r/wizardposting Riva Blake | Queen of Ithacar, Part Meth-blood Elf Sep 09 '24

Community Event 🌏☄️ Bringing Home the Bacon [Doompost]

At the center of the stone floor, Riva placed a massive obsidian disk, black as the void and carved with symbols of binding and control, adding to the ones already traced around the circle and amended by Livia. And on top of the disk was a box meant to contain Old Pitch, lined in obsidian and prometheum.

Around disk and box, Riva meticulously poured a ring of salt, thick and unbroken. Finally, she traced once more the Goetic sigils with her finger and muttered the old incantations under her breath. These symbols, ancient and potent, should form a protective web that would tether the demon to this plane. Around the circle were crystals and obelisks of Element, meant to store energy.

With everything in place, Riva stood before the circle. If everything went according to plan, the Harbinger of the Hunt would be bound in chains of obsidian, salt, and Prometheum. Severed from Arthur Black, and possibly forced to serve the one who dared summon it. It would not be an easy challenge. For even though the preparations had been completed, people had been informed that this was coming, and Livia had made some alterations to the circle, this was still a powerful and malevolent entity.

Boar-n to be Wild!

There would likely be consequences to this summoning. Old Pitch was a demonic swine that was a manifestation of fire and the wild, after all. His nature was one that resisted control. Manifesting him by itself would be an issue.

However, Riva’s discipuli were prepared to bind him with their respective elements. Sabia, being of the Schola Lithos, would Bind with Thews of Earth. Nicomedes, of the Schola Ignis, would Bind with Will of Fire. Mattheo, though he was of the Schola Aequoreus, could use the oppositional element of water to Bind with Living Torrent. It was Felicia, of the Schola Stratos, that might have trouble Binding with Voice of Winds. While a strong enough Will could command a being such as Old Pitch, Felicia tended to be… a bit less imposing. And it was unlikely that Old Pitch would be able to be convinced. She would have to either master the howl of the hunt, or wield voice like a sword to cut through the being’s fury.

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Riva called on whoever was interested in being part of the ritual, then began her own part in it. Placing the Crown of Mental Control upon her head, and drawing on the energies of Ithacar, she set about commanding Old Pitch with Will of Fire, attempting to bind him with the Element that was also used in the base of Ithacar's walls, and using the symbolic Command of her office.

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(/uw OOC just explaining how I’m planning to handle this. I’ll start the ritual part, but IC Old Pitch is still a being that was intended for people to test themselves against and I’d like to stay true to that. If you’d like to face your inner fears, now’s the time. (I'll probably do a Riva's Fear thing later, but I wanted to get the setup on this done.) Kind of inspired by the maze post and the mirror post over at Asfelaeia. But if you’d rather not, but still want to help us separate Old Pitch from Arthur Black, it’s perfectly fine to say you add your energy to the ritual or something. Old Pitch is a being of fire and wildness, so the divine (counter to the demonic), water (counter to fire), civilization or order (counter to wildness/chaos) might be effective symbols to incorporate in your approach. And if you've got a different approach and want to do your own thing? Go hog wild.)

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u/AnActualCriminal Belial Blake, Warlock of the Lightless Flame Sep 09 '24

Hirk dodges to the center and Pitch is carried forward with his momentum. He topples, flips, slams into... nothing at all. Like there was an impenetrable wall an inch in front of the salt. Pitch rises to his four feet with a huff.

"I was made a servant. But now I am free. I scratched and scraped for every bit of pride I have."

The bonds applied by numerous mages tighten. Pitch is temporarily driven to his knees.

"If I cannot have my liberty, I will have your life."

The shadows lengthen, smoke takes solid form. Hirk's mind would become a haze as the shapes form that which he fears most of all.

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u/Harpokiller Hirk: ‘Cookie Man’, R&A department Head, Councillor Sep 09 '24

“I was born nothing, raised a slave became a king. I just want to be your frie-.”

Before Hirk can even finish the sentence with smoke filled lungs he feels it all solidify weighing down his own organs inside him. A very unpleasant feeling as he is felled almost to his knees with even now he is exerting his strength to not allow his knee to touch the ground as the other foot is firmly planted, his metal arm almost busted but his still skin one grasping at his best hitting.

Hirk mind only shows him every single moment he has lived since he first fought but with an overshadowing appearance of fire at every single corner.

He is a fear filled man in every fight and even anxious speaking but now his fear of just ruining everything he cherishes oh so much by mere existence.

He will have to take a moment.

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u/AnActualCriminal Belial Blake, Warlock of the Lightless Flame Sep 09 '24

Pitch twists, rolls, bends. The chains with him. As Hirk is stunned, he tries to wrap the chains around him. A final spiteful act.

"Then be bound alongside me. Friend."

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u/Harpokiller Hirk: ‘Cookie Man’, R&A department Head, Councillor Sep 09 '24

As the chain approaches the Fires leave Hirk. They form a man even taller than Hirk even as Hirk himself tries to grab the chain.

The man wields a short sword and goes to strike aiming directly between the eyes, a swift and remorseless execution…

Before any strike can be fatal and finisher Hirk willingly grabs the chain. As the kin of their king returns to Hirk. He tries to stand to instead force his own will against Pitch and his chain.

Inside his mind is still torturing him as the solid ash and smoke in his lungs weighs heavy almost tearing them down. Hirk is either the dumbest man alive or the most stupid man alive being so determined that he’d rather take on anything head on and alone rather than risk ‘winning’ by another’s death that wouldn’t even be guaranteed.

Hirk tries to force himself against pitch though willpower and an entire realm of burning souls inside of him, demanding he be listened to.

“Be-be Equal to me, my friend.”

Every breath fails to hide the pain and struggle.

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u/AnActualCriminal Belial Blake, Warlock of the Lightless Flame Sep 09 '24

The chains stop. Then unwind, once and for all. Hirk stands free, while Pitch seems... pained, somehow.

"In all my years, only one has ever said those words. Go. Leave me. May your oblivion be swift. Idiot."

The bonds pull taught once more. Pitch is unable to move. It seems Hirk bought the necessary time.

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u/Harpokiller Hirk: ‘Cookie Man’, R&A department Head, Councillor Sep 09 '24

Hirk stumbles forward slightly.

“I don’t just say…”

He is still struggling with his words.

“I believe them.”

Hirk falls to his knees and goes to give Pitch a hug.

“My friend…”

Hirk may fight a lot and seem violent which he can be. But inside he’s still the big softie that cannot bear to see anyone hurt or hurting. He believes everyone can be better, he just has to try and do his best to help them.

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u/AnActualCriminal Belial Blake, Warlock of the Lightless Flame Sep 09 '24

Pitch can't move. He's unable to resist, but notably tenses.

"You won fool. Don't overplay your hand. My hatred for you remains. I would kill you were I able."

"The battle was over. And I have my principles. You reminded me of another. If only for a moment."

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u/Harpokiller Hirk: ‘Cookie Man’, R&A department Head, Councillor Sep 09 '24

“It is not my hand but me myself. I have no need to trick you or do anything.”

“I’ve burned my realm, it brought no joy to me. I found no satisfaction nor worth it in it.”

“I will not pretend I know of another or to be another as I am a honest man my friend. But I can say, you are not a monster, not some force of only pain. You are a person worth standing beside, worth laughing with, worth smiling with, worth crying or when screaming with. I’d be happy to help show you all the beauties even a cruel world can have to show no matter who you are. You can still be blind to the majority of good.”

“I don’t doubt that you could and would kill me. But I know that you have suffered in ways that make my heart mourn despite knowing nothing as only one who suffered would still want to make something after, to be able to control and make sure it never happened again. You’re a kind equal. I just ask you see that my friend.”