The Blood Mage...
Sep. 6th, 2015 08:10 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tigerJuly 20th, 2011
While being a green mage was merely an indication of my relative power and specialties[1], my master still said I had tons to learn. So, we were now in a really seedy part of Kosovo in full formal gear (robes, staves, etc.) awaiting entrance to a flat in a rather run-down building that managed to survive the recent unrest. It was early in the morning, so the robes helped offset the cold. Tigra wanted to have me meet a person from each school of magic, if only to broaden my horizons. This was one of the first ones and it was a school that was largely forbidden to actively practice.
Tigra was about to knock a third time when he heard a voice mutter something in Albanian[2]. Tigra replied in kind, and the door's two deadbolts and a slide lock snapped open in rapid order and the door opened itself.
As I walked in, I noted that the main room was very well kept, but in dark red and black colors. It was a stark contrast to the run-down, stained concrete and taupe appearance of the rest of the building. The room smelled strongly of cedar incense which was burning in a censor in the back corner. There was a man in black robes sitting in a dark red leather chair in the middle of this room, which had a dark red rug in the middle of the room over a well worn wood plank floor. His skin was pale white, and I managed to contain my snicker- I had been warned that he took the 'goth' stereotype to it's extreme, and that the person I was about to meet was almost as powerful as tigra himself.
After the door closed itself, he introduced himself in English. "Good morning, Archmage and Green Mage. Welcome to my hovel. As you might imagine, I do not receive visitors often, due to my... appearance? or reputation? Still, I am left alone, and my simple needs are provided for in this place. I can already see the question on the green mage's face. The magic community here, while nearly obliterated during the last war, still looks after it's own. The trappings around me are some of my former wealth; in addition to what I am, I use to own one of the wineries before the war and the later unrest. Please, sit. Ardi, ju lutem na sjell pije freskuese."[3]
As we were seating ourselves, A tray floated over with glasses of water. I looked over at the archmage, who had taken a glass. he nodded faintly, and the blood mage laughed.
"Such distrust! I assure you I have no intention of harming you; I could have done that when you entered my sphere of influence. The locks on the doors are for show- no one breaks in here willingly unless they wish to die."
I sheepishly took a glass of water, and sipped as he started his lecture.
"My magic is blood-based. It helps the wielder live longer, fight harder, and perform effects most other mages would consider perversions of nature or blasphemous to the morality of humanity. It comes at the cost of one's health; living longer through blood magic means stealing the lifeforce of someone or something else. Nothing is free, after all. That is why you have been told that it is forbidden. It is the most dangerous, the most powerful magic, and the fastest way to gain power. Few are able to control or harness it, and even fewer use this power for anything except personal gain. The Magi keep me around because I am one of those. I am... not what you consider good or evil. I am merely a tool of the Magi, kept as a pet due to my heritage and the history of blood magic. Blood magic has perpetuated grave evils over the centuries, so the few hemaptophagic mages that exist are under strict monitoring by the Order of the Magi, kept like prisoners in gilded cages. There are reasons for this.
"One is to contain or remove new blood mages that attempt to perform acts in defiance of the Order, or are unwilling or unable to control themselves under the magic's influence. Blood magic has it's own influence, like that of fey-powered magic. Once can get drunk on this influence, can perform great and powerful effects using the influence, both for good... and for evil. I have done both, each time under the direction of the Magi.
"Another is to preserve the abilities and knowledge so that time does not erase us; The statement 'those who do not remember history are doomed to repeat it' holds true. Much like the archmage is one of three that know the locations of the Books of Undeath, the volumes containing the sum knowledge of necromancy, which is a forbidden art that no one is allowed to practice.
"I am tasked with a third reason; I am the most powerful of my kind, so I alone have the responsibility of determining who has any sort of aptitude. That is why you have been brought before me. For me to do this, I require only a single drop of your blood, freely given. Are you ready to be tested?"
I looked at Tigra. his face was grim, but he slowly nodded. "Yes, He is quite correct. You've been tested in a similar manner for necromancy by the only creature qualified, and you passed, otherwise you would not be here."
I shuddered and remembered that awful visage of the only undead I've ever visited, even if he was a very friendly and cheerful creature. I held out my hand, palm upright. "I am ready."
The blood mage got up from his chair, and without touching me went to take my hand in his. A single drop of blood appeared in the middle of my palm and levitated to his hand, at which point he placed it to his mouth and licked it from his palm.
"Oh ho, what a powerful creature we have here! There hasn't been such of the likes of you in over two hundred years! But fear not, no aptitude for blood magic outside the abilities you have already as a shapeshifter. You have seen a small demonstration of my power; Show me yours."
I looked at Tigra, who only nodded. I closed my eyes and shifted into what I referred to only as my guardian form, which was something I conjured up with Katholos and was known only to my mates and my teacher. I felt the tips of my ears touch the 9 foot ceiling as the shift completed. as I opened my eyes, I felt a gathering sense of horror; the entire room glowed from the blood used to dye the rug and the chair he sat in. Now I understood the need for incense. "I think it's time to go, master. I think I have seen all I care to see."
The blood mage chuckled as Tigra and I went to leave. "I did warn you, young one, I was not what you would consider a good person. It was good to learn of your existence, and I shall expect to hear great things from you."
[1]green magic emcompasses most of the nature realm and manipulation of Physical Stuff; technomages manipulate physical stuff and some non-corporeal things like electricity, but apparently flipping bits falls under the former.
[2] I was informed of this later.
[3] "Ardi, please bring us refreshments."- Via google translate
While being a green mage was merely an indication of my relative power and specialties[1], my master still said I had tons to learn. So, we were now in a really seedy part of Kosovo in full formal gear (robes, staves, etc.) awaiting entrance to a flat in a rather run-down building that managed to survive the recent unrest. It was early in the morning, so the robes helped offset the cold. Tigra wanted to have me meet a person from each school of magic, if only to broaden my horizons. This was one of the first ones and it was a school that was largely forbidden to actively practice.
Tigra was about to knock a third time when he heard a voice mutter something in Albanian[2]. Tigra replied in kind, and the door's two deadbolts and a slide lock snapped open in rapid order and the door opened itself.
As I walked in, I noted that the main room was very well kept, but in dark red and black colors. It was a stark contrast to the run-down, stained concrete and taupe appearance of the rest of the building. The room smelled strongly of cedar incense which was burning in a censor in the back corner. There was a man in black robes sitting in a dark red leather chair in the middle of this room, which had a dark red rug in the middle of the room over a well worn wood plank floor. His skin was pale white, and I managed to contain my snicker- I had been warned that he took the 'goth' stereotype to it's extreme, and that the person I was about to meet was almost as powerful as tigra himself.
After the door closed itself, he introduced himself in English. "Good morning, Archmage and Green Mage. Welcome to my hovel. As you might imagine, I do not receive visitors often, due to my... appearance? or reputation? Still, I am left alone, and my simple needs are provided for in this place. I can already see the question on the green mage's face. The magic community here, while nearly obliterated during the last war, still looks after it's own. The trappings around me are some of my former wealth; in addition to what I am, I use to own one of the wineries before the war and the later unrest. Please, sit. Ardi, ju lutem na sjell pije freskuese."[3]
As we were seating ourselves, A tray floated over with glasses of water. I looked over at the archmage, who had taken a glass. he nodded faintly, and the blood mage laughed.
"Such distrust! I assure you I have no intention of harming you; I could have done that when you entered my sphere of influence. The locks on the doors are for show- no one breaks in here willingly unless they wish to die."
I sheepishly took a glass of water, and sipped as he started his lecture.
"My magic is blood-based. It helps the wielder live longer, fight harder, and perform effects most other mages would consider perversions of nature or blasphemous to the morality of humanity. It comes at the cost of one's health; living longer through blood magic means stealing the lifeforce of someone or something else. Nothing is free, after all. That is why you have been told that it is forbidden. It is the most dangerous, the most powerful magic, and the fastest way to gain power. Few are able to control or harness it, and even fewer use this power for anything except personal gain. The Magi keep me around because I am one of those. I am... not what you consider good or evil. I am merely a tool of the Magi, kept as a pet due to my heritage and the history of blood magic. Blood magic has perpetuated grave evils over the centuries, so the few hemaptophagic mages that exist are under strict monitoring by the Order of the Magi, kept like prisoners in gilded cages. There are reasons for this.
"One is to contain or remove new blood mages that attempt to perform acts in defiance of the Order, or are unwilling or unable to control themselves under the magic's influence. Blood magic has it's own influence, like that of fey-powered magic. Once can get drunk on this influence, can perform great and powerful effects using the influence, both for good... and for evil. I have done both, each time under the direction of the Magi.
"Another is to preserve the abilities and knowledge so that time does not erase us; The statement 'those who do not remember history are doomed to repeat it' holds true. Much like the archmage is one of three that know the locations of the Books of Undeath, the volumes containing the sum knowledge of necromancy, which is a forbidden art that no one is allowed to practice.
"I am tasked with a third reason; I am the most powerful of my kind, so I alone have the responsibility of determining who has any sort of aptitude. That is why you have been brought before me. For me to do this, I require only a single drop of your blood, freely given. Are you ready to be tested?"
I looked at Tigra. his face was grim, but he slowly nodded. "Yes, He is quite correct. You've been tested in a similar manner for necromancy by the only creature qualified, and you passed, otherwise you would not be here."
I shuddered and remembered that awful visage of the only undead I've ever visited, even if he was a very friendly and cheerful creature. I held out my hand, palm upright. "I am ready."
The blood mage got up from his chair, and without touching me went to take my hand in his. A single drop of blood appeared in the middle of my palm and levitated to his hand, at which point he placed it to his mouth and licked it from his palm.
"Oh ho, what a powerful creature we have here! There hasn't been such of the likes of you in over two hundred years! But fear not, no aptitude for blood magic outside the abilities you have already as a shapeshifter. You have seen a small demonstration of my power; Show me yours."
I looked at Tigra, who only nodded. I closed my eyes and shifted into what I referred to only as my guardian form, which was something I conjured up with Katholos and was known only to my mates and my teacher. I felt the tips of my ears touch the 9 foot ceiling as the shift completed. as I opened my eyes, I felt a gathering sense of horror; the entire room glowed from the blood used to dye the rug and the chair he sat in. Now I understood the need for incense. "I think it's time to go, master. I think I have seen all I care to see."
The blood mage chuckled as Tigra and I went to leave. "I did warn you, young one, I was not what you would consider a good person. It was good to learn of your existence, and I shall expect to hear great things from you."
[1]green magic emcompasses most of the nature realm and manipulation of Physical Stuff; technomages manipulate physical stuff and some non-corporeal things like electricity, but apparently flipping bits falls under the former.
[2] I was informed of this later.
[3] "Ardi, please bring us refreshments."- Via google translate
