Vanyusha watched from the table as his protege returned to the camp with the unconscious boy. He knew that the boy hadn't made it too far from the camp, but it was still challenging to find a small child in such a thick forest, and his previous assistants would have certainly failed to retrieve him. Syrathan's tracking talent was commendable; it pleased him to know that if any of his future specimens escaped, he could rely on his new ally.
"Splendid," he said as he rose from the table. "I had faith that you would return quickly. No doubt you're itching for something more challenging, but I needed to gauge your abilities first. Rest assured, you will face stronger opponents once we move to Marn, but your rewards will be that much greater."
He walked over to Syrathan and once again opened the maw in his chest. Inside was the small girl, unconscious and covered in the monstrosity's black ooze. Grabbing the boy, he pulled him inside his maw and closed it yet again. After straightening his body, he turned and began walking away from the camp. "Come, we have much work ahead of us. And bring those girls with you if you want to enjoy yourself... or perhaps have a meal. It's your decision."
The wraith led Syrathan back to his cave, which was fairly close to the camp. Once they reached the entrance, he turned back to Syrathan. "We'll begin immediately; I have a feeling that you'll enjoy this. Oh, and I apologize in advance for the horrible scent: I can't directly harm my specimens, but I've found more... creative ways of experimenting on them."
Chaos and Control
Re: Chaos and Control
The event Vanyusha seemed to be implying was intriguing to Syrathan, as were the events he expected would take place in short time. He took the women and stood them up by the hair, motioning for the younger to take her mother, who was of ambiguous consciousness, then releasing them. He started walking and motioned again over his shoulder, this time connotating that the woman should follow him.
Syrathan mounted his horse, only now checking to make sure that his two acquisitions had followed as he ordered. A small smile crept onto his face when he saw his command complied out of fear. The younger woman gazed up to meet Syrathan’s eyes, flipping her head slightly to clear loose strands of fair hair.
Are you going to help me with this?, her face implied.
You have seemed to manage thus far, was his own nonverbalized reply.
Syrathan shot one last look of menace at her and turned to his employer, body language once again the medium of communication.
Let’s go, he seemed to say.
Syrathan mounted his horse, only now checking to make sure that his two acquisitions had followed as he ordered. A small smile crept onto his face when he saw his command complied out of fear. The younger woman gazed up to meet Syrathan’s eyes, flipping her head slightly to clear loose strands of fair hair.
Are you going to help me with this?, her face implied.
You have seemed to manage thus far, was his own nonverbalized reply.
Syrathan shot one last look of menace at her and turned to his employer, body language once again the medium of communication.
Let’s go, he seemed to say.
Re: Chaos and Control
“Watch your step. I keep my caverns dark to avoid attracting any travelers,” Vanyusha said as he stepped inside the cavern’s mouth.
The wraith walked through the darkness, his walking stick clicking against the stone floor with each step. Thick darkness filled the winding passages, broken only by an occasional candle on the wall. As they went deeper into the cave, the stench of rotten flesh began to fill the air. Candles became more frequent, revealing blood stains and slabs of decaying meat on the ground.
Soon, they came upon a brightly-lit room that looked like a scene from a nightmare. Diagrams detailing the anatomies of various races hung on the walls, and many torture implements, such as an iron maiden and a rusty bed of spikes, filled the room. A large shelf stocked with bottles of fluids and preserved body parts stood against the back wall.
“My laboratory,” Vanyusha explained, glancing back at Syrathan and their latest specimens. “I set up a base whenever I know I’ll be stationary for a while. I don’t intend to leave Marn’s vicinity for some time, so this lair will become quite… expansive in due time.”
He walked farther into the room and went through a small opening in the wall. Inside was a large cage filled with corpses. One – a naked, emaciated man near the front – seemed to be breathing, if only barely.
“A Marn guard. I hired a homeless gentleman to kidnap him and his young daughter. Since I can’t harm them directly, I decided to watch them starve to death.” He motioned to a small dog bowl near the corpse of the man’s daughter. “They’ve had enough water to keep them alive and prolong their pain, but it seems his daughter succumbed to illness. I doubt that her father is even self-aware at this point.”
Vanyusha looked at Syrathan. “We’re going to feed the remains of the daughter to the children we’ve abducted. I want to break what remains of their spirits, but more importantly I want to see how her father will react.”
He paused. “But before we begin with that, we must attend to the mother and her daughter,” he said, his eyes falling on the two women. “I like to foster creativity within my proteges, so I’ll let you decide on their initial torture. Do you have anything interesting in mind, Syrathan?”
The wraith walked through the darkness, his walking stick clicking against the stone floor with each step. Thick darkness filled the winding passages, broken only by an occasional candle on the wall. As they went deeper into the cave, the stench of rotten flesh began to fill the air. Candles became more frequent, revealing blood stains and slabs of decaying meat on the ground.
Soon, they came upon a brightly-lit room that looked like a scene from a nightmare. Diagrams detailing the anatomies of various races hung on the walls, and many torture implements, such as an iron maiden and a rusty bed of spikes, filled the room. A large shelf stocked with bottles of fluids and preserved body parts stood against the back wall.
“My laboratory,” Vanyusha explained, glancing back at Syrathan and their latest specimens. “I set up a base whenever I know I’ll be stationary for a while. I don’t intend to leave Marn’s vicinity for some time, so this lair will become quite… expansive in due time.”
He walked farther into the room and went through a small opening in the wall. Inside was a large cage filled with corpses. One – a naked, emaciated man near the front – seemed to be breathing, if only barely.
“A Marn guard. I hired a homeless gentleman to kidnap him and his young daughter. Since I can’t harm them directly, I decided to watch them starve to death.” He motioned to a small dog bowl near the corpse of the man’s daughter. “They’ve had enough water to keep them alive and prolong their pain, but it seems his daughter succumbed to illness. I doubt that her father is even self-aware at this point.”
Vanyusha looked at Syrathan. “We’re going to feed the remains of the daughter to the children we’ve abducted. I want to break what remains of their spirits, but more importantly I want to see how her father will react.”
He paused. “But before we begin with that, we must attend to the mother and her daughter,” he said, his eyes falling on the two women. “I like to foster creativity within my proteges, so I’ll let you decide on their initial torture. Do you have anything interesting in mind, Syrathan?”
Re: Chaos and Control
"I volunteer to prepare the human. No offense intended, but I believe myself to be the better cook. As for the women, you may do as you please; I have no need of women once I have had my way with them, for I do not consume them."
Syrathan's hackles were excited by the smell of the cave. This might become more lucrative than he had imagined.
Syrathan's hackles were excited by the smell of the cave. This might become more lucrative than he had imagined.
Re: Chaos and Control
Vanyusha nodded. "Very well. Oh, and make sure that the children watch as you prepare him for consumption; the fear and disgust in that grows in their hearts will make the torture itself far more potent. And you're more than welcome to keep any valuables you find strewn about the cage; they're of no use to me."
The wraith went to the central chamber to fetch the children, then returned to Syrathan and dropped them with a thud, causing them to stir uncomfortably and begin to wake up. "Once you finish cooking the meat, we'll begin torturing the mother and the elder daughter. I've been quite eager to try out a new instrument I purchased from a dealer in Marn. Come in when you're ready, I'll begin the preparation in the mean time."
He then went back into the torture chamber, and his glowing eyes fell on the unconscious women in the center of the room. Lifting the mother, he carried her to a table at the end of the room and tied her to it, then went to the shelf to gather his torture instruments. His eyes skimmed over the grotesque collection for a few moments before finally settling on a rusty scalping knife. Taking the knife from it's case, Vanyusha examined it for a moment, then carried it to the table and stabbed it next to the mother's head. Just as the children had to imagine the taste of human flesh, the mother had to imagine the knife cutting into her skin.
Vanyusha turned to the daughter. "And you, my dear, shall watch," he said softly as he walked over and lifted her. He carried her to the other end of the room and tied her to a post, giving her a perfect view of her mother.
The wraith went to the central chamber to fetch the children, then returned to Syrathan and dropped them with a thud, causing them to stir uncomfortably and begin to wake up. "Once you finish cooking the meat, we'll begin torturing the mother and the elder daughter. I've been quite eager to try out a new instrument I purchased from a dealer in Marn. Come in when you're ready, I'll begin the preparation in the mean time."
He then went back into the torture chamber, and his glowing eyes fell on the unconscious women in the center of the room. Lifting the mother, he carried her to a table at the end of the room and tied her to it, then went to the shelf to gather his torture instruments. His eyes skimmed over the grotesque collection for a few moments before finally settling on a rusty scalping knife. Taking the knife from it's case, Vanyusha examined it for a moment, then carried it to the table and stabbed it next to the mother's head. Just as the children had to imagine the taste of human flesh, the mother had to imagine the knife cutting into her skin.
Vanyusha turned to the daughter. "And you, my dear, shall watch," he said softly as he walked over and lifted her. He carried her to the other end of the room and tied her to a post, giving her a perfect view of her mother.
Re: Chaos and Control
Syrathan left Vanyusha to his devices. Though he was enamored by the wraith's methods, nothing really satisfied him like his own. Minutes passed in silence on his side of the cave, and he blocked out the noise from Vanyusha's general direction to grasp full satisfaction from the fear of the children. Preparing a human would seem a small feat for one only accustomed to dressing deer and the like, but for Syrathan, it had become so rote as to be boring. He would have become entranced and possibly dozed off had it not been for the children, shackled to immobility and too frightened to move in any case.
When he had finished, he sat and watched the children, simply staring into their hollow eyes. After a few more silent minutes (excepting the sounds of torture from Vanyusha's currnt victim) he took a large chunk of recently-butchered thigh meat and swept by his pile of belongings, snatching also an iron pan in his free hand. His eyes sparkled with innocence-forsaken macabre in the light of the flickering fire.
The half-elf was glad that he had built the fire and spit before butchering the meat, especially considering that he had been distracted by the commencing of Vanyusha's experimentation. Now, he plopped the flank onto the pan, the edges almost spilling over the edge. Curiously, he mused at the fact that the meat was cold; though the air was brisk, the meat had been only recently butchered. In any case, it did not matter a great deal, for it would soon be hot and ready to consume.
When he had finished, he sat and watched the children, simply staring into their hollow eyes. After a few more silent minutes (excepting the sounds of torture from Vanyusha's currnt victim) he took a large chunk of recently-butchered thigh meat and swept by his pile of belongings, snatching also an iron pan in his free hand. His eyes sparkled with innocence-forsaken macabre in the light of the flickering fire.
The half-elf was glad that he had built the fire and spit before butchering the meat, especially considering that he had been distracted by the commencing of Vanyusha's experimentation. Now, he plopped the flank onto the pan, the edges almost spilling over the edge. Curiously, he mused at the fact that the meat was cold; though the air was brisk, the meat had been only recently butchered. In any case, it did not matter a great deal, for it would soon be hot and ready to consume.
Re: Chaos and Control
Vanyusha watched the two in silence, satisfied with his work. Once both of his specimens awoke, the true horror of their situation would slowly begin to set in. Only when they had enough time to dwell on their fate would he be able to effectively experiment upon them. For now, however, there were more important matters at hand.
The wraith walked back into the other room and watched Syrathan from the doorway. The half-elf was hard at work cooking the corpse's remains. Glancing at the children, he could see the utter terror in their eyes. Whatever childhood innocence they had before their fateful kidnapping was long gone, fear and confusion in its place. No one would come to help them, and they would never see their family again -- but they would hear them screaming as they slowly bled to death.
"You're doing well, so far," Vanyusha said as he walked into the room. "I can imagine how eager you are to put these specimens under the knife, but we won't be spending much time on them. My accomplice and I had been planning a significant undertaking for the past few weeks, and now that I have your assistance I can finally begin my preparations."
He knelt down beside the little girl and tilted her head to face Syrathan. She stared up at the cannibal in terror, tears welling in her eyes. "There is something magical about this look, is there not? It's the look of someone whose world has fallen down around them. The confusion, the fear, the loneliness -- it's fascinating. Most people live happy lives in a protective little bubble, and its my mission to tear them away and toss them into the darkness."
His eyes shined with excitement. "As enlightening as these experiments are, we need a larger target. I feel that the people of Shim have lived in their bubble long enough, wouldn't you agree?"
The wraith walked back into the other room and watched Syrathan from the doorway. The half-elf was hard at work cooking the corpse's remains. Glancing at the children, he could see the utter terror in their eyes. Whatever childhood innocence they had before their fateful kidnapping was long gone, fear and confusion in its place. No one would come to help them, and they would never see their family again -- but they would hear them screaming as they slowly bled to death.
"You're doing well, so far," Vanyusha said as he walked into the room. "I can imagine how eager you are to put these specimens under the knife, but we won't be spending much time on them. My accomplice and I had been planning a significant undertaking for the past few weeks, and now that I have your assistance I can finally begin my preparations."
He knelt down beside the little girl and tilted her head to face Syrathan. She stared up at the cannibal in terror, tears welling in her eyes. "There is something magical about this look, is there not? It's the look of someone whose world has fallen down around them. The confusion, the fear, the loneliness -- it's fascinating. Most people live happy lives in a protective little bubble, and its my mission to tear them away and toss them into the darkness."
His eyes shined with excitement. "As enlightening as these experiments are, we need a larger target. I feel that the people of Shim have lived in their bubble long enough, wouldn't you agree?"
Re: Chaos and Control
"Oh, most wholeheartedly," Syrathan replied, a chuckle accenting his agreement. A large toothy smile accompanied it. With a lurch, however, it faded as the half-elf realized that his hands were not clean. He swiftly and deftly snatched one of his wineskins, woefully filled with water in the stead of any fermented drink, and poured water over his hands liberally.
His hands were shaking when he finished, small drops of water flung within a haphazard radius. Syrathan's breathing shook to match the palpitations of his hands. Through strands of dark hair that had fallen over his face Syrathan gazed at Vanyusha once more, his mouth slightly agape. He rose.
Flicking his hands as he rose, Syrathan's eyes played over the children. At once, his mind burst with myriad possibilities if they were to terrorize Shim. Once again, he agreed, this time more to himself than his accompolice.
His hands were shaking when he finished, small drops of water flung within a haphazard radius. Syrathan's breathing shook to match the palpitations of his hands. Through strands of dark hair that had fallen over his face Syrathan gazed at Vanyusha once more, his mouth slightly agape. He rose.
Flicking his hands as he rose, Syrathan's eyes played over the children. At once, his mind burst with myriad possibilities if they were to terrorize Shim. Once again, he agreed, this time more to himself than his accompolice.
Re: Chaos and Control
Vanyusha tilted his head slightly as his accomplice washed his hands. He understood that mortals valued cleanliness for their health, and he sometimes employed filth in his experiments as a trauma; but the urgency with which Syrathan cleaned himself seemed strange. Perhaps he had a disorder of sorts, but that did not seem like something that would interfere with their missions. Nevertheless, he would make note of it.
He once again looked to the children. "I plan to strike slowly at first. Shim is not host to many guards, and I've been carefully studying their patrols for some time now. We need to avoid killing them at all costs, lest we attract Marn's attention. They would certainly send reinforcements, and that's a risk we cannot afford to take."
The wraith lowered himself onto a nearby chair. "Shim will be different from what we're doing now. I want to make a public display of our actions so that its people might be thrown into disarray. Remains hanging out of windows, body parts strewn about the streets -- anything that will throw the wholesome little hamlet into chaos. I want to see how the townsfolk will react to such grisly scenes."
His eyes again fell on the children. Such poor creatures, forever robbed of their innocence. He wanted the pain in their eyes to be shared by every citizen in Shim. He wanted them to distrust their neighbors, to avoid their friends, to withdraw from their loving community. Their happiness was at an end. "It is likely that Marn will send a few guards as the murders worsen," he continued, "but not as many as they would if we kill guards ourselves. They would see that as an attack on the establishment."
Vanyusha looked to Syrathan. "Of course, I also want this to be a learning experience for you. Do you have any ideas for the people of Shim? I'm eager to see what experiments you're capable of concocting."
He once again looked to the children. "I plan to strike slowly at first. Shim is not host to many guards, and I've been carefully studying their patrols for some time now. We need to avoid killing them at all costs, lest we attract Marn's attention. They would certainly send reinforcements, and that's a risk we cannot afford to take."
The wraith lowered himself onto a nearby chair. "Shim will be different from what we're doing now. I want to make a public display of our actions so that its people might be thrown into disarray. Remains hanging out of windows, body parts strewn about the streets -- anything that will throw the wholesome little hamlet into chaos. I want to see how the townsfolk will react to such grisly scenes."
His eyes again fell on the children. Such poor creatures, forever robbed of their innocence. He wanted the pain in their eyes to be shared by every citizen in Shim. He wanted them to distrust their neighbors, to avoid their friends, to withdraw from their loving community. Their happiness was at an end. "It is likely that Marn will send a few guards as the murders worsen," he continued, "but not as many as they would if we kill guards ourselves. They would see that as an attack on the establishment."
Vanyusha looked to Syrathan. "Of course, I also want this to be a learning experience for you. Do you have any ideas for the people of Shim? I'm eager to see what experiments you're capable of concocting."
Re: Chaos and Control
"We could spread rumors of plague, of poison, of death, all before we strike. Then we wait until the people have gotten past their fear, until they are assured that the rumors are just that. Then we show them just how wrong they are." Syrathan stood to his full height. "Crucifixions in the streets, weeping, forcing the choice between your life and the life of a loved one...then the grim knowledge that the choice was futile. The guilt of self-preservation was in vain. Then we must vanish, for a time. Potentially a long while. But not long enough for their fear in the dark to become a mere echo." his speech descended into inane babble, then only laughter, his vision of a world in flames so close to realization.
Re: Chaos and Control
"Quite interesting. By spreading rumors of death and destruction, we can force the subjects to worry about their fate; and once they begin to feel safe again, we strike without mercy. Allowing them to develop a false sense of security will increase their terror and despair exponentially. I am pleased that you are focusing on maximizing our results."
Vanyusha rose from his chair and faced the cavern's wall, clasping his claw-like hands behind his back. As much as he approved of Syrathan's suggestions, rumors nevertheless held the risk of attracting Marn's guards, or at the very least putting Shim's on high alert. Needless to say, that would make carrying out their operations difficult, and there was only so much his sponsor could do to assist them. And as Syrathan said, they would need to die down for a while if they were to conduct anything like executions in the streets. Perhaps they would save public displays for the grand finale.
He looked back at Syrathan. "We will spread rumors, but they must be vague; otherwise we will attract unwanted attention from the guards. I want to take this experiment slowly at first, so we must save our more extreme tests for the end. We'll operate in secrecy for the time being: spreading seeds of chaos, abducting children, killing family members and lovers. Then we'll plan something grand for the end -- something we can devise together -- before moving on to our next target. And we'll return in full force once they let their guard down again. This will be splendid."
The wraith knelt down before the children and cupped the little girl's cheek. "I would like to strike tomorrow night with something to give the rumors a basis -- perhaps a single abduction or a murder. I have some targets in mind, and we'll come up with a nice test together."
Vanyusha rose from his chair and faced the cavern's wall, clasping his claw-like hands behind his back. As much as he approved of Syrathan's suggestions, rumors nevertheless held the risk of attracting Marn's guards, or at the very least putting Shim's on high alert. Needless to say, that would make carrying out their operations difficult, and there was only so much his sponsor could do to assist them. And as Syrathan said, they would need to die down for a while if they were to conduct anything like executions in the streets. Perhaps they would save public displays for the grand finale.
He looked back at Syrathan. "We will spread rumors, but they must be vague; otherwise we will attract unwanted attention from the guards. I want to take this experiment slowly at first, so we must save our more extreme tests for the end. We'll operate in secrecy for the time being: spreading seeds of chaos, abducting children, killing family members and lovers. Then we'll plan something grand for the end -- something we can devise together -- before moving on to our next target. And we'll return in full force once they let their guard down again. This will be splendid."
The wraith knelt down before the children and cupped the little girl's cheek. "I would like to strike tomorrow night with something to give the rumors a basis -- perhaps a single abduction or a murder. I have some targets in mind, and we'll come up with a nice test together."