text;

[necromanswers]

Hey folks. PSA for you. Name's Lup, I own Affurgato. Congrats to those who've already met my fabulous self.

As a heads up: I'm a lich. Other terms include: undead, corpse-walker, monster, abomination. Someone screamed "The Raven's Misfortune" at me once and I thought that was delightfully poetic.

If you have a problem with this, you can eat my entire ass. If you want to BRING your problem to me, I'll be happy to set YOUR ass on fire.

Now, are there any deeply personal details I ought to know about you in order for us to be friends? Apparently I have trust issues and aren't accustomed to mortal cultural norms.

that's all, have a great day or whatever

Comments

[astralera]

Not long after our last conversation. I had planned to ask him later that evening.

[necromanswers]

Gotcha. Well, if you need catering, count me in. Between Taako and I, we probably have every cake recipe under the sun.

[astralera]

Thank you, Lup. I will certainly need assistance with a cake, though I am not not so certain about the rest. Ardbert wishes to have some form of potluck... Given the culinary limitations here, I have my doubts that it would be successful.

[necromanswers]

Yeah, maybe leave that to the professionals. No offense to everybody here, but potlucks are a real mixed bag when it comes to quality.

It's your day, though, so you get to make that decision.

[astralera]

And there is less control over possible allergens.

I am thinking a possible compromise may be to have attendees inform us of their favourite dish, then have have you and your brother make them.

[necromanswers]

That could work in theory, but it would depend on how many guests you're thinking of. Creating separate dishes for a large group in a short span of time can get really messy if there's too many options. And we only have so many spell slots, so too many ingredients would mean that after a certain point, we'd be stuck using the garbo synthetic stuff again.

I don't know how you feel about pocket dimensions, but I should have temporary access to a magic mansion with a full kitchen pretty soon, if that's of any interest to you for a venue.

[Based on her impression of Era thus far, she's not confident that such an offer would be easily accepted, if at all, but there's no cost in making an offer.]

1/3

[astralera]

Oh
Um.

I don't know how many guests.

[ she hasn't actually thought much about it beyond 'the Lucis Caelums, Lup, Honerva, and whoever they want to bring'... ]

2/3

[astralera]

Would you like to be a guest?

text.

[astralera]

I've a pocket dimension in my pockets, though the largest thing I've ever fit inside was a corpse. I cannot fathom one large enough for a mansion.

Thank you for the offer, Lup. I would love to see it one day, regardless of which venue is chosen in the end.

[necromanswers]

I'd be happy to come, if you feel inclined to invite me.

[No pressure, and no insult if she keeps it strictly family. Friends aren't the same, and she understands that well.]

I still have some carving to do for the spell, but it shouldn't take long, so yeah I can show you. Do you know when you wanna do the whole thing?

[astralera]

It's customary to invite those important to you, isn't it?

I've no idea. Preferably before we lose our minds, but after I've made a dress.

[necromanswers]

Customary, yes, but the perk of planning your own party is that you can fuck with customs, if you want.

[It's nice to be important, though. It's very sweet.]

I'll see about expediting the carving, then. Not like I don't have the free time.

1/2

[astralera]

I will fuck with the stupid customs once I've a better idea what the customs are.

A dress, and an artichoke bouquet. Friends and family, good food and music and dancing.

Rings too, of course. Ones that won't catch on any hilts. Gold, and patterned like the city our soul once called home.

[astralera]

And then afterwards I will free to fuck my husband.

[necromanswers]

👌 👌 👌 Sounds like the perfect wedding to me!

[If this wasn't text she would absolutely be laughing.]

I have to ask, though. Artichoke bouquet?

[astralera]

An Ishgardian custom. There is a story of a humble bride who went with her knight lover to the battlefield, not wishing to make him cease his cause. When she arrived at the camp she shirked a flowery bouquet, taking an artichoke in hand instead.

The artichoke has a resilient, spiked exterior that protects the plant's soft heart. The bride remarked that the beauty of Halone — the guardian deity of Ishgard — was similar to this plant, and thus would be well suited as a bouquet.

Many Ishgardian brides find the tale inspiring, and thus I've had more than a few requests to supply the church with thistles and artichokes.

[necromanswers]

Oh, I do like that. Customs with a good story are always the best kind.

In Faerun there's a ceremonial spell that can be cast only on a couple meant to be wed. I'm not privy to the finer details, as it's not one of mine, but I remember that it boosts the defensive strength of the couple as long as they fight close to one another.

[astralera]

My father is Count Edmont de Fortemps of Ishgard. I am happy when I think of using a custom from his home. He would be happy too, I think.


That is very neat. Are ceremonial spells commonplace in Faerun?

[necromanswers]

Sounds like the sort of thing a dad might appreciate, based on what I've heard.

I don't know about commonplace across the board, but there's a lot of religious ceremonies that involve spells or enchantments of some kind. The gods there can be pretty involved with their followers, and who wouldn't take advantage of that if given the chance?

[astralera]

I don't know much about dads, but Edmont is a very sentimental man. He would probably enjoy it here, and away from all the Ishgardian high society gobshite.

I am accustomed to gods binding their wills to their followers, turning them into puppets that care for naught but serving them. The only way to free them from their thralldom is by killing them—not even killing the offending god restores their will.

I am very fortunate my mother is an outlier in that regard.

[necromanswers]

Hell, that doesn't sound like a fun time. I think the only gods that would pull anything like that are the more traditionally evil types. Most worshipped gods are either good or at least neutral enough that people don't hate them. Even the goddess of death is neutral.

Your mother?

[astralera]

Primals are summoned in desperation by their faithful. They are summoned for a purpose, and will rigidly adhere to it. Some dislike being summoned, knowing that they are slaves to their nature and that they, in turn, will make slaves of their followers.

The Mothercrystal, Hydaelyn. She is one of the eldest of Primals—the second deity of my realm. She is the Mother of my world and its reflections.

[necromanswers]

That's pretty fucked up. Though I suppose it's not that different from Vecna or someshit eating the souls of wizards who go digging too deep for his power.

Gotcha, gotcha. Yeah, even if the world's full of shit-tier gods, having at least one on your side personally can make a huge difference. I'm glad you do.

[astralera]

It takes a great many people to gather the aether required to summon a Primal, and each person will have their own vision of their deity. The 'gods' of my world only exist because of those that have faith in them, and thus they will forever be flawed creations.

So I suppose that it is only as fucked up as mortals can be, which is... pretty fucked up, yes.

I do think Primals may be fairly different than Vecna? Unless the souls they eat are not destroyed during consumption.

When I said that the only way to free the victims — the Tempered, we call them — is to kill them, it was not entirely accurate. It is still the only cure we are capable of for now. My sister has found a ritual that shows some promise, and I know of one other method that would work.


I would not exist if not for Her. She is not just my Mother, she is also my mother. I know She is a deity, and yet ...

I suppose that is pretty fucked up too, isn't it?

[necromanswers]

Vecna was just an example of that sort of behaviour in my world, don't take me too literally. I've no doubt there are plenty of differences- It's incredibly uncommon for deities to act aggressively towards their followers, for example, and it only takes a single cleric to summon a god's aid. What factors in more than numbers is how devoted they are, and how charitable the god is feeling at the time.

What's fucked up or not is relative, in my opinion. If it's normal and acceptable to you, and you're happy, then that's good enough isn't it? Or would you prefer to have had a different mother?