The Chapter House of the Imperishable Brotherhood rises from the Osirian street corner like a temple to antiquity, its broad sandstone portico dominated by massive pillars where carved faces of four grinning liches bear a broken architrave. The great sandstone door, carved with hieroglyphs proclaiming the Brotherhood's name and status, opens with the weight of ages.
The receptionist for the Imperishable Brotherhood can't be living, because of the vampire members, and it can't be undead because of the lich members. So it's a construct.
"Pardon me, but are you a member?"
The golem takes a look at the the proffered letter. It's a letter inviting the Lich Eriape to visit at her convenience.
"Are you Eriape?"
Miss A. N. Thackeray arrives with her usual bustling efficiency. She wears a white dress and white wrappings around her limbs
"Gentlemen." She looks down. "Badgers. What's the trouble, Three?"
"An invitation now? Let me take a look." She pulls the paper to her. "Eriape?"
"Eriape had something of a Predjudice against Osirion, and so she wouldn't Move Here unless Forced To."
Arodia nods.
"Entirely understandable. I was sorry to hear she was captured."
"Yes, I find the trick, rather, is to stay hidden. My father and I stayed hidden for a thousand years, and only came up to the surface because of the upcoming Age of Glory."
Arodia straightens her white dress. "Yes, it was something of a disappointment. Still, make the best of things, shall we? I'll introduce you to our members in residence!"
Once upon a time a most terrible necromancer wanted minions, and thought the graveyard of a monastery on a moonless night was the place and time to get them. Create Undead - Skeletal Champion doesn't offer a will save, but the created undead isn't immediately under your control, you still need to gain dominance over it the next round, and not only does that offer a will save but it also has a very limited range and Sadegh is already running in the opposite direction and unlike him you don't have Darkvision. For all their supposed cunning, wizards are often idiots. He thought to chain the body up first the next night but the monks had been warned by then and thought to keep better guard.
In theory his condition could be fixed by a resurrection, but Sadegh is neither a powerful cleric nor a wealthy man nor inclined to rely on the aid of others.
It could also be fixed by killing him but the abbot wasn't certain he wouldn't thereby be damned to Hell.
And upon a rereading of Unbinding the Fetters with a newfound perspective, none of it actually forbids being a skeleton.
Some people find the experience of unlife extremely unpleasant. This is caused by wanting to instead be alive. Stop doing that and it's fine actually.
Some people find the horror of it eating at their sense of self and driving them mad with rage. This is caused by insufficient meditation.
Sadegh can more or less deal with it, and there are still places to go and challenges to overcome and he still has a body to perfect, so with enough excess cloth to hide his lack of a face what difference does it make.
A skeleton in loose robes is underemployed, and thus reading a book in the lounge, but will rise to greet a newcomer if someone makes eye contact at him.
Is that badger a pet? A wizard's familiar? It seems intelligent at least. Probably a familiar but you should still be polite.
"Hullo " - Sir? Lady? How do you tell with a badger? He should learn - " Ms Thackeray, would you introduce me to your new acquaintance?"
"Of course, Mr Sadegh. This is Harià, a free-willed undead badger, to whom we are considering extending membership. Harià, this is Mr. Sadegh, who is likewise a necromantic construct, I believe- Haria used to serve the Lich Eriape, until very recently."
"Hullo, Harià!" - used to serve a lich? should he offer condolences for the loss or congratulations for her freedom - "Was Eriape kind to you? The brotherhood has other powerful magicians if you would wish to seek a new master, though I find being one's own master the better side of it. Do you intend to remain in Osirion long?"
"I would not Call it Serving- Eriape and The Badgers were Friends Mostly. I think now I will Live as an Independent Badger of Business here in Osirion. I am Hoping that the Other Badgers make it Here, so we can Reestablish our Magic Item Production. If I have to Do it All myself, it will be Slow, even though I am Third Circle. How long have You been Here?"
Perhaps Eriape was a relatively sensible lich then.
Unless maybe this creature is still under long-term threnodic mind-control magic to only say good things about its creator? Although then it wouldn't want to start an independent business, it would be trying to follow some insane scheme to bring Eriape back at any costs and no matter how unlikely it would be to work.
Or perhaps Eriape wants Harià to act so as to make him and everyone else think she was kind to her now free former minions because the sorts of powerful wizards who become liches think in incomprehensible inside-out logic and ordinary inference doesn't work.
Never mind, can't learn anything in that direction.
"Third Circle is impressive!" His observations of wizards inform him that this is a polite thing for non-wizards to say. "Magic Item production is a valued industry" not by him but other people pay a lot for it "and you could likely find sufficient profit to support a workshop even if you find yourself alone, especially if you are willing to take on a few living apprentices." Third circle is probably low enough that Haria can't just make new undead badger apprentices, right?
"If you are underequipped for beginning anew after your flight I am sure our Brotherhood has suitable business partners willing to invest in your works, though I am not certain how much independence you could maintain borrowing another's workshop or reagents."
If this badger has only ever known one friendly lich it's going to get taken for a ride, isn't it? Well, that's Harià's problem, not his.
Haria is a very literate Badger, and lives her unlife mainly in letters. She knows that other liches are less nice, she's corresponded with some of them. Which reminds her, she needs to start writing to the Queen of Cheliax. It's possible she doesn't know how nice Eriape is and needs to be told, through the means of a daily missive.
"I have Plenty of Money, having Control of Eriape's old Bank Accounts. Thank you for the Concern! What is Your Profession, if I may Ask?"
Irori, please guide this young creature into wisdom before it is torn to bits and sold as spell components.
"My apologies for the assumption, I meant no offense. We here are all of course entirely honorable however if you are in control of great wealth you may wish to consider being less forthcoming with that fact. There are certain types who would do terrible violence for the sake of a liches hoard, and if it no longer has a great lich like Eriape protecting it you may find yourself up against the same types who attacked her before.
I am an adventurer by profession, a monk by training. I kill things, mostly with my hands and my staff. If you are in need of martial aid, Sadegh is at your service" and he will give a polite bow.
Arodia tilts her head in a rather sardonic manner. "Sadegh, I couldn't imagine anyone at this club violating the Club Bylaws."
"Which"-in an aside to Haria-"prohibit any violations of the laws, as well as any violence or enchantment between members inside Sothis. On another note, not being as strong as Sadegh, I myself employ bodyguards. You might consider something similar."
A ghost floats in from the entrance, and blinks at the scene. She politely bows, apparently without thinking about it, and moves vaguely in the direction of Sadegh.
“A… new member?” she asks cautiously. “A pleasure, I’m sure.”
Sometimes, a young woman goes off to fight demons at the Worldwound in search of levels.
Sometimes, said young women dies doing so, derailing all of her political plans. Sometimes, she is annoyed enough about this to come back, but not in a form that actually puts her plans back on track.
In hindsight, she probably should have bought resurrection insurance instead of a headband.
"Merely a potential member, Miss Kosal. Allow me to introduce Miss Haria to you. She comes to us from Cheliax, where there's been a recent change of government."
"Miss Kosal- I'll leave you to introduce yourself, there's a blood delivery coming that needs careful supervision."
Once, an ancient sorcerer, a Lector of Ta-Kemet (a curious, almost mirror reflection of Osirion), as many others, desired power, safety, and a shortcut to the journey and trials of the afterlife. As many others, he found the dark ritual that seems to serve that goal. Brewed a potion from the ashes of the dead archfiend Ysehiroroseth. And after drinking it, died as a mortal, and was reborn under a black sky with two red moons, as an undead fiend, known as Ag-Mummy, joining the ranks near the top fiendish hierarchy.
This was thousands of years ago. He does not remember any glimpse of his mortal life, knew nothing but the work of a Lesser Master. Coordinating soldiers, building etheric infrastructure, cultivating meat-slaves, buying the souls of mortals.
He was never kind, and saw mercy as weakness, a barrier toward the achievement of goals. He was evil, and all fiends were evil, and this was never a problem.
And yet the only thing he knew wasn’t right. No fiend wants to fight for the glory of the army, unless scared of the commander more than the enemy. No one wants to let go of power or resource, even if they do not truly benefit from it. Mortals try to get as much as possible from deals with Surivankholenk while giving them as little as possible, and never trust him, and they are right to, because he tries to give them as little as possible to.
And all that without mentioning the political power struggles and betrayals, over the position of legion general, and in one rare case, even the position of archfiend (after which the army finally lost any semblance of tactics or coherence).
In the negative space of what Surivatkholenk never saw, didn’t know how to express, a pattern started to emerge of the thing that Wasn’t This, of what the world should or could be. Of how power can grow without consuming itself, leaders and soldiers benefitting themselves, as they should, as any creature desires, without needlessly harming themselves or others. Not weak or merciful, and yet not cruel or jealous or hateful.
He was proven right, about the path of darkness being a dead end, when the rotting darkness of their kingdom was pierced by celestial armies of angelic knights, and previously enslaved mortals, and machines created by the science of free people. Dawn burning in the sky, onyx castle in ruins, the ground torn apart, archfiends powerless or destroyed.
He still didn’t know what his was right about, what he believed in, what to strive for other than Not That…until finding himself on the planet Golarion, and encountering the teachings of the Lawful Neutral god Abadar.
Surivatkholenk quietly enters, counting something on an abacus, and quietly sits, mostly ignoring everyone else. He was not asked questions, and doesn't have essential information to share, therefore talking would be Inefficient, and acting Inefficiently is the worst crime he can imagine.
"Oh, you must meet Surivatkholenk, he's nearly a lich and in business too. I'll be right back."
"Great to Make your Acquaintance, Mister Surivatkholenk!"
Harià has been raised right, and is polite to liches.
"Not exactly a lich." His voice is emotionless, and he doesn't move his eyes from the abacus "Not by the technical definition. No phylactery, for example. But colloquially, 'a powerful spellcaster who used a dark ritual to become undead'. Very long ago. And, currently, a fiend, by another technical definition. But that might, and hopefully will, change in the future."
"It is Nice to Achieve Outcomes in Line with your Goals! Am I Disturbing your Calculations, Sir? I can Return once they are Done"
"Nice...maybe...if you know what your goals trully are..." the answer is in the same voice, but very slow.
"My mind can keep track of both things at once. If you have information you wish to gain, you can ask away. My work is never truly done."
"Business, among other things, as soon as I adapt to the local context. Numbers, value, efficiency, resources, tools, strategies. Time is a resource, thoughts a resource, action a resource. That is the reason I don't waste them, making each second and each action useful.
The truly important considerations, though, are currently ones that I can't calculate on an abacus." his expression very distantly resembles a smile "Mainly, 'how would the government of Osirion treat me', 'how does Atonement affect undead', and 'how does Atonement affect fiends'".
"I hear you can pay the Ruby Prince to have the Government treat you better! As to Atonement, I would be interested in that Myself! I am a very Virtuous Badger! Which God would you Use?"
"Abadar, without doubt. Without doubt, assuming what I believe is true. Everything I learn about him seems more and more like the core of a principle I was seeking for my entire unlife, and it is doubtful my impression is wrong.
I don't know yet which alignment he could, or should, pull me towards."
"They are Reasonable People here but they Didn't Let me Name an Orphanage after my Friend. I am Not Sure if they are All they Can Be. Are you Planning to do this Soon?"
"Try the Atonement? No. Ask about it? Soon. There is a recursive problem of knowledge about the use of effort itself requiring effort. Asking the church about important matters requires money, which I do not have, but could have, if I took actions, which I am not sure are the right ones, ad am not fully sure of my goals at all, and there are obvious reasons to try keeping things secret and safe. Most of this could be solved if I took a small gamble, but the failure of such a gamble is destruction, so merely waiting few more days to be sure of my information seems like clearly the best approach."
"Would you Try for Good, or would go Neutral? I head Good is Very Tricky."
"It is a complicated question. Though almost certainly not Good.
Alignment itself is not my goal, my goal is efficiency, and Atonement, to my knowledge, requires a specific desire.
It is not certain it would work on a fiend, because while alignment of Prime-Elementa...of Outsiders can change," he saw it with his own eyes. An ancient Khigydjaya of Leng, thought extinct, a killing machine with 42 claws, now glowing with light, defined by duty, bodyguard to his shining Lady, venomous acid replaced by celestial grace! "this case is extremely rare. Atonement by itself could not cause it. And it requires a desire to change your alignment, a genuine distaste, as I understand, for the present one. And I do not regret being Neutral Evil, nor desire to not be Neutral Evil, merely desire to be able to act as if I am not.
Desire strongly enough to do so, if needed, which seems enough for a mortal. But maybe not for a fiend.
And undead seem almost certainly unable to leave Evilness. But that is not critical, all else being equal, Lawful Evil might suffice.
But if all goes well, Lawful Neutral is the goal. Because that is the alignment of Abadar, and Abadar is the nexus for the strategy and ideology of maximal benefit. Goodness is not required for maximal benefit."
"I Suppose! I have Not been Very Impressed with the Good People I have Met."
“I am generally fond of Good people - I indeed was Good myself, until quite recently, and my… close companion is still. What have you found unimpressive?”
Arodeline's coming back into the room. "It is very difficult to do good, because one must weigh all options and take the best. Aroden said that most men shouldn't really set out to do good, and instead try to achieve and reach the future."
"I have not Met any Good people Here yet. I am a New Immigrant to This Country."
Surivatholenk has plenty of hypotheses about the nature of Good people, and their motivation towards killing, but no evidence to distinguish between them (and is also a new immigrant to the country). He stays quiet.
"We do have an a good undead gentleman in the club- Lord Evanith, who I believe is sometimes even reading neutral, despite the prejudices of Pharasma. We're all quite impressed."
"Since I'll be showing you the front reading room anyway, why don't I introduce you?"
It's a large building, and the front reading room is concealed in the front of the building, with a permanent illusion of the view from outside.
One of the armchairs is occupied by a lich clad in a simple black robes. You could call the robes a bit stereotypical, but saying such things to liches tends to decrease one's quality-adjusted life expectancy.
Evanith has a book layed out on a desk in front of the armchair, and is remaining perfectly still: nary a ripple crosses the robes. Suddenly a bony finger shoots out to gently turn the page, after which the perfect stillness resumes.
Coming to a decent breaking-point, Evanith closes the book and looks towards the new visitor. The total stillness breaks. Evanith's motions become fluid, if not graceful, as the lich deliberately performs the tiny movements that the living do without thinking: it tends to put people at ease, at least compared to the perfect economy of movement that is natural for most skeletal undead. Decades of practice have allowed Evanith to appear indistinguishable from a living person -- or they would, if not for the lack of skin.
"Good day, Miss Thackeray." Evanith's tone of voice is cordially polite, but little is discernible beyond that: the accent isn't quite from here but it's not obviously from elsewhere either, the pronunciation is precise but not pedantic, and the pitch lies right in the middle of the human vocal range. "Is this a guest here, or a prospective member?"
She bows respectfully. "Lord Evanith. Harià here is a free-willed undead, newly independent, and is considering applying to join our little fraternity. Harià- well, I'm terrible at introductions, but suffice to say, Evanith has a *Special Interest that you might be interested in.
(*It's a single word in Utopian)
"I do not know if I am Good from a metaphysical perspective", Evanith hedges, "but I do rather dislike suffering, and I make efforts to reduce it in the world." The new visitor has Evanith's complete attention. "What are you intending to do with your newfound freedom, Harià? Do you have any particular plans yet?"
Discussion of the merits of a Lich's Special Interests is Banned. "I haven't Decided Yet, though Us Badgers may Choose to Reestablish our Magic Item Business. Might I ask how one Reduces Suffering Nowadays?"
"I have dedicated my efforts towards events which involve a large amount of suffering or death in a brief amount of time, which are generally called Disasters." Evanith produces a map of the continent covered in small coloured pins. A legend on the side indicates their meaning: Fire, Flood, Enemies, Plague, Famine, and Other. "There are lots of different kinds of disaster, and some are more localized then others, but these are the approximate locations of disasters I have intervened in over the past seven-and-a-half years. I make a new map every decade. I have been improving. Over the last decade, when I intervened in a disaster I averted thirty percent of probable deaths. This decade so far my average has been thirty-two percent. It is harder to say what percentage of disasters I have intervened in, but it is most likely constant since my methodology for finding disasters has not changed."
"That is Quite Interesting! How does One intervene in the Case of Enemies without Making Enemies Oneself?"
"It is challenging, especially since the best ways to do it cause unacceptable suffering to one's would-be enemies." Evanith nodded slowly. "If both sides are mentally capable of suffering and holding grudges, I am frequently only able to intervene after a battle is over. Or I attempt to prevent the battle in the first place. Some bandits seek wealth, but many seek only food, and feeding them decreases bandits and suffering, without killing anyone." Evanith seems very pleased by that arrangement: it's a rare uncomplicated solution.
"But yourself? Why do you seek to join the Imperishable Brotherhood?"