Его не звали, но он приперся / They never called, yet he is here: Портретист_Омак_Бринар_Полуканон

Portrait artist
* * *

The three-story mansion of the D'Armont family was undoubtedly a masterpiece of classical imperial-style architecture. The white marble, the tall columns, the stained glass windows, and the numerous bas-reliefs by renowned sculptors were a work of art, the work of some of the finest architects in the Eternal Empire. Its size was also impressive: it could easily accommodate several hundred people. And that was not counting several separate outbuildings and a residential building for servants. A huge garden surrounds all this splendor. It was also created by high-level specialists. Hundred-year-old sprawling trees of various species, well-tended flowerbeds full of beautiful flowers, life-size marble statues of humans, non-humans, and monsters on pedestals, perfect lawns, several fountains, and a small pond with the purest water.

Camrad_RIP 24.07.23 в 12:39

The D'Armon were an ancient, powerful, and numerous family dating back to the time of the founding of the Eternal. There were ups and downs in their history, but in the end, they managed to stay afloat, acting somewhere with sword and magic and somewhere with quill and dagger. For a century and a half now, they have been among the hundred most powerful families of the Eternal Empire, but the memory of past failures and failures has not been erased from their minds. Therefore, they always paid the most careful and reverent attention to the defense of the family estate. Despite its refined appearance, their mansion was a real fortress that could withstand a very serious siege.

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 05:33

Among the ornamental plants in the garden was plenty of those, at the will of their owners, quickly turned into deadly traps, entangling their enemies with vines and roots and wounding their victims with sharp poisonous thorns. Some of the oldest trees were elaborately disguised Dendroid Warriors, sunk in a deep slumber for the time being. Half of the statues in the garden were actually mothballed battle golems of dwarven workmanship. In the cellars of the manor, there was a decent supply of provisions, and in several separate rooms, there were magical energy storages capable of maintaining the most powerful defense barriers for quite a long time.

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 05:36

The walls and windows of the manor were enchanted down to the last brick. The armory of the family guard had enough armor and weapons for a full two hundred men. What to speak of the ancestral arsenal and the secret room where the most valuable family artifacts, armor, and weapons were kept. After all, not all, but quite a few of the D'Armon family had combat or semi-combat classes. There weren't as many truly strong and powerful fighters as they would have liked, but they were certainly not defenseless.

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 05:38

Except, much to the dismay of Duchess Ravena D'armon, the current matriarch of the great family, on this cursed day for the Eternal, two-thirds of the family's strongest fighters were absent from the city. As were half of the guardsmen. After the start of another escalation with Alishan, her eldest son, who was just one of the strongest fighters in their clan, had gathered a considerable force and left the capital. One of the provincial estates, which brought the D'Armons a very substantial portion of their income, was dangerously close to the border. In the event of large-scale hostilities, it would inevitably come under attack. That was why the family council had made the difficult decision to remove all the most valuable assets as soon as possible. At the time, it had seemed the right decision to Ravena. Now, looking out the window of her office at the rampage going on in Eternal, she could only bite her elbows and feel the clammy fear spreading down her spine.

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 05:41

The first strike, most dangerous due to the surprise factor, they were able to repel, albeit at great cost. Several factors saved them. First, the fact that at the moment of the Fall of the Eternal, Ravena was in her office, where all the defense nodes of the estate were brought together in one way or another. Second, the fact that most of the guardsmen and members of the family who remained in the city were inside the mansion at that moment. Had it not been for these two factors, their fate would have been much sadder. For the accursed inhabitants of Hell had clearly been preparing for the assault on their ancestral nest for a very long time. The outer line of defense, anchored by a four-meter high stone fence reinforced by numerous stationary defensive and attacking magical systems, had been breached by the attacking Exorcists and their cultist puppets almost instantly and without casualties.

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 05:43

None of the traps or battle charms worked, identifying the attackers as friendly objects. Ravenna's attempt to activate them manually also failed. It turned out that the magic weaves controlling the defenses were no longer under her control.

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 06:22

Most of the combat garden flora, which had cost their family a lot of money (after all, the services of a druid around the fortieth level can't be cheap), hadn't entered combat mode. The few plants that did manage to awaken were almost instantly destroyed by specially selected poisons or alchemical fire. Of the ten Dendroid Warriors, only three awakened from their sleep, and only one was able to do any damage to the attackers before they were doused with liquid fire. The others remained standing as pillars.

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 06:23

More specifically, trees. Of the two dozen battle stone golems, not a single one worked. The expensive masterpieces of dwarven golem-building, for which their family had paid a lot of money, turned out to be useless statues. The reason was established almost immediately, with the help of the Duchess's personal assistant-visionary. All the golems had trivial discharged storage devices. More precisely, someone cleverly replaced the necessary type of energy in the crystals-storage devices with one that was completely inert and useless for the golems. Thus, turning dangerous combat units into fabulously expensive and useless statues.

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 06:25

The situation was critical, and Ravenna had to make a difficult decision as she watched in her office on the large-scale map of the estate as the enemy approached the central building. Nearly a hundred dwarven booby traps, loaded with a variety of explosives, had been placed evenly throughout the garden more than twenty years ago at the insistence of her now-deceased mother. The price the bearded little men had asked for them was monstrous. And how much trouble it had been to install them in secret was too much to remember. But Ravenna's mother was adamant in her demand. There must be at least one defense system in the mansion not tied to magic. Only simple, mechanical action. Turning a key. The pull of a lever or a button. It doesn't matter. As long as there's no magic involved. Simple mechanics.

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 06:26

In the field of mechanics, the people of the mountains had never been bettered. And today, Ravena was able to see that for herself. As well as the wisdom of her late mother. When, with shaky hands, she pulled the inconspicuous lever behind the false section of her office wall, nothing happened for the first second. In the next instant, the dwarven mines exploded with monstrous power, spewing out enchanted shards, multidirectional elemental charges, and the most powerful blast wave of all. The magnificent garden around the D'armon mansion was no more. In its place were dozens of craters, splintered trees, and small fragments of statues.

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 06:28

This strike came as a surprise to the Devils. It was largely due to the special metal the mine casings were made of. It was the reason why the dwarven products were so expensive, but it was also the reason why they were so hard to detect by all kinds of seers. It was also because only three living people knew about the mines. She, her eldest son, and her cousin led the guard, but no one else was aware of this element of defense. But unfortunately for Ravena, the explosion of even a hundred mines had not been fatal to the Devils. The most powerful and dangerous creatures managed to sense something a moment before the explosion and escaped. Some of them were tangentially hit, but it didn't matter much. But the rank-and-file cultists had been thinned out. At least more than half of them had been wiped out, and only those who had been covered by their masters survived, many of whom were injured in some way.

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 09:54

In any case, this unexpected blow gave the d'Armon the most valuable thing in this difficult situation. Time. It wasn't much time, but it was enough time for the alerted guards to gather their strength and arm themselves fully. Fighters took up positions at loopholes, stationary enchanted arrows, and magical battle wands. Almost every possible attack and defense system in the manor had been activated. Now, it was possible to give the inhabitants of Hell a much more confident fight. Only the latter didn't take it, instead retreating in an organized manner.

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 09:58

Ravena tried to make the most of this brief respite. In the office, which had been turned into an emergency military headquarters, all the high-level members of the clan, the strongest of the mercenary fighters, and all the seers were gathered, urgently united in one circle. Three different enchanted volumetric maps, each an artifact of epic grade, were spread out on a large table. One projected the mansion and the surrounding garden. The second is their street. The third is their neighborhood of Eternal. Unfortunately, due to the powerful interference, only the map that displayed the mansion worked reliably. It took more than half an hour to get a more or less complete picture of what was going on, and several scanning artifacts of epic and one legendary grade from the emergency supply of family, as well as a set of expensive restorative potions for the Duchess's personal seer and her assistants, who had to work their asses off to the max. The result was extremely discouraging.

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 10:01

In short, they were in a very deep asshole. The fact that the whole capital was in that part of the body with them was of little consolation. There was no communication with the outside world, but they managed to reach a third of their contacts in the Eternal. The rest did not answer. Those that did respond were in a similar situation to the D'Armon's, if not worse, and were looking for help and rescue. It was impossible to reach the Imperial Palace because everyone else was trying to reach it. The communication channels were overloaded.

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 10:07

There was no way to get out of the city. The powerful stationary teleporter, located in the back of the mansion, worked only within the boundaries of the Eternal. All exit points outside of it were cut off completely. Contracts with several powerful elemental spirits were also cut off by the Devils. The celestials could not even be mentioned. The youngest of Ravena's children, a seventeenth-level cleric with the unusual class of Devotee, who had lost all of his class abilities and his connection to his celestial patron, was adamant that "all clerics are in this state, and there is no hope for help from the deities." So we'd have to make it on our own. Which was lacking.

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 10:10

After calculating the available forces, the nervous duchess thought. On the one hand, it was dangerous to leave the fortified mansion. On the one hand, it would be dangerous to leave the fortified mansion. On the other hand, there was no way to stay put. If she had at least a large part of the guard and fighters of the family at hand, it would be a different matter, but in the current situation, she only has three fighters above the fortieth level. Because of that, leaving the manor was very discouraging. Moreover, most of the people who had gathered for the council were also strongly opposed to leaving the fortified position. The head of a star of high-level mercenary adventurers hired shortly after the escalation with Alishan was the one who objected the most.

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 10:20

"We'll just get slaughtered out there. We need to stay here until the Imperial Legions counterattack and break the creatures' backs. Until then, we have no business being there. I spotted two level 47s among the creatures that attacked us. Without the support of your manor's defenses, lady d'Armon, we don't stand a chance."

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 10:22

"Why don't we try to break through to the palace after all?"

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 10:22

"I might make it through. Some of my men and a couple of yours, too. The rest of you will fall into the hands of the Devils. You know what they'll do to you?"

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 10:23

Ravena didn't guess. She knew. And that was why she was very reluctant to leave the relatively safe manor. But was it really that safe?

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 10:17

"These creatures overcame our outer defenses without the slightest resistance! Can we be sure they haven't picked up the keys to the rest of the defenses?"

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 10:24

"If they had managed to do that, we wouldn't be talking to you right now," the leader of the adventurers, who had taken command of the defense as the highest level fighter, shook his head grimly.

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 10:25

"But I do not doubt that they have studied our defenses well, and they probably have a backup plan...."

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 10:26

"Wait! Where's Nicholas?"

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 10:26

The question from one of Ravena's aides threw everyone into a stupor. They looked at each other for a few seconds, and then one of the guardsmen said uncertainly:

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 10:27

"Did he stay in his workshop?"

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 10:28

"Goddamn it, send for him now!"

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 10:28

"What's the use of him now..."

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 10:29

"Now! He might come in handy."

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 10:29

Painter is an uncommon class, but it's rarer than some epic ones. The reason was simple. The development of the class required quite a lot of investment in consumables, and not the cheapest. Canvases, paints, easels, brushes. Of course, you can draw a picture on the wall with a piece of charcoal. But the only thing is that there will be as much experience with it. Although, it depends on what kind of painting and how it is drawn... Inspiration also plays a big role in the development of the class. And also depends a lot on what the artist was going to write. It's one thing to paint the landscape of a sniffy village of Shit Hole and another thing to paint a battle of two huge armies that you had the opportunity to observe.

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 06:31

In short, the class is not easy to develop. But at the same time, opening up huge opportunities for those who have developed it to sufficiently high levels. Nicholas Falmel was deservedly considered a very good artist. He has a thirty-fifth level. He had upgraded the Painter class to a rare grade and had chosen the epic grade Portraitist as his second class. Yes, against the backdrop of other combat class holders, at first glance, not at all impressive. But the abilities and peculiarities granted by the classes more than paid for the lack of combat techniques. For the sake of these features, Ravenna's late mother had brought the skinny but talented young man closer to her. And not only did she bring him closer, equipped him with a workshop and provided him with very expensive supplies in the form of rare paints or brushes made of exotic animal hair.

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 06:36

The treasurer of the d'Armond family had torn his hair out more than once, calculating how much money the Lady was spending on a useless freeloader. And many agreed with him. It was even whispered that he had been brought closer solely because of his good looks and talents in other areas, but no one had ever dared to say such a thing out loud. Ravena's mother had a stern temper and ruled the d'Armon family with an iron hand. There were rumors, though. In any case, her patronage and spending on a talented artist was considered unjustified by many. And when she allowed him to have a couple of personal maids and modeling girls of very attractive appearance...

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 10:44

The opinion of others quickly changed when the adult man reached the twenty-fifth level and took the second class. That's when the investment began to pay off. Just a portrait and a portrait painted by the hand of a Portraitist of epic grade are two big differences. The second can have a very wide range of unusual properties, depending on the materials used in the creation of the picture and on what goals are pursued by the portraitist. For example, to increase permanent or temporary characteristics, to play the role of a "lightning rod" for a curse or a means of distraction. Or, on the contrary, to greatly assist in the search or spoiling by the malefic. It was rumored that truly high-level artists could paint a portrait of a person so authentic that any wound was instantly transferred to the original. Up to and including a fatal wound. Or conversely, a mortal wound could be taken over by the portrait. Of course, this requires a level of forty-five at least, but as they say, not all at once.

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 10:47

Over time, the manor had a separate private gallery full of portraits of various people. Members of the d'Armont family, allies and foes alike. The court painter's usefulness to the family was appreciated, and he was treated more warmly and even turned a blind eye to another pair of maids who served as his inspiration. The portraits painted by Nicholas saved some members of the family, if not their lives, then a considerable part of their health.

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 10:49

When the Eternal fell in Hell, Nicholas was in his studio painting a portrait of one of Duchess Ravena's sworn friends. He was posed for it by one of his maid-model-mistresses. As the Eternal's skies changed color, he turned around and froze shocked, staring out the huge window of his studio. For a few seconds, a slender, handsome young man in paint-stained work clothes stared at the alien skies. Then he took a few steps toward the window, bit his lip, and angrily threw his palette aside. He did not, however, let go of the long brush.

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 10:42

"Master?"

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 06:36

A pretty girl dressed in an expensive white dress threw a frightened glance at him. He mumbled frantically without paying attention to her:

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 12:38

"No, no, that's impossible! How--how did this happen? How did they-- No, no, no! I'm-- I'm-- damn it!"

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 12:39

Nicholas turned to the worried girl and, with an expression of childish resentment on his face, said, almost crying:

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 12:39

"It's not fair! Bloody, filthy things! They-- They! Bastards! I hate them!"

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 12:41

"Master, calm down..."

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 12:27

"Calm down? Calm down!? All this hard work, all this effort, it's all for nothing! I was so close to my goal! I didn't have much time left! So much work. So many risks, and most importantly time, time, Violeta! It's... it's... Fuck them. I hate them!"

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 12:28

The young man collapsed into his chair and covered his face with his hand, tears streaming down his face. The girl quickly ran up to him and sat on his lap, hugging him affectionately. In doing so, she cleverly drowned Nicholas' face in her cleavage. To put it bluntly, there was room to drown. For several minutes the girl stroked the artist's head as if he were a little boy. He sniffed unhappily and continued to curse the Devils, but at the same time, he began to actively grope the model's lower back with his left hand. He never let go of the brush in his right hand. Then, suddenly, he jumped to his feet, almost dropping Violeta to the floor, straightened up, and turned resolutely toward the window. The expression on his handsome face changed abruptly from childish resentment to a gloating grin:

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 12:27

"And you know what, Violeta? That's even better! Yes! For all those bastards! Yes, that's fine with me too, ha-ha-ha!"

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 12:24

The young man laughed for a few seconds, then turned abruptly to Violeta:

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 12:23

"Gather the rest of the girls. We're going with plan number six."

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 12:22

The sharply matched maid-model nodded briefly:

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 12:22

"I obey, Master!"

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 12:20

Then she left the workshop in a hurry. Nicholas went to his private room, which was adjoining the workshop. It was a rather large room, divided into two parts by a screen. One was more like a study, with a desk and a couple of cabinets. Instead of books and scrolls, they held paints, paint blanks, brushes, and other art supplies. On the table were several dozen rather expensive sheets of paper with sketches for future paintings. The other part of the room was occupied by a huge bed and a couple of closets with clothes. And, of course, all the walls were covered with paintings. Mostly portraits.

Camrad_RIP 20.08.23 в 12:21