Story introducing any battle of my army (regardless of foe)

[Sezax]

Last time I presented fluff of my army and some people pointed out my character looks too strong and without chalenge. So I tried to create some serious problems for him.

I also wanted to create an intro story, which would present my army regardless of what type of enemy it was supposed to fight.

I tried to combine it by creating trouble for my Witch Lord ( omnipotent Slann going to kick his as*) and presenting any battle of my army as one of attempts to solve this crisis.

The only thing I could think of is that every Warhammer army has magical items. Have any of you come up with other general reason for battles of your army (because the most obvious choice- slavers raids- seems strange when you battle Tomb Kings or Daemons)

Also are there some serious problems with the story? Such as repeating words, grammatic mistakes, boring parts or confusing story telling?


Vipers prepare to strike

Lamica looked in disgust upon the bleak landscape stretched before her. Not once in her six centuries of life had she stepped out of Cynath Arhain and now she was so far from Viper Realm. It was an honor to be tasked with such a mission by Princess Adigha herself and a chance to confirm her status as a Supreme Sorceress. Her place was questioned due to her youth and she would not give those senile crones the pleasure of seeing her to fail.

She turned to her army and felt a rush of joy as she witnessed the raw power of her forces. A regiment of city guards charmed by her Shadow sorcery to fanatical obedience served her as bodyguards as well as potential sacrifices for her Ulgu hexes.

Next stood ten mercenaries from the Velvet Guild. In Cynath Arhain they were known as the best smugglers, merchants, marksmen, devout athartists and loyal vassals of Silkentongue Dynasty. They were kissing each other and raising their Slaaneshi shields in order to gain favor of their goddess and her chaotic father.

Behind them was Honored Matron Drusilla, one of many matriarchs of Silkentongue House. Sitting upon her dark pegasus and wielding her Slaaneshi staff she eyed Lamica with spite in her dark eyes. She was an average sorceress at best as her function was mainly to bear and raise Sikentongue bastards, but powers of Dhar were easy to summon.

Two units of Raven Heralds were appointed by Crone Priestesses of Morai Heg to help Lamica with her quest, while savages of Viper Forests had sent five Pathstalkers of Anath Raema. Both mysterious groups prayed loudly to their sinister goddesses as well.

Two allies had come in order to claim any surviving enemies as slaves. First were the nobles from Palace on their dreadful nauglirs, second were the Witches of Atharti. These Brides led by Hag Queen Hellica brought with them one of the Slaaneshi cauldrons of blood as well as three lesser hags.

Army bowed before the sound of Lamica´s Shadowsong as she called forth five beautiful harpies, who landed before her and sang to her about coming enemies. Thanking Loec for not letting her wait any longer, Lamica stepped before her armada.

,,My beloved brothers and sisters, not long ago Slann Mazdamundi of Hexoatl decided to slaughter all Elves, Goblins and Slaangors in Viper Realm. Though lizardmen were slowed down again by skaven, it is only a matter of time before they march upon Cynath Arhain. Even as we speak countless skinks are fighting noble Pathstalkers in Viper Woods,”

Druchii roared in anger, hatred and refusal. Lamica smiled and continued:

,,Wretched Slann are powerful indeed and we need to gain every advantage we can in order to defend legacy of our great ancestors. Therefore our mighty Witch Lord Andurial ordered to collect all kinds of magic left in the world so we can create even more numerous and various weapons of power,”

Now she pointed to north, where unknowing enemies were marching. The foe was finally starting to realize presence of Elves in south and was about to prepare proper battle formations.

,,These fools are nothing but heretics! Undergods hunger for their souls! After we slay them, you shall be rich and adored by our people! With pride we shall present their artifacts to our Witch Lord, while you take your part of gold and slaves!”

With her roaring army behind her she signaled to march with Loec´s name upon her lips. Enemies on the other side of valley started reform, but Lamica only sang and laughed. Soon their dance would come to an end!

[Drainial]

I like it; it is not over powered or cliché. Raiding the Lizards and others for magic items is a nice traditional pass time and this gives it some impetus. I also like the idea of this Cathyria/Slaaneshi army. Stylistically it could do with longer paragraphs, chopping it up to this degree is a little inelegant (though not so bad as having too few paragraphs, just right is what you are after ). Other than that I am not sure what is going on with your speech marks, the ones at the front seem to have died and curled up on the floor while the end ones are normal, I suspect that is down to a glitch in your computer rather than you. Also in the first sentence I am fairly sure you meant 'had' rather than 'has', I suspect it was a simple typo but due to it being so early it does make the change in person and tense quite jarring. All in all though a good background and reason for your army to be on the move.

[Sleekdd]

It's a nice, quick read.

Looking after magical artifacts to save yourself or others is a nice change from the common theme and it is very flexible, leaving you set for open battle or adventure in the likes of Indiana Jones and Tombraider.

You are missing 'the' or 'a' a few times. These things tend to disrupt the otherwise nice flow of your text.
I do agree with Drainial's remark paragraphs: they could be a little more fleshed out, although, if you are going to err, do so on the side of leaving too much space. I go cross-eyed when I see those walls of text.

It was an honor to be tasked with such a mission by Princess Adigha herself and chance to confirm her status as Supreme Sorceress.

I believe it should be: an honour ... and a chance to ...

In Cynath Arhain they were known as best smugglers, merchants, marksmen, devout athartists and loyal vassals of Silkentongue Dynasty.

I think it should be: they were known as the best smugglers ...

I'm not going to point out every little detail in here. If you'd like me to, I'll send you the remarks by PM.


Regarding the story, there is one remark I'd like to make: you mentioned Lamica is the Supreme Sorceress and that her position is not entirely accepted by others because of her youth.
This makes me curious: how did she attain that position in the first place?
It could be something simple such as being talented in the field of magic or she could have another highly valued skill (wealth, connections, a loose interpretation of the meaning of the word celibacy). Of course, if you're just looking for an intro story, you don't need to delve this deep into the character background. So, feel free to ignore this comment.

As I said in the beginning of the post: it was a nice read.

[Sezax]

I tried to get rid of mentioned mistakes. As for Lamica, I intend to present one day description of my druchii society. There are many cults and groups who prefer different traits.

The sorceresses are mainly focused on raw sorcerous power. Thus my Supreme Coven is made of six most powerful Supreme Sorceresses. Each one shall have different backstory and all six of them are gonna be inspired by mythological figures.

Nyxta, the Winterkiss (dark lore)
Persepha, the Deathwailer (death lore)
Midasa, the Goldentouch (metal lore)
Pyrrha, the Dragontongue (fire lore)
Drahomaira, the Lifebinder (life lore)
Lamica, the Shadowsinger (shadow lore)

Lamica is the youngest supreme sorceress in history of my little people. She is touched by Loec and thus she is more cunning, tricky and humorous than her rivals. She is also an oprhan, whose parents were common city guards, which makes her unique as well since most of my Supreme sorceresses are of highborn origin.

[Sleekdd]

The background stories sound promising. It leaves room for a lot of possible interaction.
I look forward to read more.

[Sezax]

I hope this is not considered necromancy, the topic is not that old. I had no time to finish this sooner (damned embryology! )


The four little serpents

Lamica was happy to leave the filthy streets of lower Marienburg. Now she understood why the presence of humans was prohibited in her homeland. They were ugly. Most of Marienburg stank like a wet dog. Surrounded by graceful towers of her people once more, Lamica sighed out in relief and walked towards her new false home.

She looked nothing special. If one wanted to be considered beautiful among the noble Elves, he or she would had to excel at traits such as singing, taste or special physical features. Lamica possessed blue eyes as most inhabitants of Elven District and long white hair like many others and thus she claimed hearts only through her grace and voice. Posing as common dancer of Loec was easy, for among her many talents were great dexterity and melodious voice. .

But she was neither a dancer nor a singer nor a warrior. No. She was one of the few, who were blessed by the gods with the ability to channel the winds of magic. That still allowed her to pose as a dancer of Loec, for all Elves and priests especially could weave the arcane powers in a certain measure. Even the few gifted ones in the Elven Compound of Marieburg would thus mistake her for a mere priestess or an enchantress. Her terrifying nature was perfectly concealed by the blessing of Loec and the gray wind of Ulgu.

She was a sorceress. A she-elf with courage and wits necessary to bind forbidden witchcrafts of Hekarti and other Undergods. The Daemons themselves feared her kind and they were right to do so, for sorceresses knew their secrets and weaknesses better than anyone else. Even among her kind she would be praised as a Supreme Sorceress, cause despite her age she could match even the greatest ones in her Sisterhood.

Soon she might be even more. Is she succeeded here in these stinking remains of Ethil Arvan, she would officially become part of the Twilight Coven, the circle of six greatest sorceresses in her homeland. Oh how she missed the Viper Realm with its black oaks and marble towers!

It seemed hard to believe, that the lost realms of Ethil Arvan could degenerate so quickly under the hands of local humans into the so-called Old World of today. While the Elven District, Laulelorn or Athel Loren remained as the heritage of lost colonists, the rest of the continent turned into disgusting bleak land with little beauty, magic or passion.

,,Lamica! How lovely to see you! You look so nice!” cried a childish voice.

The sorceress fought the urge to roll her eyes and forced herself to smile. She would give almost anything in exchange for enslaving this stupid asur biatch right now. Elenna was famed for her beauty and was well aware of it. With no need to rely on any other abilities than looking nice she has grown up to be one of the stupidest Elves Lamica had ever met. And Lamica had met many fools including khainaties and chracians.

Though Elenna´s hair was golden as sun and her skin as white as snow, it was her stare, which allowed her to best any other maiden. Her eyes were almost impossible to describe. Sometimes they seemed orange or bronze, while other times one could swear that two little stars blazed in the perfectly shaped skull of this asur maiden.

,,Not as nice as you, sweet thing. Though it pains my heart to leave your charming company, I need to hurry to my humble home to prepare for leaving,”
,,You are going back to Ulthuan?! How sad! I wanted you to teach me that beautiful dance you showed me last week! And Priestess Pallin wanted to talk to you as well! She awaits you in the Shrine of Asuryan!”

Lamica did not know whether to feel sick from the girl or nervous about the senile priestess. Pallin was a bigot old bride of Asuryan, who besides spawning bastards like skaven also constantly preached about values and rules of Cadai. Lamica hated that hypocritical swine even more then fools like Elenna, but she would not risk raising suspicion by confronting the prudish madwoman, especially not if she already suspected something about her or her companions.

,,Nonsense, my dear! We are just finally going to visit our relatives in Laulelorn as we planned. We should be back in a few months. I will try to visit revered priestess Pallin before we leave,”

,,When you return, could your friend Mesaale be more…calm? Virtuous maidens like me are little worried about her behavior. Some of my friends believe she seduced their beloveds. One even thinks she saw her with my little sister, which is a nonsense of course, since we are a virtuous family. My betrothed is very virtuous as well and completely in love with me and thus I have no doubts either about him or my sister, but my friends are concerned and their accusations hurt my virtuous heart,”

,,Mesaale is very virtuous as well, but her nature of a dancer leads her often into virtuous company of many virtuous people. In Ulthuan kisses and embracing are common among mere friends, relatives and even strangers. I will virtuously talk to my virtuous friend so she no longer hurts your virtuous heart, my virtuous girl, let Loec be with you.” answered Lamica as she summoned all her will to stop herself from smacking that retarded wench.

With no more patience to deal with any asur today, she hurried to her tower. Her new home was previously owned by an old tailor, who mysteriously disappeared right before their arrival. Remains of his body were now lying on a small altar of Loec, which she built in her personal sleeping room. Using enchanted key she crafted she entered the tower and ran to the top as quickly as she could. All three of her companions awaited her and in relief she collapsed on her bed.

Trying to catch her breath she eyed her room for any signs of treachery or disorder. The room was very modest, but Lamica was one of the few sorceresses, who showed only minor amount of vanity. She sensed no alien magic or presence and slowly sat up just as her comrades started to worry. They too were dressed as dancers, though knight Sebaas looked little clumsy and inconvenient in his disguise. He was used to wear heavy armor and glorious robes and thus found it very uncomfortable to have his body displayed so shamelessly in the costume of Loec.

The other two were just as Lamica perfect for the role of dancing priests. Hag Mesaale was after all both priestess as well as an…entertainer and her dancing skills were greatly valued in the Temple of Atharti. Sitting upon sofa next to small window she showed only little concern about the dramatic arrival of her temporary mistress and poured more cheap wine into her silver goblet.

Lokis on the other hand quickly knelt in front of lying sorceress with troubled expression upon his face. Lamica recently realized he was in love with her, which was unexpected considering his cynical nature and her average appearance. Lamica had not once in her centuries of life experienced love and yet she found herself falling for this rogue. As a child she showed certain affection for her long lost parents, goblin slave and Hag Queen Hellica. As almost everyone she felt a rush of sensual lust and admiration in presence of Princess Adigha, but she always considered herself beyond possibility of romantic feelings.

,,Is there some problem, Supreme Sorceress?” asked Sebaas.

,,We have to leave! Some asur are getting suspicious,” gasped Lamica as she tried to catch her breath.

,,No reason to panic,” laughed Mesaale as she finished another goblet. ,,The asur are even more stupid than they are bigot,”

,,They already noticed you whoring yourself across the District, oh great hag. I am not going to wait for them to start asking questions,” answered the sorceress as she raised herself from the bed.

,,There are also some Swordmasters of Hoeth in the harbor,” announced Lokis.

Lamica silently cursed her luck as she strode towards locked chest in the corner of her bedroom. Swordmasters were prudish executers of Elves worshipping Cytharai. Even if their arrival was a coincidence, they were still bound to see through their disguises.

,,Then we stay and show these heretics the wrath of Slaanesh and Undergods!” growled Sebaas.

,,Silence! While you two were spreading your legs across the town, Lokis was actually able to do some work. We have all the maps and plans we need. We leave for the Altdorf right now!” cried the sorceress as she opened her sealed chest.

The items inside alone were worth a fortune in this human Empire. Even in her sorcerous home such artifacts would be considered powerful and expensive. Lamica had to borrow a lot of viper gold from the Velvet Guild in order to purchase such equipment.

If she failed here, not only she would not become part of the Twilight Coven, she could become a worthless slave. The debts to the Velvet Guild and allied Supreme Sorceresses were a serious matter. Lamica was not willing to risk on this mission. She already succeeded at many infiltrations and diplomatic missions, but this was a whole new level of testing.

She pulled out her staff and arcane tools and checked her companions. Princess Adigha had chosen them wisely. All four of them were unexperienced, but eager to prove their worth. All of them possessed different and valuable abilities, which would be crucial for completing this mission.

Sebaas was putting on his enchanted armor and testing the massive two-handed blade. He was a noble from the famous Silkentongue dynasty. Despite his youth and naivety he was an excellent warrior with talents and endurance the rest of them lacked. In open combat few could face him and survive.

Then there was Mesaale, who hoped to become a Hag Queen once they returned to Cynath Arhain. She wore no protection except her speed, dexterity and confidence. A skilled elven archer could slay her with a single arrow, but if given chance Mesaale could cut her way through dozen of foes.

Lamica never understood the secrets stolen from khainaties by the Witches of Atharti. Mesaale claimed her lethality came from both drugs and poisons. The drugs allowed her to smash a skull in her fist, while the magical poison called Manbane could harm even a dragon or a daemon under the right circumstances. The Hag eyed happily her two sorcerous blades and cackled.

Lokis was even more disturbing without clothes. Male Druchii from Cynath Arhain were known to have averagely broader shoulders than any other Elves and this was especially true about Lokis.

As a former Pathstalker he had his chest covered with warp tattoos. While many Pathstalkers possessed pink marks, his were blue as the Sea of Serpents. Some believed it depended on whether particular Pathstalker was primarily favored by Slaanesh or Ereth Khial. But Lokis was no longer a Pathstalker. Now he was a bounty hunter living in Cynath Arhain and forbidden from venturing back into Viper Forests by his former brethren.

All of them wielded magical weapons and tools, but Lamica and Sebaas also had two Velvet Stones, which could channel mystical fire shields around them if needed. Hiding themselves under heavy black capes, all four of them silently left the tower and then set it aflame. Elven guards quickly alarmed whole District and the four black shadows sneaked towards small house next to the Shrine of Asuryan.

One of many lovers of Mesaale was living there. With stolen keys they went in and not wanting to pass through gates, they used windows in the basement to leave the Elven District. Getting through the rest of Marienburg was a child´s play, for the humans were as good as blind.

They decided to travel along the road but not directly on it and thus their progress was slow. Few bands of human thugs, skaven and beastmen were no challenge.

It was the first time they saw beastmen worshipping one of the Three Forbidden Chaos Gods and it was a shock for them to see how ugly could beastmen become. Slaangors back in their home were creatures of savage beauty and masculine charm, who were kept by Elves as slaves since they made good laborers and lovers. Truly wise was their Witch Lord to keep the Three Enemies out of his realm, for their disgusting creations were nothing like the sensual children of Father Slaanesh.

When they finally reached Altdorf, they became uncertain. The human capital was filled with enemies who could easily match them. They had no illusions about their chances once they were discovered. With their armor and weapons perfectly hidden beneath their capes they looked like wraiths stalking through the night as they made their way towards small tavern.

In this tavern they waited for many days until Chaos Moon ruled the sky. That night they prepared for sating their greed and lust for blood. Sebaas and Lokis were hidden in rented rooms, while the she-elves prostrated themselves once more in ridiculous disguises, ready for their prey to come.

The filthy imperial rags they wore and the human admirers in tavern made them sick, but both druchii women sat calmly and silently until the last of the customers left the room. The serving maid and the owner had fallen asleep thanks Lamica´s shadow sorcery.

,,So…when you mocked Sebaas with your immortality…you were not serious, were you?” asked Lamica out of nothing.

,,Is it safe to speak of such…,”

,,If anyone listened, I would know,”

,,Does the sorceresses know so little of our ways? Every child knows that worthy Brides avoid Mirai by going to the Gardens of Atharti in the Palace of Slaanesh, only to return as immortal handmaidens of Dionysaas…do you not find me worthy?” answered the Hag after suspiciously eyeing her rival.

,,You fight like a Daemon, that I do not doubt. But do you truly believe such things?”

,,Believe?!” laughed the witch.”I may not believe in everything our Hag Queens tell us, but I know what I saw. Many I knew as witches returned as daemonettes. Of that can be no doubt,”

“Unlike many of my sisters, I never focused on daemonology and conjurations. But even I know that there are too many Daemonettes in the Realms of Chaos to be all descended from maidens of our world,”

,,Only Handmaidens of Dionysaas are former Brides, the rest used to be elves slain in forgotten realms beyond the stars,”

Lamica meant to ask more, but then she felt a presence of alien magic. Quickly she stood up and eyed the doors like it was Polar Gate itself. Both remaining humans were unconscious, calmed by her hex and even tavern rats avoided the room.

“He is coming,” she announced just as the door opened.

Potras was very young even by human standards, scholar by first impression. His pale face lightened up with excitement as he stepped in the room with two false asur female impostors.

“My dear Mesaale, let me introduce you to Potras, a talented Light Wizard as well as the legendary conqueror of hearts,” said the sorceress as she embraced the shy boy.

“You are inconvenient when flattering me, my lady. Or perhaps my appearance just betrays my true nature too quickly,” whispered the blushing youth.

“And how modest is he! Be careful, dear Mesaale, he pretends to look innocent, yet he seduced my friend from Marienburg just last year!” laughed Lamica, while remembering the poor asur biatch she had curse and drug so much to go in bed with him, that she could not make her walk or talk for two days after.

Mesaale rose up from her seat and strode graciously towards her prey. She kissed the human on his cheek and sorceress quickly noticed slightly purple smoke leaving her mouth and seeping into his skin. Lamica worried that a Hysh mage might be alarmed by such witchcraft, but the Hag expressed no such fear.

“I am Mesaale, acolyte of Loec. Dear Lamica told me so much about you, my little wizard. She won´t shut up about your College of Light and other boring nonsense, but I believe we can see much more interesting things in this…big…settlement,” she whispered right into his hear.

Potras blushed so much that one could mistake him for a bloodletter. Mesaale started to moan more things into his face, while Lamica prepared for the next step.

“I was glad to see you, Potras, but we need to leave. There is no more for us to see here. Though this city shows a lot of promise, there is nothing to impress our elven senses anymore. Let Sigmar guide you on your path, friend,” said Lamica, carefully weaving Ulgu into her every word.

“No! I mean wait!” panicked the wizard as Mesaale left his side.”Don’t leave yet! No need to hurry, my lady! Why don’t you come to see my College! Surely you can afford to leave tomorrow?”

Lamica smiled and poured even more sorcery into her breath:”How sweet of you! But even though your college is no doubt magnificent, we already visited Bright College…and…to be honest…after seeing White Tower of Hoeth it seemed rather…disappointing…,”

Potras desperately looked at Mesaale, who was just coincidently struggling with keeping her human rags on her slender body, and cried:”Those fire asses have nothing! My college on the other hand stores greatest artifacts of old! Even elven relics! I can show you some right now, if you come with me,”

Hours later, when all five of them were leaving for College of Light, Lamica wondered again, how could these blind humans survive, much less thrive. Even a Light Mage fell prey to her shadow sorcery within few moments. Giggling like a girl he walked right next to Mesaale and guided them towards their prize.

Passing through less guarded parts of the College was easy, but soon they reached the Treasuries, where magical wards had to be cast aside by Potras as they went towards the most protected vaults. There Lamica became extremely concerned as their magical items started to glow in the presence of powerful enchantments and Mesaale had to do her best to stop Potras from paying attention.

The boy was just telling them about some historical nonsense, when he finally spotted magical auras of their enchanted weapons. A surprised expression remained on his head as it fell from his shoulders.

Magnificent wards of the Treasuries were disturbed immediately by spilled blood and the Wind of Hysh filled the chambers. Blinding white light surrounded them as they ran towards the Vault of Death, where the sorceress without hesitation blasted a wave of shadows against all barriers in her path.

Great golden gate separated them from the Vault, where the Crown of Sorcery was supposed to be. Studying the door Lamica ignored three apprentices, who appeared right behind the druchii thieves. Not even a single word left their human lips as the Bride of Atharti jumped among them in a dance of death. In a blink of an eye Mesaale was surrounded by limbs, heads and pools of blood.

Moment later a blast of searing light burst into hag´s face and she fell to the ground followed by a veil of her own blood. Knight Sebaas ran forward with his blade high above his head even as blazing white missiles tested his enchanted armor and flaming Velvet Shield.

He finally dropped to his knees. The Hysh Archmage smirked and opened his burning eyes right before golden sickle split his throat. Lokis spat on the dead human and sheathed his sickle even as he helped Sebaas to stand up. The knight tried to show the same courtesy to the Hag, who answered his noble attempt by punching him in his face and breaking his nose.

Mesaale rolled on the floor as an angry cat and screamed as a banshee of Morai Heg. Her perfect face was burned and scarred, her right eye almost gone and her once proud white mane changed into grey cloud of dust and ash.

“Curse Asuryan and his children!” cried Lamica who was still focused on the gate.

“What is it, dread lady?” asked Lokis as he looted the dead mages.

“This is not a Hysh Ward! This is High Magic! Teclis must have secretly come here and add his own protections!”

“We can hold them off as long as you need, Supreme Sorceress!” shouted Sebaas with pride, not realizing his hair was slightly burning.

“These wards we created by Teclis! I could spend here centuries and still not overcome such magic!”

Lamica furiously looked at the documents stolen by Lokis and calculated. Many sorceresses were arrogant enough to try their powers against High Magic of Teclis and all of them perished. She would rather face a Lord of Change than even point a finger at a work of that asur cripple.

The Crown of Nagash was beyond her grasp. She had failed the Twilight Sorceress Persepha, of that could be no doubt. But all she needed was to please Princess Adigha and some other member of Twilight Coven by another prize. One that could also bring her enough gold to pay the Velvet Guild.

Without a word she ran to the next corridor and her three companions followed her without hesitation. Echoes of footsteps were heard above as more wizards ran to the Treasuries. Quickly she threw a little glass orb behind her. The tiny globe exploded and consumed Hysh energies for birth of many daemonettes, who danced their way out of the Vaults in order to meet their new human lovers.

“For the tits of Atharti! My hair! My hair! Oh they are gonna pay for this! I shall feast upon their testicles for weeks after I…”

Lamica ignored the wounded witch and summoned tendrils of smoke against a small fence before her. Hysh and Ulgu battled each other just as Daemonettes battled wizards above. Slowly she was penetrating the defences with her sorcery, even though dwarven runes on the fence helped the Light wards against her efforts.

“What are you doing, dread lady?” asked Lokis, who was desperately trying to stuff all his loot behind his belt.

“I am not leaving here empty handed! Daemonettes have no chance against Light Magic, it shall turn them into a powder soon, but I need only a moment!”

She spat every hex, spell and curse she knew. Shadows enveloped her slender hands and staff and her white hair danced in arcane wind. She sang and sang and sang her Shadowsong, desperately beating with all her will against dispelling runes. She heard voices from the Beyond. They were luring her away from sanity. Sorcery was cursing through her body as a poison, but she refused to give up! Loec, Hekarti, anybody…help me! She felt the grey energy of Ulgu upon her breath and just as black tears formed in her azure eyes, she finally destroyed her last obstacle to glory.

Fence broke down and she hurried inside small chamber, where upon simple stone pedestal rested her trophies. The Book of Valaya and the Hammer of Hashut. Lokis grabbed the hammer without asking and the sorceress held the book as a mother holds a newborn child. Using omnipresent Hysh Wind and the last remains of her willpower, she opened a rift in space and time to the Realm of Chaos.

The four druchii disappeared without a trace. When they returned home, glory and fortune awaited them. Lokis used his new wealth to gain control of various bounty hunters, thieves and merchants. His infamous Gray Brotherhood soon rivaled even Velvet Guild and became thorn in the backside of Silkentongue dynasty thanks to their renewed connections with Pathstalkers and thus access to their goods.

Mesaale became a Hag Queen and was healed by the Slaaneshi Cauldron of Blood. Some believed the temporary wound or Hysh magic had made her mad, for she wore a mask from viper gold ever since, despite the perfect state of her healed face.

Knight Sebaas rose to prominence among Silkentongue dynasty and married a lesser sorceress, who gave him six sons. He died gloriously in a battle against asur during their invasion of Viper Realm. Four of his sons were later killed by Lokis during a feud between Gray Brotherhood and Velvet Guild.

Lamica sold both the Book and the Hammer to Midasa Goldentouch for an outrageous amount of viper gold and gained her support for joining her in the Twilight Coven. Princess Adigha was so pleased by the prospect of new weapons crafted with stolen dwarven lore that she approved. Lamica soon found great rival in the Twilight Coven in the form of Persepha Deathwailer, who never forgave her for failing to obtain the Crown of Nagash.

She also became secret lover of Lokis and together they started to control underground parts of Cynath Arhain and its black market. Though she never supported the Temple of Atharti, she was well known for her complicated relationships with Hag Queens Hellica and Mesaale.

Lamica eventually returned once more to Marienburg in disguise. There she tortured and killed Priestess Pallin and then kidnapped Elenna only to bring her home as her new slave. Virtuous Elenna lost her virginity to a group of Slaangor slaves. Much later she spawned a daughter just as beautiful as herself, who Lamica sold for a small fortune to Princess Adigha.

Nowadays young novices at the Tower of Hekarti see Lamica as a shining example of a glorious sorceress and her name is praised often in the Court of Whispers by the Witch Lord Andurial himself.
_________________

[Norelle]

This was nice, a good read, well done!!!