JCC [Image heavy]A thread for art: See note on page 776

"Unleash occult secrets penned in antiquity, long forgotten to the modern world into your Starfinder RPG campaign with Everyman Gaming’s new Occult Skill Guide series! From occultic rituals to terrifying corruptions, from powerful pacts and terrible corruptions, the Occult Skill Guide has what you need to bring the mysteries of the occult into the far-flung future!
This installment of the Occult Skill Guide introduces: the soulless, deadly creatures formed when mortal souls are wholly corrupted by intense primal emotion. This product includes a new corruption, soulless consumption, and eight all-new soulless creatures: glooms, gloomballs, gloomigers, ushers, and more!"

https://www.deviantart.com/prodigyduck/art/Soulless-Consumption-818762662



https://www.deviantart.com/prodigyduck/art/Soulless-Hansune-818763007



https://www.deviantart.com/prodigyduck/art/Soulless-Syngloom-818763293



https://www.deviantart.com/prodigyduck/art/Soulless-Gloomgyr-818764009



https://www.deviantart.com/prodigyduck/art/Soulless-Gloomhemoth-818764321



https://www.deviantart.com/prodigyduck/art/Soulless-Gloom-Usher-818765427

 

Charles Tan

 

https://www.deviantart.com/prodigyduck/art/Kasatha-Mythos-Mystic-743740489



https://www.deviantart.com/prodigyduck/art/Skittermander-Loremaster-747738998



https://www.deviantart.com/prodigyduck/art/Ess-fireball-748692334



https://www.deviantart.com/prodigyduck/art/Starfarer-Archer-750883408



https://www.deviantart.com/prodigyduck/art/Jury-Rigging-754167061



https://www.deviantart.com/prodigyduck/art/Lawstar-Justicar-754171908

 

Tempus Breaker by Allan Martin

 

https://www.deviantart.com/gaudibuendia/art/succulent-850223830

 

"Amalgam Comics Characters
I always enjoyed the sheer nerd overload of the Amalgam Comics that Marvel and DC teamed up to do as a Fifth Week Event lo those many years ago..."

https://www.deviantart.com/tnperkins/art/Amalgam-Comics-Iron-Lantern-849932006



https://www.deviantart.com/tnperkins/art/Amalgam-Comics-Speed-Demon-849932081



https://www.deviantart.com/tnperkins/art/Amalgam-Comics-Universe-Boy-849932153



https://www.deviantart.com/tnperkins/art/Amalgam-Comics-Super-Patriot-849932360



https://www.deviantart.com/tnperkins/art/Amalgam-Comics-The-Hyena-849932410



https://www.deviantart.com/tnperkins/art/Amalgam-Comics-Iron-Lantern-Besieged-849932662

 

https://www.deviantart.com/mihio-san/art/AdL-Pacome-Mitaie-847667003

Spoiler

Oupsie, il arrive enfin-
PS : Ouais il arrive vraiment



Nom: Mitaie

Prénom: Pacôme

Sexe: Mâle

Age: 26 ans

Taille: 1m70

Poids: 65 kg

Particularités physiques: Plus il peut porter de bijoux pour se la péter, mieux c'est. Sinon, une fossette à la joue gauche.

Orientation et situation actuelle: Tout, parce qu'il adore séduire. Et donc célibataire.

Adresse: Au dessus du salon de thé

Métier: Propriétaire du salon de thé.

Pierres:
CHARISME :
KARMA :
CAPACITES :

Caractère: Pacôme est un homme joyeux, qui sait qu'il est beau. Il aime séduire, impressionner, faire rêver et donner l'illusion. Sa vie n'a pas été facile, et c'est pour ça qu'il préfère faire croire que tout va bien et ne pas porter d'importance aux malheurs. Pour autant, il n'est pas je-m'en-foutiste, et même plutôt peureux. Il fait semblant que non, mais il reste impressionnable. Il aime raconter des histoires, et est très sociable. Son truc à lui, c'est la voyance, enfin... la fausse voyance. Ayant grandi dans une caravane de gitans pendant plusieurs années, il a appris de leurs dons, et prédit l'avenir au pif à ces clients, tout ça dans un nuage de mystère et de paillettes. Il adore voyager, découvrir, bouger. C'est un homme incroyablement curieux. Il est généreux.... quand ça l'arrange, et surtout quand il sait qu'il aura des gens qui lui seront redevables après. Donc en fait il n'est pas si généreux. Et il adore les râgots. Il aime que les gens se confient à lui. Mais ce n'est pas dit que ça restera secret....

Histoire: Pacôme est l'ainé d'une petite famille citadine et bourgeoise. Pendant des années, il a grandi avec sa soeur, de 6 ans sa cadette. Il lui racontait des histoires, lui parlait de fées, de magie, de princes et de princesses. Pendant des années... jusqu'à ses 12 ans. Sa mère lui avoua que son père n'était pas son père, et qu'il était un enfant illégitime que maman avait eu une aventure avec un charmant soldat sudiste de passage dans le coin. Après tout, il était vrai que sa peau un peu foncée n'était pas dûe qu'à son bronzage à force de rester dehors... A ses 13 ans, Pacôme, que son père qui l'avait tant aimé voyait grandir comme un intru et un traître, le vira de chez eux. Il n'aurait jamais cru qu'il en eut été capable, mais apparemment si. Pacôme pris donc ses cliques et ses claques et s'en alla, non sans peine de quitter sa soeur, mais la vie libre était bien trop tentante, et la désentente avec son père ne fut qu'un déclencheur.

Dès qu'il fut parti, ce fut comme une révélation. Pacôme aimait être sur les routes. Il atterrit en premier dans un petit village du nom de Trilbardou, qui accueillait au sud de son territoire. Etant un pauvre orphelin errant, il n'alla pas toquer à la porte de la petite église près de la place, ou à une maison un temps soit peu accueillante. Non, il s'arrêta devant les caravanes bondées, observant une vieille femme faire un tour de passe-passe à des enfants en parlant dans une langue étrangère. Il s'assit là et l'observa toute la soirée, et la vieille femme, prise de pitié, l'hébergea. Au fil des années il s'intégra dans la caravane et la suivit sur les routes de la Seine et Marne. Au fil de ses années, dès que sa soeur fut assez grande pour pouvoir écrire, ils échangèrent elle et lui des lettres. En secret bien sûr. Il lui racontait tout, et elle aussi.

En devenant adulte, Pacôme découvrit le pouvoir des charmes corporels et de la séduction. Il s'en servit à tout va pour découvrir les plaisirs de la vie. Il tenait au sein de la caravane une petite entreprise de voyance, factice parce qu'il est plutôt nul en vrai, et de vente de ses charmes. Oui oui. Bien que plein de personnes puissent en profiter gratuitement, il était toujours plaisant de se faire de l'argent. Un soir, alors qu'il étudiait les plans de route avec le chef de la caravane, il découvrit l'existence de Thiercelieux, petit village aux allures paisibles, et directement, demanda à sa caravane d'y aller. En parallèle, il envoya la lettre à sa soeur. Il s'installerait dans le village, il savait gérer un commerce et avait des économies, et il engagerait Nelly pour travailler pour lui. La caravane s'installa quelques semaines, en bordure du village, et y laissa Pacôme avec la promesse de revenir le voir. De son côté, il acheta le salon de thé avec Nelly, l'employa comme serveuse, et y monta même un petit business de voyance. Et un business caché de vente de charmes.

Aime / N’aime pas:
+ Le thé
+ La drague
+ La musique, la danse, la voyance
+ Les couleurs
+ Le soleil
+ Chanter faux
+ Prouver qu'il est le meilleur
+ Mentir pour faire rêver les gens

- Être enfermé, ne pas bouger
- Claustrophobe
- Avoir tort, ne pas avoir le dernier mot

Passions: Les bijoux

Relations:

Nelly (+++) : Sa soeurette adorée, qu'il adore, même si elle croit tout ce qu'il raconte. C'est cool d'un côté.

Peurs:

- Beaucoup de choses, il sursaute pour un rien, et est claustrophobe. Il a le coeur bien accroché, mais il a peur de pleins de trucs. Il est sûrement superstitieux.

Manières de rp: Discord

 

by https://www.deviantart.com/wiggers123/

 

https://www.deviantart.com/shabazik/art/Guarding-the-borders-847394578

Spoiler

Previously, in the story of Lance the Low Elf:


"This isn't a fort. This is a pile of rubble."

"Of course! How else? The rulers of Daiman'Yar and the Arch-mages are so out of touch of reality beyond their ivory towers, they forget that if you don't take care in a hundred of years a border fortress, it may have lose some of it's military value. Half of the time this ruin had been a bandit nest, the other half of time a troll den, and all the time the local farmers had been using the castle as a quarry!"

the mercenaries serving the Seven Cities of Daiman'Yar continued their careful patrol over the ruined ramparts. With the Witch King having seized from Dol'Nur all the lands of Morod, from the lands of the amazons to the west and the Polf river to the east, the rulers of Daiman'Yar were becoming anxious. Often they had made alliances and served the ambitious former lieutenant to grab power, and for sure the blood elven coastal cities had profited from these wars, there was no more a buffer between the elven cities and the Witch King. They had accepted to be vassals and initially took a knee to the power of Dol'Nur. And for some time that worked.

Until the Witch King began to meddle with the lucrative trade and taxation of the Seven Cities of Daiman'Yar, that served as ports for his kingdom of the interior. And while the proud kings, princes and arch-mages of the blood elfs had bowed and renounced to some of their pride to a Demon King, they were less eager to feel their pouches a bit lighter.

So as tensions rose up and a very heated debate was ongoing between the diplomats of Dol'Nur and Daiman'Yar, the elven rulers decided to prepare their defences -just in case, they said-.

Since the High Elves took the seven cities in a short-lived reign that had many of these border fortifications had fallen to disarray after being abandoned for almost one century and half.

The mercenaries garrisoning the ruins -Blood elves of Daiman'Yar as officers and mages, while most of the hired swords were elves of the interior of Polforia -that the Blood elves of Daiman'Yar refused to call blood elves, as Doroz low elves, swamp elves, elves of Ded and all sorts of half and quarter elves- refused to work reinforcing the fortifications, so local farmers and slaves were forced by them to dig the ditches, clean the debris and built earthen ramparts and palisades.

"So!"

"So?"

"Do you want to talk about what happened?"

"What happened?"

"In that grey orc town! All these years, you have been shagging grey orcs! I want to hear all about it!"

"And I don't want to tell?"

"Oh, come on Lance! That one you were showing how to hold a sword? Put a burlap sack on her head, file her claws and squint a bit, throw her in a river a dozen times and squint a lot, and you could almost say you were shagging a dark elf!"

"Gross, no!" Lance said. "I saw her grow! It's so weird and wrong!"

"What? Why? Because of you still holding to some stupid old morals of disappeared countries, ruled by humans at that? The Outregam is no more! Demons destroyed them, and we survived! Serving demons and blood elfs, but we survived!"

"I was teaching her since she was a child!"

"Don't think I didn't saw that other ozcura grey orc. The one that's clearly your daughter? So I can see, you normally don't have a trouble shagging other grey orcs! What's the difference? She couldn't have been much older? How long Grey Orcs live anyway?"

"It's different! I didn't saw her grow"

"That sounds like very bad excuses"

Lance sighed. He saw a cat, basking in the sun as it sleep in the warm stone wall.

"Look. The Ozcura village? it was like a barn full of farm cats. A farm cat isn't a pet. They may leave you come around -if you are careful-. And may very well pull out their claws at any moment. But sometimes they will get close to you. If they want. You can have a favourite kitten, but you have to be well aware that death or disappearance might be just around the corner for any -or all- of them. The ozcurilla with the sword? that was one of my favourite kittens. I just didn't saw her suddenly grow up and that she wasn't a kitten anymore."

"Well, but you having a bastard ozcurilla with proper sized ears rather than these ridiculous short stumps shows you don't mind ****ing some cats!"

"Come on, Elf!"


The idea of Ozcura village to be compared to a barn full of farm cats was by . Loved the comparison and laughed a lot!


Daiman'Yars


Daiman'Yar was a vassal Blood elf state of the Dark Legion of Demons, member of the Confederation of Free Peoples, located in the continent of Aels, in the region of Polforia.

The Seven cities of the Blood elves, located on the shores of the Hieyokscream Sea, were some of the most important ports of the demon-held Polforia, being an important trade hub.

The highly stylised, tall and seemingly light buildings of the Daiman'Yar blood elven architecture will become a well known characteristic of the seven cities.


Early
During the High Elf imperialism of the Late Elfic Age, while the High elves did not officially found kingdoms or realms in Polforia, they set in the northern coastal shores of it trading posts, as a vanguard for maybe further expansion: However, the catastrophes of the Age of Calamities related to the arrival of humanity cut these projects short, and the polforian high elves' ventures were abandoned. Local Rossnes elves, who had traded with the High Elves however did continue the settlements.

During the Age of Invasions, as Polforia was largely overrun by Orcs first, then Kanovs and Humans, many Rossnes light elves migrated northwards, settling along the Hieyokscream shores, often around these small trading outposts that began to rise into small cities and petty kingdoms:

However they too will be menaced by Kanovs and Humans, and many were conquered.

Dark Legion
When the Dark Legion of Demons arrived to Polforia, the elves of the northern provinces, last remnants of the Polforian Rossnes elves, often greeted them as liberators, joining the Confederation of Free Peoples.

Under the unified demonic Polforia, under the Pax Daemoni, the now blood elven cities will prosper under demonic rule, as Seven city states arose.

However, while successful due to trade and with a more and more refined culture, there began the feeling amongst some Blood elven elites that they were being held back by the Dark Legion and their heavy taxes.

That's why at first during the First War of the Power, they received the High Elves as liberators... but soon the High Elves proved themselves to be only new tyrants.

High Elf Period (From 2228 - 2254 a.a.H.)
The seven cities were united into a single colony called Daimar'Yar, so named to retain the continuity of the name but to remove the obvious demonic connotation. The High elves used the ports of Daimar'Yar as an important trading hub; they had a plan of colonizing the region and expanding eastward along the Polf River from the river delta. Eventually land under their control reaching and joining with elven colonies of the Polforian states such as the all elf colony of Tahela, and the largely elf colonies of Avaynti, Reivelin. If these four colonies had grown and linked up, this would have been a means of establishing a new elf homeland in northern Aels, and preventing a reunification of the tribal peoples who served the dark Legion.

However, the Empire of Whide Axis was now without an emperor and has lost much of its brief fervor of late colonialism. Human states of the Five Kingdoms of the Northwest were suspicious of the High elf intentions for this far eastern Polforian colony, and gave no direct support. Nor were Grey elf populations very eager to settle amongst the 'demon server elves' known as Blood elfs, so not many immigrants came from that quarter either. The land itself was not so easily settled, as the Polf River was slow moving and often swelled, overflowing its banks, hence the river lands, or much of the interior of Polforia, really, was marshy.

So, Daimar'Yar enjoyed some investment, growing as a port country, with the high elves bringing some new building techniques and magic so as to construct tall, thin towers for example, but not in the amount that was intended and enthusiasm soon faded away. Further, the High elves directly ruled the Polforian elves by decree, their efforts making clear that the seven cities were meant to become a high elf colony with the native elves as secondary inhabitants. Indeed, Half Elfs and Doroz elves were exiled from the land, suggesting that even the human allies of the High elves may have been right to be suspicious of the High elf motives. The High elf rulers tended to treat the Blood elf natives with disdain, for having served the demons and that they could only be redeemed by their High elf betters.

Between lack of support and a tyrannical, patronising rule, the population would rebel, and barbarians such as Orcs and Kanovs or remnant Demons would raid from the interior, leading to the project becoming untenable. So, the High elves would ultimately give up ruling the blood elves of the Polf River delta and Hieyokscream coast, and depart in 2254.

DAIMAN'YAR
After defeating the High Elves, the Seven Cities decided, rather than to continue their petty squabbles from their city-states, and to counter the barbarous raids from the continental interior which hurt them as well as contributing to leading the High elves to depart; to keep the unity achieved under foreign High Elven rule, and will become the stronger elven state of Polforia.

Benefit from High Elven architecture and studies, aside of being a trade hub that controlled the entrance and exit to the Polf River, it became a cultural centre, and while the rest of Polforia seemed to descend into barbarism during the Middle Human Age, the universities and academies of Daiman'Yar will prosper.

However, these successes will make the Blood elves proud, and they will attempt to expand to the interior -falling to the same wars and squabbling disputes the other remnants of the dark legion faced-: and while the culture and trade of Daiman'Yar thrived, their military suffered defeats and setbacks, and they would be pushed back to the coastal strips close to the walls of their cities.

To avoid destruction, they will bend the knee to the Witch King of Dol-Nur, and became their vassals: but a pact surrender rather than a military conquest, meant that this time the elves of Daiman'Yar could set ground rules for their relations with the demons -that guaranteed their freedoms-.

Later
With its seven cities, stability, wealth, and learning, the elves of Daiman'Yar would be a source of architects, engineers and magic users for the Dark Legion. There were some war-mages of some power and quality of techniques, and Daiman'Yar would be seen as a more reliable source of war-wizards for Dol-Nur than the much feared but cantankerous Witches of the forests of Ded who guarded their secrecy and were obtuse in their training. Much of the power of the Witch King of Dol-Nur would revolve around his monopoly of trained elven magic users.

Later, after the return of the formerly disincarnated and imprisoned Demon Princes and Lords, Daiman'Yar would be called upon in the Second War of the Power to provide war-mages and some elven legions for the Dark Legion. Daiman'Yar would have a dark reputation rise as a source of deadly elven fighters and more deadly war-mages, but these were drafts which would also sorely tax its ability to supply.

Later, the rise of the Dark Elf city of Zaghäl would supplant both Daiman'Yar and Ded as the source for elven magic users, and also Daiman'Yar's place as the principal elven center of learning. This would also be the situation of the drow city-state of Ched'l Sulho, in losing its own place as a premier center of the training of mages. However, Daiman'Yar would be instrumental as a port in helping to build and supply the new dark elf city, and would form an alliance with Zaghäl, and share its knowledge, which would help the study of magic in Aels to surge forward.

The Seven Cities
Among the Seven Cities of Daiman'Yar, one of the most important ones would be Dahl'Tuine, located in the river mouth of the Polf River, it controlled the influx of fluvial trade, being one of the main ports of access of Polforia.

While each city had their own political tradition -being originally city states-, they were oligarchic republics, who often elected as officials: kings, princes or dukes to be their head of states. In some of the cases, it was for life and in others for set time periods -dual kings, for fifty years in some cases, and in others the officials were elected yearly-.

At occasions, the Blood elven cities elected as Head of States demon lords.

https://www.deviantart.com/shabazik/art/Kidnapping-847569380

Spoiler

Last time we had seen Celine Arghad:


Previously, on the story of Lance, the Low Elf:



It was still early in the morning, and the little hamlet was just waking up: the earlier birds being the ones who had to tend the cattle and the hen. Most of the members of the warrior caste still in the village and the men wouldn’t wake up until much later… if alarm wasn’t raised.


Being a small village by the road, the settlement of ozcuras grey orcs was used to see travelers of all kinds, so their mere presence hadn’t raised much concern on the region otherwise than the raised eyebrows seeing an armed band… but not even that had raised that much concern.


The returned demon princes, back from an exile of about two centuries were finally liberated and the Dark Legion had been finally reunited… and they were marching to war. So whole armies where on the march, and just a small band of armed elves wasn’t a surprise as before had marched down the same road companies upon companies made up of all the servants of the demons.


Surely, the village itself had seen most if not all of it’s warriors leave: the demons were raising the largest army Aiers had seen since at least the Great War –the First Great War of the Power now, guessed Lance?-, and for that they were massing all their warriors they could.


“Sleepy town. We could torch it down and they wouldn’t even notice it” said it Archer. Like Lance, he was a low elf.


“We aren’t burning anything” Lance was quick to say.


“Just saying” Archer said. They had left the horses with the rest of the gang further down the road. He was eyeing some hens. Lance knew it would be foolish to tell him to refrain himself from telling Archer or any of the others from stealing. Long time mercenaries in the wars of the Outregam, the wars of the remnants of the Dark Legion and finally of the reunification of the Dark Legion, things that weren’t bolted down to the floor had a tendency to get stuck in their hands.


“Don’t steal anything too bulky or noisy. We still have to get away.” Lance hushed. But he doubted there was much of vale in that pile of dirt that was the hamlet. Just some food, and food was always useful on the march.


“Speaking of noisy. Won’t your package be the most problematic here?” Blade asked.


“And since we are already doing this… couldn’t we grab a couple more? Coin is coin, after all” suggested Rider, the twin sister of Blade. None of these were their actual names. But seeing your world crumble and be destroyed, enslaved and then escape bondage to become a part of the same machine of destruction that devoured your old life stripped of it’s meaning their names, after being chewed and spit by the demons. Nobody had called Lance Aelfgar since he was but a runt in an elferie* of Degoland.


“You know how much an ozcurilla can bite and kick. One is enough” Lance said as excuse, but really he had little interest in that sort of side business to their mercenary profession.


The group of elves crawled closer, in silence and stealth, advancing as shadows between the huts of the Ozcuras.


“Are you sure you would recognize the little bastard?” Rider asked, as they saw a little grey orc boy leave a hut, visibly yawning and only tumbling a couple of steps to piss by the corner of his own home. “Mommy surely isn’t home” Lance thought. Otherwise, she will kick the ass of the child so he goes further away to take care of his necessities.


“She stands out” Lance answered. Archer winked at Rider.


“She looks like an elf, rather than an ozcura. And you know the old saying. If it looks like an elf, it probably sells like an elf.”


Lance ignored the comment, as they reached the house that the previous day Archer had scouted. It matched the same house of his memories.


“Should we break in?” Rider asked impatient, a hand in the hilt of her knife. She wouldn’t have any problem turning this into a small bloodbath. In fact, she would be probably delighted about it. The twins were some arrows short of a quiver in Lance’s opinion.


“We must wait. She’s in charge of tending the cows of her household.” Archer said. The day before, he had been idling in the hamlet under the excuse of buying some cheese and dried meat. He was good at talking, and while the adult ozcuras were more weary of strangers, the little children had softened and spilled all the beans after he gave them some of the meat and cheese he had bought, along with some sweets.


The wait was luckily short. The door opened, and walked up outside of the dark hut a squinting, scrawny girl.


Rather than the grey skin of the ozcura, she was pale. Her hair was white and her eyes yellow. Just like his own. And just like the cursed Doroz low elves.


Only as she yawned, it was clear part of heritage that made her into a “pink ozcura”. She had the pointed teeth of her mother.


Lance was surprised how quick she had grown. It had only been years since the last time he had seen her!


But he had to leave the thought beside. He knew very well how quick non-elves aged, and knew as well with a half-elf it wasn’t ever clear how they will develop. That was for later.


Now, he had a kidnapping to do.




*Elferie or Elf Quarters: neighbourhoods designated for housing of elfs primarly and other non-humans, primary in the Five Kingdoms of the Northwest of Aels.

Edit 2020.07.10: Finished story!

Original description:

There is an old saying among slavers: “If it looks like an elf, it probably sells like an elf”.


Would write story later, but I’m interested in hearing your theories >: D



"Theories" closed, yet I still have to write the story!

https://www.deviantart.com/shabazik/art/My-father-will-kick-your-ass-847599784

Spoiler

With a hand gesture, the riders finally stopped. They were a dozen or more of them, all on top of tired horses. Some of the riders jumped lightly to the ground, while others weren’t as nimble or young for such acrobatics that younger elves were so keen on doing to show off, and simply dismounted.




“One hour of rest. Then we continue” said the leader of the gang of elves. A couple of the younger members of the gang went quickly for some branches to start a fire, while the others checked the horses or unpacked some of their rations.


Tied on the back of a saddle as grain sack, there was a long groan. And then some struggle.


“Somebody untie her. She needs some rest as well” one of the low elves said.


One of the warriors went to the groaning package. Who as soon felt the hands of the elf picking her up began to curse, kick and bite.


“I’m not sure she needs some rest! I would say, we have yet to tire her out!” joked the elf, trying to get away from the snarling ball of anger.


“You are all going to be sorry!” Celine said, struggling in the arms of the elf. They have been riding non-stop for what she thought were hours.. She tried to kick and bite at every time, as they left her on the ground. “You will be sorry! Very Sorry! Don’t you know who my father is?!” She said, thinking on her father as being the biggest, larger and meanest Ozcuro around. “My father is going to kick your knife ears asses!”


“Oh. We know very well who your father is!” one of the low elves teased.


“Let me go, elf bastards!”


"Too bad you are an elf bastard as well! You are among your own!"

https://www.deviantart.com/shabazik/art/The-Perfect-Little-Elf-847677882

Spoiler

“It was quite difficult, but we finally achieved it. Got some clothes from the twins, but I think they achieve the desired effect” said the witch, pushing out of the tent a very upset young elf.




“Hah! Doesn’t you look like the perfect little Elf? Lance said with a smile to the girl he kidnapped with his gang in their way to the east.


“I’m not an Elf! I’m an Ozcura grey orc!” Celine said. “And don’t think I don’t recognize you! You are the elf that daddy and the others males banned from visiting the village! Dad will so kick your ass!”


“I have some news on that, kiddo.” Lance said with a smug smile as he said that to his daughter.


“I hate you!”


“Nothing like some hate and resentfulness for completing the picture of a Low Elf!”



Later –after the revelation of his parentage, and her later denial, anger and attempts to kick his ass-, days later in fact for the (half) grey orc child to understand a bit better how family relations worked for other than ozcuras, Celine had asked him that if she really was her daughter, and he cared for her enough to kidnap her from her home: Why now and not before, Celine had asked him.


Lance had to recognise he didn’t had any good reason, and that his motivations where above all, selfish.


As a mercenary, he often wandered the northern lands of Polforia, fighting for payment of whoever was willing: be the Order of Nortender in their crusades; pirates of the Hieyokscream Bay hiring rapscallions; amazon chieftains entangled in blood feuds; poor Kdaimon villagers who pooled their earnings to try to hire somebody to stand against the bandits that extorted them of their harvest; bandits who wanted extra hands to steal of farmers daring to resist them; the vile slavers of Achastia; the proud blood elf lords of Daiman’Yar; petty demon kings fighting their own kind for scraps of the fallen Dark Legion and, lately, for the reunification of said legion: basically, everybody. In these travels, he had sleep with women of all kind of stands and races that lived in the region –and who gladly accepted in their bed a lesser elf like himself, be for pay or fun-. Celine had been simply the first time that his live had brought him back to a village, and find –without doubt rather than the aggravated claims of an angry mother- that he had sired a child.


The white hair and golden eyes of Celine was clearly the Mark of the Cursed: the more visible effect of the curse of the Doroz, and how often others easily recognised a low elf… and normally, you wouldn’t find such traits among the grey skinned, dark haired ozcuras: and while they had yellow eyes, it was what would be their sclera -white of the eyes- that was yellow instead of their iris –ozcuras normally had grey, purple, red or brown iris-.


This first time he could confirm his parentage had made him curious, and as the little grey orc hamlet was along the way, he tried to visit with some frequency as he went from one contract to the other or in his to find some winter quarters somewhere cozy. So between his visits, Celine saw surprised how quickly the half elf grew: Half elf only in his eyes, of course. Among grey orcs, there wasn’t such thing as a half ozcura: if the mother was an Ozcura grey orc, without doubt the daughter was too an Ozcura. Even when she didn’t look the part of one aside of some sharp teeth!


He came to gain some appreciation for the grey orc women and even their children: they were akin to farm cats and their barn kitten to him. And he was often well received in the village after a while, being recognised as a visitor, other of the members of his gang too accompanied him on his visits to the grey orcs a couple of times…


Until an occasion when the males of the village –the Ozcuros- grew suspicious of his visits and decided to run him out of the hamlet, banning him from their grounds.


He cared little for the word of some ozcuros, that he saw as lazy, unskilled brutes, but when he attempted to return, the females –the ozcuras- weren’t receptive either and he almost got speared once by one of the girls that had before more than warm to his advances… so he stopped coming.


At the same time, with the return of the great demon princes and the reunification of the Dark Legion, it had become a busy time for mercenaries like him as the demon lords tried to reshape the Confederation of Free Peoples of old, beating back to place some of their old lieutenants who had become too comfortable sitting in the empty thrones of the demon princes of old and making crowns and tittles for themselves.


But as the demons finished this mission and Polforia was again under their yoke, there was a brief respite: brief, for the demons had plans larger than Polforia, confined by the Hieyokscream sea to the north and the mountain range of Dargoina. They had dreams of conquest, and for that they were rising the largest army the World of Aiers had seen in centuries, if not forever.


This brought Lance again on the service of the Dungeon Master of Achastia –one of the former independent princes who had to bow to the returned demons and supply them with troops-, and as the forces hired, levied, bought or forced of Achastia marched to the west, one more time destiny had put the little ozcura hamlet by the road in his path.


Lance had the memories of the little white haired child he had sired… and as well came to the realisation that as an ozcura, she would live as one: to grow up to become just other concubine of an Ozcuro’s harem –that they were so uncultured and animal like to call simply a Herd-. This idea revolted him.


Before, he couldn’t and wouldn’t raise a little girl: that was more work that he cared for. But by his estimations, by then his daughter was to be old enough to become other of the many camp followers that marched after armies, serving them. He played a bit with the idea and as it became clear that most of the ozcuras warriors of the region had already departed to serve in the armies of the Dark Legion –making this endeavour decisively easier- he thought a plan.


The kidnapping had been easy: it wasn’t that difficult in its own, and their experience serving the slavers of Achastia had been useful…


But there was something he didn’t quite expect or took into consideration. Celine, as a half elf, was older than he thought she would be…


All is well that ends well? Well, to bad, that this probably not the end of it ... maybe he should offer lessons in sword swinging? That worked well enough with Layla after all.




Edit 2020.07.11: Finished story!

Original description:


Still lazy about properly writing a story.


But the ones guessing it was Lance, stealing his half elf (and whole grey orc, according to Ozcura grey orc culture) daughter to raise her as a Doroz Low Elf, rather than leaving her become an Ozcura tribal warrior in her village.

https://www.deviantart.com/shabazik/art/Riding-to-the-West-848027455

Spoiler

Once more time, as they continued to ride to the west, they surpassed yet another column of infantry. Lead by some mean looking half orc captains, this time the long files of foot soldiers was a mixed bunch of humans, kanov, orcs and goblins, with a couple of elves and some trolls.


As they rode past them, Lance greeted several of them. Same of some of the other elf light raiders. Celine noticed, the infantry sported the same heraldry as some of the elves of her elf-father –the one who had kidnapped her from her ozcura grey orc village.


“Who are they?” she finally decided to ask, as they went past a real horned demon sergeant, with a mean looking whip and a terrible scimitar, who nodded at the salute of Lance –Celine’s elf father.-.


“Oh, they are mercenaries serving the Dungeon Master of Achastia, our current employer.” Lance answered.


Earlier that day, they had crossed a whole army of ozcuras grey orcs, bleating a song as they marched behind the banners of a goat. And about noon, they surpassed a column of Kanov wild men, who had stopped for lunch, to give a rest as well to their mounts –Kazaak bipedal draconids-.


“…why is everybody marching to the west?” she asked. “It’s war?”


Since the Witch King of Dol’Nur had finally liberated the great demon Princes, the Confederation of the Free Peoples –known as well after its military arm, the Dark Legion of Demons- had been finally reformed. She remembered how the news of the liberation of the demon lords had a religious reverence in her village. And since they returned, the whole of Polforia had been bursting with activity, as the demons princes rebuilt their former empire –using in great part the kingdom the Witch King had amassed in their name, for them. The With King himself was elevated to a Demon Prince himself, and to celebrate these news they had a festival like none she could remember, back in her village.


“Most are really marching to the south” Lance said to his daughter, as both shared the saddle of his horse. Celine had seen more soldiers marching across the beaten paths to the west that she had ever think existed. And most of the forces where marching to the south? Against who? The low elf seemed to guess her next question. “The demon-gods have been preparing since their return for this. For revenge. For the destruction of the kingdoms of Men, who once challenged their rule in the Great War of the Power.”


“Some say, this will be the Second War of the Power. The definitive and final one” said other of the riders of Lance’s unit, a blood elf witch that Celine found scary.


To Celine, the stories of the Great War of the Power where that. Stories and legends of a distant past… that suddenly became reality with the return of the great demon princes, after an exile of about two centuries, imprisoned by the humans.


But as the demons broke their chains and returned to Polforia, not only the legends of her childhood had become true, but the demons had an extensive agenda to catch up. And for it, they needed every one of their former servants.


And since the return of the demons, her small village had been heavily working for the returned demon lords –toiling their fields, building their roads and paying their taxes, in goods or ozcuras-.


She always thought the stories about long lived elves was false. Impossible. But what if…


“Did you fight in the Great War?” she asked to the Witch. At this, the witch only cackled. “What about you?” she turned to Lance.


“That was way before my time” he said.


Celine nodded. Of course, elves lie about their long lives, she decided! Probably they look so alike each other, they simply try to pass themselves as their parents and grandparents!


They finally left behind the forces that had been raised for the new war by Achastia: all but one of the cogs of the war machine of Dol-Nur, which in its own was but one of the Dark Realms of Polforia, the Land of the Demons.


“If most are marching to the south, to fight the realms of men… then… where are WE going? Why we ride to the west?” she asked.


Lance pointed to the southwest. Not to the near forest, but further to the distance, to the horizon. Way beyond what could be seen.


“To the southwest, standing on guard of the Degoland Pass, is the last of the human colonies that once tried to make Polforia their own. All of them, one by one, had fallen.” Lance said. What he didn’t said that he –like most of the low elvess of his gang- where survivors of one of these failed colonies that hadn’t been exclusively a human endeavor, but as well of elves. Tahela. Avaynti. Reivelin. Sands of the past, cast to the wind. “That last human bulwark is the city of the slavers. Roccasone.” He moved his hand slightly, as if with such gesture he went over the obstacle that was the human kingdom. “Beyond Roccasone are the Five Kingdoms of Men. The ones who have incurred into the wrath of the demon lords, and who in their alliance with elves, once defeated the demons.”


“Temporarily” pointed the witch. Lance nodded, and repeated the word.


“Temporarily.”


“If the human kingdoms are to the south… why we are marching to the west?” Celine asked.


“Well, there are only so many humans!” other of the elfs of the unit said with a laughter. “If we want to catch some loot, we can’t follow the trail left behind by thousands of orc boots!”


Lance then pointed to the west, in front of their path, to the distance.


“The Five Kingdoms aren’t the only enemies of the demon lords. To the west lies the lands of the Amazons. The Bay of Hieyokscream. And there rules the Order of Nortender. Our current enemy.”


“And past employer!” added the other low elf closely riding by them. “It’s a shame, really! The Bucket-head warrior monks paid well!”


The Lands of the Amazons. Celine’s little orc village stood in the road that linked the Blood Elf cities of Daiman’Yar with the Lands of the Amazons. She always heard the names, but didn’t thought she would ever see them.


“So are we going to the war?” she asked, excited. She was after all an ozcura grey orc of Morod, of the caste of the warriors –even if she hadn’t fought her first raid-.


“If you don’t want to come, we can still sell you!” said the witch, cackling a laughter.


“Ha Ha. You are so funny” Celine said with a frown. “I mean, are we really going to war?” Not any war. But THE war of the demon lords?


“She isn’t joking, you know? She sold her own mother.” Lance told the half-elf daughter he kidnapped from her small village life as an ozcura.


“She fetched quite the price, the old coot!” the witch said. “Same reason why I don’t hold that much a grudge for my daughter for selling me. Still, will stab her next time”.



is the inspiration for the mentioned Dungeon of Achastia in the world of Aiers! His slaver hordes are to be feared XD

https://www.deviantart.com/shabazik/art/A-halt-on-the-march-848121200

Spoiler

“You shouldn’t go around by yourself in the camp. There are plenty of orcs around.”


“I’m an orc, too. A Grey orc” Celine answered to her elf-father.


“A Hungry orc would care little for that detail” he said. “Come on. Archer got a pig we are roasting by the northern end of the camp.” Being a unit of light cavalry, they had it easier foraging further away than the main armies that slowly crawled in the path to the west, to the lands of the Order of Nortender.


The Demon Lords had banned the army from ravaging their own countryside –the pax daemoni, the peace of demons had to be keept-, but at the same time, the failure to provide the promised supplies to the marching forces had resulted in these orders of the demons being largely ignored by the marching armies. Lance, who had seen all the problems this army was facing, didn’t wanted to even think about what was happening in the southern front, where the demons had amassed what could be the largest army that had the world of Aiers ever knew by then. But despite the shortage in supplies, officers had went around the fires of the camp telling the soldiers that they were about to reach the Contested Lands… and then, it would be the Lands of the Order of Nortender.


And they promised then plunder and riches beyond dreams.


But for now as they approached the lands of the order, many of the legions and banners of the demons had to be dispersed. Because the Contested Lands between the demon holds and Nortender weren’t the land of honey and milk, but of scarcity and poor farmers.

As they walked across the camp, Lance noticed noticed Celine was carrying around her crossbow. Quite early on, when he began training his daughter he determined –much to the annoyance of Celine- that what she had learnt as she trained as an ozcurilla of the warrior caste back in her village simply wasn’t enough… so instead, she would be a crossbow elf.

“You can take even the simplest farmer and in a couple of weeks train them how to use a crossbow properly.”

Celine resented this, as she loudly exclaimed that while an Ozcurilla, she had trained much more than any other ozcurilla –as she was older than most, and now she knew who to blame for her longer years as an adolescent-.

“How’s going the training?” he asked, pointing out the crossbow.

“It’s going” she simply said without dwelling much in the details. She was getting used to the mechanism of the human made machine. And she had actually used it before –if only to threaten some poor Kdaimon farmers out of some freshly backed bread-.
That had been actually her first raid, as she went out with some of the other low elves of Lance’s unit for foraging. And much to her disappointment, what was her First Raid –a rite of passage among ozcuras grey orcs, key in the transitition to adulthood, from child to adult-, none of the elves cared about it, beyond a shoulder pad and telling her “good job”.

So she had her own celebration, nicking some of the wine of Lance. And then, as she had successfully done her first raid and was according to the grey orc customs, an adult, she decided to sleep with Archer –one of the elves of the mercenary outfit that she found was the less effeminate. And she considered all the elves effeminate, so it wasn’t much-. She did this in a great part, because her elf-father had said one of the reasons of her kidnapping was to avoid her being “passed around as a piece of meat by some rude, illiterate and stupid Ozcuros male grey orcs”.

She really enjoyed how much Lance hated it when he learnt about this, and while he berated Archer for sleeping with her -“She’s almost a child, for God’s sake!”-, she continued to try to sleep with the other male elves of the unit, if just to get in the nerves of Lance. And she had promised herself she will do the same with the first Ozcuro she encounters. Hopefully in a way that she could get it right in Lance’s face.

They walked past the last fire of the camp –of some sad goblins staring at a pot with water and some roots brewing-, and further into a small forest, they found the camp of their own unit.

“Celine. How common is Layla as a name for an Ozcura?” Lance asked.

“It’s not that uncommon. But it’s not like Dagna. Everybody and their sister is called Dagna.” Celine said, remembering her own sister called Layla. She remembered, Lance had a story with Layla, as she was an ozcurilla “Why do you ask?”

“Nothing really” said Lance, as he greeted the other elves of the mercenary unit. While some tended the horses, Archer and the twins were roasting a pig that they “liberated” from a supply wagon meant to a demon captain who traveled so light that he needed twelve carts for his whole entourage –which included four musicians and six dancers-. “Just wondering…” he spoke again to Celine. “What was about your sister, Layla? Still in the old village, right? Giving birth to litter after litter of bitey ozcurillas, while treated as simple property of a horrible Ozcuro?”

“Pfft. Not at all!” Celine said. “Hadn’t you heard of Layla the Slayer?”

“Who?”

“She’s short of an Ozcura legend!” Celine said proudly. “Layla left for the city of Ergraz-Kaz, and she became a chainmail bikini warrior!” A chainmail bikini warrior being a member of the Sisterhood of Svanalla, Lance recognized. A sisterhood of famous mercenary company of demons, who used a rather particular piece of ceremonial armour. “She went to the west in her adventures, to become the captain of the guard of a Demon Lord!”

“Wait. To the west... to the city of Khar-Bad? In the service of the Ozcura-Princess Ashmadael?!”

“I think so?” Celine said. While Layla still lived in Ergraz-Kaz, she visited a couple of times her there during market days. Then, the last time around she learnt that Layla –captain of a demon lord guard- had beaten up her own ozcuro, and left with her daughters –and the other ozcuras to the herd- to some nebulous place in the west.

“Oh.” Lance said, coming to a realisation. “Then, she’s the same.”

”The same?”

“An ozcura named Layla is leading the XI Dol'Nur Legion, II of Khar-Bad, 4th Banner. They are from the column we meet earlier today.” Lance said to the wide eyed Celine.

“We should go to see her!”

 

https://www.deviantart.com/wiggers123/art/Watercolour-850001476

 

Bob Layton

 

Illustrations for Alone Against the Frost - Chaosium's Call Of Cthulhu.

https://www.deviantart.com/d1sarmon1a/art/Alone-Against-the-Frost-847724078



https://www.deviantart.com/d1sarmon1a/art/Ithaqua-The-Great-Wind-Walker-847838150



https://www.deviantart.com/d1sarmon1a/art/Brain-Case-847944273



https://www.deviantart.com/d1sarmon1a/art/Keywanema-Priestess-848166322



https://www.deviantart.com/d1sarmon1a/art/Puk-woogie-848694590

 

https://www.deviantart.com/sarinth/art/Saminu-849997329

 

https://www.deviantart.com/arunion/art/Lady-Dare-Lyla-Darby-838713623

"The wealthy daughter of the team’s benefactor, Lyla can read objects to track criminals and has mastered Jiu Jitsu."


https://www.deviantart.com/arunion/art/Doctor-Mercury-Dr-Garrett-Herman-838784259

"A field medic, Gary was sent home from the war after a bullet to the leg made him dependent on a cane. His inventive mind set to work on a conduction suit that could make him walk normally again. It did more than that. Doctor Mercury can outrun a Buick and withstand the impact of being struck by an automobile."


https://www.deviantart.com/arunion/art/Sky-Rider-Aeron-Aaron-Wright-838925619

"An Empyrian from the planet Siyelle. His technology allows him to glide on energy disks. He’s incredibly durable, and carries with him a dyna-beam pistol."


https://www.deviantart.com/arunion/art/Sky-Girl-Staela-Stella-Kepler-839092320

"Trainee of Sky-Rider from the planet Siyelle. She glides on energy disks and carries a disk that acts as a shield and an offensive weapon."


https://www.deviantart.com/arunion/art/The-Swordsmith-Henry-Edmunds-839624869

"The most recent in a family line of Edmunds who have served as mystery men/detectives protecting Colonial City since the 1740s. The Edmunds are a unique family who have keen senses, even in darkness."


https://www.deviantart.com/arunion/art/Princess-Rana-Rana-Ayya-839746980

"She wears magic gloves and has mastered their supernatural abilities. She is has traveled the world and no one knows her real age."

 

Nippy13: Zelda mermaid

https://www.deviantart.com/nippy13/art/Zelda-mermaid-646396087

 

https://www.deviantart.com/techmaguskhobotov/art/A-little-bit-of-Heresy-739487313

 

Nippy13: Rapunzel Baroque

https://www.deviantart.com/nippy13/art/Rapunzel-Baroque-676845571