S. P. E. C. T. R. E. and S. H. A. D. O. W. Conference (storyline)/2024-10-05 - Lecture 6 - Enchantments and Clockwork Devices (log)

Summary

Lecture #6 of 6 from the S. P. E. C. T. R. E. and S. H. A. D. O. W. Conference. Speaker Thalita Trevil presented about Enchantments and Clockwork Devices, focusing on the practical application of necromancy on undeath and the animation of artificial constructs such as golems. Log is taken from Phanna's point of view and has been edited to focus on the lecture itself.

Log

Issuing from the lobby, a chime suddenly echoes through the hotel, announcing that the next lecture of S. P. E. C. T. R. E and S. H. A. D. O. W. Conference is about to begin in the library.

You see Mistress Thalita Trevil the Necromancer.
She appears to be a Dark Elf.
She is more imposing than tall and has a strikingly beautiful form.  She appears to be in the prime of life.  She has kohl-rimmed piercing violet eyes and smooth dark skin.  She has long, jet-black hair flowing around a dark crown of black diamonds, which seems to emerge from her skull.  She has highly polished and sharp dark urglaes talons in place of her nails.
She is in good shape.
She is wearing a twisted bleakstone necklace, a lambent viridian soulstone burning with mawfire, a sickly deep black blossom, a vathorboned onyx jacquard corset pulled taut by silver veniom lacing, a pitch-black voided velvet evening gown silhouetted with dark jewels, an archaic urglaes reliquary, a twisted black ora waistchain hung with a flaming dreadsteed skull, a sleek black leather vasculum, and a pair of thigh-high black vruul leather boots on high curved points.
The ground beneath Thalita writhes in swells of shadow, the demonic visages rising across her form before disappearing in a silent scream of dark mist.

Rovvigen nods at Ermias.

Giedrius stands up.

Thalita says, "I will have to follow our last presenters."

Speaking to Giedrius, Liras says, "I do like to spend my days in the sun, 'tis true. But we wanderers have depths."

Ermias softly says, "Excellent.  I have much I wish to speak to people about.  But first, let's consider."

Ermias nods at Alek.

Meliyara grins wryly at Thalita.

Speaking darkly to Ermias, Caedenmon says, "I do not know how many centuries you've lived, prior to your supposed demise.  At my age you get tired of people disagreeing with you, and telling you what you can and can't do."

Ermias nods at Thalita.

Ermias just went over and threw himself down on the couch.

Giedrius nods understandingly at Liras.

Ermias looks thoughtfully at Caedenmon.

Missoni gazes with interest at Thalita.

Giedrius quietly slips out of the library.

Thalita asks, "Are we all ready?"

Caedenmon nods respectfully.

Riend nods eagerly at Thalita.

Callayne nods at Thalita.

Faelynth glances at Thalita.

Zethes nods.

Speaking softly to Thalita, Rovvigen says, "Sure."

Ermias turns an inquisitive ear toward Thalita.

Missoni nods encouragingly at Thalita.

Meliyara takes a moment to observe Thalita.

Thalita says, "As you all undoubtedly know, I am none other than the Thalita Trevil, renowned necromancer and historian of the undead."

Rovvigen turns an inquisitive ear toward Thalita.

Alicea applauds Thalita.

Thalita says, "My expertise includes ancient rituals and relics, as well as the interaction of the undead with the living."

Fleurs turns an inquisitive ear toward Thalita.

Thalita says, "And here I am.  Speaking on enchantments and clockwerke devices."

Thalita says, "'My, my!'  You might wonder.  'Why would a necromancer be speaking of clockwerke enchantments?'."

Caedenmon leans forward.

Rovvigen softly says, "My thought exactly."

Rovvigen smiles at Thalita.

Liras asks, "Why not?"

Liras grins.

You surreptitiously glance at Caedenmon.

Thalita flourishes a half turn with a sweeping gesture.

Fenthywick wraps his hands tightly around his caramel tea, warming his fingers.

Thalita asks, "Have my ears mistaken me for a gnome?"

Thalita says, "There is, in truth, a deep similarity in these arts.  The necromancy of undeath and the animation of artificial constructs."

Fleurs gazes in amusement at Thalita.

Speaking to Caedenmon, you murmur, "I believe you suggested this very thing earlier."

Ermias squints.

Thalita says, "Constructs are those 'artificial beings' which are 'constructed' from inanimate or animate matter."

Alicea turns an inquisitive ear toward Thalita.

Thalita says, "Constructs are a general term of art.  They come in myriad forms."

Thalita says, "They may be made of multiple parts or kinds of material."

Thalita raises her hand.  The shadows and greenish-black flames around her coalesce into an elaborate skeletal construct, fitted together with whole bones from various sources, having claws and an elongated snout with spiral horns but walking upright with a humanoid spinal column.

Ermias leans over toward Caedenmon.  "Listen up, Howler," he whispers.  "You might learn something."

Thalita says, "Golems were traditionally those artificial beings constructed of a single kind of material and imbued with motive forces."

Thalita says, "Of course, this usage of the term is much debased, and so the word 'golem' is tossed about much more loosely."

You gaze with interest at Thalita.

Thalita says, "Often constructs which are too complicated to be golems are now called golems."

Thalita twists her wrist and the elaborate construct of bone is replaced with a mass of splintered bones in a crude parody of a body with a humanoid skull on top.

Thalita says, "Golems are a kind of automaton.  Nearly mindless, obedient, following simple orders from their master."

Thalita says, "They survive until their enchantment fails or they are physically destroyed."

Thalita says, "In contrast there are 'animates'.  Essentially puppets briefly infused with essence by their string pullers."

Thalita says, "These are briefly existing animations imbued with rudimentary will through their creator."

Thalita says, "They cannot be said to act autonomously.  Hence they are not automatons."

Ermias turns an inquisitive ear toward Thalita.

The shadows and balefire reform into a massive rough statue of a man, with a serpentine head on a thick trunk-like neck and two glowing eyes.

Thalita says, "Golems proper are simple, crude statues or solid slabs."

Thalita says, "More elaborate machinery we may refer to as 'clockwork', or machina or what-have-you, and these may be made into automatons."

Thalita says, "Cruder or messier composites exist as well.  These are amalgamations."

Thalita says, "Dybbuks.  Shrickhen.  Chimera.  Patchwork monstrosities."

Rovvigen softly says, "I know dybbuks."

Thalita says, "Amalgamations are similar to constructs."

Thalita gestures with her taloned fingers and the infernal shadows reform into a piecemeal composition of mismatched sections of body, with flesh stretched and melded throughout its unnatural lumbering form.

Thalita says, "One might mistakenly think 'constructs' or 'amalgamations' of animate matter are necessarily 'undead' or some kind of 'unliving'."

Thalita says, "But this is wrong.  Flesh golems are sometimes undead and sometimes not."

Thalita says, "Whether or not they are solid masses of flesh."

Thalita says, "Consider the dybbuks of Bonespear.  Dybbuks are truly cursed possession spirits."

Rovvigen nods at Thalita.

Thalita says, "The mess of misshapen flesh they inhabit was built for them."

Thalita says, "But the meat suit is not what makes them undead."

Thalita throws her arm up and briefly ignites a towering mass of balefire that seems to flow and flicker with a life of its own.

Philomina squeakily mouths, "Meat suit."

Thalita says, "Nor does even this exhaust the variety of artificial beings.  In a fashion we may include conjured incarnations."

Speaking softly to Philomina, Rovvigen says, "Sounds disturbing put that way."

Thalita says, "Elementals are often artificial beings.  Extraplanar manifestations bound within physical forms."

Speaking raspily to Philomina, Alek mouths, "Makes you hungry, doesn't it?"

Liras asks, "We're all just souls in suits of meat, aren't we?"

Thalita says, "This is in no meaningful way a 'construct', even though it is a single kind of matter."

Thalita says, "Though elements are, indeed, useful for making elemental golems."

Thalita says, "But elementals themselves are not golems."

Thalita says, "There are also artificial beings which result from transmogrification or metamorphosis."

Thalita says, "Simulacra for instance are grown from blood and exotic matter in vats."

Zethes puts her fingers in her ears, glancing at the empty space next to her with clear distain.  Politely, she watches Thalita, her own lips moving as if she's reading the other woman's lips.

Thalita shapes the shadows around her into the form of an elder Elven woman.

Thalita smirks.

Thalita says, "Imagine homunculi.  Imagine so-called 'blood golems', alchemical doppelgangers."

Missoni surreptitiously glances at Thalita.

Thalita says, "There are unspeakably ancient undead of this kind."

Thalita swirls the shadows ripping the Elven woman apart, reforming her into a horror with bat-like wings and baleful green eyes, emerging with bloody claws from a tall jar of dark ichor.

Ermias shivers.

Lissaya gazes with interest at Thalita.

Thalita says, "Marluvian cults have performed ritual sacrifices and woken the vruul from stone jars since the Age of Darkness."

Opalina stares at Thalita.

Thalita says, "These concepts are thus not merely the modern contrivances of tinkerers."

You shift your weight.

Ermias looks away slightly, clearly uncomfortable.

Rovvigen peers quizzically at Ermias.

Thalita says, "Now!  What of the clockwerke automatons?  Consider the poorly named 'steel golems' of Melgorehn."

The burning shadows shape into a mimicry of life with gears and cracked pipes expelling steam, sharp teeth and rhythmic motions, with thick plates of armor and eye sockets streaming out black smoke.

Thalita says, "These are golems in the sense of being statues made only of steel, but they are elaborate contraptions and more truly clockwork automatons."

Thalita says, "Melgorehn was a warlock, and inventor, who was artificially keeping his youth with magic."

Thalita says, "He had a mechanical dragon sky ship.  He had a tower that moved around."

Thalita says, "There is no contradiction in this combination."

Thalita says, "Consider the so-called 'Collectors' of the Southron Wastes.  Who parasitically feed upon the power of magical relics, vainly seeking to extend their lives."

Thalita says, "These are humanoids, debased once-humans, who toxically draw power from artifacts into themselves like the addicts of narcotics."

Thalita says, "There are ancient clockwerke devices, enchanted relics, which thus become of much interest to the necromancer."

Thalita says, "Souls may also be trapped in artifacts.  Recall the haunted bladesmith, Thingul, who slew his own wife to perfect his craft."

The shadows collapse and reform into severed heads flying through the room.

Thalita asks, "Who can forget the ancient Vistix, who was sacrificing brides to such ends?"

Opalina leans backward as she ducks her head and throws her arm up in a defensive gesture.

Liras says, "Goodness..."

Philomina surreptitiously glances at Opalina.

Thalita says, "Here, too, in Naidem, we seek the value of enchantments."

Faelynth says, "Oh my."

Maylan glances at Opalina.

Rovvigen softly says, "That took a turn."

Rovvigen peers quizzically at Thalita.

Thalita says, "So! When we have an artificial being, an animated device, there is a motive 'spirit' imbued within it."

Zethes frowns.

Zethes drops her fingers from her ears.

Thalita says, "These may be elements, demons, nature spirits.  They may even be the souls of the sapient living."

Thalita says, "What is a soul, after all?  We may debate what qualifies endlessly."

Thalita says, "A whiff of sentience must possess animated vessels."

Thalita says, "Automatons are not generally considered 'undead'.  They are enchanted.  Whether temporarily possessed, or powered with arcane energies."

Thalita says, "In a sense they may be considered a middle ground between animates and the undead."

Thalita says, "It is a question of the amount of sentience in the animation."

Thalita says, "When the essence of the spirit is corrupted, becoming chaotic, it may become cursed and fused to its physical vessel."

Thalita says, "Bone golems.  Soul golems.  These are constructs possessed of undeath and so are deemed undead."

Thalita says, "Indeed.  When enchantments catastrophically fail, the matter often becomes cursed."

Thalita says, "This matter of the spirit becoming cursed to physical vessels is essential."

Thalita says, "Enchantments will eventually break down.  Those who seek undeath are relying upon the curse to keep themselves eternally bound to physical form."

Thalita says, "This is a dilemma for making clockwork automatons that are undead rather than enchantments."

Thalita says, "Where an ordinary construct simply needs enough 'give' for the animating force to budge forward its parts..."

You ponder the meaning of Thalita's existence.

Thalita says, "... clockwork whirligigs fit together, just-so, with parts that are moving against each other."

Thalita says, "But when matter becomes cursed, it wishes to become stuck together."

Thalita says, "What we would need is a way for it to not all lock up."

Thalita says, "There have been ingenious attempts at eternal life through artifices.  Blood magic and the souls of sacrificed women have been used to possess urnon golems."

Riend glances sharply at Thalita.

Thalita says, "Urnon is itself a virtually sentient metal of elemental chaos that has high potential for being unlimited by cursed matter."

Thalita says, "One wonders whether if enchantment might also be used to have clockwerke devices acting akin to phylacteries."

Thalita says, "Not to keep the soul bound in undeath to it.  But to store untethered souls and make use of their power."

Fenthywick takes a tiny sip of his caramel tea, warming his lips and making sure it's cool enough to drink.

Rovvigen softly says, "Im sure it could be."

Thalita says, "Presuming one could do so in a way that would not corrupt the soul and curse it into its vessel."

Thalita says, "We might be able to treat our difficulties with souls in everlasting clockwerke in this way."

Thalita says, "I am familiar with artifacts which may store souls in this fashion."

Meliyara looks thoughtfully at Thalita.

Fleurs raises an eyebrow in Thalita's direction.

Thalita says, "Such a device would be most intriguing.  One can imagine fantastic innovations from it."

Thalita rolls wreaths of balefire over her fingers like a coin.

Thalita asks, "Ah!  Did anyone have questions on the art of being enchanting?"

Rovvigen smiles at Thalita.

You gaze in amusement at Thalita.

Alicea looks over at Thalita and shakes her head.

Thalita pours herself a slender flute of orange blossom champagne.

Thalita takes a drink from her orange blossom champagne.

You ask, "I recognize that urnon is quite chaotic in and of itself.  It sounds that you theorize this chaos is what would make it ideal, instead of something more.. static?"

Zethes says, "Oh, darling Thalita, could I have one of those."

Missoni gazes with interest at you.

Thalita says, "Yes.  I suspect its chaos would help prevent that rigidity from the essence becoming chaotic."

Rovvigen softly says, "Clerics can uncurse items so maybe harness this energy to allow a soul not to become corrupt."

Thalita pours herself a slender flute of orange blossom champagne.

Thalita offers Zethes a slender flute of orange blossom champagne.

Zethes says, "Oh thank you."

Zethes accepts Thalita's orange blossom champagne.

Zethes takes a drink from her orange blossom champagne.

You muse, "And so the urnon would allow a sort of elasticity to a process that is inherently rigid?"

Thalita says, "I imagine the great shadow demon sought an urnon vessel for itself for similar reasons."

Speaking to Thalita, Riend says, "Yet the urnon was a catalyst for driving the inhabitng soul insane."

Giedrius slips quietly into the library takes a seat.

Opalina glances at Thalita.

Thalita says, "Yes.  I believe urnon may be uniquely suited to that end.  It would be extraordinarily difficult to make a golem from it."

Meliyara casually glances at Giedrius.

Zethes says, "I fear eventually all souls get driven to madness."

You say, "That is an intriguing angle.  Thank you for sharing it."

You nod appreciatively at Thalita.

Rovvigen nods in agreement at Zethes.

Thalita says, "Yes, well.  Souls do tend to lose themselves in these endeavors."

Riend gives a sidelong glance at Zethes.

Thalita takes a drink from her orange blossom champagne.

Speaking softly to Zethes, Rovvigen says, "I could see this if left in a form to long of any kind."

Zethes asks, "A form... for longing?"

Zethes says, "I don't understand."

Speaking softly to Zethes, Rovvigen says, "Both."

Rovvigen softly says, "No one likes to be constricted in small spaces for one."

Speaking confusedly to Rovvigen, Zethes says, "I see."

Rovvigen softly says, "Souls like the living need to wander for exploration of living no matter which form of life youre currently in."

Rovvigen softly says, "Thats how I see it anyway."

Zethes stands up.

Speaking to Thalita, Riend informs, "I have first hand experience in the creation of such a golem."

Saleigh glances at Maylan.

Tylagrace politely announces, "Lunch service is now available in the dining room, we do apologize for the late repast."

Speaking to Zethes, Maylan asks, "I'm right here?"

Philomina turns to Tylagrace and cheers!

You nod appreciatively at Tylagrace.

Zethes exclaims, "Oh, I thought you were a guest!"

Saleigh beams happily at Tylagrace!

Zethes raises her voice in merry laughter.

Meliyara nods appreciatively at Tylagrace.

Missoni nods appreciatively at Tylagrace.

Speaking to Zethes, Giedrius says, "She was apparently found in the attic earlier, but I do not know where she is now."

Maylan peers quizzically at Zethes.

Alek turns to Tylagrace and cheers!

Zethes blinks at Giedrius.

Speaking to Riend, Thalita says, "Then you must know Grishom Stone.  I have not had the pleasure."

Zethes asks, "Wait, what?"

Giedrius stands up.

Opalina quietly exclaims, "Oh good.. time to eat!"

Speaking to Zethes, Maylan asks, "Are you feeling okay, eh?"

Saleigh asks, "Ready?"

Azaton turns to Tylagrace and cheers!

Rovvigen recites softly:

    "Thank you all for the lectures"

Speaking pointedly to Zethes, Tylagrace mentions, "If you do happen to see her, this is unacceptable behavior for a staff member of the Evermore."

Fenthywick says, "My favorite time.  Lunch."

Alek forcefully crosses one arm over his brigandine armor and offers Thalita a formal bow.

Liras applauds wildly!

Ermias glances at Zethes.

Fenthywick takes a drink from his caramel tea.

Liras exclaims, "Yes, thank you so much!"

Giedrius takes a drink from his smoky scotch.

Giedrius looks rather relaxed.

Speaking to Tylagrace, Maylan agrees, "Quite so."

Speaking raspily to Thalita, Alek says, "Thank you."

Speaking to Thalita, Riend agrees, "Yes, I know him as well as anyone might."

Fenthywick just lunged out.

Speaking to Maylan, Zethes says, "I was hoping you could ask your counterpart what happened to my draugh."

Giedrius says, "I am quite ready for lunch."

Speaking softly to Zethes, Ermias asks, "Did you not know?"

Zethes says, "No."

Master Giedrius just went out.

Speaking to Zethes, Maylan says, "She prolly stole it."

Zethes says, "I'm getting rather conflicting information and the spirits in this room are not assisting in that."

Meliyara grins wryly at Zethes.

Maylan says, "Spose spirits are as unreliable as the rest of us, then."

Zethes sighs.

Zethes says, "I just need to my draught to block out the noise, it is much more than I expected here."

You ask, "What is your draught?"

Ermias stands up.

Speaking quietly to Zethes, Tylagrace inquires, "Will you be needing any particular components for your draught?"

Zethes says, "A collection of herbs, but it was premade and I don't really know its contents."

Manager Blodeuyn just loped in.

You nod understandingly at Zethes.

Blodeuyn glances at Tylagrace.

Zethes asks, "I just need it back from her, but you said she's catatonic?"

Zethes asks, "Or someone did?"

You admit, "She was clutching a vial of some sort."

Ermias glances at Blodeuyn.

Speaking to Blodeuyn, Tylagrace informs, "Lunch has been served, finally."

Blodeuyn says, "That is good, but."

Zethes says, "Was it you?"  She points at an empty space next to her. "No, not Clarence, the other you."

Researcher Ermias just went out.

Blodeuyn says, "We should see to lunch."

Tylagrace nods in agreement.

Speaking to Thalita, Riend offers, "If you had questions regarding the rituals, I might be able to answer them."

Zethes exasperatedly says, "Well, I'm sorry, you didn't all give me your name... No.. no. don't do it at once."

Blodeuyn nods at Tylagrace.

Zethes covers her ears.

Blodeuyn says, "Please enjoy lunch in the dining room."

Thalita nods at Riend.

Zethes's face turns slightly pale.

You nod appreciatively at Blodeuyn.

Zethes says, "Excuse me."

Manager Blodeuyn just loped out.

Mistress Zethes just went out.

Culinarian Tylagrace just went out.

Lych nods.

Lych says, "Indeed, pardon me."

Riend says, "Pardon me."

Speaking to Thalita, you say, "Thank you for the engaging lecture."

You say, "Excuse me."