[Catch All] Rebirth is just Necromancy with better branding

[petcromancer]

Who: Hector, open
When: the first half of Feb.
Where: The city of Aefenglom
What: Monthly catch all for Hector's first month. What do you do when you can't necromance good or do other stuff good too?
Warnings: Injured animals, poor decisions, language, will update as needed



The Early Days Out and About in the City

[If this is to be Hector's home-- and he is in no rush to return to whence he came-- then he needs to know it. After one monstrous post-festival hang-over, Hector resolves to find himself an apartment, and really settle in.

He rises with the sun-- it is nice, getting to enjoy the sunlight again-- and walks the city before the streets get too crowded with city-dwellers. On most days, Cezar the pug is at his heels, bounding from one place to another until his stubby legs tire and he starts to whine to be carried.

Hector scours the library for his sort of magic, but finds only bits and pieces of his craft within the transmutation and conjuration texts. To those he sees studying, he may try to probe to learn their manner of spellwork. There have to be necromancers somewhere, don't there?

And he searches for new pets. Every city is full of hurt and broken things, if one knows where to look. Hector has been looking, and finding, since his early childhood. On one memorable occasion, he climbs a tree after a wailing cat...only for the cat to look at him as he finally reaches the branch and bound safely to the ground, leaving Hector aghast. And up a tree. 'Well, fuck.']

The Full Moon closed to CR- let me know if you'd like him to call you

[The changes are not so noticeable yet. The tips of horns are starting to show through his hair, and the skin around them itches like a motherfucker. His hair is...fluffier, and when he strips out of his boots and pants, he finds himself hairier and with calluses along his feet.

He would claim there are no psychological changes to accompany the physical, but on the night of the full moon, he finds himself curled protectively around his puppy on the floor of his apartment.]

There are monsters out there, Cezar. It's too dangerous for you. Stay here. Right here.

[Hector has no means to protect him, to protect either of them. His forging powers are gone, and there is not even the threshold of a home to ward off the creatures of the night. He is alone, friendless, vulnerable. Easy prey.

His breath quickens, and he can feel his heart racing with paranoid fear. His hand goes for his watch, and he opens the device, hesitating over the selection.]

The Iron Price At the Desmodus Mori Bar

[Thankfully, the waning of the moon washes away some of the creeping terror, and Hector's life resumes. He's managed to scrimp together a little money from odd jobs thus far, but if he wants to support actual live pets, he needs more than that.]

There's no danger. You know exactly how much blood you can safely lose. [He reassures himself as he walks to the vampire bar he's heard whispers about.

He also knows that a vampire is not a slave to their hunger. If they kill a victim, it is because they choose to do so.

...and Hector assumes that there are checks in place to prevent that, if this place expects to stay in operation. So it seems like easy money- a quick stop here, and he'll be able to bring home kibble for some hungry mouths.

He takes a deep breath and wills away his pointless fears. If the vampires here are like the ones at home, they'll sense weakness and pounce on it.]

It's a symbiotic relationship.

[He opens the door and takes a seat. Order up on faun blood.]


A New Life Paid for in Blood Near the apartments in Haven

[The blood business affords Hector at least some basic supplies to get himself set up. Cezar seems happy and fed, and as they days go by, the communal garden at the Haven Apartments starts to see some oddities. A butterfly with mismatching wings. A pigeon with a stump-leg ending in a bandage. A cat with a shaved patch showing off a bite mark mended with careful stitches.

Hector comes and goes, bringing in new patients to his makeshift clinic and letting them free once they are healed. He pauses on the way in with a pail full of leeches, smiling as the animals dart between the plants with various degrees of mobility.

Find something hurt? You may get pointed in this direction to find help.]

Wild Card message me with any other thoughts or ideas

Comments

New life

[cryptsleeper]

[There's been a lot happening in Alucard's life. But it doesn't mean that he has forgotten about Hector and the fact the man is around. He isn't sure how to handle any of it, especially since they both are so very opposed to being around each other but all the same. Hector was cool with a whole ass genocide. Alucard doesn't like the idea of leaving him to his own devices here.

The specifics of where Hector has settled reveals itself in time. He is walking and notices a small trail of leaches first - escapees. Following the trail?

Oh.]

You have left a very unusual trail.

[petcromancer]

[The other side of loneliness is peace. Hector has been isolated since coming here, but that has also afforded him quiet and a lack of scrutiny.

...but all good things must come to an end, it seems. The lord's son has found him.]

And you felt obligated to follow it.

[He rights the pail of leeches that has been sloshing over and leaving a trail.]

Fine. You want to see all of my dark secrets?

[cryptsleeper]

Not especially.

[But to the original point, because really now:]

It isn't every day that a trail of leeches appears. One could be forgiven for a combination of curiosity and concern.

[petcromancer]

I have a perfectly legitimate use for them. Forgive me if the shopkeep sold me a faulty pail.

[He arches an eyebrow at Alucard. 'Curiosity and concern'. What an upstanding citizen the dhampir is.]

[cryptsleeper]

I think that they may have just overfilled.

[But it begs a very important question:]

Why do you have this many leeches?

[petcromancer]

...I got a good deal on them for buying this many.

[Don't question his smart shopping choices, Alucard! This is a great value right here!!]

I only need a few, but it is useful to have them at hand at any time. The rest of them are going into a tank until I need them.

[Well, a bathtub, until he can afford a tank. That might not be until blood donation number 2.]

They're medicinal.

[cryptsleeper]

I see.

[Look, Costco level of leeches is understandable. But. But. There are literally books Dracula wrote to prove that leeches are only somewhat useful.]

...There are better options, you know. For medicinal purposes. Did you not have time to examine the castle's extensive medical library?

[petcromancer]

[Um, are you trying to tell Hector how to do his job, Alucard? Hector's eyes narrow.]

It wasn't my primary area of study, but I do know that leeches are effective when you need to restore bloodflow to damaged veins and prevent clotting. With any luck, they are going to prevent my patient from losing a leg.

[It's none of Alucard's business, but since Hector isn't doing something nefarious for once, he is fine with throwing it in Alucard's face.]

[cryptsleeper]

[Yes because he's an arrogant creature who definitely does not like Hector and kind of wants an excuse to harp on him.]

I mean this without malice, because of the nature of your previous work: human or animal patient?

[petcromancer]

[Hector rolls his eyes and steps to his door.]

I doubt you'll trust my word, so you might as well come in and see.

[Inside, there are more tools of Hector's trade strewn about. There are several convalescing animals napping on the couch, and Cezar has a place of honor on a cushion by the fireplace. The kitchen table has been repurposed into a surgery table, and there is an unconscious raccoon secured there. One of the back legs looks as if it has been run over by a cart.]

Were I at home, I would simply revive him after he died. But that isn't an option here, so I'm forced to intercede before he reaches that point.

[And thus, an industrial-sized helping of leeches.]

[cryptsleeper]

I actually might if it mean--

[meant getting away from Hector. But too late, Alucard's in Hector's weird little vet office now, and good lord. He's already acquired more animals, and this is just going to be what Hector does, isn't it?

He cringes at the raccoon's plight.]

I see.

[Can he go now.]

Then that's my curiosity satisfied.

[petcromancer]

[And this is why Hector, like a Romance Era novel heroine, has no Prospects for bonds. This is absolutely what Hector does now.]

What, your father's extensive medical library didn't prepare you for a real-life surgery? I didn't realize your kind could be squeamish.

[There's the door, Alucard. Feel free to flee leave. Hector, for his part, is moving to his raccoon patient and checking the wound.]

[cryptsleeper]

I can feel pity for a patient and their state, thank you.

[Yeah. He's going for the door. You deserve this Hector Bennet.]

I'll leave you to your work.

early days

[integrous]

[ .. It's not often that you're just casually walking around town and there's suddenly a person up in a tree. Not even in this place.

And it's even less often that the person just happens to be someone Asahi recognizes. It makes this whole thing even more baffling. Because hector seemed.. well, pretty normal back when she met him the other day? Definitely not the type to randomly go hang out in trees like this.

It might be why Asahi looks vaguely concerned as she looks up. ]

Are you.. okay?

[petcromancer]

[Hector looks down from his perch. He's not happy to be up here.]

Hey. Um...you don't happen to see a ladder or a rope anywhere around, do you?

[As if any aspect of his life has ever gone so smoothly.]

[integrous]

[ So his position isn't intentional, huh. That only brings forth more questions in Asahi's mind. But at least she realises she should probably be helpful first and curious second. ]

I haven't seen any, but.. here, I'll help.

[ The wings on her back unfold, and a moment later she's already stepping off the ground and into the air as they start to flap. If she seems pretty casual about it, it's since this is not even close to the first time she's had to help someone with something similar. ]

Can I hold onto you for a second? [ At least she's polite enough to ask first.. ] You're probably too heavy for me to carry around, but I can at least lower you to the ground.

[petcromancer]

[Hector nods, but he's wary. He offers Asahi his hands.]

Are you sure you can manage it?

[There will be no judgment if she can't. Hector is having horrific visions of delicate hollow avian bones being shattered by a fall.]

[integrous]

I don't think I could exactly fly you all over the place, but just to the ground should be okay.

[ Hector is a bit bigger than the person she tried it with before, but at least Asahi sounds fairly sure about what she's saying. Besides, she'd feel bad just leaving him literally hanging here..

She takes his hands. ]

Okay, just.. try to move off the branch slowly. I'm not sure if I could deal with that weight all at once that quickly.

[petcromancer]

The good news is, a fall from this distance won't kill me.

[So, NBD if this doesn't work out, Asahi. Hector turns so he start lowering his legs off of the branch, moving slowly and making sure he isn't holding onto Asahi so that if she needs to just drop him, she'll be able to.

He gets himself as far off of the branch and as low as he can without completely letting go of it. Ok, moment of truth.]

You ready?

[integrous]

[ Oh, Hector, you have no idea how guilty Asahi would feel if he'd even do as much as sprain his ankle from a fall partially caused by her. Death doesn't even have to get involved. ]

.. yeah. I'm ready.

[ Thankfully it goes okay enough when he does leave the branch. It's not that long of a way down, after all, so Asahi just tries to flap her wings as hard as she can to try and reduce the falling speed until he's standing back on the ground. That's when she lets go of him.

A moment later her own feet end up safely back on the ground as well, although her wings are still moving behind her with jittery nerves. ]

Geez.. Thankfully that didn't go bad. [ She glances back up at the tree and then back to him. ] What were you even doing up there? You don't seem like the type to have some tree climbing hobby.

[petcromancer]

[Hector knows he landed his own ass up here, and nobody but him bears the responsibility for whatever happens.

With Asahi's help, though, he makes it down unscathed. He smiles at her.]

Thanks. I didn't really think things through on the way up.

[He shrugs, turning his face down to look at his boots.] Saw a cat, and it seemed like it was stuck. I went up after it, but when I reached it, it suddenly remembered it could climb and it left me stranded by myself.

[He's used to animals being spooked by him. Something about his aura tends to leave living beings wary of his presence, though perhaps not as much here and now than at home.]

[integrous]

Ah..

[ That's a sigh of relief. Sure, that story does sound a little dumb, but at least it sounds more like a well-intentioned mistake than Hector just turning out to be just another idiot after he seemed mostly reasonable last time. ]

Well, that's how cats are, right? They don't really care what anyone thinks of them or what someone is doing for them. [ Even when poor Hector is risking life and limb climbing up in that tree for one. ] It's nice of you to want to help it out though.

[petcromancer]

[Oh, if Asahi is hoping that Hector doesn't make idiotic decisions, she's in for disappointment.]

Right. There's no making a cat do anything if it doesn't want to do. It was crying like it was honestly stuck, though, and I...might not have thought it through all the way.

[He shakes his head.] It's long gone now. It looked too well-fed to be a stray, so I'm sure it'll be back to its home in its own time.

[integrous]

.. you rather like animals, don't you?

[ Thanks for figuring out the obvious, Asahi. ]

I mean, with the way you talk about them and all. Not just anyone would care that much for a random cat they saw on the streets, anyway. [ Let alone climb in a tree themselves for one. ] I wouldn't be surprised if you told me you had already taken all sorts of stray animals in your home at this point.

[ Despite not having been here for long. He sure got to work quickly with this cat, after all. ]

[petcromancer]

[UM. Asahi's got his number. Hector rubs a hand through his silver waves of hair.]

I may have brought home a stray or two...

[And is in the process of converting his apartment into a makeshift veterinary clinic. That too. It's fine. He doesn't have a problem.]

I kept multiple pets back home, and my dog gets lonely if he's by himself.