As I've said before I'm used to being kidnapped for me, but its rare for me to be kidnapped for someone else. I felt out of sorts, unable to figure out my place in this whole scheme. Would they threaten me to get to Val (laughable but they didn't know that)? Should I just get out since shackles can't hold me and these guys weren't involved with the death magic? But that would put Val in a bad situation and maybe these guys just were throwing a really weird surprise party (and boy would that be awkward to kill them in that case). So I was basically trapped until Val was returned, which meant I had to try and awkwardly make conversation with the muscle who didn't talk to me at all.
Like I would try and get him to talk about something, anything, but he just sat there and grunted occasionally. No outright threat to shut me up, or put me in a hurt or anything. Just sat there and existed. That actually told me a lot, it told me A. These guys were planning on killing us, because they had the masks off so we could see who they were. B. This guy was intending on specifically killing me, because he didn't want to humanize me before he had to kill me. C. He was a terrible conversationalist.
So I sat with my would be murderer waiting for Valrym to return and plotted his demise. Thanks to shackles not actually working on me any longer I was able to work all the necromancy I required, he was dead when I wanted him to be and I knew that, even if he didn't. It actually made my conversation attempts with him charming in retrospect, him feeling all smugly in charge not saying anything all the while he was a farts whisper away from having the life sucked out of him like so much Saturday morning garbage. Eventually Valrym was returned to me, he had a closed up eye on the right side and would probably have more facial bruises showing in a few hours.
"They are going to kill us you know that right Trezlan." Valrym had a resignation to his voice, the kind that told me he had given up.
"Oh they'll try, several hundred have over the years Val, but they'll fail, they always do." Through his one good eye he gave me a skeptical look but I was confident, because I'm always totally confident... Yep that's me Mr. Confident... Look just turn the page already ok...
Thursday, April 30, 2015
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Scared, Not Really, But Maybe
Over the centuries its funny how people have advanced in kidnapping, but not really. Like in years gone by you used to get put on the back of a horse or tossed in the back of a carriage, now you get tossed in the back of a truck. The method of travel has changed, but the same tactics are there. Put a bag over someones head, shackle them up, and keep guards who don't talk watching over them with a weapon of sorts until you get to an undisclosed location where its cold and quiet. By the time they took the bag off our heads and we were sitting in a stone basement somewhere I did laugh.
"Something funny?" Valrym was not laughing, though he did not have the experience at this kind of thing that I do. At least I don't think he does.
"Oh you know just life, I seem to exist between kidnappings." The dour faced man with a rifle standing near the doorway was not a talker, which is also pretty much the standard for kidnappers, the muscle never talks.
"Well I don't so try not to laugh it scares me."
"Oh what is there to be afraid of Val, you're just collateral, clearly these guys are the reason there is death magic in the city, they'll talk it over with me, something will happen, some people will die, and then I'll come out on top as I always do." The muscle grunted/laughed and I gave him the stink eye. I don't know why these idiots always assume that they'll be able to beat me. It's never happened yet! I mean the only thing that can beat me is the authorities and that's usually because I like to comply with laws... Ok mostly.
Eventually the talky one showed up and I was all ready to start my jokes and veiled threats when they took Val and left me with muscles. I was completely confused! Apparently I had completely misread the situation and I was the collateral kidnapping victim! Which was really awkward got to tell you it was a first for a group of men to take me prisoner but not intend on it. It actually kind of hurt my feelings. No don't try and figure that out it'll just hurt your feelings and I don't want to do that.
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Death Magic Daddo
"I thought you had some kind of ability to track magical things, isn't that something you people can do?" Valrym and I had been walking around the city for three hours, I hadn't gotten a solid read on anything aside from the municipalities inability to keep the streets clean.
"I don't like the way you said you people." I had been hobbling around on my crutches, it was extremely uncomfortable, but absent some other method for getting around, it was all I had available. I got a general sense of the death magic, but didn't have anything else to go on, I was literally just stumbling around in the city hoping something would happen. Which is my usual investigative technique for anything if I'm being honest.
"You know magical people like yourself."
"I think that's magicest."
"Not even a word? And yeah tell me how as a shorty I'm being discriminatory towards a magical person who has unnaturally extended his life at the cost of others."
"Well A. don't say that last thing out loud like that I don't need to get arrested you dick, and B. You're not even a shorty you're a weird god off product that just shrunk because your god lost his powers."
"About not telling people about others secrets..." We were standing across from each other in an alley way in the perfect please rob us stance in the history of time. I didn't even notice that both ends of the alley had been closed off by large trucks and we were effectively trapped, I was angry at Val and that took up all of my thoughts at the moment. It was only when the men with guns surrounded us that I knew we probably had more problems than just the one I was being faced with. But hey at least my investigation totally worked! In that we got kidnapped for walking on the street and it turns out these guys weren't even responsible for the death magic. Ok so it didn't work out and I let them kidnap Val and myself for nothing... Looking back it was kind of dumb but hey screw you person who's reading this journal don't judge!
"I don't like the way you said you people." I had been hobbling around on my crutches, it was extremely uncomfortable, but absent some other method for getting around, it was all I had available. I got a general sense of the death magic, but didn't have anything else to go on, I was literally just stumbling around in the city hoping something would happen. Which is my usual investigative technique for anything if I'm being honest.
"You know magical people like yourself."
"I think that's magicest."
"Not even a word? And yeah tell me how as a shorty I'm being discriminatory towards a magical person who has unnaturally extended his life at the cost of others."
"Well A. don't say that last thing out loud like that I don't need to get arrested you dick, and B. You're not even a shorty you're a weird god off product that just shrunk because your god lost his powers."
"About not telling people about others secrets..." We were standing across from each other in an alley way in the perfect please rob us stance in the history of time. I didn't even notice that both ends of the alley had been closed off by large trucks and we were effectively trapped, I was angry at Val and that took up all of my thoughts at the moment. It was only when the men with guns surrounded us that I knew we probably had more problems than just the one I was being faced with. But hey at least my investigation totally worked! In that we got kidnapped for walking on the street and it turns out these guys weren't even responsible for the death magic. Ok so it didn't work out and I let them kidnap Val and myself for nothing... Looking back it was kind of dumb but hey screw you person who's reading this journal don't judge!
Monday, April 27, 2015
Know When To Seek Help
Tasked by a super powered being to find death magic in the city I knew I needed help. Not Hanlon or Valrym, both of them were assholes and I didn't need them giving me some folksy bullshit none answer and then leave me to actually do the job myself. No I figured I'd seek out the authorities, Chandler had asked me for help and it was only fair for me to extend the favor (Xanthi was out of town, and not exactly great with magic, so no go in two ways). I did of course have to find Chandler, I had his card, but I didn't exactly know where his desk was located nor am I great with directions (shocking I know) and with my hip it wasn't like I was super excited to have to do a lot of walking around town.
Thankfully the taxi I hired knew exactly where the office was that Chandler worked at (I guess traffic enforcement for the area was out of the same office and the driver was terrible, which I could attest to street signs appeared optional to this guy). I did have to wait down at the front desk for an uncomfortable amount of time. Why people don't just drop everything they are doing to help me when I do something similar for them all the time is one of lifes great annoyances.
"Lorentino, this better be important."
"It is Detective Chandler, it has come to my attention there is a plethora of an evil sort of magic in the city and I was hoping that you could spare some of your time to help me investigate the cause." He looked at me cross.
"I'm busy and this sounds like bullshit from you."
"It's not I swear, and how would you know what bullshit sounds like from me, you hardly know me!"
"I know you enough that you don't seek out others for help unless you don't want to do it yourself, I'm sure whatever it is that's out there is probably your fault in some way or another and so until it becomes an actual police matter, fix it yourself Trezlan." He left and I cursed his name. I mean sure he was probably right in that this was my fault and not currently an overall problem. But it could be gods damn it! Shouldn't that count for something!??! I swear people complain when I don't get help early to solve issues, and then they complain when I do. People will just complain about everything I do won't they? THE STUPID JERKS!! Not that I ever complain.
This of course meant I had to ask Valrym for help, and that pained me. It pained me because he was actually helpful, and I was able to guilt him into helping because it was his stupid gift that got me in trouble in the first place. HA EAT THAT VAL!
Thankfully the taxi I hired knew exactly where the office was that Chandler worked at (I guess traffic enforcement for the area was out of the same office and the driver was terrible, which I could attest to street signs appeared optional to this guy). I did have to wait down at the front desk for an uncomfortable amount of time. Why people don't just drop everything they are doing to help me when I do something similar for them all the time is one of lifes great annoyances.
"Lorentino, this better be important."
"It is Detective Chandler, it has come to my attention there is a plethora of an evil sort of magic in the city and I was hoping that you could spare some of your time to help me investigate the cause." He looked at me cross.
"I'm busy and this sounds like bullshit from you."
"It's not I swear, and how would you know what bullshit sounds like from me, you hardly know me!"
"I know you enough that you don't seek out others for help unless you don't want to do it yourself, I'm sure whatever it is that's out there is probably your fault in some way or another and so until it becomes an actual police matter, fix it yourself Trezlan." He left and I cursed his name. I mean sure he was probably right in that this was my fault and not currently an overall problem. But it could be gods damn it! Shouldn't that count for something!??! I swear people complain when I don't get help early to solve issues, and then they complain when I do. People will just complain about everything I do won't they? THE STUPID JERKS!! Not that I ever complain.
This of course meant I had to ask Valrym for help, and that pained me. It pained me because he was actually helpful, and I was able to guilt him into helping because it was his stupid gift that got me in trouble in the first place. HA EAT THAT VAL!
Friday, April 24, 2015
Don't Think Of It As Lying
When you need to get a hold of an all powerful being its actually quite difficult. Sure people pray to gods all the time, but they don't actually expect a response. They expect the god to just do what they want in general and not expect to have to give that god anything in return (sacrifices either personal or otherwise have gone out of style, I mean sure sometimes people will use some blood magic here and there, but no one is killing anyone for the gods anymore, which is sad and also good because wow killing someone else for your worship, kind of a dick move, please ignore my hypocritical stance with regards to necromancy because that's not worship its survival, completely different). All of that aside what it meant was when I wanted to ask the observer a question it was impossible to even find a way to begin to ask it something.
I tried painting, but he didn't appear in the painting. I tried asking him to arrive, but he apparently doesn't just show up when you ask. It made me wonder if I even had to find out anything about the death magic problem, or if there was a death magic problem! I even said as much and that got the dumb observers attention. Apparently asking for help means shit, talking like they don't matter, and suddenly powerful entities can't show up fast enough. In a way it was like my none existent dating life.
"You sure you want to go this route of ignoring my request?"
"You sure you want to lie to me about your request! Either I'm dangerous or the death magic isn't!" Yes this was Hanlon's theory, but you know it seemed right. The observer clapped, he clapped like a sarcastic ass when he knows he's been caught.
"Very good Mr. Lorentino you clued in, or were clued in most likely." He paused like to think for a moment, "Right Hanlon, of course he would clue you into my lie, yes I lied you are extremely dangerous and the existence of your harmful application of death magic is causing me problems, there feel better you're all the closer to your annihilation."
"No?"
"Good, as to why I didn't tell you that to start, because I wanted you to identify the source of the problem and not try and destroy me like you are no doubt attempting to formulate right now in your limited dirt creature mind." I was in fact thinking of things I could do to kill the observer.
"So what do you want me to do?"
"Preferably die and take the death magic with you, but I know that's not something that you'll agree to, instead I would like you to find the source of it like I asked you to, and before you hold your hand up and say you don't know how to do that, you know how to do that, you have the ability to track magic you just refuse to because you don't want to actually do what I told you to." I tried to say something back but he was gone. I tell you dealing with all powerful beings is a lot like dealing with an annoying neighbor, you have to be nice because you share a space, but man alive you wish you could murder them and hide them in a swamp somewhere...
I tried painting, but he didn't appear in the painting. I tried asking him to arrive, but he apparently doesn't just show up when you ask. It made me wonder if I even had to find out anything about the death magic problem, or if there was a death magic problem! I even said as much and that got the dumb observers attention. Apparently asking for help means shit, talking like they don't matter, and suddenly powerful entities can't show up fast enough. In a way it was like my none existent dating life.
"You sure you want to go this route of ignoring my request?"
"You sure you want to lie to me about your request! Either I'm dangerous or the death magic isn't!" Yes this was Hanlon's theory, but you know it seemed right. The observer clapped, he clapped like a sarcastic ass when he knows he's been caught.
"Very good Mr. Lorentino you clued in, or were clued in most likely." He paused like to think for a moment, "Right Hanlon, of course he would clue you into my lie, yes I lied you are extremely dangerous and the existence of your harmful application of death magic is causing me problems, there feel better you're all the closer to your annihilation."
"No?"
"Good, as to why I didn't tell you that to start, because I wanted you to identify the source of the problem and not try and destroy me like you are no doubt attempting to formulate right now in your limited dirt creature mind." I was in fact thinking of things I could do to kill the observer.
"So what do you want me to do?"
"Preferably die and take the death magic with you, but I know that's not something that you'll agree to, instead I would like you to find the source of it like I asked you to, and before you hold your hand up and say you don't know how to do that, you know how to do that, you have the ability to track magic you just refuse to because you don't want to actually do what I told you to." I tried to say something back but he was gone. I tell you dealing with all powerful beings is a lot like dealing with an annoying neighbor, you have to be nice because you share a space, but man alive you wish you could murder them and hide them in a swamp somewhere...
Thursday, April 23, 2015
Trust Is Implicit in the Threat
"And you believed him, Trezlan all these years and you still always just assume honesty from creatures that have no reason to be honest with you." Hanlon was seated across from me at Val's tavern, I decided I'd had enough of his weird restaurant choices after the one time we'd been there. Getting a hold of him was pretty easy, I just called his office and he arrived, it probably helped I told them I had a weird issue that only Hanlon could help me with, people are always inquisitive when you propose a mystery.
"He appeared out of a painting, could read my mind, and was clearly magical without being magical, I trusted him." Its not like I could test the observer more than I already did, which is to say I didn't test him at all beyond the obvious "is he here now."
"Death magic though? And he's asking you to find out where the majority of it is coming from? What if its coming from you?"
"I don't think its coming from me, I mean I haven't even necromanced in a while now." My aching hip bone being a prime example of that particular reluctance to use necromancy.
"Could be just your aura, so like everywhere you go your leaving behind the scent of death magic. So this city is now swimming in your aura because you go everywhere here." I gave Hanlon a glare, implying this was my fault was silly, no way I had done this to the city I'd been gone for a bit and then stuck in my room for the rest!
"Sure sure blame me for the obvious death magic issue." He shrugged.
"The question you have to ask yourself is why the creature cares, he mentioned you're not a problem, and then mentions death magic being an issue, so one of these is a lie, either your a problem or death magic isn't, so why lie?" Hanlon raised a good point and he knew he did which I hated because that meant he probably knew more than he was letting on as always.
"You know what's causing this issue don't you?"
"I might have an idea."
"And you won't tell me at all will you."
"Why would I do that? Its not my task to do your job for you." He caught up and left and I was left to fume about him as usual. I swear the more when I talk to Hanlon its like slamming my own dick in a door. I have no one else to blame but myself on this one though, the man has always been infuriating to me and yet when I'm perplexed I return to him like some kind of idiotic child asking dad for help. I guess this is a result of having a poor father figure early in life. Regardless I had at least a hint that whatever was causing the problem was related to Hanlon or it was Hanlon, either way that was at least something I could give the observer. Unless Hanlon was himself also an Observer in which case nevermind that just hurt my brain and I don't want to follow that line of thought anymore than I already did back then when I first thought it.
"He appeared out of a painting, could read my mind, and was clearly magical without being magical, I trusted him." Its not like I could test the observer more than I already did, which is to say I didn't test him at all beyond the obvious "is he here now."
"Death magic though? And he's asking you to find out where the majority of it is coming from? What if its coming from you?"
"I don't think its coming from me, I mean I haven't even necromanced in a while now." My aching hip bone being a prime example of that particular reluctance to use necromancy.
"Could be just your aura, so like everywhere you go your leaving behind the scent of death magic. So this city is now swimming in your aura because you go everywhere here." I gave Hanlon a glare, implying this was my fault was silly, no way I had done this to the city I'd been gone for a bit and then stuck in my room for the rest!
"Sure sure blame me for the obvious death magic issue." He shrugged.
"The question you have to ask yourself is why the creature cares, he mentioned you're not a problem, and then mentions death magic being an issue, so one of these is a lie, either your a problem or death magic isn't, so why lie?" Hanlon raised a good point and he knew he did which I hated because that meant he probably knew more than he was letting on as always.
"You know what's causing this issue don't you?"
"I might have an idea."
"And you won't tell me at all will you."
"Why would I do that? Its not my task to do your job for you." He caught up and left and I was left to fume about him as usual. I swear the more when I talk to Hanlon its like slamming my own dick in a door. I have no one else to blame but myself on this one though, the man has always been infuriating to me and yet when I'm perplexed I return to him like some kind of idiotic child asking dad for help. I guess this is a result of having a poor father figure early in life. Regardless I had at least a hint that whatever was causing the problem was related to Hanlon or it was Hanlon, either way that was at least something I could give the observer. Unless Hanlon was himself also an Observer in which case nevermind that just hurt my brain and I don't want to follow that line of thought anymore than I already did back then when I first thought it.
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Codes of Observation
"What could you possibly want from me?" It seemed a good question to the Observer. I mean it could hide completely from sight, it existed in some form where it could tell its picture had been painted, and it was not at all human without a trace of magic on it (I didn't feel any magical power at all from it despite it clearly being some kind of power). The observer seem to be weighing whether it should actually tell me what it wanted, it was unsettling. Like to be in the presence of a creature of this much power, but be completely at its whims was not my favorite thing. Mainly because that's my usual as of late!
"There are rules to this world Mr. Lorentino, you being a rule breaker do not understand them nor care to abide by any of them. Witness your unnaturally long life." I wanted to say something, but he was mostly correct. "The rules as they are have to be monitored for abuse, creatures like yourself are minor transgressions ultimately no more harmful to the overall system, but when the gods don't play by the rules than we have a problem." He laid it out and it kind of made sense, but I did not he didn't really say what the "rules" were and who agreed to them in the first place. I also wanted to point out for being a lesser participant in the system I had killed a couple gods, but I let it slide again.
"So you want me to look in on the gods?" It seemed silly since this creature was itself a hidden being, I couldn't imagine me a very visible hurt being could offer any insight it lacked.
"No of course not, you're a creature of limited means and ability, barely above that of your dirt dwelling companions." This comment hurt my feelings. "What I am concerned with and what you can look into for me since you have a touch of it in everything you do is, is the abundance of death magic in this town."
"And you can't because?"
"Because you owe me for drawing me to this place in the first place, I feel it has something to do with you and I want to know why that is, figure it out before I see you as more than just a minor transgression." He clapped his cane on the ground and then left.
"HOW DO YOU EXPECT TO LOOK INTO DEATH MAGIC ASSHOLE!?" I shouted it to no one because how did he expect me to? I had a gods damned bum leg! But no some weird paint creature wanted me to look into things because rules. LIKE I KNEW ANYTHING! I tell you the worst part about dealing with gods, is that they all act like you know what they are going on about all the time!
"There are rules to this world Mr. Lorentino, you being a rule breaker do not understand them nor care to abide by any of them. Witness your unnaturally long life." I wanted to say something, but he was mostly correct. "The rules as they are have to be monitored for abuse, creatures like yourself are minor transgressions ultimately no more harmful to the overall system, but when the gods don't play by the rules than we have a problem." He laid it out and it kind of made sense, but I did not he didn't really say what the "rules" were and who agreed to them in the first place. I also wanted to point out for being a lesser participant in the system I had killed a couple gods, but I let it slide again.
"So you want me to look in on the gods?" It seemed silly since this creature was itself a hidden being, I couldn't imagine me a very visible hurt being could offer any insight it lacked.
"No of course not, you're a creature of limited means and ability, barely above that of your dirt dwelling companions." This comment hurt my feelings. "What I am concerned with and what you can look into for me since you have a touch of it in everything you do is, is the abundance of death magic in this town."
"And you can't because?"
"Because you owe me for drawing me to this place in the first place, I feel it has something to do with you and I want to know why that is, figure it out before I see you as more than just a minor transgression." He clapped his cane on the ground and then left.
"HOW DO YOU EXPECT TO LOOK INTO DEATH MAGIC ASSHOLE!?" I shouted it to no one because how did he expect me to? I had a gods damned bum leg! But no some weird paint creature wanted me to look into things because rules. LIKE I KNEW ANYTHING! I tell you the worst part about dealing with gods, is that they all act like you know what they are going on about all the time!
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
Terror Party For One
Opening the door to my office I could see all my paintings had become the man with glasses. It startled me, I screamed and no one came running (lets just say at this point my neighbor think very poorly of me). Now I knew something was screwed up (I mean I figured it before but this confirmed it). The face wasn't menacing, it wasn't like screaming or looking angry, it just existed. I did my best to remain calm, took a breath tried to look past all my paintings now being the face, but I wasn't doing a good job of it. Whatever the creature/being was, it had seen me and now it was seeing me everywhere. I thought of burning the paintings but knew it would do me no good. Whatever the creature was, it wasn't in the paintings, they just showed me its presence. That's when I heard the foot steps behind me and turned around and saw him, the man from the paintings in the flesh.
"Quite right Mr. Lorentino I'm not actually in the paintings." But apparently he was in my head, or at the very least able to read my mind. He had a cane to co along with the rest of his outfit, though I thought perhaps that was just for style and not for any requirement for walking. He strolled into my office as if to show that, I did note when I turned around the paintings had returned to the views I'd painted before devoid of the man in glasses.
"What are you?" He tapped his cane on the ground three times and did a quick heel turn like a military man on a march.
"What are you is the better question from me to you?" I was caught off guard by him suggesting he didn't know what I was as if human wasn't it.
"In pain," I hobbled over to chair and sat down, he just kind of slid his feet to keep his eyes on me.
"Perhaps that is how you saw me, your pain combined with your touching so many things allowed you to see beyond your normal sight." It seemed to consider that for a moment, I still sat in awe at what it was. Like clearly it took on the shape of a person, but I got the sense it didn't have to, and this was just so it could be seen should it be seen.
"What are you?"
"Repeating a question because you didn't receive an answer? Expected though sad all the same, clearly the sight did not come with insight." I frowned, the creature changed nothing in its expression.
"So that's a not going to tell me."
"That's a you wouldn't understand with your primitive understanding of gods, in fact you still call them gods shows your knowledge of the powers you touch is extremely limited. You probably think of magic as a gift still something granted to someone." I was taken back, whatever this creature was, it wasn't a creature of malice, I could sense that much, it was a creature of cold observation.
"You're an observer." The words fit, it seemed right even from its own admission. The creature clicked its cane a few times and then shifted its mouth for a moment.
"Sure we'll go with that."
"What do you want?" I was confused why this creature who seemingly didn't want to be seen from his comments wanted me to see him now.
"Yes of course, I must want something, why else suddenly come to you like this instead of how I have been appearing to you, well Mr. Lorentino I do have some things to discuss with you." He clapped his cane on the crown and my open office slammed shut. And things only got better from there let me tell you!
"Quite right Mr. Lorentino I'm not actually in the paintings." But apparently he was in my head, or at the very least able to read my mind. He had a cane to co along with the rest of his outfit, though I thought perhaps that was just for style and not for any requirement for walking. He strolled into my office as if to show that, I did note when I turned around the paintings had returned to the views I'd painted before devoid of the man in glasses.
"What are you?" He tapped his cane on the ground three times and did a quick heel turn like a military man on a march.
"What are you is the better question from me to you?" I was caught off guard by him suggesting he didn't know what I was as if human wasn't it.
"In pain," I hobbled over to chair and sat down, he just kind of slid his feet to keep his eyes on me.
"Perhaps that is how you saw me, your pain combined with your touching so many things allowed you to see beyond your normal sight." It seemed to consider that for a moment, I still sat in awe at what it was. Like clearly it took on the shape of a person, but I got the sense it didn't have to, and this was just so it could be seen should it be seen.
"What are you?"
"Repeating a question because you didn't receive an answer? Expected though sad all the same, clearly the sight did not come with insight." I frowned, the creature changed nothing in its expression.
"So that's a not going to tell me."
"That's a you wouldn't understand with your primitive understanding of gods, in fact you still call them gods shows your knowledge of the powers you touch is extremely limited. You probably think of magic as a gift still something granted to someone." I was taken back, whatever this creature was, it wasn't a creature of malice, I could sense that much, it was a creature of cold observation.
"You're an observer." The words fit, it seemed right even from its own admission. The creature clicked its cane a few times and then shifted its mouth for a moment.
"Sure we'll go with that."
"What do you want?" I was confused why this creature who seemingly didn't want to be seen from his comments wanted me to see him now.
"Yes of course, I must want something, why else suddenly come to you like this instead of how I have been appearing to you, well Mr. Lorentino I do have some things to discuss with you." He clapped his cane on the crown and my open office slammed shut. And things only got better from there let me tell you!
Monday, April 20, 2015
Worse Than Nothing
Shockingly there is no library section entitled "paint based creatures." I was shocked and saddened this was not an actual thing. They also did not have a section for "supernatural monsters that may live in paintings" or "legends of people dying horribly to paintings based on something being in them." I tell you I don't think enough of my taxes are going to the library system (do any of them? I wonder). I ended up just having to look into local legends and such about creatures appearing to one person but no one else, which was also a pretty depleted genre and didn't have much if any information. My pleas to librarians about information got me wild eyed looks and a desire for them to be somewhere else instead of answering me (like jerks). I was on the way out of the library when I ran into Chandler, who was looking for me as always.
"Lorentino glad I found you." I wondered if he wanted my help again.
"Chandler I'm kind of dealing with something here I can't really help you." He gave me a look that was part "no shit" and part "yeah that's why I'm here."
"I know that you like to think of laws as something that minorly inconvenience you, but the next time you seek out to set things on fire in a public park, don't." I had completely forgotten burning the paintings earlier.
"Setting things on fire in public is now a crime?"
"It's always been a crime Trezlan, and next time I'll let them write you at ticket for it, consider this your warning."
"Noted." I didn't actually note it, but I suddenly wanted to be out of Chandler's general area. Probably because I worried about the painting creature attacking an officer of the law, well that and I didn't want to get arrested again. I hobbled back to my office and when I opened the door I screamed. But I'll save that for the next entry because I want to leave you wondering what scared me (bills mostly, just kidding...)
"Lorentino glad I found you." I wondered if he wanted my help again.
"Chandler I'm kind of dealing with something here I can't really help you." He gave me a look that was part "no shit" and part "yeah that's why I'm here."
"I know that you like to think of laws as something that minorly inconvenience you, but the next time you seek out to set things on fire in a public park, don't." I had completely forgotten burning the paintings earlier.
"Setting things on fire in public is now a crime?"
"It's always been a crime Trezlan, and next time I'll let them write you at ticket for it, consider this your warning."
"Noted." I didn't actually note it, but I suddenly wanted to be out of Chandler's general area. Probably because I worried about the painting creature attacking an officer of the law, well that and I didn't want to get arrested again. I hobbled back to my office and when I opened the door I screamed. But I'll save that for the next entry because I want to leave you wondering what scared me (bills mostly, just kidding...)
Friday, April 17, 2015
Something Sinister
I had been painting for an hour. My hand hurt my eyes were kind of blurry from the sunshine, and I had a bit of pain in my temple from the flowers in the park, but I felt maybe just maybe I was ok. The man hadn't showed up in my painting. I had done a landscape of a fountain, no people just the fountain and it turned out all right despite my eyes stinging and my hip giving me trouble. It was only after I finished the painting that I saw the man, he was just sitting at the fountain. I knew I hadn't painted him, took care not to, and yet there he was, just sitting there staring back at me. I looked up at the fountain and there was no man. I saw a young child walk by, but not a man in a hat in glasses, and yet there was in my painting just silently looking back at me.
I wanted to burn the painting right there, but there was something else, the man was looking at me directly now. In the other times I'd painted him he was always looking away, or looking at someone else or something else. Now he was directly staring back at me, like he'd noticed I was painting him even though as I'd proven to myself I wasn't painting him at all. As if to confirm my suspicion the creature in the painting had clued in I saw it, I swear to all the gods it smiled at me. Like one minute it was a blank expression, and then the next it was a smile. I jumped back as much as my leg allowed, which wasn't much.
I ripped the paper off the canvas and cast it down to burn it, but I was interrupted by the horrifying site underneath the painting. It was the man in the glasses again, his entire face in profile looking at me and pointing. I felt a sense of terror go through me, it wasn't written anywhere, but I just knew he was saying "I see you." I burned both paintings and the easel right there. And left, I was afraid now, whatever that thing was, whatever I was painting was not something I was painting. Something awful was going on and I was in the middle of it, and I had no clue what any of it even meant! Its one thing to be hunted by a person or a creature, its another thing to be hunted by something in a painting, what do you even do that? What does that even mean???
I headed to the library hoping to find out something about this, and also just to get freedom from the creature whatever it was. I could feel its eyes on me even without a painting to cast the glare. It knew me now, and I was under the impression it was going to do something bad to me, and I wasn't entirely wrong. Not entirely. But of course thats the next entry.
I wanted to burn the painting right there, but there was something else, the man was looking at me directly now. In the other times I'd painted him he was always looking away, or looking at someone else or something else. Now he was directly staring back at me, like he'd noticed I was painting him even though as I'd proven to myself I wasn't painting him at all. As if to confirm my suspicion the creature in the painting had clued in I saw it, I swear to all the gods it smiled at me. Like one minute it was a blank expression, and then the next it was a smile. I jumped back as much as my leg allowed, which wasn't much.
I ripped the paper off the canvas and cast it down to burn it, but I was interrupted by the horrifying site underneath the painting. It was the man in the glasses again, his entire face in profile looking at me and pointing. I felt a sense of terror go through me, it wasn't written anywhere, but I just knew he was saying "I see you." I burned both paintings and the easel right there. And left, I was afraid now, whatever that thing was, whatever I was painting was not something I was painting. Something awful was going on and I was in the middle of it, and I had no clue what any of it even meant! Its one thing to be hunted by a person or a creature, its another thing to be hunted by something in a painting, what do you even do that? What does that even mean???
I headed to the library hoping to find out something about this, and also just to get freedom from the creature whatever it was. I could feel its eyes on me even without a painting to cast the glare. It knew me now, and I was under the impression it was going to do something bad to me, and I wasn't entirely wrong. Not entirely. But of course thats the next entry.
Thursday, April 16, 2015
The Man in the Paint
"Is he your neighbor?" I hadn't seen the man at all when I painted them, but there he was in all of my paintings outside my window. He wasn't always in the same place, or even doing the same thing, but it was unmistakably the same guy in each painting which was terrifying. He was dressed fairly normally, glasses, modern style hat, trench coat. Was older than a young man, but wasn't an old man. I had never seen him before and did not recall him.
"Maybe? You know my people skills."
"You mean your complete lack of people skills, still its weird he's in every painting and you didn't remember him. Maybe you just created a signature for yourself this guy." It seemed kind of plausible in that it didn't and I actually signed each of my paintings because I'm egotistical and figured I'd be able to sell them.
"I hope so otherwise it could be something bad." Val looked at me weirdly.
"What do you mean something bad? Its just a guy in a painting, you're a jumble of horrible memories and such, this is probably someone you killed and your now just being sad about killing him." I scowled back at Val. How dare he imply I don't feel bad for every person I have killed. I mean I totally don't, but still how dare he imply that!
"It could be some kind of lingering spirit I'm painting in that's actually haunting me and I only see him when I paint him."
"Trezlan that's the stupidest thing you've ever said and that's saying something." I told him to get out and he did, but when he was gone I got an uneasy feeling. Like previously I'd never felt my paintings were anything but fairly boring scenes of life outside my window, now all I could see was the man. Everywhere I walked in my office it felt like he was looking at me. I blamed Val for this, it was his fault and I just knew he had somehow cursed the canvas's he'd given me to give life to this weird ordinary guy who showed up in everything I painted. It was enough to drive me out of my office and attempt to paint somewhere else which of course did not help, but that's the next entry as this unfortunately is only going to get weirder before it gets better.
"Maybe? You know my people skills."
"You mean your complete lack of people skills, still its weird he's in every painting and you didn't remember him. Maybe you just created a signature for yourself this guy." It seemed kind of plausible in that it didn't and I actually signed each of my paintings because I'm egotistical and figured I'd be able to sell them.
"I hope so otherwise it could be something bad." Val looked at me weirdly.
"What do you mean something bad? Its just a guy in a painting, you're a jumble of horrible memories and such, this is probably someone you killed and your now just being sad about killing him." I scowled back at Val. How dare he imply I don't feel bad for every person I have killed. I mean I totally don't, but still how dare he imply that!
"It could be some kind of lingering spirit I'm painting in that's actually haunting me and I only see him when I paint him."
"Trezlan that's the stupidest thing you've ever said and that's saying something." I told him to get out and he did, but when he was gone I got an uneasy feeling. Like previously I'd never felt my paintings were anything but fairly boring scenes of life outside my window, now all I could see was the man. Everywhere I walked in my office it felt like he was looking at me. I blamed Val for this, it was his fault and I just knew he had somehow cursed the canvas's he'd given me to give life to this weird ordinary guy who showed up in everything I painted. It was enough to drive me out of my office and attempt to paint somewhere else which of course did not help, but that's the next entry as this unfortunately is only going to get weirder before it gets better.
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Paint Me A Picture
I don't think I'd ever had artistic skill in the traditional sense. I mean I'm a wordsmith of the highest order, but painting or drawing has never been a strong suit of mine (or not that I've ever seriously tried). Approaching Val's painting set was a lot like looking at a math problem, I knew the base components of a painting, but I had no idea how those things got put together to actually create the work. So I basically stared at the canvas, and the paints for a while before I got the courage to put pain to paper. And that's when I found while not a great artist I could actually do a decent job of it, as in people could actually make out what I'd done as real objects.
I did find I have a fairly boring view of the world, people always just standing around going about their day, not even a pretty landscape or anything, but since getting better shots would require me to move more with my hip I gave up on that idea right quick (the pain got better, but it still hurt and I tried to do as little as I could with the injury). I did think I captured the imagery outside my office quite well. Well enough that I felt confident enough to invite Val up to see what I had painted (and to brag because of course I would). He arrived and actually wasn't a jerk about my paintings which was nice, especially as a change of pace from his usual dickheadness to me. Probably because he bought me the set as a gift and mocking me would be like ragging on his own gift. He did after a time of lookin at the fifteen or so paintings I'd done (I'd been fairly busy) ask one horrible question.
"Why did you keep painting this one guy?" And with that question the gateway to insanity was opened.
I did find I have a fairly boring view of the world, people always just standing around going about their day, not even a pretty landscape or anything, but since getting better shots would require me to move more with my hip I gave up on that idea right quick (the pain got better, but it still hurt and I tried to do as little as I could with the injury). I did think I captured the imagery outside my office quite well. Well enough that I felt confident enough to invite Val up to see what I had painted (and to brag because of course I would). He arrived and actually wasn't a jerk about my paintings which was nice, especially as a change of pace from his usual dickheadness to me. Probably because he bought me the set as a gift and mocking me would be like ragging on his own gift. He did after a time of lookin at the fifteen or so paintings I'd done (I'd been fairly busy) ask one horrible question.
"Why did you keep painting this one guy?" And with that question the gateway to insanity was opened.
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
Paint A Picture of Pain
"This is a joke you are joking with me?" Val had come by my office with a gift, well he said gift but I wasn't feeling the gift part. He claimed he felt bad I was injured, but I sensed this was some kind of gloat session to point out I hurt myself yet again.
"Only you could look at a gift and ask if it was a joke." He had brought me an easel and paint set, despite me not being a painter, nor having any interest in painting, and the fact that standing up for long periods of time hurt me. It was like he decided the most dickish gift he could find would be the perfect gift. Which I'll admit is brilliant, I really needed to use this technique later on myself.
"You realize it hurts me to stand up for any period of time I broke my hip Val I'm not sick and just laying in bed out of feeling sorry for myself." Well not mostly sorry for myself, the pain was a factor.
"This will encourage you to rehab that hip, if you lay around all day you'll lose your strength and make the injury worse." I scowled at him but he seemed earnest which was all the worse because than I felt like an asshole for being mad he was actually thoughtful.
"Well then I apologize I hadn't thought of it like that."
"Of course you hadn't because you're an idiot." And then Val was back to being an asshole. Like he at most can only exist a few minutes before reverting to his natural assholish self.
"Well thanks I guess, I don't know what you expect me to paint."
"I'd say you could hire models but you're cheap, so I'd imagine you can just look out your window and paint that stuff." I wanted to raise an objection to being cheap, but I did always tip Val poorly (out of my distaste for him as a person).
"Well thanks for giving me a reason to look out my new window." I had a new window installed a couple days after Xanthi had murdered the shifters, it wasn't a huge story just some workmen showed up charged me way too much and fixed the window. There now you know the whole story.
"You're welcome, if you need food or something just give me a call I promise I won't overcharge you for the delivery." He did in fact over charge me for the delivery... But I'll give him one thing, the paint set was nice and it did distract me from what was going on. By of course putting me in the land of madness. How did that happen from a paint set? Well... I'll get into that obviously!
"Only you could look at a gift and ask if it was a joke." He had brought me an easel and paint set, despite me not being a painter, nor having any interest in painting, and the fact that standing up for long periods of time hurt me. It was like he decided the most dickish gift he could find would be the perfect gift. Which I'll admit is brilliant, I really needed to use this technique later on myself.
"You realize it hurts me to stand up for any period of time I broke my hip Val I'm not sick and just laying in bed out of feeling sorry for myself." Well not mostly sorry for myself, the pain was a factor.
"This will encourage you to rehab that hip, if you lay around all day you'll lose your strength and make the injury worse." I scowled at him but he seemed earnest which was all the worse because than I felt like an asshole for being mad he was actually thoughtful.
"Well then I apologize I hadn't thought of it like that."
"Of course you hadn't because you're an idiot." And then Val was back to being an asshole. Like he at most can only exist a few minutes before reverting to his natural assholish self.
"Well thanks I guess, I don't know what you expect me to paint."
"I'd say you could hire models but you're cheap, so I'd imagine you can just look out your window and paint that stuff." I wanted to raise an objection to being cheap, but I did always tip Val poorly (out of my distaste for him as a person).
"Well thanks for giving me a reason to look out my new window." I had a new window installed a couple days after Xanthi had murdered the shifters, it wasn't a huge story just some workmen showed up charged me way too much and fixed the window. There now you know the whole story.
"You're welcome, if you need food or something just give me a call I promise I won't overcharge you for the delivery." He did in fact over charge me for the delivery... But I'll give him one thing, the paint set was nice and it did distract me from what was going on. By of course putting me in the land of madness. How did that happen from a paint set? Well... I'll get into that obviously!
Monday, April 13, 2015
Writing Stories
"You are completely useless, stay here so as to not get yourself hurt." I wanted to be angry being told not to move from the dirty sewer pipe with my busted up hip, but she was completely correct I was hurt and shouldn't move. I did feel stupid though, injured, incapable of contributing and my magic was a liability in tight spaces. It was almost like being a normal person and I hate feeling normal. I also hate being in pain and down in the damn sewer without anyway of knowing how to get out of where I was. So it was a lot of hates I hate burning inside me as I watched Xanthi walk off to deal with the shifters. She had a variety of weapons with her, most of them stabbing but I did see a make shift rifle on her back, so she had gone partially modern. I remember thinking back that the story she could tell would be a lot more interesting than mine as I stumbled blindly in the muck my hip giving me more shit with each step.
I tend to think that a lot, I look at people walking around and I wonder what their story is, who they are? What do they do? What are their dreams? I guess its a side effect of writing my own tale for all these years I wonder what other peoples story would be like if they took the time, or had the time, to tell theirs. I've asked people over the years to give me their stories, but I don't think they understand my desire for their experiences. I feel no one is really recording our history, I felt this even more as I was hobbling my way through shit, it was all I had to focus on to keep myself from being in the situation I was actually in (I do this a lot during horrible things, try and focus on something else, anything else most of the time it doesn't work). I could hear noises down further in, screams, howls, hisses, I could assume Xanthi was probably winning, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't preparing to cook those lizard bastards even if it meant killing myself (would have been a merciful death with how badly my hip hurt).
Eventually I found my way out of the sewer, and through a great exertion of effort managed to drag myself out of the sewer. Flagging down a police officer I found myself explaining to Chandler about the shifters and that Xanthi had probably slaughtered them all (she had mostly, a couple got away, but you know like before that will never catch up to me...) All in all this whole thing felt like a nice welcome back and I didn't even get arrested once! Of course it did mean I wound up in bed for two freaking months while I recovered, some of the craziest out of my mind months I've ever had and I've been completely insane a couple times!
I tend to think that a lot, I look at people walking around and I wonder what their story is, who they are? What do they do? What are their dreams? I guess its a side effect of writing my own tale for all these years I wonder what other peoples story would be like if they took the time, or had the time, to tell theirs. I've asked people over the years to give me their stories, but I don't think they understand my desire for their experiences. I feel no one is really recording our history, I felt this even more as I was hobbling my way through shit, it was all I had to focus on to keep myself from being in the situation I was actually in (I do this a lot during horrible things, try and focus on something else, anything else most of the time it doesn't work). I could hear noises down further in, screams, howls, hisses, I could assume Xanthi was probably winning, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't preparing to cook those lizard bastards even if it meant killing myself (would have been a merciful death with how badly my hip hurt).
Eventually I found my way out of the sewer, and through a great exertion of effort managed to drag myself out of the sewer. Flagging down a police officer I found myself explaining to Chandler about the shifters and that Xanthi had probably slaughtered them all (she had mostly, a couple got away, but you know like before that will never catch up to me...) All in all this whole thing felt like a nice welcome back and I didn't even get arrested once! Of course it did mean I wound up in bed for two freaking months while I recovered, some of the craziest out of my mind months I've ever had and I've been completely insane a couple times!
Friday, April 10, 2015
A Mothers Hate
The shifters were super polite in helping me into their sewer lair, in that they carried me roughly making my hip swell up with pain and I swear to the gods it took all I had in me not to rip their filthy reptilian souls from their body even if I worried it would pollute my own essence (using necromancy on anything non human always carries a risk, I can't recall if I ever got into that, but its there and I worry about it, like what if I took the spirit of a dog and longed to lick my balls all day? This is the kind of thing that keeps me up late at night). I didn't exactly follow where I was going because I never really do, and I was in a lot of pain, eventually I was dumped in a slimey den next to a large toad like creature that was casually chewing on someone's arm.
"The Lorentino." Its voice was nasally and did not fit the huge body.
"The gross thing in front of me." I'll admit my hip was hurting pretty bad, worse so when I made this joke and the shifter to my right pushed me a bit and oh god the memory just makes my non existent injury hurt more. Like I've been hurt worse, but that damn hip injury lasted a while and so on some days I still feel it all these years later. It snarled in response took a huge chunk of flesh and then opened its maw to talk again while chewing (because it felt the need to exemplify the gross comment).
"You will not attack any of my creatures, for this I will grant you the ability to live."
"Well gee that's so nice of you." That got another poke and I twitched in anger at the indignity of the whole thing.
"We are done you may leave." The creature to my right scooped me up flaring my hip badly. I swear these creatures had no sense for leaving me alone despite their mother creature saying they would. I was halfway back to the surface when the one of the two creatures with me was impaled by a spear, the one carrying me dropped me immediately sending me into a wave of pain. I was about to say something to it when its head bounced by my feet.
"Trezlan I'm not surprised to find you down here." It was Xanthi of course, the huntress had been hunting the creatures for a while without me, they had come after her disguised as me but gave off a horrible scent I've never picked up on. She was not surprised to find me down there because she figured I'd make a deal with the creatures like I almost made a deal with the spiders. I tell you Xanthi thinks I make a deal with everyone! Which I mostly do, but still deals are what make the world go round not lopping the heads off every creature you come across! Lopping the heads off is the of course the other thing that makes the world go round, but its definitely a smaller part of that.
So my deal with the shape shifters didn't even last an hour after I made it, though to be fair I didn't exactly set up much of the deal and it was forced upon me. But still sad aside from the murderous lizard people who eat people being wiped out. You know other than that.
"The Lorentino." Its voice was nasally and did not fit the huge body.
"The gross thing in front of me." I'll admit my hip was hurting pretty bad, worse so when I made this joke and the shifter to my right pushed me a bit and oh god the memory just makes my non existent injury hurt more. Like I've been hurt worse, but that damn hip injury lasted a while and so on some days I still feel it all these years later. It snarled in response took a huge chunk of flesh and then opened its maw to talk again while chewing (because it felt the need to exemplify the gross comment).
"You will not attack any of my creatures, for this I will grant you the ability to live."
"Well gee that's so nice of you." That got another poke and I twitched in anger at the indignity of the whole thing.
"We are done you may leave." The creature to my right scooped me up flaring my hip badly. I swear these creatures had no sense for leaving me alone despite their mother creature saying they would. I was halfway back to the surface when the one of the two creatures with me was impaled by a spear, the one carrying me dropped me immediately sending me into a wave of pain. I was about to say something to it when its head bounced by my feet.
"Trezlan I'm not surprised to find you down here." It was Xanthi of course, the huntress had been hunting the creatures for a while without me, they had come after her disguised as me but gave off a horrible scent I've never picked up on. She was not surprised to find me down there because she figured I'd make a deal with the creatures like I almost made a deal with the spiders. I tell you Xanthi thinks I make a deal with everyone! Which I mostly do, but still deals are what make the world go round not lopping the heads off every creature you come across! Lopping the heads off is the of course the other thing that makes the world go round, but its definitely a smaller part of that.
So my deal with the shape shifters didn't even last an hour after I made it, though to be fair I didn't exactly set up much of the deal and it was forced upon me. But still sad aside from the murderous lizard people who eat people being wiped out. You know other than that.
Thursday, April 9, 2015
Going Home To Momma
I was trying to decide whether I should just "accidentally" knock my plate off the table or just leave when the creature walked up. It hilariously had decided to look like Hanlon without realizing that was a big dumb idea since Hanlon has that aura of wrong you can't easily duplicate (thank the gods, whatever Hanlon is he's the only one). I did notice the restaurant had cleared out, but I wrote that off to it being not really a lunch place (but the staff was a nice lunch to the shape shifters). Upon seeing not Hanlon I thought back to what Hanlon had told me and thought he had set me up with the shifters and what I really ate when they brought out the weird food plate (thankfully it was just whatever odd food item Hanlon sought to enjoy that day). I gathered some fire in my hand, but the creature held up its hands in the universal signal of "Don't attack."
"Speak Shifter before I blow you up."
"Broken hip didn't work out too well for you last time did it." I didn't know what was creepier that they can spot injuries or they can't construct sentences very well.
"I make do." The rest of the shifters came out there were at least eight of them. This was about to either get messy or interesting.
"We are not here to eat you, though I'm sure you would be delicious, we came to talk."
"So talk."
"Not me, our mother would like to speak with you." I didn't like the way he said mother, I couldn't recall running into the mother of the shifters before, and I figured I probably did not want to. But my hip was giving me shit and as much as I was revolted by the thought of meeting their mother, I didn't exactly have my A game in the restaurant, getting out of the booth alone would have put me in a lot of pain. So I ended up going with the shifters to meet their mother, and it was as awful as I expected. Well not really, it was worse, because you can't exactly forsee that much awful!
"Speak Shifter before I blow you up."
"Broken hip didn't work out too well for you last time did it." I didn't know what was creepier that they can spot injuries or they can't construct sentences very well.
"I make do." The rest of the shifters came out there were at least eight of them. This was about to either get messy or interesting.
"We are not here to eat you, though I'm sure you would be delicious, we came to talk."
"So talk."
"Not me, our mother would like to speak with you." I didn't like the way he said mother, I couldn't recall running into the mother of the shifters before, and I figured I probably did not want to. But my hip was giving me shit and as much as I was revolted by the thought of meeting their mother, I didn't exactly have my A game in the restaurant, getting out of the booth alone would have put me in a lot of pain. So I ended up going with the shifters to meet their mother, and it was as awful as I expected. Well not really, it was worse, because you can't exactly forsee that much awful!
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Lunch Date, Of DOOM!
"You're showing an amazing amount of restraint in your condition, I commend you Trezlan." Hanlon had ordered for us saying I couldn't even begin to guess the menu nor what was on it implying I'm some kind of idiotic philistine instead of a man in a lot of pain unable to focus on anything for very long.
"You're implying I should just kill someone with necromancy to heal up instead of just dealing with this injury." We were seated at a booth which was incredibly painful to get into for me, I almost think it was intentional on his part to test my resolve.
"I would if I were you, just pick one of these idiotic sheep take them aside and heal yourself, you might even let them live if it was in your power though probably not in your best interest." I had heard Hanlon's callous disregard for people before, I could not recall it being so negative, I guess as the years have gone on, he cares less and less about keeping up the illusion.
"Is there any particular reason you brought me here other than to question my dedication to not killing people?" He smiled composed himself.
"Thought I'd check in with you, from the look you've had quite the interesting few weeks on vacation." I just knew I'd been involved in more god deaths, he always does, Hanlon is the creepiest.
"It was a thing, and now I'm back and the town is being assaulted by shape shifting reptiles."
"I think assaulted is a bit much, more like harrased or annoyed, the creatures are quite interesting as specimens, if extremely limited, sure they can become other things, but at their base they are still egg laying reptiles with an extremely explosive reaction to fire as you recalled a little too late." My hip ached at the memory.
"I don't know whats more disturbing your dismissal of the creatures or that you knew they were in town and decided to do nothing."
"I did for a brief moment think of disclosing their presence to drive up sales for a bit, but then again people would just end up shooting each other which would have the authorities blaming my guns for peoples problems, so ultimately I figured someone would take care of it, when you got back into town that someone was clearly you!" Our food arrived and I couldn't even begin to guess what it was, and it was still apparently partially alive. I tried to eat it, and it was actually not as awful as it looked, still tasted unique, yeah we'll go with unique.
"Well now that my hip is busted clearly not me." He smiled and slurped down a tentacle.
"You can always fix yourself and I'd recommend you do that sooner rather than later, from what I recall these creatures specifically don't like you something about wiping out a nest of them hundreds of years ago."
"Right sins of the past as usual."
"At least I warned you, go ahead and finish up I've got business, don't worry I paid the check." He left and I was just staring at my plate wondering what to do next. Thank god one of the shape shifters showed up shortly thereafter I didn't want that awkward "Do you want take your food to go." question.
"You're implying I should just kill someone with necromancy to heal up instead of just dealing with this injury." We were seated at a booth which was incredibly painful to get into for me, I almost think it was intentional on his part to test my resolve.
"I would if I were you, just pick one of these idiotic sheep take them aside and heal yourself, you might even let them live if it was in your power though probably not in your best interest." I had heard Hanlon's callous disregard for people before, I could not recall it being so negative, I guess as the years have gone on, he cares less and less about keeping up the illusion.
"Is there any particular reason you brought me here other than to question my dedication to not killing people?" He smiled composed himself.
"Thought I'd check in with you, from the look you've had quite the interesting few weeks on vacation." I just knew I'd been involved in more god deaths, he always does, Hanlon is the creepiest.
"It was a thing, and now I'm back and the town is being assaulted by shape shifting reptiles."
"I think assaulted is a bit much, more like harrased or annoyed, the creatures are quite interesting as specimens, if extremely limited, sure they can become other things, but at their base they are still egg laying reptiles with an extremely explosive reaction to fire as you recalled a little too late." My hip ached at the memory.
"I don't know whats more disturbing your dismissal of the creatures or that you knew they were in town and decided to do nothing."
"I did for a brief moment think of disclosing their presence to drive up sales for a bit, but then again people would just end up shooting each other which would have the authorities blaming my guns for peoples problems, so ultimately I figured someone would take care of it, when you got back into town that someone was clearly you!" Our food arrived and I couldn't even begin to guess what it was, and it was still apparently partially alive. I tried to eat it, and it was actually not as awful as it looked, still tasted unique, yeah we'll go with unique.
"Well now that my hip is busted clearly not me." He smiled and slurped down a tentacle.
"You can always fix yourself and I'd recommend you do that sooner rather than later, from what I recall these creatures specifically don't like you something about wiping out a nest of them hundreds of years ago."
"Right sins of the past as usual."
"At least I warned you, go ahead and finish up I've got business, don't worry I paid the check." He left and I was just staring at my plate wondering what to do next. Thank god one of the shape shifters showed up shortly thereafter I didn't want that awkward "Do you want take your food to go." question.
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
No Trust
"Blew yourself up?" Chandler looked pretty tired, I didn't know at this point there had been four other murders in town, the shifters were hungry.
"You have to try it at least once, though to be fair this isn't my first time, first time that I've woken up in a hospital though." His look said he didn't believe me, no one ever does, but again when you've lived the life I have you have to screw with people from time to time. And by time to time, I mean all the time. I was still leery of telling Chandler anything, I also didn't see Xanthi there which scared me a little.
"My boys picked over your office found residue of some kind of creature, but since we've had four more dead, I can only assume I have more than one problem in my city."
"I want to tell you what it is, but I can't trust you." I saw him rub his eyes in that way that speak to annoyance.
"You can't tell me what I hired you to tell me?"
"Look I can't be sure you're you, I can't be sure anyone here is who they say they are." He sighed.
"So the blast did more than break your hip, it broke your brain." Now I sighed, Chandler left me after cursing because everyone acts like I'm unreasonable when I'm being completely reasonable within reason! Not going to lie though when I first tried to get up and I felt the pain of my hip shoot through me I was really considering wandering the hallways looking for someone in pretty bad shape and "helping" them into the next world. I didn't of course, but when you have the power to heal yourself at the cost of someone elses meaningless life its really really tempting!
I was a bit worried when Xanthi never showed up while I was in the hosptial, but apparently it smelled too much like death to her and so she avoided it. I couldn't blame her, it smelled like death to me and I don't even have the same sense of smell she does. All told I was in the hospital for three weeks, a nerve wracking time as the shifters continued their reign of terror in the outside world. They killed fourteen by the time I was out on crutches (which didn't do a whole lot with a busted hip, but it was the best the hospital could come by).
I hobbled my way to my burned out office, which had mostly survived the explosion (even all my books thank the gods), my desk was pretty much a lost cause and my big heavy wooden desk would not recover, but it wasn't a total loss. I could see some of the tape the police in the area use to cordon things off on the door way. I was about to enter when I felt a chill behind me.
"Isn't breaking a hip an old person's illness?" It was Hanlon I hadn't seen him since I'd been back and I'd kind of liked the time away.
"Most don't do it blowing up a shape shifter in their office." He smiled it was as creepy as ever.
"Well Trezlan that is a shocking thing to say, I must admit we simply have to talk about all the places and things you've done and this minor shape shifty problem you're dealing with." I didn't want to, but its not like I had a lot of things to do that day other than hobble around and be in pain, and so I followed Hanlon to his lavish car and went with him to lunch. Yeah I know the shifters were out there, but I was hungry and its not like they would take the form of Hanlon, no one wanted to be that evil.
"You have to try it at least once, though to be fair this isn't my first time, first time that I've woken up in a hospital though." His look said he didn't believe me, no one ever does, but again when you've lived the life I have you have to screw with people from time to time. And by time to time, I mean all the time. I was still leery of telling Chandler anything, I also didn't see Xanthi there which scared me a little.
"My boys picked over your office found residue of some kind of creature, but since we've had four more dead, I can only assume I have more than one problem in my city."
"I want to tell you what it is, but I can't trust you." I saw him rub his eyes in that way that speak to annoyance.
"You can't tell me what I hired you to tell me?"
"Look I can't be sure you're you, I can't be sure anyone here is who they say they are." He sighed.
"So the blast did more than break your hip, it broke your brain." Now I sighed, Chandler left me after cursing because everyone acts like I'm unreasonable when I'm being completely reasonable within reason! Not going to lie though when I first tried to get up and I felt the pain of my hip shoot through me I was really considering wandering the hallways looking for someone in pretty bad shape and "helping" them into the next world. I didn't of course, but when you have the power to heal yourself at the cost of someone elses meaningless life its really really tempting!
I was a bit worried when Xanthi never showed up while I was in the hosptial, but apparently it smelled too much like death to her and so she avoided it. I couldn't blame her, it smelled like death to me and I don't even have the same sense of smell she does. All told I was in the hospital for three weeks, a nerve wracking time as the shifters continued their reign of terror in the outside world. They killed fourteen by the time I was out on crutches (which didn't do a whole lot with a busted hip, but it was the best the hospital could come by).
I hobbled my way to my burned out office, which had mostly survived the explosion (even all my books thank the gods), my desk was pretty much a lost cause and my big heavy wooden desk would not recover, but it wasn't a total loss. I could see some of the tape the police in the area use to cordon things off on the door way. I was about to enter when I felt a chill behind me.
"Isn't breaking a hip an old person's illness?" It was Hanlon I hadn't seen him since I'd been back and I'd kind of liked the time away.
"Most don't do it blowing up a shape shifter in their office." He smiled it was as creepy as ever.
"Well Trezlan that is a shocking thing to say, I must admit we simply have to talk about all the places and things you've done and this minor shape shifty problem you're dealing with." I didn't want to, but its not like I had a lot of things to do that day other than hobble around and be in pain, and so I followed Hanlon to his lavish car and went with him to lunch. Yeah I know the shifters were out there, but I was hungry and its not like they would take the form of Hanlon, no one wanted to be that evil.
Monday, April 6, 2015
Explosive Revelation
I didn't initially catch on this wasn't actually Xanthi because I was distracted by my search for what these creatures could be (Ok that and look how often do I pay attention to anything? Exactly). The not Xanthi just walked in and I didn't even really look up at first. I was flipping through an old journal entry and cursing my shakey shitty hand writing before I even really noticed it was in there.
"Get lost on the way to the boarding house?" I hadn't noticed she wasn't wearing the same clothes either (they are shape shifters not shape and clothing shifters).
"Yeah I did, can you help me find it?" At first I almost let it go, except she talked in the regular language instead of her weird tribal tongue and I knew things were wrong. I must have shown it on my face because the creature switched from Xanthi to its natural weird reptile whatever and attacked. Xanthi was right, sucker did have long claws and venomous fangs. I recalled from my previous encounter with the creatures they weren't so fond of fire and so I gathered up some energy and cooked the creature. I did forget it wasn't just not fond of fire in that they also become sort of explosive with fire so I kind of blew myself out of my own office (thank gods its only on the second floor, still, ouch)
I think I broke my hip upon hitting the ground, well I say I think its what the doctor told me when I woke up in the hospital, so it not so much as think as having been told Id id that exact thing but still... I had a broken hip which hurts so gods damned badly. Like you don't realize all the things your hip is connected to until its damaged, but any movement of your legs or lower torso is directly related to it so moving around was a real pain in the ass.
So I was out of action. I mean I knew there was at least one shape shifter in the city, and I knew they could look like anyone, but at the same point by the time I was able to tell anyone this, it had been a couple days since I'd discovered it (turns out getting blown out of a window has a tendency to make you unresponsive for a bit who knew?) At least when I came to Chandler was in my room so I could warn him, though because of the shape shifting well I was hesitant to show my hand in the situation fearing he might have already been killed and replaced. So basically I could tell people, but I was terrified of doing so and I was immobile in a hospital bed with a bunch of muderous shape shifting creatures on the loose. My week was looking awful.
"Get lost on the way to the boarding house?" I hadn't noticed she wasn't wearing the same clothes either (they are shape shifters not shape and clothing shifters).
"Yeah I did, can you help me find it?" At first I almost let it go, except she talked in the regular language instead of her weird tribal tongue and I knew things were wrong. I must have shown it on my face because the creature switched from Xanthi to its natural weird reptile whatever and attacked. Xanthi was right, sucker did have long claws and venomous fangs. I recalled from my previous encounter with the creatures they weren't so fond of fire and so I gathered up some energy and cooked the creature. I did forget it wasn't just not fond of fire in that they also become sort of explosive with fire so I kind of blew myself out of my own office (thank gods its only on the second floor, still, ouch)
I think I broke my hip upon hitting the ground, well I say I think its what the doctor told me when I woke up in the hospital, so it not so much as think as having been told Id id that exact thing but still... I had a broken hip which hurts so gods damned badly. Like you don't realize all the things your hip is connected to until its damaged, but any movement of your legs or lower torso is directly related to it so moving around was a real pain in the ass.
So I was out of action. I mean I knew there was at least one shape shifter in the city, and I knew they could look like anyone, but at the same point by the time I was able to tell anyone this, it had been a couple days since I'd discovered it (turns out getting blown out of a window has a tendency to make you unresponsive for a bit who knew?) At least when I came to Chandler was in my room so I could warn him, though because of the shape shifting well I was hesitant to show my hand in the situation fearing he might have already been killed and replaced. So basically I could tell people, but I was terrified of doing so and I was immobile in a hospital bed with a bunch of muderous shape shifting creatures on the loose. My week was looking awful.
Friday, April 3, 2015
Knowledge is Fear
"You know I still don't have a place to stay for the evening." I was looking through my third volume of weird creatures and hadn't discovered what I was looking for. It was pretty late at night and I felt like a total asshole for not taking care of her accommodations earlier. My eyes were pretty strained from flipping through all the books. I was about to tell her that I was sorry and that she'd have to stay in my office when the phone rang.
"Find anything?" Chandler sounded gruff through the phone, but to me everyone did, it was one of those oddities of phones.
"No, something isn't right though Chandler."
"Yeah I have two dead bodies that looked like they were eaten by a wild animal in the middle of a city." I rolled my eyes, he couldn't see it, but I felt I had to show my disapproval at least to Xanthi.
"If you're going to be a sarcastic ass about this I'm going to hang up."
"Ok hold on, what do you think is wrong about this?"
"I can't figure it out, I've seen this before, I've seen this stuff before, but something is not right here. Its not just food the creature was after it wanted to kill those two in such a way that they would be found." I got a bad feeling about all of this was the issue, and my bad feelings are usually spot on.
"Well keep looking I'm sure you'll figure it out." His tone didn't exactly seem all that enthusiastic or that he actually believed that, which made me wonder why they called me in on this if they didn't expect me to succeed. I was about to hang up when I spotted Xanthi looking bored.
"Chandler you don't happen to have the number for a boarding house?"
"No, but I do know there is a vacancy at the place that I live, you looking for a place to stay Lorentino?"
"Not for me, my companion is without a room and she could use one." He breathed what sounded like a sigh of relief and then gave me the address. I tried to not read too much into that (its not like I'm a bad person to live next to I'm hardly at home ever, and the attempts on my life has gone way down!). I gave Xanthi his address and she was on her way with some funds from me (she didn't have money yet, in fact for her first couple years living in civilization I gave her the majority of her income, because I'm nice like that, also having someone who can make weapons on the fly and stalk creatures came in handy for me).
I went back to my research, I couldn't find what I was looking for in my books. I was getting kind of frustrated with the whole thing. There was something pawing at the back of my mind and I couldn't put my finger on what it was. I was ready to call it a night when my door opened and Xanthi stepped in, except it wasn't Xanthi, it was a gods damned shape shifting creature, which is what my brain was trying to warn me about with the killing. But next entry you know how this game goes!
"Find anything?" Chandler sounded gruff through the phone, but to me everyone did, it was one of those oddities of phones.
"No, something isn't right though Chandler."
"Yeah I have two dead bodies that looked like they were eaten by a wild animal in the middle of a city." I rolled my eyes, he couldn't see it, but I felt I had to show my disapproval at least to Xanthi.
"If you're going to be a sarcastic ass about this I'm going to hang up."
"Ok hold on, what do you think is wrong about this?"
"I can't figure it out, I've seen this before, I've seen this stuff before, but something is not right here. Its not just food the creature was after it wanted to kill those two in such a way that they would be found." I got a bad feeling about all of this was the issue, and my bad feelings are usually spot on.
"Well keep looking I'm sure you'll figure it out." His tone didn't exactly seem all that enthusiastic or that he actually believed that, which made me wonder why they called me in on this if they didn't expect me to succeed. I was about to hang up when I spotted Xanthi looking bored.
"Chandler you don't happen to have the number for a boarding house?"
"No, but I do know there is a vacancy at the place that I live, you looking for a place to stay Lorentino?"
"Not for me, my companion is without a room and she could use one." He breathed what sounded like a sigh of relief and then gave me the address. I tried to not read too much into that (its not like I'm a bad person to live next to I'm hardly at home ever, and the attempts on my life has gone way down!). I gave Xanthi his address and she was on her way with some funds from me (she didn't have money yet, in fact for her first couple years living in civilization I gave her the majority of her income, because I'm nice like that, also having someone who can make weapons on the fly and stalk creatures came in handy for me).
I went back to my research, I couldn't find what I was looking for in my books. I was getting kind of frustrated with the whole thing. There was something pawing at the back of my mind and I couldn't put my finger on what it was. I was ready to call it a night when my door opened and Xanthi stepped in, except it wasn't Xanthi, it was a gods damned shape shifting creature, which is what my brain was trying to warn me about with the killing. But next entry you know how this game goes!
Thursday, April 2, 2015
The Powers of Observation, Someone Elses
There were two dead bodies, both looked to have been ripped apart male and female most likely a couple coming home. There were some remnants of the police in the area, tape and some scattered officers talking nearby, I guess the coroner was stuck in traffic somewhere else it was why the bodies were still there. We were in an alley way in the more industrial part of town, I figured the two were illicit lovers on the way to a tryst somewhere.
"Brother and sister walking home after their shift." See like I said brother and sister...
"What do they do down here?"
"Does it matter?" Chandler seemed to not understand the power of knowledge! I mean it didn't actually matter, but I liked to know!
"Everything matters Detective Chandler."
"It was one thing, pretty big too." Xanthi decided to interrupt my totally important conversation with her more important to the case banter. I totally should have not brought her.
"What did she say?" I have highlighted before that Xanthi's language skills were lacking, the dialect she spoke was one I knew from my youth mostly because her village must have traded with mine all those years ago, but for most people they couldn't make out a damn thing.
"She said it was one creature, big." Chandler sighed. There was a set of footprints leading away, I was told they disappeared in what else, but a gods damned sewer. The bodies had been partially eaten, which would suggest some kind of horrible monster, though it stood like a man which meant well several choices from my own memory plus shit I'd probably never heard of.
"We suspected as much, do you know what type of creature?" Xanthi sniffed the remains and I tried to pretend I didn't see it because that's disgusting.
"Something venomous, there is a lingering stench not associated with the body, also it has claws, big ones." I told Chandler what Xanthi figured out and then got lost in my own thoughts while he said something else. I vaguely recalled something like what she had described, but I couldn't remember specifics, but there was something bugging me about it. I couldn't exactly put my finger on why, but there was a nagging thought in my jumbled mine these bodies reminded me of. I had to go back to my office and look over my books, somewhere there was information on this creature, I knew there had to be.
I excused myself from the crime scene and Xanthi and I withdrew to my office. Chandler said he'd call me later and I gave him my office phone number which thankfully I still recalled. I had an uneasy feeling about this creature, and it turned out I had a good right to be afraid, and not just because one of them (yes one as in multiple) was following me.
"Brother and sister walking home after their shift." See like I said brother and sister...
"What do they do down here?"
"Does it matter?" Chandler seemed to not understand the power of knowledge! I mean it didn't actually matter, but I liked to know!
"Everything matters Detective Chandler."
"It was one thing, pretty big too." Xanthi decided to interrupt my totally important conversation with her more important to the case banter. I totally should have not brought her.
"What did she say?" I have highlighted before that Xanthi's language skills were lacking, the dialect she spoke was one I knew from my youth mostly because her village must have traded with mine all those years ago, but for most people they couldn't make out a damn thing.
"She said it was one creature, big." Chandler sighed. There was a set of footprints leading away, I was told they disappeared in what else, but a gods damned sewer. The bodies had been partially eaten, which would suggest some kind of horrible monster, though it stood like a man which meant well several choices from my own memory plus shit I'd probably never heard of.
"We suspected as much, do you know what type of creature?" Xanthi sniffed the remains and I tried to pretend I didn't see it because that's disgusting.
"Something venomous, there is a lingering stench not associated with the body, also it has claws, big ones." I told Chandler what Xanthi figured out and then got lost in my own thoughts while he said something else. I vaguely recalled something like what she had described, but I couldn't remember specifics, but there was something bugging me about it. I couldn't exactly put my finger on why, but there was a nagging thought in my jumbled mine these bodies reminded me of. I had to go back to my office and look over my books, somewhere there was information on this creature, I knew there had to be.
I excused myself from the crime scene and Xanthi and I withdrew to my office. Chandler said he'd call me later and I gave him my office phone number which thankfully I still recalled. I had an uneasy feeling about this creature, and it turned out I had a good right to be afraid, and not just because one of them (yes one as in multiple) was following me.
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Things That Work Out Well, And This
"Legal now?" Xanthi had a look on her face that told me the whole story. It said "I have been dealing with so much bullshit you don't even know" without her even having to say that. She just harumphed and sat down in a chair in my office (I realized at this point she had no place to stay, I'm a terrible person and hadn't thought about that aspect of living in society). I was about to address this issue when there was a knock at the door (I totally was, stop doubting me!)
"Lorentino." It was a rumpled looking detective, he had a big black mustache but no hair on his head. He also had a uniformed officer with him, I was sad because I had only been in town less than a damn day how could they possibly have suspected me in a new crime.
"I didn't do it." I always feel like I have to say this when dealing with the authorities, even when I did in fact do it (you never admit to start it gives away the game).
"Didn't do what?" He invited himself in and appraised my office, the officer with him stood in the hall guarding it I guessed.
"Whatever it is you're going to accuse me of doing."
"Not accusing you of doing anything, your office smells of dust, been out of town Mr. Lorentino?" I kind of shrugged, I didn't know how honest I should have been.
"Yeah I took a hunting trip, Xanthi was my guide." It was kind of a lie? I dunno I did take a hunting trip, Xanthi did kind of guide me, so mostly true!
"And you brought her home with you, is she now on vacation with you?"
"I'm sorry detective?"
"Chandler."
"Detective Chandler, what are you doing here other than critiquing my choice of companions and cleaning standards?" He seemed to weigh whether keeping bothering me was important or if he'd disclose what the purpose of his trip was. He settled on stopping bothering me, which is a wise idea for dealing with a temperamental jerk like myself.
"We need your help Mr. Lorentino."
"No." I believe I've had this conversation before with about the same results as the last time, but! At least this time Chandler wasn't working with the person he wanted investigated, so you know progress! Yes I helped the police again, yes I was a dick about it, yes something bad happened, everything bad happens, bad is my thing!
"Lorentino." It was a rumpled looking detective, he had a big black mustache but no hair on his head. He also had a uniformed officer with him, I was sad because I had only been in town less than a damn day how could they possibly have suspected me in a new crime.
"I didn't do it." I always feel like I have to say this when dealing with the authorities, even when I did in fact do it (you never admit to start it gives away the game).
"Didn't do what?" He invited himself in and appraised my office, the officer with him stood in the hall guarding it I guessed.
"Whatever it is you're going to accuse me of doing."
"Not accusing you of doing anything, your office smells of dust, been out of town Mr. Lorentino?" I kind of shrugged, I didn't know how honest I should have been.
"Yeah I took a hunting trip, Xanthi was my guide." It was kind of a lie? I dunno I did take a hunting trip, Xanthi did kind of guide me, so mostly true!
"And you brought her home with you, is she now on vacation with you?"
"I'm sorry detective?"
"Chandler."
"Detective Chandler, what are you doing here other than critiquing my choice of companions and cleaning standards?" He seemed to weigh whether keeping bothering me was important or if he'd disclose what the purpose of his trip was. He settled on stopping bothering me, which is a wise idea for dealing with a temperamental jerk like myself.
"We need your help Mr. Lorentino."
"No." I believe I've had this conversation before with about the same results as the last time, but! At least this time Chandler wasn't working with the person he wanted investigated, so you know progress! Yes I helped the police again, yes I was a dick about it, yes something bad happened, everything bad happens, bad is my thing!