The Heart is a Void: Ashes to Ashes

Chapter 108: Another Candle Burning Down

As the group shifted to accommodate DicingDevil and Sharak, Crucis found himself standing next to Deep Afterglow. While Fahiz carefully placed DicingDevil's text as a prompt for Endymion, Crucis glanced over a piece of writing that Afterglow was busily working on.

An extract from THE ENGLISH TRAGEDY

_by WILLIAM KIDD_

_ed. by L. FINCH_

The matter: After foiling Elyssa's plot to poison the King, Henry places her in the King's dinner as a substitute for the poisoned meat. The King, not knowing about this, is still worried about rumours of his beloved Elyssa's many affairs, especially given her aloof, indecisive behaviour towards him. In response, Henry gives a panegyric about the King and Elyssa, even though he has killed Elyssa and now plots to murder the King.

KING EDWARD. ...But I fear for Elyssa's affections.

HENRY. She mingles only among your court, how then

Should she dissent from the lord of the court?

Fear not Elyssa's spite! Even in the mighty arch

That gates this palace, are not the magnificent stones

Unsturdy as slipping pebbles stacked, and cannot fly,

All held high only by the keystone? So too Elyssa!

Her vaulting springer shall bow before its King,

Her stone heart wither to desire, and thus this weak

Sparrow that seeks to fly would embrace the hawk

Which upholds her beloved court. So forebear.

She shall be your prey in good time.

ED. You speak true, and so I will repose. It is the only matter that ached my heart.

EDWARD exits.

HENRY. A prey devoutly wished!—

And who could deny the wish of a King?

Not fate, not destiny — not the Heavens!

Surely he will voluptuously consume of her,

And she will do her part, be 'ate.'

Their stars have crossed, a perfect constellation!

Ah, the rotting court has a grisly order yet,

Just as a taxidermist can raise a lion-skin

To stand once more as King of the Afric plains.

After carefully starting up Endymion, Fahiz walked back towards Ibis and turned to the group. "So, it looks like Ibis just wrote up some information about DeathGang. I'd like you to -"

He was interrupted by the sound of hoarse screaming from outside the building.

"Oh dear, looks like it's another aggrieved visitor from the settlement," Sharak said.

"There was one last evening as well," Fahiz moaned. "And the one before. Do they have some sort of schedule? Ah well, most of the settlement is on good terms with us, so hopefully the protestors will run out soon enough."

"Can you take care of him?"

"Ugh. Sure. The fool would have me fight, when it's much more engaging to stay in here and discuss literature. Well, let's make it brief."

He rushed towards the doorway, and the party followed to watch.

An angry bald man stood outside the building, with heavily tanned skin and a wiry frame. He carried a pitchfork. Crucis noticed that his body seemed covered in faint bruises, possibly resulting from overwork.

"Foul necromancers, leave us be!" he cried.

Before he could enter the building, Fahiz stopped him with a fierce [Dragon's Breath], a Pyromancy move which emitted a geyser-like stream of fire towards the protestor. As he careened backwards from the attack, Fahiz followed up with [Carousel], summoning a circle of spiralling fire around the protestor.

As the protestor backstepped hastily away from the first attack, he collided with the ring of fire around him. Crucis saw that the protestor was now inflicted with the [Burn] status effect, and parts of his skin had become ashen black.

"You are monsters!" cried the protestor. You have taken our children and used them for experiments!"

However, he only had 7% HP left. Fahiz opted to clear this out with a [Sacred Fire], a skill which caused the ring of fire around the protestor to collapse inwards and flow towards the protestor's body, where the flames disappeared.

After five seconds, where the protestor angrily regained his balance and pointed his pitchfork at Fahiz, preparing to attack, two enormous wings of fire burst out from both sides of the protestor. To make way for these wings, his ribs twisted and broke, and his skin tore and contorted to form a hole on each flank. The wings blazed out imperiously in a golden-red display, and curved upwards towards the tip.

As the protestor cried out, he died, and his body remained standing in place as his skin melted away. The wings continued to blaze mightily.

"The very image of a great artist," Fahiz remarked. "Glorious wings upon a dead skeleton."

"Congratulations," Grisier said. "That's some impressive magic."

"It's just bells and whistles to decorate a corpse. But thank you."

After half a minute in this pose, the flames evaporated into a sea of smoke, and Crucis heard the skeleton fall to the ground.

"Hey, Sharak, looks like you might have another skeleton to do chores," Fahiz called out.

Sharak peeked out of the automaton room, and spoke.

"Ah, excellent. Well, I'll get it after the smoke stops. If I didn't know you, I'd think you were some kind of frightful gossip, sending smoke signals all the time."

He retired back into the room.

As Fahiz followed after, he spoke to the group matter-of-factly. "Some people write novels to help readers fulfill their wishes, by living through the stories. As for me, I just set them on fire. There is no hero as glorious as a pyre."

"Where did you get that [Sacred Fire] spell? I haven't heard of it," Grisier said.

"I believe it's rather rare," Fahiz said. "I found it in the ashes of a city which was destroyed by the [Great Wyrm], a fabled dragon. Seemingly the creature's magical fire had enchanted a few objects which remained among the city's debris. I hear that the Wyrm lives in a faraway mountain to the North-West, but I wouldn't recommend disturbing it — there are few creatures more powerful."

"So, how was this protestor?" Sharak said, as the group once more lined up to enter the room's door.

"Another delightful chap," Fahiz said. "You know, I almost wanted to let him finish arraigning us, such was the power of his indignation. But I'm too much of a show-off. Regardless, I think his send-off did justice to the soaring nobility and indignation of his heart."

"So another generic pitchfork-wielder?"

"Yes, sadly."

Fahiz picked up a few pieces of paper next to Ibis, which he had left on the table as he hurried to the fight.

"Well, anyway, some brutish man came up to fight," Fahiz said. "I abhor fights — while I am good at them, and indeed put on an impressive display, the presence of an opponent does annoy me. What encourages fights, other than painful simpletons who ought to die? Alas, nothing.

"But after that unwelcome interruption, here is the automaton's take on DeathGang. What do you make of it?"

Q: What is the Guild [DeathGang], from near Kruxol?

A: It is a death cult led by a Syrian man named DARYS, the Overmaster of Kruxol. It is known for murder and bloodthirst, including killing mourners in a Church and killing children in a Church. DeathGang members are known as "Kruxo-Nazis", a play on the term "Neon-Nazis" from the language of Klingon. They also worship a strange god that is made out of torn flesh, who will grant them power to become stronger, but in exchange they must kill people.

Q: Why is this death cult villainous? What is bad about worship of death?

A: DeathGang is a territorial group that attempts to live near Kruxol. Since that is a low-level terrain, they rely on expanding and killing players to grow effectively. They are known as villains. However, most players in it are not villains, and are just trying to survive in the safest way without cowering in a town. Since an over-crowded area with multiple Guilds would be anarchic, DeathGang's territorial ways help to keep them safe and preserve space and resources for each player to grind. It is a home from home.

Q: What is DARYS's connection to the death cult?

A: DARYS was once a worshipper of the Midgard Serpent, before he became a worshipper of Dravaistaya.

Q: When was DeathGang founded?

A: It was founded ten years ago, in a place named Anarchy Battlegrounds. It was founded on the same day as the Hashin. But that was not DeathGang, that was called something else. It split when DARYS began to quarrel with the leader, and formed a separate organisation.

Q: Are DeathGang related to the Hashin?

A: Yes. But they are different. The Hashin survive by expanding, but has no real territory. DeathGang have territory, but expand slowly. DeathGang tries to live independently and tied to the land, but it is in a foreign world so it must grow to do that. The Hashin is not independent, always following other players around, but this leads to tension and controversy.

Q: Why do people join the death cult?

A: Because they are evil. There is no reasoning with them. It is no use pleading for your life, they will ignore you. Most of all, you cannot understand them.

Q: Why do DeathGang cause suffering in Kruxol?

A: You cannot understand them.

Q: Is there any way to avoid the death cult?

A: No, it is best to give up. Everyone knows someone who has suffered from them, and nobody wants to be their next victim. They have no limits. So it is wiser to give up, and let them dominate. Maybe try any safe activities, but if DeathGang might be around then do not dare. Maybe you will escape Freihet soon, at least that is what the GM promised me.

Q: When is the Escape?

A: God would not just leave us trapped here for long, God has not given us so many blessings just to watch them waste away here. He will save us.

Q: Why does their god ask them to kill people?

A: He is made of torn flesh. So he asks them to kill and eat people, to replenish himself with the bitten flesh. I have seen it! It was a terrifying sight, Darys was eating our soldiers and I deserted out of fright.

Q: What is the DeathGang of Anarchy Battlegrounds?

A: DeathGang is a Guild of Assassins that inhabits the space near Kruxol, an area in the eastern edge of the map. The main business of the guild is the protection of the mining operation known as "Demon's Gate". The mine is run by Darys, a corrupt and sadistic mine owner. The mine is situated in a maze of underground tunnels, that are prone to frequent cave-ins, where workers and their families are forced to live if they decide to take the mining job. Cave-ins are a frequent occurrence in the mine, and the victims are always the same: the desperate and innocent workers. DeathGang also kills people who enter the area without authorization, or who refuse to join the guild. The mine owner pays the organization well for keeping order in the mine, and the mine is then run more efficiently.

Q: Who is the last known leader of the death cult?

A: It was once a man named Awdimir, but he was ousted by the current leader, DARYS.

Q: What does DeathGang do to dead people?

A: They perform a ritual called the Corpse Decoration, where they visit the graves of the dead, and dance over the corpses. It provides good entertainment, and a splendid display that enlivens this earth's prison. But it is very sinister.

Q: How many innocents has the death cult killed?

A: Several hundred.

Q: How many people has the death cult killed?

A: Several thousand.

Q: How can I become a member?

A: You must prove your loyalty to the DeathGang by killing an innocent man or woman. If it is monstrous, then they will let you in.

Q: Why is DeathGang celebrating?

A: They have won the war. But to celebrate, they will need to come to Kruxol. So there are plans to attack them as they approach, once it is late. The celebration is important symbolically, but the other side will try to interfere. If there is enough interference, it will embolden firmer resistance.

Q: What does the future hold for DeathGang?

A: Winning the war has increased their influence over the Kruxol area significantly, and if they invade it then they might be able to capture that town. Eventually, they will try to expand to Kaxil and other nearby territories.

"'Overmaster'?" DicingDevil laughed. "Fancy. He'd love that title."

"The recruitment policy would be sound, too," Akshel said. "Well, if they manage to get Guild sign-ups working, then we're going to have to round up some innocents for our new members to trial on."

"How would you decide on how monstrous it is?" Crucis asked. "A panel each giving it marks out of 10?"

"Why do you ask? Planning to join?"

"I might, but I'm willing to try my hand at the trial regardless."

"But where will you guys find an innocent man or woman? It seems to be such a task as would exhaust Diogenes' lamp," Sharak quipped.

"If Herod could do it, we probably could as well," Crucis shrugged. "It's not as if Bethlehem is so hallowed that it alone could procure Holy Innocents to martyr - and even if it were, our swords should not sleep in our hands till we have built another Bethlehem in this green and pleasant land."

"So, how accurate is this description?" Fahiz asked. "I'm assuming that some of it is spurious."

"Well, it does get most basics right," DicingDevil said. "It's actually quite interesting. Our leader is named Darys, and we are East of Kruxol. I think I've heard some folks throw the 'Kruxo-Nazi' epithet around, though typically it's just drunkards - they used to call the Hashin that, but now they recycled it for us. We did start in 'Virtual Anarchy' - not 'battlegrounds,' but small difference - as a group which were contracted to suppress rebellions, and Darys split away. Virtual Anarchy was a bit of a city-building game, where players teamed up to form cities, mines, etc., but could also rebel. However, we never had a previous leader named Awdimir -"

"Isn't that the Hashin vice-leader?" Akshel said quickly. "He's said to be popular enough that he's almost like an unofficial leader to many."

"Actually, yes, I think I've heard of that. But you'd know better than me, you keep tabs on the other Guilds well."

"Thank you."

"I guess it picked up on the Hashin vice-leader? Maybe because he's seen as a de facto leader, in competition with the real one? Anyway, some of the details are a bit off, like Darys worshipping the Midgard Serpent or Dravaistaya, or the Corpse Decoration. We also don't recruit in that way. Still, those make for good reading. But the last bit is fascinating, maybe it picked up on some players planning an attack on us? I'll tell Darys to keep an eye out."

"The part about Dravaistaya is an old conceit here," Fahiz said. "When someone is associated with many killings, or is a tyrant, then it's conventional to say that they are a 'disciple of Dravaistaya,' even if they don't. I guess it has become accustomed to that kind of phrase. Jormungandr is associated with people seen as stern, benevolent rulers, like the Kings Alkada or Tabila. So that seems to be what it means."

"That would make sense. In Anarchy, we were known as - aggressive, I guess, but somewhat benevolent. Though that became more controversial, and eventually we were one of the 'bad guys.' Kind of like saying that they're devil-worshippers, for us?"

"Similar, but a bit less strong."

"This piece is mostly good news," Crucis said. "I'm not sure that the children, etc., were killed in a Church, but it shows the mood. You can tell that the people in town are scared of DeathGang now, and some are giving up. That's what many of these rumours are pointing to. The more that DeathGang seem like demons, the more that people will shrink away and hope for an angel to save them."

"I also find its wild rumours quite flattering," DicingDevil said.

"Certainly."

While Crucis found the automaton's description of DeathGang to often be insightful, it also suggested that DeathGang were likely to stagnate over time due to their slow expansion. Their members mostly treated the territory as an alternative safe zone to the town, and would be resistant to the ambitious, violent expansion that would be necessary to keep growing quickly. Left to themselves, they would probably be brushed aside once Guilds doubled back to reach the East.

The Hashin's situation also seemed conflicted, especially given what he had just heard of Awdimir. Conflict between their members might make them vulnerable, but it also meant that their current structure was fragile. This gave him more confidence in interacting with them.

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