Forums » Fantasy Roleplay » The Search for Immortality

The bustling Markets of Marcetton have many Inns, Taverns and Alehouses. Like many towns they all have differing qualities, some have good food, some have clean beds, others serve drinks to knock you off your feet.
The Poppers Champion was not any of these, and even to the surprise of the owner a man like Archonis frequented it. A man who never seemed.to have a thread out of place or a strand of white hair disheveled. He had sat at the table closest to the fire and food and drink was placed before him without him saying a word.
He enjoyed this place because it was safe enough no one would ever challenge him and on the flip side it was low enough that those seeking his service could actually enter.

Down the street strolled an odd sight. It was a seemingly human girl. However, behind her waved a long tail. Aside from this her skin was a bluish color, and she seemed to be rotting, having exposed bone and muscle matter. Despite her clealr rotting form, she was surprisingly happy, and was walking down the street without a care in the world, drawing the attention of nearly everyone she passed.

Just before Archonis could take his next bite of his somewhat decent food, something unfamiliar tugged at him. The girm feeling that something was just not right in the air. Managing to finish his food and drink he then placed what he deemed proper payment on the table.
Straightening out his vest and trousers as he stood, and readjusted his collar. Orderliness and tidiness were his keys to living. Calling over to the barmaid, “I may be back again later today, if possible keep my spot free,” Flicking her a single copper crown, “I’ll give more if it is clear when I return,”
The barmaid did not care to hide his displeasure at only a single copper crown, raising her eyebrow and placing her hands on her hips scowled at him, the look that meant his spot would most likely have ten people crammed together in it just in spite of him.
From what looked to be oblivious of her scorn he turned away and headed for the door, his hands moving through practiced motions of checking his pockets, pouches and knife taking a mental inventory of everything.
Out in the street that strange feeling began to pull at him, a burning sensation creeped across the scar that when down his face, it had to be magic, or a product of magic new to this part of town. Archonis knew that Cueodor was a place entrenched in magic, and he had grown accustom to those magic’s and how they reacted to him.
He stood in the middle of street, his eyes darting back and forth from all crowds of people who were moving together trying to get to there varied destinations.
Archonis was a man who stood out in Cueodor, his black skin stood out amongst the people around him, and his stature seemed to glean a sense authority, though he held none. ‘What is this I’m sensing, it’s getting closer and damnit I do not have a good feeling about it.’ He thought to himself.

Soon hte large crowd seemed to part as the undead girl passed Archonis. "'Scuse me"She said cheerfully. "I honestly didn't think people here would be too polite!"The girl said, glancing around, seemingly talking to no one. "I don't think it's politeness that's getting them out of your way."A voice responded to the girl. "After all, Forlin Zombies aren't a very common sight."The voice added, seemingly coming from the staff the girl had. "Well it's better than the last Village's reaction. That monster hunter guy was funny"The girl said. "I wouldn't consider the maniac trying to drive a cross through your heart 'funny'"The Staff responded.

Watched as the girl passed him, and a sickness washed over him, sickness not of because she seemed to be rotting, but of the magic that surrounded her. Catching the brief conversation she apparently had with her staff.
Debating on moving from his spot Archonis watched her for a moment, placing a hand to the right side of his face with a small grimace of pain. She was the what he had been feeling, and to him the answer was a lot more than he could ever expected.
Curiosity won out over him, and to be honest general boredom, he brought his hood over his head, and moved into the crowd and began to pursue her. Trying to stay out of sight but in ear shot to see if it truly was the staff which spoke and not some onlooker.

The Girl continued on, with seemingly no destination. "So, what do you think we should do?"She asked. "OH! Maybe we could see if anyone has a pond and needs to feed all the little duckies at it?"The girl suggested. "Uh no."The staff replied. "I'd rather eat something."It said. "Hey, you know that's not very nice, especially with your appetite."The girl said. "Eh what ever...."The Staff replied.

Pushing through the people, it was not the easiest to hear her, however he had decided that she was talking to the staff as no one seemed to be in within causal and familiar conversation reach of her. This wasn’t the first time he had ever seen such an act, however it had been nearly twenty years since the last one and even then he never was able to hear it so clear.
As the more he looked at her the more he had started to notice the rotting flesh on her, this again was strange and unlike a talking weapon, a walking corpse was unlike anything he had ever witnessed.
This girl had a large sense of mystery to her, but her threat level was slowly waning in Archonis’ eyes. So he pushed through the crowd a little quicker and closed the distance even more, still though trying to maintain a bit of stealth, and as usual took advantage of the magical black hole he was to remain undetected by magical means. Though the sheer absence of his presence in the magical landscape tended to give him away.
Observations were what he needed, and was one of the few reasons he had lived so long in the life he chose to live.

"Come on! It doesn't even have to be a person! Animals work fine too! Don't you eat animals?"The staff asked. The girl stopped, letting out a loud gasp. "You'd eat the cute little bunnies and duckies?!"She asked in shock. "Well, don't you eat the water fowl and hares?"The staff asked. "No! I've been dead for over two hundred years, I don't eat anymore!"The girl said, still in shock. "How about something big mean and scary? Like a Bear?"The staff asked. "Bears aren't scary!"The girl responded. "Clearly you haven't met enough bears in your after-life..."The staff responded.

Quickened his pace a bit more then nearly stopped as the conversation between the staff began to become interesting. Over two hundred years old, and dead but not. Could this truly be an undead, or did the barmaid slip something into his drink and he didn’t detect it.
“Excuse me miss,” He finally says, “I couldn’t help overhear something that I must know if it is true,” Archonis’ voice sounded sore, almost breathless in its scratchy low tones. “Is it true that you are of the undead? Are you an immortal?”
Thinking to himself he debated the question itself, ‘Could an immortal have died, and would it be true immortality, if you were dead.’ It was to Archonis’ fascinating, as he was aging, and his prime was behind him.

"Oh, I wouldn't say I'm immortal, I mean, I died like two and a half centuries ago."The girl said with a chuckle. "But yes, I am undead."She said. "Well, a partially rotted face, Skeletal arm, horrible rotten stench and dis-colored skin would have given you the answer the isntant you saw her."The staff said flatly.

Shooting a glare at the staff, which to on lookers would be a sight to see, a quick retort blurted out. "Not everything is how it looks at first sight, you look like a piece of firewood but are you?"
Looking back to the women, "I'd give my condolences to you, but I seem to be a couple centuries late for that."
"If you don't mind the inquiry, how did you happen to die and how is it you are not still six feet under?"

"Oh, my dad taught me some resurection magic when I was alive. But the Village I lived in was really against necromancy. They hung me."The girl said, surprisingly still in her normal cheery tone. "Buuuuuut I used that resurrection spell on myself before I died, and a few hours later I woke up. It was a really weird feeling swinging around by your neck though..."The girl said.

Placed a hand to his throat imagining what it might feel like. "Well that is interesting, can I assume you have learned more about necromancy in those centuries since?"
Wheels were turning behind Archonis' cold eyes, something had sparked his intrigue and brought forth a few ideas.

"Oh totally!"The girl said. "I've learned how to conjure simple spirits, I've learned to pass Mortis here into a corpse for him to use as a body, I've learned to raise dead, I've learned to do a lot of stuff!"The girl said. "Mortis helped with a lot of what I learned though."The girl said."Yes, and as payment, Mortis would very much appreciate BEING ALLOWED TO EAT SOMETHING FOR GOD'S SAKE!"The staff shouted. "It's been decades since my last meal and I'm starved..."The staff groaned. "Mortis, you know how you eat isn't very nice!"The girl retorted. "I mean, who wants to die and get eaten by a stick with a skull on it?"The girl asked.

Looking around Archonis noticed the crowd was getting agitated at their presence in the street. Being a man who likes to go unnoticed this was uncomfortably close for undue attention.
"This may sound strange, and it goes against my morals, but I would like to see a demonstration of your powers," It wasn't really want he would want to do, he hated magic of any kind. This kind of magic though he might of a use for it.
"If we could go somewhere a little more secluded though, I would prefer not to be at the center of people's focus, nor do I want to attract the attention of the Town Guard."

The girl nodded. "Alright. Best place for that would be a grave yard."She said, motioning for Archonis to follow her.

Pulling his hood down a little, he followed her down the street. "By the way, the name is Silver," Giving out a nickname to the undead stranger as he did not trust easy.

"My name's Isabelle, and he's Mortis."The girl introduced. "It's a pleasure to meet you."She added as they quickly approached the graveyard.

"How did you and Mortis meet?" Inquired Archonis, "Could I take a guess and say that your father introduced each other,"

"Oh, no my Father met him after I did."Isabelle said. "We met shortly after her death. I was imprisoned in this stick by some wizard and she took pity on me and decided to take me with her on her travels. If only she'd FEED ME every once a while..."Mortis shouted. "Oh hush"Isabelle replied.