Here Comes Demon Claus

[Darastrix]

“Ah,” Die sighed as he and Terza entered the Morilantan marshland near the Great River. “The land that goes ‘squish.’ You know, I tested the ritual that brought you all here in a place very similar. Drowned a bunch of Fires in a swamp. Good times.”

He grinned brightly at the demon lady. He seemed to always be grinning those days; it took actual effort to change his expression into a frown. Unexpected side effect of long association, he supposed. Not that he minded. If, before any of the past year had taken place, someone had told him that he’d turn into a twisted, black-scaled monster from consorting with demons, he’d have only smiled and continued about his business. Not that he wouldn’t have believed it—anything was possible, so far as he was concerned—but he just wouldn’t have cared. He still didn’t.

So his face was defaulting to a single expression. So what? So his ability to manipulate fire seemed to have waned. No problem. So he had little crystalline protrusions of what appeared to be ice sticking up from his scalp like horns. It was fashionable. It was all such great fun, everything else was minor in comparison.

“You know, I never asked since I do so love surprises, but I can’t stand the suspense any longer. What kinds of gifts are you able to bestow on our dear Evil-loving Outcasts?”

[Kender Bard]

"I really suppose it depends on what they want," Terza mused, her voice wistful. "We demon lords have a lot of power. For the most part, I think I'll give them delightfully powerful weapons. I may take one or two for thralls though since it's always a good idea to have completely loyal minions at your beck and call. But if they can think of something fun and clever that they want, I'll give that to them instead."

She tilted her head. If she had eyes, she would have given him a sidelong look. "I'm not above giving you presents for being such a delightful mortal guide."

[Darastrix]

“Why, thank you, my lady!” Die said brightly. “I’m not above accepting them. Let’s see, I may have an idea or two….” He tapped his cheek, blinking when his nails caught on the skin. “Well, that’s new,” he remarked as he examined them. They weren’t claws yet, but they seemed to be heading in that direction.

“Ah, where was I? Oh yes: ideas. There was a charming little desert plant I used to have in my sanctum; they call it Taed’s kiss.” He missed that plant. It was the nearest thing he’d had to a pet. Sort of. An actual animal, he’d likely have killed rather quickly. “Completely deadly, but it makes you feel absolutely blissful. Or at least, as far as anyone knows. It’s the kind of thing you can only try once. But why stop with making dying feel good? Why not make people desire death? Not in the pathetic ‘oh woe is me, I have nothing to live for’ sense, but in more of an ‘death is such a wonderful thing, what am I waiting for?’ sense.”

“Which brings me to idea number two. I’m rather curious about the flavour of a soul. If I could subsist on that…well, the novelty might wear off eventually, but I doubt the food being so delighted to be eaten would ever get old.”

[Kender Bard]

Terza's grin was wide indeed. "Oh, the souls of mankind are delicious. But there is the catch that humans cannot devour the souls of other humans. It's complicated... But there is a way around that problem. We simply make you into a demon. Now I could do that right here and now but the results would be a little lacking. You would be forced to reside in the body of whatever demon I placed you in. I was thinking something that incorporates both your wishes... But to do that we need to be in the Abyss."

She created a flat disc of ice on her palm and began to turn it around between her fingers rapidly. The ice began to take on a more metallic sheen and strange symbols were scratched into its surface. "We'll need to head back there for that. No need to rush off now, though. I think I can at least give you part of what you want for now." Next she fashioned a long chain of the same material, attached it to the disc. The finished product gleamed.

She handed it over to him. "Swing that in front of the eyes of a mortal for a long enough time--not too long, but long enough to entrance them--and they will beg you for release."

[Darastrix]

Die’s grin nearly mirrored Terza’s as he took the chain. “Ahhh, many thanks, my lady. And of course, I’m perfectly willing to wait for the rest. We just got here, after all.” The process would undoubtedly be an excruciating one, but oh well. Life was pain, and he’d be so much more than human afterward. Maybe he’d take a little trip into Darkthrone then, and see how the temple was faring in his absence.

[Kender Bard]

"Now, that's settled," Terza replied as she held her hand up against her forehead in a searching gesture. "How do you suggest we best find our devoted little outcasts? Just walk around? Throw a stone perhaps and hope we hit one? Or do you make some sort of call?" She made a funny sound, like a duck and a dragon, then burst into laughter.

[Darastrix]

Die laughed as well, turning about in a circle as he did, scanning the marshland. "They have their little tribes and settlements, such as they are. Walking around could work, though I'm afraid the scenery is a tad unvarying. Perhaps if you could send something to scout...or! Maybe one of their own scouts is about."

He swung the disc on its chain. "What would you say the range of effect on this is?"

[Kender Bard]

"not that far, if I'm understanding your implications clearly," Terza responded. "we'll walk."

Die had been correct about the landscape, but they didn't need to endure it long. Terza abruptly stopped walking and her head turned slowly until she faced a specific, bent and gnarled tree. A small, dark skinned boy was hanging from a branch, peering at them. He gasped and started to climb higher.

[Darastrix]

"Now, is that any way to greet a Lady of Evil?" Die called with a laugh. "My lady is here to offer your people a boon. If you're so set on running, I suppose we could give you a reason to, but that's really not why we're here. Kids these days," he said to Terza. "Always in such a hurry."

[Kender Bard]

The boy climbed a little higher but didn't scurry off. He seemed confused.

Terza stepped forward. "Young boy, do you like... sweet things?"

The boy stared but then slowly nodded.

Terza created a small chip of ice and worked it until it sparkled like a rainbow. "Come. Come have this candy boy." She held it up to him as she approached the tree. The boy slowly climbed down, snatched it, and scrambled back up before putting it into his mouth. "I am Lady Blue. As my friend here said, I am a lady of Evil. Go and ask one of the grown humans to come greet me."

The boy smiled shyly at Terza and hurried away.

Terza chuckled. "Karau would have just smashed the boy's head against that tree for his defiance."

[Darastrix]

"He does seem to have a rather one-track mind," Die agreed. "What did you do, my Lady? That wasn't just a pretty piece of sugar you gave him, surely."

[Kender Bard]

"Something to inspire compulsion and obedience," Terza explained, chuckling. "Humans will swallow anything that's sweet to taste though, won't they?"

Before long, the other Outcasts arrived. They moved stealthily but Terza was able to sense them easily. "Come out of hiding!" she sang out. "Come on, boys and girls, and say hello to a real, live demon lady!"

They came, wide-eyed and whispering. Most of the Outcasts were dressed similarly to the lower and slave castes of Morilanta but a few seemed to have found better pickings and could have blended into Morilanta itself fairly well if they'd been of a mind to. They inched closer, though most were giving Die suspicious looks.

"Anything you want to say before I start handing out presents?" Terza asked him.

[Darastrix]

It's a funny world, Die thought, amused, when the obviously full demon is looked upon with less suspicion than her mostly human-looking companion.

In answer, he smiled and bowed deeply before turning to the gathered Outcasts. "You are all blessed, indeed!" he proclaimed in his best sermon-tone, his grin stretching wider. "The Lady Blue has come to Morilanta, but not to reward the faithless masses of Darkthrone, who claim to worship Evil, but speak empty words and commit acts void of true devotion. She has come to you, Evil's children, to grant to you what deserve, what Evil himself would surely wish to bestow upon his true faithful!"

[Kender Bard]

The gathered people murmured in appreciation at the sermon, swayed by Die's words and from the impressive figure that Terza struck. From amidst them came a large, heavily muscled man. He was clearly part Beast as he sported wolf-like ears, a tail, and sharp teeth. His fur and hair were brown and he wore his hair swept back into a tight, greasy ponytail. If he had another sign, it wasn't visible. People parted for him almost instinctively, though he trailed a group of four thugish looking men behind him. Though he was dressed in furs and mish-mash clothing like most of the people there, he was loaded with jewelry, a sign of his status amongst the Outcasts.

He crossed powerful biceps over one another. "I am Arwon, Chief of the Outcasts," he announced in a voice thick with the Contrastan accent and gutteral in the style of the Outcasts. "If you are going to be giving out gifts, then I demand first pick."

Terza giggled and spread her hands. "Of course. What do you desire, supplicant of Evil?"

"A warhammer," Arwon answered. "Large. Enchanted. Able to smash a man's skull in one blow."

Already Terza was spinning out some of her blue-metal material. "I think that can be arranged, Arwon. And will there be many others who want weapons?"

There was a loud roar from the menfolk gathered.

"I guess that answers that," Terza chuckled.

[Darastrix]

How dull, Die thought. Weapon-weapon, smashy-smashy. “Don’t feel that you must restrict yourselves,” he spoke up. “Our Lady can create more than just simple weapons. While they do send a rather definite message before you even strike, there are other options. Brute force is not the only way Evil makes himself known.”

He hoped there would be someone in the group with a shred of imagination or subtlety. Subtlety would have to wait, most likely. Anyone wanting to be truly subtle would probably wait until the crowd had dispersed somewhat. But imagination? Come on, people. Stronger weapons were so obvious. He wanted to see something more unusual.