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Lichdom: Chapter 1
Nov. 3rd, 2024 07:47 pmI've began the last play of the solo game Lichdom. The first post is here.
Jack of Hearts
It's very rare for a mortal to ask for entry into the Archivist's collection, mostly because he keeps such a low profile that his existence has almost slipped into fable. Rare, but not nonexistent. As soon the Archivist's desires turn towards immortality, he is reminded of one such person who had asked him for such a boon. A small man, with wrinkled skin and but a few strands of silver hair, but clad in a beautiful suit. He arrived by helicopter - he was glad to explain that he had flown the machine himself, a skill he had acquired during "the war", whatever war it was so important that he believed it was the only one - who explained that he was a trusted advisor to the government of a country to the west, after the desert. Were the Archivist to grant him entry to his collection, the man would owe him a favour, and such a favour would be valuable indeed.
The Archivist denied him entry, of course - it would be too dangerous to risk someone sullying his materials. To the man's credit, he seemed neither angry nor disappointed at the denial, and he simply gave the Archivist a business card, should he change his mind.
He didn't think he would ever change her mind, especially before the man's life was gone, and the only reason he hadn't thrown away the business card is that it seemed anathema to his self-appointed position as Archivist. But his mind had changed. He had only to learn if the man still lived.
The name in the business card is Ichabod Orwell. The Archivist knows how to use the code imprinted, the "phone number", to connect to a device to speak directly to anyone.
Ichabod is indeed alive, and seems just as lively as during his first visit. "I knew you would change your mind." Is this an empty boast, or did he also foresee a change in the world? No matter - the Archivist will keep him around only as long as he is needed.
Five of Spades
Ichabod makes himself at home at the Archives. As per their agreement, he allows the Archivist to ask him any questions he desires about the current state of the world. Although knowing such things is important to him in his current endeavour, this knowledge is boring and unlikely to be helpful.
One day, the Archivist idly comments that he would need to cast a powerful spell to narrow his searches. "Does my liege require a sacrifice?" Ichabod asks, as if he had been waiting for such an occasion.
The Archivist nearly ignores him, before remembering that the situation had changed. If he is to become a lich, he should not see dealing with demons as a taboo. And he knows many demons who are knowledgeable but powerless before a powerful sorcerer. They would be pleased with a sacrifice.
Ichabod offers to fly the Archivist to a certain location, but such tricks are unnecessary; he needs only the coordinates of the place.
Soon the Archivist finds himself in a small army base. The sky is dark with smoke; the air is acrid with the smells of gunpowder and death. The soldiers seem alarmed by his presence; but by Ichabod's presence even more so. Ichabod talks to the soldiers like a beloved uncle and is soon talking to a high-ranking officer. He returns to ask the Archivist how many sacrifices are needed, and if they need to be taken in a certain way. The Archivist says he'll take as many as possible, and that for this ritual the manner of death is unimportant, he needs only to know when it will happen in advance.
The next morning, a gaggle of small demons within a conjuration circle are gorging on the souls of the men and women who lived in a small apartment complex nearby. Ichabod, usually so talkative, had neglected to inform why the bombing of this particular bulding was so important, so the Archivist didn't know whether it had been done to his benefit or whether he had just taken advantadge of an atrocity that was about to happen anyway. The matter is of little importance to him, as the thankful demons can barely stop to chatter about the many secrets they had been sword to keep.
The Archivist and Ichabod return to the Archives by that afternoon. The soldiers are told to keep the utmost secrecy about their presence in the battlefield, although news of their horrid deeds had already spread far by that time.
Nine of Clubs
With the information delivered to me by the demons, finding many new spells is a matter of time and attention. The Archivist brings Ichabod along for these runs; he seems to enjoy what he sees as adventures, and the Archivist doesn't trust him to stay alone in his lair, and isn't currently in the mind space to create new spells to mind his new guest.
It is not long before the Archivist, gathering scraps of information from many abandoned collections all over the world, does something he hadn't done for a long time: create a brand new spell. This one should allow him to talk to and bargain with Death itself, which he feels will be mighty useful for his endeavour.
How wrong is he! Death is not happy to be summoned, berates the mage, and threatens to break its own adherence to the natural laws of the world to drag him to the world of the dead immediately! Doing something else he hadn't done in a long time, the Archivist falls to his knees and begs forgiveness. Death mentions it might take the life of someone important in the Archivist's life in his instead, but, after a moment, simply says that the Archivist is forgiven, but not to attempt to bother it ever again.
The Archivist is certain that Death looked at the fate lines and, upon realizing that the only person whose life it could take to harm the Archivist was Ichabod - a companion at best, a minion at worst - Death took pity on him. Well, good enough! As soon as the lichdom rite is concluded, the Archivist will no longer be under Death's purview and they never need to meet.
Jack of Hearts
It's very rare for a mortal to ask for entry into the Archivist's collection, mostly because he keeps such a low profile that his existence has almost slipped into fable. Rare, but not nonexistent. As soon the Archivist's desires turn towards immortality, he is reminded of one such person who had asked him for such a boon. A small man, with wrinkled skin and but a few strands of silver hair, but clad in a beautiful suit. He arrived by helicopter - he was glad to explain that he had flown the machine himself, a skill he had acquired during "the war", whatever war it was so important that he believed it was the only one - who explained that he was a trusted advisor to the government of a country to the west, after the desert. Were the Archivist to grant him entry to his collection, the man would owe him a favour, and such a favour would be valuable indeed.
The Archivist denied him entry, of course - it would be too dangerous to risk someone sullying his materials. To the man's credit, he seemed neither angry nor disappointed at the denial, and he simply gave the Archivist a business card, should he change his mind.
He didn't think he would ever change her mind, especially before the man's life was gone, and the only reason he hadn't thrown away the business card is that it seemed anathema to his self-appointed position as Archivist. But his mind had changed. He had only to learn if the man still lived.
The name in the business card is Ichabod Orwell. The Archivist knows how to use the code imprinted, the "phone number", to connect to a device to speak directly to anyone.
Ichabod is indeed alive, and seems just as lively as during his first visit. "I knew you would change your mind." Is this an empty boast, or did he also foresee a change in the world? No matter - the Archivist will keep him around only as long as he is needed.
Five of Spades
Ichabod makes himself at home at the Archives. As per their agreement, he allows the Archivist to ask him any questions he desires about the current state of the world. Although knowing such things is important to him in his current endeavour, this knowledge is boring and unlikely to be helpful.
One day, the Archivist idly comments that he would need to cast a powerful spell to narrow his searches. "Does my liege require a sacrifice?" Ichabod asks, as if he had been waiting for such an occasion.
The Archivist nearly ignores him, before remembering that the situation had changed. If he is to become a lich, he should not see dealing with demons as a taboo. And he knows many demons who are knowledgeable but powerless before a powerful sorcerer. They would be pleased with a sacrifice.
Ichabod offers to fly the Archivist to a certain location, but such tricks are unnecessary; he needs only the coordinates of the place.
Soon the Archivist finds himself in a small army base. The sky is dark with smoke; the air is acrid with the smells of gunpowder and death. The soldiers seem alarmed by his presence; but by Ichabod's presence even more so. Ichabod talks to the soldiers like a beloved uncle and is soon talking to a high-ranking officer. He returns to ask the Archivist how many sacrifices are needed, and if they need to be taken in a certain way. The Archivist says he'll take as many as possible, and that for this ritual the manner of death is unimportant, he needs only to know when it will happen in advance.
The next morning, a gaggle of small demons within a conjuration circle are gorging on the souls of the men and women who lived in a small apartment complex nearby. Ichabod, usually so talkative, had neglected to inform why the bombing of this particular bulding was so important, so the Archivist didn't know whether it had been done to his benefit or whether he had just taken advantadge of an atrocity that was about to happen anyway. The matter is of little importance to him, as the thankful demons can barely stop to chatter about the many secrets they had been sword to keep.
The Archivist and Ichabod return to the Archives by that afternoon. The soldiers are told to keep the utmost secrecy about their presence in the battlefield, although news of their horrid deeds had already spread far by that time.
Nine of Clubs
With the information delivered to me by the demons, finding many new spells is a matter of time and attention. The Archivist brings Ichabod along for these runs; he seems to enjoy what he sees as adventures, and the Archivist doesn't trust him to stay alone in his lair, and isn't currently in the mind space to create new spells to mind his new guest.
It is not long before the Archivist, gathering scraps of information from many abandoned collections all over the world, does something he hadn't done for a long time: create a brand new spell. This one should allow him to talk to and bargain with Death itself, which he feels will be mighty useful for his endeavour.
How wrong is he! Death is not happy to be summoned, berates the mage, and threatens to break its own adherence to the natural laws of the world to drag him to the world of the dead immediately! Doing something else he hadn't done in a long time, the Archivist falls to his knees and begs forgiveness. Death mentions it might take the life of someone important in the Archivist's life in his instead, but, after a moment, simply says that the Archivist is forgiven, but not to attempt to bother it ever again.
The Archivist is certain that Death looked at the fate lines and, upon realizing that the only person whose life it could take to harm the Archivist was Ichabod - a companion at best, a minion at worst - Death took pity on him. Well, good enough! As soon as the lichdom rite is concluded, the Archivist will no longer be under Death's purview and they never need to meet.
