Another Chance Chapter Two: Rise of the Forsaken. [Concluded 23/05]

And Continuing onto Chapter two of the Thrilling Saga of Drilac'n. The more observant of you may be noticing hints that link to todays Roleplay

Chapter one, Shadows of Andorhal: https://tvcrpforums.forumotion.net/the-storybook-f4/another-chance-concluded-05-01-t42.htm



The Tall Forsaken ducked under a beam that was being carried by two Under Apothocaries, and strode towards the short stockly creature that stood proud at the end of the room overseeing its reconstruction, her keen, lightly glowing eyes darting left and right as Forsaken workers worked tirelessly in the rooms makeover.
"Is the project going... Smoothly Masjenal?" The tall Forasken asked the dwarf, "I hear you plan on making the lower quarters more... specalised?"
"Correct Master Appothocary" Replied the Dwarf, who was absent mindedly fiddling with a complicated cable system "Although best not let many people know aboot that, we have Ganoosh working on a lovely complicated cloaking system, 'es thinking of putting it in the Holding cages - a brilliant Idea if you ask me."
"Good, good. But onto buisness. Drop the cable and follow me."
The Dwarf dropped the bundle of wires, and Jogged for a second to keep up with Faranells long stride, who had already swooped away into one of the alcoves in the wall. Brushing away a large canvas curtain he stopped, looking down upon a large pit that led to the lower levels, a ladder all that led down. On the far side of the hole an Undead Goblin welded a large cage closed, a roaring human inside, who smashed his fists against the hot metal, but to no avail
"Good, the cages seem foolproof. Good work... whoever you are," Faranell stated, before begining to decend the ladder. Catching up the Dwarf began to follow him, but due to her short stubby legs her decent was painfully slow. Upon reaching the bottom, she turned to find Faranell waiting impatiently, tapping his foot in a slow, hollow rhythym. A hollow booming was approaching from around the corner, almost in sync with Farenells tapping foot.
Brightflame Masjenal placed her hands on her knees and took a breath of air, before pulling herself to full height and following Faranell, who had again strode off, down a long corridor, up to the point where it opened out into a larger room. The source of the booming suddenly appeared, in the form of a massive abomination who leaned down to look down the corridor towards the Two Master Appothocaries, one hand on the ceiling to keep himself down at their level.
"Me Sowwy Sir" The creature boomed "But Master told me to tell you he has fownd something."
"Very good Gwump" Replied Faranell "Tell the good man we will be there shortly."
The Abomination made a poor attempt at a grunt before dissapearing back around the corner.
"I should tell you, Masjenal, that a few weeks ago an apparently sentient Undead broke out of the Redhair Mausoleum in the Brill graveyard" Faranell stated, "And our friend has been looking for a trace of him ever since. It is Sylvanas' will that we track down all Sentient beings, but he has taken it upon himself to track down this one specifically, as he believes he has some untapped potential for the Society."
The Dwarf just grunted, and motioned for Faranell to lead on.

The room they walked into was far larger than even the Royal Chamber, columns reaching up into the roof, which was designed with the typical scourge design. Several Forsaken were up there, working on the roof, pulling out large slabs and hoisting wires up into the gaps, feeding them through and letting them poke out at strategic locations. At one end of the room was a series of Glass pipes, an undead in each, chizeling away at the roof, cutting into the rock above. A few were filled with flowing water, green and acrid moving down through the pipes into a tank hidden below the floor. As Masjenal looked on with pride a loud gurgiling sound was heard, and an undead gnome fell down, through the hole in the ceiling and down the pipe into the floor, a chizel in her hand, followed shortly by a few rocks and a rush of water as the fluids of the Lake above their head were collected for furthur examination. Tables and body parts lay skrewn around the room, ready to be carefully positioned in their places in the room. Striding right across the room Faranell dissapeared into another corridor on the far side of the room. Jogging to keep up Masjenal overtook, and began to lead Faranell through another catacomb, leading deeper into the depths of the earth. Finally she reached a large wooden door, and pulling out a key she opened it, and with some effort, pushed it open. The chamber they entered was far different to the grey stone they had just left. Wooden panneling had finished the walls of these rooms, and the doors were made of polished pine as opposed to the large thick heartwood that the others were made of. Pictures of Lordaeron hung on the walls, and a flountain flowed at the far end, into a pool of mucky water. Yet this chamber was not all comfort. Rows of vials lined the walls, filled with liquids of all colours. Two Telsa coils, the prototypes for the Apothocarium, hung from the ceiling, and a table stood between them, a prisoner tied down to it. A set of vials on a wheel collected water from the pool and poured it into a large flask that was being steadily heated, a coakroach tied up inside, its legs squirming.
This was their private testing chambers. And at the far end of the chamber stood a Tall figure, taller than Faranell, facing the wall, holding a pair of vials.
"Ahem" Faranell cleared his throat. The Figure let his arms fall by his side, then threw the vials on the floor where they flashed and magically disappeared.
"Faranell." The voise was clear and well pronounciated. "So glad you could take a short break from your schedule."
At that the figure spun around. He was wearing a green paterned robe, feathers pertruding from the extravogant pauldrons, a pair of Wooden plates propping his head up. A third lay behind his head, Which had a hood draped over it, around his shoulders. On his belt hung a Crow mask, as well as a series of vials strapped fast to the leather. There was no skin left on his head, instead all there was was a White skull, black dust and magic radiating off it, gathering around his eyes and swirling around the sockets. A thin smile spread over his face, and Masjenal could see the strands of necromancy holding the jaw to his skull, black thin strands of Necromatic magic, quivering and jumping around, like the electricity on the telsa coils. Smiling the Figure raised his hood, and ,uncliping the crow mask from his belt, placed it over the gap between the top of his head and the hood, so it held its place, covering his entire face.
"So what do you want Putress?" Faranell asked.
"Council. Come, both of you, I will show you."
Beckoning Putress retreated through a door in the side of the chamber. Following Faranell and Masjenal closed the door behind them, entering the second, smaller chamber. Gesturing Putress offered the Two appothocaries a look into the bowl of water that sat in the middle of the room.
In its shimmering, clean waters all Masjenal could see was a balck cloud. Staring she tried to make out figures, the dancing clouds slowly becoming more desipherable. Suddenly she could see a room. Ruined and desolate, a single chair had been pulled up onto a raised platform at one end. A cabinet stood to the left, and, alike the large window at the back, the glass door had been smashed open and the contents removed. Sitting on the chair was a hooded figure, huge black robes spilling over the chair, yellow eyes glowing out from beneath the hood. On his back was slung a massive Scythe, an ornately marked blade drawing attention to the carvings. And behind him... was a Voidwalker. But it wasn't a voidwalker, it was something more... something more dangerous. She stared deeper into the bowl, the black creature growing larger, then suddenly here was a flash of light, and an evil, demonic, smiling face filled her vision, the shock throwing her backwards. She cought a glimse of a High - no Blood elf male, his skin faded, writing at a desk, a green glow emiting within him. Opening her eyes she realised whe was on her back, Putress looking over her, a hand streched out. Taking it she pulled herself back to her feet.
"You saw the Undead?"
"Yes"
"And the Deamon"
"Yes"
"And the Girl?"
"Yes-no wait, girl? No, I saw a Blood elf Man, studying."
"Strange. the Pool showed me A Blood elf, but she was a girl." Putress replied. Both of them looked at Faranell, who was pondering, his hand on his chin.
"I saw something elce... a Sphere, but... It was different, as if it wasn't there at all, but it was a few seconds ago..."

"Indeed it is a mystery. But I don't think there is much question over the matter, I want to meet this Undead." Putress sumerised. Placing two fingers on his forehead he bowed his head.
"Gwump? Fetch a messenger. I have a task."



"Bring us Drilac'n."

Grabbing a Discarded bow, along with a single arrow from the ground she Ran towards the Inn, and snached a long rope from a Forsaken womans hands and threw it over her shoulder. Jumping onto the mailbox the twisted and grabbed the roof of the porch, pulling herself up onto it. From there she lept over to the window ledge, pulling herself up against the glass. Above her was the rim of the roof of the Inn, an Impossible distance for her to Jump. Instead she rammed her Knife into the beam of wood that held the Roof up, and used it as a handhold to pull herself up, and finally onto the roof. She felt a pang of regret as she left her only weapon stuck in the wood, but she had little time, the Deathgurads holding the stables were being pushed back. The roof of the Inn was still burning, singing the hems of the strips of black cloth that clothed her. Tieing the rope to the Arrow she took aim at the roof of the Stables and fired, the Rope swiftly spanning the gap, down over the heads of the scourge. Grabbing the other end of the rope before it too flew off the roof Oni'jus jogged over to the Chimney, and tied it to the stack, leaving the cable tight. Testing it would take her weight she pulled a strip of cloth off her waist and threw it over the cable. Hesitating for a second she pulled a vial out from her clothes, and put it in her mouth. Closing her eyes, she Jumped. Imediately she felt the wind in her hair as she flew down, the cloth grinding against the rope, the smell of smoke and burning thick in the air. Opening her eyes again she saw the Deathguards below her, outnumbered yet defiant against the enemy, fighting tooth and claw against their foe. Spitting out the vial she watched it curve over the scourge lines, and land, the glass shatering, releacing the contents, which imediately began to produce a thick, acrid smoke. The Scourge looked around in slight confusion, their movements slowing. One or two fell to the ground, twiching uncontrollably. Turning to watch out where she was going, Oni'jus let go of the rope, and landed behind the Deathguards in the stables, who were making the most of the confused Scourge, and had begun to fight back against the swarming undead.

Looking out at the effect the Plague was creating Oni'jus silently curced at the ineffectiveness of the Plague. Dispite distracting them slightly, giving the Deathguards the edge they needed, the gas had barely had an effect on the Undead drones, giving a few of them loss of the use of their limbs, but apart from that, nothing had changed. They were supposed to be creating a deadly Plague, yet all they had managed so far was to create a relaxant. Useless. Still, Oni'jus saw that her Intevention had won the battle. The Deathguards had pushed the Scourge back to the graveyard and had formed a cresent, on guard for the next wave which they felt was sure to come. Nonetheless, the Stables was free, and Oni;jus could get on with her Mission. Saddling up her Horce, she rode out, leaving Brill behind as the turned east, towards the Plaguelands.


Gripping the thick haft of the Scythe in my hands, I eyed up the plagued bear that stood between me and Andorhal. I had Left the city this morning, sneaking out in order to advoid Undead detection. Whatever force protected the City Hall was still working, and therefore the mindless drones had yet to discover my camp in the council chamber. Every now and again I would send Phantaz out to tear apart as many undead as possible, mainly for my amusement, there was no hope to reclaiming the city. I also enjoyed watching the Undead tear away at the Voidwalker, watching him suffer. I would dismiss him casualy and without warning, simply to watch him fade away into the void, and then Resummon him to see his pain as he was pulled into the Mortal world. I had left him in the Council chamber, instructing him to dust the walls, an impossible task, and humiliating for such a powerful Daemon. And so here I was, alone, with nothing but an Unfamilier weapon to defend myself with, facing quite possibly the biggest bear I had ever seen. And it was preparing for another strike. Drips of green saliva trailed out of its ajar mouth as the creature charged at me, snarling hollowly, Red eyes flashing angrily. At the same time I retaliated, on the offencive, charging at it, Scythe in my hands, swinging it, aiming for its side. Hoverve I mistimed the swing, and instead of impaling it with the sharp blade, the shaft simply strick the side of the beast, knocking it of balance but not stopping it. Leaping at my chest the creature mauled me, its claws tearing through the crude repairs I had done to my robe, its jaws closing on the hands I put up at the last minute to defend my face. Snapping at my face its teeth cut deep into my fingers, and I recoiled from its terrible breath. Slowly, but surely, the force of the bears Jaws was beating my considerable strength, and slowly, its snapping Jaws was approaching my Face.

((Its been a while))

I could barely breath from the stench, plagued fish and meaty smells getting blown in my face as the bear strained against my hands. Slowly, but surely, the tendons of flesh holding my fingers onto my hands began to rip, and one by one broke off, the soft meaty flesh easily ripped to shreds by the beasts powerfull jaws. swallowed easily, the bear prepared for a final strike, seeing as I no longer had any way of defending myself. Rearing up onto its hind legs, it roared, and raised its huge front paws to smash in my skull. Instead however, the creature instead decided to produce a sword out of its chest, the long curved blade driving right through its body, sticking out above me, as the beast roared in pain, before falling down in a heap. Looking up I saw an elf, wrapped in cloth, withdrawing her sword from the beasts back, as I blacked out.

I awoke upon a table, its hard, splintery, wooden surface scraching my back. Above me was a bright light, and thick leather straps held me down. I could see nothing but light.
"What is your name."
The Voice was clear, well pronounciated and had an arrogant tone to it. it was coming from somewhere near my feet, and, as I squinted against the light, I could just make out a figure, a shadow, nothing more.
"Your name."
"Drilac'n"
Looking down I could see my robes had been removed, and, for the first time, I noticed something that made my old heart clench up in anger and disapointment. Nonetheless, I continued to inspect my body, scraches covering it, the flesh ripped off around the elbows and the ribs, showing bone. Darkhounds should be kept on leashes. But... something elce was there. My quick repairs had been improved on, thick thread and small bits of wire used to hold the bones together, the strands of cloth removed. Testing it, I tried to move my elbows, but the straps proved it impossible.
"What are you... 'Drilac'n', you are an anomoly, an exception. Scientifically, you are impossible, no form of necromancy holds you together but still you exist, alive and moving. No trace of recorded magic can be traced on any part of your body except your eyes... very interesting, I hope to examine them closer should I be able to get close enough to remove them."
I frowned.
"Yes, your... servants appear to be very protective over you... they need you, I cannot think why. And any attempt to slay them have yet proved unsuccesfull... curious very curious. So answer me, what are you?"
"I am Drilac'n"
"An automatic responce no doubt. Still, you can see we have patched you up, we mean no harm. Unfortunately we were unable to recover your fingers intact... so we have provided you with an alternative that I assume you will enjoy."
Hearing this I tried to move my fingers, but all the joints in the middle had frozen up. I could, with limited flexibility, move them up and down, and as they dragged along the wooden bench I could hear a scratching sound.
"Claws, from the Bear Oni'Jus was fortunate enough to slay before it mauled you to death. They were not easy to attach, but it appears once they were on they began to respond to your thoughts, again probably something I wish to examine closer."
Squinting, I tried to make out a face amist the shadow, but to no avail. Suddenly, the table beneath me gave out a shuder, and I slowly began to be moved upright.
"I should Intoduce myself. I am Grand Apothecary Putress, Servant of Sylvanas and one of the leaders of the Royal Apothecary Society. We have been wronged and seek to right that. We are the Forsaken. We do not Forget."


"We do not Forgive."

Muttering quietly to myself I paced up and down the length of the locked room, A Pair of large oaken doors barricading the only apparent exit. I had already inspected the two smaller rooms that branched off at the opposite end of the room, flanking a clear running fountain, one containing a small empty bowl on the floor, the other laden with bookcases. Stacks of brightly coloured vials lined the walls, and a huge mechanical device - a Telsa coil Putress had described it as, hung over the table he had previously been strapped to. Also in the room floated the blue monstrocity I had enslaved, curiously acompanied by three other creatures, Each completely different, and each radiating pure power. They appeared to follow my every commant, the Largest holding a massive double bladed axe, Orange spikes running down his back, small red eyes glowing out from behind some sort of helmet. He never spoke. The Other was his polar opposite, a tiny creature, black, irritating, and radiating green dust. He Never shut up. The Last, and only female was skantily dressed, small black wings sprouting from her back, small sexy horns on her forehead, and a long spined whip in her hand. Twice now she had attempted to caress my cuts, each time recieving a stern look from the tall one, who appeared to be in charge. Upon interrogation their Names were Neelroon, a 'Felguard', Kupyal, the 'Imp' and Lyntai, a Succubus, but yet none of them would divulge any information as to why they were following me. Still - I was biding my time. I had been locked in, alone for what could have been hours or days, the lack of natural light giving no clues. Slowly, I finished planning out my escape in my head. Looking at the door, I raised my hand, the entire thing, claws and all bursting into fire.

The Doors exploded outwards, with a crash that shook the entire structure of the tunnels. Bits of stone shattered off the wall with the doors, pounding on the opposite walls, smoke wafting from the charred remains of the oak frames. As the steam cleared, I store out of the room, through the dust and smoke, the four dark figures flanking me. Entering the corridor I made a right turn, a curving staircase down a few hundered yards ahead. Down these stairs I could hear voices, alerted by my eruption from the room, and then the clatter of feet scaling the stairway. Smiling I began to stride forwards, my demons with me. A Large group of Undead creatures, wearing silver threaded black robes appeared at the end of the corridor, Pointing at me they charged, the demons springing into action. Neelroon and Lynati at the front, weapons sheathed, wrestled against the outnumbering undead, pushing them against the walls, forcing them through doors, the crack of breaking bones heard. Drifting after me Phantaz followed, Kupyal's hands crackling with fire, ready to throw a fireball. Unflinching I continued walking, heart beating still in my chest, and once stunned or unconsious apothecaries reached a certain distance away from me my Demonic servants simply left them alone, assaulting any others still inside my presence. Decending the stairs the Corridor curved around, continuing aof another few hundered yards, lined with doors. Again at the end was another curved staircase, decending even further. Continuing in the same fachion, Apothecaries bursting out the doors, their specialised studies suddenly disrupted, attacking with scalpels, throwing test tubes at the Advancing group. Each vial was shot down with a well aimed fireball from the Imp, and the Felguard and Succubus fended off any attacking Forsaken. A serious look on my face appeared, eyes locked dead ahead, showing little to no emotion. Once again decending the stairs I saw the corridor bend sharply to the Left, another pair of large doors. Slowly, the quell of Apothecaries stopped, and I drew up outside the doors. Cracking my knuckles, ready, I placed both hands on the doors and pushed them open simultaniously.

No amount of preperation could have protected me from the sight I walked into. The Room was huge to say the least, darkness enshrouding the furthest corners, specks of light from small Telsa coils - and by small I mean in comparison to the Monstrocity that loomed over my head. Wrapped in scaffolding the contraption was hundereds of feet high, attached to the roof above by a massive rod almost a metre thick. The Disks, six of them were uncompleted, a single tiny dwarf, made smaller by the distance and comparison, welded plates of metal to the coils, complicated wiring contained inside each ring. Abowe the upmost ring three rods procured horrizontally, once leaving the perimeter of the top ring dropping down, before stopping, uncompleted. And below this, large digging machines, off seeming goblin design were burrowing into the floor, a ring wider than the largest Ring on the coil, drawn out on the floor below. Four Colums, each several metres on each side, reached up to the ceiling far far above, and the floor was littered with desks, apothecaries quietly working on whatever recipies they had going. And on the far left, was a series of pipes, pumping dark cloudy flowing water through them, green and blue colours flowing down. Lastly, opposite me was the exit, up two flights of steps parallell to the wall, a smallish door guarded by two... abominations. Taking it all in... I knew I wanted to be part of it, whatever experiment these apothecaries were planning. I wanted to take in the thrill, the glory of success, to see my enemies fall before me. Watching The Grand Apothecary walk towards me, along with two other figures, one once human and missing a lower Jaw, the other the Elven girl who had rescued me from the bear, still wrapped in black cloth hiding all skin, blue eyes shining out from behind her mask. Signalling, I let my servants drop their guard, and walked out to confront the three Apothecaries. Looking through the slit in his mask, Putress spoke first.
"I told you Masters, he was good. Breaking out of out Private quarters, and through some of out best Apothecaries."
"He has caused rediculour damage to that door" The Elf protested, "And he could have killed any one of our top Researchers..."
"Silence Oni'Jus" The Human simply said. "The Creature has proved his worth... even with the help of... these beasts."
At the comment the Felguard took a step forwards, lifting his axe, but, at a simple gaze from Phantaz he stopped.
"Drilac'n, may I Introduce master Apothecary Faranell, Leader of the Royal Apothecary Society. I trust you have already met Master Apothecary Oni'Jus?"
"Putress, please. Quiet. You, Creature. I don't trust you, and if it were up to me I would have you in a cage experimenting on you. Yet Putress Begs me to let you have a chance, and you have already proved yourself... capeable. Therefore, I will offer you a place in the Society, under the condition that Putress trains you personally. I will not have you attacking our Apothecaries again." Faranell finished, and looked inquisitively at me, the other two standing behind him, protectively.
"I do"
"Do you swear to do whatever it takes to serve the Forsaken?"
"Do you Swear to Follow Sylvanas, Your Queen, giving your life for her?"
"I do."
"Do you swear to do all you can to end the lives of the Living, leaving only the Forsaken?"
"I do."
"Then Welcome... Drilac'n... To the Royal Apothecary Society."

"Tell me. Tell me everything."
"I can't remember."
"What you can."
"I had a wife... I can't remember what happened to her, or where she is now."
"More."
"I awoke alone in a tomb. Every memory I have of that is black."
"More."
"I left the tomb. I think I fought something in there."
"More."
"I moved East."
"More."
"I fought and enslaved the Demon, Phantaz in the ruins of a city."
"Andorhal. More."
"He had caused me great pain. I think he killed me... It was so long ago."
"More."
"I think its his magic that makes me different to you and the rest of the Forsaken."
"Interesting. More."
"I can cast spells I am sure I never could. I don't know why."
"The Jewels in your eye sockets cause that. We detect an enchantment around you that locks your soul to your body... a Curse. However when parts of your body are removed they improvice, therefore have posessed the jewels to become your eyes and the claws to become your fingers, keeping all of the original properties. Logically, because of this we can replace any damaged part of your body. More."
"I will serve the Royal Apothecary Society. I will be your protegé. You cannoy leave the Lower Apothecatium, I will run errands for you outside."
"Good. For now I am sending you to Train with a warband we are aware of. Return here every other day for lessons in Alchemy. I will teach you Personally. In your free time you must find an Orc named Torgg. He leads a group named the Global Warming... they are fools and Idiots... but they are skilled and tallented. Your Magic is new to you, and they can teach you how to weild it. More importantly, they are weak and insignifigant enough to not draw attention to you. Good Luck."