popular Dencynn hits, adjusted for the Aaunic palate by Boon & Bane in the year of 1961. With dedication to King John of Aaun and Queen Amelya of Middelan. AAUN CALLING Aaun calling to the faraway nations Now war is declared and battle come down Aaun calling to the underworld Come out of the vassals, you boys and girls Aaun calling, now don't look to us Phony Bardmania has bitten the dust Aaun calling, see we ain't got no swing Except for the ring of the truncheon thing The ice age is coming, the sun's zooming in Coup expected, the wheat is growing thin Cannons stop firing, but I have no fear 'Cause Aaun is flooding I live by the docks Aaun calling to the imitation zone Forget it, brother, you can go it alone Aaun calling to the ghouls of death Quit holding out and draw another breath Aaun calling and I don't want to shout But while we were talking, I saw you nodding out Aaun calling, see we ain't got no high Except for that one with the one eye The ice age is coming, the sun's zooming in Cannons stop firing, the wheat is growing thin A darkspawn era, but I have no fear 'Cause Aaun is flooding I, I live by the docks The ice age is coming, the sun's zooming in Cannons stop firing, the wheat is growing thin A darkspawn era, but I have no fear 'Cause Aaun is flooding I, I live by the docks Now get this Aaun calling, yes, I was there, too And you know what they said? Well, some of it was true Aaun calling at the top of the spire And after all this, won't you give me a smile? I never felt so much alike, alike, alike, alike GOD SAVE THE QUEEN God save the queen The Darkspawn regime They made you a moron A potential T(hanhium) bomb God save the queen She's not a human being and There's no future And Aaun’s dreaming Don't be told what you want Don't be told what you need There's no future No future No future for you God save the queen We mean it man We love our queen God saves God save the queen 'Cause raiders are money And our figurehead Is not what she seems Oh God save history God save your mad parade Oh Lord God have mercy All crimes are paid Oh when there's no future How can there be sin We're the flowers In the dustbin We're the tanglefoot In your human machine We're the future Your future God save the queen We mean it man We love our queen God saves God save the queen We mean it man There's no future In Aaun’s dreaming God save the queen No future No future No future for you No future No future No future for me No future No future No future for you AAUNLIFE Confidence is a preference for the habitual voyeur Of what is known as (Aaunlife) And morning soup can be avoided If you take a route straight through what is known as (Aaunlife) John's got brewers droop he gets intimidated By the dirty pigeons, they love a bit of him (Aaunlife) Who's that gut lord marching? You should cut down on your Aaunlife mate, get some exercise All the people So many people They all go hand in hand Hand in hand through their Aaunlife Know what I mean? I get up when I want except on Horen’s Calling When I get rudely awakened by the raiders (Aaunlife) I put my trousers on, have a cup of tea And I think about leaving the vassal (Aaunlife) I feed the pigeons I sometimes feed the seagulls too It gives me a sense of enormous well-being (Aaunlife) And then I'm happy for the rest of the day safe in the knowledge There will always be a bit of my heart devoted to it All the people So many people And they all go hand in hand Hand in hand through their Aaunlife Aaunlife (Aaunlife) Aaunlife (Aaunlife) It's got nothing to do with Sword Fighting technique you know (Aaunlife) And it's not about you joggers Who go round and round and round (Aaunlife) All the people So many people And they all go hand in hand Hand in hand through their Aaunlife All the people So many people And they all go hand in hand Hand in hand through their Aaunlife

Penned and issued by, the 4th Lord Mayor of Whitespire On the 20th of Godfrey's Triumph, 1956 WEALTH BEYOND MEASURE, GOOD CITIZENS OF WHITESPIRE. I am Boon, of Boon & Bane’s (as I am sure you have heard). I’d like to publish my findings after I believe TWO YEARS of my position as Lord Mayor. Just today, I held my first official, professional, masterful, and executive meeting with those that call themselves the ‘city council’. I had seen these fellows around before, but, I never introduced myself nor did they introduce THEMSELVES to me. I put this down to my SHEER PRESENCE being so imposing and my aura so WEALTHY. To start with my aforementioned and MOST IMPORTANT findings, I’d like to share with you readers a few fun facts and tid-bits of those that sat before me in the city council (because I, of course, positioned myself above them all upon the big chair). I still do not understand what this council of cities does, however, I find it quite charming they keep asking to ‘take the floor’. I think it is absurd to ask for permission to dance and that you should be able to do such whenever and wherever you like. Firstly, one of the fellows whom was named Vylandris (quite peculiar if you ask me, which you should), stated that he once tried to convince a Haeseni woman to dance with a goat! His favourite colour, quite oddly, was SKY blue. Which, I think, is just a NORMAL blue. No need to specify sky, big fella. Next we have big Franny, or Frantzisko Bishop Buron something or other important-sounding. Big fan of WINE RED, he is. Broke into a guardhouse when was just twelve! Now, this fella, after hearing this, I’d properly trust with my life. If he was jumping off a bridge, well, I might too. Might even jump off the Hand of Horen with him, but, that is a story for another day. MOST INTERESTINGLY, however, was the fellow named Henri de Lewes. He had NO FUN FACT… Up until when he did indeed produce a fun fact; that of him marrying his cousin! Blimming heck. Don’t remember a comment on a favourite colour unfortunately, but, I’d imagine it is whatever colour that his cousin likes. I’ve also been seeing some odd and downright weird happenings around the city itself, of course, with my new monocle that I acquired as to display my new-found professionality as Mayor. Namely, that FREAK from back home; Godric. Seems that Godric from the village over followed us, Boon and Bane, all the way from Hurstcombe to try and one-up us at OUR OWN TUVMAS STALLS. Terrible fellow. I will see to it that Godric is deemed a villain and his stall is flattened if he continues to harass us, so please write to me (in big letters and with simple spelling preferably) if he harasses you as well. I have also noticed a most terrible thing during my REIGN as LORD MAYOR. I have been counting the cobbles upon the Whitespire street as I have been performing my morning walks, and I have noticed that: every fourth brick is very slightly skew-whiff. Let it be known that I will personally be taking donations to fix such an impending problem. Hashtag Fix Aaun’s Infrastructure (I don’t know what this means but I was told it was trendy). Other than that, I have NOT been very impressed with the residents’ breakfast routine. Not a single person has reported to me, other than four people. If you are not careful I will be enforcing a STRICT breakfast routine of which every morning you must line up with your empty bowls in front of my upcoming soup kitchen and Bane will be keeping track of how much each one of you eat. Also, I’d like to remind Merryweather Merry Swap participants that the gift-exchange will be taking place next Saint’s day. Anybody that doesn’t like this knows where the gate is, BUT, you’ll have to be extraordinarily thin to fit through them because we sadly won’t be opening them anytime soon because of odd green fellows and turquoise-bandana-wearing folk stalking us. Cheerio and until next update. Right, Bane, put down that blimming quill now and help me tidy up after the chickens. Come on, you can stop writing now, don’t do this aga Penned and issued by, 4th Lord Mayor of Whitespire, The Bailiff of Apfelberg, Chef of Merryweather, Foreign Relations, Builder, Handyman, Investor, Non-Profit, For-Profit, Seamstress, Chutney Developer, Marmalade enthusiast, and Co-Owner of Boon & Bane's Ltd.

Penned and issued by, the Fourth Lord Mayor of Whitespire On the 14th of Sigismund’s End, 1955 Greetings and Abundant Prosperity to the Esteemed Men and Women of the United Kingdom of Aaun, In the spirit of shared blessings, I, Sir Lord Mayor Boon, am honored to extend heartfelt wishes for wealth beyond measure to all. With the collaborative efforts of my esteemed brother, Bane, I scribe this missive to announce a momentous occasion that shall resonate near and far—the inaugural Tuvmas Festival of Whitespire, a cherished tradition hailing from our ancestral homeland of Hurstcombe. Picture, if you will, the market stalls gracefully positioned outside the city's confines, lining the main road like a vibrant tapestry. Allow the enchanting aromas of rich hot chocolate, succulent roasted meats, and the warmth of our grand bonfire to guide your senses straight to the heart of the festivities. Here, amidst the captivating scene, our gracious merchants and jubilant festival-goers eagerly await your presence! These merchants, each a purveyor of fine wares, have been meticulously HAND-PICKED by the discerning eye of Bane, representing the esteemed international brand Boon & Bane’s. This careful curation ensures that only the pinnacle of quality goods graces the market, guaranteeing an unparalleled experience for all who partake. Join us as we embark on this extraordinary journey, where tradition meets jubilation, and the air is filled not only with the scents of delectable treats but also with the shared spirit of camaraderie. The Tuvmas Festival of Whitespire is a testament to our shared heritage and the enduring unity that defines the tapestry of our community. We will be having a communal Tuvmas Markets Tour soon, however, you are welcome to shop and peruse the markets any time! Anticipating the pleasure of your company at this grand occasion, I remain at your service, and welcome visitors from afar and near to take part in our celebrations over the coming week! [OOC: Tuvmas Markets Tour: Thursday, Dec 21 2:00pm EST.] TUVMAS BALL To continue on with our Tuvmas celebrations throughout the week, you (yes, you, reading this!) are cordially invited to attend our Tuvmas Ball at the Hand of Horen. Wear your finest silks, however, preferably no white; as there will be abundant tables of food for you to enjoy! [OOC: Tuvmas Ball: Dec 22, 3:00pm EST. Location: The Hand of Horen.] MERRYWEATHER MERRY SWAP As I am sure you merry swappers have noticed, we have been unfortunately unable to move forward with our gift-giving day because of the unending raids and attacks along our road. However, fret not, as we will be moving the venue for the Merryweather Merry Swap from The Blue Bonnet tavern in Merryweather to The Black Rose Inn inside the capital. Please be advised that your numbered gift boxes will be moved to the Whitespire tavern upstairs. I, Boon, promise that your gifts will be handled with delicacy throughout the move! Let this also serve as a reminder to you gift-giving folk to get your gifts in your respective box in time for the exchange! Or else Boon won't be happy... [OOC: December 23, 3:00pm EST. Location: The Black Rose Inn in Whitespire. For any other details, please refer to the previous Merryweather Merry Swap post.] Penned and issued by, Fourth Lord Mayor of Whitespire, The Bailiff of Apfelberg, Chef of Merryweather, Foreign Relations, Builder, Handyman, Investor, Non-Profit, For-Profit, Professional Knitter, Chutney Developer, Marmalade Enthusiast, and Co-Owner of Boon & Bane's Ltd. Laurene Renaulta Adelaide Ashford de Savoie-Lewes, Grand Reveller of The Paradsian Court

Penned and issued by, the 4th Lord Mayor of Whitespire On the 13th of Harren’s Folley, 1954 WEALTH BEYOND MEASURE, GOOD CITIZENS OF WHITESPIRE. I am Boon, of Boon & Bane’s (as I am sure you have heard). And it has been brought to my attention that I am now the FOURTH LORD MAYOR of WHITESPIRE. I am not quite sure what this means but it sounds very very important and so I am quite honered honoured and I will be shoving this in my brother’s face, and so I thank each individual person that has allowed me this title. I have been told by a secret source that I am now able to demolish buildings so I URGE YOU to be nice to me, or your home will be FLATTENED. However, if you have any suggestions or nice compliments to me, please write to me and I will ask Bane to read out your letter over a cup of tea. Anyway, as my first promise, I will be out finding cows (and possibly a few chickens) to gift to every loyal citizen. Do not be alarmed if you find a few cow droppings on your rugs (however do not ask me to reimburse you for this). You are most welcome. Boon also thinks (that is me) that most government and council meetings are quite boring and that, as my first initiative, buffet tables stocked with the HIGHEST QUALITY SOURCED AAUNESE AAUNIC LOCAL FOOD will be provided for all those in attendance. AS THE FIRST BILL I AM PREPERSING PROPOSING, I would like to ensure all citizens of Whitespire are kept healthy and happy and on a full belly to give us an advantage against our enemies. You will be required to EAT BREAKFAST every day and consistently provide myself with a detailed list of what you consumed every week. If I EVER catch wind that you are fighting on an EMPTY STOMACH I will deem you a villain and see to it that you are evicted. Alright, Bane, you can stop writing now. Why are you still writing? I said stop you bumbling idio Penned and issued by, 4th Lord Mayor of Whitespire, The Bailiff of Apfelberg, Chef of Merryweather, Foreign Relations, Builder, Handyman, Investor, Non-Profit, For-Profit, Seamstress, Chutney Developer, Marmalade enthusiast, and Co-Owner of Boon & Bane's Ltd.

[!] Numerous new fliers were hung up around the Kingdom of Aaun! With some strays around Haense, too!

Penned and issued by, the Bailiff of Apfelberg On the 4th of Horen’s Calling, 1953 WEALTH BEYOND MEASURE, and God’s blessing to all men and women of Merryweather and the United Kingdom of Aaun. The last few years have brought our Principality and Kingdom naught more but poverty, sadness and damage. Despite the loss of our Prince Heinrich our lives go on and we, the people of Merryweather, have to carry on what he and his family started. To bring joy despite the hard time that everyone is going through we, the Bailiff of Apfelberg, announce the first MERRYWEATHER MERRY SWAP: a seasonal celebration brought directly from the shores of Hurstcombe by me and my brother, Bane. It is a traditional, surprise gift-giving festivity. Everyone who wishes to participate in our event shall contact me! The Merry Swap will have three stages: STAGE I Sign up - everyone who wishes to participate should inform me of such by penning a letter or leaving their personal information on a piece of paper inside the box located within the Apfelberg Community Center. Citizens outside of Merryweather are encouraged to partake in this joyous time, provided they intend to come celebrate upon our grounds when the day of gift giving comes! STAGE II Preparations - once you receive the information of who you will be making a gift for you shall take your time and prepare! Think of something that the person would like to receive, think of something nice that would bring them joy! It is suggested you give your recipient from ONE up to THREE gifts. STAGE III Gift giving - once the day of the Merryweather Merry Swap comes, all those taking part should gather at The Blue Bonnet with their presents ready and give them to their recipients. In case one cannot make it to the Merry Swap night, there will be special numbered letter boxes prepared inside The Blue Bonnet where their gifts will be kept safe until the event begins so that the recipient can receive them on this day. Those taking part should inform the Bailiff about their possible absence at least THREE SAINT’S DAYS before the Merry Swap. On this 12th of Godfrey’s Triumph in the year of our Lord 1953 I announce that the first annual Merryweather Merry Swap has begun and my mailbox is open for your signups until the 11th of Horen’s Calling, 1954. After such a date, I shall be sending letters out to inform each participant of whom they are to prepare their gift/gifts for, and their allocated number of letter box they may place their gift into up until the special day. Penned and issued by, The Bailiff of Apfelberg, Chef of Merryweather, Foreign Relations, Builder, Handyman, Investor, Non-Profit, For-Profit, Seamstress, Chutney Developer, Marmalade enthusiast, and Co-Owner of Boon & Bane's Ltd. and Bane's Brother. OOC Information (INCLUDING signing up via Google Forms)

[!] The esteemed brother to the now-armless and illiterate merchant Boon, Bane, begins writing a wicked letter of complaint toward the Thorn of a White Rose newspaper on his brother's behalf! Penned and issued by Bane on the 4th of Owyn's Light, 1953 Dear Penner of the Rose, Madame Thorn, I am writing on behalf of my brother Boon, listening to his pained words and cries carefully. The matter of fact in this letter is that you did not mention him and subsequently our business or the tragedy that struck him a few moons ago during the trial of Richard of Stassion. This is a great disaster to Aaun, our customers, yourself and your newspaper. As an upstanding citizen of Aaun (who has always paid his own and other's taxes out of sheer generosity), he believes, and I believe, his now lack of arm should have at least received ONE sentence of mention. He is a beloved figure within the Kingdom, and when he was being taken captive, screams of his name, of worry, were echoing throughout the hall. Rescue missions and teams immediately scrambled in their dozens to save him. You are underappreciating the work he has done for this nation and making the event seem like a non-issue. Therefore, you are slandering our business and damaging our reputation. Might I let you know, personally, as his brother, this is me speaking now, he is STRUGGLING to knit, as he has one arm, this is on top of us jointly mourning for our recent lost friends in the Aaunite nobility, and yet you add on to our GRIEF. That means our wares are on a delay and are struggling to reach the hands of our beloved visitors, which means their beloved gold in their nice purses are struggling to get into our hands. If any poor quality garb or product gets out to the citizens of Aaun, this is blood on YOUR hands. You are single-handedly crashing the Kingdom of Aaun's economy. In conclusion, we as a international conglomerate are DISSAPPOINTED and Boon is ANGRY. As an apology from your silly little paper, we have some demands. It should be publicly known that those that assisted Boon received lifetime loyalty cards to Boon & Bane's, which included, His Majesty John of Aaun, as we are loyal subjects, and he even saved Boon FOUR slices of pie, which is FOUR more than you have given him. We would be delighted to be interviewed by your paper for your next issue, please contact us. If you do not do this... there WILL be issues. But unfortunately, no, I will not enjoy your next issues, because frankly you are a prick, a thorn in MY side. Yours most angrily, Co-Owner, Co-Founder, Proprietor, CEO, Possessor, Lease-Holder, Landlord, Keeper, Chancellor, Esteemed, Lord, Logistics-Master, Accountant, Architect, Designer, Quartermaster, Chutney-Taster, Lawyer, Dish-washer, Administrator of Boon & Bane's Ltd. and Boon's Brother, Bane

[!] Numerous NEW fliers had been nailed on posts around the Kingdom of Aaun! Along with a certain plump merchant to be seen with colourful crayons and stained hands... ═════════════⊰❂⊱═════════════ ═════════════⊰❂⊱═════════════

[!] A soggy missive was found in the gutter of Aaun, seemingly containing song lyrics... A powerful and emotional ballad, surely to bring a tear to any viewer's eye. doesn't seem to matter what i do... im always number two..... no one knows how hard i tried.... oh-oh i... i have feelings that i can't explain... drivin' me insane.. all my life been profit-right but i'll never be alright... 'cause i'm just bane... anywhere else i'd get the fame... is it my destiny to live a life of mercantile-ability.... i'm just bane... where i see profit they see a no-name... what will it take for them to see the man and his great utility.... i wanna know what it's like to be dealed and trade rare things. is it a crime? am i not smart when i'm in my feelings? and is my moment finally here, or am i dreaming? i'm no merchant.... i'm just bane... anywhere else i'd get the fame... is it my destiny to live a life of mercantile-ability.... i'm just bane... where i see profit they see a no-name... what will it take for them to see the man and his great uti-li-ty.... i'm just bane (and i'm baneough) and i'm great at selling stuff. so hey, check me out, yeah i'm just bane my name's bane (and i sell stuff) put that merchant hand in mine so hey, world check me out, yeah i'm just bane baby, i'm just bane

[!] Posters had been haphazardly nailed around various nation capitals, covered in a mix of crayon smears and crumbs. ═════════════⊰❂⊱═════════════ ═════════════⊰❂⊱═════════════

[!] Numerous NEW fliers had been nailed on posts around the Kingdom of Aaun! ═════════════⊰❂⊱═════════════ ═════════════⊰❂⊱═════════════

[!] Numerous fliers had been nailed on posts around the Kingdom of Aaun! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Nether's Boon It is known that the Dark Arts are seen as repulsive in the eyes of many. It causes some to writhe with hatred or spit at the surface by simply having a name of a grotesque magic be uttered into their ears. It breeds conflict if one were to publicly mention their support of it, a man who was once tranquil may even lose their sincere state of mind if they were to stand before a proponent of the Dark Arts. Even the most content among men will find their lust tempting them to tap into such prohibited practices. Shades, necromancers and those alike have all been tempted through either weak minded thoughts, pursuits of power, or reasons that they themselves don’t know. The Dark Arts were passed down from the loathed Iblees to mortal men, spreading from troubled minds to pure souls, evolving and advancing one step further when one generates an interdicted spell. With each passing year, magic from the minds of the ill grow stronger and newfangled arts sprawl from the minds of the great and the unhealthily curious. Yet, as the more fiendish side of the Descendant races continue to expand their wicked arts, some older arts tend to die. These old arts were buried among other arts void of practitioners. Even the eldest Art that had greatly influenced other taboo practices was a victim of this cycle. However, there do exist minds so curious, that they seek to traverse back to the source that sparked this domino effect, for reasons that may grant them fine power, additional wisdom, and prime knowledge. ------------------ The Undead were a malignant group. They had utilised the great and substantial powers of their figurative father, Iblees. They brought twisted horrors into the mortal realm with little consideration of the consequences. Repercussions were null to them as long as they pleased the entity of the hand that fed them. Each Undead carried out individual tasks in an endeavor to please the Defiler. None, bar a certain few, had disappointed their leader. The Undead shared havoc with the Descendants when they were nearing the end of their reign, this led to the amounted peak of their conclusion. In a march towards the Druid’s Grove, the remaining Undead and The Deific Shadow tossed aside the druids that made themselves present in an attempt to defend their once pure terrain. With struggle and livid determination, the Undead managed to infiltrate the Father Tree. Within the grand organism, a manifested Iblees conjured the Axe of Krug into his midst and had it meet the body of Lillith Winterleaf. This divine instrument which met sinful hands, soon came into contact with the Aspect Stone. Once the distinctive weapon having connected with the special stone, the object promptly crumbled before the might of Iblees. Though the Undead did leave their mark of grotesque taint upon the Druid’s Grove, it came with the cost of their once admirable power. Fortunately for the descendants, what they knew as baleful agents of Iblees, all eroded back to their petty mortal forms. The loyal servants of the Betrayer had lost all memory of their ignoble drudgery. Though, two individuals were free from this downside -- two of Iblees’ highest soldiers. Joseph and the ***** Sprat were gifted the boon of recalling vague occurrences during their unlife. Within the foundations of the soul of the accursed ex-Prophet, lay a very delicate correspondence to him and the infernal underworld known as the “Nether”. The frail Elf was quite oblivious to his relationship with the hellish plane, an indirect link to the infernal regions lurked in cryptic regions of Joseph’s knowledge. For weeks, Joseph was riddled with despondency thanks to his peer’s death. In his state of dejection, he went to hiding in a location that was not known much to the public. In the noiseless vicinity, Joseph scratched at the walls of mystery for weeks in attempt to fathom what ghastly soot stained his soul. Incoherent exasperation filled his mind. However, he eventually came to the realisation that such emotions were developing fissures in the highway that led him to his objective. He concluded that he must commit himself to days free of distraction emotions in order to dissect what clutched at the core of his being. Meditating, pondering and theorizing consumed most of his days -- Fortunately, his efforts bred results. This watery relationship he had with the Nether soon evolved into something viscous, something that held density but did not easily remain in Joseph’s grasp. Akin to an unannounced bolt of lightning, during his meditation, Joseph had witnessed a virtually indescribable region of the Nether. The murky, twisted environs that filled his eyesight were essentially unidentifiable. The diabolical and distorted landscape broadened Joseph’s cognitive horizons. The visions brought nostalgia to him, both longing and joy befell him. However, before he could completely relish in what his patience delivered, a boundless amount of memories flooded the entrance to his mind. The mass experiences that all occurred in a rapid succession within his mind was far too overwhelming for him to handle. Similar to a household being loaded with copious amounts water, some portions of those memories remained (despite being unwelcomed), while other portions were forced to exit the construction that was Joseph’s psyche. With this bizarre happening, he was quickly broken down into a comatose state. Unexpectedly, after regaining his sense of self, he had garnered the ability to fully recall his nefarious doings from his time as an Undead grunt, to a Zealot and finally to a short lived Prophet of Iblees. The isolated Elf was practically reborn in mind and soul, an ever-burning and eccentric sensation flickered in many areas of his form. Fiendish knowledge which was lost to him, found its way back to the ex-Undead. Despite his efforts, he still wasn’t satisfied due to the fact there existed no confirmation of the deity he still remained devout to being present. Regardless of discovering his newfound prowess, he was still concerned for the confirmation of Iblees being existent. He had wasted time wondering whether if his deity had been deceased or vanquished from his own realm; for he could comprehend a connection to the Nether, but not Iblees himself. Joseph was brought to a perplexed state, he wanted to serve what provided him a purpose. Yet, the alienated Elf was not sure if the Defiler would even approve of his actions of tampering with the Nether. With his concrete link to the hellish underworld, he tried to delve further into the ominous realm. His mind was beating about in its place as he continued to expand his eccentric endeavour. He desired to locate the whereabouts of his praised and fallen Daemon. But, with his limited connection, he was only able to pick on Iblees’ existence on a metaphysical level. Though, that was he assumed to be Iblees due to the immense and overwhelming clutch that held a vague yet wicked grip Joseph’s limited mind. Visibly, he couldn’t notice him. But on a level of abstract comprehension, he was capable of pinpointing his existence. And beyond the Defiler’s existence, Joseph gathered information of other entities that were inhabiting the Nether -- weaker, yet still sturdy beings. The grim vibe these underlings of the Nether set a familiar taste to Joseph’s buds of thought, their souls were stagnant in the the unholy grounds of the Nether, the nigh-spectral lifeforms were seemingly untampered with. After being worn and well aware of multiple existences in the Nether, he grew satisfied with this experience to take note of and promptly he cut his tether to the underworld. It was until the next day, the Elf was approached by another entity that was ethereal, it was far too familiar. No mistake was open to be made. There was something he had felt before, which had clutched at his mind, it bore the power to pluck away at the strings that held his mind together. However, this recognisable, antagonistic force did not do such things. Instead, it spoke. A misanthropic weight clung to these words which fell upon the Elf’s befuddled mind. The voice that resonated in his head was none other than the being which Joseph had proudly served. The voice, that resounded throughout Joseph’s mind held such an iron hand that it pinned down the bewildered Elf in place. No external forces prevented Joseph from trying to move, it was merely the voice of malignant influence that weighed him down. The words that were spoken left acidic spittle of turpitude that seeped through the confines of Joseph’s mind, it instructed him to submit to this force. Be one with it. Accept it. Understand it. Any form of resistance Joseph tried to put up was crushed by the words that carried such an unchallenged strength to them. Not only the words of great influence affect his mind, but it chipped away at the foundations of his soul. The soul of the man, who drowned in the abysmal waters of consternation, was being dislodged. Joseph no longer owned what made him ‘pure’, such an invaluable possession now belonged to The Defiler. The renewal of a forgotten art. This reformation of first generation necromancy has finally stepped foot into land for a second time. The unholy practices under the name of The Betrayer has spawned to offer wicked events in the mortal realm. The art, while considered an ungodly force from such a great being, does not leave its user without any harrowing consequences. While bearing the name “first generation necromancy”, one would expect it to carry a propensity for having more power than Second Generation Necromancy. However, that is not truly the case. Second Generation Necromancy and First Generation Necromancy may seem similar in some aspects, but the pair do share very different ways of functioning. The Summoning/Connection process. 1. The Vocomancer summons taint from the Nether (through the proper channels) to open the Nexus. 2. The Vocomancer then enters the domain of Iblees, utilising their link to Iblees as aid to garner their required tools from the Nether (essentially taint). 3. After mustering enough taint required from The Betrayer, the Vocomancer then makes use of the The Betrayer’s boon in order to bring forth something of their desire within their own power. 4. The Vocomancer will then release whatever power they have manifested into the mortal realm, as a product of Iblees. 5. Once the product of taint is released, the Vocomancer is free to do as they please with their spawn or creation. However, the user must bear in mind they do not have complete, direct control over their ethereal entities; for unlike SGN, the minions of Vocomancy are not a product of life force which is from the user’s self, but a product of the Nether -- a realm which is constructed by Iblees. Mechanics: The magic’s ability is to summon most products of taint from the underworld. Imagine the performance of Vocomancy as a blind person painting. The FG Necromancer doesn’t understand what exactly they are doing or how, just as a blind person cannot see what they are painting and are unaware of what they are producing, however they know they are doing it and are given instructions on what to do. These instructions come from Iblees himself, functioning as a pseudo-canvas and Taint functions as the ‘paint’. When the user is done with their ‘painting’, they can finally bring it into their for all to see Additionally, a Vocomancer can prepare rituals for Iblees’ gain. The source of the hand that feeds them cannot go unrewarded for what marvelous strength it provides. By arranging a ritual, an unfortunate soul can be sacrificed for Iblees’ benefit. A ritual can be prepped in any desired location of a Vocomancer. If an individual is slain as a result of the ritual process, then it is up to the player of the victim to decide whether their death is to be a PK or not. If a perma-kill occurs, then their soul is to successfully be set in the hands of Iblees. This magic consists of a blend of spells from the three branches of the Undead, the Devourer branch, the Obliterator branch and the Blighter branch. The user will be capable of spawning beings from the Underworld, make use of Iblees’ wrath in the form of bolts being hailed from the sky, manipulate deathly miasma and flames from the Nether and soothe the wounds of others. Unlike before, this style of Vocomancy does not entirely focus on the utter, senseless destruction of the Descendants. Because of this, there now exists only two branches: The Priests of Iblees and The Soldiers of Iblees. The Priests of Iblees are the ones that bear the potential to alter the opinions of those who originally loathed the Daemon thanks to their given prowess. They are mostly provided with the spells from the Undead’s Blighter branch. They are gifted with mending the wounds of those who are tainted, or fall under the definition of ‘tainted’. They are capable of manifesting miasma and summoning only a fair amount of entities from the Nether. They are not fighters. Akin to the Blighter Branch, they only exist to wile others into finding trust and keeping trust in Iblees. The Soldiers of Iblees are those who possess formidable strength, they are examples of Iblees’ prowess. They may not be capable of swaying others into following Iblees so easily, unlike the Priests of Iblees, but with their strength alone they are able to give others a taste of what happens if one were to oppose Iblees. They are capable of summoning a fearful number of beings or a fearful being from the Nether. They are gifted with casting dreadful lightning from the sky and are able to produce vehement flames from the Nether which consume the life of opposers. Similar to the Obliterator branch and Devourer branch, they only exist to display Iblees’ power, fending off any who are seen as adversaries and protecting those who are seen as allies. ‘Taint’ Mending (Exclusive to the Priests of Iblees): The Priests of Iblees are granted this altered and watered-down Blighter branch spell, which was originally used in order to keep the forces of Iblees alive. Now, such a spell exists to not only benefit Iblees' wounded acolytes, those who are 'tainted' as well can fall under the effects of this modified Blighter branch spell. Additionally, no agent of Iblees would be able to effectively convince others to follow the will of their overseer, without being able to display that their deity now has but a tinge of being capable of lending aid in the most efficient form. Individuals who are ‘tainted’ are the only ones who can mended by this spell. In order for a Priest to execute this spell, they must make contact or be extremely close to making contact with the being of ‘taint’ they wish to aid. A viscous liquid that resembles the ichor of Iblees will be formulated from a Priest’s hand, if the ichor meets the desired target of the Priest, then the rich ‘blood’ of Iblees will alter its form to match the original lost body parts of the victim that bears 'taint'. If a hand of a tainted being were to be lost, then the ichor of Iblees will function in a sentient manner once it comes into contact with the severed hand. The liquid will try to imitate what the lost limb once was, it will firstly assume the shape of the lost portions of the hand in its liquid form, then it will begin to alter its substance to resemble that of flesh. This will require the priest to continue producing more of Iblees' ichor until the hand has fully recovered. If a tainted individual were to be harmed by Holy Fire, then consuming the ichor will be most suited, as it is taint given form. The victim of lost taint will not be promptly rejuvenated, but the speed at which they recover their taint will be heightened. Additionally, ruptured organs cannot be mended by this spell, poison and other deadly toxins cannot be removed the system of a tainted being and mental impairments cannot be repaired. Those healed will be left with slightly grotesque welts and minor bruises that will recover over time, this indicates that Iblees is not the one to be especially relied on for aiding those incompetent enough to end up hurt and all those that are lent his aid will also experience his affliction. However, much like oil meeting water, the ichor will simply run off the body of an injured victim who is free of 'taint', refusing to blend with the pure being. An example of those who fit the definition of ‘taint’ goes as follows: Wraiths Dread Knights Wights Those who have certain noteworthy intent that may appease The Betrayer Necromancers Ghouls (Please note, this is merely an example of what kinds of individuals can be mended. Those who actually bear any form of actual taint, can fall under the effect of this spell.) At tier 1, a Priest of Iblees will only be capable of healing extremely minor cuts. Up to tier 5, a Priest will be capable of recovering a lost hand. Nether Spawns (Usable by both sects): Nether spawns are beastly fiends which reside within the Nether. They are very frequently abnormal or misshapen creatures, never the same as the last and, unlike any other summoning magic, cannot be controlled. Nether spawns are quite literally Taint given form. They are ravenous, unruly, and mad monstrosities that raze and ravage. But just as the other effects of Vocomancy, they do not harm those which are tainted or that which is comprised of Taint just as it does not harm them. They are blind to their summoner and spawned brethren, only seeing them as other products of the Nether. They do not outright harm their ‘allies’ but are definitely not ones to be careful either. Their eldritch bodies are their weapons and what which isn’t corrupted by Taint is their target. Novices who decide to spawn horrific entities from the Nether will only be able to bring forth something as insignificant as an inchworm or insect, unlike a novice Second Generation Necromancer, who can raise something larger such as a dead rat. (A 'tier 5' Vocomancer user can summon a maximum of 5-7 humanoid beings or one large abomination of flesh from the Nether, whereas a 'tier 5' SGN user can raise 12 humanoid beings. A Vocomancer user can summon beings on a whim, whereas a SGN user will have to kill the living to actually garner 12 corpses. This is why a Vocomancer can summon less than a SGN user, for the sake of fairness.) Additionally, much like a Conjuration user summoning a Primordial, both Priests and Soldiers of Iblees can bring forth creatures that bear properties of the Nether. A standard summon of a creature from the Nether might be maintaining decayed flesh and nothing more. However, advanced acolytes of Iblees can go further than just mere flesh sustaining their creatures. They can be capable of having their summons bear 'flesh' of any compatible material from the Nether. This will of course, be more of a demanding spell for Iblees' acolytes. For example, beings of netherrack can be set ablaze by any fire present that makes contact with their skin, though due to the properties of netherrack, the creatures made of this hellish material are bound to be slightly more fragile than their flesh ridden counterparts. Beings that bear the properties of soulsand become much harder to slay, yet their destructive prowess is not as intimidating as beings of netherrack or actual creatures of flesh. It is worth noting that Priests of Iblees can only summon a maximum of 5 humanoid entities from the Nether, while Soldiers of Iblees can summon a maximum of 7 (The larger the body, the smaller the number. The smaller the body, the higher the number). The numbers become lessened if they were to produce organisms that hold properties of the Nether's materials. The cast time of this spell is akin to the time it takes for a conjuration user to summon an entity from the Void, roughly 3-6 emotes will be required for a satisfactory spell attempt. Nether’s Flame (Exclusive to the Soldiers of Iblees) Similar to that of a pyromancer, the flames created from the sheer hatred of Iblees alone are channeled towards the user. It is up to the user to decide where they redirect this embodiment of The Defiler’s loathing towards. The flames that are spawned from Iblees act in a way which can be considered Holy Fire’s polar opposite. Instead of seeking to eviscerate taint like its counterpart, the flames from the Nether ignore such things and instead aim to use its own tainted properties in order to devour the lifeforce of a victim’s body. The flames will persist until its target is utterly void of lifeforce. It can only ‘burn’ organic matter, which causes decay and emits a substance akin to smoke due to the evisceration of lifeforce. Once it comes into contact with non-organic material, it causes it to dwindle and wither away into ash. However, more sturdy materials such as stone won’t be broken down at all. Depending on the limb the flames have taken a liking to consuming the life force from, the skin is likely to blacken to the point where it resembles an ebony black pigment. The afflicted limb may be rendered permanently disabled if the victim were to survive a continued assault of the hellfire, for the life force from the victim has been forcibly eviscerated. Healing from Clerics/Paladins/Ascended can undo the damage. The cast time for this spell is similar to that of a Fire Evocation spell. Roughly 2-4 emotes are needed for a satisfactory spell execution. Iblees’ Lightning (Exclusive to the Soldiers of Iblees) Bolts come down from a baleful sky once an agent of Iblees makes use of this spell. When a Soldier of Iblees calls forth for the clouds to gather, the once uncontaminated sky becomes populated with a mass of opaque, ebony clouds. Compared to the rest of the tools at a Necromancer’s disposal, this spell is fairly simple. If successful, an array of bolts will descend towards the surface they are directed to, leaving behind a mark that indicates the ire of The Betrayer. It is worth nothing these bolts are not attracted to metal or water, but instead the flesh of Descendants. These are bolts that come from The Defiler and anything that is spawned from his domain is known to seek out the demise 3-5 emotes will be required to execute a satisfactory spell. Miasma (Exclusive to the Priests of Iblees): Miasma is a thick, cloudy haze of lime green and black mists. Its foggy consistency makes it nearly opaque, the miasma acts like a harming smokescreen and therefore cannot be controlled, only directed. It is most fatal when inhaled, but can also be damaging if it makes contact with skin. It of course, saps life force, the rate at which it consumes life force is determined by how much miasma is coating the victim. It varies from being nearly useless to causing its victim to simply be uncomfortable at ‘tier 1’. Though, with more practice over time, the cloud of miasma will be capable of causing immense pain, minor paralysis, and bleaches the skin and scars with causing ulcers and blisters. (This will not be as powerful as Undead Miasma, it will be akin to a necromancer’s drain, without any benefit to user. It can only reach a maximum of roughly 4 metres) This spell should be treated much like a Necromancer's drain. 2-4 emotes will be required to execute a miasma spell properly. Soul displacement (Usable by both sects): Through aptly manipulating taint and the link to the nether, a user becomes capable of generating a ritual to further Iblees’ goal and his prowess. This will require the aid of other Vocomancers that are also adequate in performing this spell. If enough space is present, the user will be formulating a crooked shape of abnormal proportions with an outline bearing a lime-green pigment tainted with hues of ebony black. The area surrounded by the peculiar shape will, over time, have its appearance be distorted to represent the likes of the Nether. Sand and its delicate texture will turn to malformed soul sand, wood will have its appearance altered to look much like obsidian, dirt and grass will have its aspects degraded to netherrack and so forth. It is much like tearing a vicinity of the Nether itself into the mortal realm, the specific vicinity is a place where only Iblees can act. If someone, a sacrifice, were placed within this corrupting shape, their souls will be ripped from their being by The Defiler himself, soon relocating itself in the hands of Iblees. If Iblees does not obtain a sacrifice within a certain period of time, the Vocomancer is at risk of having their connection with Iblees severed. Approximately 7-12 emotes will be required to make a satisfactory execution of this spell. Sever (Usable by both sects): Severing is the act of a master Vocomancer severing the connection of a Vocomancer to the The Betrayer. In a similar act of Shade magic, only a skilled tutor may disconnect ineffective soldiers of Iblees. Through the approval of The Betrayer himself, the experienced Vocomancer is capable of disconnecting those who prove to not aid anyone. Roughly 4-7 emotes will be required in order to execute this spell. A Vocomancer's (expected) endgame: A Vocomancer must adhere to Iblees’ code of conduct. He is the one supplying them with his power in the end and therefore as a cult to an aengudaemon they must serve their master with the intent to achieve his goal for him. Ater Caelum is Iblees’ end goal, meaning Vocomancers are merely pawns for Iblees to fulfill his goals. One who betrays the efforts of Iblees will be an marked an enemy, be it a Vocomancer user, a cleric, or an everyday commoner, they will perish under the name of Iblees. Note: This is a deity magic. Red Lines - As it is known, taint does not affect tainted beings. This means that Nether spawns and spells alike will not harm tainted entities such as Wraiths, Dread Knights, Shades, etc... However, Nether spawns can be commanded directly by their summoners to harm specific individuals. - Exceeding the limit and/or size of nether spawns is powergaming, even if it were to occur in-character, the user will most likely be under a mass of stress. - Vocomancers are tainted, they must react properly when coming into contact with holy magic. The player of a Vocomancer mustn't treat Holy Fire lightly, since it will eat away at their tainted being. - The one rule that applies to all magic also applies to this magic, if someone were to significantly interrupt a Vocomancer during the preparation of their spell, then the manifestation of their spell will come to an abrupt end. - Edit - Ater Caelum "This is the name for Iblees’ end game goal. “Ultimate Goal: Iblees wants to overthrow the Aenguls and Daemons. He wants to corrupt, rule over, and bend them to his will. The mortals are just in the way. Iblees wants to become the Arch-Soul, the Prime God over the Archdaemons and Archaenguls. Essentially he wants to become the Creator and all powerful by making all the Archaenguls and Archdaemons underneath him. Iblees believes it's what the gods do; they want to be stronger than the rest around them so they can be safe above others. Divine survivability. And as Archdaemon of Ruin, this appeals to his desire for ruination. To dissolve the established order (or lack therein) of aengudaemons with their own will and their own purpose. Iblees would degrade this and bring them all under himself. But, note, Iblees is the ‘villain’ of our tale and is likely to never succeed in this goal, albeit it is possible should we wish for some form of lore-wipe where numerous things disappear or change. This being his take on the truth, Iblees wants to become the Creator / Arch-Soul / Prime God to ensure his own success but the implications of that are far from what most other aengudaemons believe, thus their frequent opposing standing. Should this come to be and all the Aenguls and Daemons are under Iblees, there would be no cataclysm or apocalypse for all existence. He doesn’t want the death of everyone and thing, he wants power to have his way, and his way once in that position would be rather peaceful. There’d be no inter-deity squabbles, no fighting divine factions. He’d probably leave the mortal beings alone entirely, likely moving away to make his own mortals with his own interpretation. Iblees intends on achieving the throne by persuading fellow deities, beginning with relatively smaller ones he can manage to turn alone, via corruption." Iblees would sit down with them one-on-one and have a lengthy discussion. "This discussion would be over the matters of how their kind always have a struggle amongst one another that leads to chaos and damage; Iblees means to make one final fight to end them all to instill everlasting order (truly primal chaos, Iblees would just be a bullying superpower) among the gods (if he is to keep them to begin with. Iblees may want to wipe the slate clean than have to deal with those who once opposed him) by any means necessary..." "Corruption is used in the sense that they are turning to Iblees’ side and we are the ones (mortals too) who paint Iblees as evil and vile. As for those who utterly oppose Iblees and say that they will never join his cause, they will meet enslavement or eternal banishment.” (Source: Old Vocomancy lore)