Sunday Special #16 – Beyond Death

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Every Sunday I run a Special relating to my writing endeavours and the world of Aeyuu, which is the stage for many stories developed further through the Tales from Aeyuu Patreon. These Blogs are closely tied with my novel-to-be, The Age of Silence, which is basically a story about Love, Sacrifice, and Death.

Previous Special Arcs:
0. TAoS Themes (3 journals)
1. The Syrilae (7 journals)

Today we'll conclude this deep dive into the darkest part of Aeyuu by trying to explain what the Necrolore is, and how it works.

The Necrolore

Though not one Necrolorian would deny the established fact that the Necrolore, the power that has given them their names, is of otherworldly origin, none truly is certain what the Necrolore is. The simplest explanation is that the Necrolore is a form of magic, born from the Spirit Realm - the world of deceased souls only accessible to those of the Lore.

But certainty crumbled once it was discovered that the power of the Necrolore was so intense that it affected native spellcasters such as elves adversely, in some cases killing the caster. Powerful Necrolorian taught their followers that the Necrolore didn't equal the living's magic: it surpassed magic. Or rather, it devoured magic, and all that relied on it.

Since then, conjecture has it that the Necrolore isn't quite some form of magic, but something alive - ironcially speaking. A nonsentient entity of sorts, itself created from the God Thaene that is the source of all Necrolorian power. Whether truth or myth, fact has it that the Necrolore feeds on magic and all who are native spellcasters.

Death control: Curses

So has the understanding of 'curses' evolved along the way. What once Necrolorians believed to be magic encroaching on the fabric of life turned out to be, with every experiment, the Necrolore acting as a parasite upon another's life force - upon their soul. The power and result of these curses varied greatly, as no Necrolorian was the same. Certain curses turned sight into blindness, others enfeebled flesh until paralysis; others yet gangrened the heart until its owner died from the inside. More powerful Necrolorian could ensnare objects that would release a curse upon vicinity or contact, up to triggering the awakening of a Necromant to protect a Necrolorian's lair.

Yet no amount of power could protect the greedy and tyrannical from being struck down by the very magic they revered. Curses would backfire and ensnare their casters, Necromants turn feral and devour their masters. Some attributed these abrupt reversals as curses themselves; and no one would have dared even think that the Necrolore itself might decide who lives and dies.

But several centuries ago, this unspoken fear faded away and was replaced by a far clearer rumour threatening their way of life.

It was said, in hushed circles, that the Children of the Dead Goddess had started hunting down Necrolorian and Necromancers alike.

Legend and myth: the Children of the Dead Goddess

These entities - the Denumbra, as they were called in common Human folklore - were never seen or heard of, believed by the entire continent of Aun to be mere legend; stories told by tired parents, of hideous monsters lurking in the dark that ate unruly children for breakfast. Ancient myth of elven descent, speaking of the timeless Goddess of Death Tenumbra and the Goddess of Life Aeyin, one who destroyed the other in a battle of cataclysmic proportions.

A myth that the Necrolorian begun to believe when rumours started spreading of a dark-haired woman, clad in black, shredding Necromants with an oversized scythe. Humans called her the Grim Reaper - Death. Something that she could not be, for Death lied within the Necrolore.

Yet rumours persist to this day, even though this Grim Reaper has officially not been sighted for the past two centuries. Other rumours exist to this day, most notably of Necrolorians found shredded as though by thousands of tiny, sharp teeth...

* * *

And thus is concluded the Necrolorian act, with a small Denumbran one following. I obviously have ideas where to go with it without telling too much ;)

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for the next Sunday Special, same Blogger channel :D

Enjoying the world of Aeyuu?

Please consider Supporting me

on Patreon. Thank you ^^

Sunday Special #15 – Terms of the Necrolore

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Every Sunday I run a Special relating to my writing endeavours and the world of Aeyuu, which is the stage for many stories developed further through the Tales from Aeyuu Patreon. These Blogs are closely tied with my novel-to-be, The Age of Silence, which is basically a story about Love, Sacrifice, and Death.

Previous Special Arcs:
0. TAoS Themes (3 journals)
1. The Syrilae (7 journals)

Today we'll delve yet further into the darkest side of the world of Aeyuu that is the Necrolore, and explore its terminology.

Foreword: of Necrolorians and Necromancers

Few are the Humans, outside of the country of Korinda or beyond its neighbouring cities, who know of the Necrolore. Rumours of the walking dead, of people dying without cause or reason, have always been a part of Human myth, and easily explained away: people wearing disguises of bones; heart attacks. As science evolved among Humanity, so did myth get relegated to downright falsehoods.

Even among Korindians, knowledge of the Necrolore is largely built on rumour and hear-say. Walking dead, curses, unnatural fiends - nothing is truly certain, and what is witnessed in truth is denied existence for the Korindians believe that to speak of the Necrolore is to invite it inside your home. 'Death listens and answers', is the Korindians most uttered proverb. No one truly knows what it entails.

And the greatest misunderstanding is that followers of the Necrolore are all Necromancers. It is commonly believed that all followers are dead beings, but such is not the case. Those whom they call Necromancers are beings still alive, who call themselves Necrolorians - they of the lore. Necromancers are beings of death, hollow, within which subsists a desecrated Human soul. Necrolorians only differ from other Humans by the power they have learned to harness, by their body degenerating, gangrening, while they are still alive, while suffering no hindrance. By their living nature they may even be more dangerous than Necromancers, for they still know greed.

Death control: Necromants

As were all terms within the Necrolore, Necrolorians coined this word to define an organic construct given sentience. Even amid these creations exists a hierarchy that is best not ignored.

Most commonly, the Necromants encountered will be Necronomes - Necromants gone feral after disposing of their master. Necromants, often built with Human anatomy and a bestial head, are powerful entities not easily restrained. A Necronome is a lethal predator, nigh unstoppable for it is already dead, that will only yield to a being more powerful than itself - often a Necromancer, who, like them, dwell within the realm beyond. Such servile Necromants have been nicknamed Necrolytes. Necrolorian know of their existence, or at least are usually wise enough to realize Necromancers would wield far greater power than themselves... and, in some circles, it is even believed that Necrolytes have been known to dispose of rogue Necrolorian.

To none but the most powerful or the cursed, another type of Necromant has been rumoured to appear. These beings, called Necrites, are said to be as ghosts, with the major difference that they were never alive. Legend calls them 'Death's Pack', spirits that pursue threats and traitors alike like ravenous wolves. Whether truth or myth, the Pack is feared by the Necrolorian; but none do they fear as greatly as the Ana'Thaene.

Legend and myth: Thaene and the Ana'Thaene

Thaene is the name by which the Necrolorian know what they call the God of the Dead, a being that is said to live in the realm beyond, that is the source of their power. The Ana'Thaene is, depending on whom is asked, akin to Thaene's child, or its fleshen avatar. These creatures of myth are part of an ancient legend that speaks of Thaene's arrival in the world of the living, of the world of peace that he will create once all that exists now is purged, and the Ana'Thaene will be its door into the world.

Needless to say, this myth is taken very seriously by all Necrolorians - even by those who do not believe. The Korindian saying, 'Death listens and answers', is more than enough reason to not openly denigrate a belief system that, if true, has brought the Necrolorian far more power than they could ever have dreamed of. The Necrolore is the magic of the magicless, power for the powerless, as the Ana'Thaene of myth is the flesh of that which is fleshless.

* * *

And there's still a bit to talk about, so I'll be keeping that for next week! Still want to expand on the Necrolore in itself, the power it grants, and then I'll be (subtly) leading us towards the next subject... :)

Randomly, this is like just in time for Halloween. XD

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for the next Sunday Special, same Blogger channel :D

Enjoying the world of Aeyuu?

Please consider Supporting me

on Patreon. Thank you ^^

Sunday Special #14 – Part 2: Ayden Ryall, necromancer

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Every Sunday I run a Special relating to my writing endeavours and the world of Aeyuu, which is the stage for many stories developed further through the Tales from Aeyuu Patreon. These Blogs are closely tied with my novel-to-be, The Age of Silence, which is basically a story about Love, Sacrifice, and Death.

Previous Special Arcs:
0. TAoS Themes (3 journals)
1. The Syrilae (7 journals)

Today we'll delve yet further into the darkest side of the world of Aeyuu that is the Necrolore, through the eyes of a Necromancer that changed the face of Human history.

Reborn into death

Being dead was a change that, had Ayden still been capable of emotion, he might have qualified as 'awkward'. But it wasn't the fact he existed now in a woman's body - in his own sister's body - or having seen, with his newfound own eyes, his own - his old body lying dead on the floor that felt off. Even taking out his dagger from his own chest - from between a pair of female breasts - had been, at most, a peculiar new reality to adapt to. No, what had perturbed Ayden the most, in the depths of what Humanity had still remained in his soul, was how absolutely comfortable he felt being dead.

Worries he no longer carried, physical urges no longer perceived; in death, Ayden had found peace, even health. He had never felt stronger or, paradoxically, more alive, now that the stress of being alive and everything life entailed had fallen off his shoulders. Better yet: he discovered an entire world hidden within death, where the dead co-existed with the shimmering souls of the living.

But even in death, he was able to feel concern: his attachment to his sister Kristin's body was tenuous, strained; sometimes he lost control and collapsed. Ayden would begin to understand how useful this detachment could be on the day he was killed - again.

Fateful encounter

It was nearby his old hometown that Ayden ran into a group of bandits that mistook his female allure for easy prey. Once his gangrened chest wound revealed, the bandit leader had made his appearance; the tall, arrogant Vampire man named Anri who smelled Ayden for what he truly was: a Necromancer - a dead and resurrected Necrolorian. Anri spoke with audible knowledge of Necromancers, arousing Ayden's greed, but the discussion was cut short when Anri chose to kill Ayden.

'Kill' was perhaps not the right term, as Ayden had clearly sensed Anri's understanding that killing him - a Necromancer - was an impossible feat. A fact proven when Ayden later showed up at their doorstep wearing a decapitated woman, terrifying all but the aforementioned Vampire.

Through a certain mutual interest Ayden, eventually offered a better dead vessel, decided to stick around these bandits called the Cleavers, and even closer to their leader Anri. His obsession with knowledge grew so deep that, when a curse befell the Cleavers and resulted in nigh the entire group being killed by Necrolorian entities, Ayden saved Anri's life. As cruel gratitude, Anri awarded the Necromancer yet another death.

Seeking higher power

And then Anri, of his real name Richard, fled to the east - far, far away, to the grand city of Demure located south of the Empire's capital Silvadill, where Ayden nonetheless one day would find him. Ayden had not sought out Richard but learned, while traveling the Human lands in borrowed bodies, of the infamous city of Demure and its surplus of Vampiric population... Finding this old acquaintance was rather a matter of luck, an opportunity Ayden seized. Through Richard, Ayden had discovered how useful Vampires were; and on his own, having seen the horrible truth of life's corruption upon the lands of the dead, Ayden had decided to put a stop to Life itself.

To this end he would use Richard who, realizing there was no hiding from Ayden, accepted to play a role in his plans. Rumours aiding, they took upon themselves to meet with the most infamous criminal organization in Demure, Atrophy, whose leaders were seeking a way to approach Emperor Sommerdiev and assassinate him. Ayden had not cared about their reasons, and seen but their use. Together they would hatch a plan impossible to pull off, were it not for the power of the Necromancer in their midst.

And what better moment to approach an Emperor than during the preparations for his wedding?

* * *

Well I can't tell you everything ;) Ayden's story isn't fully written yet, even at nearly 70 pages. I'm further along than where I'm stopping this Special, but there are still things I need to define. Definitely a story I feel like writing again, and edit. Been in a bit of a Necrolore mood lately.

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for the next Sunday Special, same Blogger channel :D

Enjoying the world of Aeyuu?

Please consider Supporting me

on Patreon. Thank you ^^

Sunday Special #13 – Part 1: Ayden Ryall, alchemist

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Every Sunday I run a Special relating to my writing endeavours and the world of Aeyuu, which is the stage for many stories developed further through the Tales from Aeyuu Patreon. These Blogs are closely tied with my novel-to-be, The Age of Silence, which is basically a story about Love, Sacrifice, and Death.

Previous Special Arcs:
0. TAoS Themes (3 journals)
1. The Syrilae (7 journals)

Today, following up on last week's Special The Necrolorian, we'll delve yet further into the darkest side of the world of Aeyuu that is the Necrolore - this time, through the eyes of a Necromancer.

Seeking life

Knowledge comes more easily to some than to others. Among Humans, the pursuit of knowledge often became a pointless chase - that of extending life beyond natural limitations, which led the wisest and most intelligent to pursue the art of alchemy.

Alchemy itself is a broad science, developed over millenia and, it is believed, a natural evolution born of Humanity's early-days slavery at the hands of Elves. These Elves, more attuned to the nature surrounding them, understood plants and leaves like no Human ever could dream of understanding their own lives. Be it through observation or the grace of certain well-mannered masters, Humanity eventually gained an understanding of its own surroundings, though it required trial and error that claimed many an alchemist's life. Still, potential death deterred few; in time, alchemy branched out into several fields of expertise, but never quite changed names.

Be they concocting healing salves, antidotes to others' poisons, experimenting or simply finding ways to prepare the most delicious of teas, alchemists are a breed apart whose knowledge has always been highly sought after. Alchemists themselves are a solitary sort, who'd rather share their knowledge through scrolls and books than direct contact... though none would deny the use of an apprentice when it comes to cooking dinner or keeping the sheets clean.

As far as Humanity is aware, no alchemist has yet found the cure to death, for death cannot be cured, as it is no disease but a natural element of the world.

Yet a chosen few have found life in death.

Ayden Ryall

Ayden Ryall is one of the rare and unknown Necromancers that roam the world. Born Human, of frail health and higher intellect, Ayden searched his entire short life for a remedy to his degenerative condition, to no avail. In desperation he attempted suicide one lonely night, and it is a woman's voice calling his name that kept him alive. Nothing more, nothing less - but a voice, a quiet voice that would return to him, haunt him, until it became a deafening cacophony in his mind that threatened to overtake him. And the voice disappeared abruptly, returning a sense of sanity to young Ayden.

But sanity was short-lived, as a voice returned to his side. This time, calm, collected, like a friend calling him closer. During the weeks that followed, this voice pursued him, relentless in its presence. It took for a man to drop dead before his eyes for Ayden to realize something out of this world was occurring - for he had wished that man dead. The pursuit of knowledge became an obsession that drove Ayden to travel, despite his health, to the ill-famed country of Korinda.

Beyond death

And oh, answers did he find on his travels. A Necrolorian woman taught him the meaning of the voice, of the strange sensations in his body. This and more, for this woman, Eleanor, had learned herself of the deepest secrets hidden within death.

Or so, Ayden one day discovered, she hadn't.

With his body dying and his research incomplete, Ayden had eventually no choice but to place his bet on a final leap of faith. He had already tied his essence to the soul of his sister Kristin, a kind girl whom he had always detested for her beauty and health, in a vain attempt to suppress his degenerative disease by feeding on her life. On that fateful evening when his body collapsed for the last time, Ayden killed his sister.

Ayden's body was found days later, and his sister Kristin gone.

* * *

There's still quite a few things I want to tell about Ayden, and through him about the Necrolore, so I'm dividing this topic into two parts :) (at least). Ayden is one of those characters that got suddenly created for plot reasons, and in the meantime has become a major character (that I do love because I'm weird like that <<) who changes the face of Human history, complete with personal background, motivations, relations with a criminal group and eventually, I expect, his own spot in TAoS (likely in book two because yes I do plan two books). For now, he's a character in the distant background. Who I really need to write about again.

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for the next Sunday Special, same Blogger channel :D

Enjoying the world of Aeyuu?

Please consider Supporting me

on Patreon. Thank you ^^

Sunday Special #12 – The Necrolorian

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Every Sunday I run a Special relating to my writing endeavours and the world of Aeyuu, which is the stage for many stories developed further through the Tales from Aeyuu Patreon. These Blogs are closely tied with my novel-to-be, The Age of Silence, which is basically a story about Love, Sacrifice, and Death.

Previous Special Arcs:
0. TAoS Themes (3 journals)
1. The Syrilae (7 journals)

Today, following up on last week's Special Of Korinda and death, we'll delve further into the darkest side of the world of Aeyuu that is the Necrolore.

Rising from fear

Humanity's collective subconscious is fraught with fear. For uncountable millenia Humans were slaves to Elves; faithful, fearful servants without strength or power, incapable of revolting against their spellcaster masters. History never quite recorded how the Humans shed their shackles and gained their freedom at last, nor is it known how they repelled any invading western Elshir or southern Arborians throughout the centuries. Time aiding, Elven fear became merely distrust; the rise of culture aiding, Humans' fears evolved to simpler things, such as being unable to satisfy basic needs like nourishment or fearing the dark. Humans being short-lived creatures - 30 to 40 years at best - they learned to fear death more than anything in the world.

But in the western country of Korinda, death would not become as feared as the people capable of wielding its magic. There it is believed that these wielders, the Necrolorian as they are called by the knowledgeable, are the reason the Humans live free of Elven tyranny... at a cost.

The Necrolorian

In certain cities of Korinda, Necrolorian are known by name - yet never a name passes their lips, as they fear the repercussions of bringing a Necrolorian in trouble. Rumours float among the cities of people disappearing, of monstrous growls and roars heard rolling across the darkest of nights; of Humans that seem unaffected by gangrened limbs and open flesh wounds. The unitiated fear that even but brief exposure to these people can result in deadly curses befalling them, or monsters coming to their homes at night and devouring their children.

Yet it is rare indeed to hear of Necrolorian acts committed. Beyond rumours of disappearances, no one can say they have witnessed the power of death in action. The Necrolore, or Necromancy as the unitiated call it, is magic never seen, never consciously experienced, until it has already struck. Humans being insensitive to the presence of magic in the air, they can never detect the Necrolore. Unlike beings of magic such as the western Elshir or the southern Syrilae, the latter of which capable of detecting the Necrolore from a great distance. These gentle Elves have often been seen over  the centuries at Korinda's border, but few if none ever dared venture there. Even in these border cities, rumours have floated of Elves screaming into the night and disappearing forgood, but no one ever witnessed anything firsthand.

But not all, in Korinda and surroundings, fear the Necrolorian. In fact, people can be found who praise these death wielders and their superior intellect. To these grateful few, the Necrolorians are nothing more than exceptionally talented alchemists who, in their pursuit of longer life, happened upon knowledge that eventually served greater mankind: antidotes, cures, a better understanding of anatomy - Human and other - that spread across the Human lands through trade. The most fervent defendors of the Necrolorian emphasize people's needs for their knowledge, be it for the benefit of Humans or the detriment of non-Humans - always, they would note, for Humanity's survival.

Whether truth or biased gratitude, it is a fact that Necrolorian possess knowledge that most common alchemists and healers can only dream of. The wisest of them, however, have wondered about the cost of such great knowledge, but never sought the answers.

* * *

Well this was supposed to be about the Necrolore itself, but I found it difficult to balance narrative knowledge and the complete understanding of the creator. I do want to go into more detail about the Necrolore, so I think I'll use this Special as a springboard to events that relate to The Age of Silence and a certain character who possesses inner knowledge...

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for the next Sunday Special, same Blogger channel :D

Enjoying the world of Aeyuu?

Please consider Supporting me

on Patreon. Thank you ^^

Sunday Special #11 – Of Korinda and death

 Patreon ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest ~ Wordpress ~ Youtube

Every Sunday I run a Special relating to my writing endeavours and the world of Aeyuu, which is the stage for many stories developed further through the Tales from Aeyuu Patreon. These Blogs are closely tied with my novel-to-be, The Age of Silence, which is basically a story about Love, Sacrifice, and Death.

Previous Special Arcs:
0. TAoS Themes (3 journals)
1. The Syrilae (7 journals)

Today, following up on last week's Special The Legacy, we'll delve into the darkest side of the world of Aeyuu, starting at its known foundations.

The Korande line

Whether the Korande family gave their name to Korinda, or took on a resembling name to establish their authority within the country, no one adept of the Necrolore can deny that the Korande family were a major influence in the country's history. Believed to be one of the founding families, most notorious for performing twisted experiments on life itself, the Korandes were revered and feared throughout the knowledgeable circles of Korinda.

Until, one day, the last direct heir up and left his mother as well as, it was rumoured, the Necrolore itself.

Daeron Korande, son to Adrienne Korande, departed Korinda to establish himself in the southern Human lands and cut all contact with his mother - direct and otherwise. Even with powerful Necrolore at her disposal, Adrienne never quite found her son's location. In time Adrienne's rage grew so terrible that, it is rumoured, her heart gave out and she rose back from the grave to pursue her son and destroy him.

The Korande manor has long been looted by the fearless and abandoned back to nature. Some still believe that the Korandes haunt their ancient home. What else can one believe in a land pervaded by the power of death?

Korinda

The country of Korinda was, long ago, the theater of ruthless wars between the elven Elshir to the west, and the Humans living to the the east of what was, in those days, a dark and treacherous swamp. Though immensely powerful magical beings, the Elshir never quite managed to claim the Korindian swamp for themselves. They got bested, for centuries, by a power none of them could wield or understand, upon which Korinda eventually became founded.

After draining the swamplands, some Humans began to colonize these now sturdy and buildable lands. Only those with access to the Necrolore truly settled there, for only they could keep the Elshir at bay - or kill them should they cross the borders. Being dominant creatures, the Elshir did try, again and again, to drive the Humans back and claim their lands... but to no avail. History marks the rise of Korinda as the beginning of the Embers War - a millenia-long war between Elshir and Humans that was characterized by long spans of peace interspersed with brutal, bloody assaults that left none standing in their wake. Yet, the Elshir never quite managed to break through Korinda to invade neighbouring Human lands.

And after every assault, Humans returned to Korinda, rebuilt what had been broken - like moths drawn to a dying flame. History did not record the Humans' suicidal reasons to return to warlands; a true Korindian would say that the smell of death is what attracted their forefathers, for only on dead lands can death itself thrive.

The Necrolore

So is the power over death called - a term first coined amid ancient lines of alchemists who first discovered this unusual type of magic, or so it is believed. History never quite recorded where and when the Necrolore first appeared, but it is fact that the first instances of deathly magic are attributed to the inhabitants of the ancient swamplands drained dry. Korindians themselves are firm believers that the Necrolore was discovered in their midst, and deny its existence with the same breath. Pride and fear often co-exist in their minds for, as powerful as the Necrolore is, it is also believed to be the cause of many a failed crop and twisted tree, and many a stillborn child. Yet, Korinda became eventually well known for its advances in the fields of alchemy and medical science - a strange paradox that has kept Korinda's trading routes open and the country a bustling environment.

With the sciences of death its major trade, Korinda flourished. Centuries and millenia passed, and with them the true secrets of the Necrolore faded from knowledge... but not to all.

* * *

And that is all for this founding Special :) next week I'll go into more detail as to what the Necrolore entails. Which is gonna be fun :D

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for the next Sunday Special, same Blogger channel :D

Enjoying the world of Aeyuu?

Please consider Supporting me

on Patreon. Thank you ^^