Daughter of Death - A Necromantic LitRPG

Cleric

That was all that remained of the twisted sign sprouting from the road like a stubborn tree. At one point, it may have been Cleric Road, or Cleric Lane, but as Lieze marched behind the three ruffians from the pub, she knew it only as ‘Cleric’. It wasn’t an unfamiliar sight--she had walked down that very road on her way to regroup with Sokalar during the siege. Drayya’s thralls had made a fine example of it. Trails of sandy blood drying between the cobblestone lent the street a desecrated image. Bundles of flowers and golden jewellery were laid at the remains of a roadside chapel.

“This is where Baccharum is?” Lieze asked, “Wouldn’t an abandoned street in the worst part of the city be the first place the royalists would look?”

“What better place to hide a tree than the forest?” Her scarred escort replied, “Suppose old Rummy would know all about trees, mind you.”

“Excuse me?”

“Ah, you’ll understand once we get there.” Saying that, he hopped onto the rotting foundations of a crumbling house. What little of the roof remained seemed liable to drop at any moment, “Come on, lass.”

Following the leader and his goons to a decrepit corner of the home, she was surprised to see him kneeling down and grabbing hold of something which didn’t seem to be there. As he raised his arm, a portion of the floor came up with it. The mold-studded ladder descending into the earth beneath seemed somewhat ominous.

“Illusion magic?” She wondered.

“You’d be surprised how easy it is to hide away when you’ve got a few mages on your side.” He smirked, “I’ll head down first. Wouldn’t want the boys cutting your throat as soon as you hit the ground, would we?”

He and his comrades quickly disappeared into the hidden cellar. A chorus of shouts could be heard rising from the hole like the voices of the dead. Whatever was down there, it was clearly no mere storeroom.

“Oi, lass!” She heard after a few minutes, “Come on down!”

A cluster of eyes stared at her from the darkness as she made her way down the ladder. The chamber below the house may have once been a mundane wine cellar, but adjustments had been made to its size over what appeared to be the course of many months. It was the kind of space which would easily swallow the street above it if care wasn’t taken with the supports. The secrecy surrounding it reminded Lieze somewhat of the Order’s hideout in the Deadlands, albeit much less grandiose.

She followed the scarred man through an amateurish series of rooms carved from the earth, which seemed to include, among other things, a hastily-assembled kitchen and pantry. Only one of them was separated from the others by a door which Lieze’s escort rapped with his knuckles.

“Boss!” He called out, “A necromancer’s here to speak to you!”

“...Come in.” A raspy voice responded, barely audible.

When the door was opened, Lieze could barely see a few inches down the stone staircase descending further into the complex. It was as if any light which approached the passageway was instantly dissolved, leaving nothing but pitch darkness.

“Baccharum doesn’t enjoy the light, I take it?” Lieze asked.

“For reasons you’ll soon find out.” Her escort encouraged, “Mind your footin’ on the way down. Can’t tell you how many times someone’s set their bloody neck on those steps…”

When the door was closed behind her, Lieze realised why she had been given a warning. The stairs were uneven and tilted, as if to deliberately endanger the life of anyone trying to descend them. Bracing a hand against the grainy wall, she handled the passage one step at a time, eventually arriving on solid ground. She couldn’t see her own hand in front of her face.

“Hello?” She greeted, “I couldn’t trouble you to turn the lights on, could I?”

“My apologies.” A voice like that of a snake’s creeped out from the darkness, “Would you like me to light a candle? I’m afraid that’s as much as I can tolerate.”

“If you wouldn’t mind.”

A second later, the light of a flame created silhouettes in the darkness. The room she stood in was small--an office of some kind, decorated with bookshelves and a single desk. Some kind of black, spherical object was levitating above a diamond-shaped pedestal next to the candle. But that wasn’t the first thing that caught Lieze’s attention, for whatever it was that sat behind the desk couldn’t be described as human in any respect.

Its body was long and skeletal, with hands that could easily reach the floor if they wanted to. Even sitting down, its head was almost touching the low ceiling. With skin pallid and veiny, it appeared more undead than alive. A blindfold--or perhaps several--rounded the creature’s head so tightly that its flesh was beginning to sink down. Its lips were tiny. Almost invisible. A pair of sharpened ears stuck out from its temples like blades.

Lieze’s heart nearly stopped at the sight of it. But at the same time, its form was recognisable.

“...An Elf?” She guessed.

“Oh my. It’s been quite a while since anyone’s been able to tell.” It began, “Most are usually convinced that I’m some kind of horrific abomination.”

Her eyes rose to the text hovering over the Elf’s head.

Ka'reaumolayya-En'budla'Akzhem-Yaan'mus'Ka'mertryaloyom

Level 42 Assassin

HP: 1099 / 1099 MP: 225 / 225

“You’re Baccharum Silas?” She tried to hide her surprise at his unbelievably high level.

“There are those who call me that. The conventions of human naming are rather simple.”

“What’s your real name?”

“I’m not certain it would be worth the time you would spend hearing it.” Baccharum’s hands collided at the centre of his desk, “Is it true what I’ve just heard? Are you a necromancer?”

“I am.”

“Were you left behind by the Order?”

“I… no.” She lied, “I’m working to undermine the royalists from within. To prepare for a second siege.”

“-And you require access to my services in order to accomplish that goal. I see.” The Elf paused, “It’s only a matter of time until Tonberg falls. I’ve been busying myself with the logistics of moving my operations to Grapcka in the meantime. If I were to aid you, I suppose I would no longer have to bother?”

“I could certainly arrange something with the Order if you’re looking for protection.” Lieze offered, “Why Grapcka? Wouldn’t you rather escape to Akhzem?”

“How do you suppose an Elv came to reside within human lands in the first place?”

“You were exiled?”

“That’s a very tame way of putting it. I don’t expect you to understand, but breaking a law in Akhzem is cause for extreme punishment. Compared to my homeland, the Sovereign Cities--or, City, I suppose--is practically lawless. I’m surprised anyone can get anything done around here.”

“That explains how you’re able to source lunar buds, I suppose.”

“Albeit with tremendous difficulty.” Baccharum replied “Len num’tor are sacred flowers, traditionally used in… I believe humans refer to it as the ‘Trial of Tumbling Eyes’. Crushing them and then snorting the resulting powder isn’t approved by the Black City, to put it mildly.”

“Do you miss your homeland?”

“I miss the darkness, certainly. But my kind? Not so much.” The Elf paused, “That’s all that needs to be said on the matter. Let’s return to the topic of business, shall we?”

“I suppose you’re the owner of Tonberg’s black market?”

“I’m a sponsor of it. As are most businessmen in the city. If you prove to be a useful ally, I can point you in the direction of some disreputable sellers. Whether it’s forbidden scrolls, stolen goods or plain information, there’s always a market for contraband that has conveniently disappeared from the public eye.”

“You don’t have any reservations about helping the Order?”

“So long as you agree to spare me and my associates when Tonberg finally falls, I believe this could turn into quite the fruitful relationship.” Baccharum explained, “And make no mistake--I’m well aware of a necromancer's tendency to view their allies as expendable. Let me be the first to tell you that attempting to take advantage of my generosity will not end smoothly.”

One glance at the Elf’s glowing nameplate told Lieze all she needed to know about that.

“I didn’t plan on stabbing you in the back.”

“You were the white-haired girl who accompanied Noma Lawain on her tragic trip beyond the walls, were you not?” He accused, “Strange how some mere Kobolds were able to spell her demise.”

“You know about that?”

“I’ve made a business of knowing things, yes. If I were you, I would be watching my back in these coming weeks. Are you aware of the fact that young Noma was the sister of Helmach Lawain?”

“She did mention something like that.”

“You’ve made a very troublesome enemy. The Acolytes of Reunification number in the hundreds. Don’t think for a moment that trying to pass off Noma’s death as an accident will stay Helmach’s hand. He can be an awfully stubborn man--even by human standards.”

“Who are the Acolytes of Reunification?”

“Forgive me for answering a question with a question, but are you familiar with the religious reformation the Sovereign Cities underwent a matter of years ago?”

“No.”

“Then allow me to give you the abridged version. A new Dragon Priest was anointed some time ago. Policies enacted by His Eminence allowed the Church of the Golden Dragon significantly more freedom in persecuting religious dissidence and blasphemy. Those who so much as spoke out against the Gildwyrm were dangling by their necks later the same day. The few Dwarves and Elves co-existing with humans in Sovereign territory found themselves displaced and forcefully emigrated.”

“I presume there was some political backlash?” Lieze guessed.

“Ricta was the man who would eventually tighten the Church’s leash. But in doing so, he sparked the creation of a fragmented and overzealous faction within the city. Those who believed that their faith was being silenced. They have gone by many names--The Order of Gold, The Church Pikes… but for now, they are the Acolytes of Reunification.”

“I’ll have to watch my back, then.”

“That would be an understatement.” Baccharum finalised, “Now, as for how our new relationship can benefit the two of us, I believe I may have a tempting opportunity for you.”

“Do tell.”

“There are those like you, who have sought me out--mostly to capture me. They are all dead.” He summarised quickly, “ As I’m sure you can appreciate, hiding bodies is somewhat difficult in such a large city. But if there was someone who would be willing to hide them on my behalf…”

“I could certainly do with a few more corpses.” She agreed morbidly, “I’m planning to use the cave where the Kobolds were located as a hideout until I can find somewhere more permanent. It would be a fine place to dump some unwanted detritus.”

“Well--within reason, of course. We can’t exactly cart a wagon full of bodies through the city gates without raising a few eyebrows. But expect a gift to be waiting for you every once in a while.”

“Can I count on you to point me towards a black market dealer?”

“Of course. You’re currently staying at the Golden Flagon, aren’t you? I’ll have a letter delivered with all the information you’ll be needing.”

“Good to hear.” Saying that, Lieze made to leave the room, “It was a pleasure doing business with you.”

“I hope we can be of use to one-another in the future.” Baccharum’s long, slender fingers pinched the flame of the candle, plummeting the room into darkness once more, “-And do watch out for Helmach. He can be quite the detective when the situation calls for it.”

The light from the candle almost seemed to warp towards the strange artefact on the desk. It appeared to be some kind of magical item which absorbed light--quite the useful tool for an Elf, considering even a minor light source could blind their incredibly sensitive eyes. As the room fell into darkness, a series of notifications appeared from Lieze’s scale.

Quest "Shady Business' Complete!

Reward - 90xp

Quest "Thick as Thieves" Completed!

Reward - 120xp

Level Up!

You are now Level [5]

HP + 10 MP + 50

Milestone Reached!

[Lesser Necromancy (lvl. 1)] has been upgraded to [Lesser Necromancy (lvl. 2)]

Description - Use 70MP to reanimate a creature of level [10] or below. The creature's level as an undead thrall equals 1/2 of its original level, rounded down. You can maintain a number of thralls equal to your level.

Ability Acquired - [Necromantic Alchemy (lvl. 1)]

Description - Perform a dark ritual to grant enhancements to existing thralls or transform them into new types of undead. This ability takes 1 hour to perform, and its mana cost is equal to double the combined level of any thralls used in the ritual, or half as much if an alchemy table is used.

Enhancement Learned - [Skeletal Preservation] [Speed Upgrade]

Unique Undead Learned - [Horror] [Fleshbag]

As Lieze had expected--the scale wouldn’t limit her to the simple raising of thralls. With a knowledge of alchemy, she could transform her undead into monstrous servants of the Blackbriar. She had to suppress the grin forming on her face as she ascended towards street level, unable to contain her excitement at the possibilities laid before her.