It has been a few months since I joined this cabal or conclave as the master of it calls it, things have advanced heavily compared to before. We have expanded our numbers with more necromancers though we have lost a few as well. The most stark example was one who attempted to attack the master’s acolytes inorder to steal the talismans they were granted, we had all received similar talismans as a reward for service but that fool got greedy. Suffice it to say the lord did not appreciate it and dealt with him promptly, that little display of power however shocked me. Not that the fool was killed as we did not mind with his abrasive behavior but what happened to the remains. The strongest skeletal mage who we heard was called Or’tharn became a lich, it became an honest to the deities lich.
Liches are amongst the top beings of necromancy that all necromancers aspire to be in the end to escape the mortal coil. However the lord made one and so those knowledgeable can only know that the maker is much more powerful than the creation. Of course many undead are stronger in a certain sense such as maritally or magically but not to a massive degree or how else can they be controlled, however to make a lich is something that only a very powerful necromancer can possibly attempt.
You might say that it was a fake lich however the power could only be that of a true lich, if it ever becomes a grand lich....I remember once asking him what he could be classified as in terms of necromancy but he only said Hierarch, he did not explain what that meant but I assume it is a higher title than grandmaster necromancer. A master necromancy alone could decimate a large fiefdom. A grandmaster could bring the kingdom to its knees instead, that is just how much power they have.
He has shown an even higher depth of knowledge in necromancy and necromantic society with his handling of affairs so he should know the title system. I myself am a master necromancer that is on the path to becoming a grand necromancer, I only need to prove myself with a larger creation or summoning which I have already prepared the materials for but want to ensure that my spellwork is without error. If this is to be my magnus opus work that would carve my name amongst the brethren I need to prepare.
While I have not seen many such creations here the knights that the lord makes are rather close to being able to be called dread knights as is generally acknowledged and especially the head knight Cor’lothen who probably can already be classified as such. He does not demonstrate such works before us but only creates such beings in his lab, in fact he rarely other than as a message performs his work before us. Some could consider him a fraud if they were stupid of course, one cannot fake such necromantic energy and he while secretive has shown himself along with performing necromantic arts before.
His labs are an envied location that many would like as it is obvious that his most powerful creations are performed there but only the acolytes are allowed to work and they keep tight lipped. It is as if he is watching over their shoulder which is quite possible as many spirits are used as guards, watching through their senses is a simple matter and there are other safeguards on them. Beside the outright insolent fool one quiet woman who joined us disappeared and we later found her having become one of the skeletal mages here. He only mentioned her having gained her wish of being able to know more of his personal arts. Said creation now works with preparing the bodies and bones we have. No one else attempted anything other than a few modest watching attempts that ended in slapped hands. If having a skull with a third eye carved into it attached to the quarters of troublemakers is classed as such.
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Still the resources we gain are great indeed as he provides solidified miasma stones which are a powerful booster and ingredient for necromancy with of course bodies/bones and such. I along with several of my like minded colleagues who have gained a measure of trust are allowed to join or lead expeditions deeper into the lands and we are allowed a share of the spoils taken during such trips.
At first we fought simple packs of poorly equipped undead but as time passed we faced better equipped and obviously stronger undead. They come more organized and in greater numbers especially around the important places which create them, said locations are of course taken over and the largest portion of the creations are given to the ones that subjugate, a portion to the rest and the last to the lord so competition is strong as whatever initial creation is then improved on with the original as a base by our lord when he takes control after subjugation.
Our own personal forces grow though the lord still maintains the strongest, a feudal system though without the land part. Actually is that a feudal system still? That thought makes me think about how I managed to take over a manor that the feudal lord of the land would have had.
Clack CLack CLAk
Ratck Click Pack
CRACK
‘Hmm so far so good as my creations battle it out with the guardian undead here. They are a bunch of plaque undead as both moldering bone and pestilent flesh stumble out to attempt to stop my undead. Groups of desiccated soldiers with bodies dry from the ages and servants with only partially preserved bodies still in tattered livery and only grasping hands walk forward. Even so old a few beetles, centipedes and other scavengers crawl around the folds of the bodies, one particular skeleton with ribs exposed had a spiderweb woven inside of it though the resident weaver is currently out. Intermingled among the hordes are wrathful spirits bitter at death and willing to drag others with them in ill vented anger.
Still as the spirit marionette bound undead of mine battle it out with better movements then only the undead by itself can muster cause bones to crack or scatter as I head to find the one lord who is undoubtedly the leader of this pack. After bursting through the final hall to the lord’s bedchamber I see the final enemy, inside of a once luxurious bed now lost to the ages is the bones of the lord and lady. Between them is a goblet around which the energies of this location seem to use as a center point, the so called focus of the dungeon. I can assume that it is a goblet of poison used to put the lord and lady to final sleep to avoid the pain of disease but their spirits are still resentful in a manner that only nobles can be conceited in.
As said spirits manifest to attack I wave forth my own spirits and watch as they grapple amongst themselves, meanwhile I simply will my now unleashed dead to wrench the bones of the two apart to take the goblet. Said spirits redouble themselves but still I scatter their bones and start pouring my power into the room. WIth their host point broken it is easy to pour my power and will into the goblet and bones to take it over. Notifying the lord’s watchdog which had followed that the work is complete I leave once more I am somewhat bitter at having my work observed but I remember what was explained before....
Regardless as long as we stay in line we will benefit is the iron lesson, of course we still maintain our own work to progress. Shaking my mind to take on matters at hand I have recently received an interesting proposal for a project from my colleagues and will be working with them to attempt it. I wonder how it will go for we are using what we have gleaned so far along with some interesting ideas to create something new altogether.
Perhaps using this we can create a new type of undead, the possibilities are great with the facilities made for our use unlike our previous roaming existence as we make modifications to progress even more. Bartering research between us along with material and creations makes for a vivid environment of advancement, perhaps I can gain something from the lord if I make a particularly good advancement as the research he has must be good. I wonder what I can make if I had whatever process he uses to mass produce bone of such quality, still work first.