Introduction?

[sightofthepast]

With little grace and a loud racket, a young woman with dark hair (yet skin that is as pale as snow) tumbles in, though she somehow lands in a low crouch with her sword half-drawn. Across her chest is strapped a leather belt studded with a series of pouches, and will, upon closer examination, be revealed to be a set of bells, ranging from pillbox

Comments

[ebonyjewelled]

*hasn't quite been dead, though has had a few close calls - too many if you ask any of her people*

Why should the dead not be here?

[sightofthepast]

Lirael senses the magic in her - very strong, and not of the Charter; nor is it Free Magic. She bites back her curiousity to answer the question, though.

"They are supposed to remain in their own realm - the realm of Death. My duty is to prevent those that have been dead from rising once again, sometimes raised by another necromancer." A slight, automatic shudder, since Dead Hands are not a pretty sight. "Yet the feeling here seems different in some way."

[ebonyjewelled]

Moving between realms is not the same as rising from death. Where I come from, there are three Realms. There is Terreille, the most mundane. The Kaeleer, the Shadow Realm, though still home to the living. Finally is Hell, the land of the dead. Though not everyone there is necessarily dead. There are Gates between the Realms, so travel is possible, but difficult.

I used to travel between Realms as a child. I was safer in Hell than any other. Yet here, yes, it is different. People rise from the dead even after thorough execution...

[sightofthepast]

"That sounds very different from what my land is like. We only have two realms - that of the Living and that of the Dead. A talented necromancer can easily go from one realm to another, but the realm of Death has nine different gates, and once you go past the ninth gate, you're truly dead, and nothing can return you back to life.

I've only recently been able to access the realm of Death, but - I'm not sure if it's safer or more dangerous than Life - back in the Old Kingdom, at least."

[russet_goddess]

"Crazy magic, that's what. Makes everyone idiots on top of everything." Zara glower is crooked--she might like Lirael, if she chooses--and she stands with her very thin fingers on her very thin hips, a sort of challenge that's partly to intimidate people and partly because she's wary and slightly wild-animal-ish. She has also been quite dead.

[sightofthepast]

There's a quick tilt of her head, and Lirael almost reaches out to touch Zara's forehead - but she stops herself just as quickly, and stares for a moment instead. If she weren't so interested in the situation (and didn't have the Dog at her side), Lirael would have been intimidated.

"You've been dead." She states in a certain tone, yet with wonder in her voice. "You've been dead, but you're still alive - and not because of unnatural arts. How can that be? Is it part of the magic of this place?"

[russet_goddess]

At the surpressed movement, Zara darts back a step--don't touch-- "Dead. Yes. Stabbed in the head and everywhere else with a bayonet. Does the trick." Her eyes are mistrustful, but not yet unfriendly. "Just come back, didn't I? Didn't ask, didn't do a thing, just all of a sudden come back and find I'm here."

[sightofthepast]

It's the Charter mark - Lirael has a very visible one on her own forehead, and her first reaction was to check if Zara had one too. But this place clearly isn't governed by Charter magic; that much is evident.

"I see," she says, slightly subdued. "I'm sorry if I was too forward. I've always been able sense death, and sometimes I don't think before I speak."

[sweariwontdie]

We don't know the magic, Mlle. Lirael.

I guess quite a few of us have been dead. Not everyone, but being dead just doesn't... stick. *not very happy with the explanation himself, so he shrugs apologetically* *has been killed twice since he came here*

[sightofthepast]

"It- It isn't supposed to happen," Lirael murmurs to herself, biting her lip. "And you've been dead too, and while it seems you haven't been properly brought back to life by an Abhorsen - you certainly don't look like a re-animated corpse."

A nervous laugh, as Lirael tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm sorry. I must seem awfully silly, but the magic of this place makes me nervous."

[sweariwontdie]

"I was brought back, as you say, the last time by the Lord of Mandos. He's not quite a god, but... very like one. I'm sorry you feel uncomfortable. Is there anything I can do to help?"

[sightofthepast]

"The Lord of Mandos?" Lirael asks, curiousity getting the better of her. "And no, thank you- I'll be fine as long as she's here."

With a gesture, she waves at the Dog, who's currently sitting quietly in the corner observing everything.

[ambereyedraven]

"The Mansion likes to collect, is all I can think." Liriel perches on the edge of a table, looking her over curiously. "As for the magic, who knows? But what about the sort of magic you seem to be carting about? I have never sensed anything like it before."

Typist: Apologies, she's terribly rude. She's never been dead though!

[sightofthepast]

"Magic of the Abhorsen bloodline," she answers automatically, fingering the bells strapped across her chest, "and that of the Clayr. It gives me the powers of necromancy and remembrancy. There is also Charter Magic in me, but Charter Mages are more common than my other two titles."

If she hadn't grown up in the Old Kingdom, she would have realized that some places find the word 'necromancy' odd or frightening. As it is, she clearly has nothing to hide.

[ambereyedraven]

Luckily, Liriel is not one to be easily startled, and has certainly seen darker magics in her time. "Necromancy?" she asks, lifting her eyebrow. "Quite interesting. You seem to be a woman of many skills. What is remembrancy? All your titles and names are unknown to me."

[sightofthepast]

"I am the Abhorsen-In-Waiting, and from that, my duty is to bind all the Dead that return to life. I am also a Daughter of the Clayr-" A slight wince, of memories past. "-and from that, I received the title of Remembrancer. I can see the past, but only by stepping into the realm of Death. Charter magic is what runs our kingdom, and many people there are Charter Mages of some level."

Lirael hastily changes the topic away from herself, not wanting to seem like she's bragging. "What about you? You seem to have a sort of magic, too- if you don't mind me asking."

[notwocouches]

Magic? *looks amused, as though he knows more than he's saying-- though in all honesty he probably doesn't* No, it just is. *hasn't actually died, amazingly enough. Gods usually don't*

[sightofthepast]

Lirael takes a cautious step backwards, since the magic in this one is strong; of even stronger and stranger origins than the first woman that greeted her.

"But there must be something running through this place- And the clearest answer I can give is 'magic', since everyone around me seems to be filled with all different types of it."