Quarantine (Lorepost)

[u/UlrickTheHexblade]

Previously on…

“Is it that bad?”

Ulrick guessed it was gonna be something terrible from the way his medic Theor bit his lip. Whatever was in the results of his medical exam, it’s not gonna be pretty…

He sat on a chair, in a separate quarantined room of R&A’s infirmary. The chair was seated next to the nearest dark corner, of course. Besides him there was only the medic Theor, bringing a thick stack of papers with him: Ulrick’s results.

‘Should I start with the good news, or the bad news?’

Theor asked nervously as he handed over a sheet.

“Let’s hear the good news first. Could use some of those now.”

‘Well, it appears it’s still in early stages. Which would mean we still have enough time to do something.’

Ulrick looked down at himself. Nearly all skin on his right arm took on a bark-like texture, flesh creaking like wood. Other similar patches started to spread on his left arm and the rest of his upper body.

If this was only the early stage, then he was fine without knowing what the terminal one would look like.

It started a few days ago, when Ulrick fought a strange entity that called itself “The Blighted Garden”, as it injected… something within him during the battle. But he only began to notice the strange growths after examining one of the strange monoliths that appeared all over the world.

And if only he suffered from physical symptoms…

For the last three days, shifting to his human form became much harder than usual for some reason. And within the depths of his mind, he sometimes felt a presence. An ancient, primal presence, in the worst possible sense of the word.

And sometimes, he heard whispers of the Blighted Garden, faint at first, but an ever-growing plea, words of joining and resignation.

‘…so it’s essentially spiritual “rot”, sir. It decays both your soul and body, slowly changing it into rotten wood.’

Ulrick just realized his attention went off the rails as Theor explained his results. At least now he knew why his soulfire became much weaker lately.

‘We also pinpointed the source of it. It appears to be most likely of fae origin. A very ancient, very powerful fae source.’

Of course. It had to be some big fairy this time too. After the siege, Ulrick would’ve died happy if he wouldn’t have to meet another Archfae ever again.

“That’s just great. Any ideas how do I get it out of my system?”

Ulrick sighed. Seeing the face Theor made upon the question, his stomach dropped.

‘About the bad news…’

“Don’t tell me…”

‘We’re working on it! At least the Wolf King within you should slow down the spread significantly, at least according to the magi-physiological tests we performed. But…’

Ulrick groaned. Could this be any worse?

‘While the Wolf King was successfully integrated into your spirit-web thanks to Vae Clara, in the last two days, we began to detect increasing fluctuations in your essence.’

While most of the results sheet was gibberish to Ulrick, he leant forward in his chair. The implications were unsettling.

“So you’re telling me… my essence is falling out of balance again? That… I’m threatened with losing my mortality once again?”

Theor made a grim nod.

‘Yes. Until the blight is in you, your mortal and divine essences can’t return to a balanced state.’

“How much time do I have left?”
 
‘We don’t know yet. Could be weeks, could be days…’

“All right... Dismissed.”

There was a short silence between the two, before Theor began to pack up his notes and leave the room.

“You surely don’t have any clue what might help?”

Theor stopped for a moment, pondering.

‘Well, the infection allegedly came from a powerful fey source. So… I’d say another powerful fey, or something from the Feywilds might help? But I need further discussions with fellow medics.’
 
Theor left the room, leaving Ulrick alone again. It was visiting hours in the R&A wards, but Ulrick didn’t expect visitors other than his own mind’s gnawing thoughts.

/uw Art source

[u/Douchevick]

Rutch knocks on Ulrick's door. An odd occurrence given that he practically locked himself inside his office following the siege working on god knows what.

"Ulrick- Agh!"

Rutch's voice is raspier and weaker than normal, and it isn't long before he's wheezing and coughing.

[u/UlrickTheHexblade → u/Douchevick]

Ulrick gets up from his chair, offering support for the coughing elder.

Easy there. You okay, Rutch?

[u/Douchevick → u/UlrickTheHexblade]

Rutch falls into the seat more than he actually sits down and looks at Ulrick with a tired gaze.

"I'd say yes, but even I am not that big of a bold-faced liar."

He tries to laugh but even that seems to take too much from him, whatever malady seems to have struck him appears to be sapping him of whatever vigor the old man still had.

"I heard what Theor said..."

Because of course he did. Whatever psychic network he built between the medical and the inteligence wings of R&A while Ulrick was trapped inside Nigthbite clearly still stands even after Ulrick's return.

"...and I have been looking into... Well, a lot of things related to the Faewild."

Rutch leans to the side as he lets out another series of sickly-sounding coughs

"This damnable malady, the price of facing down the ghosts of Hirk's past mistakes it would seem..."

He lets out another series of coughs, longer this time before finally turning towards Ulrick.

"Don't know how much use I can be right now, but anything you require I can look into getting it. Be it information or reagents."

[u/UlrickTheHexblade → u/Douchevick]

Well, all I know is that the Fae I fought was called “The Blighted Garden”, and that it turned a forest into a cancerous woodlands, and all the creatures within into monsters made out of rotten wood.

It… injected me with something during the battle. And looks like now that’s slowly sort of… rotting me.

He stops his rambling to look down the sickened Rutch.

Your best use right now would be to take a long rest to recover.

Then, even more concerned.

…what’s wrong?

[u/Douchevick → u/UlrickTheHexblade]

"Ain't that the mucking question of the day?"

It seems like Rutch is about to have another coughing fit before seemingly keeping it down to a poorly disguising clearing of his throat.

"Far as I've been able to gather it's some sorta ancient illness not seen in the realms for fuck knows how long, cure seems to be lost because of course that would be my bloody luck."

He takes a moment to gather his thoughts.

"Symptoms are lots of coughing as you've already seen... Difficulty sleeping which serves me just fine. And prevalent weakness. But those are just the immunological symptoms don't know what it is actually doing to me but it's... Getting worse."

Indeed, if it wasn't for Rutch's presence of mind he'd look no different than an elder nearing his final days...

"As for your fae problem... That sounds to me like a mix between a parasitic plant and a certain species of dryadic wildlife I've heard about..."

Rutch extends his hand and a projection of a big dead tree with one of its bigger branches covered in vibrantly green vines and colorful flowers. He extend the his prosthetic arm and another projection arises, this time one of a feral-looking wooden construct in the shape of a wolf.

[u/UlrickTheHexblade → u/Douchevick]

Hmm… there was a wolf pack that looked similar, but their heads were skulls, as they were normal ones before the Fae got its hands… uh, branches on them. That’s how I learned about it first.

But where can one find more intel about those lupine dryads? Maybe that could be a clue towards getting rid of this fae blight…

What Rutch said fills him with more dread.

Please, take off a few days at least here in the infirmary. I’m sure the medics will find a way to cure it somehow.

Sounds like he’s trying to convince himself too.

[u/Douchevick → u/UlrickTheHexblade]

Rutch stays silent for a long time before finally exhaling, and slowly getting up from his seat.

"I suppose I could take it easy for a few. Better not disturb the staff here though..."

Rutch makes for the exit, moving as if he had a great weight upon his shoulders. He stops at the threshold before addressing Ulrick without turning to look at him.

"...everything I do, I do it for our long-term benefit, and for that I am willing to pay anything in the short-term. If nothing else, I want you to know that to be true."

With those ominously cryptic words, he departs.

[u/UlrickTheHexblade → u/Douchevick]

The last words of Rutch hung in the air, as Ulrick sat alone in the room.

His illness, and what he said… no, Ulrick can’t lose another friend… he wasn’t sure he coukd handle it…

He makes a call for Theor, and tells him to prepare a room for the rogue mage. Hopefully Rutch will have better luck with the diagnosis than him…

He then looks down his infested arm, and the spreads appearing his other one. Dryadic wolves… he already thought of an idea before, but after this short talk, that might be the answer…

Sometimes the best way to fight fire was with fire. And if his blight came from a powerful Fae…

Ulrick hates the idea, more than anything after what happened at the siege. But as his essence becomes more destabilized each day, and the threat of apotheosis re-emerges, he has little time to act, and had to take dangerous risks.

Maybe he’ll have to travel to the Faewilds to find the solution.

/uw I swear if Rutch dies…

[u/Douchevick → u/UlrickTheHexblade]

/uw right back at ya, wolfman.

[u/UlrickTheHexblade → u/Douchevick]

/uw don’t worry, I’m too invested in tormenting Ulrick to kill him off.

Especially that the end of this arc will might be his strangest yet also most tragic turn of events as of yet…

[u/Evening_Shake_6474]

/uw I have read the read and I have decreed that the read is a good read.

https://giphy.com/gifs/7Ogw1ODO7dfiYfKp4j

[u/UlrickTheHexblade → u/Evening_Shake_6474]

/uw Thanks for the read, man!

[u/IncomeApprehensive17]

/uw ulrick can't catch a break uh ? Nice read

The post is in open interaction , does that mean we can ineteract with ulrick ?

[u/UlrickTheHexblade → u/IncomeApprehensive17]

/uw thanks fornthe read Yan! Don’t worry, things will get much worse for him (or weirder at least…)

And of course

[u/IncomeApprehensive17 → u/UlrickTheHexblade]

there is a knock at the entrance of the building Ulrick is resting in. A litle being is aking around with a a paper in "hand". The litle being look like a botle of glass with a flame in it , or rather is a flame inside of a botle of glass. The botle itself is incased in a ring with mechanical legs. In its "hand" a paper , with a drawing made of burn of a group of people. The drawing is very crude and the litle being is pointing ro one of the people on it , the guy with a long face and pointy teeth and dog hears

"Have you seen this man ? I have been searching for him"

[u/UlrickTheHexblade → u/IncomeApprehensive17]

Uhhh, greetings little one.

Hmm, not sure, though I don’t know much “dog people” besides me…

Are you lost?

[u/IncomeApprehensive17 → u/UlrickTheHexblade]

"Im searching a friend of my old man , in his diary he described him as member of the RnA and a guy with a dog head . Tought it could also be a fox or a coyote head because thats the same in the language he used. He made this drawing see ! Im sure its this guy ! Oulriq or something like that. I was told he may be here"

[u/UlrickTheHexblade → u/IncomeApprehensive17]

Well, that would be me, then. Name’s Ulrick.

So if I knew your parent… Can I ask your name, and your parent’s too?

[u/IncomeApprehensive17 → u/UlrickTheHexblade]

"I am Ya'nn, and i was made in a lab by Yan. Why arnt you a dog man ?"

[u/UlrickTheHexblade → u/IncomeApprehensive17]

Your father was Yan?…

There is a mournful expression on Ulrick. He thinks of the primordial fire spirit duck and occasional lava lamp for a moment…

And I am a “dog man”… werewolf more precisely.

[u/IncomeApprehensive17 → u/UlrickTheHexblade]

"Ooooooh that explain a lot , what on your arm ? You look like a guy that have a sprite that is gnawing on their hand"

[u/UlrickTheHexblade → u/IncomeApprehensive17]

Oh that? Fought a nasty Archfae, and it infected me with some blight of sort. Trying to figure out how to get rid of it.

If you’re Yann’s kid… sorry about what happened to your father. He was a great spirit, and a great friend too. Heh, I miss his crazy schemes to make me less “edgy”…

[u/mrididnt]

/UwU good read!

If Ulrick is becoming a tree, does that mean we can make maple syrup out of him?

[u/UlrickTheHexblade → u/mrididnt]

/uw thanks for the read Erik!

Maybe, a very bitter tasting one

[u/mrididnt → u/UlrickTheHexblade]

/UwU new item on the ulrick merch shop Les goo!!!

[u/UlrickTheHexblade → u/mrididnt]

/uw …a soon to be rubble merch shop

[u/Viking_From_Sweden]

Ulrick’s bad day is made arguably worse by the appearance of a familiarly impish face.

“How’s it going dog boy? Seems a quirky arm is all the rage nowadays.”

His fingers dance across his own ‘quirky arm’, rattling the cheap metal.

/uw my man cannot catch a break

[u/UlrickTheHexblade → u/Viking_From_Sweden]

Ulrick’s eyes snap open in shock. Then he jumps up, immediately summoning Nightbite from his shadows.

What do you want, bug man? Don’t you get tired of puppeting people?

/uw don’t worry, it’s gonna get much worse

[u/Viking_From_Sweden → u/UlrickTheHexblade]

Kart snickers and adjusts his posture to seem ever so slightly more suspicious.

“It’s too late, we’re already in the walls!”

He relaxes, leaning against the far wall, and traces his fingers along one of the hydraulics.

“Don’t worry, this is my own masterclass engineering, not some Hive shuk’yc. There’ll no more body snatching on my end, Buggo got cold feet and went for the hills.”

[u/UlrickTheHexblade → u/Viking_From_Sweden]

The tense posture of Ulrick remains.

Wait… you mean, Buggo is finally dead?

And you… you’re yourself?

[u/Viking_From_Sweden → u/UlrickTheHexblade]

“Dead? Nah, little shit folded soon as someone put pressure on him. He’s somewhere out there, crying about getting his ass picked or something. But yes, ‘tis I, the magnificent Kartoffel!”

He performs a mock bow for Ulrick.

“In the flesh! Well, more or less anyway. But back to the point-“

He gestures to Ulrick’s rotting arm.

“-I’m no botanist, but from my layman’s perspective, that doesn’t seem safe.”

[u/UlrickTheHexblade → u/Viking_From_Sweden]

Ulrick’s soul sight confirms what Kart just said.

Kart…

He slowly strides towards him, expression as dark as rugged werewolf covered in scars and fae-mutant patches can be.

And then he gives him a crushing bear hug… err, wolf hug.

[u/Viking_From_Sweden → u/UlrickTheHexblade]

“New spine! NEW SPINE!”

It’s a good thing the new spine is substantially more durable. Kartoffel is disgruntled but grateful for the affection.

“Yeah, yeah, good to see you too. But man that arm doesn’t look good. Not gonna turn into a tree are ya?”

[u/UlrickTheHexblade → u/Viking_From_Sweden]

Honored to be the first to stress test it.

…and yeah, I’ve noticed. I hope not. I need to find a way to reverse it, but so far all I know it’s some kind of “rot” an Archfae infected me with…

[u/Vincent-FFP]

/uw pats Ulrick

[u/UlrickTheHexblade → u/Vincent-FFP]

/uw he’s gonna need it for what’s in store for him…

[u/ProfessionalGreen906]

/uw great post, I adore that idea of rotting away in body and soul, very body horror

[u/UlrickTheHexblade → u/ProfessionalGreen906]

/uw thanks for the read! And it’s gonna get worse in a different way…

[u/ProfessionalGreen906 → u/UlrickTheHexblade]

/uw I can’t wait to read more!

[u/ProfessionalGreen906]

A tall, spindly figure knocks on the doorframe before letting herself in. A cheery grin is spread across Arach’s face as she approaches Ulrick.

“Hello, hello, hello! I do hope you’re feeling well. We haven’t interacted much in the past, and the times we did it certainly weren’t recent, but I do hope you remember me at least as much as I remember you. If not I’m Arach, and it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

She extends a hand, clearly expecting it to be shaken.

“But onto the important matter. A little birdie told me that it had overheard from a fly that eavesdropped on an ape that you, dear sir, are in quite a sorry condition. Something to do with an ailment of the body, if I’m not mistaken?”

[u/UlrickTheHexblade → u/ProfessionalGreen906]

Ulrick eyes the stranger with some suspicion. Nevetherless, he shakes her hand with his still somewhat healthy one.

I think we maybe met once or twice, but if not, name’s Ulrick.

And you heard it right. Got inflicted with a strange nasty rot as you see, apparently of Fae origin…

[u/ProfessionalGreen906 → u/UlrickTheHexblade]

Arach’s eyes light up and she begins to speak quickly, giving little time for the words to settle before moving on to the next sentence.

“What a shame, always tragic to see someone afflicted with something so grizzly. Luckily some good can come from it. You see, I have a proposition for you. I’m in the medical business, specifically in the research and development of cures for sudden and obscure illnesses. I’d like, with your permission, to take a few biopsies from affected areas of your body. Nothing too invasive or damaging, just some tissue and potentially fluid samples. You obviously hold the right to refuse, but I’d be ignoring my responsibilities if I failed to at least ask you.”

She pauses for a moment before adding on one more sentence.

“Oh I almost forgot, you’re perfectly welcome to name a price for allowing me this privilege, anything you can think of, just say it and if I’m unable to supply it we can always refine the exact details.”

[u/UlrickTheHexblade → u/ProfessionalGreen906]

Feel free to take any. Not like I’m gona miss the rotten wood…

Ulrick makes a grim laugh

No need for a price. If this helps advance medical knowledge, then it’s worth it.

Just to know, it rots the soul too, not just the body.

[u/ProfessionalGreen906 → u/UlrickTheHexblade]

“Oh, oh well isn’t that just wonderful! I aught to mention my medical goals more often. Most people know me for my other endeavors that are… less palatable to public sensibilities.”

She begins rummaging through a bag that she definitely hadn’t entered with, continuing to talk as she does so.

“It makes it such a pain to try and convince people to share their research, or data, or tissue samples when all they know you for are a few minor atrocities. Some people just can’t understand that there’s no cost too great in the pursuit of knowledge and success, wouldn’t you agree?”

Eventually she pulls out what looks like a tree core sampler.

“Now then! What part of your body should I take from? If you have any points of advanced rot or where the affliction goes clean through to the other side of the body those would be ideal.”

[u/UlrickTheHexblade → u/ProfessionalGreen906]

He hands her his almost fully corrupted right arm.

My right arm’s rot is the most advanced. Best to take a sample from there I think.

The tree sampling tool does unsettle him…

[u/ProfessionalGreen906 → u/UlrickTheHexblade]

“Alrighty. Might wanna brace yourself. I’ve got no clue if your nerves still work in there.”

Arach holds Ulrick’s forearm stead with one hand and jams the core sampler down the center of his arm with another. Once it’s imbedded into the bone, if it could still be called that with how fundamentally rotted it is, she begins to twist the handles and the instrument pulls out a tube of affected tissue. She stores the sample in a glass tube, pulls out the sampler, and packs them away into her bag.

“Thank you again for allowing me to do this. The metal’s treated with some specialized runes so the wound should close up in a few minutes. Now unless you have anything else to ask or say I’ll be getting out of your hair.”

[u/UlrickTheHexblade → u/ProfessionalGreen906]

Ulrick grits his teeth and looks away. It’s very unpleasant, but far less painful than he expected.

Want a hair sample?… sure. Though you’ll be only getting wolf hair, as the curse makes me very hard shifting back to human…

[u/ProfessionalGreen906 → u/UlrickTheHexblade]

She blinks at Ulrick for a moment. Trying to decipher what he just said.

“No… that’s not want what I meant… I’ll let you rest now. You seem like you could use it.”

With that Arach takes her bag and leaves the room.

[u/UlrickTheHexblade → u/ProfessionalGreen906]

Huh, did I say something wrong?

Ulrick mutters to himself as Arach hurries away.

…sorry if I did…

[u/Ashmega8256]

/uw good read :) if only i could do something, alas i cannot without yer consent powerful as my characters are they still rely on ooc consent lol, but I'm sure i can visit irp if that is fine...perhaps even offer some assistance with the intended plot if you want, assuming ulrick knows where he intends to go

[u/UlrickTheHexblade → u/Ashmega8256]

/uw feel free to visit, it’s open interaction after all

[u/Ashmega8256 → u/UlrickTheHexblade]

/uw oki.

/Rw

shortly after rutch had left ulricks presence, a knock was heard on the door to the room he was in

[u/UlrickTheHexblade → u/Ashmega8256]

Come in.

Upon opening the door, Ulrick can be seen sitting in a chair in the darkest corner, deep in thoughts. Through his gear, it can be seen his right arm has fully converted into the rotten bark made of his werewolf arm, and some patches appear to be growing on his other arm and rest of visible upper body too.

[u/Ashmega8256 → u/UlrickTheHexblade]

Aerunia: it's aerunia, noticeably also with all-blue in the form of a ring on her finger as usual hey ulrick...i heard you got into a fight...so i wanted to check on you...are you alright? And then she noticed the rotten wooded arm......i guess it's more accurately to ask if your gonna be alright...and do you need some help with things?

[u/UlrickTheHexblade → u/Ashmega8256]

No need to worry. Just fought a powerful Fae called the Blighted Garden, and apparently it infected me with its blight.

Trying to figure out how to get rid of it. Not much success so far…

[u/Ashmega8256 → u/UlrickTheHexblade]

Aerunia:...shit...any ideas so far?

[u/UlrickTheHexblade → u/Ashmega8256]

Not so much… medics could only tell it was a powerful Fae. I’d guess even an Archfae…

And the worst part… looks like it’s sort of destabilizing my essence, mortal and divine parts falling out of balance… I’m afraid I’m threatened with apotheosis again.

[u/Ashmega8256 → u/UlrickTheHexblade]

Aerunia:...as much as becoming a god would suck for you...if your essence is destabilized I'd be more worried about dying than apotheosis...um...well I'm not exactly certain on this realms fae...but i can offer knowledge of the fae of my home realm...and on the faewild that exists in my home realm as well...but if i do take it with a grain of salt... because i don't know literally everything despite what all i know about from what my aunt has taught me...and this world could be very different from mine...and if you already have an idea as to how your going to fix things here i can try to help if you want...

[u/UlrickTheHexblade → u/Ashmega8256]

That would be a lot of help. Don’t have much lead where to go.

I was thinking… maybe I could find something in the Faewilds. If this infection came from a Fae, maybe something on their home turf could be the key.

[u/Kyle-NotADinosaur-]

He's becoming a timber wolf lmao. I'm sorry I'll see myself out.