[After a few days of rest in the spooky Wandafied village and discovering the loss of two people dear to her, Ianthe needed a distraction. What better distraction than the hot cadaver.]
Seviilia, I have a very important question for you.
[That seemed a bit too long of a blade to Ianthe for shortswords, but that was why she asked for a measurement. It'd be embarrassing to present Seviilia with what the death knight's thought were long daggers when she asked for shortswords. That would be unacceptable.
And waiting outside the butcher Ianthe was, leaning against her skeletal deer and watching the shifting buildings and roaming red mist. Resting comfortably on her hip was a rapier made of antler, an offhand dagger slipped into her waistband against her lower back, and she had a small sack in hand.
She noted Seviilia's presence before the elf could even greet her, eyes immediately shifting to her as she sensed her presence.]
[Seviilia's arrival was, unfortunately, not swift thanks to the pulsing and shifting red mist surrounding the town. Thus, when she arrives, she looks ... well, very irritated.
Her eyes went towards the deer rather immediately. It wasn't as if she needed the reminder that Ianthe was a necromancer after their introduction to one another, but seeing an actual construct was different than talking theory.
She has the grace to smile when her eyes move back to Ianthe.]
I am growing so very bored of being redirected repeatedly. But, it is better than being harassed repeatedly.
[Leaving Craven to stand sentinel outside the butcher, Ianthe pulled out side keys to unlock the door, ushering Seviilia inside the shop. The scent of raw meat wasn't as intense as it could have been in a place like this. It helped having a necromancer on the payroll.]
Yes, this is getting tiresome. At least I can provide a distraction for the time being. Something far from boring.
Lock the door. I'd rather not be interrupted.
[She then had right back to where the various carcasses were being stored in the back.]
[She stepped in behind Ianthe, glancing around briefly. There was a time in her unlife where a place like this would have driven her mad with the urge to cause violence -- but with the absence of her undeath, so too went most of the blood hunger.
The door was locked, as instructed, and she followed Ianthe back with only a cursory glance at the front end of the shop.]
[The small sack was deposited with a clink on the wooden table stained with animal blood no matter how many times it was cleaned (by normal hands) as Ianthe passed by it. Into the back where the shanks of meat and other cuts were stored.]
We're going to make you a pair of shortswords. 75cm blade length, yes? Describe the crossguard, hilt, and pommel you prefer. Also, do you want the blade curved, single or double edged, etc.
[As she spoke, she selected a thick haunch and leg of cow and went to pull it off the hook but then directed the much stronger elf to grab it.]
The more detail you give me, the less adjustments I'll have to do after it's creation.
[Stopping by a wire basket, she pulled the other bovine femur and a couple smaller bones from the pile.]
[Seviilia glanced around at the various hunks of meat, chewing on her lip thoughtfully. Her ears perked slightly when she processed Ianthe's words, turning to look in her direction.
Oh. Manual labor. Easy enough trade-off.
She moved to heft the cow parts as directed, shouldering them toward the table once she'd managed to maneuver them off the hooks. It was an easy task for her, and hardly one she minded.]
My previous runeblades had curved crossguards, adorned with ram's skulls. Double edged. As for the pommel...well, leave space for an adornment at its base, if you would. I'd like to perhaps add something, later.
[Not to mention Ianthe wasn't entirely sure what a ram looked like. But the small bag she'd brought in contained a variety of decorative pieces Seviilia could look through.
Setting the bones aside, Ianthe grasped the leg bone of the beef haunch and pulled the bone free as if there had been nothing attached to it. In fact, aside from lingering bovine blood, there was no connective tissue in it save for at the joint. Deboning was so easy for a flesh mage.]
As I'm sure you've noticed, this village doesn't have a weaponsmith. Large hunting knives are about the best the blacksmith can produce here, and using such paltry weaponry is beneath you.
Besides, bone is stronger than steel. The only thing that makes steel a better material is it's density, allowing it to cleave through and shatter bone. But the right necromancer can make bone just as dense.
[Ianthe took one femur abs ram her hands over it, infusing it with the necessary thanergy to do her work, wrapping it in theorem. The bone stretched and lengthened out to 80cm - best to have a little extra - before she started compressing it. Thinner and thinner. It was a slow process that took most of her focus.]
Of course. It wasn't a real ram's skull, purely decorative. Perhaps I'll find something to add to it later...
[She leaned forward on the table, a low bow and looking a little wistful as she watched Ianthe work. It was an impressive thing, to see how the bone grew and then compressed. She'd never seen this sort of necromancy at work -- fleshcrafting and corpse raising was never quite so elegant.]
Six centimeters.
[She paused briefly and checked her math with her fingers before nodding a confirmation and setting her hand back upon her palm, hair spilling over her shoulders.]
[Had Harrow been the one making the sword, it would be done already. Ianthe only managed it thanks to her lyctoral strength and her tutelage under Augustine to help shore up some of her weaknesses. Bonecraft had been one of those. Had Ianthenot been trying to thoroughly impress Seviilia, she quotient shotcutted the construct, but if she was going to try to draw the death knight into her upcoming research, she wasn't going to give her anything flawed.]
Six centimeters.
In that bag are a variety of ornamental materials. Anything in there you can use. If you possess any artistic skill, there's butcher paper on the other table and a grease pencil. Draw it for me. Anything in the meat cooler is available, too.
[The bone blade narrowed to six centimeters and compressed to the thinness of steel. Only then did she take that extra bit of length to fashion a tang of sorts. Setting it down she breathed out a sigh and articulated her golden hand, the only indication that this wasn't as easy as it looked for her, before she took up the other femur.
In the bag, once Seviilia looked inside, were a collection of semiprecious gems, pretty rocks, antler, human teeth, animal fangs, an elk jawbone, a pair of human skeletal hands, a few human ribs, and individual knucklebones. (ooc: or just about anything else you think of, I can justify most things icly)]
Normally, I'd use human bone for this as it's easier to work with, but there is a great dirth of natural bone here as there are no bodies buried in the graveyard.
[Seviilia took the bag in hand and did a bit of rummaging, pulling a gem out first to hold up into the dim light. She set it aside with a small noise in the back of her mouth and began rummaging for another -- each small enough to fit inside the pommel.]
Your craft is quite fascinating. I'm afraid I'm not nearly so skilled -- I can raise corpses and shape flesh to a degree, but shaping bone is beyond me.
[At the mention of the lack of human bodies in the graveyard, she paused her searching and lowered the bag back to the table, choosing instead to move to the grease paper. After all, if Ianthe was offering, she was not so humble as to refuse.]
I suppose that makes ... some sense. Someone mentioned to me that death is rather temporary here.
[The same process of lengthening, shaping, and compressing was done to the second bovine femur.]
Indeed, the Duchess possesses the plability to resurrect the deceased. I intend on learning her technique. [Career goals.]
But that's not why the graveyard is empty. All the markers are for those whom have chosen not to be resurrected - old age or sickness, I've been told. Their corpses are given to the Duchess where she honors them by storing and using their flesh for consumption.
[Her eyes flickered over to take in Seviilia's reaction.]
A few months back, she invited us to an elaborate dinner party so we could all get to know each other. Exquisite meal. The vast majority objected to the choice of meat served.
[With the grease pen and the butcher's paper, she begins to slowly form the shape of a ram's skull, as had previously sat upon her runeblades. It wasn't the best rendition -- the horns weren't exactly the same shape and the skull was a bit concave, but it was a close enough approximation for a quick doodle.
It takes her a moment to process what Ianthe implies without directly stating "the Duchess engaged in cannibalism", but the pause appears to be absent of disgust. The elf merely shrugged and offered a small chuckle of amusement after her processing was complete.]
Yes, well, I rarely meet breathers who can stomach the thought of consuming one another's flesh.
[She returned to the table and slid the paper across it, voice lowering with sarcasm.]
That sort of behavior is for uncivilized creatures like me.
[And here Ianthe hadn't thought Seviilia could manage to be more attractive than she already was. It was nice to be wrong sometimes.]
I never have understood the hang-up; flesh is flesh. Shame I don't have any leftovers remaining to share. Her cooks are excellent.
[Looking over the sketch, Ianthe had a good idea what Seviilia wanted. She wasn't going to need the skeletal hands, which she was glad for as she'd taken them from one of her skeletal servants. Considering she only had two, a handless one was far from useful.
She took some of the other bone to start fashioning a basic crossguard and hilt. She'd shape them once the pieces were assembled.]
Oh I'm certain it's something along the lines of thinking too much about where one's food comes from. I certainly didn't make many friends even amongst the Ebon Blade with that habit -- and they were all also undead.
[She offered a small and hapless shrug.]
Living flesh was one of the few things that satiated my appetite. Though I'm not entirely upset about that no longer being the case.
It's a delicacy and necessary source of thanergy for those of my House. I've consumed it on and off since a child. I don't exactly advertise this fact but a few here know. Should you ever find yourself craving it or simply curious what it would taste like now, let me know.
[The two crossguards and hilts done, Ianthe slid them into place on the blade, adjusting the hilt to fit the tang in each.]
Patella... patella. [Where did those get to? Ianthe found one but not the other. So she headed into the meat locker for a second one.]
[The elf blinked and straightened from where she had been bent over on the table. Despite what she knew about Ianthe, and despite what she had just said, the offer still managed to catch her off-guard.
Hm.
She watched her disappear into the locker and called after her:]
Got enemies, have you? Or are you offering yourself?
[She wasn't particularly thirsty to taste flesh again, if she were being honest with herself. But the offer required clarification for other reasons.]
[Said with a genuine air of interest. Enjoying pain was one thing, but letting yourself be eaten? She classified that as quite another. But who was she to judge?
Besides, part of her would be lying if she tried to argue that she wasn't interested to see how her tastes had changed, now that she was living again.]
You know where to find me if you want a bite. Of any kind.
[The patella bones were rounded and smoothed out and set to the side. Before they would be added, she took a rib bone and drew it out long and thin before wrapping it like cording about the hilts.]
You are one of the very few that can throw me over your shoulder in public without retribution.
Can't I just want to make you swords? [Okay, that wasn't even remotely believable, and Ianthe knew it.]
Alright, alright... [She laughed a little, wrapping the other hilt.] I have a research project coming up once the snow falls that I'd like to bring you in on. These swords are an essential element to that; a knight must be properly armed. Do you know what a yeti is?
[A research project involving large beasts? Her ears flicked with some interest, and the smile stayed plastered to her face as she glanced back down toward the swords.]
[The pommels were shaped to smooth curves and added to the sword. For the moment, both were done in their most basic, unadorned forms. Ianthe needed to check their balance before proceeding with edging, ornamentation, and style.]
They aren't done yet, but handle them and let me know where you want them weighted at and any adjustments to the grip. [She stepped back to let Seviilia at them. The most notable thing would be how light they were compared to steel.]
I intend on putting together a small troupe to hunt down a couple yeti. They are solitary hunters, about fifteen feet tall, with an unnatural cold in their claws. I want to kill one and dissect it. Specifically, I want to examine its brain and neural network. And then, once I understand it, I want to capture a live one and mold its memories, turn it docile and loyal, so I can strip it of its flesh and make a sentient skeletal servant.
I've faced these yeti before. I can't do this on my own.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Voice
Seviilia, I have a very important question for you.
[Dramatic pause.]
What kind of weapon do you prefer?
no subject
Two shortswords. Though I'm capable of fighting with most anything with a sharp or serrated edge, really.
no subject
[Short swords made her think of Hect. At least she could respect the Sixth's cavalier dedication to her adept even if she didn't like the woman.]
Give me your preferred blade length and meet me at the butcher.
no subject
[Hm. She had been wanting to get her hands on a weapon ...]
75 centimeters each.
[May as well. That probably wouldn't come back to bite her at all. Now she just had to make her way to the butcher.]
no subject
[That seemed a bit too long of a blade to Ianthe for shortswords, but that was why she asked for a measurement. It'd be embarrassing to present Seviilia with what the death knight's thought were long daggers when she asked for shortswords. That would be unacceptable.
And waiting outside the butcher Ianthe was, leaning against her skeletal deer and watching the shifting buildings and roaming red mist. Resting comfortably on her hip was a rapier made of antler, an offhand dagger slipped into her waistband against her lower back, and she had a small sack in hand.
She noted Seviilia's presence before the elf could even greet her, eyes immediately shifting to her as she sensed her presence.]
Any troubles along the way?
no subject
Her eyes went towards the deer rather immediately. It wasn't as if she needed the reminder that Ianthe was a necromancer after their introduction to one another, but seeing an actual construct was different than talking theory.
She has the grace to smile when her eyes move back to Ianthe.]
I am growing so very bored of being redirected repeatedly. But, it is better than being harassed repeatedly.
no subject
Yes, this is getting tiresome. At least I can provide a distraction for the time being. Something far from boring.
Lock the door. I'd rather not be interrupted.
[She then had right back to where the various carcasses were being stored in the back.]
no subject
The door was locked, as instructed, and she followed Ianthe back with only a cursory glance at the front end of the shop.]
I'm listening.
cw: butchered animals, blood, and bones
We're going to make you a pair of shortswords. 75cm blade length, yes? Describe the crossguard, hilt, and pommel you prefer. Also, do you want the blade curved, single or double edged, etc.
[As she spoke, she selected a thick haunch and leg of cow and went to pull it off the hook but then directed the much stronger elf to grab it.]
The more detail you give me, the less adjustments I'll have to do after it's creation.
[Stopping by a wire basket, she pulled the other bovine femur and a couple smaller bones from the pile.]
cw: butchered animals, blood, and bones
Oh. Manual labor. Easy enough trade-off.
She moved to heft the cow parts as directed, shouldering them toward the table once she'd managed to maneuver them off the hooks. It was an easy task for her, and hardly one she minded.]
My previous runeblades had curved crossguards, adorned with ram's skulls. Double edged. As for the pommel...well, leave space for an adornment at its base, if you would. I'd like to perhaps add something, later.
[A pause, bright with interest.]
You'll make them out of bone?
cw: butchered animals, blood, and bones
[Not to mention Ianthe wasn't entirely sure what a ram looked like. But the small bag she'd brought in contained a variety of decorative pieces Seviilia could look through.
Setting the bones aside, Ianthe grasped the leg bone of the beef haunch and pulled the bone free as if there had been nothing attached to it. In fact, aside from lingering bovine blood, there was no connective tissue in it save for at the joint. Deboning was so easy for a flesh mage.]
As I'm sure you've noticed, this village doesn't have a weaponsmith. Large hunting knives are about the best the blacksmith can produce here, and using such paltry weaponry is beneath you.
Besides, bone is stronger than steel. The only thing that makes steel a better material is it's density, allowing it to cleave through and shatter bone. But the right necromancer can make bone just as dense.
[Ianthe took one femur abs ram her hands over it, infusing it with the necessary thanergy to do her work, wrapping it in theorem. The bone stretched and lengthened out to 80cm - best to have a little extra - before she started compressing it. Thinner and thinner. It was a slow process that took most of her focus.]
How wide do you want the blade?
cw: butchered animals, blood, and bones
[She leaned forward on the table, a low bow and looking a little wistful as she watched Ianthe work. It was an impressive thing, to see how the bone grew and then compressed. She'd never seen this sort of necromancy at work -- fleshcrafting and corpse raising was never quite so elegant.]
Six centimeters.
[She paused briefly and checked her math with her fingers before nodding a confirmation and setting her hand back upon her palm, hair spilling over her shoulders.]
cw: butchered animals, blood, and bones
Six centimeters.
In that bag are a variety of ornamental materials. Anything in there you can use. If you possess any artistic skill, there's butcher paper on the other table and a grease pencil. Draw it for me. Anything in the meat cooler is available, too.
[The bone blade narrowed to six centimeters and compressed to the thinness of steel. Only then did she take that extra bit of length to fashion a tang of sorts. Setting it down she breathed out a sigh and articulated her golden hand, the only indication that this wasn't as easy as it looked for her, before she took up the other femur.
In the bag, once Seviilia looked inside, were a collection of semiprecious gems, pretty rocks, antler, human teeth, animal fangs, an elk jawbone, a pair of human skeletal hands, a few human ribs, and individual knucklebones. (ooc: or just about anything else you think of, I can justify most things icly)]
Normally, I'd use human bone for this as it's easier to work with, but there is a great dirth of natural bone here as there are no bodies buried in the graveyard.
cw: butchered animals, blood, and bones
Your craft is quite fascinating. I'm afraid I'm not nearly so skilled -- I can raise corpses and shape flesh to a degree, but shaping bone is beyond me.
[At the mention of the lack of human bodies in the graveyard, she paused her searching and lowered the bag back to the table, choosing instead to move to the grease paper. After all, if Ianthe was offering, she was not so humble as to refuse.]
I suppose that makes ... some sense. Someone mentioned to me that death is rather temporary here.
cw: bones and cannibalism
Indeed, the Duchess possesses the plability to resurrect the deceased. I intend on learning her technique. [Career goals.]
But that's not why the graveyard is empty. All the markers are for those whom have chosen not to be resurrected - old age or sickness, I've been told. Their corpses are given to the Duchess where she honors them by storing and using their flesh for consumption.
[Her eyes flickered over to take in Seviilia's reaction.]
A few months back, she invited us to an elaborate dinner party so we could all get to know each other. Exquisite meal. The vast majority objected to the choice of meat served.
cw: bones and cannibalism
It takes her a moment to process what Ianthe implies without directly stating "the Duchess engaged in cannibalism", but the pause appears to be absent of disgust. The elf merely shrugged and offered a small chuckle of amusement after her processing was complete.]
Yes, well, I rarely meet breathers who can stomach the thought of consuming one another's flesh.
[She returned to the table and slid the paper across it, voice lowering with sarcasm.]
That sort of behavior is for uncivilized creatures like me.
Re: cw: bones and cannibalism
I never have understood the hang-up; flesh is flesh. Shame I don't have any leftovers remaining to share. Her cooks are excellent.
[Looking over the sketch, Ianthe had a good idea what Seviilia wanted. She wasn't going to need the skeletal hands, which she was glad for as she'd taken them from one of her skeletal servants. Considering she only had two, a handless one was far from useful.
She took some of the other bone to start fashioning a basic crossguard and hilt. She'd shape them once the pieces were assembled.]
cw: bones and cannibalism
[She offered a small and hapless shrug.]
Living flesh was one of the few things that satiated my appetite. Though I'm not entirely upset about that no longer being the case.
cw: bones and cannibalism
[The two crossguards and hilts done, Ianthe slid them into place on the blade, adjusting the hilt to fit the tang in each.]
Patella... patella. [Where did those get to? Ianthe found one but not the other. So she headed into the meat locker for a second one.]
cw: bones and cannibalism
Hm.
She watched her disappear into the locker and called after her:]
Got enemies, have you? Or are you offering yourself?
[She wasn't particularly thirsty to taste flesh again, if she were being honest with herself. But the offer required clarification for other reasons.]
cw: bones and cannibalism
[Ah, there's the other patella she needed. Grabbing, it she returned to the table. These would become pommels.]
I also handle the corpses of the fallen in preparation for Resurrection. A little less flesh won't be missed.
cw: bones and cannibalism
[Said with a genuine air of interest. Enjoying pain was one thing, but letting yourself be eaten? She classified that as quite another. But who was she to judge?
Besides, part of her would be lying if she tried to argue that she wasn't interested to see how her tastes had changed, now that she was living again.]
I'll keep that in mind.
cw: bones and cannibalism
[The patella bones were rounded and smoothed out and set to the side. Before they would be added, she took a rib bone and drew it out long and thin before wrapping it like cording about the hilts.]
You are one of the very few that can throw me over your shoulder in public without retribution.
cw: bones and cannibalism
[Even if she wasn't entirely pondering the idea, it was difficult not to be charmed by her following admission. She was not at all beneath flattery.]
So, are you going to tell me what prompted this sudden bout of generosity, or must I stand here wilting in ignorance?
no subject
Alright, alright... [She laughed a little, wrapping the other hilt.] I have a research project coming up once the snow falls that I'd like to bring you in on. These swords are an essential element to that; a knight must be properly armed. Do you know what a yeti is?
no subject
I do...what is it that you intend?
cw: unethical scientific experimentation
They aren't done yet, but handle them and let me know where you want them weighted at and any adjustments to the grip. [She stepped back to let Seviilia at them. The most notable thing would be how light they were compared to steel.]
I intend on putting together a small troupe to hunt down a couple yeti. They are solitary hunters, about fifteen feet tall, with an unnatural cold in their claws. I want to kill one and dissect it. Specifically, I want to examine its brain and neural network. And then, once I understand it, I want to capture a live one and mold its memories, turn it docile and loyal, so I can strip it of its flesh and make a sentient skeletal servant.
I've faced these yeti before. I can't do this on my own.
backdated nov 3