falsecalling

[falsecalling]

nithhaiahh​:

“…”

Nith stared at Karthus for a moment, then back at the street.

“Dad, I love you so much.”

Now she had to figure out who should she kill and how could she rip their heart out for her dad who thinking about it has become her best friend through the years.

“Who do you want me to kill?”

“Uh.”

Karthus really, really should have seen this coming. “That...tradition is...no longer practiced. I would greatly prefer if you did not, at least for the time being.”

Darn, and he had no need for heart-shaped trinkets and didn’t eat, either.

“I appreciate the sentiment? What if, instead, you were to...aid me should I find myself in grave peril in the future?”

"Woohoo!! Is heartseeker's day, yay... yaaay..."

Turns around to see everyone walking with flowers, chocolates or plushies but mostly, next to someone they love.

"...yay..."

[falsecalling]

“Nith, have you ever heard of the origins of Heartseeker’s?”

Perpetually-single Karthus personally had no use for the holiday, but the story behind it was equal parts sappy, violent, and gruesome. In short, exactly the kind of story that would stick in a Noxian child’s brain within seconds of first hearing it.

“Legend has it that long ago, back when the Noxii were mere scattered tribes, before even the reign of the Iron Revenant, there was one day of the year devoted to strengthening bonds through martial prowess.

A lover would slay their beloved’s second greatest rival - the glory of killing their greatest rival reserved for the beloved, of course - and present their beloved with the resultant corpse’s eviscerated heart. This would convey that the lover was both willing and able to fight for their beloved, but also not steal the glory of victory for themself.

As casual murder became less socially acceptable over the generations, the tradition changed to the cooked heart of an animal, a heart-shaped baked good, or another object of similar symbolism.

If you visit bakeries the morning after Heartseeker’s, you can get the leftovers at a discount. My favorites were the strawberry tarts.”

"Woohoo!! Is heartseeker's day, yay... yaaay..."

Turns around to see everyone walking with flowers, chocolates or plushies but mostly, next to someone they love.

"...yay..."

[falsecalling]

you are frozen, perpetually, in that spot between a grave mistake and its consequence -- forever anticipating the echo, the eternity of that first crack of the ice beneath you.

[falsecalling]

nithhaiahh​:

“Needs of living human..?”

Ah, right… she was human, wasn’t she? She was still human? As the tears continued to fall from her eyes Nith began to think about how many things still made her human and how many things did not.

First of all she now had to drink quantities of blood that, at some point when she read a book, would make her, in description, a vampire, on the other hand she still loved animals and nature. She had long since stopped feeling other things, such as cold. Although she still appreciated hot baths and her trauma with cold water persisted. In fact, most of her friends were souls or non-human beings. Did she have any human friends?

“I think… I still have some of those. I do eat from time to time and for traveling I could really use a pair of shoes. Some money to pay for lodging, though, my little singing jobs cover that. I guess… I can still consider myself a living human? I guess, though, my appearance is not human at all and I almost attacked you, dad…”

What? Why was Nith crying about needing to eat?

“You are, by your own accounts, some percentage of living and undead. It stands to reason that you would still have some of the needs of the former, altered though they may be by the undead part of you.”

Karthus, who had no nose, greenish-gray skin, and glowed blue from his eyes and mouth, wasn’t sure what his daughter was talking about with the ‘not looking human’ comment.

“Nith, you look exactly like a human outside of, at most, your eye color pointed ears. Your personhood is not determined by your resemblance to a living human, regardless.

And I forgive you for your attempt. Many of the undead have a tendency to...frenzy under certain circumstances. That you held back from causing harm is a testament to your self-control.”

"Dad, dad, daddy, daddy, daaaad...!"

Oh no, did something horrible happen again?

“Yes, what is it? Is there a body count?”

[falsecalling]

nithhaiahh​:

Her cherry red eyes blinked a couple of times as she watched her father rummage through so many pockets… wow… she didn’t know priest’s robes had so many pockets, maybe she should look for a similar outfit. Anyway, when he claimed to have found what he was looking for, she held out her hands thinking it would be a coin or two, not a whole packet, let alone that amount.

At that moment Nith finally understood something. Grandpa Maokai gave her a lot of money the time she complained that she was hungry. Thresh continued to give her dresses of fine material, and now Karthus had that amount on hand and even confirmed that she could ask for more if she needed it.

She stood there, staring at the bag of coins, and began to cry without noticing.

“Wait… then… you, pappa and grandpa, are rich? So, I’m not poor anymore? I can buy all the cupcakes I want?”

Karthus paused. He was...rich? Well, he supposed he was. It hadn’t occurred to him to think of himself that way as he only occasionally needed to spend the money he collected from those no longer in need of it.

“I...suppose I am.” He couldn’t help but think of how useful that would have been back when he was still living and starving and desperate enough to-

Regardless, it isn’t as though he would have had the opportunity. No one in Noxus was wasteful enough to burn or bury their dead with anything that could still be used.

“If you still need to eat beyond the blood issue, then yes. If you still have the nutritional requirements of a living human, then cupcakes alone will not suffice, but by all means go ahead.”

Karthus himself had developed a sweet tooth in life once he’d reached a point where he had options beyond rainwater and urban animals. If Nith had those options as well, he wanted her to pursue them.

"Dad, dad, daddy, daddy, daaaad...!"

Oh no, did something horrible happen again?

“Yes, what is it? Is there a body count?”

[falsecalling]

i love this template so much having three main ocs is a godsend for shit exactly like this

[falsecalling]

nithhaiahh​:

She didn’t pick up the last part.

“Okay then I shall pay that place a visit!”

She mentioned pushing herself up and cleaning her skirt while doing so.

“I wonder if I can go there looking like this or, maybe I should try some new clothes. Do I need to pay for an appointment and how much? Mmm maybe they would be okay with a carrot or two. Otherwise I don’t know how I could pay them, maybe if I look through a couple of corpses around the beaches of the Isles…”

“I assure you, no one in Zaun is going to disdain you for how you dress, because they will be wearing something far stranger out of either necessity or taste.”

The things they wore in that place were frankly bizarre, well beyond the mere constraints of poverty or the devices they needed to survive in such an environment. No, even the wealthy and healthy dressed in baffling fashions on purpose.

“Ah yes, currency. The dead in Bilgewater often have a good assortment of silver serpents and gold krakens in their water-coffins, which a Zaunite might accept simply for the value of the metal. I haven’t the slightest idea what one might charge for such a service, but...ah, hold on.”

Karthus dug around in his robes, which concealed a surprising amount of pockets, and came up with a money-pouch. From there he poured out fifteen krakens and five serpents to hand to Nith.

“This should at least get their attention, and if they insist on more you can always come back for it.”

"Dad, dad, daddy, daddy, daaaad...!"

Oh no, did something horrible happen again?

“Yes, what is it? Is there a body count?”

[falsecalling]

If Karthus had a physical heart, it would probably be failing him about now.

“Hhh...a..a harem? What...who told...that’s not what that word means...”

He needs to get his daughter a dictionary.

[falsecalling]

League of Legends Shadow of Isle Environment Concept Art. by Scribble Pad Studios https://www.artstation.com/artwork/OoBKOg

[falsecalling]

nithhaiahh​:

“Honestly I wouldn’t know, it’s been a hot minute since I tried to investigate or be near a doctor. Besides, it must be someone really good at what they do, otherwise it would be pointless. Imagine ME walking to a clinic while saying: Hello sir, I’m an half undead that is trying to discover her blood type before I murder humans again! I bet regular humans wouldn’t know that we exist.”

Besides Noxus there weren’t many options, unless…

“What if… how about this fancy place? What was it’s name… Zaun or Piltover? I heard they are good with science and this wild things. How about I try going there and finding a doctor? A suitable one.”

“That is a very good point. You’d need some kind of specialist, and a rather open-minded one at that.”

What kind of doctor would even be able to treat someone with a...how would they even phrase it? Blood deficiency, perhaps. No one would have the kind of absurdly specific knowledge except for one of the eccentrics in-

Ah yes, Zaun.

“That...is your best bet at finding an expert. However, many of these ‘experts’ have a reputation of abducting and experimenting on people to further their research. If you go there, go armed. Your natural defenses, and some kind of backup should those fail.”

"Dad, dad, daddy, daddy, daaaad...!"

Oh no, did something horrible happen again?

"Yes, what is it? Is there a body count?"

[falsecalling]

❝ I better NOT find your ugly mug scurrying around my courtyard again after what you've pulled in the holiday season! ❞

"Ah, Veigar! Did you have an enlightening Snowdown? I certainly enjoyed enlightening your lawn. I'll have no need to grace you with my singing a second time provided you don't insult it a second time."

It wasn't like Karthus could have caroled in the daytime, given his rather strong sunlight allergy. Besides, he stopped after thr-wait his what mug? Oh Karthus could have fun with this.

"Ugly? This is simply what undeath looks like. Goodness, would you prefer I ape the living and parade about in false meat like certain acquaintances of mine?"

[falsecalling]

You have all of one ask to completely shatter my character. Make it count.

[falsecalling]

nithhaiahh​:

“Hemomancy?”

That term Nith had heard before, especially during the months she stayed in Noxus, it seemed to be something commonly practiced, and taking into account her dad’s previous mention of a white-haired man dressed in red… it might not have been such a bad idea on her part to leave such an investigation aside.

“I know it’s blood magic and it has something to do with what we do, doesn’t it? Uhm… undeads? But I wasn’t referring to it, according to recent studies by doctors, there are different blood types. Some can donate to others while others can only receive, and vice-versa.

I really have no idea what type of blood I am, I never had a blood test to determine that, after all the mage seekers didn’t care much if you ended up convalescing or not. So outside of the special circumstances of those ‘wild moments of mine’ I wouldn’t know how to receive blood or if I can in my normal condition. You know, like transfusions. The plastic bags filled with blood that you pass to another person through a tube and an injection?”

Transfusions? Why would anyone go to the-oh, right. People outside of Noxus didn’t have hemomancers clotting the streets and would thus have to resort to other tactics.

“Who would be qualified to perform a blood test and willing to do so in the present for you? That strikes me as a valid first step. If they are qualified but unwilling, perhaps they could be persuaded by the mention of your blood frenzies. If you were to determine what blood type worked and feed regularly in small quantities, it may be enough to prevent those unwilling rampages.”

Hopefully the ‘harm reduction’ approach would work on at least one physician. Karthus really didn’t want to have to threaten someone into performing a blood test considering he might not be able to keep track of where that blood would end up.

"Dad, dad, daddy, daddy, daaaad...!"

Oh no, did something horrible happen again?

"Yes, what is it? Is there a body count?"

[falsecalling]

                 “ Yₒᵤ'ᵣₑ fₐₗₗᵢₙg ₐₚₐᵣₜ. Wₕₐₜ ₜₒ dₒ wᵢₜₕ ₜₕₑ ₚᵢₑcₑₛ? ”

                       Independent | Selective | Thresh RP Blog

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[falsecalling]

"Nith, I'm going to be caroling at Veigar's for Snowdown so you're getting your present early. I couldn't find a garish Snowdown sweater...but I *did* find even gaudier Snowdown sweat*pants.* Look, they have little poros on them and the poros are enchanted to glow in the dark." (falsecalling)

The banshee took the pants and looked at them, the details and the little figures standing out.

"Daddy, this way people will never believe I'm a grown woman..."

Finally, holding them up in front of her, she exclaimed with joy:

"I LOVE THEM, THANK YOU DAD!!! I'M GOING TO WEAR THEM AS MUCH AS I CAN!" @falsecalling

[falsecalling]

(On holiday break, see you in 2022!)

[falsecalling]

@vilestar

A portion of the mortal carolers begin to depart for their own safety. The rest have a plan. And Karthus has been kind enough to compose a song just for the occasion, which may or may not bear a slight resemblance to Angels We Have Heard On High:

Veigar hears us from on high

As we carol endlessly

There he glares with baleful eye

Striding from his balcony

Veeeeeeeeeiiiiiiiiiiiiiigar

Have a merry Snowdown

Veigar, why that evil sneer?

Why your horrid wrath prolong?

You’re in need of Snowdown cheer

That is why we sing this song

Veeeeeeeeeiiiiiiiiiiiiiigar

Have a merry Snowdown

Dodge we now your loathsome spells

As we decorate below

Deck your mech with jingle bells

Stringing lights across the snow

Veeeeeeeeeiiiiiiiiiiiiiigar

Have a merry Snowdown

Now our Snowdown work is done

Frozen art adorns your lawn

Ere you smite us, off we run

In our quest to carol on

Veeeeeeeeeiiiiiiiiiiiiiigar

Have a merry Snowdown

The mortal carolers finally leave the premises, their mission to drape every available surface in Snowdown decor complete. The boldest have, as sung, strung lights across the ground and belled Veigar’s mech. No less than eleven snowyordles can be seen from above, each one wearing a Santa hat. The Black Mist swirls around Karthus and the few members of his Chorus, preparing to take them back to the Isles well before the first rays of Snowdown sunlight strike.

“Have a merry Snowdown, Veigar!” Karthus yowls from the base of the tower. “And if you ever speak ill of my singing again, I shall return next year!”