Post by Maur on Feb 7, 2016 4:29:47 GMT
Gell.
A dark, tall figure emerged from a dense thicket in the dead of night, by one of the myriad of roadsides that existed at any given time. He stood at six feet and nine inches tall, towering over the only other inhabitant of the lonely lane.
“Yoo'z big.” A small, sly voice rose to his ears, a Lesser Goblin of all things was there to meet this behemoth in that late hour, the figure raised its head from its downcast position, and glared at the Goblin as it sat on a desiccated log in the middle of the dirt path, and munched on a rabbit bone, two nicked and haphazardly crafted blades sat on either side of him, and a splintered helm of iron rested upon his head, it was obviously his as there were two accurately placed holes in the top-back of the helmet, from which the Gob's long ears jutted out into the night. Two glowing red eyes were set into an olive skinned face, and a bare chest stood proudly against the cold, the shadows of flames from the Goblin's low burning torch danced across it. This little demon had obviously seen conflicts, and at two feet eight inches tall, it was a wonder he had survived them all.
If the figure would have known what his own countenance appeared as in that moment, he would have been shocked by the Goblin's unfazed reaction when it was revealed in the torchlight. Purple flesh splotched with burnt black splotches of skin was stretched tightly over an angular skull, there was no mouth to speak of in the being's nightmarish visage, his overall display was only made more horrid by the white robes he wore, something one would be given in the best of hospitals. Massive swaths of the fabric were stained with black blood, the color of tar, thin rivulets of the lifeblood still wove their way down his trunk-like legs, spilling from surgical wounds that canvassed a great portion its body. There were no ears to be seen beneath the thin stained hood that donned its head, no nose either. The only features it sported upon its face were a furrowed brow and the faint traces of cheek bones, no matter how terrible the rest of it appeared, the thing that would immediately draw one's attention to the figure would be its flaming emerald eyes, this is not to say that the eyes were bright like a flame, no, they were flames, verdant immolation spewed from charred eye sockets, if any flesh had previously inhabited the cavities, it would have been burned out by the awe-inspiring fire that fluttered about his head; yet oddly, the robes about him did not catch the flame, in fact if one were to touch it beyond its epicenter, they would find that it was colder than ice beyond the bounds of his skull.
This Goblin had obviously seen many horrors, to be as unflappable as he was.
'I KNOW THAT IMBECILE'
The Figure replied, its words were not spoken aloud, they rang out explosively inside of the Lesser Goblin's head.
“Thaa'tz rud', what'z be yoo'z name?”
Whilst inquiring, the Goblin set down his rabbit haunch upon the log, and firmly grasped both blades in his small hands.
'I HAVE NO NAME'
“Den' I'z gonna give yoo'z un', Geddle!”
The Goblin let out a piercing wail and leaped into the air, bridging the gap nearly instantaneously. The Figure remembered then, he was part of an...experiment, and they were coming for him. He had to flee!
As soon as he moved to run, the Goblin's blade cut a deep gash in his cheek, the little creature let out a bark of laughter and quickly sliced another deep wound laterally into the large humanoid's back using his other blade, he then proceeded to leap off a tree behind the giant and spring back to the middle of the road. Ready to strike again, the Goblin moved forwards, and leaped again, high in the air, only to be met by a massive outstretched palm, the same color and texture of the rest of the thing's mangled body. Its eyes flared, and with one swift movement it had grabbed the Gobby by the neck, brought its other hand over, and removed the small humanoid's head with an audible POP.
Even more blood washed over the robes which the purple thing wore, and it mentally smirked.
'Geddle huh? How about Gell.'
The being moved as if to flee into the forest, but before it got the chance, a voice screamed within his mind.
"NOOOOO!! YOU'VE SLAUGHTERED MY BOND CURSED BEING!!"
Nam.
Gell, as it had now named itself, searched its mind, for some hint as to what had happened to it, it dug through layer upon layer of intricate safe-guards, and mental barriers erected to keep it from the deeper recesses of its mind, as Gell peeled back the last layer, it gasped in pain, and collapsed in agony to the forest floor, writhing as it pulled its own mind apart, attempting to find the truth, its eyes grew brighter, the flame erupted from it and rose high into the sky, as Gell wallowed in the dirt and leaves; it finally pulled it free, and, gasping for breath it used one hand to pull itself up by a low hanging tree branch. Gell leaned against the tree, and tried desperately to get its breath back. It searched the rubble for some clue as to its origin, and found...nothing.
"I see blood!" They had found it. It was shaken from its disappointment, and anger overtook it, rage, blinding rage, Gell shook with it, its vision swam, its hands trembled, they did something to it, it was smart enough to recognize that fact, they were hunting it, like an animal.
Gell roared inwardly and turned, it saw a man with a crossbow, raised and aimed, tunnel vision obscured its already confused and furious mind, anger, anger at the world, anger at them, Gell charged, the bolt thudded into his shoulder, and with nary a falter the mass of tortured flesh collided with its former captor, first it screamed within the man's mind, overwhelming him with fury incarnate, it had found a target, and did not intend to show any inkling of mercy. With a blow to the chest it broke three ribs, and with a knee to the chin it fractured the hopeless man's skull. Gell followed through by throwing the man against a tree and planting a massive foot in his chest, securing him in place as he tore both arms from his body. Flinging the wailing man into the ground, Gell ground his face into the dirt with a heavy heel, and broke a sturdy branch from the now bloodstained tree with both hands. Stepping to the side of the ravaged man, the heavy branch rose and fell many times, shattering the leg and hip bones of the one so unfortunate to incur the wrath of Gell. No man could be in the same forest where this transpired, and not hear the wailing, the cries of pain that only fueled the monster's rage, the tables had turned, or that was how Gell saw it.
Two of his comrades stepped from behind the trees, in the pale morning light their aim was true, as two more bolts joined their brother in Gell's thick skin, the behemoth threw its victim, hard and fast, the man collided with another and sent the two tumbling, the other had re-loaded and took aim, but before he could get another shot off the bloodied and wearied beast was upon him, swinging his massive branch with the force of a stampeding elephant. Within seconds the crossbow armed woman's face was turned to pulp, the wood cracked under the force of the blow, and to finish her off, it was broken in half upon her already devastated skull.
Grabbing a heavy stone, Gell ran to the survivor, and did not stop until it had broken all arms and legs, and turned the man's brain into chunks, splayed across the ground.
In its anger they were mutilated, and it was not yet satiated.
Before Gell could make good on it's plan to rip all humans limb from limb, the same voice from earlier, the same formless voice penetrated it's mind.
"I WILL HAVE TO USE YOU THEN, MONSTER, YOU WILL BE MY CONNECTION."
Pain, pain immeasurable, as if every fiber of it's being was being separated, serrated and burned all at once, the fire in it's eyes shot outwards and filled the air around it, Gell wanted to scream, needed to scream, but for lack of a mouth, it couldn't.
Images flashed before his minds eye, a Demon, weeping, and yet smiling at the same time.
The weeping ceased, and the creature looked at him, the Demon, there, and yet at the same time, not.
"LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO BE FRIENDS FOR A LONG TIME, BECAUSE I'M NOT GOING BACK THERE, YOU ARE THEM, AND YET NOT, I WILL CALL YOU NAM, FOR YOU ARE THE REVERSE."
It's voice was grating, and painful to hear, but Gell could not escape it. "I'll add it to the list." Gell, who now referred to himself as Gellnam, said internally.
"I see blood!" They had found it. It was shaken from its disappointment, and anger overtook it, rage, blinding rage, Gell shook with it, its vision swam, its hands trembled, they did something to it, it was smart enough to recognize that fact, they were hunting it, like an animal.
Gell roared inwardly and turned, it saw a man with a crossbow, raised and aimed, tunnel vision obscured its already confused and furious mind, anger, anger at the world, anger at them, Gell charged, the bolt thudded into his shoulder, and with nary a falter the mass of tortured flesh collided with its former captor, first it screamed within the man's mind, overwhelming him with fury incarnate, it had found a target, and did not intend to show any inkling of mercy. With a blow to the chest it broke three ribs, and with a knee to the chin it fractured the hopeless man's skull. Gell followed through by throwing the man against a tree and planting a massive foot in his chest, securing him in place as he tore both arms from his body. Flinging the wailing man into the ground, Gell ground his face into the dirt with a heavy heel, and broke a sturdy branch from the now bloodstained tree with both hands. Stepping to the side of the ravaged man, the heavy branch rose and fell many times, shattering the leg and hip bones of the one so unfortunate to incur the wrath of Gell. No man could be in the same forest where this transpired, and not hear the wailing, the cries of pain that only fueled the monster's rage, the tables had turned, or that was how Gell saw it.
Two of his comrades stepped from behind the trees, in the pale morning light their aim was true, as two more bolts joined their brother in Gell's thick skin, the behemoth threw its victim, hard and fast, the man collided with another and sent the two tumbling, the other had re-loaded and took aim, but before he could get another shot off the bloodied and wearied beast was upon him, swinging his massive branch with the force of a stampeding elephant. Within seconds the crossbow armed woman's face was turned to pulp, the wood cracked under the force of the blow, and to finish her off, it was broken in half upon her already devastated skull.
Grabbing a heavy stone, Gell ran to the survivor, and did not stop until it had broken all arms and legs, and turned the man's brain into chunks, splayed across the ground.
In its anger they were mutilated, and it was not yet satiated.
Before Gell could make good on it's plan to rip all humans limb from limb, the same voice from earlier, the same formless voice penetrated it's mind.
"I WILL HAVE TO USE YOU THEN, MONSTER, YOU WILL BE MY CONNECTION."
Pain, pain immeasurable, as if every fiber of it's being was being separated, serrated and burned all at once, the fire in it's eyes shot outwards and filled the air around it, Gell wanted to scream, needed to scream, but for lack of a mouth, it couldn't.
Images flashed before his minds eye, a Demon, weeping, and yet smiling at the same time.
The weeping ceased, and the creature looked at him, the Demon, there, and yet at the same time, not.
"LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO BE FRIENDS FOR A LONG TIME, BECAUSE I'M NOT GOING BACK THERE, YOU ARE THEM, AND YET NOT, I WILL CALL YOU NAM, FOR YOU ARE THE REVERSE."
It's voice was grating, and painful to hear, but Gell could not escape it. "I'll add it to the list." Gell, who now referred to himself as Gellnam, said internally.
Shang.
"ALLOW ME EXPLAIN MYSELF, NAM, I AM FROM A PLACE FAR DIFFERENT FROM THIS, AND THAT GOBLIN YOU KILLED, HE BROUGHT ME HERE, HE AND HIS FRIENDS SOME YEARS AGO KILLED SOMEONE IN MY NAME, IT WAS A WHOLE BIG THING, BUT I'M HERE NOW, AND I'M NOT GOING BACK, I ATTACHED MYSELF TO YOU NAM, YOU'RE STUCK WITH ME."
"Good for me."
"OH, OF COURSE, DISINTERESTED NOW, BUT LATER YOU WILL BE ON YOUR KNEES BEGGING ME FOR ANSWERS, I'M IN A CHATTY MOOD NAM, IT'S RARE TO GET SUCH ANSWERS FROM ONE AS OLD AS I, DID YOU KNOW THAT IN YOUR RECKONING I AM OVER TWO-THOUSAND YEARS OF AGE?"
"No I did not."
"OF COURSE YOU DIDN'T, YOU'RE AN IDIOT, YOU KNOW PRACTICALLY NOTHING, WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW SOMETHING NAM?"
'Why not?" Gellnam said, exasperated at the Demon's nonstop voice ringing about in his skull for the past hour, he had managed to trek a few hours in that time, even with the little green whelp jabbering away. He must have thought that last part himself, because the Demon responded promptly.
"WHELP, YOU CALL ME A WHELP? ME? WELL HERE'S SOMETHING YOU DON'T KNOW AND THIS WHELP DOES, YOU WERE ONCE A MAN, NAM, ALTHOUGH ONE WOULD BE HARD PRESSED TO SEE IT NOW, YOU WERE A 'HE' ONCE."
Gellnam rolled the word around in it's mind 'he', he liked it.
"I HAVE NOT BEEN IDLE WITH MY TIME IN THIS WORLD NAM, WHY, I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE, WHICH IS A HARD THING TO KNOW CONSIDERING IT'S LIKELY NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE."
"What am I?"
'He' received no answer, it seemed the Demon was finished talking, the Demon who had yet to give his name, Gellnam idly wondered what it was.
"ITS MEANING WOULD BE LOST ON YOU, CALL ME SHANG, IT'S A WORD FOR DEMON IN SOME STRANGE GOBLIN DIALECT I PULLED FROM MY PREVIOUS HOST'S MIND, IT WOULD BE APPLICABLE TO YOU AS WELL, I BELIEVE IT HAS A SECONDARY MEANING OF 'DERANGED, OR MONSTROUS.'"
Gellnam like the sound of it, or rather, Gellnamshang liked the sound of it.
Ect...
These are things I could not work into the story above, or I simply thought of them afterwards.
Traits:
Tainted:
Because of Shang's presence, the Hunter's body has been inescapably imprinted with the powerful taint of Demon, as a consequence most healing spells that call upon any divine or holy source, would do more harm than good, this also applies to other spells or incantations of that nature.
Gellnamshang is peculiarly resistant to carnal healing methods, meaning the only way he could possibly be aided is through some sort of dark ritual or nefarious spell, the likes of which he would rather die than suffer being enacted for his benefit. Healing is a matter of time for the behemoth, he can generally come back from a gruesome wound within two days.
Salvation:
Shang is a thorn in his side, but also a boon to the Hunter, the Demon's power has made Gellnamshang resistant to dark magic in a general sense, and his mind is only strengthened by the ancient, and intelligent, being's presence. Not in the sense that he is smarter, but in the sense that attempts to incapacitate or otherwise harm him through his mind would most likely end in failure.
One of the most apparent supplements Shang can provide to the Hunter, is a last chance at life, when Gellnamshang is pushed to the brink of death, Shang can knit his most mortal wounds and allow a fight or flight to take place.
Frenzied:
The Demon has granted the Hunter many things, one of these being the ability to control his rage. Gellnamshang is unaware of the Demon's efforts to keep his anger in check, but sometimes the Imp can falter, for instance, the light of a full moon will break his hold on the Hunter's fury, and a rampage is imminent. The duration of which the anger has been held in check directly influences the duration of these episodes. His worst lasted for weeks, it took everything Shang had to pull him back together. These rampages are detrimental to Gellnamshang, as he is uncaring of physical harm done to him during this time, a wound can become problematic if untreated for weeks, even for one who specializes in taking damage. There are other triggers to this behavior, but they become fewer as Shang identifies and counters them.
Fearless:
Gellnamshang is rarely frightened, when one carries shattered memories in their minds of a broken past, unable to remember their origins, unable to remember themselves, they have very little to fear. The presence of Shang only amplifies his lack of susceptibility to terror, the Demon has power and knowledge enough to keep his host together.
"Good for me."
"OH, OF COURSE, DISINTERESTED NOW, BUT LATER YOU WILL BE ON YOUR KNEES BEGGING ME FOR ANSWERS, I'M IN A CHATTY MOOD NAM, IT'S RARE TO GET SUCH ANSWERS FROM ONE AS OLD AS I, DID YOU KNOW THAT IN YOUR RECKONING I AM OVER TWO-THOUSAND YEARS OF AGE?"
"No I did not."
"OF COURSE YOU DIDN'T, YOU'RE AN IDIOT, YOU KNOW PRACTICALLY NOTHING, WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW SOMETHING NAM?"
'Why not?" Gellnam said, exasperated at the Demon's nonstop voice ringing about in his skull for the past hour, he had managed to trek a few hours in that time, even with the little green whelp jabbering away. He must have thought that last part himself, because the Demon responded promptly.
"WHELP, YOU CALL ME A WHELP? ME? WELL HERE'S SOMETHING YOU DON'T KNOW AND THIS WHELP DOES, YOU WERE ONCE A MAN, NAM, ALTHOUGH ONE WOULD BE HARD PRESSED TO SEE IT NOW, YOU WERE A 'HE' ONCE."
Gellnam rolled the word around in it's mind 'he', he liked it.
"I HAVE NOT BEEN IDLE WITH MY TIME IN THIS WORLD NAM, WHY, I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE, WHICH IS A HARD THING TO KNOW CONSIDERING IT'S LIKELY NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE."
"What am I?"
'He' received no answer, it seemed the Demon was finished talking, the Demon who had yet to give his name, Gellnam idly wondered what it was.
"ITS MEANING WOULD BE LOST ON YOU, CALL ME SHANG, IT'S A WORD FOR DEMON IN SOME STRANGE GOBLIN DIALECT I PULLED FROM MY PREVIOUS HOST'S MIND, IT WOULD BE APPLICABLE TO YOU AS WELL, I BELIEVE IT HAS A SECONDARY MEANING OF 'DERANGED, OR MONSTROUS.'"
Gellnam like the sound of it, or rather, Gellnamshang liked the sound of it.
Ect...
These are things I could not work into the story above, or I simply thought of them afterwards.
Traits:
Tainted:
Because of Shang's presence, the Hunter's body has been inescapably imprinted with the powerful taint of Demon, as a consequence most healing spells that call upon any divine or holy source, would do more harm than good, this also applies to other spells or incantations of that nature.
Gellnamshang is peculiarly resistant to carnal healing methods, meaning the only way he could possibly be aided is through some sort of dark ritual or nefarious spell, the likes of which he would rather die than suffer being enacted for his benefit. Healing is a matter of time for the behemoth, he can generally come back from a gruesome wound within two days.
Salvation:
Shang is a thorn in his side, but also a boon to the Hunter, the Demon's power has made Gellnamshang resistant to dark magic in a general sense, and his mind is only strengthened by the ancient, and intelligent, being's presence. Not in the sense that he is smarter, but in the sense that attempts to incapacitate or otherwise harm him through his mind would most likely end in failure.
One of the most apparent supplements Shang can provide to the Hunter, is a last chance at life, when Gellnamshang is pushed to the brink of death, Shang can knit his most mortal wounds and allow a fight or flight to take place.
Frenzied:
The Demon has granted the Hunter many things, one of these being the ability to control his rage. Gellnamshang is unaware of the Demon's efforts to keep his anger in check, but sometimes the Imp can falter, for instance, the light of a full moon will break his hold on the Hunter's fury, and a rampage is imminent. The duration of which the anger has been held in check directly influences the duration of these episodes. His worst lasted for weeks, it took everything Shang had to pull him back together. These rampages are detrimental to Gellnamshang, as he is uncaring of physical harm done to him during this time, a wound can become problematic if untreated for weeks, even for one who specializes in taking damage. There are other triggers to this behavior, but they become fewer as Shang identifies and counters them.
Fearless:
Gellnamshang is rarely frightened, when one carries shattered memories in their minds of a broken past, unable to remember their origins, unable to remember themselves, they have very little to fear. The presence of Shang only amplifies his lack of susceptibility to terror, the Demon has power and knowledge enough to keep his host together.