Necromancer Diabolos of the Tower
Not everyone was born in the Runiverse. Not everyone was born a Wizard, for that matter. Like.... you know, all of us. The seven-point- nine-five billion of us. Let’s focus in on three, in their 20s. Ned, Pez, and JP, who played a little loose with the truth and ended up living in an immense mansion in the Hollywood Hills. But even the raging Influencer Party they threw last night (remnants everywhere and no cleaning crew is going to mop this one up) won’t save their plummeting status as all-important Influencers, having spent the night locked in a bathroom (to much weed and whiskey) while their competitors (younger, sexier, more TikTok’d) took all the credit.
In the cold light of morning — and in the ruins of their crime-scene-taped rental mansion — the reality’s all too clear. Oh... they used to be the shit. Together, they rocked almost a million followers. Now, Ned has a few thousand, Pez a few hundred, and JP has one, one last follower that he’s devoted his waking days not to lose. And so many bills. So much back rent. And a few (y’know, ridiculous) pending lawsuits. So they’re all just fucked every which way.
And their definitely no longer high, or are they, when out of this big ball of light steps a bald- headed, green-gowned, yellow-caped guy who called himself something like Nic the Romancer — and prostrates himself before them. “I have come,” he tells them, “searching for men of Tremendous Influence.” He humbly requests they exert their power and influence in his world (“World? Are you in the music business?”) and guarantees that if they say yes, they will be rewarded beyond their wildest dreams. He sets a huge bong-like vial filled with Cannabis Potion before them. “I have brought you a gift I believe you covet. Think. Consider. And if you would join me, signify your assent by imbibing of this Sacred Vial and I will transport you to my world, where you will be honored and regaled.” With that, Nic the Romancer vanishes like he came... although there’s definitely an afterimage of luminous Emerald Slime with a smirking mouth, and a lot of ‘tude.
Still reeling from last night, and from the immensity of Nic’s offer, Ned, Pez, and JP pull themselves together, stare at each other, come to the same realization: “Dudes — we must drink!” Not looking a gift horse in the mouth, they lunge for the Cannabis Vial. However—Another visitor appears. Victoria, head to toe in purple and hurling a horseshoe at the Vial. Through blind luck, or a distant memory of athleticism, Ned intercepts the horseshoe with his head, and though painful, he’s saved the Vial and their promised future.
Victoria, suddenly pleading, begs them to come to their senses. Don’t do it. Put the Vial down. Run. Hide for a long as you can. Unfortunately... they start snickering. “You can’t tell us what to do. Even if you’re hot, or whatever. We’re Influencers, and we’re all in!” She tries to control her rising fury: “Do you have any idea who that was?” “Yes we do, little lady. That was Nic the Romancer. Our close friend.” “You, you... morons! That was the Necromancer!!”Exploding, she rushes them, but too late — Ned, Pez, and JP scramble and guzzle the contents of the Vial. They grin stupidly at her until suddenly — and very painfully — they vanish.
Victoria shouts, and she’d trash the place, but it’s already trashed. Her winged familiar, Bat, tries to lie low by hiding under a blanket — and re-emerges screaming. Victoria stares as the blanket groans, mutters, and slides off to reveal an older bearded dude with a big, crusty Bong under one arm, and an albino Rat curled in the other. “Who the F are you??” Victoria demands.
The old dude, Alessar, is too out of it to speak. His Rat is used to filling in the gaps: “Go easy on him, please. He’s had a rough few decades...” And so we discover that the Runiverse is in trouble. That many Wizards, that much magic, that many snarling Familiars. It was bound to go wrong. Some want peace. Some want partitioned existence (Border Control!). Some want power with hierarchy. And some, like the Necromancer, want Complete and Utter Domination.
Because the Wizards’ interface with our world is crude and new, the Necromancer isn’t absolutely sure he’s correctly evaluated the full power of our three misfits, but regardless, he still has high hopes for their ability to gain the influence of all the Wizards, and bend the Wizard population to his will.
Victoria, on the other hand, is a force of good, albeit a furious one. Since she failed to prevent Ned, Pez, and PJ from embarking on their journey into darkness, she’s going to have to pursue them in the Runiverse, try to save them, and save the Runiverse. And yes, after and during disturbing/comical/magical/life-threatening and sometimes barely explainable Wizard attacks/seductions/spells/and I-wish-I-was-dead adventures, our three budding heroes, with Victoria’s help, will start to learn what real influence and power means.
Alessar and his Rat come into the Runiverse, too, spurred by Victoria, who needs help in understanding, well, people. And in Alessar’s intermittent journey towards sobriety, he wonders if he can make up for a lifetime of mistakes as he tries to help his young friends.
So, in the Runiverse, where Ned becomes Sorcerer Nadeem Of The Desert and gains a Psychic Rabbit (“Stop constantly telling everyone what I’m thinking!!”), and Pez becomes Archmagus Pezo Of The Veil with a Dog who’s always hunting the wrong thing, and JP becomes Ghost Eater Jig Of The Keep (weirdly with the same face as Pez, which is really annoying) and is trailed by a pompous Golden Toad with mysterious powers it feels too important to reveal, they really have nothing. Except totally transformed bodies. Simultaneously freaking out, empowered, lost, and venerated, like Connecticut Yankees in King Arthur’s Court, our young trio has got a lot of scrambling to do, first just to stay alive, and then, ultimately, to rise to the heroes they’re going to have to become, with growing powers finally used for good. It all starts with.... (More To Come...!)
Entered by: 0x04Bf…C7c6 and preserved on chain (see transaction)
