etrayalogs | Winter Catch-All

[Well that's certainly a title and seems surprisingly forward of Enki. Kirk clocks the change in mannerisms and facial expression as well. He doesn't know if Enki's interest in him will be dangerous but for now he'll play along]

Kirk Langstrom. Despite what some stories say about vampires, I'm alive as far as I know.

The line between the living and undead is arbitrary by my account.

[Very normal things to say. He says it casually regardless, and begins to go back to what he was doing before. Between the carving sounds of the circles and the breaks he takes (he really has no stamina for this) he speaks:]

I cannot imagine this market has what sustains you. If what I have heard proves at all true.

[He didn't see any random blood about, but then again, he wasn't looking for that when he picked up his tobacco...]

Surprisingly, the market has the ingredients I need to make artificial plasma. It's enough to keep me from starving.

[But doesn't give the same kind of satisfaction as real blood from something live. It's the much more extreme version of a meat lover forced to eat vegan. The substitute just doesn't hit the same as the genuine article.

They're thoughts Kirk tries not to dwell too much on. He already knows the body count he's racked up. Many times he reminds himself that he's channeling his curse into something productive and ultimately better for society]

... You are performing alchemy?

[Making artificial...plasma, was it? He cannot say he knows quite what he is referring specifically, but it is obvious that it has to do with blood in some way. Ah the limitations of science in the year 1590...]

Impressive as that may be, it sounds as though it barely satisfies you. Why not hunt?

[He finishes up the second circle and takes a moment. His poor hands are cold, and hurt from the strain besides. Miasma doesn't look any worse despite its blade being used against the concrete, though it keeps its single eye staring at Kirk.]

[Kirk watches the procedure with continuing interest, still keeping his distance just in case]

My usual means could cause unnecessary problems here.

[Whether it be Gotham, Metropolis, or anywhere else in his world, there were plenty of criminals to drink from. They were the kind of people who would rarely be missed in the long run. But Etraya has a much smaller population and as far as he could tell for now, not the kind of people he would target]

I don't go after just anything with blood.

[Though there were darker days when even eating rats was better than nothing]

I see. Who would think a vampire would be weighed down by ethics.

[Enki could laugh, though he doesn't. The absurdity of it is still amusing, though. He keeps Miasma in his off hand, while reaching into his coat pocket with the other, fishing something out—red chalk.

He looks at the ground and how wet it is, frowning for a moment. Then, with he hand that holds the chalk, he gestures at the area he's cleared and blasts it with a flash of fire. Melting any new snow and drying up whatever water started to collect. Then he goes on to start drawing the other parts of the ritual circle and the sigils required.]

So, you are a scholar of some sort?

[After all, he does alchemy!]

I used to be human. Call the ethics an old habit.

[It's a glib response. Truthfully, he'd rather keep trying to keep some sense of ethics. They're part of how he's tries not to turn into a total monster]

And yes. I'm a scientist.

[Too bad things didn't turn out the way he wanted not long after getting his PhD. Kirk picked up that Enki's not from a world with the same level of scientific knowledge as his so he chooses to try to explain in a way that hopefully wasn't condescending but easy enough to understand]

Magic doesn't exist in my world. Or if it does, it's well-hidden. We find other means of learning how the world works. My expertise is biology. It's the study of how living bodies work and what are the building blocks to life. It's a large area of study so there are more specific categories within that.

Edited 2025-01-08 04:14 (UTC)

[Enki chooses not to comment further on the matter of ethics. After all, while such a thing is man-made, humans overlook ethics all the time, so is it so weird that someone who is no longer human chooses to hold onto it in contrast? Pointless of an endeavor as it may be, trying to convince him against his chosen course would be the same.

Instead, he listens as he draws, adding the symbol of the God of the Depths, as well as Sylvian, though he doubts he will have much use of this circle for what she has to offer.]

Magic is far from common in my world as well. Some bloodlines spend generations chasing after the faintest glimmer of hope to wield even a spark of it, and never do they get the chance. Despite how mundane I may make it seem, I am an exception. Even so, I am well versed in science and all of its fields—though the limits of mankind's knowledge has left me wanting.

[Unable to make breakthroughs, he was ready to... well, he dove into the dungeons knowing full well he would likely end up dead, but in order to seek higher knowledge, that was a fair exchange.

And he was getting just that, before being brought here. Yet here he is now, drawing ritual circles behind strange stores, talking to ethical vampires.]

There is a lot here that I have scarce imagined its existence before arriving. Is this all rather mundane for you?

Edited 2025-01-08 04:40 (UTC)

[As he watches Enki draw out the symbols, Kirk is curious to what they each mean]

The opposite. Multiple versions of the same world or this many worlds from so many different far corners of the universe were only theories or fantastical ideas for fiction writers to play with. Then there are other things that would be considered impossible in my world but have happened here, like a bird hatching from an egg and growing up to be an adult in less than a week.

By much of the sciences in my world, Etraya breaks a lot of rules.

[It's maddening but Kirk is still a scientist and wants to keep learning more about how Etraya works]

Does it break rules, or simply redefine them? Perhaps your scope is too limited, or too rigid for the flexible nature of existence.

[Of course there are ways humans have come to understand and define things, but humans have a nasty habit of fitting everything into a clean and orderly box, believing themselves to know everything there is. When in truth, such arrogance is often what limits them from going beyond the walls they've caged themselves in.

What they think is the ediface of knowledge is in truth the bars to their own prison of mediocrity and ignorance. One that Enki plans to escape, if he is able.

With the circle complete, Enki pushes back his coat sleeve just enough to hook his thumb under his green glove to pull it down. He doesn't uncover his entire arm, but if Kirk cares to look, he might notice a lot of scarring from what looks like cuts of a blade, some are in the shape of the symbols on the ritual circle.

Enki does not use Miasma for this, leaving the peering weapon on the ground for now. He chooses to use a different knife he has on his person. Just in his coat pocket, not sheathed or anything. Very safe!

Fishing it out, he puts the blade to his exposed inner arm, then pauses.

He looks to Kirk.]

This won't cause you to lose control, will it?

[He almost sounds intrigued.]

Edited 2025-01-19 06:17 (UTC)

[Kirk agrees with Enki about rules being redefined. Science does change over time if strong enough evidence of a new outlook is present. Etraya is just presenting in a much faster and more overt way. He’s still trying to adapt and adjust his expectations in this new world.

Kirk crosses his arms and remains firmly where he stands as he sees Enki’s old scars and how some of them are shaped. Interesting… is this blood-based magic then?]

It depends on how much you release. Plus, I’ve already eaten.

[Kirk’s hunger for blood is always present and never quiet. Sometimes it’s a continuous buzz within him. Other times it’s screaming and clawing at him to unleash his much more beastly side. After over a decade of being a vampire, Kirk is almost certain that the only way to silence his hunger is to cure himself. Until then, he has to always walk the tightrope between what’s left of his humanity and bloodlust]

[Enki eyes him for a long moment, assessing the probability of truth in that statement...then looks to the task at hand. Or arm, as it were.

With a quick and decisive stroke, he cuts his arm with a splash of red painting the circle. Miasma getting not a single drop, and if the sword could look upset, it'd be furious at being teased like this. Instead it just stares up at Enki's arm as the blood dribbles down his pale skin, fixating on the accumulating swell of a drop that promises to fall.

He holds his arm out as he quietly murmurs some unintelligible words. There's a reaction, a flash of red from the circle, and from the blood rises what looks to be an oval portal of some sort. It hangs like a wound in the air, impossibly red like the blood which spawned it.

Enki looks to Kirk, leaving his arm extended in the air, and exposed. A drop of blood falls onto Miasma, and its eye almost vibrates with excitement.]

Blood portal, it will make returning here a far simpler task.

[Naturally, Kirk's keen sense of small immediately hones in on the blood. But his last meal was recent enough that he's not tempted enough to act on Enki's cut]

Sounds convenient. Is all of your magic based on blood?

Only the blood magic. Can you guess what creation magic may require?

[He could have said that with less of a snide tone, but then he wouldn't be Enki. A couple more drops hit Miasma, the sword seemingly hisses wth joy. Then Enki brings his hand over the wound, still holding the knife but extending his two forefingers as if to direct something—but then he pauses.

With a contemplative expression, he looks to Kirk.]

You said you were able to create...plasma, I believe you named it. How knowledgeable of an alchemist are you?

[Kirk ignores the snide tone and maintains his stoic expression. He's faced worse]

Biochemist, not alchemist. I focus on what maintains life but not immortality or turning metal into gold.

I do well enough in my work to make substitute meals for myself. I can't exactly hire someone to cook for me.

That is no different than an alchemist. I do not need alchemy to turn something into gold.

[Alchemist, biochemist, whatever! He knows how to grow horrible little homunculi out of his blood and alchemically made growth hormone, is that not maintaining life?]

Well, what if I offered you a deal? There are clearly things you are knowledgeable about which I am not. And I cannot imagine your blood substitute is satisfying by any means...so, what if we were to do a trade of sorts.

A service for a service, so to speak.

Edited 2025-01-20 05:36 (UTC)

[Technically, Kirk's artificial plasma formula gives him just enough nutrients to not lose his mind but if it were truly satisfying, he wouldn't have continued to keep killing criminals for his meals. Enki's offer is tempting but like any deal, it's best if one reads the fine print first]

What do you need?

I wish to know what you know. If you teach me about your biochemistry, I can offer you far more authentic meals in return.

[Which makes it seem like he's offering his own blood, and in a way he is, but it's not quite what it seems. Stashing the bloodied knife away in his coat pocket once more, seemingly slipping it into something (perhaps there's a sheath of some sort in there), he pulls out a piece of cloth to cover the cut, applying some pressure to it to stem the bleeding.]

I imagine you don't know anything about blood golems.

[It feels almost too good to be true. For his end, what Kirk has to do is easy. It's not much different than tutoring a non-science major on Biochemistry 101. Enki's end of the deal though, he has questions because apparently, he's still managing to hold a moral compass despite his vampirism]

Not familiar to me. What are they?

They are constructs forged through blood magic. For a portion of one's blood, not unlike this portal here, one can make manifest a servant of flesh. It lacks will and consciousness, more an extension of the self, in truth.

[He pulls the cloth back to idly observe his bleeding. It wasn't a terribly deep cut, so it is beginning to slow. He presses the cloth back and keeps his attention on Kirk.]

It has adequate stores of blood, far beyond what is sacrificed. If feels no pain, and even when it "dies" it does not truly do so, for it is nothing but animated flesh and blood. It simply returns to ceasing to be. Will that be acceptable for your morals?

[Oh... That certainly is very tempting]

Can you demonstrate an example for me? Doesn't need to be the full size if you prefer.

...Very well, though its size is predetermined by the spell itself.

[He isn't particularly bothred by this, and it's fortunate that he has a fresh wound to pull from. Turning his attention to it, he squeezes a bit more blood out of himself and allows it to drip onto the ground. As it hits, there's a pulse of energy that beats like a heart from it--or perhaps Enki.

He whispers something, eyes glued to the small pool of blood as he allows himself to bleed more into it, and soon the puddle expands to an unnatural size while bubbling. It begins to take form. Muscle, sinew, and even bone contructs itself from it, and like a man pulling himself from the depths, it rises to its feet. A skinless man stands before them, his body radiating heat and smelling faintly of gore.

It turns its attention to Kirk, then to Enki, looking at them both, yet not quite. It lacks eyes, after all, or any real defining features, but it is tall and muscular. Absolutely full of blood. Enki looks from it to Kirk, his aloof expression unchanged though there is an expectant undercurrent to his gaze. Putting the cloth to his cut once more, he speaks:]

There you have it: the blood golem.

[Kirk watches the process closely. As the golem grows, that unmistakable, delicious smell grows stronger and stirs Kirk’s more feral side. It’s just as Enki said. The blood Kirk senses from the golem is much more than what Enki sacrificed.

Instinct overrides Kirk’s self-control just enough for his fangs to unsheathe themselves. Part of him wants to feast already. It’s been so long since he’s had real blood in such a quantity. He remains where he stands though. He still has to maintain some sense of civility for now]

Impressive. And the only cost for them is just a small amount of your blood? Nothing else?

[Kirk doesn’t hide his fangs this time as he speaks]

[Enki observes him, this is as much a curiosity to him as it is a bargaining chip. For a moment he is uncertain if Kirk will maintain control, after all, this is like waving a steak in front of a wolf, but Kirk proves himself capable.

He looks to the golem, the being standing there awaiting orders, mindless as it is.]

Those less skilled would need to sacrifice a greater sum of their blood. Blood is the only price for this.

[Well, he's already paid the price to learn the technique as well. But that was a one time cost.

Eyeing Kirk's fangs, he lets out a quiet, amused huff.]

Would you like to sample it? No point in wasting it.

Might as well.

[Kirk approaches. If Enki doesn’t stop him, then Kirk goes right for the golem’s throat as his first bite]

Winter Catch-All

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cw: implied and winding up to self-harm. It's for the sake of blood magic...

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cw: blood, self-harm for real now

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cw: blood golem formation description, its all blood!

CW: More explicit talk of blood drinking at this point

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