All four of Vidhatris eyes snapped open the mont she awoke, adrenaline flooding her body the mont she regained consciousness.
There was a common Skill among high-leveled [Fleshwarpers] that allowed them to intentionally modify their brains. Vidhatri had used the Skill to augnt her adrenal gland, causing it to trigger upon awakening. She wanted to ensure that she would never be lethargic upon awakening, always ready to respond to any threat or situation that required her imdiate attention. The young leader of the cult she was currently guiding had expressed his envy of this ability, but didnt trust anyone aside from himself to make modifications to his brain.
An unnecessary caution on his part, but still likely a wise one. Vidhatri had done things with the brains of her enemies that would turn the stomachs of even the most hardened [Fleshwarpers].
Vidhatri turned her attention to the sensory organs that she had spread around her chambers, various eyes and ears tethered to her body by thin tendrils of flesh. The eye placed near the window allowed her to see the desert sun slowly rising above the horizon and casting its light on this strange city. anwhile, the ear by the door alerted her to the residents of the spire slowly stirring as they prepared to begin their day.
Zareths apprentice, Tamir, was already on the ground floor and performing the morning service as was his duty, leading the cults early risers in prayer.
Focusing on the chambers belonging to the spires [Cultists], Vidhatri was gratified to discover that they were empty. This indicated that they were already awake and prepared for the day ahead as she had ordered. Today was a significant day for them and the cult at large, and she would have punished them if she had found them to be lax in their readiness. Perhaps not as severely as she would have if they had dared to do such a thing in Dehkshetra as she doubted that Zareth would tolerate such asures.
Satisfied with her inspections, Vidhatri rose from her bed and prepared to give her prayers to the god who had saved her life, which she preferred to do alone. The monts when night transford to day or when day transford to night were the best tis to pray to Cerebon. There were so among her fellow faithful who forgot that the Weaver of Sinews held dominion over transformation as much as he did over flesh, but Vidhatri was not one of them.
After approaching her chambers window and kneeling in the direction of the rising sun, Vidhatri spoke the sa prayers shed recited every morning for two decades.
Praise be yours, Weaver of Sinews and Harbinger of Change. May your will forever guide your chosen worshipers to their ever changing paths.
Vidhatri spent the next fifteen minutes praying, then another half an hour in ditation. Serving the god of transformation necessitated more introspection than most realized, and ditation was an indispensable thod of avoiding personal stagnation. Her experiences since arriving in TalQamar made this period of reflection all the more important, as she had been heavily affected by everything she had seen.
It was all far more confusing than she would have liked. Vidhatri forced away the traitorous wish that the Flesh Father had chosen anyone else but her for this assignnt. Unfortunately, Vidhatri was the only one with the ability to both protect herself and rapidly learn the regions language, due to her possession of [Parallel Mind] and [Perfect Recall].
Such Skills were usually exclusive to either [Mind Mages] or individuals who achieved a very high level in a knowledge-based Class, but Vidhatris unique history made her an exception.
There were other people with these Skills among the Dehkshetra temple, but none of them had Vidhatris experience in combat and were too valuable to risk being sent to another continent. While Vidhatri herself was far from a disposable novice, the temple would not be overly inconvenienced by her loss.
However, she was certain that the temple would have placed far greater importance on this place had they truly known what she was going to find.
Cerebons cult in TalQamar worshiped Vidhatris god in ways far different than she had ever heard of or experienced. The [Raja] of Dehkshetra would gleefully cull or expel every worshiper of Cerebon in the city if he could truly do so without severe consequences, while the authorities in this dry and sandy lands actually supported the cults presence.
Naturally, the circumstances of each city were vastly different. Zumair was a continent in a state of near constant conflict and Dehkshetra was a city that had been thoroughly molded by that experience. Without the power granted by sapient sacrifices, TalQamar's cult would have already been destroyed had they been located on Zumair.
This desert was relatively peaceful in comparison, with the regions monsters kept suppressed by its elentals and war only just breaking out recently.
Her ti in TalQamar had been one of the most peaceful periods of her life at least as far as she could recall. Her mories prior to becoming a mber of the Dehkshetra temple were vague, but what she did recall made her sincerely doubt that there was anything among them worth preserving.
Vidhatri lightly shook her head as she forced those thoughts away, refocusing on her imdiate goals.
Today was significant for the young [Cultists] who had fallen under her tutelage, so Vidhatri rose from her ditative position and quickly reabsorbed her extraneous sensory organs, the tendrils retracting smoothly as they rged with her flesh. Wearing the sa non-descript robes shed been wearing when she arrived in TalQamar, she exited her chambers.
She largely ignored the wary expressions of the spires occupants as she approached the common room, long since accustod to being feared by the weak. It was of no consequence. So long as they did not work against the Weaver of Sinews interests, she cared little about the opinions of others. Especially not the opinions of people with so little faith that Vidhatri barely considered them her compatriots.
It was only because she recognized how relatively new the cult was in TalQamar and how much they had yet to learn, that she tolerated their presence at all. Once the common room was in sight, Vidhatri paused and took a good look at the sight before her.
ldoraths Heart had finally spread its influence beyond the laboratory and to the spires lowest public floor. The cult had reacted with predictable confusion at the stone beneath their feet turning into flesh, but Zareth had quickly cald them and explained the benefit that it provided their cult. Now they seed relatively comfortable with the situation, as expected by the God of Fleshs servants. Vidhatri had advised Zareth that he should prioritize taking advantage of the situation and adding more flesh golems to the spires lowest floor for defensive purposes, but that took ti.
Several of the [Cultists] under her care had shown interest in becoming [Flesh Animators] and focusing on the creation of golems. Vidhatri would nurture that interest and mold them into useful tools for the cults future.
Fortunately, this place was not entirely devoid of potential or those who had already begun to grasp the true essence of their faith.
Vidhatris mouth slowly curved into a smile as she spotted one such individual lecturing a sha-faced young [Cultist] and decided to continue her descent. She was fond of Onara as the human had shown herself to be devoted to Cerebon. Vidhatri had even gone so far as to inquire about potential Class Evolutions for the human in her most recent letter to the Dehkshetra temple.
Deciding to see what had drawn the ire of the [Seamstress], Vidhatri approached the scene quietly.
Whats wrong with you, lass? There aint a chance Im letting you be presented to the public for the first ti looking so shabby, Onara admonished as she inspected the [Cultist], a lizardkin girl by the na of Saurika who was wearing the cults new ceremonial garbs.
While the young [Cultist] had obviously rushed when donning the garb, Vidhatri had to admit that Onara had done well when designing them. The garbs themselves were sowhat similar to those worn in Dehkshetra, being long flowing robes that reached down the ankles, but with a distinct TalQamari flair.
Rather than the dark reds and blacks favored in Vidhatris ho, these garnts were a light purple reminiscent of the twilight sky. It was complented by one of the local headdresses of the sa color and adorned with a modified version of Cerebons insignia across the back, a central eye encased in a circle with six equally spaced protrusions moving opposite the direction a shadow would on a sundial.
It was only the eye that had been added to Cerebons insignia, obviously referencing the gift bestowed on Zareth that was quickly becoming associated with this cult.
Aside from the garbs, the [Cultist] had also begun etching several patterns into her scales after acquiring [Permanent Flesh Manipulation] in preparation for this day. It was an acceptable show of devotion, and Vidhatri found herself nodding in approval as Onara used a Skill that instantly adjusted the ceremonial garb.
There you go. Youll not disgrace our god with your shoddy appearance, Onara said after she finished inspecting the lizardkin girl.
Thank you, Seamstress Onara. I ant to be more careful, but I was in too much of a rush after waking up this morning, said Saurika, smiling toward the older woman. I never had anyone teach how to properly wear anything this fancy before.
Its not a problem, lass. This little cult of ours needs to stick together, said Onara, her expression growing warm. Now go on then. The rest of the [Cultists] are eating breakfast. You better join them before people start flooding into the spire.
The lizardkin girl expressed her gratitude one final ti and hurried away to the dining area, hastening her steps when she caught a glimpse of Vidhatri.
Your attention to detail is comndable, Seamstress, Vidhatri said as she approached the elderly human woman. Both in your design of the ceremonial garbs and in how they are worn. This cult is fortunate to have your skills and dedication.
Onara smiled warmly and the complint, a trace of pride in her eyes. Its my way of serving, Senior Fleshwarper. Havent felt this useful since I was a young girl. More people in TalQamar see Cerebons grace every day. Its an honor that my work will be the first thing people see when they arrive to be treated by our [Cultists].
Vidhatri studied the [Seamstress] for several monts and saw nothing but a sincere dedication to their cause. It made her feel at ease to be in the presence of such devotion when the other mbers of this cult were so lacking in that regard.
Vidhatri and Onara spent the next several minutes in genial conversation as they discussed the day ahead. It was only recently that the [Cultists] had all acquired [Permanent Flesh Manipulation], which opened many options to the cult that they didnt have while the Skill was possessed by its leader alone.
Zareths ti was valuable, and he was wise enough to understand that he shouldnt waste it offering his services to every misbegotten soul in TalQamar. Instead, he focused primarily on matters that could best further the cults interests such as his experints or more recently on research.
Regardless, this ant that the cult could now offer its services in bodily modification and healing to a much wider population as a ans of expanding its influence. Within a few hours, the spire would be open to anyone in TalQamar who wished to receive these services.
Vidhatri felt that it was an interesting tactic, though not one that could have worked in Dehkshetra given their reputation.
Hopefully, Zareth actually got enough sleep last night to be well-rested for today, Onara said once their conversation drifted to the cults young leader, her expression filled with concern. I know that the lads been chosen by our god to spread Cerebons teachings through TalQamar, but he could really learn the concept of moderation.
Vidhatri couldnt help but hum in agreent. Zareth was rather focused on his personal projects recently, which Vidhatri would normally encourage, but not when she was left ignorant of much of his activities.
When Zareth wasnt in his laboratory creating new tools for TalQamars military, his attention was on the flesh golem he had placed in a location unknown to her. It was only after multiple inquiries that he revealed to her that the golem was located sowhere that it would allow him to research several important matters. Vidhatri was not yet trusted enough to be told what those important matters actually were, so she would simply have to defer to Zareths judgnt for the ti being.
Vidhatri didnt like it. Nor did she like how much Zareth seed to trust the handso lizardkin heathen. While she had been tasked to aid the boy in his endeavors, the Flesh Father had also instructed her to form an honest evaluation of TalQamars cult. For what purpose, Vidhatri wasnt certain. But that wouldnt stop her from achieving her objective.
Tell , Seamstress. What is it about Zareth that causes you to be so concerned for him? Vidhatri asked, deciding this was an excellent opportunity to learn more about this cults workings. Out of everyone else in this spire, I can sense that it is you who are the most in tune with Cerebons teachings. I assu that you must have so reason for this.
Onara was silent for several monts, her expression suddenly solemn and she considered what to say. When she finally responded, it was with a voice filled with lancholy.
There used to be a ti when I was a mber of Suhails church, back when I was young. Not all that different from a lot of folks, given that [Suhails Boon] helped deal with the sun and made him one of the more popular of the Conclaves gods in TalQamar. Ma and Pa raised to worship him, and I didnt see a reason not to for most of my life.
Vidhatri normally disdained those who turned away from the deity theyd sworn themselves to, but she kept that to herself. Onara seed like the loyal type, so the fault likely lay with the heretic god.
Despite how the folks in charge talk about them now, the Conclave wasnt all that bad, said Onara, her expression distant as she thought back on her past. At least, they never asked for tithe any more often than the [Guardsn] were asking for bribes. It wasnt that they were evil, it's just that they got a bit too comfortable and felt entitledto what they had. Folks who live in the Qahtani are used to a rough life, so I never thought much about it. That changed for a bit over a decade ago when the last famine hit the region.
Vidhatri recalled reading about said famine while conducting her research into TalQamar, sothing she had ample ti for while sailing across the ocean to this continent. It had supposedly been caused when a group of Adventurers accidentally unleashed so manner of monstrosity in the center of Eldamirs agricultural heartland.
TalQamar had a sizable number of [Desert Farrs] to supplent its food supply, but a notable portion of its food ca from imports.
Many families, including mine, suffered terribly during that ti, Onara continued, her voice thick with emotion. The Conclave had been getting worse over the years. Each temple was in competition with another and often just ended up making the situation worse. My husband wanted us to fall in with the Desharin, nomads who had their own ways of withstanding the famine, but I refused. It wasnt until near the end of the famine that I realized Suhail wasnt worth my devotion, but my family had already fallen apart by then.
Vidhatri humd in sympathy. A woman like Onara with a useful crafting Class could sustain themselves without a husband, but it was clear that losing him had affected her deeply.
After that, I wasnt too keen on following any more gods or joining any groups, Onara said after taking a mont to collect herself, voice carrying a trace of bitterness. When the Conclave was run out of the city and a batch of new gods popped out of the sands to take their place, I kept my distance. Id heard rumors before about Zareth and how he only sold his services up in the Heights, so I was surprised when I heard about his cult spending gold to help folks in the slums and decided to attend one of his sermons out of curiosity.
Vidhatri listened carefully as Onaras eyes lit up and she explained everything she had felt after going to Zareths temple for the first ti.
About how Cerebons teachings to change and better oneself resonated with her in a way the Conclave never had and inspired her to do better. Onara spoke about how the cults mbers helped her business and provided a communal support that she hadnt felt in decades. That was especially the case after Zareth healed her son of injuries caused by the Conclaves agents
Most of all, she spoke about how Zareth truly felt like a TalQamar native, while the Conclave had always divided its focus elsewhere.
She gave examples of this, such as Zareth marking portions of the Slums as neutral areas away from the gangs by painting his cults insignia on certain walls or offering to help people start a new life if they wanted it. Vidhatri was old enough to understand just how difficult it was for those with criminal Classes to find work and escape their pasts.
Onara felt like joining the cult while it was still young so that she could help shape its future was the best thing she could do to repay Zareth, and prevent them from becoming like the Conclave.
Vidhatri would never allow such unrestrained decadence to foster among Cerebons chosen, but she appreciated the sentint nonetheless.
Once Onara had finished speaking, Vidhatri had reached the conclusion that this cult was surprisingly adept at fostering loyalty among mbers, despite its rather lax policies. She would need to continue monitoring to ensure that loyalty was truly directed toward Cerebon rather than solely toward a charismatic leader, but she hadnt yet seen signs of that becoming a significant concern.
It didnt surprise her that this Conclave had been a bed of corruption and inefficiency, as the Amritaya in Zumair was similarly filled with squabbling deities. The Weaver of Sinews showed his great wisdom in his decision to not involve himself with a pantheon.
Overall, Vidhatri couldnt help but reluctantly approve of Zareths unorthodox thods.
Thank you for sharing your story, Seamstress. It is always pleasant to hear how others found their way into Cerebons embrace, Vidhatri said genuinely, crossing her two lower sets of arms and bowing slightly. Your journey serves as a reminder that true faith forms in the most trying of tis.
Vidhatri herself had been found by the Dehkshetra temple in her darkest mont, so she knew her words to be true.
Youre welco dear. Youve done good for this cult after coming here, helping Zareth shoulder so of his burden, Onara replied warmly. The lad has a passionate and kind soul but he can be a bit intense at tis. Its good that theres soone like you to support him.
Vidhatri nodded, accepting the praise in the spirit that it was ant. It was her duty to further Cerebons cause, and he seed to have plans for Zareth. So long as that remained the case, she would do what she could to ensure that the humans ambitions were successful.
After sharing a few parting words with Onara, Vidhatri decided to turn her attention to the days task. She could hear a servant approaching Zareths room to awaken the human and wished to have the cult ready before he joined them.
Corralling the [Cultists] under her supervision was no great burden, as they all respected her enough to follow her commands. Vidhatri was heartened to witness the cults camaraderie as they all assisted each other in preparation for the day ahead. A high leveled [Baker] nad Gurza used the spires kitchen to prepare snacks for incoming guests while younger mbers of the cult helped prepare the sa side room that had been used to augnt High Commands soldiers.
The atmosphere was relaxed and slightly anticipatory as everyone seed eager to offer their services to the citys heathens. Before long, the spires doors were opened and the first of TalQamars citizen were welcod inside by Tamir.
Vidhatri had expected that Zareth would be the one to greet the guests, but he had emphasized his desire for the cult to act with as much autonomy as possible. It was an approach much different from the Flesh Father, and she wasnt quite certain how to interpret it.
Vidhatri enjoyed the sight of the heathens recoiling at the flesh being spread throughout the structure by ldoraths Heart. Although they were clearly disgusted, none of them were willing to abandon their original reasons for coming to the spire and reluctantly allowed Tamir to usher them inside.
By the ti Vidhatri spotted Zareth descending the stairs to join them, accompanied by his handso guard and fully dressed in a more ornate version of the cults ceremonial garbs, the spires common room was humming with activity.
Even Zareth seed surprised to see how efficiently things had been organized in his absence. He took a mont to scan the room, nodding in approval and offering polite smiles to any follower who greeted him. While the human lacked the Flesh Fathers awe-inspiring presence, Vidhatri had to admit that Zareth possessed a certain degree of charisma that made him well suited for his role.
Rizok was the first of the pair to catch sight of Vidhatri, so she rewarded him with a sultry smile that had the lizardkins green scales flushing a darker hue and caused her to feel a surge of satisfaction. The heathen was surprisingly easy to embarrass considering how experienced he should be from his ti in the military.
Vidhatri would never admit this, but she found it rather endearing.
Zareths gaze eventually landed on Vidhatri and he began to approach the alcove from which she had been monitoring the proceedings.
Senior Fleshwarper, good morning, said Zareth, his tone polite as he greeted her. Your organizational skills are appreciated. I wasnt expecting the spire to be ready to receive guests for at least another hour.
Vidhatri offered them both a slight nod, her four eyes assessing the human with a asured gaze. While there were very little signs of it, she had enough experience with people capable of manipulating their forms to notice the slight signs of fatigue coming from him.
Onara was correct that the human had been working too hard recently, which was impressive given how physically resilient Cerebons chosen could beco.
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While I provided my assistance, it is your followers who most deserve praise, Vidhatri responded firmly, turning her gaze back to the common room. She watched as a young lizardkin who barely reached her waist in height scurried through the crowd, barely avoiding tripping over her robes as she carried refreshnts. Youve done well building this cult. They have a sense of community that is rare for such a young group, and they are all highly motivated.
If only they were as motivated to serve Cerebon as they were to aid heathens, Vidhatri mused to herself but did not say aloud. She was wise enough to know that devotion was like a plant that needed to be nurtured and grown over ti.
Zareth seed surprised at her words and turned to look at his followers as well. Vidhtari had ford the impression that Zareth was the type of person who rarely stopped to appreciate what he had built. The human tended to be primarily focused on his own ambitions, always moving on to the next task.
It was a comndable trait, but one that could cause problems if not moderated.
Ah, thats good to hear, said Zareth, his expression soft for a mont as he watched a crippled ogre stumble into the spire. This has been a long ti coming. I couldnt tell you how many people who approached about seeking our services I had to turn down due to lack of ti; those with injuries who couldnt afford to see a [Healer], or those who simply wanted changes in their appearances. Although, itll be so ti before we can help anyone who wants major alterations to their bodies. Aside from myself, I would only trust you to change soones species or gender.
Vidhatri had never imagined herself offering her abilities to help heathens but the idea didnt cause her to feel as much disgust as she expected. Shed experienced first hand how the gifts offered by Cerebon could drastically improve soones life and was reluctant to deny others that opportunity.
Over the next few hours, hundreds of heathens arrived at the spire to receive the cults services, including several who brought their children along to receive healing. They were prioritized by order of need with sashes of various colors given to them by Onara, a system that Vidhatri had never seen before but approved of.
The most complicated patients, such as those who were born with certain afflictions, were given dark red sashes and brought to either Vidhatri or Zareth for treatnt. Otherwise, the two of them left the work to the young [Cultists].
TalQamars military authorities occasionally sent them wounded soldiers who had been injured during the ongoing siege of FalAshar. It was cheaper for them to regrow limbs than to accomplish the sa feat with a [Healer] or [Alchemist], so their services needed to be reserved lest they suffer from Skill Exhaustion.
Vidhatri watched the proceedings carefully, taking in the sight of an ogre woman who broke into tears of joy after her child was cured of a deformity to his left arm that he had been afflicted with since birth. Apparently, her people viewed such anomalies as bad ons, an indication that the childs ancestors had been guilty of grave sins. Now that the boy had been cured, she was hopeful that he would no longer be shunned by her community.
The sight raised complicated feelings within Vidhatri
Heathens were normally crying for very different reasons when they entered the Dehkshetra temple, usually being enemies of the cult who had been captured and were to be sacrificed. To see a woman on her knees and crying out in gratitude to a [Cultist] she had trained was a new experience for Vidhatri.
Inevitably, the [Cultists] who had been working tirelessly began to show signs of fatigue and the spires visitors were instructed to return at a later ti. A few heathens had beco belligerent at the news, but Vidhatri had no problems persuading them to leave.
Afterward, the mood within the spire was celebratory, and the young [Cultists] were showered with praise by the rest of the cult's mbers. Most of them were either bashful or beaming with pride. Vidhatri decided to allow them this mont as she returned to Zareths side. The human also had a proud smile on his face, even as he divided his attention between here and whatever his golem was doing.
It made her curious about his activities, so after offering congratulations on his cults successes today, she decided to direct their conversation to more serious matters.
Have you made any progress in your research? asked Vidhatri, nodding toward Rizok in acknowledgent after he used a Skill to create an area of privacy around them. I hope the notes sent by the Dehkshetra temple regarding Divine Essence and the Etherveil were of use. You have been extrely busy recently, and I can tell that you feel burdened.
Zareth had asked her to send for that knowledge from the temple shortly after he had achieved his Class Evolution. Vidhatri knew little about the topic itself, but Zareth seed weighing a choice between specializing in one power or the other, so she had used [Perfect Recall] to quickly learn what she could on the subject after the temple sent the notes.
Personally, she was partial to Divine Essence as anything related to the divine was surely more powerful than mundane magic.
Zareth hesitated and quietly studied her for several monts, most likely considering what information she could be trusted with. Vidhatri would have looked down on the human if he simply shared everything without caution, so she waited patiently while he made his judgnt.
Finally, Zareth seed to reach a decision and hesitantly began to share his concerns.
Yes, the information from the Dehkshetra temple was very useful, especially in regards to learning more about Divine Essence, Zareth said slowly, nodding to her in a display of gratitude. However, that isnt really what has been worrying lately. Ive been attempting to learn more about an enemy of my cult called the Circle of Ghisara and havent been able to find anything of substance.
Vidhatri listened as Zareth explained that the worshipers of a heathen god had been making aggressive actions toward his cult and his speculations as to their motives. She could tell that Zareth was omitting several important details, such as where exactly he was getting his information, but Vidhatri didnt press the issue.
Apparently, he suspected that the heathens were interested in so unspecified discovery that he was attempting to uncover. Zareth had been working to confirm that, along with receiving lessons on manipulating Ether from another unspecified source, but hadnt had much success.
When combined with his efforts to create a weapon for the citys authorities to aid in the siege, there was little surprise that he was stressed.
You should allow to capture one of these heathens and deliver their soul to our god, said Vidhatri, imdiately offering the first solution that ca to mind. The Weaver of Sinews will peel apart their secrets and share them with you if these heathens are indeed a threat to your cult. You need not worry. I can be extrely subtle when circumstances call for it.
Zareths expression grew complicated, in the sa way it always did when Vidhatri ntioned offering their god his due sacrifices. Vidhatri had assud the human was simply soft at first, but she had learned more of TalQamar and now believed there was a slight rit in maintaining a relatively good relationship with the heathens.
Still, she was not lying when she claid that she could capture a single heathen without anyone realizing her involvent.
I appreciate your offer, but its impossible to ensure that you wont be discovered given that Ghisara is the Goddess of Oracles and Mysteries, Zareth replied hesitantly.
It was a good point, and Vidhatri silently chastised herself for not having considered it earlier. After giving it so consideration, she concluded that the best counsel she could offer was one of patience.
These kinds of groups always reveal their intentions eventually, said Vidhatri, her voice thoughtful. If your suspicions are correct, then you could potentially lure them into exposing themselves, potentially by spreading rumors that youre making progress on finding whatever youre searching for. Until then, you would be better served focusing on this citys war and procuring land for your cult. Political power is ultimately the best deterrent for your enemies.
It wasnt exceptionally insightful advice, but Zareth seed to appreciate it nonetheless. Their conversation drifted to a variety of other topics, such as Vidhatris thoughts on Divine Essence and Ether, as well as Zareths efforts to decipher the to of ldorath. That project, at least, had seen so amount of progress after the human beca an [Atavistic Apostle].
It seed like the to did indeed contain information about the System War, though in far more detail than any source Vidhatri had ever encountered. Unfortunately, they had only succeeded in deciphering the first few pages, which obviously didnt provide them enough context.
It would take a significant amount of ti before they managed to learn anything of interest from the to.
After nearly half an hour of conversation, Zareth suddenly tensed as his gaze grew distant. Vidhatri knew the humans attention had shifted to his flesh golem, and waited patiently for him to refocus on their conversation.
Youll have to excuse , Senior Fleshwarper, Zareth said once he regained his composure. Theres an important matter that requires my attention. If you need , Ill be in my laboratory.
Vidhatri nodded calmly, and watched as the human swiftly departed. She expected his heathen guard to obediently follow along, but was surprised when she noticed the lizardkin hesitating and glancing toward her.
Oh? Is there sothing that you need from ? Vidhatri asked with a sly smirk. If you want more of my attention, then you should wait until after the sun falls to seek it. Ill be more than happy to see you then.
She could tell that the heathen was slightly flustered by the implication in her words, but he very quickly recovered and looked at her with surprising determination.
I would like that, but that isnt what I wanted to ask, said Rizok, montarily pausing nervously before he seed to regain his courage. I was wondering if you would like to join later on a trip through TalQamar so that I could welco you to the city. Theres a shivarath [Cook] near the Spicebloom Bazaar who specializes in food from Zumair, and I thought you might enjoy the chance to taste sothing from your holand.
Vidhatri would never admit it, but Rizoks invitation was possibly the last thing shed expected to hear.
Vidhatri knew that her form was appealing to many, which was to be expected given that shed personally crafted it. However, even her fellow shivarath worshipers in the Dehkshetra temple often found her to be overbearing.
There were so who enjoyed that, but never for very long.
Vidhatri took a mont to study Rizok, forcing back a snort of amusent when the lizardkin subtly preened under her gaze. He was quite the specin, with beautiful scales and admirable musculature earned through a lifeti of combat. Even in a peaceful environnt, Rizok maintained an air of alertness and strength that Vidhatri found appealing.
However, none of those were the reason why she was actually considering accepting the heathens invitation. Rather, it was the utter earnestness in Rizoks gaze which caught her off guard.
Vidhatri couldnt recall anyone ever looking at her in such a way.
I suppose I can spare the ti to indulge you, said Vidhatri, hiding her surprise behind a teasing smile. That beca more difficult when she saw Rizoks eyes light up with genuine excitent. Well see if this [Cook] is as genuine as you claim, and you can show whatever sights in TalQamar are worth seeing. It will be useful to understand this city from a natives perspective.
Rizoks smile widened at her acceptance, showing off an impressive row of teeth that could likely tear through flesh with ease. You wont regret it. We can go later this evening.
After the two of them spent the next few monts settling the details of their romantic outing, Rizok excused himself to attend his duties. Vidhatri watched him leave, enjoying the sight of his strong tail waving from side to side behind him. Once Rizok had fully disappeared from view, Vidhatri allowed the small smile that had been playing at the edges of her lips to grow.
As she turned her attention back to the common room, she couldnt help but think that her ti in TalQamar may not be as unpleasant as she had once anticipated.
Zareth dearly wished that he had a more efficient thod of communicating through his golem than directing it to slowly transcribe his thoughts. Hed always found it awkward to write using TalQamars weird reed calligraphy pens, and that was made even worse when he had to do so using a flying eyeball with tiny hands.
Still, he forced his golem to frantically write down his thoughts as Lore Guardian Othrik shared the discovery hed made while researching the Nexus of Magic.
Are you certain that the scroll said Ashars Deep? Zareth wrote down using his golems clumsy fingers.
The elderly lizardkin glared before writing down a response and waving it in front of the golem, confirming that the scroll had indeed referenced Ashars Deep and that he didnt appreciate having his expertise doubted.
Zareth let out a curse of frustration as he took a seat in front of his workbench after informing the Lore Guardian that he needed a mont to think.
He didnt actually have anything urgent to do in his laboratory and just needed so privacy while he sorted out the implications of what he had learned.
It had been several weeks since Rizok first brought Zareth to et the Lore Guardian, and he had learned a lot during that ti. At first, Zareth had decided to dedicate the majority of his ti to studying the Etherveil. After all, who wouldnt jump at the chance to train in magic when given the opportunity.
Zareth had already had plenty of impossible experiences since his reincarnation, but he was convinced that nothing would ever feel as otherworldly as when he first touched the Etherveil.
It was difficult to put into words, but connecting to the Etherveil was like experiencing a reality beyond his physical senses, a realm where thoughts and emotions flowed like water and air. It was truly beautiful, and Zareth had to stop himself from imdiately choosing [Ether Attunent] so that he could experience it even more closely
Instead, Zareth had allowed those sensations to fade and took a step back in order to judge his options in a more logical manner. From what he had been told, [Ether Attunent] would allow him to effectively beco sothing akin to a [Mage] while [Divine Essence Attunent] would allow him to do things that were more limited, but also more potent in comparison.
The records from the Dekhshetra temple claid Cerebons Divine Essence could accomplish things like turning tal into flesh or even more esoteric abilities unavailable to most of his followers.
Zareth had always believed that emphasizing his specialities was superior to spreading himself thin, so the concept of [Divine Essence Attunent] appealed to him at first.
Still, he wasnt in a rush, so Zareth waited and allowed Lore Guardian Othrik to give him a few lessons on manipulating the Etherveil.
Sitting up from in seat, Zareth drew upon that near infinite source of energy that existed just beyond his senses and began weaving it as the Lore Guardian had taught him.
It wasnt particularly difficult and even felt natural as a thin thread of Ether began to form between his fingertips. The Ether would only be visible to him unless it beca concentrated enough to fully manifest in the physical world. Reaching this level of concentration shouldnt be all that difficult according to the Tessiks Pre-System records.
However, Lore Guardian had introduced him to one of the greatest mysteries of the modern day Etherveil during his very first lesson.
Zareth stopped playing with the thread of Ether and attempted to push more energy through it, testing the limits of what he could do. The thread of Ether began to glow brighter, becoming more substantial by the mont, until the energy Zareth had been channeling just suddenly disappeared.
It was impossible to tell where it had gone or what had beco of it. According to Lore Guardian Othrik, focusing too much Ether into a single location always caused this result, and was a phenonon that had never been ntioned in the Pre-System era.
Supposedly, not even the greatest of [Archmages] understood the cause of it.
After creating several thin threads of Ether as he had been taught and being careful to avoid reaching the dissipation threshold, Zareth slowly willed them to converge into a relatively simple pattern and pushed his will into the threads.
A single mont later, a ball of light manifested in front of Zareth, and he found himself smiling at the magical experience of manually casting the very first spell he had ever learned.
Unfortunately, even this light spell had taken him weeks to learn and wasnt all that useful when he could turn his skin bioluminescent with little effort. He would need to choose [Ether Attunent] if he wanted Lore Guardian Othik to be able to teach him more than just a small cantrip, which was why his choice was leaning in that direction.
It was also why Zareth had grown significantly more interested in discovering the location of the so-called Nexus of Magic that his [Atavistic Insight] was leading him toward.
If he could harness its power
Now, Lore Guardian Othrik had uncovered credible accounts pointing him toward Ashars Deep, a massive underground cavern system near FalAshar that was relatively popular among Adventurers. This was consistent with occasional references to sothing underground that hed gleaned from the to of ldorath.
He wished that he could just hire the Pathfinders to explore it like he did with ldoraths temple, but Ashars Deep was far more vast and dangerous than the temple of a dead goddess.
That being said, actually accessing it in the first place was likely to be the greatest obstacle.
Zareth was pulled from his thoughts as he sensed Rizok making his way down the stairs into his laboratory. Glancing back at his friend, he imdiately noticed that the lizardkin seed to be in a better mood than when Zareth had last seen him.
He had a good idea why.
Glad that you finally joined , Rizok. Did sothing pleasant happen? Zareth asked teasingly as he leaned back in his seat.
Nothing that you need to worry about, Rizok imdiately responded, his smile not wavering for a mont as he joined Zareths side and quickly changed the subject. Why did you suddenly co down here? Did Lore Guardian Othrik find sothing of significance?
Reminded of his current conundrum, Zareth straightened and explained to friend that he needed to gain access to Ashars Deep. Naturally, Rizok imdiately saw the issue with this.
If the reports weve received on the ongoing siege are accurate, then thats a problem, said Rizok, his expression becoming more serious. FalAshar may have been caught off-guard out in the field, but they are more than prepared to protect their city. They are well stocked, have a well-sized garrison, and the walls surrounding FalAshar have the best enchantnts in the entire Qahtani Desert. Even an [Archmage] would find it difficult to damage those walls. Successfully seizing the city could potentially take up to a year.
Zareth had been a veterinarian in his first life, not a historian, but even he knew that it wasnt unheard of for sieges to last that long. FalAshar was no re town, and was instead a powerful city-state that had invested significantly in its own defense. Not only that, but their morale would not break so long as the rest of their allies remained capable of fighting back against TalQamar.
That being the case, General Nasrith would most likely decide to leave behind enough soldiers to keep FalAshar contained and move on with the rest of the war. Given what he had just learned, that would be against Zareths interests.
After failing to learn anything more about the Circle of Ghisara, Zareth had reached a similar conclusion as Vidhatri and decided to instead focus his attention on the war. This decision was now further reinforced by the importance of Ashars Deep.
However, every idea hed co up with to help with the siege had been handedly dismissed by Rizok.
Are you certain that the Blood Sacks wouldnt be useful? Zareth groaned as he rubbed his head in frustration. Didnt the reports claim that they caused structural damage to the fort captured by General Nasrith after seeping into the ground for too long?
You shouldnt underestimate the ability of a [Strategist] to adapt to new circumstances, said Rizok, ruthlessly dashing his hopes. The first rule of warfare is to assu that your enemy is every bit as clever as yourself. Even if they havent yet developed a complete counter to the Blood Sacks by now, the enemy will have received reports of its approximate capabilities and understood the implications. That fort was too close to FalAshar to not be under constant scrying. Its worth an attempt, but I would not expect much to co from it.
Zareth wasnt surprised by Rizoks response, even if it frustrated him. It turned out that sieging a city was actually more complicated in this world than in his previous one.
Vitality prevented most natural famines, while FalAshar would have ample counter asures to any magical thods of forcing a surrender. Siege spells, magical plagues, poisoned water supplies, infiltration from above or below; all of these were common strategies used for millennia in this world, and thus thoroughly planned against.
Zareth waited for a sudden burst of inspiration to hit him like it did for the Blood Sacks, when he was facing a similar impasse, but no such convenient solution was coming to mind this ti.
Theres no need to be disappointed that youre unable to develop an idea thatll allow High Command to end the siege outright, said Rizok, attempting to provide so reassurance. Situations like the Blood Sack are exceedingly rare. No offense intended, but nobody is expecting you to be a genius [Strategist] capable of orchestrating victory after victory. In war, its better to focus on simply tipping the scale in our direction and trusting your fellow soldiers to do the rest.
Zareth didnt like it, but he knew that Rizok was right. He was too focused on finding that one idea capable of ending the siege outright. Instead, it would be more fruitful to consider a multitude of smaller, cumulative thods that could gradually weaken FalAshars defenses and morale.
At least, enough so that General Nasrith wouldnt decide to abandon the siege and move on.
Maybe if I can even develop sothing that works with the cooperation of one of the other religious groups, Zareth mused as he made his way over to the cages where he kept his magical creatures.
Zareth felt this new perspective was worth exploring. Ever since he had touched the Etherveil, he had been able to better sense the magic within these creatures and felt like it would be easier to modify and apply their abilities to his augntation templates.
He had attempted to make use of this newfound sensitivity to further his efforts to create flying humanoids, which would allow High Command to bypass many of FalAshars defenses. Unfortunately, flight required significant amounts of tradeoffs to make work naturally, and thus needed equally significant magical compensation to beco viable.
After an hour of experintation, Zareth realized that his sensitivity to Ether simply wasnt strong enough to allow for any options he hadnt already tried before, which made him want to do sothing slightly impulsive.
[Ether Attunent] would allow him to delve deeper in the mysteries of the Etherveil, enhancing his magical abilities and possibly opening new avenues for his research.
[Divine Essence Attunent] would likely enhance his abilities as well, offering him more options. It wasnt imdiately clear to him what Cerebons Divine Essence could do that Zareth couldnt already accomplish with his own Skills, but the notes from the Dekhshetra temple implied that it would equip him with more specialized, potent abilities.
Regardless of whichever option he decided, there was a good chance it would give him the boost that he needed. Given how little information existed about them both, it was unlikely that Zareth would learn more than he already had, so he needed to make a decision.
Zareths mind raced as he considered both options, filled with a strange certainty that this decision would have significant consequences on his future. Both carried their advantages, but he kept finding himself being drawn to one in particular.
Zareth had always been drawn in by the allure of the unknown and the promise of discovery, a trait which had grown even stronger after becoming an [Atavistic Apostle].
Both were mysterious in their own right, but the bizarre interaction between the Etherveil and the System made [Ether Attunent] particularly intriguing. In addition, the Nexus of Magic being hidden by the Conclave was explicitly referenced alongside the Etherveil.
Besides, sothing inside of Zareth rebelled at the thought of giving up that infinite ocean of potential represented by the Etherveil in favor of Divine Essence.
Perhaps he would live to regret the decision, but in this mont, Zareth felt that the path of [Ether Attunent] called to him like nothing ever had before.
Before he could second guess himself, Zareth made his decision.
[Ether Attunent] has been acquired!
Instantly, sothing within Zareth expanded in a way that was difficult to explain. It was far more than just the surge of power that ca with increased Stats and instead felt like a shift in his very essence.
The Etherveil, once a vague sensation that existed in the back of his mind, exploded into an array of magical textures and ethereal flows. He could feel the minute differences between the Ether in Rizoks enchanted ring and the Ether within the caged Glassweaver Spider. Zareth sohow knew that the forr was ntal in nature while the latter was related to light.
He hadnt even known that Ether could carry such aspects. Even a cursory sweep over the creatures he had collected revealed complexities he had never imagined.
The Crystalline Songbird had a srizing lody that could enchant listeners that hed been attempting to replicate, but he could now tell that was a useless endeavor. Shielding the singer from its effects would be impossible, while the Crystalline Songbird simply lacked the ntal capacity to be affected by its song. Instead he was far more interested in the strange gravity manipulating magic within the creatures wings.
It seed obvious in retrospect that a literal flying rock would need an unnatural thod to fly.
The Starshell Tortoise was capable of sustaining itself purely on lunar light, and Zareth now felt reasonably confident he could grant such an ability to his golem. It would be useful to give his flying cara a fully rechargeable battery so that it could spy for him without needing occasional maintenance.
The Whispering Willow Wisp, which looked like a simple orb of light floating from side to side, was
Well, Zareth still wasnt quite certain what was going on with the wisp. Its movents had seed random to him before, but he could now tell that it was following the currents of Ether moving through his laboratory like a jellyfish drifting in the sea.
He didnt know how that could be useful to him, but Zareth was still overjoyed by all the possibilities that ca to mind when he looked at the rest of his collection.
Rizok, Im going to be down here for a while, so you should go spend so ti with Vidhatri, Zareth said, ignoring his friends protests as he turned his full attention to his experintations.
There were so many new ideas that he wanted to test, both for the siege on FalAshar and for himself. After all, it had been quite so ti since Zareth had made any truly significant alterations to his own body.
Now that his options had expanded, he felt that it was ti to change that.
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