Of Spider Magi. [Solo!]

[Mutant_Lorenor]

(This is a solo quest unless people take an interest in it!!! Note: This story will be largely told from an NPC's point of view thanks for understanding.)


What is this dream I am dreaming?

Am I the awakened, or the sleeper?

Am I the nightmare or the living Hell?

In this dream, many dark horrors plague the night. I walk it, with companions following the same banner as me. Or what looks like a banner. We pray to the same awful thing. The shadowy manipulator with her claws in all things. Our emblem is that of the spider queen. Our shield is her word, our sword is her claw.

This is the religion of our people.

This is the way of our people.

Are we the dream? Or the dreamer.

So mote it be.

-Prayer of N'Jal.


This is the part of the night I hate the most. Watching the neophytes get worked up. Only to send them to their deaths. It don't matter what specialization they pick. They got the brain rot, they don't last long. So you just use those as bait, and call the enemy out with them. Hate using meat sacks, but we're in the machine now. All of us serve the fucking same purpose like it or not...this is the machine...this is the war...

It was an adequate training den. Built underground much like certain spiders like to do. Trap door spiders the race of men referred to them as. Little did they realize that the tactic was also a part of siege warfare.

Pacing back and forth for a long moment, he looked at the recruits that were gathered. He was a Captain of sorts, not quite a General in their army, but he commanded respect of his subordinates. His name was Fredrick. Spider Magi didn't really keep the last name of their former lives, it tended to be discarded. That was a practice that was common of all Spider Magi. The batch of neophytes that were gathered seemed particularly promising to Fredrick's experienced eyes. They were freshly turned, a few of them were at least a couple of months old and learning fast. Those were the ones that Fredrick wanted to keep.

He could tell by their idle stares and blank expressions who had the brain rot.

Only their most intellectual made it to the esteemed rank of the priesthood.

With a sigh, Fredrick only saw about three of the neophytes wearing robes of any kind. One however, was a Spider Magi wearing initiate priest robes. He has promise. Fredrick never asked a recruit their names unless they earned rank. In Spider Magi society, names were meaningless only deeds mattered. Fredrick counted twenty that night. A good portion of that lot would be lost in training and that never made his job any easier. He hated losing any of the neophytes, but casualties were a well studied reality of war. There is no mistaking it. We are at war. Fredrick thought to himself as he looked at his gathered peons.

"You are all here as a result of one tragedy or another." Fredrick said. "That tragedy that branded you with the mark of N'Jal no longer matters. The old life is gone. Your new life, is the new truth. You are all Spider Magi." Fredrick saw the lack of reaction and that saddened him deep down. Only a few pairs of eyes held any sort of interest in what he was saying. Those were the individuals that would become Heroes of N'Jal's army. The rest won't matter. They will be dead before the night is through anyway and I will have to train another cadre of these young ones. Fredrick's interest grew in the one who wore the priest robes. That fellow had glowing purple eyes, and had intelligence in them. The kind that could shake the pillars of Heaven given the proper training.

Fredrick knew many things about the surrounding areas around the den. Some of that information was kept in his many journals that he kept over the centuries. Different observations, field notes, and other training information he provided himself for the young ones.

Initiates dealt with a tremendous amount of psychological turmoil and physical pain.

Fredrick always felt sorriest for the newer ones. An ability to adapt was critical to a life of servitude following The Word of N'Jal. Even in his old age, and with his considerable degree of mastery, Fredrick still hated watching some of the initiates fall in battle before their story could begin. By the time they get to me, they are either well on their way to becoming a Spider Magi Hero, or they are already lost causes. Just more food for the carrion. It is those that are the true tragedies. The silent sufferers who never got past that stage of brain rot. It pains me to watch them die. Fredrick thought to himself. He looked at his compiled research library.

"Gathered here, is my life's work. Some of you will put these tomes to good use. For the rest, the information will just be lost to you so you better not even bother reading some of it." Fredrick said. I hate being so cold to them. But it is my sworn duty to N'Jal to train new recruits. Fredrick walked over towards a specific book case that was along the eastern portion of the dimly lit den. He pulled out one of the fancier volumes. "I have also gathered some training manuals out of my own resources for you robes in the lot." Fredrick said. He noticed the interest in those pairs of eyes suddenly peaked. Good. They desire power, they are hungry. They are ready for what I have to teach. "And for those of you gifted of blade and shield, I have training manuals for you as well." A few grunts of approval from the crowd, they were getting fired up. Spider Magi were taught never to question their superiors. The dead lings were simply going to hold the rest of them back.

Sometimes I wish I could kill the ones with brain rot myself. They are disgusting to me. They are against the very nature of what we hold to be truth. I hate them but I am glad that they have at least been controlled and branded effectively enough to be of some use to me. Fredrick thought to himself. He walked over to the initiate squad leader. "You." Fredrick began. "Show me your weapon slash." Fredrick commanded.

The neophyte looked up eagerly at Fredrick and drew a crude steel sword. Average quality and make. Fredrick immediately realized it was a broadsword of some sort. The initiate rotated his weapon and slashed with a surprising amount of elegance to his technique.

Muscle memory is intact. He was a warrior in another life. Possibly skilled. I can use him. "Good." Fredrick said. He then looked at the other initiates.

"Look at the man or woman next to you." Fredrick said. "We shall all train together, bleed together, and perhaps...die together. For in the service of N'Jal death is always a step behind us." Fredrick continued. "Tonight we will go over basic lectures." Fredrick said. "Those of you who require extra equipment I will provide the tools of war to you as long as they are earned." Fredrick walked over to the squad leader again and placed a firm grip on the man's shoulder. "You are good, lad." Fredrick said. "I will expect you to slay many in the name of N'Jal once we mobilize in a month's time. Tonight you are all welcome here in the den." Except for you bastards with the brain rot. "We will work together, and train together until you are all effective Soldiers."

Fredrick walked over towards an individual with the brain rot. "You." He said simply. "Look at me." The creature responded slowly but did end up looking up at Fredrick. "Take your friends and go outside. I will have a use for your lot after all." Fredrick guided about eight of The Spider Magi infected with brain rot. Some severely infected. Despite how far gone a few of them were, they all were branded with the mark of N'Jal and could be of some use to him. In the meantime, he had to remove a potential threat from the rest of his subordinates which is why they were "escorted" outside.

Fredrick would never discuss his actual use for the lot with the rest of the initiates. It was merely understood a terrible fate awaited them all.

[Mutant_Lorenor]

Once Fredrick was done with his teachings for night, he summoned the priest and one other warrior.


"You two." Fredrick commanded. "Follow me. There is something I must show you." Fredrick guided the priest and the sword out of the den from the only way in. A natural staircase built into the tunnel that headed out of the den. The whole chamber was hidden underneath a well booby trapped trap door of sorts. The door was covered with natural grass and earth effectively hiding the entrance from ever being found by normal means. Fredrick guided the troops up the stairs and opened up the trap door in the secret technique he taught to his subordinates. Once the door was open, Fredrick stepped up and out of the den, his two companions followed. Fredrick would need the priest for the more difficult aspect of what they were about to do.

The earth felt soft underneath Fredrick's boots. Just as Fredrick had commanded him, the small cadre of brain rotted Spider Magi were waiting about ten paces away from the entrance of the den. There was no need to show them the secret technique to open the trap door, if they died...so be it. Those with the brain rot were expendable. Fredrick was actually surprised to see the entire lot of brain rotted Spider Magi waiting for him as ordered, that was actually the outcome he least expected. Fredrick looked at the priest. "I am about to teach you two a very valuable lesson." Fredrick said. "Of all the ones in the lot I inspected, you two had the most reasoning capacity." Fredrick saw that the priest and the soldier both wore grim expressions. "What I am about to teach you, I want you to remember for all your days." Fredrick walked over towards the priest. "Of all of the initiate types, subordinates of your caliber are the most valuable to me." Fredrick looked at the priest but he actually was addressing both of the lads equally.

"Sire." The priest began. "Are you about to teach us Expelling?" The priest suddenly asked.

I was right about him. He has an extreme amount of reasoning. I must keep him close at all times. Fredrick thought. "That and something else." Fredrick said. It was part of the code of N'Jal. Only the most promising of recruits were taught The Expel technique. It was a way for the saner Spider Magi to quickly banish those who had extreme diagnosis of brain rot. On the field, Spider Magi who had the brain rot could turn on their allies without warning. It was a present danger, and techniques were developed by The Spider Magi to ward off the threat. It was ugly and terrifying which was why only certain recruits were ever taught The Expel technique. "Priest." Fredrick commanded. "Show me your best rune."

And the priest concentrated for a brief moment and conjured massive dark energies.

He extended his left hand and at the palm of his hand there was a N'Jal symbol, a rune, etched there. It floated a few centimeters off the palm of his hand almost touching the air. Crackling with power, it was a very basic symbol taught to most of the priesthood. The priest harnessed the power of the symbol and held his hand aloft, so that the symbol could float there. Fredrick watched the entire process. "The symbol for Shadow." Fredrick began. "You have a lot of promise, priest. Now." Fredrick looked at the soldier. "You. Raise your hand for a moment." Without question, Fredrick saw that the soldier raised his hand towards the symbol clearly understanding what was about to happen. "Priest. I am going to rewrite your Rune and give you a new spell in essence. This spell is The Expelling Rune, which we will need to perform the task at hand." Fredrick looked at the patiently waiting Spider Magi. Just as Fredrick had commanded, they had obeyed. For even those Spider Magi who had extreme brain rotting could hear the voice of N'Jal.

Fredrick extended his own hand and pointed at the symbol. For a brief moment, it would appear as if the three hands were temporarily as one hand. Combined by the deadly energy flowing from the shadow rune. "Energy of Expel, I conjure you!" Fredrick's body suddenly glowed with tremendous power, and the symbol in the priest's hand was in fact, re-written. All symbology was a complex idea. An idea that would have a negative, or positive effect on the field it was conjured on. "Focus and hold the power!" Fredrick yelled as the idea of the priest's symbol was rewritten just as Fredrick said it would be. Once the process was done, the priest and the soldier were both able to conjure The Expel Rune at will. Fredrick looked at them both. "At ease." He ordered. And they relaxed after their ordeal. "Now the true test will begin." Fredrick said. He began to walk towards the corralled group of brain rotted peons...murder was in his eyes. Brain rotted Spider Magi had a purpose, and that purpose was to feed the machine of war.