NOVEL NEXT 63
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Welcome to the great game Trial of Tzeentch, Khorne, and Slaanesh Defeat Nurgle’s newest chosen +25% spell power +25% strength +25% all stats Applied to the whole herd for the duration of the Trial |
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Reward: 80 Souls 80 Attribute Points 2 level for chosen Concept |
Penalty to failure: -25% spell power -25% strength -25% all stats Applied to the whole herd. Lasts for 40 days |
With the recent surge of magic on the world, Daemons have easier access to the real world. Expect unbound daemons incursion (Greater Daemons included) where plenty of magic gathers or casted.
I read all the notifications and of course accepted the trials. This is basically what happens back in the Tower of Hoeth again where three other Chaos Gods pile on just one to not let the one have advantages. While the buff is nice, the reward is not as much as the last one. The last one I can keep half of the buff permanently but not this time. Maybe because I am growing powerful too quickly or the reward buff that boosts an entire herd can only be achieved in harder trials. Then there’s also the warning. I guess it is to be expected that daemon incursion happens easier due to my meddling. Now I am a bit reluctant to send my new group of beastmen shamans as that would mean Daemon incursion. Wonder how the rest of the Old World handled this matter. Magic being more accessible and easier to control on the cost of increased chance of Daemonic incursion. Like in 40K’s Old Night, almost. At least not yet until I complete my Gate
Come to think of it, I wonder if it is possible to establish an alliance with the human’s college of magic. Too caught up in the struggle of Gods that I forget about anything else. I did already send Valeria to Cathay for the possibility of one but I ignore a closer one. Will try to contact Balthasar Gelt after this is over. Maybe I can get a supply of guns. Might not be effective but I think I can enchant it a bit for more power. Then of course artillery too. A Cygor lobbing boulders might be scary but them carrying huge guns should be a spectacle.
Then I heard a tapping sound just beside my ear. The tracking artifact I made with just one soul and a piece of rock has been triggered. I gave them to the shadow divers and told them to track the Bretonnian Knights. This time I clearly tell them to just notify me of their position and only to track them and nothing else. They are a little southwest of the point of location where my werewolves are killed. So they are in Marienburg again. To resupply and warn the city about the Nurgle plague in Laurelorn no doubt. According to the werewolf survivor report, they are less than two hundred, even so their presence can jeopardize my herd’s campaign to Laurelorn.
I fly up again to monitor the current progression. A third of Drakwald is now golden and under my domain, then I look at the patch of gold within Laurelorn. The main army is led by Kal, riding Razorgors, which is just a bigger Tuskgor that has more spikes that I turned for testing Bloodlines concept. Their advance camp in Laurelorn is guarded by Dorn and the other Cygor. Kal’s army consists mostly of fast hit and run beastmens as prolonged fights with Nurgle’s things are not a good idea. While I already give them immunity to one plague, Nurgle might throw another. So far, the fighting is mostly skirmishes with corrupted dryads and treants. I don’t know what else they have and my scouts are limited to just the outskirts. As for the reason I did not send the shadow divers there, they can at most hold their breath for 10 minutes with the spines that I add. Then they must resurface and take a breath in a very Nurgle toxic environment. Sending them will just kill them as I still cannot add more organs to filter the toxin without imploding the beastmen.
Then there’s the reserve near the outskirts of Drakwald led by Druig and Lak. They are mostly heavy hitters like the minotaurs and the shamans. Held in reserve in case those Bretonnian Knights return. Best case scenario is that Druig can hold the Grail Knights and Kal’s fast units can swiftly return and envelop the Knights. Quite an overt plan to just a few hundred knights, but with increased magic in the world, there might be a chance the Grail Knights gettng a buff too. Then both armies can focus on Laurelorn. This is the first proper army sized engagement me and my herd did and winning is a must. Winter is approaching and so is the End Times.
Then an alert sounds
| A divine entity is trying to enter Sanctuary |
Immediately I fly back to my herdstone. Enter my tent and return to Sanctuary. There was a thing, in red robes. Immediately I will a soulbound sword to fly into my hand as I charge the entity. He turns towards me, revealing an empty black hole in the place of their face. I swing my sword and it just passes through like swinging into the air.
A Greater Daemon. Now this makes sense. His voice comes from everywhere.
“Leave this place!” I shouts as I place myself between him and Valariel as she takes cover behind me.
But not this one.
“How did you enter?”
I did not. This is just an illusion I made to talk to the stranded soul there. The figure points behind me
Hearing that, I willed my Divinity to force him out.
Impressive. I assume what’s happening up north is your doing
Host Divinity is lower than Entity’s Divinity
Failed to force Entity out
Both of you are very much alike. Tell me, does a Daemon wants to become mortal or a mortal wants to become a Daemon?
“What?” I and Valariel spoke at the same time
You don’t know? Both of you don’t know? He asks incredulously. Then he broke into an amused laugh.
This is definitely new. Then perhaps there’s a chance. I will return, after both of you sort this out. I will allow your effigy to stay in Stirland and your harvesting of souls. For now.
Then he just left. Leaving us both. And yes, perhaps this is time to sort this out.