“Infiltrating the army train might be tough.”, the succubus remarks after hearing your request. After turning thoughtful for a moment, she quickly blooms into a lusty smile, “But whoring myself out sounds like a great time! I'll do it!”Mulling over the matter some more, Cindy's plan is rather straight-forward. What with them having travelled together for months, the local “sluts” - as she puts it – should be more than well-known already. She would try to nab one of them once they venture outside, and then replace her. She also states adamantly that she would be able to tell apart any “slut” from the presumably rare “normal” women, male lust apparently clinging to their bodies long after the act. Something that even washing up won't be able to erase, though she doubts they would do much of that.
On the matter of taking a brainwashed slave for herself, she is rather pumped, but doubtful if she can work something out – by your best guess of her character, she will do her utmost to make it happen if it is feasible to do so.“Let's see how much my hips can earn you~” is Cindy's parting shout. Good grief, good riddance – or so you tell yourself, at least.You certainly won't miss her incessant flirting, her striking of sultry poses, catching glimpses of what little she hides beneath her “clothes”, nor her seductive scent. Nope, you won't miss any of that, at all.
Travelling on without your lust daemon, turns out far more quiet than you have grown used to. Either way, the local area is well-known to all of you and good time is made. Besides the occasional scarlet brook or purple tree, the only signs of life comes from a pack of feral hell-hounds, who elect to give you a wide berth once their noses pick up what exactly is travelling through their area. By the time the evening sun paints the land an unworldly shade of red, you feel somewhat drained, but elect to push on long into the night.
When you eventually decide to set up camp, you are only half a league or so from leaving the Infernal Hills. While lighting fire would be pushing it, the copse of tainted woods should shield you well, with any intruders spotted long before they arrive.
While your servants have little problem with staying up for several days, your body demands an urgent rest - and what little sleep the demons need to stay in top-shape, you have allowed them to get in short shifts. Before drifting off to sleep yourself, your mind wanders on which way to take.
It comes with a steady supply of water, which nowadays is even safe to drink – the lack of forges and settlements discharging their refuse into it upstream, having done wonders for its taste. You could also count on easy lodging, with plenty of abandoned townships along the route. Due to the easy terrain, this would be the only route where you could stay off the road for longer durations of time, albeit doing so would decrease your travelling speed substantially.Irkspire Route – 120 Leagues +Winding its way up and along the former border, this stretch was built back when humans and dwarves didn't see as eye-to-eye as they did in recent times. While still a minor trade-route on account of the eastern settlements, it comes with all the good and bad of most mountain-roads; nigh impassable for convenient cavalry, lots of changes in elevation, good cover over long distances, and some stretches where one can't even leave the road – at least not for hiding.
To reach it, you would need to travel maybe five leagues through kingdom territory, with one bigger city by the former border to hide in if you choose so. Stopping about three leagues short of Goldbent, it will take you back unto the Kringrip route – though by then it would only be a small river, instead of the stream it becomes in the lowlands.Roundabout Irkspire Route – 170 Leagues +Turning east instead of north, this trek would take you deep into former Dint-Axe territory, going a long way east before any chance to turn north presents itself. A bit desolate at times, there also are a few townships that you could seek shelter in. This route would be a hard trek, with two mountain-passes that the crusaders could man as choke-points, if they have the manpower to do so. Luckily, this should be a story for after you pass them – unless you dawdle away a day or two.
Which Route do you wish to take?There also is the question if you wish to have your minions just stay guard while you sleep, or risk exposure by leaving them to productive chores; Hunting for your food or looting any settlements you might stop by at, come to mind.
Rank 4 Acolyte of Daemonology
Male Human, 23 years
Health: Sleep-Deprived, Sore Legs
Mana: Middling Reserves
Blood for Power
You are able to fuel your spells with your own blood – a desperate, but effective measure. Can't negate the cost of souls, unless you want to part with your own.
Summoners Bond (minor)
You are able to give telepathic commands to those who you have summoned. This is a one-way street, and won't work over distances more than about half a league, and also excludes “Cindy”.
Equipment:
Travel-Pouch, half full
Food Rations for 8 days
Water Rations for 3 days
Slightly Enchanted Robe (Lesser Spell-Ward)
Sacrifical Dagger, ornamental, spell focus
Soul Crystal, filled with 2 souls, 8 vacancies
Tome: Daemons Call, mainly summoning rituals, some spells of ravaging, plus odds and ends of daemonic spells and cantrips
Coin-Pouch, 13 gold, 35 silver, all varying nominations – mostly human and dwarven make
Advanced Daemonic Summoner
You are quite capable of summoning daemons of your own, even having experience in group-summonings of greater daemons. All rituals need you to spill mortal blood, the bigger ones more than your single body could spare. (Any such ritual will be crossed out, much like this sentence)
Summon Hell-hound (Weak Daemonic Beast) – Moderate amounts of Mana
Summon Quasit (Weak Daemon Worker) – 1 Soul, Lesser amounts of Mana
Summon Imp (Weak Daemon Warrior) – 1 Soul, Lesser amounts of Mana
Summon Magog (Weak Daemon Mage) – 2 Souls, Moderate amounts of Mana
Summon Fiend (Lesser Daemon Warrior) – 3 Souls, Moderate amounts of Mana
Summon Observer (Lesser Daemonic Abomination) – 4 Souls, Moderate amounts of Mana
Summon Nightmare (Lesser Daemonic Beast) – 5 Souls, Great amounts of Mana
Summon Harbringer (Daemon Mage) – 7 Souls, Great amounts of Mana
Summon Bloodletter (Daemon Warrior) – 8 Souls, Greater amounts of Mana
For Reference;
Summon Cubusae (Greater Daemon Mage) – 20 Opposite-Gendered Souls, Fourfold your own Mana, Copious amounts of "not-blood" liquid - opposite-gendered, off course
Experienced Ravager
You are experienced at using infernal conjurations, bathing your enemies in unworldly energies and corrupting influences. You, on your own, are yet incapable of calling down destruction over larger swathes of land, nor can you attack souls directly.
Infernal Fire – Lesser amounts of Mana
Green Lightning – Moderate amounts of Mana
Infernal Wall – Moderate amounts of Mana
Sulphuric Mist – Moderate amounts of Mana, Toxic
Ray of Shadow – Moderate amounts of Mana, 1 Soul, Corrupting
Novice Soul-Enchanter
You have used this school of spells on occasion, but its true mysteries remain as such to you yet. Once explored properly, this is the source of most daemonic enchantments, capable of enhancing even your very soul, and ultimately leaving the possibility of ascending your mortal boundaries.
Imprison Soul – Trifling amounts of Mana
Soul Ken – Lesser amounts of Mana, 1 hour duration
Draw Souls – Moderate amounts of Mana, 1 hour duration
Create Soul-Crystal - Greater amounts of Mana +, Most to crystalize own mana, less to enchant an existing true gem
Expanded upon our status, which was a rush-job before. Though it still is a bit of a work in progress, I it'll have to do for now.
